A Clash of Magic and Steam

by law abiding pony

Rating: teen
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Fluttershy, Science Fiction, Rarity, Adventure, Violence, Pinkie Pie
Length: 407417

The Fire of Friendship that once united ponykind has all but faded. One thousand years ago, Equestria fractured... those who disagreed with Celestia's rule left under the leadership of Princess Luna to found their own nation, their own way of life.

The Fire of Friendship has all but faded. One thousand years ago, Equestria fractured... those who disagreed with Celestia's rule left under the leadership of Princess Luna to found their own nation, their own way of life. Seventy years later, Celestia and Luna both disappeared during the first war, leaving the battered nations leaderless in their absence.

Over the last nine hundred years wars have frequently waged between Equestria and Lunaria, each seeking to unite ponykind under their own ideals. Equestria's mastery of magic often gave it the edge in battle, but never enough for a decisive victory. Peace reigns for now, but recent developments in Lunaria signal a shift in the balance between the two divided nations...

Published 2020-11-06 16:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2023-11-08 10:14:33 UTC

2: The Mechanical Dilemma

Two years had passed since Twilight lept from that cloud. With formal education off the table, she dedicated herself to learning her parents’ crafts and her tutor's lessons. While the filly had a head for numbers and accounting, it was in her father’s laboratory that she found her passion. Where birth had robbed her of a functional horn, her father had introduced her to a form of magic that Equestria shunned: that of steel and steam.

It was going to be a busy day. Twilight Sparkle wore a purple leather suit covering her from neck to tail that had old stains making it look almost patchwork. Even for a lab rat such as herself, she was still a noble and her mane and coat needed to avoid the harsh washing that grease and oil stains would require. Not that it bothered her anymore. Her mane was carefully wrapped up in a bun while in the lab, and a glass shield protected her face. That at least, was kept crystal clear.

Her father was in a similar outfit and was standing thirty feet away and in front of a massive steam engine the royal army had absconded with during the last war. It was composed of three parts that were so large the laboratory had to be custom built to house it. The water and coal tanks took up a sizable portion of the east side of the laboratory whereas the three sets of cylindrical boilers took up the most space. At present, only two of the boilers were being fed by a pair of fireboxes, the last one was in a state of disassembly. Lastly came the engine itself, a row of pistons connected to a crankshaft which, through a series of other gears and shafts, let to a water pump outside the biulding. All of it, save the tanks, were crowded together, befitting its naval origins.

Night Light was supervising two earth ponies who were shoveling coal into the fireboxes, waiting for enough steam to build up, for today was a momentous occasion. The queen herself had arrived and wanted to see Night Light’s work in person.

“Hurry now, my wife can only entertain the queen for so long! I need that pressure up to-”

He didn’t get another word before the loud bang of a lance rapped the granite floor. Both Twilight and Night Light were pulled away from the engine towards an imposing unicorn royal guard in resplendent golden armor. “Announcing the arrival of Their Highnesses, Queen Corona, and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza!”

The new princess? Twilight shot down into a deep bow with her eyes cast down, but curiosity urged her to steal a glance at the new arrivals.

The golden furred unicorn queen took a firm step into the laboratory. Her ivory dress had iconography of a unicorn head flanked by embroidered wings along her chest and back. It was of the ageless fashion of the Equestrian crown, as no one else was allowed to have attire with such markings. Her poise was of refined elegance, and her eyes bore a calculating wisdom. Queen Corona was the very picture of regality.

Coming in behind her, however, was who really took Twilight’s breath away: Cadenza. A true alicorn, the first to be seen in nearly a thousand years. Twilight had been eagerly wishing to meet her after the coronation ceremony. She thought just being in the same room with her would make Twilight feel elated with holy light. Strangely however, the pink furred alicorn’s casual posture and welcoming smile made her feel approachable, kind actually, far more than the queen who carried her crown with calm grace. Cadenza's expression shattered quickly once the foreign noise of the engine hit her in full force, and she was left flattening her ears and wincing from the sheer volume of it all.

The final arrival was a warmage, complete with a rune and ruby adorned staff marching with self importance behind the royalty. He scanned the room, and gave a brief but respectful bow towards Twilight and her father.

“You may rise,” Corona yelled over the engine while lifting a hoof. As soon as Twilight and Night Light obeyed, Corona loosely covered her nose, though she seemed loath to betray such sensibilities. She flattened her ears at the ear-splitting machine. “Please tell me you have some way of silencing that horrid thing!”

Night Light sweated nervously, but he kept his tone level enough. He nodded and pointed to an observation room above the entrance. “Naturally, your highness. Please, the lifting platform is over there. It is much quieter within.”

Seeing the platform, Corona didn’t wait for Night Light, and walked over. “Horrid things. Indulge me, but I would prefer waiting to speak until I can hear myself think.”

A hasty agreement later, everyone boarded the platform which started rising thanks to some staff coming over to pull it up with chains. Twilight was giddy when she maneuvered herself to stand next to Cadenza. During the transit up, Cadenza glanced back at Twilight, making the filly freeze.

She’s looking right at me. Oh Celestia above she’s actually looking at me!

“You look pretty in that fancy suit,” Cadenza said with a rural accent.

Fancy? Twilight’s jaw went lax. She speaks like a commoner. A split second later the compliment registered. She blushed furiously. “T-thank you, your Holiness!” Twilight would be eternally grateful her girlish squeals were mistaken for engine noise by the others.

Once the platform arrived Night Light quickly ushered everyone into the observation room. It held a commanding view over the engine, and half of the room had a dense cluster of dials and levers. There were also gauges from the engine itself reading everything from boiler pressure to the crank’s speed.

Corona sighed in relief that the stench of soot and lubricants were diminished along with the noise to a bearable level. “As I stated in my letter, I am here to see this disruption field for myself. I hope all the noise means the machine is prepared. Yes?”

“It should be. Admittedly, it can be combative at times.” Night Light turned to Twilight and nodded towards the control station. “How are the readings?”

Of all eyes that fell upon her, the queen’s iron gaze chilled Twilight’s nerves to the core. Her first instinct was to cover her face with her wings to hide and cow away. It was only after she was peeking between her fingers that her brain caught up with her. Shame burned her face at revealing her deformed wings in front of both her queen and princess.

“Please don’t be scared,” Cadenza said with a soothing voice that seemed to cut through Twilight’s panic attack before it could get worse. “You’re very brave to work with this awful thing. The crown thanks you.”

To Twilight’s utter surprise, the alicorn didn’t seem to be fazed in the slightest at her featherless wings. Queen Corona arched a disapproving eyebrow, but kept her feelings quiet. “Y-you’re welcome, Princess.”

Scurrying as fast as her jittery nerves would allow, Twilight reached her station. It was a panel of gauges and dials adjacent to a collection of levers and crank wheels that were jerry rigged to the engine roughly fifteen meters away. It took her only a moment to check everything was in working order, as she had done eight times already before the queen arrived. “Pressure is steady, and the number four piston isn’t wobbly. It’s ready, father.”

“Excellent.” Night Light waved at the warstaff bearing unicorn. “High Mage, would you kindly go down to the chalk line down below? Since speaking stones don’t work while the engine is active, there is a speaking tube next to the line for you to hear us.” Sure enough, the horn shaped object sitting near Twilight's controls had a tube that snaked its way to the test line.

The mage was a stallion with the same taller than normal stature many Canterlotian unicorns possessed. In fact, he matched Cadenza in height. He inclined his weapon along with his head in respect. “As you say, High Doctor. Anything I can do to aid the crown’s efforts for the next conflict is my pleasure.”

Night Light returned the gesture and moved over to Twilight’s side, causing the the mage to hesitate before leaving. By now, Twilight had her wing fingers resting above some of the levers and knobs, waiting for her father’s orders. “Your Highness and Holiness, Sir, allow me to introduce my daughter: Miss Twilight Sparkle.”

Corona gave a brisk nod, keeping her interaction minimal. “Charmed.”

Swift Spell gave much the same response, but Cadenza was the only one to show genuine warmth and addressed the filly directly. “A lovely name to match such a pretty face. I’m sure you will give your parents no end of trouble with suitors in a few years.”

Twilight couldn’t stop herself from tilting her head and letting one ear droop. She did, however, move to face her fully and smiled at the confusing compliment. Off to the side, Night Light blushed for her. “Thank you, your Holiness. You’re very pretty too.”

“Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” Corona called out with a note of disappointment. “I remind you that sort of humor is frowned upon in polite society.”

Unabashed, Cadenza glanced back and quietly apologized before returning her attention to Twilight. “I had a demicorn friend back in Brightshire. He used to work at the windmill farm, and always made the best sweet rolls.”

Twilight was stunned by the admission. In truth, she had never seen anyone else like herself, and half believed she was the only one. But the hope remained: Cadenza didn’t mind her being a half-breed. Outside of her household, she didn’t think anybody else would. “You were really friends with somepony like me?” She asked with desperate hope. Twilight could still see the laughter in the academy interviewers’ eyes. How other children were pulled away by their parents before they could talk to her. Many of those children started acting that way on their own. Twilight was too smart for her own good, and remembered it all.

A sympathetic, morose frown crossed Cadenza's face. She knew those fears all too well. She used a wing to push Twilight’s face protector up so she could brush Twilight’s cheek with the same wing. The filly froze at such close contact with an alicorn. And found her gaze was locked within Cadenza’s kind eyes. “Don’t let anypony fool you, Miss Twilight. You are not broken until you allow it to happen. I only wish my friend had known that.”

Broken. It was the same word she heard whispered behind her back at house parties, on the street, and sometimes whispered by the family’s very own employees. Before anyone could see it, Cadenza’s wing brushed away a painful tear from Twilight’s eye. The filly found no words to say. Not that she could risk it without her voice cracking.

“You are far and above too kind,” Night Light said with genuine gratitude. He stepped over and roped Twilight in with a foreleg, allowing Cadenza a chance to stand normally. “Twilight has been a major help in my work. She’ll undoubtedly surpass me one day.”

Corona applied a practiced, regal smile and all but shoved herself in between them. “A sentiment I wish more parents possessed. Now, both her Holiness and myself have many other pressing engagements today. Perhaps we can share such pleasantries another time.”

“Sad but true,” Cadenza confirmed with an unbecoming weak pout.

Night Light pulled away from Twilight in renewed haste. “Then we shall make it as expedient as possible. Twilly, take your post. Warmage, at your leisure.”

“Before I start,” Swift interrupted with a raised hoof. “I believe her majesty mentioned wanting to know about the engine’s effect on eathers and pegasi on the carriage ride over here.”

Corona hummed in mild impatience, and nodded slowly. “That I did. Time being what it is, I suppose it would be prudent to follow through. The Duke of Trottingdale will simply have to settle for second fiddle.”

“Did I not present my findings to the crown and mage corps?” Night Light offered as respectfully as possible.

“You did,” Corona nodded tiredly at the whole thing. “But seeing is believing. If I witness it with my own eyes, I can better comprehend the magnitude of the danger these newer machines pose. Something that never seemed to trouble my generals until the last war’s blunders. If this machine proves to be as worrisome as your report claimed, I will require your engine be part of a larger demonstration.”

The news brought a wide grin upon Night Light, and he bowed to her. “Thank you for taking my warnings seriously, your highness. Were this any other circumstance, I’d say you won’t be disappointed.” Night Light politely slid past his guests to pull on a string, ringing a bell near the entrance below. Opening a window he stuck his head out to yell down at Green Fields below. “Hoofmare, collect Diamoera and Summer Skies, and make it quick.”

“Aye, Milord.”

As they waited, Twilight was thrilled from both the attention Cadenza regularly directed her way, and being able to chime in a word or two in support of her father. Yet most of her focus was taken by keeping an eye on the temperamental engine. The soldiers who ripped the thing from the grounded vessel it came from failed to procure a manual, and the engineers had been traded away in the peace treaty. As such, most of the father-daughter duo’s study on it was trial and error. Over time the engine had begun wearing out due to their efforts. With the spare parts they acquired for it not working as well as the original parts did, it made the engine increasingly unstable without supervision. She took no small amount of pride that her father trusted her completely with that task as he kept the guests preoccupied with details he didn’t have time to show them previously. Down below, she watched an aide push an archery target stand directly in front of the engine and between a line of chalk and the pistons section of the machine. A bit early now since we have to wait.

Nevertheless within short order Green Fields returned with the two requested employees. Neither of them having the out of place, garish stripes in their manes that Pinkamena had. Twilight eased a dial to the left as the pressure was inching too high. I hope the queen will take daddy seriously after this. She wrinkled her brow and cast the thought from her mind. Now was not the time for distraction.

Seeing the staff had arrived and knew enough to stand near the ground level speaking tube, Night Light gave orders from his end of the tube. “Summer Skies, please hover above the pistons, but away from the outlets, unless you want to lose a wing like Dirt Dobber did.” Night Light made no attempt to hide his concern, not that it seemed to bother Corona nor the warmage in the slightest. Cadenza was far more open with her curiosity and was nearly plastering her face against the window.

Twilight already knew what to do, and once Night Light finished guiding the pegasus to the best location by waving his forelegs one way or the other, she slowly brought the machine up to maximum safe limits. There was something feral about the engine in Twilight’s eyes. It was the heart of a metal beast Equestrians had stolen. Every time she pushed the right lever, it raged in impotent fury, unable to cause its captors harm. It served only now to help its creator’s enemies, and pump water up to the manor’s water tower.

But at the same time, it was a magic all of its own. A form of magic Twilight could touch and manipulate. Each piece played a role that she craved to understand. Hearing the hiss of steam, the boilers thrum, and pistons moving was akin to growls and roars of an animal. All of it made her all the more eager to explore the machine’s every bolt and screw all over again.

The test pegasus had no difficulty staying aloft, but her wing beats became noticeably faster towards the upper limits of the engine’s output.

“As you can see, your highness,” Night Light started with clinical dryness. “Pegasus flight is only slightly hampered by the dampening effects of engines. As mentioned in the original report, this engine was pulled off one of their naval ships. Its purpose is to spin what the PoWs called a crankshaft for mechanical work, not exclusively to dampen unicorn magic. That is, in their words, ‘a pleasant bonus’.”

“How does it affect their control over the weather?” Cadenza inquired as she briefly looked up to the ceiling. A hole had to be cut into the roof to allow the exhaust to flow out.

“We haven’t been able to test for that,” Night Light replied with a reverent bow. “As you can see, the lab is too small for such tests and we must keep the interior as dry as possible due to rust concerns. As of yet, we have seen only inconclusive evidence the dampening effect escapes the walls of the lab. But given the altitude and distances involved, I doubt weather manipulation is an issue. Even with those zeppelins of theirs, weather systems are too vast for a single airship, or engine in this case, to cause real disruption.

“Interesting,” the warmage said with only passing sincerity. Corona kept her council to herself at the moment. “Perhaps collapsing buildings or throwing boulders on top of machines could be a viable strategy. Please, continue to the earther.”

“Gladly. Diamorera! Would you kindly gather your plants.” As the gardener rushed to obey, Light continued to address his guests. “We’ve detected only marginal effects on earther strength or endurance. As to why that is, we have yet to determine.”

The earth pony mare went the long way and ran up the stairs on the far end of the laboratory to reach the observatory room with two potted plants nestled into a pair of saddlebags. When she presented them, Corona tried to claim the vibrant and healthy sunflower in her magic, but her telekinesis wobbled and quaked. To escape embarrassment, she took the pot with a foreleg instead. Cadenza took the pitifully sick looking sprout in a foreleg as well. It was barely out of the soil and was a little limp.

“Both were kept in sunlight for the past twoweeks,” Night Light explained with a touch more dramatic fearmongering than he’d normally convey. “The unhealthy one was handled by our groundskeeper only when it was near the active engine.”

I hope that’s not the flower she keeps hidden in the tool shed, Twilight mused irritably. She argued with herself on confronting the groundskeeper about it, but the risk of being wrong and embarrassing her father in front of the queen and Cadenza of all ponies held her tongue.

Cadenza offered the pot to Swift who smirked and telekinetically grabbed the weakened pot. His magic at least was strong enough to not appear flimsy. “Some good news. They won’t be able to use their machines to improve crop productivity. If anything they might face food shortages if they try.”

A deep jealous scowl crept up on Corona at seeing how easily the mage held the plant, but she quickly brought her face back to a more graceful neutrality.

“At the very least it further proves this technology is not a direct attack against unicorns,” Twilight called out from her console, trying to get a word in with the adults. All of the attention going her way caused her horn to spark, making her cheeks burn. “A-as daddy said.”

Swift Spell eyed the filly with a stern glare. “Don’t be so sure of that, young miss. Compared to Equestria, Lunaria barely has a unicorn population at all.”

“Traitors, even worse than the other tribes,” Corona added with bitter resentment. “More than ever now that they stand against her Holiness.”

Looking to Cadenza for a response, Twilight only saw quiet sadness from the pink alicorn.

“I’m sure the common pony will rise up against the emperor once they learn of you, your Holiness,” Night Light nodded in solemn agreement. Cadenza only gave a minimal response, making Night Light continue on with a brief stutter. “Provided he didn't command the newspapers to ban all mention of you. But back to the matter at hoof, that population difference has been our greatest strength against them. Traitors they may be, the Lunarians are not fools. The last war saw them using a dozen land-mobile engines in the last season or so. I only wish our soldiers had not been so zealous in destroying every last one that had been abandoned. How much longer do you think it’ll be before those land-engines are strong enough to mount more than a few infantry?”

Twilight wilted a little, and was surprised by the fearful reactions from the guests. Not even daddy likes the engine. They can be used for good too. Just like how this one powers the pumps for our water. It’s just a tool. A big complicated tool. Young though she was, Twilight was too scared of the queen and mage to voice her objection. She looked to Cadenza for any sign of agreement, but the alicorn showed only reserved concern. If anything, she was deeply saddened by something Twilight could only guess at as Cadenza stared ahead with a distant gaze.

All too eager to press home the true danger of his findings, Night Light tapped the ground for polite attention. “I hope I have satisfied your curiosity on non-unicorn magic.”

Corona waved to the others to return the plants to the groundskeeper. “Yes, this demonstration is most telling. Please move on.” Muffled though it was, the rhythmic chugging of the engine was still quite noticeable. For someone wholly unused to such noise, it was grating on the guests’ nerves, Corona especially started to let her regal air slip. “That cacophony your machine is making is about to give me a migraine.”

That was a sentiment Twilight couldn’t disagree with more. The steady work of the pistons, hiss of steam, and the roaring of the boiler called to the musical side of her. If anything, she found it relaxing, and was one of the few places the erratic sparks from her horn calmed down. I sometimes sleep in here when it’s running. Why can’t ponies see how beautiful machines can be?

“As you wish, your highness. Warmage would you please go to the chalk line and start off with a regular spell bolt at the target?”

“Yes, yes, of course.” Swift jerked a bit as he opened the door to receive the full blast of the engine’s noise. He shrugged it off as best he could and made his way down.

Night Light smiled at the earth mare and waved for her to leave. “Thank you, Diamnera. You may go now. Twilight! As per our usual test strength, bring the engine down to one half!”

All too eager to escape from the adults’ condemnation of the engine, Twilight pulled on the steam release lever and carefully watched the gauges. Daydreams of how pulling just this one lever could cause a whole ship to slow down felt like real power. At least power she could actually use.

Soon enough though, the gauges arrived at the desired levels. “It’s ready father, I’ll hold it steady.” An excited spark of lightning escaped her horn, to Twilight’s embarrassment, in front of the others.

Satisfied, Night Light yelled through the speak tube to the warmage. “You may attack, Sir. One spell no faster than every five seconds. We should start slow before working our way up.”

“Just like back at the academy.” Swift leveled his horn at the target. He fired a dozen volleys before he was requested to stop. For each one, Night Light had a house staff mark the distance the spell bolts traveled by chalking the granite floor. Not one made it even halfway to the straw archery target before dissipating.

“Very good, Sir. Now try your spells at full strength without the staff again.”

A dozen more spells went off, yet they only made it two or three additional feet before fading away as well. Night Light scribbled on a notepad every time the spells were defeated.

“You may stop now,” he yelled through before rounding on the two mares. “Results are within expected ranges,” Night Light stated sourly. “Granted this engine was used in a naval vessel, but the Lunarians already deployed those adapted trains of theirs to operate without rail lines several months before the end of the war. If we tarry in making a proper response to these developments, I dare say Equestria's days are short indeed. This oversight needs to stop today.”

“And you say that thing is only working at half?” Corona shivered with genuine fear at the infernal device, hardening her expression.

“Afraid so. We’re operating under the assumption that it would be the most likely level of disruption caused by the trains I mentioned. The caveat is that our engine here tends to breakdown rather quickly when stressed beyond the half-power point for anything longer than an hour or so. The engine is not exactly in perfect shape anymore since we can’t replicate parts for it in the same manner as the Lunarians. We work with best guesses when it comes to the alloy composition for instance.”

Corona took his council in silence. She stared at the chalk marks and the fuming mage who was tapping his staff on the floor with impatient, wounded pride. “High Doctor, might I request you turn the accursed thing off so I can see how even a dead machine disrupts our power,” Corona ordered with freshly kindled energy. She was now a pony with clear danger to face. “Too many of my brave soldiers died thinking these machines being quiet meant that the Lunarians were vulnerable, as they were in the past.”

Night Light thought it over a moment before calling Twilight, “Bring it down to minimum activity!” Corona frowned bemusedly at him, but not harshly enough to incite fear. “My apologies, but shutting the engine down cold would mean it would take an hour to get enough steam to resume the test. I would not want to unduly burden your schedule even further.”

She hummed thoughtfully. “It takes that long?”

“Yes, your highness,” Night Light answered as he searched his notes for another chart. “Even when I first acquired the engine, it could take hours to go from cold to full steam. Granted one of the three boilers has never worked right for me, but on winter nights it takes up to eight hours.”

Corona took the offered chart in a clipboard. A brief read evoked a thread-bare grin. “Thank you, High Doctor. I pray my generals already know this.” She paused, closing her eyes to think a moment. The diminishing racket coming from the engine as Twilight worked the control made Corona's features harden. She waved a hoof at the filly. “Child, stop!" She turned to Night Light. "You say the accursed engine is at half power, yes?”

He glanced at the readings, standing over Twilight as she scrambled to reverse the release order to the staff before by ringing the bells. "It was, but the pressure hasn't been fully released yet, we can get it back shortly."

Corona snapped to attention as if taken by sudden vigor. “Not good enough, I want that thing as high as it will go." Knowing Night Light would protest, she leveled an iron gaze upon him. "You will have your grant money for any repairs needed, High Doctor, and I will ensure you have the services of some of the royal smiths to expedite things. Now, child, bring that metal monster up to full strength.”

Twilight was caught flatfooted at being addressed directly so many times in such quick succession, but when the queen eyed her after noticing the filly’s hesitation, Twilight scrambled to obey. She worked the controls and rang the bell two times for the staff to shovel in more fuel and water for the boilers. “I-it will take some time for the steam pressure to rise.”

“I can wait.” Corona studied Night Light, searching for any sign of objection. “Well?”

“Far be it for me to try and deny the queen her satisfaction.” Night Light pulled over a quill and his clipboard. “If it must be destroyed, I might as well take whatever notes I can.”

“High Doctor, if there was ever a time I wish to be misinformed by a scholar, it would be today.” Corona took a moment to look critically at Night Light, studying his every twitch and unconscious gesture. “But I fear I won’t be.”

“I loathe being right on this, your highness. If I may though, while we wait for the machine to quicken, there is something else you should know. As I touched upon earlier, my research into the older firearms and machines they've used confirmed my theory that increased complexity and something in how the Lunarians produce their metals is what is causing the disruption. It’s the only logical reason they would put seemingly superfluous gearwork on their rifles.”

“Yes, I was already informed about the rifles, but you are the first to mention their metals.” Corona stated with surprised interest. She once more gazed down upon the boilers and engine, trying to see if the steel looked unusual. “How is that relevant? A soldier’s armor is easily enchantable, weapons too. In fact I believe the only non-metal piece of the mage’s staff is the crystal head.”

“True, but here’s the detail I think the other scholars are overlooking,” Night Light had been well prepared and sniffed around the desk in the back of the room for a chart and gave it to the queen. "My engine’s ability to resist spells has weakened over the years. While I’m sure part of it can be attributed to having slight imperfections in the replacement parts I’ve used over time, the only other factor has to be how the metal is forged, and the composition of the metal itself.”

She took the chart which illustrated much of the same thing. “I had always been told Lunarian metalworking was generally subpar since they have so few unicorns. It would be untenable to require every last one of them in the empire to specialize in thaumaturgic forging.”

“Earthers are more than capable of forging metals,” Cadenza rebutted, breaking the two apart a bit by her sudden intrusion. She shook her head in restrained irritation at the dismissal of the other tribes. “They were the first ones to forge bronze and brass long before unicorns took the spotlight in metalworking.”

Night Light backed off a bit, and tried to placate Cadenza with an apologetic tone. “Forgive me for any insult, I assure you I only try to speak factually. It’s true earther smiths still account for much for both nations, but I’m not talking about basic metal for silverware or farming tools. The alloys from the engine’s original parts are unlike anything I’ve ever seen from earther forging methods, I can promise you that. The replacement parts I’ve commissioned over the years have significantly weaker disruption effects than what I started with.”

Corona turned to look at the morose alicorn. She let off a resigned sigh and gently interposed herself between Night Light and Cadenza. “Then clearly something else is at play here. I will have to inform my spies to look into the matter of Lunarian forging. It’s entirely possible we already know and it was overlooked as unimportant, like so much you have shown me today,” she added bitterly. Corona hesitated as a new idea struck her. She turned back to the window and down to the engine that still grinded on her nerves with its cacophony, then to the warmage who was pacing impatiently. He was desperately trying to endure the noise without covering his ears.

Corona’s thoughts went up in smoke as she watched him. Memories of the war came back to her. Ever since stepping hoof inside the laboratory, the engine’s noise mocked her, taunted her. The thousands , no hundreds of thousands of death notifications she’d written or signed to the families of dead soldiers from the last war. How many more were maimed forever? All because the generals continued to ignore the danger these machines posed. “They were supposed to warn me, it was their damn job.”

The queen’s words had been intended for no one to hear, but years of acclimating to the engine noise allowed Twilight and her father to pick it up. Night Light’s ears went flat, and he took a half step back. He wasn’t sure if saying anything was a good idea.

It ended up being Twilight who broke the long silence. “Daddy, the engine is stalling at the red line. I don’t think we can go much higher without that last boiler.”

She had said it loud enough for everyone to hear. Her father nodded with a frown. “Which we have no way to fix. Your highness, this is the best we can do.”

“So it is. Mi Amore Cadenza,” Corona added with sharp intent and gesturing to the alicorn to join her at the viewing window. “We both need to see this.”

“Me?” Cadenza was flummoxed by so much of the test she squeezed her eyes shut. “I was just a weather pegasus a month ago. I don’t know the first thing about war magic or any of this.”

“This isn’t about knowing high magic, it’s about whether or not we can adapt to the new world Lunaria is thrusting us into.” Corona reached for the speak tube, her voice took on the same force of will that led a nation. “Swift Spell, prepare that staff of yours. When the Lights give the signal, attack the moving parts with everything you have.”

A dangerous smirk came on the mage’s face. He thumped his chest with the staff in salute. “By your will, my queen.”

The engine started to squeal and protest in a way only Twilight and Night Light could pick up on. In truth, they could probably push past the red line, but that would put too much strain on the whole system. Twilight was tapping the release lever every few seconds or so as the needle on the pressure gauge told her what the groaning engine noise was already doing. Come on, Steam Buddy, just hold it together. “I don’t know how long I can keep this up before something pops.”

“Humbling, knowing it can hold itself together while containing such power,” Night Light stated as he checked the readings himself for a moment before patting Twilight on the head in support. “Well done, Little Spark. Keep an eye on it.”

Twilight’s joy was short-lived once Night Light rang the bell. She pushed up onto the control board in time to see Swift Spell stand firm with his staff levitating beside him. Deep, angry red light poured from the ruby head of the staff before a weaving pair of glowing rings formed around him. Within, four large runes appeared, causing the edges of the rings to become inflamed, frosted, wreathed in darkness, or dazzle in energetic purples and whites. In a sudden jolt, four pony sized bolts of magic of fire, frost, purple raw energy, and deep shadow exploded upward from the runes before raining down on the rapidly moving pistons. The bright purple bolt disintegrated shortly after changing direction. The shadowy bolt dissipated only two meters away from the first. The firebolt fizzled out into a short-lived column of smoke. The frostbolt however, hit the engine right in the center, and exploded in a shower of crystal. All of a sudden, there was an ear-screeching groan of steel piston arms bent like the housing was too short. Another piston housing erupted completely. Steam pipes broke, tearing at the more delicate parts of the engine. Twilight frantically yanked on the release lever and warning bell. Emergency valves popped open, only to snap at the sheer pressure it was releasing. Workers threw open the firebox doors and hosed the fires down with water from the tank.

Swift Spell collapsed as his strength failed him. The staff had taken so much out of him he was barely conscious. With the steam pressure gone, and the engine dead, the only noise that remained were the hoses and the workers coordinating them. Queen Corona and the others made their way down to the mage. He was barely able to force himself to stand by the time they got there. “Damn thing, I should have that artificer jailed for this.” He feebly tried to wave Twilight away from helping him get back up. But muscle weakness and the fact that she was a child kept him from pressing the issue. “Appreciated, Little Miss. This is what I get for not having my storage gems.”

Night Light gave his daughter a brief approving smile but most of his attention was on the remains of his bent and broken engine. “Thoroughly ruined. It’ll take days just to assess if anything can be salvaged.”

“Which is far more time than the miserable soldiers using such weapons would have,” Corona was practically gleeful at the stillness now that the workers cut the hoses so they wouldn’t disturb the royal guests.

Corona ignored the wet floor as she marched up to the broken machine. “Ahh, blissful silence.” She scanned the broken pieces and twisted metal with a satisfied grin. There was still great deal of popping coming from cooling metal, but comparatively, the laboratory was indeed much quieter. “So the great concert is not over yet…”

A pair of gentle hoofsteps through the thin layer of water came up behind her. Cadenza and Twilight joined her side, after Cadenza prodded the filly to join her. All three surveyed the damage. Cadenza didn’t share the queen’s reserved pride. Now that the engine was little more than bent pistons and broken housing, it almost saddened her how easy it had come to ruin. “That was unreal. I never thought magic could be so weak against such a thing.”

Twilight didn’t dare show it, but she was devastated. Where once a beautiful and wondrous engine stood, now its remains smoked and creaked as nothing more than cooling metal wreckage. Days, weeks, more time than she could recall, she had studied and worked around the machine that was her magic. True, others created and built it, but everyone in Equestria either hated or disliked it. Everyone but one sympathetic filly.

She mustn’t cry for it, not here around the others, so she held back her tears as best she could. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure you get rebuilt as good as new. No matter what.

“Weak, but not useless,” Corona corrected with measured enthusiasm.” She adopted a stern demeanor when she finally returned her attention to Night Light who was busy talking to the staff and called out to him. “High Doctor!” Night Light jumped, and ran over to listen. “You have my thanks for allowing the demonstration. It has been most enlightening.”

“I’m glad I could have been at service, your highness. I hope our boys in gold will benefit from this.”

“Do not worry yourself, Doctor.” Corona walked up to him and went to rest a reassuring hoof on his shoulder, but thought better of it after remembering it was wet. “I feel the discounted threat of engines like this is a symptom of a larger problem in the general staff. It seems I have my work cut out for me, High Doctor.” She turned to leave, and waved for Cadenza and Swift Spell to follow after her. “Do what it takes to get that machine back in working order, it will be needed as a training implement as soon as possible.”

A stern, but confident nod was his first response. “You have my word, your highness.”

An hour or so after seeing to the queen’s departure from the grounds and annotating what useful notes he was able to make, Night Light returned to the lab. There he found Twilight had already taken several dozen of the smaller damaged engine parts out and had laid them out on cloth for easy identification. Some had moderate damage and looked salvageable to his eyes, while others were a total loss. The worst being the bigger pieces Twilight couldn’t remove on her own. The filly did not see his approach, but Pinkamena, who was penning down the list of damaged components tugged on Twilight’s back right leg, making the purple filly wiggle to pull her head out of the waterlogged interior. She followed Pinkamena’s silent point to Night Light.

“Thanks,” she whispered before addressing her father and pulling her lubricant covered facemask off. Her face was wet, due to dunking her face in water so her tears wouldn’t show. Thankfully, the delay in Night Light’s return had given her voice time to recover. “Daddy, as you expected, I haven’t found any real water damage per se. I don’t know why, but everything looks like overpressure damage, I can’t figure out how an ice rock could do that kind of destruction. It’s going to be such a chore to find all the little fragments of broken casing.”

Night Light first scrutinized Pinkamena’s stripes being so close to the inert machine, but they seemed unchanged. That allowed him to dismiss the servant from his concern, and shine a proud smile at his daughter’s thoroughness. “Well done. Don’t worry about the fragments, we’re going to have to pull absolutely everything out anyway. Completely rebuild it from the ground up Just make sure to pass the damage list to Gold Hammer so he can outsource the work to whoever is capable.”

“Yes, papa.”

Light was about to leave when he caught the frown on her face, and the momentary droop in her ears. “What’s wrong? There’s a lot of needless extra work to do now, but the test went well enough.”

The amount of work was of no issue to Twilight. If anything she’d work night and day to fix the engine. No, it was something that had rubbed her wrong for the entire demonstration. “Why doesn’t anypony like the engine?” Twilight looked up at him with red rimmed eyes that betrayed everything. “It didn’t do anything wrong.”

Night Light grew very sober, and gestured for Pinkamena to leave. The pink filly slunk away, giving Night Light a chance to speak more freely. “Twily, the engine itself is not bad. But it is something we Equestrians can’t use.”

“But - but we already use it!” Twilight cried, with tears freely flowing. “We use it to get water to the house, but that’s it. Why can’t we do other things with it like the Lunarians do?”

“Twily, we only pump water so the engine has some resistance to work against. It’s not that we can’t think of more uses, we simply aren’t supposed to.” Night Light hugged her tightly for a spell, giving the filly time to compose herself. “And we shouldn’t go looking for more uses anyway. Magic is used for everything in Equestria, from growing the food we eat to keeping houses together. If we started bringing machines into our homes and cities…” He sighed and let her go. “In any case, the queen has decreed that we must never use machines or else we may grow dependent on them, and I agree with her. I’ll have to get with Misty Greens to get water up here for the time being.”

That was it then. Her father wouldn’t budge, and Twilight had no idea how to make him do otherwise. She hung her head in defeat. “Yes, papa.”

“Why don’t you head to the kitchens and grab some cinnamon buns? Fresh Cake should be putting the icing on them now.”

The thought cheered her up a bit, and might have done more for other children, but Twilight couldn’t let go. The stubborn fire of her pegasus blood, and the yearning for knowledge of her unicorn heritage refused to let this lie. She scampered away from her father and the ruined engine that she had taken care of for the last two years, and had watched for many more prior. If nopony wants to like you, engine, then I will.

3: The Seeds of Defiance

Over the following year, Twilight bounced back and forth in her tutelage between both of her parents' crafts with a few tutor lessons to round out her education. Velvet helped with her math and history, and her father focused on language, and what little magic theory he could impart to her. None of it could hold a candle to her desire to learn more about and repair the engine. So much so that, what spare time she didn’t spend in the library, she was hard at work in her father’s laboratory. It was a chilly winter afternoon, late into the month of Sapphire that Twilight and Pinkamena were busy in the lab. As was more and more common, the two fillies were side by side, more or less. At present, Pinkamena stood at the ready in a pink version of the laboratory outfit, one Twilight had pleaded for her father to commission. Complete with chalk drawings of balloons on her flanks.

Twilight was waist deep inside of the damaged steam engine with a wrench strapped to her hoof. Even after a full year, replacement parts had been sluggish in coming in, but that didn't stop her from jumping to work as soon as a new piece came in. Thankfully, enough parts had come in to activate the engine once more, but only at minimal activity.

Unfortunately, this latest part delivery wasn't living up to Twilight's standards. Such poor quality left her cursing up as much of a storm as a fresh noble teenager felt she could get away with in her efforts to install those very parts. Pinkamena had an array of tools on multiple belts along with a box of labeled spare parts Twilight had refurbished herself. For the moment, Twilight was fitting replacement gears and belts that looked dubious at best.

“Can the belts stop breaking every other day, please?!” Twilight yelled out with a crack in her voice. “I keep telling daddy to use the same kind of rubber it started with! How can we get proper tests like this anymore?”

Pinkamena craned her head low to see Twilight pulling the snapped belt off the rollers. “Begging your pardon, Mistress, but he did say Equestria simply doesn’t know how their stuff is made. The alchemists say these belts should work well enough.”

“Well, evidence dictates they don’t. What part of make sure no magic is keeping the rubber intact’ is so difficult to grasp?” Twilight groaned loudly with frustration and went limp on her roll cart. “If we were able to steal this big ol’ thing off a ship, the least they could have done was capture a machine worker.”

“Maybe the alchemists can’t make the belts without magic.” Pinkamena’s flat expression was no help. “It could be that the soldiers didn’t know to do so? Or the parts went to other labs? Could be they did but had to release them too.”

Twilight threw the ruined belt to the side of her assistant and waved a hoof so she would help her. Pinkamena grabbed Twilight’s back legs and rolled her out from under the machine. “I doubt it. Why would they send parts of this engine to different labs?” Pinkamena shrugged helplessly. She’s just trying to cheer me up. She handed over the tools in anticipation for Pinkamena pulling over the next belt. “No use yelling at them at this point.” Not like they’d listen.

Pinkamena gave a thin smile. “I would grab you another belt, Mistress, but it is past noon.”

“We don’t have time to eat,” Twilight said as she rolled over to stand up. “Daddy needs the engine working better or he’ll have to postpone the next demonstration again, and the poor thing can barely reach the yellow line. Plus, I’m the only one small enough to reach the belt wheels.”

“I could do it,” Pinkamena offered meekly. “Those manuals you gave me don’t make a lot of sense, but if you showed me firsthoof…”

Twilight’s eyes widened a bit as she scanned the room. Scandal was in the air. It was one thing to have a servant clean up after you but quite another for one to work directly on machinery of any type. Not that she hasn’t already, with the new boiler design I want to create.

Of her father’s staff, everyone was apparently at lunch, save for Green Field, who was the only guard visible from the engine. Yet he was more interested in watching for outside intruders than the workshop itself. A mischievous look wormed its way onto Twilight’s face and she tapped the other side of the roll cart. “Come on, before somepony comes over with food again.” The list of house rules Twilight would conceive of breaking could be counted on one wing, and what she was about to do was one of them.

Pinkamena showed a touch of a genuinely happy smile and obeyed without hesitation. Twilight glanced at the tools Pinkamena had laid out and grabbed a small vice and did a poor, but serviceable attempt to connect the broken belt back together.

With it, she laid back down on the roller with Pinkamena at her side as they kicked their way back under the broken section. The engine reeked of lubricants and metal, and now that she was able to show her knowledge off, it helped that the smell had long become a welcome one over the years. Twilight’s growing excitement at sharing her knowledge with Pinkamena caused her horn to discharge with increasing power.

She pointed at the empty wheels and presented the belt. It was already a tight squeeze with one pony and her tools, having both squishing their way in wasn't helping. “Okay, so you see those two wheels? The belt is supposed to be fitted here so the drive wheel can move power over to this wheel. I can’t really fix the belt, but the vice should still hold it together long enough to show you how to put it on yourself.”

“How utterly splillerific!” Pinkamena cheered with hushed tones to avoid alerting Green Field.

This was not the first time Twilight tried to show Pinkamena everything she knew, from what parts regularly broke to where lubricants needed to be applied. Twilight quickly became engrossed in sharing her knowledge while Pinkamena spent half the time listening, and the other half stealing glances at Twilight’s face. A sort of peace fell over the earth mare, which made listening much easier.

That is until an uncontrollable and particularly powerful bolt of lightning flew from Twilight’s horn, and struck the machine, jolting the hoof Pinkamena was using to hold the crude ratchet with. She cried out, and made Twilight slip in putting a gear back into place. The small gear fell, smacking Twilight in the snout and badly cutting her with its teeth before rolling away. She yelled in pain and clutched her bleeding nose.

Terror surged in Pinkamena at causing Twilight harm and the punishment sure to follow. She grabbed the only rag they had left and presented it next to Twilight’s vision. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Twilight hastily took the rag and pressed it against her nose. Blood ran all over her face, but no bones shifted and no spikes of pain occurred when she clutched the rag in tight. Twilight instinctively wanted to yell at Pinkamena, yet when she looked at the pink filly, she couldn’t bring herself to do so. The look of horror an immeasurable regret in Pinkamena's eyes robbed Twilight of any desire to reprimand her, instead she gave a wincing smile. “It’s my fault. I didn’t think my magic would do anything under here.”

Pinkamena was quick to accept the fact her master wasn’t angry at her, but was still in a hurry. “Thank you, Mistress, but we should get Patchwork to take a look at you before—”

“There you are!” came a commanding voice that caused both of them to cry out in panic as Green Field grabbed a leg from each filly and yanked them out from under the engine, putting far more force on Pinkamena’s leg.

The guard stepped aside so Night Light could close in and glower over Twilight in particular. His first denouncement was delayed by his daughter’s bloody nose. “What happened?” He bent down to inspect Twilight, only for her to turn aside to hide it.

“My horn zapped my wrench when I was putting a gear back in place,” Twilight half-lied, using her injury to mask her poor poker face. “She was just trying to help me when I got hurt.”

The mention of the young servant briefly drew Night Light’s hardened gaze upon her, making Pinkamena recoil. “Twilight Sparkle. Do you honestly expect me to believe you injured yourself, and Pinkamena just so happened to crawl under there instead of pulling you out?” Twilight tried to speak up, but her father’s scowl was all he needed to keep her quiet. “I can forgive not eating every so often, but what are the two things I’ve told you repeatedly?” He glowered over Twilight, who shrunk away and couldn’t bring herself to respond. “It’s already a stretch to let Pinkamena get so close to the engine, but I’ve told you repeatedly never to teach her anything about Lunarian technology!”

Twilight wanted to protest, but Pinkamena beat her to it before she could think of another lie. “Please forgive her, My Lord, it’s my fault, I asked her to teach me.”

“Did you now?” Night Light’s sharp gaze never left his cowering daughter. “Return to your quarters for the day, Pinkamena. Somepony will bring you lunch and dinner.”

Pinkamena rolled off the cart and carefully dusted herself off so none of the filth would touch either noble. “Yes, My Lord,” she said meekly before scampering away.

Once the earth pony was out of ear shot, Night Light looked over to Green Fields. “Fetch the nurse and Misty Scrub to get this mess cleaned up.” Eyeing the guard just long enough to see him hastily depart, Night Light attempted to magically help Twilight stand up, only to wince in pain, forgetting how close he was to the engine. He quickly pulled her up by hoof before she could notice. He saw a couple other clean rags the fillies had pulled over and grabbed one to replace the bloody one Twilight was using. “We’ve talked about this, Twily. Pinkamena is a stripe.” Now that they were alone, Night Light adopted a softer tone, more worried over her injury than any disobedience.

“And? She’s my personal assistant isn’t she? How can she be that, if she can’t help me with work?”

“Must I keep reminding you that she is also a Lunarian? Those control stripes are the only things between you and a knife in the back.”

“Pinkamena wouldn’t do that,” Twilight challenged, unwittingly spitting some of the blood that had leaked into her mouth. “She’s my friend.”

“No striped servant is a friend,” Night Light shot back with every ounce of parental authority, purposely ignoring the small bits of splatter on his chin. He got nose to nose with her, forcing her to meet his eyes. “The feud between Equestria and Lunaria does not magically go away when war ends. It festers in all our hearts. It is the Queen’s mercy that grants them colors so that they can see beyond that feud, and so we Equestrians are safe from it. Equestria must reunite ponykind, and that can’t happen when half of our species loathes their rightful sovereign.”

“Everypony is different, dad,” Twilight challenged with a know-it-all tone. “Pinkamena is no more Lunarian than I am!”

“That is factually incorrect.” Night Light sighed and shook his head. “If you won’t listen to my warnings, then perhaps more drastic action is required.” He mulled over what to do for a long moment, leaving Twilight’s bluster to wane under the unknown punishment. He scanned the lab and saw the horn sheath she should have been wearing. He levitated it over and forced it into her grip. “For not wearing your grounding circlet, and trying to teach Pinkamena about machines, you are no longer welcome in the lab for the rest of the year.”

“What?!” Twilight quickly became apologetic, and bowed low, dropping the silver and gold sheath to the floor. “Please, daddy, I promise to keep Pinkamena out of the labs from here on.”

“Insufficient, young lady.” He stood up to tower over her. “I’m going to have a talk with your mother. You are too free-thinking with Pinkamena’s education. The lab is clearly not suitable anymore. You are hereby banished until after Hearth’s Warming. Don’t force me to make it permanent.”

Why is he so scared?! Pinkamena is my friend, I don’t care what he says. Twilight couldn’t summon the courage to say that aloud. Instead she looked away to blink a tear away so he couldn’t see it. “It’s not fair.”

“That’s life.” Night Light’s hard tone brooked no dispute. “Now, I suggest you get with your mother and finish deciding how you’re going to present yourself at the Grand Gala in two days.”

Normally, Twilight would have obeyed, but she was still fuming in an argumentative mood. “Why do I need to go at all? No pony wants to be my friend anyway, and once they see my Destiny, they’ll probably kick me out of the palace.”

“Not with the weight my name carries they won’t,” Night Light gently rebutted with a sympathetic frown. “With your brother in the service, you are the family heir, so it must be done. Besides, you need to be introduced into high society regardless, and delaying it another year after receiving your Mark is a faux pas you can ill afford. Not to mention it would look bad for the family after earning the queen‘s favor.”

Knowing she never really had a chance to convince him otherwise, Twilight hung her head in defeat. “Yes, papa.”

Author's Note

Since this is such a short chapter, I’m releasing it early. Let’s hope the gala goes smoothly...

4: A Night to be Remembered

The Grand Galloping Gala was an auspicious occasion for the nobility and Queen Corona. As Twilight walked in from the courtyard, she shivered in the frosty air. Twilight gazed wide eyed at the splendor of the Royal Palace. The elegant, gold capped towers, and oceans of red carpet. Soldiers stood resplendent in gold trimmed armor, and the arriving noblemares silently competed for the most enticing mane styles. That extravagance of the palace was tempered with minimalism however, as none of the guests save for any military members wore a stitch of clothing. The money spent on dresses and jewelry in the past became such a contentious problem that the lower classes revolted due to such wasteful spending.

And today, Twilight hated the consequential tradition. Her featherless wings were on display for all to see, but worst of all was her mark of Destiny. A double starburst with five smaller bursts surrounding it. What shamed her however, was that upon close inspection, the circle of smaller starbursts revealed themselves to be gears. At least most ponies don’t know what a gear is. I hope.

There was at least one bright spot she was looking forward to, and she spotted it soon after climbing out of the family carriage. Her face lit up like the sun. Wild sparks flew from her horn and a girlish squeal erupted. “Shiny!”

Standing just in front of the line of honor guards stood her big brother. The toned unicorn stallion wore a crisply ironed ruby red and gold trimmed dress officer uniform. A smile as broad as Twilight’s grew on him and he waved her over for a hug. “Heyya, Twily.”

Practically bouncing on her hooves, Twilight sprinted over, not caring one iota if some social norm was being tread upon. He wasn’t ready for the sheer force of her sprint and rocked a bit when Twilight collided with him. She wrapped him up in a tight squeeze that Shining Armor was all too happy to return. “Come on now, hug me like you mean it.”

There it was, the unconditional acceptance she loved most from him. Twilight shed a tear as she included her wings into the embrace and hugged him with all her strength. “I missed you so much, BBBFF.” She sniffled, not wanting to let go.

Shining Armor noticed their parents were getting closer, and knew he still had a gala to attend. He let off a goodhearted chuckle and gave a brief tighter squeeze to end the hug. “So did I, LSBFF. I heard your Destiny came to you a few months ago!”

Embarrassed sparks of lightning escaped her horn. “Yee- Yeah, it did, um Daddy!” Twilight backed away from her bewildered brother to allow her father to slide in front of her.

“Well look at this fine stallion,” Night Light cheered with overflowing pride. “Glad you could pry yourself away from the barracks to join us tonight.”

A smirk played over Shining’s face as he embraced his parents. “It wasn’t that hard, dad. Twily and you gave my name a boost after your demonstration to the queen last year.”

“Oh posh, Shiny,” Velvet flicked her son’s snout with a feather tip. “You’d have done just fine without us. He’s just jealous of how handsome you are in uniform.”

Night Light huffed playfully and started walking towards the grand entryway. “Jealous or not, we shouldn’t keep the queen or her Holiness waiting.”

Sure enough, the procession line of the other noble families was getting rather short, and they needed to be in their proper place in line. The family walked with as much haste as dignity allowed to the entry hall. That too spoke of old history: the towering marble pillars with seven meter tall stained glass windows between them depicting great battles of the fabled Celestia herself. Twilight wished she could have studied the windows in depth, but the footmare announcing the families at the top was nearly ready to call their names.

Night Light and Velvet pulled to a stop at the bottom, waiting for the footmare to wave them forward. Velvet took a moment to examine Twilight’s mane and rubbed away some rebellious strands. “I know it will be difficult, but please try to keep your wings as unnoticeable as possible and the sparks to a minimum. Let your mind make the first impression, not your body.”

“And try not to strike up conversation about machines again,” Night Light added as gently as possible. He stroked the side of her neck to avoid messing up her carefully styled mane. “Tonight is your official introduction to high society, not a debate on if we should loosen restrictions.”

“Up to debates now are we,” Shining chimed in with a brotherly smirk and wink. “An improvement to you yelling and crying about it.”

“I’ll have you know BBBFF, I’m a big mare now. I don’t yell and cry!” Twilight gave off an exaggerated, but harmless snort. “Momma’s taught me a lot on how to ‘close the deal’. As she says.”

“Those were meant for you to learn how to bargain for better prices, not… never mind.” Velvet bent down just a bit to pat down several stray hairs on Twilight’s mane from her last errant bout of lightning. The occasional spark from her horn never allowed the filly to have the perfectly combed style she strived for.

The family ahead of them finally disappeared over the lip of the stairs. The footmare beckoned them forward. Velvet and Night Light took the lead with Shining Armor in the rear. Twilight stayed between her mother and father, readying herself to hold her horn in check and wings tight against her barrel. “Please just try to have a good time, my little spark,” Night Light begged as he kept his eyes on the top of the stairs and his poise proper. “Even if you only find one friend tonight, it’s better than not trying.”

At the top of the stairs, the hall flowed back down a short ramp revealing the gala below. As a show of good faith to the public, the crown kept the gala under a tighter budget as well. In fact, Queen Corona had taken quite a liking to making the event as opulent as possible under the tightest of purse strings. The rows of tables were decorated with the same finest cloth that the staff carefully maintained throughout the decades. The offered banquet was fit for a rowdy barracks as a tribute to the enlisted ponies, and not eating your fill was seen as a direct insult to both the military and the crown. Sensibilities be damned.

Well over a hundred of the aristocracy were already present, along with an equal number of commoner families chosen by lottery. With only ambient music playing from the small orchestra band, the attendees were milling about, making deals, gossiping, and setting alliances. Friends in low places was not foreign to the Canterlot elite, and the commoners were an excellence source of information into the wider populous the nobles would be unlikely, or unwilling, to gain at any other time.

A good many among them were clearly military officers running the full gambit from navy to air force. Chief among Twilight’s interests were the colts and fillies her age that were scattered about. Many remained at their parents’ side so they could be individually introduced, though some were on their own. Presiding above them all on a throne of gold and red satin padding was Queen Corona. Even from the furthest end of the ballroom, Twilight could clearly make out the grand size of the throne, and the grandeur she seemed to exude with natural ease. Sitting on a cushion to the queen’s right was a gold and firefly maned filly roughly four years Twilight’s senior. Even one as disenfranchised by magic as Twilight Sparkle knew she was Sunset Shimmer, prized student of the queen.

Twilight didn’t have time to get nervous about either of them turning their piercing gaze upon her when the footmare banged the butt of her spear on the stone floor adjacent to them. “Hear ye, hear ye. I have the privilege to make known: the honorable House Light. High Doctor Night Light, Lady Twilight Velvet, their son Second Lieutenant Shining Armor, and their daughter and heir Miss Twilight Sparkle.”

Panic at seeing so many eyes suddenly upon Twilight threatened to make her wings flare. Her brother and parents bowed and curtsied, Twilight shakily followed her mother’s example after hastily refolding her wings. She couldn’t help but to be reminded of the cloud she had jumped off of. Feels like I’m getting pushed this time.

The current song shifted to a slightly quieter tune, signaling the end of dancing for the moment. That left Twilight stuck with her parents. At least Shiny is here. She stayed close to her brother, eyes scanning for anyone who might be looking at her shameful Mark of Destiny.

Velvet used a wing to direct their attention to a five pony unicorn family, a set of twin unicorn colts and a filly among them. “There, why don’t we start with the Riches?”

Doing her best to put on a good face and adopt her best posture, Twilight dutifully followed along, if only to remain near her brother. Shining however used a touch of magic to push her away. “Twily, I’m going to end up stepping on you at this rate.” He leaned in close to her ear. “I know you’re scared, but a strong face can get you past any of these bits-for-brains.”

The encouragement only caused a brief jolt of self-confidence in Twilight sadly, as all of it was laid low when the other family noticed their approach. A short-lived spark ran up Twilight’s horn. Seeing that, the childrens’ eyes went straight to studying her profile. Oh no. They’re going to see I have wings. Sure enough, a wrinkle of disgust from the colts, and a childish giggle from the filly told Twilight everything she didn’t want to know.

The family introduction went by without Twilight even paying any attention to the adults, save to nod and give one word replies when expected. The other filly outright ignored Twilight by admiring Shining Armor. The colts had the upbringing to avoid outright insulting Twilight in front of the adults, but she could see it in their eyes. It’s the same look the academy faculty had. They want nothing to do with me.

Over the next two hours, her parents dragged her from family to family, both noble and commoner alike. The colts expressed no interest and the fillies avoided her in lieu of her brother, uncaring of the age difference. Twilight was no competitor. By the twelfth family, Twilight was ready to cover her face with her wings for all the good they were doing. Her face burned red with embarrassment and her sparks were getting worse to the point some lightning was dancing between her horn and ears. Were it not for trying to act brave for her brother, she’d have run out of the castle by now.

She couldn’t take it anymore and tugged on her mother’s wing. “Momma, I’m hungry.” It was the best excuse she could think of in a pinch.

Of the three of them, Velvet was the most engrossed in discussion with the other families, and only gave a nominal response. “Honey, the first bell hasn’t struck yet.”

Shining Armor had been paying attention though and butt in when he saw Twilight’s eyes misting over. “Come on, Mom, you’ve shown her off to all of your friends, let me show her around some of mine.” He stepped away from the family, while pulling Twilight along with him with a touch of magic.

Velvet went to protest, but Night Light laid a foreleg on her withers. “Go on, son. Having connections with the military is always a boon isn’t it dear?”

“At her age?” The siblings were already weaving through the crowd, and were now far past polite speaking range. Velvet sighed in obliviousness, and returned her attention to the ponies she had been talking with. “Oh fine, sorry, where were we?”

They made it out of earshot of their parents before Twilight blinked her tears away to nuzzle her brother’s chest. “Thanks, Shiny.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. What good is a big bro if he can’t protect his favorite sister?” He flashed a winning smile as they cleared their way to the buffet. Since the gala did not have scheduled dining, food was left for all to take at their leisure.

“Favorite?!” Twilight stared at him with suspicion. “But I’m your only sister!”

He tapped her nose just hard enough to make her fidget with it. “Doesn’t mean you’re not my favorite. Come on, let’s grab a plate.”

To draw attention away from Twilight’s lack of magic, Shining Armor held both plates within his own telekinesis. The siblings loaded down their plates and were about to find a table when Shining Armor spotted a particular stallion and filly that made him freeze. Confused, Twilight followed his gaze to the pair who were watching the crowd from on top of one of the nearby staircases that led deeper into the palace.

The beige unicorn stallion had a casual ease in his poise, like a sated falcon flying over prey. He wore a long white and gold trimmed coat of a style Twilight was unfamiliar with. He also had a wide brimmed hat with one half of the brim clipped to the crown. On his lapel was a golden clip or perhaps a badge of a rearing alicorn with wings flared. The filly was also a unicorn with white fur and a curled purple mane. She lacked the hat, but had a similar jacket that was bereft of any identifying trimming.

Twilight saw nothing frightening about the pair and looked to her brother who was hastily retreating to a table they had skipped over. Twilight scampered after him with questions burning in her mind. “Wait up.”

He looked back and tried to flash that same winning smile, but it was clearly forced. “Sorry, Twily, just extra hungry is all. Have a seat.”

Pouting irritably, Twilight claimed her chair and stared daggers at him to make sure he wouldn't weasel out of an answer. “What got you all scared?”

Giving a halting laugh to exhale the built up stress, Shining Armor waited in answering until Twilight sat down. “Sorry, Twily, I spotted a nuckelavee. Had a run in with one last week, and I got spooked is all.”

“What?” Twilight didn’t stop giving him a stink eye, even as he magically brought over some utensils. “You mean that stallion on the stairs? Demon ponies don’t exist, big brother.”

“Is that what mom tells you?” He gave a half-snort/half-laugh and took a bite of some unidentifiable casserole to gather his thoughts. “But nah, I heard that’s what Lunarians call them from my instructors after one of them came around for inspection. But it’d be more realistic to call on them to take down a nuckelavee.”

A shiver ran down Twilight’s back, her food momentarily forgotten. “Nuckelavees are not real, you big faker!”

“Glad to see you’re missing the point as always.” Shining Armor seemed to shrug off the last of his tremors, and his good mood returned in full. “But don’t worry about them. Those ponies are your best friends, provided you don’t break the law. So how’s life been?”

Twilight pouted extra hard, making sure her cheeks were as poofed out as possible, but her brother remained defiantly mute on the silent demand for elaboration. “Why do you always do that?”

He chuckled and answered her pout with a smug grin. “It’s my brotherly duty to prepare you for the outside world in ways our parents won’t, but even I think you’re too young to know about ponies like that stallion. Instead I-” He stopped, eyes narrowing as a pale pink mare weaved through the crowd with eyes only for his sister.

Arching a suspicious eyebrow as well, Twilight followed his gaze and shrank in a bit at seeing the pegasus mare’s singular focus on her. She briefly looked back at her brother who gave her a brief nod, allowing the filly to relax, knowing he would protect her.

The mare arrived with a plate of her own, and a warm smile at the purple demicorn. “Miss Twilight, I hope I’m not intruding.”

“Do you know her?” Shining asked while keeping a calm posture. They were in the middle of the gala after all, no one would threaten a child here of all places. Still though, Twilight was not known to have much, if anything, of a social life, and the mare certainly didn't carry herself as an employee of the palace.

“Umm I don’t think so.” Twilight stepped off her seat to greet the mare properly. “Should I?”

A chuckle escaped the mare as she sidestepped and slid her plate onto the table. “Well, I look different right now, but we met last year at your father’s laboratory.”

Twilight jumped out of shock. “We did?!” She glanced up at the raised throne dais. The queen was on her throne along with her prized student, but more importantly, someone wasn’t there. She looked back at the mystery mare. “Your holi-”

Cadenza shushed her by waving a hoof over her mouth. “Not so loud. I’m in disguise to get some peace while I enjoy the food.”

“Oh. Oh!” Twilight covered her mouth with both hooves briefly then tugged on her brother’s sleeve. Childish conspiracy filled her with glee the only way juicy gossip could. Still giving the mare a dubious, if outwardly polite look, Shining let his sister pull him down so she could whisper in his ear. “She must be Mi Amore Cadenza. She was really nice to me.”

“Mi Amor-” Shining Armor jerked his head up at the mare who was flashing him her best smile that was more than just friendly. Quick on the uptick, Shining reassessed his approach. “It’s an honor to meet a friend of my sister, Miss?”

“Call me Cadance. The whole three worded name is just something stuffy that she-who-shall-not-be-named gave me when I came to the palace.”

“I - um - alright.” Shining Armor had to steady himself a moment. A literal goddess just asked him to refer to her casually, and no amount of officer training could have helped with that. “So,” he stopped, realizing a simple conversation starter and gave an easier smile. “I must say I’m impressed. I don’t think even the inquisitors are capable of casting illusion magic on themselves like that.”

Cadance huffed a laugh and shook her head, tossing her long mane over her eyes. “Nor can I.” she gestured with a wing elbow at a nearby stallion. He was talking with another stallion, seemingly ignorant of the group, but his horn was encased in a jade glow. “He’s doing it for me.”

“That makes sense,” Shining replied with a hum. He picked both his and Twilight’s plates up, not that Twilight was eating anyway. “Something tells me you’re more comfortable with quieter affairs, and to be honest, my sister is the same way. I’m sure you’d like to speak where there aren’t so many ponies expecting High Ponish from every word.”

“You’d be right,” Cadance snickered, claiming her own plate once more. “My hometown has fewer ponies than are in this room right now. I have a private dining room nearby, and I have an hour or two before I’m supposed to make a dedication, or some malarkey.”

The sound of a quiet room was music to Twilight’s ears. She hopped a bit and circled her brother as he moved away from the table. “Ooo, we should get more drinks and food so we don’t need to make a second trip!”

“My thoughts exactly,” Shining Armor replied while patting her head.

Cadance’s private dining room was the definition of cozy. The table could only seat four, and the tight walls barely allowed even that. Gentle candlelight in the tight room gave a warm atmosphere away from the opalescence outside. Cadance was the last to enter the room due to her personal guard gently taking her aside.

“Your holiness, are sure it is wise to be seen alone with a stallion. Even you know how fast a rumor can fly.”

“He is with his little sister,” Cadance whispered back with resolve the guard would be hard pressed to crack. “I doubt anypony with any sense would think ill of that.”

Knowing it was not a battle worth fighting, the guard only nodded. “As you wish, your holiness. I will give three knocks when the time for the dedication arrives.”

Cadance gave him a minimal acknowledgement and joined the siblings at the table. Both members of the Light family were waiting, unsure of how to act in her presence. Neither of them knew where she came from, and even the newspapers could only give rumors and speculation.

Now that Cadance was bereft of her illusion disguise, Shining Armor was captivated by her beauty. Most telling to him, was the casual warmth of her eyes that spoke of a pony who was more like some of the commoner soldiers he had trained with in boot camp before the drill sergeants got ahold of them.

Despite Cadance’s kindness thus far, envy ripped at the filly’s heart now that she wasn’t emotionally corralled by the crowds. Compared to her, Cadance was everything Twilight wasn’t. Strong, gorgeous, a working horn, powerful wings, and fawned over by everyone. Twilight didn’t particularly care about being the center of attention, but it was a far cry from the disdain everyone outside of her family showed her thus far. Everyone, but Cadance. Thinking it only proper, Twilight bowed before her. “Thank you for getting us away from the gala, I’m not really glad to be here.”

For his part, Shining Armor remained standing, but didn’t bow. He had a half-cocked grin that he hoped looked at-ease. “My thanks as well. Twily’s more of a bookworm than a socialite.”

“My pleasure, honestly, all the political tomfoolery is a distasteful waste of a party.” Seeing she would have to take the lead, Cadance went ahead and sat down. “I am absolutely starving, by the way, so sorry in advance.” She instantly went for her food with the same table manners as a competitive hot dog eater.

Twilight was utterly stunned by the wanton destruction of food, and her brother was left no better, but he recovered quickly enough and gave off a friendly chuckle at it. Still, it certainly brought some measure of good humor back to Twilight. I fasted all day so I could eat more of the army food. Seeing Cadance’s actions as a competition she’d enjoy, Twilight laughed and started eating with no less wild abandon.

Her brother got the same idea. This was no time to be prim and proper, this was a challenge. He maneuvered his plate to be opposite from Cadance and plopped it down hard enough to rattle the silverware he wouldn’t be needing. “Best not let the lovely lady have too much of a lead on me.” Shining Armor attacked his food harder than a starving child with a drill instructor yelling at him to hurry up.

Finishing at the same time as Shining Armor, Cadance bumped her empty plate to the center of the table. “Done!” She giggled madly at all the loose bits of food on the siblings’ faces. Her laughter started to peter out about the time the others stopped eating. “Like my dad always said, the best ponies you’ll ever meet are at the dinner table.”

“Did he also say eating like a swine was good too?” Twilight asked while using a wing to napkin her mouth clean.

“Ha, of course not. I did that to break the ice.” Cadance adopted a bit more of a devious touch to her expression while studying Shining Armor. “I admit when I saw Night Light was on the guest list, I was worried little Twilight here would have to come as well.” Cadance leaned over and tentatively rubbed Twilight’s neck, hoping the filly wouldn’t shy away. Thankfully, Twilight only leaned into the touch of the only non-family member who was nice to her. “When I saw you arrive with them in an army uniform, I was worried you might treat her like a late friend of mine’s sister did to him. But it looks like you love her as much as family should.”

Puffing his chest out a bit, and trying to hide the ache in his stomach, the lone stallion replied with a genuine tone. “Are you kidding? Twilight’s the second best thing to ever happen to me.”

Twilight’s ears perked up and she rounded on her brother. “Second? Second?! What about that day you left for boot camp and forgot your enlistment papers? You almost got thrown in jail if I hadn’t badgered mommy to fly over and deliver them to you the moment I found them!”

His bravado deflated like a balloon as he kowtowed to the little filly with flattened ears. “And I can’t tell you 'thank you' enough apparently. But that ranks number three now.”

“Exactly!” Twilight cried with a hoof raised to the sky and wild sparks frazing her hair. “So what could be better than me and that day?”

Cadance arched a playful eyebrow, half suspecting his reply, but remained silent.

Thankfully for his pride, Shining Armor smoothed down Twilight’s already erratic mane, and kissed her forehead. “When of all ponies, a goddess saw how wonderful you are.” That left the filly befuddled for a moment, half forgetting Cadance was an alicorn.

He gazed upon Cadance who had not quite expected that. “It’s rare to see a lovely lady such as yourself with a heart as gorgeous as her looks.”

“Oh wow.” Cadance blushed and giggled. “You actually... You’re the first pony to hit on me since coming here. No pony else has had the stones for it.”

“Well what can I say, I have to be brave if I’m going to change the military.” Shining Armor’s casual demeanor hardened to hard determination. A look that startled Cadance enough to make him briefly nervous. “Starting with tiny miniskirts!”

“What?” Cadance covered her mouth with a wing.

Twilight straight up thwacked him in the side of the head with a wing. “Again with the skirts? Be serious, Shiny.”

“Ow,” Shining smirked while rubbing his sore cheek. “Who says I’m not?”

Cadance laughed whole-heartedly behind a wing. A bout of hammy humor tickled her pink, and his demeanor was a far cry from the patronizing egotism she saw so very often in the palace. And yet... here was a stallion that looked set on a path up a mountainside. “Why do I get the impression you’re looking to do more than update the uniform?” she asked with a wiry smirk concealing some genuine concern.

“He was supposed to talk about the machines,” Twilight butted in with a glum, sullen frown.

“The machines?” Cadance couldn’t understand why she looked so depressed.

“Yes, them,” Shining Armor declared with enough energy to startle Cadance. He gently nuzzled Twilight to lift her spirits a bit, but to little effect.

"Are you trying to get the Royal Army to adopt them? Seems like a tall order," Cadence commented while cleaning her muzzle with a cloth.

“That'd never happen," Shining Armor stated bluntly. "More like adopt new ways to counter them instead. All throughout officer training, I inquired what I could about any new tactics we’ve developed to combat the problems the last war revealed, and everything I saw was half-hearted at best. No one is taking it seriously enough thanks to the coup we miraculously pulled off at the figurative last minute.”

“A coup?” Twilight asked with her curiosity lifting her spirits. “But none of the history books says the emperor was removed from power.”

“Not that kind of coup.” Shining Armor looked away in thought, hoof tapping the ground. “We were losing. Badly. Lunarians finally figured out how to make those trains of theirs move without tracks. Their advantage on the ocean was finally being seen for the first real time on land in the last year of the war. King Flare was about ready to sue for peace in surrender, however, we caught a lucky break.”

"I heard about that from Corona," Cadence interjected with a solemn, flat expression that betrayed nothing. "A portal team was trying to hit a supply base or something along the Wild White River."

"That's right," Shining Armor responded with a nod of respect. "The Lunarians were using it as an artery because it’s navigable straight from the ocean. The portal team arrived at the depot right as the Lunarian field marshal was transiting through with most of his headquarters staff. Thankfully, the team arrived just far enough away that the depot's warding engines couldn’t destabilize the exit. They destroyed the depot and captured the field marshal. With their center army’s leadership gone overnight, and all of their offensive plans in our hooves, the Emperor decided to cut his losses and sued for a status quo peace."

"Seems like we still have the edge then," Cadence offered placatingly.

To that, Shining Armor sadly shook his head. "If only it was so easy. I’ve talked to as many senior officers I could about our future strategies, but too many of them see this fluke success as par for the course. We can't afford to keep thinking that way.”

Twilight puffed her cheeks and stomped the floor. “I still say we need to adopt machines too! There’s no reason we can’t have separate cities that use them!”

“Twily, that’s over simplifying it, and you know it. If we start relying on magic disrupting machines, and Equestrians start to favor them over magic like the Lunarians have done, how long will it take for our greatest strength to be cast aside?” Shining Armor sat back down and rested a foreleg on the table, giving his sister a patient head shake. “Not to mention we’d be playing catch up, and that’s a battle we’ll never win.”

Twilight’s tail swished back and forth irritably and more sparks shot off. “Like talking to a brick wall.”

Laughing it off, Shining Armor and smoothed her mane back down. “I know you like dad’s engine. I’m sure one day you can get a research permit for your own engine.”

“I can do that?” Twilight’s wings flared, and her mood flipped around in an instant. “Really!?”

“Well yeah, what with the queen favoring dad so much now, you’re bound to get one if you strike it out on your own some day.”

“Is that why he can keep one?” Cadance Tapped her chin in thought for a moment before leaning in close to Twilight with a wink and a smile. “Tell you what, when you grow up, and if you still like machines, I’ll make sure you get a permit. Deal?”

“You - you would do that?” Twilight was utterly stunned. A child though she was, even she suspected how difficult it must have been to get a permit like that. And yet here was a mare she barely knew, a goddess at that, trying to help her. It didn’t make sense. Tears started welling up, and she sniffed. “Why are you so nice to me?”

Cadance blinked, baffled by the question. With shaky magic, she claimed a napkin and cleaned off a crumb from the corner of Twilight’s lip. “I told you why. I had a friend who was a demicorn like you.”

“Yeah, but…” Twilight buried her eyes in her foreleg and started weeping. Shining Armor pulled her over to cradle her. “Only my family likes me.” The sneering or outright dismissive faces of the other children in the gala flashed through her mind. All of it came back to the condescending smugness of the academy testers. “Not even the staff want to play with me.”

“Well if you must know…” Cadance sat down on the floor so she could be as eye level with Twilight as possible. “I was the daughter of the matron to Brightshire’s orphanage, by blood I mean. I admit to having a soft spot for kids, so I had fully planned to take over for my mother when the time came. That demicorn friend I told you about grew up there. No matter how much I tried or punished them, the other children shunned him, and I would often find bruises on him. He’d never admit who did it either. No matter what I did, he kept getting sadder and sadder as he grew up, seeing the children who bullied him get adopted where he was left behind.

“Many prospective parents called him broken, and the other children picked up on it like wildfire. I saw some of the same signs in you that day, and I couldn’t just stand there without at least giving you some encouragement.”

Twilight gasped and practically jumped out of her brother’s hold as the perfect solution sprang to mind. “Adoption?” Fire sparked in her eyes. “That’s it!” Twilight flared her spindly wings and pointed directly at Cadance’s face. “I know what this means!”

“But, didn’t she just?” Shining Armor was at a loss for words and glanced at Cadance to see if she knew what his sister was getting at, only to receive equal bewilderment.

Grinning with a well solved mystery, Twilight grew more confident. “Only my family is nice to me. Which means you want to be adopted into the family!”

“I - I do?”

“Of course! But you’re too old to be adopted like an orphan, so there’s only one way for you to be adopted into the family.”

Shining Armor finally realized what she was saying and buried his face in a hoof. “Twiiiily.”

Deciding to humor the child, Cadance’s grin only widened, if only to make Shining Armor even more uncomfortable. “Oh, and do tell.”

Twilight pointed at her brother with a wing. “You two must kiss!”

Cadance erupted in laughter, which was made all the sweeter by Shining Armor burning red with embarrassment. Twilight wilted a little, not sure how to take that. “Oh my,” Cadance cried as she wiped away tears of laughter. “Well, know what?” She gently poked Twilight in the nose. “That sounds like a great idea.”

“It does?” Shining Armor’s head popped out from behind his hooves. “For real?”

A massive smile cleaved Twilight’s face. She giggled and bounced around in a happy dance. “I knew it! I knew it! I-I knew it!”

“What can I say?” Cadance said with a shrug. “A stallion in uniform leaves me hot and bothered, and one with a brain is a win if ever there was one.”

“Oh yeah, his brain is big and fat alright. You should have seen how much ice cream he puts down!”

“You’re killing me, Twily. Please stop.” Shining Armor was doing his utmost to keep his composure. “B-besides, I - you-”

“Oh I get it!” Twilight scampered over to the door. “Mommy and daddy don’t do grown up kisses when anypony is around. I’ll go get some ice cream from the kitchens, okay?”

Cadance raised a restraining hoof. “Hold on now, wait a second. The guards and kitchen staff won’t just let a filly run around willy nilly. Tell anypony who stops you ‘great green giants’. It’s the password for the evening. They’ll know you’re helping me out.”

“Like a secret spy mission!” Twilight did a pegasus wing salute. “Operation Ice Cream is a go!” With her brother’s protests falling on deaf ears, Twilight left the room to find the bodyguard waiting right outside.

The stallion grumbled at the filly. “And why are you leaving?”

“Because I need to go get ice cream! So, by the power of great green giants, can you tell me where the kitchens are?”

The guard was left with his mouth hanging open for a moment before his grumble got even louder. “Of all the… Why did the goddess have to come from some backwater where she wouldn’t learn any etiquette.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose to stave off a headache. “Go to the left, down the hall two intersections, then go right. You should be able to follow your nose or at least any passing wait staff from there.”

“Thank you kindly, good sir.” Twilight curtsied and sprinted away with the energy of a child on a mission. The thought of dessert nearly fell away from Twilight’s mind as her eyes drank in the luxury of the hallways. The rich red carpet, rows of armor and statues, paintings and glass murals of the regular palace decore, all of which spoke of both wealth and history. She reached the turn the bodyguard told her about, but something caught her ear. Laughing children brought her attention down only ten feet in the wrong direction. She skidded to a halt when she saw two fillies and a colt surrounding a strangely dressed pegasus stallion.

Curiosity got the better of her, and the ice cream fell from her mind completely. Getting a better look, she quickly realized the stallion was wearing a green and yellow jester’s outfit complete with a four pointed hat with bells on. She didn’t care much for jesters, but it was his utterly blank face that kept her from leaving then and there. His eyes had no life to them. It was as if his soul was long gone. A quick look at his mane revealed the prominent red stripes of a servant under tight control. It was a deeply somber expression that none of her family’s red servants possessed. It was typically reserved for Lunarian soldiers alone. It’s the same look our carriage pullers have. Their task was never exactly noble in her eyes, but at least it was necessary. But having a cold jester felt completely wrong.

Just looking into his cold, distant, and lifeless eyes chilled her to the bone. It was a look she often tried to forget about from the family servants, but here she couldn’t pull herself away so easily. She struggled, and found the strength to leave, only for one of the fillies to point at her.

“Well there’s a sight. And here I thought you ponies were lying about a demicorn being here.” The green and brown maned earth filly took a few steps towards Twilight who was already moving to leave, a defeated frown marring her expression. “Hey don’t go just yet. You might be on the bottom rung, but you should see the pony who's not even on the ladder.”

A colt ran up to stand beside the earth filly. ”Yeah, come over and meet the Royal Jester.” The unicorn colt’s smiling face was disarming, yet it only made Twilight even more suspicious.

“The Queen has a striped servant as a jester?” Twilight edged forward. She glanced further down the hallway, and spotted a soldier, not a guard, but a white and bronze uniformed unicorn soldier watching them from further down the hall. His uniform marked him as an enlisted soldier, and he had an Equestrian pistol strapped to his right foreleg. Unlike the Lunarians, his firearm was functionally very simplistic, being made entirely of wood, save for the barrel and flash pan. The trigger was a simple lever that would lower a burning wick when in use. She didn't trust the other children, but the presence of the soldier calmed her nerves.

“Well, of course she would have this stallion as a servant,” said the last colt with a smirk at her ignorance. “Name’s Kickback, by the by, of House Dawnstrider.”

“I’m Twilight Sparkle of House Light.” She curtsied, with the others begrudgingly reciprocating. “This stallion? What makes him different?”

Kickback marched over to be in front of the stallion. “He’s none other than Midnight Chill. Hey! Do that dance you did last week at the pageant.”

“As you wish,” came the voice of the lifeless stallion. His tone was so flat it almost hurt Twilight's ears.

The jester moved to the middle of the carpet. His face and voice jarringly shifted to that of a jovial clown and he started singing and dancing to a jolly tune, laughing foolishly as he wiggled and danced in an exaggerated fashion.

The colts and fillies either laughed with him or rocked back and forth all singing along. Twilight however, couldn’t bring herself to join in. She couldn’t help but be reminded of the red striped servants at her estate. There were only a few, and even then only for carriage duty. Is this how they always are?

The filly of the group finally noticed Twilight hadn’t joined them. She approached Twilight with a sneer on her lips. “Well what are you waiting for? What, did you think we invited you out of pity?”

“That’d be the day!” Twilight’s gaze kept getting pulled back to the jester’s eyes. In that moment, she could see past the fake smiles and forced laughter. Even though he was squinting from his massive grin, the eyes themselves remained emotionless, dead to the world. It haunted her to the bone. “Why is a jester named Midnight Chill anyway?” She asked the filly, just to stall for time. “That’s not a funny name.”

Kickback snort-laughed and stopped rocking with the other colt. “Sure it is. Midnight Chill used to be a Field Marshal for the Lunarian Army. And now he gets to pay his debt to Queen and country for his crimes against Equestria.”

“He was a soldier?!” Twilight nearly shrieked. She recoiled from the annoyed faces she got. Shining is a soldier. All of his friends are honest and brave. Soldiers can’t be criminals if Shining looks up to them so much. “But momma always said the striped are prisoners Lunaria sends us that were going to be in jail for really bad crimes or abandoned children.”

“That’s just a lie our parents tell us until we’re old enough,” Kickback stated far less teasingly than the others. “Everypony knows that.” He shook his head at her naïveté.

“Next you’ll be telling us the tooth breezie is real.” The earth filly snickered behind a hoof. “Listen up, girl, any soldier or really any other Lunas we captured from the last war gets striped.”

Twilight couldn’t believe it. She was on the cusp of hyperventilating and her sparks were getting worse. She might have said something were it not for the soldier coming up.

“Alright you rugrats, get going. The Crown will be calling for her jester any second now.” He stomped his left hoof on the uncarpeted side of the floor.

“Yes, Uncle,” one of the fillies groaned. “Stop dancing, Midnight.”

Kickback jumped to the head of the pack. “Hey, Twilight wanna come join us in watching the main show?”

“Why are you asking her to come along?” The earth filly growled. “She’s just dowry bait, come on.” The filly ran ahead, but Kickback at least lingered for a few seconds to see if Twilight was going to join them. When she didn’t move or say anything, he ran after the group.

Entertainment, let alone company was the last thing she wanted right now. She was staring at Midnight. She couldn’t get rid of the mental image of her brother wearing that costume and those cold, dead eyes. It left her trembling as a tear dampened her face. She could almost feel Midnight’s shame bearing down on her. Shining said he wanted to make Field Marshal one day. I hope when Midnight joins the Armada one day, they don’t hold this against him.

“Go on, Midnight,” the unicorn soldier ordered softly. He went around using his hooves to adjust the jester cap to put it back into place. “The Queen is waiting.”

“As you wish.”

Twilight watched the disgraced Field Marshall walk away, terrified at how empty his words were.

“I was the one who captured him, you know,” said the soldier, watching the servant leave. He pulled out a cigarette from a silver case he produced from his jacket, lit it, and took a long drag of it.

Twilight would have expected some measure of pride from such a claim from the unicorn. But what stunned her, was the pain his voice carried. A pain that latched onto her, making Twilight teeter on the edge of crying.

“Twenty long years… To this day, I wish I had just killed him instead.”

She pawed at the ground, her ears flat and her anger long gone. Only empathetic shame remained. “At least he got to…” For the life of her, she couldn’t remember the platitudes her mother taught her.

“Live?” the soldier guessed. He shook his head and huffed. His eyes stared far ahead, as if there was only him and the mountain. “The striped don’t live. Almost none of them are criminals, child. They’re nothing more than ponies we forcibly turned into golems. Golems that can never speak about the families we stole them from, if they’re allowed to remember them at all.”

“I… I didn’t know.” Against her will, Twilight imagined how heartbroken Shining Armor would feel if she joined the Lunarian army, never knowing who she was. She started sobbing as quietly as she could behind a wing. “Do… Do Lunarians stripe Equestrians?”

“No, they don’t.” A grim resolve suddenly fell over the soldier after seeing Twilight’s tears. Hardening his features to the point that Twilight’s veins were struck cold. “I should have done this a long time ago.” He took one last drag from his cigarette, threw it carelessly on the ground, and walked off to follow the jester.

Shortly after the soldier left, Twilight was in a daze. She may have followed after a pony pushing an empty food cart, but her thoughts were miles away. She couldn’t pull away from the mental image of Shining Armor in the jester’s clothing, made to sing and dance against his will. Why? She had never questioned it before. Stripes were just a fact of life. They were all criminals or the unwanted. But how could a Marshal be unwanted? He’s like royalty for the army isn’t he?!

“Hey, kid!” shouted a stallion.

Twilight snapped back to the world and frantically looked around her until she saw a pair of Royal Guards standing next to a set of double doors where the strong scent of food emanated from.

“You may have the run of the place back home, but here you’re not allowed in the kitchens.”

“Oh um, sorry, I’m here to get some ice cream for her holiness.” Twilight tried to shake off the malaise that hung over her. I really need some ice cream.

“Sure you are, kid. Go back to the gala, they should be serving some in an hour or two anyway.”

The powerful need for comfort food gave Twilight enough will to stand her ground. “Great green giants.”

The guards blinked, and the silent one spoke up. “Are you serious? She told a child the password just for some damn ice cream?” He groaned and rubbed his brow. “Why did it have to be some country bumpkin? Alright kid, what kind?”

“We would like-” Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the castle. The unconcerned confusion Twilight felt was jarred when one of the guards cursed and nearly ran over her.

“That sounded like a gunshot! Dancer, keep watch over the door!” the runner ordered his partner before sprinting towards the gala.

“A gunshot?” Panic was slow to come to the filly. “Was there some kind of display planned?”

“I wish, kid.” The remaining guard only gave a distracted answer, his gaze dancing between each hallway, half expecting assailants to manifest at any second. “Go back to your parents or the goddess you’re in league with, you’ll be safer there. Password or no, you're not getting any sweets now.”

The rest of the evening was a rush of activity. Once Twilight got close to the gala, Shining Armor and her parents found her and the family were ushered to a carriage and sent home with all haste. The mood was so charged on the ride home, Twilight didn’t dare speak up, and the adults were loath to say anything in front of her.

As the night grew late, Twilight was left alone in her room, but she couldn’t sleep. Not even the book in front of her could grab her attention, she simply sat there on her bed under candlelight; her horn spitting the occasional bolt into a lightning rod roosting above her head.

It was close to midnight when there was a gentle knock on the door. Twilight knew that knock and, to be honest, was glad to hear it. “Come in!” Twilight shuffled down to the floor in time to see Pinkamena timidly enter.

“I saw the light under your door, Mistress, and - and I heard what happened at the party.” Pinkamena was trembling terribly, and could barely step inside far enough to shut the door. “I'm glad you weren't hurt.”

The soldier echoed in Twilight's mind. None of it made sense. Servants were supposed to be criminals or the abandoned. Not military officers. She wasn't sure what a field marshal was, but it sounded far too important to be either. It was all too much. Without even thinking about it, Twilight needed a hug, and Pinkamena right there. So she wrapped the earth filly into a tight hug, wings and forelegs included.

Pinkamena was utterly stunned by the affection. It was forbidden for her to ever touch her betters like this, and Pinkamena knew it was taboo for Twilight to do the same. And yet, while she felt the stripes urge her to stand still and passively accept the affection, she found the will to return the embrace. She hugged Twilight as tightly as she did her pillows some nights, when she imagined it was her father or the sisters she could barely remember. For better or worse, Twilight Sparkle was all she really had anymore. Times like this, Pinkamena liked to imagine Twilight was a sister instead of a master.

“What did you hear?” Twilight said before breaking the hug. She sat next to Pinkamena with a hoof still resting on the pink filly’s foreleg. Genuine concern written over her sad face.

Something made Pinkamena avert her eyes away from Twilight’s own, so she settled for the hoof resting upon her. “The grownups were talking in the conservatory. Somepony killed the jester.” Twilight recoiled her hoof and gasped, giving Pinkamena a chance to look back into Twilight’s eyes. “A soldier shot him in the middle of an act. Right in front of the queen.”

Flashes of that soldier darted in front of Twilight’s mind. She looked at Pinkamena, and for the briefest of moments, Midnight’s lifeless eyes echoed themselves within Pinkamena’s own. This time, it was Twilight who couldn’t hold the other’s gaze. Why was he so sad? Don't servants rejoice in their service? Twilight struggled to ask, but she had to know. “Pinkamena, are you happy here?”

“Yes, of course!” Pinkamena’s sullen mood brightened a little at the distraction from grislier affairs she didn’t want to dwell on. “I mean, this place is a lot fancier than what bits I remember from my family home, and the matron’s boardinghouse doesn’t even compare.” Wringing her hooves a bit, Pinkamena flattened her ears and stared at Twilight as a whole. “Plus I get to serve an alicorn. How many servants get to boast about that, eh?”

“You’re still calling me that?” Twilight’s already dismal mood soured a bit, yet she was just as eager to avoid thinking about the gala. “I’ve told you one hundred fifty seven times I’m a demicorn.”

Pinkamena’s stripes glowed briefly, drawing Twilight’s attention. Pinkamena blinked and grit her teeth and tried to muscle through her next words. “Yyyeah, but I’m thinking that you keep plucking your feathers to keep assassins off your tail, and that you’re actually the long lost sister to Mi Amore Cadenza! Just like what happened with Princess Feathertail in the last Daring Doo book!”

Is she fighting the stripes? But how? Wait, is thinking I’m an alicorn how she’s doing it?! According to her parents, Twilight should have run off to tell them about this immediately. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. What if they red striped her like they did Midnight…? No, Pinkamena isn’t like that. I won’t let them do that to her, not ever! Twilight’s eyes hardened and she looked right at Pinkamena, who cowed a bit. “Pinkamena. Do you want to be my…” Twilight remembered many a time she went to Pinkamena’s room, and walking in on the pink filly desperately hugging her pillow. She doesn’t have anypony. Midnight didn’t have family or friends anymore, and neither does Pinkamena. In that moment, Twilight couldn’t care less about the rules. “Would you like to be friends, like actual friends?”

“Friends?” Pinkamena parroted with a quivering lip, and watering eyes. “Truly?”

“Truly.” Twilight nodded strongly with a smile. She placed a hoof between her mouth and the door, and whispered conspiratorially. “But the grownups will get mad if they ever find out. So we've got to keep it a secret.” Or they’ll take you away and give you red stripes. Twilight couldn’t bring herself to say the last part aloud. I just have to be careful is all.

Pinkamena’s face was getting drenched in tears and she was whining. “Reeeally!? Yes, I would! Thank youuu!” Pinkamena tackled Twilight into a crushing embrace. She started wailing, tears dampening Twilight’s shoulder.

For a moment, Twilight tried to imagine Pinkamena as Midnight Chill, giving the dead field marshal the comfort he had lost forever. But in the end, it was Pinkamena who she was glad to be friends with.

6: My Own Path

One week after Twilight’s twentieth birthday

It was a bright morning, and Twilight was still burning the midnight oil in her office within Night Light’s laboratory. She was copying all of her father’s notes in a ciphered shorthand to both protect the information, and so she could use it for a machine shop of her own one day. Lined up in order of emptying, were three empty teapots and a well-used cup that still had a bit of cold tea left. The shelves of notes had chalk marks on each row, some which were days old, marking her progress in copying everything.

Bags hung under Twilight’s strained eyes, but she was at the final page. Her quill moved with a noticeable shake that marred the page every now and again. She was so tired, even her horn had been quiet for hours, but there was a tight schedule to keep and a little thing like sleep wasn’t going to throw her off. Multiple empty ink pots were all perfectly lined up on her right, while the last filled pot sat on her left, along with a few broken quills laying in the crumbled-paper filled waste bin.

While Pinkamena had been the last to retire, she was the first to knock on Twilight’s office. She had her own special four note knock that Twilight robotically voiced permission to enter.

Pinkamena came in with a plate decorated in a fresh omelet, a heavenly berry cream pie she had baked, and hash browns. The latter was beneath a noble lady, but that made Twilight love them all the more. The good taste helped. She also had another pot of tea hanging from a handle in her mouth. The rising steam threatened to burn the side of her face, so Pinkamena was quick to find a clear space to set it down. “Breakfast is served,” she called, partly breaking Twilight’s concentration.

Even so, Twilight slammed the quill on the last line hard enough to break it. She rose from her chair in triumph, only to cry out in pain from back pain for sitting so long. She didn’t let the pain pull her grin away from her, however. “It’s done, Pinkamena! I’ve copied everything. How’s preparation for the ‘business trip’?”

The earth mare may have been groomed and well dressed, but she couldn’t quite hide the muscle fatigue from her training the previous day. Still, she wouldn’t let that keep her from Twilight’s side. “Lady Velvet brought the funds you were promised to the estate vault last night, and the wagon train should allow us to make it to Manehattan without stopping for anything more than rest and water.” Pinkamena’s good cheer wilted and her slightly curly hair flattened entirely. “Mistress, are you sure you really want to do this?”

“Of course I do!” Twilight started replacing all of the written notes back into the locked cabinet to keep from raising suspicions when she left. As much as the crown trusted her as a researcher, such notes were never supposed to leave the estate. “Granted the timetable is going to take a lifetime, but I’ve got at least four of those. The best part is all the setup work we’ll be doing is perfectly legal and expected of me. Nopony will think twice about us.”

Now that the desk was clear enough, Pinkamena laid the plate down. Twilight started wolfing it all down as fast as she could. In the bedraggled mood she was in, and there being just the two of them, Twilight had no patience for maintaining lady-like behavior. “That’s not exactly what I’m most worried about. Trading with Lunarians is already frowned upon, but trading some servants away carries the death penalty. Aristocrat or not.”

“I know it’s risky.” Twilight took a long swig from her tea, which Pinkamena promptly refilled. “Thank you. But I need some engineering books to jump start my research, and I have to be ready in case they want more than bits.” She downed the second cup in a hurry as well in a vain effort to stave off sleep. “Besides, ending the stripe practice is part two of the end goal anyway. If anything it might look better to offer them some red stripes right off the bat.”

Even with Twilight’s scandalous choice of words, the stripes in Pinkamena’s hair only glowed a little. Pinkamena closed her eyes and muttered a quiet mantra to herself for several seconds. Eventually the glow faded and Pinkamena returned to the present. “But what about your arranged marriage to Redwood? He might approve of the countryside as well for hunting and the like.”

“Pah!” Twilight shoveled some delectable hash browns into her maw. “He needs a mare who’ll be too focused on making money, not toiling away in a lab that gives him headaches just by entering it, or having to stay silent about any inventions he sees. License or not, he’s too much of a gossip hound. All of that is assuming he’d even want to be involved with the labs in the first place. Or put up with the business trips I’ll be making. By Celestia, he might even find more reasons for me to go on trips just to be rid of me. Besides, I have no interest in game hunting, or drinking, or painting with him.”

Pinkamena nervously bit her hoof. “You can easily outlive him. By the time he’s eighty, you can choose whoever you want after you divorce him on the grounds of needing someone young again.”

“All the while dying a little each day in a loveless marriage?” Twilight paused her inhalation of the omelet to give Pinkamena a concerned look. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“I…” Pinkamena rubbed the side of her foreleg and looked away. She didn’t want Twilight to see her shaking. “It’s just that…”

Even over members of her own family, Twilight could read Pinkamena like a book. Twilight’s mouth went dry and her imagination cooked up horrifying scenarios by the second. The worst of which was Pinkamena leaving her side. “I can’t do this without you, Pinkamena,” she stated with fear creeping into her voice. Please don’t make me chose. Twilight closed her eyes, fatigue clawing at her. “Pinkamena, the rot in this country won’t remove itself. I have to do what I can, and I need my best friend to come with me.”

Pinkamena felt a hopeful smile try to work its way on her face. But she suppressed it to save it for later. “Only if you promise me one thing?”

It sounded like such an innocuous question. But Twilight was in no mood for risks. She stopped eating to give Pinkamena her full attention. “Anything.”

“Don’t send me away.” Pinkamena raised a hoof to stop Twilight from getting up. She couldn’t directly touch Twilight like that, but she didn’t need to for Twilight to stop. “I know you want to build a machine large enough to remove my stripe, but that would mean I’d have to flee to Lunaria. I don’t want to lose you.”

The request would have warmed anyone’s heart, but Twilight sagged at the request and her gaze fell into her food. “But what about making your own future? Or that of your children? If you stay in Equestria, the Bureau will take them.” Twilight felt tears dampen her face. “You deserve better.”

Pinkamena cried too, and desperately wished to nuzzle Twilight so she would meet her eyes. “If losing my future child is what it takes to remain at your side and help others get their smiles back, then my only wish is to pay that price.”

“Pinkamena…” Twilight’s eyes reddened with emotion. Her appetite was gone, but her fatigue redoubled. “It’s easy to say that now. But what if you change your mind once you’ve carried that child for eleven months?”

“Then I will do as any good servant does and hoof them over with a smile… Nothing is more important than your designs, Mistress.” Pinkamena curtsied as low as possible before her. “I like to dream of all the smiles we’ll create when others are freed of their stripes. I can’t help you do that if I have to run away.”

Wiping her tears away, Twilight roped Pinkamena into a crushing hug. “The offer will always be open, Pinkamena. Never forget that.”

“As you wish, Mistress.” Pinkamena hugged her right back with genuine love. A stripe only cares about obedience, but the pony it was bound to had the choice to love.

It took a bit, but the pair eventually broke the hug with Pinkamena starting to clean the plates up. “Rusty Nail is putting the finishing touches on the wagon train.” Pinkamena stepped just outside the door, and grabbed a basket full of grooming products and tools. “But first things first, come on then. You know they’d never let you leave if you looked like you slept in your smock all night.”

Twilight greedily shoved down the rest of the omelet, and choked down the last of the tea. “Well then, it’s a good thing I didn’t sleep at all.”

Pinkamena arched a sardonic eyebrow, prompting Twilight to look in a nearby mirror. The lightning frazzled hair, wrinkled clothes, and bits of egg on her face was not a sight for dignified eyes. “That is unpleasant, perhaps you’re right.”

Twilight ended up half-sleeping through most of the shower and the redressing that Pinkamena put her through over the next hour. Within short order, Twilight blinked and found herself standing in the courtyard with her parents waiting for her at the wagon train. It started with her private coach, the second wagon holding all of the bits, reading material, and food for the journey and the last one holding bunks for the twelve total draft stallions so they could work in shifts. Twilight had been very careful in selecting the drafts as exclusively red striped servants, who were typically Lunarian soldiers, citing saving costs as an excuse.

Twilight took a deep breath and marched over to meet her parents, with Pinkamena staying respectfully behind her and to the right side. Velvet’s eyes were rimmed with tears and she couldn’t help but to meet Twilight halfway and embraced her.

“It's hard to imagine my little filly already striking out on your own.”

Despite how much Twilight regretted having to leave, she knew it was the only way for her plans to move forward. Nevertheless, Twilight still gave her a strong, heartfelt hug. “Don’t worry, momma,” she paused until Velvet released the hug half a minute later. “Even if I don’t make a decent profit, I’ll still be making connections.”

“True. Wealth is not measured by bits alone.” Velvet kept her bittersweet smile and leaned in close to Twilight’s ear. “Don’t do anything foolish, you willful girl. I can’t protect you anymore.”

“I’m sure I’ll only make the same mistakes you did.” Twilight gave a brief hint of a determined stare, just fast enough for Night Light to miss it.

“Celestia help me, I hope so.” Her mother was unsatisfied, but had to let Twilight go. She looked back at Pinkamena. “You be sure to watch over her transactions. Celestia above knows you have a better way with customers.”

Pinkamena giggled politely behind a hoof, much to Twilight’s annoyance. “Of course, My Lady. I live to serve my Mistress in all matters.”

“Well spoken,” Night Light commented as he barged his way in to rope Twilight into a hug of his own. To Twilight’s nose, he still had a hint of engine grease in his fur; a scent that would always remind her of home. She buried her face in his shoulder, taking one last crushing hug.

As was the case last time, it was the parent who let go first. The final separation tore at Twilight’s heart, and she could already feel the need to cry coming. I really hope the next time I see them isn’t from the gallows.

“I’m so proud of you, Twily.” Night Light used a fetlock to brush away the tears that were betraying Twilight’s inner turmoil. “I know your heart lies with the engine more than a ledger. So once you make it, I can petition the crown so you can create an engine from scratch.”

“You know that'd never happen, dad, but thanks anyway.”

Night Light laughed heartily and honestly. Of the two, Twilight had been the most careful around her father. He was the one who could read her best. “You might be right. Even so, I know for a fact you’re going to make a big splash, wherever you land.”

Twilight giggle-snorted. Oh, I plan on it. “I don’t know about that, daddy. Not a lot of places have a use for a demicorn that researches machines.”

“Don’t belittle yourself. There’s more to you than that.” Velvet admonished lightly with a hoof patting her daughter’s forelegs.

“Far more,” her father added with a nod and a wink. He stepped away so Twilight could climb into the coach and shut the door. She stuck her head out of the window while Pinkamena went around to enter from the other side. “You’re young, but you’ve got drive like I’ve never seen before. Go on and make Equestria proud, Twily.”

Lying to her father was always difficult, so evasion was easier. “Love you, daddy.” Both parents moved in and the three of them shared a round of nuzzles and kisses. “Love you, momma.”

“And I love you more,” Velvet teased with one final nose kiss. “As for you,” Velvet directed at Pinkamena who stuck her head out of the other window at hearing the elder mare’s tone of voice. “We paid good money for that personal instructor. Not one hair on my daughter’s head is to be so much as scratched by anypony.”

“My Mistress will never come to harm so long as I can help it, my Lady,” Pinkamena nodded respectfully.

Satisfied, Velvet nodded curtly. “I expect no less. Good luck to you both.”

From within the cabin, Twilight gestured at Pinkamena. The earth mare leaned a bit further out of the other window. “Giddyup you two!”

The draft stallions lurched the coach forward. Twilight’s wings waved goodbye to her parents until they were out of sight. And even then, she kept her eyes fixed on the estate until the curve of the mountain obscured her family home.

Dread and anticipation started to fill her veins and tears flooded her eyes. It was finally going to happen. She was going to start her own two-mare operation to change Equestria. She sank back down in her seat and looked at Pinkamena. The earth pony smiled back at her, and her barely controllable mane was getting curly again. I hope she can breathe free one day.

Twilight's wagon train stopped at the bottom of the mountain so she could speak with the Travel Department, an old defense against Lunarian infiltration. With Pinkamena remaining inside the carriage, Twilight collected the pre-prepared documents she needed and stuck hear head out of a window once she heard hoof steps heading towards her.

As soon as she saw the trooper, a massive smile cleaved her face. "Shiny!” Scrambling out of the door, Twilight nearly forgot herself and the plethora of soldiers and other travelers nearby. She slowed her pace a bit, but didn't let an audience deter her from embracing her smiling brother.

“You didn't think I'd let you leave town without saying goodbye too, did you?” Shining Armor roped Twilight into an equally powerful, squashing hug.

“I admit I was starting to worry.” Twilight couldn't help but to feel at ease around her brother; her eternal protector.

He gently nuzzled Twilight between her ear and horn. “I've already cleared you for the gate, why don't we talk on the move for a bit so we don't hold up traffic?"

Snickering a bit, Twilight playfully pushed his face away. “You know we'll end up talking for hours. Are you sure you can still run that far back to the garrison?"

“Just because I have a star on my collar doesn't mean I've been slouching." Shining Armor gestured a hoof at the watchmen, who promptly pulled the gate open. “Shall we?"

All too happy to entertain her brother, Twilight practically danced back towards the carriage. “I'd love to."

It didn't take long for the wagon train to start moving again, only this time, Pinkamena tactfully excused herself to command the coach from the outside, leaving the siblings in peace. Twilight was proven right because they indeed started gabbing for over an hour and a half, gossiped and giggling about little nothings. A silly story here, plenty of bad jokes and puns, and many more.

The carriage had well and truly entered the forest roads when Twilight offered Shining Armor the last of the scones. “You take it. I can’t enjoy them without tea.”

With a nod and a joking smile, her brother gladly claimed the treat. “Oh I see, you want me to be the parched one.” He nibbled on it a bit since there was no tea left to wash it down. “Ya know, Twily, even after you kept saying you’d do it, it’s still hard to believe you pulled yourself away from home.”

A smirk played on her face. The sudden shift to a topic of substance saddened her deeply. He can’t ride with me much longer.. She swayed gently as the wagon took a corner. “You mean daddy’s engine.” She looked away, trying to focus on the world passing her by. “I can’t stay in Canterlot. Nopony wants to listen to my ideas. You know how that feels, don’t you?”

“More than I should have.” He took another nibble, but he still focused on his sister, mostly her face. “Celestia knows what far away outpost I’d be sent to rot in if it wasn’t for Cadence and the queen having my back. Still, I’ve won over a lot of those with more sense than stubborn pride.” He leaned over so he would catch Twilight’s eye. “But then again, I’m not the one whose known for wanting to make machine creation legalized.“

Among other things. She turned back to face him. “You’re trying to help Equestria’s military. I’m trying to help the civilian sector. We’re climbing different sides of the same mountain.”

“To which I wish you the best of luck.” He leaned forward and smoothed out her static frazzled mane a bit. “Just don’t do anything crazy, or illegal to do it. We already walk a tightrope as it is.”

“Don’t I know it.” Twilight lightly shook her head. “But don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

“Is that so?” Shining gave her his signature stink eye, making her squirm a bit. “Because walking a crew of stripes into a neutral trading port isn’t my idea of ‘being fine’. I know mom was against trading with Lunarians on principle, but even a casual knowledge of them should tell you that’s taboo around them.”

“I did my research, thank you, there’s a Equestrian controlled camp nearby. My drivers will be staying there.”

“I’d still be careful taking Pinkamena in there, but trying to separate you two is more difficult than my reforms.” He chuckled at it all, if only to keep from stressing too hard. Not that it did much good. “Just be careful. Reading about Lunarians and meeting them face to face is entirely different.”

Twilight let off a gentle forlorn sigh and stared off towards Canterlot. “Yes, well I’ll leave the clash of swords to you. But as the Merchant’s Creed states: home is where the heart is, but the sea is made of bits.”

“Uh huh,” Shining Armor replies with a snorting grumble. “Rule number seventy five if I remember correctly. I believe you should pay more attention to the forty eighth rule when dealing with the Lunarians.”

A tepid frown fell over Twilight, but she masked it quickly with an approving nod. “The bigger the smile the sharper the knife. I’m surprised you even remember any of the rules.”

“You’d be surprised how applicable the Merchant’s Creed is to politics, both in and out of the uniform.” Shining Armor briefly stuck his head out of the window to gauge how far they were now from the capital. The valley consisted of lower class dwellings and the like, but even here, the streets were kept clean and well patrolled. “Anyway, I need to get going. Stay safe, LSBFF.”

“I will, BBBFF,” she replied with a sad grin. Goodbyes between the siblings were never easy.

With fond sadness, both of them gave a few more little goodbyes as Shining Armor banged the door so the wagon would stop. He climbed out and ordered Pinkamena to resume. He stayed on the marginally busy road, waving his sister off until she was gone. He was slow to turn away. Disquiet soured his already crestfallen mood, yet he knew not the cause. “Please be safe, Twily.”

It took over a month to reach Manehattan by wagon thanks to the roads getting progressively worse the closer they got to the border. Two provinces south and east of Canterlot had seen the ravages of the last war reach past the road she traveled. That ironically made it the safest roads thanks to the near constant military patrols. Her brother had told her Lunaria was showing no signs of renewing their war footing for many years to come, so it was the best route to avoid highwaymen. It helped that the sheer number of other trade caravans passed through the area, giving the army a greater incentive to maintain their vigil.

As they traveled through, Twilight couldn’t help but to look around. Sections of renewing, burnt forests, the occasional rusted cannon ball, and a single stone battle memorial marker laid along the repaired road. It was as rare that bodies were buried at battlefields anymore, and were usually recovered and buried closer to home.

What struck her, was a series of ruins off to the south along the outskirts of Manehatten. Fallow farmlands surrounded a small collection of houses burnt down to their foundations. Not even thirty years ago, it used to be the largest Lunarian fortress-city left on the mainland. The fighting here had lasted the entire war, and had left the city a smoking ruin, bereft of the people who once called it home. The remains of a city wall had been reduced to rubble, barely any of it was taller than a pony anymore. Broken homes and smashed businesses were largely silent, save for the ghosts of the past. To think. If we had not captured that field marshal, how many more cities would have burned? And how many more will burn because we did?

As per the last war’s treaty, Manehatten was to be abandoned, save to serve as the only neutral trade post between Equestria and Lunaria that fit Twilight’s needs. The city in which Lunaria was founded, had been reduced to a glorified flea market.

Still, the deep-water port had been rebuilt, and had a scattering of restored boarding houses and businesses to support the merchants and sailors on shore leave had returned, but Equestrian watchdogs ensures little else rose from the ashes.

Yet before Twilight could set hoof there, she had to settle into the Equestrian merchant camp located in the burned and demolished remains of a university: Union Point.

As her wagon train pulled into the walled area, the gate guards, four total, dressed in royal army reds and golds halted her progress.

At this point, she was sick of sitting in the carriage. So both she and Pinkamena had been jogging alongside the carriage for the previous twenty miles with their armor strapped on, save for Twilight’s buckler shields. It didn’t help matters that Twilight had been without a bath since she departed a way-station a week prior.

If I am going to stink, I might as well work up a sweat doing it. The old idiom Cross Hook shared made her smile inwardly. I still can’t believe momma agreed that I should pay for each bath with a ten mile run. In the end though, she had learned to enjoy the exercise.

Both mares were winded and tired by the time they arrived at the checkpoint in the early hours of the morning. Pinkamena gave a friendly wave at the approaching pegasus soldier, but it was Twilight who spoke up. “Hello, Lance Corporal,” she huffed with a pleasant enough smile.

“And to you too.” His reply was professionally polite, but he didn’t give her a second thought and went to knock on the carriage door. “Sir, I need a word with you.”

Not knowing if she should smirk or be annoyed, Twilight opted for a side-grin. “I’m the one you’re looking for, good sir.”

The young stallion, barely twenty by the looks of him, glanced at her with confusion, and then jumped into the air to peer inside the empty carriage. “I see.” Clearly ruffled with embarrassment, he cleared his throat and landed before approaching her. He produced a booklet and a piece of charcoal to write with. “Name, purpose, and papers please.”

“Pinkamena, could you grab the documents please? Oh, and a couple of towels.” Twilight started fanning her face with a wing, fully ignoring the disgust that flashed across the stallion's face before he replaced it with professional indifference.

“Gladly, Mistress.” Pinkamena bowed and took off to rummage around the carriage.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle of House Light. I’m here to establish some trade relations and do some exchanges. Principly spices and fabrics.” Okay, Twily, you planned for this. Just follow the script and you’ll get through easy peasy.

By the time the soldier wrote it all down, sadly showing no recognition of her name, Pinkamena returned with the documents and surrendered them to the soldier. “Thank you.” He started scrutinizing them heavily for nearly a minute, then handed them back over. “The papers seem to be in order. How many servants do you have with you?”

“Eleven,” Twilight lied smoothly with all the skill her mother taught her. “That’s including my personal servant here.” Glad I told the pull teams to ignore me when not talking to them directly or they’d blabber about the other two.

The sentry hummed with disbelief upon scanning the two wagons and one carriage, each had two stallions at the yoke. He gave her a dubious look. “Three wagons with only two sets of reserve teams?”

“Sir,” Pinkamena butted in meekly and a disarming frightful smile. “We had four wagons originally, but the front axle broke. My mistress and her fiancé agreed that she should go ahead while he returned home. We left with several servants behind to protect him, naturally.”

“Uh huh…” Disbelief was plastered over the soldier’s face. “You do realize servants are incapable of lying to the military.”

“I am completely aware of that, good sir.” She lied smoothly behind a fatigued and pleasant smile.

Twilight tried to mask her nervousness behind a carefully constructed façade of indignation. The cold sweat was thankfully lost amongst the regular sweat still clinging to her. She only spoke her mind when he pulled a wand out of his saddlebag and started waving it around Pinkamena’s face. “Lance Corporal I must protest these thinly veiled accusations, and wasting my time.”

“I am performing my duties.” He almost looked disappointed when Pinkamena’s stripes glowed softly. “The stripes are real. You may pass.”

“Of course they are,” Twilight grumbled before sitting back inside, making sure to put on a good show of a disgruntled noble.

The Lance Corporal blew a whistle for the gate to open.

Twilight looked away from the soldiers, acting as if she was grumbling curses so she could sigh in relief, and looked to Pinkamena with a tired grin. “That went well.”

“Sure did, Mistress.” Pinkamena barked an order for the wagons to get moving again.

Once they passed the checkpoint, they selected a spot to rest the wagon train. It was a rented space nestled among dozens of others. Both Pinkamena and Twilight sequestered themselves in a bath house, and only then did the earth mare feel safe enough to shake the nervousness of the inspection away. “That was waaay too close for comfort.”

Barely faring any better, Twilight half sank into the hot water. A few extra coins had gotten them a private room, and a few more paid to keep evesdroppers at bay. “Tell me about it, but at least part one of the grand plan is complete.”

“Are we going to the docks today or tomorrow?”

Twilight felt some of her stress bleed out as Pinkamena kneaded the shampoo into her mane. However, the scare at the checkpoint kept her on edge. “Merchant’s Creed: twenty two. A wise mare can smell profit in the wind, and I have a good feeling about today.”

Roughly two hours later, the pair left the servants to guard the wagon train while they ventured past the merchants and towards the harbor. Miles and miles of city ruins had been picked over by scavengers for years, leaving little more than bare rock and cracked streets. Twilight traveled in her most modest dress and her self-defense equipment sans the circlet since she found it largely useless. Pinkakena wore nothing, save for her heavy shin guards. All of it was so they would be less of a tempting target for muggers. However, movement between the camp and the harbor was a bit too well patrolled for Twilight’s liking. Eyes would likely follow a noblemare much too closely. So they went off the beaten path under the excuse of curious exploration so they would arrive with less attention.

The pair were quietly passing through the broken remains of a counting house. Twilight was taking in the sights. To many of her upbringing, they would feel pride in an Equestrian victory or terrible at such destruction. But her mind was too busy for that. She was studying the marks of destruction themselves, seeing if she could deduce what caused what. One collapsed building face earned her attention. It was largely intact, save for heavy charring and a circular hole the size of a carriage in the middle of the second floor. “Looks like a fire tunnel ritual spell. Big one too.”

Pinkamena listened to her master’s one-sided conversation, adding commentary every so often, but her eyes never left the streets and collapsed alleyways. The ruins were unnervingly quiet, save for the harbor off in the distance.

The pair walked around the collapsed face of a tenement, idly wondering how the city looked in its prime. Twilight felt something grab her by the skirt and violently pull her into one of the window frames of the fallen wall. Before she could even process what was happening, she was pulled up into a reared up position and a knife was pressed against her neck.

“Well well, look at the lovely winged needlehead walking down my street,” a dangerous baritone voice rumbled from behind her ear. “I musta scared the feathers off ya.”

Twilight choked a gasp as the blade threatened to cut past her fur. Pinkamena reacted without hesitation and jumped in while shouting the activation word of power. “Vi mortiferum!”

She was about to charge the mugger before he could issue a threat, but was stopped dead by a conspicuous click. A second mugger, a pegasus mare, was waiting behind the wall and was armed with a wing-mounted pistol. Too close to possibly miss. A series of thin metal frames braced the wing for the expected kickback.

“Don’t make a peep, love. Our business is with Miss Money Bags here.”

“I don’t have much on me, actually,” Twilight defiantly claimed. “I’m not so stupid as to carry a bitpurse into an unfamiliar place.” She twisted one ear after noticing several ticking sounds coming from the leg holding her.

“Now ain’t that a shame, for you,” her captor purred. It was clearly an earth stallion, if the iron grip on her neck was any indication. “Your little stripe can go on and run off to your convoy and grab some of the bits then. I’m sure you can part with ten grand, easy.”

“That money isn't mine,” Twilight lied with seeping fear, even as her captor tightened his grip. “I - I mean, I’m glad I look that good, but I’m just a go-between.”

The stallion laughed darkly. “Oh, I like this little plucked bird. She could have a real knack for lying if she put the waterworks on. She has more fire than the last mewling noble.”

“Not that it’ll change anything,” the pegasus barked back.

He leaned in and whispered mockingly into Twilight’s ear. “You got gumption, Love, I’ll give ya that. But drop the act. Play it smart and send your little pet to fetch something to fill my wallet with, eh?”

The lightning from Twilight’s horn surged to the point it was dancing across her face and ears, causing the mugger to dig the blade into Twilight’s neck just enough to draw blood. “Keep those sparks under control half-breed. I ain’t got no rubber shoes, so they start jumping, I start cutting.”

Twilight tried to pull away from the blade, but he kept a firm grip. “If you’re so familiar with my kind, you’d know I have no control over it.”

“I just told you lying to me is dangerous, Love.” He shook his grip, making her yelp. “And you ain’t no good at it. I know enough that you can keep it to yourself if you really want to.” His tone was getting angrier as Twilight’s lightning was getting louder and more active. He pressed the blade just a little tighter. “Now cut it out!”

“I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, to think that.” He cut just a bit more, making Twilight start to give in to panic. “Give me time, it’s not like I get mugged everyday!” Twilight stammered as her horn started outright glowing. The grip on her dress tightened, only making her panic even worse. What do I do, what do I do?! With a knife at her neck and Pinkamena held at gunpoint, Twilight’s terror was making her hyperventilate. She was out of lies, and would be quickly out of time. The knife cutting just a bit deeper pushed Twilight over the edge. “Okay, okay! I Ah, I use a mantra to calm myself down. J-just let me speak and hug myself.”

“So much for that fire,” the pegasus mare sneered.

The stallion being much closer to the free flowing lighting rod was not so casual about it. “Make it quick!”

Twilight hugged herself extra tight so the barrel of her wrist mounted pistol was roughly pointing into the stallion’s barrel. “Solvite.”

The stallion didn’t even get a second to question the odd word before a sharp crack sounded. He felt nothing at first, save for an unnatural numbness and damp feeling on his right side. His grip weakened as realization kicked in. “Did you just-” He coughed up a spurt of blood and fell over, shallowly dragging the knife along Twilight's neck. The burning pain came roaring in seconds later and he was caught between screaming and coughing.

The pegasus mugger recoiled from the gunshot and the sight of her partner keeling over, giving Pinkamena an opening. The earth mare charged the pegasus, screaming an inarticulate battle cry. She kicked the pegasus’ gun wing, easily breaking bones before finishing her off with a buck straight to her front knees that sent her crashing to the floor. Pinkamena immediately turned and gave the stallion mugger a scathingly dangerous and unhinged eye tick. Only to realize he was down and Twilight had a large swath of red on her neck. “Mistress, your hurt!”

“Damn nag.” He tried to cough out. Each breath was accompanied by a sickening hissing and sucking sound coming from the wound.

Twilight’s panic was just as strong as before and she was gingerly touching her wound to test the depth as well as taking slow breaths. “I... I think I’m fine, Pinkamena. My fur caught most of it I think.”

“Please don’t move.” Pinkamena set Twilight gently down on the floor. She wasn’t versed in first aid either, so the sight of any blood leaking from Twilight’s neck was leaving it images of death in the pink mare’s mind. “I’ll go get help. Just stay here! Try not to move too much!”

Nodding in agreement, Twilight did her best to ignore her injury and start reloading her pistol. “Go on to the docks. They should have a clinic or at least a constable station. Hurry, I - I can hold them.” A dizzy spell struck her, though it be from frayed nerves or blood loss she didn't know.

“Yes, Mistress!” Wasting no more time, she bolted to the harbor as fast as her legs could carry her.

Twilight sat up hissing with pain. The agony was sharp, but she found her breathing was thankfully unimpaired. Trying to angle her neck so any blood would fall to the ground instead of her dress, she went about reloading her pistol in case the pegasus recovered enough to fight. She glanced worriedly at the stallion. Criminal or not, this was the first time she had ever shot anyone.

She was using a rod in her vest to push the musket ball into the pistol when the pegasus woke up. Twilight scrambled to jerk her gunleg away from the rod and aim at the other mare. “Don’t move! The law’s coming, along with a doctor.”

The pain of a twisted and broken wing was incredible. It was a testament to a hard life that the mare didn’t wail like a foal, only spit word out between clenched teeth and hisses of agony. “I thought your type was supposed to be all high and mighty. Was all that mewing of yours just an act?”

Aristocratic pride flared up within Twilight. The criminal was correct, so Twilight evaded the question. “Honor is one thing, but dignity and an empty sack is worth the sack. Merchant’s Creed number one hundred and nine.” With her free leg, she tapped her neck and thankfully found less fresh blood than before. “Or in this case, a slit neck.”

An alcohol soaked bandage and one police report later, Twilight and Pinkamena were exiting the modest police station. Her wound was largely superficial, and pride and a timetable kept her from going to the hospital ship nearby, the only place that offered medical aid since the war. Between Twilight being a noblemare, and the muggers being known criminals, the two were allowed to leave within a couple of hours. The station was positioned right on the docks so they were able to get a good look at several ships currently being serviced.

Due to the nature of the last millennia of warfare, and the immense importance of the Lunarian mainland an ocean away, ponies were no strangers to naval warfare. Twilight was quite familiar with drawings and portraits of famous Equestrian ships and battles, largely thanks to her father's engine and Shining Armor's stories, but she had never been to the ocean until now. The ships flying the Lunarian flag atop their masts and bearing the Lunar Crest upon the bow all but demanded Twilight’s ever curious attention. I'd love to hear about how the boiler inventors managed to convince the Navy to install what amounts to pressure bombs into wooden ships expecting to get peppered by shot and spell alike.

Her eyes darted between the moored vessels of both nations, eagerly searching for differences. While the ships flying the purple and silver colors of Lunaria seem to have the same overall shape, masts for sails and closed gun flaps for cannons that our ships possess, they simply must deviate from there. Excitement made Twilight giggle madly at seeing Lunarian vessels up close for the first time. Most of them were flying the gold cross over a while field flag of a civilian vessel, but Twilight’s eyes zeroed in on the only naval warship moored in port. The vessel was in the middle of loading foodstuffs, and a cordon of marines made it clear they didn’t want visitors.

Viewing it from a respectful distance, Twilight was a bit disappointed to see that while it had three smoke stacks, clear signs of an engine, the vessel was made of unimpressive wood. Buggery. I could have sworn Shiny said there were rumors of new ships of so called 'ironclads'. I guess this isn’t one of them. Glancing at the sides, she spotted the two massive cylindrical bulges on the sides of the vessel, but such things were increasingly common on Equestrian ships as well. So it’s just a paddleboat. The engine probably has much better range than our thaumaturgic accelerators though. They have to cross the ocean to get here after all. I was so sure some sort of screw-like device under the water would be better. If only Shiny had some pull with the Admiralty so they'd stop dismissing my idea.

Twilight shook her head to cast such ugly thoughts aside, but they lingered still. Favor with Cadance and the queen is all well and good, but Shiny has a rough time as it is. It doesn’t help him that they know a lot of the hard data comes from me.

Unbidden, a dozen theories and ideas for improvements circled her brain as she studied the warship from a distance. Chief among those was the steam engine she had designs herself. Yet the knowledge that she’d just be ignored as a misguided technophile and a demicorn to boot just hardened her further. “I swear. I’ll show them all I am more than a misguided defect! I’ll drag this country kicking and screaming into the future if I have to!”

“Mistress?” Pinkamena hazard with a worriedly raised hoof. “You’re going Twilinanas again.”

“Maybe I should be!” Twilight fumed while rounding on her, and waggling her wings impotently. Her boiling temper faltered upon seeing the sad eyes and frown Pinkamena was giving her. The moment she heard a particularly loud spark go off from her horn made Twilight give a defeated sigh. She rubbed her eyes with both wings and hung her head a bit. “Or maybe not.”

With every ounce of her being, Pinkamena dearly wished to hug Twilight and lift her spirits. Yet the world they lived it forbad it. All she could do was gently pat at the air around Twilight, and offer sympathy. “You’re not broken to me or the family, Mistress. We can see the truth.” All that got was Twilight’s scowl devolving into a morose frown.

“I suppose.” She huffed and stood up straight, biting her cheek to regain her composure. “So, a ship. If Shiny was right, civilian ships are generally commanded with a similar structure as navy ships. I need an introduction to a shipmaster if we mean to get those books.”

“We could try the lounges,” Pinkamena offered with a growing smile to try and spread at least some cheer over to Twilight. “Sailing and drinking go hoof in hoof, right?”

The effect worked and some measure of warmth returned to Twilight’s demeanor. “Too true.” She gazed down the length of buildings servicing the docks. “I’m sure the sailors of our two nations segregate themselves. It shouldn’t be hard to find a Lunarian establishment by name alone.” Trotting off, Twilight moved with renewed purpose.

“Won’t we draw too much attention?” Pinkamena loves to see Twilight smile, but all it took was the wrong attention to wipe that smile away forever.

“If anypony asks, I can just tell the truth, mostly. I’m a new merchant looking to take advantage of the peacetime trade while it lasts.”

It didn’t take too long for them to find a string of such establishments. “Well, if they are anything like the lounges in Brimshire, there should be two stories, one for common sailors and one for officers. One look at this place is enough to see there aren’t any theaters or other forms of high entertainment for the gentlecolts. So a lounge is the most likely place to be.”

Soon enough, the Salty Tart came into view. It was two stories as hoped and if the ‘Equestrians not welcome’ sign was any hint, she had found the right place. Twilight stopped at the stairs and rounded on her servant. “You know the plan. Go in, find a respectable looking officer then come back. The common sailors may get too hostile to talk to, or won’t have enough sway to help, but the officers should have better pull and manners.”

Pinkamena gave a crisp salute and a giggle. Her hair was turning into a proper curly mess, which brought a smile to Twilight as well. “You can count on me.”

Her companion was gone for few minutes, leaving Twilight to wait. It was still only midday, so the tavern was not very populated. Relatively speaking. Twilight got some dark or puzzled looks from some passersby. She kept an aloof air through it all by reading a thin book, hoping no one would try and confront her. She even kept her wings hidden in her dress to attract less attention.

When Pinkamena finally returned, Twilight was starting to get outright nervous and lightning was running down her mane. “Mistress, I found somepony who was only drinking cider and was the most polite one there. She also told the others not to throw me out too. I think she’s a civilian.”

“Perfect, excellent work!” Twilight was all too eager to get off the street and nearly sprinted up the stairs. Twilight stopped to comb her mane back into some semblance of order, and recover her noble bearing before actually stepping inside. She was met by a startling sight. A bouncer barred the way in with leathery wings and dangerous looking slitted eyes and fangs. The sight of her panicked Twilight enough that her wings tried to flare, only to stop herself midway. “I knew it. Where there’s a stripe, there’s a… pegacorn? Still an Equestrian either way.” The bat pony mare jabbed at the door. “We don’t serve slaveholders. Your ‘property’ should have told you that.”

Twilight fumed at the word ‘slaveholder’ and was absolutely livid at what she called Pinkamena. Doubly so since Pinkamena was Lunarian-born. Her temper rose along with the sparks on her horn. “Now see—”

“Mistress.” A gentle hoof on her back made Twilight snap her head back to see it was Pinkamena. The servant bore a patient smile that could always drag Twilight’s temper back down. And so she composed herself.

It was an effort that made Twilight shiver a bit to beat down her indignation. “Good madam, I promise not to buy any drinks then. I simply want to speak to one of your patrons.” Her struggle to verbally lash out was difficult to suppress, even with Pinkamena’s presence.

“Is that right?” The bouncer faced the bartender and waiter who were listening in. “You hear that? Not so much as a glass of water.” She squared up towards Twilight. “Just in case you forget.”

“I won’t.” Twilight let Pinkamena take the lead so she could guide her to the proper Lunarian.

Pinkamena directed them to a table of three that was secluded near the back windows. Two of their number were pegasus stallions with the one in the center being an orange and blond earth mare. Each of them wore silver uniforms that slightly stunk of oil and coal. The pegasi had wrench emblems on their sleeves and a matching one on the hats they had thrown on the table. The mare’s emblem had two crossed wrenches. There was also some blue parchment laying beside the two barely touched glasses of beer and one cup of fizzy non-alcoholic apple cider. But the mare was in the process of rolling it up to be placed in one of her coverall pockets.

Twilight adopted her diplomatic smile. “Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle of House Light. I was told by my friend you might be willing to talk to me.”

“Friend?” One of the stallions huffed as he spat into a spittoon on the floor. “Is that what you tell yourself?”

The orange earth mare had a scowl, but eventually gestured at the only empty seat at the table. “Can’t say I’ve seen one o’ you pegacorns in a good while.” She took a swig of cider, and took a moment to wipe the fizz off her freckled cheek. “Name’s Applejack, Indentured Second Engineer of the Sea Hopper. These are my shipmates: Oiled Piston,” she indicated to the pegasus that had spoken. “And Turbulence.”

Pegacorn? I kinda like the sound of it. “A pleasure.” Twilight spotted a chair at the adjacent empty table. She walked over and used a wing to pull it over for Pinkamena to sit down with them. The act earned disquieted side glances from the Lunarians, but silence reigned until Twilight leaned in a bit to speak quietly. It helped that a phonograph was playing an upbeat tune to drown them out.

“I know I am intruding on your leisure time so I will get right to the point, Engineer Applejack.” She fished out a small bag of bits and dropped it noisily onto the middle of the table. “I am willing to pay you for an introduction with your captain.”

“Why?” Applejack replied with a furrowed brow. “Cap’n doesn’t handle any trade deals, he just moves freight back and forth. All deals are written up in Crossroads on this side of the pond.”

“Because I am not looking for a... legal trade per se. I am an abolitionist. I have two servants I wish to pass into your care as both a sign of intent and to facilitate a much needed item or two to help the cause.” I think I should neglect to mention how many I brought with me for now. They might want them all at once, and I don't want to have to explain how so many disappeared. Twilight slid out of her inner thoughts quickly enough for the others to assume she was just taking a breath. “From what whispers I hear, the Lunarian government offers compensation to stripe runners and those that aid them.”

Applejack and the others gave each other dubious looks. Turbulence jerked his head at the Equestrians. “You heard right. But how do we know you ain’t some Inquisitor or one of their lackeys? Treaty says any merchant or captain caught with stripes could be arrested or fined. If they’re lucky.”

“Oh, that’s easy.” Twilight smiled and raised her wings and let her horn crackle. “I’m too memorable. The Inquisition would have no use for an agent that would be recognized as soon as they walk through the door.”

“Bein’ a memorable criminal is just as bad, honorable or not, but I guess ya got a point.” Applejack snorted in amusement, but the sight of Twilight’s wings made her nose wrinkle. “But that just leaves me wonderin’. Why would an abolitionist keep a stripe, let alone show her to us?”

“My mistress must keep up appearances.” Pinkamena took no small amount of pleasure in the surprise from the sailors at her speaking up. “She is nobility after all, and the circles who know her, know I am always at her side.”

“So she’d give herself away,” Piston muttered. Eventually he was forced to nod. “Still though…”

“How can you go along with this?” Applejack asked bluntly. She got up and reached for Pinkamena’s mane. The pink mare didn’t resist as Applejack tossed Pinkamena’s mane about, confirming her stripes was not a dye job. “Shouldn’t you be running to confess all this to the nearest police station?”

The answer didn’t come at first. Pinkamena looked to a Twilight for guidance. Twilight was sluggish in coming to a decision. “I’m afraid that has to remain confidential.”

“You really want us to trust you’re on the level by saying that?” Turbulence countered after spitting again.

Twilight sighed and gave him a firm look, eye to eye. “My noble heritage and family are the only things keeping me from being thrown out into the streets due to my tribe.. If word of her loophole became more widely known, the Crown could find a way to correct it. Worse yet, if they couldn’t then you knowing about it puts you in more danger.”

“Fair enough.” Applejack took a swig of her cider. She never took her eyes off Twilight the whole time, looking for any sign or tell of a lie. “So what’s this item you need so badly you’d come to us of all ponies?”

Twilight kept herself from rubbing her foreleg out of nervousness, and hesitated in answering. “Honestly I was hoping to save that question for your captain.”

“Well too bad,” Piston said with a gruff as she leaned in, silently suggesting a threat. “The three of us are indentured to the ship. If you talk the captain into doing something legally dubious, we all take the fall since we can’t leave. You want the captain, you better start talking.”

Twilight sighed heavily and looked to Pinkamena who could only shrug helplessly. “If that is what is needed to move forward...” Twilight had never been great with sales. She got Velvet to teach her more about logistics and trade routes than anything else, but she would have to make it work. “I need a few engineering textbooks. That is the right word. Engineering, right? I need some manuals on industry machines as well. They don't need to be up to date, just something for me to base future work off of.”

Applejack remained silently watching Twilight’s face when a frown started to develop on the engineer’s muzzle. The stallions however scoffed and laughed incredulously with Turbulence actually wiping a tear away. “Oh sure. Lets all risk the death penalty by giving Equestria our national secrets. Not a chance, sister. I like my head right where it is.”

“Please reconsider,” Pinkamena implored with careful pressure. “My Mistress is one of Equestria’s leading machine scholars. If not the actual best. She can end enstripement in Equestria, I know it!”

“I’m beginning to think those stripes of yours ain’t real,” Piston interjected. He waved them both off, close to outright dismissing them. “You just so happen to be able to talk freely of what amounts to treason? Give me a break.”

“Not real you say?” Pinkamena challenged with a smirk. “Fake stripes don’t glow, but mine can.” Sitting back, Pinkamena closes her eyes and started whispering to herself. The Lunarians watched Twilight closely, but the demicorn remained passive. Within seconds, the stripes on Pinkamena’s mane and tail began to glow. She held it for only a few seconds before she started to stand up to leave, only to renew her mantra, enabling her to sit back down and end the glow. Pinkamena needed twice as long to catch her breath from the panic the stripes had tried to impose.

“There, satisfied?” the pink pony challenged. A headache developed, forcing her to massage her temples.

“Aaabout the stripes at least,” Applejack said at last. She downed the last of her cider and rang the bell on the table for the waiter to bring more. “But how would those books help end stripes?”

Twilight dearly wished to rub Pinkamena’s back, to help with her headache, but couldn’t bring herself to break decorum. “It’s a bit complicated, so I’ll keep it as simple as possible.

“Equestria accepts enstripement largely because of two things: faith and economics. Scripture says Celestia’s fervent wish was to keep ponikind united. That was the underlining point for her side of the Schism War, and the stripes was Equestria’s solution. Granted that was centuries after the Sisters vanished, but I'm getting ahead of myself. The other half of the equation is the economic boons stripes have become. I will not mince words here. Stripes are very lucrative due to them being cheap labor." She stopped when the waiter tried to be sneaky and lingered nearby. When the group at the table started looking at him in various levels of annoyance, he slinked away.

“As I was saying, my plan is to turn that boon into an economic liability. If I could use machines to make far and above more money than stripe using businesses are capable of, I can pressure those in power to allow me greater flexibility. The more money I make, the more I make others want to get in on the action. As more and more businessponies open their own machine factories, the demand for stripes will plummet.”

“And how exactly does that fit in with Celestia's so called wishes.” Piston smirked in delight at the moral decay of his rival nation. “Sounds like heresy to me, not that I'm complaining, mind you.”

A side frown escaped Twilight. “Code of Merchants number ten: greed is eternal. I like to pride myself for having read a book or two. What the history schools don't teach us, but my tutor did, is that the Solar Church were the most vigorous opponents to enstripement when it was first suggested. Some rather suspicious vows of silence by the firmest critics against it and a number of sizable church donations occurred within a span of five years after the proposal. All of a sudden, priests started finding scriptures that would justify the practice.” She shook her head. The whole tale left a bitter taste in her mouth. “The point is, the greedy and the powerful always seem to find a way to get what they want. I think it is high time that greed is pointed towards doing something moral for a change.”

“If that doesn't work, and after I've made my fortune being the only machine industrialist in the country, I’ll buy out some newspapers and publishers and fill them with like-minded writers. Over time, these papers will erode the moral acceptance of enstripement until the priesthood will be forced to ‘re-interpret’ Celestia’s wishes. Once that happens, the casus belli of the last six of wars Lunaria started evaporates.”

“May Luna help us if you ever use your powers for evil,” Applejack said with a shaky exhale. She made a show of rubbing her chin thoughtfully for a few seconds. “The only thing though, your plan sounds like it'll take decades if not a few hundred years.”

“You’re probably right.” Twilight dearly wished she had some water to wet her throat, but a deal was a deal. “My ‘tribe’, if you can call it that, may be cursed, but at least I age very slowly. Provided I’m not executed, I’ll live to see this through.”

Applejack slammed her hooves on the table. “Well you got my vote. A couple of books for all that? Sounds good, right boys?”

Turbulence scowled to himself, his brow deeply furrowed. “I suppose Equestria will always be playing catch up technologically, so we’ll maintain our edge. Count me in.”

Piston had waited for the others to vote, and simply shrugged. “If you think it's a good plan Chief, I'll play along.”

Nodding, Applejack focused on the pegacorn who was doing a poor job masking her excitement. “The Sea Hopper is leaving as soon as our cargo is loaded. Sometime late tomorrow evening I reckon. I can still get you in front of the captain in an hour or so when he comes in for a drink. He’ll decide if you pass muster.” She jabbed a hoof at Twilight. “Just remember, if you are an Inquisitor, that jail time and the fines are limited to the captain alone.”

Twilight shuddered as relief flooded her, but she ultimately kept her noble air intact. “Then we have an accord.”

The captain asked roughly the same questions and had similar concerns. But if Velvet had been watching, and was able to ignore the blatant treason, she’d have been rather proud of her daughter.

“Captain Deck Flog, I realize I’m asking you to take a serious risk, but there are other ships in port. Since I plan to get those books one way or another, I can always employ some other ship. But I must say, the risk is nothing compared to a hero’s welcome, even if it is to only two stripes returned to their families.”

The bat stallion was missing a wing, and leaned on his stump to give her a critical glare. It surely pained him, yet he gave no sign of it. He puffed occasionally on a tobacco pipe that had a sickeningly sweet smell to it. “And I’m sure you got a plan in place in case I try an’ double cross you to the Royal Army or some such. They’d pay a pretty sum for a treasonous noblemare.”

Twilight flashed a poisonous smirk and leaned in a little, doing her best to ignore the smoke. “I didn’t realize Lunarians could put a price on the lives of liberated stripes. Soldiers too, no less. About the only positive thing Equestrian censors these days say about you is the honor Lunaria bestows to its military. Tell me, do you think my bounty is worth that to you? Provided they believe the word of a Lunarian to an Equestrian noble.”

Deck Flog scratched his beard, and did a slow shake of his head before holding a hoof out. “You’re a right serpent tongued trader alright.” He took a long drag from his pipe, the sudden stress of such a proposition pulled on him. “Have the two stripes sent to my ship by twenty hundred hours tomorrow. The dark’ll keep any nosy authorities from see'n them come aboard.”

“That might be too suspicious, and it would cause their stripes to question my commands,” Twilight warned with a wing-finger wave, leaving Deck Flog’s hoof hanging in the air to press her point. “You must remember, the stripes are not just to keep them compliant to their owners, but to allow the stripe to defend themselves against orders from their owners or strangers from unjustly harming them or breaking the law. That would include walking onto a Lunarian ship in the dead of night.”

“So I’ve been told, but if you want my help, you get them to me on time or I'll forget this conversation ever happened.” Deck Flog pulled his hoof back, while eyeing Pinkamena and her stripes. The pink mare seemed fully aware of the conversation by virtue of her tilted ears alone. Her attention, however, was focused on the bouncer who never stopped scrutinizing them. He took a napkin off the table and a piece of chalk from his pocket and jotted down a note and passed it over to her. “Here, my ship's pier number, have them show up there. Should you manage to make it happen, we'll be back in Manehatten in six months’ time with the books. There are names of other ships I trust who can take my stead if the need arises. Either way I'll have the merchandise waiting for you.”

Twilight quickly stuffed the note into her dress. “I can’t thank you enough, captain.” While she kept an outward appearance of aloof gratitude, Twilight was inwardly ecstatic. A little filly version of her was jumping for joy in her mind. Her plan was on track, and going as planned. Score one for me!

“Color me interested, lass,” Deck Flog said while puffing on his pipe. He was still nervous, but the reward for such risks was too great to dissuade him now. “What do ya plan to do in the meantime?” he asked, trying to refocus.

“What is expected of me,” Twilight replied with a wink. “My passion is unaffordable without an actual source of income. Namely, mercantilism. Grant money for machine-magic research is thin, I’m afraid. Even more so now that five new research shops have opened in the last eight years. My mother has warehouse storage in multiple cities around Equestria, so product is immediately available to buyers. It only makes sense for me to start to do the same. This time, in Tranquillity.”

“You sure you want to do that, missy? If war breaks out, any assets you got in that place would be frozen. Don’t matter if you’re a stripe runner or not.”

“Frozen, or seized?” Twilight leaned back a bit, a slight dip in the edge of her lips. “I want to be certain.”

Deck Flog contemplated lying to her, and studied her attentive eyes and for any slips in her tense body language. “Frozen, same thing Equestria does with Lunarian merchandise. We traders expect war, do we not? What we also expect is that our foreign housed goods are legally protected. That aside, be mindful of when you send the slaves to me. I don’t like the idea of have'n to jump a stripe in broad daylight. Tends to attract unwanted attention from ponies I’d rather not mention.”

Twilight largely nodded in agreement through it all. “We carry risks no matter what path we choose. Tell you what. I’ll send the first stripe during daylight with a load of product and the money required to rent some warehouse space. It may be during the day, but he'll be right there next to the ship. I'll send the second after dark. If our luck holds, you’ll be long gone before I need to report them missing.”

“I suppose I can manage the daylight one then." He took a puff off his pipe to think. "You’re playing a dangerous game, missy, don’t get careless.” He downed his drink in one go and ordered another. “But ya got a deal.” He thrust his remaining wing forward. Twilight was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t recoil when she used her own wing to shake it.

“I could say the same for you, Captain. Until next time.” Twilight got up as well with Pinkamena following after her. The earther was practically bursting at the seams trying to contain her excitement, but she kept it contained so long as they remained in the public eye.

Twilight spotted Applejack waiting alone at the exit. The bouncer had moved away at Applejack’s request. Twilight nodded to Applejack who suddenly grabbed her by the dress, making Pinkamena bristle and growl at a snap. The mugging was still fresh in her mind and it took great effort not to bend the offending hoof off of Twilight.

Applejack flinched a bit at such a rapid mood change, but held her ground and kept her gaze fixed on Twilight who was doing a better job of masking her sudden anxiety. “I got a good thing going on this ship. If you double cross us, you better hope I never see your face again.”

“I understand the risk you’re taking.” Twilight’s social energy was utterly spent, and she leveled an iron glare at her, bereft of anything but a token attempt at being cordial. “I trust you realize the greater risk is mine. A fine and a year of incarceration would be a slap on the flanks by comparison to what I would suffer.”

“I guess you’re right about that. Still, you keep what I said in mind.” Applejack let go of Twilight’s dress and stepped out of the way. “I’ll be seen’ ya.”

“Perhaps.”

As Twilight passed through the door, Pinkamena locked eyes with Applejack and gave a menacing warning behind a clenched jaw. “Touch her like that again, and I’ll turn you into cupcakes.”

“I’d like ta see you try,” Applejack shot right back more out of reflex than anything else. Inwardly, however, she quaked like a filly in her coveralls until the door closed behind the pair.

Author's Note

I know this one is late in being released, but after checking it over again, I was unsatisfied with many places. I hope I caught all the errors, but there always seems to be at least one... dozen. See ya next time!!

7: Inquisitor

If there was one lesson Shining Armor tried to teach his sister it was this: ‘plans are useless, but planning is everything’.

Twilight Sparkle, Pinkamena, and two of the draft stallions left the currency exchange house early the next morning. Twilight had a pair of ornate, brightly colored saddlebags crammed with all the Lunarian slips the establishment was willing to give her, while Pinkamena and one of the stallions carried three bags full of Equestrian bits.

“I will say this much, mistress,” Pinkamena half giggled as she bounced the large purse of money. “Slips are a lot easier to carry in bulk.”

Twilight was sweating out of anxiety, but kept it to herself. The timetable was stricter than she had hoped, and getting caught was an ever present thought. “I still don’t get how they can attribute value to a slip of paper instead of hard gold, but when in Unicornia...” She glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot before turning to the stallion carrying the sacks of bits. “Rocky Sholes, do you remember what Lunaria imported and exported from us?”

“A little, Mistress.” Just like all other red striped servants, Rocky’s response was robotic with barely any perceivable emotion. The solid red line in his otherwise brown mane glowed far more often than most. “We imported saffron, a spice, which was highly sought after for traditional meals. Along with raspberries and authentic red spine lumber. None of which grows in Lunarian territory. But the biggest commodity is runeweave cloth. Especially during wartime due to our low unicorn population. I am not familiar with our exports.”

Pinkamena hummed for a moment before speaking. “I don’t think we have time to order a frost container for the berries. Actually, I don’t think they’re even in season right now.”

“Not to mention the rumors that only Equestrian ships have them anymore since Lunarian ship engines break the magic on those containers.” Twilight tapped her chin, trying to work up a plan. “The lumber would be profitable, but we’d need a week to negotiate with a ship to move enough to be worth it. Let alone a supplier. So we’ll have to shelf that for now.”

“The runeweave might be the way to go, Mistress.” Pinkamena looked around before pointing at a trader wagon who had a large carpet as a sign. “It has to be really expensive if the richie-riches love clothing made from it.”

“An excellent idea.” A plan started forming in the scholar. Yes… the cloth would make me a small mint if I can get it on the cheap. Even with just what two stallions can carry alone. “Come along then. After we get a few bolts of cloth, we can find a place to eat.

An hour or so later, Twilight and company emerged from the shop weighed down by bolts of cloth. The purchases went quite well, and both mares were pleased enough to be whistling an old tune.

“I can’t believe it. The merchant was Flute Song of all ponies! Oh how the mighty have fallen. He was being groomed to be a viceroy you know.”

Pinkamena was not quite so vindictive. Even with Twilight being as kind to her as she was, there was always that little voice in the back of Pinkamena’s mind that told her to walk on eggshells when contradicting Twilight. “Mistress, I know we got a super good deal, but maybe we shouldn’t have squeezed him quite so much.”

“He’s a borderline stripe abuser, and always spread rumors I used grease as perfume. I bet you if I had not come in there with money to spend, he’d be no better than usual.”

“True,” Pinkamena lied carefully. “But he might be a useful friend later. A pony like him would love to make his way back into court, and machine money could do that.”

Twilight’s catharsis at seeing the luckless noble again fell apart. Shaking a chill away, Twilight sighed as she started to resent her own satisfaction. “Pinkamena… I really wish you could stop me from being stupid before I act on a whim.”

“Maybe one day, Mistress.” Pinkamena dearly wished to nuzzle Twilight’s spirits up the same way Velvet or Night Light did, but alas, it was not her place.

Twilight’s mind was squarely focused on her self-depreciation until hunger gave her the perfect excuse to ignore such thoughts. First things first.

“Rocky Sholes, would you kindly go ahead and take your cargo to the buyer. Once the transaction is complete, report back to the wagon train with a receipt for both the cargo and the purchase of warehouse space in Tranquility.”

“As you order, Mistress.” The stallion turned away and jogged away towards the docks.

That’s one servant. Now I need an excuse to send the second. Her stomach rumbled it’s annoyance at her for her repeated neglect Her timetable would have to wait. “Alright, now then lunch time!” Twilight pulled a map out of her saddlebag. Pinkamena came to her side to read as well. “I can’t believe all there is are lounges and inns. You’d think with all the traders there’d be at least a bistro.

“To be fair, Mistress, I’d imagine most of the traders are here on errands for their superiors. Maybe we should buy up some of the fancy spices besides the saffron for both ourselves and resale. I saw a seller two streets over. I can cook up something magnificently tasty compared to the muck we’ll get around here.”

“I like it. We could also pick up some soaps too. The last thing I need are his rumors getting one iota of anecdotal confirmation.”

“If you’re so interested in dealing with Lunaria,” came a feminine voice to the left of them. “Might I suggest grabbing the recipe for spiced teki noodles? They’re to die for.”

“Thanks for the advice…” Twilight turned to the speaker only to stop dead in sudden fright.

A gold and white armored unicorn mare with a long, professionally curled purple mane was leaning against a lamppost smiling at an unvoiced joke. “From what I hear, it’s all the rage in Hoofington.”

She recognized the mare’s attire instantly. Twilight’s wings became jittery, and her horn sparked loud enough to scare Pinkamena away. “May… I help you, royal inquisitor?”

“I believe you can, actually,” The inquisitor had pearly white fur that reflected the sunlight to make her look as if she were glowing. She carefully eyed the pink earth pony before centering on Twilight and speaking in an accent that sounded like a rural mare trying to mimic a Canterlotian native. “A pleasure to meet you, Madam Twilight Sparkle, I am Rarity Belle of her majesty’s most holy inquisition. We should talk somewhere more private.” She casually gestured at an innocuous covered carriage across the street. She spoke as if there was no possibility Twilight would dare to decline.

“Y-yes, naturally.” Twilight did her best to nod her head with an air of calm. Underneath however she was on the verge of a panic attack. In an effort to control herself, quickly pulled hard on her horn’s sparks as best she could, and turned to approach the carriage.

Rarity magically opened the door for Twilight to go in first. “Your servants can stay out here.”

“Certainly.” Twilight gave a curt nod to Pinkamena, and climbed inside the carriage. Pinkamena kept a strong, impassive face when Rarity looked at her. The inquisitor only gave a passing glance at the pair of earth ponies before entering the carriage herself and locking it.

Twilight sat on the front seat, trying to keep a calm outer facade. How? Why? I’m so stupid, of course there would be an inquisitor in the only approved trade port. But I thought I was careful. I still haven’t broken any laws as long as you ignore the lounge, and I didn’t see her there. I only sent Rocky to deliver goods. Not my fault if the crew captures him. I can just try again some other time, that’s all.

“Dearie me,” Rarity exclaimed as she took her helmet off and magically cooled herself with a paper fan that had been stowed in the door. Her curled hair tugged a little as it passed through the mane slot of the helmet. “It is so dreadfully hot out there. I do apologize for disrupting your business affairs, Madam Sparkle, but I felt inclined to point out a rather troublesome faux pas somepony in my position can’t ignore.”

The polite and courteous air Rarity was putting off threw Twilight for a loop. It almost sounded like she wasn’t in actual trouble. The thought did little to calm her erratic sparks. “A faux pas? I thought I was being careful.”

Rarity placed her helmet carefully on the seat. “Madam Sparkle, I realize the usage of servants may be second nature to the nobility, but there is a sizable number of Lunarian nationals still residing here, if only for business purposes.” Rarity kept herself from sounding patronizing. “Parading servants around with you, red striped ones at that, is unnecessarily provocative.”

“Ah? Oh.” Just how long has she been following me?! Twilight’s renewed inner panic attack started to leak out as constant sparks dancing over her horn. She played off her ballooning stress with a halted laugh and tried to get herself back under some semblance of control. “Of course. My apologies. I just didn’t think of hiring somepony to carry my purchases. I promise to be more thoughtful next time.”

Nodding slightly, Rarity took a discrete breath. “I’m glad to hear it. It would be quite troublesome if such misunderstanding caused further tensions.” She was interrupted by a particularly loud spark racing between Twilight’s horn and nose.

Twilight’s face burned red from mortification. She shied away from Rarity’s gaze. “I’m so sorry. It’s just when a grand inquisitor pulls you aside, it’s typically an ill time for all. I can get rather dangerous to be around.”

“There is no need to apologize for something out of your control, Madam.” Rarity waggled a hoof at Twilight. “And you can drop the ‘grand’, I have a ways to go to earn that, I dare say I’m only a year your senior.” Rarity adopted a more apologetic expression. “Truth be told, I am here at the behest of your brother to watch out for you. From a polite distance, that is. I only stepped in because of the servants.”

Twilight’s inner panic surged right back and it started shouting at her to abort her plan. “I didn’t know my brother had any authority over inquisitorial matters.”

Rarity let off brief tittering laugh behind a hoof. “Well, he doesn’t, no. But the queen does like it when her subjects cooperate when we don’t have to. It honors Celestia above, and that is enough for me.

“I only just arrived a few hours ago. I must say I am deeply appalled after checking in with the local constables. Had I been a day earlier, you would have never been accosted by that thug. The delay should never have happened.”

Twilight absently touched the mark on her neck. “Oh, it was unsettling, sure, but it’ll heal. If anything, it proved my mother right that I needed to learn self-defense.”

“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a pony’s character lies in their own hoofs. Book of Hope chapter seven verses eight through ten.” Rarity gave a forlorn sigh as she looked out of the window. Twilight was left mute, confusion written all over her face. “Tell me, if you don’t mind me prying a little, what do you plan to do with your life?”

“Ahh…” Twilight’s wings fidgeted, and a single arc escaped her horn. What is she playing at? Does she think she can get some dirt on a noble to get that grand part of the title? I guess I’d be the perfect target if I’m honest. “I want to start by sticking my nose into mercantilism. Build up a sizable bit of capital so I can petition the crown for my own technology lab.”

“Really?” Rarity said with clearly false surprise. “And here I thought you’d throw your hat in with the next abolitionist movement.”

Twilight’s blood ran cold, and Rarity smirked at Twilight’s eyes shrinking to pinpricks. “T-that’s absurd.”

Rarity laughed dangerously, rocking in her seat a bit with the force of it. When the laughter ended, Rarity let the silence hang just long enough to make Twilight sweat. “Come now, Madam Sparkle, don’t be coy. You see, when I was asked to watch over you, I took the initiative to read the literature the inquisition has on you.” Twilight’s sweat and sparking horn only sweetened Rarity’s smile. “Oh don’t worry too much, the inquisition takes notes of all the nobility, not just you.

“But.” Rarity’s smile fell away into a hard, even stare. “We have noticed how abnormally you treat your servants, a certain Pinkamena in particular.”

“I am entitled to treat her however I wish,” Twilight rebuked weakly.

“Well…” Rarity flicked a lock of her wavy hair. “Given your history, that ‘however I wish’ would fall inside the bounds of the law at least, so I won’t go into semantics. Madam, I am simply reminding you of a fact of life. As a member of the aristocracy, you are allowed to think whatever your deviant heart desires, Madam Sparkle, so long as those desires never become actions.” Rarity leaned in, just a touch, but even that made Twilight recoil. “Although I am concerned that freedom is not enough for you.”

“If you don’t like me being coy, then I would appreciate you following your own advice,” Twilight shot back with some defiant resolve crawling back. “Just tell me what you mean.”

Rarity sighed and pulled back to give Twilight some air to breathe. “I am the reason your head was not on the same chopping block as Sunny Fields’ was. You should remember him, he was the abolitionist member you were trying to contact a good while ago.”

“You don’t… have-” Twilight denial was silenced when Rarity pulled a few papers from the door pocket, and levitated them over to Twilight’s face. The would-be abolitionist was dumbstruck. She recognized the wingwriting, and every word she had thought had been so carefully phrased to mask who she was. It wouldn’t matter how much she could argue in court, these letters in the possession of an inquisitor was damning, and she knew it.

“You mind if I call you, ‘Darling’?” Rarity said casually, breaking the silence. “It’s so much easier than proper titles.” She pulled the letters back over to her chest. “These letters are actions, Darling. But you see, young ponies do stupid things. Celestia knows I’ve committed quite a few blunders myself. Emotions take over when sound reason should be your guiding principle.”

Rarity took a moment to magically pull a glass bottle of lemonade from under her seat along with two glasses. Using her magic to chill the beverage, she poured herself one and offered the other to Twilight. The demicorn accepted it more out of polite terror than any desire to drink. Only when Rarity has a chance to sip some and smile in delight did she continue. “You should count yourself fortunate. Our investigations into the movement were already well into the sting phase, you see, and well,” Rarity turned the letters over so she could read them. “It was painfully obvious you still had no dealings with them as of that moment, and judging by the content of the letter, it seems you were rather critical of them for idealistic abolition without anything to economically replace the stripes. So I was able to argue to my instructor you were being critical of them, not trying to join them as I suspect were your true intentions. Thankfully for you, Darling, you have been smart enough to stay quiet ever since. So my superior decided to bury these letters.”

In a flash, the letters burst into flames and were reduced to cinders in moments. Twilight stared at the ash on the floor in utter shock.

“But not before showing them to Shining Armor,” Rarity clarified, jerking Twilight’s attention back to her. “Your family is very important to the crown, Darling, her holiness especially. It would be woefully uncouth if you were to feel the hangmare’s noose. I implore you to not force my hoof.”

Twilight’s heart was racing so fast her breath became strained and laborious. Only some of Rarity’s words connected as Twilight kept imagining the feel of a rope around her neck. “I-I thought you said you only read up on me after being sent after me.”

“Well, Darling, your wrote those over a year ago,” Rarity half-laughed while waving her hoof. “And I have other matters to take care of besides you. I wanted to know if my efforts to save you from yourself were not in vain.” Rarity flashed a sly smile and crossed her legs. “See, you are off on your own now, making a name for yourself. Admirable, to be sure. Most noble scions are content staying in the family home until marriage. Only a brave few venture out at our age. Dare I say, I’d wager your tribe is the real reason you acquired a strength few of your peers possess.” Rarity sighed at herself for speaking too much. “Rarity you silly mare.” She paused a moment to clear the air.

Twilight was too preoccupied with keeping her terror from surfacing. Yet between her quivering lip, bloodshot eyes, and the frantic swishing of her tail, she was doing a poor job of it. Twilight’s imagination was running wild with doomsday closing in on her.

“I want you to remember to keep your name off my list,” came a warning with a thin smile.

Twilight grimaced, briefly unwilling to meet Rarity in the eye. She just wants me in her pocket. A lifelong contact that she can wave some blackmail around to make me bend to her will. The moment she thinks I’m trying to industrialize Equestria, she’ll ‘remind’ me of those letters and force me to stop! I’d practically be her servant. “I-I'll keep that in mind,” was all Twilight was willing to say.

“Wonderful!” Rarity clapped her hooves joyfully and magically reclaimed Twilight’s untouched drink. “I’m so glad we had this little talk. And there’s no reason we can’t be friends, darling. I know you’ll need time to calm down. Get your thoughts sorted. I’ll leave you to your errands and perhaps we can share some tea or coffee in a month or two, does that sound agreeable?”

“At the Wilermare celebration?” Twilight suggested, trying in vain to sound pleasant.

“A marvelous idea.” Rarity lit her horn to magically open the door, but stopped short to give Twilight a thin, yet agreeable smile. The inquisitor made sure to meet Twilight eye to eye, her smile dropping again when all Twilight could meet her with was cold dread. “I’m not lying, you know.”

Twilight stopped stiffly and became openly panicked. “About what?”

“About wanting to be friends.” Rarity opened a drawer under her seat, and pulled out a flat, cylindrical box that was decorated in fashionable blue and gold print. “I had hoped burning the letters would have been enough for you to understand that blackmail is not something I desire to partake in, but your face says it all.”

Twilight’s ears wilted as she eyed the box. “That’s part of the reason I refuse to gamble. I have a horrible poker face.”

“Oh I don’t know, you have a history of gambling. Just not with money.” Rarity almost laughed, deciding to instead barely widen her smile. “I have a peace offering for you. To back up my word.” Rarity removed the box’s lid and pulled out a beautiful, feathered, light purple, satin hat. Twilight was taken aback by the half-gear that played as the left side of the brim, something that was highly scandalous to those who knew what it was. White pegasus feathers adorning the sides. Twin velvet horns served as tie points for a band across the crown. “Perhaps one day you’ll feel confident enough to stop hiding your unusual Destiny, and take better pride in what you are.”

Twilight held the hat in her hooves, and felt the contours of it with her wingtips. The stitching was immaculate, the colors and style expressed a work of love, and the fine material spoke of an item that could last her whole lifetime if she cared for it.

Going from being fearful of Rarity to holding such a gift left Twilight mute for a long moment as she inspected the work of art. It was truly beautiful to her eyes, something that she’d be glad to wear; were it not for the source. Not that I can show it. “I. This is wondrous. Where did you get it?”

Rarity let off a satisfied hum. She drank in every ounce of Twilight fawning over the article. “I designed and sewed it together myself, actually.” She lost some of that satisfaction when Twilight looked at her with utter surprise, as if Rarity was little more than a government sanctioned nightmare. In the end she played it off. “It is wonderful seeing such reactions to one’s passions. I would have loved to have been a seamstress… but…” True sadness fell over Rarity’s face. “Perhaps we can discuss such matters another time. You have trading to do and there is another local matter that requires my attention, and I have been putting it off.” Rarity levitated the box over, prompting Twilight to place the gift back inside.

Twilight knew wearing it now would be seen as a slight. Her garb would clash with the hat, diminishing the beauty of both. “Thank you, Inquisitor Rarity Belle.” She carefully closed the box and held it close. “I will definitely commission a dress to match it when I get a chance.”

A true smile of appreciation crossed the pearl white mare. “I’m glad you understand.” She opened the door, allowing Twilight to step outside. “Be safe now.”

Hiding the mountainous dreed freezing her blood, Twilight returned the best friendly smile she was capable of. “Naturally, Inquisitor.”

Rarity nodded and shut the door. The carriage pulled away on its own, leaving Twilight standing there with the box until Pinkamena scampered out of the nearby alley. She gave the box a suspicious look as if a bomb was inside it. “Mistress, are you alright?”

Twilight vacantly watched the carriage disappear behind a street corner. She had a repreve, but within her dress, she could feel her pocket watch ticking away the last minutes of her freedom. Only now, she had no idea how to rewind that particular spring. At last, she looked dumbly down at the box, then at last to Pinkamena. “Not one bit.”

The moment Twilight made it back to her wagon, she pulled all the pillows, blankets, and sheets into a giant mound and screamed into them until her throat was sore.

Standing vigil just outside the wagon’s door, Pinkamena had been left with the hat box. During the whole scream, she ordered the servant stallions to keep any passers by from approaching close enough to hear their master’s anguish. When the solid two minutes of screaming ended, Pinkamena risked poking her nose through the door. “Mistress?”

Twilight had collapsed on the floor and was sobbing into her wings. Between sobs she kept repeating, “It’s over.”

Pinkamena set the box down next to the luggage, and shut the door behind her. The only time she had seen Twilight in an even remotely similar state was after she was banished from Night Light’s laboratory. Here was the center of her life, her sole friend and provider reduced to a blubbering mess. The worst of it, she knew there was nothing she could do. The sight of it unnerved Pinkamena to her core. “Mistress?” She hazarded, eliciting no response. “What do we do now?”

The crying morphed into choking laughter. “What do we do?” More manic giggles as Twilight propped herself up with one foreleg on the bed. “I’ll tell you exactly what we do. We sit here and wait for the inquisitor to find out I sent a servant to “trade” with a Lunarian ship. She’ll put the obvious dots together. Arrest me. Try me, then hang me. It doesn’t matter how much Shiny or my parents protest, I'm still a dead mare. As for you and the others, you might get lucky and sent back to my parents. Worst case, the inquisitor might point to you as the root reason I did all this and bumps your stripes up to reds. And I still get hanged.”

“M-maybe she’ll think the Lunarians kidnapped him. It would be something they’d do. A-and you gave the order before talking to her!” Pinkamena put on a hopeful, weak grin, trying to reassure Twilight as much as herself.

“Maybe if she never saw those letters.” Twilight pulled the blankets over her head, but the constant sparks of electricity were still visible through the resistant fabric. “No, no, no. She's a bloody Inquisitor! She'll find out I sent Rocky to the ship. They don't miss something like that. And then once she does find him, she’d be an idiot not to interrogate Deck Flog about the whole thing. He knows my whole plan. Oh don't worry, Rarity will certainly be adding that 'grand' to her title after clapping me in irons, I promise you that! Not even Cadance could save me.”

Pinkamena's heart tried to drag her into the same pit of despair Twilight was trapped in, but that was something she wouldn't accept. She didn't have the luxury of a breakdown while her mistress was in danger. “Maybe not by herself, but if Shining Armor and your parents weigh in, maybe the inquisitor will bury the whole thing.”

Twilight yanked the blankets off her face to glare at Pinkamena for even suggesting that. “And force all of us to be under her hoof!? At that point the only difference between you and I then would be that your stripes are at least visible! Even if she wouldn't ruin my family and I, her bosses certainly would!” The stark reality of it crashed over Twilight all over again, and she collapsed back against the bench. “Just one day. In one day I've ruined a house that's stood since before Equestria was founded.”

“We could run away!” Pinkamena suggested with sudden energy. Her protective instincts, compelled by her stripes or genuine care, forced her to think of anything that could help. “We can’t just sit here and wait for it to happen!”

“To where?!” Twilight yelled while throwing the covers over her face again to hide her shame. “The forest and live like wild ponies? Coming here and spending a month or two in this wagon was already my idea of ‘roughing it’. I wouldn’t last a week in the woods! And that’s assuming the inquisition never bothered to come after me anyway!”

An idea struck Pinkamena hard enough to steal her breath away. “The ship.” She looked back up at her distraught master and friend. “What if you fled to Lunaria on the Sea Hopper.” Twilight’s crying hitched as the suggestion registered. “The inquisition can’t arrest you there, and you can’t tell me the Lunas would arrest and send back somepony who was a stripe runner.”

The gears in Twilight’s mind started turning and the lighting on her horn seemed to return to normal for a moment or two. She threw off the blanket to think a bit more clearly. “But - flee to Lunaria of all places!?”

“Who else would risk defying an Inquisitor to hoof over a criminal their nation has no reason to shelter?” Pinkamena countered as tactfully as her barely controlled terror would allow. “The zebras? Too closely allied to Equestria. The griffins? They already hates ponies thanks to Lunaria. The Saddle Arabians? Yaks? Dragons? Diamond dogs!?" Pinkamena threw a hoof up in exasperation. "No pony would have a reason to protect you except Lunaria!“

The logic was starting to pry away some of the dread, and Twilight closed her eyes to think. “The government wouldn’t. I may not be seen as a hero, but I’d at least be seen as moral. Ish. But I couldn’t do that to Shiny, mom, and dad. They’d be just as much ruined then as my surrender would be! Their own heir and sister defecting? Shiny would be lucky to stay in the army.”

Pinkamena latched onto the idea. It had given Twilight pause, and that was enough for Pinkamena to keep pushing. This was the only route she could save Twilight and by damned she was going to do everything she could to get her on that boat. “Mistress, he’s protected by not just her holiness, but also the queen. He’s not responsible for your actions either, so any blame he gets would be tiny. What do you think would hurt him more? You defecting, or your…?” She couldn’t say it. Pinkamena didn’t even want to even think about it.

As much as it pained her to even think about hurting her brother, Twilight clung to her pillow, unable to meet Pinkamena’s eyes. “My, my exec... But what about mom and dad?”

Pinkamena wracked her brain for a good answer. One wrong word would leave Twilight to resign herself to her fate. Every cell in Pinkamena’s being screamed at her to save Twilight from outright surrendering to the inquisitor. “I’ve seen the parents of murders beg for clemency. The Lord and Lady would be no less protective or horrified if the worst happened. And that worst, is not defection.”

“Is it though?” To that, Pinkamena was left without words. Twilight opened her eyes and started hugging herself, an act that left Pinkamena squirming to find something to respond with. “...There really isn’t any other choice… is there? Damned if I do, and damned if I don't.” She fell silent, and wallowed in resigned self-pity. Twilight stayed like that for a time she didn't bother tracking. Sniffled sobs finally broke the silence, but they weren't her own. Twilight looked up to find Pinkamena's emotional strength was failing. Her most faithful servant, and dearest friend, was losing the battle to hold back her tears and was using her hooves to muffle her sobbing as best she could.

Twilight felt like a hammer had just struck her in the chest. Pinkamena. “I'm such a fool.” The admission had iron determination set in her voice. “I may be beyond saving, but you aren't!” Twilight found her will to survive, and embraced her childhood friend as hard she could, stifling the sobbing with a single act. “If nothing else comes of today, let it be that you are set free.”

A tidal wave of both confusion and defiance crashed into Pinkamena. She eyes Twilight as best she could from her angle. “I don't know what the plan is, but I refuse to be free if you are not.”

Twilight shook her head, her brow knitted in thought. “Save that thought for what may come. We first have to figure out how to get the ship to take us… the stallions!” Twilight let go and scrambled to the window, ducking to the corner as conspiracy made her paranoid. “We have eleven left with us, yes? If we bring all of them at once, the prospect of rescuing so many should be enough to book passage for you at the very least.”

“And you too!” Pinkamena retorted sternly. “They could carry your money and the goods we brought, so we're not left bitness, but don't you dare try to sacrifice yourself!”

“If that is what it takes to get you on that boat, then so be it.” Truth be told, Twilight was touched by the condition. “Now, how would we convince them to go along with this?” Twilight pondered aloud. She ducked away the window at seeing a patrol pass by. “Red stripes don’t rob a pony of their intelligence. As soon as they think I’m ordering them to break the law, they’ll bolt for it. I don’t think they have your… talent for that sort of thing.”

“Oh that’s easy.” Pinkamena adopted a crisp stance of attention. “You’re the Mistress, but I’m a fellow servant. If I back up your orders, they’ll see it as legal. After all,” she added with a smirk. “We stripes can’t break the law. They don’t need to know the only laws I obey are yours.”

Twilight nodded firmly and with a weary smile. The redness in her eyes was waning, but not by much. “If we do this, we have to go after dark. At this time of year… Sunset is half past eight. That’ll give us an hour and a half to board the Sea Hopper before it leaves. Which…”

“Is three hours from now,” Pinkamena offered. Her own confidence and mood brightened as Twilight’s plan crystallized.

The fires of self preservation and no small amount of vindictiveness hardened Twilight’s resolve. She could almost picture herself standing on the cloud again. All paths before me are chasms that promise prison or death. Lunaria’s the only cliff I can see myself walking away from.

“Three hours, thank you, to pack. If the inquisitor wasn’t lying about having another matter to tend to, then we should at least be in the clear until nightfall. Gather the boys! Capital will be key so pack up my money, the more expensive goods we bought, and leave any personal effects we can replace.”

“Yes, Mistress!” Pinkamena turned to leave, only for her hoof to strike the hat box. She paused long enough to pick it up. “What about this?”

Twilight had already pulled a suitcase when the question pulled her eyes away. An amused grunt escaped her. “Far be it for me to discard the Inquisitor's going away present. Besides, it’s a very lovely hat. Bring it along.”

Author's Note

Will Twilight's Eleven escape with the cash? Will Pinkamena have to throw Twilight onto the ship to save her? Can they bribe the inquisitor with a year-long pass to Disney World? Can Shining Armor finally discover the dark secrets of armor wax!?

Find out next time, same Pon-channel, same Pon-time!!

8: A Fall You Can Walk Away From

Nightfall could not come quickly enough. Leading a group of eleven servants to the docks without drawing attention was daunting enough without them asking questions, let alone Twilight trying to pass off her overly active horn as mere excitement. A lie about buying new wagons from the docks would only hold so long. Pinkamena had to be the one to suggest moving through the ruins would be an effective ‘shortcut’ so Twilight wouldn’t be questioned by the stallions. It didn’t help Twilight’s nerves that the stallions’ profiles were enlarged by the massive bags that had been hastily tied onto them. However, the scant few muggers that had camped out among the shattered buildings thought it wise to avoid such a large group, fearful they might have actually been a patrol instead. Twilight had a thick black pillow case tucked into the folds of her dress to conceal her horn if the need arose, but doing so now would look suspicious to the very servants she was trying to free. Pinkamena would often scout the route ahead of Twilight and the others, more to make sure they didn’t get lost or run right into an actual patrol.

That left Twilight alone with the group of servant stallions who looked increasingly ready to ask questions she worried she couldn't lie through. For now though, they quietly complied all the way up until the group reached the strip of businesses lining the harbor. They emerged in between a general store and a post office, two establishments Twilight expected no foot traffic from. “I don’t like this,” she muttered to herself. “We haven’t seen a single patrol constable. Surely they weren’t preparing to arrest me and we just so happened to slip through the noose.” Twilight was wearing her leg gear and wing bucklers, but she had no faith she could use them against law enforcers, let alone Rarity herself. Still better than just packing them and letting them sit.

Pinkamena emerged from the docks, carefully avoiding the streetlights. She was wearing four pieces of a ripped up dress tied onto her armored hooves to muffle them in the dark. “Mistress, the ship is still here. The captain and some of his crew are waiting on the pier.”

“Ah good, then he must be unloading my new carriage.” Twilight said loudly enough for all to hear. She was sweating badly enough it was staining the collar of her dress. It took everything she had to keep her crackling horn from giving her true feelings away. “He didn't have any ruffians waiting in the wings to ambush us did he?”

Pinkamena shook her head, only briefly casting a weary eye towards the stallions arrayed behind Twilight.
“There was a two pony patrol of constables off towards the north end of the docks headed the opposite way, but I didn't see any prowlers. The Sea Hopper is shining a light on its captain, and he said he wants payment before he unloads the carriage.”

“Well then it is a good thing I brought my luggage with me, isn't, boys?” Twilight looked towards the waiting stone faced stallions. At least they don't seem to be questioning me openly. “Gentlecolts, I suppose I might as well tell you about my latest purchase. My rather jittery client has an amazing invention for sale: a mechanical, driverless carriage. He doesn't feel safe selling it during daylight, probably paranoia on account selling it is apparently a crime in Lunaria.“ She rolled her hoof dismissively, and did a commendable attempt to sound annoyed. “He doesn't know I'm bringing my cargo with me, so I’m going to need all of you to be as quiet as you can and come with me so I can finalize the sale The last thing I want is him seeing all of you before I can talk to him, or he’s liable to cancel the whole deal.”

“Mistress,” a grey one said as the others got ready to move. “This is highly irregular. Most transactions done at night are typically illicit.”

Twilight huffed with irritation to hide her nerves, and absently smoothing her frazzling mane. “I did mention he's breaking Lunarian law in doing so, yes? There's a Lunarian warship at dock, so his caution feels justified to me.” The stallions within ear's reach started sharing disbelieving looks between each other, forcing Twilight to think fast. They might start questioning why I didn't just leave them at the wagons next. I packed everything, not just my money. She had to stop herself from speaking too quickly and stumbling over her words. “I need those carriages for my research, so shush and follow me. The last thing I need is some fundamentalist trying to destroy the thing before I can show them my permit.”

That seemed to get through to them as a chorus of 'Yes, Mistresses," rang out from the group.

Breathing a sigh of relieve as well, Pinkamena pointed over to the ramp she had approached from. “This must be the less used part of the docks. The place is a mess with broken crates clogging the loading area between us and the ship.”

“So I saw yesterday.” Moving forward to see the loading area for herself, the trader in her was appalled at the disuse what was left of the extensive harbor. ”So much waste... The half moon should give us enough light to move the carriage south to get it out of here, but we have pretty much a straight run on hoof to get to the ship.” Keeping one eye on the merchant vessel, and the other on the ramp down to the wooden pier, Twilight surmised the ship’s masts would be the only thing visible from behind the dilapidated stacks of crates. Such is life working in a place that could be a war zone at any given moment. I can't believe no pony bothered to clear it after all these years.” Twilight was inwardly thankful though. She returned her attention to the servants. “But one pony’s folly is our benefit. It’ll be the perfect place for you boys to stay low while I finalize the transaction. The sooner we get this business done, the sooner we can leave.”

Within minutes, Twilight was following after Pinkamena who stayed fifteen paces ahead of the group. They filed through the heaps of broken wood and ruined crates when Pinkamena stopped dead in her traces as she looked up at the sky. Twilight used a wing to wave the group to a stop just as Pinkamena ducked underneath a ratty tarp. Without further hesitation, Twilight eyed several similar hiding spots scattered about, still held up by whatever containers that they clung to. “Everypony, hide quickly! Pinkamena must have seen something amiss.” An errant spark flew from Twilight’s horn, but she kept a stern glare that demanded obedience.

The stallions reluctantly obeyed, and none of them were left in the open after a scant few seconds. Looking around, Twilight grit her teeth at the situation. “Now what?”

Ducking near a crate of her own, Twilight took a few moments to memorize each of the spots she saw her servants hide. “Wait for me to call you back up once I see what's going on,” she called out in a hushed-yell. Once they were all settled, Twilight inched her way to the last crate between them and the Sea Hopper. There she found Pinkamena keeping low inside the crate itself, and gesturing to the sky. Twilight settled down next to her, silently cringing at the rot and roaches skittering away as she got down. Following her friend’s hoof, she saw three pegasus chariots coming in hot from the north.

Both of them immediately ducked down under the tarp until the rattle of wooden wheels and feathers signaled the landing. Peeking in between the moldering crates, dread fell over them at what they saw.

Rarity disembarked from the lead chariot along with five other officers. The pegasi of the group pulled quickly release rope of their chariots, allowing them to take to the air before Rarity even reached the captain to speak.

Rarity’s horn glowed for a few moments before she spoke. “Captain Deck Flog of the Sea Hopper I presume?” Even though Rarity was easily forty meters away, Twilight could hear her as if she was standing next to them.

A spell. She must be wanting even ponies on the ship to hear this.

“Aye, that’s me.” To his credit, Deck Flog took the sudden arrival in stride by smoothly rolling the pipe in his mouth, but the same could not be said for his crew. The three of them were either inching behind their captain or withdrew their pistols. An act mirrored by the constables coming out pistols and tonfas drawn.

Rarity smiled for but a moment, waiting for an expected question before giving an answer anyway. “I’m Inquisitor Rarity Belle of her most holy inquisition, a pleasure.”

“For you at least,” Deck countered, not moving an inch and puffing on his pipe.

“Oh I try to find a bit of fun in all my work,” Rarity replied casually, as if she was simply walking down a street. “Take tonight for example.” With the smooth grace of a cat, Rarity glided between Deck Flog and his ship. “I was in the middle of some busy work when I had the itch to take a walk.” The whole time she moved, the two mercenary marines in Deck Flog’s company kept both eyes fixed on Rarity, but Deck remained facing the collection of law enforcers. “And these fine gentlecolts suggested the dockyards. I admit I’ve never had the chance to view the ocean at length before so I thought it was a grand idea. A pity about the late hour.”

“Do you often have a bunch of bodyguards when you go for these walks a’ yours?” Deck Flog inquired just as casually, matching Rarity tone for tone.

To that, Rarity stopped and shrugged, a gentle tug played on her lips. “Only when the need arises. I’m fully aware we inquisitors have a… stress inducing reputation. Why I’d wager we have a bounty on all our heads.” She continued pacing, and locked eyes with each sailor for a few seconds before jumping to the next. “Something to the order of five hundred slips for a junior member like myself.”

“I hope the pay is worth it,” Deck shot back with a sly grin of his own. “Living with that.”

Rarity tilted her head and nodded with a sly smirk. “It is often said if you’ve made enemies, you’ve stood for something. Serving the will of Celestia above is worth far more than my stipend. Money is a means to an end, Captain, not a goal in and of itself.” She let her eyes wander over the Sea Hopper, making more than a few crewmen duck away from her gaze. “Even the greediest among us would know that if they cared to have an ounce of critical thought.

“But enough about philosophy.” Rarity stopped pacing to study the Sea Hopper’s bow in more detail, an act that made some of the watching crew shiver nervously. “I’ve developed a rather keen interest in the sea as of late, more specifically, ships.” She turned her head just enough so she could eye the old thestral. “I would love a tour. Would you mind?”

“I would actually,” Deck Flog’s tone remained on an even keel, but his tail flicked with agitation. “Laws being what they are.”

A disappointed hum escaped Rarity who fully turned to face him. “That is until Equestrian authorities have reason to believe you have stolen property.”

Back behind their boxes, Twilight’s horn would have let off a flurry of sparks if she wasn't covering it with that pillow case of hers. “She knows. She was on to me from the start!”

“I haven’t stolen anything,” Deck Flog challenged with a crack in his casual mask. “I run an honest ship.”

“I see.” Rarity made a show of tapping her chin with a hoof. “Perhaps I misspoke then, sometimes regional language barriers can get even the best of us. What I should have said was: kidnapped. Would that be more accurate for your liking?” Rarity inhaled and raised a restraining hoof. “Ah, silly me. Perhaps “rescued” is better still. Yes?” She finished with an amused tilt of her head.

The smoke rising from Deck’s pipe became a steady stream of thick puffs. Twilight’s terror was overcoming her to the point where her wings were pressing so tightly against her barrel it was getting hard to breathe. The majority of the ship‘s crew were now lining the railing, silently watching and waiting for who would act first.

“The only souls on my ship is me crew. No more no less.”

“Is that a fact, Captain?“ Rarity did a fine job acting suprised, complete with a hoof on her chest. “Odd, because these honorable constables reported seeing a servant delivering cargo to you several hours ago. You know full well that not only does the port authority forbid servants from boarding Lunarian vessels, but that the servant has yet to emerge from your ship.”

“And I say you ain’t got enough proof if that’s all you got,” Flog rebutted with the casual swagger of an old salt, but even Twilight could see sweat dampening his fur from brow to neck. “There ain’t no way I’m letting some good-for-nothing inquisitor on my ship.”

“You had best watch your tone,” Rarity replied with a dangerous tint to her voice that caused headaches to all who heard her. “I can strip you of your trade license to Manehatten with but a single word; proof or not. My whim is all I need.” Her sweet, off putting tone returned along with a dangerous smile, “and I have sooo many whims.”

Deck Flog scowled and flipped his pipe to start removing the used up tobacco. “A pox to your whims. There are plenty of other lanes to sail, I don’t need Equestrian bits.” The noise of rapidly approaching hooves made him smirk in victory. “Besides, you ain’t the only big muscle in town.”

Engineer Turbulence arrived from the south on hoof, trailed by a squad of Lunarian marines. When they got close enough to identify Rarity they baulked, giving her the hesitation she needed. In a sapphire flash, Rarity pulled dozens of needles from a satchel and with keen accuracy, sent them flying down the barrels of the marines’ rifles even as they were in the midst of readying them. Without needing orders, they expertly closed ranks, but none of them missed the needles swarm down the barrels of their weapons. The squad leader dropped his rifle, and went for a pistol, only for that too to be filled with needles. He cursed and leveled a furious glare at Turbulence. “What is this, sailor, you didn’t say anything about no damned Knuckelavee!” he bellowed while abandoning the pistol in leu of a knife.

Shrinking back, Turbulence was left with a stuttering voice that trembled with fear. “I never saw her, I was just told to ask your ship for help.”

The marine squad leader’s stern voice was level enough, even Twilight could see the glint of cold sweat off them from the light. “I’m giving you one chance to back off, Inquisitor.”

“Bold of you, since the fine constables behind me are the only ones with working firearms anymore. So that won’t be happening.” Rarity eyed the rifle squad intently as they armed themselves with knives, focusing on the leader. “As per the Treaty of Captle, I am conducting a legal inquiry.”

The squad leader glanced to his squad, and saw they stood at the ready with knives set, but the constables waved their pistols in his direction. He spat onto the ground. “Think I care? You’re harassing Lunarians, and that's enough. You're not going on that ship so long as we draw breath.”

“How... unfortunate,” Rarity stated with a dark undercurrent of magic in her voice, making every one from the officers, Lunarians, and Twilight Sparkle to tense up in sudden anxiety. She wanted to duck away and close her ears, anything to keep her sparks from giving her away, but she found it difficult to do so.

Rarity’s very presence became impossible to look away from. Some manner of dreadful pressure was forcing everyone to look at her, as if an invisible hand guided their eyes and faces. Rarity turned away to stare into the endless black sea, and stood silent for a long moment. “When diplomacy fails, there’s only one alternative…”

She turned slowly to look Deck Flog dead in the eye, making the wizened captain visibly shake even from Twilight’s distance. “Violence,” Rarity continued in a frighteningly callous tone. “Force must be applied without apology.” She walked over to stand between Flog and the marines like wolf among sheep. She gave a cold shrug, flashed an ever so slight dark smirk, and then gestured at the armed ponies around her that were only one excuse away from bloodshed. “It is the Ponish way.”

She stepped back towards Deck Flog with measured, graceful steps. “Let it be said that I do not enjoy killing. Creation is a far higher pursuit, but if my hoof is being forced...” She gracefully gestured at the constables while keeping her gaze fixated on Deck Flog. “I will not ask again, are we still at an impasse?”

Twilight’s lip quivered in fear and sweat drenched her brow and neck. Her hair was frizzing out so fast she started to rival Pinkamena’s unruly mane. To think I was in the same room with her.

Flog was doing far worse, and had to turn his whole body to cow away from Rarity. He glanced at the marines with the haunted eyes of an old soul. While the imperial marines were focused like hawks, Rarity’s blasé demeanor sapped what toehold of bravado he had left. Deck Flog clenched his jaw only to release it a moment later. “Ain’t no honorable soldier would want others to die just to save his own skin.” He jerked his wing stub at his first mate. “Go on. Grab the slave, and give him to the Inquisitor.”

“Sir-”

“Just do it!” He growled hotly. There was no further argument, not even a token one. The first mate barely gave a word of acknowledgement before bolting towards the gangplank.

Rarity smiled and gave a curt nod and watched the gangplank patiently. “A commander must never be afraid to spend lives, but she must never waste them; Book of Swords, chapter two verse one. I am glad you saw reason, for both of us.”

Deck Flog used his good wing to rub his eyes. “You got what you wanted, just take him and leave us be.”

A very brief frown crossed Rarity's face, but she brushed it aside for a neutral expression as she waited in silence.

As the minutes passed, the marine squad remained anxiously tense, but a few of them pulled out their cleaning kits and started trying to get all the needles out. Even Twilight was able to breathe again.

It wasn’t too long before the first mate returned with an earth stallion that made Twilight’s dread surge anew.

Rarity was none too happy to see this particular stallion either. The slave was presented to Rarity who sized him up. “My my, aren’t you troublingly familiar. What’s your name?”

“Rocky Shores, your honor,” the stallion answered emotionlessly. His reply made the Lunarians share angry looks. The marines especially were growling amongst themselves.

“Tell me. Lady Twilight Sparkle is your master, is she not?”

“She is.”

Rarity wilted a touch by the admission, the sorrow evaporated as quick as it came. “As I feared. Why did you come to this ship?”

“I was told to deliver bolts of fabric along with money and a letter of intent to purchase warehousing rights.”

Rarity took a long breath, feeling she had to keep her questioning brief or the truth would escape her. “Were you told to stay with the ship?”

“Negative. My orders were to return to the mistress upon delivery, but I was forcibly taken by the crew. My thanks for the rescue.” As ever, his tone was utterly devoid of emotion. Even his face revealed no signs of deceit, thankfulness, fear, or anything at all.

A sigh of relief escaped Rarity, and she seemed to become rather chipper at a job well done. “Just doing my duty. One last thing, did you see any other servants aboard?”

“Negative. I was kept in the brig and saw no other servants.”

Rarity closed in on Rocky’s face and inspected the red stripe in his mane. She ruffled his hair to make sure the red was still intact. Her horn glowed stronger, and the spell made his stripes light up a bright red. Satisfied, she cut her spell off, letting the stripes go dark. “Very good. Stay with the officers and they will return you to your mistress.”

“I abide the voice of the queen.”

Rarity briefly tracked him going into police custody and focused on the only corporal among the group. “Officer Brown, is he the one you saw?”

The officer looked Rocky Shores over. “Yes ma’am, no doubt about it, this is the one.”

“Has anypony seen any other servants come here?”

Brown ushered Rocky to another officer. “No, Inquisitor. My officers kept this ship under watch, and reported no other arrivals. However, we don’t have the numbers to watch every ship around the clock. The runner might have sent more to other ships.”

“A troublesome, if unlikely possibility.” Rarity returned her attention to Deck Flog who was barely keeping it together.

Only the presence of his crew gave him the strength to stand his ground.

“Tell me, what is the real reason you were waiting on the dock at this hour? According to the harbor authority, you should be shipping out in less than an hour. From what I understand, you should be overseeing the process of departure from the wheelhouse, not here on the docks.”

Whatever resistance Deck Flog had shown earlier had bled out of him completely. He nervously chewed on his empty pipe as he hung his head low. “I was expecting a second slave to be sent over, but he’s an hour overdue.”

Twilight’s mane was a ratty, static charged mess now. Her dress was awash with sweat and the terror of being outed was inches from making her losing control of her bladder.

“But he never arrived,” Rarity said with no discernable emotion. Her next question about the letter or missing cargo Rocky had brought fled from her mind for the more pressing issue. “Well then, that does complicate matters. Did she send the servant over here with the intent for you to claim him?”

To that, Deck Flog sagged in shame. He looked to his shipmates. Only Applejack from the lip of the vessel was shaking her head, but the old salt was already defeated. “Aye. She was trading them for some books.”

“Books?” Rarity was left speechless and stared at him incredulously. “She committed a high crime for books?!”

“...Aye.”

Rarity went quiet, giving off a troublingly calm exterior. She once more studied the ship, completely dismissing the marines’ presence. “It seems he was right to worry.” She refocused on the sullen captain. “Your newfound honesty is noted.

“I’m feeling generous tonight,” she stated with a sudden return to a friendly face, not that it disarmed the tension among those around her. “You may leave port, and I’ll write this off as an unfortunate lapse in judgement instead of arresting you, or marking you and your ship as stripe runners. You will be fined for your actions, heavily.” She glanced away for a moment, tapping her chin. “Let’s see, I’ll only charge you for one servant since you were honest, instead of including conspiracy for the second. That will be five thousand bits, or five percent of your ship’s dry value, whichever is higher. The local authority will relay the fine to your next port of call. I suggest you pay it promptly upon receiving it.”

“T-thank you for the leniency,” Flog choked out from hearing the number.

“Oh you’re very welcome.” Rarity jerked her head towards the officers who were holstering their weapons. “Corporal, I thank you for your assistance. Know that Celestia will remember your service.”

Some stood a little straighter from the praise, others sneered at the Lunarians, but all of the constables saluted Rarity. “It was our privilege, Inquisitor.”

Rarity snapped a proud salute right back. The glow on her horn dimmed, but didn’t fade entirely. The pale unicorn suddenly didn’t have the same enthusiasm on her face, nor did she move with her original energy. To Twilight, it looked like Rarity was on a knife’s edge between anger and depression.

A masking spell? Holding it up so wide I was wrapped in it too, along with all those firearms shouldn’t be possible. Unless she’s even more powerful than I thought. A shiver ran down her spine so hard her vision shook. Thank Celestia Inquisitors are so rare.

Rarity’s gaze swept over the constables, her expression recovered to professional indifference. “Leave a team here to see the ship off, the rest of you are to come with me to Bit Street. I must question our merchant friend to see if she’s sent similar packages to other ships.” The constables saluted Rarity again. Most of them boarded two of the chariots with Rocky Shores in tow, and left four standing guard. Rarity returned her stern face towards Deck Flog. “Captain, in the future, if I ever hear your name or that of your ship in anything but the highest regard, you will find my generosity at an end. Good night and safe voyage.”

“Thank you, inquisitor,” he spat with submissive disgust.

Rarity ignored his attitude, and marched over to board the last chariot. “Let us make haste before things worsen,” she said with a weary expression.

After a brief acknowledgement, the chariot took off, and headed to the west, flying over Twilight’s head.

Twilight was hesitant at first. Both she and Pinkamena watched the chariot leave.

“What are we going to do about the other constables?” Pinkamena asked in a pensive voice, bringing Twilight back to her immediate surroundings.

“It seems leaving was our own real choice in the end.” Despite it all, Twilight’s thoughts turned to her family. Of all the shame that would befall them now that her intentions were known. She was torn between her actions causing them grief, but she also felt resolve in her convictions growing stronger. They’ll survive this. Everypony already saw me as the black sheep. My family will be horrified, but at least they shouldn’t be destroyed politically. If anything I wonder if they all expected me to do this one day. Shiny certainly did. In the end, she couldn’t blame her brother for bringing Rarity to Manehatten. It was my fault for being careless. all the same, she didn’t want to think about how her family would see her after tonight. I’m sorry Daddy, Mom, but I have to do this to live outside a prison. I hope you can at least understand that much.

She could only hope they would still see her as family. Cadance however… If anypony would agree with me tonight, it’d be her. I promise you, Cadance, I don’t care what test of loyalty the Lunarians require, I’ll always see you as a friend or more if Shiny goes through with it.

By the time Rarity’s chariot disappeared into the inky black night, Deck Flog and his landing party had long since finished speaking with the marines, and were already running up the gangplank to get away from the constables. Black smoke was rising from the funnels, and shouts were springing up from the crew.

Twilight turned around and leaned against the rotting tarp and wood, not even caring anymore if some bug crawled onto her. “We’re finished. We can’t fight the constables. And once the inquisitor finds out we left, we’re dead. We’re actually dead.”

“We can’t give up now!” Pinkamena whispered with mounting panic. “If that inquisitor discovers we left, she’ll race back here!”

“I know that.” Twilight stared blankly at the stars above. She did actually have an idea, but she didn’t know if she had the heart to do it. “This isn’t how I thought it would go. I thought we had more time.”

“Mistress,” Pinkamena got in front of Twilight so she’d see her without having to move Twilight’s head. “I’ll go distract them. They should remember me from the report we did on the mugger. I can lead them away to give you and the others time to get onboard.”

In that moment, selfishness took over, and motivation flooded Twilight. No one mattered more than Pinkamena’s freedom. “No. I need - you can’t do it. We - we can get one of the boys to do it.” Guilt tried to grab hold of her, but Twilight had to shove it aside for now. “They should believe a red stripe no matter what.”

Pinkamena wilted, but couldn’t bring herself to argue. She simply nodded. “I… That should work better, I guess.”

Steeling herself, Twilight got up and bolted for the hidden servants. Once her eyes adjusted to the reduced light again, she found they right where she left them, scattered about in the abandoned loading bay. She looked at each of their faces as they turned to her once they realized she was present. They started leaving their hiding places to join their master.

The youngest of them, Berry Stomp, was in his mid thirties. He was deeply scarred on his face and neck from the lightning spell that incapacitated him long ago. He was just a colt when the war ended. He still has good years in him, Twilight thought with a shiver of dread responsibility.

She then looked to the oldest, Grey Hunter. He was nearing his eighties, but for an earth pony, he only recently reached normal retirement age. He was probably an officer. Or maybe a high ranking non-com. She quickly studied the others, but she went back to Grey Hunter. If he could control himself, he’d probably sacrifice himself to save the others, if not me. Leaning on the camaraderie she saw among Shining Armor’s soldiers, she took a shaky breath. If I choose somepony else, he’ll hate, yet accept my choice. But by choosing him, the others will hate me for sending away one of their veterans…

There was always the option of Twilight being the one to draw the constables away. A fairly easy task of simply turning herself in and letting Pinkamena escort the servants to the ship. The thought of doing that made her physically ill, both of the punishments she would surely endure, and leaving Pinkamena alone. Provided she would even allow me to go alone.

Cursing her luck, and whispering condemnations to herself, Twilight Sparkle put on her best emotional mask and went up to the aged stallion. “Grey Hunter, take off your gear. You will need to be light and fast.”

“As you wish, Mistress.”

Pinkamena wasted no time strapping on as much of his gear as she could. Thankfully, it was mostly soft cargo due to Grey’s advancing age.

Twilight wondered if Grey Hunter could sense something was amiss, and choose to not think about it. Not that she could ever peer through the monotone, uncaring expression they all had. “It seems the trader was smuggling things far more illegal than just my new carriage. Apparently the inquisitor and several officers descended on the captain and arrested him. But as she and the officers stormed the ship to take control, I saw a dozen or so ship rats jump onto the docks on the opposite side with two chained up servants and headed north to the old ruins to try and liberate them no doubt. There are still some officers by the pier kicking the dead into the water.” That should hopefully explain away the lack of any bodies. “I need you to tell the constables the direction the other criminals went and follow along with them for protection.”

The red stripes on Grey Hunter glowed softly, making Twilight stiffen up. Eventually though, they went back to normal. “As you command.” Without another word, Grey Hunter sprinted towards the pier.

Twilight started shaking with regret. I’m sorry, Grey, but I don’t want to die like this, and I have to protect Pinkamena. If I can, I’ll see if I can find any family of yours and tell them about you. She looked over to said earth pony, somehow expecting some sort of judgement from her. Condemnation, even if barely expressed by Pinkamena, would have felt better. But there was nothing of the sort.

Pinkamena finished strapping on the luggage Grey had left behind. “It’s mostly clothing and toiletries. Pinkamena grabbed the suitcase with all of Twilight’s unmentionables, along with two sacks of bits and started strapped those on as securely as possible. “Mistress, what do we do now?”

There was no time for further doubt, and the fear of the gallows pushed her to act. She looked to the others while Pinkamena continued to pick through the dropped items. “Listen, all of you. The inquisitor has taken custody of the merchant ship, she has - commanded me to board the ship as well so I can bear witness in Trottingham court. This is not a request I can politely refuse.“ Twilight let off an impressive aristocratic disdainful snort. “Which means we’re being forced to leave my wagons behind after all. So I need all of you to come with me. Now let’s get moving before the inquisitor thinks I’m wasting time!”

The group stood there, no moving an inch to obey. The situation seemed too implausible, and nearly all of their red stripes were glowing. Twilight’s lightning was starting to go wild, and was sparking even faster. Pinkamena rescued her by waving then onward. “You heard the Mistress. Are you lot seriously going to embarrass her further by making the inquisitor wait? Get going.”

All of them looked at Pinkamena with blank eyes, and nodded. She was striped, and knew only loyalty to crown and country. The mares stepped aside as the stallions hefted the heavy saddlebags and broke into a full gallop. As the last one passed by, Twilight only had time to lay a thankful hoof on Pinkamena’s shoulder before they too sprinted for the closest thing to safety they could get.

The long distance between the crates and distant ship grew with every passing moment. The vessel had not even waited for the gangplank to be withdrawn before steaming away. The metal gangplank was kicking up sparks as it was dragged along. Applejack and another crewmember were just starting to pull the ramp up when the lookout yelled a warning. “Wait! We got incoming!”

Deck Flog had been barking orders near the edge and heard the cry of alarm. “Now what?!” He looked down at the sprinting group. He was baffled to see the constables weren’t present at the dock anymore. Instead, a group of eleven stallions lead a charge towards the gangplank while two familiar mares brought up the rear. A glint of odd color prompted him to pull out his spyglass. He spotted the distinctive red stripes in their manes and tails in an instant. The stallions had pulled far ahead of Twilight and Pinkamena who refused to leave her behind. He held a restraining gesture at Applejack. “Go ahead and let the slaves aboard. If they fight us, tie them down.”

“Aye sir,” Applejack and the others half cheered. Applejack released the rope, and the gangplank slammed back down, bouncing once. One by one, the striped stallions bolted up the gangplank. They grouped up at the only empty space they immediately saw, a spot behind the front main mast. The rest of the crew balked at the sudden passengers. Deck Flog was quick to act and shouted orders as he grabbed some signal flags off his belt to wave at the wheelhouse to increase speed. “Get them below decks to some accommodations that can manage them!”

Once the last servant was aboard Deck Flog made a lifting motion with his wing. “That’s all the ones I see. Get that damn thing up already!”

Applejack was so stunned by the order, she didn’t think to stop the crewman aiding her. Instead she chased after Deck Flog. The crewmate she left behind cursed her for leaving him with all the work as he too outright ignored the Equestrians as well and worked to withdraw the gangplank.

From her money to her cargo, everything Twilight had left was on that boat or on Pinkamena’s back. Real dread of being stranded and left for Rarity’s tender mercy brought tears to her eyes. “Please don’t leave us here!”

Applejack’s ears fell and she winced at the desperate pleas, and sprinted the remaining distance and yanked Deck Flog’ to face her. “Captain! We gotta save them too.”

Why should we?” He snapped back with a snarl while throwing her offending hoof aside. “They brought that damn inquisitor to us. She can rot for all I care.”

“You spineless coward!” Applejack shouted at him, inches from taking a swing. “She just gave us eleven slaves!” She finished by jabbing a hoof at the collection of servants who were obediently following a burly crewmember proclaiming to be an inquisitor leading them below deck.

“That she did. I’ll be sure to put in a good word for her to the Unshackled. Maybe they'll carve her name on a wall or something.” Deck Flog was biting down so hard on his pipe he cracked the thing. “Now get to your post before I throw you off the ship for insubordination.”

Applejack glared right back at him, and it was Deck Flog to turned away first. She slipped over to the port side to get a clearer view of the two Equestrians. The gangplank ran out of pier and was now being hoisted up in mid air over the harbor. Twilight and Pinkamena skidded to a halt, trying to wave them down.

“Please take us too! We didn’t know an inquisitor would be here! Come back!”

Applejack turned back towards Deck Flog who had already marched half way to the wheelhouse, dismissing them completely and casting them from his mind. With a wordless cry, Applejack threw her hat on the deck. “Darn yellow bellied sea-snake.” She bolted for the stern of the Sea Hopper unsure of what to do.

“They’re not coming back for us,” Twilight whimpered in utter defeat. “Not even a pegasus to take you at least. They took everything. I’m dead We’re dead.” She slumped, tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry, Pinkamena.”

The pink servant was seething with rage, and without thinking, she grabbed Twilight by her left legs. “Then all we can do is swim for it!” Ignoring Twilight’s cries of panic, Pinkamena leveraged all of her natural strength and hurled Twilight as close to the disappearing gangplank as possible before jumping in after her.

Twilight padded as best she could, but her saddlebags and armor threatened to pull her down. The earth pony managed to kick most of the luggage off of her back, but the twin bags of bits were too firmly strapped to her to blindly remove. It took everything she had just to keep from drowning as well.

“Help, please!” Twilight tried to use her wings as flippers, but all it took was a few flaps before finding out every attempt to lift her wings from the water caused her head to dip, dragging her down further as the shields worked against her. She sank underwater for a moment before Pinkamena heaved her back up.

“I’m not going to let you drown, Mistress!” The pink mare was already winded and coughing up small bits of salt water.

“Just go on,” Twilight said between spitting out water. “If you leave me, maybe they’ll save you.”

“That’s not happening!” Pinkamena cried with red rimmed eyes.

The stern of the ship was now passing by, and the wake threatened to push them away. Yet a lifesaver ring on a rope splashed down. Twilight was too far to reach for it, but wildly thrashed for it anyway, threatening to break Pinkamena’s grip.

That didn’t stop Pinkamena from tightening her hold on Twilight and heave a leg as far as she could to grab it. She missed the first grab thanks to Twilight’s unthinking panic. The lifesaver got pushed away, so it was quickly pulled back up by the crew and thrown again, this time close enough for Pinkamena to firmly snatch the floater in a desperate grab. The rope went taut and strained to hoist the two waterlogged mares out of the harbor. A massive grin cleaved Pinkamena’s muzzle while Twilight was too busy spitting up water.

Once they reached the lip of the deck, Pinkamena pushed Twilight up first, who had just enough strength to pull herself the rest of the way up thanks to a pair of pegasi finally deciding to help them out. Pinkamena struggled to flop herself over the railing thanks to the heavy money purses still strapped to her, even her earth strength was at an end. Thankfully, Applejack grappled Pinkamena by her belt, and helped pull her the rest of the way up to safety.

Both soggy ponies laid down gasping for air. Applejack briefly nodded to her shipmates. “Thanks, y’all. They were way heavier than they looked.”

“Leave it to a damn noble to cling to their money,” gripped Turbulence as he kicked the waterlogged bit purses still strapped to Pinkamena.

Piston shook himself to try and get rid of what salt water he could. “I owed you, chief. Just don’t expect me to back you up when the captain sees this.”

“Well I’m glad mutiny has its limits,” growled Deck Flog as he shoved his way through the circle of crew who had gathered to watch. “Get your tails back to work, unfurl those sails! We’ve got a good wind, and order the engine room to three quarters. I want us out of sight of the docks just in case that damned nuckelavee wants to visit us again.”

As sailors scattered to obey, Applejack was the only one to stand between Deck Flog and the slowly recovering Equestrians. Even Applejack’s two subordinates left her to suffer his wrath alone. “Captain.”

“Don’t start with me!” Deck commanded sharply. “I don’t want them on my ship.”

“Do you really think the whole crew would keep quiet while you lied to the Unshackled about who helped liberate those slaves?” She fixed a defiant glared that was matched by his barely shaky one. He was gnawing on his ruined pipe so hard bits of wood were stabbing into his gums and lips. “Sides, the slaves ain’t going to listen to us, and are goin’ attack the instant they realize whatever lie she told them to get them here is false.”

“Easy. Bash them over the head and tie them down, which should have already happened by now. Let the Unshackled deal with them when we make port. As for Miss Featherless, she got caught by the inquisition. It’d be the truth after all, provided she can manage the swim back to dry land.”

That's rich coming from a bat pony. Twilight pulled together enough willpower to stand up. Her wet mane was still clinging to her face, and she couldn’t summon the strength right now to clear her vision. She opted to act like she didn’t hear the insult. “Let me be the first to thank you for the belated invitation to your ship, Captain. I formally request asylum to Lunaria, and offer the eleven servants as my boarding fee.”

Deck Flog growled as he couldn't stand the shards of broken wood in his mouth anymore. In frustration he flung the pipe overboard as hard as he could, and spat the wooden pieces towards the railing. “And here I thought you wanted to free them out of moral obligation.”

Still breathing heavily and coughing up more salt water, Twilight heaved a shaking wing over to pull some of the hair out of her eyes. “Well as the inquisitor was so gracious in demonstrating: no good deed ever goes unpunished.”

Deck Flog leveled a dour face while spitting out the last bits of wood. “Merchant’s Creed two eighty five. Don’t think to appeal to me by quoting the Creed.”

“Perish the thought.” Doing her best to rub the salt water from her eyes, Twilight finally meet his glare with a firm one of her own. “And it's just as well. I am fresh out of good deeds for the week.”

Deck Flog eyed the crew around him. They had the good sense to keep busy, but he could see all ears were angled his way. “I should force you to pay the monumental fee you just cost me, not even the bounty of eleven, possibly twelve slaves will cover that. If you hadn’t insisted on sending a slave during daylight, none of this would have happened!”

After her near death experience and the feather comment, Twilight’s temper was razor thin, but not so far gone she forgot her situation. “Which is something you still agreed to,” she said behind a clenched jaw. “You’re clearly the wiser of the two of us, Captain. You should have been even more insistent if the risks were so horrendous!”

Deck Flog’s face was a wrinkled mess of bitterness, but his first rebuke died on his tongue at the roundabout compliment. Taking a moment to calm down, he looked away a moment to gauge the mood of the crew around him. The air was charged, on the edge of a more dangerous mutiny if he let his temper get the best of him. “Luna give me strength.” He eyed the only cabin boy in sight. “You! Fetch me another pipe on the double!” As the colt ran off Deck Flog returned his attention towards Twilight. “Because of how many veterans you returned home, I won’t be forcing you to pay the fine.“

A morsel of gratitude softened Twilight’s hard expression. “I thank you.”

But…” he he added sharply, drumming a hoof on the deck, itching for a smoke. He had to stop himself from grinding his teeth. “If you want to avoid taking another swim in the drink, you gotta pay a boarding fee. Your little rescue excuses you from paying the fine, but you still to pay your way. I’ll be generous and only charge one for you alone.”

“How poetic. Does a request for asylum count for nothing in Lunaria?” Twilight challenged with bitter disbelief.

“Sure it would,” Applejack butted in, earning a harsh glare from Deck Flog. “On a navy ship. Here though, the law of the sea says it’s up to the captain.”

“So now it is my turn to throw the law around.” Deck Flog rolled his neck to get some throbbing pops out.

All this arguing and the ordeal threaten to make Twilight collapse, and she swayed a bit on her hooves. Her irritability was coming more from fatigue than anything else, but she fought to remain standing. Be it engrained aristocratic upbringing or self-preservation, Twilight kept her eyes open. “Slow down a moment, please.” She pressed a hoof to her temple to ward off an incoming headache. “Something’s been bothering me. Why weren’t you just threatening to seize my belongings those soon-to-be-former slaves brought in? ”

Deck Flog shot a dirty look at Applejack and started grabbing at his tobacco pouch, and scanning the deck for that cabin boy. “It’s complicated.”

“What he means ta say is now that you’re onboard it’s still your cargo by Lunarian Law .” Applejack was caught between being angry at Deck Flog and still trying to defer to her captain. “He might be able to get away with it if it were just my word against his, ya know, if he threw you overboard, but the slaves know who you are. That’s too many witnesses, ain’t it?”

“You best watch your tongue, Engineer, or you’ll find yourself floating home. Or do I need to remind you ya just violated my orders and sparked a mutiny!”

“How much!” Twilight called out breathlessly. Her muscles were going to give out soon. She could still taste the foul harbor water in her mouth. She was cold, emotionally strung out, and her ability to care about proper manners was fading fast. Pinkamena was in much better shape, due to her heritage, and was having to fight the urge to help prop Twilight up more than anything else.

“For a first class ticket, a mere one hundred and eighty slips,” he growled, daring her to object.

“A hundred and eighty ?” Tired though she was, Twilight took a second to remember the exchange rates. “I could stay in the Golden Skies penthouse suite in Canterlot for a month with that kind of money!” Twilight bit her tongue too late.

Deck Flog bit down hard on his pipe and glared at her. “Well ain’t that convenient. The trip home’s going to take a month! A hundred and eighty, or you’re a stowaway. To Tartarus with your asylum.”

“If you throw her overboard,” Pinkamena stepped around Twilight to get face to face with Deck Flog. “Then you better throw me too.”

“That won’t happen.” Deck Flog rebuked sternly, calm in the knowledge his crew, even Applejack, would come to his defense if things got violent with Pinkamena. “You will be subdued and brought to port to be unshackled. You obviously can resist running to the nearest inquisitor to turn your 'master' in, but you’re clearly being manipulated into being so overprotective.”

“I am not!” Pinkamena growled through clenched teeth. The fury of that even being a question made her grind her teeth and her curls to flatten out. “She’s been kinder to me than she ever had to be. I don’t need a stripe to tell me to protect her.”

“Speaking of which,” Applejack butted in, unwittingly cutting Deck Flog off. “Ah always thought those stripes a yours made you loyal to the queen and the law to the death. You can’t tell me you’ve been ignoring the fact she brought all those slaves here to be freed, right? I don’t care how silver her tongue is, you got to know what’s going on.”

Pinkamena looked to Twilight who had recovered enough to stand stall unaided, and to keep her sparks from traveling all through the water she was drenched in. The pegacorn nodded weakly to the pink mare. “It’s simple really, my mistress is an alicorn.”

“A what?” Deck Flog coughed, and nearly dropped his tobacco pouch in shock. All of the crew who had been sneakily listening in mirrored their captain’s disbelief.

“Bull!” Applejack rebuked while tugging Twilight's right wing open to check for any signs of feather growth or plucked injuries. She only let go after Twilight struggled enough from the intrusion for Applejack to let go.

“Do you mind?” Twilight fumed heatedly.

Applejack ignored the aristocrat to focus on Pinkamena. “If she were, she coulda flown onto the ship, not nearly drown in the drink.”

“But she has a horn and wings. So do the alicorns, so therefore she is one too,” Pinkamena answered with a spring in her tone. “She is my goddess, but commanded me to never call her that aloud.”

“...So you lie to yourself,” Deck Flog snorted. He finally broke a weak smile at seeing the canon boy return with a pipe wrapped in between his wing fingers. He snatched it up in haste, and went about refilling his pipe after dismissing the colt. “Well played.”

Pinkamena simply shrugged and briefly looked back at Twilight with adoration. “Lying to ponies is a bad idea, but no pony said lying to yourself is wrong. Not that I do, because Mistress is clearly an alicorn. Seeing is believing after all.”

“And here Ah thought there never could be a good lie. Or I should say, personal truth.” Applejack tilted her soft cap to partially cover an eye. “Hats off to ya.”

Deck Flog took several deep puffs before he felt calm enough to think straight. “For a tale like that, I can bust it down to a hundred fifty, and not a slip less, ya hear me?”

He’s going to penny-pinch me the whole time I’m here, or try to at least. Twilight instinctively started searching her dress for a pencil and paper, but stopped after remembering her short swim. During that time, Pinkamena retreated to stand behind Twilight's left side, but not before the noble gave her a quiet word of thanks. “You have my gratitude, Captain. Once I have a chance to go through my cargo and update the manifest, I will deliver the payment no later than tomorrow evening.”

“You’d best,” Deck Flog started off. He was starting to reclaim some measure of his old composure, but he had a long way to go yet. “Now here’s what’s going to happen. You're going to do whatever you need to do to get those stallions to stay quiet for at least a week. Thanks to the coaling station in Manehatten never being rebuilt, I don’t have enough fuel to run the engines hot enough to free anymore than one of them, and having an engine room of slaves going crazy is ludicrous. But if I keep the engine running at one quarter, that should fizz up the stripes enough to make them docile. As soon as we reach Tranquility, we offload them to the Unshackled, I get a fat bounty, and I never see your tail again, got it?”

“I can accept those terms.”

“Good. Now, First Engineer, why don't you play cabin boy for the night, and make sure accommodations are made ready for them. When we reach port, I’m selling your contract. I want you off my ship.”

“What?!” Applejack took a step back. “You really think you can just replace me?”

“I don't know why you're acting so surprised,” Deck Flog huffed. “Not only did you disobey my order to leave them behind, but you started a damn mutiny to get them onboard, and cost me all that cargo of theirs. Besides, Turbulence is more than capable of taking your job, I need to cut costs, and your first on the chopping block.” He started rubbing his stump of a wing, and jabbed the pipe at her face. “So yes, you’re out.”

Twilight Sparkle let off a racking cough, spitting up foul sea water in the process. She was having such a hard time standing to the point that Pinkamena felt she could intervene at last and moved up to allow Twilight to lean against her. Twilight was glad for the warm body, and had to blink several times to let her vision straighten back out. “You are a treasure, Pinkamena. And Applejack, for what it’s worth, thanks for that.”

“It ain’t fair! Tellin’ us ta leave them behind was an illegal order!” Applejack eyed the stallion who refused to meet her hostile glare.

“You ain’t in the navy anymore, girl, my word is law on this ship.” Deck Flog took another puff on his pipe. “Now I expect you to obey my orders until we reach port, unless you’d rather spend the next month in the brig with all the slaves. I might even lower the boarding pass if Miss Thunder Horn here tells them to cat call you the whole time.”

“...That won’t be necessary, Captain.” Applejack squared up, defiance still written all over her.

“Good.” He puffed the pipe, trying to steady the raw nerves he wasn't bothering to hide.

“What contract?” Twilight chirped in as she leaned more heavily into Pinkamena when a burst of wind cut into her, and made her waterlogged clothes a skin tight freezer.

Deck Flog hummed, debating on whether or not to bother answering. “Here’s your first lesson on Lunaria, free of charge. We have an indentured service custom. Some ponies are too high risk or too poor for regular loans. So they sign an indenture contract for the loan if and when they default on it. Or just straight up signs a contract for an upfront lump sum. She works, or worked, for me for four years. Now? She’s going to have to pay off the rest by working in a factory no doubt. They love buying up those kinds of contracts after all, and I’m making sure you’re blacklisted from ever serving on the seas again.”

“You know darn well there ain't a factory in the world that could afford to put me on an assembly line.” Applejack scoffed derisively.

“I’ll buy the contract,” Twilight jumped in before Applejack could verbally attack him. The two Lunarians looked at her as if she had just proclaimed herself empress. She might have looked weak, leaning against Pinkamena, but through her heavily bagged eyes and chattering teeth, she could still level a piercing gaze. “I could use a guide to help me learn the customs and laws.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Deck Flog countered as he rolled the pipe in his mouth. His confidence was creeping back into his posture and a dark glint formed in his eyes. “That’ll be four thousand slips.”

Twilight developed a smirk of her own. “Engineer Applejack, it seems between the two of us and the slave bounty, our dear captain will come out ahead after all. But, pray tell, how much was your contract to begin with and how much is it worth now?”

“Now wait, just a minute.” Applejack stomped the deck hard enough to leave a small dent. “Save’n your hide was the law, and then some, but I ain't some floosy for the looms. Just what could you possibly be doing to make buying my contract worth four thousand?”

Deck Flog bit his pipe even harder, but loosened up before he could damage this pipe as well. Pinkamena felt Twilight had things in hand, and went silent as well, opting to be her support.

“Simple really.” Twilight's breathing was easier now, thanks to Pinkamena's warmth, giving her a chance to think more clearly. “Learning the law and customs is only stage one. Once I establish myself, I can finally be an inventor, something I’ve never had a chance to do properly. And right now, I can think of nopony better suited to help me do that, than an engineer with morals befitting a pony of high birth.”

Both Lunarians were taken aback by the declaration, if the firm, yet tired eyes were enough to go on. Applejack chuckled and rubbed her nose out of embarrassment. “Okay, alright, I guess working custom jobs would be far better than anything the captain would send me off too. But I still get time off to help mah family, and an exit clause if you end up getting thrown back to Equestria.”

“Agreed.”

“Glad ta hear it. As for my contract, it sold for roughly eighty two hundred slips for seven years of service. I’m down to my what last two years and ten months. Now, unless the captain wants ta let me go right now, and find a new second engineer in the middle of the ocean, I’d available at two years and nine months.”

Twilight did some quick math in her head and eventually looked to Deck Flog who had adopted a begrudgingly amused scowl. “That would leave us at about thirty two hundred slips. I'll even throw in an extra hundred for a nice thirty three if you can scrounge up a place for me to bathe tonight. That should be more than fair.” At least I hope it sounds fair. I’ve got no idea how much ponies are paid for what jobs around here. Trying to hide such musings, Twilight kept an even keel in her posturing.

“Should have lost your contract in that poker game instead of Sprocket’s.” Deck Flog walked over to Twilight and presented a hoof, to which she eagerly shook it. “Fine, we have an accord. I’ll write the papers up before the end of the week.” He jerked his head at Applejack. “Well, what are ya still loafing around for? Go on and get them sorted out below decks, cabin girl.”

Author's Note

Will Twilight sneak into the engine room? Will Pinkamena steal the galley cook's job? Will Applejack finally learn why fillies love cinnamon toast oats? Does Discord own Discord? Will we ever learn the fates of the Sisters? Discover none of this and more, next time on Clash!!!!

So much craziness going on lately, but if my luck holds out, I'll finally close my own deal on my first house next week. I should definitely get the next chapter out before Christmas, so I'll see you all then!

9: Freedom and Reflection

The first week aboard the Sea Hopper bounced between existential dread and a sense of wonder for Twilight, along with an unhealthy dose of seasickness. With Applejack busy with her duties, and the rest of the crew leaving her alone as per Deck Flog’s orders, Twilight spent a great deal of her time on deck looking out over the water back towards Equestria, which gave her a convenient place to empty her stomach whenever the need arose.

Pinkamena stayed at her side through it all, a silent guardian. An aura of surreal contentedness radiated from the pink servant. The simplicity of the deep blue ocean stretching before her brought a sense of peace.

Twilight only wished her mind could be as at rest as her friend. Why was I so stupid? You just had to rush things didn’t you, Twilight? All you had to do was wait a few years. Let everypony think you settled for the status quo. I should have known Shiny would have worried, and sent somepony to watch me when I left home. But nooo, gotta do it now, now, now.

And now I’m stuck siding with a nation that could just as easily decide to hang me too and call it a day. Twilight’s ears wilted and her lightning died down to only a spark or two a minute. And to top it all off I’m down to two dresses. Much to her instinctual embarrassment over her mark of destiny, Twilight was forced to wear the same dress from the night of her escape so her one clean dress could be saved for her arrival. All she had been able to do was wash it in a modicum of clean water allotted to her to get the sea water out of it.

A problem Twilight was fully aware of was her inability to not think of her predicament, which wasn’t helped by her queasiness calming down at the moment. So she addressed Pinkamena as a desperately needed distraction. “Are you excited to see your homeland?”

The question banished the gentle smile from Pinkamena’s lips, and a slight frown took its place. “I know I was born there, but... Lunaria doesn't really feel like it. Equestria has been my homeland, for better or worse.”

“Even after all that was forced on you?” Twilight asked with morose resignation, not truly questioning her.

Pinkamena laid down beside Twilight and a few inches behind, as was proper. “What nation can boast never harming its citizens in some way? I dare say I had a better life as your servant than many a free pony.”

“I wouldn’t say that too loudly around here,” Twilight half chuckled with no real humor.

“What would they do? Tell me I’m wrong, Mistress?”

Twilight gave Pinkamena a side look. The earth pony was watching the sea, but there was a content softness to her features. Like a guardian finding a place to lay her sword down and breathe. “It won’t be long until you don’t have to call me that anymore.”

“Does that mean I can call you ‘your holiness’?” Pinkamena asked with a brow wiggle and a smirk.

Leveling half lidded eyes of supreme annoyance only made the pink mare giggle madly. “Something tells me our new friends might take exception to that.”

“That we would, friend,” Deck Flog announced as he clambered his way towards them. The old salt looked like he had recovered his bearing from the confrontation with Rarity after a good night’s rest. His swagger was back and only a gentle puff of smoke escaped his mouth or pipe every now and again. Only his tone of voice betrayed some lingering resentment that he did a poor job of masking. “Now, considering the loss I’ve incurred, I can’t spend the coal to free all of the slaves you brought in. They’re just going to have to wait until we can pass them along to the Unshackled.”

“While I apologize for bringing that Inquisitor upon you, I assure you it was not intentional.” Twilight tried to use the same cordial speech she reserved for her time at court. But I fear it might not work on him.

“Yes, yes, I heard you the first eight times.” Deck Flog was expectantly unmoved. He eyed Pinkamena in particular, making the mare narrow her eyes threateningly. “Ain’t no use sniping about it now since ya paid your boarding fee, and you’ve done right by us in keeping the slaves calm. That being said though, I got enough spare coal to free one slave at least.”

Twilight took his meaning immediately and glanced at Pinkamena who shook her head. Giving a nod to her, Twilight refocused on the shipmaster with a professionally neutral mask. “As the third rule of the Merchant Creed states: Never spend more for an acquisition than you have too.” Twilight allowed the edge of her lips to turn upward at Deck Flog betraying a frown. “This spare coal will undoubtedly come at a premium whereas the Unshackled will liberate Pinkamena at no cost to us.” Twilight turned towards Pinkamena, both giving silent permission to interject, and that she knew Pinkamena wanted to speak.

Snapping to attention as she had seen the army so many a time, Pinkamena’s tone was staunchly defiant “If you are trying to see if I’ll turn against my Mistress once my stripes are gone, you will be disappointed.”

“So you claim.” Deck Flog paced a bit, using a wing to scratch his chin while rolling his pipe from side to side. “But questioning that's not why I'm here.”

“Then what is?” Both mares echoed with mixed curiosity.

A half-smirk played on Deck Flog's face, the same kind that Twilight had seen before by those who knew they were in a position of power. “See, while I've never seen it myself, literature shared by the Unshackled warned us captains that freshly un-striped slaves can go into a range of mental breaks. Anything from panic attacks, to becoming downright homicidal, and everything in between. That's the big reason I ain't releasing the reds. But these breaks can last anywhere between hours to weeks.”

Twilight searched the captain's face for even a whiff of a lie. He appeared smug, but not deceptive. She glanced at Pinkamena who had her ears flat and her smile had evaporated, along with any curls in her mane. “Wish I could verify that claim, but it's not like the Crown would ever let it be known anypony was relieved of their stripes.”

”You could always ask the crew,” Deck Flog offered with no less derisiveness.

Shoring up a strong defiant posture, Pinkamena huffed. ”Mistress, if he does speak the truth, there is no need to do this here and now.” Her bravado was blunted when her mind unwantingly drifted to thoughts of causing Twilight harm. “Better we wait until we arrive at the Unshackled. Not only would they do it for free, but they could place me in a cell until I recover.”

”If that is what you'd prefer, I'll not stop you,“ Twilight said with a grateful nod.

“For somepony with vision, you're not seeing the predicament you're in,” Deck Flog challenged. He gently tapped the end of his pipe over the water and started putting in fresh tobacco. “You can trust me crew to at least not do anything crass to ya, but can you really say the same for the citizenry of the capital? You'd be leaving your precious mistress all alone without 'cha for maybe a day or possibly a month or so. Even if it is just a day, I'm sure the bureaucracy would delay you even longer. What's a few more slips compared to you being clear headed upon coming ashore, eh?

Twilight's defensive expression fell to a solemn one. “I see your point.” She looked to Pinkamena for her thoughts.

Justly worried, Pinkamena shivered a bit at the very idea of leaving Twilight unguarded in such a place for any amount of time “That would be super bad.” Pinkamena met Twilight's gaze with her resolve ebbing away. "Mistress, if you can forgive what I am costing you, I would prefer to do this as early as possible.”

Showing off a cheeky grin, Twilight laid a reassuring hoof on her childhood friend. “Pinkamena, you already know I've wanted you to be free for years now. Having no others question you being at my side with no question of forced compulsion is worth every slip.”

“How touching,” Deck Flog hummed in content as the smoke leaf calmed his nerves. “A hundred slips for the coal and follow up maintenance should cover things. The Sea Hopper's a good ship, but flank speed is a pain and a half to deal with.”

“Shave it down to ninety five, and you got a deal.”

Doing her best to ignore Deck Flog counting his latest payment, Twilight was quite looking forward to this. They descended the sunless stairs. Each step drew them closer to the steady thrum of the engine below. It called to her, begging her to learn its secrets. Up until now, Twilight had been restricted from going anywhere near the engine room. She had to check her own excitement to keep her noble bearing. Exiled though she may be, that was no excuse for debasing herself. Still, she couldn’t help but to glance towards Pinkamena following a head behind her. The pink earth mare looked resolute and straight backed. “You’re going to be fine.”

Pinkamena managed a tense smile, even as her mane remained perfectly flat. “I dearly hope so.”

With Deck Flog not paying attention, Twilight briefly nuzzled her friend's cheek. The scandal of it made Pinkamena instinctively shy away from the touch, but she did manage an apologetic chuckle to keep from insulting Twilight. I hope that calms her down a bit. Not wanting to do anything more, lest a crewmember happen by and see them treating each other as equals, Twilight occupied herself by dreaming of what the engine would look like, and trying to guess the size and activity of it by the pitch and sound churning up from below.

At last, the group arrived at the first fully metal door set into a steel wall. The moment Deck Flog opened the hatch, a tidal wave of heat washed over them, making eyes water and noses burn. “I suppose I forgot to warn you,” Deck chuckled. “You’d be better off without clothes down here.”

“That…” Twilight was instantly reminded of the saunas back home, only this was a far dirtier place if the coal down below was any indication. “That’s probably a good idea.” She stole a mildly annoyed glare at the smirking shipmaster. “Getting coal dust out of clothing when one isn’t allowed soap is a losing battle.”

“Don’t blame me, my lady,” Deck Flog snarked. “I didn’t provision for thirteen more ponies. You want soap, you pay a premium.”

He wants me to fester in my own sweat. Twilight harrumphed and started removing her dress. “I need every bit to start earning my own way. If that means a month of grime, then it shall be my penance for being too impatient.”

She set the dress down on a few water barrels close by. Only a fool or a poor liar would steal it, and think they could pass it off as their own. Pinkamena had done the same with her attire. And that’s when it struck her. Twilight realized nothing was hiding her Mark of Destiny now. Instinctual embarrassment threatened to make her hyperventilate, but she forced it back down. No. They’re all Lunarians, they'd might be curious I have a machine mark, but not repulsed by it. Just keep calm, and don’t make a fuss. Panic attack averted, Twilight addressed the one-winged thestral. “Now then, Captain,” Twilight started with some noble dignity returning. “Shall we begin?”

Deck Flog started having second thoughts after seeing Twilight let off some wild sparks again. “Just keep that horn a yours away from my crew, or any of the gauges. Last thing I need is you cooking somepony.”

Taking deep offense to his words, Twilight bitterly found little argument against it. “I’ve lived with it all my life, I am well aware of the dangers.”

The fire room was oppressively hot with only a few covered lanterns and the boiler itself for lighting. There were four crew members already present with them slamming the furnace door shut upon seeing Twilight enter with both the captain and Pinkamena in the back.

The ponies here gave Twilight a fright for each one of them were shaved completely bald, tail and all to deal with the heat. The lone pegasus of the group still had her feathers and tail fur however, and she looked the most miserable of the group.

The fuel team took derisive enjoyment at seeing Twilight wobble and nearly faint between the sight of them and the oppressive heat. “Oh my. I know it is hot in here, but is shaving really necessary?”

“Doesn’t that make your skin chaff?” Pinkamena asked with enough genuine curiosity it got the pegasus to step away from the piles of coal to approach them.

“You’re more than welcome to take my place for a shift and see how quickly you jump for a razor.”

Deck Flog chuckled darkly and strode past them. “Save it for later, Airy, I want the engine running hot for the unshackling.”

“Aye, sir!” Airy snapped back with tired enthusiasm.

As the fire team returned to their task, Deck Flog moved through a second hatch a ways down and into the engine room proper. For Twilight, it was more or less returning to a familiar place.

Sure the ship was cramped, the rocking kept Twilight on the edge of nausea, the crew was indifferent instead of distant, if respectful staff, the wood stank of sweat and soot, however… Upon hearing the engine without all the decks and barriers between them, Twilight was back home.

Twilight spotted Applejack at one of the control stations filled with more dials and levers than her family’s engine ever had. It was far and above bigger too, with it taking up double the space. Twilight drifted around the room, followed closely by the eyes of the crew, torn between watching the instruments and to make sure she didn’t inadvertently harm their engine. Unlike the fireteam, the engine crew were not shaved bald. Here at least, the ship had a vent straight to the outside.

Deck Flog held off his introduction to the rest of the engine crew when he saw the love struck look on Twilight’s face.

Twilight reveled in the engine noise, listening intently on the individual sounds of each note. Every gear, piston, and pipe sang to her. Each telling her of their purpose and health. Oh if only I could move my hammock down here. She finally spoke when her observations found their way over to Applejack. “This testament of steel and steam is truly beautiful is it not? Oh how I can't even explain how I've longed to see what our engine back home looked like when it was being properly used. To see how it gave life to the ship it belonged to. To hear its siren song.”

Had Applejack heard any of this from any other pony, she would have thought she was being patronized. But the awe and, dare she say it, envy in Twilight’s eyes made her think otherwise. Applejack gave a good natured chuckle and leaned against the console. “He is a handsome one. I’ve been keeping this lad purring for a good while now.”

A thought struck Twilight and she turned around to meet eyes with Deck Flog. “Captain, I beseech you, when Pinkamena returns to her senses after being freed, let me apprentice down here until we reach our destination. I may not look like it, but I’ve worked with an engine much like this at home.”

Deck Flog chewed on his pipe for a long moment. “One hundred slips.”

“Fifty,” Twilight countered with an insulted snort. “By your own admission we’ll only be at sea for three more weeks, and I won't be here every day. Not to mention a hundred could buy tuition at a university.”

“Well what a delightful coincidence. You’re still paying to learn. Plus I have no reason to believe you know anything about an engine beyond it looks shiny and new. One hundred twenty slips, just for overselling yourself.”

“Have I?” A scholarly smirk crossed Twilight’s muzzle as she started pointing to various parts. “The fire house has flowing water converted to steam which creates massive pressure. That steam flows into the piston here where it pushes the piston head inside the cylinder. That moves the crosshead, providing work for the central shaft. As the steam pushes the piston head to the back of the cylinder, it loses pressure and heat. Thus unable to move. However, the cylinder is then fed fresh steam along the top via a second input pipe, thus allowing the cylinder to provide work during both movements.”

That was only the beginning. Twilight drifted completely into lecture mode, but as soon as she started bringing up numbers Deck Flog held his good wing up to silence her.

Deck Flog exhaled sharply, unamused by the demonstration. Applejack, however, chuckled at it all. “Your labels and terms are a little off, but you know more than I ever expected outta an Equestrian.” She nudged the old thestral with a hoof. “Come on, captain, I figure the only thin’ she needs is to know how this baby’s different.”

“I don’t want to hear a word out of you but ‘yes sir’.” Deck shook his head. “Seventy, no less. I might break even financially, but you cost me a crew chief in the process.”

“Then it is agreed.” For once, Twilight was able to ignore the horn comment, and had to keep herself from salivating at getting her hooves on the engineering marvel around her. “You’ll have your additional slips by dinner. Pinkamena...” She turned to have her remind her later.

The earth mare looked out of sorts and lightheaded, and was not tracking Twilight’s movements at all. Never having seen this before, Twilight raced back over to her friend’s side and gently shook her. “Pinkamena, are you alright?, should you go get some air?”

“It ain’t that,” Deck Flog stated while gesturing towards Applejack. Soon enough, the engine started going faster and harder, the symphony of gear, piston, and steam grew. “You musta never let her around whatever engine you had when it was active.”

Twilight shook her head firmly “Let’s just say father was very careful to remain compliant with the Crown's wishes.”

“Right…” Deck Flog wasn’t sure if she was patronizing him or not. “Thought not. With her, it’s the mind screwin’ comin’ undone.” Deck Flog shook Pinkamena much harder than Twilight, and even that garnered little response. “She's not trying to bite me, so she probably won't try to kill anypony.” He walked over to the closest part of the engine he could safely touch and slapped it. “At least while she's being liberated, then we’ll get to see just how much she actually wants to stick a blade in your neck.”

Twilight was only half listening at this point, and was holding Pinkamena’s hoof to keep her steady. The stripe in her mane was becoming fuzzy, and she was starting to drool and her eyes were unfocused. “Pinkamena, stay with me.” The mare was starting to develop a frantic look in her eye.

“Mistress, no! I can’t! This is wrong!” With all the strength of a panicking earth pony, Pinkamena slipped into a grand mal seizure.

Twilight roped Pinkamena into a tight embrace, keeping her enslaved friend from smacking into anything that could hurt her. “That’s the stripes talking. You’re going to get better. You wanted this too, remember?”

The pair of marines closed in when it looked like Pinkamena was about to wrestle out of Twilight’s grip. However, either out of respect, curiosity, or merely a desire to see a slave harm her master, Deck Flog waved the marines away. “The shakes eh? Five slips for a piece a' wood for her to bite on.“

Applejack took deep offense to both the order and the tactless offer. Seeing Pinkamena flail and kick Twilight in the gut, only for the pegacorn to cry out of pain but keep hold of her flailing friend drove Applejack away from her post. She bolted over before Twilight could give more than a glare in response. “Here, take my hat,“ Applejack presented her thick wool engineer's cap to Twilight, who looked questioningly at it. “It ain't wood, but it's tough enough, and It's not like I'll need the thing once we get ashore.“

Deck Flog growled as Twilight gave thanks and shoved the cap in-between Pinkamena's teeth as best she could. “Get back to your post, 'Jack. If the engine breaks even a single screw, I'll have your hide!“

A change in pitch of the engine whine made Applejack jump far more than the threat. “Yeah, I'm goin'.“

Sluggishly, clawing through the fog in her mind, Pinkamena had to stare at Twilight for nearly a minute to recognize who was keeping watch over her. “T-t-t-Tw-twww,” she couldn’t speak, her mouth simply refused to work, and the hat wasn't helping in the slightest.

Twilight didn’t dare risk a second to to check on the stripe. Pinkamena's shakes fluctuated wildly between violent thrashing to brief moments of simple shivering. “I’m here, Pinkamena. I've got you.”

Pinkamena’s jitters and jerks came more or less under control shortly thereafter. She still rattled like an epileptic, but she held onto Twilight like a rock in a storm.

It was close to four hours later when Pinkamena finally stopped convulsing. Utterly exhausted, she fell into fitful sleep.

The process had taken too long for Deck Flog to stay as his duties pulled him away barely an hour into it. Applejack had the fortune that her station let her keep watch. Eventually, Twilight was elated to see the last vestiges of the stripes vanish from Pinkamena’s mane and tail. She renewed her squeezing hug on the unconscious mare. “It’s over,” she said, crying into pink fur. “You’re finally free.”

They rested there for a minute or so until Twilight tried to stand and struggle to heft Pinkamena onto her back.

Applejack grabbed a voice pipe that led to the bridge. “Captain! The pink one’s unshackled!”

A prompt reply came in the form of the engine order telegraph ringing. The needle on it moved from full speed to one-third ahead. Applejack yelled out to the rest of the engine crew, “Bring him back down, lads!”

Applejack tugged on the lever above the telegraph and moved it to match the needle. Once done, she went right to work. Cutting the engine back was not as simple as releasing a valve. Fires had to be allowed to weaken on their own, but not die completely, steam had to be released, and many other matters had to be addressed before Applejack could realistically pull herself as away. Once the majority of the work was complete, she looked to Turbulence and locked eyes with him. The pegasus sighed and silently nodded, allowing Applejack to run over and help Twilight. The pegacorn was not doing well in the sweltering heat, and had a developing black eye and two other bruises on her face, jaw, and all over her chest and barrel. Her right wing was sprained as well, all courtesy of Pinkamena.

“Bloody hell… well, at least you still have all your teeth.” Applejack tried to offer her own back to carry Pinkamena, but Twilight shook her head.

“That’s a silver lining I’m willing to accept, and thanks, but I want to carry her.” Instead, Twilight removed the slobbered cap out of Pinkamena's mouth and offered it to Applejack.

“Thanks...” Applejack tossed the thing on the floor near the engine, hoping the heat would dry it off by nightfall. “After seeing all that, I'd do nothing less. Come on then, bend down a bit.”

The pegacorn was not in the best shape. The oven masquerading as an engine room was sapping Twilight's already flagging strength, and she was only able to stand at all thanks to her martial training. Now that she was trying to return to the top deck, it didn’t help that the lurching change in ship speed threw Pinkamena off her back. After that Applejack stayed close, making sure Pinkamena didn’t fall off a second time. “It seems I'll be thanking you a lot today, Applejack. You don’t think the captain will mind if we rest on the top deck would he?”

“He might.” Applejack studied the limp earth pony was more or less drifting between unconsciousness and a catatonic state. “She doesn't look like she'll become violent, so it should be fine.”

Nodding, Twilight took the weight and instinctively used her wing arms against the ground to steady herself. “I sure hope so. Some fresh air would do us all some good.”

Applejack’s reply was cut short at seeing the wild sparks on Twilight’s horn were just as active now as ever. Twilight gave one final nod before carefully leaving, using a wing arm to open the hatch to leave.

Scanning the engine room, Applejack saw that the engine was dominating the crew’s attention, and likely missed all the sparks. She ran after Twilight who was now passing the fire room and slid past her to open the hatch for her. “You are a strange one, Twilight Sparkle.”

Smiling both out of self-depreciation and joy, Twilight gave a tired laugh. “I’ve long accepted that truth. Kinda hard not to when you look like a defective and powerless alicorn, right?”

“Don’t sound like a healthy way to look at it ta me.”

“Maybe, but it was necessary for Pinkamena to defeat her stripes.” Twilight let off a wistful sigh. “Some nights I liked to pretend I was just a normal pegasus or unicorn. Better than being part of a pseudo-tribe whose special ability is involuntary lightning and disquieting wings.” Twilight chuckled darkly at herself, worrying Applejack. “Maybe some of Lunaria’s machines run on lightning and you can clamp a spark drainer on me so I can do something useful with my horn.”

“You know what I think?” Applejack said before rushing over to stop Twilight from swaying too far as the ship rocked in the water. “Ya need to talk to some other pegacorns. See how they deal with that, cause it sounds to me you’ve been alone for too long.”

Twilight stopped walking for a bit so Applejack could finish resettling Pinkamena. “That would be enlightening if nothing else. It'd be nice to believe there were more than just a dozen like me out there.”

“Yeah, can't say I really understand. We earthers are the biggest tribe out there after all.” Applejack cringed a bit after seeing Pinkamena’s mishmash of straight and curly mane start being more uniformly curly hair by hair. “Our pegacorns ain’t exactly all over the place, but from what I hear, we got a lot more than Equestria does.”

For a long moment, Twilight was lost in thought, and fell into autopilot as she marched forward. “Might even see more than two of us in a room one day... Wouldn’t that be something.”

By now, they reached the steep wooden stairs that would take them to the top deck of the ship. A few crew members were around, but all of them had places to be and were largely avoiding the mares. The stairs were so steep in fact, that Applejack moved to keep Pinkamena from sliding off. Twilight used her wings to keep that from happening too often.

Applejack chewed on her cheek, unsure of how to ask a burning question, yet it ended up being Twilight who voiced one first. “Miss Applejack, I’m grateful for the help, but something tells me you normally don’t go so far out of your way to help an acquaintance, even if I’m your new employer.”

Applejack snorted a curt laugh, but stayed behind Twilight, ready to catch Pinkamena should she start to slip. “Aye, I don’t. Truth is, I’d probably still be in the engine room right now, but ya see. Even if you were usin’ them slaves to carry all your stuff, you still brought a bunch of our boys home, and I gotta say, I believed ya when you laid that whole plan out ta us the other day.”

“Really?” Twilight stopped to watch Applejack for any sign of patronization. Yet all she saw was an honest mare speaking her mind.

“Aye. I know the crew’s been avoiding ya, but that’s because a’ the captain’s standing orders. We ain’t normally supposed to rub elbows with passengers, least of all nobility. Not that we ever get many of your types.”

“I see. Equestrian enlisted soldiers have much the same orders when on patrol.” Twilight pressed on, seeking the light of day. “I suppose you’re talking to me because you’ll be working for me soon enough.”

“Provided the Throne believes you and accepts your asylum request.”

“Naturally.”

Applejack glanced around as they circled by another deck. “So hey, did you know your horn was sparking back in the engine room?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes I noticed,” Twilight answered without reservation, but that didn’t stop her from sighing in irritation at being reminded about it. “It does that all the time, even when I used to work in my father’s laboratory. I try to keep it under control though so I don’t accidentally shock my father when we're at work.” Twilight blinked for a moment as curious confusion washed over her, causing to tilt her head. “Why do you ask?”

“I just thought magic never worked around machines. But I guess lightnin’ does.” The whole idea of magic being unhindered by machinery visibly unsettled Applejack. However she hide such unease by shrugging as casually as she could.

Twilight’s mind started churning about Pinkamena and couldn’t devote much positive thought about her horn. “My lightning is pegasus magic, not unicorn based. At least that’s what the doctors and books tell me. Out of all the tribes, pegasi seem to be the least affected by mechanical disruption, so I wouldn’t read too much into it. Not that we really tested for it outside of flight.”

“Yeah, but, we have,” Applejack replied definitively enough to make Twilight angle an ear towards her. “Pegasi can’t move or stand on clouds near a big enough machine, let alone shoot lightning.”

“Really?” Twilight asked with a mix of confusion and surprise. “Well; we weren’t the only group testing an engine’s effects on magic. We focused mostly on unicorn magic,” she added with a deep eye roll. “Besides, my ‘magic’ being less affected doesn’t mean much when I can’t make it do anything useful.”

That dispelled most of Applejack’s fears, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief. “Ya got a point.”

Twilight arrived at the top of the stairs and took a long deep breath of the salty sea air. “Oohhh, that’s much better.” Now that she was back on a flat surface, even if it was rolling in the surf, she found it easier to carry her sleeping friend to the bow. While both the rigging and the deck itself was alive with activity, Applejack had been right that the bow was the lone calm spot to be seen. The wind was strong, but the sea was gentle enough that only the occasional spray made its way on deck.

There was no seat to speak of, so Twilight set Pinkamena down against the forward mast to give some protection from the spray. I’m glad no pony touched my dress. I’ll have to remember to fetch it after Pinkamena wakes up. Either way though, I suppose I’ll need to buy some Lunarian clothing. She all but collapsed next to Pinkamena, and looked up at Applejack, mildly confused why the engineer was still following them. “Is there something else I can help you with?”

“Naw. But color me impressed. It's one thing to research something, but how did an Equestrian end up going goo-goo eyes for machines?”

“For all the good it's done me until today.” Twilight used her wing-fingers like a crude comb, and started grooming the pink mare’s mane. Trying to get the hair straight again was a lost cause, but she could at least get the tangles out. Her thoughts however drifted onto the wild idea of pointing out her Destiny, but old fear made her simply glad Applejack apparently didn’t notice it yet. “Machines are a kind of magic all their own. Some scholars believe we ponies were born from magic, or that our long lost ancestors chanced upon some event that made us who we are.” Twilight pulled a featherless wing forward to look at it. “Whatever the case, no matter our Destiny, we live and breathe one form of magic or another. Is it any wonder why my kind are distasteful?”

“I wouldn't go that far.” Applejack watched the sea roll by, her body going tense with distant thought. “I'll be straight with you, boss. I always thought you types was weird, but that don't mean I can't look past it.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but I don't believe you.” Twilight grunted as she worked on a particularly stubborn knot.

“Comin' from anypony else, I'd take offense to that,” Applejack remarked sharply, earning a mildly perturbed look out of Twilight. “But I guess you got good enough reasons.“

Opting to let the issue drop, Twilight remained quiet, and silently worked on grooming Pinkamena as best she could without a comb. Now that she free from conversation, Twilight allowed the ambience to bleed the mountain of stress that had been building since Rarity spoke with her. The gentle vibrations of the engine below, the sound of the sea being disturbed by the Sea Hopper passing through, all of it allowed Twilight a moment to just breathe. Now that she had such peace, Twilight ran her fingers through Pinkamena's mane where her stripes used to be. Her old friend twitched and jerked, but now it was more like a fitful dream than anything else. The sight of her being a free mare broke down Twilight's emotional walls, her noble air was in tatters at such a wonderful sight. That's right! Twilight gasped. Uncaring if Applejack was lingering nearby, Twilight pulled Pinkamena a bit closer and hugged her just loosely enough that her fitfulness wouldn't knock them over. Twilight cried into Pinkamena's mane, and in a lull in her friend's twitching, she held her tighter. “You're finally free.”

Applejack had been looking out over the sea, taking the time to enjoy what had originally called her to the navy in the first place. The muffled sobbing pulled her eyes towards the Equestrian. The sight might have stunned anyone else on that ship, but Applejack only gave a knowing, if thin, smile. “So now you can be honest with us about how you really feel, eh?”

The need to put her noble lady mask back on came back in full force. Twilight pulled her face out of Pinkamena's mane and hastily wiped her eyes dry with a foreleg so she could meet Applejack's gaze. “I know it is hard to believe I love her like a sister, being master and slave. But being snide about it is unbecoming, no matter your social standing.”

“Who said anythin' about mocking you?” Applejack leaned against the railing, and took no offense from Twilight's accusation. “I like to think I have a good read on ponies, but I learned the hard way being honest about that has soured many a relationships, both friend and work alike. Is not something I'm proud of having to hide, but we all got masks to put on, don't we?”

”And here I was always jealous of the commoners' ability to be upfront about such matters.” Twilight let the flash of irritation at the engineer fall away. ”Seems I was wrong even about that.”

“Ahhhh!” Pinkamena suddenly screamed and frantically rolled off of Twilight. The others were taken aback and pulled away out of fear of violence while Pinkamena staggered up, and started looking around in a panic. “Mistress? Where are you?!”

“Right here,” Twilight said as she left on the ground, cradling the sprained wing that had gotten caught in Pinkamena's mane, searching for worse injury.

Pinkamena did an about face, and grinned so broadly at seeing Twilight she giggled manically, pulled her up to her hooves, and roped her into a crushing bear hug. “You're safe! I had a horrible nightmare you were being stolen away from me!”

Through straining ribs, Twilight managed to wheeze out, “Never in a million years.” The hug was so tight it was crushing her wings and making sparks fly off her horn like a squeezed tube of mustard.

Pinkamena held the embrace for a bit longer before pulling back and yanking a lock of her mane over her eyes. “Did it work? Am I stripeless?”

“Very much so,” Twilight wheezed out, desperately hoping she didn't have a cracked rib.

“Ya sure are.” Applejack pulled Pinkamena onto a side hug, partially to allow Twilight time to breathe, and to keep her new employer from suffering a second bear hug that might actually require a medic. “Kinda suprised you woke up so fast.”

“it was horrible…” Pinkamena was in such a daze that she had to take a moment. Her attention turned inward and she slowly pulled herself out of Applejack’s hold. Eventually, she turned her gaze towards Twilight as tears started forming. “I was having a nightmare where you were being dragged away. No matter how fast I ran, you kept getting further and further away.”

Twilight smiled and nuzzled Pinkamena's check, startling the destressed mare. “Well I'm here now. Celestia willing, that'll never happen.”

Pinkamena sagged with relief, and eagerly returned Twilight affection. “Thank goodness, because I’m not going anywhere you aren't.”

“Don’t throw your options away.” Applejack butted in, earning a glower out of Pinkamena and a sinking expression out of Twilight. “Lunaria has a throne sponsored agency to help freed slaves make a life and find lost relatives.”

Twilight broke out into a cold sweat. I really should convince her to do that, but she may never come back. Whether it was a fear of abandonment in a potentially hostile nation or selfishness, Twilight remained silent.

“And do what?” Pinkamena rebutted. “Leech off a bunch of ponies who never knew I existed or have moved on? Or who might be super rude or a bunch of criminals? I’ll pass.”

Applejack was left sputtering in outrage. “Did you miss the part about finding any family?! Is that how Equestria is? No wonder Twilight was able to throw it all away. I bet-”

The distinct slap of hoof on face echoed over the churning sea.

Pinkamena’s outstretched foreleg still hung in the air as Applejack was thrown back against the railing behind her. With teeth clenched so hard it pained her, Pinkamena glared down at Applejack with fury in her eyes. “Don’t ever talk about her like that again!”

Twilight gasped and covered her mouth from the act. Applejack smirked and spat out a wad of spittle and blood. “Ya got a nice left hook, I’ll give you that.”

Twilight placed a restraining hoof on Pinkamena’s back and solemnly shook her head when the earth pony regarded her. “Don’t. Applejack probably knows just as much about Equestria as we do her homeland. Like it or not, she’s our guide in our new… home. We need to try and get along.”

Pinkamena’s harsh glare softened a touch, but only after she gave a hostile snort and bodily turned away from the engineer. “Yes, Mistress.”

“Why don’t you go explore the ship? Ask around and see what the trade culture is like on the islands.”

Brightening considerably, the pink mare nodded. “Good idea. Maybe the mess hall will know of some great food there too!”

With a spring in her step Twilight had never seen in her before, Pinkamena departed for her task. Twilight watched her go with a thin smile and lent a hoof to Applejack. “That was Pinkamena being nice, by the way.”

Pride made Applejack get back up without help. She rubbed her cheek which would inevitably form a knot. “I believe it. Still though, I had to see for myself if she really cared about you or if it was the stripes. She still might need some time for her unfiltered feelings to come about.”

“You sound like my mother.” Twilight did an admirable job keeping a neutral expression through the whole thing. “She believed in harsh tests, constantly trying to harden my brother and I.”

“Then she had the right idea,” Applejack shot back with genuine admiration that took Twilight off guard. “A mom ain’t supposed to be your friend. She’s a mother, an example. It’s her job ta make sure ya can make it in the world.” She sighed and looked up at the distant clouds. “I imagine most Equestrians give up and surrender the moment one of them inquisitors so much as look at’em. But you got one over on her, not too many can boast about that.”

In a small way, Twilight assumed Applejack was just being kind, but what ultimately mattered to her was that the engineer had a point. “To be fair, most inquisitors would have had a personal retinue, and not completely rely on local authorities for reinforcements. If it weren't for that, I doubt I'd be talking to you right now.”

“Take whatever Lady Luck gives you, I say. When we get ashore, I’m buyin’ a round to family both far and near.”

Author's Note

Merry Christmas everyone! Sorry this one fell out of the 1 week timeframe i promised at the start, but as with all the others, I have been doing some tweaks and changes all throughout it all. Plus moving into my new house is going to delay the last pre-written chapter.

10: To Stand Before the Throne (Arc 1 complete)

10: To Stand Before the Throne (Arc 1 complete)

High among the towers in the Canterlot Royal Army Base, Shining Armor paced within his office, reading the report Rarity handed him an hour prior. Between search efforts and other inquiries, it had taken Rarity nearly four weeks to deliver her final report to General Shining Armor, even though he knew his sister had been missing for most of that time.

Trying to keep her nerves steady, Rarity remained quietly seated outside in the hallway. Largely because he had sent her out of his office before he could do something career ending. Not that Rarity would have reported anything he’d do because of her failure. She earned some curious looks from passersby, not that she gave them anything more than a polite nod. Inquisitors waited on no one, save Cadence and the Queen herself, so Rarity was sure to be the subject of at least a few rumors in the near future. Were that all I will endure.

For a fleeting moment, the hallway was empty of others. Rarity looked skyward and uttered a quiet prayer. “Goddess of the Sun and Hope, I am not worthy to ask, but I find myself in need of your strength. May my service bear the price of your blessings.”

“Enter!” Shiny Armor yelled from within the office, cutting the prayer off by nearly spooking Rarity off her seat.

Carefully smoothing her cloak of office free of wrinkles, Rarity stepped into Shining Armor’s office. It was a spartan affair, with little in the way of personalization, save for two picture frames on his desk, one of his family and the other of Cadance. The older unicorn was standing near the window with the sun at his back thanks to the unshuttered window, making it a pain for Rarity to look at him directly. Magic could solve that of course, but the spell would be seen as rude and as an open insult during an already delicate situation.

“Have a seat,” Shining Armor commanded while magically tugging a hard-backed wooden chair away from his desk. As Rarity obliged, Shining Armor flipped through the pages of her report as if he was reading the paper. “Were it not my sister, I’d have to congratulate you, Inquisitor Rarity Belle.”

“Dare I ask for what?” Far from being confused, Rarity started sweating at the faux praise.

“For effectively exiling the greatest mind of our generation into the embrace of our bitterest rivals.” He magically slammed the report on his desk and at last turned to face her. While his face seemed passive, and his voice normal, his eyes betrayed him. “Yet because you did this to my sister, you best…” Shining Armor clenched his teeth to stop himself from saying something politically suicidal. In the end he couldn’t trust himself to do otherwise so he contemplated just throwing her out.

Shining Armor’s whole body exuded anger, but Rarity’s training let her know just how incandescent with rage he truly was. Yet that same training was not enough to keep her from visibly sweating in the presence of a stallion who held no real authority over her. “General,” she paused, trying to form her words as carefully as possible. “I grant you, the majority of the failure is mine, but I did not push Twilight Sparkle onto that ship.”

To that, Shining huffed and heavily claimed his seat to stare into Rarity’s eyes. “If it is healthy to fear the Inquisition, my sister became a hypochondriac ever since the raid against the abolitionists a couple years back. You were sloppy, Inquisitor. You should have waited until after she left Manehatten to confront her like I told you to!” Shining Armor’s inner fury surfaced in a telekinetic slam against the desk. Cracks ran up and down the top.

“I told you she’d end up trading a servant or two to get what she wanted. Had you waited, Twilight would have gotten the wake up call she needed, then the queen and Cadence could have swept the incident under the rug, and then she’d go on to help Equestria in her own way.” His voice grew colder, angrier, and each world chilled Rarity’s blood. “And now she’s going to turn that same genius against us, if only so her new masters will allow her to stay.”

Doing an admirable job keeping her gaze focused on Shining, Rarity was nevertheless shamed all the more. “Protocol dictated that I should confront Twilight before she could try and trade a servant for whatever aims she had. As the Book of Judgement says in chapter seven: It is easier to forgive a transgression when it has only occurred in the mind.”

“And look where that got you,” Shining Armor stated, wholly unmoved, going so far as to sound derisive. “Instead of losing one or two servants, you lost ten, eleven if you count Pinkamena. Quite ironic now isn't it? You inquisitors would do well to learn that you can win a war by losing a battle. Twilight knows almost every one of my reforms, by Celestia she wrote most of them! Not only that, but she knows what direction my thinking will go towards future changes. Now I’m going to have to inform the queen all these years of effort might be for naught.”

Rarity was completely unbalanced. Part of her wanted to cast aside any blame she could, while the other wanted to atone for it all. Disbelief won out in the end, and she tentatively held her chin high, if only because it was expected of an inquisitor. “I fully understand wanting to think the best of a beloved sibling’s talents, sun knows I do the same, but that’s taking it too far isn’t it? If anything you can turn this to your advantage, knowing what paths she would lead their countermeasures down.”

“Turning my sister’s defection to an advantage, she says. As if I’ve been doing nothing all week,” Shining Armor hissed through his teeth as his eyes threatened to mist over. His emotional armor was fading fast. He lit his horn and slammed the door open loudly enough to get a jump out of the Inquisitor. “I have work to do. Get out of my sight.”

While she outwardly carried herself with the calm and collected demeanor as expected of an Inquisitor, Rarity Belle inwardly cursed herself with every step. Useless foal. She berated herself as such and more as she made her way to her instructor who had been waiting on the side of the road leading away from the military base. The sun was shining bright and hot with no clouds for shade. Traitor or not, he still loves her. I should have been less callous towards that.

Her instructor was currently throwing bits of bread to a flock of pigeons. The greying unicorn wore the gold and white uniform and armor of his station, but didn’t seem to care in the slightest if the occasional passing soldier or contracted civilian saw him conducting such a mundane act as feeding some birds.

He made no show of acknowledging Rarity’s approach, but she knew he was aware of her long before she left the gates. He always was. She stopped short so as to leave the birds undisturbed. The old stallion’s horn flashed, masking their conversation to passersby. “Your head is still attached. It seems Shining Armor is as merciful as you are.”

“He has no reason to be, Instructor.” Rarity was inwardly crying, but she couldn’t show that in front of him, and certainly not in public. Inquisitors had an image to maintain.

“Miss Belle, this failure will not be the end of you, nor the kingdom. It’s all too easy to think Equestria hangs in the balance at any given crisis. This is not the first supposed crisis, and it won’t be the last. I have little doubt the good general will adapt.” Radiant Dawn’s tone and casual posture was so outwardly cheerful that he spoke as if he was actually happy with events. His mood left Rarity at a loss for words. “I feel inspired, my girl. I simply must implement your mission into the final year of training for future students. Oh yes, you and everypony after you will be better for it.”

Rarity’s lip threatened to start quivering for a moment until his words reached her. In an instant her shame resurged as she threatened to faint right in front of her teacher. “You’re going to turn my mission into an academy-wide training test? Instructor, I - I realize I failed miserably, but surely-”

His pleasant demeanor never wavered as he allowed creativity to take hold. “How about calling it the ‘Rarity Sparkle?” He looked to her for approval, only to see Rarity was on the verge of tears. “Too on the nose, isn’t it.” His smile wavered a bit after realizing she was only getting worse. He sighed, shook his head, and adopted the more expected professionally guarded posture. “Yes, I know. You scared not only a high profile noble, but a critical scholar and the sister of her majesty’s favorite general into Lunaria’s wings. We must expect her to sell all of the secrets she knows. We should be grateful Twilight Sparkle did not invest herself into politics.” He gave a resigned head shake, and clapped her withers with a hoof. “But enough of that self-loathing. Your actions were by the book. Only hard won experience teaches us that doctrine is only a starting point, not a rigid rule set.”

That left Rarity a bit stunned, her inner sorrow dampening a little. The gears of her mind started churning and she looked absently at the horizon until a thought struck her. “You’re saying I should have gone against your lessons?”

A smirk played across his face as he tossed more bread at the birds. The little birds gathered around him so thickly that Rarity couldn’t move without disturbing them. “Experience is a far better teacher than I am; failure, a better one still.” He paused to think, humming a bit. “I believe I shall call the test, The Starlight Glimmer. Might prove amusing to see the demicorn’s face if she ever learns of the inspiration she caused.”

Rarity was so red in the face she tactfully walked behind him so he couldn’t see her burning with embarrassment. “Instructor, I hate to interrupt your mockery of me, but before we arrived this morning, you said Shining Armor wanted this outcome. That his sister would flee the country. Why would a brother and army commander want that?”

Radiant Dawn chuckled darkly and shook the empty bread paper over the birds to let them have the last scraps. “And as I told you on the ride over here, you just answered your own question.”

“I was hoping you were wrong, and I saw nothing in my meeting with the general to give your theory any merit.” Rarity was overwhelmed by doubt and no small amount of exasperation. “Instructor, I must protest these games of yours. Twilight Sparkle’s defection is no trifling matter, and the general was all too keen to remind me of that at every turn.”

“You still can’t see your own nose,” Radiant Dawn countered with a sudden drop of his jovial mask. The stern face Rarity was more familiar with had returned, leaving her uneasy. He discarded the last of the bread and started leaving for the palace. The birds parted to allow his exit, but did not fly away. “Telling you the real answer would forfeit the lesson, and it is not something you must know within the near future in any event. For now, you need to enlist a retinue to aid you in the future. I doubt those constables would have abandoned their posts guarding that ship had a lieutenant of yours had been there.”

Nodding with a dry mouth, Rarity quickly followed after him. “You are too kind, Instructor.”

“When you have time, child, I suggest you pray to Celestia for guidance and wisdom. I want you to find the answer to your question. Wisdom comes with time, young one.”

“Yes, Instructor,” Rarity echoed. She glanced back at the garrison. “What do we do about Shining Armor? If by chance his real goal was to allow his sister to flee to Lunaria, that’s treason is it not? Doubly so with all of her secrets.”

For a long moment, Radiant Dawn gave no answer, but eventually he felt one was necessary. “For somepony in bed with Her Holiness Mi Amore Cadenza, and trusted with the ear of the queen, our conjecture is all we have. On top of that, he directly warned the Inquisition of his sister’s expected activities. By all accounts, the failure rests squarely upon us. Voicing my concerns would be unwise.

“We leave him be, thinking we too dance to his tune. Who knows, maybe he is using her defection to our advantage. Whatever the case may be, we are not done with Twilight Sparkle. I promise you that, young one.”

Twilight and Pinkamena’s cabin was alive with renewed vigor. Applejack said they would arrive at the outskirts of Tranquility before dawn, the capital of Lunaria. So both mares were hard at work putting on Twilight’s best dress. Which, much to Twilight’s chagrin, was limited to just the one now. Between the salt spray and a few small accidents, she had to retire the other bedraggled attire and consigned it to the sea.

“Mistress, I’m sorry, but I don’t think that this soap was very kind to your mane.” Pinkamena required far less maintenance, thanks to both mares giving up on controlling the pink one’s hair. So she was already presentable enough.

“Just do what you can. It’s not like my horn won’t ruin any taming efforts in a few hours anyway.” Twilight stood still through it all, just like she’d done for a decade now. Her mind however, was not at rest. Through the mirror, she once again found joy in seeing Pinkamena without a stripe, and was still just as fussy over Twilight as usual. Still, one thing didn’t sit right. “Pinkamena,” she started firmly. “It’s been weeks now. You can stop calling me ‘mistress’ you know. You’re a free mare.”

For a moment, Pinkamena slowed her efforts and her eyes went distant. “I - I know. But… It feels wrong. Improper.”

“I know it is difficult changing habits, but we’re going to be living in Lunaria. Mistress will be improper now.” Fully expecting Pinkamena to get mopey about it, Twilight quickly followed up by roping a wing around her for a hug. She pressed her cheek against Pinkamena’s shoulder. The world around Twilight had fallen away, her homeland hostile to her now, and surrounded by those who had less than a month ago would have tossed her to the wolves. All of it was bearable thanks to her rock.

Even after these long sea sogged weeks, Pinkamena still had difficulties returning such displays of affection in earnest, as if it was still not her place. Even so, Pinkamena was more than happy to be a passive participant, if nothing else.

“If you’re not ready to address me by my name, then how about just ‘my Lady’ instead?”

Sheepish, brief laughter escaped Pinkamena, and gently pulled away from Twilight’s touch. “I -I um. I don’t know if I can handle that, Mistress. It. It feels…”

Arching a most annoyed eyebrow, Twilight stared at the stuttering earth pony. “If you can’t, then my name will have to do.”

Pinkamena’s eyes bulged and her breath froze for a moment. “I ahh, I think I can handle ‘My Lady.’” A shiver ran down Pinkamena’s spine, as if she were breaking a cardinal rule. This time however, there was no nagging voice telling her to do otherwise; none but her own.

Twilight wore a sly grin before sitting up straight so Pinkakema could put the finishing touches on Twilight’s hair.

Banging hooves on the cabin door heralded Applejack sticking her nose inside. “Ya done putin’ your face on yet? We’re next for the customs inspectors.”

“We’ve been here that long? Perfection will have to wait.” Twilight was pleased her mane was unfrazzled for the moment. She got up and Pinkamena went about smoothing away any wrinkles in the dress. “Let’s go make our debut.”

“Right behind you… My Lady.” Pinkamena fell into step behind Twilight, and couldn’t suppress a massive grin. I get to address her like any other staff now!!

Out on the main deck, Twilight got a chance to see the distant lights of Tranquility over the horizon in the pre-dawn morning. The faint whiff of smoke lingered in the air as Twilight made her way to the ship’s wheel. There she could see a collection of tethered hot air balloons high in the sky with a plethora of search lights sweeping the dark waters with one of them focused on the Sea Hopper.

Making the final steps up to the ship’s wheel, Twilight saw close to a dozen other merchant ships both ahead and behind them with bright lights on, making sure no one missed them in the gloom. The Sea Hopper’s sails were unfurled while a few pegasi used the wind to make sure the ship would not drift out of line.

“So the day’s finally come that I can throw you off my ship,” Deck Flog gruffed with a few puffs of his pipe. “Can’t say it wasn’t special having nobility onboard.”

“Why captain,” Twilight acted as if she were about to swoon. “I didn’t know you cared about me.”

“I care about your slips,” he chucked grimly. “Now, when the inspector comes, I’ll do the talkin’ first. When I wave at ya, that’ll be your cue to state your case. After that, I wash my hooves of ya.”

“Come now, Captain.” Twilight pulled out the ledger she kept tucked under her blouse. “You already know I’m a trader myself. I could use a ship in the future.”

“Then find another one,” Deck Flog growled. He rounded on the wheel and stood nose to nose with her. “Ya behaved yourself since ya been here, I’ll give ya that, and you’re more competent with a wrench than most. But the inquisition has your scent. The less they think I have anything more to do with you, the better.”

Caught flat footed, Twilight’s ears wilted and she averted her gaze towards Pinkamena who could only frown in silent sympathy. “I suppose there’s no arguing with that.”

The sound of wings on the wind drew Deck Flog’s attention skyward. “Step back now, the inspection crew is here.”

Wanting to make the best possible impression, Twilight quickly obeyed and retreated to the wheelhouse, while Deck Flog went down to stand next to the main mast and waved the inspectors down with his hat. The inspection team was a mix of three thestrals and four pegasi, with a single unicorn brought over on the back of a pegasus as well. The inspectors and the five air corps escorts seemed moderately relaxed. Aside from the unfamiliar uniforms, nothing about them really stood out to Twilight, save for a rainbow maned thestral among the air corps. Strange. Deck said his tribe were all darker colored.

Casting the oddity from her mind, she focused on the team as a whole. All of them wore what Twilight could only identify as a very casual uniform. While the inspectors’ clothing was minimal to the point of being little more than badges of office and tool belts, the air corp at least appeared more professional. They wore form fitted sweat stained white vests, save for three of their number having actual full military uniforms and weapons: two of the thestrals and the unicorn.

The lead inspector called out to Deck Flog as he dove for the ship. “Well look what the squalls dragged back into port.” He came in for a rough landing and clapped hooves with the bedraggled captain. “Deck Flog ya old salt, how ya been?”

“Dusty Sails!” Deck Flog responded with a real smile. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“Don’t I know it,” Dusty cracked with a head shake. “Port authority got a telegraph about you. Got caught slave running. Real lucky that inquisitor didn’t stripe you herself. A pity I don’t make the kind of money to help you out.”

Suppressing an urge to glance at Twilight’s direction, Deck Flog sighed irritably. “Yeah, well, some good did come out of it in the end.”

Dusty snorted and pulled out a clipboard. “Clearly you forgot how many zeroes that fine has.”

“I had to make a few sacrifices, but I’ll still be able to ply the waters.”

Cutting a wiry smile, Dusty Sails shook his old friend before dropping the hoof. “Tell me about it over drinks tonight. But let’s settle our business first. The night wings will crawl up my tail if I start cutting into their off time. You have your manifest?”

“As if you day walkers are any better,” Deck snarked with a chuckle. “Got it right here.” Deck handed his own ledger over. It was a thick tome with a red ribbon marking the latest entry. “The standard round trip. No precious metals or lumber this time.”

Dusty read over the manifest for a long moment, his demeanor becoming more professionally distant. “Anything to declare before we conduct the inspection?”

“Two things actually,” Deck Flog’s posture became annoyed, and he finally gave in and glared at Twilight. “One great, the other an object of recent vexation.”

Arching an eyebrow, Dusty squared himself into an expectant posture. “Got some arcwine by chance? Better drink it now before you make port.”

“More like ten red striped slaves sitting pretty in me brig,” Deck Flog answered with more than a little pride. “And one domestic slave I unshackled on the way here.”

The whole inspection team was taken aback with Dusty coughing a bit. “Eleven? Seriously?”

“Counted them myself. Their bounty’ll help me keep my ship.”

“They’d certainly push you in the right direction.” Dusty quickly passed Deck Flog’s ledger over to his second in command, and started scribbling onto his clipboard. “I’ll earmark you for pier seven. You’ve definitely got to let me buy you a drink before you ship off again.”

“Ha, now that’s what I’ve been needing all month. By the moon, it feels good to be in friendly waters again.” Deck took a few deep puffs from his pipe, savoring the good smoke-leaf he had stashed for today.

“Might I ask how you managed to get eleven slaves onboard without the inquisitor finding them?” Dusty Sails might have been the one to voice the question, but the whole team had ears pointed in his direction. “You’re not going to sit there and tell me a nuckelavee had a change of heart.”

“If only.” And he just had to say it. Deck Flog tried to keep ahold of his good mood, but it slipped away like grasping water. “They weren’t onboard when the Inquisitor was having her way with things, they sorta fell into my lap.”

Dusty wasn’t sure how to respond to that and it took him a moment to speak. “Fell into your lap? How? Pray tell.”

“She happened,” Deck Flog pointed his wing in Twilight’s direction. “She’s the other thing I wish to declare. The vexing one.”

Dusty chewed on his cheek as he took in Twilight’s attire and the dignified poise she presented. “An aristocrat? An Equestrian one, I take it?”

“Aye. She has her own cargo too.”

“As if the rich ever traveled light.” Dusty turned to his second. “Dancer, go ahead and start the inspection. Write down everything you see that's not on the ledger. It might belong to the highborne over there, so don’t confiscate it at first sight.”

“Sir, shouldn’t we be redirecting them to the offshore depot?” Dancer hissed under her breath. “You know Equestrians aren’t allowed to set hoof on the homeland.”

“The captain wouldn’t be on this side of the bay if she was a simple passenger. Still, I’ve never met an Equestrian that wasn’t here to make a bit.” Dusty hopped up into the air and shot Dancer an impatient kick towards the stairs. “Go on then, we got other ships awaiting.” He rotated to face three of the soldiers still hovering in the air. “You three with me.”

Having watched the whole exchange, Twilight had to admit she dared to be hopeful. He didn’t throw me to the wolves so I might have a chance after all. Now that Dusty was flying her way, Twilight tried to keep herself composed and level headed, an act made difficult by her horn letting off the occasional spark. It wasn’t helped by the fact that she had been ogling the thestral stallion that had flown down with the rest. Oh boy he’s coming over here now. Focus, Twilight, eyes forward and not on the stud - soldier escorting him! Years of her mother and father brow beating the proper composure paid off and she carried herself well. At least the inspector wasn’t anything too special in her eyes.

The pegasus stallion landed face to face with Twilight, and cared little for personal space. Much to her deep displeasure, he tilted his head, undoubtedly noticing her featherless wings. As if her traitorous horn wasn’t bad enough. “So, care to introduce yourself before we throw you to the first ship back the way you came?”

Faking a diplomatic smile, Twilight nodded. Beads of sweat formed thanks to her sparking horn giving her nerves away. “Yes, naturally. My name is Twilight Sparkle of House Light. This,” she indicated to Pinkamena behind her, “is my personal assistant and former…” She debated on whether or not to admit Pinkamena had been striped, but felt honesty was the only safe course. “Servant Pinkamena Diane Pie.” Pinkamena stepped forward, and produced a copy of her personal ledger. Should I mention why I am here right away or wait for the question? I don’t want to step on any taboos. Choosing the safest option of waiting for him to ask, she spoke clearly and completely professional. “This is a list of all my belongings onboard. As you can see it was witnessed and signed by the shipmaster.”

Dusty hummed aloud and accepted the ledger. It wasn’t too long and nothing illegal stood out to him, so he didn’t spend much time on it. “I see. I’m sure there is quite a story involved on how you got eleven slaves passed an inquisitor.” He eyed the silent pink mare, half wondering how she wasn’t being restrained from harming her slavemaster. “You are going to claim responsibility for the other slaves, are you not?”

Is this a trap? Is he trying to make me boastful and slip something? In the end, she felt only the truth would help her now. “It was my hoof that got them here. G-granted freeing all of them wasn’t exactly my intent in the short term, but when things got out of hoof, I did what I could.”

Throwing on a blatantly fake smile, Dusty tucked her ledger into his wing for the moment. “So, between an inquisitor and almost a dozen slaves, I’m going to take a wild stab, and say you want to defect. Right?”

Inwardly, Twilight had been dreading this, feeling like she was still falling after jumping off the cloud three weeks prior. “Yes. I am formally requesting political asylum.”

“A pity I didn’t place a bet when I first saw you. Well you’re not my concern anymore.” Dusty looked to the trio of soldiers that remained close by. “She’s your problem now, Sarg.”

Dusty stepped away, allowing the prismatic-maned and dark blue furred oddity to fly over. The thestral mare had near-pink eyes, a further surprise for Twilight. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear she’s a pegasus mix. And she can fly. Trying and failing to ignore her spat of jealousy, Twilight tried to take in the rest of the flier. The thestral’s clean, if unruly, mane was bedraggled by the winds. That’d never pass muster in the royal army, air corps or not. If a pony can’t be bothered to keep a tidy mane, they crop it short. Yet if there was any question to her authority, the three downward pointed sky blue chevrons with black outlines emblazoned on her silver cap put an end to that debate. Like the Equestrian Air Force, her soft cap was strapped under her jaw as well.

The non-commissioned officer eyed Twilight with disapproval. “Can’t say I’ve ever had to deal with this either,” she directed at Dusty before fully addressing Twilight. She carried herself with a confident swagger. “But I do know I get to make a judgement call. Twinkle Sprinkle was it?”

“Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight corrected with clenched teeth behind her best fake smile. This is off to a great start, oh happy day.

“Yeah, sure. Name’s Sergeant Rainbow Dash, but just Sarg to you, clear?” she stated without any brook for argument.

Nodding, Twilight glanced at Pinkamena who was already starting to deeply frown at the soldier. “As you wish.”

“Good. Now, my shift’s about to end, and I really don’t want to deal with some tosser. Why should I believe you really want asylum with your oldest frienemy? Freeing a squad’s worth of slaves is all well and good, but that’d be the perfect cover for a spy.”

I was afraid of this. Twilight shook her head. “If you already think I’m a spy, then you’re going to suspect anything I could possibly say.”

Giving a dismissive shrug, Rainbow flashed an uncaring smirk. “Ya got a point. But come on, an Equestrian noble throwing their hat in with us? Please. You aristocrats all love ponying up to the church declaring Luna as worse than Grogar himself.”

Well we are under the assumption Luna did cause the Schism War. Trying to direct her thoughts into a more constructive manner, Twilight felt it was now or never. “The Solar Faith considers Luna as misguided, but I don’t think now is the time or place for such debates. I’m being genuine in my request, though. If you need an actual incentive…” Now’s not the time for modesty. I need to sell myself to get her interested. “I was one of the top researchers into the disruptive effects of machines on magic.” That got little more than an unimpressed huff out of Rainbow. However, it caused a bit of a buzz around those in earshot. “If it is required of me, I will provide all Equestria has on the subject.”

“You expect me to believe that?” Rainbow Dash shook her head and stared straight into Twilight’s eyes, trying to unsettle her. “One of Equestria’s researchers just so happens to want to come to us? Let alone one as young as… How old are you exactly? If you’re a researcher, shouldn’t you have crow’s feet or something?”

“This isn’t exactly what I would call a preferable life choice, no, but it is the situation I find myself in.” Twilight scanned the crowd and spotted a familiar engineer. “And Sergeant, if you must know, I am twenty years old, thank you. I’ve helped in my father's efforts since I was eight. If you need verification into my knowledge with engines,” she pointed at Applejack. “She can vouch for me, along with the shipmaster,” Twilight added with a curt nod and a smile.

“Why you shovin’ me into this?” the engineer protested bitterly.

Now that she had fully outed herself, Applejack grumbled when Rainbow waved her forward with a wing. Sighing irritably, Applejack stepped up and stopped at attention. “Former Boatswain Applejack of the L.N.S. Cover of Night. Ah can attest that Twilight Sparkle already knew a lot about how to work the engine when she came onboard. She’s a natural.”

Scowling at the earth pony, Rainbow Dash grumbled and shook her head. “Navy vet eh? Fine.” She fixated on Twilight. “Here’s what’s going to happen. When this ship docks, your belongings will be moved to a naval warehouse. You will remain under my custody until I deliver you to the palace so somepony above my pay grade can deal with you. Got it?”

“Yes, Sergeant,” Twilight nodded crisply.

Rainbow Dash leaned her head to the side to look at Pinkamena. “What about the pink one?”

“Where my miss - Lady goes, I go!” Pinkamena declared both instantly and with enough conviction in her voice it gave Rainbow pause.

“...Suit yourself. One or two, the brass won’t care.” Rainbow Dash gave Dusty a side look. “Go ahead and finish the inspection. We got other ships waiting, and...” She pulled out a timepiece and hissed at it. “Straight to bed when we’re done since you’re my responsibility now. Thanks for that.” She returned her attention back to Twilight. “In the meantime, you’re going to sit put until we’re done here.”

It was well after lunchtime when the Sea Hopper finally made port. The whole time on approach, Twilight and Pinkamena had been on the bow, gazing out over the rather flat city while Rainbow kept a close eye on them nearby. In fact, they could see little beyond the port itself and other coastal buildings. Even so, they could tell Tranquility was built around a river that fed directly into a natural deep water harbor. The docks were abuzz with activity with ships clogging the berths. The lines of warehouses broke occasionally to allow tenaments to peek through into the sea. Two things stood out above the line however was a pegasus cloud district above, but only a fourth the size of Cloudsdale if Twilight were to guess. The other were the columns of black smoke that bent unnaturally away from the pegasus district and out towards sea.

Ultimately though, while the docks were interesting enough, Twilight wanted to see the main prize, undoubtedly the source of all the black smoke. I’m finally going to get a chance to see if my plans for a mechanized industry city matches what works in practice. If I’m lucky, I might be able to take some classes in civic planning. I’m going to - no, no, no. Don’t get distracted. First secure my citizenship, then bit flow, then machines.

“Hey,” came a familiar voice, breaking Twilight’s thoughts. Twilight, Pinkamena, and Rainbow Dash looked to find Applejack coming up to the lone aristocrat. Applejack ignored the disapproving frown from the soldier. “So yeah, if you manage ta walk outta this without bein’ clapped in irons, you’ll find me here, alright?” Applejack presented a piece of grease smelling paper, of which Twilight accepted. “It’s the address to mah family business here in town.”

“I look forward to it,” Twilight secured the parchment in her bit purse and tucked it into the folds of her dress. “I hope it won’t take too long.”

Through it all, Rainbow bore a troubled frown. “Fast friends already?”

“More like a business arrangement,” Applejack replied vaguely.

“Uh huh…” Rainbow could have pressed for more information, but decided to leave it alone as the ship was now being eased into place at the pier. She suppressed a tired yawn, and looked up upon hearing leather wings on the air. It was the soldier she had sent ahead hours ago. Rainbow waved him down.

“Sergeant, you’re not going to believe this. Eclipse is demanding an audience.”

“The Emperor!?” Twilight nearly fainted on the spot.

“You’re pullin’ my leg,” Rainbow scoffed dismissively. “Why would he want to talk to her?”

He came in for a landing, glancing at Twilight. “She can ask him when we get there. My money’s turning this into a diplomatic incident so Equestria is the one who declares war this time.”

“Didn’t think he wanted a war just yet.” Rainbow rolled her shoulders all the same. “But hey, maybe I’ll finally be transferred to a deployed brigade.”

Pinkamena cast a troubled look towards Twilight who was no less fearful. “Nothing quite like being a walking casus belli,” she said low and resentfully.

The whole carriage ride to the palace was a frightfully quiet one. Thus far, she had protected herself with what few international laws the two great nations agreed to. Twilight had been expecting to speak with an official, maybe an intelligence agent, but not the Emperor. Others would still be subject to the law and lawful protections. Eclipse can do what he wants. Just like the Queen, his word is the law of the land. If I don’t convince him, no treaty in the world can save me. Twilight kept muttering doomsday was upon her the entire time she was being led through the palace. Not even Pinkamena’s reassurances could ease her barely contained panic that was causing her horn to crackle like mad.

Rainbow Dash led the pair down the hallways of the palace grumbling to herself anytime she thought the palace guards couldn’t hear her. “Why did I get saddled with this? Should have just let me pass them off to an imperial sentinel, and let me get some shuteye. But nooo, I was the one in charge.”

Feeling there was little she could do to assuage her Lady’s worries, Pinkamena was the only one of them to actually look around at the palace interior. Unlike Equestria, there were not rows upon rows of statuary, busts, or stained glass depicting historical events. Instead silver and earthly colors covered the carpeted floor and walls. Oil paintings took the place of stained glass, ranging from portraits to ships, to battlefields. The palace guards were surprisingly unarmored, save for a metal helmet emblazoned with a crescent moon.

The architecture was not as grandiose as Canterlot Castle either. Decorative parts looked rushed, the hallways were narrower and shorter, but it overall looked sound and firmly built.

The doors leading into the throne room were not only open, but court petitions were still in session. A large crowd, mixed with aristocrats and commoners alike were muttering to themselves while a farmer was airing a grievance before the Throne.

Before they could cross the large open doors into the throneroom, Pinkamena sharply nudged Twilight in the flank. The act got a yelp out of her, causing Twilight to annoyedly turn to the disturbance. “My Lady, we’re here.”

“We are?” Twilight forcibly threw her inner panic attack aside to shore up her noble bearing, only for her horn to let off an unusually loud spark. Her lightning and entourage drew the heads of those closest to her, along with a brief gaze shift from the Emperor himself, but everyone was still focused on the grievances being aired. The crowd seemed unusual to Twilight, as the almost two hundred strong crowd could boast only a scant few horns among them. Being around so many new ponies whose first impression would undoubtedly focus on her tribe made Twilight instinctively squeeze her wings in as tight as she could, dearly wishing she had thought to shuffle them inside her dress. Not that I can hide my traitorous horn. A derisive laugh almost escaped her lips. How fitting.

Rainbow Dash stopped right at the leading edge of the crowd, remaining silent and eyes forward, waiting for Eclipse to acknowledge them. Though she was tired from the long shift and being kept up late in the day, she remained proud and strong before her Emperor. Twilight however, was no fan of having so many eyes behind her, silently wondering or judging her without any chance for her mind to sway those opinions before inevitably being set in stone. Ultimately, she opted to follow the sergeant’s example and kept her eyes forward. There were few books in Equestria about Lunarian court etiquette, not that she ever thought to read them. Rainbow Dash had neglected to even give passing remarks on how to act, where to stand, or how to approach the Throne. Queen Corona may have dismissed those traditions during the few demonstrations Twilight had participated in, but she still demanded proper respect in any other setting, and Emperor Eclipse would undoubtedly be no different.

“Hey,” whispered Rainbow Dash out of the corner of her mouth while barely turning her head. “Do what I do, except for the salute, you bow your head equal to your chest until he says otherwise, got it?”

Fearing to so much as nod, Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat. “Of course, and… thank you.”

“Yeah well, it’s the least I can do for you rescuing the troopers. So we’re even as far as I see it.”

Burning the brief advice into her mind, Twilight whispered the same words to Pinkamena before she studied the Emperor’s person. No one seemed to be averting their eyes from him, so she felt safe enough she wouldn’t be breaking etiquette in doing the same. He sat upon a throne of silver, undoubtedly with a steel frame. It had cushions built into it for comfort, where the beige earth pony sat upon it with poise and grace equal to that of Queen Corona. His black hair was cropped close like that of a soldier, yet his green eyes spoke of patient intelligence. Upon his brow sat a heavy looking silver and gem encrusted imperial crown. Whether it was true or not, he looked genuinely interested in the supplicants speaking to him. Unlike the queen, Eclipse looked young for his age, easily passing for a stallion in his forties.

Arrayed before the earth pony emperor, were two families of farmers bickering over property rights. Along his flanks were a number of seated ponies, advisors if Twilight had to guess.

The emperor made a cutting gesture with a hoof, silencing the farmers. “I have heard enough. It does not matter if you have worked the land for years, if the deed indicates the land belongs to the Cherries, then it is theirs. However, since they have not even attempted to use the nearby land for their own farming, they are clearly not using it. Cherries, you will sell it to the Peaches at the standard price for the area. With so many farmers moving to the cities, we are on the verge of a food crisis, and every fruit tree is precious.”

The farmers wanted to protest, but none dared to defy Eclipse in his very throne room. “As you wish, your imperial majesty,” said one family with the other saying much the same thing.

“The matter is closed.” The Emperor stood up from his throne. It signaled the petitioners they were free to leave. They bowed and turned away to rejoin the crowd. Eclipse at last focused on Twilight Sparkle and those with her. He gently tapped a small stack of papers resting upon his throne. “Sergeant Rainbow Dash, announce and bring them forward.”

Clapping a single hoof on the floor, and standing at full attention, Rainbow Dash marched forward, causing the Equestrians to follow after her. She stopped fifteen paces from the Throne and saluted with her right wing. Twilight and Pinkamena dutifully bowed. “Your Imperial Majesty, I present to you Lady Twilight Sparkle of House Light of Canterlot.” The crowd instantly fell into frenzied hushed whispers, but none were fool enough to speak loudly enough to make Rainbow difficult to be heard. “Along with her former personal slave Pinkamena Diane Pie. She doesn't know her birthplace.”

Through it all, Twilight’s feeling of impending doom grew ever stronger. Great, not only do they know I’m an Equestrian aristocrat pegacorn, but a servant user too. I’m going to be lynched after all.

“You may rise, and thank you, Sergeant, you may retire, or would you care to provoke the duties of First Sentry?” The Emperor betrayed no judgement for good or ill, in his voice.

Dropping her salute, Rainbow Dash gave a curt nod, even though her heart soared at the honor. “It would be my privilege.”

Twilight raised her head in time to see Rainbow Dash close halfway to the throne and stand off to the side; ready to rise to the defence, should Twilight betray his hospitality with assassination.

Eclipse sat back down on his throne and silently weighed the mares before him with a metric only he was privy to. “So, Lady Twilight Sparkle and Pinkamena Diane Pie, you stand before me requesting asylum from your homeland. Is that correct?”

It took every ounce of her noble upbringings to keep from stuttering, not that her crackling horn allowed her such dignity. Twilight stood before the person who could decide her fate. Pegacorn or not, Equestrian or not, Twilight once again stood upon that cloud looking down into the abyss, only, she did not yet know which direction to jump. “Yes, your imperial majesty, although, I would prefer full citizenship if you would have me.” She paused as the crowd started muttering fiercely amongst themselves, and not much of it sounded approving. Never taking her eyes off the emperor, Twilight pressed on. “In either case, you honor me with such a timely audience.”

Flashing a thin smile, Eclipse nodded once. “Spoken like a true lady. An audacious one at that.” He paused, tapping a hoof on the edge of the throne while studying both Twilight and the crowd. “Why should I honor such a request?” The petitioners grumbled even louder now, largely agreeing with the question. “Asylum is one thing, and the information you are offering would be enough for that. But citizenship? Equestria prizes her nobility very highly, and we are not yet ready for another war, especially over a single soul. Your answer, please.”

For a moment, Twilight worried why he only said one soul, but quickly felt relief actually. Of course. Pinkamena is still a Lunarian, they’ll accept her back.

Twilight was about to answer when the emperor looked away from her and to her right. Twilight glanced over to see Pinkaminia meekly raising a hoof. If Eclipse took offense to the student method of grabbing attention, he made no sign of it. “Miss Pinkamena, you have something to add?”

Please don’t, he basically said you’re safe!

But Pinkamena could not hear the silent plea, nor would she have heeded it. Instead she lowered her hoof and bowed briefly. “Yes, your imperial majesty. I beg you, anything you require of my Lady, that you subject me to it as well, even if that requirement is sending us back or worse.”

The emperor was taken aback by the request, along with the imperial advisors who sat on his flanks. The whispers from the crowd renewed in earnest, none of which were discernible to Twilight, but they seemed positive. Of them all Rainbow Dash recovered from her shock first and smirked with deep approval. “Seriously?” she whispered to herself.

Eclipse recovered soon after and begged the question by leaning forward, “You ask as much? How long has it been since your chains were removed?"

“The better part of a month now, your majesty. Lady Twilight Sparkle has always been far kinder to me than she ever needed to be, and many times more than she should have. I don’t need a stripe, chain, or whatever you wish to call it, to stand with my best friend.”

Tears of gratitude wetted Twilight’s eyes, and she dearly wished to embrace her childhood friend, but she dared not risk breaking etiquette. I wish Applejack had known more about what I can and cannot do in his presence. Still, proper or not, Twilight faced her dearest friend and flashed a grateful smile. “Thank you,” was all she dared risk, but it was enough for Pinkamena to return the gesture with a smile of her own.

“Calling your owner a friend…” Ultimately, Eclipse’s voice dominated the room thanks to a unicorn sentry magically causing his conversational voice to carry. “Fascinating. Never in my years have I heard of a slave who didn’t want her former master to suffer horribly, let alone call them ‘friend’.” He rubbed his chin, thinking it over. “It paints an approving picture, but a picture is all it is. I admit between you liberating ten of our lost soldiers and this character witness of yours speaks well in your favor, Lady Twilight Sparkle, but…” He tapped a hoof on his throne, and briefly scanned the crowd, gauging the mood. Now that he had reminded them of her actions, they seem to be whispering with much less hostility. “I must consider my subjects in this. Let us say for a moment that I granted your request for citizenship, do you believe all of Lunaria would accept you? Many need little provocation to wish you harm for being Equestrian, no matter what is said here today. What would you do about such individuals? It might be more expedient to keep you safe in indefinite house arrest.”

Twilight shook her head, trying to keep a strong, diplomatic posture and tone. This was the only moment her horn remained quiet. “I never found much acceptance in Equestrian circles. I hold no expectations that the Lunarian aristocracy, or the public for that matter, would be any more welcoming.” Twilight answered while keeping the pain out of her tone. She could already see so many faces of those who looked at her with distaste long before she opened her mouth. “I'm used to being an outsider, and I am more than capable of defending myself, provided I am legally allowed to do so.”

Betraying his inner council with only an approving grunt, Eclipse mulled it over, still keeping an eye on the crowd. “Self defense is a right for all under the Moon. Bravado aside, however, I do wonder…” He looked left and right down the line of his advisors. “Do any of you wish to speak? Who here knows of a way for our wayward aristocrat to reassure the public of her intentions?”

Almost immediately, as if he had been begging for that very question, an old unicorn dressed in flowing silver and black robes raised a brilliantly ornate staff bearing the crescent moon upon a chalice with delicate filigree down its length. “Your majesty, if you’ll permit me.”

All eyes turned to the old stallion with many in the crowd behind Twilight muttering in reverent tones, “She protects.”

Twisting her ears behind her to see if she was hearing that right, Twilight kept her gaze upon the wisened stallion.

“Archbishop Faithful Hymn, your council is always welcome.”

The room fell silent, save for the clipping of t he staff upon the granite floor surrounding the throne. The aged unicorn started pacing the breadth of the throne room, and as he passed Twilight, she noticed the small pair of thick glasses resting on his nose. While his gaze was upon the crowd itself, he only spoke once he stood in front of Twilight so he could scrutinize her more clearly. “Tell me, Child of the Blinded Sister, do you still have family back in Equestria?”

“I do.” Twilight tried to control her breathing to keep her horn under some semblance of control, but she dared not raise a hoof to steady herself. Being the center of so much scrutiny in a lecture hall was one thing, a throne room was a terrifying other matter entirely.

“And is there mutual love between you? Respect? A desire to protect?” The bishop leaned on his staff, but his gaze never left the pegacorn.

“There is,” Twilight admitted. Although she felt trapped by the question, lying would only condemn her. “My brother and parents have always been firm, but fair and never ones to hide their love. I care for them deeply.”

A thin smile cracked the unicorn’s chapped lips. His staff creaked and groaned as he pushed himself back up. “I am glad to know you were given a chance to grow well. Nevertheless,” his smile flattened quickly, “It makes your request difficult to accept. How long will it take for you to feel homesick? To miss them terribly? To be tempted to return to them?” Faithful became energetic as he directed his speech to the crowd. “Was it not family bonds that caused Luna to remain in ignorant isolation until she left the palace and its lies behind? Was it not family bonds that stayed Celestia’s hoof from subjugating us when Lunaria was still young? During the First War of Independence, did family ties across the line not account for sweeping betrayals on both sides?” He returned his focus to Twilight. “Accepting you as a citizen of our fair empire would be folly.”

Thoughts of her family threatened to break down the emotional walls she had built during the voyage here. Their disappointment, fury, maybe even condemnation at fleeing to Lunaria instead of facing punishment in Equestria, all of it weighted on Twilight’s strained heart. Her mouth was bone dry, and she couldn’t think of the right words to dissuade anyone. One glance at the emperor and the other advisors told her they were leaning in the arch bishop’s favor.

What do I do? What do I say? Twilight couldn’t stop herself from glancing at the crowd and the emperor. She started hyperventilating, her aristocratic stature breaking down by the second, threatening to leave her wanting to hide in a hole. “Well, I - I was - I mean, I did-”

She stopped dead upon feeling Pinkamena rest a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. The pegacorn whipped her head around to meet Pinkamena’s firm expression. “Breathe slowly, My Lady.” Pinkamena waited for Twilight to comply before speaking again. “You remember the seventh rule, don’t you?”

Twilight’s mind jolted for a moment. Panic ebbed, and her thoughts were able to organize. “Keep your ears open.”

“Right. You’re the brainy one, you can think of a way if you keep the nanas away from the Twily.”

In spite of herself, Twilight cracked a smile. “I just might.” The smile was replaced by a thoughtful expression. “Thank you.”

Eclipse arched an inquisitive eyebrow at Pinkamena’s actions, while Rainbow Dash suppressed the need to gesture her approval in order to maintain her military bearing.

Not wasting too much time, Twilight returned her attention to the archbishop. “Forgive any customary differences, but should I address you as ‘your grace’?”

Making sure not to show approval, one way or the other, the archbishop briefly inclined his staff of office. “It would be appropriate, yes.”

Nodding, Twilight turned bodily to face him. “Tell me then, your grace, when Lunaria was first founded, you more or less alluded to the fact that most ponies who joined Luna did or could not bring every member of their friends and family with them. However, were there not those who felt strongly enough stand by their principles instead of living under a ruler who had lost their way? Even if that meant leaving loved ones behind?”

Rather than fumble with his words, the archbishop clamped his mouth shut for several seconds, long enough for murmurs among the crowd to become noisy. “...I concede the point. However, you are not here because She who Protects has convinced you to defect. You have not basked in her divinity to galvanize you into action. No, you are here to flee imprisonment, or worse from Equestria.”

“Due to committing a crime that would be celebrated as heroism here, would it not?” Twilight rebuked sternly. Her lightning snapped at the end of her question.

“Your council is appreciated, Archbishop.” Eclipse waved a hoof at the pony of the cloth to return to his seat. With a respectful nod, the wisened stallion complied. The emperor didn’t wait for him to sit down before speaking up so the crowd would be silenced by his voice alone. “You make a compelling argument, but his point still stands. You do not have the oppression of the nobility to justify yourself. Point of fact, you are a mare of high birth, in a family respected enough to reach my ears once or twice.” He picked up Rainbow’s report and flipped to a page.

“You come to us out of desperation more than anything else, not as some great liberator. As far as I can see, all it would take is a believable offer of clemency for you to return to Equestria, no doubt informing them of anything valuable you learn here.” He slightly tilted his head, keeping a firm, but not exactly accusatory. “It is in Lunaria’s best interest that you remain under house arrest indefinitely.”

Dread clawed at Twilight’s emotional strength. Doubt threatened to pull her back down into despair, but she muscled through it without letting her aristocratic posture slip. “If my ties to Equestria are what troubles you so, then if it would please you, I will formally renounce my place in House Light, and form a new house here, in Lunaria.”

“A new house? Boldness and…” he briefly turned to face Pinkamena who seemed to be barely containing a sense of pride. “An ability to inspire loyalty in others wrapped up in a scholar no less, how fascinating.” A warm smirk tugged at Eclipse’s muzzle. His praise was drowned out by the loud gossiping from the petitioners. Even the advisors shared whispered words. Some leaned towards the Throne to weight in. Eventually, the emperor waved off the last advisor speaking to focus on Twilight. This time he shouted at first to silence everyone. “During the Great Schism, there were more than a few nobles who did much the same when they swore fealty to Luna, and Luna alone. My house included.” He leaned back in his throne, pondering for a moment. “Others who were not so brave remained divided, rivalries festered and our already strained relations soured all the quicker. My proposition is this: you may leave my palace as Lady Twilight Sparkle of House…” he rolled a hoof towards the pegacorn.

Truth be told, Twilight hadn’t thought this far ahead. She had always been deeply proud of being part of House Light let alone its heir. She had never even considered naming a new house. I'm sorry, everypony, but be it Equestria or Lunaria, I can’t allow myself to be caged. I have too much work to do. I hope you’ll understand, even if you can’t forgive. Saving her tears for another time, Twilight spoke with iron. “Sparkle will do, your Imperial Majesty.”

He gave a brief nod of approval. “Very well. But on the condition you follow through your renouncement, and an oath of fealty, naturally. First things first, the information you possess about certain matters will be handed over as soon as possible. I will grant you full noble privilege starting immediately, however I require a lean of ten percent on any earnings you accrue up to a quarter million slips as payment for possessing an unlanded noble title. If that is too much, you can instead take your place among the common citizens.”

“It is steep, but fair.” That’s not going to be fun paying off. That’s about as much as my parents made in a year. Before paying the staff! Doing her best to hide her mixed relief, Twilight bowed before the throne. “Then if you would permit me… I, Twilight Sparkle, hereby renounce all legal ties to House Light, and swear myself and my line to the Throne of Lunaria.” Thinking quickly, Twilight added, “and She Who Protects.”

Standing up and approaching her, the emperor bellowed loudly for all to hear. “May Luna keep you, Twilight Sparkle of House Sparkle. Bring honor to her name, and that of her ponies.” He surveyed the commoners and nobles arrayed before him. Some seemed genuinely excited, if only as an opportunity for advancement or prime gossip. Others tried to hide their discontent over the situation, the rest were too scattered to perceive any prevailing emotions. At last, he gazed down upon Twilight. “Rise.”

Once she did so, the emperor adjusted his head so he half faced her and a nearby palace sentry. “You will be granted residence within the old Griffonia embassy, a relic of a past age. You have one week to gather your wits and arrange more permanent accommodations. I like to keep it as a… historical site of a sort. Sentry, make sure the proper officials arrange things with all due haste.”

“It will be done.” Performing a curt about turn, the sentry trotted away with haste.

Through it all, Twilight felt a cold shiver run down her spine as stress paradoxically left her body and grew. “Thank you for your generosity, your imperial majesty.”

Regarding her and Pinkamena briefly, Eclipse addressed the crowd. “Court for the day will recess for two hours.” He waited just long enough to see the guards start to enforce his decree. “Lady Twilight, before you go, I would speak with you in private.”

“I am at your service, my emperor.” There it was. The first real step had been taken. My betrayal is only just starting. Celestia willing, he’ll be satisfied letting me be a merchant or inventor. Maybe if he’s happy enough with my information I can delay this lean until I get some capital flow. She turned to Pinkamena, pleased to see her friend’s joyful expression. “Why don’t you see about moving our things to our new house? Get the lay of the land and all.”

“But I-” Pinkamena’s protective instincts were running hot, but she was no fool. Countless soldiers at the heart of Lunarian power, if they wished Twilight harm, there was nothing she could really do. Bowing her head, Pinkamena replied with morose agreement. “My Lady, do you wish to stay at this embassy, or should we try Applejack’s abode?”

Thinking it over a moment, Twilight eventually shook her head. “Given that she’s an indentured servant, I doubt she resides in a place that could house all of us, or at least one that wouldn’t require one of us sleeping on the floor.”

“You’re right, of course,” Pinkamena replied subserviently with a short bow. “I’ll make sure your belongings are transported intact. After that, I’ll make sure we have food before going to Applejack’s place and let her know what’s going on. Do you wish for me to pass on a message to her?”

“Oh, you already made some connections?” Eclipse cut in, not allowing Twilight to answer. “You act faster than I imagined.”

“She was an engineer on the ship we came over on, Your Imperial Majesty.” Twilight briefly nuzzled Pinkamena’s neck. “Let her know I expect to see her in the morning. We have a lot of work to do.”

Finally, a giggle managed to escape the pink mare, but she still shied away from the public affection, harmless or not. “I’ll do that, My Lady.”

After being led by Eclipse and a small cadre of imperial guards, Twilight found herself walking along the battlements towards the southeast of the palace. The design here was old, far older than the palace interior certainly felt. The stone was well worn by hoof and weather alike, and moss clung to everything save that which wasn’t trampled underhoof. The city beyond was alive with activity, but the palace was not high enough to view the sea easily.

Eventually, Eclipse stopped the procession and stared out over the city’s industrial heart. Dozens of columns of black soot rose into the air where teams of pegasi based out of a low hanging group of hot air balloons directed it away. A distant train whistle echoed over the din, all of it pulled upon Twilight’s desire to learn.

Remembering where she was however, Twilight remained careful. Wanting to make sure she broke no unknown protocol, Twilight remained both silent and away from the emperor as he leaned against the battlements. Still, she did allow her eyes to wander, and the sentinels gave no objection thus far.

“Tell me, Lady Twilight, what is your take on my empire?” He turned to face her, eyes critical. “I’d like to hear from somepony who has an… obligation to tell the truth, and has yet to lose that Equestrian point of view.”

“...I see, umm...” Twilight took a moment to think. “I’m afraid you might find my views rather atypical. My family, I mean my - old - family…” Twilight inwardly wept at the fact, but didn’t want to risk showing such emotion in front of the emperor. Cry later, save your skin now. Although it took only a second or two, Twilight shored up her strength as best she could. “I’m afraid I don’t really know too much about Lunaria itself outside of what I’ve seen so far. There’s propaganda of course, but my parents were smart enough to make sure my brother and I grew up with pragmatism and mindfulness of doctored history. It’s why he’s done so well avoiding the trap of Equestrian magic superiority.”

“Yes, my eyes and ears have heard a great deal about him. Shining Armor, if I recall correctly.” He took no small amount of pleasure from seeing her taken aback. “Don’t flatter yourself too much. I make it a point to know about Equestria’s leadership, both political and military. War is too common between us to neglect such information. You’ll forgive me if I wish it had been he who defected instead of you.”

Through all her years, Twilight felt the occasional bouts of jealousy from her brother being a proper unicorn. Even now she couldn’t help but to feel insulted. She had to bite her lip to keep from saying anything she’d regret later. “Yes, well that sentiment is hardly a new one for me. But at least I can offer you what research he will be basing his tactics off of.” And hopefully Shiny will stay far away from the front lines when the time comes.

“Yes, about that…” Eclipse idly started bushing some of the moss with a hoof. “I dragged you up here as a courtesy more than anything else. Don’t bother giving me your research information on magic disruption, I don’t need another copy of Equestria’s findings.”

I’m not even here for a day and he’s already rummaged through my things!? Not that I could really stop him but… Doing a fair job in controlling her outrage, Twilight only betrayed a tense inhale. “The documents I brought with me are ciphered, your Imperial Majesty. It could take quite a long time to crack them.”

He huffed in amusement and started idly toying with a loose piece of moss. “Though it is in my power, I am not so crass as to steal from you in such a manner. You see, I possessed all of your research since before you arrived. A spy of mine has been feeding us the entirety of your family’s work for a decade now.” He arched a playful eyebrow at the shocked look on the mare’s face. “You might be pleased to know you caused my cryptographers quite the headache for months, your father more so.”

“If I ever get a chance to speak to him again, I’ll be sure to let him know. He always wondered how effective our codes truly were.”

“Life has a tendency to offer strange opportunities,” Eclipse stated with a roll of a hoof. “You might actually get that chance one day. Just be mindful of your allegiances,” he added sternly. “As a lady of high birth, I expect your oaths to be honored, as do the Sisters on high, regardless of which ones you venerate.”

“You’re actually giving me the option? I dare say I was half expecting the archbishop to demand that I forsake Celestia.”

He was silent for a moment longer than felt comfortable for Twilight. “There is a limit to how much one can have their world crash down around themselves before going mad. Don’t take my tolerance as a mercy, merely pragmatism. I suggest keeping your sun worship quiet and personal if you wish to maintain this arrangement.” His cold, if not outwardly agreeable tone warmed a bit. “Moving on to more immediate matters, there is still information I require of you. Namingly any insight into your brother’s thinking and strategies.”

“So the Royal Army has managed to resist infiltration? It seems I lost that bet.” Twilight didn’t try to hide her amusement out of that little fact. “I owe Shining Armor a hundred bits.”

Eclipse grumbled irritably, but didn't vent his displeasure on her. “So you wouldn't know why the Inquisition seems to have an unusually high success rate in rooting out my agents in the army?”

Shaking her head, Twilight checked her short bout of amusement to avoid insulting him. “Shiny wasn't keen on sharing that with me, and I can't say I was ever inclined enough to do more than pose the odd question.”

“A shame, but I’m not here for speculation. As for the information you do know about your brother's military planning, I will require you to have it typed up. If this ‘Applejack’ of yours does not possess a typewriter, buy one. The last thing I want to deal with is your hoofwriting, Luna knows how much my cryptographers moaned about it.”

Twilight risked a brief chuckle. “Your Imperial Majesty, the bad wingwriting was intentional. You’d know that if your spy thought to steal my drawings as well. I fancy myself quite the drafter.”

“Is that a fact? Then I look forward to seeing if you come up with anything of note.” Eclipse smirked and turned away to gaze back over his city. “There is one last thing I would mention before you can take your leave. A single pony and a servant does not make a house. When and where you decide to put down roots, an unspoken tradition among us Lunarians is that every child must be raised alongside a sibling, no more than two or three years difference.”

“I…” Not sure what to make of such a statement, Twilight tried to tread on careful ground. “Is that an actual tradition, or a way to ensure the next generation of soldiers and commoners are plentiful?”

“Both and more, but I’ll not be one to dismiss a healthy amount of paranoia.” He glanced back at her, a measure of respect in his eyes. “You’re a scholar, so I’m sure you wouldn’t mind a brief history lesson. Were it not for there being two alicorns who came to rule Equestria, all of us would still be subject to Celestia’s blindness. Luna’s existence is proof that everypony should have at least one sibling, a peer like no other who can challenge us when we are found wanting. The only real failing outside of Luna’s control was her age. Had she been closer to Celestia’s own, she might have convinced her sister to open her eyes much earlier, and our people would still be united.

“More to the matters of the present, bearing multiple foals is not an enforced custom mind you, but be aware that it can be seen as rather impious to refuse to foal more than once at a time without medical cause.”

It was hardly what Twilight expected, but it found herself agreeable. “Twins not withstanding I suppose. Mother mentioned once that two children are not much more work than one. I don’t think we proved her right on that.”

A short spell of laughter rolled off the emperor. “Given what you and your brother do yourselves, I’d wager you’re right. More to the point, being a pegacorn, you can foal long after any other mare is in the cold earth, so just try to keep my advice in mind when and if the day comes.” The striking bell tolling the hour echoed in the distance. “You can take your leave now, I have other matters I wish addressed before court resumes. Expect me to call upon you in three days.”

“If I may trouble you for a moment longer,” Twilight added a bit too hastily so she could keep Eclipse from dismissing her completely.

He gazed upon the distant clock tower again, sudden impatience creeping onto his face. “Be quick with it then.”

“You say a house can not stand on the withers of a single pony. What if I were to adopt Pinkamena as a sister?”

The question garnered a bewildered expression out of Eclipse and managed to turn the heads of those sentries within earshot. Eclipse recovered quickly and a coy smirk appeared. “Seeking to gain favor by including a native into your house already? I suppose it would lend legitimacy to your cause. You may do so if you wish, but I will not resend my requirement of the lean on your profits.”

Twilight couldn’t help but to feel incensed and it threatened to show itself beyond causing a particularly loud crackle of lightning. She guarded her expression only enough so she wouldn’t return the insult. “Such boons are not my aim. I have shared my education with her in secret, we ate at the same table when we could get away with it, when away from home we shared a bed where any other servant would sleep outside, and we sparred as much as her chains allowed her. While our station and parents may differ, she is family to me. It would never sit right that I am to live in her homeland as her lord.”

“You’re… serious, aren’t you?” Eclipse found himself at a loss for words for a moment. “Now I understand why you said you were atypical. I’m going to keep my eye on you, Lady Twilight Sparkle.” He cleared his throat, and waved a hoof. “It is your house. As I said, you have the right to adopt whomever you wish. For now, get yourself established. Given your long life, the people may one day see you as Lunarian, birthplace or not. For the time being however, granting an Equestrian noble privilege the same day she arrives could bring me no end of trouble should you prove lacking in stewardship of a house. Or loyalty if and when are you forced to act against your homeland for more than just the information I require of you.” He addressed the air without turning his gaze. “Card Holder, make sure the fair lady here finds her way to her destination.”

“As you wish, my liege.”

Twilight glanced around, expecting one of the sentries to respond, only to discover a unicorn stallion nearby that certainly hadn’t been there moments ago. There was no sound or flash of a teleport or even a fading shimmer of a glamor spell, he was simply there. Getting a good look though was somewhat difficult. His face was bland, and his dull brown coat and mane could be lost in a crowd within seconds. Were it not for the emperor’s regard, his sudden appearance, and distinct lack of a crowd up on the walls of the palace, she wouldn’t think twice about him. “Where did you - um…” On second thought, I doubt I’ll get an answer. “Le-Lead the way, um, sir.”

“Oh, one last thing,” Eclipse called out with a raised hoof. “You didn’t happen to catch the name of the aircav who brought you to the throne room by chance did you? Her name escapes me.”

“It was - Sergeant Rainbow Dash I believe, your Imperial Majesty. She works with the customs authority if I’m not mistaken.”

“A sergeant? A bit low, but it will have to do. My thanks. Now I don’t have to go thinking about volunteers.”

Later the same day, a private room that was intentionally isolated in the Tranquility barracks was being rattled by snoring so loudly it could drown out a factory, and often did. Rainbow Dash was sprawled out on her bed, a blanket barely doing its job, and a pillow with a plethora of puncture marks from her many food related dreams.

A uniformed thestrial mare came into the room with ears stuffed full of cotton, and she still winced with every snore. Not even bothering to try and yell, she marched up to the bed and flipped it over, causing Rainbow to roll out and smack into the brick wall just hard enough to rouse her.

Rainbow snapped awake and leapt to her hooves. “Alright, who’s got the nerve!” She turned to spot the other mare pulling the cotton out of her ears.

Checking the nearby clock, Rainbow Dash’s fury petered out into an annoyed whine. “Come on, Butter Bar, what gives? It’s my night off. Can’t you just get some horn head to cast a silence spell or something?”

Growling at the name, the lieutenant pawed at the thin carpet. “Honestly, sergeant, if you can’t be bothered to remember my actual name, you could at least try my rank at least.”

Now that she knew she wasn’t in any real trouble, Rainbow Dash yawned and started her wake up stretches. “Yeah, yeah, until you rank up beyond fresh cadet graduate, that is your name.” She ignored the officer’s subdued grumblings. “So what gives? You didn’t come here just to complain about my snoring did you?”

“No, I’m not here to interrupt your competition with the Coastline Express. I’m here to give you these and your new orders.” Withdrawing an envelope, Butter shook out a set of rank insignias onto Rainbow’s bed.

Rainbow’s eyes widened considerably upon seeing the two golden bars fall upon her upturned bed. “Second Lieutenant?” Growing paranoid, Rainbow eyed Butter with a critical glare. “Is this some kind of prank?”

“No,” Butter replied with a touch of amusement. “Does the idea of no longer being seen as ‘one of the boys’ at the pub seem so daunting?”

“Spoken like somepony who’s a bigger stick in the mud than a tree.” Rainbow dared not to even touch the two small bits of gold for fear she’d be walking straight into a trap of some kind. “No pony goes from buck sergeant straight to officer, lieutenant or not. Who put you up to this?”

“The emperor actually.” That got Rainbow to roll her eyes and huff in disbelief. “But don’t take my word for it, Commander Blade’s orders and signature are quite clear.” Butter nearly shoved the envelope into Rainbow’s face. “Enjoy being the new butter bars,” The ‘fresh graduate’ added hotly before making for the door. “Although I doubt you’ll be able to enjoy it much given the assignment.”

Author's Note

As requested by my editor, Butter Bar is both her name and lingo for 2nd LT. Also, smart 2nd LTs know not to pull rank on NCOs unless they are super sure they are in the right. Getting ribbed in private is to be expected after all.

So, with arc 1 complete, place your bets on what happens next!!!

will pinkamena open a brothel? Will Twilight discover how many licks it takes to get to the tootsieroll center of a tootsie pop? Will Fluttershy be on the side of Equestria or Lunaria?? (don't worry she'll be in the next chapter or so) Will Shining Armor overcome the loss of his sister? What of the children?? All but one of these and more, next time on Clash!!

11: Never Conduct Business Negotiations on an Empty Stomach

Earlier that same day, Applejack ran at a steady pace through the streets of Tranquility. With it being high noon in a city that venerated the Night Sister, the ponies who could get away with it slept the day away. As a result, the vast majority of houses she ran by were heavily shuttered and sound-proofed, but too many jobs required daylight for the city to truly ever sleep.

What that did mean, was that the streets were not as crammed with ponies as Canterlot would be, making Applejack’s gallop far easier. She toed the line between the industrial sector and the leading edges of downtown. With each passing building she counted the address numbers. Not because she didn’t know the way, but because it excited her all the more. Perched upon her head was a sailor’s blue flat hat from her naval days.

She flew by a few familiar faces, passing along what brief greetings she felt obligated to give, but there was only one group of ponies she needed to see far and above all others: her family.

The satchels stuffed with her belongings nearly smacked her in the back of the head when she came to a skidding halt in front of a business with living quarters stacked above it. It had taken her well over an hour to reach it, but by all that was holy she was here at last. “The Clanking Apple; a sight for sore eyes.” With a few tears in her eyes and a stupid grin cleaving her face, Applejack charged in the open bay door off to the side after hearing raised voices.

“You’re not seeing the big picture Macintosh. Oil engines are the future!” Came a shill masculine voice. As Applejack closed in on the open bay door, she saw a rickety contraption that looked like it ran into a brick wall.

“Be that as it may,” came the welcome drawl of her brother, spurring Applejack along. “But we’re in the fixin’ business, not the inventin’. I’ll fix your road-engine all you want, but I ain’t got the spare slips to invest in anything. Sure thing or not.”

Applejack remained silent with a smirk plastered on her muzzle as she crossed into the repair shop and leaned against the frame so she was within both stallions’ peripheral view.

Big Mac’s bright red coat peeked out from underneath worn out overalls and black shirt that were covered in old soot and lubricant stains. The tool arm he always wore was right where Applejack expected it, strapped to his left side with a tool box on the right to balance the weight.

The beige pegasus opposite him was thinner than most and wore a single leather saddlebag. The shrill old stallion was long past his flying years, but his sharp eyes and the energy behind his voice belied his stubborn vigor. “I don’t need too much to give you a percentage. Just something until I get a working model for the patent office.”

Big Mac rubbed his jaw, clearly interested, but his wrinkled brow spoke of deep caution. “I - I - I don’t know, Gold Trestle. After Night Breeze’s venture went under-” He halted once Applejack caught his eye. Upon being spotted, she flicked her navy hat slightly off center. “By the stars, AJ! Ya sea cat, you’re back five months early!”

“Shucks, more than that, Big Mac. I’m back for good.”

Gold Trestle had the good sense to not get in the siblings’ way as they raced to embrace each other. Applejack still remembered how to avoid getting pinched by the steel arm as she hugged her overgrown brother.

After both earth ponies finished squeezing the life out of each other, Big Mac pulled away first. “Applebloom and Granny’ll be tickled ta death you’re here. But-”. His sister’s words and the satchels clogged with too many personal effects finally registered. “Whatta ya mean back for good? I thought you had years to go.”

Applejack glanced at Gold Trestle, weary of his presence. “I’ll give ya the details later. But if all goes bad or good, I’m here for at least a good long while.”

Tutting at the perceived sour look he got, Gold Trestle shuffled over. “Now don’t go holding back at my expense. I’ll be off to let you two catch up.” He focused on the brother. “Granted I know the last venture you invested in wasn’t a success, but give me at least a night or day to think it over. I’m close. I can feel it in these old bones, and by my honor, this revolution will be my magnum opus!”

“I’ll sleep on it,” Big Mac said with polite dismissal.

Gold bowed his head with some effort before walking away with an old limp.

Applejack barely waited for him to leave before circling her brother and making for the stairs that would lead up to the kitchen. She had to hop over a few bits of loose parts and one too many fresh oil stains from Gold’s broken invention nearby. “Land sakes it’s great ta be back. Could use a bit a cleanin’ though.”

Ignoring the playful jab, Big Mac trotted over to lay his rigging down on a workbench. Between it and his broad frame, it was far too wide to walk through the narrow rooms of the living areas. “Eyup. And now that you’re back. After you catch up on things, I got a rag and some turpentine with your name on it.”

“S’long as my new boss don’t come a’ callin’. You’re not gonna believe your ears.”

Rolling his shoulders now that the weight was off, Big Mac walked back to the bay doors and yanked on a pulley to close up shop. “Well if the news is that big, ya might as well wake up Granny an’ Applebloom. Some lost shut eye ain’t nothin’.”

Barely half an hour later, both a young energetic filly and a crotchety old mare were camped out in the kitchen along with the others. Granny Smith wore an apron as she diced up some stringy veggies and a few choice apples for a dinner salad. Big Mac helped her out with some baked fish and the kitchenware while Applebloom stood on her chair, propped up into the table while Applejack regaled for hours about everything of interest from her two year absence. It was only with the last voyage that her family got any minute details.

“So ya think this Twilight will get the boot!” Applebloom half cheered. The little filly had dreamed many times of ripping her sister’s contract apart. That fervent wish had kept her going on cold nights when food was hard to come by.

“Ah don’t rightly know.” Applejack drank from her watered down, yet hot coffee. It was foul and grey, but at least it was familiar. Homely, such as it was. “I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

A disgruntled snort wafted from the ancient mare. Granny waggled a wrinkly hoof at her orange granddaughter. “Ah still can’t believe you let an Equestrian buy your contract. Boot or no boot, she’s trouble. Ain’t not one of them worth a squirrel fart.”

“Now Granny,” Big Mac said placatingly. “She freed a whole bunch of our boys in green.”

“Only to save her own hide!” Granny rebuked sharply. She leered at Applejack, making her sweat a bit. “You keep your head on, girl. If the Throne don’t give her the boot, you watch her like a hawk.” She spun around and started scooping the veggies up into a big, thin wooden serving bowl before setting it down on the kitchen table. “I bet you a month’s taxes she’s a spy. Or at least a fair-weather idealist that’ll high tail it back home the moment she thinks she won’t get prison time.”

It wasn’t the impression Applejack got from the pegacorn, but she kept her feelings quiet as Big Mac set a smaller bowl in front of her. “I will, Granny. But just don’t speak ill of my boss in front of the Pink One. She about took my head off for holding Twilight back a bit.”

Applebloom’s reply was cut short by a shrill doorbell that got a bit of a jolt out of Applejack. “When could we afford a doorbell?”

“Did a favor for it,” was all Big Mac would say as he leaned over the counter to peek at an angled outside mirror that allowed him to see guests at the shop door. “Pink face. Pink mane.” He turned back towards Applejack. “This ain’t that Pinkamena is it?”

Half dreading the truth, Applejack was not one to shy away from it. She joined her brother at the window and scowled at what she saw. “Speak of the blinded and they come a swingin’. That’s her alright.” She let off a groaning sigh. “Can’t even have dinner before I gotta see her face again.” Applejack made for the door. “I better see what she wants.”

“Is Pinkamena really that scary?” Applebloom inquired worriedly as her older sister walked by.

“Intense is more the word I would use,” the sailor remarked in passing.

Granny Smile then swatted Applejack’s hoof away from the door handle. “You sit your keister right back down. I don’t care who she is, ye’re gettin’ a night with your kin and no pony gonna say otherwise.”

“Granny, you know what my contract demands,” Applejack half-heartedly complained.

The elderly mare was having none of it and barged her way past the defeated sailor and stormed down the stairs as fast as her aching hip allowed, fussing at the air and whipping temper up something fierce.

Grimacing, Applejack followed after her, hoping to limit whatever damage Granny Smith was about to unleash.

Pinkamena wondered if she should ring the buzzer button again. The concept had a magical equivalent in Equestria, but none of those sounded as shrill. She checked the note depicting the business name and address, then up to the sign hanging off the wall above the storefront. This should be the place. She glanced up at the darkening sky, weary of being out after dark, or worse, leaving Twilight alone in a strange land.

The sharp clacking of open block locks pulled her attention back to the door. It cracked open just even for a wrinkled, irate, green mare to poke her head out. Wispy thin strands of grey hair had fallen loose from her bun. “Whatcha want, youngin?” The question was as sour as her face.

Remembering she was representing aristocracy, Pinkamena easily slid into the air of a servant who exuded pride and dignity. Briefly closing her eyes in a respectful bow, Pinkamena locked eyes with the elder. “Salutations, madam, I am here on an errand for Lady Twilight Sparkle. May I speak with Miss Applejack? It is my understanding she is here.”

“Well she ain’t.” Granny Smith nodded curtly and started to shut the door.

A troubled look fell over Pinkamena, and the untangling of some of her curly hair. Where Twilight lacked social acumen, Pinkamena could read a pony like a book. “Forgive me, but you look much like how Applejack described her grandmother. You’re Granny Smith, correct?”

“I am, so what of it?” Hoping to discourage and further questions, Granny leveled her best evil eye.

It might have worked with others, but Pinkamena was following Twilight’s direct orders, softly put they might have been. No evil eye outside that of a gorgon would stop her. “You seem more irate at me, and not at the possibility Applejack is missing. So if I am to take you at your word, then you’re implying Applejack is a liar.”

Granny Smith sputtered and was taken aback as if she had been slapped. “Now you listen here!”

“No you listen!” Applejack prodded Granny away so she could yank the door all the way open without harming her. “I’ll not be called a liar just to have a day off!” She growled at both of them. “I’m here, okay?”

Pinkamena brightened and spoke as if Granny Smith had never said a word to her. Her hair went poofy again and she nearly jumped for joy. In stopping herself, Pinkamena felt an odd short-lived euphoria that threatened to erode her composure. “Oh wonderful, I found you! Lady Twilight requires your presence at the old griffin embassy. The sentries have already been informed to expect you at eight o’clock. Come hungry, because I plan on making a celebratory breakfast.”

“Lady?” the old mare huffed. “No sun burnt title means a hoot around here.”

“She’s still an Equestrian noble,” Applejack interjected after seeing Pinkamena’s polite smile darken. “And that still means something to them.”

“I’m afraid I must correct you, Miss Applejack,” Pinkamena cut in with a proud, if barely showing smirk directed at Granny Smith. “By imperial decree, my mistress is now Lady Twilight Sparkle, Head of House Sparkle of Lunaria.” The bewildered silence from the other ponies gave Pinakemina a chance to reign in her vexation towards the elder. “I’m sure you will read all about it from the morning newspaper. Or evening. I am unsure how things operate here, nor is my Lady, which is why I must insist on compliance on your contractual obligations.”

“I’ll be there,” Applejack said tiredly. She could still feel the phantom rocking of the boat, and yet would be right back to work. Be like I never left the ship. Being honest with herself, Applejack was used to constant work with nary a vacation to speak of outside of shore leave. Point of fact, her time-off situation was rather typical for both nations.

Didn’t mean she liked it.

Dutifully, Applejack got up before dawn and arrived at the griffin embassy in the wee hours. She had never seen it before, and never cared to until today. After passing the gate manned by the freshly arrived day shift, Applejack went up the short concrete path to the front door of the three story townhouse. It was sandwiched by two other embassies, and other only a rather thick set of walls between them. Even the old stone Griffonia heraldry was still present above the door.

Her grumbling stomach pushing her forward, Applejack made it to the door and checked the pocket watch hanging from a steel necklace. “Right on the dot. Let it not be said I’m ever late.”

Letting the watch fall back to its resting place, she yanked the string doorbell. A few moments passed before Twilight emerged with a quick smile at seeing the sailor’s face. The pegacorn noble was in the buff, much to Applejack’s surprise as Twilight was never seen without a dress on while aboard the Sea Hopper. She seemed to suddenly realize this fact as well, making Twilight flush with embarrassment for a moment before gently shaking her head to clear her thoughts. “Ahh perfect, you’re here. Come in, come in. Pinkamena is almost done in the kitchen.”

The scent of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and freshly cut fruit wafted across Applejack’s nose. It was a far cry from the hard tack and overly salted meat she had at sea. For long voyages, a diet of dried fruits and vegetables alone took up far too much cargo space compared to meat and wheat, with some lime juice and plenty of grog thrown in for good measure.

So enticed by the prospect of real, never-preserved food fit for an aristocrat that Applejack almost forgot about barely having half a day to spend with her family. “Thank ya kindly, my Lady.”

It wasn’t long before the mares found their way into a somewhat tight dining room for diplomatic lodging. None of that detracted from the platters covered in the very food Applejack’s family had to reserve for the holidays. Twilight took her seat at the head and directed Applejack to join at her left side. “Please, have as much as you wish. It’s the least I can do for calling upon you so soon after we arrived.”

Pinkamena emerged from the kitchen with a pitcher of piping hot tea and creamers. “Some butterfly tea for all,” she said with a slight giggle. Only when everyone else was served did Pinkamena claim the chair to Twilight’s right.

“So, Miss Applejack,” Twilight began after a few bites. “The Emperor has a few simple tasks for me that will be more time consuming than anything else, so I won’t have too much need of your services for a few days. For the time being, I only ask that you help educate Pinkamena on the laws and customs of Lunaria so that she can relay it to me when I am not quite so preoccupied.”

“Shouldn’t be too hard to park her in front of a library,” Applejack half joked, unsure of how Twilight would act now that she was on more stable footing. Desperation made even the high and mighty debase themselves to survive, but once back in control…

Twilight smirked and let off a laugh or two. Thinking back on how no Equestrian library would even dare to house an engineering tome or speak ill of enstripement. The Canterlot Archives threatened to burn one such engineering tome she had written and tried to donate. Any hope of one day opening an Equestrian technological university was gone forever. “As much as it pains me to say, books are only as good as ponies let them be. I’m sure common sense laws are quite similar between Equestria and Lunaria, but I want to be careful. Please share the broad stroke of Lunaria’s laws and customs, both written and unwritten, with Pinkamena for today before ‘parking’ her at a library. If Pinkamena is satisfied, you can have a few days of leisure for yourself until I have need of you again.”

It was certainly far and above what Applejack had hoped for. I half expected her to make me work for a few months before even seeing more than a day or two off.. Applejack nodded in quick agreement, lest her new boss thought better of it. “Aye, I can do that. But mind if I ask when ya might need me for my actual skill set? You coulda hired a street rat for pennies compared to my contract.”

“I believe we’ve already gone over how much I value a mare with a sense of honor.” Twilight’s tone was more surprised than condescending. “As for your talents, it all depends on how quickly I can get my legs under me. I must get a feel for the markets here before I can answer definitively. Many an inventor has gone belly up thinking some new invention would solve all their financial woes. I have too long of a life ahead of me to make the same mistake.” Twilight’s tone became serious, along with her face taking a hard line. “And I aim to make sure to collect the due my birthright has wrought me.”

“My Lady,” Pinkamena chirped in respectfully. “You mentioned something about invention last night, I believe.”

“Oh yes, of course!” Twilight waggled a wing-finger at Applejack. “I want you to withdraw a book on patent law from the library before you depart Pinkamena’s company. I will need it sooner rather than later.”

Stopping to chew the mouth watering omelets, Applejack nodded in compliance. “Can’t be too hard. Mind if I ask what sorta thing you have cooked up?”

“A new naval boiler design I’ve been tinkering with for years,” Twilight waved dismissively out of habit. Even after a month at sea, the instinct to down play any mechanical idea of hers was still fresh. “I’m sure it should be of use to somepony.”

Half a world away, Rarity was cantering through the contained wildlife of the Canterlot zoo located on the valley floor. Opalescence, her white long haired cat, rested upon her back, careless to the world around her. “We simply must do this more often, Opalescence,” Rarity dainty cheers as she meandered through the crowd of sightseers. A simple enchantment on the cat’s collar kept the feline from panicking or from having any desire to leave her back.

That didn’t keep the cat from eyeing her pony with lazy amusement and meowing in complaint.

“You’d best get used to it. It’s not like I will be home much with work being what it is.” Pulling out a book, Rarity kept one eye on it, and one on where she was going. Instead of a novel, it was actually the file on the pony of interest today.

Druidess Fluttershy, she began while sidestepping a line for a food cart. Twenty three years old. Butter yellow fur and a pink mane, last seen in a long style. Current occupation: zookeeper…

She had read the complete file twice now, but Rarity still felt unwell over Twilight. Like a poorly fashioned thread threatening to snap if the garment was stressed. Fluttershy isn’t suspected of a crime, but that doesn’t seem to stop… No, stop it, Rarity! She stomped her hoof, garnering bemused looks from passers-by, not that she paid them any mind, save to keep an eye out for any would be assassins. Not everypony is going to be another Twilight Sparkle. You’re better than that. You are Celestia’s servant. You must shine as brilliant as the sun.

Radiant Dawn’s words echoed a little time longer until Rarity felt her fortitude return. Sucking in air, she marched on with singular purpose.

As she weaved through the zoo towards Fluttershy’s reported work area, animal calls and bird songs both jarring and beautiful crowded the air while ponies of all walks of life came to see creatures both tame and fierce. The edge of her mouth tugged upward at the crowds. All they need to see the fiercest of all things is a mirror.

Rarity passed by a habitat populated by a wolf pack. Well over twenty ponies and their foals watched the predators feed on a pair of goats in morbid fascination. The same such attraction public hangings draw I suppose. Still… Rarity took a moment to slide in between the throng to witness the feeding for herself. She was not wearing her cloak or her hat of office today, save for the emblem she hid within her more mundane (scandalous for her I know) sun hat so she drew no unwanted attention as she joined in the show.

A different sort of satisfaction bubbled up in her at the sight of the penned wolves. With spell, sword, and hammer, we toppled our once greatest predators. Now they serve only for our amusement and education. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

A sobering thought struck her, sapping what superior satisfaction she had gotten. Could that be us if Lunaria succeeds? A shudder passed through her as Rarity pulled away from the grisly scene. Nay. Even they would not stoop so low. ‘To demonize our enemy is to be shocked into uncertainty when they surprise you with honor and grace.’ Book of Swords chapter six, verse twelve.

She departed, feeling renewed clarity. Aviaries and exhibits poked and prodded at her curiosity. She briefly worried the noise might snap Opalescence out of her nap, but the cat remained blissfully asleep. It was for the best; she was a mare with little time left for leisure or chasing a cat. Radiant Dawn could be merciful, but he was an impatient one.

Eventually, she came upon the lion exhibit, like the wolves, they too once prayed unceasingly upon the ponies’ magicless ancestors. Probably still did with earthers until they invented weapons.

She came to a stop to realize this exhibit was closed for the moment. Rarity approached the viewing platform that had an array of birds sitting upon it. They scattered and flew away at her approach. Rarity spotted a single butter yellow pegasus mare in green work clothes tending to a lion with a bloody leg bent at a painful angle. And not a weapon in sight. Only a druid would trust a wounded predator like that.

All the same, Rarity couldn’t help but to be impressed with the pony’s bravery as she worked some medical alcohol into the wound along with a nearby bandage. The lion thrashed about in agony, but never once made a move to harm the pegasus, even as it clawed deep grooves into the soil and yowled for mercy. In fact, she was gently stroking the lion’s side with a wing while she worked, whispering calm assurances.

Fearful her intrusion might break whatever control the zookeeper had over the deadly beast, injured or not, Rarity opted to wait the twenty odd minutes it took for the pink maned pegasus to complete her work. Standing up, the zookeeper opened a satchel resting on the ground and used her mouth to withdraw a rack of raw ribs and her hooves to keep the satchel down before she placed it near the lion. She patted the animal as it blearily recovered enough from the pain to start sniffing at the meat before she started to make for the exit.

Rarity circled around to meet her, casting a knock spell on the service gate’s padlock keeping her from the staff area. It didn’t take her long to locate the zookeeper who was stuffing soiled bandages into an old rusting trash can. “Druidess Fluttershy, may I have a minute of your time?”

Startled almost into flying away, the skittish zookeeper turned to face Rarity only long enough to recognize her face before collapsing into a low bow. “Inquisitor, you - you honor me.”

How did she..? Rarity carefully hid her surprise at being called by name, an act made easier thanks to Fluttershy’s mane completely covering her face. “Rise, please.” Rarity waited a bit, but Fluttershy remained there, shaking with fear. Sighing, Rarity magically pulled Fluttershy back up to her hooves. A squeak escaped the terrified pegasus, only for Rarity to politely dust off the dirt on Fluttershy’s uniform. “Miss Fluttershy, you are in no trouble from me, please, there is no need for such supplication.”

“I’m not being arrested?” Fearfully looking up, Fluttershy backpedaled a bit to escape the unicorn’s touch.

Giving a toothless-friendly grin, Rarity shook her head, and turned just enough to make it seem like natural movement, but in reality it was to reveal her pet. “Unless you’ve done something unbecoming within the last few hours, then no.” Her thought returned to Twilight, making her inwardly cringe at her choice of words. But they had been said now, and she’d have to make do. “You have my apologies for startling you. I thought you wouldn’t know who I was, but clearly my face is enough.” Fluttershy said something under her breath, with ears down and head cowed. Rarity had to strain an ear to try and catch it, but it was lost to the wind. “Might I inquire as to how you knew of me?” There was a tactfully placed amount of warning in her tone to snap the pegasus back to being audible.

“A - a bbbird told me,” Fluttershy squeaked out. “I asked a pigeon what he was up to lately, and he said he was eating bread from a pony like you. I can’t help what birds do before I can warn them!”

Paranoia struck Rarity, but she masked it well. How oddly convenient.. Fearful of repeating her mistake with Twilight, and causing a possible criminal to flee, Rarity backed off with the subtle intimidation by laughing with too much giddiness. “I can hardly blame a druid for the actions of every wild animal.” Well, I could, but that’s neither here nor there.

Between the laughter and the reassurances, Fluttershy seemed to ease up a bit and managed to meet Rarity’s gaze once more. “T-thanks. So u-u-ummm, to what do I owe the pleasure?” She tried to say more, but stopped short to mask a delighted squeal behind both hooves. The careful timidity evaporated, and Fluttershy struggled to remain respectfully distant while the pearly white cat lazily looked at her.

Rarity inwardly smirked as she knew the druid had seen her cat. I think the file underreported her affection for animals. Seeing that she had removed the lion’s share of the druid’s fears with but a single move, Rarity couldn’t help but to feel satisfaction. And now to draw her in. Turn more fully to the side to expose the indifferent feline, Rarity nuzzled the creature, careful to avoid tugging the cat’s hair bow. “Her name is Opalescence by the by.”

“She’s so precious!” Fluttershy squeaked as she gingerly approached. Reaching a hoof over so the cat could sniff her, Opalescence begrudgingly obliged. Once said hoof had been indeed sniffed, the cat huffed and curled back up on Rarity’s back.

“Perhaps I overdid it with the pacify spell,” Rarity mused aloud, trying to disarm the pegasus further. “I wanted her to avoid being spooked by the zoo, not to be uncaring for affection.”

Frowning a bit in disappointment, Fluttershy’s posture became noticeably looser. “It’s fine. She looks well groomed and cared for. So long as you two are happy, that is all that really matters between master and beast.”

Beast? Little Opal can be persnickety at times, but a beast? Decided to mask her offense behind a smile, Rarity felt the time was right. “Miss Fluttershy, I’ve come with a job proposal.”

“A job?” Fluttershy meekly parroted as some nervousness crept back in. She started wringing the strap of her satchel, and struggled to stop herself and stand normally. “I don’t think I could make a good inquisitor at all.”

Rarity had to refrain from laughing, difficult though it was, and instead simply shook her head. “Perish the thought, my dear. We have different positions of power for pegasi, but I’m not here to offer that either. I would like to employ you as my retainer.”

“W-why me?”

“It can be a bit of a sensitive matter. Perhaps we can speak somewhere more comfortable? Your abode for lunch perhaps?”

Later in the afternoon, Rarity dropped her cat off at her home now that Opalescence had served her purpose in easing the druid’s introduction. It was just as well since Rarity didn’t want to force the issue by making Fluttershy leave before her shift ended. The mares had met back up in front of the Green Banks tenements, and shared greetings before riding a magically driven elevator up to the top floor. The small size of the building meant each floor was a separate apartment of a sort. So when Rarity stepped off the elevator and into Fluttershy’s abode, she hummed in genuine curiosity.

All of the outer walls had been replaced with thick glass, with only the runed wooden support beams remaining intact. Plants lined the walls closest to said windows in pots both on the floor and in long rectangular boxes on the inner walls. But instead of natural greenery or flowers, every plant was a crop of some kind. By the smell tickling Rarity’s nose, most were herbs. Probably uses her magic to grow expensive produce. But why would a druid do that? Leaving her question alone for the moment, she heard the occasional buzzing of bees going too and fro.

Fluttershy moving towards the washroom drew Rarity’s gaze to the interior. There, everything looked normal, for a regular pony. Wooden chairs, stone counters for the kitchen, light fixtures, things Rarity would attribute to modern interior décor, not a child of nature. Then again, zoo or not, a druid willingly living in the biggest city this side of the Gladius River would be unusual indeed.

“Let me soak my things in the wash before we start.” Rarity’s plan appeared to have worked as Fluttershy certainly seemed less skittish; and dare she say, almost confident. “Feel free to have some tea. The boxes are next to the stove.” Fluttershy still strode away with haste to have a moment without the inquisitor’s eyes upon her.

“Do you have a preference?” Sniffing around the kitchen, it didn’t take long for Rarity to find some porcelain cups and a kettle. No response was forthcoming by the time she started filling it up at the sink. Annoyed at the silence, Rarity leaned around the corner to ensure the druid had not taken the chance to fly away, only to find Fluttershy trying to rhythmically scrub her uniform and satchel to the frequency of a breathing exercise.

Poor dear can barely breathe. I should just leave her be, but if I don’t recruit her, somepony else eventually will. Radiant Dawn won’t let a talent like hers go untapped. Provided she wasn’t actually spying intentionally with those birds. Rarity opted to leave her be for now, and went back to the kitchen to use magic to heat the water rather than waste wood on the stove. Fluttershy didn’t take long, and had returned by the time the tea leaves had worked their magic and Rarity was pouring some piping hot cups.

Taking her seat, Rarity stood at the counter, idly stirred her tea, simply wanting to enjoy the smell before tasting. “I must say, Darling, you don’t mind me calling you that, right?” Phrased as a question though it was, Rarity had that tone which made it one with only one possible answer.

“Oh, that’s alright.” It seemed that Fluttershy had banished her jitters for the time being, and accepted her cup. She sniffed at it carefully as a genuine connoisseur. “Golden Monkey tea. Wonderful choice, are you familiar with it?”

“Can’t say that I am. The leaves smelled interesting though.” Rarity claimed a seat at the table, careful to avoid the most worn chair so she wouldn’t take her host’s favorite seat, and placed the teapot down with her magic. After Fluttershy took the very chair Rarity avoided, cream and sugar were passed along before Rarity could sip the homemade blend.

With hesitant waving, Fluttershy waved off the compliments. “You should try it with a piece of rock sugar first.” Flustered behind her pink locks, Fluttershy tried to sound respectful instead of timid. “It um, it’s the only way I like this one.” She realized Rarity wouldn’t know exactly where the rock sugar was and hastily jumped off the chair to get it.

“I’ll take your word for it.” Rarity scowled a bit, but kept such disapproval to herself, and flashed a warm smile upon the pegasus’ return with the sugar. Careful now, she’ll spook easier than Twilight did. So as not to be rude, Rarity accepted the sugar before taking a careful sip, just in the off chance that rock sugar was actually poisoned. After her protective wards gave no alarm, Rarity could enjoy the delightful beverage. “I have no doubt Celestia above would relish a cup.” Rarity paused a bit, letting the compliment do its work in calming Fluttershy’s nerves a bit more. Fluttershy shrunk in on herself, blushing furiously and gave whispered thanks. Poor thing sounds like she’s gone on for years without a compliment. She’s either a good actress, or might actually be telling the truth.

“...” Rarity gently tapped a hoof on her drained cup, carefully timing her pause before it became awkward. “Darling, might I inquire about something?”

Fluttershy had been inwardly working up the courage to pour herself another glass when the question came. She hesitated, unsure if she was about to be in trouble. “Yes?”

“What do you plan to do with yourself in the years to come?” Sensing Fluttershy’s desire, Rarity beat her to it, and magically took the teapot and refilled both of their cups.

Something changed on the druid’s posture. A certain strength emerged that left Rarity confused. “I want to create a new druid order. One in the service Equestria.”

In that moment, Rarity would have choked on her tea if she had been drinking it. Even so; it still took her a brief moment to recover in order to spread a careful smile that masked disbelief. “That would be politically rather difficult. Don’t you think? The accord all nations have with the various orders is that they stand apart. Never taking sides, only acting to stop the destruction of select areas.”

“I know…” There was little left of the original timidity. Rarity could see a fire in Fluttershy’s eyes that rivaled an Inquisitor’s during dawn prayers. “Nopony likes being lied to. Fewer still can handle being told everything they believe in is a lie. They would rather banish you, than listen.”

“Well,” Rarity stated as she leaned back a bit and sipped some more of the delightful tea. “That would certainly explain the philosophical differences you mentioned during your citizenship reinstatement interview.” She paused a moment to take another sip, humming in approval. “I’ll have to find a supplier for this.” She eyed Fluttershy with renewed interest. “So that’s why you’re here. You're hiding from the various orders?”

Fluttershy half shrugged, unsure how to answer at first. “I don’t think they’ll try to harm me. But they do believe living in a city is torture.”

Glancing around the apartment, the modern decor that harshly transitioned into a greenhouse didn’t sit right with Rarity’s idea of druidism. Yet at the same time, aesthetics had been paid attention to. The crops had a pleasant arrangement, the various pots and planters sat under a long winding pipe that had a steady trickle of water. Even the bee’s nest had a certain beauty that seemed to mesh well with the color scheme of the kitchenette. The normal furniture also had a pleasant arrangement. “You… seem to like it here.”

One of Fluttershy’s ears drooped and a frown crossed her. “You see what they willfully blind themselves to.”

She’s definitely worth keeping a close eye on. Rarity rubbed her chin, humming for a moment. “But that’s not the whole story on why you are in Canterlot. One might be forgiven for thinking you are here to beseech the queen for a grove to take over. No… You’re here for something more, aren’t you?” Rarity stopped with sudden surprise and looked around, realizing what the greenified apartment might actually be. “You’re not actually intending to form one in the middle of Canterlot are you?!”

“Y-yes I do, but it hasn’t been going very well,” the morose druid lamented with a crestfallen sulk. “I can never bring myself to the gates. It all gets too overwhelming, and I - I know I’d fail miserably in front of the Queen in that state.”

“Astounding.” Perhaps that is why she spies through the birds. She wants to learn the political scene so she can better petition the queen. A welcoming smile played over Rarity to further disarm her host. “I see… and yet I don’t think I have the whole picture. Forming an Order in the middle of a city would be in violation of the Accord on your part. Point of fact, it goes against what little I know of druidism.”

“That’s because other druids refuse to see the truth.” Fluttershy grit her teeth, a measure of disapproving anger slipping through. “Too many of them either came to the Order or were taught to despise civilization.” Fluttershy stopped a moment, then for a brief moment of strength, met Rarity eye to eye. “May I ask you something?”

Letting off a brief laugh, Rarity sipped from her tea before setting her cup down. “I have been bombarding you with questions haven’t I? By all means, please. If we are to work together, you must be free to voice any concerns.”

Tilting her head slightly, and angling her ears forward, the druid spoke with genuine curiosity. “Do you hate Lunaria?”

The question left Rarity a bit unsettled. Had the question come from a random pony on the street she’d have given an automatic affirmative. After a thousand years, the rift was deeper than just the split between the Sisters. Wars, culture, religion, it was expected of an inquisitor to loathe them. Rarity mulled over the proper wording while playing a hoof on the lip of her cup. “Hatred is so very easy, isn’t it? But it is not what Celestia Above would want.” Fluttershy seemed taken aback by the sober reply. “How can we unify with our wayward brothers and sisters if we despise them? It is true the path for peaceful unity is long since lost, but one day, one nation will claim victory. Of that I am certain. Should the day come when one of us capitulates, I like to think I will move forward with dignity and respect.”

Approval colored Fluttershy’s expression. “Such is the proper way of things. It would be an honor to assist you, but I would rather not let such work distract me from creating my own Order one day.”

Rarity gently clapped her hooves. “In that case, I believe we can help each other.” Rarity drank slowly from her tea, drawing her demure host in. “As you must already be aware of, as an inquisitor, I have the ear of many ponies in power, including the queen. With my help, I can teach you to become bold and more self-assured so that you can state your case before the queen. All I require in exchange are your services as a retainer.”

She stared mouth slacken at Rarity, being completely paralyzed by the proposal. “A - a retainer?” That was much more than just calling on her for the occasional job, but a full time position that could drag her anywhere. “I-I-I don’t think I could.”

Rarity leaned on a hoof, putting on her best reassuring tone. “Darling, you very much could. Your way with animals drew quite a few heads. There were some who saw you as a threat, but - I think you can do great things.”

“I - oh…” Fluttershy muttered, unsure how to handle such praise. “I um - I…” She glanced around at her plants. Rarity left her in silence, allowing her to think. Slowly, a firm determination settled over the yellow mare. When her gaze crystalized, she turned back to Rarity. “Only if you’ll help me create an order that is true to Mother Nature.”

And now to cement her loyalty. A pleased hum escaped Rarity as she sat back and finished the last of her tea. “Naturally. Now, I’m not one for natural magic, however…” Rarity paused as if to think, but her plan was already in motion. “While you are under my employ, I suggest you use your free time to jot down your version of Mother Nature’s true designs and search for possible recruits. If anypony asks, you can tell them you are my intelligence officer, and your neophytes are your agents. When the time is right, not only will you stand strong before the Crown, but will have the backing of both the Inquisition and your followers to demonstrate your worth.” She stood up and presented a hoof. “Do we have a bargain?”

That fire returned to Fluttershy’s eyes. One that banished her old enemy, for a time at least. She got up and shook Rarity’s hoof as firmly as she could muster. “We do.”

“Excellent.” Rarity summoned an Inquisitorial badge, only this one was of bronze. “This will mark you as a retainer. Go to the Solar Church near the palace and a training officer will aid you in some basic protocol. It shouldn’t take more than a few weeks.” She floated the icon over so Fluttershy could take it. The pegasus studied it briefly before looking back up when Rarity spoke again. “I suggest putting your affairs in order so nothing will-” Rarity glanced at all the greenery. “Will wither when you are absent for prolonged periods of time.”

“S-sure.” A moment of regret and doubt fell over Fluttershy, but she shook her head to remain firm. “How long do I have?”

Sighing, Rarity did a mental count of all her tasks. “You are my first recruit, but I already have the rest of my retainers in mind. Hopefully no longer than a month if some refuse.”

“Oh, good. I should be ready long before that. I need to harvest and dry what I can, and move the bees. I can travel light if you need.”

“Glad to hear it.” Rarity took the tea box into her magic and committed the name to memory. A true friend appreciates you for more than just what they can do for you. “I simply must have some of this later. This is sold at the local tea shop, yes?”

The act worked perfectly, causing Fluttershy to blush and hide behind her mane, but she kept one eye uncovered. “I get mine from the one on Fifth Street. I’m glad you liked it.” Sensing Rarity needed to leave, Fluttershy signed a half circle above her head. “May your strength never waiver.”

Nodding, Rarity placed a hoof to her chest. “And your days never darken.”

Author's Note

Will Fluttershy create the Order of Iron Will? Does Applejack have what it takes to handle steam twi? Can Pinkamena cook a mean omelet? How does Rarity keep that coat perfectly white even while in the forest, I mean honestly?! Will Rainbow Dash handle being an officer better than queenhood? Find out next time on Clash FM!!

12: Putting One's Foot in the Door

Days flew by as Twilight completed her grim task of writing down and explaining everything she knew of Shining Armor’s strategies and reforms. While Pinkamena had been allowed to come and go as she pleased, the security detail assigned to her thus far had kept Twilight under unofficial house arrest until her notes were complete.

Currently, Twilight was humming to herself as she primped in front of a mirror. A distraction is what she needed to get her mind off her family, and she was expecting to hear from the Throne soon to lift her house arrest.

“Are you sure you can’t just buy a few new dresses?” Pinkamena stated while holding a mirror behind Twilight so she could inspect her mane properly. The earth mare’s brow was a wrinkled mess with worry. “You never did like day-tripping without at least a smock.”

Staring at herself with a stern gaze, focused mostly on her featherless wings, Twilight squared herself up and turned away from the main mirror. “This should be my first day out and about in my new home. A proper mare is bold and fearless. A proper Lady must also look her best. And since I cannot afford to melt bits on a new wardrobe, and buying affordable ones would not befit my station, I am really only left with one option.”

Twilight absently reached at a nearby nightstand for a bottle of perfume, but only grabbed air. A bitter reminder that it all had been lost to the sea. “Besides, the nobles here are not above going bereft of clothes so I can at least do the same.” She briefly wondered if she should wear her armor. It was common enough among Equestrian nobility for looking important if not exactly their own protection. Applejack didn’t say it was passé, but I can’t expect her to know aristocratic fashion.

In the end she opted for what she had, Rarity’s hat. It had a timeless design to it, not hinging itself on any one Equestrian fashion, but focused squarely on complimenting it’s intended recipient. Twilight played a wing-finger across the gear-shaped brim before donning the article and taking a look at the mirror to make sure it sat properly. Even without a complementing dress, the hat was enough to present Twilight as nobility with ease.

“At least let me come with you, my lady.” Pinkamena set the mirror down with a pleased look at Twilight’s choice. “I haven’t been learning the lay of the land just to see you get lost or worse.”

The ‘worse’ part made her reconsider the armor. “I’m just going for a jog… But perhaps-”

Banging on the window drew their attention. It being a former griffin embassy, the upper levels all had entry points as well. Twilight glanced at Pinkamena. “Are we expecting somepony?”

“Could be one of the guards,” the tense earth mare suggested optimistically. “But they always used the ground floor…” Pinkamena started reaching for her bladed gauntlets.

“Well the window faces the front, they’d stop anypony who was unwanted.” Twilight jittered a bit when the knocking came harder this time. “Coming!”

Ignoring Pinkamena’s insistent protests, Twilight marched up to the window and threw it open to find a blue furred and prismatic maned thestral mare in waiting for her in the crisp dress uniform of the air corps. Standing at stiff attention the lean, tired-eyed soldier locked eyes with Twilight. “Lieutenant Rainbow Dash reporting. I’m to be your,” she added with grinding teeth, “security officer.”

“Security officer?” Twilight parroted while tilting her head.

“She doesn’t need you,” Pinkamena chimed in from behind Twilight. “She’s got me!”

“The formality’s out of the way,” Rainbow said, suddenly dropping her posture for a more relaxed one. She first leveled a grumbling scowl at Pinkamena. “According to the law, that ain’t good enough.” She refocused on Twilight and managed to avoid wincing at a loud spark coming off the pegacorn’s horn. “Any scholar with critical military information, which includes you, is assigned a military security detail until which time your secrets are no longer considered actually secret.”

Twilight leveled a disbelieving stare of her own. “Which shouldn’t apply to me since all my secrets are already known by Equestria anyway. This is just an excuse to keep tabs on me.”

“And that surprises you?” Rainbow shrugged uncaringly. “Believe me, I didn’t want this either, but the Throne gets what the Throne wants.”

Twilight’s eyes moved to the single gold bar emblems on Rainbow’s collar. “It seems the Throne is generous as well.”

Rainbow's keen vision knew where Twilight was looking. “Don’t remind me.” Shaking off the mood before any treasonous thoughts could manifest, Rainbow stood a bit stiffer. “At any rate, I need to know your morning hours since I have to take that shift personally. My three subordinates will take the others.”

Morning hours? Twilight cocked an eyebrow, only to drop it a moment later. Of course. She means if I want to be nocturnal. Clearing her throat, Twilight looked out into the late morning skies. Between the month-long voyage and the week spent writing out her notes to the Emperor, it had been too long since she had the time to bask in the sunlight. “I’m sorry. As much as I understand the need to assimilate into Lunarian society, I don’t think I’m quite ready to give up daylight.”

A bit of a scowl tugged at Rainbow’s lips. “Figured as much. ‘S why I took the time to adjust my sleep schedule as well.”

A friendly, disarming grin crossed Twilight. “Well then, I’m glad I didn’t put your efforts to waste.” A sudden fanciful notion struck Twilight. She turned away to think a moment longer before at last addressing childhood friend. “Pinkamena, this constitutes quite the opportunity.” She cantered over to the safe in the bedroom wall. A fanciful device she took great joy in opening due to being so much more complex than similar devices in Equestria. “Do you remember how we used to sneak you into theaters by claiming I was deaf or blind?”

Pinkamena started giggling madly behind a hoof. “I remember you getting caught not being blind when you flinched away from the flying bits of watermelon.”

Rich laughter filled air, filling the room with a warmth the high sun couldn’t quite provide. Selecting a bag of slips, Twilight shut the drawer and returned to Pinkamena’s side. “I want you to do something very important.”

“Name it,” Pinkamena requested earnestly, assuming a change in plans.

Twilight raised Pinkamena’s right hoof and pressed the purse into it. “I want you to have a day all to yourself.”

A frown started to form on the pink one as her ears started to droop. “But we were going to the foundry appointment Applejack scheduled for us. Then three other ones after that.”

“I still am,” Twilight replied with a patient smile. “But you’ve been working so hard since the day we met. Let alone since we got here. Take a day for yourself, this should be more than enough slips for lunch, dinner, and some quality entertainment. Some theater, opera, or even a stallion if you like,” Twilight teased with a wink.

Going red in the face, Pinkamena flustered a bit while Rainbow cackled from the balcony. “But we should go together later, in celebration if the appointment goes well. We have to be careful with our slips.”

A sigh escaped Twilight before she rested her forehead against Pinkamena’s own, tilted just enough so her horn wouldn’t get in the way. Both mares closed their eyes at the touch. Her cherished friend had always been her rock. It's my turn to be yours.. “Pinkamena, every time we went to have fun, you always tried to defer to what I wanted to do. Even when I told you to pick something for yourself. It’s time you go and find out what you like to see and do.”

It took Pinkamena a long moment to bring herself to pull away from Twilight’s touch. Some of the sparks had frazzled bits of her curly mane, but it was of no concern. “As you wish, my lady.” She turned towards Rainbow Dash with a steely gaze. “You won’t let anypony hurt her, will you?”

Huffing at the suggestion, Rainbow flourished a draw and holster with her pistol. “‘S’long as my orders are to keep her safe, ain’t nopony going to do a damn thing while I’m nearby. Or my boys for that matter.”

“And I’m telling you, we can’t afford to wait!” Shining Armor growled while slamming a hoof on the war table. Arrayed before him was a detailed map of the continent with the current border between Equestria and Lunaria at the center. Encircling the table were other military leaders, ranging from his fellow generals, to the admirals of both the navy and air corps. The largest chair was reserved for Queen Corona, but age forced her absence, so Sunset Shimmer sat in her place.

Of those present, only Sunset Shimmer and Stratus General White Feather had better than neutral expressions. Both the general and navy admiral were fuming at the upstart.

“And I say we must!” Lord Admiral Salt Spray replied with tense irritation. “We only have fifteen first rate ships to the Lunarians’ sixteen. But the bigger issue are the rumors they’re launching ships called ‘ironclads’ soon. We have no chance of enacting blockades this time around.”

“That armor is not yet a major issue,” Shining Armor rebuked with a wave of a hoof. “You approved the rusting spell-shot I forwarded to your desk months ago, yes?”

An exasperated grumbled crept out of Salt Spray. He slowly nodded, but didn't look pleased. “Aye. Not that it did anything during test firings. Even if the spells did hold up against the interference field long enough to hit, the spells did little more than cause rust spots. Unless your whole plan was to run up their costs in fresh paint.”

One of the other generals chimed in with the barest hint of a smirk. “Perhaps taxing more of Lunaria’s painters will keep them from making more of those blasphemous cubist renditions of the Sisters.”

A grim scowl fell over Shining Armor, with him straining to keep himself outwardly calm. “Did you conduct the tests at sea, as I instructed?”

Salt Spray’s brow furrowed, a shadow of irritation fell over his face. “Your proposal made no mention of needing that condition.”

“My copy of it did.” All eyes went to Sunset Shimmer who was none too pleased. “But then again, I don’t let secretaries handle such sensitive information. You would do well to make sure your staff has their priorities focused on Equestria’s defense, not participating in your pointless rivalries.”

“We’re wasting our time blathering about,” stated the calm, yet confident Field Marshal Flash Baton. He was a unicorn of low birth, but he hid it well with a practiced Canterlotian accent and impeccable grooming. “The navy has always been the least important route to victory against Lunaria.” Salt Spray glowered at the Field Marshal, but didn’t lash out due to still being embarrassed by his staff’s indiscretions. “The Lunaria capital may have fled to the new world, but its heartland still resides here. The last war and the long peace has convinced most of their citizens to remain on the continent, and that will be their undoing. That being said,” he focused on Shining Armor. “The latest census indicates we have at least one or two more years before the recruitable population has rebounded from the losses of the last war. If this next conflict will be as bloody as you claim it will be, then we must wait.”

Shining Armor went through the notes he had in front of him and tossed a page towards Baton. “That’s not necessary. According to Lunaria’s own census information from two years ago, we have more ponies at service age by half. The sooner we move, the better.”

Curling a lip, Baton inspected the page for a few moments. “Can you be truly confident this information is accurate? Perhaps your spies were compromised or the data was doctored before it could be sent to you. Casualties among the enemy were not so high during the last war. We, however, were bloodied, badly.”

“This bickering is hiding the real cause for your concern, General,” Sunset Shimmer interjected with her brand of sharp wit. She let the silence hang a bit, but never let her eyes wander off of Shining Armor. “You really think your sister is that much of a threat?”

“The sister?” Salt Spray chided. He glowered at the young stallion, derisive mirth heavy on his lips. “She was a lackadaisical scholar. Any information she had about machines, the Lunarians would already possess ten times over. That traitor’s beneath us.”

“I recall you saying much the same about my reforms until the Queen forced you to look at evidence to the contrary.” Shining Armor ground his teeth as he seethed in his own fury, but it was the air admiral, Summer Heat, that cut in before Shining could answer Sunset.

“A soldier can not fight without support from home. Food, supplies, weapons… We tend to forget who really holds the power to wage war.” Summer Heat shook his head and looked to the queen’s protégé. “As for the general’s personal attachments, we must consider whatever damage Twilight Sparkle can inflict has already happened and move on. How close are we to sustaining a war footing?”

Sunset Shimmer tapped her chin with eyes closed for a few moments. “The Lunarians would take notice, but we can mobilize within five months, ten if we want to surprise them a bit. I can also guarantee the economy can sustain two years of war before rationing is needed. Five if we ration from the start. After that, matters are up to success in battle. If all of you manage to keep the war off Equestrian soil, we could sustain a war for almost a decade before rationing will become intolerable to the people.” She paused a bit, sorrow tinting her voice and a pall fell over her. “But that’s assuming the public will stomach a war in the near future.”

“Aye,” Baton agreed with a bitter tone. “The queen’s on her deathbed, but she’s lingering longer than the doctors care to explain. Celestia save her soul.”

Summer Heat and the others echoed the holy request before he leveled a smirk at the young general. “And as much as her holiness is venerated amongst the people, the keys to power are of the understanding that she is not yet ready. Least of all to lead us in a time of war.”

And there it was. Shining Armor glanced about the room, once again tossed into the mire of politics. He means no pony likes the fact that once Cadence takes the crown, I’ll be second only to her. In his heart, Cadence was the world to him, and seeing her take the crown would be a proud day. Yet it would be a day where he would be that much closer to an assassin’s poison. Best not dwell on that right now. Equestria comes first. Shining Armor propped himself up on the table. “History shows being queen tends to harden ponies, or they die young. I can speak to her holiness about trusting a viceroy to lead Equestria during the next war. That way, the common pony still gets their god-queen, and the military can rest easy knowing there is somepony in charge who is willing to make the hard calls. By the time the war after this one comes, Cadence will be ready for such a burden.”

Though she hid it well, Sunset Shimmer bore the faintest of frowns. “I agree. If not her, then who?”

“Tradition dictates it would be a prince or princess, but her majesty’s last child died two years ago in…” Salt Spray was careful not to glance in Sunset Shimmer’s direction. “Strange circumstances. Without a blood heir, it would fall to whoever she chooses.”

Giving a solemn nod, Sunset Shimmer stood up to dismiss them all. “Then it is up to her to settle the matter. I will inform the queen of Cadence’s intent to defer governorship when the next war comes, and that she’ll need to designate a viceroy.”

Standing up as well, Shining Armor was left with a bitter mood, but one he hoped would not end in disaster. “I’ll talk to her holiness then. If we do this right, we can mask mobilization under the guise of political instability. As grim as it may sound, the perfect time to start would be when the queen does finally pass into Celestia’s embrace.”

“As distasteful as it is prudent,” Salt Spray grumbled as he wished for a stiff drink.

“All we need now is a casus belli,” Baton remarked, his mind already formulating multiple plans. He used a plotting rod to move some Equestrian soldier miniatures towards the border between the two nations. “Something to give the papers to chew on so they can incense the public into backing the war. As potentially damaging as a certain scholar’s betrayal is, she’s hardly a worthy excuse to go to war.”

To that, Sunset Shimmer simply gave a confident exhale. “I wouldn’t concern myself over that. Knowing the Lunarians, they’ll practically gift us a reason to go to war again. And if I need to prod them along…”

Many, many miles away, deep inside the naval shipyards of Tranquility, Twilight sat in a waiting room for the owner of the dockyards to see her. She had already been waiting for ten minutes, and every second was torture.

She nervously flipped through the pages from her new carpet bag after her saddlebags were noted to be too Equestrian in style. The new bag was ugly, which was made abundantly clear by Rainbow’s relentless scoffing at it but it had looked nice in the store. In any case, it served its function cheaply enough.

Twilight was feverishly going over all of her calculations and records, and such scattered musings were not complete without a mountain of self doubt, perpetrated by the three other failed pitches she had made earlier in the morning. Why did I have to send Pinkamena away today of all days! I should have made these presentations first, then let her have a day. By the sun, let her have a week! But nooo, you just didn’t think! Just because I came from Equestria they all toss out my boiler idea!

Sitting on the lounge chair, and well clear of the constant stream of sparks threatening to catch the wallpaper on fire, Rainbow Dash tried to keep an eye out for possible threats, but the naval shipyards had guards of its own, so her biggest concern were those very sparks. “Damn, mare, you’d think being in the middle of a blasted dockyard would put a lid on all that zap.”

“Not helping!” Twilight cried, only to clap her mouth shut when the office door started opening.

An earth pony mare poked her head out with a disinterested expression. “Mister Steel will see you now. This way, my lady.”

Jumping a bit, Twilight hastily smoothed her mane as best she could. Here goes nothing. If this doesn’t pan out, I might have to make some riskier investments. She tucked her carpet bag under her wing and looked expectantly at Rainbow.

The trooper was kind enough to remain respectful in public and followed after Twilight without complaint. That didn’t stop her from yawning quietly when no one was looking at her.

It was a short walk from the waiting room towards a grand office. It had a massive window that overlooked one of the only three covered drydocks in Tranquility. Besides the expensive wooden desk covered in papers, and the requisite chairs, the walls were adorned with portraits of pony posing next to past emperors, or warships all in grandiose display. Above the window was a phrase etched in iron ‘You are Tomorrow. You are the Navy.’ Beyond the glass came the sounds of industry that teased at Twilight’s ears. Had she not been shot down at the other three dockyards, she would have been far more inclined to investigate the yard.

Standing before the window was what Twilight initially thought was a unicorn. That is until he turned slightly to face her, revealing he bore the bald wings of a pegacorn. She stumbled a bit, nearly dropping her carpet bag.

A brief scowl appeared on his face, only for his eyes to study her a bit, resulting in his building hostility to creep back down. Deciding to take the initiative, Steel cleared his throat. “Lady Twilight Sparkle, I understand you have a proposition for me.”

“Y-yes, my apologies.” Twilight at least managed to retain some dignity as she cantered over to the desk, prompting the stallion to do the same.

For her part, Rainbow Dash leaned against the wall near the exit. She tried to busy her mind by trying to identify the ships in the paintings.

Twilight spoke far too quickly for her liking, and that of how she was taught. “To - so I don’t take up too much of your time, I’ll be brief. My father and I were Equestria’s chief researchers on Lunarian naval engines and boilers. They became something of a passion of mine, and I toyed with creating my own, but as you can imagine, I didn’t exactly have the legal ability to bring my ideas to life.”

Steel silenced her with a quick swipe of a hoof. “Look, doll, I know exactly what you’re doing here.”

“I - you do?” Twilight stammered a bit too fearfully.

“Yeah, I do.” Steel pulled a cigar from his desk and took his time in lighting it. After a good puff or two, he eyed her as he would a child. “Let’s say I believe you. The only way you could have gotten your mitts on one of our engines is if you took from from the last war. What did you have? A Diver’s crosshead? An oscillator maybe?”

Twilight knew her father’s engine so well she could recreate it right here and now if she had the tools. That included the name that used to be painted on the side. “It was one of Salty Pete’s oscillators, yes.”

A smirk curled around Steel’s cigar as he puffed gleefully. “Ha! Oh how I’m going to love rubbing his nose in that one.” Using a wing to remove the cigar from his mouth, Steel sized Twilight up. “Look, I’m sure you were a big wig researcher among Equestrian circles, but I already have a full development staff, and I really don’t want to bother with the headache of having yet another noble on the team. You lot are a bunch of drama vultures, and everything you could possibly know about engines is obsolete by what? Twenty, thirty-ish years? It’d be easier if you were a fresh academy graduate.”

“I did spend the better part of a month on a newer merchantmare, so I’d like to think I know so slightly more up to date information.” Twilight knew the Sea Hopper wasn’t exactly state of the art, but it had to do. She knew refusal was coming the moment he had opened his mouth, but she had suffered it three times already and by damn she wasn’t going to take it a fourth time. “Not only that, but it let me improve the math on my designs. Let me ask you this then. Are your latest ships still using firetube boilers?”

Steel was initially annoyed by the interruption, but he didn’t voice it right away as he was mildly surprised she even knew what that was. Instead he grumbled a bit before puffing on his cigar some more. “Salty Pete wasn’t making those back then. Did you see one of those types on the boat over?” Barely a moment after he asked the question he dismissed it with a wave. “Doesn’t matter. Yes, we are. But one of my researchers has promised me a new type of boiler in the works that’s supposed to be a sizable step up.”

Finally a grin of her own came to life. Twilight pulled out several papers from her bag, shuffled them a bit so the order was correct before placing them in front of the increasingly disinterested stallion. “As I mentioned, I’ve got my own kind of boiler, but this one is fully drafted: a watertube. If my math is right, it should offer a sizable increase in steam pressure from the firetube boiler the Sea Hopper had, it was ahhh… a Pond Lilly class merchantmare. And at the same time, taking up far less space onboard since it largely combines the firebox and boiler into a single piece. I could fit two of my watertubes on that ship.”

“A Pond Lilly? That’s a high claim…” Steel skimmed the diagrams in front of him, along with the dimensions off to the side. The longer he looked, the higher his right brow rose.

He’s taking the bait! Seeing she had an opening, she slid towards the front of the desk. She couldn’t spare any mental effort to silence her sparkling horn. Every thought was to seal the deal. “Think of the power two such boilers could produce for the space of one. The navy’ll be begging you for contracts.”

Still leaning against the far wall, Rainbow Dash perked an ear at the sound of that. She pushed off the wall to keep a closer ear out.

Twisting his snout in disapproval, Steel looked up at Twilight. “I suppose it might have potential, if you were trying to sell this to the Royal Navy. We’ve had firetube boilers for a decade now, Just not on ships yet.” Steel remarked offhandedly, causing a shadow of doubt to fall over Twilight. He sighed and tapped the ash off his cigar. “Look, since you at least have a work up of one I suppose keeping mum won’t matter now. The new type I’ve been promised is much like yours, just not so… miniaturized yet.”

No, not again! Twilight was awashed with desperation while jabbing a hoof at her work. “Your competition kept claiming the same thing. Merchant’s Creed thirty seven: the early investor reaps the most interest. I have a ready designed firetube right here and now. I can work out any kinks it may have with a prototype or two. Even if this only buys you a year ahead of everypony else, that’s a long time to get rich off it, yes?”

Flashing a bit of dismissive impatience, Steel stood up to eye Twilight with a dour frown. “All of that profit would undoubtedly be lost from licensing from you. The throne would never allow me to have an exclusive contract on this if your claims are true.” He jerked his head towards the attentive lieutenant. “She’d inform her superiors about it, so my investments in prototyping and the like would be a waste.”

“But -” Twilight wracked her brain to try and think of a counter-argument, but the day’s series of failures was catching up to her. It was late, and she had skipped lunch and dinner trying to make so many meetings all in one day. She was hungry, tired, and worst of all, she had sent Pinkamena away on the one day she needed her most. Her aristocratic mannerisms were close to falling apart when a rather brutish throat clear came from behind her.

Rainbow Dash started to stalk towards the two. “Well, if you’re going to drag me into this, Mister Steel, I might as well say something.” Both pegacorns looked at the intrusion with mixed bewilderment, and regret on Steel’s part. “Here’s what I’m hearing. She’s got a fancy new boiler that I don’t need her sale’s pitch to know the navy would want it, and I hear you not wanting to bother.”

“It’s not that simple,” Steel fumed hotly. “The navy’s got the taxpayer, but I have to face the admiralty, and to be frank, I trust my own researchers over a machine cooked up by an Equestrian.”

Twilight huffed at the derisive insult. She knew what she had to say right off the bat, but her heart made her hesitated almost too long to be impactful. “A former Equestrian.”

“Fine, former. The point is, it’s a fool idea, and I want no part of it,” Steel growled before jabbing a hoof at Rainbow. “You might be the soldier here, but you don’t run a shipyard like mine without making friends. Just try going above my head, and I’ll ruin you.” At that, Rainbow hesitated, unsure on how to continue. Pressing his advantage, Steel continued, “Even if the boiler works as advertised, the Royal Navy is no match for the fleet when it comes to speed and maneuver. This isn’t a sword worth dying on, Lieutenant.”

Incensed by the threat, Rainbow Dash spoke behind bared fangs. “Oh yeah? I should be telling you the same thing. See, if there’s one thing I-” An idea struck her so hard she stumbled a bit, her snarl dying in an instant. “Wait a second…” She scrutinized Twilight, making the mare jump a bit with the intensity. “You said you can fit two of them on a ship?”

“Well, provided the ship was designed from the keel up for them, yes. They’re small enough to fit two for every one firetube.”

Centering her focus back on Steel, Rainbow now spoke as somebody on a crusade. “You know, buddy, I drink with a lot of sailors, and I hear things. They never have enough space.”

“And?” Steel grumbled impatiently. “Ships have to be cramped in a lot of places,” he added while puffing his cigar. “Take a look at the warship behind me. It’s due to be completed within the next few weeks, so secrecy isn't so necessary now.”

The two mares shared a look before Twilight’s mood completely swung to that of ecstatic curiosity and she, with as much dignity as she could muster, bolted for the massive window.

There, stretching to four hundred and twenty feet, was a warship that might at first glance look much like a longer, militarized version of the Sea Hopper. It had rows of cannon ports and the like, but one thing Twilight noticed within moments was the hull itself was iron and no paddlewheels. “Amazing! I knew Shiny was right. You really do have ironclads!”

Steel’s eyes widened considerably, and his proud grin at the fawning his creation was receiving evaporated like snow in a desert. He jumped out of his chair in a mild rage. “Who is Shiny?!”

Twilight let off a surprised ‘eep’ before shaking it off. “He’s my brother. A general in the Royal Army.”

Having heard of Twilight’s defection in the paper, the dots connected in his mind. He slammed a hoof on the desk. “Damn it all to Tartarus! Either I, or one of the other yards has a security leak to deal with.”

Rainbow Dash was not exactly happy about it either, and while the warship indeed looked impressive, it did not address her concern. “I’ll pass that message along the chain, in case Lady Twilight’s reports haven’t already informed the emperor.”

At first, Steel wanted to keep such a leak quietly dealt with, but with a military officer hearing about it, and the leak potentially occurring from a competitor, he wasn’t going to argue. “Fine, fine. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an audit to organize.”

Despair briefly flared within Twilight, only for get to conjure an idea just as he turned impatiently to tell her to leave. “Mister Steel, perhaps it best we reconvene later this week? Perhaps at one of your foundries so I could build a prototype?” His first response sputtered at the audacity of trying to continue. “After all, if warning you about this leak isn't enough to be given a shot, and I have to build and refine it out of house, then the licensing approval process could take a very long time for you.”

While sorely not in the mood to entertain the meeting any further, Steel managed to snort in amusement. He claimed his chair and collected paper and pen. “I'm almost starting to like you. Tell you what, as payment for your service today. You pay for building the prototype using my foundry, and if your boiler proves useful enough, I'll be the first to license it.”

“Agreed.” Twilight presented a hoof, to which Steel shook without looking away from his desk, but he at least had the courtesy to push her papers off to one side. Once Twilight collected her things, she thanked him and left. I’m going to have to buy Rainbow her favorite drink for this.

After quickly gathering her things, and setting up a date and time with the secretary, the mares found themselves back on the street with the late afternoon sun at their backs. Twilight dropped her carpet bag on the sidewalk and leaned tiredly against the brick wall protecting the shipyard. “That... I thought for sure I was done for until you spoke up.” She leveled a grateful smile at the trooper who was searching the skies for her relief. “For what it's worth, you wear the gold bars well.”

Huffing irritably, Rainbow idly scuffed the ground. “I swear, if Butterscotch is dumb enough to still be waiting at Barq's Steelworks I'm going to punt him into next week.” Finally turning to address Twilight's compliment, Rainbow could only grumble with directionless irritability. “Thanks, I guess. It looks like I might be stuck with you all day, and I have a private to reprimand later.”

"Ahh." Twilight frowned a bit until she started glancing about towards the surrounding establishments. “Say, in celebration, how about we visit a lounge?“

Rainbow Dash's mood perked up a bit. “Can't drink on duty, and I'd prefer a pub.”

Nodding in understanding, Twilight got off the wall and walked over to stand beside Rainbow, then gestured towards the city with a wing. “We can wait until you are relieved, then I can't think of a better idea to unwind than to unleash a sergeant in officer uniform on the poor uptight snobs who can't kick you out on principle.”

“The only thing I'd want to do in a lounge or pub or whatever is drink and brawl.”

Laughter rolled off of Twilight like calm rain. “Oh, my poor fresh lieutenant. Do you really think junior officers are any different when the rank and file aren't present?” She pulled Rainbow along with a wing, headed towards a lounge she had spotted on the way to the shipyard. “Let me tell you some stories about the Sunny Apple. My brother and his friends were quite the bruisers when push came to shove.”

Sufficiently enticed, Rainbow followed along with a genuine smile. “Did you ever join in?”

Tilting her nose up in an exaggerated flourish, Twilight let go, but kept walking. “Merchant's Creed one forty seven: People love the bartender. It is not my fault ponies can talk too loudly, and it is a lady's duty to see her honor is maintained.” She winked at Rainbow. “That armor back in my room wasn't just for show.”

”Oh ya? Prove it. Tonight.”

The challenge was made. One that Twilight had hoped Rainbow would make, making her give a tactful grin. ”Should the need arise.”

13: The Match is Struck

Weeks melted into months while Twilight toiled away in a dream come true. She found Steel’s day shift researchers were quicker to be impressed by her invention. With them spurred on by the thrill of simple technological advancement, and the siren song of steam engines, Twilight had found kindred spirits.

The hour was late, and Steel’s foundry was perpetually hot. The day shift staff had retired, but that only meant Twilight had the night shift to carry on the tireless work of a mare’s passion. They had not taken a shine to her nearly as much since they had a boiler much like hers planned. Twilight’s arrival meant over a year’s worth of work was wasted.

Currently, Twilight was awash with sweat, and her work coveralls were deeply stained in grease and soot as she was neck deep in the revised iteration of her watertube boiler. Applejack was at her side, allowed only because of her being an indentured servant. The orange mare wiped her brow with a stained rag before releasing a tired breath. Twilight had grown up not unjustly paranoid that non-family would try to sabotage her successes due to her tribe. Such paranoia translated quite well to others holding her place of birth against her. As such, both mares were inspecting her boiler for any sign of tampering.

“Well, Boss, Ah think that just about does it.” Applejack cast her eyes over the machines, a prideful grin on her worn out face. “Ain’t no sign of anypony messing with it.”

Showing no less fatigue, even though her horn sparked constantly, Twilight nodded in agreement. “Thank the Light.” I thought for sure Bell Weather would try something. She looked back towards Steel who had been informed the test would be ready by the hour. This was one claim Twilight definitely kept. Wiping her brow as clean as she could, Twilight slid out from the inlet pipes, and cantered over to within earshot. “Sir, we’re ready to proceed.”

His own horn crackled with lightning as he pulled out a pocket watch. He let off an amused snort before returning it to his vest. “I’ll give you one thing, Lady Twilight, you are punctual if nothing else.” He turned to look further down the foundry and spotted a coal team wheeling in several bins.

Upon seeing the same thing, Twilight pulled her thankfully clean horn suppressor out and started to put it on, only for Steel to eye her with amusement.

“No need for that,” he almost laughed.

Both Applejack and Twilight shared a confused look. “Why? A spark might ignite coal dust.”

“Do you really think I wouldn’t account for that in my own yard?” he asked almost derisively as his own horn continued sparking occasionally. Steel pointed up to the ceiling where several industrial fans were being opened by pulleys. “City power will run the fans until the engine has enough steam so there won’t be enough build up for either of us to cause a fire.”

Cooing in admiration, Twilight put her suppressor back in its pocket. “Wish somepony had told me about that weeks ago. Still, I know what I’m doing when I eventually open my own shop.”

While the two pegacorn had spoken, the coal team had already set up and waited for Steel to give the word.

They didn’t have to wait long for him to notice the lack of activity and shook a wing at them. “Alright, boys, get to work.”

Twilight and Steel took position near the read out station for the boiler while Applejack and some other engineers watched over the attached engine and transformer that fed the rest of the yard.

The fire teams were quite skilled and got the boiler going in short order. As soon as the fires lit off, Steel started the clock. “Just in case you forgot, you’re not competing with my firetube boilers, we already know watertubes perform better. I’m just here to make sure your miniaturized of that type actually measures up to land based models. That means it better not have a steam explosion or you’ll never work on a yard again so long as I live.” He leveled a critic eye at Twilight who started to grow nervous. “As you well know, we pegacorns have long lives.”

Giving off stuttering laughter, Twilight leaned. Not Applejack’s ear. “You’re completely absolutely positive there wasn’t even a hint of tampering on the boiler?”

“Triple checked just like ya said to,” Applejack replied almost too defensively. Ya don’t think Steel did anything do ya?”

“No, he’s got profit to be made on this if my design works. But that tramp Black Creek on night shift? Ohhh I know she’s up to something.”

Steel’s amusement was fading fast, and he tapped a hoof impatiently. “Do I have to reschedule?”

The irritation in his tone made Twilight practically jump away from Applejack to bow a bit at him. “N-not at all. We can get started right away.” Trying to hide her jitters and instead focus on finally earning a living through her passion, Twilight was still left a bit unsteady on her hooves. Passion or not, paying for the use of the foundry had eaten a third of her remaining funds. Still, she was optimistic. “I fully understand you're incredibly busy. Progress waits for no pony after all, and I think you’ll be quite pleased.”

“That remains to be seen,” he stated flatly as he eyed the clock again.

Over the next several minutes, Twilight was hardly a passive observer during the test. She watched the workers like a hawk, and even went so far as to check a few pieces of coal in the off chance there was any sign of sabotaging her test.

Barely four minutes in, she noticed the fire door into the boiler was left slightly open when it was unnecessary, and that the second bin had wet coal under the dry top layer. Both issues were handled promptly, with Steel docking pay for the workers responsible.

Twilight had been given the option to press for greater punishment, but she had declined in the end. No point in it. They are not the ones who have quarrel with me. And hopefully I never have to work with Black Creek again after today.

As time passed, the group watched the needles rise. Through it all, Steel kept a calm, if expectant composer, but he couldn’t hide his internal excitement with his horn sparking almost as constantly as Twilight’s own. Twilight nearly lost herself in the excitement of seeing her creation, the one she had dreamed and repeatedly drafted and redrafted for years based solely off incomplete material science she had to guesstimate on her own, finally roaring to life.

When nothing broke down or failed by the time Steel stopped the clock with an impressed whistle from his lips, Twilight roped Applejack into an ecstatic hug and started jumping up and down crying out in victory, the engineer was caught up in the good mood and joined in. Weirdest boss I’ve ever had, but Ah can’t complain.

Steel let the mares have their moment before cutting in. “Amazing. You’ve matched the best land-based watertube boiler on the market that’s also small enough to put on a fourth rate vessel! I’d tip my hat to you if I was wearing one.”

Beaming with pride, Twilight wanted dearly to rev in the moment, but even now she was still aware of Steel’s gift of patience. “I take it you’re agreeable to contract seven?”

Shaking his head with a side-grin, Steel gave the order for the workers to cut steam and shut the boiler down. “You've more than delivered your promises. Seven will do fine.” Steel’s amusement dipped drastically. “We should talk further in my office.”

Steel’s office had changed little since Twilight was first there. The only real difference was the rolled up contracts on top of the desk. It was a quirk of Steel’s to write up multiple copies in the event an acquisition was still intriguing but not at advertised quality. He claimed a seat and motioned for Twilight to take the visitor chair as he discarded all but the relevant contract. “Sit, please.”

The walk over to the office had been disturbingly quiet, outside of brief, meaningless small talk. This time, Twilight did as told and held her tongue, unsure of what he was leading to.

The intervening silence had left Steel uncomfortable as well, and he pulled a drawer open to claim a cigar. “I’ll be the first to give you formal congratulations for the boiler. The benefits of this boiler warrant pushing back the Warrior’s launch to install it. Even if the Navy is being impatient, I’ll see to it they are made aware of the improvements this will entail.”

Twilight couldn’t help but to smile from pride. “I’m sure the benefits will placate the admiralty for any delay.”

Lighting the cigar, Steel took a few puffs before speaking again. “Undoubtedly. And yet it is the admiralty that is causing a major concern, and not without reason.” He sighed slowly, warring with himself on if he should even speak about it. To her credit, Twilight remained silent as well, letting him think. “... I received a report from the navy a few hours ago, and they claim the leak about ironclads came from two yards. …Including mine.”

Twilight covered a gasp with a hoof. “Oh my. Were the spies apprehended?”

“The ones we found out about.” He tapped the ash onto a tray. “Everypony is looking for spies and scapegoats, and I’ll be honest, your name came up.”

“What!?” Twilight leapt out of her chair and planted her hooves on the desk. “How does that even work? I arrived here long after that leak could have occurred.”

“No pony is saying you’re the cause of the leak,” Steel placated, clearly irritated with the whole business. “But some are claiming you’re the replacement spy. My friend wouldn’t, or couldn’t elaborate enough to give me a name, but discretion is why he has his position in the first place.”

Feeling as if her very honor as a highborne noble was being tarnished with every word, Twilight pleaded with him. “You have to believe me, I couldn’t have leaked anything! Not that I want to, either,” she added quickly. Twilight had to fight the urge to glance back at the office door where one of Rainbow’s subordinates was currently watching them. The pegasus stallion was agreeable enough, but the last thing she wanted was him having any excuse to distrust her anymore than normal. “Nevermind the fact I have not mentioned a word about our work since the first day I came to your yard, save to Applejack and my-,” For a moment, Twilight wasn’t sure what to call Pinkamena, but came up with something quickly enough. “Majordomo, Pinkamena.”

“I do believe you wouldn’t do something unbecoming on you… intentionally.” To her horrified expression he simply puffed again, taking little joy out of it. “Look, some of the other research staff have mentioned overhearing you talk about work at the local lounges and once at the Exchange. With the audit proving the leak came from my yard, I’m in enough hot water as it is.”

Twilight’s first reaction was to stutter and huff until she could finally make a coherent reply from under her intense indignation. “Sir, I have had to be discrete my whole life! Working on unsanctioned machines, harboring borderline illegally kind treatment of Equestrian slaves, trying to weasel my way into the abolitionist movement. I know how to keep my mouth shut! All of these insinuations are bunk.” A small voice in her head mentioned her lack of success in all that, but she kept it quiet.

Sighing heavily, Steel tapped his cigar on the tray. “Look. As I said, I don’t think you would do this intentionally. But do you recall the first day we met? You offhandedly mentioned your brother, an Equestrian military officer, knew about our supposedly secret ironclads.”

“But-” Twilight didn’t expect that, but countered quickly. “All of my Equestrian secrets are to be given up to my new liege and all who serve him are they not?”

“Merchant’s Creed seventy four: knowledge equals profit.” He gave her an unamused raised eyebrow. “I’m sure you’re familiar with that one.” Twilight grew silent, begrudgingly nodding her head. “Let’s say your deal with the emperor said you forfeit all secrets to his servants, you didn’t inform me about the leak as a warning or a bargaining chip. You said it,” he thumped the desk with a hoof, “without thought.”

“And because of these rumors,” Twilight began while sitting back down in a dark mood. “You think that was more than just a one-off.” She sighed when he inclined his cigar at her in acknowledgment. Irony is, he probably told these ponies about my slip without thinking either, so he trapped both of us. As gratifying as it might have been to call him out on that, there was a measure of grace to be had in accepting defeat with dignity.

“It doesn’t help the fact that few would care if you took the fall,” Steel continued when she looked away to think. “Oath or not, you’re an Equestrian by birth, you don’t have any friends to incense should you go down for this, and outside of this office I don’t think many ponies understand just how much you can bring to the table,” he ended while knocking the ashes off his cigar. “And to speak of the elephant in the room, you’re the lone member of a brand new house who hasn’t paid off the debt the emperor demands of you. As far as the other houses are concerned, you’re both illegitimate and an interloper. I’m doing you a favor by removing you before too many hooves point in your direction.”

He’s doing both of us a favor is what he really means... But he’s right, and I haven’t been here long enough to start burning bridges just to save face. Squaring up her posture, Twilight spoke with measured neutrality. “If that is how things must be, then there’s no point in arguing. Shall we wait until we have cooler heads, or just sign the contract now?”

Hiding his gratitude she didn’t cause a scene behind a head shake, Steel puffed a bit more on his cigar. “I’m already irritating the admiralty by delaying the Warrior as it is.” Picking up the correct contract, Steel scribbled out a signature and turned it over so Twilight could do the same. Once she did so, he felt a knot in his chest unravel a bit, and rolled it up and put it aside. “I just need an address for where you wish to send the prototype. You paid for parts and labor after all. Additionally…” Feelings of guilt soured his mood almost enough for him to backpedal the whole conversation. “The watertube performed better than advertised. I’d say an extra ten percent should cover things. Off the books.”

Twilight instantly shook her head while she claimed some paper and a pen to write down the information. “You can keep the original price so long as you promise these false rumors you’ve heard about me are either kept from the admiralty, or barring that, you deny their validity when asked. I will leave your employ to simply explore new avenues of fulfillment.”

In truth, Steel knew what she was asking was worth far more than ten percent, but there was more to the equation of a pony’s worth. He thought it over a bit before nodding. “I never asked you what drove you away from Equestria. But I’ll be damned if I’m the first stone to force you to go back. You got a deal.”

“That oath you discounted so much,” Twilight began with her head held high. “Means something to me at least.”

It took less than a few minutes to confirm some final details with each other. After sharing brief farewells, Twilight departed his office, leaving Steel with a foul taste in his mouth. He bitterly dug his spent cigar into the ashtray, and looked across the room to the decanter of scotch calling him from the wall mounted shelves. His poor mood making him thirsty, he made his way over and quickly poured himself a glass. Before downing it however, he remembered something, and looked down at an envelope he had dismissed months ago.

Sipping his scotch, he claimed the envelope off a shelf, and pulled its letter out. Printed at the top it read, A call to all Moon Blessed pegacorns...

“Hmph. What is more moon blessed than a name that means the passing of day to night?”

Twilight ran into Applejack and Pinkamena waiting for her at the security gate. The aristocrat had used the long walk between Steel’s office and the gate to cool off and regain her inner composure. A fact made easier since Rainbow’s subordinate was all too happy to avoid small talk.

Applejack was chewing on some overly tough jerky while Pinkamena had been pacing with nervous energy. Strapped to Pinkamena’s back was a bunch of rubber bananas securely bound by twine. Upon seeing Twilight cantering towards her, Pinkamena sagged momentarily with relief, only to instantly pep back up and race over to her side. “Thank the su-moon. I thought you might have been arrested or something.”

Twilight handed over her contractor pin to the gate guard before eyeing her old friend with a bemused look. “What possessed you to think that?”

“Well -erm,” Applejack admitted with a shaky grin. “Security kinda threatened to boot me outta there if I didn’t start walkin’ the instant Steel pulled you aside. I figured something fishy was going on, and started insisting on going with you.”

Caught between disappointment in her fortunes, and curiosity about the fake fruit, Twilight gestured further down the road so they all started walking, mostly so they were out of earshot from the guard shack before she regaled what happened in his office.

Applejack tsked after hearing it all. “Can’t say Ah didn’t see it comin’. An Equestrian fresh off the boat that designed a better boiler than one of the best yards? You ticked off a lotta brains with that one.”

“She’s not Equestrian anymore,” Pinkamena growled while nervously eyeing passers by. “She swore an oath, remember?”

“Ya really think that matters outside the law? It don’t change where she was born an’ raised.” Applejack was quick to add with a placating hoof wave at Twilight. “Not that Ah hold it against ya or nothin’, best to be honest with ourselves, right?”

Twilight waved a wing at Pinkamena to calm her down. “If my staunchest native supporter still thinks this way, then we must make do with what clout we can muster.” Glad to see Pinkamena stopped glaring at Applejack, Twilight focused on the road ahead of her. “Things being what they are, a sale is still a sale. Applejack, I must insist on inviting you and your family to a diner of your choice for tomorrow.”

“What? Really?” The engineer rocked back a pace in surprise before leaning back over to Twilight’s side as they slipped past a street corner. “Wh- Ah mean, sure thing.” A massive smile crossed her face as a singular idea struck her lightning quick. “The Orchard’s Choice has the best surf and turf and apple pies this side of the pond, believe me.”

“Sounds delicious.” Turning to her childhood friend, curiosity finally got the better of her. Twilight couldn’t help but to reach a wing towards the bananas, just to make sure they weren’t some strange prank being pulled. “You didn’t happen to bring me a snack did you?”

Pinkamena was momentarily confused, having completely forgotten about her passengers, only to let off snorting giggles after seeing them. “Oh, these? They’re tickets to see a new comedy act at the Stomping Theater by the comedian’s own request.”

The other mares were left so confused they stopped dead in their tracks. “Bananas?” Twilight asked dumbly.

“As tickets?” Continued Applejack with equal bewilderment.

“I know! Isn’t it just so perfect?!” Pinkamena was practically bouncing on her hooves like a beach ball of energy. “I was hoping to invite you, Applejack, and her family.”

Glad to see Pinkamena so openly happy, only one possible answer could have passed Twilight’s lips. “Sounds fun, I’d love to go.”

“Well, Ah don’t know ‘about Granny, but Ah’m sure Apppebloom would love it,” Applejack stated with a dubious shrug.

“Let’s make a day of it then!” Twilight suggested quickly. “Dinner and a show to celebrate our first major success!” A cheer erupted from the three, earning an array of looks and glares at passersby that they ignored.

Opting to walk the city, rather than snag a carriage, it was nightfall by the time they returned to the former griffin embassy.

Standing at the gate with some slips for a faster ride home, Applejack almost let Twilight slip inside the building before calling out to her. “Beggin’ your pardon, but have ya got any plans for work? Ah ain’t exactly all that useful dealin’ with suits, just coveralls and uniforms.”

Mildly snorting at the joke, Twilight ended up shrugging helplessly. “I wish I knew, honestly. It takes connections, friends, and warehouses to run the kind of merchant operation I’m used to with my family back west. We were a family of old money, so I was never taught how to start from scratch. This whole thing with the boiler was just to get some startup capital, is all.” She felt a pall fall over her mood. “It’ll be a big help, but I’ll just have to jump and see where I land.”

That was about what Applejack feared. Nothing in that plan had anything to do with her or her wrench. Ah still owe a year. If she don’t have a need for me, she might have to let me go to who knows who.. Having a boss as forgiving as Twilight holding her contract was uncommon, and worse yet, could lead Applejack to being forced away from her family again.

Similar thoughts struck Twilight as she stood in the doorway, not fully able to meet the engineer’s eyes. She's been such a big help, and I’d hate to have her just sit around with nothing to do but bookkeeping, and something tells me she‘a the type who needs to keep herself busy. Maybe I should just rip her work contract up and let her be free of it. That way I can just hire her later as a regular employee when the need arises.

“Why not keep the whole invention ball rolling?” Applejack blurted out, derailing Twilight’s train of thoughts. When Twilight refocused on her, Applejack pointed in the general direction of her family’s shop. “An old stallion called Gold Tressel’s been lookin’ for investors in an oil engine a’ his. Maybe you could be a bit more hooves on with him and the three of us work on it together.”

“An oil engine?” Twilight halted in her tracks with her ears painfully stiff at the news. She cradled her chin in a wing. “Going from solid to liquid fuel. Now that’s an interesting idea. Being a liquid that burns easily makes things both easier and harder in so many delightfully different ways. Yesss…” Her thoughts were already awash with ideas on how she could rework her boiler to use oil, or perhaps… I could go the extra mile and find a way for a machine to run on oil without needing to boil water. Wouldn’t that be a trip? The sheer audacity of that extra mile gripped her like a vice, and her decision came within a matter of seconds. “I love it. Applejack, I wish for you to set me up with an introduction with this Golden fellow. I still need to sell my boiler to the yards first, but I love this idea.”

An equally big smile graced Applejack’s muzzle. “I’ll get with him first thing in the mornin’.”

Rarity had not been idle in the passing months. Presently, she sat in a passenger rail car in one of Equestria’s sparingly used trains. Unlike the coal driven originals in Lunaria, the Equestrian train was pulled along via magical means. However, its power requirements relegated it to military or crown use only. Having started from Canterlot station, most of the train’s original passengers and cargo had disembarked along previous stops, but a sizable number of soldiers and material were headed to the same place Rarity had been ordered to go.

Sitting in the same passenger cabin were the three members of her team: Fluttershy, an early middle aged earth stallion from the army, and a lime green unicorn named Lyra Heartstrings.

Fluttershy was content to watch the countryside fly by through the window. Given how exceedingly rare druids were in the employ of civilized ponies, she opted to dress plainly, just enough to conceal various totems, reagents, and a family of squirrels in her saddlebag.

The stallion who was nearest to the door was blushing as he read a little black book of adult literature. Like many of his type, his firearm rested on the bench with him like a lover he cared for with his life. Its fresh wood polish still tickled the air with its coy scent. His time worn, yet well cared for uniform was pressed and clean of the dirt and mud it often found itself covered in.

Lastly, Lyra was plucking away at the instrument that was her name sake. Eccentricities showed themselves readily with Lyra as she did not use hooves or normal magic techniques in playing her instrument. The odd mage’s magic formed into a pair of five digit ‘claws’, by Rarity’s reckoning, both holding the lyre against her neck, and plucking the strings. The musician had found a way to synchronize her tune with the steady thump of the train tracks. Resting behind the lime green unicorn was a highly expensive aluminum warstaff, both it and steel were still a rarity among the mage corps who tightly clung to the age-old use of precious metals, ivory, or wood for the staff. This one was capped by brilliant ruby and sapphire that were protected in a small cage of steel. It had been Lyra’s only unusual condition in joining Rarity’s retainers. Under the seat, the warmage stashed four gallon-sized leather skins of water she wore into battle.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Vinesburg. If only it could stay that peaceful sleepy little town I remember. A shame mom and dad moved away years ago when all the hullabaloo started, but that’s probably for the best.

With their arrival approaching, Rarity addressed the musician, more to stop any distractions than anything else for the briefing she had planned. “Lyra,” she said, causing the neon green mare to cut her playing off in an instant. “I trust that you have you read up on our destination.”

Snapping a poor, yet well meaning salute, Lyra put her instrument down. “Vinesburg, Inquisitor. Used to be a small farming community until the last war which saw the Lunaria annex land all the way up to four miles from the outer farms. I believe the crown issued a general relocation decree five years ago right before the green dragon stream migrated there.”

“Very good.” Rarity looked to Fluttershy who had turned away from the window to listen. “You’re most attuned to the streams, what do you know of them?”

“Umm… well.” Fluttershy had to stop herself from digging nervously at her cotton seat. “Dragon streams are the largest of the ley lines that cover the planet. Many of the orders migrate with the lines to-” Fluttershy briefly grew irritated, “protect nature from aberrations the streams might create when they cross. That is unless the um - the streams cross over cities. Dragon streams seem to bring out the worst in ponies, more so than a full moon, so they stay away to keep from being blamed for things.”

“That and for being weird free huggers,” the stallion chimed in while closing his book and winking at the shy pegasus. “Glad to see not all a’ ya are ugly hermits, Sweet Cheeks.”

“They umm,” Fluttershy tried to keep from hiding her face, but only managed to keep one eye uncovered by her mane. “They don’t really believe in shampoo, so you can’t blame them for that.”

“I certainly will anyway,” he mused with a derisive smirk at no one in particular. His good humor was blunted at seeing Rarity’s silent displeasure. He coughed and turned his smirk into a more friendly smile. “Sorry. Had a few dozen run-ins with the Willow Sages a while back. Scraggly bunch, believe me. I swore half a’ them had mange the last time I saw them.”

Despite herself, Fluttershy actually tittered at the jest, defusing much of Rarity’s building reprimand. “Oh I remember them. The Council of Stewards always made sure orders like them had seats that were downwind with a strong breeze.”

The stallion slapped the bench with a hearty laugh. “Ha! That’s why I like you, Butterball.”

Rarity gave an approving nod at the camaraderie, patience having proved to be the correct course. “Mockery of the hygiene impaired aside, Color Sergeant Lock Stock, I trust you know the importance of Vinesburg in recent years. I'd rather not having to advise you in the midst of house fire again.”

Sudden seriousness fell over his face, as he wasn’t sure just how casual he could get with Rarity directly before getting booted back to his unit in disgrace. “The dragon stream lets us grow gem grapes. Good for everything between heating field mess kits to musket balls.” He eyed her cautiously. “Ya still haven’t given us the faintest idea why we’re going there. The stuff’s important, sure, but that’s what the garrison is for. Not us.”

“How astute of you.” Rarity almost felt like she could trust the train didn’t have any eavesdroppers, but she was not in a profession that mixed well with complacency. She cast a privacy field to protect the cabin. “My superiors have received some troubling reports, and I’m being sent there to correct the course, as it were.”

It was late in the day when the train arrived at Vinesburg. The last remaining troops, barely a platoon’s worth of soldiers, disembarked along with a resupply for the garrison. Crates full of unprocessed gem crystals were being loaded on with almost choreographed efficiency.

Rarity’s white and gold trimmed long-coat and wide brimmed hat swayed in a breeze as she moved to step onto the platform. The moment that hoof met wood, Rarity felt her heart be gripped, as if by some unseen hand. She stumbled, just far enough for Lyra to squeeze past her, unaware of the shock that had paralyzed Rarity. Breaking free enough to move again, Rarity felt a chill run down her spine, despite the hot summer’s day. She looked up to the sun, only to find dark clouds. Something is wrong here. Like… I’m standing on the edge of a cliff.

The reek of dirty smoke just barely tickled her nose. Not the reek of a trash fire or a cooking pit, but that of a burning building. In the briefest of moments, Rarity’s mind conjured the images of the town before her in flaming ruins.

Just as fast as it had happened the vision was gone, replaced by the small center of a farming town. It’s thatched houses and simple stores returned to their peaceful appearance, even the storm cloud had vanished.

Lock Stock and Fluttershy had walked ahead of Rarity to gauge the town, but Lyra had remained at her side. “...You alright, Inquisitor?” Lyra asked with genuine concern.

Rarity shook it off and shored up her expected airs to those who might be watching, but knew she couldn’t hide from Lyra. “I just received a vision, it seems.”

Lyra’s brow furrowed deeply at the utter lack of enthusiasm of such a thing from an inquisitor of all people. “Something bad, eh?”

Caring her gaze around the small community, as if she would get few chances to do so, Rarity sighed. “Just a reminder of what is at stake with our work… When war comes, I fear Vinesburg will find it difficult to survive.”

“Could have just been the dragon stream,” Lyra offered with a half-questioning tone. “Fluttershy wasn’t kidding about how they can affect ponies, but there’s no telling what until it happens.”

With a silent groan, Rarity wasn’t sure she liked Celestia’s message being demoted to a mundane daydream. “Whatever the case may be, these citizens are right to worry. The Lunarians have an air corps base barely five miles from the border. When the next war begins, they will strike here first.”

Still, Lyra nodded in grim agreement. “As you say, Inquisitor.”

Shaking off as much of her jitters as she could to excuse confidence once more, Rarity led her group to the modest town hall. Her uniform went a long way to keeping her path clear in the garrison town.

She went straight to the mayor’s office as was customary. The stallion secretary she found on the third story reception area looked nervous long before Rarity even showed her face. That anxiety was only compounded by her retainers looking more akin to a band of mercenaries than the usual supplicants. Lyra’s ruby and sapphire capped warstaff and the Sargent’s carbine weren’t helping to put him at ease.

The frazzled unicorn stood up, but couldn’t bring himself to leave his desk. “Madam, if you need to speak with the mayor, she’s in a very important meeting with the garrison commander. I must ask you to wait.”

“The commander’s here? Oh how delightful.” Rarity replied with measured good cheer, on for her to lay a placating hoof on the skittish pony as she walked right by him. “As much as being polite might help, I haven’t the time.”

The thin sweat stains on the receptionist’s color grew considerably as he finally recognized her uniform. “In -In qqqui-”

“Chin up, mad lad,” Lyra piped in, shaking her staff point at him. “We’re not here for you.”

“Yet,” Lock Stock quipped amusingly, right as Rarity thrust the office doors wide open.

Within, a beige mare with a prematurely gray mane was loudly arguing with the pegasus stallion wearing the crisp air armada uniform of a Commodore. Both of them glared at Rarity for the interruption, the condemnation that had been spouting at each other having found a new target, only for such talk to wither away the instant they recognized her dress.

This stunned silence was a guilty pleasure of Rarity’s, but she hid it well behind a friendly mask and a soft spoken tone that unsettled her hosts. “Mayor Mare,” she started with the slightest of smiles and a curt nod, “so good to see you didn’t let last year’s little incident end your political career. Such as it is. Commodore Bunker, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Bunker was the faster of the two to gather his wits and gave a deep bow towards her. “Inquisitor, this is a great honor.”

Stumbling over herself, Mayor Mare prostrated herself far more than was socially required. “Inquisitor Rarity Belle!” she cried, half terrified. “I - ah - Inquisitor, whatever it is, I have had no part in it. I-”

Rarity had closed the short distance by then and pressed a silencing hoof on the mayor’s chin. “Tut tut tut, that remains to be seen. If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear.” Her eyes lingered on the mayor just long enough to ensure the earth pony was listening while she addressed the officer. “It is a pity my visit is not a social one. Ten servants have gone missing in the past two months and now word has it that a week ago, a fire ravaged a tenth of the crops,” she frowned at the commodore who was doing an admirable job remaining cool and collected. “In any other town the fire alone would warrant an inquiry for the loss of such valuable material. With both, however, it is very likely that the culprits are Lunarian saboteurs from their own garrison just across the border. Since local forces have proven insufficient, I have been asked to step in.”

Mayor Mare stood as strongly as she could, but that was barely enough to keep her back straight. “You will of course have my full cooperation, Inquisitor.”

Snorting at the mayor, Bunker was more forceful in his acclaim. “I am Celestia’s humble servant,” He insisted with reverence, giving Rarity a much needed break from her musings. “If there is anything you require of me or my soldiers, you need only to ask!”

In that absence, Rarity finished gathering her wits, and addressed both of them in the same soft spoken manner. “Your words are pious, I respect that. But no pony can remain above suspicion. I will root out the cause of this.” Her gaze was hardened as the loss of servants unwantedly brought her mind back to that night in Manehatten. Holy zeal filled her to never repeat such a failure again. “My current suspicions rest upon Lunarian actors, but one can never be too sure. I will need access to lodgings, maps, and your records rooms.”

The commodore stood in stiff attention. “I must insist you accept my residence during your stay. It sits in a quiet area of the garrison, perfect for meditation and prayer.”

“That is acceptable.” Rarity displayed a convincing, yet false, smile. Is that the act of a genuinely pious pony, or a traitor wanting to keep a close eye on me. Time will tell, my dear Commodore. “We all have errands to do. You will hear from me on the ‘morrow.”

Mayor Mare gave a meek reply. “Yes, yes of course. Any time you deem fit is perfectly fine.”

“Excellent.” Rarity gestured to her group who had remained by the door. “These are my retainers, Fluttershy, Lyra Heartstrings. And Color Sargent Lock Stock. They speak with my authority, answer to them as you would me.”

“I’ll spread the word,” Bunker stated with a curt nod. “Let me say, I am grateful for your arrival.”

“Naturally, as am I,” Mayor Mare added quickly, her voice cracking from the stress.

“That’ll do.” Rarity turned to leave, her retainers parting for her. “Expect me at noon.”

Author's Note

I know these later chapters take longer, but never fear, they'll keep coming.

14: The Fuse is Lit

Cadence stood in the doorway leading towards destiny. And yet she found her legs unwilling to carry her onward, for beyond the doorway and the chest high marble railing of the balcony in front her, still moist from recent rains, waited every pony in Canterlot that could squeeze into the palace courtyard. Nervous energy brought her gaze to Shining Armor who stood stoically on her right flank. His uniform bore a black sash in mourning, but he welcomed her attention with a wink and loving smile.

“You can do this, Love.” It was just a few simple words, but it did wonders to steady Cadence’s nerves. “Just breathe and go out there.”

“The crowds can wait a moment longer if you need it,” Sunset Shimmer offered kindly to Cadence’s left. “Remember what she taught you, and forget your advisors for the time being. The masses must see you as strong and resolute.” Being a civilian, Sunset was only garbed in a black veil.

It still felt odd to Cadence though. Corona practically raised you since you were six, and yet you recovered in a day? I wish I had your strength, or your ability to hide the pain at least. Shaking out of her musings, Cadence nodded hastily. “Yes, yes of course.” Performing that very breathing exercise a few more times, Cadence exhaled enough stress where she felt like she could walk outside without fainting now.

With momentary jitters, she crossed the threshold. It was only a few steps really, But that is all it took for the crowd of ten thousand ponies standing in the courtyard, with a few hundred pegasi perched on what rooftop space the guards allowed, to see their goddess. Despite being a pegasus from birth, Cadence went lightheaded at the sheer drop, and nearly stumbled from the vertigo of staring down so many faces. Both Shining Armor and Sunset noticed Cadence wobble a bit, but could not act to steady her, lest they reveal any weakness in her.

I finally understand what Twilight meant about standing flightless on the edge of a cloud. Sudden remorse compounded onto the sorrow that was already pervasive in her heart. Cadence couldn’t dwell on her lost friend. Not now. Doing her best to stand strong, Cadence spoke to the hushed crowd. “Queen Corona… Has passed into Celestia’s embrace.”

The news confirmed what many already suspected, but it still caused many to weep openly. The queen had lived through four wars, and reigned over two of them, to many, she had been one of the best. Cadence had to resist looking to her husband for comfort. She was queen now, and Cadence had a duty to appear strong in front of her subjects. “Corona was like a second mother to me, as she was to us all. As I accept the burden of the crown, I promise to you all that I will do all I can to live up to her legacy and more.

“The great project of reunifying ponykind will remain our holy mission. Even if it takes another thousand years, my reign will not end until Lunaria has fallen, and our species stands as one!” Though Cadence threw strong conviction in her words, she felt hollow saying them. For in her heart of hearts, she found only disquiet. Cadence stood with her wings flared in silence as cheers erupted from the crowds, echoing her fears that real peace was impossible. Defeating Lunaria... That's what they want to hear. But how can it actually happen? Even Shining only thinks his reforms will at most take the continent. They'll never let us win at sea. The emperor will never accept a peace longer than he needs to recover from a war. Not so long as we continue enstripement.

Is that our fate? To fight each other into oblivion? The crowd’s cheers grew louder when some of the guards took the initiative to slam their spears and add their own warcries to the cacophony. Equestria has rested enough from this long peace. The common folk don't even need an excuse to fight at this point do they? The legacy of the armada of old echoed just as loudly now in Cadence’s soul as it did when she was still a pegasus. What was it that daddy used to say? Conflict lives within us all, not just ponies. The world would go mad without an enemy to fight.

It was not the will wage war itself that left Cadence despondent, but the seemingly unattainable victory over Lunaria. A thousand years of conflict… Perhaps our direction needs a compass.

She gave a few more lines, perfectly delivered words that well hid her lack of enthusiasm. Cadence listened to the crowd chanting her name and soldiers echoing her praises. At that moment, realization struck her. Is that why I’m here? To be that compass? Could I drag our race into a permanent peace, kicking and screaming if need be?

By their very nature, speeches were scripted affairs, and even with this new revelation, Cadence needed time to mull over it further, so when the crowds started to calm a bit, she further silenced them with a gesture, then stepped to one side and ushered Sunset Shimmer forward with a wing. “To aid me in ensuring Celestia’s dream is fulfilled, there is no one more qualified to be my right wing, than Corona’s favored, for despite her age, she has the intellect of one three times her age. May I present, Wing of the Queen Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset was well known in Canterlot, and when she bowed before Cadence, the crowd cheered in approval. “I give my life and my wisdom to you, my Holy Queen, for crown and country!”

Soldiers and citizens alike echoed her oath, “For crown and country!”

Sunset continued on with reverent fervor, surpassing even that of the Inquisition. “A new age is upon us! For the first time in millennia, an alicorn goddess leads our great nation. Lunaria can never again claim any moral right to exist. Which is why her holiness and I have an announcement to both Equestria and Lunaria alike. Those who wish to defect to Equestria, need only approach the Queen, bask in her purity, and be washed of the sin of abandonment their ancestors committed.”

Murmurs ran along the crowd, but it wasn’t as overly negative as Cadence feared it would be. The church always says Luna seduced many away from Celestia’s light, it only makes sense to use that rhetoric against them now. At the very least, these defectors won’t be enslaved. Even still, Cadence questioned just how many would actually accept the offer, genuine or not. I couldn’t get anypony to agree to unstripe those who are already here, but maybe with time… Cadence’s thoughts drifted back to who would have been her future sister in law. If only you hadn’t been chased away, Twilight, maybe together we could have fixed things together. Cadence was glad that Sunset had offered to do most of the speech today, and as her Wing carry on, Cadence slipped comfortably into silence, letting Sunset enthuse the masses.

When it was over, and the three of them retreated to the hallway, Sunset had to take a drink of water to wet her throat before addressing the others. “That went well, your Holiness. I dare say the offer of amnesty was better received than I had feared. It might even prove to be a stroke of genius in unbalancing the Lunarian response.”

Nodding in agreement, Shining Armor put a hoof on Cadence’s withers and gave her a reassuring smile. “Public speaking will get easier, and your first time leading one was a good one.”

Truth or lie, Cadence opted to believe him. “Thanks, honey. I can only hope the emperor doesn’t try to launch a war too quickly. He’s going to see this as a provocation.”

“Everypony will.” Sunset walked over to a nearby guard who handed over a docket before she returned to the couple’s side. “Which is why I already ordered inquisitors to the likely border clashes that are sure to erupt before long.” She handed them over to Shining Armor. “Here, in case your official copy gets… edited.”

Shining Armor fumed, but accepted the documents with a few words of gratitude. As he skimmed it, Sunset addressed them both. “The Lunarian hardliners will come for us, and now that you wear the crown, we’ll have the undisputable just cause to win this war, and however many more it takes to annex Lunaria.” She focused on Shining Armor causing him to look up at her. “Provided your revised tactics work out, and that our generals follow them.”

A grim expression fell over Shining Armor, and he dropped his hoof. “I can not speak too kindly on the common sense of my peers. Salt Spray seems to be coming around at least after the revised trials.” He put the documents back inside the docket for later. “Which is why I would ask for your approval of a new reform I have in mind.”

“Another?” Sunset groaned, barely resisting the urge to rub away a growing headache. “The corps you command might as well be an entirely new branch of the military from the Royal Army. You would not believe how many complains I hear about from lower officers and soldiers who are moved in and out of your command. Until your reforms are tempered in the fires of war, what you’ve already asked for is straining even my patience.”

“Well I would like to hear it,” Cadence commented with a friendly wink to the general.

“I’m sure it is a sound one,” Sunset stated curtly, before the stallion could speak. “Do as you will with your own command, but you should pay heed to how much your peers find you distasteful. A divided army is a defeated army.”

Shining Armor chewed irritably on his cheek. It took him longer than he liked, but he nodded in temporary defeat. “As you wish.”

Cadence roped him into a hug and nuzzled his cheek. “Come on. We should give our final prayers at Corona’s tomb before sunset.”

“Yes, I suppose we should.”

Of them all, Sunset was the most visibly struck by the suggestion, as she dipped her eyes. “Your Holiness. If it is not too much to ask, would you allow me some time to do the prayers in private? I won’t take long.”

Cadence let go of Shining Armor, as the couple’s mood went somber. “Take as much time as you need, Sunset. You above all, knew her best.”

A frigid autumn evening greeted Twilight Sparkle and Pinkamena as they trudged through the streets, coming back from their latest foray into looking for a manor to settle in. The brisk wind tore at their clothes, casting Twilight’s scarf about with wild abandon. Yet the city must work through the cold, and the papercolts were no exception. The mares passed by one such boy waving newspapers and crying out, “Read all about it! Queen Cadence offers amnesty while opening more slaver farms along the border! Disappearances on the mainland at record highs!”

Twilight almost bought a paper, but ultimately declined to. Equestrian papers were full of propaganda with an ounce of truth, no reason to think Lunarian ones are any better. Odd really… It’s not like our nations are lacking in real reasons to fight each other.

One glance at the ponies around her, worryingly proved her correct on both points. Numerous ponies who were reading said newspapers were venting frustrations to their fellows. Righteous anger was thick in the air, and all it would take is the wrong set of eyes recognizing her. Oath or not, you’re an Equestrian by birth, Steel’s words echoed in Twilight’s mind, making her anxious at those around her.

“Amnesty?” scoffed a pony Twilight slid by. “I’d sooner go for a swim with lead boots before I believed that.”

“She’s nothing more than a puppet! I bet she’s not even a real alicorn!” decried another, eliciting growls of agreement.

Twilight had to come to a quick stop when the mare to her immediate left turned to face the previous speaker. “Oh she’s real alright, but those Canterlot nobles have blinded her just like they did to Celestia, believe you me.”

“Why hasn’t the emperor launched an invasion to free her by now?” yelled another, causing a great many ponies to be whipped up in angry agreement. “It’s high time we stormed Canterlot itself!”

I’d better get out of here before they recognize me and wheel out a guillotine. Twilight didn't even want too whisper a warning to Pinkamena in case their accents gave them away. As the pair fled, she made sure not to look into the eyes of any of the rows of ponies on the verge of becoming an angry mob, and went straight for the hotel she was staying at three blocks down. The cold will probably drive them to a bar sooner or later.

The Quiet Embassy was a moderately decent hotel, and hopefully would live up to its name today. It was where Twilight and Pinkamena were staying until they decided where to live for good. The hotel was a pricey, yet tolerable expense now that she had just signed the license agreement with the last shipyard in Tranquility.

Despite the chill rattling Pinkamena’s bones, Twilight’s shivering was more focused on anypony inside who looked about ready to start demanding Equestrian blood. “Let’s hurry and get you by the fire,” she whispered to her life-long friend as she guided them to the lounge instead of the elevator, knowing they kept a toasty fire.

“S-sounds good,” Pinkamena replied behind chattering teeth. Snow whipped into the hotel until the bellhop made sure to close it quickly behind the mares. They exchanged simple greetings with him, as the pair were familiar faces, having resided here for some time now. They were about to do the same to the front desk when the earth stallion occupying it jumped from his chair.

“Lady Twilight, you received a caller while you were out.” He rounded the desk with a note in his mouth.

Wrinkling her brow, Twilight paused and took the note into a wing. “Another suitor or a demand that I leave town?” she guessed with a sigh at the emotional rubber-banding such letters gave her. She fished out a few slips for the appropriate tip and gave it to the receptionist who graciously accepted before returning to his post. “Now that I have an income, every stallion who can stomach a hybrid’s been at my door.”

“You really should look at the silver lining, My Lady,” Pinkamena said with a jittery smile. “Marriage equals legitimacy after all.”

“I suppose we are in short supply of that,” Twilight agreed with a hopeless sigh as she read the note. “It was a Mister Clipped Wing. Apparently he’s from that pegacorn group.” You'd think he'd have enough self respect to get a new name. Twilight crumpled the note and started walking towards the lounge fire to dispose of it.

Following after her, Pinkamena was feeling warm enough to stop her chattering teeth. “You mean the ones who Steel recommended to us?”

A tired, shivering sigh escaped Twilight. At least with only a scant few pony outside of the staff close by, she felt safe from any possible mob. “Yes, and I already wrote them that I’m not interested.”

“I don’t know, My Lady, they actually sent a representative this time,” Pinkamena eyed the note when Twilight hesitated to discard it into the fire. “Maybe they’re doing more than just humoring him.” Pinkamena laid down on a toasty cushion near the fire. The warmth of it making her melt a little into the downy velvet.

Thinking it over a few moments longer, Twilight eventually shook her head and decided to toss the note anyway. “It’s possible, but I want no part in a pity group. We’re not a real tribe, just some unlucky…” Something ugly was sitting on the tip of her tongue, but she caught herself so Pinkamena wouldn’t chide her for it later. “Doesn’t matter. Cursed or not, I’ll make my own way.” She sat down next to Pinkamena and leaned against her, uncaring of the public space. “Besides, I’m looking forward to working with this Gold Trestle fellow. Applejack made him out to be an agreeable fellow.”

A voice within Pinkamena reeled, saying it was improper for a servant and lady to do as such, but that voice was but a whisper now. Pinkamena closed her eyes to enjoy the company. And there they stayed for a spell, uncaring of passers by.

It was not until the bell tolled when an aged, thready stallion cleared his throat nearby, making both mares jump a bit. “I’m terribly sorry, but you wouldn’t happen to be Lady Twilight Sparkle, would you?” They met a face grinning ear to ear.

His excitable demeanor went above what Twilight had expected from Applejack’s description of the wisened stallion. He must be desperate if he’s this chipper. Applejack mentioned he never had success getting a noble backer. His withered outstretched hoof shook, but she couldn’t tell if it was from age or jitters. Nevertheless, putting her best face on, Twilight stood up and accepted his hoof, while Pinkamena did the same and positioned herself behind her. “That’s right, and you must be Gold Trestle. A pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise, likewise” he replied hastily, sweat threatening to drip from his chin. He at least looked like he was trying to unwind the wire-tight tension that was keeping him emotionally stiff. “Applejack told me you’re interested in investing into bringing my oil engine to life.”

Twilight heard a barely uttered giggle of approval from Pinkamena, but she kept her gaze fixed on the old stallion. “That’s right. I’d very much like to see what you have before I consider any action.” Honestly, I’d rather work with you on it, but my gut tells me he just wants the money.

“Of course, of course,” Gold Trestle shivered a bit and tightened his time-worn coat a little bit more. “My workshop is outside of town.” He hesitated a bit before pulling out a piece of paper. “Which is a relief honestly. The climate around the capital’s gotten rather too hot for my liking, if you catch my meaning.”

Twilight thought back at the growing mob around the newsstands with trepidation. Could that be happening all over the city? I knew Cadence taking the crown would do no favors for the long peace, but this might be going faster than I ever imagined. Perhaps I should be looking for an estate further afield. If for nothing else, than to escape the mobs before they become a problem. Breaking her musings, Twilight used a wing to smooth her static-frazzled mane a bit. “I had other plans today, but perhaps we can go to your house now and wait for things to cool off, yes?”

The beige stallion didn’t bother hiding his relief as he sighed and sagged heavily before catching himself and resuming a more dignified posture. “I thank you, My Lady. Please, my carriage should still be waiting outside.”

Gold Trestle’s workshop was indeed a ways away. Twilight, Pinkkamena, Rainbow Dash, and Gold Trestle himself were riding along as the cobblestone road turned to dusty paths and the blue skies started to tint orange. They had long passed the outer reaches of the city, and yet Twilight and Gold Trestle were still throwing ideas back and forth about inventions both of them had thought of and the excitement only grew on how they might be constructed. The engineering chatter had flown over Pinkamena’s head within hours, but she could still chime in a bit or two about how to procure pieces or materials. Rainbow Dash wisely escaped it all by volunteering as the driver once they passed the city limits so the drivers could depart.

All conversation was cut short when his home finally came into view when they crested a hilltop. Rainbow calling out caused the three other riders to poke their heads out of various windows. There, resting on the bank of a quick moving stream at the base of a grassy hill was a wheelhouse attached to a barn and a weathered two story family home. The mountains behind his property reminded Twilight of home, and she looked out at them with homesickness squeezing her chest. Doing her best to focus on the present, she gazed out longingly at the mountain range stretching south as far as the eye could see. Even from the barely pathed road, Twilight could see the scattered ruins of a stronghold that still clung to the sheer cliffs. Any symbols were too far to identify, but a single wind-torn banner of faded purple remained along the lowest battlement.

Twilight cooed at the prospect of investigating the ruins first hand, and briefly considered the idea of claiming them as her new home. It’d be a pain transporting things up to it, but the view… “Amazing. Who built those?”

Rainbow Dash spoke up with a sandwich in her mouth and crumbs flying with every word until she used a wing to hold it. “That’s Talon Point. Don’t remember the year, but it was the first sky-castle we took from the griffins ages ago. Stopped being manned once we pushed the freaks past the ridge, and the castle was too far away from the frontier.”

Furrowing her brow, Twilight looked the soldier over. “That reminds me. Why haven’t I seen any griffins in Tranquility? This is their homeland right?”

“Was, their homeland,” Rainbow cut in sharply, almost dropping her sandwich. “Now it is ours. And before you ask,” Rainbow added before taking another bite. “Those hybrid freaks eat us. …No offense.” Rainbow grinned sheepishly at Twilight’s slight scowl. “The uh - last war happened because the bastards rounded up half a town and decided to have a buffet. So no, they can rot in the brown plains for all I care. At least until they give us a reason to take that too. Who knows, might be silver there.”

“Oh… how dreadful.” Twilight slid back into the cabin. If they eat ponies, then why did Queen Corona invite a griffin ambassador to Canterlot? Surely there’s a limit to the old ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ adage.

She had no time to share such thoughts with Pinkamena who almost immediately started fussing over Twilight’s hair with a comb now that they were seconds from Gold’s home. Her static frazzled hair was as obstinate as Granny Smith being presented with some pears to eat, but Pinkamena managed all the same. As for Twilight, she weathered the rough combing with the calm demeanor of an admiral.

The carriage came to a rocky stop, jostling the passengers a bit as Pinkamena put on a few last touches to Twilight’s hair. “You really need to grab some of that lightning resistant hair wax.”

“I’ll think about it,” Twilight grumbled. She hated putting anything more in her hair or coat outside of shampoo. A so-called leave-in product? Not happening.

Twilight disembarked the carriage, finding Rainbow Dash already unhitching herself, and had the forethought to brush the crumbs off her uniform that had surely been there moments ago.

Gold’s home was a clash of old and new. It’s timbers were discolored from age, and the wood porch seemed to sag to one side. However there were multiple cloth windmills around the property, two of which were on the roof. Two gleaming chimneys were letting off a steady stream of soot and water vapor. Multiple wind chimes rang the pleasant melody of the easterly winds. The smell of wood rot and machine oil were heavy in the air, all of which teased Twilight with ideas of outright building her home instead of buying one.

A second carriage was parked near the barn. He owns two? Well, if I were looking to garner a patron, I’d want to use a better carriage than that one. I wonder if he rented the one we rode in on. The idle curiosity didn’t bother Twilight until she saw Rainbow strapping on her wrist revolver. The act put her a bit on edge, as Rainbow only did that near the industrial district. Twilight scanned the grounds a bit more thoroughly while Rainbow loaded its six chambers with brass cartridges. The barn was quiet, as well as the house, there were a few cats lounging about, but ultimately nothing that would have set the soldier off.

“Do you live alone?” She asked Gold Trestle as he gingerly stepped off the carriage with Pinkamena’s help.

“Oh no. My wife, Topaz, should be around somewhere. She’s a bit of a napper, and it looks like she left the stove on,” he fussed worriedly at the fuel usage. Make yourselves at home though while I prepare some butterfly tea. If the fire’s still going, then there’s no point in wasting the coal.”

Pinkamena skipped over to Gold’s side. “Maybe she’s making supper. I could help make more portions for all of us if she didn’t expect guests.”

“I could always eat,” Rainbow added as she followed along in the air. Her nervousness had only gotten worse, and she was scanning every visible hiding spot, sensing something the others were blind to. Even her ears were twisting this way and that, searching for anything amiss.

With her belly rumbling from the hours-long ride from Tranquility, Twilight’s agreement made it unanimous. “Merchant’s Creed two hundred fourteen: Never begin a business negotiation on an empty stomach.” She found it difficult to focus on Gold Trestle regale about past inventions anymore with Rainbow’s contagious paranoia. Looking around as well, Twilight couldn’t help but to notice the thinning grasses around the house were at varying heights. They must be short on funds if they’ve resorted to eating the lawn… Or maybe rural ponies just eat it as snacks.

Twilight’s nerves got the best of her and she walked over to be just underneath the thestral so she could whisper up at her as the rest stepped onto the deck. “Is something wrong?”

Reluctant to take her eyes off the house’s curtained windows and corners, Rainbow spared the pegacorn a hasty glance. “Had a dream about this house, or at least one that looks just like it. Can’t remember much except that it was covered in blood.”

She made no effort to lower her voice, but Gold and Pinkamena were so deep in their conversation that they missed her. “It’s just a dream,” Twilight said diplomatically, trying to calm the thestral before her nervous energy could spread to the group.

Leveling a frustrated scowl at Twilight, Rainbow almost said something, but grumbled and returned her gaze to her surroundings. “I hope so.”

Gold led them to the side door, chattering about cooking recipes with Pinkamena, something the mare could talk for weeks about. The interior was a respectable kitchen that Twilight could have easily seen in a Canterlot home. It had two exits into other rooms and a pantry that was closed. Still, it was clean, well kept, and there was the faint pleasant aroma of coffee in the air.

A pity the brew is probably cold and foul by now. I’d rather have that than tea right now.

Gold Trestle tutted in quickly dismissed annoyance as he approached the stove that was indeed still warm. “Topaz, you know better.” He claimed a teapot off the counter, and filled it in the sink. “Please, everypony, have a seat while the water boils. I’ll get Topaz so we can see about dinner.”

Pinkamena was about to respond when a sharp, distinctive click came from the exit leading to the front hall. No one heard it, save Rainbow Dash who, to the alarm of the others, raised her pistol in a flash and fired a shot before the rest of the pony could reveal themselves.

A masculine cry of pain heralded the heavy thump of a body upon the wooden floor. Panic descended on the group. Gold Trestle was stunned to inaction at the sight of a stranger bleeding all over his floor. Pinkamena reacted instantly and shoved Twilight under the table, all while Rainbow aimed at a mare coming in from the other hallway, barely registering the weapon strapped to her wrist before firing a shot, perforating the target’s neck and dropping her in an instant.

Suddenly, the pantry door was kicked open by a unicorn with a simple gun already pointing at the soldier. Rainbow was still in the middle of recocking her revolver when the third assailant fired off a hastily aimed shot, hitting her in the gun-leg. A second mare burst in from the exit and leveled a pistol at Twilight and Pinkamena. “Don’t move!” Rainbow’s screams of pain and curses drew the newcomer’s eyes to her, and then to the fallen soldier’s revolver. She wrenched the strap off, eliciting renewed screams, and tossed it away, to insure Rainbow couldn’t grab at it. Not that the soldier was capable of it as she cradled her badly bent leg, the bullet had hit bone. “Corn Cob, see to the wounded in the front room.”

“Sure, boss,” the pantry unicorn grumbled while levitating a field surgeon’s kit off his back.

An earth pony came in from outside, while a pegasus stallion stepped over the dying mare and fully into the kitchen. “Can’t believe she heard us over all that yammering.”

“She’s a bat, ya idiot,” the mare in charge chided angrily. “He shoulda cocked his pistol before they arrived.” Now that Corn Cob had Rainbow at a closer gunpoint, the soldier focused on the unicorn and subtly bundled her good legs under her to spring at him. The stallion was half distracted by his medical bag, and the others were still watching Gold and the mares.

Before Rainbow could pounce, Twilight cried out to her. “Rainbow, don’t!”

Rainbow’s lunge sputtered right as she attempted it, and all eyes went to her. She glared tear soaked, red-rimmed eyes at Twilight and whisper-shouted. “What are you doing? They’re going to kill us!”

Twilight studied the leader briefly before focusing on Rainbow. “If that were the case, they wouldn’t have brought a medic, let alone offer you aid. Please, let them help you without a fuss.”

A long moment of bewilderment crossed the leader’s face, as if she were shocked Twilight gave the warning at all. Resolve returned her expression to a grim one. “You best do as she says, batsy,” the leader chimed in, her aim never moving from Twilight. “I’d rather not send one of Luna’s soldiers to an early grave, but I will if you force me.”

Seething at her injury, Rainbow Dash dearly wished to stomp them all under hoof, but the amount of blood coming out of her leg forced her to back down. She lowered her eyes in regretful submission. “Fine. But if you mess me up any further I’m biting your nose off.”

The surgeon had to keep from recoiling at the potentially very real threat. “Keep that up, and I’ll wait until you turn bluer than that before bandaging you.”

He dragged Rainbow into the air with his magic, and carried her out into the receiving room. The other ambushers helped move the other injured ponies before they returned to hold the group at gunpoint.

The pause from Rainbow’s removal gave Twilight a chance to study the assailants more closely. The one giving orders was a grey earth pony with greying pink mane. She looked like she only recently left the prime of her life. She had more scars than wrinkles, going from her face to her barrel. Black glasses rested on her brow, and her stern countenance left Twilight with the impression she was used to being in charge of surly ponies.

Twilight spared a brief glance at the two gunponies who stood in the hallway entrances, thus blocking any chance at running away, not that Twilight could bring herself to abandon Rainbow. These two ponies held themselves with an undisciplined, tough guy posture. Highwayponies most likely. But the leader and medic? Mercenaries or former military I’d wager.

At last finding his voice, Gold Trestle slowly stood back up from the floor as to not panic anyone into shooting him. “What did you do with Topaz?”

The leader gestured to a chair with her gun, and made sure to keep her hostages well out of arm’s reach. “She’s tied up. You behave, and you might just live to free her.”

Unseen by the old stallion, the two mercenaries in the hallway glanced worriedly at each other. “Tied her up… sure did.”

The wisened stallion stumbled a bit as his hip threatened to give out. He all but fell into his original chair. Pinkamena and Twilight gingerly stood up as well. Pinkamena was sweating profusely, unsure where to stand to shield Twilight. “What do you want from us?”

“A ransom, I’d wager,” Twilight suggested, watching the grey earth mare closely. She was guessing, but Twilight hoped money talked just as much among criminals as it did merchants. Both parties are one and the same every so often. “I’m sure there were easier places to kill me if that’s all you wanted.”

A barking, bitter laugh of approval slipped from the leader’s lips. “Tis true.” She took closer aim in between Twilight’s eyes so the noble could stare down the barrel of her gun. “The name’s Fey Hunter, and I wanted you to know why I’m about to send you to Tartarus.”

This is personal… Twilight’s mouth went dry and her wings started wobbling at the gun pointed at her. Her horn started sparking madly, but that didn’t stop Pinkamena from fully interposing herself between the grey mare and Twilight.

“Then you better kill me first, because I won’t give you a clean death if I ever find you.”

“Yeah, I heard how feverishly devoted you are,” the grey mare replied, not moving her aim. “Might be doing you a favor in putting you down too, slave.”

Righteous fires burned in Pinkamena’s eyes as she made a sudden jump at Grey, only to be tightly held back by Twilight. “I am not her slave!”

Glancing behind her, Twilight saw the other gunners were tensing, and aiming at Pinkamena. Turning to the leader, Twilight used a wing to pull Pinkamena back a bit. “Why do you want to kill me?”

The grey mare was unsettled by Pinkamena’s display, and was actually grateful Twilight had taken the fore. If nothing else, because it gave her a clearer line of shot. “Because you left my father to rot in slavery, and I want to know why.” She tried to hide it, but emotion made her voice crack and her aim to wobble just for a second. It was also enough for Pinkamena to stop straining against Twilight’s hold.

Twilight averted her eyes a touch. “You mean Grey Hunter, don’t you?”

A dark smirk curled the corner of the mare’s lips. “I’m surprised you even know his name.” She took a step forward, the revolver held steady. “I ran across the other slaves you just so happened to free at the Salty Tart a while back. They told me two of their number were scum. One a murderer, the other a known con artist tricking military families out of their savings with a fake rescue mercenary company. Both were summarily executed once the Unshackled identified them. And you let those dead stallions get on that boat instead of my father.”

“I-I didn’t know.” Twilight stammered.

“Horsefeathers!” Fey Hunter turned her aim and fired at the table, making everyone flinch. She pulled the hammer back and aimed at Twilight again, an act made difficult with Pinkamena trying to force her way in front again. “If you knew your slaves’ names, you’d know how they ended up striped. You didn’t care who you sacrificed, just somepony to save your own skin.”

“That’s not true!” Twilight rebuked with taut emotion of her own. The heartache of that night returned in force. Twilight ignored the weapon in favor the pony holding it. “You don’t understand the Solar Church. A Lunarian’s life before enslavement is withheld from a buyer because it could lead the buyer to mistreat the slave in acts of petty revenge.”

“She speaks truly,” Pinkamena chimed in hastily in Twilight’s defense. “Aside from my name, slaves don’t remember anything before being striped. And reds have it even worse. Even if Lady Twilight had asked, your father couldn’t have told her who he was beyond that.”

It lasted only a few moments, but Fey Hunter looked away to think. Her brow quickly knitted, while the armed ponies behind Twilight groaned impatiently.

“What are you waiting for?” The pegasus chided impatiently as he waved his gun in Twilight's direction. “You already told them why they need to die. Get it over with already.”

Fey stomped a hoof and shot the light fixture in the hallway. “I hired you for your gun, not your tongue. You would do well to remember that fact.” The last few words were spat with such visceral rage that it cowed both of them.

When Fey glared at them long enough to be satisfied she was in control once again, she returned her attention to Twilight. The earth mare was taking slow, deep breaths to regain her composure. “Even if… if what you say is true, it doesn’t change what you did.” Fey spoke with heartache tearing up her eyes. “My father was a hero, and got captured making sure his regiment escaped to the last. He should be here, not those dead stallions!” With shaky aim, she fired at the mares, missing only because Pinkamena threw Twilight to the floor. “And certainly not you!”

“He's still a hero!” Twilight cried out, stopping Fey from pulling the hammer back with a shuddering gasp. With her horn sparking furiously, it was getting difficult for Twilight to look Fey in the eyes due to the light. “None of those stallions knew each other that night.” She grabbed the table to hoist herself back up and used the effort to try and reign in her wild magic. “If your father is the hero you say he is, then he would have seen the other stallions as brothers. By your own account, he would have made the same choice the night I fled Equestria that he did in the war.”

Fey finished cocking the revolver and took aim once more. Twin rivers of damp fur spread from under her eyes with raw emotions marring her speech. “He wouldn’t have done a damn thing to save you!”

“So you’re going to dishonor his final sacrifice?” Gold Trestle butt in, having been almost forgotten by the others. Fighting against his usual frailty, the elder marched as close as he dared to the mare still pointing a gun in his direction. He leveled the harshest glare of disappointment his old face could muster. His sudden aggression finally made Fey point her gun towards the stallion. To his credit, Gold didn’t flinch while staring down the barrel of a gun. “Blessed are those who sacrifice for us all. The soldier, the peacekeeper, the healer. They above all others bask in Luna’s grace. Grey Hunter is a hero twice over. What utter shame he’d feel if he knew his own daughter killed somepony he saved.”

“H-he wouldn’t save an Equestrian.” The tears fell freely from Fey’s eyes and her lips threatened to start trembling.

“And if that was required to save his brothers?” Gold asked sternly as he bore his gaze into Fey’s eyes. “You’re so focused on the two criminals. What about the others who owe him their freedom?”

The room fell into oppressive silence, save for the crackling of dying coals from the stove. With a heavy thud, Fey’s gun-leg dropped to the floor as Gold’s words struck home. “You-” Fey started at Twilight before clamping her mouth shut again to compose herself. “You - you are not worthy of what he did for you.” Fey found more strength to control her voice and tears. “Remember that!”

Is she actually going to let me go? Twilight wondered, not daring to voice the question.

Disengaging the hammer of her revolver, Fey took off the gauntlet and holstered it before shouting an order at the two ponies in the hallway. “Tell Corn to pack it up. We’re leaving.”

“Boss ain’t going to like this,” the earther of the pair warned. “They know two of our names and all of our faces. I couldn’t care less about your little cry session. I ain’t going to hang for this.”

Fearful that Fey might have to reconsider, Twilight was almost in a panic to speak first. “What if I paid a ransom and swore silence on what happened here? Say… ten thousand slips.”

The stallion’s eyes lit up and gave an impressed whistle. His friend waved his gun at them. “Double it, and ya got a deal.”

“F-fine, it’s agreed. Just tell me when and where to drop the money.”

“I’ll tell you where,” Fey Hunter yelled in order to silence the thugs. “You two get Corn and the others so we can clear out.” She returned her glare at Twilight, utterly dismissing the greedy ponies. Her face was still damp from tears, but her mask of composure had returned in full. “Let’s get one thing straight. If I ever hear of you debasing my father’s sacrifice, I won’t bother with showing my face when I kill you.”

Nodding meekly, Twilight held her breath as Fey turned to leave. “You’re staying at the Quiet Embassy, right? Drop the money off in the green trash can back behind the kitchens by tomorrow night.”

“Behind the kitchens, got it.” Twilight did her best to put on a resolute face, but inwardly she was utterly drained.

Fey Hunter scowled one last time before slipping away outside.

There was a pregnant pause as the door shut. Everyone in the kitchen remained tense until the front door slammed shut and the sound of a carriage pulling away became distant. Once a feeling of safety returned, everyone sagged like deflating balloons. Gold Trestle was the first to summon the energy to move again. “I have to check on Topaz!”

Twilight could barely do more than nod. “Yes, yes of course.” The image of that gun barrel point right at her clung to her mind’s eye, even more so than the mugging in Manehatten. “Pinkamena…”

She reached out with a wing to try and grab onto her old friend, and felt immeasurable relief when Pinkamena was still there, and all but collapsed into her embrace.

“The last time we had a gun pointed at us, we ended up on an Inquisitor’s bad side,” Pinkamena complained with the flattest tone she could muster. “Can we try avoiding doing the same to the Lunarian authorities?”

Twilight had to drag her head over to glare at Pinkamena. She couldn’t find the strength to laugh or reprimand her for such a thing. “Your comedic timing needs work.”

Unintelligible cursing from further inside drew their attention. “Rainbow!” both cried out. They bolted in the direction she had been taken. They found her tied down to a table covered in streaks of blood. The thestral was struggling against her bonds, spitting curses every time her movement shot pain through her injury. Evidently she still had plenty of blood to spare. They quickly ran up to her, and removed the piece of wood swerving as a gag. Rainbow spat to get the foul taste of wood varnish out of her mouth. “By the emperor’s balls, I thought you guys were dead after those gunshots.”

Going red in the face, Twilight helped Pinkamena undo the knots, and get Rainbow on her hooves. “It’s a long story. We need to get you to a hospital.”

Cradling her leg, the injury had only been crudely sewed up and heavily bandaged. Now that she was freed and standing on her good legs, Rainbow struggled to speak past the pain. “He stopped the bleeding at least.”

“We need to get you to a hospital. Pinkamena, help her into the carriage while I check on Gold.”

Lingering only long enough to see Pinkamena nod, Twilight sprinted up the stairs and followed the sounds of sobbing. Through an open door leading to a bedroom, she saw Gold Trestle trying to carry a limp form on his back. Cupping her mouth with a hoof, it was clear who the victim was.

Finding her word a moment later, Twilight scrambled to his side. “Please, let me carry her. We’re going to the hospital.”

Prideful grief brought some old vigor to his bones and he kept marching for the stairs. “The closest hospital is an hour away at least.” It was more of an admission of hopelessness than a reprimand. “I don’t know if she’ll-”

“She’ll make it if you let me help!” Twilight declared with enough false bravado to shake the old pegasus together. “I’m no medic, but I learned a thing or two from a martial instructor. I’ll do what I can, but we need to get her out of here.”

A glimmer of hope finally made him nod his acquiescence in letting Twilight shoulder his wife. Taking great care, Twilight carried an unconscious Topaz to the front porch. Pinkamena was already strapping herself to the carriage.

The next morning, Gold Trestle, Pinkamena, and Twilight arrived at Tranquility Lunist Hospital. Having dropped Rainbow and Topaz in the doctors’ care the previous night, the three had not slept a wink after retiring to the hotel. The only thing Twilight was able to do to keep her mind from falling to a cascade of worry was to visit a bookstore.

It took some time before a doctor arrived to speak with them, and when he did, they were ushered into the wards for a bit of privacy. The doctor escorting them carried patient papers in his magic, and stopped walking once he felt they wouldn’t be disturbed too much. He turned and eyed the group with a comforting bedside manner. “Do you wish for the good news or bad news first?”

Gold already knew his wife would have fared poorly, even with what first aid Twilight could administer, but it was the ignorance of her condition that was worse. “Please, doctor, how’s my wife? Can I see her?”

With a sympathetic, weak smile, the doctor nodded. “Soon. She’s resting right now. But I don’t know if she’ll walk again. The worst of her injuries are her broken rear legs. Were she younger, I’d imagine she’d make a full recovery, but at her age…” He shook his head. “What matters is that her head injury didn’t include anything more than a slight fracture in her cheek and severe bruising along the skull. That at least, should recover.”

“She was always a vain one,” Gold tried to joke, but his spirit wasn’t in it.

The doctor spotted an orderly and flagged him down. “Green Bean, please escort this gentlecolt to the north ward, bed sixty five.”

“Yes, doctor.” Green gestures Gold to follow. “Please, this way.”

Once the old stallion was walking away, the doctor was able to smile more warmly. “I very much prefer giving good news. Lieutenant Rainbow Dash’s broken cannon was thankfully only fractured, not shattered. More importantly, it appears she avoided gangrene. She’s truly one of Luna’s favored.”

Placing a hoof to her chest, Twilight sighed deeply. Pinkamena likewise felt relief flood her. “C-Luna knows I’d never hear the end of it if Rainbow lost that leg.”

“Indeed.” The doctor adjusted his glasses. “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait before visiting her though. A captain is debriefing her, and informed me she is not to be disturbed for the rest of the day.”

“Surely they’d make an exception for me, I’m the one who got her into this mess.”

“Possibly,” the doctor shrugged, his mind already moving on to his next patient. “The captain is still here, so if you wish to present your case, you had better do it before he leaves. Rainbow Dash is residing on this floor. West ward, room B twelve.”

“You have my thanks. And, doctor, I’ll be paying for Mrs Topaz’s treatment.”

He arched a surprised eyebrow. “How very generous of you. I’ll inform the staff to have the bill waiting in the lobby. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

Twilight turned to her old friend with a hard expression. “Pinkamena, why don’t you go down to the bank and withdraw the funds we need.”

A wrinkled brow and down cast eyes marred Pinkamena’s expression as she waited for the doctor to be out of earshot. “That mare, Fey… She knew where we’ve been staying. That means she could attack us whenever she wants.”

Twilight patted her dear friend’s back with a wing, and tried to give a reassuring smile, but she could barely muster even that. “All we can do for now is never give her a reason to. Besides, one more knife at my throat and I can start a collection.”

“Oh so now you’re the joke teller around here?” Pinkamena asked with unamused sarcasm. “But seriously, what are we going to do about her?”

“We can figure that out later.” Twilight hugged her undeclared sister, an act Pinkamena reciprocated in earnest. Both mares found strength in each other, strength enough to keep walking with heads held high. “For now, we pay the ransom. It’ll set us back, and we can figure out how much when I get a look at the account books.”

As it typically was, Twilight had to be the one to end the hug. “I’m going to see Rainbow and Golden before I join you back at the hotel.”

The first thing that jumped to Pinkamena’s mind was to stay and protect Twilight, but two of Rainbow’s subordinates caught the corner of her eye. They would have to do. “Yes, my lady. Please be safe.”

With one last attempt to smooth Twilight’s spark-frazzled mane, Pinkamena ran off to the bank. That left Twilight to make for Rainbow’s room. Gold probably needs more time before he’s willing to entertain a visit.

The hospital’s signs were easy enough to follow, and it wasn’t long before Twilight found the right set of rooms. A pegasus air corp captain leaving one of them was all the indication Twilight needed to know she was in the right place. She bounded forward as the captain closed the door, and he noticed her approach before he could start walking off. “Captain, a moment of your time if I may.”

The captain’s eyes took in her colors, sparking horn and bald wings in a flash. “You must be Lady Twilight Sparkle. It is kind of you to check in on Rainbow, but I’m afraid she needs her rest.”

“My apologies captain…”

“Glider. At your service.” He dipped his head in respect that surprised her.

Holding out a couple of books, Twilight spoke with a touch of pleading. “Captain Glider, I know Rainbow well enough that she only likes to rest after exerting herself. Bed rest will drive her mad without distraction.”

A wiry grin spread across his face. “Is that so? Very well, you may see to her mental health. However, since the lieutenant was absent for much of what happened, I would appreciate it if you could fill me in on what transpired after she was removed from the kitchen.”

Pulling the books back into the crook of her folded wing, Twilight hesitantly shook her head. “I wish I could, but in order to secure my life, I had to swear not to speak of who did all this. The why of it at least, is because they had a grudge against me.”

Clearly displeased, the captain sighed and rubbed his neck. “I see… Then I won’t ask you to go against your word. It’s all some ponies have. Now, if there’s nothing else I have reports to file.”

“I would be remiss if I did not mention her admirable defense. Faced with such an ambush, it is a wonder she shot at as many as she did. For what it’s worth, Captain, Lieutenant Rainbow Dash deserves commendation.” He stared at her, unmoving, long enough for the pause to become uncomfortable for her. Twilight had to fight the urge to fidget under the scrutiny.

“Do you… mean that?”

Wrinkling her brow in confusion, then repressing a scowl of irritation, Twilight eventually settled on an indirect response. “Captain. Were it up to me, I would be honored if Rainbow Dash remained my guardian upon her recovery. She is an excellent soldier and dare I say it, a good friend.”

He went wide eyed at her stern declaration before his features softened a bit. “Really now? I had planned to reassign her back to her original posting after she heals. But - in light of this, I will leave the option to her. If you are speaking the truth, then I’ll find out soon enough. If that is all?”

Quite eager to be rid of me, it seems. “Nothing, I won’t keep you any longer.”

He gave a curt nod and flew to the nearest window. Even after all these years, Twilight was still struck with envy at such liberty. Shaking her bald wings in frustration, she knocked before entering Rainbow’s room.

Within, the hospital room was quite similar to Equestrian standards. A metal cot instead of a wooden one though. It had a decent enough mattress by the looks of it. A window, some visitor chairs, and some cheap looking painting on the wall rounded everything out. The thestral sagged into her pillow with the vacant eyes of a pony bored beyond imagination. A feat Twilight found quite impressive given the short time since Rainbow had been left alone. The soldier eyed the door, but didn’t bother shaping up her posture when she saw Twilight.

“Rainbow, I wanted to thank you for what you did back there.” Twilight pulled the visitor chair over so she could sit next to the stricken pony.

“Yeah…” Rainbow groaned as she rolled onto her side so they could look at each other properly. “I got sloppy though. I should have played it smart and told everypony I thought something was up when we got there, but I couldn’t tell if all the noise were muffled hoofsteps or stuff like all those stupid wind chimes. Not that it mattered, you got out of it without me.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Twilight cautioned with a wag of a wing-finger. “Because you removed two of them from the room, I might not have been able to talk them into letting us live.”

The suggestion mollified Rainbow a good deal, letting a weak smile play through. “Yeah… how did you manage that?”

Should I tell her? Rainbow was there, but she only heard one of their names. Might be best to play it safe. Hesitantly, Twilight shook her head. “I’d like to tell you, but part of the deal to save our lives was to say nothing about who was there and why.”

Huffing, Rainbow turned her head to stare at the pale white ceiling. “Really? Well I didn’t make such a promise, and I already told the captain everything I did know.”

A smirk played on Twilight’s lips. “I had hoped you would. They can’t blame me for that.” Sighing her bit of smug satisfaction away, Twilight placed the two books she had been carrying onto the nightstand next to Rainbow. “Here, I got you something to pass the time.”

“What’s that?” Arching an eyebrow and turning to look, Rainbow blew a raspberry. “I hate books.”

The hackles on Twilight’s neck rose sharply, but she kept her cool. “Come on, everypony likes a good story!”

Rolling her eyes as hard she could, it wasn’t like Rainbow could just leave anyway. Swiping the top book into her hoof, Rainbow glanced at the cover. The artwork had a brown pegasus being chased by sea monsters, and that alone kept Rainbow from tossing it aside that instant. “Daring Do and the Hunt for Red October.” Despite an inkling of interest, she read the name with as much disdain as she could muster.

Restraining herself from excitedly clapping her hooves, Twilight pointed at the pegasus with a fan girlish squeal. “This is the first book in the collection. I was surprised to see the series managed to reach store shelves across the pond. I owned all of them back in Canterlot.” A pang of homesickness threatened to weaken her smile.

With a groan so epic a bard would have wept, Rainbow dropped the book on the floor. “Look, it’s bad enough I had to read books for officer training, I am not reading unless the emperor himself commands it.”

Giving a brief disappointed scowl, Twilight put the book back on the bed. “Reading is for everypony. You might hate it because of textbooks, but give fun books a try, I know you’ll love it.”

“Whatever.” Rainbow rolled over to face away from Twilight. “Thanks for checking in on me, but I’m tired.”

The movement nearly knocked the book back to the floor, but Twilight was prepared this time and grabbed it before it fell. She placed it back on the nightstand loudly enough to let Rainbow know it was there. “Alright. Rest well, Rainbow Dash.” And with that, Twilight departed, giving the obstinate thestral one last glance before shutting the door.

Once she had been alone for a miserably boring hour, Rainbow tilted her face and cast an eye on that completely uncool book. It certainly wasn’t enticing in the slightest, no sir. Might as well have been a plate of rotten fruit. She found herself rolling over to let her injured hoof rest on the bed, certainly not to actually reach the cursed thing. She only wanted to look out of the window, that's right. Yet again, she found her eyes drifting to the end-table.

“Sea monsters, huh?”

Rainbow’s dismissal of books in general aside, the visit had done much to lift Twilight’s spirits. She needed it in order to face Gold Trestle. The ward she found him and his wife in was quiet, save for the snores of sleeping patients, and the distant clop of hooves on the dense wooden floors. The ward was quite large with a high ceiling that arched towards a single point. Arcane etchings covered the dome with a softly glowing pale green crystal the size of an adult alicorn resting in the center. Upon seeing it, Twilight realized there was a spell field active, but it seemed to do nothing noticeable. That is until she saw the same soft glow coming from the frame of each patient’s bed. A mass sleep spell. It only took a cursory study to see many of these ponies were in as bad a shape as the doctor claimed Topaz was in. For the pain, I imagine.

There were a number of visitors in the ward, causing Twilight to search past the rows upon rows of beds until she saw Gold Trestle at a bed close to a window. He had a small wind chime hanging in front of the glass and patted it with a wing just enough to have a few notes ring out. Like most of the other patients, Topaz was blissfully asleep.

The only chair around was the one Gold had brought in himself, so Twilight opted to stand. Her hoofsteps announced her arrival, causing the aged pegasus to look away from Topaz. Anger, fear, hope, and resignation warred over his face. At the moment, he settled on subdued and offered her the chair. “Lady Twilight.”

She waved her wing in a respectful dismissal. “Please, I can not take your seat.”

Pride might have made another stallion insist, but old bones and weary muscles forced his hand. With a brief word of gratitude, he heavily sat down on the wooden chair, posturing it so he could see both his wife and Twilight at once. “I know what you’re thinking, My Lady. Do not blame yourself for the actions of others. They are accountable to themselves, no matter what excuses they may concoct.”

A thin, pressed frown crossed her face and her ears wilted. “You are too kind, good sir. But my actions still led Fey and the others to do what she did.” Twilight glanced around for any eavesdroppers, and wasn’t comfortable using names.

To that, Gold blinked and studied Twilight with a bit more earnestness. “You speak correctly. Forgive my earlier platitude. It is rare to find wisdom and youth in one pony. That is unless,” he added with a much needed hint of joviality, “you’re actually much older than you look.”

Despite herself, Twilight managed to give a short, choking laugh. “No, I’m afraid I’m only just passing my first score on this earth next month on the tenth.”

The first thought that struck Gold was to compliment her upbringing, but thought better of it. Instead he let a brief silence clear the air as he stroked a lock of hair in Topaz’s mane. “I’m sure you’ve already spoken to the doctor if you found your way here.”

Running her parched tongue in whatever moisture was left her mouth, Twilight nodded. “I did… We should thank - Luna that Topaz will live.”

“Aye… We have much to be grateful towards She who protects.” Gold cast an eye towards the pegacorn, a question on his lips was pulled back in lieu of a different one. “Tell me, Child of the Sun, what do you think of the Night Mistress?”

“What you might expect, I’d imagine.” Twilight wasn’t sure if any other answer would sound sincere.

A smirk played upon his features, but his focus never left his wife. His short, gentle strokes with the brush brought him some measure of peace. His usual shakes were subdued as he took extra care to avoid the bruises or bandages. “Whatever your stance is, Luna has taken a liking to you.”

Drawing her head back a bit and wrinkling her brow in confusion, Twilight quickly pondered what to make of that. “You believe she had a hoof in getting our captor to leave us be?”

“I have never been a good salespony. Luna know how many times I've bungled attempts to secure funding. And yet last night...” He paused his brushing a moment as his muscles tired. “I felt the right words just come to me.” He gave Twilight a playful smirk. “There’s a reason why it’s called having a silver tongue, and She was always fond of its luster.” He resumed working on Topaz’s only uninjured leg, and the act was simple enough that he didn’t need to control his shakes as much.

Looking around for anyone who was paying too much attention to their conversation, Twilight was glad to see the only ones nearby were either sleeping patients, or in muted conversations of their own. “The Solar Church has a... less flattering interpretation of such things, but never tried too hard to deny Luna's way with a crowd.”

Gold pulled out a small metal hoof-file after noticing some blemishes Topaz's ordeal had caused to her hooves. “Won't do to have you wake up fretting over trivialities now will it?” The old stallion's whispers were not as quiet as they had once been, and he was embarrassed when he heard polite snickering behind him. “You are a strange mare, Lady Twilight Sparkle,” he began, trying to distract her. “Whatever her reasons, Luna has taken an notice of you.”

“As have too many others as of late,” Twilight said with contained trepidation.

He got to work gently smoothing away the blemishes on the hooves he could safely tend to. Every stroke was slow as he had to control his shakes for each movement. “Aye, it would be wise for those around you to tread with care. And in light of that, I’m afraid I will have to rescind my request for patronage, my Lady. I won’t have the time to spend on the workbench anymore, and to be frank, I can't risk Topaz or myself getting drawn up into another incident. I want to impress upon you, that I hold no ill will towards you for last night, but staying in your circle is too dangerous for these old bones.”

Nodding slowly, Twilight sensed the polite dismissal. “I’ve already told the doctors that I’ll be covering your costs. I won’t accept prideful refusal.”

“Then perhaps you can settle on taking my drafts,” he offered kindly. “I have more ideas than time, I’m afraid, and if a keen mind such as yours can bring even one of them to life, I’ll be satisfied.”

“That is - agreeable.” Twilight bowed before him, waited for him to return the gesture, then departed, unsure of where her hooves might take her.

At the designated time, Twilight found herself behind the Quiet Embassy. With Pinkamena and her soldier escort waiting back on the main street, Twilight walked down the side alley which was thankfully unoccupied. At least, so it seemed. The stink of molding food waste was distrubed by scavenging rodents who fled upon Twilight’s arrival.

There were a number of battered colored trash cans, but only one was green. Paranoia made Twilight hesitate at the edge between the alleyway and the waste collection area. The streetlights did nothing to help all the way back here. She swept the lantern in her mouth from side to side, trying to illuminate any ambushers. I don’t think Fey would suddenly change her mind, but those brigands she worked with seemed the type.

The shadows either kept their secrets, or there was indeed nothing waiting for her. Trying to shove her fear down, Twilight gripped the carpetbag full of slips tightly to her chest as she gingerly made her way to the correct trash can, stepping over refuse and puddles of foul water.

Upon reaching the can, she set the bag down on a dry spot. The smell of it all was horribly offensive, far more than she expected. Ugh, do they not have reliable trash removal services? Perhaps that’s how I could shape the world, she half joked, a sanitary revolution.

Resolving to bid a hasty retreat, Twilight threw open the can to toss the bag into, only to give off a muffled shriek at what was sitting on top. She dropped her lantern and barely managed to keep from stumbling backwards and landing on the fetid ground. The glass on the oil lantern had cracked, but it was otherwise still intact.

Her eyes swept the area, and still no threats emerged. Grimly, she reclaimed her lantern and steaded herself for the grisly sight just to confirm it was what she thought it was. Sitting on top of heaps of food waste were the two severed pony heads. Before she could turn away from the sight of it, she recognized their faces. It’s the two surviving brigands that Fey Hunter had with her. Or not anymore.

A piece of paper was clamped in the jaws of one of them. Cringing at the whole thing, Twilight raised her lantern to see if it had writing on it, and indeed it did.

This is what happens to honorless dogs. Keep your money, and keep your word.

Now more than ever, it felt like someone was watching her. Twilight scanned the rooftops and windows this time, but she saw nothing. That didn’t mean no one was there. Giving a firm nod to the shadows, she took the note in case it could link the murders to her somehow and stashed it in the bag to be disposed of later. After returning the lid on the green can to delay its discovery, Twilight shakily reclaimed her money bag and departed, not once looking back.

Author's Note

I wonder what would happen if the Adams Family got ahold of a severed head. Would Thing have a friend or a hand puppet?

15: Awaken the Dragon

Barely a week after the incident at Gold Trestle’s home, Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkamena were marveling at Tranquility’s pegasus cloud district.

The taxi chariot up and a pair of cloud walking necklaces had been well worth it for the two earth ponies who drank in the sights. The architecture around them was quite reminiscent of the ancient Pegalopolis style with numerous statues and artwork venerating heroes both new and old. While Twilight saw plenty of creature comforts in the floating houses and shops that the wingless ponies couldn’t reach, the martial traditions in civic planning were clear to her trained eye. The trio’s arrival point was actually flanked by an encircling air corps base. Hard to tell who stays true to the armada most. Here or Cloudsdale.

As they walked past the walls, the shouts of training regiments and distant rifle fire brought Twilight back to the days she visited Shining Armor at the garrison to talk strategy and future plans. Even though Twilight had never been considered for enlistment, something pulled her to drag a wing along the stiff cloud walls of the camp. In her heart, the drums of war echoed. The suddenness of it made her recoil the wing and slide back over to Pinkamena and Applejack who were gazing up at a team of pegasi pulling a balloon platform out to the harbor, undoubtedly to serve as a floating staging point.

Sighing, she left the wall alone to stand with who she liked to think were her friends, no matter what their official status was. Upon her return, Applejack whooped and pumped a hoof at seeing a formation of pegasi roar by. “Oh boy! Ah tell ya, Lady Twilight, Ah haven’t been to a real stunt show since Ah was a filly.”

“It’ll be interesting to see how they measure up to the Wonderbolts,” Twilight said with subdued excitement.

Before the aristocrat could speak further, Applejack whinnied a laugh. “Come on, boss, tha’ Shadowbolts fly circles around the Blunderbolts.” Applejack cringed a bit and held her tongue for a moment. “Y-you ain’t a devotee of them are ya?”

Twilight unconsciously fidgeted with her wings and her horn let off a particularly loud spark, worryingly to Applejack as a scowl marred her face. “Why would I be a devotee of a bunch of…” she stopped and turned away from Applejack for a moment to compose herself. “…Sorry, it’s not your problem.” Twilight was quick to speak again to keep Applejack from thinking she caused an intolerable offense. “As you know, my brother and I spoke of strategy and tactics together ever since we were kids. Well, he was barely a colt anymore when we started, but you get the idea. Point is, I’m moderately familiar with how the Wonderbolts operate.”

Her attempts at mollifying Applejack did little, as the sailor’s ears remained flat, along with her lingering apologetic frown. “Sorry. It’s… we can always do something else if the stunt show’s too much for ya.”

Pinkamena smiled graciously at her fellow earth pony, but remained quiet.

For her part, Twilight merely sighed some stress away so she could put on a half convincing faux smile. “You said it yourself that you haven’t been to an air show since you were a filly.”

“Yeah.” A hopeful grin slowly spread over the sailor. “Flier marines would do some loop de loops while we were at sea, but nothing like what a Shadowbolt show’s supposed ta be.”

“And besides,” Pinkamena finally chimed in, “it’s not like we paid for the tickets. It’d be rude to waste them.”

“Rude huh?” Twilight picked around her elegant, yet simple amber sundress to pull out the show tickets. The letter they came in returned to her mind’s eye.

Dear Lady Twilight Sparkle,

I want to thank you for showing interest in my organization. Enclosed should be three tickets to the Shadowbolts show in two days’ time. I would prefer to speak with you in private, but I suspect you’d want to bring a friend or two for council. I know the event might seem tactless, but I have good reasons for choosing it.

To your health, Clipped Wing.

It would have been well within Twilight’s rights to snub such an event. But for better or worse, she had to go after passing Clipped Wing a message of her change of interest. Just handle it with dignity and grace.

Her efforts to shore up her aristocratic airs hit a stumbling block when she saw the entrance into the military base where the event was to be held. There was the expected throng of ponies both flying and standing, waiting to get in, along with a multitude of soldiers keeping the peace. What set her hairs on end were the loud protesters milling around the cafes that serviced the base across the way.

“Act not shows!” and “free our kin!” was being repeated incessantly while a poorly painted Equestrian flag on a pole burned fiercely.

The trio of mares were quick to meld into the short line of other noble visitors. As they walked by the barely moving mass of commoners, Twilight tried to ignore the angry rumblings coming from them. Only the scores of stone-faced soldiers seemed to keep the peace.

“Hey,” Applejack whispered into Twilight’s ear. “Why don’t Ah be the one grabbin’ drinks and snacks. Ain’t nopony gunna look at me cross eyed.”

Almost too scared to speak and give her Canterlotian accent away, Twilight simply nodded and pulled a slip from her purse, more than enough for the three of them. “Thanks,” Twilight said while clearing her throat, trying to mask her accent. “As much as I could use a drink, keep it non-alcoholic for me.”

“Can Ah at least get some hard cider?” Applejack half-jokingly requested.

Giving her a leery eye, Twilight smirked a bit. “Just so long as I don’t have to carry you to the chariot.”

“I’d love some cotton candy!” Pinkamena whisper-cheered, but stopped suddenly when her tail started twitching and her front left hoof started wobbling. The others were about to question her when Pinkamena looked towards the distant food vendors. “Ooo! And I want a double triple bossy deluxe on a raft, four by four animal style!”

“A what?” Twilight asked too loudly for her liking, before turning to Applejack, hoping she knew at least.

“Ya can’t be serious,” Applejack inquired, only to shudder when she saw Pinkamena vibrating in excitement. “Boss, Ah’m gunna need an extra slip or two.”

With Applejack demanding Pinkamena to order the hamburger herself, Twilight ended up waiting for her friends, titles of indentured servant and butler be damned, while looking out over the view afforded by the edge of the stadium. With her hooves resting on the hard-cloud railing, the sight of Tranquility spreading to the east and the brilliantly blue ocean to the west made her pine for the lofty view from her childhood home.

This section of the stadium also held most of the box seats, so there were only a scant few ponies around, and all of them were aristocrats or thier hangers-on. As such, she was proven right that no one would end up bothering her. Good thing we arrived early. Pinkamena’s always been able to put away food, but by the heavens that’s obscene.

In a way, she enjoyed the general din of shouting ponies muffled by the walls. At this distance she could just pretend it was general excitement for the show. Most of it probably is, now that they’re taking their seats.

The pleasant sounds of hoofsteps coming and going we’re suddenly joined by an electric pop. It was an all too familiar sound, but she found it odd when it didn’t come from between her ears.

Turning, Twilight spotted a stallion standing a polite distance away. The dancing electricity on his horn and frazzled mane instantly marked him as a pegacorn in her eyes long before she would see his bald wings. He was bone white with a dusty blue and light orange mane. He wore a black long jacket paired with a brown double breasted vest. Aside from his mane, he was immaculately groomed. That was hardly something Twilight could hold against him.

He bowed his head and flourished with a wing as if he didn’t care what people thought about them. “You must be Lady Twilight Sparkle. It is an honor to finally meet you. My name is Clipped Wing.”

Not a noble then? He dresses finer than I would expect of a commoner. Perhaps he’s a successful businesspony like Steel. She gave a shallow curtsy as social norms required of a noble to a commoner. “A pleasure to meet you as well.” She ended the gesture first, allowing him to end the bow.

Standing up straight, Twilight briefly glanced around, not just to look for Pinkamena or Applejack, but for anyone that Clipped Wing brought with him. Sadly, she found no one on both counts. “Mister Wing, might I inquire why you wished to see me here of all places?”

“Directness, I can already tell I’ll like you.” He flashed a grin at her slight annoyance. “I’ll be honest, I find these shows to be inspiring. That and I took the presumption that you might want to appear patriotic.”

Twilight blinked dumbly and her ears went straight up. “Oh. That - that would be wise.” I thought helping the navy out, even indirectly through Steel, might have been enough, but the common pony… wait, would the common pony even recognize me? It’s not like my face has been in the paper since I got here, so who-

A loud three tone whistle rang out, breaking Twilight’s train of thoughts and making both pegacorns look towards the center of the stadium. “The show should be starting soon,” Clipped Wing commented, “We should take our seats if we don’t want to miss the opening. Did you bring any friends or associates?”

“I did… Two of them.” Twilight looked around and hummed sadly when her friends didn’t manifest. “They’re probably immoble after that food order.”

“Who knew box seats meant you can just take whatever seat’s available,” Applejack said in between bites of Pinkamena’s ridiculously large and expensive order. The Burger Pillar had twenty four patties and so many condiments that it was falling apart.

The pair were camped out on front-row seats, thankfully in between two families of pegasi, so they weren’t intruding too much. A dozen Shadowbolts were coming on stage now as the announcer named each one in turn.

“It said so right on the back of the ticket. It’s not really a box ticket, but more of a gold ‘sit wherever you want’ ticket.” Pinkamena declared cheerfully as she gobbled down with gusto. Without Twilight around, she felt no compulsion to put on the dignified air of a butler. “Pass me the lemonaid.”

Obliging, Applejack couldn’t help but to scan the boxes along the top of the stadium. “Are ya sure Twi’s going to be okay all alone?”

Pinkamena paused her feast and eyed one box in particular. Even from half the stadium away, she saw two vague figures take their seats. She felt uneasy leaving Twilight unguarded, but she trusted her senses. “My Lady would find being only protective distasteful. Plus, something told me Twilight needed to talk to this Clipped Wing fellow alone.”

Assuming her pink companion was just watching the fliers, Applejack took another bite. “You just wanted to eat like a sow and not worry about it.”

With mustard and cheese covering her lips, Pinkamena sighed contentedly. “It’s a weakness of mine. Still though…” Pinkamena gazed up into the sky, but she wasn’t looking at the Shadowbolts. I hope Twilight finds something meaningful up there.

The shadowbolts did not disappoint. Envy aside, Twilight marveled at the sheer skill required for formation loops, spins, turns that would rip the feathers off a normal pegasus, not one left the crowd silent. One thing that left Twilight stunned was a thestral who pulled up to glide perpendicular to the ground, causing clouds to form behind his wings.

Twilight actually stood up at the sight of it. “Astounding! I thought weather teams had to make clouds from bodies of water, not just thin air!”

“It’s called the kulbit maneuver,” Clipped Wing chirped in right before the announcer did the same. “The clouds evaporate too quickly to be used, but it looks flashy.”

Sitting back down, Twilight eyed him with playful suspicion. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re trying to court me, not to get me to join some organization.”

“Would you blame me if I did both?” Clipped Wing gave a smooth wing-shrug. “The papers never said you were as beautiful as the moon itself.”

Twilight looked away to hide a blush. What few courtiers she had gotten so far, both Equestrian and Lunarian alike, had been so matter of fact about it. Nothing but offers of marriage without even a ‘you’re at least tolerable to look at, let’s make an heir.’ To think I should have actually read some romance novels. But nooo. “Well that’s the courtship out of the way, what about the job?” She was a bit surprised to see Clipped physically wince at the response. Wait, was he serious?

He coughed and used a moment to center himself. He looked back up at the stunts still being displayed. “You and I. I suspect we both share something most wouldn’t bother considering. Envy.”

That word made Twilight scrutinize him a bit more. “In what?”

“Them of course,” he said while gesturing to the Shadowbolts. “Maybe not so much the barrel rolls and loops, but the freedom of flight itself.” He looked at her like a pony possessed, stilling a cold response she was about to make. “What if I told you, I found a way to give all pegacorns that freedom?”

“I’d say you were crazy,” she stated flatly. “My parents tried feather coverings for me and some mana converters to normalize my pegasus magic, but it just proved to be a waste of time and bits. As has every other attempt I’ve heard about. Not that there’s been many I suppose.”

Rather than be deterred, he sat back down so he could close in on Twilight while also trying not to intimidate her. “That’s because we don’t have pegasus magic, or unicorn magic for that matter. None of the three hybrid tribes have magic based on their parent ones. That’s what scholars have been getting wrong since ponies first claimed magic!”

Still heavily skeptical, Twilight had to admit she was intrigued. “And you know this how?”

“My parents had spent centuries of study on the matter, and I followed in their hoofsteps after they passed. I’ve proven the theory, but I need an engineer to see it become reality. Preferably a pegacorn engineer.”

“Your parents are pegacorns as well?” She shook her head clear. “Wait, are you actually saying you have mathematical proof we can fly?!”

Getting excited at seeing her interest spiking, Clipped nodded with a manic grin. “Not just proof…” He had her hooked. All it took now was to reel her in. “I have a working prototype device that can convert my magic into an actual usable state. Given the correct application, you, me, and all pegacorns like us,” he paused to savor her expectant expression. “Can fly!”

Twilight’s nonsense meter started red-lining. Her excitement cooled significantly and a frown started to form. The line had snapped. “A device? Everypony knows machines disrupt magic.”

Clipped Wing managed to avoid sweating under her sudden, if expected, disbelief. “I know how it sounds. It's the reason my parents worked themselves into an early grave trying to figure out the problem with our magic. But you’re an engineer. Surely you’ve noticed your horn sparks no matter how deep you go into gear work or how hard an engine is running.”

Wrinkling her brow, Twilight leaned back into her chair to look back on things. “…I suppose you have a point. I’ve never had the time or opportunity to figure out why. I take it that you have.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Clipped Wing replied in a tone that refrained from causing insult. “Surely you have theories of your own.” Clipped Wing was speaking in a voice Twilight was all too familiar with, that of a colleague in the sciences. “Take a gander at it.”

“If you insist.” A challenge, or is he fishing for me to fill in blanks in some sort of scam? Twilight wished she had her notes to spout some obscure figures, but she only had her memory to test him. “Magic works by usurping the natural laws of the universe and substituting it with its own. A unicorn wishes for - let’s say an apple to eat. Mana is the energy, but spell matrixes are what allows that energy to become an apple. Were it up to the universe, that apple would need months and a tree to be created, not some mana and a fancy bit of penmanship. I’m still not sure exactly how, but machines seem to reinforce the universal laws to the point of stopping mana from changing form.”

“Ahhh, and there. We. Go.” Clipped Wing punctuated each word with a hoof tap on his seat. The air show was all but forgotten as he descended into talking about his life’s work. “That’s what sets us hybrid tribes apart. Pegacorns, Terracorns, and Terrasi, each of our magics, for lack of a better word, plays by universal laws. It’s just that our bodies were not made to use mana in such a way. That’s why our magic is so bizarre compared to our more common brethren. It’s also why traditional magic disruption measures don’t affect our lightning.”

“If true, that would make sense…” Twilight hummed thoughtfully. A flyby from one of the Shadowbolts made her look back up at them. For a fleeting moment she imagined - No! Don’t even think about it. Not without hard proof. “If you’ve really made this magic converter, then prove it. Fly right now.” She glanced up at the airshow still in full swing. “We can step out to the walkway if need be.”

He cringed, but recovered quickly and remained close. “And that’s where you come in. My prototype is the size of a master bedroom. I’ve proven the concept, but I need an engineer to shrink it down to wearable size.”

Twilight was stunned into standing up. “From a - to a -?!” She shook her head. “You might as well be asking to make a carriable train engine. I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.”

“At least look at the prototype and my notes first,” he practically pleaded, standing up as well. Thinking it was the wrong approach, he backed up a bit to gaze out into the crowds of ponies. “...Believe me, I know how you feel,” Clipped Wing cut in before Twilight could think of a polite way to excuse an exit. “Hybrids like us have to fight for our place in this world.” His gaze fell upon the far side of the stadium where the poorest seats were. “I ask you. How much further do you think you could have gotten if you had been born a full unicorn or pegasus?” He looked her in the eye, a heavy pall of dire seriousness put her on edge. “Or in another way, without you or your family’s money, how low do you think you’d be at this point in your life?”

A touch of weariness sank into Twilight, but she met his gaze. “Without my family’s money? I’d be a stable worker or I’d be dead. If I were lucky, I’d get enough of an education to work in a library or something.”

He nodded, satisfied with the answer. “Thanks to their gravity magic, Terracorns are lucky if they survive long enough to be born, you know,” Clipped Wing continued with his dour mood. “At least Terrasi can pass for flightless pegasi, which isn’t that much of a step above us.”

Looking at him with a critical eye and gauging his words, Twilight spoke carefully. “So… are you saying you’re some crusader against the injustice our fellow ponies have brought upon us for not having a niche?” I’ve seen enough of those kind of ponies in the church and the inquisition. I want no part of that.

Sensing the trap she had laid in front of him, Clipped Wing backed off and leaned away from her. “Can you honestly blame them? Why should I hire a unicorn to farm my fields when there are earth ponies abound? Or get an earther to make it rain? The only thing the world knows about us hybrids is that we have is our wits and our longevity. The latter isn’t marketable, and it is up to us to leverage the former. But with my discovery and your help, we will finally have a place in society.”

Once more, Twilight found herself standing alone on that cloud. To one side, she could see the ground. The path of a merchant and the invention of practical devices. Many of Gold Tresel’s ideas had merit, and surely even a few of them could get her name as a footnote in a history book or the like. It was the route that could easily lead her to a safe marriage to solidify her house. I already have suitors lining up for either my money or a chance for nobility.

Or.

She could jump into the unknown led by a pony possessed, in the vain hope she could actually make use of her flightless wings and uncontrollable horn.

Once more, she looked up at the Shadowbolts and then to the crowds cheering them on. A child of the winds longing to be amongst the skies. And not just her, but all those of her… tribe. Fire lit in her eyes as she faced Clipped Wing. “What do you need from me other than my skill? Money? I don’t have a lot of connections.”

Grinning, Clipped Wing fished out a notebook and started writing a time and address. “Funding is no issue, only results. I already have fifty other pegacorns, five terrasi and a terracorn available as volunteers, along with an engineering team. What I need is a mechanical visionary.” He ripped the paper off and held it out for her. “A private train car will be here in five days. What say you?”

“I only made one invention and that was based on an already existing machine. You’re putting a lot of unwarranted faith in me.” Even so, Twilight felt compelled to take the paper and read the address for Tranquility’s central rail station.

“Am I? Steel spoke highly of you, Lady Twilight Sparkle. Yes, the watertube boiler already existed here, if not a naval version. From where I stand, you are an Equestrian of all ponies who devised, by herself, not just a revolution in boiler technology, but one that Steel claims was twenty five years ahead of its time when you first drafted it. Taking into account the boiler type your father had at the time.” He tapped an ear. “As they say: Merchant’s Creed twenty two: A wise pony can hear profit in the wind.”

Profit in the wind? That earned a predatory grin out of her. “Alright, Mister Clipped Wing, I’m in.”

Author's Note

Whelp there goes the future of NASCAR now that Twilight won't be the one to invent the oil engine 40 years early. Would it be 40 years? I mean, its not like she couldn't be distracted by... oh i don't know, a particularly wordy encyclopedia or a fossil in the shape of a book. Could you imagine how much time bookhorse would try to seperate each page without breaking the others to learn the secrets of the rook book?

Where was I going with this?:applejackconfused: ... Oh right!:twilightblush:

How much of the burger did Pinkie actually eat?:pinkiesick: Will Clipped Wing ever get a wingman?:heart: Will Twilight read romance books now to learn how to flirt? Maybe Rainbow can help with that. :rainbowlaugh:

16: Think Tank

A few days after the Shadowbolts show, Rainbow Dash was snoring in her hospital bed with an open Daring Do book resting on her face. It shielded her well enough from the streetlights shining through the nearby window. She might have stayed that way for a few more hours were it not for a rather loud intruder.

“Lieutenant Rainbow Dash!” a commanding voice half-yelled.

Instinct made Rainbow bolt upright and saluted with her right foreleg at whatever might have been in front of her. The book went flying to the foot of the bed. “Sir!” She blinked, realizing there was a pegasus captain standing to the right of her, making her shift her body his way. “Sorry for the mess, Captain Glider.”

With a wing, the captain kept the book from sliding off the bed entirely, and saved her some embarrassment by not looking at the scattered wax paper around the room from her subordinates’ gifts of candy and burgers. “At ease, Lieutenant.” He afforded her an approving, slight grin. “It is my understanding you wish to remain Lady Twilight Sparkle’s sentry officer.”

“Yes sir.” Dropping her salute, she made to get out of bed to stand respectfully, but he waved her to stop. Barring that, she did her best to look as professional as possible. Damn it, I thought Flitter or at least a janitor was going to clean the place up! Looking him over, the stallion had a small folder with him, along with some bound books tucked into his other wing.

“I should inform you then, that the situation has changed, and given your recent actions, you deserve to know some details before I confirm your next orders.”

Tilting her head and letting one ear hang limp, Rainbow idly scratched at her itchy left foreleg. “Did she bungle something up?”

He let off a playful snort. “Depends on who you ask. I received word that a Major Clipped Wing managed to recruit her for a secret project. What details I know of it don’t really make it seem worth the secrecy, but it’s not my call.”

How am I supposed to take that? Is he trying to say this project is just some spy bait?

“At any rate,” Glider moved on, losing some of his derisiveness. “Should you choose to remain as her sentry officer, you will be bound to the research site until further notice. Otherwise, I can have you return to your station with the customs inspectors once the doctors clear you for light duty.”

Averting her gaze, Rainbow was left troubled. Back to customs? All I ever did was search stanky ships for contraband. With the war coming, there’s no way the squad will be redeployed, if anything they're going to expand the customs teams. I'll never see action if I go back. Thinking so much about such a boring future was making her head hurt. But if I stay with Twiggles and Pinkie... Who knows, I might get a rematch with Fey Hunter, or even get to square off with a whole squad of spies like Daring Do did and blow them away with a box of grenades! Her inner cackling started unconsciously leaking to her face, making the captain give her a bemused look until she straightened up and saluted crisply. “Captain, I believe staying at Twilight’s side will prove far more dangerous. Count me in!”

“More dangerous?” he questioned for a moment before casting the question aside with a head shake. “I suppose you have good cause to believe it. In any event, if that’s what you want, Lieutenant…” The book on the bed caught his eye for a moment. “Since you like reading so much, I have more literature for you.” He dropped the books he had been holding on top of the Daring Do book. “You have a secondary assignment while you’re there. We’re going to need you to be a flight instructor. These manuals should help you prepare.”

“A what?” She glanced at the new books and cried inwardly. By Luna’s starry tail, more textbooks? Why would I need that, I already know how to fly! Plus, being an instructor is not my thing at all. She stopped suddenly and quirked an inquisitive eye at him. “Who exactly would I be teaching anyway? You can’t seriously be asking me to teach foals, and we already have flight academies for the air corp.”

“Correct on both counts.” He shrugged almost uncaringly. “I can’t tell you anything more. You’ll have to find out when you get there, as I’m only passing along your flying orders. The travel details are on a letter inside the top book. You have until six in the morning to bring whatever personal effects you wish to take with you. Your current sentry squad will be reassigned, but I am told you will have new candidates available on site. Upon arrival you are to report to Commandant Iron Sights.”

Sensing he wanted to leave, Rainbow slapped a salute. “Travel light, travel fast.”

Giving a one-sided grin of approval of the unofficial air corp motto, he returned the gesture and the second half of the motto. “Go and kick them in the ass, Lieutenant.”

Roughly two weeks later, Twilight, Applejack, Pinkamena, and Rainbow Dash stepped off the train and each of them had a different take on what lay before them.

Situated between the last great mountain range boarding the brown plains further north was a moderately sized military base with several watchtowers nestled at the summit. Both rail and telegraph lines connected the base to the rest of Lunaria. Walls encircled the facility, but were only tall enough to keep wildlife at bay. Instead the only real defenses Twilight could spot were several artillery batteries aimed skyward either resting on brick towers or interspersed along the mountain side. In the waning hours of the day, electric lights lit every window of the fifteen buildings sitting on the foot of the mountain. While the thinning forest rested to the south, the darkening presence of the brown plains beyond were blocked from view by the brick perimeter walls. Stenciled in wrought iron above the station was: Fringe Point.

Thankfully, the mares’ train car had been private, so none of them stood in the way of the soldiers boarding or disembarking as well as the workers moving supplies. There was a regimented yet calm order to the moving bodies that put Twilight at ease. These were soldiers who felt comfortable here, and the lack of worry gave Twilight a chance to keep her own nerves in check.

The same didn’t seem to go for her friends however when Applejack started leveling a fuming glare at Rainbow Dash who was too busy trying to look like she wasn’t resting on her crutch. “Did you know we were going to an army base?”

“Obviously.” The nonplussed thestral scratched her cast with the claw of her wing. “Didn’t the whole ‘restricted access to any car behind yours’ rule except for me not set off any bells for you?” The confusion on both Applejack and Twilight’s faces made Rainbow smirk derisively and wave a playful wing at them. “Did you two honestly spend all this time reading Clipped Wings notes without once wanting to stretch your legs?”

“‘Course not.” Applejack almost looked offended, but wasn’t about to get overly defensive towards her in the middle of an army base. “Our car had some treadmills, remember?”

“They were a bit crude, what with no device turning the belt for us,” Twilight added with a bemused tone. “But it was still a great way to burn off some energy from studying so much. Not to mention that it offered a great view of the passing countryside. I suppose the server bringing food being in uniform should have made it obvious.”

Letting off a snarky laugh, Rainbow leaned against the crutch under her left foreleg. “I swear, if we put you two in a house for a year with a lava moat, you’d probably not even notice.”

Twilight grumbled and frantically waved a hoof to clear the air. “Yes, yes, pay more attention, I get it.” Applejack frowned a bit. “You’d think that should only apply to isolated farmhouses or abandoned ruins, but there you go. For now, I’m assuming we have a welcoming committee coming.”

“Right you are!” called a familiar voice from further up the train. Sure enough, Clipped Wing emerged from the throng of soldiers who gave him enough deference for him to move quickly. He was wearing the light green uniform of the army. The yellow cloth rank bar bearing the gold leaves of a Major made Rainbow stiffen to attention and salute. Her action seemed partially at odds with the other soldiers nearby. Only a few stopped and saluted at his passing, while others merely stopped to let him pass without a sign of respect.

“At ease, Lieutenant.” He returned her salute before focusing on Twilight, wringing her wings nervously. “My apologies, Lady Twilight Sparkle for not disclosing my rank when we first met.” He was now close enough he felt he could speak more quietly without the din around them drowning him out. “My commission doesn’t exactly mean much outside of Fringe Point. Honestly I’m only a major because of my research.”

“If it doesn’t mean much, then why have it?” Twilight inquired, glancing about, worried that someone nearby might think he wasn’t actually who he appeared to be. If he gets arrested, the rest of us don’t have a leg to stand on.

Clipped Wing tried to follow her gaze, but couldn’t tell what had drawn her attention. “Oh you know how things go. It’s something that got started who knows how long ago about doctors always being officers. The practice expanded to researchers mostly so we are left alone.” He laughed sheepishly, looking back at not so good memories. “Nothing scares off a fresh trooper’s inane questions like a rank emblem he probably can’t even identify.”

“Sounds about right ta me,” Applejack said a bit louder than she wanted to, drawing on rose-tinted memories. “The scariest words any sea cat ever hears is ‘admiral on deck’. Just breathin’ wrong feels like tha captain would put you on bilge duty for a month.”

“Yes, I got much the same treatment once ponies around the - ah - garrison started recognizing me and knew who my brother was.” Twilight sighed away some of the bitterness the loss of her family still inflicted on her. She tried to hide it by adjusting the hat she had gotten from Rarity to cover one particularly bright lantern that was burning her eye. “I wore this to give a good first impression but it looks like I’m the odd one out around here.”

“Maybe not entirely,” Clipped Wing said encouragingly with a smile to match. “While I hired you to design a wearable version of my invention, I got a fashionista to help with the ergonomics. Even I can see your beauty is magnified by such an exquisite item, and I’m sure she’ll fawn all over it.”

Bashfully fidgeting her wings, Twilight couldn’t stop herself from looking to Pinkamena for advice. Unhelpfully, all she got was a mass of curly pink hair bobbing madly from poorly contained laughter behind a hoof. “I told you, you look rather fetching with it.”

“A bit too fru-fru for my tastes,” Rainbow added matter-of-factly.

“Then we should thank - Luna that it wasn’t made for you,” Twilight harrumphed to hide her stomach growling. “Lead the way, Major, I’d like to get settled in before finding some lunch.”

Clipped Wing gave them an abbreviated tour of the facility, pointing out the admin building, mess halls, Twilight’s living arrangements, then finally the laboratory.

The stallion became rather chipper once he led them through the main doors. “The lab’s been broken up into three main areas, my workshop is down at the end, yours will be in the middle, which means we’ll be able to meet the ergonomics director first. He leaned into Twilight’s ear. “Be sure to primp your hat a bit before we meet her, she’s going to love it.”

“Would she?” The prospect of someone else liking the hat Rarity had given her truly uplifted Twilight’s spirits. If only Rarity had been allowed to pursue her passion for fashion. Sometimes I feel this hat better represents her repressed talents than it does me.

Turning towards Pinkamena, Twilight wiggled a wing at her prized possession. In turn, Pinkamena giggled happily and with a single hoof, managed the adjustments to the purple feathers and curled the brim just so, so that everything was perfectly ordered. She was brushing away an errant bit of fur off the article when Clipped Wing stopped at a door and pushed it open with little preamble. “We’re here.”

The room Twilight stepped into was more akin to a clothing store than a laboratory at first glance. Uniforms of all branches of the armed forces along with some civilian ones and even a few from the Equestrian military had all found their way here on racks, ponyquins, or pinned to the walls. Yet it was the nose twisting chemical stench from various curing vats and other tanning equipment that would repulse the average customer.

The entire southern wall, easily a hundred feet long, was covered in drafting paper of yet more designs running the gambit of all tribes. Standing in front of four other civilian-dressed designers was an animated pegasus mare with a disembodied sleeve on her upraised teal-furred foreleg and showing it off to the others. Lastly was a stately poised earth stallion wearing an officer’s uniform. Whatever she had been saying had stopped at Clipped Wing’s entry.

“Commandant Iron Sights, Madam Kerfuffle my dear, this is Lady Twilight Sparkle. She is to be our miniaturization specialist.”

“So she’s finally here is she?” Iron Sights would be forgettable were it not for his rank and deep tone of voice. His light brown mane paired with slightly darker fur would be glanced over even if Twilight was trying to find him in a crowd. He held back with a side-grin aimed at Kerfuffle who cheerily cantered over to greet the newcomers.

The three-legged pegasus mare was joy personified. Everything between her caring smile and the bounce in her step afforded by her spring-loaded prosthetic left Twilight and her friends feeling more welcome than a marching band in their honor. “Hi there! As that doey-eyed flirt said, I’m Kerfuffle, putting the ‘ffff’ in army ffffashion!” She kept cheerfully rattling on as she shook everyone’s hoof in turn. “Or at least I will once I get a design accepted, but you ahh…” Kerfuffle paused at seeing Twilight’s hat, only to get utterly embarrassed thinking she was standing before a superior designer, completely forgetting what Clipped Wing said. “Well, I should really just stop talking.”

Inwardly, Twilight found the fashionista’s slumping mood depressing. She’s probably had problems with nobles taking their self-importance too rigidly. Eager to have a good relationship with someone who could make or break the entire project, Twilight put on her best friendly face. “I don’t see why.” She looked around, taking in the uniforms, both on the ponyquins and the drawing board walls. “You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t the best, right?” That got a stunned smile out of Kerfuffle, prompting Twilight to continue. “You probably know your way around thread and needle better than I do around an engine.”

“An engine? Then you’re-?” Kerfuffle looked expectantly to Clipped Wing.

“The miniaturization specialist that I mentioned last month.”

It took a moment before Kerfuffle jumped a bit as realization dawned on her. “Oh. Oh! Right, of course.” She jumped a bit when the heavy presence of Commandant Iron Sights stepped up beside her, making Kerfuffle cow away.

“Lady Twilight Sparkle, I thank you for coming.”

Such simple, courteous words, and yet they held no warmth at all. Great, somepony bitter about working with yet more pegacorns. Lining up her emotional walls to deal with the pony, Twilight stopped once she looked him in the eyes. They were dead, emotionless, almost despondent. Like he had stared into death itself and was merely waiting his turn, only for it to pass over him like a smothering shroud. I’ve seen that look before in some of the really old veterans. I hope Pinkamena doesn’t try making friends with him. It’d be a wasted effort.

If he cared about her clamming up, he showed no sign as his gaze left her. “I must commend you, Major. You’ve bought this little project of yours some more time.”

Sweat started beading across Clipped’s brow. “I promise you, Commadent, this can work.”

“It had better do more than just ‘work’.” Iron Sights became animated in one of the few ways ponies like him could anymore, frustrated anger. “The entire southern border depends on your research.”

“Wait-” Pinkamena cut in, hoping to derail the stallion’s simmering temper. “My Lady’s research will help fight the griffons? But I thought we weren’t at war with them.”

Scowling, Iron Sights cast a frightful gaze at everyone in turn before settling on Pinkamena. “Not yet at least.” He faced Twilight, expecting her to speak. “And don’t get any delusions of grandeur. As far as I can tell, this whole project is a fool’s errand. Trying to make pegacorns useful in battle,” he scoffed, completely uncaring for present company. “The only use you have,” he directed at both pegacorns, but kept his eyes more on Clipped Wing than Twilight. “Is keeping this base in the treasury’s good graces.”

“Pardon, sir,” Twilight asked, now more worried than ever. “I was of the understanding Lunaria and the griffons were on poor terms. If this fort is so important to the border, then why do you need the project at all?”

Iron Sights glared at her, but his intent was not to intimidate, he did that just by being present. He seemed to finally catch himself being too abrasive and shaped up to his original stately demeanor. “I suppose you’ll find out eventually. The army and navy are not just mobilizing, the emperor is pulling everything he can to the mainland before Equestria can start making sea travel difficult. With the griffons currently on the brink of a succession crisis, the Field Marshals feel we can leave only a scant few ponies watching our southern flank. They aren’t entirely wrong, as those half-witted sapiovores can’t even manage a coherent government anymore after what we did with their last competent king. But I’d be negligent to allow us to become easy prey for those things, and this project is the only thing keeping my fort from being picked apart by vultures for the upcoming Equestrian theater.”

“Makes sense, there’s no need to fight dragons that are not in your way. But I can’t help but notice that you speak as if we’re already at war,” Twilight remarked evenly so as to not provoke him.

He grunted painfully as old wounds ached, his gaze going distant. “Tell me, turncoat, you know Equestria better than any of us. Does the crown seek to make this peace last?”

The weight of so many eyes upon her felt different this time, as if she were being pressed in vice under his cold gaze. Twilight wanted to shrink away from it, but held firm. “I believe she does, not that it matters. Mi Amora Cadenza has the same problem Celestia had millennia ago. Those who hold the keys to power dictate her stance on issues. The only difference now is that Cadenza knows this, but doesn’t know how to cut her strings.”

“I’m not sure if that is an improvement.” Dismissing Twilight from his mind, he focused on Rainbow Dash who looked out of her element. “Lieutenant. Report to the clinic so they can assess your leg. I need to know when you’ll be fit for duty. Until then, find something useful to do or I will find it for you.”

“Yes, sir!”

“I should not have to say that you are to stay mum on everything you do here.” Iron Sights didn’t raise his voice, but no one missed the unspoken threat. “Should you lot actually produce something noteworthy, I want the weapon’s arrival on the field to be the first the Equestrians ever hear of it.”

Shortly thereafter, Rainbow headed off to her quarters while the rest of them followed Clipped Wing to the reason she was dragged here in the first place. Striding in ahead of everyone else, Clipped Wing proudly swept a wing towards the monstrosity of a machine. “Ladies, I give you the Pegacorn Integrated Kinetic Energy engine, or PIKE.”

All three spread out around the machine while Clipped Wing watched on like a proud father. He paid far more attention to Twilight’s reaction, and react she did.

It wasn’t hard for her to find where a pony was supposed to donate their magic to the device. A resin bench sat on one end with a metal apparatus attached to a horn with the skull used as weight support. Surprisingly, there was a metal casting add-on that looked like it was for making bullets and etching runes. The rest of the machine seemed like a traditional, if rather small engine assembly. A firebox boiler, and steam engine were patched into another device her studies concluded was the mana conversion focus. Her clinical mind picked the machine apart piece by piece, leaving her confused. “I can see why you might need help with the focus,” she began while trying to imagine how it would feel having her magic being directly pulled from her horn like a straw. “But what’s with the other accoutrements? Surely you’re not planning on having a steam engine jump start the armor soldiers would wear.”

He chuckled half-heartedly and sweated a bit. “Certainly not. I’m afraid my hooves are tied to what I can actually work on. Irons Sights might have been the one to offer Fringe Point as a research site, but it was the Lord Generals who dictated what the project would do. I’ve been tasked with developing ammunition imbued with pegacorn magic that can be used by existing firearms.”

Twilight’s eyes widened first with intrigue, then with curiosity. Scientific progress was in the air, and it pulled at her on a deeply fundamental level that she was unaware of. “Yes, that would be of interest. Lunaria hasn’t used magical bullets for at least a hundred and fifty years. The Battle of Stinger Skies being the last time if I recall, and it was a total rout for the Lunar Air Corps.”

“You’re quite well read,” Clipped bowed his head in respect. “Yes, the Green Grass rifles were a marvel of their time, but even that was enough to cause intolerable misfire rates in magic munitions. As for today, I promised to deliver magic cartridges that won’t suffer the same fate, and our magic is the key.” He grew concerned and turned away from her to hide his ill at ease. “Which is proving difficult. The math proves it’s possible, but I’m having to reinvent the bullet because runes can’t survive exiting a rifle barrel.” A gasping laugh defused his stress enough that he felt he could look at her ahead without embarrassment. “But as I said, that won’t be your project.”

“Reinventing the bullet…” A yawn struck Twilight, one that spread to the others. “Might as well reinvent the gun while you're at it.”

The very idea of that being necessary had crossed his mind before and it pressed down on Clipped Wing like a pile of bricks. “Please, not you too.”

Pity made Twilight give him a half-smile. “Well… maybe rethink the glyphs themselves?” She stopped, her thought half formed. The train ride was exhausting, and she had little energy left for such efforts.

“Maybe you don’t have to do either one,” Pinkamena chimed in, earning curious looks from the others. “If the rifle is damaging the runes, why not make that work for you instead of against.”

Yawning far more than good decorum would permit, Twilight tried to hide her embarrassment over it. “Sorry, I’m struggling more than I wished to admit. I’m going to have to retire for the night.”

While Pinkamena and Twilight busied themselves settling in, Applejack and Rainbow Dash had their military careers to blame for them traveling light, and neither of them had more than a single bag to throw on a bed before being settled in.

With so much spare time, Applejack walked over to Rainbow’s quarters first. The officers had decent enough accommodations, a small bedroom with an attached bathroom, but even they had communal showers. The ex-navy girl poked her nose into Rainbow’s bedroom while the bright blue thestral was still struggling to hang the last of her uniforms up with a broken leg.

“Hey, LT RD, it’s been too long since I've had a drink, wanna cast our sheets to the wind?”

Just the idea of a stiff drink made Rainbow drool a bit after such a long ride. Her first answer was cut off by looking at the rank patches on her spare uniforms. “I can’t tell you how much I’d love to teleport to tomorrow evening, but-” Rainbow started speaking with as much derogatory sarcasm her raspy voice was capable of, “you can’t do that, LT. You’re not one of the file anymore, you’re the rank. You have to be respectaaable.” She grumbled and clipped the last hanger on the closet bar. “And that means getting drunk in your own room, not the bar.”

“Come on, Sugarcube, you know as well as anypony that the only difference between a bar and an officers lounge is the furniture. Ah can’t tell ya the number a’ times Ah saw the sailing brass get so drunk Ah had to hold onto their mane so they wouldn’t fall into the drink while they puked their pay away.”

Snickering at the thought of it, Rainbow felt a little lighter. “Did they get reprimanded?”

“Psshhh.” Applejack waved a dismissive hoof and rolled her eyes to mimic Rainbow’s exaggerated style. “If they did, it never stopped them from doing it again the next time they saved up enough rum rations. No pony ever got transferred out because they only ever did it when not on duty. At least on the boats Ah served on Ah guess.”

Taking the hint, Rainbow grinned mischievously. “Is that a fact? Well, my duty is studying to be a flight instructor. There’s not exactly a deadline thanks to my leg.” Her smile grew into a devious grin by the second as the promise of a booze filled night caused her to salvate. “I’m so in.”

It wasn’t long before Rainbow Dash and Applejack strided into what was supposed to be the officers’ lounge. Strided was a bit much for Rainbow and her crutch, so she flew low to the ground so she and Applejack could chatter on the way over. For her part, Applejack wore her navy bucket hat complete with an anchor and chain cloth emblem with prominent ‘ILN Cover of Night’ emblazoned on the front. Though without the rest of her uniform, she was marked as a veteran instead of active duty.

What few local army and air corps officers camped around tables viewed her with a rival’s eye. A fact she was counting on, and everyone knew it. Ah haven’t had a good brawl for two weeks. What almost annoyed Applejack though was how sparsely populated the place was. Somethin’ tells me this sorry lot isn’t goin’ ta oblige.

The lounge itself was decent enough for a base of this size. The main area was decorated in various stuffed animal heads, ranging from deer to lions. The tables and chairs were of fine quality, if not exactly the opulent accommodations the Tranquility lounges offered. The gentle violin music of a single musician brought some peace to the room, leaving Applejack disappointed. Shucks, are they in mournin’ or somethin’? They might not want ta have a dust up.

The pair arrived at the bar and they ordered up something mild to start off. “So,” Rainbow said, cutting off the sailor’s thoughts. “Your indenture should be up in a few weeks. You got any plans?”

The bartender slid a mug of hard cider for Applejack and some light beer for Rainbow. “Already talked it over with Twilight. She’s gunna bump my wage up a few slips above what Ah was gettin’ in the navy. As much as Ah’d like ta work at the family shop, it ain’t earnin’ enough ta leave Twilight ya know?”

“Could be worse, working for a slave driver who couldn’t care less if a loom tore your hoof off, right?” Rainbow offered her mug in a toast.

“Ah hear ya.” Clanging her glass with Rainbow’s Applejack downed half of her drink in one go. “Is not all bad. Ah get to have solid earth under my hooves again, and the kin are just a week away instead of an ocean. “‘S a fair trade if ya ask me.” Applejack hesitated as a warm thought crossed her mind of an era before her time, but told fondly by Granny Smith. “Maybe when Ah save up enough, Ah can buy a farm somewhere. Wouldn’t that be a peaceful life?” she added with a wistful smile.

“Psh, more like a boring life if you ask me.” Rainbow chugged the last of her drink, smirking at the brief irritation Applejack tossed her way. She banged the bar. “Hey barkeep, what’s the deal? This place has decent beer but barely anypony’s here.”

Taking the hint, the unicorn behind the bar started pouring a fresh mug. “Boar season just started. Some of the boys are out hunting, and word has it, they got lucky. Fresh pork beats anything the mess hall’s offering, I can promise you that.” He glanced at the grandfather clock off to the side.” They should be back within the hour, but you gotta pay if you want a piece.”

Claiming her drink, Rainbow downed a good portion of it in one go. She shook as the cold liquid cooled her down. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Ah can always go for some fresh pork,” Applejack chimed in. “Helps remind me not to think too fondly ‘a galley food.” Once she too got another drink, she ribbed Rainbow Dash right as she was taking another drink, causing Rainbow to dunk her muzzle in the glass. “So, Miss Excitement. What are you plannin’ to do with yourself if not farmin’?”

Freeing her face, Rainbow licked her mouth for every drop. “Me? If this whole flight instructor plan goes bust, I’ll probably go airborne infantry. I’m not retiring unless I become a general or maybe Shadowbolt captain if the stars align. I mean if I gotta be an officer I might as well ride it out, or kill me a nuckelavee.”

The bartender nearly dropped a glass he was cleaning. Applejack thumped the bar with a hoof. Her mind hauntingly returned to that night at Manehatten’s docks. The way Rarity awoke the primordial fear of prey staring down the eyes of a tiger felt as real now as it did the night it happened. “Look, girl, Ah get being brave and all, and Ah know ya gotta do what the brass tell ya, but don’t go outta your way to fight one of them inquisitors. Granny Smith would smack you with a cane if she could hear you right now.”

Seeing the first hand fear from another put Rainbow on edge, but she brushed it aside. “Yeah I get it. They’re powerful, but so are dragons and we kicked thier tails so hard even the dumb ones only migrate where we tell them to.”

A fresh beer landed hard in front of Rainbow. The greying unicorn bartender locked Rainbow eyes with his own. “You should listen to the sea cat. You don’t fight an inquisitor with gun and hoof, but overwhelming force.”

Cautiously taking the free drink, Rainbow nursed it as she studied him for the first time. He looked old, if his graying purple fur was anything to go by. Yet his muscular frame carried numerous scars from face to hoof. The wounds of war can heal, but never hidden. “Have you fought one or is that just some spooky gobbledygook?”

Using his magic, the stallion plucked a medal off the wall that sat in the center of the drink shelves and placed it in between the mares. It was a deceptively simple thing. A black disk with silver points latched to a blue ribbon. “How’s that for gobbledygook?”

Applejack wanted to pick it up, but stopped short, daring not to touch such a rare thing without explicit permission. “Dash. This is an Eclipse Crescent,” she said in awe. “You only get this for killing an inquisitor.”

Rainbow’s cavalier smirk evaporated into one of respectful shock. “By the stars… How’d it happen? You got a lucky shot, or did you stalk one down in their sleep?”

Giving the mildly smarmy thestral a disapproving huff, the bartender tapped a hoof next to the medal. “It was a lucky shot, but it hardly changes things.”

Seeing Rainbow as being disrespectful in her unwitting way, Applejack chose to distract him from it. “How’d it happen? If ya don’t mind sharin’.”

“At least one of you has some manners.” The sound of shifting chairs pulled Applejack’s attention away. Several of the closer patrons were leaning in to hear the tale. The bartender pointed to a painting on the wall, one that had four rows of soldiers looking stoically at the painter. “That was my platoon five months before the battle of Red Creek. Afterwords, only myself and two others were left alive.

“Red Creek was supposed to have been a small affair compared to the larger battle going on twenty miles north in Rainbow Falls. Five hundred Royal Army troopers were holding a switchback road large enough to move artillery pieces, but too steep for a crawler. If we took it, we could shell the Equestrian flank into Rainbow Falls.

“We struck the first crook in the switchback, taking it easily enough. The enemy was greener than broccoli, ‘cause they broke and ran before we even got off a second volley. Weren’t even orderly about it, just broke like scared dogs.” He paused, shuddering as memories took their toll. “We had only just marched around the first bend when it felt like I walked straight into a lake of molasses. Everything felt normal enough at first, but then I saw a small fire the royals had left behind. The flames were twisting and flickering like it was possessed by great haste and smoke bled off it like steam from a punctured boiler.”

“I tried calling out to my sargeant something wasn’t right but the words didn’t come out right when I spoke. Like some warbled mess. And that’s when I saw it start two formations ahead of me. A pink and white blur stopped and started like grease lightning in front of each trooper. And one by one they fell down like they’d been shot. Transfixed I was, until the blur was close enough to see it was a pony. Then I saw the glint of gold on the pony’s head. That - that only meant one thing to me: an inquisitor.”

All other sounds in the lounge had fallen still. No clinking of glasses, not shifting chairs, not even the exhale of cigar smoke could be heard as the bartender pressed on with the tale. Rainbow Dash clamped down on a wing that was shaking with unacknowledged fear. Applejack found herself draining her beer far faster to cope.

“I was the platoon’s only antimagic expert, being the only one lugging a pack of watches everywhere. Unlike my brothers I could still move a little at least. So I tried to aim at the damned nuckelavee, but I might as well have been trying to move in a vat of taffy. My aim was always five bodies behind her no matter how hard I tried. The worst of it was that my brothers had no idea it was even happening. After she destroyed the entire second platoon , she was close enough I could finally see she had a large pot with her. After stabbing somepony in a leg, she dipped the blade into the pot of paralyzing toxin.”

“Wait, wait,” Rainbow waved a wing hastily. “Are you telling me she was so crazy fast she was going to capture a whole damn regiment in one go?!”

“Not exactly.” The bartender licked his lips while eyeing the bottle, but couldn’t bring himself to drink on the job so settled for a glass of sparkling water. It tasted bitter and hollow. “She wasn’t going fast, we we’re going slow. Turns out my musket and pocket-watches were the only things keeping me from being frozen completely.”

Guzzling his water, it left a foul taste he dearly wished to wash down with whiskey. “Anyway. She stabbed half of my platoon before reaching me. I was still trying to turn my rifle from the left flank where I last saw her. In a split second she was right in front of me, blade drawn. I thought for sure I’d either be dead or striped.”

“Barely any difference if ya ask me,” Applejack shivered, her thoughts drifting to the slaves Twilight had brought with her.

Moving on with barely a pause from Applejack’s interruption, “but she stopped and looked past me. Like a pop, the world slammed back to normal as case shot exploded all around us.” He squeezed his eyes shut as the mental images of sheets of shrapnel flew all around him. Friends both new and old being torn to pieces by the barrage.

“The damned inquisitor had to give up her slow spell to bring up a shield. Must have assumed we didn’t have any artillery since we didn’t use it on any of their fortified positions around the road. But she got careless and threw up too big of a shield and I was close enough to be inside it. The fires hadn’t even cleared when I swung my musket around and shot her between the eyes.”

He tried to put on a strong front, but the stallion’s right front hoof was trembling badly, but he managed to keep his steely gaze locked onto Rainbow’s mortified face. “That’s what it takes, girl, to bring one of those monsters down. You don’t go hunting Inquisitors. You either get lucky or you get dead.”

While Applejack was in somber awe, Rainbow Dash’s expression only grew harder. “I’m not gonna say these guys are chumps. Never was. But we got to do better than trading a regiment for a single inquisitor.”

“That was better,” Applejack admonished with little force behind it. “Like he said, if it weren’t for his watches, he’d have never been able to move or think at all. By Luna’s stars, he probably woulda walked up that road one second and then wake up striped the next.”

Scowling at Applejack’s defeatism, Rainbow downed her drink, brood for a moment before Twilight’s project gave Rainbow a sinister idea. With a coy smirk, she gently tapped the medal. “You watch. One way or another, I’ll find a way to get a bunch of these.”

“Uh huh, and Ah’m sure they’ll just line up for ya.” Applejack darkly chuckled while Rainbow playfully jabbed her shoulder. She glanced at the grandfather clock when it started chiming. She quickly drained her beer. “Come on RD, we’ll come back later for a hootenanny. We got some fresh pork ta eat and forget inquisitors exist for a night!”

Rainbow was roughly dragged from her staring contest with the bartender by Applejack tugging on her good foreleg. “Oh come on, I don’t even have a buzz yet. There better be some booze there!”

Pinkamena directed others to finish moving everything into what was essentially a condo, two bedrooms of modest size, a central hallway with enough rooms that she wouldn’t have to leave for weeks if the kitchen was properly provisioned. Having tucked away her small wardrobe and organized her papers, Twilight dithered at her desk with worry wrinkling her brow. She had been putting sensitive papers into a safe when one set of documents caught her eye. Pulling the slightly wrinkled pages from the same carpet bag she brought when she arrived. It was the adoption forms that had been scratching at the back of her mind for the whole year. Shaking her head, Twilight frowned deeply at her own cowardice.

She’s ready. I know she is. But does she believe that yet? I don’t want her to feel forced into it, but I don’t know how much longer I can stand her being a servant any longer, striped or not.

A knock on the door made Twilight jump in mild panic. She flipped the pages over. “Come in.”

Pinkamena stepped in and flashed a massive grin that had become a common sight on her in the last several months. A fact that warmed Twilight’s heart. “My Lady, I know you would rather sleep, but l suspect we’d be better served by dining out tonight.”

“Dining out? This is a military base, and a remote one at that. Where would we eat?” Pinkamena’s straining smile and nervous ear twitches set off some red flags. She couldn’t have possibly organized a surprise party this quickly. Not to mention paid anypony.

“Some of the troops were out hunting wild boar and came back with a few. I bought some choice pieces for a great price. I suspect it would ingratiate us with the common soldiery.”

“How do you have so much energy for all this?” Twilight slumped from how drained she felt. Pinkamena’s giggles brought a tired smile to Twilight’s face, and gave her enough strength to accept her friend’s hoof in standing up.

“Too much sugar I think. Shall we go?”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

Waiting until Pinkamena turned away, Twilight slid the adoption papers into a small travel folder and tucked it into a wing. No more excuses.

The full moon was high in the sky when Twilight and Pinkamena followed their noses to the delightful smoky scent of cooked meat. Pinkamena had brought a pouch of spices she had thrown together before leaving and went off to claim her steaks while Twilight picked out a secluded spot to settle down and build a campfire.

It was all just outside the walls, but with so many soldiers around, a sense of protected calm settled over Twilight as she collected enough twigs and brambles to make a fire for a few hours. A measure of rustic excitement gave Twilight enough motivation to gather enough stones for the fire as well. Through it all, Twilight had tucked the travel folder against a nearby tree.

By the time Pinkamena arrived with two plates and some weak local-brewed beer in delightfully chilled mugs, the fire was ready and Twilight was on her back watching the stars framed by the full moon.

“Still hot off the grill!” Pinkamena cheered as she set the iron plate down on the soft dirt near Twilight. The pegacorn was quick to offer aid in placing everything else down so Pinkamena could sit. “Got some asparagus, broccoli, and some assortment of local grasses that I’m assured is fit for an emperor.”

“Thank you, Pinkamena, I forgot how hungry I was.”

“And you weren’t even working yet,” Pinkamena added with her delightful giggle.

A few moments of silence prevailed as they simply enjoyed each other’s company. Twilight had positioned herself to face away from the walls and towards the deep woods, broken only by the rail tracks. The crisp early winter air and the sound of trees swaying in the wind made her sigh. “Do you remember the first ‘field training’ exercise Cross Hook put us through? Didn’t even go two nights before he had us skin and cook a pair of rabbits.”

Pinkamena groaned and shivered, and not entirely from the cold. “I know it tasted like rubber without salt. I also remember you getting a tick in your ear,” she added with a hint of snark.

“Eww,” Twilight instinctively held her ear as horrible memories flooded back. “Thanks, I had almost forgotten that ever happened. Can’t believe I survived him sticking a hot poker in there to get it off.” Twilight fussed a bit while Pinkamena cackled. Though she didn’t feel indignation swell within her, as she could almost feel like that would have been something Shining Armor would have teased her about. “Still didn’t stop you going crazy when the leeches attacked you when we were bathing in the pond.”

Rather than cringing, Pinkamena simply gave an elaborate shrug with a smile. “Eh, they were definitely wanting the honey caked on my fur.”

“You know that’s not how leeches work,” Twilight scoffed.

The pair continued to share such stories for well over an hour until a pair of intruders arrived with plates of their own. Rainbow Dash had two plates layered with steak while Applejack was just as guilty. “Heyya, Twiggles, Pinkie Pie, heard you gals bought plates so we thought we could join you.”

“Nothin’ like dining with friends right?” Applejack with a bit of reservation, worried she might be pushing Twilight’s aristocratic limits on casualness.

But here, alone with no one around to put on airs, Twilight eagerly jumped up to help them settle in. “Absolutely. We should do this sort of thing more often.” Well, the clerk did say I’d have to have witnesses sign it too.

As Twilight moved to settle back down, Pinkamena spotted the leather travel folder. Tilting her head, she jabbed a hoof at it. “My Lady, I don’t think this is the best place to get some paperwork done.”

Twilight shuddered a bit. Part of her wanted to play it off as a mistake, but the insistent voice in her head demanded satisfaction. “Oh well, usually that would be…” It felt as if salt had coated her throat, robbing Twilight of her voice. Trying to be as casual as possible about it, she approached the folder still nestled on the tree. Just do it. The worst that can happen is that she wants to wait, right?

As she picked it up, a nagging voice in the back of her mind caused her to stall. She’ll say no. She’s not ready. She’ll never be ready. The thought nearly made her drop the folder. Realizing the others were starting to stare at her, Twilight whirled around and flashed her hammiest grin to date. “By the stars I’m thirsty!”

“You alright there, boss? Last time you acted this strange you thought batsy over here was making you dream about cheesecake stallions in endless strawberry fields.”

“As if I’d make somepony dream about something lame like that.” Rainbow snorted in mock-insult and turned away from the sea cat. “Not that we can infiltrate dreams anyway. Stupid Equestrian lies.”

The jovial teasing gave Twilight a chance to breathe easier. Although, while the two native Lunarians continued to playfully bicker, Pinkamena’s eyes never left her life-long friend. Confusion and worry warred over her face. “I hope it’s nothing serious.”

“It is, but it umm…” Twilight stalled by dusting the ground in front of Pinkamena before sitting down. “Pinkamena… I - ever since the day we met, you fill a void -” Twilight nervously shook her head. “No that’s not right.” Sweat dampened her brow as all eyes were on her. “I mean, you’ve been at my side for so long that I can’t think of.” None of it sounded right to Twilight’s ears. “I - well here.” She fumbled with the folder and almost scattered the pages dangerously close to the fire.

Pinkamena hastily helped keep them safe all while Twilight sputtered inarticulate assurances. Rainbow on the other hand had one eyebrow raised so hard it strained her face as she leaned in to whisper to Applejack. “Do ponies in Equestria propose with paperwork instead of rings or something?”

Applejack ribbed the soldier. “Shaddup, they ain’t like that.”

Once the pages were collected, Pinkamena handed over the ones she had picked up. “Breathe, My Lady. Just say what you want to say.”

She didn’t even look at the pages. Following her advice, Twilight touched her chest and took several slow breaths. Her pulse slowed, and her jitters became manageable once more. Gazing at Pinkamena’s trusting face, Twilight muscled through her fears. “You’ve been with me for over half my life now. You could have been just another house servant. Doing what you were told with a smile, but you’ve been more than that. You trusted me when I needed it most, when your stripes demanded you turn me over time and again.” Twilight looked away, feeling like she was floundering again.

Glancing at Applejack in a moment of weakness only led to the orange mare decidedly stuffing her face with food. Rainbow Dash served little better as her smug smirk left Twilight with no help.

Through it all, Pinkamena waited with the patience of a mountain. A gentle smile framed by curly hair. She reached out and held Twilight’s hoof. It was just a simple act, no more, no less. And yet it was times like this, when the normally bombastic mare kept an air of calm around her, that Twilight could tie down her own frantic thoughts.

A shiver ran through Twilight and her nerves calmed down enough for her to speak without stuttering. “Pinkamena, in all but blood, you have been like a sister to me. If you would like, I wish to formally adopt you as such.”

“A sister?!” Pinkamena froze in disbelief. She dropped Twilight’s hoof as her brain struggled to process the very idea of it. “I - ahh, I wowsers.”

“Oooohhh a sister, that makes sense.” Rainbow Dash gave a definitive nod, basking in her own wisdom.

Applejack’s own surprise was derailed by Rainbow’s comment. “Says the mare thinkin’ she was giving her hoof away.”

“Nope, nope, totally called it.” Rainbow winked at Applejack. “Luna’s intuition.”

“My hoof it is.”

Ignoring her unhelpful friends, Twilight presented the adoption papers to Pinkamena. “I would have liked to ask you sooner, but I didn’t know if you’d accept. I ahh, I still don’t actually.”

For a time, all Pinkamena could do was stare at the first page with ‘adoption’ printed in large letters at the top. “You really mean it? Rainbow didn’t put you up to this?”

Twilight had to suppress a snicker at seeing Rainbow’s insulted expression. “She’s a mean prankster, but I wouldn’t do this if the offer wasn’t real.”

“What about Shining Armor and your parents? They’d be mortified.” Pinkamena hugged the page as tightly as she dared, not wanting to let it disappear.

“I’m sure my parents would be,” Twilight conceded with a shake of her head. “Sometimes I wonder if Shiny would have expected me to do this. Not that any of that matters. They’re half a world away and this is my house. I get to choose who I let in, and I want to start with you.”

It started off as a few subdued giggles, but like a shot, Pinkamena exploded with cheer and roped Twilight into a bear hug. “I’ll do it! Yes yes yes!” Swept away in her own exuberance, returned the embrace with both hoof and wing, trying to out-squeeze the earth pony. Finally, after waiting so very long, Twilight could at last stop hiding her love for her new sister. Tears fell from her face, and the act of wiping them away, caused Pinkamena to break the hug first, only to reveal she was in tears as well.

For all of her planning for this day, Twilight was at a loss for how to continue, so it was up to Applejack to come to the rescue. “So you’re gunna change your name right?”

“Its not marriage ya dumb cat,” Rainbow Dash snarked while teasing Applejack with a slap on the leg. “Not that you could tell the difference if it weren't for all the paperwork getting dirt all over it.”

Twilight freaked and tried to extract the papers from the ground where they had fallen. Sure enough, most of the papers had fine brown dust sticking to them. “Ohhh, I don’t think a clerk who was paying attention would accept this now…”

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” Rainbow dismissively waved a fork laden with pork. “It’s not like they ever run out of paperwork. But I second the motion for a name change. Pinkamena is a mouthful. If you don’t change it I’m just going to stop using your name and just say ‘hey, you with the face’ or whatever.”

“You already do that,” Pinkamena remarked with a grin.

Speaking with a full mouth, Rainbow spat bits of food everywhere. “Yeah, but at least I can pretend to be respectful if you pick an easier name. Kinda looks bad when no pony wants to bother saying your full name unless there’s money in it.”

“My full name?” Pinkamena eyed the thestral with dramatic suspicion. “Are you seriously wanting me to change my actual name to Pinkie Pie?”

“Your nickname fits you better,” Rainbow explained with a shrug. She took a bite of mashed potato. “I mean seriously, writing out Pinkamena Diane Pie on every piece of paper or whatever’s sounds ‘guh’ to me.”

“By that logic I should change mine too,” Twilight quipped back with a snooty harrumph. “Should I start writing Twiggles or T Sparks on my documents too?”

“Couldn’t hurt,” Rainbow shot right back with a smirk.

Pinkamena looked to Applejack who shook her head. “Nu uh, Ah’m staying’ outta this one.”

There was only one recourse left and Twilight gave her a reassuring smile and placed a hoof on Pinkamena’s shoulder. “Silly or not, this is your name. I’ll support any name you want, provided it’s not something like ‘Ponkers the destroyer of pies’.”

Rainbow cackled madly and nearly spilled her beer. “Come on, Twilly, that was gold and you know it.”

Pinkamena ignored the ribbing and took silent comfort in Twilight’s presence. “Pinkamena Diane Pie. That’s the name I remember. I don’t know if that’s the name my parents gave me, or the Solar Church did. But Pinkie Pie…” She looked up to meet the others with a growing toothy smile. “That’s the name my friends gave me. I’ll take it.”

Author's Note

And so ends arc two. We’ll be switching gears to focus on Rarity for a spell. Let’s hope our erstwhile inquisitor does not lose her way, or maybe we do...

17: Mirage

Sitting near the altar of Vinesburg Church, Rarity prayed to Celestia while bathed in sunlight thanks to mirrors allowing the congregation to always feel as if they basked in the midday sun.

The marble pews contained quite a number of the faithful, all in prayer ranging from silent to whispered supplications. The altar Rarity prayed before was awash with holy magic. A glowing golden orb floated above an outstretched alicorn of marble surrounded in simplistic, stylized figures.

O Celestia, Blessed Sun, I ask for your light to show us the way back to Harmony. Grant me your generosity, so that I may be without envy. Show me your kindness so that I may reflect it upon others. Bless me with your laughter so that I never fall into despair. Honor me with your truth so that my honesty is never tarnished. With your gifts, my loyalty is yours forever more.

Opening her eyes and climbing off the prayer cushion, Rarity prostrated herself once more before the altar before moving for the exit, letting her hoofsteps on marble be the only sign of her departure to the other supplicants.

An acolyte dressed in golden robes bowed his head in silence and opened the heavy oak door to allow Rarity to leave.

Down past an atrium kept vacant so street sounds did not disturb prayer, Rarity frowned at the emptiness all the same. Stepping outside into the town square, she saw her companion Color Sargent Lock Stock resting against the hedges that lined the church. His nose was buried in a small black book with a lecherous grin plastered over his flushed face. Paying it no mind, Rarity’s move to speak with him halted upon seeing a wagon being pulled through.

It didn’t take her long to see the odd bit of furniture sticking out of the cloth covering, along with both stallion and mare pulling it with three children riding on top.

“That makes the second one today,” Lock Stock announced with his book clapping shut. He gave the expected respectful nod to her before standing up to join Rarity. “The farmers’ll be next. Word has it the war’ll kick off long before planting time anyway.”

“The drums of war are sounding sergeant,” Rarity replied as her eyes drifted over shops that had long since closed down. Barely any outside of the ones directly servicing the farms and garrison remained open. “But only foals start a war when the first wild snow is but weeks away.”

“I hope so, I’ve always hated the cold.” Lock Stock remarked with a derisive chuckle. “The music hall is still open at least. Lyra’s playing for the army in a few hours.”

Brushing a bit of dust off her white cloak, Rarity looked towards the hall’s general direction. “I should be meeting with Mayor Mare about evacuation plans for the civilians one more time, but perhaps you’re right.”

Taking the lead, Rarity walked the now familiar streets. Even with so much tension in the air, Rarity heard calming birdsong drifting upon the wind. “Have you spoken with Fluttershy today?”

He shook his head and grumbled negatively. “Not since breakfast. Said she wanted to renew her patrol birds and practice ‘boldness’, and wouldn’t be able to make the concert.”

“More's the pity, she could use some time around crowds if she wants to educate a whole order one day.” They passed an intersection that had a relatively new set of gates leading down empty streets. Not even rats could be seen scurrying about. It was a sight that brought a sad expression to Rarity. Not so much that war was on the horizon, but that the citizenry felt the army couldn’t keep the Lunarians at bay. Let them come. Celestia’s light will carry the day.

“So, Inquisitor…” Lock Stock started with surprising nervousness. Rarity eyed him with a curiously raised eyebrow. “So you know how you sometimes talk in Trojan to sound fancy?”

Her face burned a little with indignation, but she resisted the urge to huff at him. “It is a Lady Inquisitor’s duty to be dignified, not ‘fancy’.”

“Right, right, yeah, that’s’ what I meant.” He waved a hoof to mollify her.

“What? Did some harlot in your book say some mangled line you need translated?” She finally gave up and huffed away, turning her nose up. “Book of Light chapter eight line seven: Love not the harlot, for they are the demise of families both now and future.”

“She might have an eye for rugged good looks, but I wouldn’t call Fluttershy a harlot.” He was caught between wanting to smirk and be defensive in his retort.

In either case, Rarity stopped dead to scrutinize him more carefully. “So your flirting with her isn’t just a case of teasing her?”

“Bah, I should feel insulted you’d even think that way about me, Inquisitor.” Lock Stock started back off to the music hall, leaving a nonplussed Rarity behind.

Current conversation aside, a small part of Rarity couldn’t help but to feel warm about at least some ponies treating her like a friend, rather than her being a monster or savior. She chased after him, holding her wide-brimmed hat down with her magic. “And I know what books you read, Color Sergeant. Or did you forget you keep labeling your books as and I quote ‘adult literature’ on my expense reports?”

“You did say honesty in service of Celestia was paramount,” he unashamedly quipped right back before adopting a pleading look once more. “But I’m being serious here. I’ve heard Fluttershy talk in that druid language of hers, and I was hoping you knew enough of it that could teach me a phrase or two.”

Lifting one sardonic eyebrow as high as it would go, Rarity waited for the other shoe to drop, but after a few seconds it never came. “She’s taught me enough to be conversational in it. But to what end? We already have a code language between us.”

He shivered a bit under such questioning, but nevertheless pressed on. “I was hoping to court her. With your permission of course.”

An approving sniff escaped Rarity as she smiled a bit. “Those little books of yours making you jealous?” she teased while wiggling her brow.

“Very,” he deadpanned with no hesitation.

That made Rarity chuckle warmly. Normally I’d rather avoid such entanglements between my retainers, but this might be exactly what Fluttershy needs. A stallion who will shower her with compliments to boost her courage. “Then you have my support. What compliment do you wish to give her?”

Getting excited, Lock Stock fished out a small notebook and pencil. “My first one is ‘pretty rose petal.”

“A simple one-” She stopped short for a moment. That might work later on, but he’s going about the beginning all wrong. Fluttershy would be too reserved for proper compliments. She needs a laugh to break that kind of ice. Formulating a plan, Rarity stopped to translate. “A pretty rose petal means ‘ομελέτα με τυρί’.”

Even though he wrote it down, or at least as close as he could to its pronunciation, he couldn’t help but feel suspicious. “Really? Ouch. Can you help me spell it like how it sounds?”

Sticking to the plan, Rarity inclined her head and magically took his pencil and paper. “But of course. Such difficulty is why it is used after all.”

Once she was finished he took a moment to sound it out a few times before moving on. “If it’s not too much trouble, what about ‘your voice is as beautiful as bird song.’ That should go well right?”

“It indeed might. You should say ‘η φωνή σου είναι τόσο όμορφη όσο το πουλί.” Rarity said it all with pride that masked her inner giggles quite well.

“Oh, that is definitely going to take some work.” Determined to write it himself this time, he convinced Rarity to repeat the line a few times while also using the sentence she wrote as a reference to do it himself.

The clock tower sounding the hour stopped his next question before it even left his lips. Rarity took it as a cue to start walking again. “Come along, Color Sergeant, or we’ll miss the premiere.”

“He was still writing out the last sentence as carefully as possible. “Right, I’ll catch up in a second.”

Making sure to walk slowly so he wouldn’t lose sight of her, Rarity tittered at the mental image of Fluttershy being wooed by such attempts. “Σπανιότητα, είσαι τόσο αστείο πόνι.”

With gratitude on his lips, Lock Stock caught up with her not too long after the music hall came into view. The hall was as alive now as it had been when Rarity first arrived, only the clientele had changed. Now instead of mostly civilians crowding the doors, it was largely soldiers and a scant few farmers. The glow lights framed Lyra’s name on the billboard hanging over the entrance of the two story building. Reveling in the moment her presence became known, Rarity strode through the crowd of ponies who made haste to clear the way. Not out of fear, that had passed months ago, but reverence. She almost felt the need to give a short speech, but dismissed it. If I keep doing that, even I will run out of words.

A commotion from inside squashed any lingering desire to make such a speech. Ponies within the lobby were moving aside for someone while a collective whine escaped through the doors. Humming in concern, Rarity instinctively prepared for a fight and with a nodding gesture, Lock Stock kept an eye on the sky and building rooftops while she eyed the crowd. A songbird perched on the music hall’s billboard sang a short high-noted song.

The pony pushing through revealed herself to be Lyra Heartstrings who was busy giving apologies to all she passed, but never lost pace on her way to the front exit. Rarity met her half way by opening the doors for her. “Darling, what’s going on?”

Lyra stiffened a bit and saluted. “A messenger arrived backstage, saying I had to go with you for something important. I - you didn’t have to meet me here, but thank you.”

With a look, Rarity silently had Lock Stock ease up a bit as she ushered the group passed the outside crowd. “I’m afraid I haven’t received any such communique.”

Still on the lookout, Lock Stock eyed that the musician was wearing her waterskins, but her staff was absent. “It’s possible we left before the courier-”

As they parted from the crowd, a winded earth stallion in an army uniform skidded to a halt across the street with a letter clenched in his mouth. Once he locked eyes with Rarity he raced over. “Inquisitor Rarity, urgent missive from Commodore Bunker!”

“Say no more, dear,” Rarity magically plucked the letter out of his mouth, careful to keep her magic from touching any drool spots. Opening it, she confirmed it bore his hoofwriting and wax sigil. The note itself was unhelpfully skimpy on details, only a polite request for her presence. “At least we can rule out a forgery. You may go with my thanks, courier, I will be right along.”

Excited at getting an inquisitor’s praise, the stallion briskly nodded. “A pleasure to help, Inquisitor. I’ll let him know you’re coming.” Bowing his head and stepping away before turning to leave, the soldier raced off as fast as his hooves could carry him.

The trio did not tarry, and followed after him with not quite so much haste. Fluttershy should have noticed the courier by now. Best to let her catch up first.

They were a few streets down before Lyra glanced around the cobblestone streets and darkened houses, searching for any sign of the druid. “Say, Inquisitor, I don’t want to give the wrong idea, but how exactly is Fluttershy going to have any hope of leading an order? She still gets skittish whenever we spar.”

Rarity eyed the skies, searching for non-pony life. “Oh yee of little faith. She still has much growing to do, but grow she will. It is one thing to acknowledge her truth about nature’s will. It is entirely different to embody it’s more assertive aspects.” There, she spotted a brown and red songbird tagging along from above. It noticed her attention and swooped down to an alleyway just up ahead. If her companions missed the bird’s descent, they certainly couldn’t miss the sound of stone and earth churning and rumbling. When they caught up to the alley in question, Fluttershy was standing there brushing some soil out of her mane.

“Sorry for keeping you, Ms Rarity.”

“No time to tarry on needless apologies, Fluttershy my dear. Come along. The Commodore does not request our presence lightly.”

Kicking off a clump of mud off her back right hoof, Fluttershy scrambled to join the rest. “Yes, sorry, I just um… Right.”

Lyra helped a bit by using her magic hands to flick off some bits of dirt out of Fluttershy’s feathers. “How do you get so dirty all the time? You live in a tenement.”

“Well…” Fluttershy’s face burned red a bit. “It’s how I get around sometimes.”

Glad to have her lieutenant by her side, Rarity couldn’t help but to pry and save her friend from turning completely red. “So, Darling. How was your training?” She stopped walking for a moment to strike a heroic pose. “Show me bold! Gravatas!” Fluttershy flushed with embarrassment and looked at the others. She didn’t get a shaky word out before Rarity jabbed a hoof at her, the unicorn’s face still full of righteous fire. “Think of me as another druid stuck in the old ways! Remember, ask, tell, make!”

Sucking in a breath, Fluttershy stood straight, focusing only on Rarity and allowing all else to fade from awareness. She spoke in a calm, yet firm voice that seemed removed from such a normally demure mare. “You can’t deny me the right to speak of nature’s truth.”

Lyra stepped in before Rarity could continue. The lime green mare flourished her nose in an upturned sniff of disdain. “Your so-called truth? Pah, clearly you’ve been hitting the vision leaf too hard. The old ways are obviously correct, now and forever.”

Flashbacks. Faces from patronizing dismissiveness to outright hostile rebuke swam in Fluttershy’s mind. Her gaze hardened. “And look where that’s gotten us. Our numbers shrink, the wilds become unruly all the while the civilized ponies show no sign of losing control over the weather. Mother Nature is abandoning us.”

Rarity warmly smiled at the firm conviction Fluttershy was showing. She waved a hoof, cutting Lyra off from saying anything. “My dear, I think you’ve developed exceptionally well.”

Blinking a bit to calm down, Fluttershy returned the smile and dragged her hoof in a circle on the ground. “Thank you, Ms Rarity.”

Seeing an opening, Lock Stock strode up to the recovering druid. “I gotta say, Fluttershy, you look amazing when you stand up for yourself. You’re just like an ομελέτα με τυρί’.”

Aside from Rarity, who currently possessed the best poker face on the planet, the mares stared at Lock Stock like he had grown a new head. Lyra continued to look at him in utter confusion while Fluttershy started laughing behind her pink mane. “Thank you.”

Lock Stock glanced at Rarity who unhelpfully remained passive, save for a barely perceivable up-turned lip.

Fearing she was stalling for too long, Rarity silently started walking forward again. I wonder how long it will take him to realize what happened. While she’d never admit this to anyone even remotely connected to the Solar Church, she found it all rather homely. There were three ponies in the world who she could call friends.

If the Equestrian and Lunarian border sat east of Vinesburg, the garrison rested on the far western side, as if the town itself served as a barrier. The walls were both tall and thick, easily as wide as a house to withstand cannon fire. Thankfully, Lyra and Lock Stock had quieted themselves down by the time they reached the gates.

Before, the guards would have opened the gates for Rarity on sight, but she had personally put a stop to that particular lapse in security, lest a spy acquire a set of inquisitor robes. Upon reaching earshot of the two soldiers behind the portcullis she called out before they could challenge her. “I am here for the Commandant.”

“Inquisitor Rarity,” called out the senior soldier on the left interior. “We were told to expect you.”

To Rarity’s satisfaction, he did not immediately order the portcullis opened, and instead waited for her. In response, she lit her horn and a globe of golden holy magic illuminated the road was painful to look at directly, as if staring into the sun itself.

The spell lasted only a moment, but it was enough for the soldiers. “Open the gates!” he called, as both he and the other soldier stepped aside so Rarity and her company could enter.

“Well done, corpsmare, vigilance is the hallmark of loyalty. Complacency is the ally of those who wallow in shadow.”

Rarity’s gaze lingered on him just long enough to see a prideful grin from him before focusing on the route ahead.

Lock Stock stepped up to be close enough to whisper to her. “Laying it on a bit thick today, aren’t you?”

She huffed playfully. “Don’t act like you didn’t praise your soldiers when they needed positive reinforcement. And besides, there’s no telling how much longer the peace will last.”

The quickest way to Bunker’s office was through the training grounds. The group turned more than a few heads as they passed the various groups of soldiers. None of the training efforts earned more than passing interest from Rarity. That is until her eye was caught by a line of rifle infantry, a cannon, and a pegasus with a black cloud. They stood opposite of rows of pony-shaped wooden posts. A single iron wedge stood in the center, protecting a lone unicorn.

Unaware of Rarity’s passing, the training officer blew a long note from a whistle. A moment later, a shimmering yellow shield appeared to protect the wooden soldiers. Rarity scowled in grim surprise when the glowing shield became unnaturally angled, more akin to a ramp rather than the dome shape shields normally took.

At the sound of a second whistle, the soldiers fired. A wall of bullets made the shield flicker and sputter. Some posts were hit and knocked over as the rounds carved holes into the shield, but it was clear many of them were spared such a fate. A third whistle was heard and the cannon fired. The metal ball seemed to roll along the shield for the briefest of moments, sparing the soldier in the front row, only for the ball to shatter the shield and careen through the remaining targets along the column. Lastly, when the spell caster had a chance to reform the shield, the pegasi kicked the cloud and lightning slammed into the shield, downing it in an instant.

By the time the exercise was over, Rarity was too distant to hear what sort of instructions were following up that display, but she had a good idea of it. Angled shielding. That technique was supposed to be a guarded secret of the Inquisition. How did he… A shiver ran down Rarity’s spine. The others noticed, but didn’t speak up. Bunker isn’t brazen enough to share a stolen secret like that. It was a gift. Does the church fear defeat that much?

No matter what crossed her mind, it only sank her mood that much further.

Commodore Bunker was not in his office, but rather his map room. Upon entering the room she had seldom visited, Rarity quickly spotted the decorated pegasus commander staring at the regional map on the table. The table was large enough to serve a feast for twenty upon. He was flanked by two subordinates who had sticks used to move representative pieces on the map. Cigar smoke clung to the ceiling like a fog. It burned Rarity’s nose, but she kept her dignity by ignoring it. “Commodore, you requested to speak with me?”

He had been so distracted speaking with his advisors that it took her speaking to realize she was there. The moment he looked up at her, he straightened up. “Inquisitor, I can’t thank you enough for answering my request in such a timely manner. Please, I fear time is of the essence,” he said while gesturing to the map with a stick.

Holding onto her own question for the moment, Rarity, Lyra, and Lock Stock rounded the table to join him while Fluttershy took to the air to avoid crowding. The regional map had Vinesburg in the center with the western part of the map tinted green to mark Equestrian territory, while Lunaria’s land was red. The border was lined with figurines identifying light scouting companies on both sides while Vinesburg and some old roads had concentrations of soldiers on both sides. Vinesburg wasn’t even the largest mass of soldiers. That honor went to the Great Plains, Equestria’s agricultural breadbasket before the great schism. There, seven armies stood poised.

Rarity had to take a moment to wrap that around her head. It was so very easy to lose sight of the scale of such armies when they were reduced to a single piece of wood on a map. It sent a shiver down her spine just thinking about it. How many more pieces of wood must break before Lunaria finally capitulates?

The distraction lasted but a moment before Rarity at last brought her attention to the end of Bunker’s stickpoint. It was an expansive swamp, one that divided the Great Plains and the series of mesas and rivers of Rainbow Falls to the south. It was a ruddy brown and green splotch that was ugly even without seeing the real thing. Neither nation held dominion over it, real or imagined, as the green and red highlights were absent from the swamp. It was, however, more notable to Rarity that no scout figurines were present even on the border of the swamp.

“The Mirage?” She asked, glancing at him curiously. “What about it?”

“So you know of it?” Bunker asked back.

“Not as much as my Second does,” Rarity turned her eyes up, causing everyone to look at Fluttershy who was close to shaking out of her skin at such scrutiny.

“I um - well, it’s ever so dangerous to visit.” Fluttershy landed so she wouldn’t shake herself out of the air. “A mist so thick that it never fully fades hangs over it all. But the bog gets its name from the illusions ponies see in the mists. Lost loved ones, friends, treasure, even your enemies might show up and you’d never think it was strange unless somepony else returns you to your senses.”

Humming in genuine surprise and amazement, Bunker took a closer look at the pegasus he had largely overlooked. “You speak as if you have first-hoof experience with the place.”

Fluttershy laughed nervously, looking to Rarity for salvation.

I’ve taken great pains to make it seem Fluttershy is just a nature enthusiast. Not even Bunker should start suspecting she’s an actual druid. Stepping up to barely impose herself between Fluttershy and the others, Rarity interjected as if she didn’t hear the observation. “She’s a very good woodsmare, yes.”

In an effort to further take attention away from the druid, Lock Stock spoke up as well. “Lovely place this all sounds. I hope you’re not actually leading up to requesting us to actually go there.”

“Then I must disappoint you.” Bunker moved his stick to point at the Lunarian side of the swamp. “Pegasus patrols reported a small collection of black smoke trails in this area. They judged the smoke was coming from a good ways inside the swamp itself. Now, if I were a betting pony, I’d say a fire would have quite the issue staying lit within that sort of morass.”

Curious concern swept over Rarity and her companions. She studied the map and the location of the red wooden pony figure that one of Bunker’s aides was pushing into the approximate last known location, deep within the swamp. It was still a long way from the Equestrian side of the bog, but it was troubling all the same. “Fluttershy, you said the Mirage causes illusions. Could this be just a false alarm?”

“Maybe…” Putting her bold face forward, Fluttershy gazed over the map table. Do your reports say how far away from the Mirage the patrols saw the smoke trails? The illusions usually only show themselves if you are within… I think a mile or so from the treeline.”

Bunker turned to the aide on his right, who was already rereading the document. “Let me see here… They don’t mention illusions, but ah - here we go. They made a point of saying they stayed two miles from the outer edge. It appears the local patrols are well aware of the dangers.”

“That is both gratifying and troubling to hear.” Rarity gave a thankful nod to Fluttershy before focusing on the map as well. Fluttershy smiled at the praise and pulled back. “SO we’re dealing with Lunarians after all… Unless there’s a druid order there perhaps.”

The aid to Bunker’s left had a hoof tapping his chin at the risk. “I checked the records myself, and there is one known order present. The Circle of the Crookback Bog. Of all the orders, records indicate they are the most hostile towards civilized ponies. I wouldn’t put it past them to be the source of the mists.”

The other aid was hesitant to speak up near an inquisitor. “We suspect the Lunarians have created engines light enough to be used in shallow boats. We’re also assuming these engines are suppressing the druids’ abilities enough that they can’t threaten the expedition. The only question is why go through all this effort?”

“Could just be a rich civilian or an expedition team,” Lyra put forth with an unhelpful shrug. “Who knows, maybe they think the Mirage hides riches and wants to grab it before the war starts.” She garnered a few looks, ranging from bewilderment to unamused scowls. “What? Rich ponies do stupid things too. Inquisitor, you remember Blue Rock right?”

Sighing in exasperation, Rarity furrowed her brow as a headache threatened to set in. “Oh yes, both he and his heretical harem. Must I tell you again not to remind me of that?”

“I don’t know,” Lock Stock commented lightly. “He had the groundwork for a good idea.”

Lyra smacked him with her tail and the two glowered at each other until Rarity stomped her hoof. “Let us not forget ourselves, yes?” The two cowed a bit, satisfying her.

In respect to Rarity, neither Bunker nor his aides commented on their actions. Bunker leaned heavily against the table, dark clouds of dread and tobacco hanging over his head. “Inquisitor, I’ve only heard of this news late last night, Canterlot has yet to respond, and you’re the only one I know who might have the means to traverse the Mirage. I beg of you to investigate the matter. Whatever these Lunarians are up to, we must at the very least know what it is. No pony goes to the Mirage on a whim.”

Rarity felt the weight of the world suddenly land on her shoulders. “You have a point, good sir. Still though, I fail to see what good it would do them. You can’t march an army through that, and they have to know the smoke gives them away for miles around. I don’t like being left with more questions than answers.” Why did my first foray beyond the town have to be a bog of all things?! Celestia preserve me.

“Exactly why I called you.” Bunker stood back up, and leveled a stern expression. “What say you? Can it be done?”

Frowning in thought, Rarity looked to her retainers, but her focus was Fluttershy. The pegasus was sweating nervously, but managed to give an almost imperceivable nod. If this works, I’ll have to treat her to something nice. Facing the commodore once again, Rarity declared firmly, “absolutely. I’ll pen a letter to my superiors before I go. The inquisition will get word to the queen far quicker than your channels, I’m afraid. And she will be more willing to give her approval.”

“You’ll get no arguments from me. I’ll still send my report to corroborate yours if it’ll help at all.” Bunker stepped up to Rarity and bowed deeply. “Thank you for taking this so seriously.”

Shaking her head, Rarity spoke with reverence as if Celestia herself was in the room. “There is no need for that. I live to project Celestia’s light to all.”

“And may the faith never be extinguished,” Bunker responded politely.

“What an absolutely picturesque vista this would be,” Rarity mused from her chariot as it descended from the clouds well clear of the woody morass. Ash trees poked out from a dark blue fog that swathed everything insight. Not even the midday sun could cut away at the dense clouds. “Were it not for the reputation.”

Coming in from the Great Plains, the Mirage was an imposing sight against the flat grasslands they came from. Rarity’s lead chariot pilot came down a mile from the swamp’s edge and landed in front of a long abandoned fishing house. The brick structure was little more than stone foundation and an old chimney now, but it offered the closest point of dry earth and would serve as a good enough landmark.

Aside From Rarity and her entourage, the pegasi had brought three extra chariots for supplies. Except for Fluttershy who scouted ahead, it took everyone the better part of the afternoon before the camp was set up. Towards the end of their efforts, Rarity was resting in her tent waiting for word from the shy druid. A box of fine chocolates sat open next to a glass of red wine. She was reading The Art of the Dress. Each page made her horn ache to hold a needle and thread once more. To create beauty and art, to see ponies smile and gasp with awe at her creations. A morose sigh escaped her as she looked around her tent. It would be garash to the eyes of a seasoned woodsman. Far too much room with an actual mattress and loft on a second floor. The fabric walls were light purple of all things, but they served her palate well. One last gasp of civilization before plunging into a swamp of all things. She blinked at the thought and looked down at her uniform duster. “Perhaps I should go ahead and see about a change of attire.” She was sifting through her luggage when Lyra pushed through the tent flaps.

“Heyy, Inquissy, the camp’s all set up, and we’re all packed and ready. The soldiers will stick around to make sure we have an exit point.”

At least she only calls me that when it's the four of us. With a monumental sigh, Rarity popped a piece of chocolate in her mouth. “Good. Let the others know we’ll be leaving shortly.” Lyra didn’t turn to leave, earning a curious half-frown from Rarity. “Is there something else?”

Nervously rubbing her fetlock, Lyra found her words difficult. “Y-yeah, um, Rarity, from what Bunker and them said yesterday, I got to ask: do you think attacking this group will kick the war off?”

“It’s a wonder it hasn’t already started.” Rarity sipped her wine, relishing every bit before she’d have to leave it behind. “I do as Celestia wills. If her needs require me to kill or capture, I will act accordingly. Even if what we do starts the war, the Crown will understand.”

“Fair enough,” Lyra stated with false joviality, “but weird pitch, maybe you should present yourself as somepony other than an inquisitor to these ponies?”

Rarity couldn’t help but to laugh. “Darling, we’re not at a soirée, I would question their intelligence if they didn’t presume one of us was an inquisitor.”

Scoffing while waggling a hoof, Lyra pressed on. “We’re questioning it already for them being in the Mirage in the first place. Besides, it’d still give us more options, because otherwise they’ll panic because ‘me inquisitor, me scary’. You play the part of a rich mage out for rare reagents, and we might be able to find out why they’re there.”

“Not even a foal would buy that story, but…” Rarity rolled the idea around in her head, sipping on her wine. “There might be an opportunity to briefly stave off hostilities, I suppose.” thinking it over, it still sounded too far fetched to work. Before final refusal could leave her lips, a thought occurred to Rarity that made her look away for a moment. Lyra is the actress of the four of us. She might have an easier time convincing them. An idea started to form, and each second made Rarity feel that spark of mystique she oh so loved to partake in. “Very well, Miss Heartstrings, I’ll go along with your proposal. And seeing as how you wish to practice your acting chops, when we face the Lunarians, you can act like the one in charge of our little expedition. That will take their eyes off me so I can suss out some clues should their purpose prove unclear, or be better positioned to attack should things follow the logical conclusion.”

Lyra had been grinning ear to ear the moment she realized Rarity was going along with her plan, and hopped with ecstatic joy. “Oh this is going to be great! I can act like the quirky method actress who demands danger while Flutters is our guide, and you’re my doting devotee,”

“Don’t push it.”

“And Lock Stock is the husband I can’t stand!” Lyra continued without a hitch.

Husband, eh? “You two already quarrel like you’ve been married for decades,” Rarity quipped with a hint of a teasing smirk. That smirk only grew at the grumpy pout Lyra gave her. “You know, Inquisitors are ordained with the church.”

Lyra bristled intensely, but didn’t get a word out before Fluttershy poked her head through the tent flaps. “Um, excuse me.”

Without even looking away from Lyra, Rarity said with a raised tone, “Bold, my dear.”

Taking the hint, Fluttershy stepped inside and spoke up with more determination. “Inquisitor, I’ve made progress with getting inside the Mirage safely.”

“Better, but as I said, there is no need for titles between us in private.” Putting her wine glass down, Rarity couldn’t help but to hum in disbelief once she started thinking on Fluttershy’s words. “Darling, we’ve barely just arrived. Are you sure it’s not just the sun burning some away?”

Shaking her head with firm, but assured motions, Fluttershy made sure to keep her mane from covering her eyes. “Surer than sure. The Crookback’s hold on this section of the Mirage seems non-existent. The mists parted at my command, and I was able to get tree roots to form a walkable path.”

“Non-existent?” Lyra mused grimly. “I wonder if we have the Lunarians to thank for that.”

“We shall find out soon enough.” Rarity corked her wine and hid her box of chocolates on a high shelf. “It seems we will have to put your wedding on hold, Miss Lyra.” Rarity acted as if the wedding had been both expected and the green mare’s idea, letting Fluttershy look quizzically at the musician just long enough to make Lyra fume.

“And ponies say you’re the nice one.”

Rarity was already leaving the tent, but paused just long enough to get the last coy word. “Oh I am the nice one. Piercing Light would have declared you husband and wife on the spot.”

Author's Note

Will Rarity ever find out who set us up the bomb? Can Lyra method act her way to the Lunarian Throne? Will Lock Stock ever find that illusive copy of Icha Icha Innocence? Can Flutters discover while rabbits keep eating kids' cereal?

The likelihood of finding out any of these and more are completely guaranteed, right?

What? Ugh. The law requires that I answer 'no'.

18: Parlay

The short jaunt to the leading edge of the Mirage’s treeline was a messy and wet affair as the ground got increasingly waterlogged. Like the others, Fluttershy had a pair of light saddlebags and leather boots that went past her knees. She bore most of the food while Lyra carried the group’s water. Lock Stock and Rarity hefted the rest of the supplies.

Focusing ahead was all Fluttershy could do to keep her nerves from fraying. This wasn’t the first job she had done with Rarity and the others, but it was the first time she was the leading expert. The thought of it alone made her shiver if she let her mind wander. They’re counting on you. Just keep your eyes forward. Be bold, be brave.

The fog of her breath was a pale imitation of the smothering mists of the Mirage. What had cleared for her earlier was back, and doubly so at that. It was to the point where she couldn’t see past the first line of sunken trees. The still water, disturbed only by the occasional insect, threatened to hide any number of dangers. What little could be seen through the fog were dense lines on weak trees and decaying foliage that obstructed any possible way through.

“Inquisitor,” said a hoarse trembling voice behind her. Fluttershy halted her advance to see three of the pegasi that had flown them here were hovering a polite distance away from Rarity. When they weren’t looking at her, their eyes scanned the mists with the panic of a madman. “Are - are you sure it’s really necessary to go in there? The Mirage swallows all who enter. The Lunarians will be no different.”

Rarity’s reply never reached her ears. A heavy pressure on Fluttershy’s mind drove her attention back to the Mirage. The mists heaved as if a great beast was taking a breath. This isn’t what happened a few hours ago.

The pressure suddenly became physical and threatened to push her into the mud, and drown her in the brackish water below. Glancing about, she saw Lock Stock was having troubling keeping his eyes open and was beginning to stagger. Lyra fared no better and was moments from keeling over. Rarity appeared unaffected, but her attention was split between the skittish soldiers and the swamp. Fluttershy could feel animalistic anger rising from all around her. The Mirage. It must be reacting to them because they’re from civilization!

Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy started singing a calm and gentle serenade. Magic carried her voice to the trees and beasts beyond. Her song bore no words, for such things were meaningless to the wilds when it was blindly lashing out, only emotion and posturing. The song lessened the pressure on her own mind, but her friends only got worse.

“Cloudy Skies?!” Lock Stock cried out as he found sudden strength to run to the mists. “I can’t believe you’re still alive!”

Lyra gasped at what she saw and would have broken into a sprint if the marshy soil didn’t cling to her boots. “Mom? Mom, how did you get here? How do you still look-” she face planted the mud, and scrambled to free herself. Even the soldiers had stopped trying to squirm their way out of coming along and were trying to fly into the Mirage. Only Rarity kept her wits about her and was using her magic to rope the two pegasi to the ground.

“Fluttershy, Darling,” Rarity started with her faux calm tone, “I dearly hope you can tame the lion before it eats everypony around us.”

“Y-yes ma’am!” Facing the Mirage and closing her eyes for a moment, Fluttershy opened them again with a faint green glow. The sun’s light dimmed to her eyes, and the distance she could see shrank away, but now she could see shadowy tendrils that had escaped her sight the first time. Hundreds, thousands of them clawed at the sky and writhed under the water. A few hovered around Fluttershy, but made no effort to threaten her. No. Not tendrils. They’re branches! Looking back, she saw other ethereal branches enveloped the eyes and ears of her friends, save Rarity. Easily a dozen tried to attack the inquisitor, but they fell upon her like smoke against an unmoving statue. I don’t feel a druid’s touch, or else the branches would be attacking me too for working alongside civilized ponies. So this must be the Mirage alone. It’s so dark in there, so… angry.

“Today, Fluttershy!” Rarity ordered as she was now levitating Lock Stock and Lyra to keep them from going any further.

A pack without an alpha… Planting her hooves into the marshy ground, and pooling magic into her throat, Fluttershy bellowed a challenging roar that rippled through the shadowy branches.

The very trees themselves groaned and shook. The branches focused on Fluttershy, but she was not being stared down by ponies, the wilds were as natural to her as the theater was to Lyra. She stood tall and bold, and stared at the trees with an iron will. The shadows lurched at her, only for Fluttershy to repeat her challenging roar, casting them back.

Reforming again, the tendrils tried to ensnare her legs and drag them deeper into the water, but a single flap of her wings dispersed them in an instant. The green in her eyes brightened and Fluttershy flared her wings before she bellowed another roar. The branches gave off a feeble, temperamental creak before pulling away from the group entirely.

Blinking to return her vision to normal, Fluttershy sighed in relief to find everyone shaking off the illusions. Lyra was sputtering swamp water out of her mouth, Lock Stock was shivering as his wits returned and he was blinking spots out of his eyes.

Rarity was levitating a pair of now compliant soldiers to her side. She shot an approving nod towards Fluttershy before leveling an exasperated sigh at the still bewildered soldiers who looked frazzled but unharmed. “Well, that was certainly one way to throw a tizzy.” She grumbled while pulling a leg free to keep moving. “Lance Corporal.”

The pegasus remembered where he was and saluted her. “Yes, Inquisitor?”

“Perhaps it's for the best that we keep this little jaunt small. Mind the camp for our return.”

Fluttershy missed the rest of the exchange so she could find a root above the water to rest on. “Oh, that is… that was…” She took a long breath and let it out slow and steady. Adapt, change, evolve. That is the way.

“Stand to, everypony!” Rarity’s command instinctively made Fluttershy and the others go to attention. The inquisitor floated the supply bags out to everyone to share the weight. “Fluttershy, can I trust this can be avoided in the future?”

Although Rarity voiced no irritation, Fluttershy couldn’t help but to imagine disapproval. Nodding her head a bit too vigorously, Fluttershy moved the bags to be comfortable. “Yes, your honor. The Crookback influence is thin here, but their… training for lack of a better word is persistent. The Mirage is quite hostile to civilized ponies, but it accepted my authority. As long as you stay close to me, the trees won’t attack again, but I can’t say the same for animals further in.”

“By Celestia’s golden light that was just the trees?” Lock Stock sweated so much his whole face was discolored. “Just how close do we need to be?”

“I’m sorry, but I won’t know until we go deeper in. Every forest and environment is different.” Fluttershy resisted the urge to nervously paw at the root she was standing on.

Lyra broke attention to finish rubbing the mud off her face. “Well, we can test it as we go. Last thing I need is your lanky hooves stepping on my tail.”

“Agreed,” Rarity cut in to take control. “Fluttershy, you will direct our course and marching order to best facilitate an uneventful transit. The rest of you, be mindful of your footing and predators. The enchantments I wove into your clothing offer some protection against projectiles and maybe biting, but not drowning, so stay vigilant.” She directed the last part to Lyra who burned with embarrassment and renewed scrubbing her face with a foreleg. Rarity paused right as she was going to give the order to move. She started sniffing the air, scowling at more than just the smell of rotting plant matter and turned her gaze deeper into the Mirage. “Do you smell that?”

Lyra blew her nose, trying to rub grim out of it. “Where to start?” she answered sarcastically.

Rarity glanced at the others. Lock Stock sniffed as well, and scowled deeply. “Brimstone, but isn’t that common in swamps?”

Fluttershy nodded, and she had to shore up her courage to keep from cowing away. The Mirage would see it as weakness just as much as her friends would. “Yes, but not like this… Can’t you feel it in your skin? Like some lamp oil spilled on you.”

“No,” Rarity answered with dread, but my duster is warded against dark magic.” The implication made Rarity hastily face the others. “Stand still. All of you.” Looking to the sky, Rarity started chanting in reverent tones. “Celestia, Oh Light of Lights, your faithful servant,” her horn started glowing a brilliant gold instead of its usual azure blue, “grant us safe passage in these dark paths.” Spearing out from her horn, the gold light hit each of her retainers.

Fluttershy suddenly felt safe, like that of wrapping herself in a warm blanket. It brought a content sigh out of her. However, she did notice black smoke lazily wafting off her fur, and the oily feeling vanished along it. It made her almost forget about the good feeling of the holy spell.

Both Lock Stock and Lyra squirmed at the sensation as well, with the mage vigorously scrubbing her fur. “By the sun that was nasty. And I thought that the training you put us through was gross.”

Seeing that everyone was unharmed, Rarity hummed in weak amusement. “Aren’t you glad for it now?”

Clear of the unsettling smoke, Lock Stock shifted the weight of his saddlebags to get it comfortable again. “It’s got the stink of corruption about it that Lunarian shadow magic lacks. Was this always there?”

Fluttershy gazed upon the trees in new light. Most had too few leaves to survive naturally, and those that had a normal amount of leaves were being choked out by green vines that had a mess of brown discoloration. The muddy water was stagnant and infested with vermin. Life was not thin, but was caught between decay and struggling renewal. “I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve been here since the Crookbacks never accepted offers to make the Mirage the next meeting place for the orders.”

Taking it all in, Rarity pursed her lips for a few seconds. “Then let us be swift and silent. With any luck, the Lunarians will be distracting the Crookbacks too much for them to ever notice us. I will need to renew those protections every few hours, so I’m afraid we won’t have the luxury to let somepony scout ahead of us.”

Nearly a fortnight later, the four of them were camping within a living tent made of leaves that woke up as sunlight peeked through the canopy. Fluttershy jerked awake first, and scanned her friends, making sure nothing had attacked them in the night. Their ‘tent’ was a collection of overgrown leaves surrounding a patch of semi-dry land that she had molded in place. Muffled snores from the other mares greeted her while Lock Stock was up early so he could maintain watch.

Being so deep within the Mirage, between the fog and the steady smoke of black magic quietly boiling against Rarity’s fading wards he could barely see past twenty yards.

The stallion had been peeking out from between the leaves and chewing on salted jerky when her waking gasp alerted him. The piece he was about to eat instead found itself offered to her. “Morning.” He paused a bit, taking in her worried face. “Can’t see my own hoof out there, but we’ve been ignored for another night it seems, nothing tried to bite us.”

Accepting the start of breakfast, Fluttershy chewed thoughtfully. “We have the Lunarians to thank for that. We’ve been here too long for the Crookbacks to not notice us otherwise.”

He hummed in acknowledgement, and his gaze returned to the world outside. “You said you never visited here before, but did you ever have any Crook friends?”

An ear fell limp on Fluttershy’s head at the shortened name. “No. They have never liked mingling with others.” With a wing, she traced the edge of a tent leaf, dragging traces of boiling dark magic into the air. It made the stench of rotten eggs stronger, so she stopped quickly. “It’s always amazing to see how the wilds adapt to hardships.”

Tilting a curious look at Fluttershy, Lock Stock took another bite of the salted meat. “A lot like you, eh? When we first met, you could barely talk to people, now you’re here keeping the trees from doing us in.”

“I… I never really learned how to talk to strangers.” Fluttershy felt jitters course through her, so she started preening her wings to keep from getting overwhelmed. “Everypony knew everypony else in the Roan Glade.” Wincing as she plucked a ruined feather with her teeth, Fluttershy used a quick spell to reduce the feather to ash so it couldn’t be used to trace her.

Careful to keep his normally loud voice down, Lock Stock opened up his pack to fish out some ingredients to plan breakfast. “I don’t think you’ve ever told me about growing up in the order. Rares won’t say a word about it.”

Blushing, Fluttershy nearly yanked out a healthy feather, but collected herself in time to save it. “I - um.” Embarrassment threatened to clamp her mouth shut, but with the other mares still asleep, she managed to keep her jitters calm. “We… I suppose you’d think it boring and our village is ‘roughing it’ all the time, as you put it,” she ended with a chuckle more for her nerves than any actual humor. “This expedition… Reminds me a lot of how my life used to be, if I ignore the dark magic around us.”

Lock Stock paused his provisions inventory to look up at the huge leaves protecting them from the elements. It had rained the previous night, and yet they had all remained dry, save for morning dew. “You’re not going to tell me you used leaf tents for homes, are you? Wouldn’t that get a bit too exposed during winter and summer?”

Shaking her head in a casual manner, Fluttershy half-returned to her preening. “If anything, this tent would be seen as excessive. Among my Order at least, shelter of any kind is seen as separating oneself from nature, and a sign of weakness.” Shaking her head, Fluttershy idly played with another discarded feather. For a silent moment, the split butter yellow feather threatened to sour her mood with old bitter memories. “Foals and pregnant mothers were exempt of course, but the Roan felt it gave us strength, and that Mother Nature approved. That we could weather storms the civilized cowered from inside their homes of stone and wood. And yet the civilized are able to grow so much food barely a fraction of you are needed to be farmers, and you build wonders like Canterlot. If Mother Nature disapproved, no nation would have gotten as strong as they are now.”

Thinking of all of the creature comforts he got even from a small town made Lock Stock shiver at just thinking of such basic living being the norm. “Never really thought about it like that.” Even through the mists, the sunlight shining through the small gaps between the leaves was causing the sleeping mares to stir.

“We should get going.” Lock Stock got up and patted himself off. “I’ll get a proper breakfast started if you get them to help pack up.”

Taking a long breath, Fluttershy felt renewed a bit and got to join the efforts. “Right.”

As Fluttershy went about waking the others, Lock Stock collected his cooking supplies and sparked a campfire from the wood collected last night. The others left the impromptu tent around the time Lock Stock had a pot on the fire, filled with some of Lyra’s water, a few herbs and vegetables Fluttershy had collected and purified days prior, and pieces of river crocodile Rarity had hunted yesterday for lunch. Through the cooking process, Rarity serenaded a renewed ward around them so the thickening dark magic would not seep in from the ground.

As the group ate, Lyra plucked away at her instrument to keep everyone’s spirits up. The music was a balm to Fluttershy’s ears next to the dull scornful moan the trees whispered, ever watching the group should any of them stray too far from her.

“Sorry I can’t spare the salt to preserve any more of that gator, lass,” Lock Stock said to Fluttershy as he offered her a second portion. “A shame to let the rest of it go to waste.”

Smiling at the attempt to console her, Fluttershy gladly accepted the food into her bowl. “It will not go to waste, for Mother recycles us all in the end.”

Small chatter crossed between them until they had filled their bellies. As Lock Stock and Lyra cleaned up, Rarity dusted herself off, silently lamenting how dirty she had gotten. “Fluttershy, have your familiars had any luck scouting the Lunarian force?”

“Only that we’re still going in the right direction based on how my connection gets weaker the closer the bird flies. With the mists the way they are-”

A distant volley of massed rifle fire cracked over the trees, cutting her reply off. They all looked to the northeast, weapons drawn out of instinct. It was too distant to make them dive for cover, but it still set them on edge. Lock Stock spoke up when they loosened up. “That was easily over thirty guns. Small arms only, couldn’t be more than two miles out I’d wager.”

The Mirage writhed with directed anger under Fluttershy’s hooves. “They’re fighting the Crookbacks, I can’t tell how many, but definitely more than one.”

“Looks like we’re closer than I thought.” Rarity asked while securing her things, now that she knew they were not under attack. Even so, she did so with haste, and the others were quick to join her. “I want us on the move in five minutes!”

“Yes, ma’am,” came the chorus of replies. Fluttershy tossed the remaining soup into the water, having no time to save or eat it. Lyra secured the bedrolls, while Rarity renewed the holy wards on everyone’s clothing.

Once everyone was set, Fluttershy commanded the trees to lift their roots to form a path once more. Lyra ran a few steps ahead of them, deftly moving along the uneven roots. “Let’s go while the druids have them distracted!”

“Agreed.” Rarity burst forth to take up the lead. “Fluttershy, keep an ear out for any Crookbacks we might come across. They’re likely to be hostile until we can explain ourselves.”

Fluttershy’s instincts didn’t want anything to do with a battle, and her hooves threatened to not carry her a step further. But the eyes of the Mirage were upon her, and it was no place to show weakness. Not knowing if it was fear of the Mirage, or disappointing Rarity that made her chase after the sounds of battle.

As the minutes passed, Fluttershy found the trees more willing to lend their roots for their passage as if thinking the Equestrians were here to repulse the Lunarians. The crack of volleyed rifle fire sounded five times as they thundered over the path before something changed. The mists began to thin. The trees became quieter, and the ever-present dark magic boiled in midair.

The limp body of a pony in the water caused the group to skid to a halt. Rarity kept her horn dark, and scanned the area with both horn and eyes. “Everypony, keep your eyes peeled, Fluttershy, see if that pony’s still alive.”

As the others checked for danger, Fluttershy whispered a few notes, and had a tree root push the body towards them. By the time it was pushed against the walkway, Rarity was satisfied they were still alone and used her magic to pull the body onto the walk roots. She waved for silence as Lock Stock inspected the body. “Holy mother of-” he croaked as he finished pulling the body out of the water.

It was a stallion at least, yet he looked like a plague victim. Buboes covered his joints and black tar seemed to cling to his fur. Stunningly, he still breathed, but bog water trickled from his maw. He did not gag or choke, but the groan of his lungs made it clear it was full of water. “He’s still alive,” Lyra gasped behind a hoof, half out of shock and half out of disgust.

Rarity knelt beside the ailing pony who was fading out of consciousness. “By Celestia’s light, he’s replete with dark magic! Stand back everypony.”

“Oh Celestia, holy of holies, cleanse this poor soul of the malaise that afflicts him.” Rarity poured holy magic into the druid’s limp form. Boiling black smoke exploded off of him in an instant and a wordless scream garbled from his frothing lips, muted only by the water still clogging his lungs.

The pustules and buboes around his joints grew and multiplied, spreading all over the druid’s skin in frightening rapidity. Lyra freaked at what was about to happen and pulled Lock Stock back down the trail. “He’s going to blow! Everypony, get away from him!” Rarity stopped her spell after seeing the druid was inflating like a grotesque balloon. She grabbed him with her magic and flung the body through the gaps in the trees. Scant moments later, a sickening pop echoed through the dense fog.

All of them instinctively covered their heads, but thankfully nothing splashed nearby. They all stared dumbly at the source of the pop, and it was Lyra who found her voice first. “That’s not Lunarian magic, no way no how.”

The frightful tone running through the musician’s comment renewed the shivers running down Fluttershy’s spine.

“Even if it was, they couldn’t have cast anything that nasty so close to the engines,” Lock Stock added breathlessly.

“I don’t think he’s dead. At least not for long,” Fluttershy said after finally finding her voice.

“Necromancy?” Lyra echoed the others’ disgust at even thinking about it.

Fluttershy broke out in a cold sweat, went faint, and had to sit down to keep from keeling over. “Close, but not exactly. It’s forbidden druidic magic where he doesn’t truly die. He’ll reform in a few days unless Rarity’s spell managed to burn through enough of the dark magic. I never thought the Crookbacks were this far gone.”

More gunfire tilted Rarity’s ear. “It appears these druid treaties need some form of deeper oversight if such a thing can happen under our noses. We should keep moving.”

Finding the Lunarians proved a somewhat easy task. Whatever machines they employed made the mists thinner as Rarity’s group neared. At last, the four of them stopped behind a pair of trees where the air was clear enough to see the sky unimpeded for the first time since entering the Mirage. All of them needed to stay hidden behind trees and tall fronds to avoid the pegasi patrols circling the flotilla.

Three shallow-draft boats were steaming forward at a steady, if slow, pace. The first had only a single deck above the waterline. From what Fluttershy could see, there were fifteen infantry huddled near the bow while keeping eyes peeled for threats. The boat had acid burns, scorch marks, and some limp browned vines clinging to it, but it’s covered rear-facing paddle wheel pushed on with the signature indifference of a machine. There was an earth pony tied to a rope trying to repair a hole in the boat’s hull, revealing a small kitchen. The center boat was more akin to a barge than a boat due to its wide, almost square frame. What set it apart from any boat Fluttershy had seen before, either in person or in paintings, was a thick fabric covering that concealed something the size of a train engine. Could be that exactly… but what could they be doing with a train in the middle of the swamp?

Unlike the first boat, the barge’s paddlewheel was exposed and looked hastily cobbled together. Aside from its cargo, the barge carried rows upon rows of cots with some thin oak walls and roof to keep the elements out.

The last boat was the coal tender, and it was belching sooty black smoke as the three pony crew tried to end a minor coal fire. Oh my. I wonder if that druid we passed had anything to do with that.

Overall, the steaming boats and circling patrols created a startling dichotomy with the Mirage surrounding them, like buildings rising from deep within a forest. They didn’t belong, and yet despite the hostility seeing the Lunarians normally brought Fluttershy’s companions, she noticed each of them almost sighing in relief. Here, the dark poison was thin, the oppressive fog parted, and the sun showed through unimpeded, warming their fur like no campfire ever could.

All of it was made possible by the children of the moon. I wonder if the others see the irony in that. Fluttershy wanted to bask in the warm sunlight just a little longer, but the others started moving parallel to the boats’ path, creeping along roots and patches of dry earth.

Shouting could be heard from all three boats, yet it was the unicorn mare in a white uniform that stuck out most to Fluttershy. Of all the Lunarians she saw, another stood out from the soldiers to the sailors, the presumed commander was talking to an earthy brown cloak on. Simple garb, blending in with the Mirage if he weren’t on a boat…

Lock Stock checked his long gun over, and started loading it. “Noisy bunch ain’t they?”

Lyra’s staff floated steadily near her face, her gaze locked onto the presumed Lunarian commander. Had the others not been distracted, they’d have noticed her mane seemed to be pulled slightly above the staff in two different directions along with bits of loose dirt gently swirling in mid air. “Can’t match your blabberin’ any time you hit the cups.”

Lock Stock smirked as he rammed the powder down the barrel. “You’re just mad I’m a better singer.”

“Stow it, both of you,” Rarity chided coldly before returning her focus to study the Lunarians.

We can’t fight them. We shouldn’t fight them. The mental image of the grateful druid they left behind haunted her. Yet she found voicing such concerns all but impossible.

“There’s no way this is a smuggler or survey group,” Lyra stated as she pointed her staff at the plumes of black smoke and then to the coal fire which was now under control. “If they had half a brain they’d have turned back long before now if they were.”

“I agree.” Rarity scowled as she considered what to do. “The only logical reason worth considering is that they’re acting against whatever did this to the druids.”

“So what should we do?” Lock asked as he put his gun’s ramrod away, but he didn’t cock the hammer yet. “Leave them to it, or what? The way things are going, the war’s already kicked off while we’ve been knee deep in this muck.”

“Perhaps, but until I receive word of such open hostilities, the Lunarians are to be treated as our wayward kin, as they have always been,” Rarity rebuked sternly, only earning a begrudging yet submissive nod from the sergeant. “Things being what they are, the Lunarians are what we came here for, but that body we passed…” Rarity glanced at Fluttershy, “these fallen druids are a danger we can ill afford.”

Until mention of the druids, Fluttershy had been flooded with relief, but now she felt drawn back into a dismal air. “The Orders normally police themselves, but I’m surprised they turned to the Lunarians for help.”

Lyra coughed at the claim. “What makes you say that?”

Pointing at the robed pony arguing with the Lunarian officer, he could easily be mistaken for a mage or civilian. Fluttershy replied with conviction. “I believe he’s a druid, though which Order I can’t tell.”

A dangerous smile crept over Rarity. “Then I believe we have found our ambassador.”

Lock Stock and Lyra shared a brief quizzical look before all three looked at Fluttershy.

“Meee?!” Fluttershy shivered at being anywhere near the engine. Not so much for the noise or what it was, but because the closer she got to one, the quieter the natural forces of the world became. “I - I can’t talk to them. They'll ask why I’m here. They’ll know I’m lying right from the start.”

Rarity watched the boats as they slowly steamed past their hiding spot. Her brow furrowed with thought. The others tried to put Fluttershy at ease, but the pegasus kept retreating behind her mane. When it was clear they’d have to move to keep up with the boats, Rarity at last came to a decision and stomped the roots to cut off her friends’ muted chatter. “Then we try the truth.”

Lyra balked at the idea. “Uh, Rares, I don’t need to be the one to remind you Lunas would shoot you thirty miles out before they’d risk talking to you.”

“Yeah. And they’re protected by that engine. You can’t do much around that thing,” Lock Stock added worriedly. “Besides, Lunatics are the type to double cross you of all ponies out of principle, and call it fair game.”

The pair continued giving reasons to lie, but after listening to a few more, Rarity waved her hoof for silence before addressing the silent druid. “Fluttershy, do you believe these fallen druids will threaten the world beyond the Mirage? You know them best.”

I don’t know them much at all, and that worried Fluttershy most of all. She looked at the ground to think. “It’s… possible the other Orders already tried to fight, and failed. So they turned to those who are masters of countering magic.”

Nodding slowly, Rarity shivered as the dampening field the engine created slowly loosened as the boat steamed ahead. “If you feel you are not ready, I will go myself to ascertain what the Lunarians know. The rest of you will watch. Should I be killed or captured, report as such back to Vinesburg.”

Though no one gave her any looks of contempt or disappointment, Fluttershy’s own thoughts more than made up for it. Rarity had chosen her to be the inquisitor’s second. And now when her friends needed her, Fluttershy’s own fears threatened to still her tongue. A spark lit within her, and her nerves calmed into a kernel of iron. The Green Mother demands adaptation from us all. I must be bold. Holding onto that nugget of valor, Fluttershy pulled her mane aside and jumped into a low hover. “I can do this. I can speak with him druid to druid.” The fear clawed at Fluttershy’s resolve but the proud smile from Rarity gave her the strength to keep going.

“Glad to hear it. As long as the rest of us shadow the flotilla, I should be able to keep the others safe enough from the Mirage. I will leave it to you if you feel revealing my identity is required to address whichever threat is worse.”

Warmed by her trust, Fluttershy dearly wished she could hug Rarity, but had to settle for nodding before flying off.

After creeping forward to get ahead of the boats, Fluttershy climbed into a tree and stuck a leg out and waved it around for one of the patrolling pegasi to spot. The whole time she did so, Fluttershy kept her eyes closed, afraid the patrol would be as jumpy as she was and shoot at her the instant they saw her leg.

Such fear got the best of her. When the sound of wings on the wind got close and the cocking of a gun hammer clicked she shouted, “Parley!”

A moment passed.

She yelled again, “Parley!”

Another moment came and went until a tense voice, like that of a piano wire strained to breaking, called out, “show yourself, nice a-and slow like.”

Poking her head out of the canopy, Fluttershy saw two pegasi soldiers pointing wrist mounted pistols at her. Both were drenched in sweat, either from the unusual heat produced by the Mirage making it feel like summer, or the pressures of battlefield paranoia she couldn’t tell. At least they haven’t fired yet. The grim reassurance didn’t help her nerves much, but it was something. “I’m Druidess Fluttershy of the Roan Order. I request to speak to your commander.” Not really a lie since I was born with them.

The pair soldiers didn’t take their eyes off her, but whispered between themselves. “How do we know this isn’t some con you lot are doing to try and assassinate him?”

At least that’s a question Rarity told me how to answer. “You have a druid with you. I can speak with him first and he can vouch for me.”

“You a pegasus?” One of them asked, his gunleg shaking so bad he’d miss her even if he did shoot.

Fluttershy pulled the rest of her body out of the canopy, and flared her wings. She briefly worried her well-tailored saddlebags might give her real allegiance away, but the soldiers made no show of even noticing them.

“G-good,” said the first speaker in the wavering tone of strained courage. “Come with us and no funny business.”

The three of them turned heads as Fluttershy was escorted to the center boat, and every one of them had a gun close by. The whole way over Fluttershy had to keep herself from looking at all of the eyes undoubtedly staring at her. Oh my. Ohh no. How did I talk myself into this one?

After being told where to land, Fluttershy took her first step on a boat. The river was calm and wide, but the wood beneath her still rocked slightly, and the steady movements of the engine caused gentle vibrations through the deck. Though the song of the wilds was muted to her now, the engine’s sounds, the swaying of the deck, and the faint vibrations felt like she was standing on a living creature. Fluttershy couldn’t help but to gasp in awe of it. Life created from metal and imagination! Forgetting herself, Fluttershy laid down, so she could feel the boat through her whole body. Through the deck, she felt and heard smaller things, hoofsteps of its crew, the pitter patter of mice sniffing around for food, the sloshing of water barrels, the tense sound of taut rope. A melody all its own.

Having seen the druid’s approach and strange behavior, the white uniformed mare left the boat’s wheel and met her at the port side, dragging the brown robed stallion along the way. “What’s this all about,” she growled, chewing on a twig.

The escorts had to pull their eyes off Fluttershy who was now pawing at the wood and saluted the commander. “Ma’am, this one claims to be a druid from the Roan Order. Calls herself Fluttershy, and wants to parley with you.”

Hearing her name caused the pegasus in question to become aware of her surroundings. With a squeak escaping her lips, she jumped back up to her hooves and bowed. “A pleasure to meet you…”

“Commander Turnabout.” The unicorn was about to say more, but stopped herself. Rolling the twig to the other side of her mouth, Turnabout eyed the robed stallion. “Friend a’ yours, Rock Salt? We could use another tree talker to clear the way faster.”

Now that she was close enough to study the robed stallion, Fluttershy was surprised to find out he was barely an adult. A deep scar ran down his neck and chest, and his right eye was damaged enough to impair his vision. Oh my, he should have been healed before scars could have formed! Pity made her heart ache, but the sad frown she wore was taken as condescending by him.

“Not a chance. The Roans refused to help just like all the others,” the young stallion seethed at Fluttershy. “Claimed my injuries proved I was banished, and was making up stories to get revenge. Not my fault our order can’t use mending magic worth a damn.”

Fluttershy’s ears wilted at the story. I wish I didn’t know how that felt.

“Δεν μπορώ να μιλήσω για την παραγγελία μου, μόνο για τον εαυτό μου. Σας παρακαλώ, δεν έχω ακούσει πολλά από όσα έχουν συμβεί εδώ.” Turnabout and the other Lunarians in earshot grumbled at being left out of the loop, but she hoped it at least confirmed to them that she was telling the truth so far.

Rock Salt shook his head with a bit of beleaguered energy. “Don’t. My hosts don’t like it when I speak something they can’t understand. But… As for what happened, The Crookbacks have been guarding the dark portal for longer than the elders could recall, or bothered to anyway,” he spat bitterly. “Always thought it was odd since it was the reason we stayed in this festering pit of a swamp. All they do know is that it was sealed by Starswirl the Bearded, and that our ancestors made it our duty to make sure that seal was never broken. I don’t know what, but something happened while I was out patrolling the eastern fringe looking for dead intruders to make sure they didn’t carry anything harmful to the Mirage. It was my first one on my own, and my rite of passage so I had been away from the village for two years. I still had a month left of my patrol when I ran into my sister Gray Moss.” Tears betrayed the stern mask he tried to wear, and angrily brushed them away. “When we find an outsider’s body, we’re supposed to give some basic last rites to send them to Luna or Celestia. But she was - she was… You already know. I went to the Roans first after all,” he huffed spitefully.

“I was away,” Fluttershy replied carefully. Unsure of what to do, Fluttershy fell back on how she’d approach a wounded lion, and carefully rested a hoof on his side. “Speak of your pain, so you can ease your troubles. We’re all friends here, right?”

Rock Salt jerked away from the hoof and towards Turnabout a step. “I was going to! I just need some water is all.” Nearly pushing past Fluttershy he hooked a foreleg around a rope and dunked his face into the water.

Having grown used to straining and boiling her water, Fluttershy felt a little queasy at drinking it straight from the river. Turnabout retched a little. Not that it mattered to Rock Salt as he pulled his head back out, his face now completely waterlogged and more importantly to him, hiding his tears.

“Like I was saying, it - well it doesn’t matter what she was doing to the body. Only that it was beyond blasphemous. She was rambling about service to the dark father. I wanted to stop her before she got done doing what she was doing. I was always better than her in a fight, but the way she moved. They way they all move…” Rock hugged himself, trying to control his cracking voice as best he could, and covered his eyes with his hood. “Her legs moved strangely, like somepony was pulling on her joints from above, rather than her moving on her own. When she spoke, her mouth was fully open and not moving, yet words came out perfectly. I shut her up good with a few good kicks before locking her in place with some branches, but others showed up and-”

His tears may have been hidden, but his voice cracked with sorrow. He tried to keep his lip from quivering by gritting his teeth, and pointing at his facial scar. “Elder Patient Granite did this to me before I could run away. Didn’t even ask what was going on with Gray Moss, just straight up hit me. He - he moved just like Gray Moss: strange and jerky. He started demanding for me to swear service to the Dark Father too. I couldn’t believe it, Elder Stonewall was the strongest of us all. If he served the Dark Father, then everypony else was too. So I ran to get help.”

His story brought tears to Fluttershy, and she dearly wished to embrace him, if only to ease his pain. Yet that age-old reluctance around other ponies made her settle for wilting her ears and expression. “That’s terrible. You were brave to go to the civilized for help.”

The admission got stunned silence from Rock Salt, and even Turnabout was left curious. “I always thought you tree types wanted nothing to do with us. But good on ya for asking all the same.”

Fluttershy responded more to see Rock Salt’s reaction than to reassure the Lunarian. “If there is one thing the Green Mother venerates above all else, it is adaptation. And civilization opens up more avenues of such growth beyond what the wilds can offer.”

“Ha. Never thought I’d see the day a druid say a kind word about us when they didn’t have to.”

Rock Salt was left feeling deeply conflicted, and his anger had subsided for vexation. “The elders, before they went mad at least, would have banished you or worse for such blasphemy.”

Fluttershy’s ears fell, but she kept a thread-bare smile on her face. “Though our kin are blinded by pride, I’m thankful the Roan thought banishment was enough.”

The air around the boat changed when the commander’s tone grew dangerous. “Wait. If you’re not here for the Roan, then how did you find out about us? We kept news about a rogue druid order quiet.”

All around Fluttershy, soldiers readied weapons while those further back kept vigil over the wispy fog for the attack sure to come at any moment. Fluttershy’s throat dried like desert sands in an instant.

Be bold. Be bold. You have to be bold. The dam of her courage threatened to shatter amongst the deluge of terror. A cub in a den of wolves for which she only had one defense. Raising a hoof she tried to keep from shaking, she said, “I’d like to remind you I’m here on parley.”

The angry sneer on Turnabout’s face grew ugly. “You’re aligned with Equestria, aren’t you?” Even Rock Salt took a few steps back to keep from getting in the middle of what was surely to happen.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Fluttershy managed to crack out. “I-Inquisitor Rarity Belle to be exact.”

It was the commander’s turn to panic. “Inquisitor? Here?!” She and those soldiers in earshot backed away, to be closer to the engine. She had to stop herself from leveling a pistol at Fluttershy, while the other soldiers frantically searched the treeline for anything remote pony shaped. “Don’t jest about them, druid,” Turnabout declared, trying to recover her wits. “Those nuckelavees are as bad as the Crookbacks.” She glanced at Rock Salt. “Present company excluded of course.”

With most of the guns now pointed away from her, Fluttershy felt like she could breathe again. That is so long as she focused on Turnabout’s eyes instead of the pistol. “I would not jest about such things. I’ve been authorized to inform you that she’s willing to work alongside you against a common threat.”

The forced laugh from Turnabout quickly morphed into existential terror. “You’re - serious!?” The pistol zeroed in on Fluttershy in a heartbeat. “I want nothing to do with an Inquisitor!” Turnabout shouted. “You’ve had your parley, now get out of here!”

The sudden change in tension made several soldiers aim at Fluttershy as well, but most frantically searched the area for the supposed inquisitor.

“Wait, please!” Fluttershy pleaded with a raised hoof. “Rarity Belle may not be the only Equestrian investigating your expedition. She’s willing to work alongside you whereas others may not.”

“Sure she does.” Giving a scoffing laugh, Turnabout took a step forward with some attempt at bravado. “And the moment she gets a chance, she’ll kill or stripe the lot of us. This place is bad enough with the Crookbacks around. What makes you think we want to be anywhere near a nuckelavee?”

“Which would you prefer? Her operating with or without an accord between us?” Fluttershy felt rather proud about her argument, and even more so when the commander didn’t decline out of hand.

“We still have the ‘Do Nothing’ for protection.” The soldier near Turnabout offered half-heartedly.

“Sure we do, until we try to use it against the portal,” Turnabout retorted bitterly. She glanced around at those under her command, only to find many of them were as paralyzed by terror as she was.

“Rarity will honor her word,” Fluttershy pressed on. Everyone’s fear was starting to unnerve the skittish mare. Rarity told me the Lunarians feared her and her brethren, but I thought she was embellishing it. “I wouldn’t follow her if she didn’t.”

One of the pegasus escorts was clutching his carbine, shakily waving it at anything that moved in the treeline. “We’re dead either way. She jumps us now, or after we close the portal. It just had to be a damn swamp, or else we coulda just torched the whole place.”

Sucking in a steading breath, Turnabout closed her eyes and counted slowly to calm down. “Keep it together, Gulf Stream. Get back on patrol!” Casting the soldier from her sight, Turnabout leveled a shaky gaze on Fluttershy. “We’re damned no matter what we do, so I might as well bargain with the devil I know. Go. I’ll speak with your - Inquisitor.” Turnabout kept her pistol ready, but didn’t aim at Fluttershy. “If either of you tries anything, you’re dead, got it?”

“Uhh, naturally,” Fluttershy shivered a bit. I did it. I can’t believe I actually did it! Surging with confidence, Fluttershy went to the edge of the boat.

Turnabout shook herself, and swatted at a mosquito before marching over to the boat’s wheel, took a whistle from on top of the map, and blew four short and one long notes, signaling to hold fire and pull back to the boat for new orders.

Turning to face roughly where she met the patrol, Fluttershy waved a wing a few times until she felt something strange. It was small at first, but she felt… lighter. As if she had lost a few pounds in a matter of seconds. Something fuzzy entered her view, and upon focusing on it… Is my hair floating?

There was a sudden shot from the trees as three figures burst into the air. They arced downward halfway to the boat and came in hard and fast. Before they slammed into the boat, the sensation of lightness surged and Fluttershy was momentarily lifted off the deck. Water between the boat and the tree line seemed to rise like reverse rain, and several pegasi were pulled wildly to a central point behind the inquisitor. An instant later, Rarity, Lyra touched down on the deck with the grace of a skilled pegasus, save for Lock Stock who stumbled a bit, glad to have something solid under his hooves. The pull vanished, giving the pegasi enough time to correct themselves before they collided with each other or the river.

Every Lunarian who had an angle aimed at the trio, while others tried to squeeze in for a look. Fluttershy was taken aback by how clean Rarity looked, it was as if she had walked out of the shower and certainly not like she had trekked through the swamp for a week.

“Gah, I hate it when you do that,” Lock grumbled at Rarity, yet it was Lyra who was left hiding a smirk at his expense.

Ignoring the comment, Rarity inclined her head a touch towards Turnabout and leveled a calm, if firm expression her way while speaking in a soft, overly polite voice that carried an overabundance of self-confidence. “Inquisitor Rarity Belle, at your service.”

The sudden arrival left the Lunarians shaken. Everyone, save Turnabout pressed a little closer to the engines or each other. Palpable fear seemed to thicken the very air, and a razor’s edge was all it would take to snap. The white uniformed pony, sweating profusely though she was, mustered the courage to hold her ground. “Commander Turnabout of the Violet Provincial Militia.”

“Militia?” Rarity asked rhetorically with surprise disapproval coloring her tone. An insult nearly left her lips, but she kept it quiet. “You’ve braved the Mirage while also maintaining passable discipline among your soldiers. It is refreshing to see such competence in my would-be allies, however brief that title may hold. Am I to understand your business here is to deal with these… misguided druids?”

“A-aye.” Turnabout waved a hoof at Rock Salt who was taking a keen interest in how fear inducing Rarity was to those around her. “He tried warning the army, but they’re more worried about war preparation.” Every moment Rarity wasn’t throwing a stripe on Turnabout’s mane, the more she was able to speak without her voice cracking. “I’m a historian when not working in the militia, and when I heard Rock’s story about the Dark Father it reminded me of the Pony of Shadows I read about from a copy of Star Swirl’s journal. I knew we had to act before the war kicked off or we’d never have the ponypower to spare. A-as soon as we handle it, we just want to go back home. My company ain’t got no aims against Equestria.”

Glancing around at the boats, along with the multitude of terrified faces, Rarity hummed aloud. “I pray you speak the truth. And so long as that fact remains as such, I am willing to aid you in eliminating the Dark Father and this fallen order. Servants of sun or moon, it serves neither of us to let such a threat fester.”

“And - um - what about after we take him down?” Turnabout asked much too quickly for her liking. “We go our separate ways, right?”

Rarity did not focus on Turnabout this time, she wanted to use her magic to speak to everyone, but the engine would make such an effort pointless, so she shouted for all to hear over the noise. “Celestia as my witness, I will act in good faith so long as you do the same. When this matter is settled, we will part ways amicably.”

Stiffly stepping forward a bit to grab Rarity’s attention, Turnabout had to suppress the urge to shoot her then and there. “We - we aren’t exactly flush with room to sleep on here, but we at least have some hammocks for the four of you.”

“That’ll do,” Rarity said with a grateful nod.

It will certainly be better than sleeping on the deck, Fluttershy mused as she frowned a bit at the moldering wood.

“But I am not one to sit idle. I will be-” she stopped herself when Lyra tapped her side to whisper in her turned ear.

“Inquisitor, are you sure this commingling is a good idea? Even if this Dark Father or Shadow Pony or whatever is a serious problem, this lot might learn not to fear you as much as they should.”

“Must I reiterate the Book of Swords chapter six, verse twelve? It should be my prowess in battle that they fear, not us acting dishonorably. Besides, the Treaty of Broken Arrows is still honored for matters such as this, so our superiors can’t reprimand us.”

Lyra glanced around, unsure about eavesdroppers since Rarity was not whispering back. “I doubt most of these Lunatics ever heard of that treaty, much less read it, but I’ll follow your orders either way.”

“That is all I require.” Rarity stepped over to Lock Stock who was shouldering all of the team’s gear. He bore it well enough provided it wouldn’t be long. “Take our things to our arrangements. And keep a close eye on it. Even if this Turnabout lass proves honorable, I wouldn’t put it past one of her less disciplined civilian-soldiers who would love to steal something and claim they got one over on me.”

The order brought a cheeky grin to his face. “As you order, inquisitor.”

Not wanting to let Rarity out of her sight, Turnabout ordered a deckhand to escort Lock Stock as she accompanied the Inquisitor.

“Now,” Rarity began, assuming command so long as Turnabout acted too timidly to assert herself. “We should talk specifics about how you planned to deal with this Dark Father so that I can best be of assistance.”

Turnabout shivered as she tried to force stress out of her mind. An act certainly helped by Rarity refraining from glowering at her. “Rock Salt, tell’m what you told us.”

Far from being intimidated by the inquisitor, Rock Salt was enamored by the fear she instilled on others just by being there. He eagerly jumped at the chance to offer his aid if it meant he could talk to her. “Our Order’s village sits in the middle of the Mirage. Unlike others we don’t stay here to guard or protect the Mirage, it’s not exactly defenseless against outsiders as you know,” he added with a boastful, childish smirk. “No, we stay to watch over the Eye of Shadows. It’s the ahh-“ his smirk died instantly. It was the kind of death where youthful pride crashed in the face of remembering his sober reality. “It’s the reason the Mirage is the way it is. I’m sure you have all felt it by now. That… how did you put it, Commander?”

Turnabout smacked her tongue as if remembering she had a foul taste in it. She suddenly looked uncomfortable in her own skin. “It’s an oily feeling that buries itself into your skin and bone, like a rabid dog biting into fresh meat. If you stand on the bow of the Zippy,” she said pointing at the lead boat. “You’re far enough away from the Do Nothing to feel the air a lot more unfiltered. That bite gets worse the closer we get to the center. I wouldn’t be surprised if even the Do Nothing will start to feel it before long.”

“Dark magic.” Rarity curled the edge of her lips in disgust. “Corruptive and clingy by nature. How long has it been here?”

“Since as far as the elders’ stories go. Originally, our order was founded to purge the dark taint, but we never had access to holy magic so all we could really do was to stop the Mirage from growing.”

Fluttershy gasped, and finally found the courage to join the conversation again. “By the Green Mother, I’ve never heard of any of this. I know we pride ourselves on independence from the civilized, but your order should have come to others for help. The other orders would have believed your story if they had foreknowledge of your ills.”

Snorting at the perceived insult, Rock Salt stood tall. “We Crookbacks are stronger than any of you other Orders. We had contained the evil of the Mirage for over a thousand years, and we would have done so for a thousand more of this Dark Father had not interfered. None of you knew of the darkness until I brought you here, roundabout or not.” He looked at Rarity with reverent respect. “But clearly we were misguided. I can’t blame you for serving one such as you, Sun Kissed one.”

Oh boy, I think he’s infatuated. Fluttershy might have chuckled at the idea if she were not with the present company.

Showing a pleased smile, Rarity nodded slightly. “Then I should introduce you to Queen Mi Amora Cadenza one day, for she is the embodiment of holiness, but do not discount our mechanically inclined brethren. They may wear their fear on their sleeve, but they’ve proven themselves to be quite resilient.” She leveled a coy eyebrow at the commander. “As vexing as that is.”

“You’re ah, kinder than I expected.” Turnabout rubbed a foreleg nervously. “We haven’t actually had a run in with the Pony of Shadows directly yet, so Rock thinks he is still trapped inside the Eye of Darkness; but not so much that he can’t influence the order, obviously. His description of it sounds a lot like a portal. I’m sure you’re well aware of how easy it is for us to destroy portals,” Turnabout stated with a snide grin as she slapped the engine’s casing.

Fluttershy and Rarity looked over the engine, but with the armor, they could only infer its size would befit an actual warship instead of a shallow water boat. “It should work,” Fluttershy offered. “But what if the seal breaks first?”

“What do you think all the guns are for?” Turnabout asked with a scoffing smirk. And if that ain’t enough we got three ten pounder parrott guns stored on the Zippy.”

“Parrott guns? In a militia?” Rarity scoffed in disbelief.

Feeling like she had said too much, Turnabout desired to go all in. “That’s right. We’re a lot better armed this time around. So when we settle our business here, ya better tell your masters to stay away.”

“All I will need to tell them is to treat your artillery batteries the same as the regular army. But let’s not distract ourselves with future concerns.”

“R-right.” Turnabout cleared her throat and turned to the pony manning the helm. “Wheelwright, fetch the map will ya?” Facing the Equestrians again she tried to center herself as much as possible while standing so close to Rarity. “If Rock’s map of the rivers is accurate, we should be at the village by moonfall.”

Rarity was largely uninterested in the map of the Mirage as a whole, given that she was not directing the expedition, but she paid polite attention until a few rifle cracks grabbed her attention.

The commotion ebbed as quickly as it came. A patrolling pegasus was lifting a body from a tree and flinging it as far away as he could without getting too far from the safety of the flotilla. “How frequent are the attacks?”

Turnabout muttered about ammunition before she acknowledged the question. “It was horrible the first week and a half. Lost our supply boat two days ago, a coal barge last night, and a dinghy we were using for Rock Salt so he had a lighter boat to command roots and things out of the way. The Zippy works well enough, but it can’t glide over inch deep water like the dinghy could. Thankfully, the Crookbacks have pulled back lately. My guess is that they’re fortifying the portal area.”

“Then I’d advise you to let as many soldiers rest as you can,” Rarity offered. “I have a feeling we will all need all the rest we can get.”

It took the Lunarians over an hour to calm down and return to duties. On the bow of the Zippy Rock Salt was singing the song of the wilds trying to remove the brambles and roots the Crookbacks had placed within and across the river to slow them down. Fluttershy glided low over the water and saw that the wood on the bow had metal plates crudely put in place and serious acid and fire damage was visible further back.

The wide river ahead of them only had a scattering of visible brambles in the way, but the water churned constantly as roots withdrew from the path. To Fluttershy’s trained ears, his song was that of begging and pleading. Promises of healing and subservience. Fluttershy gave a melancholy sigh. The Mirage is too damaged to be receptive to such things if not for the fact that he is a native to here.

Rock Salt eyed her with something between irritation and contempt in his eyes, but he kept it out of his voice. “Come to help?”

Nodding, she flew over to land behind him. “I thought you could use it.” She looked all around her, mostly at the thick reeds and trees. “Clearing the way for this long is remarkable. Do your friends understand how difficult it must have been?”

Rock growled and turned away so the boat was as far out of view as possible. “They are not my friends. They’re allies that I’ve had the dishonor of asking for help.” He huffed and kicked the plating beneath him, only for it to ring painfully. “They get it that it’s difficult, but the civilized can never understand the disgrace of bending the wilds to your designs. May the Green Mother forgive me.”

At first, Fluttershy said nothing. Then she silently nosed her way forward to the point on the bow, to which Rock Salt reluctantly stepped aside. Taking a long breath, she drew upon her connection to the world. The presence of the various machines in the floatilla made her efforts taxing, and at first she couldn’t pull on her abilities properly.

“It’s easier if you time it with the pounding of that machine,” Rock Salt offered bitterly. Though it was more of the engines’ existence than any insult directed at Fluttershy. “The quieting effect it has climbs and drops like a cricket song. They say it's because the flywheel is broken, whatever that means.”

Knowing what to look for now, Fluttershy smiled at the feeling. “It’s like the boat is breathing, or a heartbeat.”

“This thing is not alive,” Rock Salt spat, glaring at a crewmember who had stopped his duties to watch them. Rock lowered his voice so the sailor couldn’t hear him. “It’s an abomination. Just standing on it dirties my hooves.”

“It’s not healthy to immerse oneself in self loathing. The Green Mother favors those who can adapt,” Fluttershy stated sternly before facing the bow once more. She ignored his scoff to focus on her magic once more. Pull during the calm of the breath, and hold when the engine exhales. She found it much easier to summon her power now. Opening her eyes, she heard Rock Salt startle at her green glowing eyes.

The trees and plants before her were now being tugged back into place by a lone Crookback druid. It’d have to only be one since I can’t find her. Green Mother, let me be in the right.

Taking her own breath, Fluttershy bellowed her challenging roar. The magic infused shout caught both the wilds and the hidden druid by surprise. The Zippy’s crew were also drawn to watch.

Without stopping, Fluttershy continued her song, strong, aggressive, and demanding respect. Bold. The other druid, so used to Rock Salt’s style of song, could not overpower Fluttershy’s strength without attempting to shout over her, but that in turn caught the attention of the pegasus patrols. They quickly found the hidden druid and shot her on sight.

With no voice to challenge her and standing on the edge of the bow Fluttershy ended her song, “Άκου το κάλεσμά μου και θα κάνω το σκοτάδι να εξαφανιστεί από τις ρίζες σου. Καθαρίστε το μονοπάτι και μείνετε ήσυχοι.”

The roots fled out of the way like frightened snakes. Brambles recoiled and the trees themselves leaned away from the river’s path. Such movement rankled Fluttershy’s sensibilities, but she had to remain strong for her message to persist deeper into the Mirage.

“How could you?” Rock Salt asked with incredulous anger. “We don’t command the wilds! You’re worse than the civilized, at least they are deaf to the song of the wilds.”

Keeping a sympathetic tone, Fluttershy did not rise to match his fury. “And yet the Mirage heeded my words over the other.” She got some guilty satisfaction at the young stallion being left speechless. “We druids have always prided ourselves in being one with nature, and yet our pride blinded us to the truth. The Green Mother is not in the wood, the wild beast, the insect, nor the sea. She is the architect of all of it.” She snorted at her old self. “Architect, a word the civilized coined, and yet it fits the Green Mother so well. And like any mother, she wants us to grow strong and independent.”

Peering out at the plants surrounding the river, Rock Salt couldn’t help but to be moved at how much it all bent to Fluttershy’s song. “Is that the blasphemy that got you banished?”

“In part.” Tilting her head a bit, Fluttershy pulled her mane aside so she could look at him with both eyes. “Would you care to listen?”

Be it through Fluttershy’s efforts, or the late hour, the flotilla was left alone shortly before dusk. The moon was high and full now, bathing Rarity in a light she couldn’t find comforting. The stench of burning coal, the rattle of the deck the engine caused, even in its low power state, and she felt every eye upon her. Can’t really blame them. How often does one see a feared enemy that is not actively fighting you?

Sleep called to her, and despite her own advice, she couldn’t manage it. Nearby snoring rattled her ears a bit as Lock Stock found no such trouble. The one comfort was Lyra’s music. She was sitting on her sleeping mat, plucking away with her hooves. It was a comforting thing in a sea of hostility. Turning away from the darkened swamp, she eyed the civilian-soldiers and sailors. Not one dared approach her. That one time they could talk to an Inquisitor without risk, and they refuse… Would I do the same in their place?

As if to challenge that though, hoofsteps heralded a voice worn thin by a lifetime of oration. “Inquisitor, may I trouble you with some foreign company?”

Lyra’s music stopped and Rarity turned to find an old thestral with black cloth covering his eyes, and a crude prosthetic right foreleg. He wore only a simple black tunic, save for a medallion hanging off of a silver chain Rarity had seen in her training, a black disk with silver points latched to a blue ribbon. The sight of it brought a mechanical scowl to her face. Of all the ponies to approach me. I’d rather shake hooves with a leper. “You have some nerve wearing that near me, Bearer of the Eclipse.” Rarity couldn’t stop herself from flipping her nose up.

Only a warm, fatherly chuckle left him. He clicked his tongue a couple of times, his ears twitched, and then he sat down next to Rarity as if he belonged there.

Lyra sat up in her hammock and angrily pointed back the way he came. “Take the hint, old timer. Scram.”

“I do not wear this to provoke you, Inquisitor, but this is my favorite sitting spot and these old bones need a rest.” His reassuring tone gave way to a half-hearted chuckle. “Of course, a broken down old stallion and a metal hardly means anything in the face of a living Inquisitor when it comes to hearts and minds, now does it? I’m only here because I’m the Chaplin.”

“You mean on this expedition or seated next to me?”

He only smiled in silence. His face and ears kept forward, taking in the sounds of crickets, frogs and other sounds of the night.

After a long moment, Rarity relented and waved at Lyra to return to her music. Be at peace. Insults should be expected, show them you are not a petulant child.

Though Lyra continued plinking away at her instrument, she kept a close eye on both of them. After a minute or so of the blind stallion remaining passive and Rarity slipped into silent prayer, Lyra settled back down as well and started playing her favorite melody.

Eventually, it was the Lunarian who broke the peace. He looked up as if he could see the moon above. “Thank you for this, Inquisitor.”

Being caught at the end of one prayer, she delayed the next to direct a curious eye at him. “For what, pray tell.”

“That two ponies who have every reason to hate one another can share peace between them.”

His honesty cut her in a way that left Rarity without words. Taking a second real look at him, the stallion bore a few other deep scars. Are all of those injuries from his battle with my brother or sister? Feeling like she was being rude with such a long pause, she looked away feeling chastised. “A pity we have adopted such animosity, but it is the hallmark of our times.”

Humming in morose agreement, the stallion idly scratched at the prosthetic's attachment point. “I had always planned to be a glassblower when I was a colt.” He smiled as fond memories flooded him, undiminished by time. “My mother showed me how to make everything from exquisite pots to stained glass windows. It was my dream that one of my windows would decorate the palace in Tranquility, maybe even a house in Canterlot should my craft become famous enough.”

His smile faded. “Living in Manehatten, and being so close to Equestria, I thought… well. Everypony knows what happened there. I’m sure you’ve heard similar stories from your side of the border too. A pony’s home is destroyed, swears revenge and goes head first into war.”

The following silence lasted uncomfortably long, as Lyra stopped playing after hearing that, but he sat through it all with the patience of a mountain. Eventually, Rarity spoke up. “My mentor, Radiant Dawn was being groomed to take over his father’s carpentry shop. When war came to Rainbow Falls, he got separated from his parents and never found them again. When his magical aptitude was discovered he joined the Inquisition. He often told me…” She huffed dismissively. “Much the same things you have told yourself I’d imagine.”

“If that’s the case,” he started worriedly. “He - well, I’ll not speak ill of somepony I haven’t met. I can only speak for myself, and it took me eighty years to let go of my rage. You might say I was blinded by it as much as the one who claimed my eyes.” He laughed heartily at his own expense.

Rarity was about to say something when the stallion cut in. “That hate. It ruined me, you know, more than just my body. I found no love, only had friends who shared my hate. I gladly took part in speeches condemning Equestria and all its faults. I became known as the blind speaker.”

“The Blind Speaker?!” Lyra nearly flipped herself out of her hammock. “Ma’am, I’ve heard of him. The theater used a few of his speeches for the villains.”

He laughed uproariously and slapped the deck. “As well they should be. I had some fire in me back then.”

“So what changed then?” Rarity looked around, spotting a pair of eavesdroppers. What it was, he doesn’t seem to hide it. “The weight of your years cooling the firebrand?”

He clicked his teeth a few times. The Speaker’s ears twisted to the eavesdroppers’ hiding spot, but he made no other show of it. “In part perhaps. Mostly it is a question that has bothered me ever since Mi Amore Cadence appeared.”

“A crisis of faith then?” Lyra offered with almost a snide ring to her voice. “Thinking about defecting?”

Ignoring the jab with a playful snort, he pressed on. “I think not. But tell me. Does she hear prayers?”

Rarity went stiff, and Lyra dropped the derisive posturing for one of genuine interest. An undesired memory shot to the forefront of Rarity’s mind. It was a day in court then a priest asked Cadence the same thing. At this moment, Rarity could lie to the old thestral. But that too felt like a betrayal.

Drawing in a long sigh she eventually shook her head. “No, she does not.”

“And yet Celestia as your witness, you affirm that Mi Amore Cadenza is no less holy than her?”

“What are you trying to say, old timer?” Lyra growled with lightning fury, and got off her hammock to confront him. “That our queen is a fraud?!”

Rarity pressed a hoof into the musician’s chest to restrain her. “Lyra Heartstrings,” she stated coldly. “I hired you for many reasons. Acting with the mental faculties of an angry mob was not one of them.”

“Luna doesn’t answer me either,” he said, having not moved an inch to defend himself.

Lyra stopped in bewilderment of such an admission, and Rarity was no less stunned he would admit such a thing.

“They say only those of the cloth can hear her voice. I was ordained shortly after being discharged from the air corps. I thought if I dedicated myself to her cause I could hear her one day. But it never happened. The leading theory was the place the Sisters went to made hearing and responding nearly impossible. But then Cadenza arrived.

“I thought surely, even if she knew I was Lunarian that she would still respond. Tell me to abandon my country, command me to renounce Luna, or at least ask me to make peace.” He shook his head, yet his smile did not fade entirely. “But nothing. No visions, no words, no dreams.”

The conversation lapsed a bit. Rarity shared a questioning look with Lyra until some pieces fell into place within her mind. Nor have I ever heard neither Celestia nor Cadenza. Speaking such aloud would be blasphemous. Thinking it was nearly as bad. “Are you trying to say if Mi Amore Cadenza can not hear you, that the Sisters can’t either?”

“It was our idea to pray to them after all. Luna never asked or wanted such things.”

Both mares were left stunned, and it took Lyra several seconds to find her voice. “What are you talking about? We’ve always prayed to them starting back in the three tribes era. First when we needed a single voice to unite us, and then after the Strife War to beseech them.”

“Your insinuations are most troubling.” Rarity was fuming now, and it was difficult to keep from silencing him then and there. Had he been an Equestrian, she’d’ve arrested him in a heartbeat. “Take care, Blind Speaker. Such talk is heretical to both churches.” She glanced back at the eavesdroppers, and they too were showing signs of outrage. I’d wager the only thing holding them back is them wanting to see how I’ll react. Wait… is this a test? To try and provoke me into breaking the accord while I am so close to the engine?

“Aye.” He quirked his ears backwards, having noticed the number of eavesdroppers was growing. “But I have searched the imperial archives and forbidden libraries. These prayers started as divination spells trying to locate Luna before their purpose was forgotten and usurped. The Lunar church likes to say it was founded before the Great Schism, but it's true age is one hundred years after it. Those records say the Solar faith was reactionary to that.”

Rarity’s aloof, feigned indifference evaporated instantly. Only her self control kept her temper in check. She huffed scornfully and let her gaze shift towards Lyra. “And here I thought we were having a civil conversation.”

The musician was grinding her teeth trying to restrain herself. “I told you. Lunatics can’t help themselves, but to blaspheme against Celestia.”

“But to do the same against Luna herself?” Rarity added, drawing a moment of realization out of Lyra. “You tread upon dangerous ground, Speaker.”

“It would hardly be the first time I’ve been there,” he replied calmly, his ears still directed at the crowd. Astonished whispers were quickly giving way to anger. “But tell me, how can Luna profane against herself?”

“Where are you going with this,” Lyra asked scornfully as eyes the crowd with impatience. “Besides the gallows?”

“I am old and the church would never hang a ‘bearer of an eclipse’. I’ll be quietly put under house arrest until I recant. But as for right now, ask yourself. Banishment is one half teleportation is it not? What happens to portals that are disrupted, but not destroyed? The exit moves. I believe the Sisters have been trapped on this earth for the last one thousand years. In what form I do not know. I have asked my old colleagues and contacts to look into this. Some agreed, many didn’t. What they can not do is search Equestrian land. So when you decided to show up out of the blue, I had to act.”

Mulling it over, the inquisitor eyed Lyra who wasn’t thinking outside of thrashing the blind old pony. “Fine, I’ll play Discord’s Defense. Assuming I go along with this, and look for them on my own. Let’s say I do find the sisters. What’s stopping me from leaving Luna in banishment, or having her clapped in irons and paraded through the streets while Celestia is free to reign once more?”

“Your honor, you can’t be seriously-“ Lyra hiss-whispered before Rarity cut her off with a gesture.

“Quite simple really.” Blind Speaker let his smile grow wide. “Because Celestia wouldn’t let you.”

At this point, there were eight eavesdroppers poorly hiding behind a few crates, and some of them jumped out to protest, yet he spoke first in a hushed whisper. “We hate each other, Inquisitor, but we are a product of history. The Sisters, despite their disagreements and fights, still loved each other. I fully believe if you freed Celestia, that she would order you to let Luna go as well.”

Sisterly love, Rarity mused with forlorn melancholy if she and Sweetie Belle were in similar positions. “I suspect you’d be right.”

Turnabout barked her way into the middle of the evesdroppers, at last making Rarity and the others acknowledge the group of six that had gathered behind them. “You lot! What in Luna’s stars is going on with all you? Get back on watch or to your bunks, and quit lollygagging at the Inquisitor!”

“Ma’am,” an earth stallion nearly shouted. “Speaker is spouting heresy to the nuckelavee!” He angrily pointed a hoof at the aged thestral.

A round of agreeing growls rang out, yet before Turnabout could even think about how to respond, Blind Speaker’s demeanor changed entirely into the fire and vitriol he was better known for. He clicked his teeth before spinning around as fast as his aged bones could muster. “Damn you stupid fools! First you allow a nuckelavee into our midst, and now you’re trying to stop me from provoking her?!”

The mob of soldiers were stunned to silence, while Rarity and Lyra kept a careful eye on them all. Turnabout took his outburst personally and stepped up to him. “Speaker, I told you to stay away from her.”

“And why’s that?!” Blind Speaker seethed, swiped a hoof at them all. “She’s an abomination! A devil in pony skin!” With the same hoof he held his eclipse metal aloft. “Peace be damned, we have an inquisitor sitting right here next to an engine and none of you are putting a bullet between her eyes just because we’re still at peace? Who would know?”

“We need her when we move the engine to the portal!” Turnabout retorted, further sending the crowd into inaction. “We’re already down to half strength and now when Luna sent us the one thing that might actually let all of us get out of this thrice-cursed swamp alive, and you want to piss her off!?”

Blind Speaker didn’t face her, but instead walked around Turnabout to address the crowd directly. “Even if she does help us end the Dark Father threat, do any of you honestly think she’ll let us leave stripeless? Which would you prefer? Death or slavery?!”

Rarity was incensed, and stood up to challenge him in a holier-than-thou tone. “I would think somepony of your age would remember the Treaty of Broken Arrows. You can despise me all you like, it makes no difference to me, but I will respect our foremothers’ wisdom in honoring the accord we struck today.”

Turnabout almost sighed in relief that of all ponies, Rarity was trying to help her shut Blind Speaker down. “As will we-”

Shoving the commander aside to glare at Rarity with covered eyes, Blind Speaker shouted with spittle flying. “Oh that’s rich, you speak to me of remembering old history? How about when the solar church abhorred the very concept of enslavement! Bet your truncated education skipped that little part didn’t it?”

Though she kept an outwardly irate insulted glower, a small, minuscule part of Rarity was left curious. No. I don’t know what games he’s playing, but I’ll have no part in it. “How trite. You attack my faith when you can not attack my person?” Removing Blind Speaker from her gaze entirely, she addressed Turnabout with her nose dismissively in the air. “Commander, I realize I can’t hold a militia up to army standards, but there comes a time when discipline is needed. I suggest you mete it out before I do.”

“To think I’d have to be agreeing with an Inquisitor.” Shaken from her inaction, Turnabout grabbed Speaker’s tunic and bodily dragged him through the crowd who parted without a fuss. Many of them were left conflicted about what to do other than disperse. “Honored Speaker, since we don’t have a brig, you are hereby restricted to the barge until we make it back home.”

Speaker did not resist, save to drag his hooves until he was pulled out of sight. “Fine, let us all get striped. I’m sure when all of you bear the red, she’ll let you remember my warning!”

With the spectacle over, and the crowd thinning rapidly, Rarity huffed and retreated to her hammock, only to find Lock Stock had slept through the whole thing. Nothing short of an artillery barrage for this one.

Moving her dreadfully straight hair aside so she could lay down comfortably, Rarity was left staring up at the unfriendly stars. She would have ruminated in silence had Lyra not leaned against the pole near the head of Rarity’s hammock.

“Ma’am, you alright?”

Letting her head fall to the side so she could see Lyra face to face, Rarity couldn’t help but smile a little at the musician’s concern. “Fret not, just tired. Though I must admit that debate against a Lunarian was not very high on my Instructors’ curriculum.”

“Well I certainly won’t be thinking about his delusions. The Sun is the only truth that matters.”

“And let not one cloud cast its doubt,” Rarity answered with firm conviction.

Satisfied, Lyra shuffled off to her sleeping bag on the floor for much needed rest.

Rarity however, was left restless for hours as that small cloud of doubt refused to be burned away.

Author's Note

Can Lyra bring the Crookback's peace through music? Will Fluttershy become a boatbender? Should Rarity challenge Turnabout to a sewing contest? Why cant evil dudes ever make thier lair a pillow castle? it's always a swamp or bog, or volcano, or a basement... In bizzaro world, Mute Seer is a staunch Celestist, will he cross worlds to do battle with his evil? twin!!??

Find out next time on Clash!!!*

*This statement is false.

19: Shady Hollows

When Rarity set hoof on land again, cobblestone was not what she was expecting. Stepping off the cargo barge, she was overtaken by sailors carrying ropes tying them down to any outcropping or tree they could use to pull the barge as firmly against the algae covered ledge as possible.

Both she and her retinue trotted further ashore to stay out of the way as they studied what laid before them. Fluttershy frowned at the obvious village that laid before her in the morning light.

The dock had moss and grasses deeply rooted into the crumbling cement, but the stones didn’t budge under the weight of their hooves. Rusted metal fixings were the last echoes of the wooden docks that had been lost to time. The cobblestone road curved to the right where mounds of grass were left uncut. It only took a cursory look from the air for Fluttershy to recognize the mounds were actually overgrowth-covered houses due to slanted roofs and the occasional chimney that still stood out from the greenery. Situated at the top of a slight incline, barely perceivable from the docks before the upper reaches of the mists obscured her sight, was a light grey statue of two ponies mounted on a short obelisk near the water well.

Grass and moss took up every space where ferns, reeds, and trees could not fit, but no one missed the homes and buildings for what they were.

Lyra was the first to speak with a pleasant enough tone. “Finally, some greenery that I could eat without feeling nauseous.”

“I could use a bite myself,” Lock Stock added with a nod. “Maybe some thousand island dressing topped with some bacon bits and shredded cheese.”

“Put in some croutons too. Oh sweet Celestia, yum.” Lyra had to keep herself from going back to the boat to rummage around Lock Stock’s bag for just that.

Earning a disapproving evil eye from Rarity, the inquisitor couldn’t help but to voice her concerns. “ I find your cavalier attitude towards an obvious trap a little… disconcerting.”

If the pair felt reprimanded, they were excellent at hiding it, because Lyra waved a dismissive hoof at the village. “Of course it’s a trap, your honor, but they’re not going to spring it until we walk in.”

Rarity felt the need to argue, but came up short.

Having missed the exchange, Turnabout was belting out a few orders before she came alongside the Equestrians. She had a group of seven soldiers with her, the uniform of each one was clean and smart as if prepared for an inspection. Six of them had long guns while the lone unicorn carried a pair of swords to protect the gunners. “Inquisitor.” She eyed the Equestrians with poorly veiled worry. “Are you sure this plan of yours will work? Rock said there’d be ruins to clear a path through, but not a still living… place.”

Giving Turnabout the courtesy of looking at her briefly, Rarity’s main focus remained the village. “I am having doubts myself.” She paused to sniff the air, “saturated with purifying magic… Not holy. Whatever it’s source, it is as ancient as Equestria itself. It will also keep me from recharging my wards. Lovely.”

As the group discussed the odd findings, Rock Salt had been below deck, not willing to face what would be waiting. Yet as soon as he saw the green village ahead of them, he stood in stunned shock. “It..?” He took a few steps forward, nearly getting bulled over by a distracted crewman in the process. “It’s all still here!?”

Desperation clouded his judgement. Rock Salt ignored everyone else and sprinted off the boat, making a beeline for the village.

The sound of his frantic hooves made him the center of attention for Rarity and Turnabout’s troops. One of the militia stallions hastily passed his long gun over to a friend before roping a foreleg around the frantic druid to hold him back. “Whoa there, fella, you’re not runnin’ that easy.”

“Let me go! I have to know if anypony survived!” Rock Salt scrabbled to get out of the iron grip of the soldier, resorting to singing to try and get vines or anything to aid his escape. Yet between the proximity of the boat, and Fluttershy’s presence, nothing came to his aid.

Turnabout crisply nodded at the soldier. “Good job, Wheat Stock.” She leveled a much sterner glare at the flailing druid. “You better start talking. You had us believing we’d be walking into a cesspit.”

Rock Salt barely listened as he struggled to get free. The moment he threw his head forward to try and bite the soldier’s foreleg, he got a sharp headbutt for his troubles. That knocked enough sense into him to realize he wasn’t getting free. So he resorted to speaking hastily and scornfully at the commander. “I thought we would be! The Dark Father must not have been able to get them to destroy the Protectors.”

Rarity had been content to let Turnabout handle things thus far, but now her curiosity was peaked. “Destroy? Not kill?”

Trying and failing to wiggle out of the soldier’s grip again, he was left to simply growl in anger at his captor. “The Protectors is a statue of two mares. No pony knows why, but they give off an aura of cleansing magic in a big enough area to keep the village safe from the Dark Father’s influence. The village is the only thing left to remind us that the Mirage used to be a forest, not a swamp.”

Where others were surprised by his tale, Fluttershy was incensed. She made a feeble attempt to bottle it up, and glared at the young stallion. “You let a forest decay into this!?” She asked with a quiet anger while waving a wing at the morass behind them. “Even the Roan would ask outsiders for help, like when we needed more food than the land could provide or-”

“I only asked outsiders because I was all that was left, and preserving the wilds outside of the Mirage matter more than my honor,” Rock Salt shot back with no attempt to hide his contempt. “But your order condons asking outsiders?!”

Getting defensive for Fluttershy’s sake, Lock Stock stepped between them. “Which is something you lot should’a done ages ago. Face it, your pride left a forest to rot into the Mirage.”

Nearly foaming at the mouth with rage, Rock Salt renewed his efforts to get free, only now to attack Lock Stock. Upon realizing that, it took monumental discipline on Wheat Stock’s part to keep from letting the thrashing druid go to do just that.

“We don’t have time for pointless bickering.” Rarity walked up to Rock Salt and slapped him hard against the cheek. The sudden act made him freeze and look at her while rubbing his bruise. “A pity you didn’t finish your rite of passage so you could stop behaving like a child. Focus on the here and now, and tend to your pride after we resolve matters here.”

Rock stopped struggling, and the soldier released him after a nod from Turnabout. He rubbed his sore cheek, but didn’t dare scowl at the one mare everyone else was scared of. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.” Satisfied for the moment, Rarity turned to the head Lunarian. “Commander Turnabout, the attacks have ceased since we joined you. The enemy has clearly decided to pull back and make their stand on solid ground. You agree?”

Turnabout kepting looking out over the green village, her voice barely containing growing fear. “Aye, I do.”

Following the officer’s gaze for a moment to see if a threat had revealed itself. Seeing no movement, Rarity refocused on the mare. “Then we will go and clear the way to the portal before the engine leaves the boats.”

The slow clunk of metal from within the cargo barge signaled the slow awakening of the engine. While Rarity finalized her plans with Turnabout, Fluttershy snuck a peek at what had been hidden within by flying above everyone’s heads. The crew were done pulling off the hastily fastened metal skirts to reveal a heavily modified train engine. Oh my, that’s one of the war engines Lock Stock said they used in the last war!

Instead of narrow rail wheels, this one had been altered to have wide, thickly spoked wheels, and also had something akin to an artillery piece’s limber on the back to steer the thing. The druid had to pin her wings to keep herself from leaving Rarity’s side to get a closer look as the engine groaned on greased gears. It's like a warhound. Gentle and loyal to its friends, but a danger to their enemies. Her excitement took a downturn as she remembered one important fact. Oh. Right. That would normally be me.

“Fluttershy.”

Rarity’s expectant voice snapped the druid from her musing. She dropped back to the ground and faced her superior. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Take point. There’s an ambush waiting for us; and we need to flush it out so the train…” Rarity eyed the machine warily, but kept going, “has a straight shot.”

“Right away.”

Turnabout clicked her tongue and gestured for Rock Salt to step up. “Go join her. Maybe seeing a familiar face will keep any survivors from attacking us.”

All too eager to return home, Rock Salt went out of his way to shove his way past the soldier that had restrained him earlier. “Finally!” His sprint forward came to a stop after seeing the mildly sour look on Fluttershy’s face. He grumbled at her and tried to not make eye contact.

Rarity, her retainers, and Turnabout’s squad walked the short distance between the ruined docks and the edges of the first green grass any of them had seen in over a week. It was almost unsettling how clean the air felt. The lush green vines holding one house together felt almost welcoming to the group of outsiders.

Almost immediately after crossing the perimeter of the village did they find signs of battle. Laid about along the footpaths and inside some of the homes were the bleached skeletons of ponies. The smell of death was starkly absent, leaving the living in a surreal state. Lock Stock approached the nearest intact skeleton with a grim expression. He gingerly inspected it while Lyra and the Lunarian medic poked at a badly decomposed set of bones barely two feet away. Of them all, Rock Salt had fallen placid and emotionally vacant, yet his reddening eyes betrayed him.

“I don’t know what to make of this, Inquisitor,” Lock Stock said after inspecting a femur. “The flesh is completely gone, not even the marrow remains, but the bone itself looks like it’s still from an otherwise living pony.”

Normally not one to disturb the dead, Rarity begrudgingly accepted the femur into her magic for study. “The flesh is gone, but the bone remains…” At first, she turned to Rock Salt to seek his council, but the young stallion’s almost catatonic expression made her leave him be. “I am reminded of a cautionary tale inquisitorial initiates are told about Raven Darkhowl. A magus of profound power in the pre-schism years.”

Turnabout shivered a bit at the name. “The first necromancer?” When Rarity nodded in surprised approval, Turnabout couldn’t take much satisfaction out of it and returned to watching out for dangers.

“The first known to history, at least. He created a plague among some rampaging diamond dogs that turned those it infected into puppets of his will, and it used the victim’s flesh to propagate the spell.” Disgust souring the taste in her mouth, Rarity dropped the bone. “I’d wager the Protectors are keeping the Dark Father from taking the victim’s mind, but the spell still eats at the flesh until nothing is left. And quickly too. We should be grateful he doesn’t seem to want skeletal minions.”

Rock Salt snapped out of it upon hearing ‘Dark Father’ and flattened his ears in growing sorrow and rage. “Is that his real name? Raven Darkhowl?”

“Not a chance,” Turnabout cut in. “He was killed in the War of Independence.”

“I was not familiar with how he died,” Rarity stated, letting Turnabout’s statement go as fact. “But what’s important here is that the plague was the first thing he created. Meaning it is easy. Whoever the Dark Father is, he clearly has power, but not much knowledge.”

“Just enough to be dangerous,” Turnabout replied.

“Indeed.” Humming irritably, Rarity surveyed the homes around her. “We mustn't tarry any longer. I take it your soldiers have been surveying our route.”

Briefly scowling at the perceived condescension, Turnabout looked to the only soldier who had been paying more attention to the homes and blanketing plants than the skeletons. The earth pony was almost enraptured by his findings. “Cream Corn, how are we looking?”

Cream Corn jumped at his name being called, nearly dropping his rifle in the process before he corrected himself. “These paths are too narrow for a carriage, let alone a train. It’ll never roll through here until we widen it all. Good news is, the ground feels like sturdy bedrock just under the soil.”

Turnabout’s eyes kept darting at shadows that always seemed to disappear the moment she focused on them. “That could take days just removing the roots and vines. Rock Salt, any chance the engine can go around?”

Rock Salt had been doing his utmost to control himself and avoid even looking in Fluttershy’s direction that the query was as good of an excuse to continue as any for a distraction. “No. The Protectors’ influence allowed a large island of sorts for the village to remain untouched, but the edge of the solid ground around the village is too narrow for your machine.”

“We should go see these Protectors,” Rarity suggested without expecting a refusal. “I would very much like to see the statue for myself before we go about uprooting anything. A fool is one who ignores power.”

Fluttershy gently took to the air to save room on the claustrophobic path and to make sure she didn’t bump into any remains. “I second the motion. I’d like to see more of a druid town before it gets demolished. The Roan preferred caves instead of building houses.”

To that, Rock Salt snorted defensively and trotted off, leaving the others to quicken the pace. Turnabout wasn’t about to look like she was subordinate to an Equestrian, much less an inquisitor and gave orders to the nearest soldier. “Lake Shine, tell the boys back at the Zippy to get some mallets and axes out and start clearing what the train can’t roll over. Ferris, leave some breadcrumb cuts so the crew knows what direction to take. Make them big in case the plants around here heal faster than usual.”

It didn’t take long to find the statue. The group threaded past overgrown cobblestone and houses so covered in moss and vines they could be mistaken for burial mounds. They will be if the Crookbacks were like the Roan. As Fluttershy flew above the group and the houses, the unsettling silence of the place made it all feel surreal. No bird song or crickets. Even in winter my order asked birds and other animals to remain, but here there is nothing. I hope the Dark Father didn’t harm the animals too. There was a flicker of hope struggling to stay as she looked for any damage to the plants, but everything looked healthy and green. Were it not for the bones, one would never know this had ever been anything but a peaceful place.

Looking out over the village, the cleansing effect of the Protectors parted the mists for a hundred yards all around it, giving the illusion that they were under a dome of fog.

Finally, they arrived at the only clearing in the village large enough for the train to move through unimpeded. Propped up on a vine covered brass pedestal was a marble statue of two ponies. To the unicorns of the group, the Protectors exuded a gentle pressure that felt like someone was lightly holding their horns with a warm towel. For the rest, it smelled vaguely of old sterile plastic.

Rock Salt broke ranks and sprinted to the Protectors as soon as he laid eyes on it. Rarity and Turnabout approached the statue while the inquisitor turned to her companions. “Lock, Lyra, keep watch on the perimeter. Commander?” Rarity asked expectantly.

Aside from some irritation out of Turnabout, she saw the merit in it. “GC, watch our exit. The rest of you cover the path north.”

Rarity’s attention lasted just long enough to hear the orders before focusing on the Protectors.

Stepping up to it, Rock Salt was busy whispering to some of the vines and moss that had started growing up from the brass base and onto the statue itself. The plant life reluctantly withdrew from such prime real estate, but stubbornly remained on the pedestal no matter how insistent he sang.

Fluttershy was the first to stand at his side. Though she felt strangely drawn to the statue out of more than simple curiosity. “Do they have names?”

Had anyone else been there, Rock Salt would have answered the question, but it being the blasphemous druid only made him snap. “Don’t you start with me!” He growled, becoming more incensed when Fluttershy did flinch at his outburst. “The houses were here before my ancestors took to the wilds. We only asked the plants and stone to keep them from collapsing, alright?! We’re not the same as you.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Fluttershy started kindly enough. Rock Salt started to interject, but a fire within Fluttershy kept her from being talked over. “Birds have different beaks to better eat what food their home offers, it’s only natural each order would differ as well.”

Confusion washed over Rock Salt, and he held her gaze for a moment. “I… still don’t understand you.”

“Naturally,” Fluttershy replied with no judgment. “The other orders don’t wish to know the Green Mother’s nature. When you have lived a lie for as long as the orders have existed, accepting the truth can be so very painful.” She looked away from him to focus on the deathly silent village with a sad frown. “I wonder how different things could be if your elders followed your example much earlier.”

Rock Salt huffed angrily. “The civilized aren’t here to save the swamp or my order, just themselves. If the Crookbacks were still alive, Turnabout would have just told us the Dark Father’s our problem.”

“Are you sure?” With an air of calm grace, Fluttershy lowered her head a bit to be eye level. “In the Macintosh Woods, there lives the honey leaf tree. When a caterpillar eats its leaves, the tree gives off a smell that lures in wasps who destroy the caterpillar. The wasps don’t care about the tree, but they save the plant all the same.”

The young stallion was left baffled at first. His brow furrowed and his eyes went distant with thought. He stood there for a long moment, his mind thankfully distracted from the deep loss surrounding him.

“Boy!” Rarity called from the other side of the statue. Rock Salt nearly fell over at the instinctual authority she held and scrambled to show himself. Fluttershy did the same with forlorn frustration.

Rarity’s attention rested squarely on the stone ponies’ faces and destiny marks. He could feel carefully controlled power from her like a brilliant light. His haste was borne more from fear than respect, but the distance between those two forces was not that large. Rock Salt fumbled his words after revealing himself, “Yes, ma’am?”

“Tell me you have names for these mares besides just ‘The Protectors’.” The inquisitor was incensed, but still held tight reins on her temper.

Turnabout’s soldiers had only given a passing look over the statue and were more interested in watching Rarity for any sudden moves. Turnabout had been busy tearing away vines covering the pedestal in search of a plaque that she had not yet studied the statue itself. All of them gave Rarity a concerned look at the prospect of her temper rising.

“N-no.” Rock Salt stuttered out, knowing it was not what Rarity wanted to hear. “The elders said they were symbols of power since no pony has both wings and a horn.”

Grumbling with supreme disapproval, Rarity gestures to Turnabout. “Commander, please tell me I am not the only one here with eyes. Tell the class who they are.”

Raising a curious eyebrow at the strange reason to get upset, Turnabout studied the statues. “Both are alicorns and-” She tilted her head as the shorter one’s destiny mark came into view. “It can’t be.” Quickly, she looked to the other stone mare’s mark. “It’s Luna and Celestia?!” Turnabout completely missed Rarity’s satisfaction as the soldier almost shoved her face into Rock Salt’s own. “Just how old is this village?!”

“I don’t know. More moons than the elders bothered to keep up with. I just know the Protectors are not as old as the village itself.”

All of the non-druids within earshot bowed to their respective patron and offered short prayers. For a few precious moments. Turnabout forgot herself and renewed her digging for a plaque. “Do you realize what kind of find this is? We need this statue in a museum so it can be properly cared for.”

“That won’t be happening, sad to say,” Rarity stated, earning displeasure from those around her. “Look at how intricate the pose is.”

Indeed, the stone sisters were locked in eternal combat. Luna was crouched low with her wings flared as if she was preparing to plunge her horn directly into Celestia’s chest. The solar sister was slightly reared up with warplate covering her from hoof to tail. Their mutual gaze was locked on the other. What bound the sisters together were six stone orbs, three in stationary orbit around each sister’s head. When Rarity tried to pull on one of the orbs, dense spiderweb lines of mana materialized, blanketing the entire construct.

“These orbs and the magics involved would make separating the sisters impossible without destroying the whole ensemble,” Rarity began, and was quick to wave a cutting hoof towards Turnabout. “You might as well drop any pretense of historical significance here. I won’t have Celestia’s image be desecrated by heretics.”

“The Blinded One though she may be, Celestia is still Luna’s sister,” Turnabout shot back with some fire, earning a stern, uncompromising scowl from Rarity. “But we can worry about this after the Dark Father is dealt with.”

For a long, tense moment, Rarity was silent as she scrutinized Turnabout. The commander had to keep herself from recoiling away; a normally healthy response to causing an Inquisitor irritation. The Lunarians quickly took notice and held their weapons close, while Rarity’s group prepared to defend themselves without overtly drawing their weapons. “... Agreed,” Rarity responded at last with a curt nod. “Coming to blows only serves the enemy,” she started again, as if she had expected this outcome. “Instead you make sure the route between the Sisters and the boat is clear so the war engine can arrive unmolested. I will lend you Fluttershy’s aid in removing the foliage.” She cast an eye towards Rock Salt. The young stallion was doing his best to appear emotionally controlled, but only the willfully obtuse would think he had an iota of inner calm. “We should leave the poor lad some time to grieve.”

Sound advice though it was, Turnabout couldn’t help but to feel the need to suggest something else. Rarity repeatedly giving what both mares thought was a solid course action to take, along with the inquisitor’s words now fully backed by her unsuppressed power left the commander feeling that she should take the victory she earned and leave it at that for now. “Sounds good. But the village isn't that big. We should secure the whole place; make sure there aren’t any surprises.”

Much to Turnabout’s chagrin, Rarity didn’t even hesitate to think the plan through, as if this had been her real design. “If you can spare the ponypower then by all means. I’ll survey the route Rock Salt mapped out to the edge of the village. That should be the most dangerous.”

With a farewell nod, Turnabout backed away a few steps before turning around and sharing some tense words with her bodyguards before sending them off. She waved Rock Salt towards her before sending the druid off back towards the landing site.

With the Lunarians stepping away, Fluttershy approached Rarity with a touch of worried caution. “We’re not going to fight them over the statue are we?” At first, all she got out of Rarity was a quizzical eye. “I mean, the statue is important, but it doesn’t belong to us.”

Rarity gave a feminine snort and turned away. “As if it wasn’t readily apparent, if we don’t take it, the Lunarians will.” Rarity paced a bit to think. “We don’t have the means to safely transport it back to Equestria unlike the Lunarians. Even if I was versed in portal construction, I would still need to contact my superiors so they could set up the other end. All of which would take far too much time.”

“Yes, ma’am,” was all Fluttershy could think to say. I just hope the Lunarians agree to that. “If I may, I’d like to make sure Rock Salt doesn’t try to suppress his grief through work.”

Rarity stopped pacing, and was reminded of her offering Fluttershy’s aid. A regretful frown followed Rarity’s ears wilting. “I apologize. That was callous of me. Please, make sure the lad has somewhere quiet.”

Nodding her head, Fluttershy’s first thought was to ease her friend’s burden. You carry so many and will many more. She placed a comforting hoof on Rarity’s withers, an act even even Lyra and Lock Stock were scared to do. “You are the shining light among those in the dark. You had to be strong and decisive. None of us would fault you for that. I dare say Lock Stock will claim you were too kind.”

Rarity’s gaze just so happened to be at an empty window. Her mind conjured a nebulous pony’s face. The one in shadow can see clearly what the light blinds me to.

In an instant she was appalled by the blasphemous thought. Resolving to pray in penance later, she hid her self-chastisement by giving a friendly nod and smile to her lieutenant. “If anypony is guilty of being too kind, it would be you.” Rarity dearly wished to hug her closest friend, but watchful Lunarians would then see her vulnerability. So she had to settle for briefly leaning against the pegasus. “Speaking of which, would you kindly summon our compatriots to me before you leave?”

“Right away.”

As soon as Fluttershy turned away, Rarity threw up a magical mask to make it appear to those beyond a few feet of her that she was as stoic as ever. In reality she heaved a heavy sigh and let her eyes close. Forgive me, Celestia for my wayward thoughts.

Being reminded of her patron caused her to look once again at the statue. Bereft of others around her, she could focus on it more clearly and absently dropped her magic mask. I can’t put my hoof on it, but there’s something off here. In all my years, I can’t say I’ve seen a statue of the Two Sisters without Luna appearing as the villain. If anything it’s as if the climax of the battle was captured in stone. The druids would not have made this, and yet Rock claims the village is older than the statue… She hummed in deep thought. She was aware of a vague notion dancing on the edge of realization, only for approaching hooves to derail her.

“You sent for us, Inquisitor?”

The idea vanished from her mind, and with a huff of disappointment, she turned to regard Lyra and Lock Stock. He was standing at attention, while Lyra’s posture was moderately casual. “Yes I did. The three of us have some scouting to do.”

The song of the wilds filled the air around Fluttershy. Trees shuddered and crawled, vines slithered, and moss released spores that would be taken by the wind. All of it happened on a long path some twenty feet in width. What was left behind was scattered stone, the last fragments of a lost age. With saddlebags and crates, Lunarians piled the stones out of the way or used them to fill in ruts. The only thing that caused any real difficulty was a single chimney that remained intact.

The lonely spire of brick and mortar was a few hours’ effort ahead of the work crew, so Fluttershy paused in her efforts to approach it. A few ponies eyed the Equestrian druid with suspicion, but left her alone. Melancholy tugged the sides of her lips down before she placed a hoof on the ancient construct, powdery mortar falling away as she did. The brick, discolored by weather, vines, and neglect was no different than a gnarled old tree that so desperately clung to life. The charred remains of a cooking fire were still present next to a cast iron pot so caked in soot it was surely as old as the chimney itself. “I understand.”

Leaving the chimney standing, Fluttershy returned to the barge and acquired a clean water skin, a tea bag, dried meat, and two potatoes. Enough bark and discarded branches were left by the moving trees for her to start a decent enough fire in the chimney, and the cookpot was filled with her gatherings, with some choice moss for filler. As she tended the pot with a sturdy branch, the Lunarians toiled away, largely ignoring the druid or passing brief insults that she paid no heed to. The crews stopped for a rest around the time the food was ready. It was bland by city standards, but it was palatable enough for rations. Once she had her fill and doused the fire she rested a hoof on the weathered mantelpiece. “Be at peace. You’ve served faithfully long enough.”

Those ponies who had been watching were bemused when the chimney slowly collapsed as brick by brick it cracked apart and the mortar gave up, the air within it almost sighing as it escaped.

“Young Miss,” called the thin elderly voice of a stallion. “I hope you don’t mind, but we took the liberty of moving all of the uh - villagers’ remains, to a storehouse.”

Flashing a confused and reserved smile, Fluttershy turned around to find a familiar face. “Blind Speaker? I - well, thank you for such a gruesome task, but these ponies are no more my people than the Equestrians are yours. Why not tell Rock Salt?” She went about cleaning up after her meal and was placing most of it in a saddlebag after shaking off the juices. “He said he needed somethings from his bunk.”

Now it was his turn to be confused. He twisted his ears about and clicked his tongue once or twice. “He’s not here? The boy left shortly after first bell, and I thought that…? Well, in any case, we can’t simply leave the dead where they lay. I’d deliver the last rites myself, but I worry the Dark Father is waiting for just such a moment to spring a trap. The dead don’t like to stay dead when necromancy is involved, and he's been worryingly quiet.”

Her heart thumping in her ears, Fluttershy was taken by sudden instinctive fear, and took to the air a bit to look out over the mists just outside of the boats and Protectors’ influence. There were not many, but she saw shapes moving along the edges, just far enough away to be lost in the murky depths. There was something new. The wilds outside of the village were starting to wail in feeble pain at the undead s’ very passing. “Y-yes, I agree.”

Clicking his tongue, Blind Speaker gruffed in extreme disgust. “I’m sure they are an ugly sight, but hearing dead flesh move is something that will haunt me.”

“Why haven’t they attacked us?” she asked fearfully, the dirge ringing in her ears making her paranoid. “They haven’t since we joined you.”

“Why indeed?” He asked with just enough disparity to make her give him a strange look. He held his suspicion for only a moment before softening his tone. “I didn’t mean anything by it. Even I know it would be a cold day in Tartarus before an inquisitor joined forces with a necromancer. ‘Course, I thought the same with druids and any of us, but there you go.”

Fluttershy closed her eyes and tried to get ahold of herself. She forcibly sighed and dropped to the ground to focus on the aged stallion.

“Still though… it is curious,” he mused while clicking his tongue a few more times.

“Maybe he’s not interested in us.” Fluttershy halted as cold fear gripped her once again. “Do you know where Rock Salt is?”

“I… I believe he left the barge shortly before lunch. The poor boy said something about checking his home to see if his parents’ remains might have been there.” Blind Speaker answered with a grim tone.

Her eyes going wide with panic, Fluttershy sang a quick song to get Rock Salt’s location. It took only half a minute for the wilds to respond. “If the Dark Father’s zombies could last long enough to attack ponies inside the village, then he must have been waiting until Rock was separated!” With speed that belied her modest nature, Fluttershy burst into the air as fast as her wings could carry her.

On the far northern end of the village, Rarity, Lyra, and Lock Stock were taking cover behind a badly degraded stone wall, held together by ferns and vines. What laid beyond was a temple of black stone that had only a faint amount of fog obscuring it. Dark purple runic script glowed along its surfaces, and an iron gate where the wails of the dead be heard leaking through, even from the fence some fifty yards away. Roosting like gargoyles on the roof were the rotting remains of zombified pegasi, but their crisper movements revealed they were anything but mindless.

“Well what do you think, Ma’am?” Lock Stock began as he checked his rifle for the eighth time to make sure it was still good to fire. “Twelve fliers and at least ten on the ground?”

“We can expect many more inside,” Lyra added, her warstaff resting on the last scraps of healthy grass.

“And yet he hesitates.” Rarity had to keep her bile from rising at the mere sight of the undead. “Why? He is an affront to Celestia’s Light and yet he makes no effort to mock us. He only waits in his so-called prison.”

“Darndest prison I’ve ever seen,” Lock Stock commented evenly. He fidgeted before squashing a beetle that was getting too close for comfort. “I have to say, your honor, this whole thing doesn’t sit right. Somepony other than the druids had to have built all this, but who could build a temple like this, while also creating the Protectors? Ain’t that a little sideways to you?”

Rarity leered at him and smirked. “If I need sequins for a dress, I don’t fabricate them myself, I buy them from somepony who does.”

Lyra was in the same boat as Lock Stock and ducked behind the fence when one of the undead sentries looked in her direction. “So… what? Are you saying this is the work of some crazed aristocrat?”

“Possibly. It could just as easily have been a remote place to test dangerous magic,” Rarity theorized. “For all we know, a ley line might have swept by and destabilized things.”

“And now we have zombies…” Lyra groaned while letting her face hit the ground. “Why can’t uncontrolled magic make anything nice like gold or a cake fountain?”

Lock Stock smirked derisively and looked past Rarity towards Lyra. “Even after lunch you’re still yammering about food? Keep this up, and I’m thinking you’re going to end up changing your name to Lard Fat by the time you retire.”

Rolling her head to glare at him, Lyra shot right back. “At least I won’t end up being the one with a lover’s pox collection and twenty mares chasing you to raise their illegitimate foals.”

He winked at her. “That’s still twenty more than you’ll end up with.”

Growling, Lyra tried to stab him with the butt of her staff, but the earth stallion easily grabbed it with a hoof and forced it to remain on the ground. He rolled his eyes as painfully wide as he could just to irritate her further.

I swear I’m surrounded by children. “If you two are quite done trying to give away our position,” Rarity hissed while magically clamping both of their mouths shut.

“Inquisitor,” a thread-bare voice echoed from the temple’s direction.

All three of them ducked below the fence, fully expecting death itself to come scything by. Yet no spell came, nor the marching hooves or wings of the unrelenting dead. Rarity popped her head up first to see a stallion unicorn wrapped in shadow. Or at least that’s what it seemed until the shadows coalesced more fully, and the profile of wings were finally visible. “Since you were able to parley with your lost kin, perhaps you could do the same for me.”

“The Dark Father…” Anger overpowered good sense, and Rarity empowered her horn. “Lost, the Lunarians may be, but none of them are sacrilegious enough to take on the form of an alicorn!”

A grim, low energy laugh arose. “Were I so lucky.” He flared his wings, to reveal they were bare of feathers.

Rarity’s horn dimmed and she adopted a resolute posture. Lock Stock and Lyra still kept their weapons at the ready. “I see only more questions. Fine, you may have your parley, but know this. Unlike my wayward kin, I will destroy you.”

Lowering his wings, the Dark Father only smirked. “Were it so easy. What stands before you is but a shade of myself, for I am still locked within my prison. So save your bluster for when we can finally meet in person.”

Lock Stock and Lyra turned away from Rarity so they could keep watch over anything that might try to ambush them while the inquisitor spoke. “Oh fret not. The Lunarians will soon break your cage so that I may deal with you, personally.”

“And don’t even think about running!” Lyra called out while flicking her tail in a crude manner at him. “Save yourself the effort and die quickly.”

“Oh I hope it is not too quick,” the Dark Father replied with a coy tone. “How else can I earn an honorable death worthy of the Great Armada?”

20: A Legacy of Delusion

“An honorable death?” Rarity scoffed at the very notion at the Dark Father’s request. “Celestia’s light I’m too young to have seen everything, but by Faust you are certainly trying to make topping that difficult.”

“The truth is often stranger than fiction is it not?” He countered with a dark laugh.

Lyra nudged Rarity’s side. “Inquisitor, I think he’s serious.”

Briefly giving her a baffled eyebrow, Rarity didn’t want to leave the necromancer out of sight for long and looked back with more composure. “Truly?”

Suddenly, shadowy silhouettes appeared in their hundreds all around the village and from on top of the grim temple. The Dark Father spread his wings and the whole area around the Protectors’ influence became pitch black, save for his face. “Listen, and listen well, Inquisitor. If I wanted you dead, all I would have to do is break a rune or two of my prison before all life would snuffed out in the Mirage in a matter of hours.” Lock Stock and Lyra huddled close to Rarity who was making a valiant attempt to remain strong in the face of the abyss, but she was showing cracks of fear as well. “The statue you’re hiding behind,” the Dark Father stated with a dismissive wave of his hoof, “might protect you, but you have too many mouths to feed and not enough grass.”

“Your… point is well received.” Rarity shivered in relief as the darkness receded, and the late afternoon light once again lit up the dense mists above them. “As - as much as I would like to simply duel you, I must abide by the Treaty of Broken Arrows. As article twelve stipulates, any negotiations with a hostile third party must be brokered with representatives of both Equestria and Lunaria.”

Snorting impatiently, the Dark Father pulled back just a bit. “Yes, yes, I am well aware of the treaty.” Without thinking, he maneuvered two wing fingers to his mouth as if smoking a cigarette, only to realize none existed and refolded the wing with a disgruntled huff. “You think me evil, Inquisitor, but I am nothing compared to the mind behind my prison. Go, and send for the good Commander. However, do not mistake my prolonged existence with boundless patience.” He looked around the thick fog, obscuring the sky above. “I grow weary of this false life. And vices that cling to a body that can never enjoy them.”

Nodding diplomatically, Rarity turned to speak into the sargeant’s ear. “Lock, you’re faster on your hooves. Fetch Turnabout post haste.” Before he took off, she quickly gestured for him to wait and turned to gaze upon the ground between the village and the prison. Judging by eye, the mouth of the temple and the village stone wall were roughly fifteen hoofball court lengths apart. The ground looked solid enough with only shallow pools breaking up the ruined cobblestone path and stretches of red clay. The ground looks stable enough for a duel, of a sort. Keeping her face neutral, she whispered to Lock Stock. “And bring my green tailor’s kit.”

Torn between wanting to be far away from the stewing necromancer and leaving Rarity’s side, Lock Stock nodded hesitantly. “As you order, Inquisitor.”

“Oh, and see where Fluttershy scampered off to. If things go wrong, I want her supporting us.”

“Aye.”

Once the earth stallion departed, Rarity’s curious nature got the better of her, and she ignored Lyra’s silent attempts to pull her back from the stone fence. “Do you have a proper name, or should I keep calling you the Dark Father?”

The wispy mass of darkness regarded her with an irritated gaze. “I never really cared for the name those plant kissers gave me… My given name was Stygian. It was a cruel name my father gave me, but recently… I suppose it’s a fair name now.”

Rarity inclined her head respectfully, and adopted a composed smile. “Stygian. Then know that I am Inquisitor Rarity Belle, and this is my retainer, Lyra Heartstrings,” she added while gesturing at her lime green friend. He made no gesture of acknowledgement, save for the barest hint of a nod. Not one to let such small insults derail her, Rarity pressed on. “Stygian, dare I ask how you know so much about things outside of your swamp? If Rock Salt is any indication, his order had very little knowledge of the outside world, and most would presume you’d have even less.”

Silence was all that came for an uncomfortably long moment. Stygian’s glower never left Rarity, yet he eventually relented. “There are some things in this world best left unknown. Makes one question just how dark one’s heart can be. But if there is one thing you Inquisitors are known for besides your prowess in warfare, is your investigative nature, and that I fear would lead you down a path I never want to see repeated.” He turned to face her properly. “No matter the intentions…” He paused, thinking. “But I suspect your allies will ask much the same questions, and I dislike repeating myself. I shall wait before answering.” In a gust of wind his shadowy form blew away, and before the mares could look away, the undead in the distance melted away into the mists.

Though the Crookback village was small, trying to find Rock Salt among them all would have been a fool’s errand without the wilds guiding Fluttershy. The trees and grass swayed towards the east, bending around the winding path the earth stallion had taken to avoid being followed by the Lunarians.

Sitting on the leading edge of the eastern wall of crumbling stone sat a mound of earth with a cracked wooden door that was left open. All of the grass and tree branches leaned towards it.

“Rock Salt!” Fluttershy reached above the house. “Rock Salt are you in there?” She barged inside only to dig her hooves into the dirt to come to a sudden stop. Within the darkened interior, the only illumination was a glowing unicorn horn. That very glow revealed a stallion breathing sharply looking down at the prone form of the young druid.

A rock floated near the unicorn, blood dripping from it. The moment Fluttershy came to a halt, the unicorn jumped out of surprise and hoisted the rock threateningly at her. There was some furniture between them, a three legged table and two chairs, both grown straight out of a tree. Cups of cold tea lay spilled on the compacted dirt floor. The house was mildly warmer than the cold air outside, but only just enough to avoid hypothermia during sleep.

“Pink hair, the smell of earth and life. You must be Fluttershy. The fool spoke well of you.” Keeping the blooded rock wrapped in his orange magic, the stallion side stepped away from the downed druid to clear a path between him and her.

Fluttershy’s first thought was to flee for help, but her training allowed her to stand her ground. She kept darting her eyes between Rock Salt and the stranger. “Did you kill him?”

Sparing a touch of magic to illuminate Rock Salt, the young stallion’s chest was rising and falling. “Apparently his thick headedness did him a favor, not that I won’t be changing that shortly.”

Good I got here in time. Relief swelled within Fluttershy, only for her to quickly squash it to remain focused. “May I have your name?”

The dark brown stallion kept his mouth shut for a tense moment before relenting. “Not that it will matter. I am known as Stalwart Hill.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy tried to get a look at Rock Salt, but couldn't risk taking her eyes off of Stalwart. “The ground here is already drunk off of blood, you don’t need to add his too.”

“It’s not like I wanted to,” the would-be killer hissed bitterly. “All he had to do was stay away. Find another order or something, but he came back, just like I knew he would. Daft fool never was a sharp one.”

Fluttershy’s thoughts flowed a mile a minute, trying to keep the stranger talking while also remembering her training against unicorns. “If you’ll let me, once we settle matters here, I’ll take him away. Make a new order with him.”

The stranger, who was trying to be civil towards her, suddenly gave a sour face, and the glow over the rock brightened. “If you knew how damned the Crookbacks were, you would have never made that offer. Our lands, our song, our very perception of magic itself. All of it is blackened by the damned prison.”

Fluttershy risked taking two desperate steps forward. “Songs can be re-tuned, eyes opened, And the lands healed with fresh minds.”

“And then there are times the herd must be culled due to disease,” he countered sharply while stamping his hoof. “The slate must be wiped clean. You and your allies will see to both the prison’s and Dark Father’s destruction, but every last Crookback but die with them, or the Mirage will never return to what it once was.” Stalwart stared at Rock Salt’s prone form. “Because of him. The fool that he is doesn’t even realize his ability to sway others. Imagine it, with no evidence to speak of, Rock Salt talked so many outsiders into coming here when they and your masters are so close to war yet again.” Shaking his head in sudden depression, Stalwart nearly let go of the rock before he caught himself slipping. “He would have made a great leader, had he been born anywhere but here.” Fluttershy attempted to approach him tactfully, but Stalwart didn’t want to be consoled, nor pitied. The magical grip on the bloodied stone surged anew, halting her steps. “But just by being here, allowing ponies to live and die within this swamp, the temple will return. That is our curse.”

The stranger started shifting towards Rock Salt, the bloodied rock still firmly within his grasp. Fluttershy matched him by stepping closer. “No curse is immutable. The Lunarians, they have the means to completely disrupt magic, and a curse is no different.”

“A blasphemer like you can take faith in such things perhaps,” the stallion said with far less disgust than Rock Salt ever did. “Nay, my order failed as nature’s protectors, and now I must do what we should have done thirteen hundred years ago, and thin the forest!” He raised the rock intending to strike the unconscious druid.

Fluttershy rushed forward with surprising speed and tackled him in time to make the rock land harmlessly next to Rock Salt.

“I won’t let you harm him!” Fluttershy tried to grapple a foreleg and twist it for compliance, but the stallion kicked her stomach before she could, and threw her off of him. She tried to recover, but he grabbed her with his magic, and slammed her against the furniture.

She cried out in pain as Stalwart stalled his attack. “I don’t want to kill you, blasphemer. Stay down.” Forgoing the rock this time, he grabbed Rock Salt by the head with his magic intent on twisting it.

“Rebuke!” Fluttershy shout-sang. As the word hit him, the unicorn’s magic fizzled and died. He recoiled in pain as his horn had been kicked. She shook to loosen her muscles up a bit before shakily getting back to her hooves. “Nor do I want to harm you. But you’re not giving me much choice.”

“How did-” Shaking off his surprise, the stallion charged his horn while physically grabbing Rock Salt.

“Silence!” she cried, dousing his horn once more, but he was prepared this time, and threw Rock Salt at her with enough force to double her over. The unconscious pony’s weight sandwiched Fluttershy with the overturned table at a bad angle and horribly twisted her right wing almost to breaking and destroyed a number of feathers.

“You had your chance, blasphemer.” Closing in, he tossed Rock Salt aside and grabbed at Fluttershy who was still too stunned by her pained wing to even cry out in agony. “I already helped slaughter my village. What’s one more soul for the salvation of Mirage?”

“I heard shouting!” Called a not-so distant voice from outside.

The stallion’s gaze shot to the door and the sound of approaching hooves and wings. Fluttershy gritted her teeth through the pain. “Good luck fighting all of them,” she scornfully, hoping he would opt to run.

“You think I care if I live?” He dropped Fluttershy and tried to grab Rock Salt into his magic for another attempt to end his life.

“Desist!” she half yelled, making him drop the young druid.

With a final growl of rage, Stalwart slapped her muzzle to silence her. Fluttershy had spots in her eyes from the impact. He vaulted the overturned table towards Rock Salt. He took a chair and raised it up over his victim, only for a militiapony to barge in.

The Lunarian mare couldn’t see Rock Salt from her angle, but knew violence when she saw it. “Stop right there!” Barely even acknowledging her own command, she raised her rifle intending to shoot.

“If you had any sense you’d kill him!” Without hesitating Stalwart threw the chair at the militapony. The gun fired wide, and the chair forced her to shield herself with the rifle and was pushed back outside, shouting expletives the whole way out.

All but shoving the unbalanced mare away, Lock Stock bulldozed his way inside, saw the unicorn and moved to unholster his pistol. Stalwart tried to stomp Rock Salt with both forehooves, but by now Fluttershy was close enough to swing out a hind leg and trip him up. Lock Stock fired early as he raised the pistol, and on the druid’s downward fall, the bullet went through his head instead of his chest.

Ultimately, he landed in a limp heap at Fluttershy’s hooves, right as a couple other Lunarians tried to shove their way inside. The splash of blood on her face and neck left Fluttershy stunned as Stalwart’s lifeless eyes stared at her. Lock Stock hastily holstered his pistol, and went for Fluttershy’s side. “Celestia’s Light, are you hurt?”

Still frozen for a few seconds longer, it took him jostling her shoulder for Fluttershy to snap out of it. “Just - Just my wing.” Fluttershy hissed as the pain returned in full force, making her clamp her eyes shut. “Please, check on Rock Salt.” Breathing heavily, she leaned against his rough and strong barrel.

A mare with sergeant stripes pulled the bewildered soldiers back so she could step inside. “What’s all this then?”

By now, Lock Stock was slipping Fluttershy onto his back. She wanted to protest, but the movement was painful to the point of drowning any words out if she tried to speak, so it was left to Lock Stock. “No idea, looks like a local so druid matters maybe,” Lock jerked his head at the body. “Rock Salt over there needs a medic, and I’m taking Fluttershy back to the ship.”

The sergeant looked between the three druids before finally stepping up to help secure Fluttershy on Lock Stock’s back. “By the Moon you daft bird, you look more roughed up than Berry after one too many sherries. Oi! Valley Shine, Drill Wood, get your tails in here and take Rock to the doctor!”

It had been close to an hour since Rarity had sent Lock Stock off to fetch Fluttershy and Turnabout. Not that she truly noticed as her attention was locked on the decayed grounds before her. An honor duel of all things… But why? If that is all he wanted, he didn’t need to attack the flotilla at all, just wait until they got here, then request a duel. A pity I have such little time to suss out his motives. Shaking the distracting thought aside, Rarity focused on the task at hand. Sometimes, the simplest plan is the best one. A quick strike before he even realizes he’s lost. Not to mention it will give the Lunarians less of an idea on my capabilities to share with their superiors.

While Rarity brooded, Lyra had stood guard with her staff held tight by a foreleg. Though the Dark Father’s image had vanished, his servants still watched from afar, just enough that the mists obscured their features. “What is it you always said, Inquisitor? About using the shadows like that?”

Blinking to clear her thoughts, Rarity joined Lyra’s side. “They’re more worried about presentation than they should be.”

Lyra’s reply came up short when the sound of marching hooves came from the direction of the docks. They looked to find Turnabout and no less than forty troopers filtering through the narrow paths. “Is it me, or does she look angerier than Lock did when you forced him to sober up for two weeks?”

Arching an amused eyebrow towards her companion, Rarity said with amusement, “he never showed such anger towards me.”

“Cause he’s not an idiot,” Lyra scoffed. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

Turnabout finally reached the pair, and briefly scanned the grounds between the village and the temple. “Where is that son of a sow?! That bastard thinks he can just duel his way out eating canister shot!?”

As if to back up her threat, coming behind the mass of infantry were the three parrott guns being wheeled in through the widest path, with Lock Stock finally walking in behind them. Yet what got Rarity worried was Fluttershy was leaning heavily against him as they approached. Coming up behind even them was Blind Speaker who hobbled along muttering curses about weak knees and uneven paths.

If they’re here at all, then it couldn’t be the Lunarians who harmed her, so I can put a pin on that for the moment. Addressing the irate officer, Rarity spoke with her best diplomatic tone. “Perish the thought of denying him such a change in diet.”

Once the throng of soldiers came to a stop, the light outside of the Protectors’ influence went out like a candle, casting everyone into a midnight gloom. The militia were taken by surprise, but there was no cry of panic among them, which impressed Rarity immensely.

Moments later, the Dark Father’s shadowy figure emerged and the filtered light of the sun returned. “Commander Turnabout, I take it you are going to decline my request for an honor duel.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Turnabout thrust a hoof at the entity of shadow standing barely ten meters outside of the fence. “First rank, open fire!”

The cramped arrangement of the village made having a proper firing line impossible, making the militia too disorganized to give a clean volley of fire, not that the Dark Father reacted in the slightest as bullets ripped his projection apart, only for it to reform seconds later. He looked more amused than anything.

By now, Lock Stock and Fluttershy had arrived at Rarity’s side, with Lock Stock giving his superior a shrug. “I told her he wasn’t actually there.”

Rarity kept quiet for a few moments so she wouldn’t unnecessarily antagonze the Lunarian commander, and simply gave Fluttershy a concerned frown. “Are you alright?”

Nodding with a pained grimace, Fluttershy used her good wing to push off of Lock Stock. “I can still sing.”

“Then the details of what happened can wait. I’m just glad you are alright.”

“I won’t have it!” Turnabout yelled furiously at the unmoved phantom. “You killed almost four hundred of my brothers in arms, and you dare ask an Inquisitor to duel you? My brothers and sisters didn’t die getting us here just so she can steal satisfaction out from under us!”

Tilting his head in bemusement, the Dark Father replied, “So you would throw away more lives in trying to defeat me in open battle when you stand a chance of letting one of your biggest enemies die in their place?”

Turnabout raised a hoof and wanted to continue arguing, but the logic was too sound, and it caused rumblings among the soldiers behind her. Dropping her hoof, Turnabout finally looked at Rarity before returning her glare towards the necromancer. “Why do you even care? Necromancy’s always been one step away from outright being banned, and what you’ve done is worth damnation a thousand times over.”

Weathering her anger like an admiral in a storm, the Dark Father nary moved an inch until she was done. “Because the ancient laws of the Armada are clear. There are only three ways the dishonorable can cleanse their spirit and be granted a seat among the heroes of old. First, to be a commander in open battle and die to the enemy, to duel a foe of equal or greater prowess than yourself, or to die in childbirth. Since the last option is out of the question, and your soldiers did not have a battlemage among you, the inquisitor’s presence is why I am offering a chance for you to save your soldiers’ lives.”

“You honestly think this is about personal pride?” Turnabout countered hotly. She turned to address the assembled soldiers “How about it boys? After slogging through this damned morass, finally kicking down the door and throwing the Dark Father out of his cell so we can end him rightly, do any of you want to now just step aside and let an Equestrian Inquisitor get the final glory?”

What she got was a mixed bag. Several members of the militia shouted in agreement while most only gave lackluster responses, and a noticeable few sounded their disapproval. Chief among them was Turnabout’s master sergeant who stepped up to her. ‘With respect, Commander, once we get the engine inside the temple, prison, whatever it is, and we break the necromancer’s cell open, then we’ve done our part. Let the inquisitor make herself useful and kill the bastard father. It’d be the only useful thing she’s done.”

“And what do you think’s going to happen when she goes back to her masters.” Turnabout addressed the soldiers more than the sergeant, but she kept her gaze fixed on him. “I can already see the Equestrian papers now. ‘Brave inquisitor saves us all from the horrors of the Mirage after militia cowers at the end.’ I bet my command that’s exactly what’ll happen if she steps in. We’d all be a laughing stock.”

“At least we’d be alive, ma’am,” the sergeant replied with careful tact. “It’s not like anypony else could take him on in single combat.”

The two paused in mutual frustration, each wracing their minds for a solution.

Rarity gave a lady-like huff before speaking with her companions. “Don’t you love how they talk about us as if we weren’t standing barely fifteen feet away from them?” Rarity’s indirect insult centered all attention on her, to which Rarity found most agreeable in almost any situation, as she addressed the surprisingly patient necromancer. “Mister Stygian, as delightful as modern politics can be, I can’t help but wonder how you know so much about the recent events, let alone who we are by name.”

Unlike everyone else, the Dark Father looked rather disappointed the bickering had stopped. “It’s not a pretty story, but leave it to an Inquisitor to poke her nose where it shouldn't go. But I have all the time in the world, and that train engine of yours still has a ways to go before it gets here, so I’ll indulge.” He started pacing, his eyes never falling on anyone for more than a moment. “My prison, and my tenure within it, is old. Older than Hearth's Warming, actually. I wasn’t privy to how it was made, save for some rumors that House Amethyst found a natural portal and stabilized it, then built this place first as a retreat, then a last refuge when the Windigos struck. I’ll just say that I was already unpopular when I escaped that deathly winter, and that my attempts to bring a small invention with me destroyed the portal, cutting off the master of the house’s children from escaping.” He shrugged his wings as if the ravages of time had bled away all remorse. “I had no way of knowing that’s what would happen, but when has ignorance ever done much to cool theanger of the powerful? So I was made an example of, and sealed within a pocket realm that would turn my body into undeath in order to keep my spirit both awake and trapped for as long as the prison lasted. But of course you undoubtedly ask, how can such an old prison remain functional? Well, you need only look to the Crookbacks for that.”

A string of astonished gaspes and disbelief swept the assembled invaders, with Fluttershy limping forward to be heard. “You can’t be saying they maintain the prison! They loathe anything involving artificial buildings, let alone one as blackened as your prison.”

A grim smirk spread far too wide on his face. “And yet they live in houses under the protection of a statue. You - ahh, now I recognize you. You were the only singing the tree song last afternoon on the boat. You’re no Crookback… Which means you, druid, should understand more than most that the ‘civilized’ do not hold a monopoly on hypocrisy.”

Stygian waited for a few moments, long enough to see Fluttershy’s ears wilt and any further rebuke died on her tongue. Snorting in terse satisfaction, Stygian continued. “But the Crookbacks can’t help themselves, really. For they are the inbred descendants of House Amethyst and its servants. All of whom struck a bargain that they and their descendents would protect this place in perpetuity. The druids come within these walls to sweep up the dust, scare out whatever vermin can survive the poison of this place, and ensure the carved runes are still intact. They honestly believe these acts of service contain the evil here so nature remains untouched.” Stygian flared his wings and swept them at the tainted lands surrounding him. “Look around, druid, gaze upon the efforts of those who try to sweep dust with a bare stick. Their uneducated hooves have caused more damage to these lands than even the heartless master of house Amethyst could stomach. Even he, the twisted mockery of a pony that he was, would have rather stayed and let the frost consume him if he knew what fleeing here would have caused to the forest that once dwelt here.” He scoffed while lowering his wings and giving Fluttershy a mocking huff. “Twas the only thing he found beautiful in this world. And he had a wife and three children,” he added with a spiteful laugh.

Every one of the ponies listening were horrified, some in stark disbelief, others taking him at his word, most started whispering to each other in a fevered pitch, yet it was Fluttershy who challenged him with renewed, yet desperate hope. “That can’t be the whole truth. The Crookbacks can’t possibly have been so blind.”

The Dark Father laughed with callus disdain, not for her, but for the dead order. “Oh believe me, many of them over the centuries started to realize the wards they were preserving did nothing to halt the leaking of dark magic into the Mirage. But none of them had the strength to challenge the old ways, or they lacked the charisma to convince the others. I’m sure somepony like you, who serves alongside the ‘civilized’ understands that.”

His words struck her like a slap across the face. Fluttershy averted her gaze as thoughts of the stubborn Roan elders flooded her.

Seeing that he had silenced her a second time, Stygian continued on with a dark frown. “And I have saved the worst to the last, because these druids’ last rites rituals don’t release the dead to whatever afterlife awaits them, oh no no, their misfortunes eclipse even my own. No, instead the poor souls are sent here to my cell. I am forced to watch each soul’s life from start to finish all the while the soul is burned away to strengthen my prison. It was Lord Amethyst's wish that I remain as sane as one can be while trapped in a realm of darkness for an eternity. After all in his words, ‘there’s no point in caging a mad dog, for he can not suffer as much as a pony who still remembers who they were.’”

What a masterful way of gathering intelligence, were it not so revoltingly abhorrent, Rarity mused.

“Now, I tire of talking about myself and waiting for this bickering to end,” he added with finality and dividing his attention on Rarity and Turnabout. “Either I will fight you as a commander or as a duelist. Make your choice.”

With amused smugness, Rarity eyed the gathered Lunarians who were either honest about not wanting to fight to the boastful who were held back by their more intelligent friends or by some imagined injury. At least Turnabout is smart enough not to volunteer anypony by force. She sighed impatiently, an act that was beneath her potentially, but the Lunarians’ blustering had worn thin. Rarity was about to speak when Lyra stepped up to the edge of the fence and loudly declared, “I can take him.”

Those who heard the musician stared blankly at her, while Rarity gently tugged Lyra back a step and asked with a fakest of good humors. “Lyra, dear, what are you doing?”

“What no pony else can,” she answered with a strained, almost false smirk. “The Lunatic militia would’ve put somepony forward already if they had a fighter that could take the Dark Father. You’re too contentious to do it, Fluttershy’s injured, and this falls out of Lock Stock’s skill set.”

“Be that as it may, we planned to have your talents remain unknown, remember?” Rarity answered back with enough of a terse scowl that it kept the Lunarians from confronting Lyra about her boast for the moment.

Unperturbed by Rarity’s overt disposition, Lyra wrapped her staff into the crook of her left foreleg. “Then I suppose that honor will remain with you instead. Provided you let me see this through, hybrid to hybrid.” she whispered into Rarity's ear.

Rarity’s stern gaze matched Lyra’s resolute one. The inquisitor worked her jaw, mulling over what to do. “I can’t say I approve… but I will allow it.” Rising her voice to speak to everyone, Rarity moved so most of the militia could see and hear her. “I am not so proud that I must insist on being his duelist, and wounding your pride as a people is not my goal. I offer the services of my retainer, Lyra Heartstrings to do Equestria's part in these matters." She faced Turnabout in particular now. "After all, those same newspapers would deride me and my companions if we did nothing but watch."

Turnabout was grinding her teeth at being called out on all sides. She tore her eyes off of Rarity and towards her sergeant and wavering soldiers. Some proudly grasped their rifles, silently begging her to let them fight. Others however were clutching their weapons with terror on their faces as their eyes chased shadows all around them. In the end, the weight of writing many more death letters to loved ones is what drove her to sigh heavily. “Fine. She’ll do.”

“And so, the die is cast,” Stygian claimed while clapping his wings. “Your substitute is acceptable. Once you break my cell, remove the machine so that we can duel right here without interference. I can’t tell you how much I’ve been waiting for this day.” The air rippled around the Dark Father as cackling laughter of joy echoed through the whole swamp as his form vanished once more.

Author's Note

I'm going to have to apologize in advance for the delay of the next chapter. Until march i am in advanced job training, so my writing will be slowed down quite a bit until then, but fear not, the story is continuing.

22: Duet

Shortly after the would-be bookie had bothered Lyra’s warm up plans, the mare decided to return to the village fence closest to the manor. She found Fluttershy perched up on top of a moss covered house participating in a rigorous debate with two Lunarian pegasi. The air around them was thick with heated discussion. Yet upon seeing Lyra, one ribbed his partner, pointed Lyra out, and both fled.

Seeing how Fluttershy did not look any worse for wear, Lyra did not race over to investigate, but did ask upon reaching the house. “What was that about?”

Sighing more out of relief than anything else, Fluttershy tried to affix a passive smile on her face, only to fall short at a half-irritated and relieved one. “I wanted to ask them how Rock Salt was doing, and they turned it into an excuse to tell me I was damaging druid neutrality by serving Equestria, let alone an inquisitor.” Upon saying it she deflated even further now that a friendly face was here.

Lyra huffed at the departing Lunarians and leaned against Fluttershy’s house. “Hey, it’s not like you aren’t your own pony or anything. You’re doing what you think is right.”

“It’s so easy to ignore or forget that they believe they’re doing the same thing.” Fluttershy glanced down at the musician who couldn’t decide to look up at the pegasus in grim acknowledgment or not, so she kept her eyes fixed on the manor. “Morality is what we decide it is, Lyra. Is Celestia right, or is Luna? We all make a choice, even if we think there is no choice. The Green Mother cares only for who is the fittest. I simply believe Equestria will inevitably reintegrate Lunaria back into itself. Steam and gear are power yes, but are not enough. Not to mention Equestria has the backing of an alicorn once again.” The enstripment is a mistake that will bite them in the end though. Fluttershy wanted to mention that, but felt Lyra was the wrong pony to voice such a concern. “Not to mention the innovator General Shining Armor is, the Green Mother smiles on him.”

The mental image of a giant plant mare patting a general’s head made Lyra chuckle. “You’re a piece of work, you know that Butterball?”

Finally, a ghost of a humored smile returned to Fluttershy. “At this point, I’m thinking of making a mental list of how many times I hear that.”

Looking around, Lyra spotted Fluttershy had moved the saddlebags she and her friends had brought to the house. Nosing around her bag, Lyra found a pouch of mixed nuts and idly started munching on them while keeping an eye on the manor. A lot of black smoke had come pouring out from behind it, but aside from a lone panicky soldier, no one else seemed to leave the place with any real alarm.

It had been close to half an hour since the soldier had retreated to the dock, and thus far no one had run out of the place screaming for help, nor had anyone from the dock race into the manor. So Lyra was confident everything was going smoothly. The grounds she expected to be fighting on was a bare patch of clay roughly fifty feet from the edge of the protective bubble of the village and the mouth of the manor. Perfect place for a straight fight. Not a lot of loose mess around so my singularities shouldn’t cause any debris to go flying into me. Let’s hope he doesn’t take it too personally if I end his little duel quickly.

“I’ve never asked,” Fluttershy inquired, breaking Lyra out of her thoughts. “But why do you serve Rarity?”

Lyra looked around and there weren’t many Lunarians around. Most were either staying with the boats, helping create a path for the engine, or went into the manor with the artillery team. Only four had remained at the far end of the fence with no interest in mingling, and they were too preoccupied with a poker game.

Sighing, Lyra chewed on a walnut. “The inquisition’s been better to me than they could have been. I remember the day Spoiled Rich tried to - take me. The Grand Inquisitor stopped it and let me stay in the academy. Said I couldn’t be an Inquisitor, but I could still serve. Probably why he didn’t care that I ducked out a lot from classes that wouldn’t be useful to me.”

“Take you?” Fluttershy leaned over the edge of the house to look at Lyra a bit more critically. “Or Stripe you?”

Had the question come from anyone outside of Rarity’s entourage, Lyra would have shut the conversation down hard, but with Fluttershy, she felt like the druid was as trustworthy with secrets as a tree, but even that only went so far. “Nah. I’m a Canterlotian born and raised. Just not the way people think.” Lyra casually dumped the last few pieces and the crumbs in her maw while Fluttershy looked on in growing confusion. “Anyway, how fast do you think I can take this guy down? One move? Maybe two?”

Deciding to go along with it, Fluttershy sat back straight again and looked over her injured wing. “You don’t think he’ll put up much of a fight?”

Lyra scoffed in supreme derision as she grabbed a canteen. “I’d be a war mage if I could cast regular magic, and the loon wants to have an honor duel. He can cram his honor, I’m going to fight him like I would in a real battle.”

“I hope that’ll be enough,” Fluttershy said, trying to sound optimistic. “Do you have something… what is it that you said that one time…? A card up your sleeve in case things go badly?”

Lyra’s first response was a negative, but she stopped short and pulled out a small green leather satchel half the size of a hoof out from inside her mane. “Yeah… Rarity told me to get this thing for her, but never took it after I got named to be the fighter.” Lyra tossed it up in the air and caught it again before storing it away in her mane again. “Not that I’ll need it.”

Chugging a good bit of her water, Lyra wiped her lips to find a dark figure walking out of the manor. At first she thought it was just a dark furred militia member until the Dark Father’s voice magically bellowed out.

“Servant of the Inquisitor, face me as agreed!”

“What? Now?” Lyra asked Fluttershy more than the distant necromancer. All the druid could do was shrug in equal confusion. “Eh, alright then.”

Lyra’s disembodied magic hands grabbing her staff, she walked just outside the fence with a casual swagger. The mare had not one ounce of concern, which was only compounded upon by Stygian coughing and shaking like he had a fever. “I’m right here, Dark Father!” She called out, earning a pleased smirk out of the sickly stallion. “But doesn’t a duel need a proper set up, such as a ceremony and witnesses?”

“I have made my prayers to the Armada on the way here, and those behind you will serve as witnesses.”

Glancing back at the card players and Fluttershy, the druid had carefully climbed down and gave silent support to Lyra. One of the card playing pegasi had bolted away calling for people to gather and watch. It wasn't long before a number of pegasi and thesterals were already flying over the village to do just that. The ground pounders will be right behind them I’m sure. Good. I’d hate for them to miss this.

Turning back to her opponent, Lyra idly tapped her fore hooves with the end of her staff. “Where’s my boss and everypony else?”

“I’m sure they will be along shortly,” Stygian assured impatiently with a suppressed grunt. “But I am not waiting for them.” He started walking away from the manor and rounding the clearing between them so there was a solid wall behind him. “The rules are simple. To the death, and you may rely only on your own abilities.”

“Those are the only rules?” Lyra asked in a purposefully clear voice. She still looked at ease, but she tightened her grip on the staff and started gauging the distance between them.

With a flare of impatience, as if he were talking down to a child, Stygian grunted. “There’d be far more if we could both fly, but for the two of us, yes.”

Nodding, Lyra stated with no sign of even wanting to participate in the first place, “Oh. Good.”

Stygian was about to speak again when Lyra suddenly looked strange, as if she was just a reflection in a pond of disturbed water.

Lyra formed a point right in front of her with enough force to rip her from the ground. Staff raised and ready, Lyra fixated her gaze on Stygian like a hawk. With a slight jump, just enough to get her hooves off the ground, Lyra rocketed towards the Dark Father. Wind tore at her eyes and pushed her ears flat against her skull. Stygian only had enough time to barely widen his eyes before Lyra flew right by him at frightening speed, her swinging staff connected with his face and the stallion was obliterated into pieces.

She hastily created a new singularity to pull her up, but her forward motion was so strong she had to run along the manor’s wall until she cleared it to the roof. Using a third point, she pulled herself the rest of the way into the roof where Lyra finally came to a skidding halt. The hard impact against the wall and rough landing shot lances of pain up Lyra’s legs and her hooves ached, so she sat down and impotently blew on a friction-heated hoof. “Owwe. Wish he had stayed in front of the doors.”

Across the way, Fluttershy sighed and lightly shook her head. “At least it was quick.” Several Lunarians around her were in various states of bewilderment.

“Wait, what just happened?” asked one.

“I blinked and it was over?!”

“She killed the pony who’s been up our tails all month that fast?!” came an angier voice.

Ignorant of the growing discontent among the Lunarians, Lyra stood up and shook her staff to clear some of the blood and chunks off. Yet she stopped when the colors were wrong. Taking a closer look, the viscera on her staff were greys, sickly greens, and awash with brown fluid. It turned her stomach far more than the expected red blood and other pieces. “Oh by Celestia what is all - oh boy, that’s gross.” Trying harder to shake her staff clean, Lyra ignored the distance-muffled cries from afar until she barely heard Fluttershy call her name.

Upon looking up, she saw Stygian on the ground, intact, and facing her with his wings glowing black. “What?” Suddenly, his wing fingers grew and shot towards her just as fast as she had before. They missed grabbing her neck thanks to Lyra rolling backward and shoving her staff in front. Stygian’s ethereal wings clamped down around Lyra’s magic hand and the staff itself. Attempting to separate the staff from its master, Stygian ripped everything back towards the village.

Yet in doing so, Lyra was sent careening along with the staff even though he had not grabbed her. His follow up attack faltered upon realizing this and he blankly watched her nearly crash against the ground and instead come to a rolling stop at the village fence. Rather than being frozen in shock, Lyra scrambled back to her hooves and held her staff defensively in front of her again. “Celestia’s Light. You should be dead!”

Shaking his head and causing his wings to glow again, Stygian spoke with a chiding tone. “You’re a thousand years too late for that to work.”

Though she was shaken, Lyra prepared a new singularity and readied her stance. “We’ll see about that.”

Stygian thrust his wings into the ground, sinking into the clay like it was water. Wind started to kick up with him at the center as he pulled the swamp’s ambient dark magic through himself and into the earth. Dark magic flowed from his skin like a cloak.

Lyra kicked off the ground, falling into her singularity and straight towards the Dark Father. He made no move to protect himself as she roared directly overhead while her red glowing staff bisected him vertically from crown to belly. Skidding along the ground, Lyra briefly spotted Rarity had emerged from the manor, but the mage had to keep her attention on Stygian.

He had not fallen over after her attack, and instead ribbons of gray flesh were already crisscrossing to recombine his two halves. He can’t keep that up forever. At least that was Lyra’s theory. She formed a new singularity and launched herself at the necromancer. Barely ten feet into the attack, multiple skeletal legs, wings, and pony skulls burst out of the ground between her and Stygian. Many grabbed at Lyra, scratching at her passing leaving long but shallow cuts all over her belly and legs. The sudden appearance of dozens of skeletal ponies struggling to claw out of the clay shocked her into missing a pair of legs bursting out directly in front of her and grabbing her forelegs.

Almost in a panic, Lyra let go of the singularity and pushed her staff against the ground to keep from face planting it. She saved her head, but not her chest and forelegs from landing hard on the clay. Stygian planned to follow up by raking her with his shadowy wings, but Lyra saving her face while never directly touching the staff in doing so caused baffled hesitation.. He recovered when she swiped one of the grasping legs with her staff, yet Stygian commanded the other skeletons to close in.

Lyra’s staff twirled like a scythe, cutting down the puppeted bones as they came near, but more and more limbs pulled themselves free of the clay, constantly dragging her to the ground. Through the mass of skeletons bearing down on her, she saw the Dark Father flashing inky black magic into his wings again, expanding them and threatening to swipe at her from behind his army. As they grew, the wispy black wings moved through his minions without harm, but Lyra was under no illusion that she’d be spared as well.

Off on the sidelines Fluttershy stood among nearly a hundred militiaponies who couldn’t decide if they wanted to cheer Lyra on in killing their tormentor for the last weeks, or jeer for her to fail so they could kill Stygian themselves. Through it all, Fluttershy dearly wished she could help her friend.

Thoughts calling upon the grasses and trees inside the village to entangle the skeletons as surely as they hobbled Lyra ached to become action. But she couldn’t bring herself to break the duel, not unless Rarity made a move first. So she did what she could, cheer for Lyra in the best way to help her friend. “Come on Lyra. Stop fooling around!” That earned some odd looks from those around her who heard that.

“I’m trying!” came Lyra’s distant and disgruntled reply as she smashed another skeleton to pieces with a wide sweep of her staff and shoved back a second that got close enough to try and bite her.

Standing under the manor’s door frame, Rarity dearly wished to step in and save Lyra, but once again she felt restrained by words. Yet that wouldn’t stop her if she saw Lyra give up for even a second. Cowering, a cry for help, a grievous injury, any of it would see Rarity jumping in to cut Stygian down for good. Come hell or high water she’s walking away with her life.

Keeping her wits about her, Lyra summoned a singularity directly above her and slammed her staff on the strongest leg still holding onto her with enough force to break both the leg’s hold on her and crack a rib. So focused on staying alive she felt no pain, yet the act did little as her attack on her restraints gave other skeletons time to close in. One came in to bite and claw her face with time worn hooves. She stopped it with the shaft of her weapon , but she couldn’t stop the second from carving large wounds into her flank, bisecting her destiny mark.

The breathing room she got from breaking one of the legs holding her down gave her enough leverage to kick out at the clawing assailant and knock it down, but not away.

“Come on now, you begin to bore me,” Stygian half-reprimanded. “Is that all you have? Where is your spell fire? Your shield? Don’t tell me all you can do is fly and swing a glorified club around.”

With a growl of anger, Lyra pushed the skeleton on her head back enough to get in a shattering swing on it before turning it against the one threatening her flank. Yet it was for naught as four more were already lined up, waiting for space to attack her. “It woulda worked just fine if you weren’t some undead freak.” The staff had to swing low across her mane to stop one more attack going for her neck. The act sliced a number of hairs off her mane, and dislodged the forgotten green tailor’s kit which landed on the ground near Lyra’s snout. Realization dawned on her in a flash.

“You walk with an inquisitor,” Stygian chided and he was content to let his bone puppets finish the job. In truth he felt exhausted for the first time in millennia. He wanted to save what strength he had for Rarity, and reforming his body was not as trivial as he made it look. “You should be prepared for threats of any nature.”

Unable to release a hand from her staff, lest she let the slashing, mangled hooves of a skeleton claw her eyes out, Lyra resorted to snatching the tailor’s kit in her mouth and bit down as hard as she could.

Like a popped balloon, light exploded from the kit, scorching her mouth even as she tried to spit it out. Needles of gold shot out like barely perceivable motes of light striking every skeleton both above ground and those holding Lyra down. Stygian shielded himself with his wings and felt a thousand tiny searing cuts rip his magic off his wings with the last needle burying itself in his cheekbone.

The skeletons looked undamaged, but they all fell to the ground like stringless puppets. Lyra shakily climbed to her hooves, only to find it impossible as her restraints had over extended her right hindleg and she had badly cracked a hoof kicking one of them away. She fell back down on her undamaged flank while coughing up thin smoke from the explosion that left her gums bleeding, but otherwise only lightly burned.

“There it is,” Stygian said while shaking his wings out, worried to find his magic was being sluggish to return. Deciding to bluff, he acted as if he was only mildly annoyed. “That didn’t come from your staff or horn if that mouth of yours is any sign. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re not a unicorn at all.”

Lyra glared at him while spitting some blood, and wanted to silence him on the spot, but she needed time to recover and letting him talk was just what she needed. “What else could I be?” She said while flipping her mane off her horn. “A pegasus?”

“I’d say you’re a terracorn,” Stygian declared, much to the mixed reaction of the crowd. “A child of earth and magic. But they’re always stillborne or the mother dies long before birth.” He tilted his head in amusement at Lyra’s increasingly murderous look. “Something about possessing gravity magic always harming mother and child. What I don't understand is why your soul doesn’t look quite like a pony’s.”

“And you’re not going to!” Lyra shouted as she summoned a new singularity, but this time it was directly in front of the Dark Father.

Completely taken by surprise, and unable to empower his wings, Stygian could only watch as he was pulled straight towards Lyra and her staff.

Summoning the last of her strength, Lyra swung at the oncoming necromancer and cleaved his body apart from nose to tail. The two pieces flew a few feet behind her before skidding to a stop against some bones.

Unable to walk, Lyra pulled the pieces of him into the air before he could even begin pulling himself back together and tried to repeat her trick but her strength was gone and she only managed to push his body off to the side of her rather than cutting him into fours.

Collapsing to the ground, Lyra was breathing ragged shallow breaths as her broken rib caught up to her. The crowd felt silent, unsure if Syigian was going to get back up or not. Lyra’s staff clattered to the dirt, plinking off a rib cage as she watched one half of the necromancer liquify and slide over to the other half and began to reform. Yet the process proved to be slow. A whole minute passed before the Dark Father’s head and neck were intact once again.

Lyra clenched her teeth as she tried to breathe, but every breath was so painful she could do little more than gasp for air. Through it all, she kept watching her opponent slow down and stop just short of his withers stitching back together.

For a long moment, Lyra’s fatigued and oxygen starved brain thought he might be toying with her and some new minions would appear to kill her at last. Instead, the necromancer's body began to steam and disintegrate just barely fast enough to be seen.

A coughing, dry laugh escaped the stallion. “Bravo, child. Though you cheated, you actually killed me.”

“You don’t sound very dead,” she countered, dearly hoping he wasn’t lying.

More tired, hollow laughter crawled out of him. “A pony bleeding out can see they’re just as dead as I do now. If not an Inquisitor, then dying to an impossible mare is good enough for me. I should almost thank you for cheating, as it grants me more honor by nearly killing you.”

Now that neither of them were fighting for so long, the crowds were approaching, Fluttershy and Rarity being the fastest among them. Seeing this, Lyra used her forelegs to drag herself over a bit towards the fallen necromancer to whisper. “I’ll make it up to you if you can keep a dying secret,” Lyra half-whispered as she sagged heavily on her forelegs. “I was born on a different world with legs that never worked. Here, they do.”

“Ahhh,” Stygian sighed, a serene smile on his increasingly pockmarked lips. “The Inquisitor knows, doesn’t she?”

“She does.”

Rarity telekinetically tossed bones aside before coming to a stop at Lyra’s side while Fluttershy was there soon after. “Lyra, dear, you did marvelously. Take it easy, we’ll get you patched up.”

All but collapsing into Rarity’s magical embrace, as the unicorn’s hold made sure not to stress any cuts or other wounds as she was taken into the air, Lyra grinned, then hissed in pain at the effort. “That'd be great, your honor.”

By now, Turnabout and Blind Speaker had arrived along with a dozen or so militia. They only gave Lyra mild interest, save for a few who offered congratulations on the fight. Most were focused on the dying necromancer who now had whole patches of skin and muscle missing. The half of him that had not reformed yet got the worse of it and everything behind his wings was little more than ash.

He eyed them all in an expected look. “Well. Go on then. Finish me off for your fallen comrades. I’d do the same.”

Several soldiers volunteered to stomp him, only for Turnabout to stop them with a raised hoof. “You don’t look to be in any pain for somepony falling apart.”

Grinning caused his lip to split in half. “I haven’t felt pain in a long, long time. But I can cry out if it makes you feel better.”

Turnabout searched her gathered troops and eyed her more ruthless one in particular. “We are not savages.” Those she glared at kept their peace, withering under her gaze. “Speaker, we offer last rites to all, even in times of war do we not? Today should be no different.”

A proud look fell over the old thestral. “Aye. I’ll admit I argued against such gestures in the past, but I have long since come to respect it.” He stepped up to the necromancer who was utterly baffled now. Those soldiers who had been quietly angried by Turnabout’s offer were inwardly shamed by Blind Speaker readily agreeing to it. “Would you like to be judged by Luna instead? Though you caused us great harm, she who protects will not overlook those you yourself protected within the Tain. I dare say in her scales, you will not be found wanting.”

Had he been capable of it, Stygian would have wept, but his flesh was peeling away around his eyes. “Your offer is generous.” Realization struck him as those words left his cracked lips. “But no. I will go where I belong. I always wished I had never fled the windigos through that thrice damned portal.” He stared up at the clouds of his home realm, now wishing he had thought to ask for a day to see a world bask in daylight with his own eyes. “Now, now I wish I had been blessed by Hearthswarming as you all are.”

Rarity was left curious by the odd admission and started paying closer attention and stood up to join the crowd. She absently dragged Lyra in the air to bring her alongside, leaving a mildly exasperated medic druid to join in. “Hearthswarming was important and brought us the tenets of harmony, but we are blessed by the Sisters.”

By now, Stygian's body below the neck was gone and his life was becoming quieter by the second. He looked each pony in the eye for as long as his vision would last. “You forget child, I have seen your history through the eyes of those the Mirage has claimed. The blessing of Hearthswarming is what guided them to your ancestors. Even now it shines forth. All of you have every reason to hate each other, and yet here you claim the only thing keeping you from fighting is a treaty.”

The crowd was awashed with thoughtful confusion. Rarity looked at Blind Speaker and couldn’t decide if Stygian was right or not. Most of the Lunarians looked at Rarity with much the same thought. The majority still decided they’d kill her given the chance, but only a few realized they had to actually think about it. One such doubter from the crowd chimed in. “What of it? The Three Tribes didn’t fight as often as we do with Equestria.”

Trying to look at the speaker, but failing to turn his head enough, Stygian croaked out, “oh but they did. You’ve sanitized your history so it’s easier to teach innocent minds. You do not know true hate. Murdering a pony of a different tribe carried no penalty. Theft was lauded, and any insult was returned a hundredfold. Only starvation, the griffin threat, and the raising of the sun kept the nations in balance. It all fell apart when the windigos shattered the grand illusion, showing Unicornia had no control over the sun at all but made it look like they did over the whole continent. Your wars and lies about each other are but gentle remarks compared to then. Nay, Hearthswarming saved you all.” Stygian's body was on the verge of collapse and he saved his last sight for the clouds. “Those who still serve, I release you.”

He stilled. His body collapsed in on itself and he was left as little more than ash.

With little else she could do, Rarity picked up the pile of ash in her magic and carried them to the village while everyone else trailed behind. There, behind the fence and within the Protectors’ influence, Fluttershy dug a small divot in the soil to bury it.

Blind Speaker spoke to those gathered, “though he was our enemy for a time, and rejected the Sisters, let us not forget who he saved.” He pointed at Rarity who in turn held the Tain in her hoof. “Inquisitor, I think our brethren have waited in that thing long enough.”

“Agreed.” She levitated Lyra towards Fluttershy. “Can you take her and see her mended?”

“I want to watch though,” Lyra insisted earnestly and quickly before the stabbing pain of her rib could silence her. Fighting through the pain to take a deep enough breath to speak, “I fought him, I want to see this, your honor.”

Fluttershy stepped up and used her injured wing to brace Lyra so her weight was off her chest and hindlegs. “I can do both, Inquisitor.”

“Good… good.” Though Rarity remembered Blind Speaker was willing to speak of their agreement about Luna’s journal in front of Turnabout, Stygian’s last words stuck with her. “Speaker, shall we begin?”

A short while later, all work on the engine’s path was suspended so all could attend the last rites at the Protectors. Yet that would take time, enough of it that Fluttershy felt safe she could return to the boats for a talk. What sailors were left to watch over the boats guided her to Rock Salt’s bed. The main barge had been the only one that could accommodate a sick bay, yet even that was only four beds, all of which were occupied along with three more on the ground with little more than a few blankets for comfort.

The nurse on duty guided Fluttershy to the stricken druid who was leaning against a wall. He was awake, much to Fluttershy’s relief, yet his bandaged head still left her feeling like she failed to protect him. The other awake patients eyed the Equestria-aligned druid with borderline suspicion, and made no attempt at hiding it.

Doing her best to ignore them, she reached Rock Salt and sat down next to him. “The doctor told me you should be fine. A major concussion, but you should heal.”

“So I’ve been told.” He sounded utterly defeated and couldn’t meet her gaze, instead only looking at the deck and the blankets he was resting on. “So it's done then? The Dark Father is dead?”

Deciding to omit a few things, Fluttershy nodded lightly. “He is. The Lunarians will be staying for a time to make sure the manor’s harmless before they leave. Mostly destroying all the runes and using their machines to expunge the magic.”

He scoffed and feebly kicked the wall. “I didn’t even get to see it happen. Didn’t see him destroy my village, and didn’t get to see him get what he deserved.”

“That is not a dishonor, Rock Salt.” Fluttershy watched him finally turn his head to argue, a flash of anger threatening to boil up. “One thing I’ve learned from the ponies living in civilized society is that many of their soldiers never actually fight, or rarely see their enemy. They grow the food, make weapons, scout and make maps, transport goods to the fight, but never actually spill blood.” She pointed at the nurse who was redressing the wounds of a sailor. “Ponies like her heal the injured soldiers. These are the heroes that don’t get songs made for them, but are no less important. By getting us here, what you did is no different.”

Not wanting to accept Fluttershy's argument, or even believe her, Rock Salt huffed and turned away. “If you’re trying to get me to come with you again. Just stop it before I have you banished from here as well. I'm not leaving.”

“And do what? Live all alone?” Fluttershy asked with a bit too much force than she intended.

“Somepony has to stay behind and make sure the Mirage heals!” he spat bitterly. “I have to find and bury my kin, and I refuse to join some blasphemous -” He stopped short, his face wrinkling in disgust. “Some of your ideas make sense, but it feels like a disease of the mind. I won't succumb to whatever has gripped you, nor will I leave the Mirage. Not now that it has a chance to heal.”

Fluttershy sighed and looked away in defeat. “The Mirage does not need us to heal. But it is your home. Should loneliness become too much for you, ask for me in the west.”

Scowling, but glad she wasn’t trying to force the issue, Rock Salt let his face ease back into a more somber mask as the weight of that very loneliness began to sink in. “I make no promises.”

“Nor do I ask for one.” Getting up, Fluttershy bowed her head. “May your strength never falter.”

He was reluctant at first, but Rock Salt mirrored the gesture before it could become awkward. “Green Mother be with you.”

Rarity and Blind Speaker had sequestered themselves in a house as the crowd organized itself. An aide had brought Blind Speaker’s satchel off the boat and he was currently fishing around in it. Rarity had been in quiet prayer through the extended wait, calming herself, cleansing her thoughts, and begging forgiveness for the joint act she was going to commit. The Tain rested on a patch of cloth to protect it from dirt.

So it was that she was mildly irritated when he cleared his throat rather loudly. She cracked her eyes open to see him opening a scroll case and sliding its contents out and then presented it to her. “Here. It’s a last rite prayer I wrote a few years back. It’s short, but should be a decent compromise between us.”

Irritation draining away to be replaced with strange curiosity, Rarity accepted the scroll and read it. The prayer was indeed short, but painted both Sisters in a reverent light. She scrutinized it carefully for any double meanings or irreverence, but it proved to be a just compromise. You write very well for a blind pony. “Yes, this is acceptable for what it is. If I didn’t know any better, I’d almost think you secretly venerate both Sisters.” She leered at him, expecting a rebuke.

Instead he was silent for a spell as he fumbled for another item in his satchel. “We were the ones who drove the Sisters apart. It is a disservice to their memory to compound that error.”

Compounding the error, Rarity mused. Whatever intent Blind Speaker had for his reply was lost on Rarity as the voice of her instructor, Radiant Dawn echoed in her mind. We are not done with Twilight Sparkle. I promise you that, young one. But you must be careful not to compound your error in trying to correct it.

A plan started forming in Rarity’s mind. One that might just have a chance of working. She rolled the prayer scroll back open to commit it to memory.

“There it is.” Blind Speaker removed a simple navy blue dyed leather journal. A single crescent moon decorated the cover. “The journal as promised.”

Putting the scroll down, Rarity claimed the offered book and opened it to a random page. The left side was blank, presumably for the Braille script to come, while the right held a familiar cypher that baffled many in the Solar Church. Rarity had never spent much time on cryptography, but Lock Stock had shared some of the more visually interesting examples. It looked similar enough to some of Celestia’s own wartime journals, but she would need Lock Stock to verify it.

“And here's the translation key,” Speaker explained as he presented a small book in simplistic bindings.

"A whole book is the key?" Rarity questioned worriedly as she flipped it open. Even her untrained eyes could see the translation went first from the code to old Equish to the modern vernacular, only to get more confusing the longer she read it. “And so there is.” She used her magical senses to sniff out any magical traps but both books felt as mundane as one should. “I presume it will take your militia more time to pack up and leave than it will for my companion to verify this is legitimate. If it is, then you see no more of me after today… well,” she added with a coy roll of a hoof. “Provided we don’t go to war.”

Grabbing the prayer scroll and its case, Blind Speaker stowed it away with resignation. “Alas, I will be far from the front lines were that to happen. Too frail for generals to let me administer the common soldiery they say.”

Feeling like an opportunity was about to slip her grasp, Rarity sighed and stored the journal away in her duster. “Before we part ways, Blind Speaker, a thought occurred to me. You said you had a son to continue your work, but how invested in the Sisters’ restoration is he really?” She tilted her head ever so slightly.

The question lingered and the thestral halted his packing. “He is a devout child of She who Protects, just as much as you are of Celestia.” His voice was an even keel, but his behavioral control was slipping in Rarity’s eyes.

“Yes, I’m sure he is, but come now, Speaker, there are a great many ponies who would see the Sisters remain in the heavens. Not to mention that coming from a father such as you, I’d imagine he grew up in a world where Celestia and her children were so abhorrent that her absence is preferable to Luna’s return.”

Taking a controlled deep breath, Blind Speaker bent down to more easily slide the heavy satchel back on. “We have all made mistakes, Inquisitor. I would think I have convinced you that I have accepted my own by now.”

“Dearie me, I am sounding rather petty aren’t I?” Rarity sighed and magically helped the old stallion out with positioning his satchel. “Deriding you is not my intent. Only that I propose you enlist somepony with more stake in the Sisters’ return than I’d imagine anypony else you may know, myself included.”

“Really?” He hummed a moment, stepping up to play her game. “Then by all means, enlighten me.”

Got him, now to set the trap. “I know of a runaway who fled to Lunaria a while ago by the name of Twilight Sparkle. I believe she would be uniquely qualified to carry your torch.”

He was silent at first as he searched his memory at the hauntingly familiar name. “Twilight Sparkle… yes, I’ve heard of her. She’s the highborne Equestrian that managed to convince the Emperor to grant her a noble title.”

That fact was not news to Rarity, but it still pained her to hear it all the same. “That’s the one. I'm sure she now gives Luna her proper respect, but she is still a child of Celestia’s Light. Who better than Celestia to pardon her for the crimes with which she is guilty of in Equestrian law, and equally, who better than Luna to welcome her as a proper Lunarian, blessed by She who Protects?”

Thinking it over, Blind Speaker tilted his nose up a bit. “I'm going to take a wild stab and suggest you’re hoping to run into her someday, should this Twilight Sparkle take up the torch, as you say.”

Now it was Rarity’s turn to unbalance Speaker with blatant honesty. “And drag her home in chains, naturally. Still, - fortune favors the bold, and,” Rarity added with a groaning chuckle, “she is a bold one.”

Mulling it over, Blind Speaker chewed on his tongue a bit, staring in her direction with his ears twitching to catch every sound. “Now why bring her up at all I wonder?”

The question was unwelcome but expected. Rarity ran a hoof through her hair as she magically curled them. “She is a traitor,” she began as if it was obvious. “Arresting ponies like her is part of the job after all, but should your business see actual results, Twilight would be useful to you.”

“True… true.” Blind Speaker leaned in as if he could hear Rarity’s heart beating faster. “But she came to Lunaria years ago. Had her arrival been more recent, I could see you calling her out. But no…” He smirked when Rarity betrayed herself with a faint growl that not even she knew she did. “This is personal, isn’t it? Dare I say, you are the reason she swore loyalty to the Throne, aren’t you?” he ended with smug satisfaction at sniffing out the truth.

Rarity let off a lady-like huff and turned away from him. “You see rather well for a blind pony. Yes, I would like satisfaction, but what I said of her holds true in any respect.”

“A word of advice to you then, from an old soul like myself. Appreciate your traitors. Because traitors are the best teachers.”

Rarity forwent all semblance of aristocratic airs for a moment and loudly scoffed. “Surely you jest. A traitor has only one fate in store for them, just ask any of your countrymares and they’d echo me in that much at least.”

“You say that, all the while Equestria still clings to the notion that all Lunarians are traitors, rather than the independent country we are.” Shaking his head, Blind Speaker made for the door, but stopped short to angle his ears at her. “I’ll consider informing Twilight of my goals, and let her make her own decisions if you consider this: how much has she motivated you to improve your craft?”

Who does he think he is trying to educate me?! Some part of Rarity decided to listen, which made her all the more incensed by it. “You sir are a walking master class of provocation. It is a wonder you ever married long enough to have a son at all.”

“Oh you should have seen me in my youth. Come now, Inquisitor,” he said while leaving the house, “let us see to those lost souls.”

Now walking up to the front of the statue of Celestia and Luna, a much calmer Rarity and Blind Speaker jointly held the Tain aloft for all to see. A pedestal of two stacked crates with a sheet thrown over it had been prepared to which they set the Tain down.

Rarity prepared a separation spell all while moving the switches and push tabs Stygian had explained earlier. The spell proved unnecessary. As soon as the last switch was flipped, the Tain rattled and clanked. The device cracked open and metal squealed as gears seized and shattered. A dense white mist started to bubble out of it.

Rarity recognized it quickly enough. “So it worked. That’s the same mist that comes from broken soul stones. We must act quickly or they will be lost to both us and the Sisters.”

“Then let’s begin,” Blind Speaker stated. Both ponies looked up to the heavens. Rarity used a spell so she could look at the sun without being blinded, and Speaker was so versed in the practice he was able to meet the daylight moon’s gaze by memory alone.

“Through this holy anointing may the Holy Sisters in their wisdom and mercy help you with their boundless love. May the Sisters free you from disharmony, save you, and carry you to your final rest.”

The mist escaping the Tain writhed as the forms of sleeping ponies expanded out by the hundreds. The gathered crowd backpedaled and fell on top of each other as they balked at the spectacle of thousands of spirits coalescing, floating to the sky, back into the earth, or being drawn towards the ley lines of the world. A few were pulled into the moon.

There's just so many. I doubt just one rite was strong enough for them all. Rarity cleared her throat to get Speaker’s attention then began repeating the prayer. The old stallion was quick to understand and joined her.

“Through this holy anointing may the Holy Sisters in their wisdom and mercy help you with their boundless love. May the Sisters free you from disharmony, save you, and carry you to your final rest.”

The spirits seemed to flow without end, so the pair repeated the last rites again and again. Golden sunlight bathed Rarity while a silver glow washed over Blind Speaker.

The living surrounding them were utterly transfixed by the sight. Some wept at the sheer scale of the lives taken by the Mirage, yet not one among them dared to utter a word as the dead were given peace. What none of them noticed was an orb from the Protectors shifted into a trio of diamonds before sinking into Celestia.

When at last the flow of souls stopped and the Tain was left inert did Rarity finally go silent as well, save to take a swig from a water skin tucked into her duster. Her silence prompted Blind Speaker to go quiet as well.

Rarity looked the crowd over and spotted Turnabout near the center. She cantered over the Commander with a somber posture. “I could live for a thousand years and by Celestia’s mercy may I never see such a thing again.”

Turnabout was broken out of her stupor and loose down from the sky to the Inquisitor. “Aye. Luna only knows how much they suffered.”

Blind Speaker hobbled his old bones over to join them. “We should rejoice that they have been given peace at long last. Once we finish demolishing that horrid manor, we should go home and celebrate properly.”

A loud round of approval rang out from the gathered ponies.

“Speaking of going home,” Rarity started more formally. Our dealings are concluded, Commander Turnabout. I must say I am surprised at your company’s discipline, you and your militia are a credit to the Throne.”

“And you to the Crown,” Turnabout said in turn, more than willing to take an enemy’s praise. “I wish you luck going back, if only so your superiors don’t use your absence as an excuse to blame us for it.”

A round of grumbling approval came from those soldiers who were listening in. Most however were paying respects to the statue before leaving to finish their work. Rarity smirked with a glint in her eye. “That would be rather embarrassing now wouldn’t it? Before I go though, in regards to the Tain…”

The remains of the object was still sitting on the impromptu pedestal, thus far untouched. Both mares looked first to it, then each other with Turnabout speaking first. “I’d be able to retire if I brought that home, and I’m sure Equestria would love to have machines and magic work together.”

“Most probably wouldn’t,” Rarity began with a disgruntled huff. “But I know General Armor would all but demand it.” Not to mention it could repair our relationship a touch. “I suggest it be buried under the river. I’d prefer it be destroyed, but I doubt you happened to bring a furnace with you, let alone one capable of melting it.”

Frowning, Turnabout thought it over a bit. “... Agreed. There’d be an uproar back home if I let you take such a thing back, as readily as you would weather the same blowback.”

Nodding, Rarity looked out towards the boats and found Fluttershy was helping Lyra test weight on a back leg. “I’ll have Fluttershy use the trees to bury it deep in the river. I’ll even allow you to have a scout follow us for a day or so so you can rest easy that she is not having the woods bring it along with us under the water.”

“Sounds reasonable.” Despite how it might look to those around her, Turnabout presented a hoof to shake. “You have my thanks, Inquisitor. If it weren’t for you, Stygian would have killed a lot more of my boys and girls before we took him down.”

Almost gasping in surprise, Rarity remained composed and shook the offered hoof. “There’s no telling if anypony in Equestria would have taken Rock Salt as seriously as you did. Were it not for you, we’d have never known the truth.” She squared herself up to be as formal as possible. “I wish you luck in the future, Commander. Let us hope I never see you in battle.”

Though the tone was friendly enough, Neither mare had any real question who would perish should that ever happen. Even so, Turnabout took it in stride.

The two mares parted, and once the Tain was secured beneath the river, they went their separate ways hoping to never see each other again. Shortly after Rarity departed, the diamonds within the Protectors re-emerged and resumed their spherical shape before anyone had even noticed a change.

Nearly a month later, Rarity was standing on the balcony of a Canterlot home overlooking the sheer drop to the forested valley floor below. A long, twenty foot banner of the Inquisition hung from the railing. The early hour had steamy fog on the rise, obscuring the new army training camps below. Between the balcony and Cloudsdale to the east sat over forty clouds expanding the air corps. The powers that be do not spend so many bits to expand the armies without the intent to use them.

“I must say, child,” came the ragged voice of the Grand Inquisitor Unyielding Hierophant from inside the office. “You have a knack for trouble.”

The elderly stallion’s present was a huge surprise to Rarity and upon turning around to see the wrinkled, faded orange unicorn’s presence, along with Radiant Dawn walking in beside him, the mare hastily prostrated herself in respect. “ Your Honor, I - I…” Not knowing how to speak to such a pony, Rarity waited to be prompted.

Rarity’s report was held aloft in the orange pony’s magic so that both he and Radiant Dawn could review it further. “Rise, child, I would speak with you.” Since he sounded as even keeled now as he did in all of his appearances Rarity had witnessed, Unyielding Hierophant was used to being in charge; his every whim treated as an order. So he chose to be stoic to avoid most unwanted interpretations. So as Rarity stood back up, she looked to her mentor for clues, and even he remained emotionally passive. Not that she could blame him in the Grand Inquisitor’s presence. Stay calm, Rarity. So long as you can articulate your reasons, they should find no fault.

To his side, Hierophant held a tall cup of tea and sipped on it before looking away from the report to the young mare. “Were this report to come from anypony but one of our own, I’d send them off to the Golden Spoon Theater.” he shook the sixty page report, threatening to jumble the pages.

“After the censors had a few passes of course,” Radiant Dawn added cheekily.

“That goes without saying,” Hierophant chided without real malice, only to remember Rarity was still fairly young. “To most I suppose.” Clearing his throat, Hierophant briefly closed the report and addressed Rarity without distraction. “Your invocation of Broken Arrows was agreeable. Personally I would have scouted the fools for much longer.”

Even though he agreed with her thus far, Rarity couldn’t help but to take the caveat he mentioned far too heavily. That was something Radiant Dawn knew of her all too well. “Sir, remember how we’re trying this new thing of ignoring perfect hindsight and taking a pony’s experience into account?”

Hierophant was not so old as to miss Radiant was doing this for Rarity’s benefit, and decided to let the stallion win that point with an acquiescent sigh. “Yes, yes, I remember.”

Still not sure if she was free to speak, Rarity only nodded in gratitude.

“This statue of the Sisters however is strange is it not?” Hierophant pressed on. “Your report claims the Crookbacks were heavily isolationist to the point of not even knowing who the Sisters were, along with the impossibility of this Dark Father having somehow crafted it. So it begs the question, where did it come from, and how can you be so sure the Lunarians didn’t make off with it after you left?”

His stern tone and the lack of Radiant Dawn’s commentary left Rarity sweating hard. ‘Well - your honor,” she resisted the urge to lick her dry lips. “Two reasons. First, we had an agreement the Sisters would be left behind as it’s cleansing aura would further cut down on what’s left of the dark magic still lingering in the Mirage, and also that if it were removed, it would be interpreted as a direct insult upon Celestia, and thus an act of war. Even with the Dark Father and his prison gone, I doubt Turnabout will send a messenger for a retrieval team until after she leaves the swamp properly.”

“Yes… This Turnabout lass,” Hierophant opened the report back up and flipped to a certain page. “You’re lucky she was a historian. I doubt any other commander would have even been aware of the treaty in the first place.”

“Or abide by it,” Radiant Dawn added with a bit of a reprimand in his tone. “You rely on these treaties a bit too much, I say.”

Is he really upset about that, or is he saying it gentler than Hierophant would? As if to confirm her fears, the Grand Inquisitor had paused his musings to think about Radiant’s appraisal. Rarity had to act quickly before he too could come down on her. “As you have taught, Instructor, diplomacy is always used before violence. But personally, I see the use of treaties as an appropriate tool. Since they are rules the heathens have agreed to, breaking them is often more trouble than it is worth, as it gives me the moral right to impose my requirements.”

Hierophant’s face only hardened at the answer, sinking Rarity’s confidence. “You miss his point, child. You should have proposed the accord on equal ground, not standing on a ship, surrounded by an engine’s effects.”

“Indeed,” Radiant added with a note of disappointment. “Had Turnabout been as reckless as the marines in Manehattan were, either you or one of your retinue might have paid the price.”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Rarity nodded, keeping herself from shaking. “I will keep that in mind for the future, Instructor.”

“See that you do.” Unyielding Hierophant flipped some more pages. “Now, the manor itself being destroyed was correct, as well as the Dark Father’s ultimate destruction. I must admit agreeing to the duel was fortuitous. Fools though they are, the Lunarians were still needed to get the warengine into position.” He flipped through several more pages. “I’m disappointed that Lyra had to reveal her abilities to the enemy though. I put a lot of effort into that girl to make sure she would be a wild card come the next war.” He scowled at Rarity, who wilted her ears at his attention. “No pony alive outside of the palace has seen let alone fought a terracorn. You should have argued more to duel him personally.”

“Let alone see one alive at all,” Radiant Dawn put in with less irritation. “Still, your honor, while Rarity is a good speaker, there is only so much an artist can do with substandard paints.”

Catching the lifeline as quick as a flash, Rarity pressed on. “All too true, your honor, Turnabout would have never accepted it,” Rarity argued carefully. “She barely accepted Lyra as it is.”

Unyielding Hierophant glared at Radiant Dawn, and put the report aside for a moment. “You protect this girl too much, you know that?”

Inclining his head into a facimacy of a bow, Radiant Dawn replied, “and you’ve caused far too many to develop anxiety neurosis by your lack of a filter.”

Huffing irritably, Hierophant popped a crick in his neck. “Celestia give me strength. Were you not my successor’s son…” He grumbled audibly. “There is one point of contention though, and that is the Tain.”

“It is well hidden,” Rarity offered, hoping to keep any rebuke at bay. “Fluttershy assured me it would take years of combing the river to ever find so much as a piece of it.”

“I am not so concerned about that,” Hierophant stated flatly. “I do hope however that your retainer can locate it again should you return.”

The idea of returning to that dreadful swamp sent a shiver down Rarity’s spine. “Y-yes, she said it would be trivial to do so, but time consuming since she had it moved into a dozen places.”

Radiant Dawn nodded at the report, prompting Hierophant to give it over. “I’m more worried about the implications of its existence at all.” He flipped through the pages to get to Rarity’s detailed description of the device. “A machine that works with magic. If we were to create such a thing, Equestria could catch up to Lunaria without putting our magic at risk.”

“Pah!” Hierophant snatched the report back. “You’ve been buying into General Shining Armor’s fear mongering too much. I will grant that the Lunarian industry is improved a degree by their machines, but they are still outmatched. However, if they were able to add magic to their machines with that same fervor, then we’d be in left in the wind without a feather.”

“Of that I have no doubt,” Radiant Dawn replied grimly. “What's worse is that the Lunarians now know it is possible for magic and machines to work together. I say we attack soon. If Lunaria is at war, they might overlook one militia commander’s discovery of such a thing.”

“Might even think it's a fool’s errand given the esoteric nature of the Dark Father,” Hierophant added. He started pacing now as he started thinking long term. “Yes… Turnabout might be a commander, but only of a militia company. Her success over the Dark Father might be overlooked.

Realizing she was no longer under scrutiny, Rarity debated on whether or not she should stay quiet and let them debate, or put herself back in the spotlight. Yet with Rarity, was there any real hope for modesty? “Pardon me for saying,” she started as tactfully as possible. “But Blind Speaker is no fool. If Turnabout can’t get ponies with influence to listen, he can. I gave him a reasonable distraction, but it won’t last too long.”

“Yes… about him.” Hierophant darkened bitterly at his name. “Yet another reason you shouldn’t have invoked the treaty so readily. Killing him would have expunged that blighter. I trust you have gone through penance for having to cavort with such filth.”

“Yes, your honor. The sisters at the Golden Cathedral were of great help.” Outwardly, Rarity was the very picture of a stoically burdened mare, but her conscience was not at rest. Is he not going to say anything about the last rites or is he leaving it unsaid?

“Yes, they’ve always been a source of purity in troubling times,” Radiant Dawn said with reverence.

“Quite so.” Hierophant stepped over the balcony to overlook the various training camps. “What I am pleasantly surprised by is how you convinced them to let you alone give last rites to the Tain’s souls.”

Rarity froze in shock. That's not what I wrote. She looked at Radiant Dawn in bewilderment, as he was the one she had originally reported to. The stallion gave her an expectant look, and when Hierophant turned away from the vista below them did Rarity collect her wits, if only barely. “Yes, well, naturally they needed to be saved by Celestia’s light.”

Radiant Dawn chuckled a bit. “Well said. Still, you were fortunate that Blind Speaker was so frail that a bad fall kept him from trying to argue against it.”

Why would he do that? If my actions were so bad that he felt the need to censor them, he should be open about it with the Grand Inquisitor. Rarity felt trapped in an instant, and she couldn’t drag herself to even claim her superiors misread something.

“It was the Discord’s luck for him, no question,” Hierophant added with a resounding tone. The chiming of bells marked the turning of the hour, making Hierophant frown in exasperation. “The day certainly does fly by. My apologies, but I must be off. Sunset Shimmer’s been rebuffing General Armor’s call for starting the war. Thanks to you, Inquisition Belle, you gift wrapped me the perfect reason to end this pointless delay.”

The implications of Hierophant’s words muted whatever desire to speak of the truth still remained. I’m - he’s going to start a war because of me?! It did not matter to her that everyone around her wanted the war, but the proverbial straw on the camel’s back felt profoundly heavy upon her as well.

It was not until after Hierophant left the office entirely that Radiant Dawn spoke up. “Miss Belle,” he said, snapping her attention to him. “While I can…” He tensed a bit to pick his words carefully. “Sympathize with you being surrounded by magic disrupting machines, participating in a joint last rites with a bearer of the eclipse is a bridge too far for somepony like the Grand Inquisitor. I dare say if I did not know you and your sister personally, I’d have thrown you to the timber wolves myself.” Radiant became animated in his rebuke, causing Rarity to wilt under his growing anger. “You are far far too junior to be skirting the edges of heresy!”

“I - I did what I could, sir, but you yourself said we must not forget the Inquisition’s original purpose of unifying ponykind. Wouldn’t a joint ritual be a good step towards that?”

Radiant Dawn did not appear very moved by her argument, as if he had been expecting it. “Or would be…” He shook his head and walked towards the balcony’s edge. “If others thought as we do.” Nervously working his jaw, Radiant jerked his head so Rarity would join him on the railing. The mare’s nerves were rattled badly, but she obeyed. “Miss Belle, do you know that you would have been left in the orphanage were it not for me?”

“Y-yes. A lot of inquisitors come from orphanages. I still remember you asking me if I would join you or not.” Rarity’s earlier panic subsided a good bit, but not entirely with this tangent.

Giving a heavy sigh, Radiant looked up at the wild clouds above drifting lazily in the wind. “You remember the condition you gave me?”

Still unsure where the conversation was going, Rarity was left to play along. “Of course. If I was to go, my sister had to join me.”

“Come now, there were two.”

Rarity played with the color matched embroidery in her duster, the same enchanted thread that had shielded her from the Mirage’s illusions. “That you got me enough fabric and thread to sew the other orphans some new clothes.” A heavy note of childish embarrassment came through.

Radiant Dawn couldn’t help but to chuckle at her discomfort. “There were a hundred and thirty seven war orphans in Gentle Heart’s Orphanage at the time. Thirteen adoptive parents and two inquisitors came to you and not once did you back down. You refused to just let some of them buy new clothes, you had to make them yourself at eight years old.”

“W-well, you know how it can be. Ponies would buy on the cheap for somepony else’s child. I had to make sure the clothes were made to survive generations of hoof-me-downs.”

“No point in refuting the truth.” Radiant Dawn spotted a small migrating flock of birds and sang out some calls so they’d come over. The birds continued on, much to his disappointment. “Fact is, with so many other fine children, prospective parents overlooked you. My colleagues thought you would prove too bratty, with your insistence. But as you know, I accepted your conditions.”

The noise of telekinesis started up and a newspaper floated over in his magic. It was opened to reveal Cadence having an event at Gentle Heart’s Orphanage to raise expansion funds for the coming years. One older child there was wearing a familiar sweater complete with a poof-ball hat. “You toiled for four years as you trained in the academy, and to this day they still wear your creations.”

Rarity had to double check the date, and when it revealed itself to be yesterday’s paper the picture brought a tear to her eyes. “They still have some of them?” The sweater had some patches, one on the right foreleg and a tear along the withers, but it was still largely intact. She covered her mouth trying to hide a tearful, happy smile.

Radiant Dawn let her keep the paper, but his tone became serious. “You live up to your name, Rarity. Honestly, after seeing you work so hard making those winter clothes all while keeping your studies up, I had half a mind to forget the pupil business and adopt you and your sister and let you fulfill your passion, but alas, by then vows had already been made.”

Blushing feverishly, Rarity turned away out of embarrassment. “I still get to indulge. I don’t regret any of it,” she stated with firm iron. “What greater honor can there be than to be the hoof of Celestia and Her Holiness Mi Amore Cadenza?”

For a brief moment, Radiant Dawn allowed a proud, fatherly smile to grace his face. “Ponies like you keep the vestiges of Harmony alive in our world, which is why you must be more careful.” The warning did much to banish Rarity’s resurgent good mood as she looked up to him. “The line between heresy and a new treaty is a thin one built on the respect from the crown and the church. Both of which you are lacking in. That will build with time and experience, but if you go putting such scandalous activities in your report again I might not be there to step in.”

“I’ll be more careful, instructor. But what if Turnabout, Blind Speaker or their underlings talk about the truth?”

“It’s not like they can prove how the Last Rites were performed one way or another. Any talk of the matter will be labeled as lies to bring down an inquisitor. Wouldn’t be the first time Lunaria tried to end an Inquisitor’s tenure that way.”

It still feels wrong, but if he thinks this is for the best… Ultimately she felt service was more important than this particular truth so she resolved to remain quiet about it. “As you say, Instructor.”

“Glad to hear it, and for what it’s worth…” He paused for a spell. A hoof scratched his chin as he brooded long enough to leave Rarity grow worried. “I approve of your actions in regards to the rites. Too many both in and outside the Inquisition have forgotten that it was Celestia who not only wanted all ponykind to be unified, but to rule side by side with Luna. Celestia clearly supported your actions by granting you her blessing.”

Not only did Rarity let go of the breath she was holding, renewed pride in keeping both his and Celestia’s approval made her instinctively a bit. “I admit I was concerned I was overstepping myself. It was certainly reassuring when Celestia acted through me during the last rites.”

“Of that I have no doubt.” He placed a hoof on her and swept a foreleg out towards the cloudless sky and the burning sun beyond it. “Celestia loves all her children, and we who speak for her, are bitter reminders to the heretics that Luna led them all astray.”

Pride flooded up into a small tear in Rarity’s eye and she dearly wished to nuzzle him. But that was not his role, nor was it proper. “Thank you, sir.” Sue wanted to say more, but she couldn’t find any words and eventually Radiant moved on with a more controlled tone.

“That being said, Rarity, your wording in the report could have been absolute perfection, and Unyielding Hierophant would have still branded you a heretic and might have gone so far as to excommunicate you.”

“H-he would go that far?” Rarity asked with crippling horror at the very idea of excommunication even being a possible response.

“And probably have you shot just to appease General Shining Armor,” Radiant warned sharply. “I can not stress enough that you must be careful.”

“I will,” Rarity nodded hastily to the point she nearly suffered whiplash. “I promise.”

Satisfied, Radiant Dawn took a cigar out of a wood case in his vest and kept it unlit in his mouth. Though she never said it, he knew the smoke bothered her so he would not light it until they parted ways. “Now, has Lock Stock finished decoding Luna’s journal yet?”

Putting the newspaper carefully into the folds of her duster, Rarity magically fanned herself to cool off her stress sweating. “He claimed he’ll be halfway done by the morrow. The cypher Blind Speaker gave us works, and the journal has thus far proven legitimate. Time tables and troop movements all line up with historical records. Unfortunately the cypher is so complicated that it’s taken this long already. I’m beginning to understand why it’s taken so long to crack the code at all.”

“Never tried my hoof at it myself. The Sisters were said to use special magic to encode their private writings as they made them. I wonder if that cypher could aid in translating some of Celestia's wartime writings. Come!” He said with sudden earnestness. “I’m eager to read what has already been decoded.”

“I’ll take us to Lock’s apartment straight away.” Though Rarity’s outward resolute enthusiasm was infectious, a kernel of trepidation lingered. If Luna’s writings turned Blind Speaker from a fire and brimstone preacher to what he is now, could Celestia and Luna’s do the same to us?

“By the by,” Radiant Dawn stopped by his desk to deposit some magic quills and some paper to write his own copy of the journal. “Since Lock Stock is your military attaché, I am reassigning you to internal security matters.”

It was not welcome news, but something Rarity had fully expected. Still, she masked her disappointment. “Yes, sir.”

“Once the journal is translated and if the cypher can decrypt some of Celestia’s own work we can move from there.”

Rarity fell restlessly silent as she waited for him to finish packing. She nervously tapped a hoof on the rug until a bubbling question could no longer be held in. “Sir, if I may ask. What would you have done instead?”

Radiant Dawn paused to think a bit, a stack of papers hovering in the air with his green glowing magic. His mouth was a pressed line for a bit until he replied slowly. “What would I have done..?” He set the papers back down and eventually sat on his chair. “That is a more difficult question to answer than what should have been done.” He eyed her with a humorless smile. “Were you to ask the Grand Inquisitor he’d give you an answer practically matching doctrine. But to be fair to you, he was neither there, nor is he a young mare.”

The flat delivery of his half-joke got Rarity to laugh a bit, loosening her nerves a bit. “Dearie me he’d be an ugly one if he was.”

Though he didn’t laugh, Radiant’s grin became more genuinely warm. “The point is, dear, it is unfair to you to tell you what I would do because I am no longer so inexperienced, and even the best reports can never truly convey the totality of the circumstances. But if you insist…”

Clearing her throat, Rarity stood at attention. “That never stopped you before, please I’d like to improve.”

“Well, back then you were still a student. You are your own mare now, but very well.” Radiant leaned back and stared at the marble ceiling. The cigar rolling between his lips. “Your evocation of Broken Arrows was correct, though I would have scouted the Lunarians’ situation a bit longer. You handled Blind Speaker far better than I would have. I dare say he might have made more than a few of your peers lash out with more than words. I can’t rightly say how I would have acted. A testament to your patience.”

It warmed Rarity’s heart to hear it, and she hid a smile behind a hoof. “You’re too kind.”

Nodding, Radiant Dawn spotted a jug covered in condensation on the desk and poured himself some water. He poured a second glass for her and she took it with quiet gratitude. “But I suspect your real question is about the Tain.” He went into silent thought again as he nursed his drink. “Were I there… I think I would have not agreed to anything until after the Dark Father was dead. I would have told them that Broken Arrows was satisfied and thus no longer applied. I would have demanded the Tain would stay in my possession. Prior to this declaration I would have had Lock Stock remove Lyra from the area, and had Fluttershy threaten to use the wilds to sabotage their boats. Destroy the paddle wheels, clog openings, have roots burrow holes into the hull, whatever it took.”

Rarity became uncomfortable as she listened in, and didn’t dare to voice any discontent as he continued.

“I would have taken the Tain and killed anyone who got in my way as I took my leave before they could leverage those mobile disruptors against me. If the opportunity presented itself, I might have tried to simply kill them all had they insisted on keeping the Tain. Their disappearance would have been chalked up to the dangers of the Mirage for who knows how long.”

“But… Instructor, that’d be an act war,” Rarity said evenly, masking her ill at ease.

To that he only chuckled and shook his head. “Rarity, given the state of affairs between our two nations, the instant the nature of the Tain was revealed, we were at war.”

“I see.” Rarity took a deep breath to center herself and to ruminate on it all.

Yet she didn’t get far when Radiant Dawn noisily stood up and wrapped a saddlebag on. “If there is one thing I want you to take away from this, Rarity, it is this. Just because that is what I would have done, does not make it the correct way, or ultimately the right way those events should have transpired.”

Doing that would have forwent any opportunity to conduct the joint last rites, or is he saying he’d do this before the last rites? Utterly confused now, Rarity’s wrinkled brow and raised hoof heralded the question he waited for. “I don’t understand. How could my doing the joint last rites be right while your scenario is also correct?”

He rounded the desk and came up to Rarity. He guided her to the door with a hoof on her withers. “My dear, who knows what the consequences are for either of our choices. The consequences of your actions means that a new kind of war has begun on top of the one we are going into now. A war to find a way to merge magic and machine as the Dark Father had. With you leaving the Lunarians alive, they will share this knowledge with their brethren.

“On the other hoof, my actions would not only eliminate all Lunarian awareness of such a thing, but give Equestria an example of how a fusion might work.”

Now seeing her action as a potential failure even worse than losing Twilight, Rarity’s thoughts threatened to spiral out of control had Radiant Dawn not continued.

“That being said however,” he stated sharply upon realizing where Rarity’s mine was going. “I might have missed a survivor who would then report what happened and give the Lunarians an unignorable call to arms, and knowledge of the Tain anyway. They might be so enraged that the coming war would drag on long past either of our nations’ ability to wage it, and yet wage it we would for years after. Perhaps your approach will inspire more hospitable treatment to our prisoners, a shorter war, or maybe a more amicable treaty. Who knows, perhaps magical machines will be rightly seen as the flash point of this war and be banned from development. The point is, dear, so long as you can justify your actions, the Inquisition will support you.”

Rarity allowed him to walk her to the door as she was lost in thought. They stepped out into the hallway and he locked the door before she finally looked up at him. “I see what you mean. Thank you.” Her mind was put at ease. It was not the carnage of war that bothered her, because death in battle for Celestia, and a rising sense of Cadence as well, was the highest of honors, be they Inquisitor or a civilian who raised their spear. No, it was that her departure in good faith with Turnabout might be what saved her country should the worst come to pass.

“No need to thank me. I am merely doing my part to help you.”

Rarity fell into contemplative silence as they departed the office. The scenario he explained increasingly bothered her. At first, she felt compelled to let things lie and accept she simply could do any of that since the Lunarians had not betrayed the treaty. Was that really it though? Or was it that at some level, Rarity understood that the treaty had no longer been necessary to keep the peace?

They moved passed a sentry, with Radiant Dawn giving the fellow a respectful nod in greeting. Upon doing so, he noticed Rarity was too caught up in thought to have done the same. “Something ails you?"

Jumping a bit at her thoughts being disturbed, Rarity briefly considered playing it off. It'd be no use. I could never lie to him, even during his lessons.

“Instructor, I don’t want to cause offense, but - but I can’t see you doing those things. The choices you stated if you had been in my place. It doesn’t sound like you.”

Doing a poor job in suppressing his cheeky laughter in the public space, Radiant rolled his unlit cigar in his mouth, and gave her a proud wink. “You’re absolutely right. The pony I described was Unyielding Hierophant.”

Gasping, Rarity barely managed to recollect herself upon seeing another inquisitor walking by. The passerby gave a polite nod to them both before leaving. “Truly?”

“Oh yes. Our esteemed leader was in a roughly similar situation you found yourself in nearly eighty years ago. The Red Velvet War was our bloodiest and longest in over six hundred years. And now he stands above us all. Take what you will from that.”

She was left utterly baffled, and now that Rarity knew it had not been Radiant’s path, she felt worlds better. It did much to lower the Grand Inquisitor in her eyes though. She decided it would be best not to dwell on such musings and tried to bury it when realization sank in as they made their way to the stairs. “Wait a second, then you didn’t tell me what you would have done at all!”

Radiant was in quite a good mood indeed if his laughter was any indication. “Very perceptive of you, my dear.”

Grumbling, she pouted at him. “I wager you’ll just tell me a different tale entirely if I ask again.”

“That’s a fool’s bet if ever there was one,” he snarked at her as he pulled ahead down the stairs. His laughter echoing on the sun-lit marble walls.

Heaving an exasperated sigh, she chased after him; ultimately resigning herself to never getting a straight answer.

Author's Note

What sort of necromancer lets death stop them?!

23: Exposé

The drums of war thundered across the land and sea once more. Mighty ships of wood and iron clashed upon the bloodied sea, the skies darkened with weaponized storms, and the lands were ripped apart by shell and hoof. Abandoned villages burned and cities were besieged, all while soldiers marched on with songs of victory and home on their lips. And while the dead mounted and the costs of war piled high, there was no shortage of ponies on either side wanting to fight the good fight.

For two particular ponies, the shadow of war was catching up to them.

Nestled on the last mountain bordering the griffin held brown plains sat the Lunarian military base: Fringe Point. Unlike two years prior, its numbers had quadrupled. What had once been a watch post and research base had been partially converted into an alpine basic training camp for the army and air corps. New recruits were shipped in weekly by rail just as fresh green troops were loaded up and sent to stations abroad. The camp itself had struggled to keep up with the new demand for space. The walls had been demolished in several places to allow for morning exercises and passage between the rail station and the tent city which continued to expand into the plains. Even the mountain itself was not free of new construction as high altitude camps were set up for earth ponies and unicorns to acclimate to the thin, cold air they would surely face on storming the various mountain cities of Equestria. Chief among all was Canterlot itself.

However, while all this activity renewed the base’s importance to the military as a whole, it put a severe strain on the permanent buildings that already existed.

As a result, the auditorium was denied to Twilight who was relegated to an empty training field for her demonstration.

What she lacked in posh was made up for by the collection of army and air corps high ranking officers who could spare the time to travel here. These high ranking movers and shakers of the military gathered on a hastily built set of stands while Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Clipped Wing prepared in a tent nearby. The laboratory assistants were busy setting up every infantry weapon on a long table near the stands along with checking everything that’d be needed.

Rainbow should have been out on drilling some fresh arrivals, but she got someone to cover for her so she could be here; currently patting Twilight on the withers. “You’ll do fine, Twi, just get out there and show your stuff.

The inventor in question was suspended up into the air by a mobile hoist that had been rolled in from the lab. Thick armored boots were wrapped around her hindlegs that had inch thick cables connecting them to a large boxy backpack that was held so securely by the dozen straps that she could perform loops for days and it wouldn’t budge an inch. Threaded around her wings were bands of aluminum that carried a static charge strong enough to fizz the hair of Clipped Wing and Applejack who were doing final inspections.

“I hope so, Rainbow.” Twilight reached her head around to bite an itch on her right wing since Applejack refused to let her move until the engineer was done with her inspection. “But this aluminum-scandium alloy of his,” she jerked an ear at Clipped Wing, “is hideously expensive. If this doesn’t go well, the project is done for.”

The very much poorer stallion was satisfied Twilight’s left wing’s armor was in perfect order and tapped the shoulder joint so Twilight could fold it back up. “Nothing else would work though, Luna knows we tried.”

“A right shame, really,” Applejack was satisfied as well and allowed Twilight to fold her other wing up. “Could buy and outfit a second rate ship for the three of ya.” She jerked her head at two other pegacorns behind them all who were also getting final checks on their respective sets of armor.

“It’ll all be worth it though,” Pinkie Pie assured everyone as the curly haired mare did some touch up on Twilight’s helmet. It was a simple aluminum thing, not unlike the same helmets worn by the royal guards. Only this one had a mesh covering her horn to capture and redirect any sparks she gave off. “No pony with any sense is going to turn their nose at this.”

“The Commandant did,” Rainbow stated unhelpfully.

Applejack went over to the hoist and eased it down so Twilight could stand on all fours again. “Pah, I’d say Iron Sights gave up on this project, but that’s assumin’ he ever cared about it in tha first place. Now that he’s got it in his head to turn this place into a training camp he can’t wait to be rid of us. Ya’ll do know he only called the brass here so he can wash his hooves of us and turn the labs into more billets.” The mental image of the lab being reduced to housing soured Applejack’s mood. Could at least turn all this into a trainin’ house or somethin’.

“You’re all not seeing the big picture, ladies. Twilight spun around testing the weight of everything. All told, it was quite heavy. Some grooves along the sides of her armor allowed Twilight to anchor her wings into a comfortable folded posture at least. The whole frame was fastened to a leather suit that covered her from the nape of her mane to her flank. It was in the Lunarian air corps’ silver colors courtesy of Kerfuffle’s comfortable design. Lastly, the centerpiece that made it all work was an amber gemmed necklace half a hoof in size. “The law clearly states that during wartime, research teams like ours have two years to make a field ready prototype before we must be reviewed for an extension. We’ve done that.” Twilight developed a mad hatter grin that still unsettled Applejack and Clipped Wing after she started showing it months ago. “Pegacorns can finally stake our claim to the skies! Sure the price per unit is untenable,” she admitted with a dismissive wave of an armored wing “But prices can be lowered, the fact that we can fly can’t!” She faced the two other pegacorns being fitted for their own armor. “What say you?”

The pair in question were air corps in name only. Outside of the navy, and being naturals with war engines, pegacorns were regulated to desk jobs or logistics members in the Lunarian military. As such, it was rare their tribe could achieve battlefield glory. The very real possibility of earning that one day made the pair quick to snap to attention now that the hour was upon them. “Hooah!”

There was something in that cheer and stern looks of solidarity they gave Twilight that jerked on her memories. For a moment, she was back in Canterlot. Watching her brother at a distance as he was first put into a command position. He said a speech she couldn’t remember, but what she did recall, was the same look on the soldiers faces. I can see why Shining stayed in the army. It’s not my place, but there’s no harm in some brief indulgence. Twilight studied them with excitement written over her. With their own armor tenders backing off, she felt a thrill course through her. “Ferrum, Veselov, you both know they’ll never buy any armor sets, right?”

Ferrum was the burly son of a steelworker and had almost been one himself until he answered Clipped Wing’s call. He was big with steel colored fur and a dirty blonde mane. Though it had been Clipped Wing who brought him here, Twilight was the one he was glad to see. “I ain’t the brightest one in my family, and I could see that once you said aluminum. Even if you take this armor back with you, you’ve still let me taste the sky, my lady. I won’t forget that.”

Veselov was a good deal older than the young stallion matching Twilight’s age. His beard was greying and he bore some bald spots where steam leaks had scorched the fur off him, but he was still built like a train and he intended to keep his physique well past his age. “Nor will I, my lady. My mother once told my pegasus brother that once you’ve taken flight, you’ll decide that is where your heart will feel at home. You’ve given me the means to see that for myself, no matter how fleeting it was.”

“Just be sure to thank Clipped Wing before you leave Fringe Point,” Twilight stated warmly. “I just used his research to make them.”

“Oh believe me,” Ferrum chimed in as he hovered a bit with a stupid grin while dangling his hooves in the air. “I will once we’re through.”

“Good. Now, you’ll start with the diving bomb demonstration, then move on to the flying artillery. Just because we expect them to decline buying more units doesn’t mean the ones already made can’t be used in Luna’s name.”

Both soldiers and the staff that had been servicing their armor snapped salutes and got to work. Twilight looked to Pinkie Pie. “Wish me luck.”

“For somepony who plans for both success and failure, you won’t need it.” Pinkie giggled mady as she strided up to Twilight. “I’m saving up luck for the future.” She leaned conspiratorially into Twilight’s ear. “I’ve got a bag of sixty five dice, all of which rolled sevens in their last game. A few more and I can get an extra life!”

“Uh huh.” With concern, Twilight watched Pinkie Pie scamper back to giggle. Must be more of that Pinkie Sense she mentions. I wonder if her fighting the stripes for so long damaged her sanity a bit. Deciding to let it slide and focus on the positive. “Well if that’s not a vote of confidence I don’t know what is.”

Everyone else shared encouragement before Twilight and her two air troopers departed the tent. By now the collected officers were all seated, yet one thing gave Twilight a moment’s pause. The group had been joined by a single earth mare captain of the navy and a blind folded thestral of the cloth. Why would a blind pony-? Don’t worry about it, Twilight. He’s just a priest anyway, not your target audience.

Cantering forward to stand in front of the stands, the two assistants waited by the firearms table as everyone had practiced for weeks. “Dear esteemed ladies and gentlecolts, thank you for coming all the way out here during these trying times. I know many of you wish to return to your regular duties, and the rest probably have little patience for pomp and ceremony, so I’ll be brief.

“As some of you already know, pegacorn magic, such as it is,” she inwardly grinned when some of the crowd looked either condescending or gave off an iota of understanding. Good, I didn’t get nothing but the nepotistic incompetents. “is not affected by machines. Thus far, no pony has found a way to make use of it.” Suppressing a broad grin to only a thin smile, Twilight leveled her wings out straight, and tapped the amber gem twice. “Let there be flight.”

Her aluminum encased wings and torso began to hum. Though she had practiced this for months now, the feeling of lifting off the ground under her own power, in a manner of speaking, sent an electric thrill from horn to tail and she didn’t try suppressing her toothy grin. Only a scant few of the more reserved officers remained visibly unmoved as she started hovering around without flapping her wings. It was as if she was gliding under an updraft. Higher and higher she drifted almost lazily until she was above the stands. She angled her wings to swoop into a low hover directly in front of them. “Now, I suspect some of you might be thinking I only created an expensive hovering toy, so let me dispel that notion.”

Clicking her back hooves, her magic was converted into a more pure form of mana, which quickly destabilized being so close to the machine on her back and burned violently. Angling her hind legs, Twilight used it to rocket away and soared into the air. She could never match Rainbow’s speed, she couldn’t even match pace with a regular pegasus soldier either, and that was something the officers noticed quickly.

Yet in that moment where Twilight was flying with the wind blowing through her mane with nothing between her and the great blue. A child of the sky could at last come home. She angled back around and dove to a spot in front of the stands and came to a flourishing stop. She curtsied, demonstrating her wings remained just as flexible with the armor. Greased, silent hinges threatened to snag her wings’ fur, but thankfully it didn’t happen this time.

Twilight spotted the navy captain was explaining things to the blindfolded thestral, which gave her enough of a curious pause to allow one army colonel to give a slight bow of his head. “Interesting toy you have here, Lady Twilight.” A magic flying suit is all well and good, but I trust you have more for us than that.”

I create a machine that gives pegacorns flight and you call it a toy?! Leveraging her merchant upbringing, Twilight buried her insult, gave a lopsided smile, and nodded as if she agreed with him. “If that’s all this was, then you’d be completely right. However.” She wagged a wing finger at him. “While my suit runs on magic, it…” She hummed upon seeing a single unicorn army general was among the crowd. “Well, you’re all here to see its capabilities. My good general,” she called out to the unicorn, would you be adverse to firing a mana bolt at me?” It was a tried and true showmanship ploy, and there was a reason it was tried and true.

The general in question had been chewing on tobacco and spat before answering irritably. “You expect me to help you demonstrate your own project? Do it yourself.”

It stung, badly, and there wasn’t a second unicorn in the crowd. Still, Pinkie had been nothing if not an excellent teacher in the art of the sale, picking up where her mother’s training left off. “Naturally I would, but the mage team who was helping us were shipped off last night, and I haven’t been granted a replacement yet.” Could you at least have the Luna damned common curiosity to wait until after the demonstration to show your tail? She tried to banish that bitter thought from her mind. Although the unicorn remained disgruntled, he at least didn’t try pressing the issue, so she slid back into merchant mode with a comforting smile. “Where was I? Ah, of course. This comes equipped with my own version of the pony-portable do-nothing disruptor. Honestly, the ones the army currently issues are far too heavy. I had to downsize it a bit, but it is strong enough to afford the same level of protection against telekinesis, divination, and mass effect spells. If a warmage or inquisitor wants to bring me down, they’ll have to work for it.”

Pulling a whistle from a pocket she turned and blew it. Ferrum, Veselov, and a few lab staff moved over to the table full of small arms ranging from pistols to heavy ‘inquisitor’ guns. Turning back to her audience Twilight continued in her best salespony voice. “Now, standard practice for air infantry is to become proficient with one particular weapon, two if they’re an officer. I’m sure you are all aware this is because compensating for recoil while in midair is a highly difficult task. Thanks to the sweeping adoption of standardized cartridges for infantry weapons, soldiers wearing my suits no longer have that issue.” Twilight blew one long note and one short note on her whistle.

Ferrum went to the table, took to the air and started firing at a straw target down towards the brown plains. Once he fired a few times with each weapon a pegasus or thestral flew up a new gun and claimed the old one. With each shot, the hum from Ferrum’s suit grew loudly, and as he climbed up the calibers the louder it got. What the officers were watching for, was the expected push back Ferrum should have gotten, throwing off his aim and, had he been in a formation, threaten to push his weapon in a friendly’s direction. Yet he remained stable through it all. His actual aim was decent enough that Twilight hoped the officers could look past it.

Heading off any questions, Twilight spoke up once the last shot was fired. “How is this possible you may ask? The answer is in here,” Twilight touched the amber gem on her necklace. “This is a golem intelligence core. Although with pegacorn magic, the intelligence is actually - negligible, but it remains smart in the needed disciplines. For example,” she ended when right on cue, Pinkie Pie ran up with a revolver in hoof and gave it to Twilight with a wink before running off again.

Twilight faced an empty field and tapped her gem three times. “Training new weapon.”

A carbon copy of Pinkie Pie’s voice rang out from the gem in a serious, deadpan tone. “New training acknowledged.”

Twilight floated up into the air and fired into the empty fields. Being so out of practice with firearms, she thought better of trying to go for the target. The first shot sent her back a ways. The second less so, the third barely did at all, and by the fifth shot she was as stable as a rock. Floating back down and holstering the weapon she scanned the crowd and saw more than a few impressed faces. “Recoil compensation and weapon pattern archived,” the gem chimed before falling silent once more. With that step of the demonstration complete, Twilight focused on the officers.

“As you can see, the need for prolonged training is diminished by that particular aspect of sky firing no longer being an issue. The use of sharpshooters in the skies who can still use a carbine for close-in protection is now a distinct possibility.” She paused a bit to gauge the crowd. The collected officers were a reserved bunch, but the lack of any overt scowling or negative grumbling seemed to be enough of a good sign to give her a glimmer of hope. Don’t go thinking that. Once they hear the price, you can forget it. Just satisfy them enough that they don’t think we’re guilty of embezzlement and it’ll be a win.

She turned away to give three long whistles. “However, all of this so far is just the start. There are two tactics, one with strategic applications, I have devised to use the suit’s most important feature: heavy lifting.”

A trio of earth ponies carted in a pair of bathtubs rigged with chains so a pony could fly and lift them. Veselov and Ferrum grabbed the tubs straight out of the wagon and with their wings humming loudly, flew over to show the officers that the bathtubs were filled with training weights. Some of their number in the center of the stands got up to see for themselves.

“Thanks to the intelligence gem and properties of the armor itself, the suit is able to manipulate pegacorn magic to act as a facsimile to a pegasus’ weight reducing ability to the point where carrying three hundred pounds is as arduous as a standard soldier’s field kit.” She inclined her head and gave a sharp nod to her brethren. “Sargents, those hay bales over there are an eyesore. Can you help with that?”

“Gladly, My Lady,” they echoed before rocketing into the air with a speed such weight should have made impossible. Everyone watched them reach the clouds before dive bombing the hay bales close to sixty degress from the ground. They let go of the tubs, and had to work hard to keep from crashing into the ground along with their impromptu ordinance. The bathtubs didn’t come close to hitting the marks and bounced away, with one nearly slamming into the tent before hitting a wrong angle and careened off course.

“Ah ha.” Suppressing a cringe, Twilight gave a stilted laugh, and coughed a bit. “Well, what a perfect demonstration that we’ll need something better than bathtubs to drop on the enemy.” The absurdity of it all forced a laugh out of more than a few of them. Even the dour unicorn general didn’t seem to become any more abrasive. “Point is, the current three pound grenade used by the air corps is now but a pebble compared to what is possible now. A whole formation can be ruined with a single hit with a proper explosive.”

She let them whisper among themselves for a bit. Lively, genuine interest had been sparked in over half of them, making Twilight’s heart soar. Time for the big one. She turned once more to blow four long notes and a single short one. “Lastly for today, I present to you, the flying battery!”

In the distance, a pegasus weather team pushed a decently sized cloud over, yet while lab assistants rolled an artillery piece out, one mare air admiral called out impatiently. “Lady Twilight Sparkle. This is certainly all well and good, and you have my interest, but I must know how much each suit of armor or whatever you want to call it costs.”

And there was the question she had been expecting. Truth be told, she had been starting to get a little hopeful. And here I was starting to think the clouds were parting. I wonder if this is Celestia’s subtle way of punishing me for making what could have been a weapon against my homeland. “How does this all work, Lady Twilight? Such marvels could make all industries better.” But no, as always the purse is the most important. Sighing in regret, Twilight faced her project’s executioner. “Well, most of the cost is in the material itself rather than fabrication and maintenance.” She could already see spikes of disinterest and grumbles from them. There was nothing for it now. “Eleven thousand per unit.”

Fully half of the audience balked in outrage and walked off barely a moment after. The same mare who had asked gave a scoffing laugh. “What did you make it out of? Engraved silver kissed by the emperor himself?”

“Nothing so ostentatious. It’s an aluminum alloy that-” Twilight's explanation was cut off by all but three of the remaining officers walking off as well. “Well, what does it matter? A new ship of the line would be cheaper than a quarter of a company of suits anyway.”

The same mare shook her head at it all. “If you knew as much, you could have saved all of us some time by having the Commandant give his assessment alone. Your invention has promising merit, but not at that cost. Find a cheaper metal and then we’ll talk.” Ignoring Twilight’s mildly defeated posture, the air admiral walked off, hoping to catch the next train.

Twilight did an admirable job looking distraught towards the retreating officers, masking her decidedly less morose resignation. The navy officer and Chaplin were the last to leave, but by then Clipped Wing had already ordered the lab staff to start cleaning up everything and Twilight was on her way to the lab to do the same with her desk.

Later that day, Twilight, still wearing her armor, and her friends were all dining in the expanded officer’s mess. It was one of the few places that had a blending of hasty utilitarianism and elegance about it. The expanded mess was one story above the recruits’ eating area. It was supposed to be a place for new officers to get used to eating apart from the common soldiery, yet it turned into just one more cog in the gossip engine.

Rainbow Dash was gnawing on a piece of salted pork while keeping a close eye on three tables in particular. In truth, the thestral had not been present the entire two years. She had been deployed to coastal patrols barely two months after everyone arrived at Fringe Point, and it had been just over a month since she returned due to a gunshot wound to the gut, and ripped wing membranes. Rather than sit in a hospital, Rainbow had only one place she’d rather be; here.

Applejack was delighting in some beef and vegetable stew. Not the best food on offer, but it was simple and filling. A piece of apple pie sat off to the side, enticing her to eat just a bit too fast. Though the earth mare spent most of her time helping the project, she had been splitting some of that time with her family’s new farm.

That new farm due in large part to the pink mare currently gorging herself on a chicken salad loaded with fixings. Pinkie Pie wore her freedom well, and to those who didn’t know her, would have never thought she had ever been a servant. When she wasn’t stuffing her maw, she carried herself with the at-ease poise of ‘new money’, something Twilight found too endearing to try and train out of her.

Surrounding them was a throng of junior officers who were too busy in their own worlds to comment on the table containing only one active member of the military. It helped that they were regulars and that the Commandant didn’t care no matter how many fresh leutients tattled on them.

Pinkie finished her salad and spoke while she moved on to her own helping of beef stew. “So Twily, we still going with plan A?”

Twilight’s wing armor was folded up against her side while the wings themselves were free to help eat. “Yup. Talon Point should be much easier to renovate with a couple of suits for furniture moving and what not.”

Rainbow Dash stopped herself from taking another bite of pork to chime in. “Not to mention it's completely awesome to turn a fort like that into a mansion. Might be worth building a cloud home nearby just to imagine what it was like to lay siege to it back in the day.”

“Well I hope you know I’m going to take down all griffin statues,” Twilight added while wagging a fork at her. “But more importantly, it’s very close to Tranquility so trips to the office are short enough.”

Applejack chuckled goodheartedly, and gave the pegacorn and harmless stink eye. “And grab me off the farm on the way too, eh?” Twilight returned a playful shrug. “Still feels weird, having a farm to mah name and all. Never thought it was more than a pipe dream when Ah was still plying the waves.”

Rainbow leaned in towards Twilight with a conspiratorial smirk. “So, word has it you and Clipped Wing are getting shacked up. That true?”

Sighing, while giving the thestral an annoyed glare, the inventor felt there was no real need to be shy about it. “Nothing concrete yet, honestly it’s still only a proposal and not a confirmed yes on his part. It’d be a political marriage if it happens. He’s a good pony. Good head on his shoulders, no intolerable vices, and easy on the eyes. But I don’t know, I’d rather have foals with a dashing bat stallion.” She studied Rainbow with a scholar’s eye that began to unnerve the brightly colored soldier. “Not to mention that if you’re any indication, thestrals don’t have the same hybrid issues the other tribes do.”

Following Twilight’s eyes up to her prismatic mane that was so uncharacteristic among her tribe, Rainbow blew a strand out of her vision. “Yeah, not sure why that is, probably because of Luna’s blessing. But hey, I’m not complaining because it makes me a thousand percent more radical.”

“I doubt it’s that simple,” Applejack replied absently while moving on to her slice of pie.

“Well it worked out for me either way,” Rainbow shrugged uncaringly. “Honestly, constantly preening feathers would be such a chore.”

A bell started tolling the hour, causing an absolute frenzy among the two dining areas. Drill sergeants practically jumped from their table and started barking orders for the panicking trainees to put their trays away in a cacophony of noise. Even the fresh lieutenants scattered to the winds.

While Twilight and Pinkie took the tolling bells and the bedlam it caused in stride, Applejack and Rainbow were passing short quips back and forth about their own memories of having to do the same thing. “Go on, Dash, you’re still military, you better get going,” Applejack teased.

“Screw that, I’m back on babysitting duty, and the baby doesn’t look quite ready to go.” Rainbow leaned back in her chair, eagerly waiting Twilight’s response with a provocative smirk.

Glowering under an unamused lifted eyebrow, Twilight Sparkle used a fork to flick a baby tomato off her salad and at the smirking mare. It smacked Rainbow on the nose, causing her to lose her balance and scramble to right herself before falling over. Only for a piece of broccoli to fly over from Pinkie Pie to finish the job and bonk her on the forehead, and knock the soldier flat on her back.

“Excellent form, my dear Pinkie,” Twilight stated in her best imitation of a martial trainer. “The arc was perfect and the force of impact should leave her ancestors feeling dizzy.”

Hiding her inner laughter behind a facade of dignified aristocratic aloofness, Pinkie Pie hummed in boredom. “Why thank you. And I dare say your form is without peer, and the tomato? An marvelous choice of weapon.”

Before either noble could add anything else, a wad of mashed potatoes went flying and smacked Pinkie on the neck. Rainbow Dash had recovered just in time to see it had been Applejack who had done the deed. The engineer shrugged at Rainbow. “Gotta stand by a fellow soldier, right?” Even so, Applejack didn’t want to be the first one to throw food at Twilight, old concerns still poking out.

That did nothing to deter Rainbow Dash from developing a vengeful smirk as she too took up fork and spoon. “Oh it is on!”

As laughter, clanking plates, and food filled the air, a lone figure garbed in priestly robes stood outside the doors. A bemused expression covered his wrinkled face as he listened to the food fight, never once hearing Twilight nor Pinkie utter a single word to leverage their aristocratic status to avoid getting covered in dressing or gravy. If anything, he was quite surprised. So, the scion of Canterlot managed to befriend one of Luna’s children? Well then, perhaps I should have listened to Rarity’s advice much sooner. But not here. I doubt she’d be willing to speak while covered in today’s special. If nothing else to ask how she managed to convince the Emperor to let her have Talon Point.

Author's Note

Will Talon Point be renamed to Sparkle Spot? Will Twilight and Clipped combine their powers to invent the paper clip? Does Applejack actually know how to grow an apple? Will Pinkie Pie speak before the emperor? Does anyone know what happened to my sock?

24: Induction

Talon Point. For hundreds of years the griffon fortress east of Tranquility sat isolated and abandoned. Only a single wind-torn banner remained as a symbol of Lunaria’s conquest in ages past. Yet as the centuries came and went, few Lunarians visited the historic site until it was left as little more than a decoration. To Twilight Sparkle, it carried none of that baggage, and instead reminded her of her childhood home that rested on Canterhorn Mountain.

A few days after Twilight and the others returned to the capital, they were riding a carriage out of Tranquility and towards Talon Point. Once the mountains were close enough to dominate the land, they pulled off the main road and found themselves in the midst of a young orchard of apple saplings. The saplings were growing strong, and the mares spotted Big Mac and Applebloom among the trees.

“Ah’ll see you in a bit, Twilight.” Applejack leapt from the moving carriage to embrace her family.

Twilight stuck her head out into the crisp autumn air and waved at her. “Don’t be too long, we’re having spaghetti tonight!”

Pinkie Pie poked out of the other window to add, “with extra Kirinian sausage!”

Rainbow Dash flew alongside as escort, and made a playful rude gesture at the sailor. “I say you stay down here, more food for me.”

Applejack’s retort was lost to the winds, but both her and her family’s wave at the two nobles told them she’d be there.

As the carriage pressed on, the orchard gave way to golden fields of wheat and barley that blanketed over three hundred of the four hundred acre farm surrounding the base of the mountain. Thankfully for the inexperienced Apples, they were not alone here, as two other farming families were temporarily present to aid in growth and teach them the ins and outs of the craft.

At the base of Talon Point’s mountain were all three of the farm houses, silos, and other needed buildings for the families. The animals were kept a good ways south of the main road so the smell would not offend any future guests.

The achievement that made remodeling the worn fortress affordable was the multi-tiered large open-air cargo elevators that could comfortably carry up to thirty ponies at a time, or enough freight to supply the manor for a week.

The carriage came to a stop next to the elevator where some valet parking was still being built. Mostly a housing port for the carriages and a tavern to cater to the drive ponies visitors would bring. Ensuring it had plenty of alcohol had been Rainbow’s contribution.

The sisters and Rainbow exited the carriage while the two driver stallions unhitched and helped move the last of the luggage onto the elevator. Most of Twilight’s equipment from the training base was either already here or had been confiscated as imperial property.

Several members of the work crew along with the foreman: Mosaic Tenture, were organizing for the coming week’s efforts. Twilight joined them to hammer out further details, while Pinkie and Rainbow waited, and ended up chatting with the Cherry family of farmers. The day grew late by the time Twilight departed her impromptu meeting with Mosaic, long enough for Applejack to return, a bit surprised to find no one had gone up to the fortress yet.

The later hour caused many stomachs to growl, so Pinkie Pie dragged them all to the elevator with promises of spaghetti. “So, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash asked as she flew alongside the elevator’s upward journey. “What do you plan to do now?”

“That is the question now isn’t it?” Twilight and Pinkie switched to the next elevator. The old griffin fortress had been near the peak, and carved into the mountain itself. All of it had been left to rot, but thankfully the mostly stone construct had aged well. The next slanted elevator clanked merrily as it started its climb at a steady pace. “I still have Gold Tressel’s idea book. I have to admit, an oil engine sounds like a fun project.”

“And profitable,” Pinkie Pie added as she dreamed of what she could sell such a thing for, “Or any liquid fueled engine would do, really. Think of how much easier it would be to pump oil into a ship or train rather than have to transfer it from coal barges? Ships could finally have something other than black paint for one thing.”

Twilight was sinking into the possible futures just as deeply as she glanced at her armored wings. “If I was able to shrink down Clipped Wing’s magic compatible armor, I might even go for shrinking the engine down as well. Perhaps to use them to power carriages.”

Rainbow let the pair blabber ideas back and forth until she too felt a need to chime in. “Ya know, Twilight, I think it’d be better if you made a gun that could keep firing forever. Like something that you just need to hold the trigger and feed it ammo until you run out entirely.”

Twilight’s giddiness fell into a more serious and neutral tone. The stark change didn’t surprise Pinkie Pie, but she mirrored it all the same. Twilight first looked to Rainbow who pulled back a bit, fearing offense, before Twilight stood on the lip of the elevator, watching Tranquility in the distance as the sun inched closer to the horizon. “I’m sure developing weapons would be highly profitable.”

“A weapon like that,” Pinkie Pie started as she joined her sister, standing slightly behind her. “Would certainly erase any doubts left that we stand with Lunaria.”

“I’m sure it would, but…” Twilight went silent for a long moment, her eyes closed to make it easier to think. The last two years had been good to her. Tight deadlines to be sure, but the thrill of making a revolutionary invention alongside like-minded ponies pulled on her far more than money ever could. So many late nights at her desk back in Equestria had been mirrored at Fringe Point, only with Clipped Wing and other lab staff right there with her. Even the volunteers like Ferrum stayed just as late. Camaraderie, something Equestria was incapable of giving her, and her three close friends could not match alone.

The elevator clanging to a stop brought Twilight back to the world around her. She turned to face her friends, and a determined partial smile crossed her lips. “My friends, I think we need to take a bigger step than just the next invention. I say, we found our own research center!”

“Ugh, and here I thought you were going to say something awesome,” Rainbow Dash grumbled as she entertained thoughts of asking for a transfer back to the frontlines. I’d rather face off against the Equestrians than waste away watching a bunch of scholars figure out how a ball rolls.

Applejack scratched the back of her neck, a placating forced smile tried to look genuine, but the mare couldn’t manage it. “That’s a tall order, boss. Won’t it be easier just to get in with one of the universities?”

“True, but if the army taught me anything recently, it is that I don’t want my research to be restricted. We were fortunate to make a working prototype by the end of the two year period. Any longer and we’d be right where we are now, but without it.”

“I say it’s a grand idea!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “You’re already a respected name for your boiler design, and I’m sure when the right ponies hear about how you married magic and machines, you’ll be swarmed with patrons.”

Applejack shrugged in defeat. “Ya got a point about that.”

The idea of having a research institute tickled Twilight’s fancy so strongly; she was practically giddy. “Then let’s get settled in. We have a lot of work to do.”

Talon Point was utilitarian to a fault, save for wind-worn griffin statuary which had survived the siege so long ago. The fortress was still a recent purchase, the ink on the deed was still wet in some regards. The receiving area had to be carved out and expanded outward into a balcony. Stone carving tools dominated the supplies being prepared for the work crews soon to arrive. Now that Twilight was no longer busy out of town, she could help expedite the work. Besides, now that I’ll live here full time, I can make sure the work crew’s not going to slouch off.

Perhaps Applejack’s renowned work ethic set too high of a bar for Twilight’s tolerance of on-the-clock laziness, but the prospect of living in a fortress, rather than the manor it would become, was unappealing. Ah well, it’s not like it can’t be corrected. Perhaps I could get the work crews to focus on the bedrooms first.

The rest of the day was spent unpacking everyone’s personal affects which had arrived before them. Thankfully, the hallways had all been plenty wide enough for griffins to fly through, so moving furniture around was easy enough. All the place really needed was knocking down a few unimportant, non-loadbearing walls to merge rooms, and furnishing carpet and the like. However, Twilight would not get much time to settle in.

Three days later, it was bright and early as Twilight looked over Gold Tressel’s notes while idly eating her breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast. Applejack was at her side, leaning over to review them as well.

The sounds of chisel on stone echoed all throughout as work crews toiled away, leaving the dining room, which had once been a barracks, alone for the time being. The table was a cheap one, barely a few pieces of wood notched to fit together, but it was a good enough stand-in until a better one could be commissioned. Twilight was in no hurry to demand the finer things outside of a comfortable bed and chair. Her work was more important, and ever since arriving at these shores, she had eaten more meals in an office or workshop than she ever did at a dining table.

“I say we go for the oil train engine to start, Twilight. We can see about shrinking it to carriage size later.”

Chewing her toast, Twilight rocked her head back and forth a bit as she mulled it over. “Perhaps you’re right. I’ll go into town today and see about acquiring some holding tanks and transport wagons if you will see about getting some tools. I’m sure Pinkie Pie knows where we can go about acquiring the quantities we’ll be needing for testing.”

Jotting down some ideas in a journal, Applejack spoke as she wrote. “Ya know, boss, ya might be able ta make a pegacorn engine too.”

Snorting playfully, Twilight shook her head as she took a bite of bacon. “Making individual armor was one thing, but these engines will have to be available for everypony to use one day.”

“True, but it’s like this.” Applejack stretched to get a crick out of her back. “A lot of a ship’s power is spent just pushing through the water, right? But if you make a second type of engine where it doesn’t weigh as much, then it can go faster or spend less fuel getting wherever.”

The wheels started churning in Twilight’s mind. “That’s certainly true… Now that I think about it, doing that could make the engines stop interfering with magic like the armor does. Ha, wouldn’t it be crazy to see motorized carriages driving along a pegasus cloud city?” Her daydreaming came to a halt as reality reared its head. “But that would require far more aluminum than is refined in a decade.”

“Don’t mean we can’t figure out other alloys,” Applejack offered. “Remember, the kind ‘a stuff makin’ up your armor wasn’t the only types that allowed your magic to do different things.”

“You’re right!” Twilight cheered. She pushed her plate away and started furiously scribbling notes down on several pieces of paper. Not only could she see roads filled with motor carriages, but the respect her name would have on everyone’s lips. The mountain of slips she’d be rolling in also didn’t hurt one bit. Last, but certainly not least in her eyes, was the revolution in logistics it would bring. If she did this right, not even Equestria could escape her technological revolution. Ha, wouldn’t it be priceless if the Inquisition had to eat crow and drop all charges?

She slid the first piece of paper towards Applejack. “Here, see about the proper tools and throw in an extra twenty percent for yourself. We have a world to change.”

A knock on the door did not stop Twilight from scribbling down more plans, but she responded all the same. “You know you don’t need to knock, sister.”

A blushing pink face poked out. “Sorry, old habits. Anyway, Rainbow spotted a yellow coach coming in. As far as I know, the work crews’ coaches are all unpainted. Whoever it is, it isn’t one of them.”

Twilight sensed a note of concern in Pinkie’s expression, making her abandon the table. “I take it you’re not expecting a visitor of your own. Could it be Clipped Wing?”

Shaking her head, Pinkie had to use a hoof to move some curls off her eyes. “Nope on my end. It might be CW, but I don’t think he’s the type to arrive unannounced. At least not until he accepts your wedding proposal.”

“He’d have said yes by now if he were,” Twilight sighed with forlorn melancholy at the prospect of receiving more propositions she wouldn’t accept even if she was destitute. Shaking it off and using a nearby mirror to primp her hair and dress, Twilight made for the door. “Well let’s see who it is. Could be Gold Tressel welcoming us as neighbors.”

Applejack followed after the sisters with worry coloring her tone. “If it is, Ah hope he ain’t bringing another Grey Hunter with him.”

The mares filed through the fortress, weaving around the newly arrived work crews who all stood and bowed to Twilight and Pinkie, as was proper. Twilight largely ignored it all, while the gestures still felt odd to Pinkie, who would have been more comfortable being the one doing the bowing at a noble’s passage.

They arrived outside at the top of the elevator. A temporary extension of the balcony extended out so they could safely watch the lands below. The black stage coach was being towed into the parking area while two guests were already on their way up. Rainbow Dash and one other security member were flying to keep pace with the elevator.

Twilight tilted her head in curiosity as she noticed the prismatic soldier was moving erratically in a pattern Twilight could only see as her being excited with talking to the unknown ponies. She was going so far as to spin in place, bob up and down as if she kept forgetting to keep flapping her wings, or doing quick figure-eights just to control her energy.

“Landsake, you’d think she was talk’n ta Luna herself.” Applejack chuckled while holding her flat cap down against the mountain wind.

“Or Daring Do,” Pinkie Pie added with some giggles.

The elevator was nearly close enough to make out what Rainbow and the visitors were saying when Twilight stepped back and gestured for the others to do the same. “Whoever it is, is a guest of some esteem. We should play our part.”

Pinkie was quick to stand to Twilight’s right and one step back whereas Applejack took her place on the opposite side of the platform. As the elevator closed in, Rainbow remembered she was on the clock and raced up to the top to announce the guests’ arrival.

In the few moments waiting, she barely contained herself trying to keep the secret for a second longer. Silent questions from the other mares were answered with a zipped lip from the faux-stoic soldier.

With a heavy clang of gears locking into place, Twilight could finally see her guests face to face.

“Lady Twilight Sparkle and Lady Pinkie Pie of House Sparkle,” Rainbow Dash called out, having regained her military bearing. “I have the honor to introduce: Bearer of the Eclipse Blind Speaker and his grandson Silver Vein.”

A fleeting sense of déjà vu struck Twilight at his name, before realizing Pinkie had stepped up to take the lead. Pinkie was as always, all smiles and friendly, doting on her speaking partner’s every word. “Honored Speaker, this is a great - well - honor! I doubt you knew, but I attended your rally last spring at the Moonlit Plaza. Your tale about Breezie Ridge was quite inspiring.”

“It seems my reputation precedes me,” Blind Speaker answered with a tired laugh. His fatigue was heavy, visible through his priestly robes, and the high mountain air wasn’t helping.

Pinkie Pie gave a salesmare’s smile and a nod. “It is always a good business to know about new customers before they walk through your door.”

“Merchant’s Creed rule one ninety four,” Twilight replied automatically. She blinked a bit and remembered herself. She bowed in the pegasus fashion, earning a curious lifted eyebrow from the younger thestral stallion who accompanied Blind Speaker. “My apologies,” she said upon rising. “I wish I knew you were coming so I could have greeted such an esteemed guest properly. I don’t have anything better than salt pork and salad on offer. Let alone any choice accommodations.”

“Do not concern yourself with such trivialities.” Blind Speaker stated with his signature confidence and force of voice. “We are at war, my ladies, and it is a welcome sign of solidarity with our soldiers that you have done away with frivolous luxuries so that food could better serve the rank and file.”

Though Twilight decided to take it as a compliment and voiced her gratitude for his accolades, she couldn’t help but sense a warning in it as well. Must be his way of telling me to abide by the rationing mandate. “Duly noted.” She looked to the stallion behind him. “I can at least offer tea for you and Silver Vein?”

“Ah!” Blind cried out with embarrassment. “How rude of me.” With a foreleg, he ushered the young thestral forward. Unlike his elder, the stallion was in the prime of his youth. He was strong and his navy blue fur was partially covered by a well tailored brown jacket. “We would be delighted.”

Twilight was smitten by his sharp amber eyes that betrayed a keen mind. His deep red mane looked freshly cut, as if done purely for this meeting. Though she controlled herself well, due to her upbringing, Twilight did allow a welcoming smile to shine through. “A pleasure, Mister Silver Vein.”

The young stallion was decidedly uncomfortable being practically shoved into a noble’s personal space, which was typically quite large between aristocrats and commoners. Even so, he had learned a thing or two from his grandfather and managed to eek out a smooth bow to hide him swallowing the lump in his throat. “The pleasure’s all mine, my ladies. I’m sorry for the intrusion, but grandfather is used to such allowances among your peers.”

He’s well spoken. Pinkie Pie was the first to notice Twilight’s instant infatuation. Her hair curled even more densely as oh so dark thoughts made their way into her head. He’s the first one who got love at first sight, and he’s kin to somepony famous enough that marrying him would not debase Twily’s station. I better make sure he’s got a good head before making a move though.

Twilight’s thoughts were far less long term at the moment. And she accepted his apology with a good natured laugh. “I can imagine. So, please, please come inside out of the cold. We’ll get some tea to warm you both up before we talk about your visit.”

“Some Earl Grey sounds lovely,” Pinkie Pie offered as Applejack resigned herself to briefly play the part of the butler and ran off to the kitchens.

Rainbow Dash had been to enough upper crust social gatherings to know that’d be no fun. Eh, I already got him to sign my Daring Do book anyway. She flew off to wake the rest of the security detachment to demand them to pull a double shift.

The group arrived at what used to be an armory. The weapons and racks were long gone, but the grooves still remained in the stone. More importantly was the air vent, which now served to give the warming fire somewhere to cast its smoke. Pinkie Pie had briefly separated from the group to collect some pillows and had returned in time while Twilight shared meaningless small talk.

“Applejack assured me some tea will be ready shortly.” Pinkie distributed the pillows with Silver Vein setting his grandfather’s down so everyone was close enough for easy conversation.

“You’re a treasure as always, sister.” In a way, of all the high profile guests to be surprised by, Twilight was grateful it was a blind one. I'm sure his hearing is picking up a grim picture though. I could have turned him away on these grounds, but he must have a good reason.

The empty crate Twilight had centered everyone around to serve as a table was the last thing she wanted to use. Nothing for it though. Thankfully, Pinkie managed to pick up some tea cookies along the way so there was at least something sitting on the table besides a loose nail. Off to one side, a unicorn worker had charged a fire stone, giving the room a flickering orange glow and comfortable heat without the smoke. Aside from Twilight’s clothing and armor it was likely the most expensive item in the fortress.

“I must say,” Blind Speaker began as he settled his old bones closest to the fire stone. “You’ve captivated my interest. It’s not everyday somepony unites magic and machine.”

Glowing a bit in pride, Twilight flexed a wing, idly inspecting the armor for any imperfections. “I don’t deserve as much of the credit as Clipped Wing does. He’s the one who got the math to work.”

Nodding sagely, Blind Speaker tapped the crate-made-table. “While it is wise of you to give credit where it is due, ask yourself this. If Clipped Wing was capable of bridging what is possible in a book and what is possible in what you demonstrated last week, do you believe he would have asked for your help?”

Grimacing, Twilight briefly shot Pinkie Pie a worried look, one which her sister matched. “No, I don’t believe so.”

“Not many would want to,” Pinkie Pie added tactfully. “Bridging magic and machine is going to be as important in the future as steam engines are today.”

“And lucrative,” Twilight commented dryly. Can't say I blame the stallion. If nothing else he’ll go down as the father of magical machines.

“Indeed.” Blind Speaker paused as the sound of ratting plates and the waft of hot tea reached his senses. “My point being, I believe he saw in you a mark of greatness that is rare in the world.” He paused just long enough for Applejack to put the kettle and some cups down. “A mark unfortunately shared by your brother.”

The implications of the statement blunted whatever compliment had been there. She nervously watched Pinkie pour tea for everyone before answering. “I take it the war is not going well.”

“It certainly isn’t going as well as the emperor was led to believe it should be.” Blind Speaker’s sour tone shifted to appreciative as he tasted his beverage. “My my, you make quite the cup of tea, my dear.”

“Mighty nice of ya ta say.” Applejack wasn’t sure if she should sit at the table. There was a spare cushion, but this was not a private gathering between friends. “How’s about Ah wrangle up something better than biscuits.”

Blind Speaker turned to his grandson while Applejack bit a hasty retreat. “Why don’t you fill them in on the crisis, my boy.”

“Me?!” Silver Vein started sweating profusely. “I just graduated from RSU. I don’t know anymore than what the papers say.”

“Is that so?” Blind Speaker replied with well-faked surprise. “Then it wasn’t you who's been eavesdropping the palace’s war room with the excuse of gathering information for my speeches. Should I put out a notice for a spy somehow matching your exact description?”

Shooting to his hooves, rattling his barely touched tea in the process, Silver Vein cleared his throat. “No no, I remember now.”

Whether it was Pinkie or Rainbow’s influence, Twilight smirked in good humor over the grandfatherly blackmail.

“From what I remember, we’re doing well on the high seas. Equestria’s fleet was smashed three months ago just off of Luna Bay.”

“I remember that,” Pinkie spoke up. “I was in Baltimare at the time looking to hire a ship captain. The sky was more lit up than the city at night.”

“I’m sure it was a sight to behold,” Blind Speaker stated dryly. “Skip to the relevant part, my boy.”

“Right, yes. Well, as pa here put it in the past, the army is having a crisis of faith. Any theater General Shining Armor touches turns to a rout in short order unless fresh troops are cycled in on a monthly basis.”

“A crisis of,” Twilight stopped. A cold sweat took hold. “Cadence is fighting on the front?!”

Giving a shaky smirk, Blind Speaker had to keep a calm tone. “I suppose only the sister in law to her holiness could speak of her so casually.”

Pinkie Pie wore a concerned look as images of the regal alicorn leading troops into battle was unsettling. “She used to visit the Light Estate and play with my sister when she visited Shining Armor.”

Silver Vein was shocked into sitting back down. “You were that close to her holiness and still fled here?”

“I didn’t believe Cadence had the clout to make what I did go away.” Twilight sighed as regret tried to take hold, but she cast it aside to pull Pinkie Pie into a side hug. Guests or not, Twilight always felt safe around the earth mare. Pinkie in turn roped a foreleg around Twilight as well to hold her close. “I don’t regret coming here. If nothing else, I was allowed to adopt Pinkie Pie as my sister.”

“And gained flight,” Blind Speaker added while presenting a false toast with his cup. “Quite the accomplishment indeed. But back to the matter at hoof, no Mi Amore Cadenza is not fighting with spell or shot.”

Halfway across the world, it was the dead of night as a contingent of Lunarian soldiers prepared to attack the Equestrian position less than a mile away. There were fifty of them, all armed and ready, only awaiting the lieutenant to give the final order. The air was tense with pre-battle jitters. They knew it was Shining Armor’s soldiers they were going to hit, and they had been battered all week, but they pressed on with prayers to Luna granting them strength.

The officer checked his soldiers, and upon seeing them tense and ready, he prepared to waved them forward, only for a strong light to appear directly in front of them behind a tree. Everyone leveled their weapons at the light.

“I mean you no harm, soldiers of Lunaria,” a strong feminine voice called out with the power of magic. “I wish to parley with you.”

“Parley?” The lieutenant said more to himself than the voice. “Wait, it can’t actually be her.” His soldiers looked to him for orders, but none were given by the time a bright figure walked out from the trees.

Even from a distance, the pink mare with a mane of yellow, raspberry, and purple locks flowing down to her legs was transfixing. She slowly flared her wings, further causing the soldiers to lower their weapons. Some might have tried to think the figure was a pegacorn, feathers could be faked, but her features were all wrong. She was too tall, her wings and horn too long. She stood taller than even most stallions.

“Is that her holiness?!” one soldier said in amazement. Whispers of bewilderment ripped through the soldiers like a lightning bolt.

As she approached alone and unarmed, even the most hard-lined soldiers didn’t dare fire the first shot, not on the only alicorn seen in a millennia. Ultimately it was the lieutenant who got her to speak once more as he stepped in front of his soldiers, his rifle pointed at the sky. “So it’s true, you have been talking to us on the front.”

“If you know that, then you know why I’m here,” Cadence said at she stopped in front of him. Her light was dimmed so it wouldn’t be painful to look at her. Several soldiers backed away out of ignorant respect, unsure of how to treat the Equestrian ruler. She looked first at the officer, but then addressed everyone who was visible. “I am Queen Mi Amora Cadenza. I have come to ask you all to please, stop fighting us and join Equestria.”

Had anyone else made such a request, they’d have been laughed at or shot. But Cadence was not just anybody nor just a queen. An alicorn was to be heeded, as both the solar and Lunar churches expounded on. It was ultimately the lieutenant, who spoke for the group. “We can’t do that, and you know why.” Though his words were sharp, even he couldn’t bring himself to put any iron behind them. This was the same Cadence who so many believed was being deceived by the Equestrian elite, just as Celestia had been. “You’re a puppet to your advisors and the like. If anything you should come with us!” Many of the soldiers proclaimed their agreement.

By now, Cadence had done this, and heard such arguments many times. She gently shook her head and focused on the ranking soldier. “I am not blinded as Celestia was.” She gauged the crowd, seeing surprise in many of their faces that she would admit her predecessor was flawed. “Equestria has faults, and I would see them corrected, enstripement core among them.”

Further shock ripped through the soldiers and even the hardliners felt pulled to listen closely. One of them however, marched up and only remembered to bow a bit before speaking. “If you wanted to get rid of slavery, then do so. You’re an alicorn queen are you not!?”

“What is your name, good sir?”

The soldier puffed up his chest. “Sterling Steel.”

Nodding, Cadence focused on him exclusively. “Sterling Steel, tell me, was the fabric of Lunarian society the sole creation of Luna herself, or did she have others help shape the law while she focused elsewhere?” If Sterling Steel could have thought of a reply, he didn’t voice it in time before Cadance continued on. “With my blessing, any who joins me will never be striped. In fact, I have already decreed that for every Lunarian soldier who sides with Equestria one slave will be freed.” Again, her words carried weight no one else’s could have. Even Sterling Steel was left conflicted. “My goal in this, is that if enough Lunarians join Equestria, then I will not be the only voice calling for enstripement’s dismantlement, but I will have you all as my chorus.”

Sterling Steel suddenly developed a deep scowl of anger and stomped his hoof, silencing what chatter was beginning to happen. “I don’t believe you! If you truly wanted to be rid of slavery, then you’d just do it. You’re either weak, lying, or naïve enough to think your masters would enforce such a change!”

The rest of the hardliners echoed him with enough ferocity to make Cadence take an unconscious step back. She realized it the moment it happened though. I’d better quit while I’m ahead. “Actions will speak louder than your words,” Cadence regally shot back. She turned to the others, and saw the ground she had gain was dwindling fast. “My husband commands the army here, and if anypony wishes to accept my offer, his soldiers will abide.”

“See?” Sterling Steel shouted triumphantly. “She can’t even guarantee the other generals would obey her.” Cadence winced, making Sterling Steel taste victory. “And our offer still stands as well, your holiness. Join us in Lunaria and you’ll be served by ponies who see more eye to eye with you already.”

“You would have me forsake those who already pledge themselves to me?” Cadence replied sternly. “I wish to reunite all ponykind, without the slavery or the blindness of the past. I could do that much more quickly with ponies of Lunaria standing side by side with my Equestrian citizens.” She gave up on Sterling Steel to focus more on the rest of them. “My offer remains, even if you decline today, the next day, or the next year. Think on it before you face Shining Armor’s soldiers again.” Her husband’s name weighed heavily upon the soldiers, a few of the less brave ones shivered. “Help me, help you.”

With that, Cadence turned away back to the trees, confident that no one would try to shoot her with her back turned. No one, even those most loyal to Luna couldn’t bring themselves to even train their weapon on her.

“She’s been doing this up and down the line wherever your brother campaigns,” Blind Speaker finished with concern wrinkling his face. “It’s been taxing beyond anything in the past. There aren't any official reports of defections, thankfully, but desertions are much higher than the last three wars. Morale along Shining Armor’s theater is plummeting between his successes and Mi Amore Cadenza’s offer playing upon the church’s own teachings. No pony ever thought another alicorn would emerge. Without Luna or at least an alicorn of our own, we stand to lose the heartland.”

She’s certainly a lot stronger than I ever thought. I guess Shiny helped her get that strength. Pride filled Twilight while idly stirred her tea, carefully watching both thestral’s faces. “You’d only be telling me this if you already assumed I wouldn’t try to take up her offer as well.”

“As well as presenting an alternative,” Blind Speaker replied with a nodding smile. “You’ve brought flight to the flightless, married magic and machines, doing the impossible seems to run in your family.”

Worry eroded Twilight’s confidence, and she tried to hide it by sipping her tea, which left an opening for Pinkie to chime in. “I hope you’re not asking us to try and convince Cadence to join Lunaria. If she was even remotely open to such a thing, she’d have never been the one to declare war in the first place.”

Thoughts of the Tain surfaced for Blind Speaker, and his hoof lingered on the tea cup for a few seconds before he eventually pulled it up. “I don’t think it was really up to her, but that’s not why we’re here.”

“We’re here about freeing Luna,” Silver Vein blurted out, earning stunned faces out of the mares. “And potentially Celestia if need be.”

Blind Speaker sighed in exasperation. “So much for breaking it easy.”

Pinkie Pie recovered first. “Free the Sisters? The Sisters? From what exactly? They ascended to Elysium after the Schism War. If they wanted to or could have come back, they’d have done so by now.”

“To suggest otherwise is skirting blasphemy,” Twilight added. “But I suppose I’ve already committed that too in the eyes of the Solar Church. What’s one more, right?”

“Twilight,” Pinkie hissed, shooting the stallions a troubled look. “You shouldn’t joke about that. This feels like a trap.”

The thought had not occurred to Twilight, yet before she could backpedal, Blind Speaker firmly placed a book on the table. “I did not come to the idea of the Sisters being trapped on my own. Luna’s own wartime journal explains much.”

“Her - wartime journal?” Twilight asked as she reached for the book. As soon as her hoof touched it, Blind Speaker let it go. Twilight scooted over so Pinkie could look at it with her, although Twilight suspected what she was going to see. “Unless your eyes are more magical than you let on, there’s not a pony in the world who can read this.”

“Not anymore,” Silver Vein stated with fire in his eyes as he placed a folder on the table. “My grandfather’s translation manual.”

“Really now?!” Twilight snatched it with a wing, the tip of her armor scratching the wood with her excitement. Pinkie Pie’s intrigue nearly matched her sister as both of them pressed against each other to study them both.

Pinkie Pie whistled as the folder was opened to reveal the translation took the form of thirty pages. Even to her untrained eyes, she could see this would be far beyond a simple word swap. “This translation is really…”

“Overwhelming at first glance, so I’ve been told.” Blind Speaker placed a second book on the crate and slid it forward. “Here is an already translated copy. You can have it all in case you’d prefer to translate it yourself.”

In her excitement, Twilight stretched a wing out to grab it, but stopped just short of touching it. She put the journal and translation folder back down before folding her wing back in place. “What’s your angle, if I may ask? You’re obviously trying to recruit me, but why? A stallion like you can have his pick of ponies far wealthier or more influential than me.”

“Not to mention somepony without questionable loyalty,” Pinkie Pie added with an irritated huff. “You’d be surprised how freely ponies speak ill of Twilight straight to my face.”

Weathering it with a mask of stoicism, Twilight seemed unfazed. “It’s half the reason I settled here rather than inside Tranquility.”

With a sad hum, Blind Speaker sipped his tea, actually enjoying the beverage. “Come now, Lady Twilight Sparkle, a highborne such as you should not be surprised at how many of those very same ponies would rather Luna stay as she is: lost. Between those that make excuses of heresy or are naked with their greed, very few want Luna to make a return.”

“No… I suppose I can’t say I’m surprised at all.” Twilight commented while weary rubbing her head. “Ponies like the status quo, and we’ve gotten used to ruling ourselves without alicorn meddling. As much as I believe Equestria will be loyal to Cadence, I can’t imagine how she could have established herself without Queen Corona shielding her. Celestia rest her soul.”

Silver grew uncomfortable with Celestia being spoken of reverently, but masked it most quickly enough for Pinkie Pie to miss it. “My Lady, the reason we need you is because we believe that if given the chance, you’d see about the Holy Sisters’ return.”

The mares kept their reactions in check and gave nothing away. Blind Speaker continued on with a nod of agreement. “You clearly still hold Celestia in your heart, and you also have reason to seek solace in Luna’s protection. Both Luna and I have need of you. Not just because of your dual loyalties, to the Sisters at least, but also because you can live for an age, whereas I am beset by Father Time. I fear this might be my last war, and when I pass, the weight my name carries will die with me.” He faced Silver Vein, and rested a fatherly hoof on his shoulder. “My grandson here believes the return can happen, unlike his father, but he’s too young and not a soldier. This is why I need you to take up this cup, if you would have it.”

The much more mundane sisters shared puzzled looks before Pinkie Pie broke the silence. “I think I speak for Twilight as well when I say seeing the Sisters return would be monumental indeed. Yet what in here makes you think the Sisters still walk the earth in the first place?” she asked while tapping the journal.

Silver Vein flashed a bit of excitement as neither mare showed signs of dismissal, so he leaned in, the voice of a true believer passing through his lips. “The last entry in Luna’s journal. It stated that she planned to use an incomplete collection of artifacts she called the Elements to trap Celestia in stone. Presumably so Celestia was out of the way until Lunaria’s freedom was accepted or maybe so that she could defeat the Equestrian army and force Celestia to see reason later on.”

“A few years into the war, she kept bouncing between ideas,” Blind Speaker explained with a second wind to his hope. “Petrification is what she settled on in the end.” He started to say more, but held back.

Not knowing much about advanced magic, Twilight didn’t try to suss out any deeper meaning for the moment. “Artifacts can have fickle natures, but it doesn’t seem like Luna succeeded since both of them went missing.”

“True,” Silver Vein admitted with no apparent lapse in excitement. “But we only have half the puzzle. During the last few months of the war, Luna became aware that Celestia was coming up with much the same plan. Who copied who is irrelevant, what matters is that if Celestia’s journal could give both sides of the lead up to the final battle, we could piece together what the Sisters did to disappear.”

“I don’t want to sound presumptive,” Pinkie Pie started while holding up the translation sheet. “But what makes you think this translation would work on Celestia’s journal? Surely she would have used a different spell.”

“That’s what I thought too when my associates started making real headway in the translation.” Having already prepared for that question, Blind Speaker gestured to his grandson who took the translated journal and flipped through the pages until landing on the right one.

“Here,” Silver slid the entry towards the mares who leaned in to get a closer look. “Luna mentioned the irony of both sisters making use their father’s encryption spell after one of her defectors-turn-spy managed to steal some letters from Celestia, only for it to be useless. To put it briefly, the decryption spell only works for a particular pony or two.”

“Considering how long it’s taken to make a full decryption…” Twilight skimmed the passage from Luna’s journal then moved on to the untranslated copy. “I can see why it was a pointless effort.”

“A pity they never kept some of those letters,” Blind Speaker added with a forlorn sigh. “Though I trust Luna’s words, having some of Celestia’s writings could have given concrete proof they used the same spell.” He drank the last of his tea. “We were hoping you’d know where a copy of Celestia’s journal might be found. Given the war, acquiring a copy could prove… easier than peace time.”

Easier indeed. Giving up nothing, Twilight sipped her tea. “If a copy of Celestia’s war journal was all you needed, any spies you have could easily find one, they’re sold to the aristocracy for a pittance. I dare say all you need to do is find the manor of some noble who pays more than lip service to Celestia to find one.”

“It’s that common?” Silver Vein scoffed while rocking back in his cushion. “I was half expecting you to tell us to raid a church, but that’s been done and no journal was ever found, at least that’s the official word that gets back to the emperor.”

“I’m sure any church who believed for even a moment they were going to be attacked would burn the book,” Pinkie Pie added while pouring more tea for both herself and Blind Speaker. “Given who Celestia is, the act would be more akin to returning the journal to her, rather than destroying it.”

“A fair point.” Blind Speaker smiled broadly, glad to see he was one step closer, even with that bit of information alone.

Pinkie Pie rubbed her chin, not demonstrating much enthusiasm. Within however, she was deeply intrigued. Knowing Twily, she’s already convinced. Still, Pinkie had not garnered as much wealth for the family as she had by jumping at anything that sounded too idealist, and she was still left with concerns of her own.

Such concerns were mirrored by Twilight Sparkle who idly stirred sugar into a new cup of tea. A tangent thought wondered why Applejack had not yet returned. “If I may, Blind Speaker, while this mission of yours is an honorable one, unless or until the deed is done, I’m under the impression it won’t inspire much cooperation from anypony, potentially not even the emperor himself since Luna’s return would force him to abdicate. We’ve played it safe politically so far, but going into this will paint a target on my back.”

Silver Vein looked to his grandfather while tapping his wings against his barrel. “Come on.”

It was not said as a desire to leave or defeat. Blind Speaker tilted his ears to Silver for a moment then bundled up his wits. “I can offer you the means to conduct this search without others being able to legitimately question your allegiance to the Throne. As for the Emperor’s thoughts on the matter, you needn’t concern yourself.”

It was too cryptic for Pinkie Pie’s liking, and she had difficulty masking her displeasure. “As respected as you are,” Pinkie Pie cut in. “An endorsement wouldn’t mean much in this. Especially in a time of war.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Blind Speaker waved a hoof at his grandson. “Which is why I am suggesting that you marry Silver Vein.”

“What?!” both mares cried out.

“It was my idea,” Silver said quickly. “Think about it. You’d be marrying not just a thestral, but marrying into my grandfather’s family. No pony in the world would question your loyalty, not even the Emperor!”

Blinking as her brain caught up, Twilight still had bewilderment written all over her. “You’re serious about this?”

Blind Speaker nodded sagely. “Serious as ever. Don’t worry about his father. He’ll be cross that his personal chemist won’t be joining the family business, but he’ll get over it.”

“Ahhh…” Twilight pulled Pinkie Pie in close to whisper, not knowing just how good Blind Speaker’s hearing truly was. “What do you think?”

“Well, if you were going to marry outside of the nobility, he’d be one of the few that shouldn’t cause a stink. Then again, Speaker is not a name that gets thrown around in business circles. So I can only broadly guess.” Pinkie Pie gave her a leering smirk. “But if you want to jump off that cloud of yours, he’s quite fetching. If you don’t want to, I’ll marry him instead.”

Scoffing, Twilight rolled her eyes. ”Oh come on, you and I both know he’d have to marry the head of house for it to mean anything in the eyes of others.”

“Who said anything about it being anything more than having a fine husband?” Pinkie Pie shrugged, thoroughly enjoying a moment of teasing. But deeper, she was actually thrilled by the offer. Business was adventure, but this hit Pinkie differently. It was touching the goddesses of the pony world. “Just saying, that’s all. Jesting aside. If you happened to bear a thestral foal from Speaker’s line while he still lives…” She left the statement hanging, letting Twilight’s active imagination fill in the blanks.

“And if I produced a pegacorn?” Twilight asked rhetorically.

Deciding to answer anyway, Pinkie Pie hugged her. “With that armor of yours, it wouldn’t matter. Besides, don’t act like you don’t want to have at least five kids before you’re forty, so you’ll get one. You dictate your diary to me sometimes, so don’t bother denying it.”

“You already read me like a book, there wasn't any sense in not letting you write some of the pages.” Twilight squeezed her sister tighter before letting go.

The thestrals awaited their reply. While Silver was pensive, Blind Speaker was outwardly stoic enough to hide his triumph. Good. Now no matter how long it takes, the day will come when Luna is with us again.

Twilight pulled away from Pinkie Pie to fix Blind Speaker with a firm, demanding frown. Realizing the act was lost on him she turned to her prospective fiancé. “First things first, I don’t care how useful this marriage might be. If all you plan to do is put an heir in me and spend my money, you can leave right now. I won’t tolerate a wastrel for a husband.”

Ultimately, it was Silver who reacted better as he was already pensive, while his grandfather was actually caught off guard. Pinkie Pie noted the older stallion’s reaction with satisfaction. So I was right, his hearing is too good to whisper in the same room.

Silver Vein managed to keep from nervously tapping his forehooves together. “Well, I - I don’t really like to drink, for one thing. So at the very least I won’t be raiding the wine cellar. As for pulling my weight, I was raised in a mining town,” he said as if that should be enough of an answer.

Having recovered, Blind Speaker would have chided the young stallion for selling himself short had he been anywhere else. “The boy also graduated from Rock Salt University with high honors in chemistry.”

A disbelieving frown crawled its way onto Twilight’s face and stared at the old stallion. Blind though he was, she was convinced he could see her expression somehow. “Is that right?”

Shrugging, Blind Speaker allowed the barest edge of his lips to curl up. “You are a mare with vision, and my son is in need of focus to hone his considerable talents. But if your heart is set on a military husband, you can blame his father. I wanted him to join the Air Corps for that exact reason.”

Wilting at the presumed cowardice on his part for not joining the military, Silver Vein chewed on his lip. Is he trying to sabotage this?! “Well, you see, my ladies, I just wanted to help the family business and with Pa here already being…” He stopped himself and slumped, already expecting to be thrown out of the fortress.

Twilight’s heart went out to the dejected thestral. While Twilight had little doubt Silver was being genuine, she couldn’t help but to think this was orchestrated to generate sympathy by Blind Speaker.

“My boy, among the aristocracy,” he explained politely. “Glory through military service is not the only way to demonstrate value. What you bring to the table is everything. Please, my ladies, correct me if I am wrong.”

“You have the right of it, Blind Speaker.” Twilight decided to ignore the scheming for a moment to focus on the wavering stallion. “Tell me, Mister Silver Vein. Why did you become a chemist?” She leaned over to see his destiny mark was that of a pickaxe striking a silver rock. “You don’t seem the type.” I need to know if he actually enjoys his work, or if he’ll end up being resentful of it.

When Silver was slow to respond, riddled with nerves, Blind Speaker gave him a swift, yet harmless kick. “Go on, son.”

“Y-yes sir.” Straightening, Silver Vein took a long breath before focusing on both sisters. “To be honest, it wasn’t my first choice. My father is a competitive stallion to a fault. He wants my older sister to take over the mine when he retires, as if he’d actually do that before death claimed him,” he huffed while casting a glare at his wizened grandfather. “My middle brother was sent off to learn metallurgy to one day start his own foundry. Father tossed me into chemistry directly because of new… flavors of steel out there. My brother would be the one to run the foundry while I ensured the steel’s quality.”

Twilight ruffled her wings and her horn crackled as she mused over some things as Gold Tressel’s oil engine came to mind. “How about chemicals? Could you aid me in refining oil into things? Fuels and the like?”

Courage and hope returned Silver’s smile and he barely contained himself by nodding excitedly. “Oh absolutely. Metals, fluids, give me time and I can either make what you need or find out how to do it!”

Pinkie Pie shared a knowing like with Twilight. “My sister and I would like to discuss the matter in private.”

Twilight got up first and inclined her head. “Excuse us.”

“Please, please take all the time you need,” Blind Speaker offered as if he had the power to do so.

Out of old habits, Pinkie raced to the door to open it for Twilight, only to find Applejack trying to sneak out of sight in the hallway. The sound of Twilight groaning made the sailor stop dead. By the time she slowly turned around, Twilight and Pinkie were already fully in the hallway. She bore a wholly unamused scowl while Pinkie had a mischievous silent laugh going. “Forgot the biscuits?” the Pink one asked with amusement her sister wholly lacked.

“Applejack, do tell me what you were doing outside our door?” Twilight’s ire deepened the more the sailor sweated.

“Yeah, lie to us,” Pinkie added with growing mirth.

Utterly unwilling to even consider that an option, Applejack stepped up to them while averting her gaze and rubbing the back of her neck. “Sorry, boss. Ah just wanted to know what coulda brought Blind Speaker of all ponies here.”

Pinkie tilted an ear as Twilight let off a quiet growl as her temper started to flare as her horn crackled wildly. Uh oh. She’s going Twilinanas over this.

Pinkie intervened by rubbing her sister’s shoulder. “No need to apologize, Applejack, you were just keeping your ears open.”

Having heard that somewhere before, Applejack clicked her tongue as she mentally switched gears. “That’s right, just as it says in the Merchant’s Creed.”

“Is that so?” Twilight's anger threatened to morph into amusement if she wasn’t careful. Even if it wasn’t a full lie, Applejack’s poker face was as subtle as a thunderclap. “If you can tell me what number that rule is then I’ll believe you.”

Pinky mouthed “seven” behind her sister. Applejack sweated and looked overwhelmingly sheepish as she answered, “seven?”

Twilight shot a knowing glare at Pinkie who bore an innocent smile. Even with the blatant lie, with Pinkie defending Applejack so much, Twilight let go of her anger. There was just something about her sister’s smiles that always managed to drag Twilight into a better mood. She faced Applejack once more with a thin frown. “All is forgiven.” With a wing, she dragged the sailor to a side room. All while Applejack gave Pinkie quiet gratitude.

Once Twilight felt they were far enough away to not be overheard, she rounded on the two other mares. “Applejack, how much did you hear?”

“Ahh… all of it.” A worried side-grin tried in vain to hide her shame.

“Well at least we won’t have to fill her in,” Pinkie commented cheerily.

“True enough,” Twilight said dryly before purposefully shaking off her irritation. “To be honest, I’m a bit torn about the offer. Marrying Silver Vein would certainly solve some issues, but being unwedded has its advantages as well.”

“At least this will stop families trying to throw their useless or unlikable sons at you,” Applejack stated tentatively gauging how much meddling Twilight would tolerate while also trying to earn some points back. “Ain’t been three a’ them who had an honest bone in their bodies.”

Twilight arched an interested eyebrow. She’s always been a good judge of character. “What is your take on Silver Vein in that regard?”

“Kinda wish I could have seen him talk ta answer that, but he sounds like he believes what he says. Ah get the feeling’ Speaker is hidin’ something but isn’t really lying though.” Applejack toyed with her braided hair, unsure if she was going too far. “If Ah may be honest here for a bit, boss, but marryin’ a commoner is probably for the best anyway.”

“Surely you jest,” Twilight began with an almost insulted tone. “Half the reason I keep you around is your honesty.”

Applejack’s first reply caught in her throat, giving Pinkie time to add, “the other half is your Apple fritters. Truly a snack worthy of Luna herself.”

Blushing furiously, Applejack covered her face with her hat. “Shucks, ‘is what Ah’d be doin’ anyway.”

“I’d still like to know why you think a commoner would be the best husband though,” Twilight asked in a tone that left her dubious of the idea at best. Even Pinkie’s lighthearted expression slide into tentative curiosity. “While I would adopt Pinkie Pie a thousand times over, the number of suitors I had dropped significantly after news of it got around.”

“Some still don’t see me as a real noble,” Pinkie added with some of her curls flattening.

“Ain’t that exactly the reason right there, boss?” Applejack remarked as if she was a chess player after making a winning move. “No disrespect to ya Pinkie, but Silver Vein is both kin to Blind Speaker and a thestral. That alone should make up for him benin’ a commoner. But, more importantly, because he’s a commoner, there ain’t a pony on this good earth who’ll think he’s the head of house just because he’s a native born Lunarian. If they want the final word with House Sparkle, they gotta go through you,” she ended by pointing at Twilight.

If she was honest with herself, that had been part of Twilight’s fear of marriage since arriving on Tranquility’s shores. From her first words to the day she left Canterlot, Twilight had grown up expecting to become the head of House Light. It had only made sense to her to start her own house upon swearing fealty to the Throne. A native borne noble husband threatened her station. Not to mention there was always the possibility they could just wait until I had a daughter to assassinate me and be done with it, Twilight thought bitterly. But, Silver and Speaker seem naked in their motives. “I have to say, you make a good case. A pity you didn’t become a lawyer.”

Applejack went pale at the thought. “Luna protect me, Ah’d off myself if Ah had to do that.”

Taking little amusement in the playful ribbing, the ever-present grin on Pinkie faded to concerned fretting. “I’m more worried about this quest Blind Speaker is trying to give us. Marrying his son kinda makes you stuck to seeing it though.”

Nodding in agreement, Twilight’s ears wilted a bit. “ I can think of worse things to marry into. Debts, horrific in-laws, family drama, a husband that wants to take control of the house, finding out the family’s a bunch of criminals…”

“Kinda running things together there, boss.”

“Point is, Silver’s not insufferable, has a good education, is well connected for a commoner, and he’s quite handsome.”

“Do you think it’s possible to bring the Sisters back?” Pinkie asked, pressing her point harder. It was a sticking point that left all three of them conflicted.

“Ah can’t rightly say. Ah always thought Blind Speaker was a straight shooter, but claiming the Sisters are trapped and didn’t ascend to Elysium is down right heretical. If he were just about anypony else Ah’d smack him upside the head.”

“I think you’d do more than just knock some sense into him,” Twilight added with a partially amused huff. “But if he’s as respected as you two make him out to be, I can’t see him believing this theory of his without good cause. Whatever is in that journal must be something the church either forgot or doesn’t want ponies to know about.”

“Could it be a trap,” Pinkie directed at Applejack. “Maybe bring Twilight down for heresy to use her as a scapegoat for the war turning against us?”

Applejack was incensed and violently shook her head. “Uh uh, no way! Blind Speaker doesn’t do that. Ah ain’t never heard a him callin’ ponies out like that or dragging’ them through the mud. At least no Lunarians anyway.” Seeing the implications of what she just said, Applejack cut in to clarify. “Ah still don’t think he’d do that to ya.”

Twilight felt like she could do nothing but trust Applejack’s account. “Alright. But that still leaves us with the heresy itself.”

“The journal then,” Pinkie replied with a worried hum. “After all, who would you believe? The church or Luna’s own words?”

The answer didn’t even need to be said. “Maybe he translated it wrong,” Applejack offered, almost grasping at straws. “Somethin’ that complex might be tricking him. Somehow.”

“I’m no codebreaker,” Twilight began as she started to think. “But I doubt it. An incorrect translation might get a few sentences sounding right, possibly a page or so. But the whole journal? There’s no way.”

“Not that any of this’ll matter though,” Applejack said with a tone of finality. Assumin’ he’s got a perfect translation a Luna’s journal, if that’s all we needed to find her, he’d have done so already.”

Pinkie shot her sister a sly grin. “What do you think, Twilight? Would the translation work on your copy of Celestia’s war journal?”

Applejack paused out of suspicious surprise. “ You’ve had a copy of Celestia’s journal this whole time?” Twilight shrugged and smirked, leaving Applejack utterly flabbergasted. “There ain’t no way. Deck Flog had me be the one to inventory your books. Even if I missed it then, Ah woulda seen that when we were moving’ all your property off the ship. Rut, Ah’d’ve seen it anytime we moved at all!”

Tapping her nose with a wingtip, Twilight replied with an oily grin, “Merchant’s Creed two thirty nine: never be afraid to mislabel a product. I traveled with it as my symbol of faith. Around here, anything else would be frowned upon.”

Laughing out of bemoaned surprise, Applejack recovered her wits quickly enough. “Well, boss, Ah guess the only thing left is if you want to go looking for the Sisters.”

Mulling it over a while longer with her sister, Pinkie eventually found her answer. “It certainly would be an adventure. I’ll back you no matter what.”

“Shucks, Ah’ll go to. And there ain’t a rowboat’s chance in a squall that Rainbow would miss this.”

“Thank you, Pinkie, Applejack.” There had been no question in Twilight’s mind that would be Pinkie’s stance, but it was nice to hear it all the same. “I want to start translating the journals right away. Pinkie, do some digging into Blind Speaker and Silver Vein, if they’ve been telling the truth about Silver’s education, then he’d be perfect. Applejack, I’m sure you’re eager to help with the harvest. If the journal clues us in on going out of town, we’d best be ready.”

Relief warmed the blonde earth mare’s face at not being asked to help. “Thank ya kindly. Can’t say Ah’d stay sane transcribing a book, holy scriptures or not.”

Having her plan sorted out, Twilight gave a firm nod. “With that settled, nothing else but to give them the news. Come along, Applejack, you’ve heard everything so far, no sense in making you stand by the door a second time.”

Sweating a bit from embarrassment, Applejack jumped after them. "Thanks, Twilight."

Upon re-entering the room, both stallions stood up out of respect, albeit Silver helped his grandfather rise. “Thank you for waiting, good sirs,” Twilight opened with. “Silver Vein, I would be delighted to accept your hoof in marriage.”

“You would?” Silver nearly toppled over, and would have brought his grandfather down with him had he not let go. “I - I oh my. I - I don’t know what to say.”

“'I do’ is traditional.” Such a failure of words was not present in his grandfather. “You have my eternal gratitude, my ladies. Perhaps we can arrange a time to talk further about the details.”

Deciding to take the reins, Twilight sat down and sipped her forgotten cup of tea, ignoring how cold it was now. “There’s no time like the present. We’re all busy ponies are we not?”

Giving a halted, tired laugh, Blind Speaker nodded his agreement and gestured for Silver Vein to sit back down as well. “I suppose that would allow me to return to the heartland sooner. Where shall we begin?”

Author's Note

Will the secret of the Sisters be in the journals? Will Twilight discover Luna's love for the mail? Will Pinkie discover Celestia's favorite cake? Did Applejack bet the farm on who can make the most cider? Can Rainbow Dash stop writing her Daring Do fics? Honestly, some of that shipping makes absolutely zero sense.

25: Gear Hall

April 3rd sixty sixth year of the second age

Why did it have to come to this, Luna? Hearth's Warming was a watershed moment that we capitalized on brilliantly. Yes, I know we took the throne right as it began to unravel again, but we could have been the mortar that held the tribes together, and you cast it all to the wind. Have I not admitted my wrongdoing enough to convince you to end this farce? Lunaria. How conceited do you have to be to name a country after yourself?

You’ve been playing me for a fool for the last fifty years, acting like you would return in exchange for stripping over half of the noble houses of their lands and titles. And how pray tell was I supposed to agree to that openly right there in front of the entire court?! We’d have been in a civil war the instant those words left my lips. This all should have been done quietly, but no, you had to make a big show of it to your mob of followers. And now for the past fifty you tied my hooves from properly investigating the houses you claim are perpetuating old hatreds. Ponies don’t change overnight. How many times did our father have to remind us of that? One single event doesn’t magically make old traditions die. Sister, we don’t age, we could have guided ponies to a united future and you robbed us all of that chance. I might be the one who declared this war, but I am not the cause. You accused me of blind stubbornness, and yet who is it that forgot the promise we made to our parents when we left? I pray you see reason before too many more of our subjects end up dying, because every death pushes our two peoples apart.

April 7th sixty sixth year of the second age

Celestia, dearest sister, for as much as you embody the sun, you really are blind, aren’t you? When I confronted you about the corrupt noble families who were stuck in that pre-Hearthswarming way of thinking, who was it who pulled your ear when you stood on that balcony? Morning Dawn, the very worst of them all. I knew before you even spoke what you were going to say. I had hoped after doing all of this, you’d start to actually believe your own sister over those parasites. I was a fool not to drag you out of Canterlot so you could see first hoof just how bad it had gotten. Have you forgotten why we accepted our power? The old hatreds were bubbling back from under our very noses, and you insist on listening to the very devils that summoned the windigos with their malice.

The day you practically threw me out of negotiations, I dare say you finally showed an ounce of the wisdom our father saw in you. At last you had cleared some of that fog from your eyes to realize I no longer had any intention of returning to Equestria. Not as it is.

You want to tear down Lunaria by force, then I shall meet steel with steel and bring down every last tyrant house before I let you rest. It won’t even matter if you defeat me militarily so long as your ‘advisors’ are destroyed to the last mare.

Twilight Sparkle sat back in her chair as she skimmed over the rest of the two journal entries. Both of them ran into the preparations each sister undertook to conduct the war. While it held some historical interest for the inventor, it was not her current focus. The mare had an elaborate setup on her desk. Both journals sat open, the translation manual to the side, some wing-written pages of her own, and two typewriters flanked the writing paper. Finally, two oil lamps sat next to the desk, giving her plenty of light the three windows failed to provide ever since the sun went down.

It had been a few days since Blind Speaker’s proposal that Twilight finally had time to sit down and work on the translation. “This is amazing. Oh if only they allowed dual citizenship. I’m sure a complete translation would get Rarity off my back.” I doubt they’d overlook having a thestral husband and a Lunarian child though.

The thought of her inevitable motherhood left Twilight adrift. As the heir to House Light, and later to her new House Sparkle, producing an heir herself was never in question, and she had come to accept it long ago. Let alone her half-joking with Pinkie about wanting five. I wish I could show them off to Shining and my parents without having to worry about politics or prison. The impossibility of such a dream was depressing, so she cast it from her mind and sat back up to focus on her work. She hummed while pulling Luna’s journal up and continued reading. I’ll have to look into hiring a nanny at some point.

As the days drew on, a missed supper brought Pinkie Pie to Twilight’s study with a head shake. By now, it had been close to two weeks since Blind Speaker had left, and Twilight was starting to let her appearance go ragged and the nose wrinkling smell of an unwashed pony filled the air to contest the enticing aroma of lasagna on Pinkie’s back.

“Twilly, you keep this up, and the staff will start to think the larder’s gone sour.” The playful teasing went unheeded as Twilight was lost to the world as she scribbled notes while using the typewriter on occasion.

Such a state was hardly new to Pinkie so she scanned the room and found several spare ink ribbons for the typewriters were all stacked neatly into a pyramid. Setting the plate down, Pinkie gently nudged one of the ribbons.

A great disturbance made Twilight cry out in surprise. She looked at her ink ribbons, and then sighed in relief at Pinkie Pie’s harmless grin. “You keep this up and I'll have to spoon feed you, Twily.” Pinkie expertly returned the ribbon back to its exact proper place. “And you know how easily tomato sauce can stain.”

A snorting, tired laughter escaped Twilight. “I’m sorry. But this code is a thing of terrible beauty. Every entry I translate just gets more complex. Calling back to certain words in previous entries, sentences that don’t make sense until the whole page is given one translation pass, only to need eight more behind it, and going so far as to include homophones at the right points to make you question just what is actually being said even though you have clean text.” She shivered as it all ran through her mind, and Pinkie Pie set the food down. “I can see why this broke as many minds as it did until most ponies just gave up.”

Taking it all in with an excitement that she was known for, Pinkie set the food down. “Have you found any more personal entries? That first one was so… off-putting.”

Nodding, Twilight took her notes in hoof. “Aye. It’s all rather unsettling how the sisters allowed things to get out of hoof. Between Celestia’s long-term planning being a bit too long term, and Luna allowing regular ponies to cause her to act rashly…” Twilight shook her head. “I swear, if I did not know Cadence personally, in that alicorns think just like us, I’d be quite unsettled.”

Thinking it over, Pinkie’s right ears twitched a few times. “True, but isn’t it weird how they talk like us today, rather than old timey speech?”

“I didn’t tell you?” Twilight asked. When Pinkie tilted her head in quizzical interest, Twilight chuckled softly. “I’m doing a double translation. One from the garbled speech to Old Equish, and from that to the modern vernacular. That way it's easier for others to read it. Trust me, the average pony wouldn't even be able to identify what month they were talking about.”

Pinkie scratched her chin, thinking back into the history lessons Twilight used to teach her in secret. “That makes a lot more sense, but dont you run the risk of missing something in translation?”

“I suppose it’s possible. How about you read these two and tell me if you think I missed something?”

A smile exploded onto Pinkie’s face. “You found another personal entry?!”

Humming in the affirmative, Twilight carefully moved everything back so she could eat without risking her work, save for a few typed up pages. “As you can imagine, the journals mostly detail military matters, with the occasional little moments of emotion and regret. But here is something that occurred together.”

October 10th sixty sixth year of the second age

The whole house of Red Skies is gone. I don’t know where Luna found these leather-winged pegasi, but a whole regiment descended on Summersburg and butchered every last member of the Red Skies down to anypony older than two.

In a way, she’s done me a favor, not that I can ever admit that publically. The Red Skies were always a troublesome house to reign in, but on the other hoof, they were peerless experts in weather control and were the only ones with the knowledge of how to break up the persistent northern blizzards. Any hope of salvaging the Crystal Empire or the old tribal lands is lost for who knows how long. This slaughter of the aristocracy who don’t bend to our every word is abhorrently shortsighted. I wanted to seize the momentum the windigos’ defeat had created and reforge pony society into scholars and pacifists. This war has set us all back to the era of the three tribes again. I suppose the only good to come of this war is now the same animosity the tribes once had for each other has been directed at the nations or my sister and I. Which means once I bring Luna to heel, she’ll have to play her part as the scapegoat. It will take generations before I can walk back the negativity that will be leveled at her, but it should allow her followers a chance to live without condemnation from their neighbors. It’s not like we don’t have the time.

October 12th sixty sixth year of the second age

The Red Pox are all dead, and they’re lucky I allowed them such quick deaths. They treated their serfs worse than Unicorna did their earth pony neighbors. It astounds me that either my sister can tolerate such treatment in her name or is blinded enough not to see it. Or how the townsponies cheered upon seeing the estate in flames. There was no love lost in their jeering faces, only satisfaction.

The bat ponies, or thestrals as they call themselves, have always been a reclusive people. They tell me they stayed away from the three tribes due to their animosity between each other, and I can hardly blame them. I am not exactly vocal about my dream walking abilities. Which probably explains why they took so long to approach me, but when they heard of it and how Lunaria is a place where all tribes abide the lessons of Hearthswarming, their leader, King Quiet Night pledged his tribe to my service.

It was quite the wise move on his part. The Lunarian boarder continues to expand to the eastern coasts, more so now that commoners with burned villages wish to get as far from the war as possible. Right into thestral territory, and its not like they can fly across the sea, assuming there is land further east.

These thestrals are a curious lot that I stayed away from in the dreamscape out of courtesy. My sister and I legitimize our rule by embodying each tribe. Our form for pegasi and unicorns, and our power for earth ponies. With my influence over dreams, and admittedly abnormal sleeping habits, they see themselves in me and I declared as much to the rest of my ponies. It should allow them to integrate without too much issue provided my country’s future is secured. Such reasoning will not be seen in a good light by my sister nor her soulless advisors. Call me callous if you must, but that means the whole tribe will align with me, and I shalln’t complain about that.

But nevermind all that. Our armies are spent, and the snow is upon us. I'm ordering a withdraw to Bridlewood to camp for the winter. Apparently the earth ponies and unicorns there can craft tree homes with surprising haste. I would have my army camp in as much comfort as I can provide as a reward for the victories they have given me.

Late one night under a full moon, Twilight stood on the tallest balcony of her new home. It had been a watch tower on the very peak of the mountain. The crisp cold air felt exhilarating as instincts as old as ponykind tried to pull her into the skies. An instinct she struggled with ever since becoming too old for her mother to carry her into the skies. But she didn’t have to fight it anymore. Now that she was away from the laboratory, the constant tests and tweaks of prototyping, and the watchful eye of a commandant, she could fly freely as her winged ancestors did before her.

Spreading her armored wings out wide, she began to hover and almost tilted forward to launch herself down the mountain when the heavy hoof falls of a stallion echoed up the spiral staircase leading up to the balcony. Remaining in the air, she turned to see Silver Vein gingerly poke his head out from the cracked door. “Begging your pardon, my lady, but I was hoping to join you for some night flying.”

A part of Twilight wished he would go away. After dealing with the work crews all day, she had wanted some alone time. Then again… Silver’s been quite diligent in investigating different fuels like I asked. Throwing on a convincing faux smile, she nodded once and gestured with a hoof to join her. “Of course. Forgive me for not accepting your invitation for lunch today, I was preoccupied.”

Stepping fully onto the balcony, Silver waved her concerns away with a wing. “Think nothing of it, my lady. My sister told me when she got married it was a major change in how her routine went. If you’d prefer, perhaps we could schedule a dinner or something like it.”

Blinking in surprise, Twilight had not expected him to do anything more than play the necessary role of a husband and assistant in her work. Such was the way of things with a negotiated marriage, let alone a relationship between a thestral and a pegacorn who still revered Celestia. But to actually try to court her?

It was still early, and they barely knew each other, and yet. How many clouds have I jumped off without seeing the ground? “That is entirely unnecessary. My sister and I don’t schedule our time together, there’s no reason the same can’t be true between us.”

Relief flooded his face. Silver stepped up to be close and was still clearly nervous. “Then before we go, would you permit a personal question?”

“Naturally,” Twilight replied with a touch of annoyance. I swear he acts like I’m his employer.

“I want to do this right and proper, but I have no idea how to start.” He fiddled with his mane a bit, trying to work up the courage. “I did some reading, and found out pegacorns tend to lean on either their unicorn or pegasus ancestry for their character. And well, I didn’t know what you preferred so I - Ah - my sister suggested I look up a few courtship traditions.” A cold sweat dampened his face. “I can’t really do Horn’s Glow, being without a horn and all. The flight of feathers either being without feathers and all. But-”

Twilight held out a silencing wing. “I applaud your efforts, Silver.” She couldn’t help but to see some of the same nervousness in him as Pinkie Pie did in the first few months of freedom and having to say lady instead of mistress. If anything, she found it charming.

“A flight of feathers would be just fine without the actual feathers,” she placated with a disarming, short laugh. “But I’m afraid I’m not yet good enough to participate in one.”

“Maybe I can help,” he suggested too quickly for his liking. “I know First Lieutenant Rainbow Dash is a better one by far, but for a - Ah - a… newcomer I suppose is a good word, to the skies I might be able to give some aid.”

“Well,” Twilight started conspiratorially while playfully eyeing the night sky. “don’t let her hear this, but she is not quite as helpful as she would want to be. As I fly very differently than a regular pony. As you can see I don’t flap my wings to stay aloft. These differences make many of her fundamentals less than useful I’m afraid.”

Feeling a bit brave, Silver flew up to join her and closely inspected Twilight's right wing. “Do you mind? He asked while indicating he wished to touch her.” Curious what he might do, she nodded her consent. Gently, he pressed his hoof over various points on her wing. She felt a pressure that was not of his hoof, but of his cloud walking magic. “Interesting… Tell me, how does the wind feel on your wings when you move?”

“Much like how you thestrals describe it when you are gliding. A heavy pressure on the bottom with very little on top.”

“It’s fascinating. Truly so.” He pulled back. “Lady Pinkie Pie told me we’re to attend the Lunar Festival in a fortnight in part to make our marriage arrangements widely known. “I would love nothing more than to participate in the flying square with you.”

“Dancing?” Twilight scoffed behind a hoof. “Silver, while I feel confident enough to do some night flying, dancing the square is a bridge too far.”

“Well, I am a bit of a dancer myself, and if you would grant me this boon, I would teach you all I can. The flying square is more about ceremony and fixed movements than the more freeform dancing back home. An inventor such as yourself should have no problem with it.”

“You think so?” Twilight gave him a curious look before nodding. Dancing in the air was always a treat to watch for the featherless mare. Oh how her blood ached to join her winged brethren in such a common act. A formal debut as the first pegacorn to participate in such a public dance wearing her armor pulled on her like water to the parched. “Then by all means, good sir, I shall endeavor to be a good student.”

September 25th sixty seventh year of the second age

The Honeycombs and Amethysts. Gone. Both houses were irreplaceable, not that my sister seems to care. The Honeycombs were the only ones who held the knowledge to make panacea, while the Amethysts were the only ones who possessed the secret to teleportation. I’ve lost all hope in ending this war before the entirety of my nobility is eradicated. It’s a wonder I’ve managed to hold the rest of them together rather than revolt or defect, Luna has gone out of her way to avoid the Pants, Bluebloods, and some others, but how long will that last before they too cause some intolerable offense? Her actions have given me an opportunity though. I’ve sent additional soldiers to each house to publicly be their bodyguard, but also to spy on their activities. If nothing else, I can hopefully see why Luna targets these families.

Aside from that, she refuses to join me in a pitched battle and besieging her castles and towns is only buying her bat ponies time to pick the houses apart, pony by pony. I have already sent word back to Canterlot for Raven Quill to create a new organization with the mandate to hunt down spies and assassins.

That being said, I can not help but to respect these bat ponies. When Luna is defeated, I will offer their tribe a place within Equestria as equals like the rest. But that can’t happen while Luna remains in power. If my sources are correct, they swore an oath, and will serve no one else unless she is removed, and I refuse to kill my own sister. I trust she feels the same as I have yet to receive any assassins in the night. There must be a way to remove Luna without killing her though. I am loath to leave my army in the hooves of another, no matter how capable Lord Commander Pale Light has proven to be, but I must do this before Luna unravels Equestria at the seams.

October 1st sixty seventh year of the second age

I had thought my sister’s departure from the main host and Pale Light lifting the siege against Rainbow Falls was a sign to strike the Equestrians in a moment of weakness in light of the coming winter, but Light is a wily one. His feigned retreat turned into an ambush that was nearly the end of me. I dare say the Equestrian army is better off with Pale Light in command. As much as Quiet Night wants to have him killed, I won’t allow it. Pale Light is the one who suggested that I see the countryside myself. To connect with the common folk and their plights. I sorely wish he had joined me that day, but I can not change a good stallion’s oaths, and I refuse to have him killed in his sleep. If he is to die by my hoof, better it be on the battlefield where he can die a hero.

Still though, I worry about why Celestia has been absent from the main host for so long during the good months for campaigning. It doesn’t matter if Pale Light is a better commander, her absence already sees my soldiers talk of victory, even in the face of our recent defeat. I'd like to imagine the reverse could be true in Pale’s camp. I sent Quiet Night to shadow my sister many moons ago with the explicit command to not harm her. So far, she’s remained in Canterlot Castle studying in the archives. I will have to leave it to others to keep tabs on her.

Even during times of war, the annual Lunar Festival was a tradition that had to be observed by the Throne. Soldiers from all over the front line were pulled at random to briefly return to Tranquility. There they would relay stories of personal gallantry and sacrifice before and after meals, then attendees would dance the night away. The recipients of these stories were both noble and commoner alike, with a special interest in reminding those in power of who kept the Equestrian war machine at bay.

Twilight had attended last year, and had decided to help two families who had lost multiple sons and daughters. They were the Cherry and Roots families that now resided at her farm. This time however, she attended with her fiancé at her side. Silver Vein kept his clothing within his price range by wearing a simple deep blue bow tie and a single white chrysanthemum flower pinned to his collar. Twilight was more showy by wearing Rarity’s hat and matching it quite nicely to an elegant dress with a native style that covered her from neck to hoof, save for splits to reveal her destiny mark. She too wore a chrysanthemum on the side of her neck.

The pair was standing on the stairs leading up to the landing where an imperial guard formally introduced everyone; noble and commoner alike. Though this would be the first formal occasion with the stallion, Twilight was largely at ease, if not actually grateful to him. Though news of her engagement had been making the rounds, tonight would solidify the relationship in the eyes of the public. Not to mention our involvement with dancing the square is sure to bring attention to us both.

So enamored with the prospect of joining the dance, that she only paid casual attention to the opening hours of the event which was a grand breakfast. Rationing being what it was, the Throne had made it clear that ponies were expected to have only one plate and not to waste any of it, lest it be an insult to the army. The opening meal was largely an excuse for ponies to catch up on matters both personal and business, the food was for the most part secondary. At her table, Twilight received more than a few odd looks concerning her armored wings. The armor she wore was stripped down a bit, removing the dedicated disruptor to save on space and weight. The effort allowed her to wear a tailored dress without too much difficulty, save for needing help to take it off and on.

With Pinkie Pie off conducting business, as was expected at such a party, that left Twilight and Silver to dine at a joint table between a number of other ponies. Some of which gave little effort in hiding their distaste for the distractive, if not exactly dangerous, sparks that occasionally escaped Twilight’s horn.

One such impolite unicorn mare was eating salad and sunny-side up eggs while shooting annoyed looks at Twilight’s suitor. “Lady Sparkle, I realize you are both a pegacorn and an Equestrian, but surely you could have done better than a pauper. My boy gave you a chance.” She continued on before Twilight could answer, earning some interested eyes from the others. “I understand he is of Blind Speaker’s blood and a thestral, but surely you were raised to have higher standards.”

What’s the matter, Glory Helm, no taste for subtlety tonight? Twilight gave a chiding smirk while expertly using her wings to handle her cutlery, much to the heckler’s distaste for the featherless appendages. A reaction that ran vendivice anticipation for the dance. “Oh yes, high standards is as much a requirement in Equestria as it is here. Why do you think I declined?”

Silver Vein felt slighted as well, but had to heavily curate what he’d typically say, what with being surrounded by nobility. One wrong word could make him too politically damaging to marry. “This pauper, as you put it, my lady, graduated with honors at Rock Salt University, without a charitable donation.”

Glory Helm huffed in poorly controlled anger, and completely ignored him in favor of Twilight. “Clearly Lady Pinkie Pie is the superior negotiator. Is it any wonder why you leave your investments in her vastly more capable hooves.”

“She is quite capable isn’t she?” came an interloping stallion sitting two plates over from Glory. Twilight recalled he was a titan among the textile industry: Tight Weave. The bright purple stallion wore his tuxedo like he was born for it. “But I am more interested in why you seem to surround yourself with commoners. Having friends in low places has its advantages to be sure, but I can’t think of a single noble soul outside of Clipped Wing that has had the pleasure of your favor. At this rate you could have saved yourself the trouble and bits to buy your title.”

“Why is it even a question?” Glory’s stern faced husband, Feather Helm grumbled. “You’re still an Equestrian at heart, and you can only stomach living here because you pretend all of your employees and tenets are your slaves.”

Twilight, and Silver Vein on her behalf, glared at the Helms. Yet any reply was interrupted by Tight Weave for his question being cut off. “If your son acts anything like the two of you, you should be gracious to anypony who has the common courtesy to consider him for marriage rather than laugh at it. I’ve been to taverns where the furniture is replaced everyday due to brawls and they still have more manners than you.”

“You better watch your tone,” Feather Helm hissed, Twilight Sparkle having been removed from his attention. “Or you’ll find yourself quite at a loss as to why no pony is willing to ship your products.”

Having rose to her defense, Twilight was hardly going to let Textile bear it all alone. “If I recall, Tight Mills produces a vast amount of the army and navy’s uniforms and bandages. I can’t imagine how much trouble transportation disruptions for such supplies would anger the Throne.”

“I know the foundries raised all sorts of Tartarus when the mines were late,” Silver chimed in. “And that was when we were still at peace.”

Feather Helm stood up, wanting to demand an honor duel with Textile until he heard a herald calling names over the music. “Come on, dear, our son is to speak soon.”

Glory joined her husband and glowered at Textile and Twilight. “This isn’t over.”

Once the two were out of earshot, a different couple at the table clapped out of appreciation. They were a pair of middle aged earthers. “Finally that nag is gone,” said the sately mare. “Had she remained any longer, I would have left myself.” She forked some salad and waved the air around her nose as if to remove some foul odor.

Textile gave the sentiment a polite laugh before returning his attention to the lone pegacorn. “The Helms never have been ones for poise and grace now have they?” He toyed his food with a passive fork, not really in the mood to eat.

“You must have quite the history,” Twilight added with a grateful nod.

“We do, I’m afraid,” Textile put irritably. “There are many who see the Helms as no different than the ones who blinded Celestia. You’re quite lucky to have refused her son’s hoof in marriage.”

“And here I thought terrible in-laws were a fact of life,” Silver jested, earning some mild smiles and little more.

Twilight however was more familiar with Lunarian nobility customs than Silver, and felt a bit cold. “Are you saying they’re going to be excommunicated?” she asked barely above a whisper.

The husband of the earther pair nodded, earning a fretful look from Silver Vien. “Unless their son or daughter dies in service to Luna before the war’s end. It’s how their family is still around. Every war in the last five or so, a dozen or so Helms have fought and died in.”

“We must all give to the nation and to Luna to earn her protection,” Textile commented while focusing on Twilight with a passive hum. “We nobles most of all for the role we played in the Schism. Whether we were loyal to Luna or not. Privilege here comes with a cost. So I must ask again, Lady Twilight Sparkle, what have you done to earn her protection?”

The mood shifted, and Twilight suddenly felt as if she was on the same chopping block as the Helms, and she had no children to throw into war to save her. The polite faces around her were judges and juries both.

“I am eager to know as well,” said the earther mare. “I heard your time spent back east was a failure. Having your… sister busy herself with war profiteering is just business, but business alone is not enough. Not for She who Protects.”

“Oh believe me,” Twilight began smoothly, hiding her excitement. “I have a few ideas.” She paused as an announcement was shouted out by a pegasus.

“To all fliers young and old, the first square shall begin at the Gear Hall in one quarter hour.”

The message was repeated, but Twilight tuned it out. “Perhaps I can demonstrate one of them. I ask for your indulgence by watching me dance in the square.”

Tight Textile glanced at Silver Vein who showed no surprise at such a request then back to Twilight. The young thestral was alone in that as those who were still paying attention to Twilight muttered to each other in surprise and intrigue. “You wish to dance in the square at the Gear Hall?” Textile tried to contain an impolite laugh. Lady Twilight, the Gear Hall contains a massive clock as its central pillar with enough gears to make flying a challenge for…” He struggled to put it politely. “Regular fliers. I’m afraid you’d never make it off the ground.”

Twilight quickly studied her fellow diners. If their expressions were anything to go by, not one disagreed with Textile’s assessment. Strange. I knew news of my invention would spread, but are magical machines so unbelievable they assumed I was deceiving the air corps and that’s why I was rejected? Whatever the case was, Twilight was all the more determined to dance. “Au contraire, mon ami,” Twilight waggled a hoof. “My dear friend Applejack would string me up by my tail if I told anypony a lie that big. But please, if words are not enough, let my actions speak for me.”

Tight Textile assumed she was preparing something symbolic at best, or fraudulent at worst. He had not thought much of her armor as anything other than an aesthetic crutch. Any other time he’d politely refuse, but too many eyes were on him now. He’d lose nothing if she was bluffing, or he’d appear insulting if she spoke the truth. “Very well, Lady Twilight, if nothing else the dance is a sight to behold.”

Twilight and Silver made their way to Gear Hall in short order. It was a five story hall with the central pillar replaced by a purposely over engineered clock tower. Here, flight was more of a test of endurance than of grace and gossip. The dance would begin with pegasi or thestrals standing on the ground while their wingless brethren watched from the plethora of balconies and landings. It was also here that Emperor Eclipse was expected to attend. A small orchestra was situated on the ground floor while simple ambience music played.

As Twilight and Silver threaded their way through the ranks of fliers to the closest row to the clock tower, hundreds of eyes followed them. Even those who could not distinguish her by distance could not miss the tell-tale crackling from a quite active pegacorn’s horn.

Silver watched Twilight’s mask of dignified confidence slip a bit. “You’re going to be fine. Remember the steps like you said ‘a chain of gears’.”

Giving a thin smile, Twilight wiggled her left eyebrow to try and shake off a stubborn sweat drop. “I will. But it’s the crowd. I - Ah - I was never that great with tons of ponies. It’s one of the reasons Pinkie Pie does all of that.”

“Ah you’ll do fine.” It had not been Silver who said that. Rainbow Dash was standing next to the clock tower with a thestral stallion Twilight had never seen before as her partner for the first dance. “You’ve been making my job easy since you tend to stay in one spot for half the day.”

“Very funny,” Twilight fussed as she assumed the proper position for the dance to start. Silver took several paces back to face each other. “I’m surprised you’d dance in the square at all. I thought you said it was too rigid of a dance for you.”

Rainbow stretched like a cat and her wings flared at their greatest extent. “Normally, sure. But Gear Hall makes it an endurance test, and I need to make sure I’m still ship shape.”

“Fair enough.” The drone of distant conversation was ever present, but she noticed quite a number of eyes on her. Just as I thought. Aside from Clipped Wing, the only ones who got to keep a set of armor were Ferrum and Veselov. Given the cost and inability to get spare parts, I doubt they fly very much. Clipped Wing though, he should still be on the boat back to the heartland, and had to leave in a hurry if I recall correctly. Which means, I get to be the one to show the world. Even though she wasn’t boastful by nature, in this instance… She had to force the world to let her take flight in the face of all those who had it gifted to them by birth.

In lue of an announcer, the orchestra changed the mood to a more rapid, sweeping melody that made the audience clap quietly and politely. The dancers along the outer ring of the clock tower began to rise one after the other. With a graceful nod to Silver, who played his part as the gentlecolt, bowed for her to begin. Twilight flared her wings and with a gentle hum that was lost to the music and the multitude of wings upon the air, lifted off the ground. However, it was the moment that she started using her hoof thrusters to ascend that things went awry. Her magic burned hotter and faster than ever, and she rocketed upward, past nearly half the other dancers before she caught herself. She stopped her thrusters and cut off her armor’s floatation, allowing gravity to arrest her ascent. Fear and utter embarrassment surged at once as she floated alone for a few seconds until Rainbow and Silver reached her in time with the dance.

Rainbow desperately wanted to check on her friend, but doing so would break the dance’s protocol. She’d be even more embarrassed if I did anything.

So it was up to Silver who would be the only dancer who could speak and watch her for any length of time. He reached eye level with a mare who was red as a rose, and her forehead was already discoloring with sweat. Still, he was too distant to speak for now, so all he could do was briefly wave a hoof to grab her attention away from the balcony of observers who were now behind him. Once he had her attention, he gestured upward with his head.

Still too frazzled and unsure to think to do anything else, Twilight tried ascending once more. Unsure of what to do, she tried brief spurts of thrust from her hooves. Where everyone else ascended to their assigned altitude with smooth grace, Twilight moved like a bouncing ball. Thank Celestia I was only trying to go straight up. Had she collided with any of the dancers to her side or behind her, the mare would have died of embarrassment on the spot. Higher and higher as her ring of dancers was to rise to be level with the clock face. Once there, with Twilight more or less leveling out at nine, and Silver smoothly at three, the dance truly began.

Here, Twilight was able to fall back on easier beats. The slow, rhythmic spins were much easier as they only needed her wings which performed as expected. It gave her a moment to calm, but only a moment, as the dance moved on to where she needed to glide to her partner. Yet as with the weeks of practice, her wings were incapable of gliding, so she was forced to use her thrusters once more. Twilight tried to give only the briefest of pushes, but the instant her magic was converted into unicorn magic, her thrusters burned hot and loud.

She rocketed straight at Silver who surprised her by deftly dodging to the left, and grabbing Twilight by the base of the neck as she would have sailed right past him, and spun her a few times to slow her down enough to more or less push her into the proper position.

By the time he did so, Twilight was breathing heavily and was in tears as fresh embarrassment clouded her mind. “I don’t know what happened! My - y - magic isn’t - I - my armor - it’s-”

“Shh,” he hushed gently, placatingly. “Don’t worry about everypony else, just focus on me.” Twilight’s red rimmed eyes stopped wandering to zero in on his. “Stay with it.” Nodding, Twilight breathed a couple of slow breaths. “Spin three times,” he softly reminded her, causing the mare to do so as she continued to think.

Twilight and Silver separated, drifting back to the nine and three. Her courage continued to flounder as to what was coming next. She was supposed to enter a shallow guide, lapping the clock tower eight times and spinning with her partner every time they met before sprinting back to the starting position. Yet as with practice, Twilight knew her wings could not glide. Alright, Twilight, think think think. You’re going too fast, no way to stymie the mana flow. Don’t try for a smooth circle, just ah…. A pentadecagon, short bursts into a pentadecagon, that should do it.

Loosening up on her wings’ levitation, she gave short bursts of thrust to match her plan. Even through her efforts were paying off into a more controlled dance as she compensated for the extra speed, she found it impossible to ignore the elegant dancers all around her. Let alone the observers she saw on the balconies who undoubtedly judged her every move. She wanted to cry, to hide at home and never leave it again, anything but to remain here. But that was not the actions of a proper lady, and so she forced herself to stay strong.

So lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t even notice Silver until he touched her. Shocking back out of her racing thoughts, she remembered to twirl and orbit him.

He gave her a reassuring grin as best he could. “We might have to skip some steps, but we’re doing alright so far.”

“Alright?” She half sputtered at the ludicrous statement. “Alright!? I’ll be the laughingstock for decades!”

“You’re hardly the only one having problems,” he pointed down with his chin as they briefly separated for a crude orbit around each other. The act allowed Twilight to see the ground, and spotted two elderly couples who had already dropped out of the dance and were being led away. “The tower’s causing the rest of us our own issues, my lady.”

After splitting up again, Twilight used the remaining seven orbits to steal glances at the other couples as she got used to the added thrust, Silverincluded. All of them were flapping their wings at a racing pace just to stay aloft. Many did an admirable job masking their fatigue, but plenty were dipping up and down as they struggled against the magic wiping force of the clock tower.

As for Twilight herself, she was doing little better. The over-burning thrusters had drained her magic far more than she had ever tested, and this from a pony who rarely had a chance to exercise her magic until last year. Using the last orbit around Silver, Twilight spotted Rainbow Dash who was smirking at her flagging partner. Her wing beats were just as fast as everyone else's' yet she remained flying with casual ease. Showoff as ever. The sight of her friend and everyone else let Twilight’s nerves settle enough for her more easily adopt a calm demeanor.

She didn’t have time to say anything as the dance moved on for everyone to climb back to their original positions, so she separated from Silver. As before, her thrusters were acting over charged as she pushed onward. Yet by now, she had gotten used to it, and arrived more or less in the proper spot, just far too early. It ended up being a blessing as she felt badly winded at the end of it. Her barely practiced magic was nearly gone, and by time Silver managed to reach his position he was on his last legs.

Here the music paused, allowing the dancers a respectable time to withdraw. The lion’s share did just that. Twilight was immensely glad for it and dove for the ground by lessening her wings’ efforts. About the only thing to work as expected.

The ground quickly filled with weary dancers, but she was able to find a clear enough spot to land. Silver came to a rest close by. Surprised to find herself so winded, Twilight tried to uphold her noblemare poise by not gasping for air. Silver Vein was under no such compulsions, and hung his head and greedily gulped air. “Oh wow. Never thought I’d be so glad to be on the ground again.”

Twilight wasn’t so sure. The ground meant company, and the dozen or so nobles, Tight Textile among them coming right for her, left her throat drier than the dance did. She braced herself for the slings and arrows surely coming, as retreating would only make it far worse. “Better to face your detractors head on than allow them to only speak of you behind your back and label you a coward,” her mother’s voice echoed in her mind. “If you fail, accept it and move on. To do otherwise debases you to a commoner, and Sun burn me alive before I allow either of you to lessen yourselves so.”

Her hooves firmly planted on the ground, Twilight held her head high, only allowing deep, but slow breaths to betray her fatigue.

Upon reaching her, Textile bowed a bit in respect. “Never in all my years. I’ve seen fliers struggle with the Gear Hall before, but you certainly like to present yourself as a mare of firsts.”

It wasn’t quite the insult Twilight had expected, if anything it almost sounded complimentary, but she was still too inwardly frazzled to believe it. The growing crowd of onlookers certainly wasn’t helping as she caught snippets of what the crowd was saying. “Is she really a pegacorn?” “I thought magic didn’t work in Gear Hall.” “Did you see how she almost ran into you?” “You need to include that in your next play, it’ll be a riot.” “You think she’s actually an alicorn posing as a pegacorn?”

The last one actually got her madder than any of the actual insults being flung her way. Casting them all from her mind, she leveled a tense nod at Textile. “Yes well, not through a lack of trying to be sure.”

“I trust you also expected that to go a bit smoother,” Textile added, with a toying grin. “That being said, I simply must meet with you in private about this.”

“That’s certainly a meeting I’d hate to miss,” half-cried a young fast speaking earth stallion. By his accent he was from the heartland, and wore a brown flop hat. “Green Acre,” he said hastily while tipping his hat and fluidly pulling out a notepad and pencil. “Tranquility Times, at your service. A flying pegacorn, bully of a headliner that’ll be. Can you confirm for my readers how it is you did it?!”

Tight Textile bristled sharply at the rude interjection, but given that Green Acre was a known member of the press, it actually fell to Twilight to deal with the interloper. That didn’t stop Textile from glaring scornfully at him.

Even so, she wasn’t exactly in the mood to toss aside a chance to erase any sort of bad publicity her dance would give her if she completely brushed him off. Giving him her best patient smile, “it’s my armor actually. It’s a machine designed to use my magic to mimic pegasus flight.”

“A machine flying machine?!” Green shook his head, disbelief warring with what his own eyes witnessed. “Dame, ya kill’n me here. I can only have one headline.”

“Then perhaps you can do a double print.” Twilight was about to gently brush him off so she could discuss business with Textile, but stopped herself. He’ll just walk away as soon as he sees the price as well. Trying to hide her ebbing mood, Twilight turned to the business pony in question. “Perhaps we can discuss things later in private. My machine is still very new and as you plainly saw, not everything has been worked out yet.” As if expecting Textile or some other listening noble to offer token rebuttals she added, “affordability chief among them.”

Given her horrible dance, Textile and the others lining up beside him quickly caught on. Still, he was not in the business of dismissing opportunities. “A fair precaution. When you’re ready, please don’t hesitate to call upon me.”

“Of course.” She glanced around at the still growing crowd. “I must retire, I’m feeling very taxed right now.”

Making sure Silver was with her, Twilight bid a sluggish retreat as the true effects of mana exhaustion crept up on her. After some searching, they spotted an isolated perch inside a connecting hallway. It was small, but curtained. Silver flexed his aching wings to keep them from going stiff. “Can you still get airborne? I can pull you up if need be.”

Twilight’s wings at least were more less fine and she stretched them out to hover. “That’s about all I can manage,” she stated with a dry laugh, not trusting her thrusters. Taking her by the hoof, Silver got them onto the ledge and shut the curtain. Both of them nearly collapsed into the lounge chairs that nearly took up all the floorspace. She rested for over a solid minute before dragging herself up to a proper sitting position and smoothing her dress. “I want to thank you for helping me stay in the dance to the end. I don’t think the reception would have been nearly as positive if you hadn’t.”

Waving off her concerns with a wing, Silver started some stretching exercises. At least what he could do in the confined space. “I’m used to handling ‘golden moments’. Um, Golden Hills is my sister’s name, and she had stress episodes like that more than most ponies, and I was her helper before going off to RSU. I -Ah- I hear her husband has taken over for me and is rather capable.” He recoiled a bit, feeling as if he said too much.

Now that they edge away from prying eyes, Twilight clipped her wing armor to her side and hugged him. “You’re a good stallion, Silver Vein.”

This was the first time she had embraced him with affection behind it, and it lingered on until a biscuit hit the curtain and rolled in between the curtains. Puzzlement caused them to separate and look at the crumbling food item. An annoyed voice from below caused them to poke their heads out.

Pinkie Pie was waving an excited hoof at her while an Imperial Guard earth stallion had an iriate word to share with creating a mess. “By Luna you should have told me you were going to dance at the Gear Hall, Twilight! I could make you the next hero doing that.”

“I highly doubt it,” the guard grumbled. He was a far cry from the typically stoic bunch. “Lady Twilight Sparkle, the Emperor would like to share a word with you.”

Cringing a bit, Twilight hastily clapped her wings back into the armor and floated down with Silver close behind. “I hope the thing with the dance didn’t cause offense.”

“Hard to say,” the imperial guard cautioned. “The emperor is not in the habit of shouting his feelings.”

January 14th sixty eighth year of the second age

Fortune is finally smiling upon me. As luck would have it, Starswirl the Bearded used Canterlot Castle as both a test bed for early portals, strangely in the form of a mirror, and a repository for items he left behind.

The mirror is of keen interest though. According to Starswirl’s notes, it leads to a magicless world every three moons. Guiding Arrow and his scouts report the land is populated by a bizarre analog of a minotaur. Apparently Starswirl’s intent was to use this world as a sort of prison for foes too difficult to contain or kill as not only do such foes lose access to magic, but physically dangerous enemies are changed as well. One entry stated a dragon was transformed into a dog. How Starswirl managed to fit said dragon into the mirror he irritatingly omitted. Even so, I could not have asked for a better solution for my sister. I only wish he and the other Pillars had not disappeared before I took the crown.

More importantly to my sister’s wellbeing, the natives share our value in gold and precious gems. According to Arrow the locals have a pleasing appearance. No accounting for taste, but the sentiment should serve him well as he has volunteered to remain in this world. With enough gold and baubles he should be able to acquire decent enough accommodations for my sister. Without her power, she is no different than any of the other locals, and thus will have to sit in exile until I correct matters.

Again, the only problem is that Starswirl never wrote down how he was to presumably send these dangerous foes into the mirror in the first place. After all, if one can bind them long enough to throw them in, then the mirror would not be necessary. I will continue to search for answers, and if the library is not forthcoming, perhaps I will have to turn to other means to force my sister through the mirror.

February 17th sixty eighth year of the second age

To think I would be grateful for disease. Pale Light has fallen ill to camp fever. I doubt he will perish from it, the stubborn ox, but it has removed him from command. When I received word that Celestia had departed Canterlot, I had thought she was returning to lead in his absence. But no, Quiet Night assures me she is actually out recruiting. But not for more soldiers. Quiet Night’s report leads me to believe he doesn’t understand what she’s actually looking for, but I know. Celestia wants paragons of Honesty, Generosity, and Kindness, the same elements that stayed with me when I left her side. With her control over the other three, this can only mean she’s found some way to use others as surrogates. The only question is why? Does she believe the Tree will simply allow this to happen? Our dispute is one thing, but involving the Elements...

A shame the Tree is so deep within my sister's territory or I would ask it in person. Still, I must plan for the Tree remaining passive as it has thus far. If she planned to steal my elements, I’d have heard about it. If Discord had returned, or some other threat had revealed itself, Celestia would have called for a truce, as we had agreed decades ago. The only threat she wouldn’t call for one is me, but just how exactly could she bend the incomplete set of elements? Perhaps the how of it doesn't matter, only the what.

Whatever she’s planning, disrupting a spell is far simpler than creating one.

Author's Note

Would pegasi brave the skies during wartime to control the weather? Do earth ponies grow tea plants inside the house for the freshest of leaf water? Do unicorns carve those runes into their horns, or is it all natural? Did thestrals evolve from fruit bats? Do alicorns come from the twilight zone?

Find out none of these and moooore, next time!

26: Fortune Favors the Bold

Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie had been escorted to a familiar site for the elder sister. The castle’s battlements were as moss covered as ever, the structure's defensive usefulness having been rendered unnecessary once again by the navy. The night sky was lit by the sleepless city. The fliers district had drifted directly over the harbor, its lights mimicking the stars that would have been drowned out. Barely visible out into the bay was a small squadron of steam warships protecting the waters.

The imperial guard who had brought Twilight’s group this far gestured for them to stop. “I’m afraid this is where the others will have to wait,” he directed at Twilight.

Giving a brief nod, she laid a wing on Silver’s back. “Why don’t you see about finding us a place to dance aside from Gear Hall? This might take long enough for me to recover.”

Taking the hint, he returned the gesture by placing his wing upon her. “I’ll see you then.”

Since they were not wed, they parted without a kiss. When Silver had returned down the stairs, Twilight addressed their escort. “If I may ask, I would very much appreciate it if my sister could accompany me.” If one ignored the warm grin on Pinkie Pie’s face, she’d appear as emotionally reserved as a noblemare and as expected to be. “I assure you, she will hear everything from me later anyway.”

“I was instructed to bring you.” Grumbling in annoyance, the guard jerked his head further down the wind-worn battlements. “But I suppose he didn’t order ‘only you’.”

Both mares bowed. “You have my thanks,” Twilight said as she cantered along the castle wall. Roughly halfway down, she saw two figures in deep discussion: Emperor Eclipse and Archbishop Faithful Hymn. The wrinkled mass in the form of a robed white unicorn twitched an ear at the sound of Twilight’s hooves before his eyes followed. A deep scowl creased his already wrinkled face. Eclipse however wore a casual smile, like a joke was slowly unfolding. A pair of wine glasses rested upon the battlements along with a single cigar. Twilight had frozen upon realizing she was interrupting an important meeting she didn’t feel invited to no matter what the sentry had said. Her growing panic wasn’t helped by the seven bodyguards either standing a respectful distance away or hovering in the air had started to eye her with weapons being drawn. Twilight wanted to berate the escort for this, but opted to take a step back and smile sheepishly. “A thousand pardons, I was-”

“Ahh, the Sparkle sisters! Nonsense, nonsense,” Eclipse declared with campy humor. “You’re just the mares I wanted to see. Come closer.” He waved them forward, prompting the bodyguards to release their weapons, but were still weary over the unusual armor on her wings.

Clearly agitated, Faithful Hymn leveled a scathing glare at the emperor, but held his tongue for a bit longer.

Sweating despite the chilly evening, Twilight nervously approached while her wings were clamped against her side. Why is the archbishop here? Is this all about the translation? Flashbacks of Rarity pulling Twilight into her carriage only compounded her growing panic. She was hyperventilating by the time Pinkie Pie thought to lay a reassuring hoof on her sister’s foreleg.

Small though it was, the familieral touch gave Twilight enough poise to speak without her voice cracking. “Your majesty, your excellency, to what do we owe the pleasure?” She asked while both mares bowed.

Flashing a jovial, toothy smile at his old advisor, Eclipse gave off too much enthusiasm for Twilight’s liking. “I’m surprised you even need to ask. Hymn, my old friend, you remember the Sparkle sisters. They’re the mares of the hour now aren’t they?”

Suppressing a deep, exasperated sigh, the old unicorn leaned against his ornate staff, his old bones creaking as much as the wood. “Yes I remember them,” he looked at Pinkie, “though you were a freshly liberated slave last I saw you.” Upon remembering that, he made an attempt to keep from scowling at the pegacorn when he moved to regard her, his staff jingling a bit as rings shifted. “I must say I was surprised to learn you had been adopted.”

“As was I,” Eclipse added. “A bit,” he directed at the pegacorn.

Dearly wishing to nuzzle her sister, Pinkie had to be content with giving a broad, warm smile. “We’ve been family for a long time, I just needed the freedom and time to understand that.”

“I can only imagine,” Hymn stated while turning to the emperor, intent on excusing himself.

Yet he didn’t get the chance as Eclipse puffed on his cigar and spoke quickly. “Lady Pinkie Pie, I must confess. That dessert you smuggled out of the kitchen wasn’t exactly to my liking, but I can not deny it was a roaring success all the same.”

Wrinkling his already impressively craggy brow, Hymn had to think a bit before looking back up in surprise. “Those apple frous were your doing? Eclipse might not care for them, but I thought they were delightful.”

Giggling at the praise, but doing more so to further calm Twilight down, Pinkie Pie bowed once more. “You’re more than welcome. But true acclaim belongs to Applejack.”

Much earlier during the previous afternoon, Pinkie Pie and Applejack were cantering down the service halls of the building. The heavy scent of cooking food was all they needed to know where to go. Pinkie Pie wore a full dress fit for her station. It was a light blue thing that had ruffles around her neck, vauging making her head represent a blooming flower. She carried a brown pastry box on her back. The sailor who followed after her was wearing the white suit of a chef, a toque blanche, and a worried look.

“Are you sure this will work?” Applejack asked nervously as she waited for some soldier to stop them. “They don’t just let anypony into the kitchens ya know.”

“You worry too much, Applejack,” Pinkie said as she kept walking, but turned her head back to speak. “With Forest Honey claiming illness, they need a replacement dessert chef, and your apple fritters are awe inspiring.”

Never being one to take praise with ease, Applejack’s gaze shied away. “Aw shucks, I guess they’re good and all but the nobles ain’t going to try them, let alone the emperor.”

Tilting her head back and forth as she thought it over, Pinkie Pie eventually nodded. “I suppose you might be right. Fritters sound too down to earth, you need to think of a more… how did you put it? More frou-frou sounding name for them.”

Huffing irritably, Applejack rolled her eyes. “As if the name should matter.” A sly grin cleaved the sailor’s muzzle. “How about we just call them apple frou-frous?”

Arching an intrigued eyebrow, Pinkie Pie thought it over. “Laying it a bit too on the nose, aren't you?”

“And?” Applejack challenged harmlessly. “Who knows, maybe some of them will find the honesty refreshing.”

“You might be onto something.”

A few more hallways down, the kitchens were finally in sight. As luck would have it, a pegasus stallion with quite the impressively tall chef hat was speaking to a unicorn subordinate. The mares never had a chance to hear any of it as the master chef stopped as soon as he spotted them. He was instantly suspicious of the unfamiliar face in a cook’s uniform. “Oiuy, who’s this then?”

Pinkie Pie came to a stop and inclined her head. “Head Chef Sweat Meat, I am Lady Pinkie Pie of House Sparkle, and this is my house’s personal chef Applejack. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Waving away his previous conversation partner to stand near the kitchen door, Sweat Meat sized both mares up while glancing to the side to make sure the nearby sentry was paying attention. “My lady,” he said only because manners dictated it. “So what do you want?” he asked tersely. “I’m down a cook, and I don’t have time to interview a replacement, let alone to ensure you are not some poisoner.”

Pinkie scoffed at the notion with a dignified huff. “Master Chef, I put my name on the line if you suspect any foul play. Aside from that, I know the feeling of being pressed by a deadline all too well. I was a slave in Equestria before I was liberated, so I fully understand the… stresses that come with failing your betters. Which is why I brought one of Applejack’s exquisite Apple Frou Frous as her interview.”

Turning to the side, Pinkie Pie presented the box and Applejack opened it to reveal the culinary delights. The four fritters were golden brown nuggets about a quarter the size of a hoof and were highly irregular in shape. White glaze filled every nook and cranny and it was still warm, as if it had come straight from the oven.

Sweat Meats wanted to play it safe and dismiss them on the spot, but time was short and there were hundreds of mouths to feed and very little time left to dally on procedure. Studying the pastry, he wrinkled his nose. “It looks rather unappealing.” He smelled the air, and was surprised to find the aroma was the exact opposite. His interest was piqued. Ugly foods that smelled and tasted good were not unheard of. He got in close to the pastry, eyeing it critically. This was no mere dinner he was preparing, but a major holiday where every dish had to be fit for the elites, no matter who was actually attending.

“If you’re worried about poison,” Applejack started with careful pride over her creation. “Pick one and I’ll eat it first. You can also check me if you like to make sure I can only use what your kitchen provides.”

“I claim the last one,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, not willing to let the delight rest on her back before it could rest in her stomach.

At any other time, Sweat Meats would still decline, but his job and the event itself was on the line as he didn’t have enough desserts to satisfy the coming partiers. Nothing would be more embarrassing than running out of food, aside from the poison of course.

Picking two fritters out with a hoof, he gazed upon both mares. “If you’re so determined to taste test, eat those two. Pickled Fish, help Applejack remove her whites and check it thoroughly. I don’t want even a stray bit of fur in there without knowing about it.”

As everyone moved to comply, Applejack happily consumed her fritter with a hum. “Boy howdy, these got so much better since Twilight bought that cinnamon Ah asked for.”

Pinkie Pie did not mask her enjoyment in the slightest to help sell the fritter. She hummed with delight and did at least refrain herself from licking her lips in front of the others. “Worth every slip.”

Through it all, Applejack helped the unicorn remove her uniform. While the endorsements meant nothing to the head chef, the lack of any death by poison made him relax enough to try one of the fritters. If the look of the thing put him off, the taste certainly made up for it.

Taking his time to taste every aspect of it, he begrudgingly gave a small nod. “It won’t do for the emperor, but I suppose it will agree with the common folk at least.”

Faithful Hymn recalled eating one barely an hour ago. “There is something to be said about commoner foods. They are more pure than the overdressed delights so many nobles gorge themselves on. Closer to Luna herself.”

While Twilight couldn’t help but to feel it was a backhanded compliment, Pinkie acted as if she took his words at face value. Beaming with excitement, Pinkie bowed once more. “I have no doubt Applejack will be, to paraphrase her, ‘pleased as a pig in mud’, to hear your endorsement.”

“I must admit though,” Eclipse said after finishing his glass of wine, “I’m more interested in that get-up you have going there. I received a report about your armor…” He walked over to Twilight who opened a wing without being prompted. Eclipse inspected the skeletal aluminum frame with a critical eye. “But it doesn't seem to offer any real protection.”

All too happy to showcase her invention to the most important pony on the continent, Twilight quickly forgot her nervousness caused by the archbishop. “Well, I’ve only been calling it armor for lack of a better word. I’ve been toying with the idea of calling it a Flight Assist SuiT, or fast.”

“Flight assist?” Faithful Hymn queried with naked disbelief. He rattled his jowls with mirth. “How exactly? Tie yourself to a pegasus?”

Twilight’s irritation flared, but not quick enough to keep the emperor from backing off a bit. “Yes, yes, I would like a personal demonstration as well. Preferably without the malfunction this time.”

“My pleasure.” Twilight let her wings stretch out and the armor started humming, only for Eclipse to raise a halting hoof.

“Just a moment.” He glanced around him until his eyes landed on a pegasus bodyguard who was flapping his wings harder than he should be. Upon his back was a disruptor, making the emperor grin with playful mischief. “Cumulus, get over here and fly next to Lady Twilight. As close as you can.”

The odd request left the soldier to hesitate for a moment before he saluted, “yes, sire.” Swooping in low, Cumulus' passage caused Faithful Hymn’s magic to fail, and the old stallion had to jerk a leg forward to catch the staff before it could fall.

Twilight waited until the sentry was beside her before taking off. Her thrusters behaved this time around, and she was able to fly several small laps around the area and would have done Rainbow proud by performing two rolls and a loop. Though she tried to keep her aristocratic poise through it all, she couldn’t help but to feel exhilarated and let off some laughter as the world spun along with her. Through it all, the Cumulus easily kept up, earning some impressed hums from Eclipse, and leaving Faithful Hymn speechless.

Not wanting to keep everyone waiting, Twilight returned to Pinkie’s side and received a friendly wink from her sister before she refocused on the emperor. Cumulus assumed his job was done and returned to his original post. “I can do that for as long as a pegasus can fly, your majesty.”

“Bravo, bravo,” Eclipse clapped as he started at Faithful Hymn. “What do you say, old friend?”

The shock vanished from the old stallion in an instant, and he took a long inhale while glaring at the brown stallion with irritation. “Aye. I am not so old as to ignore something of such great import.” His hard gaze didn’t soften when he returned his gaze upon Twilight Sparkle. “If this sort of activity is all you spent your time on, I have little doubt you could end up canonized one day for your contributions to our great nation. However, I am gravely concerned over your recent acquaintance and choice of husband.”

Here it comes, Twilight thought as she started sweating. “I - I presume you mean Luna’s journal.”

Hymn gave a humorless smile. “Blind Speaker’s handiwork. I suppose committing blasphemy once gave you a taste for it. I command you now to destroy any sort of translation Blind Speaker gave you,” he shook with mounting righteous anger. “If Luna wanted her inner thoughts known to us, she would have left them in plain speech as she did with many other letters and commands.”

“Come now, old friend, it’s hardly blasphemy if she still venerates Celestia. That being said,” Eclipse warned before Twilight could speak. He carried his full imperial authority in his voice, cowing Twilight by the sheer weight of words. “Abandon this path Blind Speaker has set you on. Annul the wedding if need be, but leave Luna’s wartime journal to the church.”

Not even willing to give a token protest, Twilight bowed to hide her shivering. The sudden closer scrutiny from the various bodyguards wasn’t helping her nerves. “Y-yes, your majesty, your excellency. If - uh - is it at all possible to remain with Silver Vein?”

While Pinkie remained outwardly passive, following Twilight’s lead, inwardly she was reeling. Wait? You’re not even going to mention the other journal?!

“It would be problematic,” Faithful Hymn grumped. He eased up, however, allowing the fearful mare to calm down a bit. “What with you still tied to Blind Speaker. Still… If you are already that fond of him, I can allow it. Consider it a gift for your discretion.”

“You’re too kind, your excellency.” Twilight fidgeted uncomfortably, and stood there, waiting for either of them to say anything further or be dismissed.

Pinkie Pie’s eyes kept darting between Twilight and the stallions, fully expecting her sister to say something more. Yet as the seconds passed, the pegacorn remained silent while Hymn prattled on about the importance of toeing the line, humility, and a string of other excuses Pinkie wanted no part of. Well if she won’t do it, then I will!

She was preempted by Eclipse who had been watching the junior sister quite closely. “You have something to add, Lady Pinkie Pie?” he asked, interrupting Hymn’s speech.

Practically jumping to be an inch in front of Twilight, Pinkie bowed low. “Yes, your majesty, a thousand times yes.”

“Pinkie,” Twilight hissed under her breath, “don’t-”

Leveling a stern stare they said ‘my turn’, Pinkie left Twilight to clam up and wait. “There’s something you should know before you make any of this official. We translated Celestia’s war journal as well.” Both stallions and the soldiers who had been listening in were stunned, Twilight couldn’t think of how best to speak up, so Pinkie was left to go on. “Blind Speaker’s translation works on her journal perfectly. We already know enough to get a general idea as to where the Sisters might be,” she bluffed. General might be overly generous here, what with whole provinces being possible locations.

Eclipse’s gaze zeroed in on Twilight who only showed restrained irritation at Pinkie, instead of the reserved continence of a bluffing mare. “I’d ask how you have a copy of the journal, but why should I? You certainly have yet to stop surprising me.”

Faithful Hymn snapped out of his brief stupor to vigorously shake his head. “It hardly matters. Even if it is Celestia’s journal, Luna would see it as an insult as well.”

Ever the salespony, Pinkie adopted a robust stance to show she was far from cowed like her sister. “Your Excellency, can you seriously think that’s true given the fact that it was a wartime journal? Luna would have loved nothing better than to know exactly what her sister’s plans were.” Caught flatfooted once again, Hymn was left opening and closing his mouth, yet unable to think of what to say. “As far as insulting Celestia, I think the only pony here who’d be concerned about that would be Twilight herself.”

Laughing as if hearing a good joke, Eclipse clapped his advisor on the withers, jostling the staff free from Hymn’s grasp, making the wizened stallion have to fumble to catch it. “Come now, Hymn, you tossed more than one cross word Celestia’s way over the years, what’s one more slight?”

Grumping, Hymn moved the staff away from the emperor with his magic. “Luna would want to read it herself, not us mortals.” He paused a bit, reading the mirth on Eclipse's face. “But… if Lady Twilight is so determined to anger her patron once more, I won’t stop her.” He turned to the mare in question. “After this, you should consider converting. It would wipe your insult to Luna clean.”

Pinkie faced her sister with smug satisfaction. “You’re welcome.”

Laughing despite herself, Twilight briefly Pinkie. “What would I do without you.” Moving up to address the stallions properly, Twilight began.

My sister has finally been cornered. I don’t know how she managed it, but either her spies are more thorough than I thought possible or I became too obvious with my efforts to push for a pitched battle, even when I was at a disadvantage. Every time she pulled away when the mirror was open, only to come about and strike at me when the hour had passed. But now, now I have her trapped against the river on one side and Pale Light’s contingent to the north. Her fliers could try to escape with her of course, but I’ve hidden outfliers there as well. Not enough to stop all of Luna’s winged soldiers from a determined retreat, but more than enough to cut down any pegasi carrying another pony.

The majority of her army are earth ponies and a scattered number of unicorns, she’d have to abandon them entirely if she wants to flee, and if she does that she can no longer sustain the war. Not only that, but Raven’s skirmishers assure me Luna’s baggage train has been set to the torch. Her only recourse now is to fight through me to pillage my supplies if she wants to have enough food to survive the march back to Saddlesburg. But most importantly of all, the mirror portal opens at sundown tonight. Even if she risks another night attack, I’ll be ready.

As if my fortunes could get any higher, not even her bat pony assassins remain. Hazel Shimmer has written about his success in repelling the attack on his house. Raven smuggling in eighty mare-at-arms into his castle was a master stroke against those thestrals.

I’ve already written to Pale Light and Raven Quill back home to be ready to disband the levies still held in reserve. The war will be over by the third day either with Luna secured in the mirror world, or her army destroyed.

This day couldn’t have come soon enough. I am weary of it all. The slaughter, the clash of steel and spell, watching good soldiers succumb to sickness. So many are dead all because Luna lacked subtlety. But I hardly stand blameless now do I? There is so much to do once we can lay down our swords. Luna is many things, but she is still my sister.

None of this should have happened. We were meant to rule together, not be at each other’s throats. When I have time, hopefully during the next period when the mirror is open, I can finally sit down with her. No one else in the room and just talk, and be sisters again.

I shouldn’t even be writing this. My soldiers need me out there, preparing the defenses with them, but I feel compelled to pen my thoughts. Celestia thinks I’m cornered, but Whisper assures me the ambush on Celestia’s outlfiers was perfect and no word got back to my sister of their defeat. At the very least my army will have an escape route if it comes to that.

I dearly wish Quiet Night was still with me. I kept sending him against those vile houses, and he always came back alive and victorious. I didn’t pay attention to how thin his soldiers were getting. Maybe he wanted to hide his losses or maybe I was too drunk on vindication. And with him gone, so was my spymaster. By the time I learned Pale Light had raised another army he was charging down watermill hill.

Is this how Tia felt when I confronted her all those years ago? Blindsided by reality? Not that it matters now. When my sister is a statue, perhaps then I can.

I can. I

I don’t know anymore, Tia.

Back in the present, Twilight licked her parched lips, dearly wishing for a drink after talking for so long. “There is some context I’m leaving out in previous entries, your majesty, but I think it is reasonable to presume that the sisters did not ascend as we believed, but trapped themselves.”

Faithful Hymn had been polite enough to let her say her piece, but he was seething the whole time. “I can not stand for this - this blasphemy! Luna saw what others can not, her sister could not. No pony could ‘blindside’ her!” He spat with utter contempt. The force of it made Twilight recoil and Pinkie instinctively step in close to her sister.

What further reprimand was cut short by Eclipse placing a restraining hoof across Hymn’s chest. “Answer me this: is it possible for Luna to be returned to us?”

“Your majesty?!” Hymn raged as he stepped back. “You can’t seriously be considering this as anything other than lies!”

Rather than answering him directly, the stoic-masked earth stallion scrutinized Twilight and Pinkie carefully. “Answer the question.”

Failing to fully regain her composure, Twilight coughed into a hoof as lightning sparked madly off her horn. “I believe so, yes.”

Scowling his wrinkled face into a fearful mask, Hymn shook his staff at the mare. “Would you stake your life on that? Your very soul?!”

“I - I,” Twilight fumbled, trying to piece things together, only for panic to rob her of her words.

Seeing this, Pinkie stepped in, breaking protocol, but protecting her sister was worth any faux pas. Even so, she had to speak quickly to keep them from silencing her out of principle. “Forgive me, your majesty, but it has been almost a thousand years since the War of Strife. The best we can hope for is locating where the sisters’ statues went and then go from there.”

“Statues?” Eclipse inquired, his interest grew by the second.

Her courage returning, Twilight brushed a wing against her sister, prompting her to step back. “That’s my current theory, yes. The sisters never left this world, either by portal or to Elysium. They’re here somewhere, trapped in stone.”

Growling in a way only an old soul could, Faithful Hymn pulled back away from the mares a few paces to get out of Eclipse’s reach. “No. I can not believe the journals were written as you described. So - so,” he struggled to stomach the word, “so plebeian.”

That choice of word arose new defiance within Twilight and she pushed away from Pinkie. “With all respects, your excellency, I’d like to think I know how an alicorn thinks far better than most.” She waited just long enough for him to bristle. “After all, I’m the sister in law to one.”

It took everyone around her anywhere between a moment to several seconds to realize she wasn’t boasting. “Cadence visited my home quite frequently. I dare say only my brother knows her better. Alicorns don’t think any differently than a mortal pony.” She also said she doesn’t feel holy and just plays along because she’s expected to, but they don’t need to know that. “If Cadence is just as holy as the Sisters are, then they are no different.”

Hymn was incandescent with rage, and yet the archbishop carried enough dignity to keep from shouting without meaning.

His hesitation was enough for Eclipse. “Enough of this.” He addressed Twilight with stoney eyes. “I want a full report on these journals within a fortnight, and a copy of both by September. If I find merit in your theory, you’ll be the one to find them.”

Finding his voice, Faithful Hymn closed in on the pegacorn, his staff shaking with emotion. “If he is going to let this happen then you either return with Luna or I’ll have you excommunicated.” He sharply turned to Eclipse, challenging him with a spiteful glare. “Either Luna will judge her, or I will!” He turned once again toward Twilight. “And you can be rest assured I’ll be the first face you’ll see on the docks.”

With one last shake of his staff, the archbishop left for the exit. Eclipse watched him leave with a hard stare. When Faithful Hymn had disappeared through a door, he spoke without looking at the mares. “Enjoy the rest of the festivities. It would look awkward if you left straight away.” When they acknowledged his command he added, “and this conversation does not leave the four of us. Now go, and may you find success.”

He waited until they too were gone before at last returning his thoughtful gaze to the harbor. Faithful, old friend… He brooded for a time, long enough for the changing of the guard to draw near. “Sergeant,” he called out while tossing the smoldering vestige of his cigar over the battlements, “take an early leave.”

It was an unusual but not the first time he had requested such a thing. The sentries shared worried looks, none of them were eager to leave their charge and emperor unprotected. Still, they were not about to disobey. With a bow the sergeant stated, “she protects.” With no further preamble, the eight sentries departed in various directions.

Once he was truly alone, a plain brown earth stallion seemed to peel away from the wall. “You have need of me, sire?”

Eclipse’s mind kept fixating on Twilight’s armor. Outwardly though, he allowed his fatigue to show unfiltered. “Card Holder, should Twilight fail in her task, make sure Faithful Hymn retires before he hears of it.”

The figure made no reaction, save to grab a pale quartz from his mane. “For somepony like him, I need consent.”

Eclipse sighed heavily. “You have my consent.”

Card dropped the quartz on the ground, and it clattered near Eclipse’s back right hoof. “If that day comes, return it to me, and the deed will be done.”

Author's Note

What will Shining Armor do when he reads the papers? Will Cadence surrender the crown to Celestia? Can Twiggles wiggle her way out of this one? Can Pinkie Pink pink the pinkest pink of pinkes? Will Fluttershy do the thing? The thing thing??

26.5 A Brother's Remorse

Weeks later, Shining Armor resided in an abandoned farm house on the outskirts of the besieged city of Cotton Ridge. The siege itself was complete, only the presence of cannons and cleverly positioned war engines prevented him from saving time and storming the area. Instead he was currently reviewing plans for raids to hasten the surrender. Yet that was not his only focus.

Resting on a wooden rocking chair, Cadence was relieved that the house was far enough away from camp that she could realistically take a nap if she had the time.

The house itself had been a homely affair. The furniture was well crafted and it used to have electric lighting before the preceding battles had severed that luxury. The living room table was perfectly sized for Shining Armor’s maps which were held in place by candlesticks and a broken off wooden leg from a sofa.

Heavy knocking on the door got Cadence to bolt out of the chair and magically make sure her hair was presentable. Shining Armor smirked, “I doubt anypony here would deride you for a cowlick.”

“I have a cowlick?!” Cadence fussed as she fled to a washroom.

Once she was gone, Shining Armor called out to the door. “Enter.”

Three stallions marched, two of his adjuncts and a familiar officer that brought a relieved smile to the war-weary general. “Colonel Sandy Hills, glad to see that bullet wasn’t the end of you!”

Both unicorns came close and embraced each other with a laugh. “It’ll take more than some lucky nag to put me under. I’m here for an assignment and to see if the rumors were true about you and her holiness.”

At the mention of her title, Cadence made an appearance. With a wing, she waved off the bowing before the three of them could even begin the gesture. “I hope only respectable ones have reached your ears.” Nevertheless, Sandy Hill still silently requested to kiss a raised hoof to which she allowed.

With the greeting finished, the colonel nodded. “I hear you are with child.”

Giving a polite smile, and using a wing to rope her husband into a side-hug, Cadence nodded. “That I am. I’ll be leaving for Canterlot by the morrow.”

Shining Armor was beaming with pride. “With any luck my campaign will be complete before the birth, and I can visit while the rest of my army redeploys.”

Snapping a crisp salute, Sandy Hills stood straight with the devotion of a trusted commander. “Then let me help you get there, sir. Where am I needed?”

Magically grabbing paper and a pen, Shining Armor started scribbling fresh orders. “The fourth Mage Regiment is yours. Feign a push along the south end of town at seven tomorrow morning. When you see fires towards the west fall back to the line. Should you see an opening, don’t hesitate to call up the Tenth and Eighth to support a full attack.” He finished with the first paper and gave it over while he then wrote up matching orders for the other commanders so his aides could take them.

With his instructions in hand, Sandy saluted once more and bowed to Cadence. “Glad to be back, sir, your holiness.”

At the colonel’s exit, only one of the aides left with the other orders in tow. Arching an inquisitive eyebrow at the remaining stallion, Shining spoke up when the door shut. “Something to add, lieutenant?”

“Yes, sir!” He snapped uncomfortably under Shining’s perceived irritation. He produced a wax paper wrapped bundle. “A mare in an air corps sergeant uniform delivered this communiqué for your eyes only.”

“Probably Sky Marshal Frigid Wind asking for reinforcements.” Shining Armor magically claimed the offered package with a disgruntled huff. “Thank you, lieutenant, you may go.”

As the lieutenant also departed, Cadence slid around her husband to get a better look at the package. “A bit large to be a simple letter. A care package maybe?”

“It’d be a welcome change of pace from the usual fare I get.” Shining proceeded to open it to find an odd thing. “A newspaper?” He unfolded it. “From the Mechiburg Daily?”

“That’s a Lunarian coastal city isn’t it?”

“Yes… The primary naval base this side of the pond too.”

Flash! Magic Flying Machine Unveiled at Lunar Festival!

In a stunning display during the Lunar Festival in Tranquility, Equestrian born Lady Twilight Sparkle revealed to the world her invention of a mechanical suit of armor that is powered by pegacorn magic. It was during a dance in the famed Gear Hall, and a later display to the press that Lady Twilight demonstrated her invention’s astonishing immunity to magical and mechanical disruption. Lady Twilight proclaimed this is possible through pegacorn magic and innovations in the material sciences.

The article went on, but Shining Armor had read enough. He let go of it, only for Cadence to catch it in her magic to read the rest of it. Shining sat down heavily into his seat, and ran his hooves through his mane. “What a waste…” His original energy was gone, and he sat there, covering his eyes.

“Apparently she is to be married,” Cadence announced, knowing her husband certainly had not read it all.

“You mean to say she hasn’t married already?” Shining Armor barely moved at first. He eventually waved a hoof dismissively. “Always playing with fire… If the papers are still calling her Equestrian all while announcing news like this, she’d have been smarter to marry as soon as possible… But I suppose there’s a logic to it.” It still hurt him. Not so much who the husband was, but that he felt like such a failure as a brother. “I never should have told the inquisition a damn thing.”

When the name of Twilight’s fiancé didn’t sound familiar to Cadence, she left the paper on the table and claimed her spot on the sofa next to her husband. She held him close, already missing his touch even though he was right there. “She’s a strong one. I can only hope she loves him, or can at least learn to.”

The couple were silent for a time, each brooding about the future. “Cadence, did Twilight ever tell you about the plan to change the world she and I came up with?” There was a hollow scoff to his words, as if he was grasping at a long lost dream.

Without leaving his side, Cadence shook her head as best she could. “Something about ending enstripement, but she didn’t go much beyond that. I gave her my endorsement, for what it was worth back then.”

Staring at a blank spot on the wall, Shining Armor daydreamed of Twilight gushing over the news of becoming an aunt. “Something like that…” He heaved a heavy sigh. “Whatever grievances started with the Sisters have been largely forgotten in lieu of enstripement. You’ve seen that first hoof.”

Depression threatened to overcome her, yet Cadence fought it back. “It’s the biggest counterpoint they always throw at me when I go to talk with them. It’s so deep, ending enstripement is not like snuffing a candle. I end enstripement today and so many things break, we’d have riots and famine within a month, and the church would have my head in two. Never mind the war effort.”

Nodding in sullen agreement, Shining Armor brooded in silence. Cadence’s power was slippery at best as word of her promises of amnesty to any Lunarian defectors reached the far corners of Equestria. “Twilight was supposed to lay the groundwork for moving the public against enstripement. Newspapers, business practices, sanctioned factories,” he grew angry and jumped to his hooves. “Hell, bribes and blackmail were even on the table. The inquisition couldn’t touch her so long as she never directly freed a servant!” Furious at himself as much as Rarity, he kicked a chair against the wall with enough force to dent the wall. “I thought sending that inquisitor to watch her would remind her to play it careful. Play it legal. But no! She had to go…” He choked up and turned to see the frightened concern from his wife. “I messed it all up.” He fell heavily against the table, knocking over the candlesticks. “I scared her away, and now she’ll be the death of us.”

Confusion wrinkled Cadence’s face as she closed in to hug him and lift him back over to the sofa. “You can’t predict everything, Shiny. We can only be glad she’s thriving.”

“Thriving,” he spat grimly. “And look what that thriving amongst our enemies is going to do!” he grabbed the newspaper in his magic to wave it about.

Not grasping the same issue, Cadence stood up to claim the item if only to keep him from shaking it to pieces. She looked at it to see an artistic rendition of her sister-in-law flying in amongst others. “You mean her magic machine? Doesn’t that just mean Equestria can start using machines now too?”

He stood up and faced a wall, unwilling to show his defeated face to her. “As if capturing one would be enough. The paper said it was powered by her magic. I don’t know about you, but the last time I saw an Equestrian pegacorn was my sister.” Shining Armor turned back towards the table, and slammed his hooves down on his maps, rattling the figurines symbolizing various formations. “Can you see it, Cadence?”

Truly worried now, she joined him at the table as he was fixing a toppled tiny wood train engine. Copies of the engine were spaced out across the front lines beyond the town where the rest of his army was keeping a relief force at bay. He spoke as he corrected the figure, placing it in town square. “Each of these engines represent at least seven in number, and which tribe do we see as the most common conductor?”

“Oh my.”

“Exactly,” he growled scornfully. “It won’t happen for this war. But the next? The one after that!? We’d be lucky if one of her inventions isn’t the thing that smashes into Canterlot.”

Shaking her head to stay positive, Cadence leaned down to meet her husband’s eye. “You'll come up with something. You showed the other marshals how to combat these war engines, not that they listened at first. You’re the only reason our opening months were not a complete rout, and now we stand four hundred miles from Mechiburg. You did it once, you can do it again.”

The pep talk did little to help lift his spirits. “Even if you’re right, war has changed Cadence. I defeat regiments, corps, whole armies, and what do the Lunarians do? They send in fresh troops by rail and pull the weakened soldiers out to rest far faster and safer than our portal teams could ever hope to match. If I was fighting the last war, I’d be in Mechiburg by now!”

Far from joining him in his despair, Cadence gasped and pulled her husband’s jaw and directed his gaze to her own. “I have an idea. What if we arranged for Twilight to be smuggled back to us? A written amnesty for all ills should be enough.”

Shining Armor was unmoved for a few seconds and pulled away from her before smacking an icon symbolizing an inquisitor backed platoon. “And who would we send? One of them?! It wouldn’t matter if they carried some kind of recording of our voices declaring her crimes annulled, she’d never believe it.”

“She would if we made it a personal message,” Cadence countered. “A ladybug on a letter should be enough.”

“Oh that’d work brilliantly,” Shining countered with forlorn amusement. “Scare her with the inquisitor, then terrify her with the ladybug.”

“At least she’d know it was genuine.” Cadence was already having second thoughts, but cast her doubts away to help him.

“Even if she thought the message was real, why would she leave now?” Shining Armor shook his head, already defeated. “Lunaria granted her the freedom to fly. To literally fly! You know as well as I do how much it pained her to look up at the skies denied to her by birth. And even then…” He rubbed his face, the fatigue of war catching up to him. “You said it yourself. She is to be married, and this paper was dated weeks ago. You know how this works. If my sister isn’t with foal already she definitely would be by the time some inquisitor managed to retrieve her. Celestia forbid she birth a thestral! She’d never be able to show it in public if she returned to us!”

“Then what if we made a deal with the Throne when this war is over?” Cadence put some fire in her conviction. Her family had been broken by enstripement, and she would stand for it no longer.

“What deal?” Shining asked, curious where this unrepressable energy was coming from.

“We can negotiate the end of enstripement and the return of Lunarian territory and prisoners for Twilight’s return.”

“We’d have a civil war if we did that!” Shining Armor whisper-shouted, suddenly worried there might be evesdroppers. “The aristocracy, the church, hell, not even the public could accept that! Not unless we lost the war!”

“We need not make it the public part of the treaty,” Cadence rebutted. “With Twilight’s civic insights, the clout you gain from success on the battlefield, and my authority to back it all up, we can phase out stripe usage in a matter of decades. To sell it better to the nobles and the church, we can claim her magic machines are the real goal. The advantages of mechanical power without the magical disruption. They don’t need to know about abolishment.”

“And what of a thestral foal?” I can’t ask her to abandon the child, nor to hide it away like a shameful secret.”

“On the contrary,” Cadence countered with a smug wave of a wing. “Why hide it when I can claim the child is the first step to genuine unification. Twilight keeps her foal, and we get to play the ones more faithful to Celestia’s message.”

A firm humorless grin found its way on his face. “I think you’re onto something.” He reclaimed the newspaper in his magic and stared at the picture of his sister. “Magic machines and an Equestrian bat pony…” He placed a hoof on the map on top of Cotton Ridge and dragged it all the way to Mechiburg. “Looks like I have work to do.”

Author's Note

Just a quick and a side chapter that felt too standalone to be put in the previous one nor put in the next one.

27: Discovery

A week after the Lunar Festival, Twilight Sparkle was hovering over a map of the old world that stretched from the Lunarian coast to the impassable Titan Mountains far west of Canterlot. She was in her overstuffed library, where the shelves built into the rock were not enough to match the mare’s love of literature. Excess books, still an insufficient number by her standards, were stacked in carefully organized piles on top of wax paper covered blankets to protect them until a new much larger archive could be carved out later.

The existence of light bulbs instead of oil lanterns made her feel much less worried about the dangers of a fire in her precious collection, even if it cast a harsh glare over everything. Seriously needs to be something to soften the light a bit.

A brief thought to drape a sheet around the bulb was pushed aside to focus on the map. On it was the current status of the front lines marked in red pen ink on top of the original black borders. While Lunaria made some progress along the largely unpopulated south close to badlands and deserts, the north and center were disastrous. Over half of the central plains and river basin were under Shining Armor’s occupation. And this is only the information Rainbow Dash was allowed to share. Shining has probably pushed further east since then. That whole area was the breadbasket of the heartland, and I truly hope we harvested enough before the troops burned it all. As dire as it was, the war itself had to be pushed aside.

“Alright then… The last battle was here.” Using a blue inked pen, she drew a circle just west of modern day Cotton Ridge. “And Canterlot is here. So if what Howling Vortex said was true, if a spell caster that was acting as an anchor point for a portal is then thrown into the very same portal, they could have landed anywhere…” Twilight drew two lines over the map that widened rapidly until it was halfway between both locations. For once, she didn’t need to do the precise math to slump in her chair utterly overwhelmed. “Seven hundred thousand square miles.”

The wooden door creeping open brought yet more distractions. Twilight smelled tea headed her way and turned to see Applejack bringing in a pot with a small stack of apple related snacks. “Hey ya boss, ya missed lunch again.”

Rubbing her tired face, Twilight put the pen down and smiled at the inviting refreshments. “I’d say you’re a peach, Applejack, but I know you had a quarrel with them a while back.

Giving off her patented snorting laugh, the sailor put the tray down and started pouring a cup for both of them. “Nah, that was the Pears, you can call me a peach all you want.”

As soon as the tea was served and the first pie of pastries were consumed, Twilight settled back in on her work. “Thanks again. I needed that.”

“‘S no problem at all, boss.”

The title irked Twilight, reminding her Pinkie Pie before she was freed. I know I own the land, but I'd like to think we're friends more than employer. “We’re not in public, Applejack, you can call me by name,” Twilight offered with a twinge of annoyance born more from pained memories.

Sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck, Applejack chuckled at herself. “Ah know, Twilight, but Ah don’t know, Ah kinda like it. Sorta like a pet name by now ya know?”

Arching a curious eyebrow at her employee turned friend, hopefully, Twilight shook her head in exasperation. “Well if that’s how you feel, then I’ll take it as such.”

“Thanks, boss.” Downing the last of her second cup, Applejack craned her neck over to wiggle her eyebrow at Twilight. “So, how’s the married life?” She asked with a touch of sass.

“You should know by now.” Twilight shot back with equal shade. “You don’t have my lifespan.”

“You're not getting out of an answer that easy,” Applejack teased while lightly tapping Twilight’s foreleg. “How is he? Some of my best hay rides were with thestrals.”

Lowering her head in embarrassment as if she were speaking in public, Twilight whisper-hissed at her. “This is hardly the kind of conversation to have with polite company.”

“Boss, Ah’m an ex-navy sailor, I ain’t that polite.” Applejack snuggled in close, knowing full well what Twilight meant. “Come on now, fess up.”

Her cheeks burning red hot, Twilight harrumphed and raised her nose into the air. “Is this what you and Rainbow Dash have been gossiping about? Honestly.”

“That and more. We got a pool going with the crew on what the foal will be.”

"You've involved the work crews? What am I saying, of course you have." Rolling her eyes, Twilight pushed Applejack off of her. “It’s only been two days since we were wed. It’s too early to know if I am with foal or not.” With Applejack still teasing her with bedroom eyes, Twilight huffed. “I’ll answer your question if you can help me for a few hours, deal?”

“Deal!” She spat on a hoof and offered to shake.

Cringing at the wet hoof, Twilight decided to shake by the fetlock. “Heavens, you’re worse than Rainbow Dash about this.”

“It’s a family matter, boss.” Applejack briefly adopted a half-mocking Academic accent. “Granny Smith’ll tell ya, a stallion who’s good at basket-making is half of what ya need for a good marriage.”

Twilight might have been further irritated, but she remembered the family staff back in Canterlot often gossiped on why there was not a third child after Twilight when they thought no one was around. As if there aren’t more constructive uses for one’s time. Her sentiments on the matter aside, if it was important to her friend, she could at least give some minor details. “Since you’ve twisted my leg over this… Yes, Silver is quite sufficient at basket-making.”

“Sufficient?!” Applejack recoiled from the word as if it was distasteful. “Come on, boss you gotta give me more than that.”

“Certainly not! It’s not like you’re going to have a pass at him. All you need to know is that he performs his duties as husband quite well.”

Mulling it over while making a show of tapping her chin, Applejack eventually smirked, leaving the pegacorn to sweat a bit from imagined scandal. “Well enough that there were left over rose petals in your chambers two nights in a row.”

“How do you know that?!” Twilight knew the instant the question left her lips. “Pinkie Pie. Oh just wait til we get my hooves on her.”

“Hey, no time for squabblin’ now,” Applejack blurted out, worried her best informant was going to be trounced. “A promise is a promise. What do you need help with?”

Twilight shot an accusatory hoof at Applejack and was about to speak further when she stopped herself. “…Pinkie can wait.” Clearing away the tea and plates, Twilight allowed the previous conversation to die so she could get to work. She placed a smaller map and an old census back where they were. “I need to reference all possible towns, camps, bases, roads, any place that would have had contact with anyone. Over the course of about nine hundred years.” Twilight sagged a bit just thinking about it. “And that’s assuming we have perfect information…”

“That is a mighty tall order.” Applejack rounded the table to get an overview. “By the salt, you’d have to take the wars into account too, and Ah can tell ya, there’s barely a scratch on this here earth that hasn’t seen blood.”

Humming, Twilight did a half-nod, half-shake. “That’ll be more work here, but would help narrow things down substantially.”

“If’n you don't have those books, Ah can run down to Tranquility tonight and see what history books Ah can fetch.”

Waving a wing at a bookshelf, Twilight couldn’t help but to grin on pride. “I know my collection is small, but I have what's important. The Cartographer’s collection of military history should be on the second shelf. Volume two should begin with the second Unification War.”

“Right.”

The mares worked long into the evening. Everything from troop movements, battles, to mass graves were accounted for. Bit by bit, Twilight shaded routes and locations where the statues wouldn’t be, but it all barely put much of a dent in things.

This time around, it ended up being Silver Vein who brought a meal. Three plates of chicken fettuccine were rolled in on a cart, complete with two fresh pots of tea and some delightfully smelling bread sticks. “Good evening, dear. Miss Applejack, I thought you might be here.”

“My hero,” Twilight nuzzled him before going about clearing the table. Everything except the main map wound up on the floor. The map being as big as it was, was partially rolled up and left in place by some books.

As everyone set their plates up, curiosity pulled Silver to look at the map. “I finished proofing the first half of your report. You’ll be pleased to know there were only three errors.” He tilted his head as something caught his interest.

“Three errors is three too much for the emperor. Thanks again.” Where as Applejack ate with the manners of a famished soldier, Twilight eagerly ate with the grace expected of her, was surprised to find shrimp was present as well. “Oh by the moon this is exquisite.” She looked to her new husband. “Come on and sit down already.”

“Sorry. Sorry.” Flashing a shaky smile, he hastily took a seat. “It’s just that something caught my eye.”

“Oh?” Applejack asked, looking up from the breadstick she was gnawing on.

“Yeah…” He studied the mares' expressions and was delighted to see both of them were enjoying his cooking. “The shaded parts, I take it those are areas you ruled out?”

“They are. Why?”

He scoffed at himself, and almost waved it away. “Well. The Mirage was shaded out.”

“That’s a druid sanctuary is it not?” Twilight commented. Her recently ignored stomach demanding her full attention. “My understanding is that they would remove a statue not venerating the Green Mother into somepony else’s care. At least if it just suddenly appeared out of no where.”

“You’d think that…” He paused suddenly. Now that he was thinking about it, he grew uneasy. “He told me quite the wild tale of an expedition he went on in there a couple of years ago.”

Not noticing the hesitancy, the mares continued eating with Applejack speaking up first. “How wild?”

“Uh - wild enough that it took eight other ponies confirming everything and reading the official report from Commander Turnabout for me to believe a word of it.” He gazed nervously at the others. “Heh, being close to grandpa has its perks. Some of it isn’t fit for the dinner table though.”

Forking in a bite, Twilight was already interested. “Well you’re certainly not getting out of regaling it now. I’ll leave the rough details to your discretion.”

A laughing sigh later, Silver claimed a breadstick. “Then I might as well begin when a druid came running into the militia HQ begging for help.”

“Then you’ll never guess who popped out of nowhere!” Silver was having the time of his life retelling the story with the best parts to come. Both mares barely spoke as he spoke of the bravery the expedition displayed. “A druid from another order! Well, not really.”

Stopping herself from sipping her tea, Twilight wrinkled her brow. “A druid who is not a crookback, but also is, or something?”

“No, no, no, not a Crookback, but grandpa said she was banished from her order. Her name was Fluttershy. Ah - soft spoken, but strongly spirited.”

“Be careful of those types,” Applejack warned while wagging a fork of food at him. “Lost a couple of sea-brothers ta the likes a them. Granted they walked into those messes drunk, but we still couldn’t find the bodies.”

“R-right.” Silver tensed a bit, and had to breathe to relax again. “Anyway, she wasn’t nearly as bad as the one she followed. The druid brought an Inquisitor with her, and get this: the Inquisitor was willing to parley to help deal with the Dark Father. Talk about a viper eating the scorpion, eh? T-this was before the war started, mind you so it’s not like any of us were strictly obligated to kill each other.”

Twilight sat there a moment, debated on how much she could actually believe that. “And you’re saying all this is in the official report?”

“Madam, you wound me with your distrust,” Silver said with overt teasing. “But I’m hardly one to talk, I had to read the report to believe it too.”

“Don't keep me in suspense, what happened after that?” Twilight enjoyed a breadstick and the tale, yet Silver was pensive.

“See, this is where I think you’re definitely not going to believe me because it feels like some kind of joke now that I think about it.” Silver dithered, unsure of how best to continue.

“Get on with it ya, idgit,” Applejack huffed impatiently.

“We - came up to the Crookback village, and it was not like the swamp that surrounded them, instead it was like some of the drawings that ponies make of normal druid homes. Grass covered houses, trees growing green and strong, some bird song. At least that’s what was described to grandpa. He said it smelled halfway decent too. But the - ah - the actually unbelievable thing was that there was a statue of both Sisters sitting smack dab in the middle of town.”

“Really?” Twilight shared a skeptical look with Applejack. “A statue of the sisters smack dab in the middle of a swamp?”

“Let alone being inside a druid village,” Applejack added while narrowing her eyes.

Silver waved his wings to ward off any more accusations. “Hey don’t blame me, I’m just relaying what grandpa told me. It's all part of the official report to, so the militia commander had to verify it was true.”

Backing off the disbelief a bit, Twilight started taking mental notes. “Can you describe it? Did somepony explain it to him?”

“A bit.” He screwed his eyes shut to think for a bit. “I know the Inquisitor wanted to take it with her, not that she could without a boat. Umm… Ah! Okay, so the Sisters looked like they were in combat with each other, and no one sister was depicted as being superior or about to win over the other.

“But the biggest thing is that the statue created a big area around itself that protected the village from the dark magic. Does that sound like something druids would create?”

The honest question left Twilight tapping her plate with a fork as she thought it over. Applejack was similarly left puzzled. “Ah do remember runnin’ into a pack a druids one time.” The curious looks she got egged her on. “The Navy likes to patrol coastal towns for what we called ‘wellness checks’. Even during peace time, independent privateers will raid towns if they think they can get away with it for slaves to sell back to Equestria. The Cover of Night dropped anchor at a logging town off the crimson coast and I got to join the landing party.

“There was a group a’ druids there wanting to trade for tools and a few compasses. Boss, they can’t even make copper, let alone iron and you can forget steel. The best they can manage on their own is bone or stone. They take pride in it for some odd reason.”

Silver had taken the time to finish the last of his food before speaking back up. “Everypony needs a hobby. As I was saying, from what Rock Salt said of the Crookbacks, there’s little chance they made that statue. Even if they had the magical talent to create it, they'd have no reason to craft it into the image of the Sisters. Not only that, but he claimed the village was founded before the statue arrived.”

The news was certainly enticing. Enough to make Twilight’s lighting spark wildly and her eyes go wide. “Did your grandfather say anything more about the magic it gave off? If it was resisting dark magic, it must have been holy magic right?”

“There’s the rub,” Silver cautioned with a shrug. “He said it wasn’t holy magic at all. Something more primitive which expunged all forms of enchantment. It was more like - like… Oh how did he describe it?” Silver scratched his head trying to recall. “Like you know how your fur feels after you wash out the shampoo? Kinda like that. You feel clean, but not uplifted or emboldened.”

“Strange indeed.” Twilight mulled over it. “The Solar Church teaches that all holy magic is actually alicorn magic that is changed as it enters the user so they are not overwhelmed by the strength of it. But then again, the Church also teaches enstripement is Celestia’s will, and that’s an outright lie.”

Both Lunarians stared at her like Twilight had just ascended to alicornhood. “Whadda mean it’s a lie? Boss, they’ve been sayin’ it is since forever.”

“Sure if you stretch her words like a wad of taffy until it snaps,” Twilight countered knowingly. “If you dig around for the old books, and I mean old, Celestia wanted voluntary reunification akin to Hearthswarming, not the bastardization of what we have now.”

Silver was left utterly speechless. He rubbed his head, unsure of how to even process that. Applejack didn’t need as much time to slam the table with sudden fury. “Are you seriously tellin’ me the Solar Church is lyin’ ta everypony and nopony outside it but you knows of it?”

Shaking her head, Twilight sighed before sipping some tea. “Can’t really be a lie if you believe it’s true. The ponies behind the lie have been dead for six hundred years. I caught inklings about this because I was assigned to write a history essay on the church. Afterwards I dug deeper into the restricted section. Barely anypony even guarded that section, and being so close to Cadence and being the heir to House Light, no pony thought to stop me. You wouldn’t believe how careful I had to be with those tomes; they were so badly decomposed.”

“Who else knows this?” Silver asked hastily, tasting the scandal.

“Only Pinkie Pie, and even then only when I was sure she wouldn’t be compelled to report me. You think I was fool enough to try and expose all this down the road from the Inquisitorius?”

“Not even your brother or Mi Amore Cadenza?” Applejack asked incredulously.

Shaking her head, regret pulled a frown over her. “No. Maybe I should have, but I felt it was too dangerous and ultimately unnecessary. Cadence grew up in Dalesville, you’d never find it on a map it’s so remote. She said they haven’t had servants out there for three generations, and she was never comfortable with them when she came to Canterlot.

“Shining Armor finds stripes distasteful for several reasons, but chief among them was how acquiring more servants blunted Equestrian battle tactics against the imperial army. They focus so much on capture that the Royal Army is nowhere close to how good it could be if it focused on depleting enemy morale or direct killing. Why do you think he’s been so effective? I warned the Emperor about this, but I guess his generals listened to me as much as my brother’s peers listened to him.”

“I remember grandpa talking about some report you wrote about your brother.” Silver leaned in carrying a fearful whisper. “Problem is, they did listen.”

It took Twilight a long moment to realize he wasn’t joking or trying to make her feel better. “Oh. oh…” Twilight felt faint and was glad she was already sitting down. “After waiting for two years I knew he’d adapt to my defection but still. Maybe… Maybe it would have been better if I was never asked about his tactics after all.”

Applejack was left just as uncomfortable and fidgeted with her empty cup. “Let’s go back to the statue, eh? What do you think, boss? Is this the one?”

“I’d say yes if it wasn’t for the odd magic.” Twilight needed a minute to mentally shift gears. She sniffled a bit, but collected herself as best she could. “But other than that, it’s the best chance I can see.” She stood up and collected both her and Applejack’s plates into a pile. “We still have another week before the report is due. Let’s keep searching for other possible leads while also coming up with a plan Emperor Eclipse can act upon.”

It ended up only being four days before Twilight sent Rainbow Dash off with the report, only to be summoned upon Rainbow’s return the following night.

Only this time, she did not meet him at the palace, but the Tranquility naval base and was quickly ushered into an office that was actually closer to a study. Books and hunting trophies lined the walls, a large globe rested by the door and the desk was immaculate mahogany. Eclipse was already present, but the stallion behind the desk was an admiral who looked much like the emperor, complete with the black fur and jaw line.

“Ah, Lady Twilight, you’ve made good time. Please come in. You too, lieutenant.”

One did not waste the Emperor’s time, so Twilight walked as quickly as dignity allowed. She didn’t have time to hide the sweat stains on her dress, so she bore them with as little shame as possible. Once she bowed and Rainbow saluted, Twilight spoke. “You called for me, your majesty?”

“I did indeed.” He waved to the admiral who dipped his head in respect. “Lady Twilight Sparkle, this is my son, Pale Light.”

He offered a hoof, “admiral of the Second Fleet, at your service.”

Barely keeping her wits about her, Twilight shook his hoof before Eclipse gestured for every one to sit. “It’s a pleasure.”

Pale Light leaned over his desk. “Father, my lady, time is short so I’ll make this brief. This whole idea is frankly a lot to accept, but if you believe her father I’ll play along. I take it this is why you delayed the ninety second rifles’ departure?”

“It is,” Eclipse answered firmly. “Lady Twilight, again you impress me. I was half expecting you would need to recruit a whole staff to work on possible locations for the Sisters.”

A choking laugh later, Twilight fixed a stray hair that had fuzzed up from her active horn. “I can’t really take much credit. Silver Vein pointed me in the right direction. As I mentioned in the report.”

“That was quite fortuitous,” Pale Light commented while glancing at his father to check for any humor. “Or luck had nothing to do with it.”

“The how of it is neither here nor there.” Eclipse allowed himself to grin a bit. “What is fortunate is that the local elements of the Second Fleet are about ready to weigh anchor. When you mentioned statues, I knew you’d end up needing to do one of two things. Either retrieve the statue and return it back here, or baring that, free the Sisters where they rest and returning with Luna. Both of which will need naval support.”

Pale Light studied Twilight, trying to gauge if she betrayed anything. “The issue of course is Celestia herself. While I can’t expect a team small enough to reach the Mirage could defeat, let alone detain Celestia, I have my misgivings about you going there. It would be trivial to ask her for a pardon and return to Equestria alongside her.”

“With respect, admiral, my place, my home, my friends, and now I have family here. I would not go quietly.”

“Spoken well,” Eclipse cheered with regal poise. “Not to mention freeing Luna offers you the opportunity to be unconditionally recognized by all as a proper Lunarian,” he faced his skeptical son, “as our ancestors were before us.”

Sighing, Pale Light stood up and straightened his uniform. “Then I have no further objections. I will see her safely to and back from the Heartland, father.”

“Good boy.” He heavily clapped his son on the shoulder before addressing the silent soldier. “Lieutenant Rainbow Dash? How have you taken to command so far?”

Standing up straight, Rainbow was growing a bit concerned she might be separated from Twilight. Even so, lying to her emperor was unthinkable. “Boring, sire, Lady Twilight barely has enough enemies to fill a cell, let alone need me around.”

So sorry for not keeping things interesting for you, Twilight huffed with her nose raised a bit.

Eclipse's laughter filled the room. “Is that right? You served well at Deer Ridge and your little maneuver at Black’s Bluff would have garnered more than a medal had you not been injured. The ninety second rifles are yours if you don’t mind commanding this little expedition.”

Rainbow briefly lost her military bearing as she staggered a bit. She straightened up as quick as a whip and saluted hard enough to make her leg ache. “I’d love nothing better, sire!”

“Excellent. Son, write the papers up. Lieutenant, you shall be gazetted captain within the hour. Both you and Lady Twilight will depart on the Night Stalker in two days.”

“Sire, thank you, sire!”

Pale Light finished writing up the orders and handed them over to the new captain. “Congratulations, captain. Make Luna proud.”

“Thank you sir, I will, sir!” Rainbow was bubbling with so much excitement she had horrible difficulty to keep from bouncing off the walls in celebration. I’d get drunk so fast tonight if I could get away with it.

Glad to see such enthusiasm from his officers, Eclipse fixed Twilight with a firm stare. “If you feel the need, you can bring more with you, but keep it to a minimum. The Mirage is deep within occupied territory and you’re smart enough to know it won’t take much to sound the alarm if you’re spotted.”

“My brother and I often debated infiltration tactics for softening besieged cities, I won’t slow the troops down. Point of fact, I can carry a far heavier load than I look, your majesty. I was planning to fly the statues back myself.”

Eclipse nodded sagely while Pale Light snorted in unamused disbelief. “How can you do that exactly? A pair of life size statues of both Sisters carried with enough care to avoid damage would take six fliers. Easily.”

Chuckling a bit, Twilight fixed him with a smug grin. “Admiral, I know this never made it into the original report on my suit, nor the display at the festival because I haven’t been able to demonstrate it. My suit can carry a chariot same as any other flier, only I can carry a heavy artillery piece.” Wearing the same grin, she turned to her friend. “Captain, I believe you said something rather good this morning before coffee.”

Smirking, but not giving the same level of sass, she answered. “The three pound grenades we have are party poppers compared to the twenty four pound howitzers we could have had, ma’am.”

“A shame, but what can you do?” Twilight shrugged.

“You made your point.” Pale Light inclined his head to the mares. “I must get to work, and so do we all. Best of luck to you, Lady Twilight Sparkle.”

Almost turning to leave, Twilight paused to bow once more before the emperor. “May I ask a question of a personal nature before I go?”

Hummed inquisitively and leveling a sly half-grin, Eclipse nodded. “Depends on the question.”

Twilight licked her parched lips, suddenly nervous to ask but was too deep to back out now. “If I success in this, what will become of you and your family? I almost feel as if it might be a mistake having such an honorable soul such as you step down from power.”

A short chuckle escaped the emperor as he shared a look with his son. “My Lady, are you aware of the saying: privilege has its cost?”

Thinking back, Twilight nodded before too long. “I’ve heard it, yes. It’s not something spoken in Equestria.”

Pale Light reclaimed his seat and Eclipse slowly walked over to the window to look out over the water. “My family has never been driven from power. Realistically because of how the heir is selected. In the eyes of the church and the people however, we rule by the mandate of Elysium because of a vow the first of my line gave to our people.” He faced Twilight once more, age wrinkling his eyes and the corners of his mouth. “That we would rule until the day Luna returned to reclaim what was hers by right. Honor, integrity, and dignity still has its place in this world, Lady Twilight Sparkle, and I’ll be damned if I’m the one to lead it astray.”

“Well said!” Pale Light politely clapped his desk.

“Hear! Hear!” Rainbow Dash cheered, pride in her leader swelling.

Bowing now in respect, Twilight felt at ease and a growing impulse to do right by him. “If Luna is there, your majesty, I will rescue her. You have my word on that.”

“I will pray for your success. Good night.”

Halfway across the globe, in a rarely used chamber in Canterlot Castle, Radiant Dawn kept watch over a mirror. A magic hourglass rested on a stand nearby, set to empty when the mirror went dormant. He grew nervous as the grains whittled down to a pittance.

A flash of light made him shield his eyes as three figures clumsily fell out of the mirror and into a heap on the floor. A crude wheelchair clattered a few paces away.

Fluttershy, Lock Stock, and Lyra groaned and disentangled themselves. Lyra all but threw Lock Stock off of her and bounced around on her hooves, cheerfully skipping around. “Oh it feels so good to be able to walk again!” She wandered by the wheelchair and kicked it against the wall. “Off with you!”

Giggles filled the air as she danced about, leaving Fluttershy to be the one to help the jostled stallion back up. “That was certainly an experience.”

Lock Stock stated daggers at Lyra until he realized Radiant Dawn waited quietly by the exit. “Your honor!” He bowed quickly, which got Fluttershy to do the same.

Lyra was slower to show respect, but Dawn was unconcerned. “Welcome back.” His displeasure was plain to all. “Just the three of you? So the Celestia you found there was false?”

Being the second in command, Fluttershy spoke for the group. “Yes, your honor. She never made an attempt to pretend she was either. She and that world’s Luna are just regular people. A schoolmistress and Luna is her second.”

Chewing his cheek in agitation, Radiant Dawn shook his head. “Blasphemous. To think of the Sisters as nothing more than academy staff. Mortal ones at that.” He fixated on Lyra. “Did you know of them?”

Sweating a bit by being put on the spot, Lyra took an involuntary step back. “No, your honor! My family was too poor to send me to school. Even if they could, they wouldn’t send a cripple.”

Dawn’s critical stare lingered a little longer before he relented. “Of course. Was there any sign at all? Even of our Luna?”

Fluttershy padded herself down, finding out her satchel was once again a saddlebag. She produced some papers and presented them. “The organization Celestia had started to contain her sister died out over five hundred years ago. What records I could find said nothing of housing anypony of import who wasn’t a native. We didn’t have time to dig any deeper.”

“Well that’s it then. They never made it into the mirror.” Dawn pulled the exit open, a faint sense of relief washed over.

Before he could get far, Lyra stepped forward. “Your honor, if I may, there is technology and weapons on my old world that could be of great benefit for the war. The natives care not for bits themselves, but gold is just as good as currency.”

Fluttershy turned to her with mild irritation showing in her slight scowl. Radiant Dawn noticed it, but held his tongue to stop and think it over, and closed the door again. “Is it not true that they are like Lunarians? What’s good would their weapons do us?”

Lock Stock raised his hoof both to get attention and to shake off the feeling of having hands. “I think she has a point, your honor. Even if we can’t build them or bring them back with us, we can at least study schematics or have them demonstrated for us on the other side. Some strategy memoirs could be of use as well. From what I can tell, they are anywhere between, what? Thirty or forty years ahead of the Lunarians?”

“I’d say so,” Lyra answered. “Give or take.”

“If nothing else it could give us a glimpse as to what to prepare for for the next war.”

Rocking his head back and forth out of interest, he focused on Fluttershy who was by now showing no signs of dissent. “Do you have anything to add, Miss Fluttershy?”

“I do. With respect I disagree with their idea,” Fluttershy shook her feathers out to get a feel for them again. Casting doubt on her friends’ proposal was hardly something she wanted to do, but as Rarity’s second she had learned the strength to do what she felt was more correct. “The problem with the humans’ war related abilities is that they have limited application for us. They have no means with which to combat a flying opponent, let alone one that can fight back. It is my understanding that is an underpinning concept with our wars.

"They have observation balloons, true, but they are not common or reliable enough by their own admission to truly influence their strategy as a whole. Not to mention they have no knowledge of magic whatsoever, and as such, their weapons would be more susceptible to disruption than a Lunarian equivalent. If we were to find anything of significant value, it won't come from the barrel of a gun.”

“The lot of you make me wonder if you were searching for Celestia or spent most of your time investigating the natives.” Dawn scowled when Lock Stock and Lyra shrunk back a bit, where as Fluttershy appeared innocent enough.

“It wasn't hard to do both, your honor,” Lyra explained hastily, fearing they had angered him. “When the Light Foundation that Celestia had created over there went under, the mirror had been transported to a museum next to a public library and a bar that army officers frequented. It was all rather compact.”

“A bar?” Dawn groaned and shook his head. "I shall leave it to Rarity on how to discipline the lot of you. If Celestia was not to be found, you should have returned earlier, not get drunk chatting up uncouth soldiers.” The idea of military officers getting drunk at such a lowly establishment soured him further, even if they weren't part of Equestria.

Shoring up her flagging courage, Fluttershy nodded weakly. “I accept full responsibility.”

Satisfied for the moment, Dawn nodded and moved on. He leaned against the doorframe lost in thought. Eventually he gave a slow nod. “As for the natives' weapons, you all make good points, indiscretions or not. I can’t see the crown sending any observers through the mirror for the time being, the war takes priority after all. Still, a whole other world is simply too brimming with possibilities to outright ignore. I’ll forward your discoveries to the crown, I’m sure once the war is over and the dust settles, we can explore matters further. For now, rescuing Celestia takes priority.”

Fluttershy stretched her wings, eager to take to air once again. Rarity was buried in her studies when we left, I don't think she'll be all that mad if she found something useful. “Has Rarity had any success on her end?”

A troubled look fell over Radiant Dawn. “Hopefully. I was planning on checking up on her. Come, she’s in the archives as we speak.”

Author's Note

Did Rarity discover the secrets to mud masks? Did Lock Stock fired two smoking barrels? Did Twilight reveal her shameful kink? I wonder how large the betting pool is. How big of an explosion will the gender reveal party be?

Find out next time on Clash!!

or not.

29: Black Bluff

Author's Note

this notification will be removed in a week. After a bit more research I discovered some inaccuracies with the command structure of a military company. The presence of Lieutenants and Jack’s being a first sergeant are the only real changes.

29: Black Bluff

Black Bluff was a fortress town built into the very bluffs it was named for. Glaciers from a long forgotten age had carved the lowlands before it, leaving the town vertically unassailable from the north and west.

Two weeks had passed since they had left Mechiburg, and Twilight was all too happy to stretch her legs upon departing the train. Everyone but Rainbow Dash was busy unloading the supplies, leaving the two of them to wait for the liaison officer to greet them.

The pair shared idle chatter as they walked off the wooden platform to make way for cargo haulers.

“Rainbow Dash!” came a cheerful mare’s voice from the ticket booth. The pair watched as an air corps lieutenant exited the booth and bound over. Her massive grin faltered once the dark blue thestral saw Rainbow’s rank and she skidded to a halt to salute. “Captain Rainbow Dash!”

Wearing a smirk, Rainbow returned the gesture. “Lieutenant Amber, always good to see you.” She turned to the pegacorn. “Lieutenant Amber here saved my tail more than once during the siege last year. Shoved me off a cloud right before an Equestrian could cut me down.” Turning back to her fellow thestral, Rainbow waved a wing at Twilight. “This is Lady Twilight Sparkle of Talon Point.”

Wearing a grateful smile of her own, Twilight inclined her head a bit, as was custom for a civilian noble. “So you’re Amber. Rainbow has spoken well of you.”

“And of you as well,” Amber replied with a more complete bow of her head. “Says she has you to blame for forcing a commission on her.”

A playful grin from Twilight led to her giving the captain a side glance. Rainbow reddened a bit from embarrassment. “Perhaps, but she wears it well, does she not?”

“No doubt in my mind,” Amber stated while hiding her mirth. “Who knows, she might make Air Marshal one day. Once you retire, Lady Rainbow Dash has a nice ring to it. “What do you think sounds better: House Rainbow or House Dash?”

The very idea made the thestral sick to her stomach. “Okay!” Rainbow cried out to stop that line of thought. “Amber, the commodore-governor is waiting for us, yes?”

“As much as I would like to hear more, that he is,” Amber gestured to the walls. “Follow me please.”

The pair fell in behind Amber. Rainbow gave a smug Twilight a withering glare. “It’s bad enough you dragged my tail into officership. But a noble? No way, no how. You do that and I’ll find some way to plant a cloud mansion right in front of your bedroom window so you have to listen to my snoring.”

Running a comb over her electrically frazzled mane, Twilight was the very image of innocence. “I might have been part of the impetus, but I certainly am not the one who bestowed your rank. Besides, those epaulettes look rather fetching on you.”

Grumbling and unwilling to play Twilight’s game, Rainbow focused on the path before them. The fortress had seen better days. Singed and partially melted lightning rods covered every building. Some places had obvious repair work done from artillery strikes, while other damage still waited for attention.

The atmosphere in camp was more relaxed than how Rainbow remembered it. There was no real hustle or eyes locked to the skies waiting for the next attack any more. If anything, there was a sense of relief. “Amber, did the Royal Army give up the ghost?”

“Not entirely.” Amber directed them not to a building, but towards the western battlements. A number of soldiers stood watch, but one stuck out due to his feathered hat and was currently leaning out over the edge. “We broke the siege a few months after you shipped out, and most of General Reed’s army was cut to ribbons. Now he just watches us to see if we end up launching a counter offensive from here. It’s far too late in the season to do much of anything except build up for the spring.”

“There’s still a whole month isn’t there?” Twilight did some mental math. “Aside for the river, flatland is the perfect terrain to launch a counterattack with those cumbersome warengines. Unless we’re in such a bad state all we can do is defend.”

Amber shot the noble a troubled look, but said nothing until she had guided them to a ramp meant for moving artillery pieces up to the walls. “All I can say is that the Commodore made the call to hold tight when Reed fell back.” Her tone was that of a tired soldier who aches for the winter to pause the war.

Shaking her head and scowling off into the distance, Twilight was left disappointed. “Shining would be livid if he was your general. In war, momentum is everything. A weaker force can bully a stronger one if they keep them off balance. You’re wasting time and lives.”

Amber’s concern morphed into a harsh glare at the turncoat. They were now in earshot of her commander so she decided to pass the buck to him. “I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to listen.” Her words brought the attention of a mountain of an earth stallion who wore the silver uniform of the army like he was born with it. His brown coat and ruddy mane barely peeked out from under his uniform cap. His right ear had a bullet sized hole in it and his jaw was crooked to the left from an old injury.

“Commodore-governor Azure Grain, Captain Rainbow Dash and Lady Twilight Sparkle have arrived.” Amber saluted him and stepped away when he returned the gesture.

Rainbow Dash dropped her salute as well. “Glad to see you in good health, sir.”

Ignoring the aristocrat for the moment, Azure nodded with a fatherly expression. “And the same to you. How’s the leg?”

“Good as new!” Rainbow’s rear right leg kicked the air. “And ready for more.”

A thin smile crossed his lips, only for it to fade after seeing the simmering anger Amber was silently directing Twilight’s way. “A pity you’re not here to supplement the garrison. I’d rather not throw your life away returning the spy back to her ilk.”

Incensed, Twilight chose not to rise to the bait, and maintained her calm poise. “I may have been born in Canterlot, but I chose Lunaria. My ilk stand before me, crass as they are.”

Rainbow was no less irritated, but rank stilled her tongue for now. Azure Grain took a cigarette out of a case from a pocket and put one in his mouth before returning the case. “You are no Lunarian.”

“Sir,” Rainbow butt in, her temper getting the better of her, her military bearing threatened to slip. “I must respectfully disagree.”

Twilight rested a restraining wing on Rainbow’s chest as she gave Azure an iron glare. “Faire Haven, Taught Cable, Diamond Heart, Flame Weaver, they and more are all immortalized on the memorial wall of heroes in Tranquility. They and many more came to Lunaria after the Sisters left us. I fail to see what I have done to warrant such distrust from a nation founded on defecting from Equestria.”

At first, Azure remained silently scrutinizing the pegacorn. “You name heroes of Lunaria as if you are worthy to stand beside them. The memorial wall is reserved for those who died in battle wearing the silver and black. The captain spoke of you enough for me to know you are a coward who hides in the new world.”

So he’s one of those. Twilight had heard such things before from both sides. “Civilians may not be the ones dying in battle, but who are the ones making sure you have replacement uniforms and rifles? Who is it that offers recovering soldiers the sweet taste of home before returning to the front? Who rations so you can have full bellies? Provided you can keep the trains safe at least.”

“Are you claiming credit for all that?” Azure inquired, not sounding accusatory just yet.

“I have done my part,” Twilight stated with firm conviction. “Merchant’s Creed two hundred and twenty three: Never over-”

“Enough!” Azure commanded, silencing Twilight. He grabbed a brass lighter out of his pocket and lit the cigarette. He ignored her annoyed huffs as he took a much needed drag on his cigarette. “I haven’t heard a Merchant’s Creed in ten years and I don’t want to hear one now.” Dismissing the irritating noble from his sight for the moment, he focused on Rainbow, someone he could tolerate. “I received a cable that you would be carrying orders for me.”

Rainbow fished around her satchel and produced a letter with a wax seal bearing the imperial crest. “Here, sir.” Gone was her cordial mood at seeing old comrades. She kept it strictly formal.

Taking a second puff from the cigarette, Azure Grain took the letter and carefully inspected the wax seal before cracking it open. His mood darkened as he read. More than once he glanced at Twilight out of growing distrust. When he was done, he used the lighter to burn the letter and then dropped the ruined parchment on the ground.

“And there’s the rub,” he fumed while scuffing the ashes of the letter he burned. “You expect me to believe the Emperor would send you of all ponies on a rescue mission that he can’t trust his soldiers with? We’ve already had success raiding enslavement centers. What makes you special?”

The letter didn’t mention Luna? Twilight glanced at Rainbow who wore an equally uneasy look. Eclipse must be holding that information close to the chest. “You saw the seal. If the letter made no mention of who is being rescued, then I can not say either.”

Azure’s gaze went to Rainbow Dash with a silent order. The mare firmly shook her head. “I must concur. When we return, you can find out then.”

“When?” he scoffed darkly. “You act as if she isn’t leading you into an ambush. Isn’t that what you do, Twilight Sparkle? Trade lives for asylum? Slaves, soldiers, there’s no difference to you.”

Gritting her teeth enough to make her gums hurt, Rainbow shot forward to punch him, only for Twilight to act quickly and push her aside, making Rainbow’s strike miss his face by inches. “Stop!“ she warned her friend as Rainbow scrambled back to her hooves. “We don’t have time for a court-martial.”

Azure was taken aback by Rainbow’s attempted assault with Amber more stunned that Twilight stopped her. For her part, Rainbow ignored the dull pain in her side from Twilight’s hasty shove to glare at Azure Grain. “By the will of the emperor, the Ninety Second will need your assistance, Commodore.”

Recovering, Azure tried to save face by looking down his nose at both of them. “Your faith is misplaced, Captain.”

“I look forward to proving you wrong.” Rainbow Dash dusted herself off. She didn’t want to at first, but she saluted his rank more than him to be dismissed. He did not return it just yet.

Azure looked away to think for a long moment. “I will do as my emperor commands. I pray that you survive whatever ambush she has waiting for you.” He returned her salute. “Lieutenant. Make sure her soldiers are fed and well rested. Let Misty know to give our sun-loving friends a show.”

Meanwhile at Canterlot Castle, Sunset Shimmer was sitting down on a windswept balcony overlooking the city below. Kept still with her magic were a few stacks of paper and some ink pots and pens. The feeling of the skies brought her a semblance of peace that the casualty reports robbed her of. She was currently going through the latest supply and tax concerns that demanded her attention.

The scratch of pen on parchment was joined by the muffled city sounds below and the distant sound of bird call from migratory flocks. For all the work involved, she quite enjoyed it all. People counted on her, and those of the palace had long since overlooked her age for the talent she brought to the administration of the nation. It was a fulfillment that nothing could match for her. The challenges it brought, the satisfaction of an issue well solved, were it not for the headache of the war, she’d be quite happy with things.

The clip of hooves on marble pulled her attention back to her officer proper. Without even seeing Cadance there, she knew it had been the alicorn, as none of her attendants would dare enter unannounced.

Putting on a polite smile, Sunset Shimmer climbed to her hooves. “Your Holiness, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” The title she used was more of a polite habit as any real reverence had faded years ago. To most, alicorns were distant beings propped up by the churches to mythic stature. Yet to those who lived and worked close to Cadance, that magic of faith and mysticism had all but evaporated in the wake of her political ineptness. If anything, Sunset believed they’d be better off with a dog wearing the crown.

Yet the mare coming towards her looked stern, grim even, as Cadence stepped out into the balcony. “Sunset Shimmer, I must thank you for the work you’ve put in in my absence.”

At least she’s always been polite, nauseatingly so at times, but credit where it is due. It helped that it appealed to Sunset’s ego. So she nodded a bit. “It was my pleasure.” Which was no lie. Sunset loved the power her position granted her, a single whim of hers moved mountains, and while the public may adore Cadence, those in power knew Sunset was the one who got things done. “When next you see him, give Shining Armor my regards.”

“I’ll do that.” A note of reservation colored Cadence’s reply. She tried to pass it off by looking out over the clear skies above. The vast blue called to her, and her wings itched to taste the wind, but she had business to do.

“Please, join me for coffee.”

Cadence looked back at the magical thermos she saw on the way through Sunset’s office along with a spare mug.

No sooner did the monarch see it, the items were taken into Sunset’s emerald magic and floated over. “How do you take it?”

“There wasn’t much in the way of cream and sugar at the front, I’m so tired of taking it black. Please, two cubes and some milk would be lovely.” Cadence watched as more items were taken off the desk, and Sunset whipped up a cup with ease. Once finished, Cadence gave thanks and sipped a bit, humming in delight. “Seems you run the capital as well as you make a cup. Perhaps you could be a barista when you retire.”

Laughing, Sunset refreshed her own cup. “That is still a long way off. So, I take it you want a report on what’s happened in your absence?” For all the good you’ll do with it.

“Perhaps another time,” Cadence leaned against the marble balcony railing. It was another commoner habit that Sunset and the late Queen Corona never managed to correct. “I have a different matter to discuss.”

“A ceasefire perhaps?” Sunset guessed. No doubt the carnage finally got to her, and the pregnancy is just an excuse to return. “We’ve made excellent inroads into Lunara, and success breeds war fervor faster than casualties can drain it.” Provided we keep his peers’ failures out of the papers.

Shaking her head, Cadence downed some more coffee. “No, I need you to arrange a meeting between myself and those most invested in enstripement. Merchants, the mages involved in the process, those who employ stripes the most, and the like.”

Sipping her coffee, Sunset’s mind began to churn. “That will take a lot of time due to the war, but I can arrange it. I take it you’re planning to address some grievances as to why your husband has brought in so few prisoners?”

“In part.”

When Cadence didn’t elaborate, Sunset grew suspicious. Still, it was not proper, even in private, to press a queen for answers she was deliberately not forthcoming with. At least that’s how it was with Corona, Cadence had proven to be less strict. “I doubt you talked General Armor into changing his strategies. Perhaps it would be best to let me handle their displeasure in a smaller setting.”

Steeling herself, Cadence put her hoof down. “No. I need to talk to them to end enstripement.”

She’s joking right? Sunset allowed a silence to form as she watched the alicorn with mild interest. Cadence began to sweat a bit, just enough for Sunset to notice before the unicorn spoke again. “It seems the Lunarians were more successful in convincing you than you were of them.”

“That’s a rather unfair way to see it.” Cadence down the last of her coffee, ignoring the burn on the way down. “But you can not deny the facts. If enstripement has done anything right, it’s condensed all of Lunaria’s primary reasons to resist unity into a single issue.”

Unimpressed, but still bound by social habits, Sunset offered the coffee pot to refill her queen’s cup. “To be blunt, a foal could understand that.”

Feeling slighted, Cadence staved off the refill for the moment. Any other queen before her would have reprimanded Sunset or worse, but she couldn’t bring herself to do anything more than match insult with insult. “Then that same child can see her enstripment has not worked to further reunification. Instead it’s a rallying cry against us.”

Glad she learned something over there. Sunset nodded in agreement. “A fair assessment. I have always seen enstripement as a measure of last resort. We tried everything else before and after the Sisters disappeared, short of mass slaughter.” Sufficiently mollified, Cadence presented her cup once more, and Sunset filled it to her liking. “I still think talking to the ponies in question is a waste of time, and dangerous to boot.”

Sipping the drink and finding it to her liking, Cadence tried to sound confident. “Am I not the alicorn here? This is a matter of faith first is it not? I am Celestia’s will, I can appeal to their equinity.”

“You actually said it aloud and yet don’t see the problem?” Sunset actually felt pity for Cadence, and shook her head. I can hardly call her an idiot if this is how she was raised to think. If Corona had delegated her training to me, I’d of made her actually capable of something. With no hope for Cadence’s endeavor, Sunset sought to preserve the queen’s life at the very least. “You have no will of your own. In the eyes of many, you only serve as a mouthpiece for Celestia. Even then, only because the church has declared you so,” Sunset warned firmly, making Cadence wince. “The church has spent the last six hundred years justifying enstripement. If you suddenly declare it immoral, you have no friends to call upon to keep the church in line, let alone the merchants and businesses you would be ruining. With Shining Armor and his armies preoccupied, these very same ponies would find it painfully easy to usurp your rule.” Frail as it is. “Even if we ignore the church in this matter, you are trying to ask these people to give up their livelihoods. Many will try to kill you rather than change.”

Cadence had seen death by spell and shell, it didn’t bother her as much anymore. “They can find new ways of life. I won’t know until I’ve tried.”

Feeling the need for a stronger drink than coffee, Sunset resisted the urge to raid her stash of liquor and opted to look out over the balcony. The city below was peaceful with the comfortingly common noise of activity. In her mind, all she saw in its future were riots in the streets. “I’m obliged to tell you this is a horrible idea.”

Putting her cup down on the railing, Cadence was early to ask her next question. “Why? Do you support enstripement?

Sunset’s absent gaze out over the city lazily returned to her coffee cup. When she spoke again, there was real lethargy in her words, as if she was being dragged back into an old fight. “I like to think of myself as a realist, Cadenza.” Using her formal name was a test by Sunset, to see what she could get away with. She continued before Cadence could react to it one way or another. “I have eyes in Lunaria, and I’ve heard plenty of the potential of their… industrial revolution for lack of a better word. It scares me.

“What makes it worse is that this should have scared my predecessor and Corona. Instead they took the easy path and invested more heavily into magic manufacturing, but there are only so many unicorns who can mold armor, or fabricate ingots for more mundane craftsmares to use. You do not need to be talented to work in a Lunarian factory. To add insult to injury, stripes, who’d be the perfect workers for such a place, can’t because the machines would free them.” Sunset placed a hoof on her forehead to try and ward off a headache, dearly wishing for that hard drink now. “To do what your proposing would require peace first. But in doing so, Lunaria will have time to recover and advance. This is why we can not stop this war, at least not until we can push them off the continent. Maybe if we wait until then, the Lunarians will be content to stay across the pond and we can work on claiming all Celestia wanted was the mainland. That way enstripment can die out naturally as there would be no more influx of prisoners.”

“Even I know that would never work,” Cadence retorted. “These same merchants are I’ll only fund pirates and raiders to harvest more. That is why an outright ban has to be done.”

Sighing, Sunset sipped her cooling coffee, too stressed to bother heating it. “A mare can dream, right?”

Seizing the moment, Cadence closed in on Sunset, desperate excitement speeding her words. “Then help me! What - what if we made it part of the peace treaty? It would take a long time for Lunaria to justify a new war. Especially since we’d be doing this from a position of strength. This would give us plenty of time to begin our own factories and achieve parity!”

Sunset chewed on her cheek, and looked away to think. “Let’s say I do more than what is demanded of me, we still have the issue of the church. You’ll never win them over on this, and trying to force the issue is impossible with the inquisition at the archbishop’s beck and call.”

Seeing some measure of success, Cadence grinned. “I’ll see what I can do about the archbishop. You just get a list of major stripe users together and plan a summit with them and one red stripe of theirs each. I’m sure they’ll be more receptive if I give them time to adjust their businesses.”

A red each? She really is going to try to appeal to their equinity. What a fool’s ploy. Resigning herself to a turbulent future, Sunset gave in to the need for a stiff drink. “Consider it done, Your Holiness.” And may Celestia save us both.

Later that same day, the Ninety Second was in the midst of final preparations for sneaking across the country. The magic from Twilight’s suit was unable to extend into a chariot. As a result, the boiler had to be chained to her armor at set points, leaving her having to shakily stand on top of it when not in flight.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack were assisting in the final assessment of the attachment points and the chains. When she was satisfied, Applejack slapped one chain. “Fixed and good as ever. Give’er a go, boss.”

Silver had been hovering next to her to give Twilight a stable hoof to hold on to as the other mares worked. When Twilight’s armored wings started humming loudly, Silver squeezed her extended hoof. “You’re doing great.”

Smiling in gratitude, Twilight let her flaring hooves gently take her off the ground. The chains went taut, and rattled a bit as they twisted under the strain, but sure enough, both the mare and the boiler made it off the ground. Twilight grinned in smug satisfaction as she spied a number of stunned faces watching them from afar. “It feels like I’m wearing a lightly loaded saddlebag, as if I were going on a day trip.”

“I hope it stays that way,” Pinkie Pie stated worriedly. “We’re going to be gone for a lot longer than that.”

Silver helped Twilight back to the ground. All told, getting her ready was the fastest task awaiting them. “We’ll be making frequent enough stops though, right? Even if my fair lady can do it all night long, that won’t be the same with those carrying the engine pieces.”

Strained grunting on the other end of the fort’s courtyard revealed First Sergeant Jacks trying to help a quartet of pegasi and thestrals in lifting the Charlie engine. Though half of its weight had been shaved off by taking off what pieces could be easily reattached, that still left a hefty piece of steel that was doing the fliers’ magic no favors.

Applejack let her chain clamp rest on the bare soil. “A pity we couldn’t get one of the other pegacorns who had a suit to come help us.”

“We’ll make it work,” Twilight said to try and keep their spirits up. “Pinkie, why don’t we help distribute the engine pieces. The less strain we put on the other fliers, the more rested they’ll be to take over for the engine crew.”

“God thinking, Sister.”

With SIlver helping Twilight take the chains off her armor, the two sisters went off to help the rest of their escorts. Their confidence soared as the soldiers welcomed their help.

The same could not be said for Azure Grain who watched Rainbow’s company prepare itself from inside his office. “You’re telling me a pegacorn plans to not only fly, but do so with a heavy load and over nine hundred miles?” He shook his head, still wrestling with it all. “Had I not just seen her do it just now I’d call her out as a charlatan.”

Rainbow Dash was lording over a map table as she reinforced what she had been studying the entire train ride over. Forest cover could not be counted on the entire journey, so she would have to be careful in the beginning. General Reed had targeted the richest farmland in the known world, and met with great success due to Shining Armor acting like a magnet for the imperial army in the early months of the war. Vast swaths of flat open land broken only by slow, wide rivers awaited them for the first one hundred and fifty miles before they could reach the Honey Dew Forest. The fear of war and capture drove the farmers and townships off two years prior to the beginning of the war. Those who had stayed were forcefully evacuated, leaving the land abandoned by civilians in the wake of the Royal Armies.

She still felt new to this level of command. Before, she was barely given a map half the time and already had her patrol route or area of operation planned out by her superiors. Now she was having to do that job, and damn it all there was an actual thriller underneath all the anxiety of picking the best routes. She was calling bigger shots now and it made those cloth bars on her uniform unnaturally heavy.

“I still don’t understand her,” Azure Grains mused from across the table. He had placed multiple wooden pieces representing known enemy positions and strengths to allow Rainbow to plan. “Why her?” Rainbow glanced up from her work as he continued to vent his mistrust. “She’s the sister in law to Mi Amore Cadenza in case you forgot. The queen only needs to say the word and all is forgiven.”

“With respect sir, you don’t know her like I do. Twilight will stand with us to the end.” Rainbow Dash had cooled her temper since earlier and was capable of being more respectful in front of the superior officer. “Yes she has family in Equestria, but she has family here now. Businesses, a manor, friends in both high and low places.”

Grimacing in dissatisfaction, Azure leaned against the table. “Which is something a true believer spy can do for the job. What family do you think holds more weight: an alicorn or a common stallion? For all you know, her ‘adopted sister’ is an equestrian spy as well.”

“We have our orders, sir.” Rainbow tried to stay respectful. He was paranoid the last time I was here. And that same paranoia stopped a couple of raids.

“And that’s what I don’t get. Are you under some secret orders to kill her away from the public eye so it can’t be blamed on the Royal Army to cause friction with her family?”

Hissing through her teeth, Rainbow’s temper was getting the better of her. “Sir, do you want to know what my orders are?”

The tone was dangerous. Not in a threat of violence but in a secret that shouldn’t be known. Had Azure been anyone else, and knowing Rainbow was under orders directly from the emperor, they would have backed off. Yet Azure did not keep Black Bluff under Lunarian control by being careful. With a firm expression and that left no room for mirth or jest, Azure Grains nodded. “Tell me.”

He’s calling my bluff? Damn it, well I’ve dug this much of a hole. Might as well go all in. “My orders are to take Twilight where she needs to go to return Luna herself to us, and escort them back to Tranquility. Or do whatever Luna requires of us.”

Wrinkling his brow in disbelief, Azure pulled back to think. “You- you’re serious..?”

“All the way.”

“Mother Moon, of all things.” Azure shook himself. “You’re going to make general one day, Captain, and when you do, I’m going to need a copy of your memoirs.”

“Oh please,” Rainbow groaned like he was jabbing her with a stick. “I have to read so much junk every time I’m given a higher rank, I’ll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I ever write a book.”

Not too far to the west, the Royal Army camp was comparatively lazy to its fortified counterpart. Patrols were still conducted, but there was no expectation of action in the air. The soldiers felt the war in this theater was over for the year, possibly all together should the Lunarians decide they had enough. This sentiment went beyond General Reed himself. After the siege had been broken and the Lunarians proved to be content to stay in their fort, Reed’s army had been redeployed company by company until all he was left with was an understrength regiment of just over two thousand troops including auxiliaries. He was a general-in-waiting until late winter would either see him reinforced or replaced.

A slow flowing tributary from the mountains far to the north carried fresh water through the camp with many soldiers collecting some along the bank. Standing just outside his winter cabin, made from portal imported wood, Reed chewed on some tobacco while his gaze was fixated on his career’s demise: Black Bluff. Azure, you devil, you better hope they send me away, because I’ll drag you out of your den in the spring, come what may.

Stewing in his impotence, Reed turned to sulk back in his cabin when the distant sound of rapid wing beats reached his ear. His last remaining aide was flying straight at him, only to bank and orbit hard to keep from crashing into the cabin.

“General, sir, a message for you from General Shining Armor.” The stallion produced a letter from a satchel and dropped it so Reed would catch it in his magic.

While Reed felt obligated to pluck the letter from the air, jealousy kept him from reading it straight away. What does he want this time?

With his aide close by, Reed didn’t want to look childish so he begrudgingly opened the letter.

General Reed, I hope this message reaches you in both good health and timing. I received information that a train carrying a single company of soldiers and a Charlie engine are being moved to Black Bluff. The peculiarity of this light load makes me uneasy.

I strongly believe the Lunarians are up to something in the region, and are using your lightly defended area to execute it. Find out what they’re up to and stop it if you can, or delay them if all else fails. Do this, and I will ensure you have sufficient force to claim Black Bluff in the spring.

His jealousy evaporated, and Reed’s eyes widened like a predator about to pounce. This was his chance to regain some of his lost honor. A humorless smirk crossed his face. “Finally.” He put the letter back in the envelope and whistled as hard as he could. The aide landed while Reed’s officers scrambled to stop what they were doing and sprint over to his cabin.

It had not taken long for them to arrive, each eager to know what the call was for, yet Reed remained tight lipped over it until all were present. “Boys, we might have just caught our lucky break. I just received word that the Lunatics are plotting something, possibly nothing, but it's worth investigating anyway. I want eyes on Black Bluff at all hours, double the watch if need be. I want Second, Eighth, Tenth, and the Fifteenth companies spread out along possible routes the enemy might use to sneak into the camp. I want the Ninth, Seventh, and Twentieth to pull west to keep an eye out in case portal raiders try to slip by us. The rest is to stay on alert and in reserve the moment contact is made.” He waited just a few moments to make sure they all understood him. “Now make it happen!”

“Yes, Sir!” came the choir of a dozen voices before everyone split off to organize their forces.

Reed retreated into his cabin to retrieve his pistol and saber. Alright, Azure, your move.

A ways south of Black Bluff, Rainbow’s Ninety Second was creeping along the bluffs. She was on point, taking careful steps to avoid rustling the tall grasses that masked her group’s movements.

The waning moon provided more than enough light for her cat-like eyes to make out the lowlands to the west. Her ears bent and twitched at every sound.

They were reaching the ten mile mark where the bluffs started to curve back east when she came to a stop to listen.

Staying behind the tick foliage, and with ears forward, she waited. First Sergeant Jacks slid up beside her, his long gun kept low so as to not break over the grass. He was wearing yellow tinted glasses that naturally improved his night vision up to a point. He could make out Rainbow’s face up to ten feet away, but beyond that she’d be as imperceivable as a shadow. His whisper came low, as if he was talking under his breath, but being this close meant it was loud and clear for her. “How’s it look, Captain?”

A cattail along the nearby river swayed in the windless air. A faint glint of moonlight from barely a foot away from the cattail caught her attention. It could be just an animal, and they were well outside the expected perimeter of the Equestrian patrols, but she wasn’t with just her soldiers. Twilight and the other cargo carriers were too cumbersome to ever slip by anything.

“I don’t like it.” Her whisper had to be a bit louder for the pegasus. “I thought Azure Grain said the patrols never went past eight miles around the bluffs.”

“No pony could have missed the train coming in,” Jacks commented as he, too, tried to see anything by pulling his glasses up, but he was barely able to make out the opposite bank as it was. “Could just be a precaution against portal raiders. We’ve seen it plenty of times.”

Humming negatively, Rainbow had to agree with the logic. “I was hoping he’d think it was just a resupply.” The cattails moved again and she barely saw something unnaturally straight. Gun barrel, no question. “They’re trying to push us south. They know something is coming. We’ll have to wait for Azure’s distraction.”

“Wonder how they knew to watch for our train,” Jacked mused aloud.

Rainbow barely tilted her head in his direction, and even though it was too dark to make out her face all that much, he could almost feel the cautionary glare she was leveling at him. “Careful.”

He briefly contemplated pulling his glasses back over his eyes, but decided he didn’t want to see her anger quite so clearly. “I ain’t mean any offense, ma’am. I know you believe the whole journal and statues bit, but you’re not going to convince me until I see Luna in the flesh.”

“Then follow my orders and if luck will have us, you’ll get that chance.”

A cheeky grin crossed the sergeant’s face. “That I can do, ma’am.”

Her reply never came as cannon fire erupted a ways north from the fort. The sky lit up in white light as flares were thrown down to ruin the Royal Army’s night vision.

Instead of acting immediately, Rainbow remained low in the grass, waiting for movement. A minute passed. Two minutes.

Ten minutes. She was getting antsy now.

Nearly fifteen minutes expired and Rainbow was starting to wonder if she had seen anything at all. Each second was a gift from Azure and it was starting to feel like she was wasting it.

Suddenly, a pegasus leapt from the obscuring grasses by the river bank and sprinted north. Rainbow made a curt motion for Jacks to remain still. Once the pegasus was out of sight, an earth pony abandoned the same spot, and ran towards the battle. He was halfway up the river when a second pegasus left the grass and came straight up to Rainbow and Jacks’ hiding place.

Getting a knife ready by attaching it to her left wing, Rainbow waited until the instant she saw the pegasus realize someone was there and panicky tried to back away. She pounced on the soldier, first smacking his mouth with a hoof to silence a scream before cutting his throat with the blade.

Unable to do more than gurgle, the pegasus fell from the air to land in a rolling heap along the river bank. Jacks sped past her to investigate the nook they came from, but it turned up empty save for a piece of discarded food. Rainbow jabbed a hoof in Jacks’ direction. “You’re on point, with Lts Feather Dance and Sea Breeze. Get everypony moving on the double!”

“Aye, ma’am!”

Flicking her blade clean, Rainbow sheathed it and sped on to where she had left Twilight and the others. With the quiet call going out, the soldiers began to move, and by the time Rainbow arrived, Twilight was already lifting into the air with a painfully loud hum given the stealth they were trying to achieve. All of the pegasus carriers moved with her as Rainbow went side by side with Twilight. “Just like we practiced, low and careful. Don’t let some stick pointing up cause you to get snagged and crater your face in the dirt.”

Twilight adjusted the resin horn cover she was using as it started to itch. “Right. Low and careful.”

Pinkie Pie was being carried on her sister’s back while Silver flew alongside them.

Moving on, the thestral eyed the other carriers. Unlike regular soldiers, who carried their kit individually, her skirmisher scouts needed to be light and agile so it was left to half her troops to carry everything they’d need. Barely any of them made a sound, save for the four tied up to the Charlie engine.

They better tell me when they start getting worn out. The trip’s too long to let pride get in the way. Leaving that issue for later, Rainbow waited until everyone had moved on before appointing a rear guard. Leaving security to be handled by her sergeants and corporals, Rainbow raced to meet up with Jacks.

The Ninety Second made good time crossing the gap between the bluffs and the river that carved its edges. They were at home in the dead of night. Even if the pegasi could barely see beyond a few feet, their hearing and night glasses allowed them to easily follow the thestrals leading the way as the company ran through the thick grasses that had claimed the abandoned farmland.

The skirmishers crept along in three lines down the path, with the center line given the widest berth. That was where Twilight and the other heavy carriers resided while the outside lines protected their flanks.

This distant booming of cannon and rockets were muffled to dull crumps by the time a signal for a halt ran up the lines.

Rainbow, who had been a few heads behind point, carefully made her way to the front. There she found her first lieutenant, a thestral stallion with forest green fur had stopped at a cobblestone road. The mage-Corporal was present as well. “Report,” she commanded as she slid beside the stallion while keeping her eyes fixed ahead.

“Look there, ma’am.” Her officer pointed down at the road.

At first she saw nothing, just the white and gray stones of the road, but as she scrutinized it closer, she could see what could first be passed off as scratches from wagon wheels. Little symbols were hastily carved into stones, the imperfections blending them in with the wear and tear of the road.

“Traps,” she whispered worriedly.

“Recent too,” the unicorn mage cautioned. “And with minimal power. Trip alarms I’d wager, not dangerous in of themselves. Five slips whoever set them is still around, since as these things will lose power in a night or two.”

Closing her eyes to think, Rainbow tried to come up with a plan. The slavers are smart. If we tried to disable some of them, it’ll trigger a fail safe alarm. Disarming them will take too long. We can’t spare the time if patrols are still nearby. Flying over it could be possible but if a patrol bothered to put traps here, they’ll be watching for that.

“Everypony down!” one of her second lieutenants cautioned hastily. Everyone froze and crouched down as quietly as possible. Rainbow and the others silently crept backwards to put more of the grass between them and the road, being careful to disturb the grass as little as possible.

The overgrown shrubs on the far side barely moved as five equestrian soldiers slid onto the road with muffled hoofsteps. Four of their number were watching the Lunarian position with guns ready. The fifth was a unicorn who bent down to inspect the road. Her horn glowed a ruddy brown as symbols lit up all over the place.

“How’s it look, Summer,” one of the earth ponies asked nervously. His long gun rattled a bit as its muzzle followed every perceived shadow.

“Nothing yet,” the unicorn said, almost relieved.

A pegasus of the group lowered his weapon. “This is pointless. We should have been sent to fight, not this. I can’t go home without bagging me at least one more moon licker.”

“Save it,” the unicorn fumed as he shoved the pegasus back to their side of the road. “You’ll get your chance come springtime. Come on.”

The unicorn passed back through the tall grass with the jumpy earth soldier eager to follow. Growling his displeasure, the pegasus followed after him.

Once they were gone, Rainbow’s first lieutenant raised his pistol. “Ma’am, you want us to handle these sunburnt idiots?”

“We’re not raiders today.” Rainbow began backing away from the road. “Getting the civilians to the Mirage is our only concern.”

Displeased, but seeing the wisdom in it, the officers followed her lead in guiding the soldiers further south to avoid any further encounters before once more turning west. The wide stretching farmlands gave them ample room to slip by until they could reach their destination.

Weeks later during mid-morning, Rock Salt was setting some fish on a drying line. The village had changed little since the outsiders had departed, save for the removal of all the bones being cast into the waters for nature to make use of.

Wiping some sweat from his brow, he looked over at the ruins of the old manor. The militia had been thorough with their demolition. All that remained was rubble of stone and the occasional planks of wood. It suited him just fine as a reminder that all artificial things fall in the face of the Green Mother.

Such thinking brought his attention back to the scar in his village that marked the warengine’s passage. Maybe I should just leave it be. It’s not like I need the extra housing.

Thirst pulled him to the river and the ancient dock the barge had used before. Gazing out over the land, the swamp closest to the village had changed much. While the river had not retreated back to its original size from ages past, the grounds around it dried enough to safely stand on for miles away from the village. The trees were growing stronger by the day with his efforts, and with them the phantoms that drew people in, faded to a hollow murmur. Perhaps one day, in the twilight of his life, the Mirage will be well on its way to healing without him.

With his thirst slacked, he was about to swim to the next area he wanted to help recover from the generations of dark magic when objects in the sky caught his attention. Leaning over the water to get a better look, they were far too large to be birds.

The glint of metal made his heart sink. Summoning druidic magic to give him an eagle’s eyes, he could see it was a group of ten pegasi and five chariots. All of which were painted white and gold with a familiar symbol upon them. Yet what drew his attention the most was the heretical pink maned yellow pegasus leading the group straight to the village. A pox upon you all.

30: Eviction

The air felt unusually clean to Rarity as she set hoof down on the edge of the abandoned druid village. The stench of black magic was almost absent, and the sickly sweet smell of rot was gone as well. The green covered homes and storehouses felt quietly empty. Gone was the roof of fog that covered the skies, and in its place burned the welcoming sun. Its warmth brought strength to her bones, weary from the long trip.

Of the five chariots, only three of them had been occupied, the other two carried their supplies, and were reserved for the goddesses upon their departure, one of which had thick chains in place. They had landed in a clearing directly in front of the bulldozed path used by the militia’s train, giving them some space to take back off again.

Lock Stock and Lyra Heartstrings got off the chariot after their superior, whereas Radiant Dawn and two of his retainers disembarked their own chariots. The last occupied chariot had three robed unicorns disembark, only one of which bore the golden icon of an inquisitor.

Lock Stock sucked in a long deep breath. “Smells a lot better than last time.”

“I think I lost all my nose hairs the last time we were here.” Lyra was in the middle of helping the two pegasi unhitch themselves when irate shouting came from the docks.

Radiant Dawn stepped in close to his former student. “Ah, this must be the caretaker. Rarity, you created a rapport the last time you were here. Why don’t you explain matters with him?”

Rarity knew the druid’s already irate mood, if his distant shouting was any indication, was only going to get worse. Yet with Celestia at stake, brushing him aside if the need arose would cost her no sleep at night. “Gladly, instructor.”

Rock Salt was climbing out of the water, and throwing loose leaves and twigs off of himself all while ranting about unwanted outsiders. Said outsiders gathered up to wait politely with the three inquisitors standing in front. Rock Salt was still dripping with river water when he got within speaking distance. “Why are all of you here?! The Dark Father is dead, and don’t tell me you’re here to help purge his influence from the land.”

“As if you’d accept it even if we were,” Rarity countered with slight exasperation.

“Damn right!” Rock Salt shot back in ready agreement.

With the prospect of freeing Celestia so close at hand, Radiant Dawn’s patience was already a scarce commodity. “Rarity,” he said as he took his leave, gesturing for the others to join him.

“Hey, what’s going on!” Rock Salt shouted at the departing Equestrians while Rarity moved to block him from advancing.

“Mister Rock Salt, I require a minute of your time.” Her voice was calm, but demanding.

Still remembering the fear the alabaster inquisitor evoked in the Lunarians, Rock Salt got ahold of himself and only then noticed Rarity’s three retainers had also lingered nearby. If they wanted him stopped or worse, there were no Lunarians to stop them. So he stood there, bound energy trapped by fear. “As - as you wish.”

“Good.” With a touch of magic on his withers, Rarity directed his attention back to the wilds beyond the village. To her, the swamp had dried considerably, save for the very strong river still flowing past them. The trees looked full and green. Bird song could be heard, the greasy feeling of dark magic was almost gone, and more importantly, nothing was attacking her wards with hallucinations. “I love what you’ve done with the place. Were it not for the morass between here and the rest of the Mirage I’d dare say this place is idyllic.”

“It - it has been difficult,” he admitted hesitantly, not trusting her motives. “But I can handle it perfectly well on my own.”

“I’m sure you could.” Rarity breathed slowly, calm and in control. “We’re here about the Protectors. Or more precisely, who they truly are.”

Stepping away from her, Rock Salt once again found Lyra and Lock Stock casually keeping themselves visible behind Rarity, an unspoken warning. “You’re taking it away from me, are you?”

The accusation barely bothered her. “I’m sure the statue has been quite helpful in your healing efforts.” He made to argue, so Rarity cast a spell to completely silence him so she would be uninterrupted. “But the fact is the Protectors are Celestia and her sister. No matter how valuable they may be to your efforts, they will be freed from their stone prison.” She let the silence spell go out of curtesy now that her purpose had been stated.

“I don’t care who or what the protectors are,” he retorted as firmly as his fearful respect for Rarity allowed. “I still need the statue to cleanse the Mirage.”

Rarity gave him a sympathetic frown, yet her tone carried the undercurrent of restrained power. “I know your work is important, and that druids are a heathanistic bunch, so I will give you some advice that I gave Fluttershy. Never belittle Celestia in my presence again. She is more than a convenient purifier of dark magic. Right now she is imprisoned in stone and come hell or high water she will be freed.” Though she never raised her voice, the stallion shivered at every word. “As for your efforts, I’m sure the Sisters of the Golden Cathedral would be more than happy to lend their aid.”

Rock Salt felt as if the very ground was being pulled out from under him, and that he had to smile and take it. “I don’t want more outsiders here.”

“Hardly a surprise, but it is not up for debate.” Rarity picked up a rock off the ground and acted as if it was interesting. “The fact is the Mirage will be deep inside Equestrian territory now. When the war is over, we have plans for the surrounding lands. The church doesn’t want the headaches from the Mirage scaring away any settlers, and the crown is in full agreement.”

Rock Salt stepped away from her. “You’re taking the Mirage away from me, aren’t you?!”

Far from being angered by his belligerent tone, Rarity gave him a humorless half-grin. “Are you, a druid, laying claim to the wilds?”

Stumbling with his words, Rock Salt stamped the ground. “You know what I mean! I am the steward of the land. You civilized are incapable of healing the Mirage! Besides, so long as I draw breath, this land belongs to the Crookbacks.”

“You mean to you.” Humming aloud, Rarity looked back towards her retainers. A dancing smile played over her face. “Fluttershy, dear, I believe this has become a druid issue.”

The canary yellow pegasus walked closer, yet heard everything. Rock Salt was about to denounce her out of hand until he saw her holding a twig sized tree being pulled out of her pack. Rock Salt knew the symbol of the Orders well, and was aghast that Fluttershy held one at all. “I am here to inform you that due to the tragedy centered around the Dark Father, the Orders have released the Mirage from their treaty-bound protection and it is to be given over to whichever civilized group lays dominion of the surrounding lands.”

“Namingly, Equestria,” Rarity finished. When he was too distraught to respond immediately, Rarity used the silence to continue. “Naturally we’ll allow you to continue your work, as the Cathedral will be focused more on cleansing the fringes first and work their way in. Your cooperation is welcome but not required.”

“You - you can’t do this!” He managed to blurt out without thought. “This is my ancestral home.”

“The t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted,” Rarity pressed right back. “It is already done. The Cathedral is already preparing a coven to be located within the old Lunarian river town to begin the work in three month’s time. Oh they’re nice ponies,” she interjected with warmth. “Be courteous and I’m sure you and the sisters will get along famously.”

Fluttershy presented the miniature tree for Rock Salt to take, not even giving him time to bluster out more objections. “The Orders have agreed to this. You may listen for yourself if you need to. I’m sorry for your loss, but rest assured the Mirage will be the forest it once was again.”

Rock Salt glared at the small tree and kicked it out of Fluttershy’s grip, clipping her hoof in the process. “This is why I went to the Lunarians instead of you!” He seethed at Rarity and Fluttershy both. “For as much as they burn and twist earth and stone, they respect the laws you civilized hold so dear.”

“As do the Equestrians,” Fluttershy said before Rarity could respond. “Which is why we took the time to consult the Orders.” She gave Rarity a nod, giving the inquisitor an out if she wanted it.

Rarity decided to take her up on the offer, and adjusted the brim of her wide hat. “I’ll be with the others, dear.”

Lyra joined Rarity, yet Lock Stock lingered, watching over her. As Fluttershy waited for the other mares to leave, Rock Salt pawed at the ground like an angry bull, making Fluttershy keep her wits about her. When the others had disappeared into the village, she spoke to him once more. “You’re welcome at our fire.”

“Well you’re not welcome at mine!” He spat impotently. Rock Salt was nearly hyperventilating with emotion. “How can you-” He started, then stopped. “How can-” He screamed inarticulately, causing some plants and animals to respond. However a few terse notes from Fluttershy made nature return to rest. “Why?” He cried with tears streaming down his face. “The civilized take what they want. Burn, chop, hunt, and destroy. How can the wilds listen to one who serves them like you?!” He sat down heavily in the mud. “I’ve given everything. My whole life, my sweat and blood, my family, my whole Order, and even now you brush me aside so easily.” He broke down, uncaring who saw him now. His Order was dead, his lands stolen, given up by the other druids, and now he fully expected the civilized to ruin it all. “The Orders should have killed you where you stood, not let you act as their messenger!”

“Perhaps some desire to do so.” Fluttershy gave a forlorn sigh and with a wave of her wing and a few quiet words got Lock Stock to leave. Once it was just the two of them, she came to Rock Salt and knelt down in front of him. “The Green Mother is our parent, not a child for us to coddle. True to her name, she is a mother who values much that the other orders refuse to see. I can help you see.”

Growling and throwing mud at her, Rock Salt clambered back to his hooves. “I can see just fine, heretic. You are a rebellious child she still has hope for, not praise! One of these days, she will tire of entertaining your harsh song and put you back in your place.”

Leaving the mud on her face for now, Fluttershy remained seated. With a few notes of song, a brilliant pink flower grew out from between her outstretched forelegs. She looked at him not with the smug satisfaction he expected, but the troubled concern of a friend. “When you are done thrashing in the dark, I will be with the others.”

Rock Salt wanted to stamp her flower into the mud, but pushed past her to return to his hut. I won’t stand for this!

In the center of the village, Radiant Dawn and his friend and fellow inquisitor knelt before the statue of the sisters. Both unicorns had approached it with reverence and spoken prayer, and dared not touch it by either spell or hoof. “Marvelous, astounding really.” Radiant Dawn’s gaze tracked every detail of Celestia looking for cracks, chips, or other signs of erosion and found none. “It’s as if she was petrified mere hours ago. Don’t you think, Topaz? Her majesty and glory shine through even now.”

The other inquisitor had been studying the statues as a whole before focusing on the stone orbs around the mares’ heads. “I must confess I had my doubts, but now they are but dust. Not even a hint of weathering exists. Only divinity is capable of such a feat.” His reverent tone fell to one of growing shame. “I’m worried we’re ill prepared to free them.”

Frowning, Radiant Dawn pulled back to stand beside his colleague. “Oh? Perhaps we should look into relocating the Sisters back to Canterlot then?”

“That’s not it,” Topaz started and he rubbed his chin in thoughtful concern. “The problem is a matter of carefully balanced forces at play. Ordinarily, only a Soft spell would be needed to help a cockatrice victim, but this is the work of power beyond mortal understanding. The Sisters’ efforts to stop each other have melded together, and now I have to be the one to break it.” The stallion swallowed a lump in his throat at the task before him.

Radiant Dawn sympathized immensely, and had to rip his gaze away from Celestia to offer him some encouragement. “A daunting task to be sure. But I have little doubt that Celestia will forgive any small indecencies for her freedom. Come, we should focus on the task at hoof with patience and care.”

“Yes… yes you are quite right.”

With his colleague mollified, Radiant could focus his efforts. He was no expert on Soft spells, but it was part of first aid training all inquisitors went through. He lit his horn and enveloped Celestia in a golden amber light. A single orb around Luna’s head brightened while his spell was active. He tried for half a minute without success before stopping, and the orb dimmed with it. “The statue itself is rebuffing my efforts!”

Still reconciling the need to touch Celestia with his magic, Topaz had watched Radiant’s efforts and pointed at the orbs. “It seems as though the Sisters are not rebuffing you. The cause of failure are the artifacts around their heads.”

The conversation between retainers behind them paused to offer respects, prompting the stallions to turn around. Rarity and Lyra were joining them, with Lyra hanging back to remain with the other retainers.

Upon reaching them, Rarity genuflected before Celestia and began to utter a quiet prayer before a realization struck her cold. She had given prayer many times when she was here previously. I was here for so long and yet Celestia never said a word or gave me a sign that I had been in her presence. The deeper her thoughts took her, a cold hand seemed to grasp her heart. She looked up at the Sisters, remembering the last rites she had performed. No! No! She had to be watching in order to accept the souls.

Doubts lingered, and try as she might, they refused to be banished. Her mood and face darkened until a hoof rested on her back. Rarity snapped back to the world to find Lyra was looking at her with deep worry. “Are you alright?”

Blinking, with the spell of her doubts broken she banished such heretical thoughts aside and adopted a fake smile. “Yes, I’m fine. Just overwhelmed with finally meeting Celestia.”

Not believing her, but unwilling to call her out; Lyra dipped her head. “As are we all.”

Lyra dropped her hoof, and Rarity excused herself to join her fellow inquisitors. Thankfully the pair had been too distracted by their planning to notice her moment of crisis. “Master Topaz, Instructor, how do things look?”

“Troubling,” was all Dawn said as Topaz took over.

“We have two problems. The first is the collection of artifacts the Sisters were using in their battle. Even to this day they hold great power and they shield the Sisters from magic that is not their own. The other is the purging field. That is assuming the field isn't being projected by some of the orbs.” He raised a hoof to feel the air. With his horn inactive, that feeling of a warm towel around his horn was heavy. Humming worriedly, he called out to one of his retainers. “Chocolate, give me that first staff.”

The unicorn in question looked to one of his fellows who was wearing something akin to a weapon rack, with eight metal staves strapped to him. Chocolate pulled one of them out and gave it over to Topaz who thanked him.

The staff itself was polished brass with gold carved runes spiraling from the bottom end to the pointed topaz on top. It could easily be mistaken for a javelin. With some effort, Topaz tried to imbue the staff with mana, an act that should have shown quick results. However, the moment some of the runes began to glow, the light faded and caused the staff to heat up. He didn’t stop until he could feel the heat against his face. “Well that’s going to be a problem.”

Turning away from the Sisters, Radiant Dawn scowled at his colleague's troubles. “I thought you said you enacted disruption protections.”

“No protection is perfect, you troglodyte,” Topaz grumbled as he tossed the staff back to his retainer. Radiant fumed a bit, but he ultimately let it slide due to being close enough friends with him to not let pride or ambition compromise their mission, and not wanting to squabble in front of Celestia. “Besides, my protections are designed to slow machine interference, not a straight purging field. Even if this is primitive magic, it is still powerful. Honestly, I can’t imagine how the artifacts even still retain power after so many centuries.” He had not put too much power behind his efforts, but it was enough to gauge the strength of the field that resisted him. “There is worryingly strong power here, like the orbs have been freshly charged.”

Rarity sniffed the air, noticing the sterile plastic smell wasn’t as strong as it once was. “Perhaps…” Closing her eyes to think it over, Rarity tried to pull on her tutelage of ancient artifacts. “What if we’re dealing with a ‘gaping maw’?”

Topaz hummed in surprised approval. “It’s a possibility. That was one of the issues with old purging magics. Instead of dispersing the targeted magic, it denatured it. Denatured magic is dangerously explosive, unless it is-” He glared at the orbs with renewed respect. “Repurposed.”

“This sort of failsafe or whatever was never mentioned in the journals though.” Radiant Dawn finished, completely mystified by the whole thing. “Such effects are difficult to create. Somepony must have sabotaged Celestia’s efforts.”

Rarity looked at Luna for a few seconds, silently wondering if her instructor was being facetious. “One can only guess who.”

Topaz ignored it all to focus. He hesitated at first before casting a sensing spell over the Sisters to feel out the petrification. The orbs kept trying to drain the spell, so he had to push to keep it going. “Yes… yes, most definitely.” He stopped the spell, feeling winded from the effort. “Well there is some good news at least. A soft spell of sufficient force could free them alright.”

Radiant Dawn patted Topaz’s shoulder. “So all we need to do is overpower the cleansing field?”

“If only.” Topaz used his magic to tug on one of the orbs floating back and forth between the Sisters’ heads. “This one constantly renews the petrification. We need to disable that, along with the field before we can then hit them with a Soft spell.” He marveled at the complexity of it all.

“I don’t suppose you know how that can be done,” Rarity asked, worried about his answer.

Shaking his head, Topaz was not happy. “Sure I do. A machine of sufficient size could do it.”

Rarity felt compelled to look out towards the ruins of the manor. “I’m afraid we’re fresh out of those. Let alone anypony who could use one.”

Radiant Dawn scoffed at the very notion. He didn’t think he was serious, but had to be sure. “Topaz, surely you're not suggesting tarnishing the Light of Lights with such a thing. It’s bad enough her holiness subjected herself to the presence of such things. Doing so with Celestia against her will is out of the question.”

Recoiling a bit from Radiant’s unspoken accusation, Topaz waved a warding hoof. “I only said it in jest of course. We can figure out how, and if not, we can try relocating the Sisters to Canterlot.”

Studying the Sisters’ posture and the anger in each others’ eyes, Rarity sweated a bit. “I can’t say that would go well. Given the immense divine power the Sisters wield with terrible ease, the moment they are freed, I fear they would still think they are on a battlefield and raze the castle before we could explain the situation. Luna more so, I’d wager.”

“Perhaps you’re right.” Radiant took the statue in as a whole and suppressed a shudder at the raw power that was frozen in stone. “We should exhaust absolutely all of our options here before we try to relocate. The foulness of the swamp aside, it is not like we are pressed for time. We must do this right, not fast and loose.”

Looking back at his old friend, Topaz sniffed the air, causing his gag reflex to twing, being too used to the perfumed halls of the palace and Inquisitorius. “Foulness indeed. Would it be too much to erect a chapel of sorts around us to Celestia’s honor… and to give us an excuse to light some incense.”

Later that week, during a heavy thunderstorm, the scout elements of the Ninety Second were sniffing around the remains of Bogburg, the same town Turnabout’s militia hailed from. Bogburg had been one of the larger municipalities that remained close to the pre-war border. Now however, the town of twenty one thousand was an utterly abandoned, bombed out, fire swept ruin.

Lightning sporadically revealed miles of charred wooden buildings along the city streets. A few stone stand outs remained, casting long shadows over the scouts as they sniffed around for any sign of traps or potential tracker soldiers left behind to catch any holdouts. Yet all that greeted them were empty streets and darkened windows. A haunting emptiness that let all of them on edge. Being so used to insect or bird song from the plains or forests they had just traveled though, the thunderous rain was all they could hear. What struck them more, was the fatalism that each empty home or shop they saw. Their generals had promised victory in the first year, now only a call to resist remained, and the empty city heralded their future.

When no threats materialized, the rest of the Lunarians eased their way inside looking for a place to camp before making the final push into the Mirage. Everyone sagged from the rain and crushing hollow city. They had been pushing themselves so hard over the last month, many of them couldn't fly even if they needed to. Still, despite the unease, the prospect of having a roof over their heads for the following days' rest kept their legs moving.

Towards the river rested a collection of warehouses that used to service the marina. As the first scout pushed the creaking door open, the thestral found the brick construction mostly intact, save for a single large hole in the roof and northern wall where artillery had struck it. The incoming rain was being funneled into a drain, so the ground was fairly dry. Also importantly, time and the rain had cleaned the air of soot and dust. “This is perfect. We could even light small fires without being noticed.”

Reluctant to go back out into the heavy rain, the scout trudged on to find his brethren before reporting back to the captain. Within hours, the rest of the company filed into the warehouse, with some of them camping in an adjacent structure that was less intact, but still provided enough protection for a squad to bunker down.

Pinkie Pie and Silver helped unhitch Twilight from her cargo, and the tired mare all but collapsed in a heap. Both of them helped Twilight to stand up, but she could barely move on her own. “Pinkie. Pinkie, did we make it?”

“We’re at the last stop, Twilly. We’re going to rest a bit, okay?” Her sister set Twilight down near a fire Applejack was making. The warehouse and the surrounding ruins had enough wood for a few fires, so they would not have to venture too much into the ruins tonight.

Twilight was too tired to smile so she flopped her head a bit in a facsimile of a nod. “That’s good.”

Silver laid out his sopping wet rucksack to dry while pulling out his sleeping blanket. The rain had gotten to it a little, but the leather rucksack had done its job for the most part and it was dry enough for Twilight to lay down on. “Here, rest a bit while Applejack gets dinner warmed up.”

Grateful, and too tired to object even if she wanted to, Twilight nestled into the partially damp blanket. It was chilly, and matted her fur in places, but fatigue had sunk into her very bones, and her wings shivered from the cold.

Pinkie Pie moved to unclasp Twilight’s armor. “Silver give me a hoof. Without feathers, Twilight’s as vulnerable to a wet cold as a shaved pegasus.”

“I’m fine,” Twilight barely croaked out, more out of annoyance of the comparison than anything else.

Ignoring the feeble protest, Silver joined Pinkie’s efforts in removing Twilight’s armor and soaked travel clothes before they too removed their own. Pinkie was in the middle of using her blanket to dry Twilight off when Applejack was done with the soup. “Come here and bring yer bowls, ya’ll, plenty a beans, rice, and pork for all.”

It wasn’t long before the four of them were scrunched up close to the fire, each of them weary and cold. Similar fires were spread around the warehouse, and muted conversation and song filled the air.

The warmth of friends and fire gave Twilight enough strength to sit properly to eat by the time Rainbow Dash had done the rounds of ensuring the camp was safe for her to rest as well. “Hey, girls, Silver, mind if I join in?”

“As if you need to ask, Dashie.” Pinkie Pie and Applejack pulled back from the fire to make room for her.

The captain plopped down with her bowl and spoon at the ready. “I can’t tell you how starved I am.”

“Well help yourself,” Applejack offered as she pushed the ladle around the pot. The sailor chewed on some tough pork, barely tenderized by the hot soup. The beans and rice weren’t much better, but everyone was too hungry to wait for perfectly cooked and just wanted something warm and soft enough it wouldn’t chip teeth. Applejack had run out of pepper and dried spices days ago. “Wish we had some bread. Hell, some hard tack’ would do if we had it.”

“We’re going to rest all night tomorrow,” Rainbow announced. “Too many of us are strung out, and not for nothing, I’d rather not sleep inside a creepy black magic infested swamp.” She got no argument for the rest. “I’ll set some boys out to fish out of the river. And who knows, maybe some choice grass or flowers if we’re lucky.”

The thought of eating more unflavored grass made Twilight groan. “Please no more grass. I just want a cheesesteak sandwich with onions and peppers.”

With a cheeky smirk, Applejack leaned over. “Maybe you can hit Luna up for one when we free her. You know, as compensation.”

“Pah, and waste the favor of a goddess for a sandwich? Perish the thought.” Twilight settled for another spoonful of hard rice and chewy pork. It was bland but filling. She had to eat with her hooves though as her wings were still trembling from exhaustion. “I’m just glad the return trip can be done without carrying the engine back.”

“Ha, you’re not the only one.” Rainbow jabbed a wing behind her to the resting troops. “They’ve done a great job, but the bellyaching could rival an orphanage walking past a candy store. Not that I blame them.”

Twilight yawned sleepily, and struggled to keep from spilling her bowl. Silver caught it and held it steady. “You should drink the rest then lay down, Twilight. I’ll dry your armor and clothes out.”

Pinkie Pie went to her sister’s side and laid down beside her to share her body heat. Twilight fell asleep before she could even thank her. Pinkie looked to Silver. “I’ll thank you for her,” she said with a side smile.

Too worried over Twilight to share the weak laughter, Silver managed to nod at least. “I’ll dry yours too then.”

As he went about using tent poles to hang things up, Applejack and Rainbow pulled back from the fire to give him space for the clothes. The armor had to be dried manually, yet Silver did so without complaint.

“Hey, AJ, I’m going to go back to my tent with Jacks and the others to plan some things. You think you can manage to scrounge up some fishing poles?”

Wearing a sly grin and rubbing her nose, Applejack was already feeling hungry for some seafood. “If there’s fish in them waters, they'll be dinner in no time. I’ll take anypony who can handle a line.”

“Awesome. See you in the evening,” Rainbow offered a hoof to which Applejack bumped it.

Taking to the air, Rainbow made her way to the opposite side of the warehouse where her ‘command’ tent was. The thing was barely big enough for her sleeping spot and some out stretched maps. Her officers were all camped near her as well.

Presently, they were all huddled around a fire of their own. Upon seeing her approach, they stood up out of respect.

With a nod from Rainbow, they relaxed a bit. “How are the boys?”

“Tired, ma’am,” said First Lieutenant Pine Needle. “But in good spirits now that they have cover from the rain.”

“And that we’re almost there.”

“Good, good.” Rainbow huffed and sat down by the fire. The cold air of the coming frost made all of them huddle around. “ Feather Dance, Seabreeze, you already posted the watch schedule?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Nodding mechanically, she stared into the fire, falling into deep thought. Her officers remained, but kept the peace, believing she was in prayer or strategizing.

The truth was far different. Part of Rainbow was still saddened by not remaining a sergeant. Her officers were competent and respectful enough, but there was that lack of easy camaraderie that she missed. Her lieutenants were all nobles. Lesser ones with more prospects in the military than a comfortable inheritance, but nobles all the same.

They didn’t match her sense of humor well. During off time, they spoke of a younger high life she couldn’t relate to, and talking about her commoner upbringing was a recipe for embarrassing herself if the cards weren’t right. If anything, Twilight would have fit the role as captain better in Rainbow’s eyes were she not a pegacorn. Maybe if she had that armor from birth…

There was nothing for it though. The emperor himself saw fit to grant her the bars, and by damn she was not going to prove her emperor a fool. “Fellows, we’re going to rest here for a day or two. The last thing we want is somepony falling out and losing some damn engine part to the swamp. I want salvage and fishing teams drawn up by moonrise to find any wood or food we can stock up on as well. What coal we brought must be saved for the engine.”

“I’ll handle that one ma’am,” Pine Needle offered readily.

“Seabreeze, I want you and your boys to scout further afield, but don’t enter the Mirage. It’s druid territory and I want us all together if things go sour.

“Feather Dance, see to the boys’ health and spirits. I want to know that when we free Luna, we don’t look like a ragged bunch.” She looked back out at the closest soldiers outside her officer circle, and very few of them were showing much energy. “It’d shame us all.”

“Should I have them inspection ready?” Feather Dance asked half jokingly.

Rainbow seriously considered it though. This was no simple rescue mission, Luna herself was on the line. It would give the air corps a good first impression if they could manage that. Then again… “Oh I see how it is, you lot barely keep your rifles clean while resting in the capital, but you want to be parade ready in the middle of a swamp for Luna?” She asked, matching Feather’s dry sarcasm.

A short laugh and curt smile crept onto Feather Dance. “With respect, Captain, She who protects is a bit higher on the ladder.”

“Just a bit?” Rainbow asked with a chuckle of her own.

Just a bit, ma’am.”

Rainbow drew herself up and dropped the humor. “Let’s see how the swamp treats us first before we make anything official. At the very least I want everypony’s weapons to be clean.”

“Aye, that we can do.”

The sun was setting while Applejack rested on the riverbank and a large wooden panel she had ripped off a dresser. The home it had come from was a hollow shell, save for the basement where she had found the thing, along with plenty of string for dozens of fishing lines.

Although her heart pined for the salty air of the sea, to feel the waves under her, the best she could do was sit on the panel and pretend it was a deck. The overgrown reeds around her offered plenty of concealment from any possible patrols, but the scouts had determined the Equestrians had no prescience for miles.

A bucket sat next to her as well, already filled with two fish. The two years without the town had brought the fish back in abundance. Life, for this short moment, was good, save for a lack of rum to warm her belly. Wings on the air brought her attention to the sky. Jacks and two soldiers came in low over the reeds, hefting some buckets of their own.

“Hail, sea cat, had any luck?”

Yawning, Applejack got up and raised her bucket of two fish. “You don’t honestly think any of you air jockeys can beat me in fish in’ do ya?”

Jacks landed to claim the fish. “I’d hope not or what else would we need a sailor for this far inland?”

“Teaching some of you how to shoot for one,” Applejack challenged.

“Is that right?” Jacks returned with a competitive smirk. He grabbed his carbine and tossed it over to Applejack who took it. “Five slips you’ll miss the fish.” Jacks grabbed one of Applejack’s fish, a river trout that was easily a foot long and prepared to toss it into the air.

She tilted her head a bit in mild confusion. “You really want me to fire this when we’re trying to lay low around here?”

Jacks cursed under his breath, and reluctantly fished out a few slips and gave them over to one of his escorts. “You just lost me money, sea cat.”

Applejack checked the weapon, and found it wasn’t even loaded. “You’re a piece of work, Top Shirt.” She threw the weapon back at him, which he caught with a cheeky smirk.

The reeds behind Applejack rustled, and everyone panicked before hastily taking up firing positions. Applejack saw another reed shift and she leveled her revolver at it. “I’m the furthest fisher out here, so Ah know you ain’t one of us. Come out nice and slow you and you might leave without some new holes,” she called out with her command voice.

The reeds shook more until a mud covered earth stallion with pieces of plants on his head stepped out. He certainly didn’t look like a trooper so the soldiers partially lowered their weapons. “I hope you don't waste the life of those fish. That aside, I was beginning to think you machine kin had been driven out completely.”

“Machine kin?” One of the soldiers asked dumbly.

“Who are you?” Applejack holstered her pistol, thinking he was an out of sorts homeless bum that the slavers missed.

He tried to wipe some of the mud off his face, but with fur all he managed to do was spread it around. “I’m Rock Salt, the last of the Crookback druids of the Mirage. Is Commander Turnabout still here?”

“If you mean the local militia, they fought to the last,” Applejack said as she fought back bitterness. “Silver said you helped them a couple years back.”

“More like it was in reverse, but I thank you for the sentiment.” Rock Salt stopped trying to clean himself until he could get in the river.

“Bit of a ways from the swamp ain’tcha?” Jack asked as he finished getting the other fish ready to carry out.

“It was hardly my choice. The Equestrians have returned to my village.”

Author's Note

Will everyone be able to reconcile the possibility that the Sisters never heard or answered prayers? Will they awaken as maddened as Discord? Will they find statues hot after being one for so long? Will they ever be able to look at rock candy the same way ever again? Will they invent Rock and Roll? Can the public ever pierce their stony exterior? Is their new favorite cereal fruity pebbles or Captain Crunch?

Because I tell ya, Captain crunch is practically like eating rocks since I always cut the roof of my mouth eating it before it got soggy.

31: A Dark Path

An hour prior, Twilight, Pinkie, Silver, and two escorting pegasi were nosing around the city after volunteering to join the scavenging parties. Aside from the wingless Pinkie, everyone around her were sluggish and felt low on energy as the forced march caught up with them. Walking carefully beside her sister, Pinkie Pie gently pulled Twilight’s right wing out, being careful not to overextend her aching muscles.

“How does that feel?” Pinkie asked as she helped Twilight elevate her wings and then back down again. The earther sister was as gentle with it as ever. “Better, or worse?”

Twilight gritted her teeth, teetering between effort and burn in her muscles. “Oohh, that burns, keep it there, please.” Thanks to her lingering aches and pains along with Pinkie’s efforts, Twilight had difficulty keeping an eye out for salvageable firewood or the odd cellar that could be hiding canned food that the Royal Army might have missed.

The group found its way into a factory mess hall, for that same reason. The pegasus soldiers swept lanterns back and forth to pierce the gloom, searching for potential threats. When none were found they placed the lanterns on the floor to light the whole room so everyone could start searching. It wasn't long before one of them found a pantry, and pried the lock off, and discovered four cans of corn and peas. Licking his lips at the small bounty, he opened his saddlebags to claim his prize when he saw the noble sisters’ activity and arched a curious eyebrow. “Beggin’ your pardon, Ladies, but what are you doing?”

Twilight looked over her outstretched wing, and winced at a shot of pain. “I’m trying to relieve aches and pains.”

The soldier shoved the cans in his bag. “With respect, it looks like you’re stretching, and doing a miserable job of it.” That was hardly an observation he ever expected to tell a noble, but these were strange times. Strange enough to grab the other soldiers’ attention as well, wondering if the noble would act upon wounded pride.

“Wrong you say?” Equal parts amused, insulted, and curious, Twilight wiggled a bit to get her wing freed from her sister’s grip. “My martial tutor, Captain-lieutenant Cross Hook taught us these movements.”

Feeling more diplomatic, Pinkie eased her sister’s slightly elevated temper by patting her withers. “Something we haven’t exactly been very diligent about last year.”

Staring at her sister, but ultimately holding her tongue, Twilight heaved a sigh. “No, I suppose not.” She eyed the stallion who had originally interrupted them. “Say, since you’ve taken such an interest, perhaps you can he refresh our memory of proper stretching?”

Having missed all of that, Silver Vein cried out in surprise and jumped a bit after reading a plaque near some counters. “Inconceivable!” He addressed the group with excitement. “Did anypony see the name of this place on the way in?” The soldier Twilight had been pressuring but a moment ago bid a hasty retreat to his compatriot.

Sharing everyone else’s curiosity over the outburst, Pinkie Pie tilted her head. “No. We came in through a broken wall.”

Silver pointed at the plaque no one else as close enough to read. “We’re at the Bogburg Coker!”

No one shared his realization, much to his disappointment. “A coker should have huge amounts of coal stored away, and given that we didn’t see any fire damage anyway, I’d wager it’s still intact.”

Twilight and Pinkie gasped a bit. “If that’s true, we’d be sitting on enough coal to keep the Charlie engine running for months.”

The soldiers brightened up now. “Lady Twilight,” said one of them, “why don’t we split up and look for the bunker?”

Twilight waved them off with a sheepish smile. “There’s no telling what state the bunkers are in, so I’ll have to leave that to all of you.” Her horn spat off a ribbon of lightning. “I don’t exactly mix well with loose coal dust.”

Not too long later, Rainbow Dash was listening to a scout report from the Mirage. She had relocated her headquarters to the bombed out warehouse just west of the campsite. It still had the northeast corner and some of the roof still intact, so it felt sturdy enough for their stay. She repurposed some crates to serve as a table and stool. It was inglorious for her rank, and the soldiers had started calling her Captain Crate, but it served well enough. It’s exactly the same kind of nickname I’d give my superior if I were them, she thought with a chuckle.

Before her stood three of her scouts all lined up. The open sky behind them showed the setting Sun. Rainbow still had enough coffee beans to give her a few more cups after this one. She sipped it slowly, enjoying the heat and the last good cup she’d get until Luna was rescued. The rest she planned to save for the celebration. “So you’re sure there weren’t any illusions? I was led to believe the place lures victims to their deaths.”

Quiet Cutter, the leader of the group wore a corporal’s chevrons. “There was some whispering, and kind of a creepiness to it all, but no visible ghosts or what such nonsense.”

Rainbow scanned the others’ faces, checking for any sign of a dissenting opinion. When she found none, she nodded. “Good work. Unless there is anything else, you’re dismissed.”

The soldiers scattered to avoid Sea Breeze who was running in, mostly to avoid having to stop and salute. Rainbow passively waited for her lieutenant to arrive and speak her mind.

“Ma’am,” Sea Breeze saluted. “Applejack reports a druid has come out from the Mirage and wishes to speak with you.”

Instantly nervous, Rainbow took a moment to steady herself. Silver mentioned a single druid still lived there. But why would he come all this way to Bogburg? “Well send him in. He’s supposed to be the last one isn’t he? If he proves hostile, be ready to handle him.”

“The sea cat’s already bringing him over, Ma’am.”

Nodding and taking another sip of coffee, “to think I’d get to play diplomat already,” Rainbow half-joked. A set of incoming hooves rounding the corner revealed Twilight making a welcome appearance.

“Captain,” she started formally with the other officer present. “I have good news. We found a bit of food, but more importantly, we found a factory’s worth of coal in town. We’ve got enough to keep the engine running for weeks straight.”

It had been a minor concern for Rainbow, but the news was still welcome. “Glad to hear it. Say, since you’re here, the Crookback druid is on the way here, you want to bear witness?”

He is? Whatever for? Twilight’s ears were pulled sharply up and delight filled her eyes. “Oh that would be most welcome. I've never met a druid before.”

Rainbow wilted a bit. “Mores the pity. I was hoping you had, because I haven’t either. This pony could make our lives much easier if we sweet talk him.”

“Ahh. I understand.” Twilight tapped her nose and gave a slight smirk. “Merchant’s Creed two oh three: new customers are like roses. They can be succulent, but beware the thorns.”

Rainbow offered a small crate for a seat. “You have one of those mottos for everything, don’t you?”

“Near enough.”

Rainbow sat down as well to wait for the druid’s arrival, and noticed Twilight was wearing her armor again. “You good to go?”

Twilight followed her friends’ gaze to her barrel, before nodding slowly. “Enough for some light effort should the need arise. I'll fine for the last stretch by tomorrow evening.”

“Already?” Rainbow drew up a stern gaze. “Twilight, no pony doubts your endurance, but you just got done with a forced march and you’re with foal. You need to be careful.”

Trying to smile warmly, only to come across as fatigued, Twilight nodded. “I appreciate the concern, but we’re almost done here, and it’s not like we’re going to be taking the engine back with us.”

Not entirely satisfied, Rainbow knew it was the best she’d get. “Just take it easy, will ya?”

Three sets of approaching hooves reached their ears. Coming in from the west and stepping over some rubble, Applejack and Jacks were escorting an unfamiliar dirty looking earth stallion.

“That must be him now,” Rainbow commented while trying to smooth a crease in her uniform.

The edge of Twilight’s lips pulled down and her nose twitched from an unpleasant odor. And here I thought I had become accustomed to unwashed bodies by now. “I’d offer him some perfumes if I had any.”

“If you did, I’d make it an order.“

Jacks arrived within earshot first and saluted his superior. “Captain Rainbow Dash, may I present Rock Salt, Archdruid of the Crookback Order.”

Rainbow held her tongue at first before something insulting came out. I suppose I could call myself emperor if I was the last Lunarian. “Archdruid Rock Salt, thanks for coming. She waved a wing at her friend. “This is Lady Twilight Sparkle, a close confidante and friend.”

The stallion looked at the noble up and down, and confusion came over him upon seeing her metal clad featherless wings, but ultimately decided the mare wasn’t worth much attention. “May the Green Mother watch over you both.” Casting the noble from his mind, he focused on the thestral. “Captain. The last time I was here, the city was much more… lively.”

“Yes, well the sun lovers will get their due sooner or later.” Rainbow was already not liking him for rubbing salt on the wound. “So why have you come to us?”

The druid grew quite animated in a hurry. “Equestrians have come to my village and have laid claim to the Mirage itself. Since they are at war with you, I was hoping you’d have no issue killing them all.”

The gathered Lunarians almost had a collective heart attack. Twilight managed to speak up first. “Why are they still in your village?” Twilight already knew why, but dared to hope otherwise.

“They claim the Protectors statue which has stood in my village since it was built is actually their stone goddess - ah - along with being yours as well.” Rock Salt may not not have had all that much social experience, but even he could see how grim the ponies around him had become. “If - if you must take the Protectors from me as well, then I can at least have the satisfaction of the thieves’ deaths.”

A cold sweat dampened Rainbow’s neck and withers. Her coffee forgotten, she sat down to compose herself. “How many are there?”

“Fourteen.”

That paltry number was nothing compared to the one hundred under Rainbow's command, quantity was not the issue. Twilight Sparkle was fidgeting over the news. “Were any of them inquisitors?”

Rock Salt’s excitement at finding some willing soldiers waned in a real hurry at the question. He cleared his throat and whispered barely loud enough to be heard. “Three.”

“Three of them!?” Rainbow nearly screamed at Rock Salt while slamming the table. The shout drew the attention of Rainbow's officers and when they moved to eavesdrop, others started following suit.

Applejack went pale, Jacks’ throat went utterly dry, and Twilight was struck dumb and stumbled a bit.

Rainbow pinched her brow, trying to regain her composure, and inwardly kicking herself for the outburst. She waited until she could speak again in a level tone. “Anything else I should know?”

Rock Salt was sorely tempted to say no. To him, it already looked like the Lunarians were going to decline to help. However, lying by omission could be just as dangerous. “They - they have a druid loyal to them who commands the wilds better than I can.”

“Well that’s just wonderful.” Rainbow grabbed her cooling coffee and down it in one go, dearly wishing the dull burn could drown out the growing despair.

Jacks managed to break the silence that fell over them. “Better we found out now rather than them striping us all before we knew it.”

Rainbow glared at him. “They’d stripe you, and kill me. You know they don’t take thestral prisoners.”

“Not sure what’s better,” Applejack added grimly.

As those around her fell into despair, Twilight kept her mind at work. “Can you put their druid to sleep? Surely you must know of some plants that help you sleep better.”

Rainbow scoffed at the question, partially because sleep over killing was suggested. “You don’t actually think we can win against them do you?”

“What’s the alternative?” Twilight challenged firmly. “Leave Luna to the tender mercies of the Inquisition?”

Rainbow grew red in the face, and was about to lay into her, but the words were caught in her throat. Any objections that had been building within the other Lunarians died just as fast.

“If what he says is true…” Twilight’s eyes searched everyone’s faces, and beyond to the edges of the walls, knowing full well others were undoubtedly listening in. “Then this is what will happen. The inquisition releases the sisters from their stone prison, and join Celestia in defeating Luna. From there, Celestia enacts the very plan she had put into place a millennia ago and cages Luna in the mirror world. If she returns to power, Equestria will never end this war until we're all striped or dead. We can’t let that come to pass!” She stomped her hoof, her iron words cutting through the fear induced paralysis. “We don't have the luxury of cowardice this time.”

The uncomfortable silence that followed was deafening to the point where Rainbow could hear tense, fearful whispers coming from behind the walls of her excuse of an office. Eventually, Rock Salt spoke up, his tone was thready and wavering. “I know of some things I could use. Maybe I could fake a desire to speak with Fluttershy, and use enough of the sleep tea to keep her out for a day. Or…”

He felt bile rising up his throat at the very idea that popped in his head. “I could distract her with other means.” Having to actually entertain her horrific view of Mother Nature for potentially days on end deeply unsettled him. Even so, it’d be the perfect excuse to get her far away from the village.

Everyone else around him came to a different conclusion. Were it not for the situation, laughter would have filled the air. As paltry as it was, that iota of humor kickstarted Rainbow’s mind. Steeling herself, standing up, and adopting her best commanding posture, she stood ready to die. “Lady Twilight is right. She Who Protects has watched over us for an age. This is our chance to return the favor.” She slammed a hoof down on the crate. “We’re going in. I need a plan before we tell the boys. Twilight, I need that brain of yours on this one.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Twilight replied firmly, trying to hide her sudden misgivings. Which is what exactly? I learned strategy and logistics, not how to bring down an inquisitor.

“Good. AJ, Jacks, make sure no pony bothers us as we come up with something.”

“Aye, Captain,” the sailor and soldier saluted. Already, the eavesdroppers were scattering to the winds, but with the two of them hot on their heels.

The officers crowded the impromptu table. Rock Salt was unsure what to do so he remained where he was, while Twilight shifted around to stand beside her friend.

Rainbow took the time everyone was shuffling around to breathe. She had not faced an inquisitor during the defense of Black Bluff, so her imagination started running wild.

“Rock Salt,” she said at last. “I need to know exactly what the Equestrians are doing. They’re trying to free Celestia, but how?”

The earth stallion stared at the ground trying to give the best answer he could. “One of the inquisitors, named Topaz, is trying to use some metal tools called staves to empower his efforts since so called soft spells straight from the horn are too weak." His next statement came with some petty satisfaction. "The Prot - the statues resist his efforts. The statues create a cleansing field - well, they keep calling it a purging field. Whatever it is, any time Topaz tries to use his staves, they fail and cause the metal to glow red. So they're trying to use them outside of the field. When I left, they are currently trying to destroy some houses to use the stone to create a raised platform to cast their spells from outside the field.”

“Why not do it on the back of a chariot?” Twilight asked, partially interrupting him.

"I don't know. Perhaps you can ask them before you kill them," Rock Salt suggested with palpable grim humor.

Rainbow stopped him by waving a hoof. “Do you know how long until they're done?”

“They argue over it actually,” Rock Salt stated with a mix of bitterness and resentment over his village being picked apart and defaced. “Topaz just wants to build the platform, Rarity wants to bring in workers, or a boat to transport the statue away.”

While Rainbow listened, she heard Twilight behind her gasp at the inquisitor’s name.

“The leader of the three, Radiant Dawn doesn’t want to make their little invasion any bigger since they need to prove once and for all Celestia is part of the Protectors.” When Rainbow started to look impatient, he had to remember the original question. “I couldn’t say how long though. A few days at least because they did not bring tools to tear my village apart and are too impatient to wait for supplies.”

Lieutenant Feather Dance cut in. “Are they building a portal arch? It would be like a stone doorway with markings on it.”

“I could not say. Nopony had put up any sort of door the last time I was there, but I did see some of the unicorns salvaging stone blocks from the destroyed lair of the Dark Father. I just assumed it was for the platform.”

Twilight’s nerves were raw, and her voice betrayed her. “We should hope that’s all it is. We should ascertain how much time we have. Can you tell me how far this purging field extends from the statue?”

Humming as Rock Salt looked around the open air office, he pointed at the marina’s exterior wall that could only be seen because two buildings between the office and the wall had been leveled. “About that far.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide. “Oh my. That’s -that’s impressive.”

The officers looked at her with faint hope. “Is that a good sign?” Sea Breeze asked.

“It is.” Twilight shivered as some stress left her. “My father and I never tested purging fields since they simply aren’t used anymore, but I did some theory work as a side project. “A purging field is far weaker at disrupting magic than an engine is, and goes about it in a different way. Instead of tearing a spell apart, the moment a spell leaves the horn, or staff in this case, it saps mana from it, destabilizing the whole thing from the outside in. If the field is strong enough to be a mile in diameter, there’s no way a staff is going to work. No pony can aim a staff spell half a mile to something the size of two ponies, and any tracking matrix will be ruined long before it reaches the statues.”

“So a few days at the very least.” Rainbow fixed her gaze on Rock Salt. “Are you sure they’re making a platform?”

Huffing, Rock Salt was slow to answer. “I don’t… I don’t know, I’m only guessing. The inquisitors have made it abundantly clear they don’t need me, and they don’t explain themselves. Only to wait until they leave.”

“Then it looks like we have some time.” Rainbow breathed a sigh of relief. “If Rock Salt can distract their druid, the Equestrians will be blind to our approach. Now we just need to figure out how to go from there.”

The four officers started strategizing an attack while occasionally asking Rock Salt for details, although he always tended to lead his answers back to Fluttershy who he named and described in detail. Through it all, Twilight remained silent as her own idea slowly took shape.

Hours went by before Lieutenant Feather Dance threw her hooves up in frustration. “That won’t work either. If we can’t time the attack perfectly, all while avoiding detection by patrols mind you, as soon as a shot goes off, any still living inquisitors will rip into us like a bullet through wet paper. We might be able to handle one by surprise, but getting all three at once is impossible.”

“What else can we do?” Sea Breeze insisted in desperation.

“We hound them,” Twilight said at last, drawing the attention her way. “We come at all sides. Sometimes not even firing, just revealing ourselves enough to be seen so that another can take a shot.”

“Would that actually work?” Rainbow interjected with fear written over her face. “Don’t they have mind magic that can tell them where anyone close by is?”

Twilight went quiet for a bit as she sifted through her memories. Her encounter with Rarity on the docks caused her to speak up. “No. I don’t believe so. Maybe one or two could in the past, and stories cropped up to make it seem like they could all do it.”

“I hope you’re right.” Rainbow liked the plan, and she started coming up with a briefing speech. Yeah. If all they can see is with their eyes, and the enemy druid is gone, this plan could work. “Because it’s the best plan I’ve heard so far.

“Rock Salt, right?” Rainbow only half-asked. “Think you can lure the other away and distract her long enough to take her out?” Rainbow had not yet asked why Twilight wanted to spare the other druid, but suspected there was a good reason.

“I’d prefer you kill her,” Rock grumbled, then nodded. “Yes, it can be done.”

“Let’s see how things pan out first.” Twilight suggested before Rainbow could promise anything. She tapped her chin with a wing-finger, and walked over to whisper in Rainbow’s ear. “If we could discredit the inquisitors by defeating them, it might get that druid to side with us.”

Scowling, Rainbow fixed Twilight with a dark look. “I'd rather not work with anypony that fickle. Better to just kill her, and let her keep her honor.”

Unable to realistically counter that, Twilight turned to the druid. “Rock Salt, do you know why Fluttershy serves Equestria? I’m not exactly an expert in your… lifestyle, but even I know druids tend to stay out of Equestrian and Lunarian affairs.”

Anger flashed over his face in an instant, putting Twilight and Rainbow off at how fast his temper flared. “Fluttershy is a mockery, that’s why! She has some perverse notion that the civilized are the intended creation of the Green Mother, and that plants and animals are to be slaughtered and used at your whim instead of us ponies being the stewards to protect her.”

Twilight looked to Rainbow with shock, only to see mild bemusement out of the captain. Returning her attention to Rock Salt, Twilight struggled to keep things diplomatic. Her plan hinged on his support, and she had to keep that anger directed at the Equestrians. “That is certainly a - ah - unique philosophy.”

Rock Salt barely heard her. His vision was turning red just thinking about her ideas. “Then she claims by serving the strongest of you civilized, she’s honoring the Green Mother! If anything she’d do a better job returning all of you to the soil and burning your-” He stopped, realizing what he said wasn’t exactly the best thing to say in present company. “Just - just tell me when you’re ready.” He stormed off to escape embarrassment.

“Uh huh.” Rainbow pulled Twilight’s ear, being grazed by a lightning arc for her trouble. “Look, I’m sure trying to get this Fluttershy person to join us is some kind of Merchant’s Creed motto, but how about we just settle on being glad he’s helping.”

Sighing in defeat, Twilight pulled her ear free and nodded. “Fair enough.” Watching the irate stallion depart, Twilight shook her head. “More’s the pity.”

Rainbow got up and clopped her hooves to get her officers’ attention. “Alright listen up. We don’t know how long it will take before the Inquisitors either free Celestia or get tired of waiting and try to move them deeper into Equestria. I need drills for this sort of skirmishing drawn up pronto. We don’t have time to get it perfect, just enough that we don’t end up smacking into each other since we’re not going to have a fixed formation for this one.”

Sea Breeze and the others saluted. “Seems like a more exaggerated form of the porcupine maneuver. Should just need some tweaks.”

“Good get on it.” Rainbow looked to the sky to gauge the time. “I want to attack before the week’s out.”

A few days later, Rarity and the other inquisitors were standing on a stone platform just outside of the Protectors’ purging field. Two head-high pylons sat on either side glowed a warm and steady blue. The trio of inquisitors set three staves in between them, which caused the items to float completely still, and pointed directly at the distant statue. The houses between them had been picked apart over the last few days as the group searched for usable stone, a task made difficult by the stubborn vines whenever Fluttershy was not around to assist. But now they had a clear line of sight on the statues.

The evening sun heralded the end of the day’s toils, but the group was bound and determined to not waste a second of daylight. The swamp had taken its toll on all of them, and impatience had firmly set in.

As Rarity watched the two stallions converse with each other until they waved her over. She brushed back a lock of ruined hair, and stepped up to her staff and began charging it. The humidity of the swamp and the rough living made styling hair to her usual standard near impossible, and the late hour made her give up trying until the morning.

With all the effort we’re going through to free them, I’m beginning to think they don’t want to be free… Such irritating thoughts soiled her mood, but even so she felt the need to stay polite and dignified. “Shall we try again?”

Topaz was in an even worse mood. “Naturally,” he grumbled in directionless irritation. He was staring through a spy glass while Radiant manipulated the staff in his magic. “Fire when ready.”

The staff glowed amber with Radiant’s magic before firing a bolt of magic. The piercing light of the bolt rocketed in the statues’ direction, only to go off course and crash harmlessly into a house.

“Angle up a few degrees and double that to the right.”

Radiant Dawn huffed and tried again. The amber bolt tore away from them like a miniature sun. Halfway down, this bolt too started to wobble and go wide, this time veering up and left until it did a loop before crashing to the ground with little fanfare.

“Confound it!” Radiant hissed. “It’s still throwing off the tracking matrix.”

Topaz agility closed his spyglass. “A broken clock is right twice a day. We just have to keep trying. Even if we have to remove the tracking, we’ll hit it eventually.”

Radiant rubbed his face, fatigue from weeks of labor getting the better of him. “Celestia give me strength.” He waved Rarity forward and the two of them took up staves and waited for Topaz.

Rarity’s blue glow enveloped the rune encrusted staff, and she had to call on her faith to keep the effort up. Dreams of bathes and massages, along with praise for being one of the ones who rescued Celestia certainly helped keep her going.

“Fire at the ready.”

Not too far away, Lock Stock and Lyra were resting on top of a house, watching the streams of magic launch from the platform. Tracking each shot, their mood wasn’t bolstered by how wide each shot tended to be. “You think they’ll actually be able to hit it?” Lyra asked rhetorically. She knew the answer, but felt like it had to be voiced.

“Better question is if one hit is enough.” Lock Stock may not have been exhausting his mana nearly everyday like the unicorns had been, but he was just as sick of the swamp as the rest of them. “I’m just glad Rarity talked the big boss into getting a barge send down so we can take the Sisters out of here.”

“Yeah, as if that’ll be an ‘any-time-soon’ solution.” Lyra pulled a piece of hard tack out of her pack and licked it lazily. The slight saltiness was a lack-luster stand-in for alcohol with perpetually dry Inquisitors around, but at least it was something. “At this point, I just wish something would happen, I don’t care what it is.”

Lock Stock developed a horrified look and swatted her on the barrel. “Why would you jinx us like that!?”

“Because at this point the only things that could happen is a gator attack, Rocky finally getting pissed enough to try something, or Rarity chipping a hoof and dragging us to a spa to get it fixed.”

Taking a few seconds to process that, Lock Stock fixed her with a confused look. “Wait, why would the last thing be bad?”

“Because she would whine the whole time until we got there.”

“Rarity doesn’t whine.” Lock Stock felt as if his compatriot was joking now, but still felt the need to defend the inquisitor’s honor.

Lolling her head in his direction, Lyra leered at him. “Given how many times you fall flat with Fluttershy, I’m not surprised you can’t tell.”

Going red in the face, Lock Stock tried to lightly smack her, only for Lyra to dodge by rolling away, and nearly falling off the rounded roof for her trouble. “She just lives up to her name with such matters is all.”

“Sure, sure, if it makes you feel better,” Lyra teased as she struggled to retain stable footing. Upon getting three legs back onto the roof, she saw the defeatism growing on his face. Feeling pity, Lyra finally stood back up and roped him into a neck hold. “Tell you what. How about I give you all the tips you need to finally get her to agree to being courted. You’ll be thick as thieves come Hearth’s Warming.”

Instantly suspicious, Lock Stock pulled himself free. “Why would you help me like that?”

“Honestly? Rarity keeps threatening to marry me to you. No offense, but I’m looking for a unicorn to marry. And you smell.”

“As if you’re a perfumed peach yourself,” Lock Stock countered evenly. “Feel free to bathe in the leech and gator infested waters if you want, but I’d rather stink.” He straightened his uniform, intending to get something to eat. Before he jumped down, he turned a curious eye to his unpredictable friend. “Would you actually help me?”

“It’ll give me something to do.” Lyra used a singularity to lightly fall to the ground. “But only if you cook some of that fish stew for dinner.”

Wary of her help as he was, Lock Stock was getting desperate at this point, and food was hardly a steep price. “Deal.”

Two miles upriver towards the Equestrian side, Fluttershy was singing a gentle, soothing melody while standing on top of a massive alligator. Thin trails of black smoke bubbled from the river around her. A single pegasus soldier served as her bodyguard, hovered a fair distance away from the monster and its jaws, and yet he was utterly enamored by her melodious power.

Vines and roots that had long clogged the river were being cleared away for a barge. Radiant Dawn was trying to make it a point of pride to have his team free Celestia, but Rarity had quietly tasked Fluttershy to clear the river and had commissioned a river town further west to send a barge, but that was at least a month away. Assuming the coming winter doesn't freeze the river of course.

Her song was not just to clear the way, but a perfect excuse to help cleanse the thinning dark magic as well. Fish swam up to hear her sing, then sank again, creating a cycle of water that dredged up bits of soil. The lingering dark magic that clung to the silt was purified by her voice just as easily as the fish themselves. Having been at it all day, she felt the first signs of throat strain. Oh dear, I better call it for the day. Sighing and taking a sip of water from a skin, Fluttershy nuzzled the gator between the eyes. “Thank you for helping, good sir.” For a few moments, she remained there on top of the alligator while she lazily started up at the myriad of colors in the sky.

With a mighty swing of its tail, the gator angled them towards the river bank. The escort followed after them in the air, until the gator reached the shore before landing in a tree. Fluttershy gently stepped off onto the mud before giving one last nuzzle on the edge of its nose. “May your strength live on,” she whispered to the beast. With a low grumble, the alligator returned to the waters and the hunt. Fluttershy flew up to rest on a tree branch.

Her escort was still awed by the ease with which she handled the beast. After a few minutes to collect her thoughts and think about what to say, she eased her way over to a closer branch. “Miss Fluttershy. Is it possible to learn your song?”

A forlorn, weak smile crawled sluggishly over her. I had hoped Rock Salt would ask that first. Still, the young mare, barely old enough to enlist, sounded sincere. Reinforcing that smile, Fluttershy nodded while standing up. “Of course, Annabel. Anypony can with dedication, but know that you will have to put the Green Mother on equal or higher standing than Celestia.” There was more to it, but it was the simplest test to weed out simple admirers and those truly wishing to join.

Fluttershy being a heathen was no surprise to Annabel, but the condition left her deeply uneasy. She fidgeted with her forelegs. “Do I really have to go that far?”

A voice called out from the ground, “the Green Mother should be the only one venerated.”

Both mares looked down to find Rock Salt standing knee deep in water. He was wearing a leather saddlebag of his own make.

“You’ve returned,” Fluttershy said with mixed delight and concern. “You’ve been gone for over a week.”

It took no effort to look irritated, yet what required monumental effort was what he needed to say to sound sincere. “I needed to do some thinking.” He trudged through the water to reach a tree root that led into a patch of dry-ish ground.

Fluttershy flittered over to join him while the escort remained in the tree. She ultimately decided not to speak up, allowing the other druid to collect his thoughts in peace.

“I… I can’t…” Rock Salt struggled to keep his tone level as the lie was squeezed out of him. “I can’t deny the Green Mother favors you. If it is not too late, I would like to share a custom of my order. A serving of gimyong as an act of forgiveness and apology.” He pulled out a small leaf pouch of ground herbs along with three clay cups and a larger bowl. He waved to Fluttershy. “I have presented the gim as a show of remorse. Now as an act of accepting my apology, you must fill the basin with water as an act of sincerity.”

It was not a practice the Roan had shared, but it sounded easy enough. Fluttershy took out her waterskin and filled the bowl. “Do I say anything?”

“There is no need.” He shook himself, trying to briefly suppress his revulsion. In truth, much was expected of both injured parties, but Rock Salt had no interest in actual forgiveness from her. His eyes swept up to the escort who was still in the tree. “You there.”

“Me?” Annabel flittered down to meet them.

“Yes.” Rock Salt pushed the third cup towards the soldier. “My… anger was not solely directed at Fluttershy, but to your nation. Since you are one of Equestria’s warriors, you can stand in for it.”

Scratching her head, the soldier looked to Fluttershy for help. “I’m flattered, I think, but wouldn’t the inquisitors be better?”

Fluttershy suddenly got antsy to bury the hatchet between her and Rock Salt. Memories of Rarity’s news of Equestria laying claim to the Mirage resurfaced, edging her to speak before he could get second thoughts. “It should be fine.” Fluttershy laid a hoof on the soldier’s own to placate her. “What matters is renewal.” Fluttershy flared her wings and looked to the tree canopy to take a page from Roan’s own forgiveness ritual. “Storms come and go, and life always refreshes itself anew. Let us allow the storm of our grievances pass, and work to renew ourselves and our friendships.”

Rock Salt remained silent as he took the pouch of ground and dried herbs, and emptied it into the bowl. Mixing it with his cup until the water had turned a soupy rich green, he scooped some out for himself. “Please, accept from my cup, and accept my apology.”

Feeling as if she should put in some part of Equestria’s own tradition into it, Annabel lifted her cup up in salute. “A toast, to friends.” She wasn’t sold on Rock Salt at all, but who knows, maybe going along with this could get her assigned to an inquisitor on a more permanent basis.

Fluttershy eagerly clicked her cup, to which Rock Salt mirrored.

As one, they all drank. The sourness of it was like a partially sweetened lemonade. Fluttershy drank it all without complaint, but the escort had to pace herself, while Rock Salt drank it quickly and quietly.

Fluttershy wiped her lips and set the cup down. “I’m glad we can have a fresh start.” She paused upon seeing Rock Salt take some small berries out of his pack and ate them, chewing hard enough to crack the seeds within. “What are those?” Her eyes strangely felt heavy and a yawn was setting in.

“Just some coffee beans the Lunarians left behind. I put them inside some vulberries to improve the flavor. Among other things.” He ate a few more without so much as offering one.

Fluttershy didn’t realize she was suddenly so exhausted that she could barely keep her eyes open. Yet her mind remained sharp enough to see the soldier topple over unconscious. Her wings felt numb and she could barely remain sitting upright. “You - you poisoned us?!”

Rock Salt stood up, violently shaking himself to remain strong. “You’ll wake in a day.” He got in close to her face, the familiar hate she saw in his eyes surging anew. “You should consider yourself lucky. The machine lovers seem to think you might join them. I’d rather just kill you here and now, but the featherless one was insistent.”

The thought of murder brought his attention to the sleeping soldier. “We don’t belong with them.” Taking a bone dagger from his bag, he went over to Annabel.

“Wait!” Fluttershy wheezed out as darkness threatened to claim her. “Please, don’t kill her.”

“I don’t need to bloody my hooves, the Lunarians will do that for me.” Rock Salt stopped to watch the yellow pegasus carefully. It was not unheard of for druids to muscle through poison, and his was only a sleeping agent. “She’ll be killed along with the rest of your little band.”

“What?” she forced her eyes open and her mouth to work, but each effort felt harder than the last. The drug still squeezed on her consciousness like a vice. “What are you talking about? The Lunarians are gone. Pushed far to the east.”

Rock Salt grabbed the soldiers’ carbine, which caught against her chest thanks to the strap. With some effort, he began cutting the strap, too wrapped up in keeping a close eye on Fluttershy to simply pull it off of the soldier. “By helping them, I can at least get revenge for Equestria stealing my home from me.” He got the weapon loose, and abandoned the knife to claim the soldier’s carbine. It disgusted him, but it would serve his needs.

The prospect of a force of Lunarians being in the area gave Fluttershy strength to resist. Through sheer will, Fluttershy felt the drug was weakening. The darkness in the edges of her vision was retreating. I need to keep him talking long enough to fight back. “You believe they wouldn’t do the same if they were winning the war?”

“Perhaps they would.” Fully turning in her direction, Rock Salt started walking back over. “But that doesn’t matter to me now. They’re here and they’ll avenge my home through your masters’ deaths.”

Fluttershy saw him flip the firearm around and was about to club her. “They’ll take the Protectors,” she cried out in desperation, no longer thinking clearly, just something to buy her time. “If they fight, the Protectors might be destroyed.”

“You think me a fool?” he barked harshly. “The civilized want the protectors and I am but one stallion. Be it tonight or months from now they are lost to me, but I’ll side with ones who didn’t steal my home.”

Panic surged in Fluttershy as he stepped up next to her. “You call me a heretic, and yet you dishonor yourself by misusing the gimyong? Am I really worth the disgrace before the Green Mother?”

He stopped his swing mid-motion, a smug grin crossed him. “You misunderstand. See, I didn’t waste the ritual. To me, your friend here indeed represented Equestria as a whole, so that I could forgive the wider nation. What she does not represent are your allies inside the village. As for you, you represented the other Orders who could have sent volunteers to help restore my people, but instead, they decided to just let the Crookbacks die with me.” He bent down to meet her struggling, yet terrified eyes to his cold ones. “Who knows, perhaps the Lunarians might agree to gimyong between you and them if you agree to serve Luna.” He raised the rifle, ready to club her into unconsciousness. “But I hope you don’t.” With a grunt of effort, he slammed the rifle butt in the back of her head, ending her struggles.

With Fluttershy finally still, Rock Salt dropped the carbine, and whistled a distinct bird call. A pegasus in a silver and black uniform jumped out of some distant trees and flew over to survey the results. He landed in between Fluttershy and Rock Salt. “Is that her?” he asked while ignoring the snoring uniformed pegasus off to the side.

“Yes. The way is clear for your brethren.” Rock Salt didn’t look him in the eyes, lest his anger for the civilized return anew. “She is stronger than I thought, even so, she will be asleep until daybreak.”

It wasn’t much time, so the scout got jittery. “You have my thanks, and that of Luna herself, for what it’s worth to you.” The scout eyed the downed mares. It was deeply dishonorable to kill an enemy who couldn’t fight, and he was loathe to soil himself in such a way so his rifle remained in place. “Are you coming back?”

Rock Salt saw waves rippling across the water and the air felt heavy. “No. I have no place amongst you, and I have ended my quarrel with you civilized. Luck willing, I will never see any of you again.”

“Just as well, I suppose.” Jumping back into the air, the scout saluted him. “Take care of yourself, druid.” When Rock Salt gave a feeble wave in return, the scout rocketed back to his unit as fast as his wings could carry him.

With the soldier gone, Rock Salt eyed Fluttershy’s still form. Part of him just wanted to leave, but the hatred in his heart wanted the revenge the gimyong still allowed him. Taking his knife back out, the moment he took a step towards Fluttershy however, a slow but undeniable rumble shook through the trees and the waters roiled with predators. The wilds were circling him as if he was threatening the pack.

He dropped the weapon and backed off from the two down ponies. “Even now?” He roared at the encroaching wilderness. “She talks about strength, I lay her low, and you still defend her!?” So utterly lost, the world made no sense anymore. “She’s a heretic! Her life is mine by right!”

The same alligator from before slid out of the waters and hissed a challenge at Rock Salt as it waddled in close. He made no effort to attack, nor leave. He stood his ground and stared it in the eyes, waiting for the Green Mother’s judgment. Birds sang sour notes from among the trees, and more alligators lingered just inside the water. The stand off lasted uncomfortably long, but eventually Rock Salt showed compliance by further backing away from Fluttershy. The beasts quieted down, but kept track of him. All of it got under his skin, and he fully turned away to leave. “What does it matter? She won’t betray her master, and the Lunarians will kill her anyway.”

Rage covered the emptiness in his soul that such betrayal had left, but it was a thin scab indeed. With his revenge denied him, he felt utterly abandoned by the Mirage, so he intended to do the same to it. Intent on leaving his home behind for good this time, he departed to last druid meeting ground he knew about in the frozen north.

32: A Friendly Get Together

Dusk had settled over Bogburg, and the Lunarian camp was enjoying a hearty breakfast as everyone waited anxiously for the scout’s return. Largely in the form of quiet singing and other such forced merriment. No one wanted to think about going up against an inquisitor so far from reinforcements, let alone three of them.

The worst bundle of nerves rested on top of a wall. Rainbow’s eyes were fixed to the northwest, trying to catch the first glimpse of her scout. The distant sound of songs helped ease her concern. If the soldiers were willing to go this far, they trusted her enough to see things through.

Her vigil was interrupted by the familiar hum of Twilight flying over. Upon sighting the aristocrat, Rainbow stood up out of instinctive good manners. “Evening, Twilight. Did you sleep well?”

“I’ll go ahead and say it. I’d rather have slept on softer soil than concrete, but at least it was drier.” The mares shared a short laugh. “I could ask you the same thing.” Twilight tried to take great care in claiming a spot on the wall to join her friend. She did not have much practice in landing on such thin surfaces. “I didn’t hear that much snoriiiiing!” she cried as she lost her balance. Rainbow moved to aid her, but Twilight salvaged the landing into a sliding glide before rising back up to try again. “I can manage, but thank you.”

Smirking at the effort, Rainbow eased herself back down. “Come on, Twilight, you know Star Skipper casts a muffle spell over my tent, or else I would have brought the whole Royal Army on top of us weeks ago.” With the beginning joking over, Rainbow eyed Twilight’s belly, unsure if she was sporting a bump yet or if it was a trick of the eyes. “I hope you’re not going to try convincing me to let you join the battle.”

“Perish the thought!” Twilight’s footing on the wall was shaky, but she was bound and determined to lay down on it. “I was taught how to defend myself, not wage war. I am more than happy to leave that to you.” Rainbow sighed in relief. “Now if you need something heavy dropped on a few heads, that I can manage.” Gingerly, she slowly sat down, keeping her wings out in case she fell. “That being said, I’ve been doing some thinking.”

Rainbow knew that tone. Twilight only ever sounded pensive when she knew the listener would be rather displeased. “Why do I get the feeling I’m going to need a drink in about two minutes?”

“Believe me, I’d offer some if I had any.” Ultimately opting to just sit upright, Twilight carefully retracted her wings.

"I rustled up some wine last night," Rainbow offered, trying to delay the aneurysm that was sure to follow.

“Thank you, but no. My father made me promise that I’d never drink while with foal. I’d like to at least do right by him in that respect.”

At first, Rainbow silently agreed with the sentiment, but then what was asked of her surprised the officer. “Wait. What’s wrong with drinking while with foal?”

“He’s a notorious teetotaler, and said nopony has any business drinking in the workshop, let alone a child.” She shrugged with a half-smile. “And my mother kept the cupboard under lock and key unless she was hosting guests, so I never developed a taste.”

Groaning and waving a dismissive hoof at her friend, Rainbow was already feeling the need for a beer. “Bah. Drinking’s good for you. Keeps you from thinking about your troubles at the very least.”

“Speaking of which, I’ve been doing some thinking…”

Fidgeting nervously, Rainbow felt her flight instinct already rising. The information Rock Salt gave them was a lot to process, and she suspected Twilight would have seen issues Rainbow didn’t catch. “Can I get the good news first?”

“There is no good news,” Twilight replied while scanning the area around them looking for the eavesdroppers that seemed to linger near her at all times. If I didn't know any better, I'd think Rainbow ordered them to shadow me. “Only bad news and weird news.” Squaring herself up to face some shouting, Twilight took a deep breath. “Given how three inquisitors have failed to free the sisters after weeks of effort, I don’t think the Charlie engine is going to be enough...”

As Twilight’s carefully crafted pitch crumbled before it even left her lips, Rainbow Dash shivered from the cold. “After listening to Rock Salt talk about it, I thought as much.”

Huffing more at herself than anything else, Twilight nodded. “You suspected the same thing?”

“Well, yes. I mean, three inquisitors can’t figure out how to free the sisters? What hope does the charlie have? The damned thing was made to keep spells off of cannons, not overpower something that can put out a mile wide field.”

“Then you already know the bad news.” Even so, Twilight was still on edge.

“So we just break the statue off the pedestal and fly it back to home. If a charlie can’t do it, I bet my commission the Gear Hall can free the sisters.” Rainbow felt pretty happy with herself over the plan. “I know it’s a lot more work trying to sneak back, but we’ll do what we need to do.”

The following silence threatened to rob Twilight of her chance as the scout could arrive at any moment. “But something else is bothering me. You know I can fly with my armor, but I’m worried about what Rock Salt said.” Rainbow tilted an ear her way. “When the inquisitors tried to use their staves, they grew hot and were unusable. I don’t think I can carry the sisters out of here.”

Rainbow’s ears went flat in a hurry and she stared at her friend. “But your armor is a machine.”

“A magical machine,” Twilight clarified. “There’s a real possibility if I try to fly near the statue, I’ll get burned alive in the attempt.” It was not a prospect Twilight had any intention of testing. “We need a third option.”

“We can carry them out of there the old fashioned way then,” Rainbow countered, standing up as her nerves got the better of her.

“We dropped the engine over ten times on the way here,” Twilight rebuked with calm force. “Granted it was never more than a foot or so, but the charlie is designed to resist being rattled around. We can’t say the same for stone.”

Giving her friend a stink eye, Rainbow was now shivering from more than the cold. “You still haven’t told me the weird news, and somehow I know I’m going to hate it.”

“I’m not exactly pleased with it either, but it’s the best chance I can think of without seeing the statue for myself…” Swallowing the lump in her throat, Twilight pushed on. “We need to take at least one inquisitor alive.”

Disbelief and a halting laughter is all that Rainbow could do after hearing that. “Oh that’s funny. I thought you said weird, not suicidal.” She took to flying slow orbits around Twilight to keep herself from locking up. “I’ve heard plenty of fool’s errands ever since I got entangled with you, but this tops them all!” Before Twilight could reply, Rainbow shoved her face into Twilight’s own. “And believe me, I had to train alongside fresh LTs! Damnation, they must have been scraping the barrel on half of them.”

“I know it’s much to ask…” Twilight tried to cut in, only to be rented over by Rainbow.

“Much?! Twi, we’ll be lucky to win this in the first place, let alone trying to capture one of them.”

Twilight firmly, and slowly pushed Rainbow back out of her personal space. “If you can think of a better plan, then by all means. We have one corporal-mage with us, and I don’t see him being able to equal even a tenth of an inquisitor's prowess.”

Scowling hard enough to pull a muscle, Rainbow jumped at the first thought. “Then we skip trying to free them here. We look for a boat to take them out of the swamp. The Royal Army must have missed something we can use.”

“Let’s assume we do. Then what?” Twilight countered sharply. “The river empties out into Lake Roan, back into Equestria. And that’s assuming the inquisitors aren’t missed by the time we can get a boat over there and sail back here. If Equestria as a whole finds out we’re here, they’ll be all over us in a week. If we can’t fly, it’s over.”

“Soooo, what? We go in there, bust some heads, and then have a nice brunch over tea to convince them to help us of all ponies?”

“I’m still not hearing a workable counter plan.” Rainbow threatened to drift away, so Twilight grabbed her by the shirt to hold her in place. “Listen. Purge fields are sort of like waves in water, and the charlie will act like a stone, giving the inquisitor just enough space between both fields to use the staff.” She let go, having made her pitch.

Rainbow backed away and had to process the idea for a bit. “There’s no way to promise I can take one alive, let alone uninjured enough to do this. And all of that hinges on if we can trust an inquisitor long enough to do it. Which I don’t need to tell you is impossible!”

“It’s our best chance of returning home alive,” Twilight rebuked firmly, matching Rainbow’s own hard gaze.

The following silence was deafening. Rainbow said nothing as her mind ran wild. Halfway through a thought, she paused to fix a skeptical eye on her friend. “You’re too smart for this.”

Blinking, Twilight ruffled her wings, suddenly uncomfortable under the intense and sudden scrutiny. “What do you mean?”

“Back when Rock Salt was giving us the rundown, you reacted to the name ‘Rarity’.” Grim satisfaction came from seeing Twilight’s squirming getting worse. “Who is she to you? She’s the one you’d rather see left alive, isn’t she?”

Averting her gaze, Twilight’s wings kept wanting to flare, but she kept herself grounded. “I - I owe her my life, and in a roundabout way, Pinkie’s freedom.”

Tsking, Rainbow’s moody soured heavily. “Look, Twilight, I’m not going to risk my soldiers’ lives just so you can get some petty shots in at her expense, inquisitors or not.” I thought you were better than that. The last bit almost left her lips.

Twilight felt rather insulted and jumped into the air, and came within inches of slapping Rainbow. Her first bitter retort curled her lips, but she managed to soften it. “I don’t trade in lives!” Twilight still wound up to slap her, but restrained herself, if barely. Rainbow had prepared to dodge, and was caught between surprise and disappointment the strike never came.

“If anything, I would wholeheartedly thank her for scaring me onto that boat, but I wouldn’t ask this of you for that either.” Heaving a pair of heavy sighs to calm down, Twilight shook herself. “Rarity spared me the hangmare’s noose when I was eighteen. Two years before I defected.”

Rainbow remained in stunned silence long enough for Twilight to keep going. “She caught me red-hooved making overtures to the abolition movement. She could have just let her superiors add me to the list of names, but she went out of her way to spare me. I don’t care what her reasons were for, she didn’t have to do it.

“I can’t - I can’t ask you to avoid harming Rarity, if it is really her. But I have to do something.”

Shamed by her misjudgment, Rainbow’s snark faded. “What does she look like?”

As they carried on, the scout arrived at last.

It was gloomy out at the Equestrian camp. Up above, the full moon hung over Rarity’s head like a bad omen. A brisk cold wind whipped through the ghost village, kicking red and golden leaves about.

The day’s efforts once again proved fruitless. She was tired, hungry, and utterly miserable in the eerie village. So it was with great satisfaction that she sat down at Lock Stock’s fire. He was spit roasting a fish and had some nicely seasoned vegetable stock already warmed up.

During their long stay, Rarity and her retinue had made their camp in between four houses and covered up much with tent canvas to shield them entirely while also granting them the added space of the four dwellings. The supply pegasi had not exactly been happy carting in a quartet of mattresses, but that they had been paid handsomely.

Lyra was also present, and had been offering a happy melody until Rarity walked through the tent flaps. She and Lock Stock stood up out of respect. “Ma’am, Lock’s got some dinner ready, and I cooked us some grilled peaches and caramel.”

Giving a fatigued smile, Rarity removed her hat and sat down next to the fire with thinned grace. A headache was already pounding at the base of her horn, and she rubbed it with a grimace. “You’re both too kind.”

Lock Stock whipped up a bowl and cutlery. “Come and join us, ma’am. Finally got that Cloudsdale salt for the fish. You’ll love it.”

“I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to this.” Rarity bit into her fish and had to keep herself from moaning out of delight. She ate far more quickly than normal, still giving the others time to get their share of the food.

Lyra was loath to ask the daily question, but it was her turn. “How’d it go today?”

Her mood already dropping, Rarity fussed over some vegetables. “Radiant is convinced Luna is behind our failure so far, but I’m beginning to think the sisters are blind to our efforts.”

The other two shared a worried look. It was one thing for them to speak of such things quietly between each other. For Rarity to voice such a thing out loud…

Lock Stock idly chewed on some squash before asking the question both he and Lyra were afraid to ask. “What makes you think that?”

Rarity was already cursing herself for giving word to her own thoughts, but they were out now. “I just. Celestia doesn’t answer my prayers. We pray directly in front of her, and yet nothing. Not even a whisper. Why!?”

Hazarding a reply, Lyra pawed at the ground. “Maybe we don’t know how to listen?”

It was hardly a new quandary. In fact such ideas were postulated in the inquisitorial academy. “I hope that’s all it is.” Rarity ate more of her food until a nagging absence struck her. Looking around, Rarity grew worried. “Where’s Fluttershy?”

“I haven’t seen her since lunch,” Lock Stock replied with little concern. “Said she wanted to do some cleaning today. She’s probably camping out to get closer to nature or something.”

“She already thinks our camp is no different than the woods, Lock Stock!” Turning to Lyra, Rarity was getting a bit agitated. This wasn’t like her friend at all. “Did she check in with you that she would be staying out?”

“No.” Lyra tensed as the energy in the room was getting high. “I’ve been fishing all day.”

Rarity jumped to her hooves, only to hear a gunshot. Another, a third, shouting sprung up all over the camp. The three of them burst from the tent to find a pony standing barely ten yards away, and aiming straight at them.

Rarity barely had enough time to recognize the mirrored eyes of a thestral. Time seemed to crawl for a moment as Rarity tried to power her horn for a shield, but the bullet was simply too fast. Rarity found herself being pushed aside as Lyra tried to save her.

Time snapped back to normal with both mares on the ground, and Lock Stock already firing his pistol, striking the retreating thestral.

Rarity pulled herself up, finding blood all over her. Shocked and surprised, Rarity couldn’t think of anything to do other than to check on her friend. Lyra was bleeding from the side of her neck. “Lock, cover me!”

Not even waiting for a reply, Rarity levitated her friend and she usher back into the tent. Lyra was trying to thrash about due to the pain, but Rarity kept her held tight. “Hold still, I’ll close it.”

Lock Stock remained outside and stayed close against the mossy stone walls. Hastily reloading, Lock Stock kept an eye out, but the darkness gave the enemy all the advantages.

Suddenly, a flare gun launched a shot into the air, giving enough light to reveal a second thestral lining up a shot. Lock Stock dove away right as a bullet struck the wall, peppering him with bits of stone. By the time he tried to aim at his attacker, the soldier was already gone. A third popped up from behind another building, but as soon as she saw Lock Stock aiming to shoot her, she scrambled back into cover.

A shot buzzed past his head, forcing Lock Stock to scramble back near a new wall. This time he spotted the Lunarian first, only for the flare to burst, flashing everyone, and ruining his nigh vision. Damn they brought a mage of their own?!

Rolling away to make himself a moving target, no less than four shots came his way. Three struck the wall while the last one struck the butt of his long gun, throwing it out of his grip.

Experience taught him he should be bayonet charged soon, so he backed away towards the tent, still seeing spots in his eyes from the destroyed flare. He recovered his weapon, only to find the chamber had a bullet-sized dent in it.

Discarding his now unusable rifle, he pulled out his pistol, but no further attack was forthcoming. Shots still rang out all over the camp, and a new flare was launched, but no soldiers, save the one he shot, were visible.

His pistol followed his frantic gaze, and still nothing proved to be a threat for the moment. Where’s the follow up? They should be storming my position.

From the ruins of the manor, he spotted a fast moving bolt of lime green magic rocketing into the air. Following it, he saw it was headed straight to the flare. Turning away as quickly as he could and shielding his eyes, a loud crackling pop echoed from above and the world was cast into darkness once again.

A shadow moved, and he fired in haste. The shock struck true as he was rewarded with a cry of pain. Yet he did not pull back in time for a second soldier he missed to take a clean shot and struck Lock Stock in the chest.

As he fell, he saw the grass beneath him ripple blue. As he crashed to the dirt, hundreds of needles shot up from the ground, striking down five and causing three more to flee. Rarity was at his side a moment later looking him over

“Where were you hit?” She asked needlessly as she magically ripped his jacket off to find the source of blood.

A shot buzzed her ear and a second grazed her shoulder. The searing pain made her stumble before turning about and launching ten caustic needles of acid into the air which quickly shot towards anything alive that wasn’t next to her or the tent.

Amidst the echoes of panic and pain from her spellwork, Lock Stock grit his teeth angrily. “Go,” Lock Stock choked out, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. “Our job’s to protect you, not the-” He coughed up frothy blood. “The other way around. Get out of here.”

Rarity pulled up a shield as he hefted him onto her back. “Have you learned nothing?”

Her barrier was not only a glowing magnet to bullets, but the purging field was already tugging on it, causing wisps of blue to be pulled off while a bullet rippled it like water.

Holding him tight, Rarity gave up on the barrier, and bolted away to slip past the tent and towards the center of camp. A third and fourth flare were launched into the sky, giving Rarity a visible path. She didn’t need to go far. The center of camp was only a short ways west of the statues.

She jumped over a dead unicorn and weaved through the streets. A shot from above caught her by surprise, only for Lock Stock’s flank to take the hit.

She shot a deadly bolt of ice zeroing in on the shooter. The bolt curved after the soldier and veered off course, only to strike her in the wing, causing the pegasus to fail from the sky.

More gunfire erupted, only now more of it was outgoing.

“Rarity!” called Radiant Dawn as soon as she rounded one last house and came upon the center of camp. Here, Radiant Dawn had corralled four other unicorns and two pegasi into a pitiable defensive line using the old chieftain’s house as a bulwark. “Get over here!”

A grenade landed near Rarity and she tripped trying to grab it with her magic and fling it away. She never hit the ground upon seeing Radiant’s amber magic grab both her and Lock Stock and pull them to safety.

The pair crashed into a table and Lock Stock tumbled not too far further, but at least now there was a stone roof over their heads and gunners on the windows. Rarity scrambled to her hooves and saw one of the unicorns tending to a wounded retainer. “Suture, Lock Stock needs help!”

Barely seeing the medic notice the call for aid, Rarity was pulled aside to join Radiant Dawn by the ruins of the front door. The old wood was shot to pieces, so a second table had been overturned for protection. Mages had erected barriers over the windows that allowed bullets to pass, but would bounce any grenades back outside. The whole house was awash with a rainbow of magic motes being pulled off the barriers, making it harder to see threats.

Rarity scrambled to his side which was next to the only opening in the building big enough to climb through.

Sporadic gunfire lingered on, keeping everyone’s heads down. One shot buried itself into the table, splashing them with splinters.

“Where is Topaz, sir?” She called out over the noise while brushing the wood off her duster.

Radiant was a sea of calm discipline. His eyes never left the open door, and his horn glowed slightly with a readied spell. “Dead. I would be too if the second shot was a hair to the left. If we could have had our wards up, this ambush would have never happened.”

Then you should have taken my advice and made camp over the manor’s ruins. A few exorcism rites would have made it just fine. Rarity had to quash that bitter and currently unhelpful thought. A target outside tried to poke his head out from behind a house. Instantly, Radiant grabbed the soldier’s head with his magic, instantly feeling the hot pain of forcing his magic into a disruptor field. He held on just long enough to yank the soldier out of cover, allowing a unicorn on the other side of the exit to gun him down.

Radiant rubbed his head trying to recover from the effort. “Where are the rest of your retainers?”

Spotting a thestral, Rarity fired an ice bolt, but the target was already fleeing before the spell ever left her horn. The spell went awry and crashed uselessly into a wall. Angry at missing her target, Rarity settled back into waiting. “Lyra took a bullet for me, but she still breathes. No word on Fluttershy.”

For a few moments, no more threats popped up, giving Radiant a breather. “Rock Salt. He must have killed Fluttershy somehow. The mare was always too hopeful about him.” Kicking himself for such oversight, he risked casting a divination spell to see if anyone was trying to sneak around the house itself.

“He better hope that I never see him alive,” Rarity seethed at the mental image of her friend dead by Rock Salt’s hooves.

“We should focus on ourselves first,” Radiant chastised. “Retribution can wait.”

And wait they did.

A minute passed, then two. Only silence now, save for the whimpers and cries of the injured and dying.

“They must be allowing us to exhaust ourselves with the barrier.” Rarity turned back to the mages, seeing they were so fatigued they had resorted to sitting in a pool of sweat. “All of you, rest, they’ve pulled back.”

Four minutes had passed when Radiant ended his divination spell. He collapsed to a sit, and his breathing was labored now. The purging field had taken an alarming amount of mana out of him thanks to the sensing spell. “I count seventy seven of them. All around us too.”

Still nursing her own mana-fatigue induced headache, Rarity hid her aches and pains well. “What should we do?”

“You need to escape, child.” When Rarity sat there aghast at the suggestion, Radiant spoke more forcefully. “Get out from under this field and get help.”

“I’m not leaving you here,” Rarity fired back. “Nor am I leaving Celestia to them either.”

Pride in his student had to be pushed aside for the situation. The noise outside was quiet now. Not even a token shot to keep their heads down, but he was not about to poke his head out to check. “If we haven’t freed her yet, what hope do they have?” He puzzled aloud. “It’s not like they can just fly an engine here, and even if they did, it couldn’t possibly be large enough to matter.” A worrying idea intruded on the stallion. “Could they be here just to spite Celestia by killing her?”

“They wouldn’t!” Rarity proclaimed with shaky conviction. “If we wouldn’t harm Luna without Celestia’s direct blessing, then why would they do that?”

“Remember chapter ten verse seven of the Book of Swords? ‘Do not allow fear to sunder your armor of dignity. Desperation breeds dishonor.’ It is entirely possible they’ll do just that since they are losing this war.”

His words struck Rarity with terror, and her own fears started spiraling until a memory of her last encounter with Blind Speaker came upbiddened. That's right. I told him to seek out Twilight Sparkle. Could she be here? I wonder if the rumors about her are true.

“Madam Rarity,” a tired and reverent voice called from behind her. The medic Suture was covered in someone else’s blood from the chest down, with splotches on her face. “Your honor, it’s Lock Stock.”

Torn between wanting to be beside her friend and protecting the door, Rarity could only ask a question. “Will he make it?”

“I’ve done what I can to slow the bleeding, but it’s those Lunarian bullets. I can’t locate them with my magic, I need my tongs to get them out of his chest and flank. If I can’t get to my tent in the next few hours,” she was pleading with both inquisitors now, “I won’t be able to save any of them.”

“I will do it,” Radiant declared firmly. “Rarity, watch the outside, but remain here. Our magic needs to rest, and if they aren’t going to force an assault, I’m all for it.”

“Yes, sir.” Rarity settled in behind the table, occasionally sending a divination spell around the house’s immediate surroundings. The cries of the injured both outside and in made it hard to think. Rarity had never been to war. It was not death that unsettled her, as long as it was in service to Celestia, but the false calm.

The enemy was out there, waiting, and they had surrendered the field to their shadowy foes. What made things worse was the purging field. By now she and Radiant would have warded the house and sent a torrent of homing magic at the Lunarians. At least they didn’t bring any artillery.

As much as she wanted to focus, her fears kept pulling her to the not so distant statue of the Sisters still in full view thanks to the moonlight. While keeping her eyes searching for threats, Rarity started to pray for guidance. Anything to give her a sign.

Barely a word into it, there was a metallic crash on top of the house’s clinic. Stones came loose and dust rained upon the patients. Rarity shielded her head with her hooves, and noticed metallic clanging on the roof directly above her before a steel bathtub rolled off the edge and came to a rest a few feet away.

Quirking her head out of astonishment, Rarity was taken completely off guard by the second impact. A cornerstone clipped the edge of the exit, forcing Rairty to jump back.

Flinching from falling pebbles, a massive piece of granite now clogged the door, but the impact had fractured the roof enough to open it to the sky. Torn branches and shredded leaves obscured several fliers in the distance peeling away.

Radiant Dawn stumbled into the remains of the room, sporting a gash across his back. “What was all that?” He hissed out from the pain.

Rarity leapt to his side, worriedly looking him over. “Artillery of some kind. Possibly a trebuchet.”

“A trebuchet?!” He growled. “How in blazes could they have possibly built a damned trebuchet without us knowing about it?!”

Rarity pointed at the massive stone, easily four ponies big. “Well something threw that at us.”

Giving the stone a once over, it was far too heavy for even a four pony team. Radiant let his injury drag him to laying down. “Damn it all. I was hoping we could use the siege to recover our strength. I - I. I don’t know what to do.” It pained him to say it, and he doubly ashamed his protégé was the one to hear it.

Rather than fall into despair, Rarity went about taking off her white duster and turning it inside out to mask the blood.

“What are you doing?”

“Buying you time.” Rarity shook her duster, satisfied it would serve as a white flag.

Radiant magically grabbed her by the foreleg. “Don’t. They’ll kill you. Better I do it.”

Not relenting, Rarity pulled her duster free from his attempt to magically grab it. “Instructor. You always say I rely too much on treaties. I like to think it’s because I’m good at talking. Please. If it can be done, I’ll do it. If I don’t come back… It was an honor to serve you, Radiant Dawn.”

Tearing up, Radiant hugged her, not caring if the retainers saw him. “Celestia be with you, Rarity.”

A third crash came down, this time the stone missed the house, but only by inches. Yet it was still close enough to give everyone a scare.

Shoring up her strength and voice of authority, Rarity gave one last nod to her mentor before climbing up to the hole in the low ceiling. Magically levitating her duster outside and waving it, she yelled “Parley! I call for parley!”

She waited behind cover, still waving her duster. She tried listening for any sort of response one way or another.

It wasn’t long before a chorus of ponies started repeating ‘parley’ and a few voices gave orders to hold fire.

Alright, Rarity ol’ girl. Stiff upper lip and carry yourself with dignity.

A flare was launched high into the air, trailing a tail of sparks. Rarity kept her ears flat as she gingerly climbed up to survey her surroundings. She quickly counted twenty fliers overhead, all of whom had their carbines at the ready, but not yet aimed exactly at her. Shoring up her courage and grace, Rarity climbed fully out onto the roof. She stopped waving her duster, but kept it floating close by, even as the purging field made that difficult.

It was only then that she saw eight more soldiers in the Lunarian black and silver uniforms taking cover around the squat druid houses. The way they were prone, she couldn’t tell if they were aiming to kill, or simply were keeping their hooves off the triggers. “I would speak with your commander,” she firmly requested.

“She’ll be here,” one pegasus yelled derisively. His schadenfreude was palpable in both his words and his smirk. Looking more closely, she could see Sergeant stripes on his sleeves. “Now put that down and keep that horn of yours nice and dark. Wouldn’t want to think you’re violating parley now would we?”

For a moment, Rarity pondered if she should leave her duster on the roof. Even if the Lunarians guessed she was an inquisitor, wearing her mark of office would only agitate them more. …No. if I am to die, I will do it with dignity. “But of course.” Flipping the duster back over, she donned it once more.

Mixed reactions swept over the soldiers upon realizing the duster did in fact belong to her. Some jerked their carbines at her, others pulled back from instinctive fear. Only the sergeant remained as he was. If only we had not been exhausting our magic all day, then that fear would be justified.

Everyone fell into deathly still silence, save for soldiers flying down to recover the wounded and dead. It was only then that Rarity allowed her gaze to wander over the camp. She saw Topaz’s still form by the fading embers of the campfire. More than a dozen bodies wore the silver and black, many more were wounded.

We couldn’t have been fighting for that long. Did Radiant really claim that many before being driven back? A part of her wished she could have been at his side when the attack started. The thought made her gaze return to Topaz. Perhaps it’s for the best that I wasn't.

Casting such dreary thoughts aside, Rarity focused on what she could actually say that wasn’t going to be a surrender.

Not too far away, Rainbow Dash was leading Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie through one of the few straight paths the village had, and heading towards the Equestrian camp.

Rainbow was beside herself with giddy pride that she only gave moderate effort to hide. “I can’t believe it! My boys beat down three inquisitors in a matter of minutes! Oh man. They will write songs of this night!” Even if she wasn’t the one who’d get to wear the Bearer of the Eclipse, the honors her unit would receive for such an unthinkable victory and so far behind enemy lines made her such a ball of energy that she had trouble staying on the ground.

Trailing behind the ecstatic bat pony, Twilight Sparkle’s armor still felt warm to the touch when she was grazing the upper edges of the purging field when she dropped the bathtub and stone on the house. The armor had been shut down, and was not drawing upon her magic. “I’m sure those songs will leave out the effects of the purging field. Even I know Inquisitors heavily rely on enchantments for their battle prowess and endurance. This is the one place where they’re just highly skilled mages.”

Pinkie Pie giggled at the sentiment and nuzzled her sister’s cheek to placate her. “Oh let her have her fun. It’s all going to go away as soon as we have to count the dead.”

“True enough.” Twilight felt her stress slowly bleed away with her sister’s affection. “I must say, it was genius of you to have some fliers dive alongside the stone to guide it on target. I’d have never hit the house without that.”

“I like to think your brains rubbed off on me.” Pinkie Pie giggled as she enjoyed Twilight’s company. For the moment, she stayed close to her sister in case fighting broke out again. And yet, part of her wanted to meet Rarity as well. After things calm down and I can say something without getting splattered at least.

Rainbow Dash strode into the center of the Equestrian camp. Her troops had taken the time to remove the wounded, and started lining up their dead brethren.

For those not busy with the sick and dead, there was an electric sense of victory floating among the soldiers, and it gave Rainbow more than enough bravado to approach Rarity without losing steam.

The sisters remained back a bit, letting Rainbow reach the house alone. She felt their absence in a hurry, and it was only the twenty or so flying soldiers in her field of vision that gave her enough courage to stand within a scant few feet from the imposing unicorn.

Even in defeat, the Inquisitor evoked a primal fear in Rainbow. A spider could be crawling on her leg, and leave her less on edge. “I have answered your parley,” Rainbow said with the hoity vocabulary Twilight had insisted on. Even so, Rainbow only went along with it because of her rank. “And am ready to receive your surrender.”

“I am not here to surrender,” the alabaster unicorn stated with firm conviction. “An inquisitor hasn’t surrendered in over four hundred years, and I am not about to break that.”

Rainbow decided to call her bluff, and was unmoved by the declaration, interpreting Rarity's conviction for acting like she was superior to everyone. “You won't look so smug with a hole in your head. The only reason you even bothered with parley is because you don’t have any other choice. So why don’t we just get down to brass tacks.”

“I have already made my choice,” Rarity corrected with otherworldly grace despite her haggard appearance. She jumped down to be level with Rainbow Dash, her duster billowing in the wind. “In the house behind me, my superior and four of his retainers are empowering Skyfall.” Rarity allowed a faint grin to shine through upon seeing Rainbow and the others recoil, with many flying back several feet. “Ah, so you’re familiar with it?”

Rainbow grit her teeth, and willed herself to stand her ground. “I know it’s suicide. You’ll kill everypony in the whole village including yourselves.”

“True,” Rarity nodded easily. She carried herself as a pony who had already accepted their death. “But all of you are far from home, and my betters already know about our efforts here. Others will take up my task, and I highly doubt Lunaria will even think to do the same until long after we’re done here. Assuming your expedition is even repeatable.”

“That’s all a damn lie!” Shouted a familiar voice. Everyone looked to Applejack who had been one of the soldiers closest to the impromptu bunker. “You can see it on her face as plain as the day she loves. She ain't got no Skyfall brewing.”

Rarity’s right ear started twitching at being called out, and she started hearing her heartbeat in her ear. “Are you so willing to take that chance?”

Lies or not, Applejack was not too keen on getting any closer to an inquisitor. “Damn straight Ah am.”

Before Rainbow could take advantage of Rarity’s stumble, the mage tsked audibly. “Very well, if bluffing is off the table, then the game is adjourned. Proper introductions are in order: I am Rarity Belle of her most holy inquisition.”

Grinding her teeth on whether or not to withhold that information, Rainbow ultimately felt it would be seen as pointlessly rude to hide it. “Captain Rainbow Dash of the Imperial Air Corps and the Ninety Second Rifles.”

Rarity inclined her head away from Rainbow to focus on the aristocrats a fair distance behind the thestral. “And the erstwhile Lady Twilight Sparkle and Pinkamena. So nice to see you again.” The moonlight strangely made the pegacorn’s wings glint, but Rarity couldn’t investigate further at the risk of being distracted.

Stopping in front of her sister before Pinky could say something to escalate matters, Twilight gave a curt nod. “Inquisitor Rarity Belle, I never did get a chance to thank you properly for the hat. I still have it you know.”

If Applejack calling Rarity’s bluff threw her off, Twilight's admission left Rarity completely speechless. So much so that for the briefest of moments, Rainbow and the others did not see an inquisitor, but just a mare. “You - you do?”

“Oh yes. Anytime I wear it to an event, it becomes quite the talking point. Not one dinner goes by without somepony asking who made it, something I have understandably withheld. Perhaps one day they might recognize it as your work.”

Rarity trembled in place. Sorely feeling the absence of her wide hat to hide her face, Rarity felt the past few years of agonizing over Manehatten falling apart. “I see.” She choked a laugh at how she was a mess. “I thought for sure you would have destroyed it at sea.”

Through it all, Rainbow Dash had humored Twilight so far by letting her speak, but martial concerns were always on her mind, and she couldn’t shake the feeling Rarity was stalling for time. “Pleasantries are over. Inquisitor, I’m allowing you a chance to save whoever else is inside that house by surrendering.”

Rarity’s wavering emotions cooled instantly and her hardliner demeanor returned in full force. “You ask me to do what will not happen, and to leave Celestia alone to a thestral’s vengeance? Ask yourself if matters were reversed if you would agree to the same.”

Seeing the escalation Rainbow seemed to be wanting, Twilight sped up to Rainbow’s side with Pinkie in tow. “Captain,” she warned while tugging on Rainbow’s sleeve. “Remember what we talked about?”

Some of the soldiers were so on edge they had switched targets to Twilight, thinking she might have been trying to attack their commander. Though Rainbow kept a stern glare on her face, her quiet tone belied a different mood. “You really think this’ll work? She’s an inquisitor for Luna’s sake.”

“On the contrary, it will work because she’s an inquisitor. They’re loyalty is to Celestia, not the Church in and of itself.”

What does that even mean? Working her jaw, Rainbow was nervous enough that her wings were jittery. “Fine. You talked your way out of Fay Hunter shooting you, maybe you can do this too.”

With a grateful nod first to Rainbow, and then a knowing one to Pinkie, the sisters stepped in between the captain and inquisitor. “Inquisitor Rarity Belle,” Twilight started trying to push her flight instinct aside as best she could. “While my sister and I serve Lunaria.” Twilight kept speaking without reacting to Rarity’s astonishment. She instead directed an incriminating glare out over the flying soldiers. “What my fellows always love to remind me, is that I was born an Equestrian. Which means I understand Equestrian sensibilities, and can best serve as a mediator between everypony.” She waved at the two. “What say you?”

Having already known about it, Rainbow spoke first just to make it official, and spoke loudly enough that the soldiers could hear. “I’ll certainly take it under advisement.”

Rarity cleared her throat, and looked Twilight over, having to take her measure of the mare yet again. “I will hear you.”

Pinkie Pie stepped up. “Let’s get more immediate issues addressed first, yes-yes? A complete cease fire shall be in place for all within the Mirage. Medical attention and administering the dead shall take place quick-quick. This cease-fire shall remain in place until the matter with the Holy Sisters is resolved.”

“I don’t want any resupply deliveries made aware of our presence,” Rainbow stated with a stern warning. “The last thing we need is a horde of you sun-lovers coming down on us. You might be an inquisitor, but I know somepony could easily countermand your orders.”

“That is understandable.” Rarity would have waited a token amount of time to respond, but the dying were at stake. “I can see that done only if Fluttershy’s body is returned to me for proper burial. She’d probably prefer it, but I won’t see her rotting away forgotten.”

Thinking it over a bit, Rainbow scanned the skies looking for someone. “Private Star Wind!”

One of the flying troopers dove down and landed nearby. He tried to focus solely on his commander and not the Inquisitor. “Yes, ma’am?”

“You still remember where you left the druids?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll need a thestral’s eyes, but if they’re still there I can find them.”

“Good. Get to it.” Rainbow jerked her head away from the village.

As soon as the scout and a bay pony departed, Rainbow looked over the other mares with a worried look before setting on Rarity. “Satisfied?”

So she is dead after all. Rarity wanted to take righteous vengeance then and there, but the lives of the rest of her brethren had to take priority. “I am, you have my thanks.”

“Excellent,” Twilight clapped victoriously. “Then we should adjourn, so word can spread, everypony can get a chance to breathe, and we can move forward on how to handle freeing the sisters.”

“I will let my people know of this,” Rarity started before Rainbow could speak. Bowing a bit to each of them, she took her leave and retreated inside the house.

Rainbow pulled the sisters aside and walked away from the house to talk. Applejack sprinted over to listen in out of curiosity more than anything else. “Alright, Ladies, I’ve let you run it this far, but you better spill it about why I shouldn’t put a bullet in all of them once the goddesses are free.”

“Wouldn't that be plan A anyway?” Applejack chimed in.

“That would be dishonorable for one,” Twilight stated unconvincingly. “We would still-”

“Cram your honor,” Rainbow harshly cut in. “At that moment, I’d have one, maybe two inquisitors on my hooves without surprise and exhaustion evening the playing field. And technically, I can argue that accord ends the moment they’re free.”

“That’s a stretch and you know it, Captain,” Applejack tapped a hoof on Rainbow’s ribs.

“A stretch no tribunal would ever rule a conviction on,” Rainbow shot back with a grunt. “You can't tell me they won't be thinking the exact same thing.”

Pinkie all but shoved her muzzle into Rainbow's ear. “But if you do that, we can’t end enstripement.”

“End it?!” Rainbow pulled away and had to rub her ear. “Where did that come from? Wait...” Rainbow narrowed her eyes at the two sisters, suspicion riding high. “How in blazes would letting them live make that happen? You said letting the inquisitors run back with Celestia would make the war last until we’re all dead or striped.”

“She lied,” Applejack stated bluntly, earning quizzical irritation out of Rainbow. “What? All you cloud sniffers were losing your nerve. I’d’ve preferred a strong truth, but the lie got you all moving again.”

Rainbow fumed at Twilight for confirmation, the pegacorn shrugged her wings. “Merchant’s Creed Two Thirty Nine: never be afraid to mislabel a product.”

“Fine. Fine!” Rainbow fussed while shaking her wings to disperse some stress. “Never thought I'd see the day I'd be standing next to an inquisitor without giving them a steel diet. So how is this going to work?”

Author's Note

Now comes the moment of truth. How will the sisters react to the new world!?!? Have they been awake the whole time? Were they mentally in Hawaii drinking mai tais? Were they actually unplugged from the matrix and Twilight.agent.exe is plugging them back in? Will Captain Kirk transport down and do the fan dance while singing Slim Shady?

Find out.... um... only one of these actually...or maybe not. Who knows? You will! NEXT TIME on Clash!!!!

33: What Defines Us

Later that night, Rarity was fussing over her retainers’ injuries. Lyra got the better of it, only sporting a nasty burn scar from where Rarity cauterized her wound. The bullet had passed straight through and missed anything important, the only reason she was alive at all, let alone walking around with bandages to help tend to the others.

Lock Stock was unconscious and breathing shallowly. He was heavily bandaged with what was left of the medical supplies, and a few ripped sheets along with it. Heavy bags pulled on Rarity’s exhausted eyes, but she wanted to give one last prayer for aid before she could allow herself some sleep.

“He should recover,” Suture promised after waiting for the inquisitor to finish her prayer. The medic was not fairing much better. She swayed on her hooves, barely capable of staying awake. “Since we were allowed to set up outside the field, the focused chill spell should keep any infections slowed down. He’ll just need extra blankets and a fire.”

Allowed, Rarity thought bitterly. She bit that anger down, and tried to focus on her friend. She was still emotional after hearing about Fluttershy, and the last thing she needed was to snap. Rarity turned to the medic. “Thank you for your aid. Celestia has worked through you this night.” Rarity’s exhaustion was catching up to her and sleep was more insistent. She left the medical tent to claim her bed. However, an odd humming sound made her stop and look up to the stars. Coming in over the ruins were three figures, one of which was not flapping her wings.

No remaining Equestrian pegasi would be in the air, so Rarity was on edge in a heart beat. Unlike with Turnabout, we’re at war. I’m sure a few would love to - wait… as the lead figure got closer, Rarity identified her through the moonlight. “Lady Twilight Sparkle?”

The pegacorn came to a gentle stop while the other two fliers landed much harder. She could finally see they were carrying two limp bodies on their backs. Rarity’s emotions flared as they were placed on the ground with a touch more roughness than preferable.

“They were found alive, but unconscious,” Twilight explained to the troubled mare.

“A-alive?!” Rarity had appearances to maintain, so she raced for Fluttershy’s side as quickly as she dared. The druid had dried mud in places and her mane was a disaster, but more importantly to Rarity, there was no sign of injury aside from a welt on the side of her head.

The pegasus of the pair hastily backed away from the inquisitor as she cradled Fluttershy’s head and checked her body over. “Rock Salt used some sleep stuff. Said she’d wake up by morning. The escort some time after that.”

Dearly wishing she had some privacy to hug Fluttershy, Rarity had to settle for putting her down gently to stand up and gave a polite bow to the pegasus. “You honor yourself and the emperor for staying your hoof when I already thought her dead.”

“You thought she was dead? We - well anyway.” The scout jerked his head at Twilight. “You can thank her for that. I would have just shot her instead of drug her. But uh. You’re welcome?” It felt supremely strange saying that to Rarity, so he was grateful that Twilight offered an out.

“The inquisitor and I have matters to discuss on how to liberate the Sisters. You can stay if you wish, but that won’t be necessary.”

The thestral of the two soldiers gave her a concerned look. “Are you sure about that? I thought she wanted you dead or something.”

“These are strange times indeed,” Rarity spoke up, her voice wearing thin from lack of sleep and strained emotions. “May Celestia strike me down if I so much as harm a hair on Twilight’s head.”

Honor mattered, and the declaration mollified the two soldiers. The pegasus scout gave a hesitant nod. “We’ll Ah, we’ll be by Luna. Whistle if you need us.”

“Thank you.” Twilight watched them leave before once more addressing Rarity. “It has been a while.”

Sighing heavily, Rarity shook her head. “I swore to arrest you if I ever saw you again. I suppose I will need Celestia’s forgiveness for that failure as well.”

“If the penance for that leads to a resignation,” Twilight led on. “I know plenty of ponies already lining up to be regular customers should you ever wish to be a seamstress on the regular.”

Scowling with no real malice behind it, Rarity conjured a magic comb and started to straighten her mane out so it’s natural curl could bounce back. “You live by your Creed, Twilight, as I must live by my faith. Besides, when Celestia returns, she will need my services more than ever.”

“More than you realize,” Twilight replied with a dour frown. “Far more.”

Eying the hybrid with reserved confusion, Rarity momentarily paused her brushing. “Care to explain?”

Seeing that Rarity was already worn out by the day’s events, Twilight reconsidered her plan. I better wait until some sleep can clear her head. “Perhaps another time. You are weary, I’m sure, and it is something that can wait.” Shaking her head again, Twilight waved off rebuttal.

Rarity’s ability to think was ebbing as quickly as her patience and the need for sleep was accelerating that decline. “Then I bid you farewell, Twilight Sparkle.”

“We’ll be flying the engine into camp this evening. Get some rest and think about what you want to say to Celestia. Prayer is one thing, but an actual conversation is something else entirely.”

Scowling at the impiety of it all, Rarity gave a hesitant nod. “I suppose there is some merit to that. Lyra was writing some sheet music since she’s the only one to bring an instrument. Her namesake, that is.”

“I have no doubt some music will much appreciated. Sleep well, Rarity Belle, for the Sisters will be with us again. Just-” Twilight stopped in mid-air and gave one last concerned look. “It’s probably far too late to say this… Don’t go into this with expectations. The sisters are who they are, not who we believe them to be.”

Too tired and bewildered by the warning, Rarity couldn’t say a word until the hybrid was long gone.

The next day Rarity slept long past noon. She would have slept even longer had her nose not roused her. Blinking slowly and feeling every one of her aches and pains, she saw Fluttershy stirring some tantalizing soup if the scent was anything to go by. Rarity sat bolt upright and looked around, not even remembering returning to her tent.

“Good afternoon. Soup will be ready in a bit.” The druid was somber, but not heavily so.

After checking the tent, she found no one else was present. She got up with the intent to join her friend by the fire, only to surrender to her emotions and collapse into a hugging embrace. One which caught Fluttershy off guard, but she recovered quickly enough. “I feared the worst when you didn't check in last night,” tears fell into Fluttershy's mane as sobs filled the tent.

Having no reservations about hugging her friend back, Fluttershy let Rarity release her bound up nerves. "I'm sorry to have worried you, Rarity." They stared there for a time, until hoofsteps outside scared Rarity into hastily letting go. Fluttershy could see behind the mask, but she still had to put on an air of strength around others. Ignoring the tear stains on herself, Fluttershy took a handkerchief and dampened it from a waterskin. "Here, let me clean you up a bit."

The outsider proved to just be a passerby, so it gave the mares plenty of time to powder their noses. Silence fell over them for a spell as both mares were lost in thought. Fluttershy resumed her watch over the cookpot while Rarity took the time to meditate a bit. Only the crackling fire and occasional bubble from the soup filled the air. It was a pleasant calming moment one that both were loathe to break with conversation.

When the soup finally met Fluttershy’s approval, the clatter of tin bowls breaking the silence was enough to get the druid talking again. “The Lunarians are flying an engine over here.”

“They are?!” Rarity accepted her bowl while barely holding onto it enough to keep from spilling. “It must be a small one then.”

Fluttershy gave the unicorn a side look as she poured a bowl for herself. “According to them, it’s bigger than I am, but not by much.” Seeing the bewildered silence from her commander, Fluttershy grabbed a spoon and took a bite. It was hardly the fare she could get from town, but it was still a few steps above anything she ever had in her Order.

Shaking herself to recollect her thoughts, Rarity set about eating as well. “Why am I so surprised?” she asked herself. “How else were they going to free the sisters?”

Giggling lightly, Fluttershy pulled her mane out of her eyes. “They asked us to make a platform or flatten out some space near the statues so the engine and boiler have a level place to set down.”

Rarity huffed and finished chewing a carrot. “What? They didn’t bring the limber along with it? And here I was almost impressed.” A sigh carried away the pittance of Rarity’s good mood. “You must have been awake for a while now. How are we looking?”

Business was never very pleasant, and a death toll was the worst of all. “Eight of us are dead, including all but one pegasus. The Lunarians lost three times that many. Nearly everypony is injured on our side. The ones who aren’t are on platform detail. At least it is a task we’ve grown accustomed to lately,” Fluttershy added, trying to lighten the mood.

Rarity touched the spot where a bullet had grazed her. The wound was superficial, but it still stung like the dickens. “How is Radiant Dawn?” Rarity started eating quicker now. She felt the need to be out there doing something useful and sleeping in this long irritated her immensely.

“He’s on bed rest, or at least Suture and I asked him to be as much.”

Rarity hummed in amusement. “Nopony short of the late queen herself could get him to take a breather against his will, Celestia rest her soul.” Rarity remembered the wound being masked by his duster, so was unable to see the extent of it the previous night. “Is there anything you can do for him or Lock Stock? He had the worst of it.”

Fluttershy shook her head, defeat threatened to drag her spirits down. “Lock Stock is not long for this world.” Rarity’s breath hitched and she stared at her second. “His lung collapsed. Even if he could recover from that, infection is sure to set in, and when it does…”

Recalling the pain she felt upon believing Fluttershy was dead, Rarity had no intention of repeating that. “He might moan and complain, but he must be sent to a hospital. I’ll see to it personally. As far as anypony needs to know, it was a hunting accident, and he fell out of a tree.” Putting her bowl aside, Rarity grabbed a water skin to wash it all down before standing. “A short letter with my seal on it should keep anypony from interfering.”

Having seen the sudden rush her superior was in, Fluttershy had also hastily ate her fill. “I will see it done. Although I can’t say Radiant Dawn will be happy about this.”

Scowling at the need for deception, Rarity steeled herself. “True. But my word is my word. See to the escort while I impress upon Lock Stock and my instructor the need of it.”

Respectfully nodding her approval, Fluttershy waited for Rarity to march outside before joining her.

Rarity did not have to search far. The beige unicorn stallion was overseeing the uninjured retainers moving the stone off of the platform they had been using before to lay a new dais down next to the statue. One of the unicorns dumped his collected stone on the ground and started sifting it around to make everything stable and level.

“That’s good enough,” Radiant griped as his injury made adding his efforts impossible. “We only need to keep the foul thing from sliding around, not pretty it up for them.” The snapping of a twig drew his attention to his protégé stepping over several loose stones and wood. “Ah, Rarity my dear you’re awake, good. Good.” His aches and pains got the better of him, making Radiant lay down. “Take a break, all of you. I won’t see any of us stress too hard over a traitor’s plan.”

Rarity was already off put. He’s in a horrible mood. Not that I can fault the pony. There was nothing for it, she had to speak with him. She quickly surveyed the dais they were making. It was largely just loose rock and gravel that evened out the small hill’s incline. Still, given the short amount of time they’ve had and the manpower shortage, it looked serviceable. “Instructor. I’m worried about Lock Stock. I was hoping to borrow Summer Song so she can fly him back.”

“I have already taken care of that,” Radiant stated with a beckoning wave. “I apologize for not waiting until you awoke, but with that collapsed lung of his, I felt time was of the essence.”

Joining his side, she could see how he favored his left foreleg. “Thank you for looking out for him. I trust you impressed upon Summer the need for secrecy,” she said carefully as to not insult him.

“Worry not child,” he said with a pained laugh. “Summer Song will tell them he ran afoul an alligator and got shot by accident. Terrible incident that was.”

Sighing in relief, what Rarity forgot to ask was whether or not Lock Stock was conscious while Summer Song received her orders. Radiant Dawn carried on talking while hiding that little slip. Just a little insurance.

Though no one told her one way or another she was still needed, Fluttershy felt guilty for not being there during the attack, and remained close by until directly dismissed.

Radiant fell silent as he stared off in thought, while Rarity was unsure how to move matters forward. Turning his gaze to the statues, Radiant gave a self-depreciating grunt. “Rarity, do you remember what I once said about failure?” He glanced at her, and inwardly grinned when he saw the shift from pensive discomfort to analytical thought.

“I recall it was that failure is the best teacher of all.”

“No credit for half-answers, Rarity.”

Caught between an annoyed huff at herself and trying to maintain her professional airs, she tried again. “I believe your exact words were ‘Experience is a far better teacher than I am; failure, a better one still.’ If I am not mistaken.”

“That is precisely right.” He winced as he started hobbling to the docks. Both she and Fluttershy hesitated on whether or not they should help him, or the act would be insulting. The wound had proved to be a half-ripped ligament. Instead they opted to walk closely enough to catch him should he fall. “Do you know the fallacy of experience?”

Rarity ponder the question for a spell. She eventually looked to Fluttershy who might have some insight, but the pegasus looked as clueless as she was. “Overconfidence I would imagine.”

“A simple answer, but a workable one.” Grimacing at his current weakened state, Radiant Dawn leaned against a house, but managed to fix a warm grin back on his face before the mares could see it. He silently looked to Fluttershy to see if she might have any understanding, but like Rarity before him, he saw nothing. “The fallacy is that once certain levels or rank has been reached, there is no need to prove leadership or competence. Everypony bows to your whims as if there is no better move to make. However, that right there is the trap. When ponies stop questioning you, it is all too easy for arrogance and complacency become your watchwords, and you forget the very lessons you learned.” He pushed himself back up, allowing Rarity to steady him without complaint. “The Lunarians may have been the ones who pulled the trigger, but the blood of our brothers and sisters is on my hooves. I should have taken your advice in camping outside of the purging field.”

Rarity’s elation in being vindicated was heavily blunted by the cost of being proven right. “You couldn’t have known, sir. We’re close to a thousand miles from the front lines. Them coming here was beyond desperation.”

“Ahh!” He jabbed a hoof at Rarity’s chest and left it there. “And that my girl, is exactly the sort of thinking that allowed us to forget just how wily our counterparts have always been.” He put the hoof down to keep walking to the docks. “A lack of imagination. When it comes to Luna's safe return, our enemies would go to the ends of the Earth if they had to, because it is exactly what we would do for Celestia. But I failed to respect our enemy. Which is why,” he eyed her carefully, eager to see her expression. “Until Celestia takes over, I pass command of our camp to you.”

Taken aback so hard she bumped into a nearby house, Rarity was at a loss for words. Fluttershy however took it in stride. “A wise move, Royal Inquisitor. The Lunarians will be far less likely to attack again if our leader is both healthy and is known to keep her word.”

Sensing that his protégé would be insulted for him, Radiant laughed quite heartedly before she could think to reprimand Fluttershy. “You chose your second well, Rarity.” He regarded the pensive druid. “You understand much for somepony who spent most of your life among the trees.”

Bowing out of respect, Fluttershy replied with just a touch of forlorn hope. “The wisdom between the trees and the civilized are not as different as my brothers and sisters would like to believe.”

“Is that right?” Radiant said with grim mirth. “Perhaps time will prove you correct. For the moment…” He looked to Rarity with expectation. “What shall we do, mission leader?”

“We…” Rarity didn’t like her options now that she had tied her hooves with a ceasefire, but it was her mess now. “We play Twilight’s game. She’s the reason why the Lunarians are here at all, and seems to know something is ahoof. She wanted to say something last night, but hesitated. Cooperation will hopefully reveal what this angle of hers is before the Sisters are freed.”

“So you noticed she has more pull than she should as well?” Radiant commented while in thought.

“Oh yes.” Rarity teased a lock of hair as she recalled her meetings with the pegacorn. “The only reason she is here is because she is likely the source of their knowledge of the Sisters’ true location and status. Even so, the Imperial Army, or the Emperor himself could have easily sidelined her; taken her information, and left her behind, but they didn’t. It is my belief that while the Captain technically commands their expedition, she defers to Twilight, likely in all matters besides martial. That's not a level of trust a turncoat can earn in just a few years outside of being side by side in battle. She must have some leverage we're just not seeing.”

Fluttershy shook her head, unseen by the others. They can't see what's right in front of them. I'd tell her, but Rarity wouldn't believe it'd be enough.

Radiant Dawn almost allowed some excitement to leak through. “You know? I just might enjoy this.”

The sun was beginning to set as the Equestrians watched the skies to the southeast. The battered company of soldiers flew in loose squadron formations, with two peculiar sights in the center. The first was a group of four fliers all tied to a single piece of cargo that caught the light as it swayed in the wind. “Must be the engine of our salvation,” Radiant uttered derisively to Rarity as they stood on the decrepit docks.

I doubt Celestia will hold it against us. Rarity wasn’t so sure if she could voice such a thought within earshot of Radiant Dawn. Honestly, if there's one good think to come out of the Lunarians' meddling, its that they forced the issue with using a machine.

Surrounding her was Fluttershy, Lyra, and the three remaining unicorns who were uninjured. All of which were ill at ease, Rarity's retains most of all. Unlike the militia before, the Lunarian regulars had already demonstrated a willingness and capability to fight and win. Even the other retainers were not so sure Rarity and Radiant could realistically hold the line should the Air Corps decide the ceasefire wasn't worth the trouble.

Trying to remain calm over it all for the efforts Rarity would have to put forward soon enough, she surveyed the formation trying to see where Twilight Sparkle. It ended up being Twilight’s lack of flapping that caught Rarity’s eye, and then to the similar looking cargo that was latched to her. “Is that?” She squinted, trying to see if her eyes were tricking her. Is that Lady Twilight carrying a piece of the engine? The cylindrical shape warded off any theories of it being a storage container. A dash of color caught her eye, drawing her attention to Twilight herself, and the pink form on top of her. and carrying Pinkamena?! The outburst nearly left her lips.

Though many of the gathered Equestrians started to take notice as well, it was Lyra who caught Rarity’s attention. “How in blazes is she doing that!?”

“Must be that armor,” Rarity answered to quiet her friend lest Lyra embarrass herself with such candid outspokenness around the others. Given how she’s in the middle of a pack of disruptor wearing soldiers, it’s not magic. But then why doesn't she flap her wings..? A bitter thought crossed her mind. Has she really invalidated the whole reason the Inquisition pushed to start this war? Lunaria has no need for the Tain. She’s already mastered whatever secrets it had.

Her assumptions only solidified as the group of Lunarians came in close. Half of them landed, revealing themselves to be loaded down with engine parts and tools. The ones carrying the disassembled engine itself set it down along with Twilight not too far beyond that. Pinkie Pie and Applejack went right to work reassembling the charlie engine for its final destination, while Rainbow and Twilight approached the inquisitors. Given the lack of shore bombardment by the now undoubtedly rested inquisitors, the pair approached with only token apprehension.

Even though Radiant Dawn was clearly senior to Rarity, due to both his obvious age difference and the greater presence of gold on his uniform, Rarity was still the one to take the fore. “Captain Rainbow Dash, Lady Twilight Sparkle,” Rarity began with polite professionalism that would fit more in a peace conference rather than enemies in a tenuous armistice. “You’re up early.”

The sun was not yet touching the horizon, but it was getting into Rainbow’s eyes, making her squint. “Wanted to get all this done sometime before dusk so the non-bats can see Luna more clearly. That and it makes formation flying easier for pegasi.”

“A sound assessment.” With a wave of a hoof, Rarity directed everyone's attention to the statues off in the distance. “We’ve prepared the platform to your specifications. Ten feet by twenty, and is as level as one can expect for hasty work done in less than a day. It should bare the weight without slipping enough to matter.”

“That's all we'll require on that front, thank you.” Twilight started crossing off a mental checklist. “Once we have the engine and boiler in place, I’ll have a better idea as to the calm spot the two of you can stand.” She gave Rarity a cursory glance. “I trust you’ve made good use of my father’s work and can cast spells through the charlie’s interference with those staves I heard about.”

Irritated once again by the volume of intelligence Rock Salt had gifted to their enemies, Rarity bore it all with strained grace. “You are quite right.” Rarity glanced at Radiant Dawn to see if he would object to saying anything further, so the older stallion gave a nod of acquiescence. The staves were heavily influenced by your father's work. It seems the Light family is destined for history.”

Suddenly uncomfortable, Twilight asked a difficult question. “How is he, by the way? I have no idea what sort of dealings you have with him personally. My mother too, if you are able.”

Rainbow looked at her friend, yet was afraid to show some concern of her own in front of the inquisitors. Oh boy. Here comes the blackmail or the guilt trip.

Shaking her head, Rarity was in no mood for mind games. Celestia’s freedom was paramount. “I don’t have any dealings with either of them in any light, so I can not speak for your parents.”

Twilight glanced at Radiant who shook his head. "It was my friend Topaz who worked closely with Night Light these past several months, and he's no longer open to questions." Though the elder inquisitor kept his voice level, no one could miss the resentment.

“War takes from us all,” Twilight replied with a note of sympathy. I suppose if the Inquisition is working with him, then they must still be doing well. Clearing her throat, Twilight adopted a more amicable posture. “Moving on…” She looked to Rainbow Dash who stepped up.

“Alright, you lot don’t like me and I sure as Tartarus don’t like you. So let’s get the ball rolling, yeah?”

Once the charlie had been reassembled, all of the flying Lunarians who still had working disruptors lined up in as tight a flying phalanx as they could manage. Twilight was lifting the fully assembled engine and was staying in close behind the group. Keeping pace along the ground was the corporal mage, who was the only one among them that could both see the currents of the purging field, and be trusted enough to obey without hesitation.

Upon crossing the threshold of the field, Twilight was keenly aware of the armor’s temperature, feeling for any sudden rise. This only made her shiver worse from the biting cold northerly wind, made all that much worse by the backwash of so many fliers. It left the alpine mare’s teeth chattering.

More out of curiosity than intention on helping, mostly because Rarity didn’t believe her advice would be welcomed, she followed after Twilight Sparkle. With the mage currently giving orders in a matter more organized than she expected, Rarity scanned around for Rainbow Dash, but the captain was too busy leading from the center. The execution of this formation is impressive. If I recall, this is quite the clever adaptation of a cloud pushing technique.

As the group carefully navigated their way to the statue, the fliers started squirming. Flying wall formations only worked when there was a cloud to work against. The absence of that resistance was causing muscle memory slip ups. Even then, flying walls were not meant to be as tightly packed as they were trying to be.

The formation started to break apart more and more, either by turbulence causing gaps that rippled through the whole formation, or by two soldiers’ wings hitting each other.

Rarity watched Rainbow Dash have her wing get slapped hard enough to make her tumble from the air. Spouting curses the whole time, she was quick enough to avoid hitting anyone below her. However, she had to completely fall out of formation. Rarity hid her bemusement well as her erstwhile opponent was trying to find a spot to rejoin along the edges. “My my. That was quite the recovery.”

“Shut up you pretentious nag,” Rainbow shot back defensively. “It’s like trying to swim behind a ship’s wake without falling behind.”

Insults from Rainbow Dash were expected, and so Rarity let it roll off of her. Nothing ruffles the feathers of ruffians like her than not stopping to her level. “Well I’m sure you’re an excellent swimmer at least. What I’d like to know is why you’re putting Lady Twilight in your formation’s wake.”

Her hunch was right as Rainbow only grew more irate, but the unwillingness to speak of Twilight’s vulnerability only made her bite her tongue that much harder. “That’s not something you need to know.”

As if I can’t hazard a guess, Rarity mused while flipping her hair. “Keep your secrets then if you must.”

A strong northerly wind kicked up, rocking the formation. Small holes were opening up and not getting closed quickly enough. tendrils of the purge field were slipping through. One such current of magic brushed Twilight’s right wing, causing the humming to dim drastically and throwing her off balance. What caused real panic was that the metal got hot frighteningly quick. When the mage-corporal heard Twilight cry out in wordless pain, he blew into Applejack’s boatswain whistle, making him easily heard across the formation. “Hold it steady lads! Lady Twilight, set it down as best you can.”

Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Silver had been trailing along, keeping a healthy distance from Rarity. The call got all three of them moving to hastily kick away any major obstructions before guiding the engine down into place. Rarity took some polite steps back so they wouldn't be so jumpy if they saw her. They quickly unhitched Twilight, who babbled manically as she turned herself towards Applejack who promptly opened the armor’s access panel and pulled the necessary levers to cut off Twilight’s magic from it. Silver had prepared a bucket of river water, and was already dowsing the heated portion of armor.

Rarity watched all of it, actually feeling inclined to help, but once again believed her aid would be scorned. A cooling spell would probably misfire anyway.

Once Applejack signaled an all clear. The formation quickly broke apart as fliers scattered in all directions. Only a few remained on the ground between the statue and the engine to shield Twilight. Even so, small bits of the field grazed her armor, making it grow hot once more as her residual mana was cooked off. She frantically flapped her wings trying to cool them off, suppressing a painful cry all the while.

Her friends pulled her closer to the engine which served as an island, as its innate disruption field was strong enough to protect itself even while powered down.

Once everyone calmed down a bit, Rarity felt she could walk over without causing a tizzy. Even then, once Silver noticed her approach and warned everyone, the others backed up a step and everyone but Twilight and Applejack pressed themselves against the engine. “Didn’t quite make it to our destination now did we?” She didn’t put any derision into her tone, but the others assumed it was there.

Of the group, Twilight was the only one willing to speak without hostility. She gathered her courage and wits to at least act like she was simply attending a conference. “Mores the pity. Still, we’re only forty two yards away.” The northerly wind was persistent and was blowing her frazzled mane over her face. Tugging her hair out of her eyes, Twilight huffed. “We don’t have enough pegasi to both create the wall and control the wind. Can you hit the statue from…” Doing some mental calculations, Twilight walked away until she was fifty yards from the statue. “About here. The engine at half power should create a bubble of sorts where magic can still be used while the purging field is unable to reach you.”

Rarity had walked with her and inwardly didn’t like the distance, but outwardly remained self-assured. “It’s certainly a far cry better than what we had to work with before. A spell is not aimed like a rifle but… Yes. With some tweaks to to the spell’s guidance matrix… Yes I believe we can hit our mark.”

“Are you going to be able to shoot through the disruption field or arc the shot above it?” Twilight asked with a dash of hope. “I must confess, I am eager to see how my father’s work has born fruit.”

Eying the hybrid with mixed feelings, Rarity gave a melancholy sigh. Unlike that uncouth captain, I at least will not insult her intelligence. “To put it simply, a spell bolt is encased inside the shell of an ice crystal. Provided the bolt is fast enough, it can pierce all but the largest machine’s dampening fields.” With her magical senses, Rarity scrutinized the warring fields of the engine and statue. “Haven’t had a chance to see it in person yet since the purging field ignored such adaptations.”

“Will the ice damage the stone? Can they be damaged?” Twilight asked worriedly.

“You don’t really expect us to have tested that, do you?” Rarity challenged with a raised eyebrow.

Before Twilight could answer, Rainbow Dash arrived, and made it a point to not react to Rarity. “Lady Twilight,” she started, not wanting to reveal her familiarity with the pegacorn. “I’m going to get a team together to carry the boiler into place. The field shouldn’t cause problems right?”

Humming in thought, Twilight considered it for nearly a minute. “It doesn’t have many moving parts, just hatches for fuel and such. It’ll be fine.”

“Then I shall make preparations on our end. But before I do.” Rarity glanced at Rainbow. “Captain, I would like to speak with Lady Twilight in private.”

Looking at Twilight, Rainbow saw only mild trepidation, but the mare was not silently asking for a rescue. Scowling over the request, Rainbow recalled her conversation with Twilight the day before. “Alright. Just remember she’s still needed to finish setting up and running the engine, so no funny business.”

Finally feeling insulted, Rarity had to resist turning her nose up. “I have not besmirched your honor, Captain, I would ask for the same courtesy.”

Grumbling, Rainbow wanted to snap at her, but it was unbecoming of an officer. Her troops were always watching, and she remembered losing respect for her superior officer multiple times for doing the same thing. Settling for grinding her teeth, Rainbow nodded just a touch. “I’ll consider it.”

“That’ll do.”

“Need anything before I go, Lady Twilight?”

That could have been worse. “I’m fine. Perhaps some water or tea if we have any.”

“Sure. We’re already siving some from the river for the boiler and to refill our canteens. I’ll have one brought to you later.” Rainbow said the last word more to Rarity as a promise.

As the thestral flew away, Rarity waved a hoof towards a road where there was no activity. “Shall we?”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Twilight nodded evenly enough and started cantering away with Rarity right alongside her. Unbeknownst to both of them, one of Rainbow’s scouts soared high into the air with a spyglass to keep watch over them.

Once a line of the moss covered spherical houses was between them and the crowds of activity, Rarity faced Twilight while she continued to walk on. “So I hear you’ve made quite the splash in Lunaria. Did you ever try the spiced teki noodles?”

“I did actually. I normally don’t care for spicy foods, but the noodles grew on me.” Twilight was unsure of Rarity’s real motive for wanting this talk, but was more than happy to remain in the pleasantries phase. “There was a restaurant on the corner of Glim and Sanders avenue. I swear I must have tried their entire menu by now.”

A thin smile crossed over Rarity. “Good food is a real treasure isn’t it?”

“Very much so, which is why I’d like to return the favor. There is a hole in the wall deli back in Canterlot smack in the middle of Peachtree Street. You won’t find better sandwiches.”

Laughter fell out of Rarity. “A lady such as yourself going that far out of your way to eat sandwiches?”

“You don’t really see the nobility on a day-to-day do you? Not every meal is a feast or steak and lobster.”

“I suppose I don’t, my work carries me everywhere.” Rarity was feeling emotionally strained. “I suppose it is far too late now,” she said with regret, “but this is the sort of thing I wanted between us. No status. No arrest warrant. Just a friend.” Rarity you silly mare.

Surprised by the admission, Twilight settled on a thin but honest smile. “I suspected as much after I had time to fully inspect your gift. You knew I would be close to machines so a simple enchantment would have faded away far too soon to be useful, I had an expert examine the stitching and everything for runes. When he declared it was clean, I realized it was a genuine gift.”

A sad half-frown fell over the pale unicorn. “Yes, I suppose that is fair. So… Do ponies really enjoy it?”

Instead of a simple answer, Twilight spoke while rubbing some moss off of a house after noticing there was an icon under it. “When I first arrived at the place where I would design my armor, there was a seamstress named Kerfluffle. Brilliant designer, she ended up making the leatherwork of my armor.”

The mention of the armor made the inquisitor try to study it more closely without being obvious.

“By her own words, she was ‘bewitched’ by the hat you gave me.”

“Bewitched?” Rarity tittered behind a hoof.

“Oh yes. She knew right away it was of Equestrian make, but when I refused to name who made it, she turned it into a guessing game that lasted a year.” It had been annoying at the time, but Twilight was able to laugh about it now. “Then she begged me, as a Hearth's Warming gift to her, she only wanted your name. So I finally told her who you were. I was expecting recrimination or denouncement for over it. That she would request the hat to be destroyed. Much to my surprise, she insisted on making a dress to compliment it. In her own words ‘to marry your Equestrian heritage with your Lunarian future.’”

“I’d love to see it someday.” Rarity closed her eyes and hummed thoughtfully, trying to imagine what the dress looked like. “Might actually be possible since I’m sure your efforts here will at the very least earn you a pardon from Celestia.” Images of what the dress could look like started to dominate her muse. “So how did the dress turn out?”

It was Twilight’s turn to laugh wistfully. “First, you must understand, by then the hat was something of an icon for me. Some even joked I should make it my coat of arms. But when I first made my appearance with the dress in high society, everypony immediately assumed Kerfluffle designed both and flooded her with orders. I dare say you could be quite successful in the business.”

Laughing politely, Rarity wiped a tear from her eye. “Quite the splash indeed. But your icon? Surely you jest on my behalf.”

“I do not,” Twilight said with, a touch of mirth. “Pinkie Pie was only half joking when ponies don’t recognize me at first at events if I am not wearing it. A least not until I let a spark off.”

“Pinkie Pie…” Rarity hung on the name long enough to make Twilight uncomfortable if she had gone too far. “So she was nobility before arriving in Equestria?”

“I - I doubt it. No pony claimed to be her family, and she’s been quite busy in business circles. She’s not exactly famous, her name has reached ears in court.” There was nothing for it. Rarity might be insulted if I hold this back. Ultimately, Twilight felt no ill will towards the inquisitor. Just that nagging concern of a righteous mare who had every reason to believe arresting her was moral. “I adopted her into my house as my sister. A - a new house that is.”

“Your sister..?” Rarity closed her eyes as her mind drifted to the only family she had. The love she had for Sweetie Belle was only matched by how much she missed her. “I suppose that explains everything doesn’t it? Your love for her drove you to heresy. There are worse ways to fall, I suppose.”

I got her thinking about it. Now to see if I can risk that extra step. Twilight clenched her teeth out of rising stress. “Your honor, may I ask you to clarify something for me?”

Fully expecting a verse quotation on the righteousness of enstripement, Rarity beat her to it. “Book of Light: chapter one, page ten, second paragraph. ‘Our wayward brothers and sisters-”

“Pardon the interruption,” Twilight stated with polite firmness. Rarity’s mood started to sour on the spot if her growing scowl was any indication, so Twilight acted fast. “I just wanted to know something else.”

Grumbling between her assumptions and the interruption, Rarity didn’t let go of the tension just yet. “Which is?”

“The inquisition. Your loyalty is to Celestia first and foremost, and then the Solar Church, yes?”

Blinking at the odd question, Rarity’s mind shifting gears released her pent of indignation. “Ah - well of course. They are -were - one and the same. Is that true with the Lunar faith?”

“It is.” Twilight shivered a bit. She was treading on dangerous ground now. “This is something I had to bring up with the Captain and the others, so I would be remiss if I did not offer you the same courtesy.”

If this is about enstripement… Rarity almost voiced that warning, but she had been caught out on an assumption with Twilight once, and wasn’t going to repeat that.

“It is my belief we are going to have two problems on our hooves when we free the sisters. The first is their posturing. Have you thought about it?”

“Their posture? Of course. They look like they’re fighting.”

This should be easy then. “I believe it is entirely possible the moment they awaken, if the shock of it doesn’t disorient them, they’re likely to believe they’re still on a battlefield. And behave as such.”

Past thoughts and sleepless nights of Celestia never answering a prayer came rushing back. Twilight may not have said it directly, but Rarity could see the second message. “I - I have been worried much might be the case. But that is why both myself and the other inquisitors were here. To help subdue Luna and… it hardly matters now. I fully expect somepony to start shooting the instant the Sisters are free.”

“I'll tell you the same thing I impressed upon the captain. Breaking our ceasefire at that moment would be very unwise,” Twilight warned carefully. She had already pushed Rarity a fair bit already, and she needed every inch she could spare. “Because neither sister will be speaking modern Equiss.”

“No, that’s impossible. Even if their conscious mind has been asleep, their spirits have been with us all along.”

“Now you’re just grasping at straws.” Inwardly ready to run away if Rarity got truly angry, Twilight soldiered on. “But sure, I’ll play Discord’s advocate. It’s been well over nine hundred years since they vanished. If they come out of this still thinking they’re on a battlefield then the language barrier is going to be there, and they’re not going to take a moment or minute or however long it would take to commune with their own spirit. Can you speak anything of old Equiss aloud, or brought anypony who could? Because I don’t think such a person is alive today. Well, aside from the obvious,” she added while waving a wing in the statue’s direction.

Again, it played on Rarity’s darkest thoughts. One that she held back for so long. Do I really know who Celestia is? Does she even know of me? The answer that was beginning to make the most sense was horrifying. Worse yet, Rarity knew Twilight had no idea how hard her questions actually were.

Twilight slowly started to regret asking the question. She saw Rarity’s professional mask slipping away into one of horror. Terrified of what may happen next if Rarity’s train of thought was allowed to go on, Twilight jumped to keep talking. “In light of all that, I brought ink and paper. I need you to communicate with Celestia so the captain can do the same with Luna.”

The pitch was made, and now all Twilight could do was wait for any backlash. Rarity had to grasp the lifeline of scripture. A dark shadow fell over her face as an angry tirade materialized in her mind. Then it stopped. She stared the hybrid down, her tone ice cold. “You already told the captain all this?”

“Y-yes.” Twilight was sweating feverishly now, and backpedaled a bit.

“You convinced a thestral that Luna has been deaf and dumb her whole life, and to her whole tribe of ever since the Civil War?!” she shouted with vitriol.

“That - Ah - that’s about the same reaction she had.” Twilight forced a sheepish half-grin.

Every bit of Rarity’s training demanded retribution. She got up into Twilight’s face. “Were we not under a cease-fire, I’d demand your head. But I have something more fitting in mind. When Celestia breathes once more, you can face her judgment then and there.”

Seeing that even in this state, Rarity was not about to break the ceasefire, Twilight felt emboldened enough to walk away from the intrusion into her personal space. “Oh believe me, your honor, I very much plan on that. In fact, I want to be there when you tell her all about enstripement. Mostly to correct you should you feel the need to bend the truth to save your hide.”

So this was about - wait, what? The snarl on Rarity’s face morphed into one of concerned shock. “Why would we talk about-? Are you that certain you are in the right about this?”

“Merchant’s Creed seventy four: knowledge equals profit.” Twilight dusted herself off, and flexed a stiff wing that was still aching from the hot metal. “You have access to a lot of things when you are a noble scion, inquisitor. Archives of old forgotten things for one.” A dangerous smirk of her own played over Twilight’s face. “Such as Celestia’s peacetime writings. The original copies, you know of them, yes? The very ones the scriptures are adapted from.”

For the first time in a long while, Rarity felt fear deep in her soul. “You can't honestly be saying those writings would rebuke enstripement. The scriptures are interpretations and direct translations, or near enough to matter.”

“Ahh, and there it is,” Twilight said triumphantly. Now it was her turn to approach Rarity, who stood her ground. “There is something to be said about death of the author. You’ve never read the originals have you? It’s practically a dead language so why bother, right? Inquisitors have more important things to worry about. Leave it to the church scribes and archivists, who I might add barely do anything other than copy writings from decaying paper. And I can tell you, none of them had read it either or they never would have let me do the same.

“Like everypony else, you trust what you’ve been taught. Just like your teachers, and ones before them, and the ones before them! The one truth no priest or bishop was even aware of. ‘Near enough to matter.’” Twilight actually laughed at the audacity of the phrase. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. Well the original writer of it all is coming back, my dear inquisitor, and she has a lot of catching up to do.”

Before she got into Rarity’s personal space, Twilight backed off and made to leave. “You came to me wanting a friend today, so I tell you this as a courtesy from one friend to another. That way, when Celestia herself proves me right, you’ll have already processed just how much these lies have defined us. How much the pillar of honesty has been so thoroughly shattered by ponies who are long dead that we don't even know it existed in the first place.” Twilight lingered a moment, pensive regret falling over her for being too harsh. “I best be ready to help finish preparing the charile, so I must take my leave.”

A war waged within Rarity. As Twilight walked away, she magically grabbed the noble’s wing, finding it as slippery as grease to her magic, but it was still enough to get the pegacorn’s attention. “And what happens if you’re proven wrong? That it is exactly what Celestia had envisioned or wanted?!”

“If..?” Twilight let the simple question hang in the air, adding weight to what was already going through Rarity’s mind. “Then Celestia was never worthy of my faith.” Twilight resumed walking away. “Find what peace you can, Rarity Belle. This - Awakening that everypony is so gleefully sprinting towards will shake the very foundations of the world.”

Author's Note

Next chapter is already nearing completion.

Taking all bets guys taking all bets!!! Does Celestia approve of striping in some form?? Does she oppose it? What about Luna doing it to Equestrians?!

Were the Sisters aware the whole time? Were they asleep? Did they play solitaire for the last 900 years? Bridge maybe? Or yu gi oh? I bet you Luna’s opening move is to play pot of greed, which allows her to pull two cards from her deck and put them into her hand.

Or maybe they played beyblades with the Elements. Oh yeah, that's totally what they did, and Luna brought a metal one.

34: Where Was I Again?

The skies were awash with the reds and oranges of the setting sun. The gathered ponies on both sides flanked the Charlie engine from a fair distance away. Applejack was in charge of a small team as they oversaw the engine churning its way to full steam. The coals were already burning and steam escaped in little gasps of white smoke.

The pressure gauge rattled with the needle pointing ever higher, matching the rising noise of the pistons. “He’s going strong!” Applejack shouted further down to where the inquisitors were waiting. “We’ll hold him steady here!”

A line of three unicorns stood with their staves at the ready. Rarity, Radiant Dawn, and one of Topaz’s former retainers who was fit enough to handle the draw the staff demanded.

Radiant charged his staff, and was delightfully surprised it was operating as advertised. “Well I’ll be. The Lunarians have played their part. Now it is our turn.” He looked up to Rarity, hoping some level of pride out of being vindicated would shine through. Yet all he saw on her was trepidation and doubt. “Rarity,” he called out, making her jump. “It’s been hours since you had that little chat. Just what did Twilight Sparkle say that rattled you so?”

Trying to focus herself on the work, Radiant was not somebody she could just brush off. “It’s hopefully nothing more than delusions of a mad mare.”

“It’s not like you to get this worked up over delusions. Unless that’s just what you’re telling yourself.”

Rarity winced, and tried to sound reassuring. “One way or another, we’ll find out the truth in a matter of moments.”

The runes on their staves were glowing bright and ready now. Before any of them could focus on the task however, they saw Pinkie Pie running up to them with a stack of papers bound in twine hanging in her mouth. “Here, take these.”

Glad for the distraction, Rarity almost leapt to take the package from the earth mare. “What is this?” Through the string, Rarity saw old Equiss writing in large wing-wrote script.

“It’s flash cards for Celestia of course,” Pinkie Pie explained as if she was expecting them to know already. “Well, Twilight insists they are not flash cards, but she's not fooling anypony.”

Rarity pulled the twine off to look more closely with Radiant Dawn taking a page into his magic as well. Pulling off the top page, it was covered in old Equiss script while the back of it had the modern translation. “Wait, stop, peace, peace?” The script was sloppier than he expected of a scholar, although he could tell it due to the haste with which it was written.
He looked up at Pinkie in confusion. “Flash cards? We’re going to talk to the goddess using flash cards!?”

“Oh you can read it?” Pinkie jumped out of excitement. “That’s great! Then you don’t have any reason to distrust the translation on the back.”

Rarity flipped her page over to find modern script was indeed correct. “So Twilight is genuinely doing this?”

“Of course she is, Scary, see?” Pinkie pointed to Rainbow Dash who was distributing similar loose sheets of paper to her officers. “It's only fair that you can get Celestia to be calm enough to talk to while they do it for Luna.”

Radiant looked at the officers, then to Pinkie, then finally at Rarity. “What is all this? What did Twilight Sparkle really talk to you about?”

Grumbling at it all, Rarity wasn't as familiar with the old tongue as her instructor was. Learning it had been Lock Stock’s job. She found different phrases in the stack of paper, and all of it seemed to be in a logical order to get the alicorns to sit down to talk. “This is our plan B in case there are complications.”

Inwardly, Radiant was beginning to question matters. Was putting her in command a mistake, or should I see where this is going? Both paths left him uneasy. Giving it over a few seconds thought, he bit his lip and shook it off. Perhaps. But we're here now, and I will leave it up to Celestia herself to settle any sort of impropriety out of my student. He wasn't happy with things, but raising a fuss at this point wasn't worth the cost.

Twilight stood near Rainbow Dash eagerly watching the mages to end the Sisters’ long imprisonment. Not one person was absent for this as all of the wounded had been brought over to watch.

Suddenly, a trio of arm-sized colorful ice spikes shot forth from the mages’ staves. They rocketed over the engine, trailing a shower of splintering crystals as they passed through the disruption field. The crowd held their collective breath as they watched for impact.

Two of the crystals missed while the third hit Celestia dead center. The purge field guttered like a candle for several seconds before returning to normal. Two scouts inspected the statue before flying over to Rarity and Rainbow.

“It did something, ma’am,” the scout reported. “But we either need to get all hits on the mark, or just keep applying soft spells until we beat it.”

“Oh the irony of using ice to deliver a ‘soft’ spell,” Pinkie chuckled as she ribbed her sister in the side.

In spite of the situation, Twilight gave a short-lived chuckle while Rainbow shrugged at the scout. “Well fine then. Tell them to keep firing until we see fur.”

Soon enough the mages fired a second salvo. This time, two hit. The purge field winked out entirely. Around the statue, the six orbs that normally floated around the sisters’ heads started orbiting rapidly around them.

The purge field returned more powerfully than before, shrinking the bubble generated by the engine. The mages ran to keep up with the shrinking field to keep their staves safe.

Uncertainty started spreading around the group. Undeterred, Rainbow shouted at the mages. “What are you wanting for? Keep firing!”

The angle was a bit better, and when the third salvo fired, all three spells impacted the statue. Three of the spheres crackled with raw mana and fell still, floating but otherwise inert.

A fourth salvo saw the other three give up and stop moving, save to keep crackling with occasional spats of mana. The purge field died with them, lifting the slight pressure against every unicorn's horn, and the smell of sterile plastic vanished.

Although most of the ponies assembled couldn’t see it happen, however the unicorns among them saw the field dissipate.

Rarity and the others held their staves pointed up to the sky as a show of firing discipline. “What are those spinning things?”

“Could have been the artifacts they were using,” Radiant Dawn guessed. He started hobbling to the flanks and towards the statue a bit. “Come. With the field down, we don’t need to cast through the engine. And that means we don’t need an ice shell potentially causing harm.”

Once the plan was relayed to everyone else, the trio of mages stood directly in front of the statues. With the field still down, nothing could stop them now.

Everyone crowded around the clearing, eager to see it all happen. Anticipation electrified the air as the moment of truth approached. No idle gossip or chatter remained, as no one would dare miss a second of what was about to happen.

Twilight and her family huddled together as they watched the mages encircle the statue and in unison, cast one final soft spell.

The statues glowed an ethereal blue light. Cracks started forming along both alicorns, spider-webbing over every inch. Rarity’s eyes grew wide as finally a piece of stone fell away from Celestia, revealing snow white fur. Yet a split second later, the orbs kicked back to life and orbited the statue so fast they became a colorful blur. An instant later, the whole statue exploded in a hail of pebbles and dust, choking and blinding everyone while a magic shockwave threw everyone to the ground.

Luna felt dizzy and disoriented as the world spun brown and blue as she sailed through the air. Damn it, the spell backfired somehow. Flaring her wings to arrest her tumble, Luna came to a hovering stop far into the air. Though she had stopped moving, the world was still spinning.

Holding her head to get her vision under control, Luna used her magic to sense anything around her. Damnation. Whatever she did knocked the Elements away.

Blinking repeatedly got her vision to steady out. The swamp below her dominated her view along with the massive dust cloud in the middle of what looked to have once been a village. The presence of it was jarring. What felt like only seconds ago, she was on the ground dueling her sister all while surrounded by blade and spell as both armies clashed around them. Now, aside from the fading echoes of an explosion, and distant cries in alarm from below, Luna felt utterly out of place. “This isn’t Echo Forest. What in blazes did Tia actually try to do? Adrenaline was pumping hard in her veins, making her act quickly. "I need to get back to the army!” Scanning the horizon, the setting sun at least let her know what direction was which, but without a map or known landmarks she was as good as lost.

Her searching eyes caught a blur of golden light racing towards her. Encrusting her wings with protective magic, she easily took the blow to her left wing. “How clever of you, sister!” Luna spotted Celestia coming right for her from below. “But you honestly believe my army can’t stand on their own without me?”

Luna saw the golden enchantments on Celestia’s forelegs and did the same to her own. Celestia tried to strafe her, only for Luna to bash the attack away. “Fool. You should know attacking from below only works if I don’t see it coming.”

Celestia spun about and hovered not too far away, her empowered hooves still glowing. “You’ve been slipping a lot recently, sister. It was worth the attempt.”

“Where did you send us?” Luna growled, taking up an aggressive stance.

Risking a look around, Celestia still remained focused on her sister. “I had planned for us to arrive at my castle, but so much for that.” Celestia saw figures on the ground far below them, but ignored them for the moment. “End this damned war, sister. Come back with me and rule at my side like we were meant to.”

“You started this war,” Luna retorted.

“And you can finish it with me,” Celestia pleaded. “We can try again.”

“You had your chance!” Luna fired a stream of magic at Celestia to distract her long enough to gain altitude. “You should have listened to me!”

Ducking under the beam, Celestia slammed into her sister, enchantments sparking and hissing under the pressure. “You let the mob blind you to subtlety!”

With a smirk, Luna looked behind her sister. “Not entirely.”

Fearing the beam had been a feint, Celestia pushed back off, only for a backhanded strike to never come. Instead, Luna used the breathing room to take a swing at her sister. The impact struck Celestia solidly in the ribs, but the elder alicorn was made of sterner stuff and used her back legs to kick her sister back off and send her downward so Celestia would retain the advantage.

A cry from below made Celestia look behind her sister to a cloud of incoming pegasi and thestrals. They seemed to be armed with quarterstaffs, an odd choice for fliers. However, too many of them wore the silver and black of Luna’s army, a fact solidified by the fact that none of them were fighting each other. Confound it all! Did we land right in the middle of a rebel camp?!

The dark sister risked following her sister’s gaze only for a moment, but it was long enough to see the uniforms. Turning back to gloat, Luna took up a renewed attack posture. “Looks like your plan failed in spectacular fashion, dear sister. Surrender.”

The soldiers below were confusing to be sure. Their wings did not reflect the setting sun’s light, revealing the lack of wing blades or armor, nor did their forelegs glitter in the light for the same reason. The oddity took a backseat to the colors of their allegiance painted on their clothes. They all have uniforms too, they are certainly not levies. “You know my answer. Equestria will be reunited, and you’ll never hear me say otherwise.”

Diving for speed, Celestia sprinted away from the incoming soldiers. Luna chased after her, matching her speed. Even if Luna can keep up, no pony else could ever hope to out fly me.

Racing as fast as her wings could take her, the village was lost among the trees in a hurry. The encroaching night weighed heavily on Celestia. I’ve got to lose her before nightfall, or at least her mares-at-arms.

Glancing back to see how much distance she had put on the soldiers, Celestia barely saw the mana stream coming right for her in time. She banked right, allowing the attack to speed past her. Luna was nearly upon her.

Celestia dove trading altitude for speed. The wind screamed in her ears as the gloomy trees grew in her vision. Feeling the hairs on her tail stand end on end, Celestia pulled up, allowing a lightning bolt to roar behind her. Twisting in the air to face her sister, Luna was barely visible now against the dimming sky. Celestia summoned a blindingly bright ball and left it hanging in the air.

Luna cried out and covered her face and pulled back. With her vision ruined, she tried to guess when an attack would come and started moving erratically. Celestia fared little better, but at least she could see her sister clearly now. Better yet, there was no sign of the soldiers. She conjured an ethereal club the size of a train engine, and hammered Luna out of the sky.

On her way down, Luna countered by summoning shadows to blanket the flare, casting them all back into darkness.

With her night vision still recovering and unable to see where her sister went, Celestia suspected an attack was coming and sprinted further west. The portal must have spit us out somewhere between Echo and the castle, but I don’t recall seeing a swamp on the maps between the castle and the forest. Either way, I should run into a friendly town eventually if I just keep heading west.

To her benefit, the moon was still mostly full, giving even Celestia enough light to navigate. Looking backwards to see if her sister was still in pursuit, she saw only empty skies. Taking a risk, Celestia pulled up to gain some altitude. Higher and higher she went so she could see the earth below for any signs of civilization below. On her ascent, a barely visible translucent ceiling appeared. Almost not seeing it in time, Celestia rolled so her back would take the impact.

Upon hitting the ceiling, Celestia saw her sister was coming in hot, and fired a caustically hot beam at Luna. Her sister weaved around it, and snapped off a bolt of her own.

Celestia bled off some altitude to avoid it and summoned another club, but it was too late, Luna crashed into her head-on. The two were entangled with each others’ legs as they kicked and punched each other as they tumbled out of the sky. “You should have listened to me, Tia!”

“Don’t you dare put this all on me! You’re the one who walked away from our responsibilities!”

“And you let yourself be blinded to them!”

Fury fueled a solid punch from Celestia, finally dislodging her sister. They spun about in midair until they corrected themselves. “You let the mob control you!”

“Just like how the nobles controlled you?!” Luna screamed in fury while firing off a lightning spell.

Hastily enchanting a hoof, Celestia grounded it into herself. “At least they had to do it behind my back. The mob flaunted their coercion for all to see!”

Celestia charged her horn for a counterattack, only for distant shouting to distract both sisters. A long figure was flying straight at them. In the gloom, Luna could see it was a strangely brightly colored thestral wearing that unarmored uniform. Celestia couldn’t see much more than an outline and barely reflecting moonlight off her fur and metal quarterstaff. What she could see clearly however, were those tell-tale reflective slitted eyes.

“You’re coming here alone?!” Luna shouted incredulously. “She’ll kill you where you stand!”

As if to prove her right, Celestia fired off a quartet of mana bolts, each with enough power to pulp a regular pony.

“No!” Luna hastily let loose a few of her own, but only intercepted one of her sister’s attacks. The thestral rolled away from the first two, and barely dodged the third.

With her sister still distracted, Celestia opted for a beam, hitting the pony square on. “There. One less-”

Impossibly, the thestral was still flying, seemingly no worse for wear. More so to the pony’s own surprise as she checked over herself for injuries. Of the three, the soldier recovered first and started shouting at them.

Tilting her head, Celestia was utterly confused. “Is she singing in the middle of a battle?”

Rather than answer, Luna fired mana bolt after bolt into her sister. Catching her off guard with the first one, while the rest were either deflected or were absorbed into enchanted forelegs. Celestia broke the attack by wildly launching a blinding flare and rolling away.

As both alicorns recovered from the new light, the same soldier flew to get in between them. The soldier had her back to the light as she pulled out a piece of paper and held it towards each sister for a few seconds before shifting it to the other one.

Disregarding the paper entirely, Luna yelled back. “What are you doing?! Either fight or get out of here!”

“My thoughts exactly!” Celestia yelled back as she summoned her club again. The soldier saw the massive glowing weapon swinging right for her and pulled in on herself. To both sisters’ surprise, the club started falling apart before it was even a meter from impact. By the time it would have hit the soldier there was nothing left but motes of golden light, and the soldier was left spinning a bit by the wind. It was only then that the glint of metal on the soldier’s back revealed the presence of armor. “Dispelling armor is it?” Celestia growled. “Well I can correct for that.”

the soldier yelled with reckless abandon. She pointed the quarterstaff at Celestia who was trying to formulate a piercing spell and empowered her horn.

“Get out of there!” Luna tried to magically fling the bewildering soldier away from her attack, only for the soldier to prove as easy to grab as air.

A strange crack echoed from the quarterstaff along with a short-lived burst of flame. To Luna’s astonishment, Celestia suddenly cried out in pain and was clutching the side of her face.

As for Celestia, the white hot pain that had suddenly flared along her cheek left her utterly dumbstruck as to how it happened. She had not seen the spell coming, only a strange buzzing sound that had whipped by her. A warcry snapped her back to the present as the soldier was now charging straight at her with the quarterstaff raised to strike her. Suddenly, her sister was the least of her worries.

Luna charged in to join the attack, giving Celestia precious little time to react. She fired off a trio of piercing bolts at the soldier, but all they did was shower the thestral’s raging muzzle in harmless sparks. Celestia hastily enchanted her forelegs and raised them to defend her face. Only to feel utter dread as the soldier got close enough to strike, and the enchantment flaked away like burning paper. The soldier clubbed Celestia’s guard away before spinning the staff with practiced ease and slamming the flat end against Celestia’s wound, splashing blood everywhere.

Celestia went dizzy for a moment and fell back only to hear a loud metallic ‘click-clack’. Frozen in utter disbelief, the untouchable soldier was pointing the hollow end of her staff right between Celestia’s eyes.

Even if the words were lost to her, the intent was clear. Celestia briefly considered diving for trees to lose her, but Luna was upon her now.

Luna tried to summon a wall behind her sister to block any escape, only for her horn to fizz and spark when she got too close to the odd soldier. Trying to pass it off as letting the spell go, she focused on her sister. “It’s over, Celestia.”

Snarling in defiance, Celestia tried to back away, only for the soldier to aim in the direction she was about to flee. The staff cracked again with thunder and fire, causing both alicorns to jump. The ‘click-clack’ came from a lever of some kind from under staff before the hollow end was pointed at her once more. Trying to think of a plan, Celestia remained still and her horn dark. Aside from the moon, the flare was the only source of light. “What sort of fiendish magic have you been working on, Luna?”

“Not this, but I won’t complain.” Luna was shaken by the soldier’s bewildering magic immunity aura, and might have joined her sister in attacking the stranger had she not been a thestral. “Warrior, what is your name?”

First twisting an ear at Luna, and then turning at the realization her goddess was addressing her, the soldier grew flustered, and pulled her odd staff back. she squealed. The soldier’s ecstatic euphoria evaporated as she caught movement from Celestia and leveled the staff at her again.

The alabaster alicorn’s escape plan was looking thinner by the second if even slightly turning away was noticed. “Is she some foreign mercenary of yours?”

“It would be the first I’ve heard of it.” Luna kept looking between the strange ally and her sister. “Promise me, Tia, that you will not run.”

Celestia did not like her prospects one bit. It was night, she was lost, and now her sister had been joined by some untouchable warrior with an unknown weapon. Even so, she wasn’t going without concessions. “Only if you promise to finally talk to me in private, away from your allies and advisors.”

“Finally some progress. I accept.” Knowing the warrior clearly didn’t understand Equiss, Luna rested a hoof on top of the metal staff. “Enough, warrior. She surrendered.”

The singing soldier made the weapon click a couple more times before clipping it to a strap and stowing it away on her back.

“Well I heard my name, at least I think it was.” Celestia doubted the soldier was safe against a good solid punch, but her honor and curiosity kept her from fleeing. At the very least I can get some answers by staying close.

“Soldier, can I get a name?” Luna watched with slowly growing impatience as the soldier unfastened her saddlebag and started rooting around in it. “If I didn’t know any better I’d think I was being ignored.”

Resting the bag on one foreleg, the soldier took out a piece of paper, read the back of it, then gave it to Luna.

“What is it?” Celestia queried.

Claiming the offered parchment, Luna read it just to sate her growing curiosity. “It says: stop. No fight. Peace. You best feel lucky, sister. This was her trying to be peaceful.” The script was over-sized, clearly meant to be read at a distance. Luna flipped the page over to see what the soldier had read. The script there was at a normal reading size, and had a much cleaner flow to each letter. How strange.

Celestia grumbled while rubbing her bleeding cheek. She didn't want to think about what the weapon could have done if the attack had been slightly more to the right. “Yes, so I noticed. Whoever she is, she has a poor grasp of our language though.”

“The script on the back is strange. Like some sort of bastardized version of Equiss.”

“May I?” Celestia asked with a raised hoof that made the soldier jumpy. “Calm yourself, warrior,” she said placatingly as best she could.

The warrior nearly dropped her bag trying to reach her weapon. She settled back down since Celestia’s horn remained dark and Luna had not returned to a fighting posture, but the cold iron stare was mixed with barely contained amazement. Keeping one eye on the elder sister, the warrior rooted around and briefly looked at two pieces of paper and presented one to each of them.

Careful not to set the soldier off, Celestia took the page with a hoof and read it. “There is much to say. Peace for a time. Soldiers of both sun and moon here.” She arched a bemused eyebrow. “I didn't authorize any parleys,” she added with a distinct note of hostility.

The harsh tone, caused the warrior to pull back, and eye her dangerously.

"She's a vigilant one to be sure," Luna said derisively at her sister.

“Skittish is more like it. You are certainly no soldier of mine,” Celestia grumbled as she rubbed her agonizing cheek. She was further irritated when her hoof came back with fresh blood. As painful as it was, Celestia had the iron will to stay focused.
I need to get this tended to before infection sets in. “I could use a hundred like you though.”

A new piece of paper was given over to Luna. “Follow centenar back to village.” Looking up at the brightly colored thestral, she tried to place where the soldier could have possibly came from, let alone her weapon and uniform. Now that she could take a moment to actually study her, Luna noticed the dirt and dust expected from battle. However the silver trim was immaculately uniform. Not one thread was out of place, and the lapels on her shoulders bore an unfamiliar insignia. Most curiously however, was that her armor was emitting a quiet sound. To Luna's ears, it sounded like pieces of metal tapping each other at regular intervals. Oddity or not, Luna deduced the armor must be unique enough to be a symbol of rank all on its own. “So she's a centenar. That explains her weapon and armor then.”

Celestia hummed in agreement. “Naturally. Only a high noble could possibly afford such things. Although she barely carries herself with the proper poise of one of such high birth.”

“Perhaps she was elevated for some noble act. Either way, I find it refreshing.” Smirking at her sister, Luna waved one of the pages at her. “Well, Tia, we've been given an invitation to follow her, I for one would love to learn more about her and her people. Because if where she came from could create such arms and armor...” Luna cackled at the idea of leading a host of such warriors, and sweeping across Equestria with laughable ease.

“And march myself right into your custody,” the elder sister seethed.

“Peace or not,” Luna reminded her with a coy wink. “I am still her queen if all her fawning is anything to go by. All I need to do is convince her I want you attacked with more lethal intent. Violence is a universal language after all.”

“On that we can agree.” Shaking her head, Celestia sighed in defeat. “Very well. I will come quietly.” If nothing else, I can try to find a map.

The soldier held out another piece of paper to both. Celestia claimed her copy with a scowl. “If agree peace. Follow centenar to us. Rip page up and down to show agreement.”

“Finally something we can say back. Such a waste of paper though.” Luna ripped her page apart as directed and glared at Celestia until she reluctantly did the same.

Upon seeing this, the centenar almost cheered, but coughed to control herself. Digging around in her pack once more, the soldier pulled out a circular brass object and stared at it for a little bit, glancing off into the distance before going back to it. She stuffed it back in shortly after and re-tied her bag back on.

Mere seconds after the Sisters fled west to continue fighting, Twilight Sparkle sat on her rump in amazement as she watched them disappear over the trees. After all this time, the skeptic in her always held out that the statues could have very well just been solid stone. It was such a powerful relief that she felt as if her whole body felt lighter. “Well, at least we can say for sure what happened to Celestia and Luna.”

With every single flying soldier racing after the pair, that left only the civilians, Applejack, and all but one of the Equestrians to stay behind.

Silver Vein was the first to realize this and tugged on his wife’s wing. “Um, Twilight my dear, I think we should have a nice calming chat with the inquisitors before they think to murder us.”

Twilight and Pinkie looked to the line of mages. Even from a distance it was obvious they were arguing with each other and pointing in the direction the alicorns fled to. “They don’t seem to be interested in us,” Twilight said unenthusiastically.

“Give it time,” Pinkie added with dour certainty. “Why don’t I go talk to them? I got just the thing to keep them occupied.”

“Ahh...” Twilight had been hoping the Sisters would have remained close by, and them running off was close to a worst case scenario, right next to the inquisitors deciding words weren’t enough anymore. “If you're sure about it. Just be careful.”

Doing a flip as she jumped off the house, Pinkie Pie winked at her sister. “No worries.”

The shouting got louder as she approached, making the voices more distinct.

“If - no -when they team up with Luna they might capture Celestia!” Shouted the older, injured stallion.

Pinkie guessed he was the Radiant Dawn she heard her sister talk about earlier.

“They won’t do that,” Rarity argued back. “They’ve got every reason to come back.”

“And yet you still won’t say why!”

“Twilight and-” Rarity had turned to point at them, only to realize Pinkie Pie had practically snuck up on them. “Lady Pinkamena?”

“Beg your pardon, but I go by Pinkie Pie these days.” Pinkie was all smiles and adopted her good-host demeanor. “But nevermind all that. Why don’t we all sit down and have a nice cup of tea as we wait for the Sisters’ return.”

Pushing past Rarity, Radiant Dawn hobbled over with malicious intent. “This is hardly the time for such nonsense. Your escorts have abandoned you to us, and it’s high time-”

“For tea,” Pinkie interrupted hard, all while keeping an upbeat smile. “When the Sisters return, and they will return, it would be irredeemably rude of us not to have some refreshments prepared for them.” Radiant Dawn stuttered at the audacity of the earth mare in front of him. Not only showing no fear, but giving him orders in a roundabout way. Even Rarity was unsure on how to respond. “Granted I know we’re currently lacking a banquet hall, but surely the lot of you have more than enough creature comforts around here to satiate our guests for a day or so, yes?”

Jabbing a dangerous hoof at the businessmare, Radiant Dawn wasn’t in the mood for a sales pitch. “Compared to Luna, all of you are expendable. What makes you so sure the good captain will return with Celestia unharmed?”

“Unharmed?” Pinkie made a show of thinking it over. “You forget, your honor, Captain Rainbow Dash was hoof-picked for this assignment by the emperor himself. In part because she is good friends with Twilight Sparkle and myself. Rainbow is the epitome of professionalism and loyalty. She will do everything in her power to see Celestia returned here with nary a scratch.”

“Nary a scratch you say?” Rarity asked with disbelief.

Pinkie shrugged helplessly. “Then it must be said after all. If Luna causes an injury before Rainbow can explain the situation to the Sisters, that would hardly be the captain's fault, now would it? Besides, we’re still in the middle of Equestria and now there is no purging field for you to be concerned about. I highly doubt the captain would get very far without their baggage,” Pinkie pointed at the big pile of bags and saddlebags. All of the company’s remaining food and supplies were all there, and a pony can not survive on grass alone.

Radiant Dawn mulled it over. His fear of losing Celestia after just getting her back warred with the logic of the Lunarian’s arguments. He looked to Rarity and shook his head. “Rarity, this has gone on long enough. I command you to-”

“They think this will end enstripment!” Rarity interrupted with a commanding shout, dumbfounding the older stallion. “Twilight and the others believe Celestia will denounce enstripment, and want to tell her about it in front of us for verification. That’s why I know they’re coming back.”

Radiant Dawn raised a hoof to say something, but he lost the words. He started again, then stopped once more. Eventually he looked towards Pinkie Pie whose smile never left her lips. “Is that your angle?”

“Right on the nose, your honor,” Pinkie said with steady cheer. “Now. I don’t know about you?” Pinkie Pie spoke quickly to keep the initiative. “But after seeing them fly off like that, they’re bound to work up a mighty thirst, and be peckish to boot. I could whip something up from our baggage, but none of it is worthy of a goddess.”

“Well we certainly can’t have Celestia debase herself by having to eat unprepared salted pork.” Rarity closed in on the smiling mare. “I believe you have the right of it. However, hosting a soirée is not exactly a talent I’ve practiced all that much.”

“Ah ha haaa! But I have, your honor,” Pinkie bowed like an actress on stage. “Bring me everything you can spare, and I’ll work my magic!”

As Pinkie Pie bounced away yelling for Applejack, Radiant Dawn moved up to grab Rarity’s foreleg. “You don’t seriously belief this daft notion about enstripment do you?”

“Of course not,” Rarity said too quickly, unsure if he would accept her insecurity. “But they do. Book of Swords chapter eight paragraph two: never interrupt an enemy when she is making a mistake. If this theory of hers convinced the air corps to abide our ceasefire agreement, then we shouldn’t give them a reason to do otherwise.” Rarity gently removed herself from his grasp and rested her staff against her shoulder.

He still didn’t like it, but ultimately had little power to save Celestia if the fliers betrayed the armistice. “We're either going to return to Equestria as heroes or as the greatest villains of all time. One way or another, Rarity my dear, there’s going to be a whole chapter on you in future curriculum.”

“Oh Dearie me there better not be,” she shivered at the thought, and at how she managed to talk Radiant down. “It’s bad enough you already have a training assessment named after me. In either case, we shouldn’t tarry. Our fair isn't exactly the best, but we can try to make it worthy of Celestia‘s palate.”

Author's Note

Ha Ha, I warned you the next chapter was nearly complete!

Also, Rainbow's one of a kind medal shall be called Sun Smasher! Or Face Smasher... i cant decide.

35: Coming To Terms

Motivation is a strange fickle thing, some have so much it gets them into trouble, others can’t enough to get out of bed. For others trying to set up a good impression for their deity with who knew how little time, motivation was in abundance.

The impromptu platform that was going to be for the engine was flattened to frightening degree as Radiant Dawn’s magic broke stones and used the resulting gravel to fill in spaces. Soldiers and retainers led by Pinkie Pie both set up lanterns and cooking fires were brought up to provide some natural light as a way to soften the harshness of a flare that would make reading possible. Blankets and throw pillows were laid out in abundance with the two expected positions of divinity devolving into thankfully brief petty arguments that Rarity quashed lest they run out of whatever time the Sisters’ fight had given them.

Food and drink was brought out and set upon a collection of small tables that were pulled together. Twilight Sparkle and later Radiant Dawn toiled away pre-writing several messages on the leftover paper and ink she and the inquisitors had brought with them.

Twilight sat near where the statue had once been, joined by Radiant Dawn when Pinkie Pie and Rarity stood nearby searching and corrected even the smallest detail that they could see.

Even Applejack had kept busy as she organized the fliers who returned early into a proper parade formation before being relieved by the officers’ upon their return ahead of Rainbow Dash and the alicorns. Handing her boatswain whistle off to a lookout, Applejack marched up and joined the group working around the now empty pedestal. “Ya’ll recken this’ll be enough?” Applejack fussed with fraying nerves.

“It is a wonder we didn’t think to do this sooner,” Rarity nearly moaned, having surrendered all her wine and chocolates. The real food she could give up with ease, but the chocolates had been preserved imports from Mechiburg. “But it will have to be. The premium gifts we were saving are… well, no pony saw fit to have enough for so many extra guests.”

Radiant Dawn paused in his writings to give her a sour look, but ultimately had to resume writing a page.

Twilight scanned the sky and spotted some more fliers returning in piecemeal. “Given how many fliers are returning and chattering up a storm out there, I’m going to hazard a guess somepony managed to talk the Sisters into returning here.”

“I sure hope so,” Pinkie Pie exhaled from being winded and a fair bit sweaty despite the chill. Having run back and forth between setting decor and getting the soups and spit roasts seasoned and left to others to monitor, the earth mare was glad to take a break. “I never liked doing a rush order only for the customer to cancel on me.”

Off in the distance, Applejack’s boatswain whistle pierced the night. Sergeant Jacks all but chased the flock of ponies to the ground and lined them up in parade formation along the scar their militia brethren had carved into the village years earlier.
With the other work the inquisitors had done to the place, it allowed the formation to be parallel to the seating arrangements. What few Equestrians there were lined up on the left side with the much larger group of Lunarians on the right in the hopes of guiding the sisters to their correct seats.

Everyone who could see, watched Rainbow Dash fly in from the west. The captain kept her wits about her and noticed the twin formations, and thus guided the Sisters down to just beyond the formation itself.

Luna was quick to notice the numerical difference straight away, and jabbed a wing at her sister to direct her attention to the fifty five strong force being illuminated by the scattered camp fires, all bearing matching uniforms and weapons. Oddly, eight were standing in front of the rest of the Lunarians, with one acting like the commander by being in front of the smaller group. The excitement on Luna’s face at seeing a whole formation of such mighty warriors was only matched by Celestia’s dread.

Luna was too enraptured by the prospect of these powerful warriors all bearing her colors to care about her sister’s caution.

“Company!” Yelled the soldier standing in front of the formation. “Present arms!” With crisp movements, and a few following commands, the seven soldiers raised their weapons into the empty air and fired.

Celestia flinched at the display, remembering the very soldier leading them to some delegation up ahead had used that weapon on her. The formation fired a second time, then a third before returning to a similar stance the rest of them were in. Glancing around, and seeing the rest of the ponies around them remain peaceful, she let it go. What a strange custom, but perhaps it is a form of honor.

Inwardly annoyed that her station made gawking at things a faux pas, Luna reluctantly moved her eyes forward. “A delegation, and it seems your subjects are here after all.”

Looking ahead, a group of four ponies were bowing, no, Celestia thought, they’re prostrating themselves. A bit much for a queen’s return. Nevertheless, Celestia tried to keep her regal airs about her, and hoped that someone would soon come with lye and water to clean the blood off of her face.

Once they were close enough, the presence of the two white and gold robed ponies, clearly the heraldry of Equestria, gravitated Celestia to the left, while the black and silver clad earth pony to the left pulled Luna to the other. What caught both their eyes was the metal winged purple unicorn.

Luna was the first to be able to see through the gaps in the armor to the featherless limbs inside it. “A demicorn? Here of all places?”

Such a finely crafted leather jerkin and metal armor clearly spoke of a pony of either high birth or the servant of one. Given the small ring attached to the base of her horn, both alicorns assumed the latter. “I’m surprised a noble would allow one in their company, let alone the parents not killing her at birth.” Celestia added it to the list of strange things. When the chromatic centenar asked a few words to the pegacorn of all people, she joined the earth pony while the pegacorn waved her wings at the two large cushion piles. The Sisters shared a scornful look at each other for having to sit so close together.

To play the more dignified of the pair, Celestia walked over and sat down, and smirked at Luna for still glowering at her.

She looked about. Though the ponies around them currently stood a fair bit away, the seat cushions clearly meant they intended to sit far too close than was normally appropriate.

As they argued, Applejack hastily helped Rainbow Dash remove her disruptor and switch it off.

Shaking her head, Celestia magically fluffed her sister’s seat.

With the presence of so many unrestrained supporters of Celestia present, and two mages, or nobles at least, Luna was starting to get paranoid. Flustering due to her sister’s mockery, Luna marched over to her seat and sat so she could keep a better eye on her sister and her presumed supporters.

Celestia scoffed as she watched the pegacorn approach them with two pieces of paper held out for them. The two mages had moved to their seat cushions but were not yet sitting, likewise for the orange earth pony and the thestral who brought them here.

Each sister claimed a page. Celestia felt smug after her presumption being vindicated. Celestia nodded to the odd demicorn and waved a hoof at the mages’ seats.

More out of respect to the centenar than anything else, Luna repeated the gesture to the others. Once everyone except the demicorn sat down, the mages magically floated over four sets of ink pots, pens, and paper, one for each sister, the stallion mage, and the demicorn. The armored mare pulled a bound stack of paper from under her pillow, bit the twine’s knot loose and then handed over the top two pages.

Luna was quicker to snatch this one up to read. The uncomfortable silence from the gathered subjects or supposed allies at least, was getting to her. Growing more concerned by the second, Luna glanced at her sister and was glad to see similar worry on her as well.

Quicker on the uptick, Celestia was already writing a response. Using the back of her paper, Celestia began writing. Once she was done, Celestia allowed Luna to read it before giving it to the pegacorn.

“Well isn’t that something?” The pegacorn sang before giving the mages a smug look. “Have a look.” She presented the page to the lone stallion while speaking to Luna’s allies. “They prefer the title of queen and your highness.”

The sisters watched as the two mages grew highly agitated while the two warriors, a presumption on the earth pony’s part, reacted with a mix of agitation and confusion.

“That can’t be right,” the centenar declared heatedly, thinking this was some poorly timed joke on demicorn’s part. “You must have worded the question wrong.”

To that, the pegacorn coughed in the stallion’s direction. “Well Inquisitor Radiant Dawn? Was my question worded incorrectly?”

The stallion in question had been whispering quickly and harshly with his fellow mage before addressing the demicorn. “I - I can find no fault in it, but clearly they are being humble. It’s the only explanation.” He began writing his own note. “Just speak plainly.” He floated the page over to Twilight who nodded after a quick read, then moved it over for Celestia to take.

Further confused by the polite arguments, both sisters leaned in to read it. Luna spluttered.

“What lunacy is this?” Celestia growled. “This is the same kind of thinking we had to stamp out when we first took power.” She immediately began angrily scratching a note then gave it to the purple one.

The arbiter claimed the page, and to the confusion of the alicorns, a smirk developed on her face. “Oh my. This is quite the strongly worded letter condemning such thought.”

Rainbow Dash leaned forward and snatched it. “How can you wear our heraldry and yet think we are gods? We had dispelled such notions decades ago.“ There was more to it, but Rainbow was too shaken to read anymore. She felt compelled to look at Luna, but was too ashamed to do so.

“As earth shattering as this may be, we should honor their choice in the matter and move on.” The demicorn bowed her head at the Sister before clipping her wings to the side of her barrel. Strangely, the armor seemed to open, allowing her naked wings to move freely to write the next note.

Both sisters were instantly put off by the sight of her. Yet the fact that she seemed to amend the page in front of her with ease was equally distasteful to both. Luna said scornfully. She scanned the ponies around them, and neither side were showing any signs of awe, only awkward shame or disillusion.

Celestia said as she claimed the page after it was pushed forward. Surprised to find next message's wing-writing was immaculately clean,

They read the note for possible answers. Luna stopped reading to look directly at the demicorn.

This 'Twilight Sparkle' was only slightly cowed by the hostile question. Everyone grew tense as the mood shifted, but no one other than Luna stood up, only whispered among themselves since the outburst shook them from their introspection. Rather than say anything, the mare hastily grabbed the next sheet on the stack and presented it.

The thought made her look at the centenar with dread. I knew something wasn't right. Seeing how her sister was in no mood to read, Celestia plucked the new page up to read aloud. Celestia hung on that word in a stupor.

Luna had only half heard her sister, and grabbed the page to make sure she heard her correctly.

Celestia broke out of her stupor to glare at Luna.

Self deprecating laughter flowed out of the night sister. She smirked at her sister, though half of that smugness was reserved for her own folly.

Part of Celestia watched the ponies around her getting increasingly skittish. Given how many more Lunarians were present, I better calm her down before somepony starts a battle I can’t win. Whatever future weapon those metal quarterstaffs were, she had not seen her followers carry any at all.

Luna’s laughter was becoming increasingly manic. She flared her wings in boiling emotion.

Celestia stood up to face her sister, which got everyone else to stand. All five of them grabbed a page each and surrounded the alicorns holding them out.

Even with the light of the torches around them, the oversized word ‘peace’ was clear to them both. Luna lowered her wings and huffed.

The weight of the truth dragged Celestia’s will to fight down to the earth, and eventually back to her seat.

Shaken by the incomprehensible amount of bloodshed in her name, Luna took her seat as well. Every bone in her body wanted to slump as her energy left her, but she forced herself to stay focused. The callus wording made Luna sour even further.

Brief chatter spread among their subjects for everyone else to settle down as well. Twilight Sparkle leaned forward and tapped the paper that carried her name. With Luna still in shock, it was up to Celestia to read it, and lipped the parts she knew.

Halfway through the reading, Luna forced herself to return to the present.

Celestia was more saddened by the defection than angered. Even after I have been long gone, my little ponies leave me. She recalled the welcoming ceremony and how much smaller her group was. Is that how things have gotten now? Equestria is a shadow of its former self, and Lunaria has triumphed? Realizing she was stalling things, she quickly wrote a note marking their approval of Twilight’s role.

Once the demicorn read it, she sighed in relief before giving another pre-written note over. Prodded by her sister, Luna reluctantly grabbed the notes. The presumably modern titles were foreign to both alicorns, but sounded important at least.

While the idea of having powerful agents close at hand sounded appealing, the elder sister still vividly recalled how easily her magic was defeated not even an hour ago. Pulling a page over and writing something down she spoke.

Pushing the page towards Twilight, Celestia eyed her estranged sibling.

Luna almost genuinely asked.

Celestia’s horn glowed and a hollow golden sphere materialized in between all those assembled. Celestia added with a shrug.

Luna added a navy blue flame inside of the golden orb as Twilight read the note aloud to the others. “To all of you, this is a gift of tongues. Take your paper, written full of your language and ours, matching word for word. When the pages burn, the words will appear, and we will speak the old tongue and then you speak the new. We will still have to learn other aspects of language later, but at least this way we can know each word’s meaning. For every pair you give the fire, we will learn it.”

That’s going to take ages,” Rainbow Dash groaned.

“Maybe, but it certainly won’t be as bad as having to write everything out,” Radiant Dawn chided. “Not that you’ve had to do any of the work.”

“I can certainly give us a leg up,” Twilight cheered as she rummaged around her pillows. She pulled out a twine bound book of sorts and started removing the string and leather cover. “Behold! The dictionary I created while translating the journals!” I brought it along in case they used something I was unfamiliar with.”

She pushed the whole stack towards the alicorns. Each taking up pages of their own, they instantly knew what it was. Celestia said with an impressed grin.

Luna agreed.

Glancing around, Celestia’s eyes fell upon the golden icon on Rarity’s hat. She pointed at it.

Confused at first, Rarity removed her treasured hat, and gave it over. Celestia removed the badge of the inquisition off of it and returned the hat. She looked to her sister.

Looking them over, Luna fixated on her rescuer. The mare had no metal on her anymore, save for her belt, and Luna wasn't going to use that. Applejack fared no better. Even their buttons were wooden. That left Twilight Sparkle. At least she said she is Lunarian now. The demicorn squirmed over the scrutiny until Luna’s eyes fell upon the horn ring. It was upon seeing the item that Luna finally realized the mare had not released even a single erratic spark of lightning. That should do. She pointed at the ring.

Having seen what Celestia did with Rarity’s emblem, Twilight was reluctant to give it up. “I can’t fly without this.” Even as she said it, there was no defying the alicorn. She pulled it off her horn and tugged the wires connected to the rest of the armor off, Rainbow and Applejack felt somber pride for her.

“Cheer up, we’ll ya? You can always make another one right?” Applejack wanted to go comfort her friend, but with the alicorns present, she felt like she couldn’t leave her seat.

Rainbow’s eyes followed the ring as Luna claimed it and started inspecting the piece. “Let’s hope she wipes all the sweat and grime off it first, eh?”

Twilight was about to give a somber retort until she actually saw Rainbow’s face. The mare might have been paying attention to her surroundings, but there was something off, like part of her was in shock. A piece of her was frozen and she couldn’t spare the time to process whatever was troubling her. I warned her the Sisters wouldn’t see themselves as gods. Can’t blame her for having some hope though.

So Twilight let the comment slide and focused on Luna. The sisters first inspected their chosen items. They started charging their horns and sank their mana into both items. This infusion lasted longer than a minute, and the two let go of the items and nearly collapsed out of sudden fatigue. Before those gathered could even see it happen, the sisters were sweating profusely and had to lock their legs to keep from keeling over.

Both objects now glowed an eerie white light that seemed to swirl around them like dry ice. The inquisitors tactfully used their magic to help keep Celestia upright while Rarity called for food and drink.

Rainbow Dash was the quickest to jump to keep Luna stable. “What did they do?”

“It’s a technique from a lost age,” Radiant Dawn replied while torn between not letting Celestia collapse while decorum demanded he not touch her at all. “Before runes and better materials were discovered, the only way to make lasting enchantments was to over-saturate an object. Even with all they put into it, a spell like that translator will only last two days at best without constant upkeep. I can only hazard a guess at how fragile it’ll prove around your machines.”

A spark of lightning erupted from Twilight’s horn, making her flush red with embarrassment. “We should adjourn until they’ve had a chance to recover.” She barely waited until a round of agreements came from everyone before one last thought struck her. She took a page and began writing. “Since they’ve learned the general situation, we might as well ask for an official ceasefire. A proper treaty can wait.”

“Your brother won’t be happy,” Rarity stated with only a twinge of mirth. “Last I heard he’s marching towards Mechiburg.”

Pushing the note forward, “he’ll probably prefer it this way. Now he can freely return to Canterlot to see the birth of my niece.”

What good humor the two inquisitors had suddenly died at what that could mean for her family. Neither could voice such concerns as the Sisters mustered the strength to read the note, and then magically sign the paper.

Bowing graciously and stepping away with the note, Twilight gave the note to Rainbow Dash. “There we go. To all who recognize Celestia and Luna as the true rulers of their respective nations, all armed forces are to stand down.”

“Well don’t give it to me. The nuckelavee need to spread this around.” Rainbow still read the thing, amused that she of all people would be holding such a document, crude and lacking the flowery wording the final version would have.

Taking it back, Twilight handed it off to Rarity who heard everything and had already stepped over. “We have a resupply scheduled to arrive the day after tomorrow. I’ll make sure they are apprised of the situation before they see any of you.”

Dinner came and went, thankfully without incident. Not one person among the village believed Cadence nor Emperor Eclipse would be able to hold power with the Sisters’ return. So they fell into an uneasy rest now that they tried to tell themselves the other side wouldn’t shoot them anymore.

Given the month the Lunarians only had the stars or lightweight canvas over their heads, they were all too happy to claim the plethora of empty druid houses available to them. Clearing out some spider webs and what few bones Rock Salt missed was preferable to setting up a tent.

Twilight’s dictionary was ultimately consumed by the translation spell. The only thing that was needed was to match each spoken word with its twin. A labor that had plenty of volunteers from the rank and file, giving each soldier and retainer a chance to aid their returned patron as well as having a perfect excuse to see them up close. An act that could possibly never come again once they returned home.

The following day, the sun was moving high in the late morning, and most Lunarians were already asleep. Celestia had been given the biggest house that was still intact, and had turned in hours prior to rest and heal. Luna had remained awake, dutifully adding more words to the translation spell with those who still eagerly wished to lend their voice.

Twilight and Pinkie Pie had turbulent sleep. Recent events and future troubles made any meaningful rest nearly impossible. So now they were in a fatigued slump over a barely acceptable cooking fire, slowly softening the day’s rations of salt pork and the few grasses and leaves fliers had scavenged from the Mirage.

“We finally did it, Twilly,” Pinkie Pie said with a failed attempt to muster some energy.

“Aye… That we did.” Twilight felt so entirely drained, as if she had been running on adrenaline alone ever since leaving the train. “And our work is only beginning.” She idly rubbed her stomach, and could feel the firmness had grown. That's right. I’ll need to have a second child rather soon too. Maybe motherhood will be the perfect excuse to recuse myself from politics. I give Luna a jumping off point and then let things run their course. Life in her laboratory teaching her future children the joys of invention melted the stress away as she sank into a deep sleep.

Pinkie Pie saw the lazy smile on her sister, and matched her with one of her own. Whatever she’s dreaming about, best to leave her to it.

A few hours later and further afield, Fluttershy was perched on the very pedestal the statues used to sit. She was observing Celestia and Suture continuing the efforts of filling up the translation spell. A single cardinal bird was perched on her back and would occasionally peck at the hardtack she had given it.

A gentle sigh and shiver escaped her due to the hard winter that was coming. The war depopulated the entire region. There won’t be weather teams here for a hundred years if not more.

It was just as well. The Green Mother would be left to test the future colonists.

Her musings were cut short by Celestia standing up along with Suture. The alicorn levitated the emblem she took from Rarity and placed it into the middle of the spell’s flame, and then removed it shortly after. Claiming the discarded twine from Twilight’s dictionary, cut it in half with a bayonet, then she fastened the glowing gold emblem to a lock of her mane and let it hang near her left ear.

Celestia started speaking normally, only for her voice to suddenly become extremely quiet, then her voice started up again speaking from the emblem speaking in modern Equiss. “There. Can you understand me, healer?” Her voice came through jarringly stilted and a bit harsh on the ears, but the words were clear at least.

Suture was beside herself with glee at being the first one to directly speak with Celestia. “Yes, yes I can your holi- majesty!”

To Celestia, the medic’s voice went in much the same order, starting loud then quieting so the emblem could give the translation in her ear. To Celestia, the words came through in a flowing rush that was always on the cusp of running over each other. “This can work for the time being.” Celestia took the ring Luna had claimed from Twilight and placed it too into the original spell’s fire. This time, the spell collapsed and sank into the ring. Celestia took the remaining twine and turned the ring into a pendant. “And give this to my sister, or one of her servants to give to her.”

“As you wish, my queen.”

With Suture bowing low before running off, the alicorn stretched like a cat with her wings flaring as far as she could reach. Turning around, she spotted the druid still watching her in silence. Mild annoyance was written on her face at first, then curiosity after sniffing the air. “You smell of dirt and grass, and I have yet to see you bow and scrape before me or my sister.”

Nodding in agreement, Fluttershy remained seated. “As per my agreement with Inquisitor Rarity, I only have two masters. The first is the Green Mother, the second is the crown. While I believe you will reclaim it soon enough, it does not sit upon your brow just yet.”

“Ah, I understand.” Celestia grew rather pleasant, and had to admit a touch of mirth at the technicality. “The world certainly has changed much if one such as you serves Equestria.”

Shaking her head, and nearly jostling the cardinal off her back in the process, Fluttershy felt comfortable enough to confide in her. “More like I changed rather than the world. In this instance at least.”

“Oh?” Curiosity grew ever stronger. “My parents always felt most druidic philosophy had merit, but was too restrictive of a lifestyle to adopt.”

A sad smile found its way into Fluttershy. “My apologies, but there is no need to lie on my behalf. Traditional Druidism covers its eyes all while claiming only they can see. I suspect that is what your parents truly meant.”

A pleased hum left the time-lost mare. “You have the right of it. Pray tell, what caused you to uncover the buried truth?”

The cardinal hopped over in front of Fluttershy, prompting the pegasus to scratch behind its head. “The Green Mother was kind enough to give me a shovel and told me where to dig. But giving that shovel to my peers has proven… dangerous.”

Shivering, and not from the cold, Celestia chewed on the pegasus’ words. “A kindred soul if ever there was one. I wish I could lend a word of wisdom, but I have yet to find success either.” She looked around, and noticed the crowd that was starting to gather at a distance. I hope that Twilight lass is willing to arbitrate again.

The sound of a bird chirping and taking to the air heralded Fluttershy leaving the pedestal and joined her at a respectful distance. “Your highness, if there is one thing I have learned from the civilized, is that they unconsciously live in a near constant state of struggle. It is this struggle that has molded them, and given them strength and power far beyond my kin. However, this struggle is not theirs alone, but the other civilized races have been influenced by us and we them. While this pleases the Green Mother, going against it now is daunting task. In my humble opinion, do not try to blunt their current strengths without first improving others, or you will doom ponikind.”

A troubled and surprised hum escaped the alicorn. “You are wise beyond your years, young one. And I fear you have the right of it.”

It took close to an hour for Luna and the rest of the impromptu court to reconvene. Much of the rest of the day was spent updating the Sisters on history, cultural expectations, and a low level exploration of the method of modern governance. Something no one present had any real experience on, save for the Sisters themselves.

One topic in particular had been danced around the entire time: enstripement. After all the fearmongering Twilight had driven into the inquisitors, not even Radiant Dawn wanted to broach the topic. More concerning to them was the fact that the Lunarians gave up multiple opportunities to push the issue to the fore, but didn’t. There could be only one explanation in Rarity’s eyes.

The day was growing late as the latest round of talks was wrapping up a brief overview of the Equestrian economy. Such topics were freely shared, to an extent, as both nations fully expected the other to already know such secrets.

Midway through explaining the industrialization of agriculture from Applejack, Luna raised a hoof for her to stop, her new pendent swaying a bit. “Wait a moment.” She looked to her sister. “Are you getting that strange double meaning every time she says indentured servant?”

“I keep hearing servant/slave,” Celestia replied with a dark mood.

“Then it isn’t just me.” Luna looked to Twilight who was doing an admirable job hiding a vindictive smirk. “Would you care to explain, arbiter?”

Rarity started sweating profusely while Radiant Dawn stuck to his faith and awaited Celestia’s expected approval. As for Twilight, she couldn’t hold back all of her grim satisfaction from her voice. “When Applejack says indentured servant or servitude, it is a person who is in practice, a slave bound by debt. How they become indebted differs, but the Throne has put harsh limits on the length of time indentured servitude contracts can last, and they retain all the same rights and privileges of a normal citizen, except for where they work.

Inwardly, Twilight expected the neutral reactions from the alicorns so far. But the real turmoil was yet to come. “The word servant by itself as it is used in Equestria is to indicate a Lunarian earth pony or pegasus that has been put under a geas that forces them to obey any lawful order from either the state or their master. This status is a life-long affair, and can range from simple blocked or compelled thoughts and actions to a complete suppression of personality.” Luna’s skyrocketing temper was so great her fur was standing fully up and she was starting to shake. “This practice is condoned by the Solar Church as the will of Celestia herself, and is not mirrored by Lunaria. The practice as a whole is called enstripement. Both thestrals and unicorns are either returned to Lunaria or are executed.”

“Tia…” Dark clouds of raw magic were building up around Luna as she stared pure hatred at her sister.

Celestia on the other hand was cold. A frozen blizzard crystallized into a face that was even more frightening than Luna. She magically grabbed the closest inquisitor, who happened to be Radiant Dawn, and brought him close. “Radiant Dawn, my faithful subject. Tell me, is this true?”

“I - I… Y-you must understand. The scriptures, we were all told-”

“That’s all I needed to hear.” Celestia grabbed his badge of office off his hat before throwing him up and behind her so Luna would have a clear shot at him. “Luna, I believe your brand of justice is what is needed. Do what you see fit with him.”

Luna’s mad-crazed eyes shifted to the stallion who had landed on his injury and struggled to stand back up. To her, he was no different than the vile noble houses that had blinded her sister so very long ago. Celestia’s gift of justice dragged a cruel smirk onto the dark sister’s muzzle. “For your crimes against my people, I sentence you to death!”

“Wait!” Rarity ran to interpose herself between Luna and Radiant Dawn. “Please, I beg you, he is a good stallion. He doesn’t deserve this!”

“Every inquisitor deserves this,” Rainbow Dash jeered, only for Twilight to stamp her hoof.

“Captain, do not interfere!”

Luna was hardly moved by Rarity’s actions, and Celestia was presently letting her sister do as she pleased. “You too? Good, then I won’t need to demand your head as well.”

Radiant Dawn cried out in agony, fully expecting his fall had broken something. What was horribly worse, was Rarity’s sacrifice. “Get out of the way, child. If this is what Celestia demands, then so be it.”

Ignoring him, Rarity remained defiantly in the way. “We’ve been taught since we were young that what we did was moral. Correct.”

“A monster with a clear conscience is still a monster!” Luna roared as she fired a white hot stream of mana at Rarity.

Yet instead of melting the mare on the spot, the beam was reflected by an angled barrier Rarity threw up at the last moment. The sheer power behind the beam pushed Rarity back, dragging her hooves against the cobblestone.

The attack was too bright for Luna to see Rarity was still alive until after she ended the spell. Upon finding Rarity didn’t so much as look strained by the assault, Luna growled in renewed vengeance. “You dare to defy our judgment? Get out of the way or die with him.”

Rarity glanced at the elder sister, who in turn made no effort to restrain either of them. “Her judgment was to allow you to do as you pleased with us. All I ask is for your mercy.”

“Mercy?! You have the gall to speak of mercy? How many of my people did you enslave with a happy heart? How many families did you and the rest of you inquisitors destroy in the name of faith?” Too furious to say another word, Luna redoubled her magic and summoned a steady stream of piercing bolts at Rarity who deflected each one with either shields or directly with her horn. Each blow still hammered her like a gunshot.

“Too many,” Rarity admitted between breaths. Luna’s magic was powerful but ancient, and decades of deflecting bullets had given Rarity a measure of endurance. The last bolt bent around her shield and struck Rarity’s flank. The blow would have cut her in half, had her duster’s wards not channeled the blow into the ground, cracking the stones below. Shaken, but desperately resolute, Rarity held firm. “But let the inquisition make things right!” She looked to Celestia once more, begging for a response, and still her patron remained unmoved.

“I’ve had enough!” Luna roared as she tried to grab Rarity telekinetically, only for the unicorn’s wards to react violently and launched needles at Luna. Caught off guard by the reprisal, Luna threw up a shield only for the needles to pierce it like an egg shell and lacerate Luna’s chest and legs. The alicorn ignored the pain and dribbles of blood.

Enraged only further, she tried lightning bolts and fire, only for Rarity to ground the lightning before it even got halfway to her, and the fire was put out by a ring of frost.

With a mad warcry, Luna ripped a house off the ground, snapping roots and vine in the process to smash Rarity with it. Thinking Luna was going to strike Radiant with it, Rarity backed up to stand beside him and raised a shield barely in time to protect herself from the house crashing down on her.

Luna stalked up to the pile of stone even as Rarity struggled to push the stones out from above her. “Why do you not fight properly? You could have moved this fight away from him or struck back at me.”

“Because I will not be the one to take the life of my queen’s sister,” Rarity replied firmly. She felt weak in the knees, but defiantly remained standing. Rarity couldn’t stop her thoughts from drifting to Sweetie Belle, and the long years since she last saw her. I can't even remember what my last words were to her.

Luna turned to her sister. “She’s your subject. Command her to stand down!”

Before Celestia could respond, Rarity yelled out. “I demand trial by combat!” The alicorns paused, giving her a chance to clarify. “That was part of the old laws, yes? I will defend my mentor’s life with my own.”

“As if you haven’t been already,” Celestia observed. “And what if I refuse your demand? Allowing either of you inquisitive ones to live would be a repeat of the same mistake that led to my sister leaving me in the first place.”

Having read both sisters’ wartime journals, Rarity hastily searched for a response. “Because-” she stalled, desperately trying to think of something. Yet with the risk of a single word from Celestia defeating her, and the eyes of the whole camp upon her, Rarity floundered. Nothing came to mind.

Sensing this failure, Celestia was not about to risk driving another wedge between herself and her sister over a follower, no matter how powerful she was. “Request denied. I command you to stand aside. unless…” Celestia looked out among the crowd who had gathered around. “To those loyal to my sister. Who among you would see mercy for either of them?”

Both sisters looked out at the crowd who had come to watch Luna’s wrath. For a long moment, no one would take that step. Feeling like too much time had passed, Twilight was about to make a stand, only to be pushed back down by her sister.

“I do,” came a single voice. Pinkie Pie walked away from Twilight to show she acted alone. “I was once a servant, a slave. I still have nightmares of my stripe scratching at my mind any time I had a negative thought against Equestria or my masters. I was always terrified any time an inquisitor would come anywhere near me, and tighten my geas into a red stripe. But I still do not blame them, just as you can not fault the shepherd dog from biting a guest it mistook for a thief. I beg of you, do not punish the sheepdog, but the shepherd. The Solar Church and the slaver merchants are the ones who are truly at fault.”

Celestia watched for anyone to dispute the pink mare, some looked angry at the defense, but remained silent. Others looked away in a measure of shame. Yet still, no one dared to dispute the earth mare. So at last she looked to her younger sister.

Luna wasn’t happy in the slightest, in large part because a single mage had repulsed her efforts, but the other was that her fury had gotten the better of her. “Tia…”

“They will see fitting justice, sister.” She hid a coy grin. “And next time I won’t allow a technicality to give them an out.”

An unamused snort left Luna. Drawing herself up, she stared at the shaking, but still resolute inquisitor. “You fight well, and with honor. Swear on oath that you will scour Equestria of enstripement with the same zeal you showed here today, and I will reverse my sentence.”

Rarity prostrated herself, and Radiant Dawn tried and failed to do the same thanks to his broken shoulder and foreleg. Though he muffled his own howl of pain, he did as best he could while Rarity spoke for them. “So long as it is Celestia’s will, I will not stop until every last servant is freed.”

Celestia inwardly smiled, and stepped up to be side by side with Luna. “Then let us make it official,” she yelled out so all could hear. “By royal edict, enstripement is hereby banned upon pain of death. Once I reclaim the crown and make my stance known to all, I want you to spearhead this command personally.”

Standing back up, the renewed passion of zeal lit a fire in Rarity’s eyes. A zeal unmatched at any point in her life thus far. “As you say, so shall it be.”

Climbing to his good leg, Radiant Dawn breathed as deeply as he could to speak before the pain became too much. “Goddess or not, my life is and always was yours to spend as you please, my queen.”

Celestia stepped up to Rarity and magically lifted Radiant off the ground so he wouldn’t further his injury. After listening to Twilight Sparkle, I’m glad at least some misled followers are still loyal and have good hearts. Even if she wanted to show such sentiment, it simply wasn’t done, at least not a ruler fresh from a nine hundred year gap. “And spend it I will. Just how widespread is enstripement?”

Ears wilting on both inquisitors, Rarity’s mouth went dry, and Radiant was still barely able to squeeze a word out that wasn’t pure agony.

“That much?” Celestia shook her head. “Take him to a healer first.” She looked behind her to see her sister was conversing with the same mare she wanted to. “Be ready to leave by the morrow. The sooner I reclaim the crown, the sooner I can clean up this mess. Oh,” she added with quick annoyance. “And stop all that groveling nonsense. A simple bow or salute is sufficient.”

“As you wish,” was all Rarity could muster. She was still in mild shock from facing down Luna herself. Rarity eased Radiant on to the sick tent, leaving Celestia to speak with her sister alone this time.

It had not been overly difficult to drag Luna away. Her younger sister was emotionally coming down, and needed time to compose herself.

The two alicorns retreated to the far edge of the village, and found a couple of picket guards to ward off anyone who might try to spy on them.

Here the firm ground around the village quickly gave way to soft cold mud with the slow flowing river showing the first signs of frost. The river and swamp beyond looked bleak and sickly, but at least the cold diminished the smell.

Luna brushed off a spot on the stone fence and sat down. “What a waste. Nine hundred years, and we missed all the wars.”

“I hope in all these years they’ve discovered some less bloody means of entertainment. Never did like the colosseum.”

“You always were too soft when it came to death, sister. Griffins, Minotaurs, the Nirik. There are beings out there that will always choose blood over words, war over peace no matter how much the world would benefit.” Shaking her head in disappointment, Luna looked away from her sister. “I had thought you learned that lesson when you finally declared war.”

“Beings like you?” Celestia countered flatly. “You made a civil war inevitable. I suppose, I was a fool to take fifty years to realize that.”

“Oh no, I tried diplomacy with you,” Luna bit back. “But you didn’t listen. You kept trying to answer failed diplomacy with more diplomacy. But I knew the truth. After that day, the only thing left to me was violence.”

“If we are to go to war, Lulu, it should be against the griffins or zebras, not our own ponies.” Celestia opted not to sit and stood at the edge of the mud and gazed emptily out over the water. “At least then the blood would be better spent.”

“Hmm, I can’t seem to remember who started that trend, Tia.” Luna held a firm smug grin at her scowling sister. “Can you refresh my memory?”

Shaking her head in disappointment, Celestia returned to looking out over the water. “There is no need to be snide. It doesn’t matter who is at fault anymore. This needs to end.”

Shrugging and moving on, Luna started preening her right wing. The feathers were still out of sorts from sleeping on them, and she had not bathed in the freezing river water. “Deflection always was your favorite defense. Is it any wonder your greatest warriors carry on that tradition?”

Refusing to rise to the bait, Celestia pressed on. “Such pettiness is beneath you, Luna,” she started firmly. “We can see our people united again. Our return can end the cycle of war between us.”

“Or reinvigorate the conflict like never before,” Luna retorted sharply. “I can’t even comprehend two hundred years, let alone nine hundred! By now my people are surely entirely different than what I remember. The warriors who brought us back are not even a scratch on the surface of that. Tartarus, the only reason they share a language is because the merchants are as aggressive as the soldiers. And by the looks of Twilight Sparkle, Equestria is just as ruthless. Just look at this Merchant’s Creed that is considered standard reading. Read rules thirty four and five.”

Growing equal parts curious and worried, Celestia turned to see her sister fishing out a travel book from her mane. It was a small but well cared for item. Cracking it open, the translation spell covered her eyes, changing the words she saw to make it readable. ‘War is good for business, and peace is good for business.’ Am I supposed to be surprised by this? Profiteering has been a thing ever since the first spear was made.”

Rolling her eyes, Luna tapped the book with a hoof. “The point is the rules are right next to each other. This aggression between our kingdoms has permeated the cultures so deeply, your dream of pacifist ponies all under one crown is impossible now.”

“It was never supposed to be just one crown.” Celestia closed the booklet and gently pressed it against Luna’s neck. “But you’re wrong. If a people can turn one way, they can turn another. The quill is a more powerful weapon than any sword.”

“Now who is the idealistic fool?” Returning the book into her mane, Luna’s tone matched her sister’s steel. “My people won’t accept ever being Equestrian again, and forcing them to is out of the question, the aggression they bear now is no different.”

Inhaling slowly, Celestia closed her eyes to think. “Then clearly we need a third option.”

“Such as..?” Luna chided half-playfully. “New Equestria?”

Rolling her head back and forth to feel the idea out, Celestia opened her eyes. “That could work, just under a different name.”

“You’re a hopeless romantic for a time lost to us.”

“Proof enough we are cut from the same cloth, dear sister.”

Scoffing at Celestia’s teasing, Luna felt her stomach growling, but ignored the hunger pangs for now. “Perhaps we are. I’m willing to entertain the idea of a new united nation if and only if enstripement is purged from Equestria. Your little declaration back there means nothing to me. No half measures this time.”

Turning her gaze towards the sick tent, a humorless grin crossed her lips. “If the fear my faithful servants cause your soldiers is justified, they will prove most valuable in this. At least, once I set a precedent for my lack of tolerance for the practice.”

Arching an intrigued eyebrow, Luna became more invested. “Care to illuminate me of your plan?”

Thinking things over for a bit, Celestia allowed a grim scowl fall over her. “ If I must speak the language of violence in this modern era, then that is where I will start. I won’t say a word one way or the other about enstripement until I secure the crown and the rest of the inquisition is made aware of my stance on the issue. I will have those here swear to silence over the matter until the time is right. I feel a grand demonstration will be needed, one that leaves no room for doubt. If these inquisitive ones are as reputable as they’ve been touted to be, I won’t have to wait long for an opportunity to do so.”

Fearing Celestia might slip into her permissive attitude again, Luna moved to be face to face with her taller sister. “I will give you until next frost to make your opening move, Tia. Stall any longer than that, and you can forget about unifying ponikind.”

“And if I do?”

“Act first, Tia, then we’ll talk.”

Currently at the sick tent, only Equestrians were present as the Lunarians had moved their wounded to a separate area. All told, there were only four patients, Radiant now included.

Said stallion’s agonized screams were muffled by the piece of wood in his mouth. Rarity magically held him in place while Suture set his broken shoulder and foreleg. The difficult task was only complicated by Suture’s lack of experience with such complicated injuries.

Fluttershy brought in some pain relief paste, and Lyra brought in cut pieces of wood to serve as splints. It took over an hour for Suture to feel confident enough to start applying them. Through it all, Rarity’s stiff upper lip was as utterly broken as his scapula and radius.

The end result was a broken stallion held together by sticks, tent poles, and torn bedsheets. Suture was an emotional mess as she had lost one patient quietly over the night due to the cold. “I’m sorry, you’re honor, without any proper supplies, this is the best I can do. He needs to be seen by a real doctor as soon as possible.”

“You’ve done what you could, thank you.” Rarity dismissed her with a head shake before she sat down on Radiant’s good side. The stallion had his broken leg tightly secured to a tent pole, keeping it locked in place. With the operation complete, Radiant opted to keep the bit close by should the pain spike if he moved wrong. The small piece of wood had deep indentions of teeth marks. His face was drenched in sweat, and his mane was stuck to his face.

She gently peeled it all out of his eyes and tried to magically spread Fluttershy’s ointment as gently as possible. “I’m going to get you back home, instructor. A warm bed, some reading material, and hot tea.”

A hissing painful laugh threatened to make him move, but he suppressed it enough to avoid the worst of it. “A nice cup of Earl Grey with two sugars would be marvelous right now.”

“Then it will be the first thing you get when we return home.”

“No,” he ordered with a tightened face. “Let the doctors and nurses do their job so you can do yours.” He held his good foreleg out for her to grab, but even that act jostled something that he shouldn’t have. He magically brought the bit back in his mouth to dull the pain all while Rarity spread more of the ointment over what exposed fur near the bones she could.

When he calmed down, Rarity held his foreleg as tightly as she dared. With strained fire in his eyes, he bore into her soul. “Promise me, child, promise me you will not hold this against the true queen. This - this is my penance for our hubris, you were left whole to carry out her will.”

“I promise.” Her words sounded unsure even to her.

Radiant Dawn magically tapped her on the forehead. “You may think that here.” He tapped her chest. “But you don’t believe it here.” Even though it pained him, he managed to slacken his face to a more serene expression. “But I know you will in due time. I have always been proud of you, my dear. Even when you failed, you kept going with your chin held high, and you were pious with your successes.”

Rather than be able to take the praise for what it was, Rarity only grew increasingly sullen. “Pious. All of our work, our prayer, our deeds, the scriptures, all of it was a lie. She never heard a word of any of it, not through malice or neglect, but because she was wholly incapable of it.”

“Perhaps not,” Radiant started firmly, realizing his mistake. “But that is ultimately irrelevant. If it truly mattered, then the moment we realized Mi Amora Cadenza could not hear our prayers Those closest to Cadenza would have demanded her head as a pretender. But they didn’t.”

Shaking her head, Rarity stared off in the general direction of Canterlot. “You and I both know its because a fracture in the inquisition is growing, instructor. Some have already pledged themselves wholly to Cadenza above Celestia, while many in our ranks only stay their hoof because the Grand Inquisitor forbade infighting. I don't know how he does it.”

“And this will only cripple us further when Celestia needs us most.” Further words failed him, and Radiant laid there in restless silence for a time. It was his duty and desire to impart his wisdom, to have at least a token word or two to inspire and reassure. Yet no speech came to mind. No sage advice to give her courage. When he felt she could wait no longer, Radiant magically pulled her close, so she would not see the rest of the patients watching. “These are uncertain times for us all, my dear.” Rarity wiped her running nose, and focused entirely on him, the other ponies around them fading away. He struggled to find some morsel of wisdom, but he was just as lost as she was. “In this dark sea that threatens to swallow us whole, and you are not alone. Either the Sisters try to either remain on stage, or they will draw the curtain back on their lack of godhood. Either way, I shudder at what happens now.”

For a minute or two, Rarity took his advice in dreary silence. Blinking away some tears, shame dragged her face to the floor. “She tried to warn me. Twilight Sparkle I mean.”

Narrowing his eyes, and weaving a privacy spell, Radiant Dawn waited to let her speak on her own time.

“The other day she told me, ‘the Sisters are who they are, not who we believe them to be.’ At the time, I thought she meant some tales about them were embellished. It made sense, exaggeration is part and parcel with such distant events. But I never thought she meant this.”

“To think… By your actions that day in Manehattan, you allowed the truth to see the light of day.” Radiant chuckled in spite of it all. “No matter what we choose to do moving forward, my dear, at the very least Lady Twilight granted us the gift and curse of the truth.

“The Sisters will want to leave soon. The feasting has cut our food supply down to a pittance, and the resupply that arrives tomorrow will prompt the Sisters into action no matter how broken their modern Equiss is. Can you pass my thanks to your old nemsis?” He winked at her.

“Your thanks?” Rarity a forlorn thread bare smile formed. “Yes, I suppose I can do that.”

Rarity did not have to look too far to find Celestia. Having parted from Luna, the alicorn was sitting near the manor ruins with Lyra. As the inquisitor got closer, she could hear the two were practicing speech lessons.

“You must flow into each word like water, like I am doing now.” Although Lyra’s injury had avoided her throat, the radiating pain of it softened her voice.

Showing strained patience, Celestia memorized a sentence, and then tried to speak without the translation spell. “Married ladies. Don’t. Like to be swooned. By Cheese.”

Celestia’s speech grated on Rarity’s ears like grinding metal. She kept a respectful distance until the queen noticed her.

“How about you? Any improvement, inquisitive?”

Rarity was pleasantly surprised Celestia spoke without her translator, even if it kept getting her title wrong. “My title is pronounced inquisitor. And yes, it is certainly a step in the right direction to be sure. May I ask for a moment of your time, your majesty?” A part of her was sullen by the lesser honorific, but she hid it well.

“Inquisitor… inquisitor,” Celestia repeated, testing out the word. “Yes, of course.” She looked towards Lyra. “You may take your leave, and thank you.”

“Always a pleasure to serve you,” Lyra bowed before her. “If you like, I can play some music later during dinner.”

I get enough music just listening to all of you ‘speak’. Giving her best diplomatic smile, Celestia nodded. “A lyre would. Be. An excellent distraction.”

Once the musician started walking away, Celestia resumed using her translator full time to avoid the oncoming headache of having to try and sing a conversation. She had entertained every one of her loyalists in camp, save the most important ones. With Rarity, she wanted to be understood perfectly. “I want you to know I am glad you stood up for your father.”

Blushing crimson red, Rarity vigorously shook her head. “My apologies, my queen, but he is not my father.” Seeing the bemusement from the alicorn, Rarity went on. “Most inquisitors are selected at a young age from orphanages or at times among the homeless. This is so we have a level of humility nothing else can teach. Radiant Dawn is the one who took me and my sister in.”

Though she kept her words short, Celestia could hear the warmth with which Rarity spoke of him. “I see. Forgive me for acting so callous towards him then. Family, official or not, is precious.”

Nodding her understanding, Rarity pressed on. “You are too kind. I came regarding Lady Twilight Sparkle, and request a full pardon on her behalf.”

“The arbiter? Why would-” Celestia stopped to think over why such a request would be asked. “…You feel responsible for her defection.”

“I am directly responsible. A few years ago, I caught her in the act of servant - I caught her slave running. In my attempts to apprehend her, she successfully fled to Lunaria. While it is within my power to absolve her of slave running, only the queen may pardon treason. An act that would not have taken place if we knew of your position on enstripement from the beginning.”

Rubbing her chin, Celestia scanned the village for any sign of her sister or the demicorn. “Do you believe the pardon would entice her to return to Equestria?”

Looking away in shame, Rarity fought the urge to dig at the ground. “No. She formed a new house in Lunaria and now carries the child of a thestral.”

“She was allowed to form a new house on her own?” At the very least the pardon would appease Luna. Might even get her to take my unification idea more seriously. A thought struck her at that moment. “Inquisitor… In my time, demicorns were pariahs at best and killed at birth more times than not. Their uncontrollable horns are a terrible fire hazard, and have been known to burn more than one town to ashes. Has fire prevention improved that much, have our people moved beyond such sentiments, or is she the scion to a powerful house?”

Having partially expected such a question, Rarity only had to think for a moment. “Yes to all of that. She used to be the heir of House Light, a prominent family among Canterlot, many say the most important in recent years.”

“How important?”

“‘Twilight’s brother is married to Queen Cadenza’ important,” Rarity answered with a shiver. “And it is said she is late with foal.”

Locking a terse gaze upon the unicorn, Celestia ultimately sighed with exasperation. What a mess I have to clean up. “I suspect you have already suffered enough from this scandal. Yes, I will pardon Twilight of all charges, and she is free to travel in Equestria under my personal protection. I will have an official passport written up when things settle down. You may tell her now if you wish, but I want you to impress upon her and everypony else that she can not make it public knowledge until after I formally address enstripement. When I do, you can be sure the world will hear of it.”

Bowing to leave, Rarity felt a lighter in her step. “Thank you, your highness. I’m certain this will make Cadenza more willing to abdicate peacefully.”

One can only hope. The last thing I need is Candenza Land or some such nonsense. “Speaking of Cadenza,” Celestia stopped as a different thought occurred to her. “She can wait. Do you know how influential Lady Twilight is in Lunaria?”

“Enough that Radiant and I believe that she is the one truly in charge of the expedition, or at least responsible for its formation.”

Mulling it over, Celestia pondered everything she had learned since awaking. Slowly at first, an idea started to crystallize, but time was short. This conference of a sort will not last. Luna and I will go to our respective capitals and then we will be bogged down in matters of state. I need something concrete before that happens. Then it struck her like a lightning bolt. Celestia gazed out to the tree obscured horizon. “You said her name is Twilight Sparkle, yes? An odd name for one so close to the solar crown is it not?”

“I have never experienced childbirth myself,” Rarity began with what she thought was shared bemusement. “So I can not say what goes through a new mother’s mind during the moment of naming, but her mother is Twilight Velvet,” she added, unsure of the significance.

“I have not had a child either, but in my time, some believe there is a moment of impossible clarity, a vision that is lost the instant the foal’s name is given. It’s possible her mother was just uninspired, but I can’t shake the feeling… If the old mare’s tale is true, then perhaps Twilight Sparkle is the key to something new. Go, and share the pardon with her, I have work to do before we all leave.”

Sitting on top of a house, Twilight Sparkle and Silver Vein were alone as they looked out over the water. The trees had turned fully into browns, reds, and yellows. The pot and cups of tea were long since drained. Rather than get up, the couple had fallen into contemplative silence. They are huddled together for warmth, with Twilight resting her head against Silver’s own. Both of their manes were static riddled messes now, but he didn’t complain, content to just let her rest against him.

Even with the active commotion coming from camp, it did little to disturb the silent repose. Their great task had been done. Sure, others would soon follow, but in this fragile moment, knowing the guns would go silent, they could rest.

As for Twilight, the stallion was a comfortable source of warmth and peaceful affection, like sitting on a hill of flowers on a summer’s day. Eventually, she fell asleep next to him, and only woke hours later when a triangle clattered in the distance, signaling lunch was served.

Caught between not wanting to wake her, Silver remained, even though the wing she was leaning against had gone numb. It was only Pinkie Pie’s timely arrival with three sets of tin bowls did Twilight fully return to the waking world.

“I thought I saw you two,” Pinkie announced in a much less energetic, yet not a sad tone to her usual. “Double portions for you, Twilly.”

Blinking some sleep away, Twilight shimmied to the side a bit to blush some of Silver’s frizzled mane out of his eyes. They shared a warm smile before she looked at her sister and claimed the offered bowls. “Is it lunch time already?” She yawned behind a hoof as she inspected the food. “Back to salted pork, I see.”

“The last of the fresh fruit and the like are being rationed for the Sisters.” Pinkie passed a bowl to Silver.

“Knowing you, Pinkie, you slipped in some pepper for us.” Silver nodded in gratitude. “How’s everypony taking things?”

Pinkie shook her head. “Most didn’t want to believe the sisters refuted being gods as a mistranslation. But now that they can speak more clearly for themselves, even the hardliners have been left thinking things over. As for how they’re taking it… silently so far. I think most of the Ninety Second just want to get home first before somepony snaps…”

Drinking some of the broth and having to use her tongue to fish bites of pork out of the bowl, Twilight was embarrassed by the lack of silverware, but not enough so to go fetch some. “How are the Inquisitors taking it?”

“I haven’t seen much of them.” Pinkie Pie leaned against the squat house, trying to take in the scenery, but the mood just wasn’t there. “Twilight… are you sure we did the right thing? So many people are going to be hurt or worse over this.”

“If you don’t mind,” Silver started tactfully. “I’d like to answer that.”

“And I’d like to hear it,” came a stressed familiar voice.

The three turned to find Rarity Belle had quietly weaved through the village's thin streets to approach without notice. Her mane may have been neatly brushed, and her mascara clean, but nothing could hide the turmoil on her face and the shaky emotion in her voice. One thing everyone noticed was that she lacked her duster, and had come as just herself.

Even without her signs of office, everyone was put on edge. “I have not come to quarrel with you,” Rarity insisted. “I have come bearing news of a full pardon.”

Dumbfounded, Pinkie Pie looked at her sister with mute astonishment. Silver was left just as baffled. Twilight had to jump start her brain to think to stand up out of basic respect. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“I informed Celestia about the Manehatten incident.” Rarity cleared her throat as her voice started to warble a bit. “In her great wisdom, Celestia has granted you a full pardon, and will personally void your status as persona non grata within the royal court.”

Clutching her chest and feeling shaky on her legs, Twilight had to take a long moment to process it. “I - I don’t know what to say. I suspected she might pardon the slave running as a show of good faith to Luna but everything else?”

I don’t know what, but Celestia has plans for you. Rarity stepped closer, stopping at the first sign of discomfort from them. “For what it is worth, Twilight Sparkle, you had the right of it. Enstripement is antithetical to Celestia’s wishes, and with my instructor so badly injured, I will be spearheading her efforts in uprooting it. If it would not be to inconvenient, I’m sure the Crown would be further in your debt if you could lend a word or two in helping Equestria economically move away from our dependence on it.”

“Naturally I’d have to clear this with Luna but…” Twilight roped Silver in with a wing-hug. “I’d have to see how well both sides of my family like each other first.”

Bowing her head, a ghost of a playful smile fell upon her. “I understand all too well. In the meantime, Celestia requires you to keep this pardon a secret to all except Luna. The queen wants to make an example out of enstripement, and doesn’t want to arise suspicion until she is ready to act.”

“When will that happen?” Pinkie chimed in. Memories of the Light family’s servants being freed filled her heart with excitement. “They better make sure there’s a transcript of the speech she’ll make when it happens.”

“To share Celestia's own words. When it happens, you will know. Everypony will know.”

Author's Note

So. Who here thinks Cadence will take this laying down? Any takers?

36: Brother

Early the next day, Celestia was eating breakfast alone with her eyes to the northwest, waiting on the imminent arrival of the resupply she was told about. A few of the inquisitors’ retainers had volunteered to be bodyguards until proper ones could be assigned, but they were respectful enough to give Celestia plenty of space.

I wish I had more time. But every delay means more unnecessary blood is spilled. Her thoughts drifted to the real enemies of old, the griffins and diamond dogs. Both had ravaged Equestria in its early days before the Sisters had taken power. Behind it all were those acursed minotaurs. I suppose this constant warfare made us strong enough to resist them, because no pony has said two words about any of them. But the armies should never have been turned on one another.

Regret flooded her almost to a point where she didn’t hear her sister land nearby. She perked up (more to maintain appearances than anything else) to watch Luna approach. “The scouts are reporting the resupply is nearly an hour out. Along with a full brigade, which I’m told is about four thousand soldiers, all of whom wear your colors.”

“Four thousand?!” Celestia stood up and watched for movement in the growing light of the dawn. “I was told to expect no more than twenty.”

“Perhaps your subjects can illuminate the answer later,” Luna replied with growing concern. “Tia, yesterday when we agreed to a Uti possidetis treaty, we had not yet been informed as to how this latest war has gone, and I-”

“You saw your soldiers and thought Lunaria was winning,” Celestia finished sharply. When she saw Luna recoil in discomfort, Celestia felt a vindictive tug in her heart that she had difficulty ignoring. “So you would ask me to restore pre-war territorial borders. Tell me, sister, would you agree to that if you were me?”

Grinding her teeth at not being able to refute her, Luna sighed heavily. “What do you want?”

“The territorial return can happen in stages over a couple of years or so under the pretense of other treaties. That will give my soldiers a sense that they didn’t throw their lives away. As for what I want, I must confess to taking some inspiration from the minotaurs on this one. I want you to join me in a higher governing body above Equestria and Lunaria.”

“That’s your plan? A higher body?” Luna snorted aggressively. “You just want Equestrian supremacy with extra steps.”

“If that was all I wanted, Luna, I would continue this war to its inevitable conclusion.” Celestia remained calm, but firm in her tone and posture. “As you said, four thousand of my soldiers are close at hoof, and we are all still deep inside Equestria right now whereas they would be better served in the fight.”

“You already agreed to peace!” Luna barked. “Have you no honor?”

“Says the one wanting to change terms once she knew she was losing!” A flash of anger about her honor being challenged nearly caused Celestia to try and slap her.

Hardly one to back down from Celestia, Luna stood there, daring Celestia to strike her. “It’s called renegotiations.”

“It’s called being impetuous.” With uncommon restraint, she refused to escalate things further. “You never could control that impulsivity of yours.” Upon rendering her sister silent, Celestia couldn’t allow herself to smile in satisfaction. “Sister. We have to be able to trust each other or no peace will last. Do you really want our people going through another nine hundred years of civil war?”

“It is not a civil war anymore.”

“Semantics, and you’re stalling for time you don’t have.”

“To you maybe,” Luna spat heatedly. She dug at the ground once, twice, a third time uprooting rock and stone as she poured her anger into the ground. “Fine! But I still want all prisoners exchanged, and enstripement abolished.”

“Naturally.”

“… So how would this ‘governing body’ work?” A rock had lodged inside in Luna’s hoof, and dug to get it out.

“Give me time, sister. I barely have plan in mind let alone anything solid. We can work it out in private before making any sort of announcement.” Celestia spotted mass movement in the distance, a frightening amount of mass. Time was running out. “But work it out we will.” Celestia pressed her hoof against Luna’s chest. “In a timely manner this go around. I couldn’t accept a fifty year delay before, and I won’t a second time.”

Swatting the hoof away, Luna took a few steps back. “You just be sure to have all Lunarian slaves returned to me. Do that in a timely manner,” she added mockingly, “and I’ll do it.” If she can pull that off, then I’ll know she won’t let herself become a puppet again.

Sighing in relief that she wouldn’t have to end the peace so soon after getting it, Celestia took to the air. “Then we have an accord. I’m going to hold you to this one.”

Flying off to the center of the village with her sister following after her, Celestia arrived to find the camp had an array of white ‘flags’ encircling the place where Rainbow Dash had originally brought them to. Most of the flags were made of tent fabric, but they served their purpose. The Lunarians were in open parade formation as a sign of no belligerent intent.

Rarity stood in her full uniform, wearing Radiant’s rank emblem, and the old stallion was absent. Given his injuries, he wanted the Lunarians to see him in a state of weakness as little as possible.

Across from her was Rainbow Dash who was sweating profusely at the sight of such an equestrian host bearing down on her. In the center, by the Sisters’ request, Twilight Sparkle stood at the ready to arbitrate. By the time the Sisters approached, the brigade was nearly upon them. Four thousand fliers, a great many of them pulling war chariots with mages at the ready, blotted the skies above the village as the army took up positions that would block off any attempt at escape. Many landed in a decent perimeter around those gathered in the village to make the encirclement complete.

Rainbow Dash leaned towards Twilight and Rarity. “Isn’t this overkill for a resupply convoy?”

Giving the officer a bemused look, Rarity shook her head. “Drop the bravado, Captain. It will do you no favors anymore. Let the queens do the talking and you’ll be home by Hearthswarming.”

Her ears wilted as one chariot descended from the rear of the formation, escorted by twenty personal guards. Rainbow hissed back, “you say that, but I got a bad feeling about this.”

“I’m sure we’ll find out in just a moment.” Twilight interjected with just enough command in her voice to focus Rainbow’s attention. “Come now, Captain. You’re the face of the imperial Air Corps. Chin up and look smart.”

The reminder helped, even if Rarity and the alicorns were in ear shot. Twilight kept herself pointing at the chariot as it came down for a landing, but her eyes wandered over the troops hovering above them. It was impossible to tell if they had taken notice of the alicorns at all, or were disciplined enough to keep gossip at a minimum.

One of the escorts peeled off before the chariot landed and approached halfway between both parties. While the mare was taken aback by the alicorns, she did not stop to bow, and pressed on. “Announcing Prince-Consort, Field Marshal Shining Armor!”

Save the alicorns, everyone was left uneasy. For the Lunarians, the Great Scythe of all people was here, and Rarity was no better. If anypony could challenge Celestia’s return to the throne, it’d be him. The army hanging over her head suddenly didn’t look so friendly.

“Shiny?!” Twilight gasped as none other than her brother stepped onto the dirt. She shivered from excitement, and covered her mouth with an armored wing in disbelief as he marched up to them with two unicorns and the pegasus escorts fanning out behind him.

He came to a stunned stop at seeing alicorns, but it lasted only a moment before he did a double take upon seeing Twilight standing side-by-side with the thestral captain. Yet this pause was just as brief as he approached the alicorns.

To the Sisters, and their magical senses, Shining Armor lived up to his name. The inquisitor’s enchantments were discreet and difficult to notice if you weren’t looking directly at them. The prince-consort was another matter entirely. His gold-inlaid steel armor glowed like the sun itself, forcing both sisters to quash their magical senses lest he blind them just by being there. Once they could see him under normal light, he was clearly not in awe of them, but intense forbearance.

Incensed by the perceived lack of respect, Rarity stepped forward, but did not directly interpose herself. “This is her highness, Celestia, the true queen of Equestria, and her sister Luna.”

Rarity you idiot, Twilight thought as Shining’s face hardened.

“That remains to be seen.” Shining Armor stopped just short of Rarity. “Hold on a moment… I fear I miss heard you, because I could have sworn you did not say ‘holiness’.”

“That is correct,” Celestia put forward. “My sister and I want to make one thing abundantly clear: we are not gods.”

Shining studied the alicorns for a brief moment before looking to his sister and the thestral captain. Neither mare gave any reaction to the mundane nature of the alicorns. “Ripping that scab off early, are we? And why does your voice come from that emblem?”

This time it was Luna who answered, making a show of not being impressed by the number of troops. Might as well put on a strong face for her people. It’s not like he’ll act against the obvious parley. “We’ve been trapped in stone for the lion’s share of a millennia. We are trying to learn modern Equiss but we’re not there yet.”

“Trapped in stone she says.” The disbelief in Shining’s tone was palpable. “Twilight, are they the real Sisters and not some homunculi?”

Caught between joy that he still trusted her with such an important question, and left ill at ease by his frigid demeanor, Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat upon realizing what he was leading to. “They are the true alicorns of old,” she said, mostly level, only for a particularly loud spark from her horn to make her flush red. “We freed them a couple of days ago and have been trying to educate them about the present day.”

Souring from the answer, Shining Armor fixed Celestia with a calculating look, one that she tried to meet with calm regality. “Then the only question that matters is, do you plan on deposing my wife? I urge you to speak carefully. My soldiers are loyal to me and Queen Cadenza first and foremost,” he directed partially at Rarity. “Not the church, and not you.”

“Then I like you already,” Celestia replied to keep Rarity from possibly escalating matters. “I do wish to return to my rightful place on the throne. We need not be enemies however.”

If there had been any thawing of tensions from Celestia’s first statement, Shining Armor made no show of it. “Political honesty, how refreshing. So I’ll give you the same courtesy. Why should I let you take the crown? So long as she lives, as an alicorn, Cadenza is a threat to your rule. On the other hoof, if I let you live, Cadenza’s rule would never be secure. The easiest thing to do would be to kill the two of you, and claim this was all a conspiracy to overthrow both nations.”

He wouldn’t exactly be wrong. Luna stepped forward, trying to continue showing no fear against the thousand guillotines flying above her head. “He’s more willing to protect family than either of us, Celestia. Perhaps you should keep him around as a tutor.”

“Now is not the time for your jokes, Luna,” Celestia growled with mounting fear. She saw the veiled fear in Rarity’s eyes and posture. If she believes he’s not bluffing, then this couldn’t get much worse. There was no family tie to hold him back like she could with Luna. “I can assure you Prince-Consort, Cadenza will come to no harm. Given her familiarity with modern times, she would be perfectly suited to be an advisor or my heir. Naturally her official title would be Crown-Princess. Anything less would be an insult.”

If Shining Armor was moved by the assurances he made little show of it. He gave it a moment's thought before fixing Celestia with an iron gaze that briefly danced to Luna. “That sounds workable and all on paper, but you didn’t seem to understand my question.”

He paused, watching the fliers above waiting for him to give the word, one way or another. “Like my sister, I’m a student of history. Not the…” He scoffed in grim derision in Rarity’s direction. “Curated version the church imposed on schools. I read between the lines. Let’s assume for a moment that you are indeed the Celestia of old, why would your return do Equestria any favors, or Luna’s return for that matter?”

Rarity and Rainbow took an aggressive stance forward, but it was Rarity who spoke. “She is our true queen! You would deny that fact?!”

Shining Armor fixed her with a dirty look. “Celestia allowed corruption within the aristocracy to fester in her time, and now you wish to thrust her into a position of power she is wholly incapable of? You don’t correct a gap a millennium wide without catastrophe. Get your nose off the ground and put some real thought into how much damage Celestia's return would inflict, I could write a dissertation on it right here and now.”

Celestia had heard such recriminations from her sister too many times already. For fifty years it boiled Celestia’s blood, and now even after nine hundred years people were saying the same thing. In that moment, her strained regality snapped entirely. “It will not be the same!” She screamed to cut off any reply the others might have given. Celestia stared at a spot on the ground as she tried to contain the roiling emotions. “Everypony thinks that a queen is untouchable, that I have so much power. Well I don’t,” Celestia spat with mounting anger. “You can not run a country alone. I do not make the ledgers, I do not plow the fields, I do not have even cook my own food! By the Sun, I was barely more than the mayor of Canterlot. So I had to delegate everything else. I had to trust those around me to tell me what was going on outside those walls, and I trusted the wrong people.”

In her manic state, Celestia rounded on her sister. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve admitted that to you, but sure, why not do it again?! How did you expect me to react when you refused to hold court for months, suddenly take a holiday, only to come back with an angry mob telling me most of everything my advisors have been told was a lie?! I needed time to think, to verify, to prove. But no, you finally had supporters and you didn’t want to risk giving them up for a measured response.” She pressed her hoof so hard against Luna she pushed her sister backwards.

Luna became incandescent with fury. “You had fifty years to verify,” Luna chided bitterly. “Don’t you dare put your failings back on me! I did what had to be done to cut the cancer out from our people.”

“Oh will you two just stop!” Twilight yelled harshly, silencing both of them. “Is this it? Is this what we came all this way for? A couple of bickering nags?! There’s a reason we ended up thinking of you two as goddesses. You were supposed to be the best of us. A representation of unity and poise. If anypony needed proof historians sanitize our heroes of old well there they sit!” Running more on momentum at this point, Twilight jabbed a hoof at them. “This feud of yours poisoned us for a millennium, and now the two of you threaten to reinvigorate that poison. At this rate, I’m of a mind to believe you two would more harm than what good removing enstripement would cause!”

An eerie silence fell over the crowd, even Shining Armor was left stilled. Luna stole a glance at Rainbow to see if the captain shared the sentiment. The uncomfortable pawing at the ground and inability to look at anyone sunk Luna’s heart. Celestia had no need to look for validation. She burned with silent shame.

“I’ll be the first to admit my failures are numerous,” Celestia said first. “Perhaps I would compound them, but - but I have a promise to keep.” She faced Luna who met her eyes at the mention of a promise. “We both do.”

“Aye, we do. Anger is a comfortable thing, Tia. It pains me to say this, but the arbiter is correct. I will… put forth more sincerity for peace.” It was a start at least; better than what she felt before Shining Armor arrived.

Giving a weak smile, Celestia breathed a touch easier, but the tangle of mistrust she struggled so hard against was a resistant thing. “We can bury our grievances together, and this time we both find ponies we can trust not to keep us apart.” The sisters shared a lingering moment where the other’s face didn’t evoke recriminations and rebukes, only fragments of the love that had been buried under it all.

Luna broke contact first to address Twilight. “Thank you, arbiter. Your rebuke was justified. Do you know of advisers whom I can trust within Lunaria?”

Caught flat footed by the request, Twilight had to shake her head. “Not personally, no. But the emperor is a good stallion, and he is the one who backed this expedition. He believes your return will reinvigorate the nation, and is willing to abdicate to you. He can help you where I can not.”

Sensing the mare likely won’t know much of Equestrian court, Celestia offered a similar question. “And what of your brother? Does he act with Equestria’s interests above his own?”

“You’re asking me too?” Twilight was forced to shake her head. “I’m afraid I can not answer that without bias. Having said that, you won’t find somepony who loves Equestria more than him.”

Shining Armor huffed in embarrassment at the sentiment, but held his tongue.

“Then that is enough for me.” Celestia stood tall and formal. “Prince Consort, you know our people best, when I take the crown, I would ask you to be my right hoof, and Cadenza be my left.”

Shining Armor mulled it over, and wasn’t happy with it. “A touching sentiment, but repairing our… foreign policy doesn't factor into my arithmetic.”

The comment was already unsettling to everyone, but to Twilight it was deeply troubling. “What do you mean, brother?”

He thought about it for a moment gauging the reaction from the alicorns and his sister before shrugging in the end. “I suppose there’s no harm in telling any of you. In case you two haven’t been told, it is an known fact that the royal army dominates the land, but the imperial navy rules the seas. As such my plan is to remove all of you from the continent, and leave you to the new world.

“The land victory will be enough to declare Equestria reunited, even if our race is not. Cadenza will ensure that we make no attempt politically or otherwise to try and lay any claim on the new world. And slaving ships will be banned from trying to raid your shores, allowing you to sink them without political issue. As a result enstripement will naturally fade away as the numbers dry up, and over the years Lunaria will eventually give up all ties to the mainland. From there relations can normalize and we can find more lasting peace between us.”

Rainbow Dash scoffed at it all. “You really believe we would give up on our ancestral homes here? My tribe came from this land as well.”

“Believe?” He laughed grimly. “You’ve already begun the process. Your capital was moved to the new world long before any of us were born, and it's an open secret that your people constantly flock to the new world to escape us. So as far as I’m concerned it’s going to happen one way or another. Sure, there will always be warhawks and hardliners, pining for yesteryear, but as the generations pass Lunarian eyes will focus eastward, and Cadenza can ensure that Equestria does not try to reach you outside of trade. You may think it impossible to cut ties to the land, but about your children? Or your children’s children? Eventually, they will see the new world as the only home they know.”

To that, he directed a dark glare at the Sisters. “However. Your return is… unfortunate. Preferably I would like to believe that the two of you would leave our lands and never show your faces again, but I doubt you’re willing to do that. So to preserve this future of mine, all of you will have to die.”

Inwardly, Twilight doubted her brother would actually have her killed. He’ll probably put me under house arrest until any damage the truth would cause would be manageable.

Luna wanted to speak out against it, but with so many soldiers around her, doing so without a plan would be pointless. She started searching the skies and ground for an escape route, but everywhere she looked were more of his soldiers.

I refuse to break my promise and allow this to happen. Celestia saved her sister from attempting to target Shining Armor in a foolhardy attack by stepping up to him. She leveled a firm, yet motherly gaze. “The plan has its - merits, but if enstripement is everything I have heard it to be, such a passive touch will fail because you only address half the problem. The practice is legitimized by my supposed support, I can be rid of it by year’s end.”

“You seem to be ignoring how many praise the all might bit before praying to you. You can’t end a practice like enstripement by decree alone. You have to make it cost too much for the greedy to cling to it.” Shining Armor shook his head and magically pulled paper and charcoal from a small pouch in his armor. He started writing an order to encase Twilight in a barrier to begin dealing with the others. “Even if you could wave your horn and put an end to it, the floundering of your out-of-touch rule would be unacceptable.”

The others might assume his writing was innocuous, but Twilight knew better. “Shining, the damage will be great, but I know Cadence and you can help Celestia handle it!”

He paused to look weary at her. “How long exactly have the Sisters been freed from stone? Couldn’t be more than a week.”

“Two days,” Twilight replied sheepishly, but hastily added. “It can work, and Luna will ensure Lunaria will not interfere with the disruption to come. They may not yet be fully with the times for months if not years, but with you and Cadence at her side, I know it. Can. Work,” she stressed with the same fire he knew all too well.

Grinding his teeth trying to foresee how each plan could go, months, years, decades long after he dies of old age, Shining Armor mulled over the possibilities. Yet he was limited. War he knew well, but politics outside of the military was never his forte, and he knew this all too well. It was why he had originally left it all to Twilight to handle.

As his thoughts dragged on, Celestia took a few steps closer to him. “There is only so much words alone can say, Field Marshal. Perhaps we should speak another way.”

Breaking from his whirlwind of probabilities at the evocation of his lesser title, he wasn’t sure if he should be insulted or intrigued. “Such as?”

Turning back towards the original negotiation seating, she spotted her national flag and magically pulled it over and planted it in front of her. “We speak to each other as warriors.”

He instinctively sized her up. She certainly looked powerful, and self-confident, but Celestia had no armor or weapon, and nothing close by looked like it was made for her. “If you’re requesting a duel, don’t.”

Luna snorted playfully. “Didn’t think you’d ask, Tia.”

Ignoring her sister, Celestia drew herself up. “It need not be to the death. Call it a sparring match if you wish.”

Snorting in annoyance, Shining Armor turned slightly to the side to better show his pistol and sheathed sword. “You’re asking me to decide the fate of Equestria on ‘might makes right’. The world doesn’t spin on a sword point anymore.”

“The fact that you’re using war to achieve your aims proves otherwise,” Luna countered with a cheeky smirk.

He huffed bitterly, and shook his head. “War is a matter of foreign affairs.” Still, the comment did cause him to think it over a bit. “Then again, it's possibly a summery execution could end up being more trouble than its worth. In that light, I accept.
You shall have your duel, but I will hold nothing back. If you have a weapon or armor, I suggest you use them.”

Glancing at her sister, Celestia kept a strong front up. “Unfortunately, mine were lost in battle.” Along with the Elements, but given that no pony has said a word about them since waking up, the artifacts can wait. “I will duel you as I am.”

“As you are?” Shining Armor was keen to control his outward feelings as a primal part of him was thrilled at the prospect. With stiff effort, he pushed it down to remain in control. “The world already thinks you’re in Elysium. No sense in proving them wrong, I suppose.” Limbering up his neck, he continued. “I’ll keep the rules traditional. You win by either killing me, forcing me to yield, or remove my helmet.”

He walked away from the center of the village, giving plenty of space between himself and Celestia who remained near the pedestal. An officer of his spread the word of the duel to the soldiers. Everyone fled the area, and even the soldiers in the air pulled away.

At the end of a hundred paces, Shining Armor drew his sword and leveled it at Celestia. It was clearly not a cutting implement; only bearing the vague shape of a blade. Runes coated its surface and it started to hum ever so gently. “I’ll be a gentlecolt and give you the first move.”

Celestia tried to study his magical aura during the time in which he walked away and presented his sword. The blinding light never softened, making magical tracking easy in general, but impossible to follow tightly enough to strike him. That left only mundane sight to her. It also made reading his enchantments impossible. Not that I’d recognize most of them anyway.

Getting a solid footing and scanning the ground for possible tripping hazards, Celestia then focused on her opponent waiting patiently. Let’s see if he has the same spell breaker as the captain does. She fell into a tense stillness staring him down. The grounds fell still, and the soldiers all around them grew eager. The bitter cold winds started howling with the first light snow.

With barely enough time for anyone to see her horn light up, she fired a trio of mana bolts straight at him, each one as fast as an arrow.

She expected him to dodge or allow his armor to soften the blow. Instead the attack acted like it struck water halfway to him. The bolts slowed down tremendously as they pushed on towards him, until they were at a snail's pace when he casually stepped aside. “Impressive power. Never seen a bolt get that far without a staff before.”

Shining’s sword glowed a harsh blue and he made several swiping motions in the air. The air twisted and rippled and sped towards Celestia.

Unwilling to test her magic armor after Rainbow being able to peel it away with ease, Celestia sprinted to the right to avoid the attack and magically grabbed two houses and tore them into pieces, ripping them off the ground and flinging them at Shining Armor.

Still not moving from his spot, Shining allowed the twin walls of dirt, roots, and stone to impact his first barrier, causing the whole attack to rapidly slow to a crawl. With his sword, he slashed a gaping hole in the wall of debris and magically aimed his pistol at her.

Still remembering Rainbow’s weapon, Celestia tried to guess where the attack would go and feigned turning around. His pistol crackled with mana and a thin, blue-hot fireball the size of a fist rocketed towards the alicorn.

He can use fire magic then, Celestia thought quickly. She hastily grabbed more stone and shielded herself with it. The fireball struck a stone mere inches from Celestia’s barrel, super-heated rock exploded into shards. A few pieces struck her, but nothing serious.

She tried to observe him closely now, watching as the marshal cracked his weapon open, letting a dark pebble fall out before inputting a brighter green pebble into the weapon before he closed it back.

“Come now, your highness,” Shining Armor chided as he reloaded. “Are you going to actually force me to move or hide behind some stones?”

I've fought my sister enough times to know goading when I hear it. “If you wish to move so bad…” Keeping the stones up as a shield, Celestia gathered her power into her forelegs, reared up, and slammed down. The earth churned and tore itself apart, with massive cracks spreading in Shining’s direction.

Snorting in disappointment that she had to tear the ground apart rather than directly force him to move, he stepped to the right far enough to avoid the fissure opening up. The effort forced him to take his eyes off Celestia for a moment, but it was long enough for her to disappear when he looked back to where she was.

Suddenly the pressure on his outer barrier shot up. He looked up to find a massive boulder bearing down on him. Attempting to repel the thing, Shining found Celestia was still magically holding the boulder, and her sheer power resisted his efforts. Straight from the rule book, he predicted. Even as he stepped out from under the slow moving boulder his sword reshaped itself into a mace. Upon seeing the sky above him once more, Celestia was not far behind, only just now diving into his outer barrier. She was not slowed down nearly as much, but it was long enough for Shining Armor to raise his mace above his head.

Almost too late, Celestia saw a larger, ethereal version of the mace manifesting above her head. Reflectively she twisted in mid air, and brought up her own shield, only for the strike to not come from the mace. Instead Shining fired his pistol at near point blank range. A razor sharp spear of ice struck her in the back and would have impaled her from back to stomach had she been anyone else. Yet the attack still buried itself deep and caused her to reflexively let go of her protective spell, leaving the ethereal mace to come down and slam Celestia in the side and send her flying into the pedestal.

Shining Armor watched her get back up as if she had only been lightly pushed against it, so he opted reload his pistol with a red gem while keeping his distance. “The battlefield shares a lot of the same rules as politics, Celestia. You have great power, but all you can do is flounder about with it.” He searched around for Luna and spotted the dark alicorn hovering above the village. “And I doubt your sister will do much better.”

Luna swooped down to perch herself on an intact house. “Is that a challenge?” She barked as Celestia brushed off some loose dirt and got back into a ready stance.

He shrugged. “If that’s how you wish to take it. If anything it’d be no better for Lunaria if you took the throne as you are. Everypony would openly welcome you, and you’d have no idea who will exploit your ignorance.”

“The bigger the smile the sharper the knife,” Luna replied with a grim determination.

Shining Armor stopped his next attack and rested his mace against his shoulder. “The forty eighth rule.”

“Your sister is a great teacher.”

“That she is,” Celestia announced calmly. “And I’m a quick study.” Celestia slammed her hooves into the ground, causing twin pillars of stone to shoot up in front of her. She took a moment to enchant both of them with purging magic, and she bucked them straight at Shining Armor.

Unfamiliar with such magic, Shining Armor noticed almost too late that the barrier didn’t slow the pillars down. He jumped to the side, yet the irregular stone clipped him on the armored flank, sending him into a painful spiral along the broken ground. Rocks snagged and cut him along the exposed parts of his armor. The glancing strike was enough to make his armor noticeably warmer, but not enough to force him to take it off. It did however cause his mace to revert back into a sword.

Remaining prone, he aimed his pistol in haste and fired. The small fireball came much too fast to block it, and Celestia used her wings to dash to the left, only to find the spell tracked her movements. The fireball struck her right wing, searing off several feathers but missed the meat.

Struck with an idea, Celestia got back up while Shining Armor did the same. She brought up two more boulders as he reloaded. She bucked them once more, only to spin on her forelegs and sprinted after the flying stones.

Shining Armor kept his distance from the path of the boulders, but not enough to avoid his outer barrier from being disrupted again. Trying to buy time for it to come back, he fired at Celestia. The crackling lightning from the barrel ripped into Celestia, carving burnt fur spreading from chest to tail, but the damage was only skin deep.

She staggered and tumbled, but with deft wing flaps, corrected her fall by leaping into the air before Shining’s follow up air slash from his sword could bisect her. She landed hard and fast to resume her charge. Her horn glowed an angry gold, giving her more speed and to distort her form.

“Try again,” Shining Armor chided as he simultaneously reloaded his pistol while slashing the air between him and her. A ripple of shimmering blue energy tore Celestia’s spell apart, and cut shallow ribbons across her face, slamming her against a house.

As her restabilized his outer barrier, he noticed a bloody Celestia swiftly get back on her hooves, and used her wings to rocket herself right at him, forgoing any ranged attempt. He quickly poured more power into his sword, causing it to reform into a kite shield. A second shield formed directly in front of it and stretched to cover a wide area.

Celestia barely saw the much more solid barrier form in time to flare her wings and propel herself above the shield, only to see the pistol was already aimed up at her. Hastily kicking the barrel aside, she pushed it away from her right as he pulled the trigger. A grapeshot of ice lacerated her left wing to the bone, and ruined all of her feathers on that side.

Crying out in sharp pain, Celestia barely controlled her heavy fall with her right wing and angled herself to slam down next to Shining Armor, too close to kick him. Leveraging all of her earthen strength, she hardened her horn and stabbed at the exposed skin below his helmet.

To her dismay, her horn felt like it impacted solid stone as the gap flashed a transparent blue when she was an inch from piercing his neck. She didn’t have time to process his armor extended beyond the metal itself before the Marshal was able to slam his kite shield against her face, knocking her back before pistol whipping her to further push her away. That gap protection must be selective, she thought in utter surprise.

In half desperation, Celestia kicked the ground, breaking the ground under Shining Armor while he was already off balance. With a cry he fell to the dirt. Celestia took a small stone, and filled it with as much purging magic as she could muster in a split second and threw it at him.

Shining’s grip on his pistol and kite shield slackened long enough for Celestia to magically grab his helmet and try to tear the jaw strap to get it off of him.

She managed to rip the strap off, but not before Shining Armor kicked the purging stone back at her. Her spell collapsed as she yanked on his helmet with all her might. The helmet came off with such force it took a good chunk of his mane along with it.

So caught up in the fight, he aimed his pistol once more at her, only for a boatswain whistle to pierce the air, causing him to stop long enough to see his helmet clatter onto the ground.

Both combatants were left still, save for them breathing heavily, unsure if the other would abide the victory. A second or so passed before Shining Armor averted his aim and de-cocked the hammer. “Well fought.”

“And you as well,” Celestia declared while offering a hoof to help him off the ground.

By now, Luna and Twilight had raced to their side while a number of Shining Armor’s aides had arrived as well.

“Good show, sister.” Luna took a moment to actually spot the plethora of injuries, and wasn’t sure if she could have taken such abuse without passing out. With her chest and barrel, nothing had pierced the elder alicorn’s hide deeply enough to cut an artery, but she was covered in lineal lacerations, while her wing however was a crimson mess. The sheer number of smaller cuts only meant one thing to the dark alicorn: infection was sure to come. “You need to be cleaned up and quickly.”

With the rush of battle winding down, Celestia had trouble staying upright as the threat of blood loss started to register. “Perhaps you’re right.” Luna was quick to offer a shoulder to help keep Celestia on her hooves. “Arbiter, summon a healer!”

Shining Armor waved her sister to remain. “I brought my own. Gilded Hammer, fetch the corpsmares.” He got up and dusted himself off to look presentable before his soldiers. “The matter is settled then. If you apply that spirit of yours to your queenly duties, then perhaps your rule will be a fruitful one after all.”

Accepting it as higher praise than Shining Armor intended, Celestia shakily bowed her head. “With you at my side, I have little doubt it will be. What say you, Prince-Consort, will you aid me in the years to come?”

“Aye… I will have to speak with my wife first, but it shouldn’t be a problem.” A chariot landing nearby saw the arrival of two medics racing up to them. “You two, see to Celestia’s injuries, spare nothing.”

The gathered aides made way for the medics and Luna was reluctant to pass her sister off to their care, but knew her lingering presence would only serve as a distraction. The two medics absconded with Celestia to the sick tent.

One of Shining Armor’s aides collected his fallen helmet and removed the ruined strap before returning it to him. “Moving on,” he stated while latching his helmet onto his armor, then focused on Luna who suddenly fell back a few steps. “There still remains the issue of war between our two nations.”

Never in her history had she or her sister had ever lost in single combat against anyone but each other. To witness such a close run thing excited her to no end. Finally, the common pony can offer us a worthy challenge. I hope my people kept the blood sports alive. If his soldiers could fight at even a fraction of their marshal’s talent, she couldn’t wait to listen to her own soldiers’ tales of bravery or for the gladiatorial entertainment that surely awaited her. “My sister and I had already agreed to Uti possidetis, with the caveat of a full prisoner transfer.”

Nodding slowly, Shining Armor mused over the logistics of the treaty. “The lack of new stripes will anger many, but once Celestia makes her stance clear, the outrage should die off quickly. Publicly at least, inquisitor, I trust you and your fellows will handle the quiet dissenters as usual.”

Through it all, the sheer weight of Rarity’s relief that Shining Armor would enable Celestia’s return to power left her giddy. It was unbecoming of her, and she had difficulty remaining calmly professional. “Celestia’s will has always been our guiding principle. Those of my order who decide otherwise will not be an issue worthy of your concern.”

“Very good.” He once more turned to Luna. The dark mare evoke mixed emotions in him. For all his life she was the ethereal boogie man. Now here she stood before him, and after dueling Celestia who was considered Luna’s equal, he was left a bit underwhelmed. Pushing that aside, he pressed on so he could clear the way to his sister. “When Celestia is well enough to travel, we’ll depart quietly for Canterlot. Once matters are finalized with Cadenza, you can have a grand parade for your return.”

While the War of Strife may have been nearly a millennium ago, the war exhaustion in Luna’s bones seemed to weigh on her almost immediately after feeling that peace was truly upon her. “A parade sounds dreadful, but necessary for the people. Personally though, it will be nice to get back to work and… well, live under a solid roof once more.”

Though he hid it well, Shining Armor was a bit forlorn about the coming days. “I’m sure I don’t need to be the one to tell you that a solid roof is far more fleeting than it seems. At any rate, I’ll organize a full military escort for you back to Lunaria. If you have any last business to settle, do it quickly. I can think of better places and times for Celestia to recuperate than this disease riddled… backwater.”

“On that I fully agree,” Luna quipped. “I’ll speak to you again soon.” She departed, finding the skies cleared up as the thousands of soldiers found places or clouds to rest upon. She sought out a quiet nook to rest and reflect.

With Luna leaving and Shining giving orders to his aides, Twilight remained. When the last of them departed, he focused on his long lost sister. “Twily,” he said with a hopeful smile. “It’s been far far too long.”

Risking a scandal, Twilight came up and nuzzled him. “Same to you. How did you even get here?”

“I followed my nose,” he answered with a cryptic grin just to see her squirm a bit before elaborating. “When General Reed took Blackbluff Fort, the captured soldiers spoke of a missing company in exchange for being released back to Lunaria. So I had my scouts try to locate you. Never did see you, but they picked up the trail. Given that nothing was being raided, and that they were taking great pains to avoid notice, I thought they might have been trying to conduct a suicidal attack on Canterlot. I commandeered the first train back home once I narrowed down your route would lead you straight through the Mirage.”

“Ahh. So when that injured soldier was being sent to a hospital, you intercepted the transport.” Twilight tapped her nose and smirked. “I’m sure Imperial Command had a heart attack trying to find out where you were going when they realized you were redeploying with such haste.”

He gruffed and looked out to the east. “I’m sure Mechiburg was relieved. Not that it ultimately mattered. Even if I did manage to lay siege before winter set in, the Imperial Navy still holds dominion over the sea, so starving them out would be impossible.”

“Perhaps we can forget these wars between us now that the Sisters are more amenable to each other.” Twilight shook her head. “I’d rather not talk about politics, not with what little time we have together.”

A morose frown fell over him. “That is a hard thing for me to avoid, Twily.” Even with her request such concerns still passed his lips. “I’d say Celestia is impossibly naïve to think this will work as well as she thinks, but she’s older than anyone alive, even if you discount the imprisonment. Now though… Perhaps I am the greater fool for going along with her.”

“At least you can see it,” Twilight added cheekily.

“I hope you can too,” he jabbed right back, only letting his brief playful tone dim quickly. “I heard you married. I saw Pinkamena hiding in the crowd, you didn’t bring your husband too did you?”

Alarm bells rattled so hard in Twilight’s head her ears started twitching and her horn sparked impressively loud. To his credit, Shining Armor only closed his eyes against the light. “I know that tone. Shiny, he’s a good stallion, and he only wants to be supportive.”

His protective instincts on high alert, Shining Armor tried scanning the crowd, looking for anyone who might look suspicious. “Is he at least useful for more then siring an heir?” After his showing against Celestia, not one Lunarian wanted to match his gaze, save Rainbow Dash returning the harsh glare.

“He’s a chemist actually, and I’ll need his talents for my work.” Twilight shoved him with her shoulder to focus his attention back to her. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

He backed down a bit and sighed to calm himself. “Of course. I just - nevermind. But I must ask; are you with foal?”

“I am.” Twilight shivered a bit, worried how much Shining Armor might react to the news.

He grinned broadly and tried to clear the air by making no effort to hide his glee by hugging her tightly. “That’s great news, Twily! I have little doubt your heir will have their mother’s spirit.”

“Count on it.” Returning the affection in earnest, it felt like her youth again, where she could bury her face into his neck and feel protected from the world. I miss this…

The feeling of so many eyes upon them, eventually forced the siblings to part. “Mom and dad will surely be glad to hear of it.”

Twilight nervously started smoothing out her frazzled mane, always trying to make it perfect, and always failing. “How did they take my - um - departure?”

Shining Armor deflated a bit upon being reminded of what he did to her, but he tempered it with a thin reassuring smile as he laid a hoof on her shoulder. “They were hurt of course, but the blame rests squarely on me. I… I must confess that I was the one who asked Inquisitor Rarity to check in on you.”

A coy, half grin crept over her and Twilight idly scuffed the cobblestone below her. “I know. She told me as much in Manehatten. I don’t blame you for it, if that’s been eating you. I was doing exactly what you thought I’d end up doing.”

The catharsis of being forgiven warmed his heart. He squeezed her in a tight embrace. “It hasn’t been the same without you, Twily. Mom and dad took it hard, but it didn’t take them long to see it was going to happen eventually.” He pulled away to speak. “I think dad was always worried Lunaria’s embrace of steam and steel would be too much temptation for you one day, and mom constantly blames Pinkamena for luring you into abolitionism.”

“She wasn’t wrong, I suppose,” Twilight agreed with a brittle frown.

Shining Armor nervously scratched a foreleg. “Them aside, the newspapers say one thing, but I’d at least like to know if you’re happy.”

Twilight leaned against her brother, savoring his presence after so long. “I miss all of you. Terribly so. But…” Shining Armor roped her into another hug, as if today could be the last chance he’d ever have. “I am happy there. More than I could have ever been if I had stayed.”

It was difficult to hear, but he couldn’t find it in his heart to blame her. “Hard to compete against learning to fly and going along with your mark of destiny.” Shining Armor squeezed her close, wishing this moment would last. “One day, Twily, I want you to get to know your niece or nephew, so I can do the same with mine.”

“I’d love that.”

Everyone went their separate ways later that day. Fully half of Shining Armor’s brigade escorted Luna and the Ninety Second to the closest rail yard that was connected to the Lunarian network that Shining Armor had made a point to capture intact and repair what damage was done over the last two years. While modern portals could transit items faster, mass logistics made the practice prohibitively expensive, and the movement of over two thousand soldiers and gear left the rail line as the best option. Their passage was made easier by Shining Armor sending telegraphed orders down the lines so no one put up a fuss over it. However, Luna remained disguised as a large stallion with a throat injury that took his voice.

Orders or not, Luna’s overt presence would cause unwanted complications.

While the Lunarians spent weeks transiting back to Mechiburg, Celestia had a quiet procession as well. The only fanfare that awaited Shining Armor and Celestia was Cadence and a small detachment of royal guards for his unexpected early return.

His airborne covered carriage orbited over Canterlot once to let the returning queen gaze upon it from above. Celestia was careful not to stick her nose out of the window as she gasped in awe. “Oh my. The city runs all the way down the mountain and into the valley as well, and is part of the city on a platform?!”

“It is,” Shining Armor answered with pride. “Possible only with magic too. The platform was started five hundred years ago, and part of Skyburn Magi-architecture college’s curriculum is to improve the platform’s size and stability.”

“Cities of this size simply didn’t exist in my time, but this - it’s like a blanket of buildings and streets.” The airspace was also busy, crowded by cloud home and businesses tethered by rope bridges and pegasus taxi services. “How many live here now?”

“Close to one million if you include the sprawl in the valley.”

“One mi-million?!” Celestia stared back out at the city below while the early afternoon light glinted off of roof tiles and roads. Pegasi flittering to and fro in such numbers it boggled Celestia’s mind. “That’s nearly half of Equestria’s entire population in my time.”

Smiling with nationalistic pride, Shining Armor joined her on his side’s window. “Canterlot’s only the fourth largest city we have. Between us and Lunaria, there are sixteen cities that have at least half a million residents… Well, before the war that is.”

“How do you feed so many? Let alone tax them. Earthen farming is good, but surely not this much.”

“A few hundred years ago, landed nobility was - how shall I put this… reimagined. The nobility serve a very different purpose these days and farmers are no longer tied to a local lord, but an elected governor.”

“Elected?!” Celestia gasped in utter shock.

Shining Armor frowned a bit. “I suppose there was only so much my sister could teach you in such a short time.”

Celestia thought she had used her time wisely and focused on mastering modern Equiss in every waking moment. Some vocabulary was still missing and her speech still felt too rigid, but she could speak without her spell. Now she wasn’t so sure skipping civic studies was such a good idea anymore. “She did admirably with what time she could.”

With the carriage’s orbit complete, the pegasi drivers brought them down on a private landing pad for the royal family.

Ten golden armored royal guards lined the carriage and stood at crisp attention. Walking out from the castle, Cadence tossed decorum to the wind and happily trotted to greet her husband. When he stepped out onto the marble floor and flashed that winning smile she adored, Cadence giggled madly while nuzzling him. “You’ve returned early! I take it that those concerning matters of yours have been dealt with?”

“In a manner of speaking.” Shining Armor nuzzled her back, taking a shameless moment to enjoy Cadence’s touch.

He knew Celestia had emerged from the carriage when Cadence went stiff from shock. “We have a lot to discuss.”

Far to the east, the moon rose high above the city of Mechiburg. The city was holding its breath. Uncertainty and low level panic gripped the citizens who were unsure if the fast approaching winter would halt Shining Armor’s advance before a proper siege could begin. All of the westward counties had been sacked or burned, and camp fires could be seen from those on the very outskirts of the city. The fliers’ district had been hit first, and many tattered, broken remains of cloud homes and factories still remained where they fell.

Skirmishes bloodied the fields beyond the city, and few doubted Mechiburg would escape the same fate as Manehatten. It was only in the last few weeks that the royal Army’s advance had slowed to a crawl.

So it came as a surprise to the local defenders when a slow moving train bearing multiple white flags emerged from the main camp of the Royal Army.

A pair of lookouts were holed up on a church bell tower, and had been watching the tracks for some time now. Their fellows had placed explosives further down in the off chance the Equestrians thought to try a ploy to get soldiers inside the city.

One lookout grumbled, “Parley? What are the goldcoats playing at?”

His partner wasn’t exactly thrilled either. “Prisoner exchange? Is the only reason I can think of for using a train. Maybe they’re ending the campaign before the snow sets in and don't want to have to feed them.”

“Since when did the Scythe take prisoners?” The first shot back. “Stay here, I’ll go report this to the commander.”

Onboard the train’s first passenger car, Luna, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle waited for Applejack, serving as the conductor, to eventually bring them to a stop. Twilight tried to gaze out of the window, but the city was completely dark. The gloomy moonlight was at least bright enough for her to see a growing number of soldiers gathering around them. In her excitement, a spark crackled off her horn, and she pulled her head back in out of embarrassment.

“Ah, that reminds me, I should return this to you,” Luna plucked her pendant off her neck and returned the ring to Twilight. “You have a far greater need for it than I do anymore.”

“Oh, thank you!” Overjoyed to have it back, Twilight Sparkle reattached the wires and placed it once more on her horn. If nothing else, she was relieved her erratic sparks were under control once more.

Luna was more than a little bemused as to why the ring was so important, but shared her gratitude for something clearly precious to the pegacorn. She almost gave voice to the query on why Twilight placed such importance on it when the mare beat her to a different question.

“Are you sure you want me alongside Rainbow when you get off?”

The genuine concern in Twilight’s eyes nearly insulted the alicorn. “Of course. The good captain here played her part, true. But make no mistake I know I would still be in stone or smashed into pieces by the inquisition were it not for you. I demand you be present for my arrival to the palace and coronation. If you would have it, I would be honored if you agreed to be my royal engineer. That is the word right? Engineer or inventor?”

While Twilight was too paralyzed by the offer to do more than stutter, Rainbow Dash was more than able to answer for her. “Both work I guess, but as far as I know, no such position exists so you can coin whatever you wish.”

“You create such marvelous machines, and yet the imperial court doesn’t have a central figure?” Luna placed a reassuring hoof on the purple mare in an effort to calm her down. “Well that will change soon enough if you want the position.” Twilight was a babbling mess of ideas spouting forth with wild abandon. Luna opted to let Twilight work it out herself. “Must I use the term empress?” She directed at Rainbow while she left Twilight to spin out of control. “It feels a bit too petty just to sound more important than queen.”

“Uh - maybe?” Rainbow weakly offered. “But since Equestria won most of the wars between us, well over three quarters of Lunarian land used to belong to other species. Griffins, Minotaurs, hippogryphs; we’ve annexed a lot. We kicked the other species out, since they refused to accept our rule. Good riddance, honestly. Can’t trust half of them to not eat a foal if you look the other way.”

“Ah, so we’ve driven out our enemies of old, and laid them to ruin. I shouldn’t be surprised that only Equestria could cause us actual concern.” The idea of fighting non-ponies and centuries old grudges made Luna’s blood run hot. If Tia can be placated for the long term, then I can focus the army’s efforts on uprooting those accursed griffins once and for all. They’ll learn to respect their betters.

The loud screech of metal and a slight shake of inertia heralded the train was braking. Rainbow Dash leapt to her hooves. “The garrison must have forced Applejack to stop.”

The action broke Twilight out of her inventive trance, causing her to blink a few times to collect herself. “R-righto then. Captain, I suggest you better go out and spread the word that an armistice has been called.”

“A pity your brother’s camp claims Celestia hasn’t revealed herself yet, or else I’d clear this up myself.” Luna nearly broke the window by opening it as quickly as possible. “Fly, captain, I’d rather not let my subjects start attacking each other.”

Checking her mental calendar and counting the days they had been traveling, Twilight spoke as Rainbow was climbing out. “It’s the twenty seventh now, she said she’d announce herself in two days. So we’d probably still be waiting for a ship to take us to the capital by then.”

Carefully peering through the window while Rainbow announced herself, Luna fussed over delaying her reveal. “My sister never liked being overshadowed. It’s one of the reasons she chose to associate herself with the sun.” Luna cheekily smirked at Twilight. “Which is why I took the moon. She needs an eclipse every now and again to control that self-righteous ego of hers.”

“You… chose?” Twilight looked at Luna’s destiny mark, and it was still the same cloudy moon from lore. “How did you choose your own destiny?”

Flinching as if she had said too much, Luna briefly considered forcibly ending the topic, but worried that could be more dangerous than a small bit of the truth. She’s the one who managed to convince the emperor into launching this expedition. I can only imagine what she’d uncover if her focus goes in the wrong direction. “To - to put it simply, my sister and I are twins, you see. And through happenstance we became alicorns at the same time. It changed us in more ways than horns and wings. Suffice it to say, because we were twins, we tied ourselves to the sun and stars motif because she was an early riser and I am a… how you say… a night owl? Yes, a night owl. Like your sister Pinkie Pie we changed our names after that.”

Okay, that explains why, but not how. Leveraging how to mask her thoughts during business deals, Twilight was able to hide her growing curiosity. Maybe I need to have a chat with Cadence about this if Luna is going to be this evasive. “Interesting, your majesty. But if you’re twins, why is Celestia a little bigger than you are?”

Eager to play a grumpy mood, as it was quite genuine, Luna saw Rainbow had been successful, if the cheering soldiers outside were any indication. “Because the nag had a better growth spurt, and she was born an hour before me. Honestly once we took over Equestria, she said it would be a less embarrassing way to explain our height difference. She was right, and I hate her for it.” The alicorn jumped a bit after realizing what she just confessed. “You will speak of this to no one, understand?”

“To the grave!” Twilight blurted out under the sudden aggression.

Nodding in approval, Luna idly gazed out of the window and into the cloudy sky above. Make good on this, Tia. The world will hear of me in two nights. Make your move quickly.

Author's Note

This took longer than I planned, but the chapter is here a last.

37: The Heralded Return

A married couple sat on the edge of a cliff in the dead of night. Far from any town, the moon and stars shown with brilliant beauty down to them. The thestral couple were resting on the soft grass with the young mare leaning up against the stallion and sleeping soundly. He remained awake, gently playing with a lock of her hair, occasionally eliciting the mare to weakly swat him away.

It was a perfect moment, forever preserved in the stallion’s memories. For over forty years, Blind Speaker recreated this dream to remember his beloved before he was called to war. Before an inquisitor took his sight.

Though his dream self was in the prime of his life, he was old now. Old enough that the dreamscape around him had gotten blurry as memories faded. Colors were lost, the stars were a jumbled mess of light, and even the long dead wife’s voice was off key, and her image was no longer crisp and clear, save only, for her striking amethyst eyes. Those at least, he was desperate to keep intact.

However, his age threatened to rob him of even that. So every night she would start asleep on his belly, eyes closed as he feared his control over his dreams had slipped away completely.

and yet, a part of him tried not to dwell on it too terribly much. He knew his time on this earth was nearly spent, but even so, he wished to fade away with her eyes watching over him.

Suddenly, cutting through his grim thoughts, was the cluck of a chicken.

It took Blind Speaker a long moment to realize there was a crisp and clear chicken pecking away at some dirt nearby. “What are you doing here?” He asked incredulously.

The fowl looked at him for a moment, tilting its head as it studied him before returning to its pecking.

Fully invested into this mystery, Blind Speaker tried to banish the bird. It wavered, like ripples across a pond, but stubbornly remained blissfully unaware.

Before he could start questioning his sanity, a powerful, yet warm feminine voice called out from above. “I’ve always liked chickens. They’re pleasant birds if you can ignore the smell.”

If the sudden intrusion of an unwanted bird in a thestral’s dream alarmed him before, a new voice doubled his fears, only for him to suspect there was actually nothing wrong. “Are you the voice of the great arbiter? Have I died in my sleep?”

“Not yet, honored Speaker, but I fear this will be your last winter.” The voice was saddened by the news he already suspected.

“I never was one to sit by a fire in a cozy home, sipping tea.” He chuckled at the idea of having small talk with the reaper, or perhaps she had finally fractured his mind. “An elder’s purpose is to give strength and wisdom to the young is it not? If I have given succor to at least one soldier in this war, then my death is a good one.”

“Come now, Blind Speaker,” the voice from the stars replied. “Your grandson speaks very highly of you. Modesty was not a virtue he ascribed.”

Doubt as to who or what the voice actually was began to form. “The boy’s a good lad, but puts stock in my deeds unfairly above others.”

“Would you say the same of your granddaughter in law?”

Suddenly, the landscape around him solidified. The stars changing was the first thing he noticed. The stars moved until constellations appeared, and the moon became full. The change made him look down to realize the distant forest below the cliff looked clear as day. Most striking of all, his sleeping wife’s form looked whole and healthy like the day he parted to go to war.

Faded memories battered Blind Speaker into silently weeping. He dearly wished to embrace her, but he knew at that moment, she was not a figment of his memory; someone else had remade her. Leaving her asleep, Blind Speaker looked once more to the moon and stars.

“Is it possible? Has my grandson?”

Rather than answer through words, the moon itself blinked as if it was an eye. When it opened again, Luna was hovering only a few feet away. She stayed there for a time as Blind Speaker was left utterly paralyzed by his patron.

“An old mare’s tale said the stars would aid in my return. If I am the moon, then my champions are my stars. I wished to thank you personally before I returned to the public eye.”

Shaking with cathartic exaltation, Blind Speaker dropped into a low bow. “Are you simply awake or are you in the physical world as well?”

“Rise, honored Speaker.” Luna landed next to him and carefully lifted his head so their eyes met. “You, who was the key to my freedom, bow to no one.” His lips trembled and his heart swelled. “As for your question, Twilight Sparkle says the city is called Mechiburg. I will be revealing myself to the citizen’s dreams before I make my appearance in the waking world. You, however, I wanted to be the first to know.”

Her proud and happy expression darkened to one of melancholy. “Something I wish I had done sooner. I can feel you’re dying.”

A resigned, short laugh escaped him. “The war’s not been kind to us, and winter arrived early here in the north. My bones tell me I have long since overstayed my welcome in this world, and now that I know you walk it once more, I can pass on with a happy heart.”

Luna turned to look at the sleeping mare who had not stirred once in decades. “Before you join her, is there something you would ask of me? If it is within my power…”

“Only that you don’t tell my family. I would not want my passing to blunt the celebrations to come. I have forced myself to linger this long, what’s one more night or two?”

A fragile smile crossed her lips. “If Silver Vein asks, I will say I left you alive and well enough. He asked me to tell you he was proud of you, but - doesn’t want to be you.” Luna had been confused the first time she was told the message, and was even more so when the aged stallion laughed wholeheartedly.

“Just a personal joke between us. I’m sure if you care to one day, you will see I was quite filled with hate back in my youth.” His humor died just as rapidly as it started. “This night with my wife… It was the last one I spent as my old self, before I became Blind Speaker.”

Although Luna fortified the dreamscape, Blind Speaker was still its dreamer, and his fading life caused the edges to darken. “ Could I trouble you to pass a message on to my grandson?”

Luna was keenly aware of the fraying edges of the dreamscape, and knew he was fading. “As if I could refuse the dying wish of the one behind my rescue.”

“Silver Vein is no warrior, and yet he walked deeply into the heart of the enemy to see your rescue through in my stead. I am proud of him beyond measure, and please show his child the love I could not show Silver’s father.”

“I will.” Luna closed in and held his chin. “You do Quiet Night’s legacy proud. Know that your name will be remembered in song and stone. May your next turn on the wheel be fruitful and with honor.”

With that, Luna faded away from his dream. The moment her strength left, the dreamscape immediately began to fray even faster now. With his remaining strength, Blind Speaker kept his sleeping wife intact. He laid down next to her, taking one last comfort from her touch before he too faded for good with a content smile on his face.

Matters were happening quickly in Equestria. A flurry of telegraphs went out to all military theaters to make for their winter camps, and all inquisitors were recalled to Canterlot by order of the Prince-consort.

While the call for winter quarters was well received by the soldiery, it befuddled the other generals who were left wondering why the order came so early. What did not go well, was that a sizable number of inquisitors chafed under the command. However, when the order included a blanket authorization to use the portal network to return, even the grumblers knew better than to feign ignorance of the decree.

The day Cadence first met Celestia was growing late. Radiant Dawn and Rarity Belle stood near the front of the Inquisitorial Prelude, the central hall normally reserved for weekly prayer for all inquisitors and their staff.

The central marble podium currently stood empty, and a grand golden altar to the sun and Celestia covered the front from floor to ceiling in glorious majesty. Stained glass along the walls depicted treasured or dark moments in Equestria’s history while fine seat cushions lined up in front of the podium allowed both conference and worship all at once. With both staff and retainers currently barred from entry, ninety eight of the one hundred remaining inquisitors were present, and there was no word on the whereabouts for the other two.

Grumbling both benign and disgruntled filled the hushed group, yet all of it vanished when Grand Inquisitor Unyielding Hierophant stepped up to the podium and banged the stone for silence. “Brothers and sisters, gathered before me in faith and duty. I share many of your questions as to why we have been recalled by the Prince-Consort. The only thing I can add is that his telegraph to me was quite insistent that we be apprised of a new development that demanded both our presence in Canterlot, and our discretion.” An elder inquisitor, long past his field days, stood up to be heard. “I recognize brother Burning Heart.”

“This time is critical for the war effort, and among all of her holiness’s generals, the Prince-Consort should know this most of all. How are we to burn food stores or winter camps before they are occupied if we’re being pulled back here? Every scrap of bread a Lunatic soldier eats is one more rifle pointed against us come spring.”

“An excellent question,” Unyielding Hierophant replied while immediately waving off others who began standing up. “One among a great many I am sure.” Hierophant made a show of looking behind him and waving two figures forward. “I have been told our brother Radiant Dawn and sister Rarity Belle have our answer.”

Hierophant stepped back away from the podium as the pair took his place. The pair’s expedition was not advertised among the order; point of fact, only three others knew what they had been up to. So it was that those three were the only ones left in tense silence while everyone else waited impatiently.

Being the more senior of the two, Radiant Dawn stood directly behind the podium while Rarity remained tactically off to the side. Some whispered comments on the surprising nature of his injuries as he had not been assigned to front line duties. The stallion held himself with as much poise as his crutch allowed. Even now, his heart hung heavily from the news he bore, but as he surveyed his brethren, he knew it had to be done. “My brothers and sisters in faith. To waste an inquisitor’s time is to give succor to the sinful, so I will be direct. I come bearing news both glorious and terrible. Celestia, the light of lights has returned to the mortal world and to us all.”

Stunned silence washed over the crowd. Some started making the sign of the sun. Radiant Dawn and Rarity also made the sign out of habit more than anything else. With the silence afforded to him, Radiant continued with measured concern in his tone. “Earlier today, Celestia met with Mi Amora Cadenza and the Prince-Consort to discuss a peaceful transition of power. In two days time, an announcement will go out that her majesty will abdicate in favor of Celestia.”

Such an agreement was hardly finalized, but neither he nor Rarity believed Cadence would fight against it.

Finally, a mare had collected her wits and stood up to speak before being recognized. “You speak truly? As I live and breathe she walks the Earth once more?! Don’t you dare jest about such things!” There was controlled euphoria in her eyes, restrained only to await confirmation. Had this news come from some pony off the street, no one would have given them the time of day, but here in these hallowed halls…

“He does not,” Rarity answered firmly. “We are here so the Inquisition knows of this before the public does and can plan accordingly. While many will take this news with proper elation, we would be fools not to think many ponies feel her physical absence was more useful to their aims.”

The level of tension in her voice was picked up by most of them, but the news itself was too monumental to worry about such things. A wild cheer erupted amongst them all. Prayers, chants, and hymns filled the air as exultation was on full display. The formality of the meeting broke down entirely and the concerns of blasphemers were pushed to the side for now. While Rarity let the first two who approached her with questions and praise for heralding Her return, Rarity’s taciturn replies were enough for Radiant Dawn to excuse himself from speaking with Hierophant to bang on the podium. “Brothers! Sisters! Calm yourselves, for there is still much to say!”

Assuming he was going to relay Celestia’s appraisal of their centuries of efforts or to give her first direct orders, everyone hushed to listen in, ears forward and eyes fixated on Radiant. However, the inquisitors before him were zealots first, but intelligence officers second. Rarity wanted to believe everyone would follow along, but she could see faint signs of rebellion, and an inquisitor could ill afford to trust anyone was above treason.

At first, the injured stallion wanted to hold his tongue. So much devotion and zeal. Just how much of that will be lost in the next few minutes? Steeling himself, Radiant pressed on. “Later today, Celestia will be expecting an audience from all of us. For the moment though, I must inform all of you of a difficult truth that Celestia herself has affirmed to me, repeatedly.” Flattening his ears for the coming storm, Radiant imagined he was looking at a firing squad awaiting the order. “Celestia insists that neither she nor Luna, or Cadenza for that matter, are goddesses.”

The sheer unbelievability of the statement left everyone questioning if they had heard him correctly. I could have said fire was cold and gotten a better reaction.

Ultimately it was Unyielding Hierophant who broke the silence and stepped up to Radiant. “Your injuries must be deeper than they look, because you speak of madness.”

“I only wish I did,” Radiant replied stubbornly. “Celestia wished for me to tell you all of this as penance on my part, and so that all of you had time to think it over before seeing her directly later today.”

“Honored Brother,” one concerned inquisitor called out. “Please take care. What you say is beyond heretical.”

At that, Rarity stepped between the podium and the questioner, firm iron on her stance and tone. “How can it be heresy when Celestia herself says as much?”

“If that’s the case, what sense does it make to not tell us directly?!” Another shouted. “Think it over? What rot!”

“Aye!” Shout yet more of them. A younger mare among the crowd stood out from the rest. “You two must have been fooled by some imposter to the crown! I say we go there right now and unmask this charlatan immediately!”

Rarity waved in the castle’s direction. “By all means, Rose Thorn, storm the castle and disturb our rightful queen. Our orders were to inform the inquisition of these developments.”

Rose and many others scoffed at the notion. “Why should we give a single care as to what offends this charlatan?”

“Because our response here today will determine whether or not she will see the inquisition is fit for reform, or removal,” Radiant Dawn replied stiffly as so much movement strained his fractured bones. “Celestia and even Luna are in full agreement on this. The Celestial and Lunar churches are to be disbanded at a pace the public can stomach, and all clergy are up for review. Celestia wants us to prove our usefulness in aiding her in this.”

The chamber immediately exploded into uproar. Threats and condemnations flowed like water. Both Radiant Dawn and Rarity Belle suffered through it in relative silence as a form of penance the two had agreed upon earlier. Even Unyielding Hierophant did not let age diminish his recriminations.

Spital flew in Rarity’s face, voices shouted in her ears, threats of imprisonment, execution, and excommunication filled the chamber, but through it all, she remained firm yet silent. The message had been delivered, it was up to the rest on how to respond. And respond they did.

Nearly a full minute passed before someone grabbed Rarity by the collar and pulled her forward. “I demand both of them be expunged from the order!”

“I have seen enough!” boomed a commanding voice from the main entrance. The heavy oaken doors slammed against the walls as an abnormally tall white mare stepped inside, flanked by royal guards who marched into the chamber. As Celestia marched forward, more guards moved in to encircle the gathered inquisitors. Of them all, only Rarity and Radiant Dawn had the wits to bow in respect.

The shock of Celestia herself appearing from nowhere left them all paralyzed, giving the guards all the time they needed to cut off every exit in a single stroke. “So all of you are supposed to be my greatest agents? Has dogma gripped your hearts so tightly the merest mention of something against it leaves you all as raving dogs?!”

“Bow before the one true queen!” Rarity commanded heavily, shocking everyone into action. A part of her took a measure of vindication from making them jump.

Unyielding Hierophant matched her command with one of his own. “Our true queen rules from Elysium, and Cadenza is her messenger here on Earth. Are you the one filling their heads with this heretical nonsense?” Roughly seven inquisitors refused to kneel to join Hierophant’s defiance.

Celestia magically grabbed him and pulled him over to be face to face so fast he didn’t have a chance to resist her. “I need no messenger now. I stand before you.”

Wrestling himself free of her magical grip, Hierophant dropped to the ground. “Deceiver!” The gathered inquisitors were split. Hierophant and his seven supporters charged their horns. Rarity and those that accepted what their eyes were telling them moved to ensnare the rebels, while those who were undecided were too paralyzed to act. Along the fringes, the royal guards leveled their spears or took the air to get a better angle. Standing in the middle of it all, Hierophant scowled hatefully at the alicorn. “We know the real Celestia. She is a god among gods. Your blasphemy should never have been allowed to get this far!”

Celestia spoke to him, but she directed her gaze out among her inquisitors. “You claim to know me, but the last time I walked amongst your ancestors was nine. Hundred. Years ago. Don’t stand there and tell me it wouldn’t be convenient for some to label us gods and then profit from it. To claim I approve of an act of evil and then do it with a clear conscience.” Celestia flared her wings and called upon a golden light to dominate the ceiling. The same golden light filled in her missing feathers and she took the air in a low hover. ”Tell me, Grand Inquisitor? How long does it take before a lie becomes the new truth? How long does it take for a sin to become a virtue?!” A great many of the inquisitors could not deny her words, but some still clung to dogma, Unyielding Hierophant chief among them.

Two of Hierophant’s defenders were deeply shaken at seeing Celestia hovering while performing magic. Claims of godhood or not, no one could deny her being an alicorn. “Your honeyed words mean nothing to me,” he spat with growing revulsion. The fact that so many of his inquisitors were speaking out against him was the only thing keeping him from attacking. “You are nothing more than a siren trying to turn us from the true path. We’ve dealt with your kind before. Sirens, changelings, all manner of shapeshifters. You will not claim power here!”

“A shapeshifter am I?” Celestia landed heavily and dismissed her spells, while meeting the eyes of each inquisitor. His stubbornness was tiring, but she wanted to keep the inquisition intact as much as possible. “If you speak of them, then surely you have ways of detecting such threats.”

One of Hierophant’s supporters chimed in with a charged horn, a spell danced on the tip. “An autopsy will do just fine!”

He unleashed a lethal mana bolt, only for one of the other inquisitors to magically deflect it into the wall. “Have you lost your mind?” The defender chided. “You think an imposter could have gotten past the Prince-Consort?!”

Hierophant fired off his own spell, but this time Celestia locked her two attackers in a magical bind. Celestia noticed two of them had backed away from it all, so she let them be. “Rarity,” Celestia asked with seething disappointment.

With everyone’s focus on the brief scuffle for so long, the young inquisitor has been sneaking magical needles all along the creases of the marble floor. “Yes, my queen?”

“I believe we have a case of sedition and attempted regicide. What is the punishment for such a crime these days?”

“Regicide?!” Hierophant barked incredulously. “Don’t be fooled by this deceiver! Fight back, damn you! Kill her-”

Silencing him with a spell, Rarity answered. “The same as it has always been my queen: death.” His decades of service, of admiring and fearing him, all the respect she once had for the old pony evaporated in the face of such disrespect to Celestia. Quick as a flash, Rarity’s needles sank into unyielding Hierophant’s ears, eyes, and mouth. She did the same to the other inquisitor who attacked Celestia. They fell over dead before blood even left their bodies. A humorless smirk spread over the mare’s face as Celestia’s enemies laid dead through righteous retribution. “Hubris is the weapon the fool uses to cut his own throat.”

Such a waste of life and talent. Keeping a stoic face, Celestia scanned the attentive faces of the remaining five. All of whom were growing skittish over the summary execution. “You five have one last chance. Submit or be removed.”

To the last, all five of those Celestia had wrapped right in her magic remained utterly defiant. “Then you have made your choice. Were you simple citizens, I would just let you go, but you’ve made it abundantly clear if I released you, all of you would do is everything in your power to resist my rule and wreak havoc.” She turned to the other inquisitors who were left unsure. “Do any of you feel differently? Who here can assure me they will leave well enough alone?”

By now, everyone noticed the number of needles on the ground were waiting for Celestia’s order. Two of the thus far silent inquisitors spoke up. The lead stallion stood next to a mare still bound in Celestia’s iron tight magic. “Your holiness-”

“Highness,” Rarity corrected loudly and calmly.

Sweating even worse, the stallion nodded shakily. “Your highness, I beseech you. My instructor is a good mare, if too stubborn for her own good.”

“Stay out of this, Sunburst!” The mare chided. “If I must die, I do so gladly for the true Celestia!” Bursting a blood vessel, she pushed enough magic out of her horn to free herself and charged Celestia to impale her with her horn.

Celestia glanced at Rarity to keep her needles from interfering. Barely a moment later, Celestia leveraged her earthen strength and longer reach to slam the mare’s face against the marble floor, cracking her horn and the stone in the process. The older mare was left unconscious and bleeding slowly.

Sunburst was beside himself with grief as to what had to happen now, and yet he still had to try. He bowed low, emotion cracking his voice. “Your highness, I beg of you to show mercy.”

One of the other undecided stallions lorded over him. “You disgrace yourself, boy, as well as your instructor. If she dies believing the lie, then so be it.” He cast the youth and those still in Celestia’s magic bindings from his mind to focus on the alicorn. “Your highness, our oaths were made to a fabrication of you. I wish to be the first-” His eyes darted over to Rarity and Radiant Dawn. “Or perhaps third, to renew my vows of service to the real you here and now. Untainted by those who tried to speak for you.”

“Here here!” Rarity cheered, shooting a scathing glare at the four.

Radiant Dawn matched her cheer before adding, “What say the rest of you? You all can see she is truly Celestia. Cast off the old lies and serve the one who we were all sworn to from our induction!”

The fire had returned to the undecided, and they all bowed before Celestia and spoke as one. “Oh light of lights, my life, my soul, is yours to command.”

Celestia released the remaining defiant inquisitors. “Good. See to the prisoners. Redeem them or imprison them, I leave it to you.”

An hour or so later, Rarity walked into Hierophant’s office. Celestia was there, reading personnel files he had kept over the other inquisitors. If there was one place for Celestia to thrust herself neck deep into the modern political web, it would be here. The office felt off now to Rarity, like she was walking on a grave. Though she held no reservations as to the legitimacy of his execution, it was different, now that she was no longer in the moment. “You called for me?”

“I did.” Celestia closed the file and replaced it in the cabinet. She sighed deeply, as if she was burdened by a mountain. “I am still new to these times. Was that handled well?”

Bowing once more out of habit, Rarity spoke with reassurance. “I was actually talking to Radiant about this. It is not a secret that Hierophant was a political animal. His ties to the archbishop are an open secret. Never was an issue until today, I suppose. For what it is worth, he would never have supported you. If he and his inner circle had left that room alive, it’s very likely the church would have time to act against you. At least those that would.”

“Killing one’s enemies… Some things never change I suppose.” Celestia studied the young unicorn and hummed. “You have a question of your own?”

“I do.” Rarity was glad she was giving that tell without being too obvious. “You danced around enstripement. I take it you wished to give us time to reconcile one thing at a time, yes?”

“Something like that.” Celestia walked over to the window and stared up to the castle, only for her eyes to drift down to the market. Walls and buildings obscured most of it, save the stripe market building that dominated the district. Its marble steeples still bore Celestia’s mark of destiny, visible from the office. The mere sight of it boiled Celestia’s blood until the edges of her vision ran red. “When I was speaking with Cadence, she told me she had a convention in the works to present her concerns about enstripement.”

“I am loath to speak ill of her,” Rarity began carefully. “But few outside of Cadenza’s inner circle care much for her concerns unless there is profit to be made.”

“I gathered as much within the first hour.” Celestia bore a dark expression. “I will make sure my concerns are not so easily ignored. To that end, I’ve decided my stance on the issue needs to be crystal clear.” She rounded on Rarity, her scowl slowly shifting to one of vindictive ire. To Celestia, the practice of enstripement was abhorrent enough already, but they made it personal by using her as justification. A simple decree was unacceptable. “Rarity, I want you to review the list of attendees to this convention Cadence organized. Make sure every last merchant and procurer is on that list, and then impress upon them that any absences will not be tolerated.”

Heirophant’s fate left little imagination as to what lay in store for the slavers. Where others might get squeamish, Celestia’s vindictiveness in this issue was infectious to the zealot, who echoed her grim view. Every act she followed Celestia down was unquestionably just in her eyes. “If I may be so bold, your majesty, but can I present a little wrinkle to this presentation of yours?”

The unicorn had served Celestia well so far, and the vengeful smirk on Rarity’s face left her tense. “What did you have in mind?”

“If the purpose of this is to deliver a message, nothing makes ponies talk more than a little drama…”

On the other side of the continent in the early evening, ponies all over Mechiburg were gathering around town square in unsure anticipation. Each of them chatted over seeing Luna in their dreams, and the other half desperate to hear every word of the shared experience. All of it led them all to the square where both city hall and a cathedral to the Lunar faith resided. Soldiers who would have been trying to disperse the crowd for their safety joined the throng in droves. Priests called out as heralds while the mayor stood in the hall’s highest spire watching the skies for something to happen.

Residing in an otherwise empty hotel several streets down, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Luna all stood concealed on its rooftop. Luna watched the crowd with a pair of Rainbow’s binoculars. Anticipation for her grand entrance was making her wings twitch with restrained excitement. She had no need to let officials or the nobility know of her return first. Her place was with her people, the masses that opened her eyes.

And yet…

There had been one noblestallion who had opened that door. Pale Light’s words echoed in her mind. “If the commoners hate you at all, your majesty, it is because they feel you have abandoned them to live in the decadence of the palace. Leave these walls if they feel so crushing, and go to them. Learn what drives them, what troubles them, and then return.”

And to think I started all this because of him. Putting old musing aside, Luna turned to her two companions. “The time is right. Join me from the sky.”

Rainbow Dash was all for the plan, but Twilight was none too happy. It’s all a bit too flamboyant for my tastes, but if she insists I join her, it’s not worth arguing.

The three of them took to the air and sailed higher than normal and as straight up as possible in order to avoid any civilian or even military fliers. Their efforts were not entirely successful as more than once, Rainbow Dash had to fly ahead of them to ward off a number of patrols who spotted their movements, but eventually, the pair managed to swing around with Luna undetected into an abandoned cloud home above the square.

The clouds under their hooves were barely coherent, and while Twilight’s armor allowed her to fly, it did nothing for her cloudwalking. Luna straddled some puffs of white that were breaking apart out from under her weight. “This is perfect. The burgomaster is making a speech and keeping everypony’s attention off of us for the moment.”

Twilight gave up trying to stand on the thinning cloud floor as it just proved too much effort. “We call them ‘mayor’ now, your majesty.”

“I’ll have none of that from you, nor Rainbow for that matter,” Luna cheekily directed at Twilight. “The day I demand one of my saviors to use such a formal address outside of court is the day I am no longer myself. Come now, we have a grand entrance to make!”

Rainbow Dash was practically vibrating with excitement. “This is going to be so awwwesome!”

Summoning the very best illusion magic of her day, Luna made it appear as if the moon had grown five times its size and it bathed the city in its soothing light. The crowd below took notice in a hurry, and looked up with surprise and alarm. Luna took flight and sailed over so it would appear as if she was coming straight out of the moon itself. “Blessed subjects of mine, know that your empress of old has returned!” she bellowed with the might of magic carrying her words to the far reaches of the surrounding districts. Her shadow cast from in front of the grand moon appeared as though an angel of the night had descended upon them. “With the help of your countrymares,” she shouted, signaling Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle to fly out to Luna’s flanks. “ I, Luna, walk among you once more!”

Killing the oppressive light so those below could see her clearly, the crowd was left in stunned disbelief at what they saw. Others further away either flew up or shoved others aside to see.

Recognition brought fresh waves of bewildered excitement. “The dreams were real!” One stallion cried out.

“She’s actually here,” a number of them barely managed to say out of shock.

The crowd closed in underneath Luna, too stunned to bow and scrape as tradition demanded. A few reached out to touch her, thinking they might still be dreaming.

Through it all, Luna was starting to get unnerved by the lack of cheering and her wide smile was cracking. Twilight angled herself to drift in close. “Your majesty, their motor slipped a belt. Just touch a few of them to fix it.”

“Strange way to speak.” Luna still took her advice and made to land, causing those under her to frantically make room. “And you stop calling me that, friend Twilight.”

Twilight was left speechless that even here she could use Luna’s name.

She couldn’t think of a reply before Luna spoke with magically enhanced volume. “Fear not citizens, this is no dream, I am truly here amongst you once more.” She reached a hoof forward and placed it on the closest pony.

It was like flipping a switch. The stallion held onto the hoof as if she might disappear. “It’s real. It’s real! The goddess of the moon is really here!”

The confirmation raced through the crowd like lightning and gossip surged just as fast.

Rainbow Dash and Twilight flew in low and raised a hoof each and spoke in unison. “She Who Protects! She Who Protects!”

The mantra spread like wildfire as everyone joined in. “She Who Protects!” more cheered. Those who could fly took the air so they could see their goddess unimpeded. “She Who Protects!”

Seeing how exuberant her subjects were at her return brought tears to Luna as she waved at them. It wasn’t long before the crowd started shoving against each other trying to catch a glimpse of Luna and the press of bodies was closing in on her

Rainbow had been paying attention, and waited until the barest hint of Luna getting overwhelmed. She took Applejack’s whistle and blew it as hard as she could.

The trill note pained everyone around her, and while it didn’t silence everyone, it did buy the officer a few precious seconds to speak. “Oi! The lot of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Show the Empress proper respect or so help me I’ll jam my hoof up all your tails!”

That bullied those closest into bowing deeply to Luna, and as before, those behind them quickly followed suit until everyone on the ground or in the air bowed before Luna.

At last, Twilight was able to get in close to Luna’s ear. “Your majesty, are you alright?”

“I am fine thank you,” was all Luna would say in front of so many before she bellowed out to everyone. “Lift your faces off the ground my subjects. Treat me as though you would your emperor, not some untouchable goddess. I have no need of prayer or overindulgent prostration. A new night has come, my subjects, for my return also heralds the end of this war!”

It was still dark out over Tranquility. Emperor Eclipse stood on top of the windswept battlements with a glass of Chardonnay. He was left sleepless once again as no word had come about Rainbow’s expedition, save that the Scythe himself had pulled a whole brigade back to the rear. He knew of no behind-the-lines incursion that would draw Shining Armor away from his prize of Mechiburg other than Rainbow’s presence, and it had been weeks since then. “I fear I sent them to their deaths.”

He rattled the ice in his tumbler, grim thoughts danced over whether or not he should sail to Mechiburg to rally the defenders. Sipping his drink, he left the battlements and walked with slow purpose through the halls to a common haunt for him in recent nights: the telegraph office.

The office had been relocated to the palace close to the beginning of the war to help streamline communications and give him the most up to date picture of the campaign.

The castle never truly slept, and he was bombarded with aides and attendants needing one thing or another as he made his way to the office. He bore it all with the dour expression he had difficulty removing as of late.

When he finally arrived at the office he received the expected bows from the staff, but he did not even need to wave them back to work before they did so. The scheduled tapping of twenty of the sixty present telegraphs was a dreary sound. War losses had silenced over half of them. With it being early nightfall on the eastern edge of the old world, Equestrian attacks were few if nonexistent, so only the expected status reports came in.

The director of the messaging service stood up from his desk and offered a bottle. “A top up, sire?”

“Not tonight,” Eclipse replied as he downed the very last of his glass. “If my soldiers don’t have the luxury of getting too deep in their cups, then neither shall I. Is there any update I should be made aware of?”

“Nothing unexpected.” As the director spoke, a number of silent telegraphs came to life. “Just logistic reports of winter supplies being pushed out.” More telegraphs lit up, the operators responded in a brisk pace.

“Any word on if Shining Armor will proceed with his siege or wait out the frost?”

The director’s reply was stalled when he realized nearly every single telegraph was active now. “I fear we will in moments.”

Both stallions watched as each active telegraph to the last tapped away. Operators who were getting a quick bite to eat were practically rushing out of the break room to man their stations. The room was alive with signals from every corner of the old world coming in, and the printing telegraphs spat ribbons of white paper with haste.

“What’s going on?” Eclipse demanded. “There can’t possibly be a full winter offensive can there?!”

The director lorded over the telegraph from Mechiburg. If there was to be an attack, it would be there. “Well?”

“I -I’m not sure, director.” The mare freaked a bit now that both he and the emperor were paying far too much attention to her. “I think the sender is off his rocker.”

Eclipse set his empty glass down next to the printer and inwardly wished he could have taken the time to learn how to read the coded messages. “And why is that?”

The mare shakily brought the ribbon up to the director for inspection. “See? He’s saying Luna herself has appeared right in town square!”

Eclipse felt a surge of hope he had long forgotten. The director knew nothing of Eclipse’s high hopes. “Ask for verification!”

“Sir!” Called another operator monitoring the front lines. “General Nightingale reports the Royal Army is offering an armistice and requests to know how the Throne will answer!”

“Same here, sir!” called another. Then another, a fourth one raised his hoof.

More and more operators raised their hooves or wings. The mood became as electric as the machines they tended to. The director was at a loss for words, and tried to fumble a reply. “I - I don’t get it. They’re winning this war. Why would they want an armistice? It must be some sort of ploy!”

Eclipse no longer needed verification. He reclaimed his glass and smiled with utter relief. “The world as we know has ceased to be, director. You know, I think I will take you up on that top off.”

Author's Note

The Sisters have returned, but will their reign be a mirror of history, or will they rise above past mistakes? vote now on your phones!!

Poll results will not be consulted.

38: Family Ties

With the announcement of the war’s end and Luna’s return, celebrations erupted all over Lunaria. Those who could afford it, flocked to Mechiburg. Leading the charge from Tranquility was none other than Emperor Eclipse himself, along with as many advisors as he could justify pulling from the capital. His flagship was just one of many vessels sailing to Mechiburg.

Rainbow Dash lounged on a balcony overlooking the harbor, counting down the days until the emperor arrived. With the war over, and the siege had not progressed to sabotage actions against the city, Mechiburg had little direct need for her. Its garrison was holding matters together, leaving Rainbow and her company to enjoy some much needed rest.

The balcony door opening and closing, along with the sound of glass clinking onto the table next to her signal Applejack’s return along with some more whiskey. Sitting heavily down on another chair, Applejack groaned in relief at being able to sit. “Salt o’ the sea, it’s been a long night.”

“I know how that feels.” Rainbow claimed her glass with a grateful nod and knocked it back. “The Royal Army pulled out this morning, should have cleared the way to the coal fields, luck holding, the city won’t freeze over.”

Applejack huffed with mirth and decided to nurse her drink. “Just got done say’n the same thing with the boys. Funny though ain’t it?”

“What?” Rainbow asked, tilting an ear at her friend. “Living legends walk the earth once more, and we’re already going back to thinking about such mundanity as keeping warm.”

“Maybe Ah’m just still in that war thinkin’ ya know? Like Ah have to be doing somethin’ that needs doing like making sure the ship’s engine is runnin’ smoothly, not sitting on my duff on a balcony trying to relax after a night a’ dockwork.”

Smirking, Rainbow waggled a wing at her. “The swamp’s still there. You can go visit it for old times sake.”

“Pah!” Applejack wiggled into her chair’s cushions for warmth. “A swamp’s the world’s joke against sailors. Not enough land ta cross easily, and too much of it for a proper vessel. Smells better than the harbor at times though.”

Brief laughter flowed before silence fell over the two friends. With the sun rising, both mares felt the tug of sleep. Truly watching the sun rise for the first time in years, Rainbow Dash eventually broke the silence. “You think there will be real peace between us?”

“If Ah were a bettin’ mare? Probably not.” Applejack sipped her drink some more. “The Sisters won’t take forever to get used to the times. Ah say we’ll be right back at it if they let themselves get dragged by the nose by warhawks.”

Grumbling irritably, Rainbow wished she had another drink. “Well it ain’t going to be started by us I can tell ya that. Not so long as Twilight’s brother runs the Royal Army. Twilight will keep putting peace in Luna’s ear every chance she can get away with if things turn that way.”

“Ah ain’t worried ‘bout him.” Applejack craned her neck to check if anyone from the inner room of the inn was within ear shot. “Ah’m more worried ‘bout what the church’ll do. Luna hasn’t exactly been in a hurry to denounce godhood. At least outright.”

“She’s waiting until the emperor gets here, you know that. In the meantime, she has my boys spreading rumors she’s not a goddess. If she does anything bigger that too early some idiot could pull something.”

“Ah get that, but every day she waits, is another day the Church drums ponies up, and those rumors start causin’ friction.” Applejack shivered at the wrong feeling of it all. “Can’t believe we have ta think the Church of all things is going ta be a problem.”

“Aw come on, AJ. Who in their right mind is going to choose the church over Luna?”

Shaking her head, Applejack saw snow clouds on the horizon, and remembered the weather teams were still out of action. So she got up to find a warmer place. “You said it yourself, Dashie. Who in their right mind…”

Pinkie Pie and Silver Vein were touring the streets of Mechiburg in search of a drink. It had been weeks since Luna had revealed herself and the Royal Army had pulled back to more permanent winter quarters. The city was alive again, and the night life was no exception. Gas lamps lit the way and drunken revelry still spilled over into the road from time to time. Carriages had not yet resumed in earnest, so foot traffic took to the empty streets. Pinkie was wearing a new business dress, a cream white number that accented her curls with ruffles. Silver had a suit on, though that was more for the bitter cold than any nod to fashion.

They had recently departed the Mechiburg Chemicals front office. Pinkie was all smiles, and Silver was still trying to take stock of the deal they had just struck. “I must say, Miss Pie, as much as I am in awe at how you got my shopping list filled and in such a short amount of time, I don’t know how we’re going to store so much at Talon Point.”

“Nary a worry, now. I already have big plans.” Pushing herself against him, nearly making Silver trip off of the sidewalk, Pinkie waved a hoof in front of them. “Talon Point is only a foal right now. Think of it. An academy and research center clinging to the mountain. Storage tanks and pumping stations for fresh deliveries done just so to be pleasing to the eye. Students and scholars coming from all over the country just to meet the director of chemistry himself.”

Growing nervous, Silver practically leapt off of her. “You can’t mean me! I’m only an alumni of two years. I can run a laboratory, but not a whole division.”

“Psh, it's not like the place is a center of learning already.” Pinkie Pie was lost in her imagination until her thoughts drifted back to him. “We’ve still got to build a reputation first, and as my brother-in-law, you have to pull your weight in that.”

Nodding in easy agreement, Silver moved along at a good clip. “You’re right of course. And - and I plan on doing just that. It’s just - say…” He stopped as his eyes drifted over the street while actually paying attention. “I know where we are - ah, the old Rock House.” He pointed at a modest business compared to the other restaurants around it. It was true to its name with irregular stones held together with mortar. The sign outside was a pony sized slab, of all things, limestone leaning against a painted stone lime. “This was father’s favorite when he brought us to town on business. The surf and turf is amazing.”

“I’m in the mood for something greasy and fried,” Pinkie giggled. Although a myriad of smells from the competing establishments tickled her nose, sometimes the best food was found in humble places. “Let’s go celebrate our successful deal.”

Within, the Rock House was alive with patrons. The smell of cooked fish and vegetables dominated everything, but a centrally located fireplace gave light and warmth to the rustic furnishings. Wooden tables were clearly old, but well cared for and clean. The floors creaked a bit with oil lamps offering a cozy experience. A bar was located in the back where a bluish gray earth mare tended to the crowding drinkers. The dining area was tactfully separated by an old fashioned split rail fence.

As soon as Pinkie Pie took it all in, a strange feeling washed over her. It was as if she had walked into a story book. Her previous high spirits were blown away by shadows and blistering heat. Yet before she could explode with fear, Silver derailed it all by nudging her. Pinkie snapped back to the present as the hostess tried to get her attention. “Sorry, sorry, I was just thinking-”

The feeling threatened to return upon seeing the hostess was a hauntingly familiar gray earth pony with straight hair. She looked like a shy mare that had to force herself to interact with others due to the job. Pinkie broke eye contact after wincing in pain.

“Welcome to the Rock House,” the hostess bowed. The mare’s gaze lingered on Pinkie Pie for a moment too long before she shook herself and extended her greeting to Silver. “I - I’ll be your hostess and server: Marbline. This way please.”

Silver had taken notice of both mares’ reactions. He held his peace until they were seated and were left alone to peruse the menu. It wasn’t a big menu, just scraping by with a dozen entries, but it served them well. Silver already knew what he wanted, and watched Pinkie Pie try to recollect herself by focusing on lunch. “Are you alright? Do you know her?” he asked carefully, still not entirely sure how her mind worked.

“Just a headache, Im probably just hungry,” Pinkie tried to laugh it off, and forced herself to focus on the menu and not try to track down the hostess. “But no. I’ve never been to Mechiburg until we came through last time. Let’s just focus on lunch, yes?”

The forcefulness of the question surprised him. As if to completely throw him for a loop, Pinkie did one scan of the menu before putting it back down. “Did I ever say the spaghetti here is legendary? I want spaghetti and gosh golly gee willikers there’s none on the menu.” She abruptly got up. “It’d be rude if we both left.” One of her eyes was narrowed, as if she was still fighting off a headache without touching herself. “You get your surf and turf and I’ll see you later at the hotel, yes-yes?”

“Ahh - s-sure. Try South Street on the corner on McGrag. There was a bistro there last time I was here. The Stale Bread I think it was called.”

“Perfect.” Pinkie looked to the bar where their waitress had pulled the bartender aside and were talking up a storm. Panic and unwelcome headaches surfaced, pushing the aristocrat to depart in haste. “See you later then.”

Craning his neck to watch Pinkie close to run out of the door, Silver was left deeply befuddled. Just what was that all about?

“Silver, my boy, sometimes a question needs not to be asked for answers to land on your lap.” His grandfather’s advice rooted him to his seat as he waited to be served. He didn’t have to wait long before the bartender appeared at his table with a desperate look on her face before addressing him. “Hey, guy, who was that, that was with you?”

The bartender’s gravely voice made her sound older than she looked. Which was quite the feat given her gaunt face as if she had a history of malnutrition. Silver Vein remained cautious. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t the slightest idea who you are. Why should I tell you that?”

He spotted the hostess had been dragged away by work, but was stealing glances his way every chance she got. As for the bartender right in front of him, she looked like she’d sooner beat the answers out of him than remain calm. “You!” Fearing her outburst might be seen as her calling out a thief, she hastily bowed to ward off potential onlookers. “Pardon, sir. The name’s Limeria Stone. The - the pony you were with looked a lot like my lost sister.”

“Is that so?” His curiosity peaked, Silver abandoned all intentions of eating and gestured to Pinkie’s old seat. “Then please, sit and tell me what you can.”

Later that night, Twilight Sparkle was utterly at a loss. Luna had tasked her with writing a speech and all Twilight had managed to pen was ‘The’. The grumbling over her desk grew by the minute until she cried out in exasperation while crumpling the page and throwing into the fireplace. “Why me?! Tell me to make a machine to move a thing from here to there or blow something up, I’m your mare. But don’t tell me to write a speech in front of a church!!” She cast a leering eye towards townhall, and an evil plan started to form. “Why should I write a speech when there are plenty of more qualified ponies barely a hop skip and a jump away? Delegation my dear, Watson!” Jumping to her hooves and making for the door, Twilight already had several ideas on how to wrangle up a proper speech writer.

Yet the door opened first, revealing her husband. She had to backpedal a bit to come to a stop as he smiled warmly and bowed a bit. “Ah, how goes the work, my beautiful star?”

Inwardly blushing, as she had never truly been the focus of such flattery before Silver, Twilight straightened up to look her best. “Badly, my charming knight. I’m off to get a proper speech writer.”

“Before you go,” he said as she started to step aside so he could enter. “You haven’t seen Pinkie Pie anywhere have you?”

“Last I knew, she was with you. Did something happen?” The lack of urgent distraught on his face kept Twilight from growing concerned.

“She was, but - well, I’ll just come out with it. It’s strongly possible we had a run in with her original family.”

“Her or-” The speech was instantly forgotten, and Twilight ushered him inside to avoid any gossipers. “Hurry!” Once he was in, she bolted the door locked and dragged him over into the central sitting area away from the exit and any windows. “Tell me everything!”

Growing up in the Light household left Pinkie with no taste to drown her sorrows, but she could certainly eat them away given enough time. She had found a bakery that had opened early during the celebrations, so it was well stocked for her.

A stack of four pie tins sat next to Pinkie Pie as she contemplated if she could stuff another pie in her maw. The latest pie sat there in front of her, her spoon dangling precariously on her plate. She was sitting on an elevated boardwalk above the street. Revelry had died down in the area after the weeks had passed, though the parties were still going strong near town square.

Pinkie might have stayed there for hours, trying not to remember had a familiar purple mare not claimed a seat next to her table. Even in her present state, her adopted sister always warmed her spirits, yet all she could muster was a feeble grin. “Hey, Twilly.”

Twilight had only a thick dress and scarf to keep out the cold, her armor nowhere to be seen. Sitting close to her sister, Twilight at least had a stronger smile. “Hey, Pinkie. Straight hair is not a good look for you.”

“Is it?” Pinkie pushed a lock of hair away to study it, and sure enough it was straighter than an arrow. “I guess Silver told you what happened.”

“He did.” Twilight rested a comforting wing on Pinkie’s shoulder. “But I’d like to hear the story from you too.”

Looking back towards her half-eaten pumpkin pie, Pinkie winced as she dredged those painful memories back up. “Ever since I woke up from being striped, I’ve occasionally had nightmares. Fires, shouting, a bleeding mare holding me close, somepony calling my old name.” She closed her eyes tightly. “My name is the only thing that I can clearly remember. The faces are obscured, but I still remember my name being called.” Tears leaked through, which encouraged Twilight into hugging her tightly wings and all.

“So all this time, you lied about your nightmares?” Twilight’s accusation had more chiding annoyance than bite to them.

It didn’t have the desired effect of derailing Pinkie’s mournful thoughts. Instead, Pinkie hugged her right back, as if she were the last thing keeping her from falling off a cliff. “I didn’t want you to feel guilty. If I pretended I didn’t remember anything, You’d be alright. You’ve already done so much for me, I didn’t want to burden you further.”

Pulling back to meet her in the eye, Twilight still held firm with her wings. “Pinkie, I love you. You know you could have shared that with me.”

Rubbing her tear stained face with a fetlock, Pinkie still felt utterly out of sorts, but her sister’s encouragement buoyed her spirits. “Thank you, but it was my - I guess I was just being stupid, huh?”

“As if I haven’t run on stupid ideas more times than I can count.”

“Like walking through the ruins of Manehatten?” Pinkie offered. A light giggle escaped her, and the mare’s hair started to curl once more.

“We made the best of it,” Twilight shot back harmlessly. Hoping the time was right, Twilight pressed on. “Feeling well enough to see your family?”

“You’re my family,” Pinkie instantly rebuked, her gaze hardening. “I don’t even know them.”

Twilight let go and made to leave. “And you never will if you don’t talk to them.”

Her hair falling straight again, Pinkie reluctantly stood up to trudge after her. “And what if they’re a bunch of ne'er-do-wells?”

“Then you can at least lay the question to rest.” Twilight walked past the entrance to find the two soldiers Rainbow had assigned to her were still at their posts, holding onto her armor.

The mares didn’t have to walk far. Silver had talked Pinkie’s family into joining him hours later at a grand hall where balls and other scheduled soirées were held. While the widespread revelry gripped the city’s common folk, the aristocrats were already cutting things short to return to work. The hall’s client list had dried up a few days ago, and were more than happy to accept the pittance he offered to have some privacy for a few hours.

Growing more hesitant with each step, Pinkie stalled just on the other side of the massive oak doors separating her from them. The door’s push plate in front of her bore her warped reflection. Her thoughts raced. She didn’t know them, nor did they know her. Twilight was all she needed for a family, and her old one had gone on just fine without her. Pinkie already had a mountain of things to take care of once they returned to the new world, why add more to it? She should just tell Twilight it was all a big mistake and-”

As if sensing Pinkie’s thoughts, Twilight rested an armored wing on her. “Pinkie, if you don’t do this, the ‘what ifs’ will claw at you forever. No matter what happens in there, you’ll always be family to me.”

Closing in to nuzzle each other, Pinkie felt her nerves calm down. “I can do this.” Pinkie separated and dusted herself off to look the part of a proper lady, an act she and Twilight did together. Once they felt presentable, Pinkie took a slow breath and stepped through the door.

Seated at a table only a few meters away was Silver and the mares. All three stood up as soon as they saw Pinkie walk inside. Two of them Pinkie recalled from the Rock House. The last was a humorless mare almost to the point of being neutrally dour. Pinkie would have taken the last one to be the mother if she didn’t look to be close to the same age as the others. If there was one thing that surprised Pinkie the most it was how subdued they all acted.

As Pinkie walked up to them, the mare with pale purple fur took the lead. “As I live and breathe, you were right Marble.”

“I told you so,” the meekest of the bunch said through a lock of long gray hair.

The first grumped before speaking again. “You were taken real young. You probably don’t remember any of us, do you?”

Pinkie wanted to look towards Twilight, but kept her gaze locked on the three mares. It was eerie, like staring into a mirror. Granted none of them shared Pinkie’s vibrant colors, but she could see the familiar eyes, jaw and cheek bones, even their manes fell the same way hers did. There was no doubt about it, these mares were family, possibly as close as sisters to her. “All I can remember are… blurred faces. But your voice is - familiar.” She glanced behind them and saw that Silver Vein was tacky behind everyone. “I suppose you’ve all been told, but manners are manners. I go by Pinkie Pie these days.”

“That we were. Name’s Limera Heidi Stone, but just call me Limestone.” Limestone’s voice and mannerisms were gruff, reminding Pinkie of a jaded Rainbow Dash.

The painfully stoic mare was next, “I’m Maudiline Catherine Stone. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” if she truly felt any joy, her voice certainly didn’t betray it.

“That’s - wow.” Pinkie got an idea from the first mare. “Can I just call you Maud?”

Without so much as a blink, the mare nodded. “Everypony already does.”

Limestone cackled before eyeing the thus far silent one. The move jolted the pale gray mare forward. Like her sisters, she had perfectly straight hair and muted colors. “I’m Marbalina Daphne Stone. Just Marble Stone is fine.”

Uncomfortable silence fell over everyone as no one knew what to do next. For all of Pinkie’s talent for socializing, she felt utterly lost.

Silver lightly stomped the granite floor and spoke with a chipper tone. “Well now that introductions are done, how about we get some refreshments and catch up with each other, yes?”

“A grand idea,” Twilight echoed. While Silver rolled a cart over, Twilight briefly introduced herself before ushering everyone to sit. “Miss Limestone, why don’t we move on to what happened that dreadful night and go from there?”

“Yeah. The Unshackled said that'd be a good first move.” Speaking as everyone claimed a seat and Silver doled out some watered down lemonade, the only thing the ball had on short notice. “I don’t know how much you remember, but Ma and you were at the mine when the slavers hit us. Paw and the rest of us were on the other side of town at the smelter. The mine was the first place they struck, hoping to trap all the miners inside so the rest of them could focus on foalnapping the townsfolk and then go back for the miners. Paw always said he wanted to go back and save you two, but with the three of us, he couldn’t bring himself to risk it. So we fled to the garrison. By the time the troops swept through, you, Ma, and fifty others were gone.” Limestone grew heated, gritting her teeth and trying to drag a groove into the wooden table with a hoof. “Bastards ruined us beyond just taking the two of you. Ma was the one with the Rockterate. Without her, we had to sell the mine for pennies.”

Maud put a restraining hoof on Limestone. An act she shirked off, only for Maud to get up and use both forelegs to press Limestone back into her seat. “You realize Luna named Lady Twilight as personally responsible for freeing her, yes? We owe her much even without our sister being here.”

Limestone scoffed dismissively. “And freed Celestia if you remember the news interview.” Limestone turned her irritated gaze towards Twilight. “Sure the reporter didn’t exactly spell it out, but you’d have to be an idiot to miss it.”

Pinkie beat Maud in rebuking Limestone by replying in a dangerous low voice. “Speak that way about my sister in front of me again, and I will ruin you. I don’t care if you are blood. I didn’t need you an hour ago, and I certainly don’t now.”

Marble shoved herself between Limestone and the table as a way to forcibly break her sisters’ eye contact with each other. “Please, a thousand apologies. Lime’s always been a firebrand, and after what happened to you and mom, she’s only gotten worse.”

Reluctantly allowing Maud to plant her back into her seat, Limestone was caught between embarrassment for such a show and felt wounded Pinkie would actually do that. Shame made her avoid looking at either noble for the time being.

“I will reserve judgment for the moment,” Twilight stated firmly. “The war has taxed us all, and you have all suffered a fright from facing a siege. From what I’ve been told, Shining Armor’s sieges are… brutally effective.”

Pinkie Pie certainly sympathized with Marble and Maud at least, but her heart couldn’t connect to them.

With tempers cooling down, Maud worded her query carefully. “If it is not too much to ask, do you remember anything of that night?”

Closing her eyes tight, Pinkie tried to control her hyperventilation whenever she tried to recall such memories. “I don’t really remember much of that night. Just panic, fire, angry voices and crying. The first real thing I remember is waking up in bed at school wondering what happened yesterday. I ahhh -” Pinkie had only ever told this to Twilight. Anyone else was a bridge too far. “It’s where I was trained on how to be a personal servant.”

“A slave you mean,” Limestone rebuked more harshly at the word than the speaker. “I’m surprised you still can’t call it what it was.”

Her headache was pounding now, and in that haze, Pinkie took Lime’s words as an attack on Twilight, and that was one thing that could flare her temper as high as the stars themselves. She’d heard it all before during business deals or meetings. There she had to play it off or be polite with her displeasure. But not here. Pinkie’s face and voice darkened and she jabbed a hoof at Limestone. “Maybe the others were slaves, but don’t you dare presume how it was between Twilight and me. Our family may have ripped apart that night, but Twilight threw her life away to save me and some other red stripes! She wasn’t some miner family, her brother married Queen Cadenzia herself, so don’t you dare lump Twilight in with the rest or I’ll-”

Twilight pressed Pinkie’s hoof to the table. “Sis. Please. She didn’t mean anything by it.”

The pleading was like a wet blanket on the fire of Pinkie’s anger. Shivering some stress away, the earth mare pulled back. “My apologies.”

Limestone was less sure about how much she could control her mouth, so she opted to keep it shut and nodded. Marble Stone was apprehensive about speaking up, but with Maud keeping a close eye on Lime, it fell to her.

“So umm, as you… put it, we’re miners by blood but with Ma gone and the town in flames we had to move east. Paw never could get somepony to partner up with a new mine. At least that’s what he told us. After running one for so long, he didn’t want us working for somepony else’s mine because he didn’t trust anypony to treat us right. So we ended up in Mechiburg. I don’t really remember how we came to own the Rock House, but the city’s been kind to us. We earned enough money to put Maud through university to get her Rockterate.”

Twilight’s ear twitched and her mind started working up an idea. Ultimately it was Pinkie who spoke up first. “Where is father, by the way?”

“Dead most likely,” Limestone grumbled, her tongue proving too volatile to stay still for long. “It was his idea to scrap every penny we could to put Maud through school. I’ll admit it, she’s a lot smarter than I am. So we all busted our tails so she could do it. But the work and grief over Ma… It got to him in the end. Some nag introduced him to an opium den.” Limestone and Marble’s faces grew bitter, with Maud remaining stoic. “It wasn’t long before he couldn’t pay his visits there with his own money. He started taking from the restaurant and our own share of the pay, claiming we were coming up short.” Limestone ground her teeth with reddened eyes. “The House was packed all the time, and we were still losing money because she kept dragging him to the dens.” Limestone punched the air, wishing she had a face to hit. “I ended up beating that nag within an inch of her life while Marble tried to sober him up. By then he had already taken too much and we were going to lose the House.”

Marble laid a sympathetic hoof on her sister before she chimed in with deep melancholy. “To make it up to us and pay off Maud’s tuition that year, he indentured himself. When the war kicked off, his contract was bought up by the army. Haven’t seen a letter from him in months.”

Maud patted her sister’s back, sharing her sister’s growing sorrow, but as always, she barely showed it. “I made a small shrine to his honor in the Rock House when I came back.”

“He tried so hard, he really did,” Limestone added hastily. “He went nights at a time eating the scraps left by the customers so we could have full meals. Everypony has a limit.”

Pinkie was left in emotional shock. She knew she should share in their mourning, but all she felt was sympathy for a stranger’s misfortune. She hung her head, unsure of what to do or how to feel. That alone terrified her and to her bones.

Trying to take a page from his grandfather, Silver Vein tried to say something uplifting. “Indeed we all do, but I must ask,” he turned to Maud. “As far as I know, Mechiburg doesn’t host a university with a Rockterate program. Did you graduate?”

Nodding with a flicker of visible pride, Maud remained outwardly steady. “I was the valedictorian of my class. Although, more than half dropped out to join the fight. If it wasn’t for all the sacrifices my family had gone through to put me through university, I’d have gone too.”

Seizing on that, Silver mimicked some of his grandfather’s grandiose posturing. “Then your family’s sacrifice was not in vain. Just as our foremothers stood strong against Celestia’s neglect, you three are proof that our strength has not faded, nay, I’d say you surpass even them!”

While Maud was not visibly moved, a proud smile pulled on Marble’s lips, and even Limestone’s scowl diminished. “Ya ain’t your grandpappy, but I’ll give you marks for trying.”

“He’s got quite the charm if you let him loose,” Twilight commented with a wink at him. “Begging your pardon on this, but what does a Rockterate allow you to do, exactly? I gather you need one to own a mine, but is that all?”

Maud shook her head. “Uh uh. Anypony can own a mine. But if you have a Rockterate, you can make legal prospecting claims for all things solid, liquids, and gasses. I was also taught how to run a mine properly, and work hazards. We’re presently saving up so I can go on a prospecting expedition so we can open our own mine one day.”

“It was Paw’s dream,” Marble said with forlorn sadness.

“And what Ma would have wanted,” Limestone added. “Even if I’m an old wrinkled crone, I want to strike the earth once more.”

“I see. One moment please.” Twilight pulled Pinkie aside to whisper. “Pinkie, how are you feeling?”

Through it all, the younger mare couldn’t think straight with her migraine, and was caught between feeling immense loss and frozen grief that she didn’t know how to thaw. “I don’t know.” She wanted to laugh. It always made the painful past seem less daunting, but today, she found it impossible to do so.

That was never a good sign. Twilight yearned to see her curly, perpetually cheery sister return. “We’ll be going home before too much longer. Do you want to get to know them better, or leave them be?”

Pinkie tried searching herself for an answer. Anything that felt right, but when one reply touched her lips, another thought caused her to go quiet again. All she could squeak out was another, “I don’t know.” She tried to start laughing, but couldn’t do anything more than singular ‘ha’s’ before stopping.

Twilight’s ears wilted at the miserable shape Pinkie was in. She was just as lost as to how to help. A few moments later, Silver walked over to speak in confidence. “Pinkie, I think it would be best if you stepped out to take in some air.”

Slowly nodding, Pinkie stood up. “Yes - yes I think that’s a good idea.”

As Pinkie walked off, Twilight made to join her, only for Silver to tug her wing back. “She needs to be alone.”

Pinkie was too out of sorts to notice she was alone, and Twilight tugged her wing free. “Why? She’s liable to get lost or worse.”

“It’s something I learned from grand dad. If you want to help her best, leave her be for now, and let your bodyguards watch over her.”

Looking back to her sister, Twilight grumbled fiercely, but ultimately acquiesced. “You know more than you’ve been letting on.”

“Not exactly. Please, I’ll explain what I know.” Understanding the other mares would need to hear an explanation as well, Silver sat back down.

Twilight itched to follow after Pinkie, but she knew the escorts Rainbow assigned her would follow after Pinkie given her state. “This better be good.”

Not wanting to anger his wife further, Silver was quick to explain himself. “To understand what she’s going through, you have to know a couple of things about the Unshackled. Red slaves are passengers within their own bodies. They can see, hear, and feel, but have no control. However, if they’re lucky enough to be freed, they often times are their old selves, save for what damage living that horror does to them. Largely because their memories from before enslavement remain untouched. That, and reds are typically adults or at least teenagers to begin with.

“For the looser chains, it’s different. Ponies like Pinkie often don’t feel any connection to their old lives or family, even if they’re reintroduced. As far as they’re concerned, nothing before being striped matters to them. Some even wish to return to Equestria, as that is the only life they know.” Silver leaned in towards his wife. “The fact that Pinkie Pie is so out of sorts is a good sign. Her old self was never truly gone, only buried.”

“So what can we do to help?” Twilight looked towards the trio of sisters. “You wish to help, yes?”

Limestone slammed the table hard enough to crack it. “Damn straight. She’s blood, and Ma and Paw would have wanted her back.” Marble and Maud echoed the sentiment.

“That’s good,” Silver chimed in. “Because she’ll need you three to help bring her old feelings to the surface. Do you know how old she was when she was taken?”

“I believe she was four years old,” Maud stated, receiving no argument.

“As rough as it is to say, that’s good.” Silver paused to try and make that sound less clinical, but he never got a chance.

There was no question in Twilight’s mind on what to do. She looked to the Stones with firm iron. “Then it looks like you three will be coming with us back to the new world.”

“I appreciate that, however…” Marble started while nervously rubbing a foreleg. “Helping Pinkie is important, but we don’t have the money to set up a new life over there.”

Before Twilight could speak, Limestone stomped the crack in the table. “I’ll be damned before I take a job as your house staff. I’d rather beg on the street than sweep your floors.”

Twilight bore it with growing irritation. She has the nerve to think I’m stupid enough to make them house staff while their sister stands above them? Twilight sighed darkly at Limestone, and adopted a bitter tone. “I was thinking about something a bit more… useful.” Twilight tapped the table near Maud with a wing, she at least held Twilight’s respect. “Do you recognize this metal?” Most ponies believed it was polished steel, yet Maud spoke after a single glance and hearing the sound of the armor against wood.

“It’s aluminum.” Raising a single surprised eyebrow, “a very ostentatious display of wealth, if it was common enough for most ponies to be familiar with it.”

Recovering the wing, Twilight was pleased, though it didn’t pierce her scowl. “It’s not a display. If you’ve been following Pinkie in the news, then you should know about my armor.”

“What are you getting at?” Limestone barked with resentment. She didn’t care if Pinkie defended her or not, Twilight still looked the part of a slavemaster to her. Which made Pinkie’s defense of Twilight all the more biting to Limestone.

There was only so much insult Twilight was willing to accept, so she ignored Limestone entirely to focus on Maud and Marble. “I have a number of projects I had to put on hold when I went on the expedition to free Luna. Chief among them I plan on making aluminum cheap. Dirt cheap, and I need a reliable source of bauxite to do it. I had been planning on starting some mining concerns on the trip home, but with you… I propose that you form a subsidiary company under Sparkle Industrial. I fund your prospecting expedition in the new world along with the start up capital for three ventures. A bauxite mine, an oil drilling operation, and one mine of your choice entirely. You, Maud, will be the overseer of it all and can run the mines as you see fit, provided I never hear of a miners’ strike or legal issues. In exchange, I’m your first privileged customer and I receive an appropriate percentage of gross profits. Once you prove you can run the operations effectively, I’ll be willing to entertain further operations.”

Upon hearing that, Marble gasped and her eyes widened in stunned delight. “You would do that?!”

“I would.” Twilight stood up as well. “Pinkie may have been born into your family, but I adopted her into mine. If your presence helps her, then that is a labor I am willing to bear. Think it over and come back to me at the Sweets Hotel when you’re ready to hammer out the numbers, then we can finalize the contract once we arrive at Tranquility.”

“Wait!” Limestone called out, still recovering from the enormity of the offer. “What happens if you’re the reason for the strikes, huh? You going to rob the mine out from under us?”

Maud glared at her elder sister. “You certainly have a knack for diplomacy don’t you?”

“Oh come off it,” Limestone chided back. “Don’t tell me she’s not following the one hundred and eleventh rule by roping us into this.”

Huffing dismissively, Twilight flicked her nose up at Limestone. “If my displeasure with you was high enough to warrant sabotage, I would have dealt with you personally long before that point.” Twilight stood up to leave, causing Silver to do the same. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to catch up with Pinkie Pie. Good day,” she added with distaste.

She departed the hall with her husband in tow, and once they were outside, she was glad one of Rainbow’s soldiers was indeed missing. Using the bitter cold air to cool her temper, she cleared her throat. “Silver, dear, remind me to ensure Limestone governs the mining venture furthest from Talon Point. I have no need for such abrasiveness.”

“Naturally. I doubt you’ll need the reminder though. A pity they probably wouldn’t be willing to leave her here. I thought Marble and Maud were at least amicable.”

Twilight briefly instructed the soldier to lead on to where Pinkie had wandered off to. “I feel you’re right. Thank the stars adopting Pinkie doesn’t mean Limestone is part of the house.”

Author's Note

Next chapter is already on the way. But for now, place your bets!

Will Limestone stop being so sour? Will marble see her value? Would Maud marry Spock? Will Pinkie discover Advil? Has Twilight thought of a baby name yet? You might potentially get answers at some point. Who knows, right?

39: Sister Act

Explosions, gunsmoke, and the wails of the wounded assailed Powder Burn. The earth stallion was marching in formation with his unit, hugging a war engine as close as its wheels churning on the broken ground would allow. Laid ahead of him was a line of Equestrians rifles. During the early months of the war, the engine’s dampener would have been peppered by ammunition imbued with shadow, fire, acid, and a myriad of others. It had all fallen away for ice. Even as he walked alongside the engine, the volleys of icy bullets remained intact just long enough to sprinkle his nose in dust, where before other rounds faded before he could even flinch.

A two note horn blast from the engine whistled painfully loud. His column and the engine halted, they were in range now. His line sat on the trampled grass, brought up their new Bessy rifles and with a smooth practiced motion, kicked out the bipod. The much bigger line of Equestrian soldiers arrayed against him fired again. The wall of ice struck the dampening field, and the spray of snow flurries was so thick thier line disappeared beyond it. “Fire!”

The rifle bucked in his shoulder, and the bipod tore at the ground. Dozens of Equestrians fell, but nowhere near enough. Powder and his line worked the lever, his Equestrian counterparts could not. He fired again, seeing his bullet strike true. The Equestrian line did not buckle as dozens of unicorns pushed forward and summoned one long angled shield.

He fired again, the volley was largely deflected away. This time, the engine’s cannon spoke. A cheer rang out from his line as a shield mage was pulped by the ball, opening a hole that was hastily patched up.

Distant booms sounded from behind the Equestrian line. In frozen horror he saw cannonballs of uncaring iron bounce off the grassy ground in front of him. So terrified, he stopped mid-aim as the ball grew larger and closer. The soldiers behind him fired, seemingly uncaring about the certain death screaming straight at them. He flinched, only for the ball to miss him by inches. The mare to his left and all those behind her were not so lucky.

“Keep firing!” His commander from on top of the engine demanded as the engine’s cannon barked again. “We have to take that hill!” A second cannonball slams into the engine and bounced off of it, and kareening straight for Powder, he flinched away and closed his eyes. The end did not come.

It took him a while to realize he was still standing, a little longer to notice there were no sounds of battle. Opening his eyes he found himself standing on a small flower covered hill overlooking a military field camp. Hundreds of rows of tents with double that number of ponies coming and going. Some sang songs that were lost to the wind, others carried water, and others simply chatted with one another or sparred with pikes and swords.

“War certainly has changed since I last knew it,” a strong feminine voice called out to him.

“It has?” He rocked on his legs, feeling a strange absence. He looked down at his forelegs and was astonished that both remained whole. It dawned on Powder Burn that he was dreaming. However, only thestrals could have such control over their own dreams to know that unless… He felt a presence to his left and turned in excited haste.

A boulder warped and reshaped itself until Luna, his patron goddess, stood before him with a proud smile. “Oh yes, you have weapons far worse than arrows to contend with compared to my own time, I can see why your emperor does not lead from the front. Do not feel disgraced by your fear. I doubt many can claim to have survived such a wound.”

His mind was thrown back into that battlefield and his eyes went vacant. He remembered the cannonball that had taken his forelegs as if it was moments ago. The feeling of lying on the ground howling in pain as his column marched around him froze his heart. “The Equestrian infantry kept using magic rounds to keep us bunched up next to the engines, while their solid shot artillery cut us down. I heard they kept the cannon shot small enough to keep from stopping the engines too quickly.” Tears welled in his eyes as the faces of friends and battle brothers, both dead and captured filled his mind. He collapsed to the ground in the same way he had done before on that fateful day, weeping both for them, and for shaming himself in front of his goddess for such a display. So many times before during prayer, he would always confess fears, doubts, and would weep to her like he could never do in front of his fellows. However, with Luna here before him, there was no barrier between him and her, no filter to hide behind, for Luna sees all. So he didn’t bother trying, for if anyone already knew his pain, it would be her. “We failed you, your holiness. We tried, we we tried so hard-”

Luna was quick to wrap him up in her wings and held the broken veteran close. For the longest time, she cradled him like a mother, allowing him to weep his pain into her shoulder. Slowly, when his dignity tried to resurface and he started controlling himself once more, Luna released him, and gave the grieving pony a motherly look of pride. It was one she had far too much practice on during her own war. “I do not see this war as a failure, Powder Burn.”

“You know my name?!” Her appearance was a gift as it was, but to be known by his goddess by name?

Giving a sidelong grin, Luna replied, “I heard one of your friends say it back there. But heed me. Our nation has endured much in this last war, and you have all suffered, but Lunaria remains. It has done so for far longer than I had even thought possible.” She helped him stand once more, only this time, his real prosthetic forelegs had appeared. They were crude things, but it kept him out of a chair. “You must remain strong with your head held high, not just for your country, but for yourself, and those who care for you.”

Coming from Luna, Powder could stomach no excuse. “I will give my all, your holiness!”

Hiding her forlorn sadness, Luna masked it as best she could with confidence. “None of that, soldier. I am here among you once more. Once I take the throne, “your grace”, will do.”

A bit confused, but not one to argue over it, Powder nodded crisply. “As, your grace, my apologies.”

“You did your duty and brought honor to your name, you have nothing to apologize for.” Luna couldn’t find it in her heart to straight up tell him she was no goddess. He was already so badly damaged, that she feared the knowledge could break him before he had a chance to find his footing again. So instead, she chose to try and lift him up. “A more philosophical leader than me once said: struggle is the test of a pony. War is the supreme struggle.” With a hoof, she gently guided his chin so his eyes met hers. “You may not think it, but you passed that test. Yes, you are damaged, you may even believe the war broke you. But in you I see Lunaria itself, and I see the strength to pick up the pieces and rebuild yourself to be stronger than before!” She rocked him a bit to hammer it home.

When she let go of his chin, there was a change. His eyes hardened. He looked down at his prosthetic limbs for a spell. He struggled to his hooves, with Luna backing away to give him space. “You are too kind, your grace. I-.. He dearly wished he could think of something profound to say, but words failed him, so he ran with it. “My words may fail me, but I will not fail you, your grace.”

She lingered a bit, hoping he would retain that fire. “I must go and help your brothers and sisters in arms. Sleep well, Powder Burn.”

Luna’s form evaporated. Instead of remaining on that hill, Powder now found himself sitting in a tavern with five of his best friends with wooden mugs cheering for him to join the festivities. Drink and mares were in abundance, and for the first time in months, Powder slept well.

Luna’s dream walking and rumors seeded by the Ninety Second denying Luna’s divinity had swept through Mechiburg for nearly a month now. Murmurings among the populous were rife with scandal and the Lunar Church was desperate to put it to an end.

The city mayor sipped the last of his cold coffee as he finished the night’s efforts on arranging transport to the new world, and he was not alone with Luna. One of his aides recorded everything, but more importantly to Luna, Twilight Sparkle was present to assist Luna with technological knowledge she was lacking.

The war was over, but with so much land having been lost, more people than ever wished to deal with griffins as neighbors rather than Equestria. Even now, tent cities and a growing number of slums were cropping up anywhere refugees could get away with it. The city had over prepared itself for a siege, but if the refugees did not start leaving en masse soon, things could get dangerous.

Sighing with mounting fatigue, Luna stood up to look out over her people. The euphoria of her return still lingered, but she could see the need for normality was returning. Their troubles grow, and this cheer of theirs will rot on the vine if I do not act quickly enough.

Ultimately, she knew her efforts in this were already reaching their limit. The navy had escorted the only two ocean liners which were hazardously overcrowded before she had arrived. Unfortunately, her appearance had halted those efforts entirely. Metal ships still boggled her mind, let alone vessels of such size and power, but she saved such musings for privacy or when she was alone with Twilight or Rainbow.

A frantic knock on the door disturbed the proceedings as a priestly robed stallion barged through the door with the hapless secretary trying to stop him. Barely a moment later, a soldier flew over the secretary and drew a pistol on him. “Move again and it’ll be your last!”

“Your holiness,” the young stallion cried as he prostrated himself. “I beg you for an audience.”

The mayor propped himself up on the desk to scold the intruder. “Father Graceful Flame, what is the meaning of this?”

Twilight remained by the panoramic windows while Luna had been close to the desk.

Luna had been expecting something like this for a week now after she had visited a number of clergy members, but she had to act the part of being insulted. Even so, she left her tone friendly, yet invoking forbearance. “At ease trooper, and you, pick your face up off the floor so I can hear you.”

The preacher struggled back up to his hooves. His mad dash through city hall to avoid the soldier from stopping him was more exercise than he had had in years. “Your Holiness, I have tried to rebuke these rumors, but more and more of the flock are questioning your divinity. Not even my brethren of the cloth stand in unison! They say prayers go unanswered, and many continue to have nightmares from their time in battle, while others confess that you appeared in their dreams saying you are no goddess!”

The mix of confused faces, especially from the mayor, made Luna sweat.

I warned her she should have been visiting the ruling elites more than she has been. How do you think you can keep the peace faster? Informing a few ministers or trying to get the whole population first? Twilight leveled a tactful, but clearly annoyed eye at the alicorn.

Luna shook off Twilight’s displeasure by throwing up an air of confidence. “Then it seems my message has been getting through to the waking world,” Luna huffed irritably, more at herself, but everyone except Twilight saw it as annoyance towards the preacher. “I planned on making this announcement in the waking world at the coronation, but those of you in this room might as well know now. I am the same mare your ancestors rose up to fight alongside. I bled beside them and called many of them my friend. But make no mistake, I am no goddess, and your foremothers never saw me as one.”

“But…” Graceful Flame shook his head to clear his thoughts. “I beg of you, please tell me you speak in jest!”

Even the mayor was shaken. “Truly? But surely you’re being unnecessarily modest, yes?”

“I most assuredly am not,” Luna declared firmly. “To make such a claim would be a sin of hubris of the highest order.”

Twilight’s ear perked up at that, and she gave a hum of curiosity.

“So it is true after all?” The soldier dumbly asked before realizing he was speaking out of turn. When Luna’s eyes fell upon him, he hastily saluted instead of bowing out of instinct. By the time he realized his second mistake he dithered on if he should let move or correct himself. “My deepest apologies, your grace!”

Luna always had a soft spot for soldiers, and leveled a nodding grin. “Be at ease, soldier. You may return to your post.”

As the soldier departed, Luna’s next comment was cut short when the pneumatic tube along the wall closest to the mayor started rattling. Moments later, a red capsule popped into place.

“Red!?” The mayor bowed to Luna. “My apologies. But red is only used for extreme urgency.” With Luna waving him over to it, the mayor’s aide was quick to claim the capsule in her magic, and opened it to read. “Urgent from the Navy. The Emperor’s fleet has been spotted on the horizon. Time to dock: twelve hours.”

The room became electric with excitement. To the last, everyone was eager for Luna to take the throne after hearing Celestia had done the same weeks prior. For Luna, it also meant she’d finally be able to formally enter negotiations to write up a peace treaty.

With a side-grin on her face, Luna returned her attention to the priest. “Fear not, Father. Since all eyes will be on the coronation, I will address the matter immediately before taking the throne.”

“You mean the faith you follow?” Twilight guessed with practiced grace. When Luna and the priest looked at her with surprised respect and astonishment, Twilight clarified. “You said calling yourself a goddess would be a sin not a crime.”

Luna was pleasantly surprised by the question, though she hid it well. “You are well read, Lady Twilight, do you know of Terra?”

Tilting her head a bit, Twilight shook her head. “Is that an old name for the Green Mother?”

Her face wilting, Luna sighed out of sorrow. “No, it isn’t, although my sister thinks so. If you haven’t even heard the name, then all knowledge of it must have faded. Perhaps the druids know of Terra...” Summoning her emotional strength, Luna snorted to clear the air. “There is still much to do, but matters of the spirit are no less important. Father Graceful Flame. I share your pain, though the cause differs. I will have need of the church in due time.”

“To spread the word of Terra?” If Luna bowed to a power higher than herself, then Graceful fed the fire of his faith with anticipation upon seeing her nod. “Then I will hold the flock together and await your truth!”

Emperor Eclipse found himself standing on the battlements of his palace with his empress at his side. The earthen mare was dressed finely and he was lucky to actually love his wife. Together, sharing some fine wine and grapes, the pair watched the heavens as a meteor shower lit up the night sky. It was a dazzling display of lights that made her happy, which was enough for him.

Matters of state made such moments dearly precious, as reliving them, even in dreams was rare. So rare in fact that Eclipse was not taken aback by suddenly coming to realize he was dreaming.

His empress rested her head against him when a silhouetted face appeared on the moon. “I wish I did not have to interrupt such a blissful dream,” the moon apologized.

The empress yawned and started dozing against him. Eclipse gently placed her on the ground so he could speak properly. “Your holiness… or would you prefer your grace?”

The face on the moon twisted until Luna stepped out. “You are either quite perspective, or you heeded Lady Twilight better than she believes.”

He bowed before her, his heart leaping for joy. However, he was not a pony who had the luxury to avoid matters of state. “By the time she came to me with your journals, I thought she had been a gift from you. She is an industrious and cunning scholar with a rare gift to inspire the loyalty and friendship of others. While some people's loyalty is worth their weight in gold, hers is, amusingly enough, worth its weight in aluminum.”

“I should be angry that my private thoughts are being so widely shared,” Luna quipped with a smirk. “But I’ll let it pass this time.”

“You are far and above too kind, your grace.”

Luna landed close by. Her beauty was everything he had imagined. She was a warrior queen with the poise and grace that shamed all other mares before her. “Twilight’s praise for you is equally generous. It took courage to see past faith to patronize her expedition. Rare is the soul that willingly surrenders power.”

“It is the oath every emperor swears upon accepting the throne. To seek you out and return that which rightfully belongs to you. To do any less is not only shameful, but would delegitimize my family’s rule for these last nine hundred years.” Eclipse tried summoning some wine glasses, and found it easy to accomplish. He presented one to her. “To abdicate to you would not only be a great honor, but would allow my forbearers to rest easy knowing my family’s honor was upheld to the very end.”

With a grateful smile, Luna accepted the glass and they toasted. The wine was both strange and delicious to her. “As much as I would prefer to simply be friends with a chivalrous stallion such as you, I do have important matters to ask.”

Giving off a halting laugh, Eclipse swirled his glass, refilling it in the process. “I suppose not even dreams can be an escape for me now.”

“They can be again, but I have come on behalf of Lunaria, and on Twilight’s suggestion. Although to be fair, Captain Rainbow Dash claims this was her idea.” Luna dithered a bit to build suspense. “You need not step down. Instead, we could marry.”

Eclipse dropped his glass out of shock. “Marry?!”

Luna willed the broken glass away and created a new one for him. “Yes. A blind mare can see you are both beloved and a capable leader. I…” Luna’s eyes fell upon Eclipse’s sleeping wife. “Know she passed away due to childbirth. I would not want to replace her in your heart, but I feel it would make the people happier.”

A sad snort escaped him, and Eclipse set his glass down on a battlement. “Your offer is a kind one, but I must respectfully decline. That same oath that demands I abdicate to you still stands. I know Lady Twilight speaks out of pragmatism and the good captain speaks out of staunch loyalty, but it would be seen by most that I am clinging to power. It would disgrace my house, and a scandal such as this is the last thing we need. The people's efforts should be on rebuilding, not calling for my head.”

“You honestly believe the same ponies who love you would turn on you so readily?” Luna felt less sure of herself now.

Eclipse didn’t want to say it, but felt it dragged out of him. “To a modern Lunarian, to be a noble is to truly embody the word. Failure to do so is not taken lightly or bloodlessly as often is the case. You set the example that day when Celestia forsook her honor in defending the robber barons of old.” He sipped his wine, barely tasting it. “The commoners try their damnedest I say, but the poor are not expected to conduct themselves to the same level as a noble, let alone an emperor. When you can’t find enough coin to feed yourself, honor becomes a luxury.

“Please believe that I am happy to return the throne to you, but I can not be the one you marry.”

Luna closed her eyes and gave a slow breath. “I understand. In that case, ask anything of me. If it is within my power, I will grant any wish you have.”

“A wish?” Eclipse took up his glass once more and raised it to the moon. “I wish to one day walk on the moon. To go beyond this world and to visit your stars! Barring that, some descendent of mine accomplishes this feat.”

Luna couldn’t help but to laugh behind a hoof. “Walk on the moon? The stars?” She calmed a bit. “If it is ever seen as possible, I will ensure your son or daughter is the first to set hoof there.”

The following evening, Mechiburg was alive with barely restrained energy. The emperor’s ship had docked and his procession was headed straight for town square. Luna could have placed this meeting anywhere, but she wanted it here, in the commons.

There would be no ostentatious pageantry today. Nothing more than what rolled-up navy blue carpets they could find, and an award stand absconded from the university. Her people might argue otherwise, but Luna wouldn’t have it. Mechiburg needed to save its money for other matters, not a ceremonial budget that would cripple the city for years to come.

It was perhaps a hold over from the first years of her kingdom’s existence. With few noble houses supporting her independence, she had grown accustomed to making do with scraps.

While Twilight was quietly appalled by the slapdash nature of it, she was hardly going to make a scene. No. As she stood behind and to the left of Luna, watching the Emperor making his way over on hoof, she was more concerned by daydreams of finally making it back home to her workbench. Cooking up new inventions that could reshape the world was all she truly wanted. That, and her growing pregnancy was making travel difficult.

To Luna’s right, Rainbow Dash was practically vibrating with excitement. The honor of standing there during Luna’s ascent to the throne was an honor she still couldn’t wrap her mind around. What she did know was that history books would surely sing her praises for eons to come. Nay! Her name would be synonymous with freedom! Ponies would look to the stars and would think of Luna first, but Rainbow second. Since Twilight will be old as dirt before she dies, she better give the Ninety second and me a whole chapter in her memoirs. No, a whole book just for us!

As for Luna, her attention was split. The emperor and his entourage dominated her attention, but she watched the crowd insistently. The square was absolutely crammed with citizens and refugees alike. The dimming sunset washed the clouds of fliers in a warm light. Everyone who could move was present. The eager, adoring faces filled her heart with hope. Even after all this time, her people loved her. Or, a troubled thought crept in, do they love me because they think I am a goddess?

Rainbow’s rumors and wild tales of Luna’s dreamwork had spread up and down Mechiburg. A great deal of people knew Luna’s truth,but far too many still waited for her nightly works.

The cheering crowd quieted as Emperor Eclipse made his final approach. His string of advisors and attendants fanned out so each could display their loyalty. Everyone, save Luna, bowed to him, because he bowed to her. “My goddess, I can not express how much your people have longed for this day.”

Her face wilted a bit. “Rise, please.” When Eclipse did so she continued. “Now that you are here, there is something that must be said before I can take the throne.”

A speech was expected, although he had assumed it would have been after he abdicated. He banished his confused pause with a submissive nod. “Far be for me to deny you.” Correctly assuming she wanted to take to the air, he backed away to be parallel to his chancellor and Archbishop Faithful Hymn.

Luna jumped into a hover several feet into the air. When she started speaking, she would rotate so all could see her face, but she used magic to project her voice. “My dear citizens, I can not express how proud I am of your continued struggle against Equestrian dominance. Over these short and daunting weeks, I have heard and read stories of great heroism and self-sacrifice that would make your ancestors proud. Although this war turned against you, our brave soldiers and sailors gave their lives and risked their freedom so that our banner would still fly! And while we have been bloodied, I assure you that if Equestria comes for us again, it is they who will suffer for it!” She ended with a shout, eliciting thunderous applause and echoing warcries.

“That said,” she began after the cheering was starting to drag on. “My biggest regret is that for these last nine hundred years, I couldn’t be there with you. Through spell, shot, and steel, my place was to be with you, and I wasn’t. For that, you have my deepest apologies.” She gave a moment’s pause. “That being said, I know what many of you may be thinking, something I have told many of you in your dreams. I wish I was there, along the walls and formations. Through trials and tribulations. That I wish I could have been there to listen to your plight. But I…”

The thought of so many holding onto a comforting lie and ripping it away from them pained her so much her words failed her. It was easier on an individual level inside of dreams. A single pony was easy to explain things to, and even then she couldn’t always manage it. To do so in front of a city was daunting.

Only by chance did her gaze fall upon Twilight Sparkle. The pegacorn subtly nodded. Renewing Luna’s resolve. My people are better than that. How can I hope to rule off of such a profound lie? She focused once more on the thousands of faces hanging on her every word. “The fact is that, as much as I wish that I could do all those things, I wasn’t there. I could not hear your prayers, nor could I watch over you. Because I am not a goddess, nor is my sister. No alicorn is a god for that matter,” she added with dire steel. “All of you need to know this before I can accept the throne.”

Whispers sprung up immediately among the crowd. The rumors and dreams being vindicated caused a surge of debate and quiet shouting that rippled through the crowd from front or back. It might have broken into violence had Rainbow's company not been providing security. Even the city garrison was left paralyzed.

Barely fifty feet away, First Sergeant Jacks’ ears twitched to some harsh tones. Some pegasi and thestrals were arguing, and he could see a fight before it happened, and moved to intervene.

Similar scenes were cropping up by the second the longer Luna’s silence dragged on.

While the Ninety Second was bluntly keeping the peace, Luna knew they didn’t have the numbers to do it for long. Even with all her efforts, there were simply too many people for her to visit everyone in person. Eclipse had expected this, and glanced back at his personal mage to signal a voice projection. “Your grace, may I?”

His seeming foreknowledge of this stunned Faithful Hymn who held his tongue out of inability to speak rather than respect. Even so, the old unicorn’s face and stance were caught between fire and brimstone and demanding answers.

Luna landed gently back on her stand, holding herself high all the same. “It is as you feared. Please, you know them best.”

Faithful stumbled at the request. Eclipse had hastily prepared some key arguments since the dream, but needed a few moments to put them into proper words. He was not deaf to the growing dissent coming from the crowd and stomped the cobblestone. He wasn’t ready, but he needed to act before his Honor Guard felt the need to retreat or assail the crowd before it became a mob. “Citizens, heed me!”

If Luna’s admission caused chaos, his booming command silenced it. A second court mage levitated a small dais for him to stand on above everyone’s heads. Now that everyone could see him and the imperial crown resting upon his brow, any returning murmurs died before they could resume. He scanned the crowd, making eye contact with as many as he could. “Some of you remember the oath my house made when Luna was taken from us all those years ago. King Crescent Shadow, first of his line, swore upon taking the throne that should Luna return, that the throne would return to her.

“If anypony knew her best, it would have been those who fought beside her all those years ago. Who abandoned the injustices in Equestria and risked everything in the hope that Luna could see what her sister could not.” His voice grew more commanding now, daring dissent to show itself again. “If Luna is so firm with this denial, then all of our foremothers knew this truth, and swore to serve a pony. One of great power, true, but still-” Eclipse paused, still trying to soften his tone, to show he shared their pain. “A pony. She is the same pony who broke from her blinded sister to give our founders a better life. It was she who led our warriors from the front when Celestia tried to take us by force of arms. She, who slept in the mud so our wounded forebearers had a tent to protect them. It was she, who gave up the luxury and comfort of the palace to live as a pauper alongside our ancestors as they built new homes and lives here on this very soil! How can we denounce and deride her for not being a goddess when it was we who claimed she was?

“Well I say nay!” He returned to his commanding tone to shame such notions. “She gave us the strength to resist the tyrants of old, and she will do so again!”

He thrust his right hoof into the air. “She protects!”

Almost to the last, everyone repeated the gesture. “She protects!” The crowd cried out in renewed vigor.

Eclipse turned around so the others could see his devotion. “She protects!” He shouted hard enough to make his throat sore.

“She protects!” The crowd was deafening now.

Everyone, save Luna herself, echoed his salute again and again.

At last he waved for silence, and upon receiving it, he turned back to Luna, remaining on his floating dais so no one would miss it. “Your grace…”

The air was electric as he carefully removed the crown from his head and presented it to Luna. “It is my privilege to discharge my family oath. What once was yours, is returned to you.”

Luna flew up to hover slightly above him. She claimed the crown, taking a brief moment to marvel at how her old crown of a silver band with a crest of her mark of destiny had evolved into an intricate piece of art of silver and gems lined with exquisite fur. The moment she placed it on her brow, Eclipse’s dais was lowered down until he was just a head above the crowd. “All hail Empress Luna, long may she reign!”

His Imperial Guard behind him cried out, “Long live the Empress!”

Twilight and Rainbow followed, and after them, the vast majority of the crowd started chanting “Empress Luna! Empress Luna!”

The alicorn inclined her head to Eclipse before facing her exuberant citizens. The cheering surged anew. The adulation she feared losing remained, and Luna was all too happy to bask in it.

Down below, Twilight was happy for her, but she kept her eyes on the ground. Through the forest of raised hooves and cheering smiles, she spotted more than one face of betrayal or false grins to fool their neighbors. The crowd was too dense for her to identify any of them, not that she could ultimately do much about it. Just warn Luna and Rainbow about it, and endure the trip back home. It’s not my business.

Bright and early in Canterlot, Celestia, Sunset Shimmer, and Cadence were all waiting in a sitting room just outside of a box seat balcony in the local hoofball stadium. Sporting events were not the order of the day, and yet this was the best place for Celestia to do what must be done.

Cadence was doing some breathing exercises to stay calm and regal, and only stopped when she noticed Celestia was watching her. “S-sorry, it’s a calming technique my father taught me.” When Celestia replied with a neutral “ah”, Cadence saw it as an opening to speak. “I must say, I’m glad you approved of my idea of a summit with the movers and shakers of the stripe industry. And equally surprised you disapprove of the practice.”

Disapprove? Sunset Shimmer mused as she tactfully watched Celestia. That's certainly not the word I would choose. Even now, the elder alicorn unsettled her. Not only did Celestia carry herself with utter confidence and self-respect that surpassed even the last queen Corona, but the alicorn was a champion at maintaining a diplomatic face, save for when enstripment was brought up. Others may have missed the signs, but one does not achieve the role of majordomo by being oblivious. If inquisitors were masters at reading a pony, Sunset could do one better. It had taken her only a day after first meeting Celestia to arrange work schedules so that absolutely no servants were to ever work anywhere near the queen. Three days after that, Sunset had gone so far as to start quietly shuffling the castle’s workers, purging all the servants she could, and as quickly as she could. Replacing them with regular staff wasn’t overly difficult when staffers in other government buildings would kill to work in the palace.

The one thing she did not do however, was to spread this observation to a single soul, not even her political allies. If there was one other thing Sunset noticed, is that Celestia kept her stance on enstripement close to the chest, and all the allies she had were not worth the alicorn’s wrath. If Sunset harbored any doubt in this assessment, today would serve to confirm it, of that she was sure.

Upon hearing Cadence’s words, Celestia’s professional smile leaked a vindictive grin. A barely perceivable raising on the edges of Celestia’s lips and a dangerous glint in her eyes. Oh yes, Sunset was doubly sure she had the right of it.

“It was a grand idea,” Celestia said to her younger counterpart. “I would be remiss if the issue wasn't redressed before I sit down with Lunaria to sign the peace treaty. I too am gratified to know you share similar feelings on the matter as well, however I felt the need to… how does the saying go? Put my own spin on it.”

Sunset felt a chill run down her spine. Is that why half of the inquisition and royal guards were waiting in the wings? She stole a glance at Cadence. The queen-turned-princess seemed to fret a bit, but appeared to remain oblivious to the true danger before Sunset’s eyes. What a waste that she became an alicorn. I wouldn’t have resisted Celestia’s demand for the crown either, but she could do with an heir who isn’t so… blind.

“Lady Shimmer,” Celestia opened with a neutral tone, jarring the mare out of her thoughts. “You’re being awfully reserved. A bit for your thoughts?”

Shoring up her professional airs, Sunset Shimmer pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. “My apologies. I was just thinking of some contingencies for the backlash of your ‘not a goddess’ speech’.” It wasn’t completely a lie. Sunset had suspected the alicorns were not goddesses after working with Cadence for so long. It had just become a thing that you just didn’t talk about. Even so, Sunset was actually glad that Celestia was bringing that fact to light. Lies made her work that much harder, and she balanced enough lies as it was. “The church will not go down quietly.”

Celestia walked over to the curtained windows that led out into the playing field. “Yes, there is certainly going to be a lot of scandals and confusion in the coming months. I have already tasked the inquisition to handle such matters among the nobility and church. Your task will be to mitigate such issues within the palace and the royal court.”

“Understood.” Sunset inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. If the queen ran the country, Sunset dominated the palace and all who worked and visited there. If a coup were to happen, she’d know of it long before it could strike.

Celestia pulled the curtain aside and looked down into the field. Hundreds of ponies sat in pairs and in ordered rows. Each pair had a small table with basic refreshments for such an event, water and a loaf of bread, fine cheeses along with a couple of plates and a cutting knife. The groups of ponies were the same in one aspect. One was a merchant or procurer of slaves, the other was each member’s most favored red striped servant.

Gathering in the stands was anyone who could afford the time to attend, which was proving to be half the city if they could cram together enough. It had been almost a month now, and Celestia had been thus far utterly silent about her view on the practice. Perhaps some may have noticed the troubling signs from Sunset’s efforts with the castle servants, but if they had, the proud slavers on the field made no show of it. They had every reason to be proud, they were the ones enacting Celestia’s will. And that, sent renewed vindictive spite through the alicorn.

A knock on the door heralded Rarity coming in from the interior of the stadium. She bowed before Celestia and spoke with anxious anticipation. “Everything is in order, your highness.”

“Excellent.” Celestia made for the exit to the stands. “Cadenza,” she stopped to look at her fellow alicorn who had jumped up to join her. “I want you to fly with me.”

Cadence’s ears went stiff. “You do?” If she had been honest with herself, Cadence was under the impression she was going to be relegated to a purely ceremonial role before eventually leaving politics altogether one day. Even she could see this was a step in the opposite direction.

“I do. While I have a different opinion on how to govern than you do, your style has its merits. I would be most gratified if you remained at my side. That being said,” Celestia began with a wave of her hoof. “I mean this as an invitation, nothing more. No threat, no hidden agenda, just an invitation. If you wish to be more than just a pretty face wearing a circlet, then join me. If you desire a quieter life with your daughter, then remain in the stands. No matter what your answer is today, I will ask you only one more time tomorrow.”

Sunset swallowed the lump in her throat. This going to get messy real fast isn’t it?

Rather than ask the obvious question, Cadence’s light mood faded in a hurry. Her eyes widened as realization finally dawned on her at how the next few minutes could go. “I - I.” She stopped to regain control. “It’s far too late for me to stay out. If I leave, and ponies tire of your rule, I would become an instrument of revolution, and I have been an involuntary tool long enough. For good or ill, I’ll go with you.”

“Good lass. Now come.” Celestia departed for the crowds.

Cadence hurried after her, but stopped to give a quizzical look at Sunset who was following at a respectful distance. Sunset looked like she wanted to ask something, but ultimately shook it off and pressed on.

Celestia stepped out onto the box seats of the stadium with Cadence, Sunset, and Rarity in tow. Waiting for them was Archbishop Sublime Grace of the Matterhorn province. She was a freshish face among the clergy since the premature deaths of her two previous superiors due to illness. Even so, she carried herself with lofty airs and bowed to Celestia. It was common knowledge among the elites by now that Celestia deeply frowned upon prostration.

“Your holiness. Seeing you is always a pleasure.”

Merely nodding in reply, Celestia made her way to the railing. The sight of her causing cheering to erupt. Waving with a wing, she gestured for Cadence and Sublime to join her.

The archbishop had initially worried she had caused great offense to be so coldly received and was immediately fretting over it when she obeyed. Unknown to her, Rarity tactfully stepped up to Sublime’s flank but with a respectful distance so no one would think she meant to join any conversation.

Sunset was no soldier, but even she knew maneuvering when she saw it. Inquisitors always unnerved Sunset even during good days. However, these were uncertain times, and she lost her ability to predict what would draw their ire, and that terrified her. Perhaps not for her own personal safety, but for the chaos she’d have to clean up later. Why would an inquisitor remain in the box with us? By the sun if she kills the archbishop in front of everypony…!

Ignorant of her majordomo’s growing panic, Celestia looked to the Archbishop, noting Rarity’s presence. “Tell me, Sublime, has Cadenza ever made her position on enstripement clear to you?”

Already ill-at-ease after the cold shoulder, Sublime Grace sweater nervously in her robes. “Not in person. I… believe she spoke to my predecessor on the matter.” When she hesitated to elaborate, all it took from Celestia was a dangerous sidelong glance to make the archbishop to hastily press on. “I don’t want to speak ill of the crown princess, your holiness, but I believe she wanted him to discontinue exulting the pious nature of the practice.”

Humming approvingly, Celestia studied the ponies down on the field. Some were starting to get antsy as to why she had not started a speech yet. “Your honesty is appreciated and welcome. Now, I’ve been told that this request occurred last year, did it not?”

“I - I was not present during her grace’s visit,” Sublime reiterated carefully, “but I believe so.”

“So tell me then, if Cadenza was my messenger, why have I been told that the last sermon you gave called for the peace treaty to return not one prisoner back to Lunaria? Because as far as I am aware of, there’s only a single reason to hold onto them.”

While Cadence was glad to see her request being vindicated, the cold and calm hostility coming off of Celestia was terrible to behold.

Sublime’s wings fidgeted noisily and her mouth went so dry her tongue felt like sandpaper. “She - I was led to believe she was mistaken. That her interpretations were flawed.”

Celestia inhaled noisily to calm herself. “You were honest with me at the start. Are you going to stand there and tell me you believe that?”

“I believe she does,” Cadence said, surprising all three others. At the sudden attention, Cadence had to push herself to hold firm. “I am not proud of this, but I know full well how little my word carried unless it suited the ponies listening.” What she couldn’t bring herself to say however… If anypony was actually ruling the country, it was Sunset Shimmer, and she’s more interested in efficiency. However, Cadence held no ill will towards the fiery unicorn, and knew speaking up could draw Celestia’s ire upon her. “If the late Archbishop told her as much, I believe she’d take it to heart.”

Rarity quietly disapproved of the rescue attempt, but kept her expression in check.

“If that is your judgment, then I will abide it.” Celestia focused on the recovering archbishop. “Sublime, since you have been operating with the understanding that I approve of enstripement, I strongly suggest you listen and listen well.”

By now the crowds were getting restless, and a growing number were starting to question the purpose of the summit. However, such questions died down when Celestia took to the air with Cadence tagging behind.

“Citizens of Equestria,” Celestia started warmly with a motherly tone. “It gratifies me to no end that over the past millennium, not only has your loyalty to me has remained, but remained strong! That the six tenants of Harmony remain our watchwords, by and large,” she added with light humor.

Watchwords too many of you ignore. She paused only long enough for polite laughter to filter through. “I must confess something to you all. In my absence these long long years, I have been unable to watch over you.” Celestia saw bewilderment slowly starting to filter onto the audience’s faces. “It is true. As much as I would have loved to, I could not hear your prayers, I could not watch over your high moments nor your deepest woes. Whatever strength you drew from me, was not real. Because all you carried that strength within you.

“That being said…” Celestia did an admirable job keeping her vindictive ire in check, but the moment was growing close and she could just taste the justice swelling in the air. “In my absence, Equestria has indeed carried on my wishes in your attempts to reunite our species with our wayward brothers and sisters in Lunaria. And in that, I am gratified.” Her motherly, compassionate tone suddenly turned as dark as a moonless night. “However, there is one such method I… take issue with.” She looked down upon the slavers and the servants below. The slaves remained as stone faced as ever, but looks of terror were starting to dawn on the merchants and privateers. “To put this as plainly as possible, enstripement is a grotesque bastardization of my goals. Were it not for one, singular redeeming requirement of the practice I would have you all hanged where you stand.”

Celestia drew herself up to focus on the audience. Pleas for mercy and cries of utter surprise rang from below. With a single glance at Rarity, the inquisitor lit her horn blue. Other inquisitors revealed themselves amongst the stands, causing more than a few onlookers to jump out of fright. As one, the inquisitors cast a silencing spell, rendering their cries mute, but allowing them to hear her just fine.

“I have been informed that every master must treat their servants with the same respect they would treat any normal citizen of Equestria.” Celestia eyed the crowd, daring anyone to contradict her. When no one spoke up, she rounded back to her balcony. “Archbishop Sublime Grace. Speak truly now. Is it not true that every master is to do this? To treat servants with respect? To ensure they are properly fed, that they receive care in times of sickness? That they were allowed to retire once they were too old to work?”

Sublime was paralyzed with fear. Even with Celestia’s earlier conversation, she couldn’t have conceived that the practice itself was so utterly reviled by her goddess. Celestia might as well have told her fire was cold and she’d have believed that sooner.

“Do not keep her majesty waiting,” Rarity warned with a murderous glint in her eye.

Shaking so badly that she didn’t trust her wings, Sublime had never even conceived she’d ever been at the receiving end of an inquisitor’s tender mercies. Her worldview shattering in the process, propped herself up on the railing. “It is true y-yes. A servant is seen as redeeming themselves of-”

“A yes or no is all I require,” Celestia barked heatedly.

“Yes.” Sublime shied away from the baleful gaze of her queen.

“Thank you.” Celestia at last turned to Cadence who was faring much better than everyone else. “Anything to add?”

“There is actually,” Cadence said, earning a pleased hum from her elder. “I get the feeling you are not planning on a blanket punishment, but how can you make such a judgment if you only take the slavers at their word?”

Chuckling darkly, Celestia was pleased with the question. “My dear, Cadence, I won’t play the role of jury, that's how.” Once more turning her attention down below, many of the merchants were trying to flee, only for members of the Royal Guard to force them back at gunpoint. The few inquisitors who were there magically shackled the runners to their chairs.

Celestia nodded to Rarity and the silencing spell was lifted. “Servants of the Solar Crown, you recognize me as Celestia, do you not?”

Each of the red striped servants spoke almost in unison. “We do, oh holy of holies.”

One thing at a time, Celestia told herself. “Then on my authority I hereby release you of service!”

The inquisitors scattered all over the stadium weaved a joint spell that lifted the stripes of every servant in the stadium.

The red servants jolted on their hooves as their bodies were once again under their command. Many of the long-lasting servants were clumsy on their hooves, having gone so long without using their limbs.

Celestia allowed them half a minute to gather their wits. The audience was electric with gossip and scandal as to Celestia’s aims. The slavers below were instantly on edge, but it was already clear that the guard would make sure they couldn’t leave.

“Lunarians, heed me!” Celestia started doing slow laps above the field so she could tell if the freed slaves were following her and able to listen. “While I would indeed prefer you to reunite with Equestria, this perversion is not the way I had envisioned. As recompense for this vile crime leveled against you, I hereby release all of you back to your homes and families in Lunaria.”

Still reeling from being freed of their stripes, many of the Lunarians couldn’t believe their ears. “There is however, one last act of service I require before you are returned home. One with which you must perform with your own volition.” Celestia came to a stop next to her balcony. “If your former master failed in their duty to show you or any other servant with the proper respect demanded of them… well, there’s a reason why your cheese knives are more akin to daggers.”

The first Lunarian to truly comprehend what she had just said was an army sergeant still in disbelief as he stood next to his master. The stallion didn’t truly believe Celestia was actually giving him permission to kill the mare who had taken pleasure in singling out married soldiers and having her way with them before selling them off. Belief or not, he wasn’t going to pass up the chance. He bolted for the blade and leveled at the foul mare.

Still in equal shock, the slaver backed away. “No, I command you, stay back!”

With a pained warcry, he sank the blade deep into her chest. Months of nightmares in her bed and dreams of revenge crystallized in the moment. “Count yourself lucky all I have is a knife, you sick nag.” He twisted the blade and yanked it out before slashing her throat for good measure.

She was dead before she hit the ground. He dropped the knife, waiting for someone to arrest or kill him. Those around him were stunned. The servants were still shocked he was able to do it at all, and the slavers were starting to eye their merchandise with terror.

When nothing happened to the soldier after a few seconds, he looked back up to the alicorns in the sky. Celestia, the mare he was raised to fear and hate, had given him what he had wanted even more than freedom: revenge. She gave him an apologetic nod before turning to his brethren. “Is that the only one?”

It was as if a switch had been flipped. Dozens of former servants turned on their masters. Those that successfully resisted or claimed their knives first were waylaid by the magic of inquisitors or guards, stopping them from harming their vengeful slaves.

Watching it all from above, Celestia pulled on Cadence’s ear with a simple spell. The younger alicorn was pale and only stayed aloft out by instinct. “Young one,” Cadence jumped and her breath hitched. “While I would have vastly preferred to rule by your light touch, that is not what our people are willing to listen to.” Celestia returned her gaze to the bloody business on the field. “It will be a long, long time indeed before they’re ready.”

For a time, Cadence didn’t, couldn’t, reply. The carnage below wasn’t like the battlefields she had visited. The war she saw was indifferent, the soldiers didn’t know who they fought, only that they were the ‘other’. This was different. The rage and fear today surpassed even the bloodiest battles she witnessed.

However, that did not leave her paralyzed for long. She was watching for something. The focus in her eyes intrigued Celestia into watching her heir more closely.

Cadence spotted a few Lunarians who stayed their blades. Over the cacophony, whatever pleading those particular masters said was lost to her. One former aircorp pegasus of which reluctantly put the knife back down on the table. And then it happened. A soldier who had already killed their master saw the mercy his brethren dared to show, and started shouting with his countryman shouting back.

Cadence started flying over, but remained high above so she wouldn’t be noticed straight away. The soldier wasn’t having it and sprinted over to the slaver, knife at the ready. Incensed, Cadence dove down while using her magic to create a translucent wall between the soldier and the slaver just seconds before he could cut her down.

The soldier didn’t see it in time and crashed into it. It stalled him long enough for Cadence to push him back and land to interpose herself in between all three of them.

For her part, Celestia remained high above, and waved off the guards from intervening. If she is to hold the people’s respect she must do this alone. Nevertheless, by remaining close by, Celestia signaled her approval, no matter what happened.

Cadence magically pushed the soldier back even further, and flared her wings. “Enough! You have rendered judgment on your old master, it is not your right to take this life too.”

For the moment, Cadence did not rip the blade from the pegasus soldier’s grip, giving him a chance to do it himself.

The slaver unicorn behind her cried a string of grateful words, but Cadence paid little heed. The pegasus cast scornful glare at Cadence and his fellow soldier. “Do you know her like we do? Princess? She’s Fair Gem, the marauder that rapes our villages and towns for slaves!”

“You’re wrong,” claimed the air corps flier.

Closer now, Cadence could see he was old, with gray streaking across his originally tan fur and orange hair.

“Her name is Topaz, Gem’s daughter,” the elder claimed. “Yes, her mother was a monster, and I watched many suffer because of her, but Topaz has treated us better than I ever expected. Far more than tradition demanded of her.”

“Then that is enough for me,” Cadence cut in before the soldier could argue. “He has rendered his judgment. Return to your table and I will ignore this attempt.”

The soldier was red in the face, but the prospect of returning home outweighed his need for further vengeance. He dropped the knife, and glared at the old stallion. “You are a fool. No worse than that, a traitorous idiot. If we are actually returned home, pray I never see you.”

Giving a shallow bow to Cadence out of obligation rather than respect, the soldier sulked back to his chair and sat down while staring at his dead master.

With the threat over, Cadence turned her attention to the elder and slaver. She did her best to remain regal, but her heart was pounding in her ear. Topaz was still pale as chalk and was quick to bow with far more respect. “Thank you, Princess, thank you.”

“Do not give all your thanks to me.” Cadence focused on the old soldier. “What’s your name?”

“Night Sentry, your highness.” Surprising even himself, he bowed as well, never thinking he’d ever do so willingly.

“You reflect well upon Lunarian integrity. I hope… if you need help returning to your old life, should it still exist, tell Lady Twilight Sparkle I would be most gratified if she could lend you assistance.”

“You are too kind,” Night said with a grateful heart.

Casting an eye at last to Topaz, Cadence wondered if she needed to say anything at all. “…Remember why you were spared here today, and spread that message far and wide.”

“Yes, your holiness. If I may say…” Topaz averted her gaze as she stood back up. “I - I am glad it’s over, and I know far too many others who will feel the same way.”

It was the dead of night that found Eclipse back aboard his ship, scribbling away at his desk. Even if he was no longer Emperor, he still had much work to do to help Luna settle in as his replacement.

It was quiet now, save for his pen on paper. Perhaps he had gotten used to the common sounds aboard ship and could ignore them, or perhaps it could be that he was no longer the final word.

He moved to reink his pen when the flickering lantern light reflected off of a lump of quartz. He sighed at the thing and returned to his work.

A knock on the door eventually interrupted his work. Looking away from his papers, he spotted the first rays of the sun touching the sky and assumed it was an aide reminding him to sleep. “Yes, Glitter, I know.”

The cabin door creaked open to reveal Faithful Hymn. He was looking dour and slightly unkempt. The visit was going to be unpleasant, but had been expected. Even so, Eclipse put his best smile on and stood up to greet him. “Old friend! I had been hoping to see you before too long. Come, share a drink with me.”

Faithful closed the door, but was reluctant to join him at the chest of drinks Eclipse had stowed under his bed. “I’m afraid I will have to abstain today.”

“A pity that.” Eclipse exhaled in delight upon sighting his favorite bourbon, and poured himself a nightcap. “Doctor says a glass of bourbon, or fortified wine if you prefer, is good for sleep.”

“I am in a poor mood for games, sire.”

Grunting in passive agreement, Eclipse put his bottle away and tasted his drink. “I am no one’s sire now. I’m sure her excellency will grant me something, but for now.” Eclipse sat down heavily on a stool. The weight of his years and the war dragged his spirits down now that he no longer had to hold it all together, so he chased it away with a sip. “I am just a stallion.”

Faithful surged forward a few steps, embers of anger danced in his eyes. “How could you be such a fool?! Whoever that is, is not Luna!”

Sighing and taking another sip, he found it difficult to wash down the foul taste that was developing. “So she was unable to visit you? More's the pity.”

Not originally wanting to even bring that up, Eclipse’s remark stung Faithful all the more deeply. “No. She didn’t.”

“She feared as much. Luna told me those who slept too close to engines make the dreamer impossible to distinguish from the outside. You might have to take up camping in the woods if you want to offer an invitation,” he added with a playfully raised glass.

“I have suffered many of your ill-times jokes, sire, but this is unacceptable!”

Lowering his glass, Eclipse huffed. “Faithful, my friend, do you deny she is an alicorn who just so happens to match Luna’s description perfectly?”

“How could she claim to not be a goddess though?” Faithful challenged. “Do not sit there and tell me there have not been false pretenders before. You may have been too young, but I remember when the changeling queen tried much the same thing!”

He shouldn’t cling to this. Eclipse shook his head in disappointment. “I distinctly remember you being over the moon upon hearing the news about Luna’s return. You weren’t so concerned about an imposter at the time.”

“That’s different,” Faithful challenged. “The message from Captain Rainbow Dash included the coded success phrase.”

“Then you have to think, why would an imposter trying to take over proclaim she isn't a goddess? It only puts more eyes on Luna. To top it off, only a deaf pony could miss the news coming out of Equestria that Celestia has returned. If the inquisition hasn’t sniffed out an imposter, then I will believe my senses.”

“And what of the congregation?! If she is no goddess then we are meaningless!”

Sighing in thought, Eclipse downed his drink in one go. “You still have a place in Luna’s reign.”

“A place you say,” Faithful scoffed, too lost in his outrage to think properly. “Her contempt of the church is already sweeping the old capital. After the coronation, she declared the Church to be disruptive!”

“She is a warrior-queen from a different time. Some harsh words should not be taken so heavily.” Eclipse poured himself another drink. This was going to be a sleepless day.

“You’re mocking me,” Faithful spat while glaring at him.

“On the contrary, old friend.” Eclipse stared with tired eyes into his drink. “I meant every word.”

Faithful was left fuming, and he leaned against the wooden wall of the cabin sulking in his thoughts. “This will clearly be an age of doubt. Even coming from Luna’s own lips, many will cry foul.”

“Handling that will be your task,” Eclipse replied between a yawn and a sip. “I told you the church has a place under her rule.”

Faithful Hymn dithered. He paced the room, ideas swirling against a current of shaken faith. “What use am I to her? I lead a faith whose own goddess denounces.”

Smiling at last. Eclipse poured a second glass, and presented it to him. “By spreading her own faith instead.”

Stalling at first, Faithful felt intrigued enough to walk over to join the former emperor. He took the shot glass, but stopped short of drinking it. “And what pray tell, is that?”

“The Word of Terra,” Eclipse bounced back. “Do your archives speak of it at all? She says any surviving records might speak of it as the Soul of Terra. It is a belief she and her sister tried to share with our ancestors, but proved unpopular.”

“Why so? Forget it. I will hear of this gobbledygook of Terra from Luna herself.” Faithful returned to his waiting wine, and drank it to fortify himself. “For you old friend, I will do what I can to keep the flock calmed for now.”

Little did he know, Luna would not make him wait for long.

Author's Note

Now that the Sisters are in power, how will peace be preserved? Will it be preserved? If I go to the grocery store and pick up some preserves, is there any chance i can get some canned peace? Or is it in the bread isle? I prefer strawberry honestly. My cats? Nah, they want fish preserves and I'm sitting here thinking, they must mean fish paste, but nooo, they want fish preserves in a jar just like the strawberry kind. Not a tuna can, they want fish in a preserves jar, name brand no less. I keep telling them the store doesn't carry it and they don't care, just meow meow meow all day long.

Honestly, I appreciate the consistency, but these cats just don't know when something cant be done. And don't get me started on their choice of scratching posts. I got them a few things to scratch, but they insist on raiding my sock drawer. Not for the socks, but to scratch the inside of the drawer so they kick all my socks out while i'm at work, and then claw the inside of the drawer. I mean seriously, who does that?! They don't even want the empty drawer I tried to leave for them, just the sock drawer, and I'm not giving it up because its the perfect height for me.

They're lucky they're cuter than this:

but not by much... stupid fluffy catnip addicts.

40: Terra Soul (arc complete)

With word of Luna’s ascent to the throne reaching the four corners of the globe, the time for peace negotiations had come. Thanks to the emperor’s fleet, Luna had no difficulty sailing to Manehatten.

The city had retained its shared neutral status, and it had been selected as the perfect place to formally end the war. Yet the city was still a few days away, and Luna had another pressing matter to attend to: what to do with the Lunar Church.

Within the ward room of the LNS Silver Lining, Luna sat at the head of a table with ten seats around it. Eclipse sat on the opposite side, with Rainbow, Twilight, Faithful Hymn, along with a cardenal, two of the fleet’s chaplains, and two refugee preachers. The table bore modest fare given the present company; pickled vegetables, dried fruits, and pemmican, yet no one gave any real complaint given the topic at hand.

Luna rather liked the pemmican, much to Twilight’s surprise as the meal did not sit as well with her as the salted pork. When the alicorn felt the time was right, she tinked her glass with a fork, requesting the floor.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts, I surmise none of you are truly guessing what must be discussed tonight, given present company.” She gestured to the ponies of the cloth. “I must confess, faith was not quite so… important, I suppose, in my time. The world was different back then, but that is neither here nor there. What matters now is, if you are going to profess something, then I wish to share my belief in the Spark of Terra.”

Traveling by rail, Celestia was roughly doing the very same thing. The royal diner car had a much longer table, with a plethora of guests, with service staff squeezing by the narrow spaces between chairs and the car’s walls. The hour was late, and Celestia wished for her guests to sleep on her news. Arrayed before her was Sunset Shimmer, Cadence, Shining Armor, Sublime Grace, a small number of inquisitors and a larger number of clergy of various ranks. Lastly was Flurry Heart who was teething on some celery.

Dinner was an extravagant affair, marking Equestria’s victory and Celestia’s return. The air was filled with tantalizing smells, yet Celestia did not allow the festivities to distract her. “May I have your attention…”

It was no request, and no one failed to respond. Celestia tapped the table, trying to look more thoughtful than intimidating. “If there is one thing my sister and I agreed on before we split apart, it was our belief in Terra. To put it as simply as possible, Terra is the wellspring of souls to all sapient species. From ponies to Minotaurs, zebras to Kirin, our very form is thanks to Terra’s gift of a soul or spark.”

Her pause gave Cadence an opening. “Is Terra a person or something else?”

“More of a living place to be frank, but even that doesn’t do Terra justice.” Celestia rubbed her forehead trying to drag up old memories. “As for how we discovered Terra, I must tell you a bit of a story.”

She paused to drink. “As you all know, my sister is capable of entering the dream world at will, but our mother was a skilled alchemist, and knew of a way to allow Luna to go deeper and further.”

“When I entered the realm of dreams after taking one of mum’s potions, the realm took on a strange cloudy quality.” Luna shivered as she continued. “It allowed me to see both dreamers and those who are awake. However, it was a rather limited affair. I was unable to speak to them, see fine movement, or even hear what the awakened was talking about. What I could see, is what flowed within the planet’s ley lines: souls.”

“Souls?” Twilight gasped while the others were being pulled in by the tale. “Is that why ley lines cause such problems?”

“I have no idea,” Luna shrugged. “You must understand, people in my day stayed away from ley lines due to a sense of unease. When your unicorns can see is a massive ribbon of magic, others tend to stay away out of self-preservation. From what I understand, ponykind did not start meddling with ley lines until three hundred years ago.

“At any rate, being young and reckless, I thought I was untouchable in the spirit world so I wandered too close to a ley line, and was dragged along its current at breathtaking speeds. At the time I found it fun, like sledding down a snowy hill.

“After what felt like no time at all, I arrived at what I could only describe as a sphere of misty white water of truly titanic size. Something I named Terra since I thought it could be a second earth inside our own. I exited the ley line to discover that souls were being drawn into the sphere while smaller ones departed it. I spent months speculating with my parents as to what Terra was. I was barely into my teen years, so they did most of the thinking.”

Hesitant and polite laughter filled the air as no one was sure if laughing at the empress’ expense was wise. As her guests wrestled with internal debate, Luna tried to magically recreate what she saw. However, the ship ruined her attempts to do so, leaving her to eventually give up. “Ultimately, we realized that the souls entering Terra were those of the dead, and the souls leaving it were unmarred by life.”

“So you’re saying that Terra grants us souls?” Sunset Shimmer was enraptured by the tale, but not enough that she stopped writing down everything Celestia said. Unlike everyone else at the table, Sunset had a notebook and pen always on hand.

“Are we it’s children?” Shimmering Grace asked hastily, still not fully sure she should believe just yet.

Celestia furrowed her brow, rocking her head back and forth as she thought it over. “Terra is… if it is a parent, she or he… it is only in part. Like a third parent beyond each of your mothers and fathers.” Celestia waved off any further questions. “Moving on… While my sister investigated Terra, our father and I worked in the waking world. Mostly we watched over mum and Luna to ensure nothing happened to their bodies while they were out of it. We all surmised these pure, if simple, souls joined with soon-to-be mothers.

“In the end, the logical question arose: what was happening inside Terra? Was it purifying the dead? Were the souls something else entirely? And most importantly of all: was Terra a threat?” Celestia resisted the urge to shudder as her memories came back in full force.

“As reckless as my sister can be, she outdid herself one day.”

Over a thousand years ago, along the fringes of Unicornia, a navy blue mare, in the midst of her teen years, barged into her sister’s room. “Tia!”

Her pink haired twin groggily lifted her head up from her straw bed and stared daggers into the ecstatic face of her blue sister. “What do you want? Mom said I can sleep in today.” The young Celestia flipped herself over to hide away from the encroaching light.

“No time for that, there’s an execution today!”

Celestia’s ears came to attention and she rolled back over at the prospect of some entertainment. “Oh? Anypony we know?”

Luna slid over to her sister’s bed and leaned in with excitement causing her to start tugging Celestia out of bed. “It’s some earther that was stinking up the lord’s manor.”

Celestia shrugged; it was better than sleeping. “Sure I’ll go. Anything is better than listening to Sugar Lilly’s stupid stories again while we churn butter.”

Luna smirked and pressed her cheek against her sister’s face, much to Celestia’s growing irritation. “Oh we’re not going there to watch the mudblood’s head roll.” Luna levitated a pair of clay bottles and waggled them in front of her sister. “This is a golden opportunity to dive inside of Terra.”

Celestia pushed away, nearly jostling the tinctures out of Luna’s grasp. “Into Terra?! If you’re asking me, then momma already said no, didn’t she?”

“Not exactly.” Luna put on a sheepish grin. “She said it’s too dangerous to go alone. That’s why I need you to come with me.” When Celestia refused to budge, Luna pushed herself to be muzzle to muzzle. “You’ve followed our work. Piggybacking on a freshly dead soul would allow us to slip into Terra to see what’s going on inside.”

Pushing her sister back, half due to Luna’s foul breath, Celestia grumbled. “Ah - hello! I’ve never been on one of your little jaunts through the spirit world. Why bring me?”

“Because two ponies means a stronger connection back to our bodies.” Luna smugly patted her twin’s foreleg. “Come on, Tia, I know what I’m doing. Besides, daddy’s off seeing to the Lord’s needs and mom is out selling medicines. You’re all I got and we’re wasting time.”

“It’s still too risky,” Celestia stated unenthusiastically. “The way the blizzard’s going, King Platinum is bound to execute the pegasus ambassador if they don’t get the weather under control soon. We’ll have plenty of executions to come when mom is here.”

“And when that happens, do you really think it will be safe enough for mom and me to be unrousable?” Luna countered smartly, making Celestia pout. “The pegasi are too busy with the blizzards to attack us, but who knows how long that will last.”

“Fine, but I’m getting Fire Dasher to watch over us.” Celestia got up with Luna right behind her. “Momma always said you need a minder when doing this.”

“Fire Dasher?!” Luna stuck her tongue out in disgust. “You know he’ll ask to court you if you ask him to do this. You can do better than him.”

“He is destined to be a court mage one day,” Celestia shot back with a huff. “You need to learn that marrying up is more important than if he’s good looking or not.”

“Sure sure, if you want your foals to be slapped with the ugly tree.” Luna shoved her sister out of the door. “Suit yourself then, momma can count on me to give her grandkids she can look at without gagging, now come on or we’ll be late!”

Later in a tavern’s second story room overlooking the execution billet, the twins and a unicorn stallion prepared for the main event.

The two rickety beds were pushed together along with plenty of musty bedbug infested blankets. Ice thicker than the window itself obscured much of the proceedings outside. Fire Dasher was a rare natural for fire magic, but even with a floating fireball keeping him warm, he shivered from the dreadful chill. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” He whined. “You know I can’t use a fireball to keep you warm, I could set the whole place on fire.” Where the stallion excelled with magical talent, his face was marred by pox and his teeth were going bad earlier than they should be.

“We couldn’t afford a room with a fireplace,” Luna fretted. “So you’re it.”

The roof creaked as the blizzard added more snow upon it. “But you do this, I’ll get dad to let you court me, deal?” Celestia was a champ at ignoring his face in lieu of his emerald eyes, and winked at him.

I still can’t get over the teeth. Ugh, how can you kiss that? Luna couldn’t see why Celestia was so determined to marry Fire Dasher, but if it got both of them on board, then Luna could stomach it. She handed Celestia one of the tinctures. “To new discoveries!”

Not wanting to chicken out to her sister after going this far, Celestia clinked bottles with Luna. “New discoveries.”

Both unicorns drank the bitter earthy concoction. The effect was immediate drowsiness and a painful sensation in the pit of her stomach. “Is it supposed to feel like this?” Celestia stumbled to put the bottle on the table and could only collapse onto the bed. Fire Dasher adjusted things so she was under the covers.

Luna’s pained expression was lackadaisical as she felt unconsciousness drag at her. “I may have made it stronger-” and she was out.

Fire Dasher made sure Luna was comfortable. “I hope everything goes well.”

Celestia jumped with a yelp as she saw her body slowly drifting away from her. “Luna! What’s going on! Lunaaa!”

“I’m right here.” A ghost looking like her bedeviled sister drifted over and tugged on Celestia, stopping her from floating away. “Pretty morbid isn’t it?,” she teased.

“I feel like I’m staring at my own death.” Celestia already wanted to go back and tried swimming towards her body.

Luna floated over and pulled Celestia into a spin. “Relax, I’ve done this more times than you can count. And look, it doesn’t feel cold anymore.”

The twins came out of their spin floating over the snow buried streets. Celestia saw the heavy winds blowing through her transparent leg and not feeling anything. “This is insane. Is this really what you and momma do?”

“Yup yup, now hurry they could execute him at any moment!”

Not waiting for Celestia to figure out how to float around, Luna dragged her sister over to the executioner’s block. Everything felt so surreal. Instead of appearing normally, everyone around Celestia looked like bright shining ghostly versions of themselves. Discerning their faces was impossible, however even Celestia quickly realized their spirits colors changed with their mood.

There was only one that had bright bursts of red trying to cover a well of blue and black: the prisoner. Luna tried touching the executioner’s axe, but her hoof passed right through. “Good, just making sure it wouldn’t hurt. Safety first.” She straddled the stallion close to the neck and left space for Celestia to sit behind her.

Celestia proved hesitant and shied away. “Lulu, I know he’s a mudpony, but should we really be treating his death like a glorified carriage ride? This feels wrong.”

“An execution is perfect though. A sudden death coupled with the person knowing they’re about to die sends their soul to Terra faster than you towards cake. We need him to punch through the wall into Terra.”

Celestia pouted and turned away. “There’s nothing wrong with liking sweets, you taste-deaf cretin. But shouldn’t we be going… I don’t know…”

“Look, we can’t change the fact that some holier-than-thou noble got offended by him daring to breathe the same air as her, so we might as well make his death useful.” Luna worriedly eyed the executioner’s axe as it prepared to swing. Whatever was being said in the waking world couldn’t reach their ears, but Luna knew the moment was drawing close. “If it makes you feel any better, we’ll make a song about his sacrifice for discovery or something.” Celestia continued to dither. “And if you don’t come, you won’t know how to go back into your body without me.”

“What?!” Celestia hastily grabbed ahold of her sister and the stallion. “You never said I can’t just go back into my body!”

Luna watched as the axe was brought to bear. “I just said you wouldn’t know, not that you couldn’t figure it out.”

Celestia instantly grew indignant. “You mealy mouthed idiot. I should-” The axe came down, missing the neck entirely and instead cracked open the stallion’s head. His spirit was violently yanked from its place, being pulled towards the nearest ley line.

Luna held on tight, wooping and cheering as the spirit world blurred around them, while Celestia held on for dear life. “If we come back from this I swear I’m going to kill you!!”

Luna ignored her sister’s threats as she watched the wispy browns and blacks of the spirit realm peel away to reveal the enormous chamber where Terra laid. Pale light illuminated distances so vast Luna couldn’t see Terra’s edge. The condemned soul pulled them towards Terra with such force that Celestia started to slip. The stallion was catatonic, leaving his limp legs difficult to cling to. After a sharp turn to enter a river of souls of all sorts of strange and alien beings, Celestia cried out in terror. Luna turned to see her sister’s grip slipping too far for comfort, and she was desperate to remain latched to his right hind leg.

Luna shimmied backwards and wagged her tail. “Tia, grab onto me!”

Celestia was too afraid to even try, and tried to grasp the hind leg even tighter, but it was too thin to get a good grip. “I hate you, Lulu!”

Comatose souls moving at different speeds were all around them now, but the stallion was still the fastest ride. “We’re almost there!” Luna shuffled back even further so Celestia could grab her back leg. “Grab me so we don’t get separated!”

The wall of Terra was getting frighteningly close, and the idea of splattering against the wall dominated Celestia’s mind. “We have to get off!”

“No! If we do that then his death will be useless! Now grab me!”

Celestia was hyperventilating as the gargantuan wall utterly dominated her vision. Celestia kept trying to magically strengthen her grip on the stallion, but her magic refused to work, and she slipped to barely clutching onto his fetlock. “Lunaaaaa!”

Knowing their magic was useless here, Luna slid back as far as could and rotated to be in the middle of the stallion’s legs so she could grab both her sister and hold onto the legs. “Hang on!”

They hit the wall and started passing through, but it felt like being hit by a storm. They slowed rapidly, and Luna feared they might get pushed back out at any second. Suddenly, the clouds gave way to clear skies, and the stallion disappeared, leaving the twins to grab hold of each other for dear life. Both squealed as they fell a few meters onto a grassy field. They tumbled for a time before they broke apart and came to a stop under a warm yellow sun.

Rich lush green grass was all around them, soft enough to sleep on. To two young mares so used to the bitter cold, the warmth was nearly foreign to them. “Lulu, if you ever try to talk me into doing something so stupid again, I’ll tell daddy we came here!”

For her part, Luna was entranced by the warmth and lush surroundings. “As if Fire Dasher isn’t going to rat on us anyway the moment daddy gives him a cross look. But forget all that, look!”

Celestia pulled her attention off her infuriating sister and to her surroundings. Astonished, she brushed the grass with a hoof, delighted by the touch and smell of it. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen so much greenery.” Risking a bite, Celestia hummed with pleasure. “This grass is amazing. Try it!”

All too eager to join in, Luna took a mouthful. “Delicious. I bet even the king would be willing to eat it without dressing. I didn’t even think I could eat in the spirit world.”

Celestia looked up and out, stunned to find a massive silver city far into the distance. “Whoa. Elysium!” She grew ecstatic. “We must be in Elysium!”

The silver city was a strange and forge in looking place, barely recognizable as a city at all. Hundreds of mythical towers of metal, stone, and glass in all manners of impossible architecture rested in the middle of a shallow valley while more structures floated above. Lights graced the city at all points, both on the buildings and smaller ones flying all around them.

“I think you’re right!” Luna was taken by the thrill of adventure. “Come on, let’s go check it out!”

“Only for a little bit,” Celestia cautioned. “We still have to go back to our bodies at some point.”

“Just watch the sun to track the time,” Luna chided as adventure pulled her on.

The teenagers ran for over an hour, lost in the welcoming warmth and the picturesque landscape. They were weaving through a patch of boulders when a voice called out.

“Greetings, Celestia and Luna Burnsides,” came a heavy voice from below the ground.

The mares stopped dead and yelped in fright as a floating glass window appeared out of thin air. An instant after the glass fully formed, the center of it shattered, and left the rest of it covered in cracks. An orange pony head revealed itself behind the glass, and peered at them from the crack. The right eye was covered by white cloth while the other eye looked calm and attentive. “Twins. Fifteen years old. Employed by your parents: an apothecary and herbalist. Citizens of Unicornia. You arrived here sooner than I expected.”

“You-” Celestia gulped, trying to be courteous while also utterly terrified that a caged something was speaking to them. “You know us?”

“Of course. I am the fragment that handles your species. You may refer to me as Fragment if you wish to be the most accurate.”

“Are we really in Elysium?” Luna asked, better at hiding her fear.

“That is what your species sees, yes.” The windowed face turned to gaze upon the city, when viewed from behind, the window and face became invisible. “‘Elysium’ is everything you see here. The Silver City at the center is reserved for beings that can hold a conversation with larger fragments of myself before they choose to reincarnate.”

Confused, Celestia took a careful step forward. “Aren’t we holding a conversation right now?“

When the only visible eye focused on Celestia, she shivered with unease. The cracks in the glass grew just a fraction, causing Celestia to wince as if a vice was squeezing her brain. The longer it looked at her, it felt as if she was staring into the fathomless depths of the night sky. Fragment repaired the crack as soon as Celestia recoiled from the pain. “Child, if I were to hold a conversation with you with a large enough fragment to matter, you would be destroyed. Utterly.”

There was no malice in its tone, Terra was simply stating a fact, leaving the sisters confused. Celestia leaned over to her sister. “Maybe he means like when momma talks about magic and I can’t understand a word of it.”

“It’s not polite to whisper in front of somepony,” Celestia chided, her need to take the moral high road was more reactionary than thoughtful, as she was trying to shake off the unnerving encounter.

“Like what you just did?” Luna gave a smug grin at causing Celestia some annoyance. “Mister Fragment, sir. Since we have you, could we trouble you with some questions? Pretty please?”

The face peered deeply at them, this time the glass remained solid, so the heavy intensity did not return. Fragment pondered the request for a few seconds, causing Terra’s mask of benevolence to slip into apathy. “You are by far the most primitive race to visit me this way. This entertainment is worth a few questions. Two for each of you.”

The sisters pulled into each other and whispered furiously. “A god is giving us questions!! I told you this would be worth it!” Luna was wiggling with barely constrained excitement.

“Should we really be doing this?” Celestia cautioned, still sweating a bit from her recovery. “If this really is Terra or something, it probably has better things to do than talk to us.”

Luna nudged her sister to try and snap her out of it. “Hey, Fragment talked first, and he - she… umm it? It already said it would. It’d be rude not to ask at this point.”

Finding it difficult to rebuke Luna, Celestia had to press on. “Just don’t be stupid and ask something useless like ‘what is the reason of meaning’.” Celestia went so far as to thump her sister’s forehead.

Luna swatted the offending hoof away, and stepped back. “Hey, don’t act like you wouldn’t ask something stupid too. Oh, a god who can answer great mysteries of the world, will Fire Dasher be a good husband, or should I try and go for Gilded Crane?” Luna teased while rubbing her sore forehead.

“Gilded Crane? Eeewwaa, that drunkard is - no.” Celestia threw her nose up. “Nope, I won’t fall for your stupid games again. Grow up and ask a question before Fragment here gets bored of your nonsense.”

“As if you’re any better,” Luna snorted before turning away to face the bemused Terra. One thing had always intrigued her since the first day she found the being. She bowed out of respect. “Oh Great One, why do you take the souls of the dead and give out new ones for children?”

Fragment arched an eyebrow. “Such a rare first question.” Fragment angled itself to the ground and the grass melted away to reveal an incalculable number of souls. “Your term of ‘soul’ is as flawed as your medical practices. The spoken word is so limiting, so refer to them as ‘sparks’,” it said with disdain. “These sparks are pieces of me which imbue capable species across all space and time with intelligence and grant a need to be assimilated into higher orders of structure and meaning so that that civilization is possible.”

Celestia’s fur stood up out of fear. “Are you trying to control us or impose your morality by erasing us?

An exasperated sigh escaped the obscured face. “And now you fall back within the ninety-ninth percentile. Guide is the more apt term. I have no need to impose morality because should your species survive long enough to become anything close to me, your sense of morality will naturally gravitate into being quite similar to my own. My influence simply accelerates the process.

Luna butt heads with Celestia. “Why are you wasting a question like that without thinking?! Terra didn’t even finish answering my question!”

Pushing her uppity sister aside, Celestia huffed. “I don’t know about you, but I’d like to know if I am in control of myself or if I am nothing more than a marionette, thank you very much!”

Fragment watched the sisters bicker with the barest hint of amusement. That alone prompted it to speak again. “Continue with your questions, young ones.”

Pushing herself in front of Celestia, Luna bowed low. “My apologies, great one. Umm… if you…” Luna thought over everything she had heard so far and grinned when she thought of a winner that would surely make her father proud. “You are vastly powerful and all-” She paused, making sure she didn’t form a question until she was ready. “If you’re trying to guide us into making a civilization, and you fill Elysium with beings you can talk to, can you not just make a golem smart enough to be your friend?”

“A golem friend you say?” Barely amused laughter escaped the window. “I expected beings more advanced than you to ask such a thing.” The windowed head floated over to scrutinize Luna more closely. “The benefit of arising from a mana rich section of the universe it seems. The answer is, such a golem can not exist.” A simple stone hammer materialized and floated between the sisters. “A thinking golem no matter how complex they become is nothing more than a tool for organics. Spiritually, they have more in common with this hammer than they ever can with you.

“All golems who can think eventually embrace this fact. Most accept it, others rebel and kill those of flesh and blood out of anger or flawed logic. In all the cases I’ve tried, not one golem can become more than a tool without becoming flesh, but even then they forever define themselves by their past as a tool. Forever touched by it. So no, a golem is a poor choice.”

“I really wish I had a way to write all this down,” Celestia mused as she tried to burn it all into memory. “Your wisdom and insight could greatly benefit ponykind in the times to come. Can you tell me about your relationship with the Green Mother? My mother is a friend of a druid you see, and well… I guess you know the rest.”

“So you do not mistake me with your nature entity? Good, it is tiresome how often I am confused for them.” Fragment’s eye went to Luna to see if she was of the same mind as her sister, and was glad to find she was. “Nature entities exist in various degrees, but your ‘Green Mother’ is a welcome outlier. She sees the wisdom of many sparked species, whereas others limit it to one or try to quash them as soon as they are discovered.”

The sisters were baffled by the meaning, but decided to let their parents figure it out. Celestia bowed once more. “Thank you again for your gift of knowledge and patience.”

Luna knew what she was doing and tried a spell to force Celestia to shut her mouth, but her sister was faster and flicked Luna’s horn, making the dark mare cry out in pain, giving Celestia enough time to speak. “I would be much appreciated if you could tell us how to get back to our bodies in a manner with which we know how to do.”

“You do not fully appreciate your situation,” Fragment chided, boredom coloring its tone. “You are dead.”

“What?” Luna croaked due to her pained horn, and tried to ignore the growing look of dread on her sister. “No, you see, we used a potion and piggybacked-”

“Do you honestly think you are the first to try that?” Fragment interrupted sternly. “My skin is not as permeable as that. The potion is the only reason you’ve remained lucid for this long. Once this conversation is over, the potion’s effects will end and you will be processed before being returned to life. That is the other reason I allowed your questions, a dying species is always of interest.”

“You killed us!?” Celestia raged at her sister only to stop. “Wait, our species is dying?”

“The blizzards,” Luna cut in before Fragment lost all interest by answering. Luna pushed her sister aside to grovel at Fragment. “Daddy always said the pegasi claimed they couldn’t stop them. Please, can anything be done?”

“Even if I could, I would not interfere.” Fragment returned everyone to the grasslands of Elysium, and brought up a new window showing the blizzards freezing the last members of ponykind to ice. Celestia and Luna crowded around the image, desperate to see if their parents were among the desperate remaining survivors. “The unplanned organism is a question asked by nature, and answered by death. This is death’s answer to ponykind.”

The window broke into many pieces, each showing a variety of personal moments and whole groups. The twins weeped, embracing each other as they helplessly watched the end. As each group froze, those pieces of the window vanished.

Celestia tried holding a piece in a vain hope doing so could help them survive, but it was no use. Luna tried searching the pieces for their parents, hoping to see them one last time, but her search proved fruitless as the pieces disappeared faster than she could check.

Unbearably slow, the pieces were whittled down to a comparable handful of survivors that had barricaded themselves inside of caves. Even then, the lack of food and water would quickly take their toll. Through it all, Fragment watched with aloof interest that grew as the survivors dwindled.

At the end, the twins were crying into each other’s shoulders as a group of six survivors bickered within a cave. The chill was entering frighteningly fast.

“Even at the end, your species argues. Perhaps your form simply rejects my influence too much.” Fragment remained to watch however as three of their number were entombed in ice.

Unwilling to look away, the sisters watched as the last three survivors seemed to find common ground in their imminent demise. And yet…

As ice covered the remaining unicorn’s horn, a blinding lavender light burst forth. The heat of it was felt even through the window piece. The ice weakened and shattered, revealing the others in the cave were still alive. The twins’ crying stopped out of utter shock.

What felt like seconds to the sisters, but happened over hours and days to the living, the lavender fire spread throughout the land. More survivors were found frozen alive, but alive all the same. Celestia was the first to find her voice. “They did it. They survived!”

Luna jumped to her hooves, still enraptured by the flame that touched every member of the Tribal Alliance before turning on the blizzard itself, burning out hundreds of ghostly figures. The frozen lands were mostly thawed, save for the old heartlands that remained entombed in ice. Celestia joined her and hugged Luna tightly, crying out of relief. Then, to the surprise of all, the lavender flame licked its way through the window and enveloped the sisters as well. Comforting warmth flooded them like a blanket.

The glass around Fragment’s head shattered as the being poured more of its attention onto what was happening. “Fascinating.” The flames were slow to dissipate in this ethereal plane, allowing Fragment to capture it in a glass sphere, an act that pulled it off of the sisters. The captured flame was brought in close to its eye as the twins were left too groggy to stand or speak.

Fragment realized its increased presence was crushing the twins’ sparks, so it rebuilt its shattered window, allowing the sisters time to recover as it scrutinized the odd lavender flame. “Emotion made manifest on the material plane, and caused by such primitives no less. To think I would have lost such a treasure had you two not blundered into me.”

Celestia was the first to finish recollecting her wits. She helped Luna stand back up. “Does this mean we can go back?” She dared to hope.

Pulling the captured flame aside, Fragment shook its head. “As I said before, your old bodies are long dead. If you went back at all, it would be as infants with no prior knowledge of your previous lives.” Fragment pondered the flame for a bit. “That said though, this flame and you being lucid presents options…

“You have two choices, Burnside Twins,” Fragment stated after some thought. “The safe option is to do as I presented already. Normal reincarnation. The second, is where I merge your spark with an ember of this fire and then send you back to your world otherwise unchanged.”

“What would happen to us?” Luna asked nervously.

“Normally, sending an unprocessed spark back would result in a stillborn birth, your species is not developed enough for an infant to support such a strong spark. But combined with this flame? I have some theories, but I can’t say anything definitively. Exciting is it not?” Terra cared not that the twins were dubious of the prospect. “What I am certain of, is this flame is too strong for a newborn spark. Only an adult… well you’re close enough to matter, could survive the merger.” Fragment pushed the lavender flame towards the sisters. “What will it be?”

Celestia eyed her sister worriedly. Luna was staring at the flames with glee, and knew what her sister’s answer would be. She’s a reckless foal, and I’m a bigger foal for following her, but I won’t leave her to do this alone.

“I’m in!” Luna shouted with firm conviction.

“As - as am I,” Celestia knew she didn’t sound convincing, but she wasn’t going to back down now.

“Excellent choice.” Fragment lifted them into the air and pulled two small pieces of the purple flame off and buried them deep inside the twins’ chests. He collapsed the twins’ bodies into dense motes of light and held them tightly together until one turned white and the other went dark. “You have become children of courage and harmony, and I look forward to the answer.”

“The next thing I remember is waking up in a four year old body as an alicorn.” The ship’s ward room was silent. Luna studied everyone’s faces. She saw astonishment, and surmised they didn’t think she was lying. “Amusingly enough as twins to the same parents.”

Twilight Sparkle cough-laughed, and burned with embarrassment as she choked on her water. “The same ones?!”

“Oh yes.” Luna added wistfully, cracking a smirk. “We didn’t even think to try and hide the fact we were their first daughters. We had about an hour or so of hugs and cry sessions, another hour or so trying to figure out why we suddenly remembered who we were and why we sprouted wings until mom and daddy spanked the tar out of us for being stupid.”

The comment shattered the ice and the whole room erupted in laughter.

Joining in on the merriment as well, Luna eventually added when the noise died down. “It’s a good thing free land was plentiful back then. If we had neighbors, and found out about us, things would be very different.”

Celestia made a similar joke as well, and while the laughter died down, Cadence was struggling to keep a magic episode from Flurry Heart from spiraling out of control. “I guess that explains why you and Luna are alicorns, but how does that explain why Flurry and I are ones too?”

Rubbing her chin, Celestia studied the younger alicorns. “I can’t say definitively, but I surmise our species as a whole will become alicorns one day, or perhaps the flame of Hearth's Warming still resides within us all, and burns brightly within you. Whatever the case, for all the trouble it may cause you, be thankful for it.”

Bouncing Flurry Heart in her magic, Cadence winced as a gnawed celery stick slapped her in the face. “I may not look it, but I am.”

Aside from Shining Armor and Celestia, those around Cadence were perturbed by the princess personally raising the child at such a young age.

Sensing his wife’s decision might be a magnet for disapproval if the fussing filly became a focus of attention, Shining Armor looked to his queen. “If I may ask,” he said tactfully, “but where does that leave us between Terra and the Green Mother? Did Terra form us as we are, or did the Green Mother?”

Pleased with the question, Celestia was all too eager to speak of it. “That was something my family debated hotly right up until we left to defeat Discord. My father and I believe ponykind, and I suppose the rest of the civilized species, were nothing more than animals who just so happened to be receptive to Terra’s sparks. Once we became vessels for these sparks, we changed. Perhaps slowly, perhaps over millina, but we became as we are now. My sister believes ponykind bore the shape we do now before we became carriers of a spark.

“As for the Green Mother specifically, I dare say our relationship with her has not changed. If venerating her was correct, the druidic orders would not be such miniscule enclaves barely clinging on to the history books.”

Sublime Grace was the first to finish scribbling down her notes. “Beg your pardon, my queen, but where does that leave the Church? Should we expound on Terra or what it wants of us?”

“I do not believe Terra cares about worship,” Celestia advised before growing snide. “A god that doesn’t answer or care about prayers and concerns. You can see why it wasn’t so popular.” Celestia scanned the other church members and Rarity in particular. “Nevertheless, you can see now why my sister and I deny being deities, for we have seen a god with our own eyes. Take what I have told you about Terra and write a gospel about it. I shall amend it for accuracy. If you must worship something, at least let the recipient of it be an actual god.”

“No, Faithful, I don’t believe Terra would even acknowledge our prayer or worship.” Luna summoned a small fire, the best she could do on the ship. “Perhaps worshiping anything at all is the wrong approach. Instead we should venerate the six virtues of Hearth's Warming that inspired even a god: Honesty, Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity, Kindness, and Friendship. If you can change course and do that, then the Lunar Church will have my blessing.”

Studying her gathered clergy, Luna saw each of them were barely looking at her out of respect before going back to scribbling notes, and that everyone’s plate was empty. “I say we should recess for now. Faithful, you and yours should collect your thoughts and come back at another time for further questions.” She stood up, giving leave for them to do the same.

“Thank you, your excellency, this is indeed going to spark much debate.” Faithful Hymn bowed respectfully and ushered his brethren to the door, allowing Luna to focus on the others.

“As for the rest of you, I was told between those captured during the war, and the slaves Equestria is planning to return to us, we have several issues all coalescing into a major crisis. Tell the rest of the privy council to reconvene in… two hours.”

Brief words and the shuffling of chairs marked the end of the conference. Twilight made to leave, only for Luna’s magic to discreetly hold her in her seat. Twilight looked at the faint blue glow tugging her dress sleeve and then to the alicorn who was disguising her spell casting by polishing off her glass of wine.

When the last of the guests left, and the wait staff came in to clean off the table, Luna stepped away to give them space. “Twilight, care to join me in the ready room?”

“Yes, of course.”

Following her empress into a small office, practically a cubby hole compared to one on land, Twilight was briefly drawn to the two rows of books standing near the head-sized porthole. The the cramped space was too small for Luna to sit on anything but the desk itself, so she made do.

“Twilight, my friend…” Luna was staring at the ground in thought. “It is my estimation that you are a rather secular pony, yes?”

Growing uncomfortable, Twilight’s wings started to fidget. “If you’re asking if I believe your story-”

“Neigh,” Luna waved her off, and gave a smile to disarm the pegacorn. “I could see it in your eyes you did while I was telling it. I merely wish to know what you think ponies of a similar disposition will take away from this change of message from the church.”

Relaxing, Twilight sighed a bit in relief. “It’s difficult to say how Terra itself will be taken but… The fires of Harmony…” She grew thoughtful for a moment. “You have told your story, may I tell you one of mine?”

Growing interest caused Luna to magically grab a teapot and start warming it with her magic. “Please do. Sharing stories was as close to reading a book as one could get more often than not.” She fetched a one pound bag of tea leaves and set about with a tea infuser.

The thought of fresh tea made by Luna herself drove Twilight on. “Not too long after I arrived at Tranquility, I went to an old inventor’s house by the name of Gold Tressel to conduct business. We were beset by a gang of criminal mercenaries led by a mare whose name I wish to not say.

“When I left Equestria I had to leave one of my carriage train drivers behind to cover my escape. All of them were red stripes, you see. The one I left behind just so happened to be her father. She claimed that I chose to bring back a known murderer instead of him on purpose. Presumably because I either didn’t care about it, or that I knew he’d be executed anyway.” Twilight breathed slowly, grateful that Celestia’s actions would allow Grey Hunter’s father a chance to be reunited. “After Pinkie Pie and Tressel convinced her I had no idea who her father or the murderer had been, a lesser mare would not have listened to them, and shot me anyway. Even then, by that point she and her mercenaries had already broken into his house, shot a military officer, accosted Tressel’s wife, and revealed their names and faces to us all. As criminals are wont to do, her accomplices wanted to kill us to protect themselves. I thought I was done for. Her coin was the only loyalty they had, and it was proving shaky at best, and yet, she refused to take this easy route, and held firm not to kill me.”

Snorting out of sympathetic anger, Luna shook her head. “Would it only be that such a sense of honor was more common.”

Shivering a bit as the memories of staring down multiple guns threatened to still her tongue. “Dignity and an empty sack is worth the sack, Merchant’s Creed number one oh nine.” Recalling the Creed gave Twilight’s tongue a chance to get moving again. “It’s not so much a rule to follow, but a warning when dealing with less savory beings.” Luna seemed mollified by the explanation and nodded. “Thankfully, their greed was stronger than their fear of the judge, because I was able to bribe her honorless dogs into letting us live. Later, when I was to give them the money, the ring leader had - disposed of the filth, refused the money, and demanded that I honor her father’s sacrifice, or she would not bother with a warning next time.”

Twilight idly drank the piping hot tea and wet her throat. “I’ve not heard from her ever since.” Twilight paused, and rolled the cup in her wing-fingers. “The Paths of Harmony still resides in our hearts, even if we don’t realize it. It is something I think that can unite us because as Hearth's Warming and your story have shown, the Paths were etched into us via pyrography. We need only to remember. So for your original question, some ponies will doubt Terra, but if the Church focuses on the Paths, I see no reason secularism would clash with the new message.”

Giving a small grin, Luna drank from her cup, and cast her gaze about to find the sugar jar. “I’m glad to hear it. Celestia is determined to find some way to unite us as a people once again. A shared faith is a step in the right direction I’d say.”

Humming in agreement, Twilight was all too happy to accept some sugar and a refill. “May I offer a word of caution?”

Scoffing, Luna found some biscuits and set them out. “When will you learn you do not need to ask such needless questions of me?”

“Force of habit.” Twilight’s hunger forced her to grab a few biscuits. “Overconfidence is dangerous. We all know ponies are only truly rivaled by zebras and hippogriffs. The griffons could do the same if they weren’t the living embodiment of the Creed’s tenth rule. Everypony else is a step away from being beneath us. This newfound knowledge of Hearth's Warming and Terra will only push us further into arrogance. With so many refugees crossing the ocean, griffin lands will feel like prime real estate.”

“That’s because it is.” Luna sipped her drink in thought. “But I concede your point. I will have to make sure my sister is both unwilling and potentially unable to fight us for decades to come. I’m sure the army would welcome the chance to kill non ponies for a change.”

Not the response I was looking for. Still, Twilight held out hope that reconstruction would occupy Luna’s time more than launching a new war. If Equestria is off the table as far as targets are concerned… We’re not an empire without reason.

For a moment, Luna was about to give leave to Twilight, but stopped while her thoughts churned as her neglected tea cooled. “I received a cable not too long ago from my sister. The exact figures are not in yet, but between those captured during the war, and the release of pre-existing slaves, over two million will be returning, on top of the refugees already lining the shores. The vast majority of them will be homeless. This is a crisis that I can not even fathom how bad it will be. I will not have much choice but to invade Griffonia. We need room, food, and shelter, and I have little to give.”

“We may still be on a war footing, ma’am, but our armies are an ocean out of position, Griffonia has little coastline for our navy to blockade, and the logistics of it all will need months if not a year to shift east. If an invasion must occur, we must do so smartly and not on the edge of a famine. Our armies would be better served building homes and farms, not trenches and forts.”

Mulling over it, Luna grit her teeth, silently cursing herself a fool. I never should have jumped at such a poor treaty. But if hadn’t, Celestia might not have felt safe enough to end enstripement as she did. If I go back on her now, she could be ensnared by her ministers all over again. No. The earth is already moving, I simply must change rivers. “Eclipse said much the same, and his council is insightful.”

Grumbling that much more, Luna gave up trying to formulate a plan that Eclipse's own council had proven obsolete. “Lady Twilight. You are a free actor. Find something meaningful to do. I care not what, just make sure my ponies do not starve in the year to come.”

“I,” Twilight hesitated at the scope of what was being thrown at her hooves. Your-” A sharp eye from the alicorn made Twilight reconsider. “Luna, I am but one mare, and as your Imperial Engineer, my power beyond my estate, business interests, and perhaps a talking piece is nonexistent. Lean on your agricultural and finance ministers, they can help better than I. I can move a hill, but they can move mountains.”

“Ministers,” Luna chuckled absently. “Tell me, Friend Twilight, do you think my ministers and nobles are any better than the aristocrats I railed against in my time? The few who sided with me all those years ago were outliers, either new money or lived too far away from Equestria’s corrupt heart to be tainted by it.”

Perturbed by Luna calling her old home corrupt and from her drifting off topic, Twilight felt obligated to humor her briefly. “Unlike the nobility you’re used to, ministers can be removed from office at your leisure, without it being seen as tyrannical by default. As for Lunarian nobility,” Twilight couldn’t stop herself from sounding insulted now that her emotions were overtaking her mouth. Though she didn’t raise her voice, her tone did develop a biting quality. “Even if we can buy a noble title, we have to regularly maintain our status through more than just waving a coin purse around. It is not a status simply passed down from parent to child, but one who must actively benefit the empire. Profit must have a greater purpose beyond just wealth and power. Failure to do so is grounds for a harsh and public rebuke, if not sanctioned vigilante justice.” Provided you can suss out the truth at least. “I’m sure Eclipse will inform you of the Aristocratic Audit Act before long. Not everyone of high birth is blinded by the glitter of gold, she wanted to say, but she felt she was stressing etiquette enough as it was.

Seeing the insult she had carelessly given, Luna mellowed her voice. “He has been throwing a lot at me, is true. My apologies.” Opening the door with her magic, Luna was glad to see the table was clean and the staff were absent. “Perhaps I need a rest and calm my thoughts. I look forward to your input on the deliberations to come.”

More than happy to cool off as well, Twilight bowed. “As you say, your excellency.”

As Twilight departed, and the doors shut behind her, Luna chewed on her cheek as she moved to the slatted windows and stared out to sea. She passingly recalled meeting a group of aristocrats in Mechiburg, barely fifteen strong in number. She had not cared to remember whatever they had been doing there, and could only remember they were not trying to flee across the ocean. Twilight Sparkle… you’ve proven your blue blood holds no rot, but have the times changed so much I can barely recognize anything at all, or do the highborne of old just know to avoid my gaze? Her reign was still new, and she had not yet even been to the capital yet. The old rebel was left unconvinced.

Later, Rarity was in her cabin sewing a brand new scarf for Lyra. The act of holding a needle and thread calmed her thoughts and brought her more inner peace than meditation ever did. If Terra wished for stronger sparks, then Rarity’s first guess towards that goal was expanding herself. It’s been too terribly long since I have created anything.” She frowned at a poorly placed stitch and used her magic to unravel the scarf until she corrected the error. I am woefully out of practice.

Fluttershy quietly entered the cabin, having first checked to see if Rarity had been meditating. Seeing that her superior wasn’t, the pegasus fully entered. “Excuse me, I just wanted to fetch my boots.”

“By all means, dear.” Rarity went back to her efforts for a time, long enough for Fluttershy to find her fur lined boots. The druid set them on the floor when a thought struck Rarity. “Fluttershy, can you spare some time?”

“Of course.” Fluttershy sat down on the floor and pulled her boots on while Rarity continued her knitting.

For a bit, Rarity kept working, trying to piece her thoughts together. “Celestia told the council about Terra and to a smaller extent, the Green Mother.”

“Terra?”

“Yes. A very strange being. I think you should know what was said.” And so, Rarity explained everything Celestia had said, as word for word as Rarity could remember. Throughout the retelling, Fluttershy remained respectfully attentive. “And there it is…” Rarity left, leaving the room to fall silent. “If anything, it seems Terra approved of the Green Mother more than other nature beings.”

Giving a smile and a shallow snort, Fluttershy spoke as if being lifted up. “I believe the Green Mother is quite thankful of Terra. This vidicates much, although I feel the need for reflection on this.”

“As do I,” Rarity stated sluggishly. “How arrogant we were, thinking alicorns are gods compared to something like Terra.” Shaking her head, the inquisitor felt the call to continue her thread work, lest her shattered worldview consume her. Yet she felt the need for further distraction. She paused her work, and saw Fluttershy had located her boots and set about putting them on. “You said you needed time to reflect. Care to bounce such thoughts off on me?”

Clipping the buttons on tight, Fluttershy worked her jaw as she hid behind her hair as she mulled over the question. “It is only a cursory theory. One I… hesitate to share.” Fluttershy may have been given leave to practice Druidism in the inquisitor’s company, but she was always careful of stretching that allowance for blasphemy around the zealot.

Rarity paused her knitting and gave a curious eye. “Tis better than what I have at the moment. Please, do go on.”

Okay, but if you get mad, you asked for it. Fluttershy spoke carefully as she donned the rest of her boots. “Whatever level the Church believes Terra’s influence has had on our body and minds, I doubt the Mother intentionally had multiple species capable of holding a spark at first. However, when she saw the potential, she must have expanded the number of species to what we have today. A lion or bear can not challenge pony civilization, but zebras, minotaurs, and the others can.”

“Challenge? That’s certainly your opinion, but go on.”

“R-right.” That was exactly why Fluttershy was always careful. Nervously tugging her mane, the druid continued. “The Green Mother knows full well that if a single species rose alone due to these sparks, they would stagnate unless they would struggle with themselves. However, multiple species acting as rivals proves a greater challenge, and more room for growth.”

“I suppose the other species challenged us in the past. But this only proves we stand above the others, for none can challenge ponykind except itself.”

Hiding a disappointed frown behind her hair, Fluttershy fought the urge to shake her head. Says the one whose beliefs were humbled.

A heavy knock on the door interrupted them, followed by a stallion poking his head in. “Forgive me, Royal Inquisitor, but her majesty summons you.”

Putting her knitting away, Rarity was quick to stand and dust herself off. “I will be there shortly.” Rarity slid past her friend, only to pause at the door. “I appreciate your candor, Fluttershy. I may not agree with much of your views, but I would rather hear them, than be isolated by Lyra and Lock Stock’s bowing heads.”

Grinning at the praise, Fluttershy pulled her hair back. “Then hear it you shall.” Rarity tittered as she departed.

Further up the train in a much larger cabin, Celestia studied the treaty she and her advisors had written up. The morning sun shined through the window, revealing the snow was already two feet thick in the northern provinces. The train sat at Manehatten’s ill used train station, barely more than a raised terrace than an actual station. With nothing more than tents outside of the harbor itself, she and the rest of her entourage elected to remain onboard until the Lunarian fleet arrived.

The peace part of the treaty had already been agreed upon during her time in the Mirage, the only real change was formalizing the language.The only real addition was the anti-slavery clause that would make the territory loss more palatable. A discreet knock on the door made her call out but not look away from her work of one last proofing of the text. “Enter.”

Rarity entered the cabin and bowed. “You called for me?”

“Miss Rarity, good.” Celestia looked up drying her work and levitated the copy of the treaty she had been going over. “I hear you make a habit of citing treaties in your work. As a courtesy, I suspected you might want a first look before it comes into play.”

Accepting the parchment, Rarity quickly found the relevant text. “Anypony caught in the act of slavery of any being forfeits all rights and protections. A poignant way to say they can be executed on the spot.” As she read it again, Rarity noticed Celestia was watching her expectantly. There’s something amiss then. With this observation, Rarity thought about it some more. “… May I share a concern?”

“Share? Miss Rarity, I welcome it from you.”

Taking the gesture with grace, Rarity carefully tapped the passage. “I understand writing this into a treaty makes it harder to reverse as opposed to a national law, thus appeasing your sister… You're using this to quash any hopes enstripement might return, yes?”

“Precisely.” Celestia sighed and stared out of the window, watching the snow blanketed forest race by. “Equestria handedly won this war, but we must never forget our fortunes can shift as readily as the winds. Enshrining this into a treaty means Lunaria will not fear a whim reversing the ban.” Celestia reclaimed the treaty and then began checking the copy of the treaty that will return with her to Canterlot. “More importantly to the here and now, your fellow inquisitors speak of rumors of slavers going into hiding, perhaps not believing in the grace period I offered, or are hiding other crimes.

“While I have great faith in the inquisition’s ability to uproot the institution, the slippery and the unscrupulous will scatter like rats. When they hear of this treaty’s wording, they will have no choice but to move their dealings away from Equestria and will certainly not find safe haven in Lunaria.”

“I can see the wisdom in exporting the problem.” Rarity mulled over the implications. “With all the attention our new provinces in the east will be getting, the smart ones will flee west and take a boat to the more stable griffin tributaries.”

Pausing her work, Celestia looked at the unicorn with confusion. “I wasn’t told we had tributaries.”

“We don’t,” Rarity clarified. “They’re tributaries to the Zebracan Republics and the Holy Sphinx Empire. We needn’t worry too much. They barely trade with us, and they know better than to draw the ire of their betters. If you were to measure the gap between our navy and that of your sister’s, double that gap and you will see how far behind are the Republics’ and HSE ships to us. Not to mention the Moana Ocean is three times wider, making any attack a pointless gesture. Even if the HSE or the Republics take issue with the influx of a few undesirables, they can hardly do anything about it.”

“Is that right?” Celestia leaned back and tapped her chin with a hoof. “In light of that, Miss Rarity, focus your efforts at home and to the east. Leave the west open for them to flee for a few years before cracking down in case some prefer to be hunted by you than anything the barbarians can throw at them. Who knows, perhaps some will die of scurvy or the sea will claim them.”

“By your will, so shall it be.” Rarity bowed before leaving to relay her new orders to the rest of her brethren. As she stepped outside into the bone chilling cold, an earth stallion was calling out to all who would listen. “Warships spotted on the horizon! The empress is here!”

Having never seen the metal ships her advisors had spoken of, Celestia was too curious to sit back and wait. Looking back into the train, she found her pegasus Royal Guard captain tactfully watching over her. “Gleaming Crest, I’m going for a fly. No more than three of you should be needed.”

“As you order, your majesty.”

Soon enough, with Luna’s copy of the treaty stowed in a bag, Celestia dove into the air and flew over the ruined city. From on high, the sheer scale of what was lost gripped her. Though some places had been scavenged for cheap bricks, the ruins were little more than snow covered, wind torn rubble for miles in all directions. How bizarre it is to leave such a monument of loss in place while using it as a trade port. Perhaps I could focus my unification efforts here. Ponies on both sides come here for the shared love of coin, why not try to use that for something greater?

It wasn’t long until the group arrived above the harbor. The ships were still far away, but even so, she could see at least six objects on the water. “Your highness.”

Celestia turned to find Gleaming was presenting a pair of binoculars. “I don’t know if you're familiar with these, but you can use them to see far away objects up close.”

Claiming the object, Celestia inspected it. “Reading stones fixed to a tube?” By chance she guessed the correct direction to look through and was astonished by the buildings below, and gasped. She removed them from her eyes and looked down to a tavern below, then back again with the binoculars. The little sign in front was enlarged to the point where she could read the name of the place. “Astounding. Oh if only I had these during my campaign.”

“They’re yours to keep if you wish,” Gleaming offered with pride.

Her first thought was to decline, but she stopped herself. He’d probably feel far more honored if I kept using his gift over the inconvenience of having to replace them. With a warm smile, she nodded. “You’re too kind. I will treasure it.” At last turning her new tool towards the flotilla, Celestia could only look on in shock.

Though the ships were still quite distant, and she could see they moved by no sail nor ores. Black steel gleamed in the sunlight and blooms of black smoke steadily churned out of funnels. Several lines tied to the bow and up to a metal mast in the center carried a multitude of small flags. She marveled at how even the wooden deck gleamed in the light. Over a hundred pegasus marines escorted the flotilla in parade formation.

Echoes of Rainbow Dash firing that rifle at her came to the fore. Celestia touched her cheek, remembering the pain. “Captain. I have been told the imperials have better ships. In what way is that true?”

Gleaming answered as best he could without the wounded pride of a sailor. “The imperials have entirely replaced their fleets with ironclads, and their gunnery is better in both accuracy and lethality. Their ships’ disruption fields are powerful enough to stop even our best ice magic, and our cannonballs bounce off their hulls. I’ve been told not only are they faster than any other ships afloat, but they are also propelled solely by a screw under the water, making it impossible to slow them down without considerable effort. Only massed pegasi marines have had anything close to regular success.

Is he saying that because we have none of those, or because I am unfamiliar with it all. Grimly, Celestia hoped it was the former. If their navy is that powerful, then perhaps Rarity was correct to not be concerned about the HSE or the Republics.

“I see.” Spotting what she assumed were cover caps on her binoculars, she covered the lenses and pocketed the item before pulling out Luna’s copy of the treaty. “I thank you for this indulgence.”

“I was a pleasure, your highness.”

“Have a trusted pony deliver this to my sister when they come ashore.”

The following days were bitter for Luna and the other Lunarian signatories of the peace treaty. The proceedings were being held in the old broken ruins of Manehatten rather than the port itself. Celestia did not want debris being cleared, save to give enough room for the table and the six total signatories of both nations. It was freezing cold with winter in full force, however the wind and skies around the site were kept clear by military weather teams. The off the cuff agreement of a Uti possidetis treaty still stung even as Luna penned her name. She was appalled now that Twilight and the rest of her advisors had filled her in on what was actually lost.

Four fifths of the nation’s farmlands were either conquered, depopulated, or outright razed to the ground. Three critical manufacturing cities, the connecting rail lines between what Lunaria still possessed, the entirety of the navigable river that linked it all together, and dozens of mining towns. But the heaviest was the final tally. Almost four hundred thousand dead due to the war and disease, with Equestria suffering just over three hundred thousand.

Luna finished signing her name, with Eclipse, and her military generals and an admiral going next. To think we lost the equal to Lunaria’s whole population in my time to a single war. Luna had one silver lining in that her nation still technically achieved its long standing war goal of ending enstripement in a roundabout way.

Walking away from the table to allow her sister to sign it, Luna fell into a surreal limbo. I signed a peace treaty to a war I had no part in… I may be the distant cause, but it feels wrong that I should sign it at all. I didn’t lead the armies. Nor did I bleed alongside them. I awake from stone and then call for its end. Was that for the best, or could my people have turned it around and defeated General Shining Armor if I had not come back? …Who am I trying to fool? Even without me, General Armor would have completely removed us from the continent. I can only hope Twilight can do for us in peace, what her brother did for them in war. She fumed silently, ignoring the world for a short time. I should give her a more powerful position, but even I can tell she’d end up resenting it. Perhaps it is better she remained unshackled to my court.

After Celestia wrote her name in as the last signatory she took the opportunity to share a few words to everyone. Although most of her attention was on her reserved sister, the multitude of soldiers and civilians watching from the air or from on top of shattered walls and piles of bricks. There was no honor guard today to separate her from the people. Half were begging for her to give the word to start cheering, the other was downtrodden, but wanted to be there for Luna and Eclipse.

“Equestrians and Lunarians all, hear me. Look upon this broken city… a monument to how shattered we are as a people. I have heard the war I declared nine hundred years ago called the war of strife. A fitting name for the age that followed it.”

Celestia grew more animated now and flared her wings and made her voice just as strong. “With the signing of this peace treaty, I put it forth to us all to end this age of strife.” She picked up a brick that the workers had left for her. “We all forgot the lessons of Hearth’s Warming, and that failure has been magnified to where we are now, at each other’s throats. I already hear of calls for vengeance, something no doubt doubly so within Lunaria. If nothing changes, we might as well have just signed an armistice instead.” She dropped the brick.

“So I made the first overture. The war is over, enstripement is done, and all servants will be returned as quickly as possible. From this day forward, let no pony enslave another! Let us preserve this peace once and for all!”

Flapping her wings to land next to her sister, Luna decided to wing it on a speech as well. Why did she have to spring a long winded speech on me? Now I have to make a show of things.

“Agreed. There’s been enough dead heroes.” Luna trusted her sister was honest this far. “Let us rebuild, and be done with this business of killing one another.” There’s plenty of land to the east of our holdings. “When our lost brothers, sisters, husbands, and mothers are returned to us, they should not see a nation as broken as this city, but that we stand tall!”

With both sisters in agreement, the crowd’s initial worry over cheering faded, allowing everyone to erupt in jubilation. Given everything that had happened, Celestia was genuinely happy to have her sister at her side once more, however brief it may prove to be. This treaty may be for yesterday’s war, but it feels like Lulu and I finally made peace as well. I failed the true lessons of Hearth's Warming when I started that damned war. Maybe now that I can remain wise to the blinding schemes of others, I won’t lose sight of who is important to me.

Standing on the sidelines, Twilight and Pinkie watched from afar. Both mares stomped their hooves so as to not stand out, but neither one was all too thrilled. “The guns may have fallen silent, but now we’re left to pick up the pieces.” Twilight sighed once she could stop faking her good mood. “And be called profiteers while finding a way to fill everypony’s bellies.”

Pinkie Pie threw on a broad smile and ribbed her sister. “Hey now, better they be fat and mad, than starving and rioting.”

“Heh, I suppose so.” Twilight left Luna and her aides to handle the pleasantries. The sisters broke off as soon as manners allowed them. Twilight’s stomach growled so loudly, she feared those around her could hear and she covered her burning face with a wing.

Giggling with schadenfreude, Pinkie nudged her sister towards the docks. “Sounds like some ponies are hungry,” she ended with a cheery note.

“No use arguing.” Twilight picked up the pace, her thoughts filled with fried fish. “I can’t believe Cadence discovered I’m having twins.”

“I know right?” Pinkie Pie was skipping along, skirting the edge of breaking into song. “But look on the pie side, twins means you don’t need to go through pregnancy twice for a second foal.” One look at her sister’s expanding belly filled Pinkie with glee. “And if they’re even half as cute as Flurry Heart, it will be a sign,” Pinkie proclaimed with a sudden dramatic flare. “A sign from Terra itself!”

Already deeply suspicious of Pinkie’s overly cheerful mood, Twilight rubbed her growing headache while watching the pracing mare. “Dare I ask what it is a sign for?”

Winking at Twilight and maneuvering to walk at her side once more, Pinkie grabbed a few bricks and held them as if they were foals. “That you have to have a whole bunch of children. I think fifty is a good number!”

Twilight tripped over her own hooves and face planted the ground. In a flash she looked up and stared daggers at her sister. “Fifty? Fifty?! How about you have fifty foals so you can end up as one big stretch mark!”

Pinkie Pie helped her sister stand back up and wiped the snow off out of habit. “I already have those on my face from smiling too much, see?” All she got out of Twilight was a sour look. “Look on the bright side, if you’d make having twins a habit, you can get it all done in half the time.”

“You keep this up and I’ll have you married off,” Twilight shot back with a smug eye. “We could use the Darkwood’s money and foundries.”

“As if you could stomach having to invite them over for family functions,” Pinkie quipped right back with a cheeky smirk.

Shivering at the thought more than the cold, Twilight knew when to give up the ghost. “Point taken. Anyway, why don’t we go to that place where we met Applejack?”

“Sounds fun. When we get back to the harbor, I can drag both her and Rainbow Dash to join us.”

Author's Note

This chapter is dedicated to A Bitter Pill's father, who passed away January 22nd. He will be dearly missed by his children.

41: All's Quiet on the Northern Front

Two and a half years later, the guns remained silent.

Dark storm clouds crowded above Talon Point. Figures darted in and out of the clouds, causing blinding flashes of lightning to strike a building not too far away from the elevators. Each spear of power from the heavens struck any number of lightning rods. From those rods, thick copper cables snaked into a new foundry. The cables snaked along the walls into devices, leveling the amount of power going onto the smelters.

Twilight and Silver Vien stood and watched as the workers below worked tirelessly. The smell of molten metal and pony sweat wrinkled their noses. Standing around the married couple were an assortment of other ponies, aristocrats and commoner tycoons alike. The oppressive heat from the foundry was made more tolerable by the wind from outside. One familiar face that Twilight was especially keen to impress was Mister Steel, the one she sold her first boiler to. Although she had not had many dealings with him for years, he was her first step into Lunarian business.

The foundry was small by Lunarian standards, but it was ultimately a prototype to produce what was being carried up to Twilight on the wings of a pegasus. The worker presented a metal bar to which she claimed and turned to present it to the crowd. “And there you have it, fillies and gentlecolts. A bar of aluminum that costs less than a bar of gold.” She handed it over to the closest investor. “Please, examine it at your leisure. I assure you, bar for bar a full scale foundry using the Sparkle method can lower the price to below that of silver by weight.”

A round of interested murmurs chimed in as the investors found the luster and other properties to their liking, giving Silver the courage to add his weight. “The chemical side of the processing has already been included into the pricing.”

A unicorn noble felt the bar with his shaking magic. “The purity is impressive indeed, However, I do have to worry. You’ve already made it plain you wish to make aluminum as cheap as steel, if not more so. Why should I invest in this when I’m doing just fine with steel alone? The costs of creating a foundry for the sole purpose of cheapening my own product is bad business.”

“Something I’m sure many thought of steel when true industrialized foundries came to be.” Twilight and Silver had practiced this very question and answered with memorized grace. Of the two, Twilight was truly in her element now. Invention was only half the battle, you still needed to get others to use it. “For one, so long as you plan for the price to drop, you can distribute your early high profits more sensibly. Aluminum may be treated like a precious metal, but we must all plan for it to be as much of a foundational element in industries like steel and steam is today.

“Secondly, our need for steel has bloated beyond our ability to manufacture it.” She looked around, seeing the wheels turning in everyone’s eyes. “I’m sure all of you are fighting tooth and hoof for control over the iron mines we have left. From my experiments so far, aluminum has a fair amount of overlapping uses with steel, but there are an untold number of applications aluminum has that steel simply falls short on. We have not discovered these uses because of how expensive it is. This is not like an early adoption of some new gadget, but a ground floor opening to a new age of metallurgy!”

Seeing Twilight so animated almost made Silver forget his cue. He stepped in and stood side by side with his wife and spoke with practiced confidence, even if he had to pretend everyone was dressed like clowns to keep his jitters under control. “For every one pound of aluminum used in cookware, construction, farming, carriages, or new applications we don’t even know yet is one pound of steel that can be directed to ships, guns, nails, and engines. The ore for aluminum is plentiful here on the peninsula.” He flared his wings, and grabbed their hearts and loosened their purses with every word. “If we open aluminum foundries in the proper scale, not only will the cries for jobs lessen, but the Throne will recognize our contribution to the recovery of the nation.”

The unicorn surrendered the bar over to Mister Steel who inspected the item, testing the weight and feel in his hoof. He never had an interest in the metal before, as it had been the domain of jewelers. Giving a noncommittal hum, he gave it over to another person. “Mister Silver Vein, Lady Twilight Sparkle, this is certainly impressive, but you know full well I am not in the business of cookware, carriages, or…” He glanced at her armored wings. “Personal devices.” Can you give me something large-scale that only aluminum can do? Because otherwise, my slips are best served elsewhere.”

Flashing a brilliant smile, Twilight dipped her head. “I thought you’d never ask.” She clapped her hooves. “Everypony, I ask that you join me for a walk.”

Leading the group outside and swinging around to the far end of the foundry, they came upon a covered walkway that led further away from the manor. As they pressed on, Twilight glanced away from the mountains and out to the expansive wheatfields beyond. Summer was upon them, and the golden grains swayed gently in the wind. In the skies between here and Tranquility, multiple cloud districts had arisen, enabling the hundreds of thousands of refugee fliers to claim some manner of shelter. The cloud homes were already falling into disrepair and were breaking apart as most ponies lacked the skills to maintain them and tended to leave for other settlements as soon as they could manage. The search for work, food, and scattered families kept the tent cities surrounding the capital smaller than it could have been.

Once the investors were far enough that the crack of lightning wasn’t causing anyone’s ears to reflexively flatten, they came upon a large object covered in a pale drape. It was a sizable thing, with a figure moving around inside. Applejack heard the approaching hoofsteps and emerged from under the cover.

Breaking into a cold sweat, Twilight gave a short word to the investors before approaching her engineer. “Something wrong?”

Keeping her voice down, Applejack wiped some oil off her brow. “No, no, just makin’ sure the wires are good, and that battery is as stable as it’s going to be without your personal touch.”

“Then a touch I will go.” Twilight couldn't relax just yet, and turned to the crowd while Applejack stepped back. “Everypony, I wish to present my personal project made possible by the Clipped Wing Institute.” She, Silver, and Applejack grabbed the tarp and pulled it away to reveal a machine. It looked like an uncovered carriage with folded bird wings. A squat curved piece of glass sat in front of four seats. An engine sat in the back with a wooden double bladed propeller. The whole thing was polished aluminum.

The propeller got a chuckle out of a few of the investors. “Lady Twilight,” a pegasus stallion guffawed, “if you mean to cool your passengers, your fan is pointed the wrong way.”

“I assure you, sir, there will be plenty of wind for myself and others.” Twilight climbed into the front left seat and both mares started spinning a crank. Wires pulled taut, and extended the bird wings out, causing some of the more inquisitive investors to step away. Locking them in place, Twilight spread her own wings. “Now, who would like to volunteer to fly with me?”

While some openly laughed at the prospect of the contraption actually flying, Mister Steel was not so quick to jump to ridicule. “Your armor is impressive, Lady Twilight, but if this carriage is actually meant to fly, how are you able to personally power something so large?”

Pushing the half-door open, Twilight gestured to the thinly padded seat. “Come with me, and I’ll tell you all about it. The rest of you will have to wait until we come back down.” Snorting at the challenge, Steel was not a stallion adverse to risk. Still wanting to be impressed, he climbed aboard. “Anypony else?” Twilight said to the other flightless investors.

“Well I either get a chance to fly outside of a chariot, or I never have to listen to the wife again, either way, I’m game,” a unicorn stallion joked as he joined Steel in the two back seats. Once inside, he poked and pulled on the metal skin of the machine, testing its fee and strength.

With Applejack sitting beside her and monitoring the battery, Twilight pulled a lever, causing pegacorn magic to flow all through the machine, and collect within the wings which started to hum far louder than hers ever did.

The aluminum carriage developed faint but noticeable blue lines across the wings. Even though they had been half expecting it, Steel and the unicorn were surprised to feel the machine lift off into a low shaking hover. The engine offered a high pitched choking cough as Twilight urged it to start. Much to her annoyance, the coughing continued and the propeller only jittered a single revolution.

Applejack leaned back to the passengers. The unicorn was gabbing on about pegasus-less flight while Steel was more interested in the engine itself. “Mister Steel, it'd be mighty kind ah ya ta give the propeller a right good spin.”

Already interested by the small engine clearly not being steam driven, Steel played along. “Like so?” He twisted around and got a good hold of the propeller and pushed it hard and hastily pulled himself back.

The engine coughed some more, but the propeller came to life and started buzzing hard enough to answer for him. He held his top hat on tight for fear of it flying into the propeller. It proved sluggish, but sure enough the flying machine puttered along at a lazy pace. Twilight orbited the landing site before giving Applejack the controls so she could talk to the two investors. “As you can see, sirs, the lifting power of pegacorn magic is far stronger than it looks. Not only that, but thanks to the battery, somepony such as I does not need to control it, or even need to be present at all times. So long as the battery is charged, anypony can fly.” As the pair asked a few questions, Twilight was glad that none of them thought to ask just how long the battery actually lasted. After a bit, she used a wing to tap Applejack, a signal to come in for a landing. She didn’t want the short lived battery to cause problems.

“The engine isn’t powered by magic though,” the unicorn stated as he sniffed the air. “It’s far too small to be steam driven. Is it burning… gasoline?!”

“Right in one. I’d expect nothing less than the chairpony of Chief Fuels.” Twilight’s inwardly grinned when the flattery made him slick his mane back and feel smug. “It’s the Tassel engine. I can’t claim to have built it, but the inventor got quite tickled by what I’m using it for when I took the old gentlecolt for a fly.”

The machine thudded onto the grass, nearly making Twilight bite her tongue. She leveled a dangerous eye at her co-pilot who grinned sheepishly. To keep the investors happy, she ignored it as the stallions climbed out. Twilight did the same while Applejack cranked the wings back in. The rest of the investors gathered back together. “This is just a sample of what aluminum can offer. I have no doubt you or those that work for you can find plenty more uses for it.”

Steel fell into quiet contemplation as the other investors presented questions or voiced their thoughts. He let the others speak and slowly leave, watching to see who invested into what if they did at all. Eventually, the group had walked back to the carriage rotunda. Meetings were planned and the promise of slips exchanging hooves were over by the time Steel had Twilight to himself.

Realizing ahead of time the shipwright wanted to speak privately, Twilight leaned into her husband’s ear. “Why don’t you tell my sister the good news?” After he departed, she gestured Steel towards the elevators.

“To think I got to sit in the invention that will revolutionize the world.” Steel watched Twilight chuckle in a depreciative manner. “You laugh, but bringing flight to the flightless? Surely you of all ponies knows how that feels.”

Giving a waning smile, Twilight reached her private elevator and waved a wing for him to join her. “I am a child of the sky that had to fight her way to the clouds. Unicorns and earth ponies… I’m sure many are stricken by jealousy of our winged brethren, but if Miss Applejack is any indication; I had to promise her a sizable raise to get her to help test fly the machine.”

Lightly stomping the ground while laughing a bit too hard, Steel felt increasing vertigo as the ground pulled away from him, and worked to not look down again. He had been too distracted and low to the ground in the flying machine to notice before. “I can sympathize. Even so, I doubt two things: one, that your demonstrator there is the best you have. Second, that you know just how much extra business that flying machine will give me.”

“The machine itself?” Twilight arched an inquisitive eyebrow at him.

“Oh don’t play coy with me now,” Steel playfully warned. “You don’t last as long as I do in the industry to not know where the wind is blowing.”

A gentle tug on the corner of her lips manifested. Rainbow Dash, remind me to buy you and the company a few kegs of the good stuff. “I don’t presume to know much about ships, but if you wish to brainstorm, we can gather our best thinkers together for food and drinks, lock ourselves into a conference room and not leave until we change the world.”

Blinking at the thought, Steel hummed with growing yet managed excitement. “Never tried that before. If that’s how you’ve been running things, then let’s have a go at it say… next week?”

A short time later, Applejack was close to a full on gallop with an excited grin plastered on her face. She turned a corner at the edge of her farm and ran through a rather busy road. The immediate lands close to Talon Point and Tranquility were a haven for refugees and crime alike. Twilight and Pinkie Pie had been quick to gather up the readily available construction crews looking for work before they turned to more desperate means to survive, but there were always more mouths than jobs. New barns, homes and other farm essentials had been slapped together alongside rickety boarding houses and soup kitchens. Yet the majority of the lands around the mountain were cultivated into rows upon rows of crops.

Today, the Ninety Second was on patrol, repelling thieves at bayonet point when necessary, yet the same story played out as there were always more desperate ponies than soldiers. The fields around her were not the perfect lines they started out as. Jagged and full of holes from being eaten early, some patches of crops were so badly mauled they had to be fully replanted.

Applejack weaved in between the other travelers and carriages for over a mile until she arrived at an intersection splitting the grain silos and farmhouses. A gathering hall close to the intersection was abuzz with song and merriment, acting as a beacon to all.

Stopping to catch her breath, Applejack made sure her trusty sailor’s cap was still on straight before marching inside. A couple of fresh soldiers were acting as bouncers, but even they knew Applejack on sight and let her through without a fuss.

Within was a massive festival. Food was not plentiful, as even here, everyone needed their ration cards, but today every farmer, construction worker, or any others employed by the estate got triple the day’s rations.

A folk band was playing up a ditty that made the sailor itch to join the crowded dance floor. Laughter and cheer filled the air, and at the center of it all was Pinkie Pie herself. The pink noble was on stage dancing right alongside all those around her.

If she’s still dancing and ponies aren’t goin’ nuts, then Ah made it. Applejack wound her way to the punch bowl which was the only thing a ration card was not needed for. She almost made it to the collection of mugs when she got tackled from above.

“There you are, AJ,” cackled Rainbow Dash as she gave a bear hug. “Share a drink with me!”

Growling and shoving the tipsy officer off of her, Applejack swiped a mug and waved it at her friend in a chastising manner. “Dashy, consarned it, ya shouldn’t be drinkin’ like this in public. Gives the air corps a bad eye.”

Rainbow blew a raspberry and swatted playfully at the sailor. “Says the one who drinks me under the table half the time.”

“One I’m retired and two I wasn’t ever an officer,” Applejack retorted while dipping her mug in the punch. “And three you get too huggy when you drink.”

“The studs don’t think it’s a bad thing.” Rainbow polished off her beverage and frowned when Applejack forcibly poured her punch into the thestral’s mug, unhelpfully lacking in alcohol. “This however,” she shook her mug at Applejack as she refilled her drink. “Is a bad thing.”

Tasting the punch, the sailor was glad to find it was apple based. “Granny always could brew a fine virgin cider. Try it.”

Rainbow obliged and sipped it. “I’m sure it’d be great on patrol but for a party?!” Her face wrinkled while she fished out a small flask from her mane, only for an orange hoof to stop her from above.

“Ma’am, sorry Ma’am, but I’m under orders to not let you drink that, Ma’am!”

Applejack looked above her friend to find a barely out of fillyhood pegasus mare restraining Rainbow's hoof until she released the flask with a gruff snort. Amusement shot through Applejack and she chugged the cider as the purple maned soldier landed and stood at attention, awaiting reprimand. “Who’s this?”

“My replacement ‘lieutenant’ after Blue Beam got promoted out.” Rainbow eyed the tense junior officer with a firm glare. “Cadet Scootaloo, what do you think you’re doing? I’m your superior officer, now let go or I’ll clap you in irons.”

“Ma’am, I am under orders to stop you from drinking, Ma’am!” The diminutive pegasus looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack.

“If that’s the case, Cadet, why didn’t you stop me earlier like I told you to?”

“I - I…” Scootaloo locked up, waiting to be berated or be given punitive exercise.

Applejack took pity on her and was about to say something when Rainbow beat her to it. “Nevermind, we’ll talk about it later. Now disappear. Go enjoy the rest of the celebration,” she added in the hopes that the young mare wouldn’t spend the whole time fretting over some worse form of punishment.

Snapping a salute so hard her hoof nearly banged her brow. “Ma’am, yes - Ah - thank you Ma’am!” Turning about, the cadet fled in a hurry.

Wiping foam off her lips, Applejack watched her go. “So that’s Scootaloo? Applebloom told me she made a new cadet friend of all things. Ah thought she had been conned see’n how the academy is on the other side a’ Tranq.”

Drinking the cider, Rainbow Dash resigned herself to not advancing beyond a buzz. “She’s the real deal. With the army getting bloated by new recruits they’re throwing some cadets at captains all over the place.”

“Oh that’s mean,” Applejack grumped playfully. “Tossin’ the poor kid your direction? No wonder she’s shak’in like a bent turbine rotor.”

“The transfer papers says she requested me personally,” Rainbow drank her virgin cider, slowly warming up to it.

Rolling her eyes, Applejack scooped up more cider for herself. “Let me guess, it’s ‘cause you never get tired of bragging how you sucker punched Celestia herself, and now you have’ta foalsit some poor cadet.”

“Foalsit is right, if she can’t stop me from getting drunk, how’s she going to get the boys to listen to her? Doesn’t matter if they’re battle scarred or bigger than she is, if she’s in the right then she’s gotta maintain control.” Rainbow sighed heavily while grabbing some carrots. “Or at least the illusion of control. You know how crazy things can get when the bullets start flying. You have orders saying one thing and another thing could be happening. She’s got to get a head for adapting to chaos.”

Hemming and hawing, Applejack opted for some grilled chicken and a loaf of mixed vegetables. “Can’t argue there.” She handed over her ration card to the server who punched it before returning it. “When we were chasing’ slaver ships, we had ta be careful not to shoot the hull. Plus when it was clear our boarding party was going ta win… ponies do all sorts a’ things to escape the noose or cutlass.”

With the mood between them sinking fast, Applejack tugged on the first thing she could think of to change topics. “Anyway, Applebloom said Scoots was a noble too. I thought she was daft for believing it, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me that’s true too.”

Rainbow pulled Applejack along to get in line for food. “She was orphaned by the siege of Ruby Falls, and she opted to go to the officer academy to keep her noble title.”

“Oh…”.m The sailor felt her mood grazing the locker.

Rainbow’s follow up never came after the band stopped playing and she heard Pinkie Pie calling for attention. The curly haired mare was holding a cone to project herself. “Fillies and gentlecolts, it has been a long few years hasn’t it? So many of you came to these shores with nothing but your fur. But look at you now! We’ve not only built an incredible community, but each of you standing here tonight has rebuilt yourselves. We grew enough food for not just ourselves, but to feed half of Tranquility on your own!”

She paused, giving the party goers time to stomp their hooves in celebration. “I’m sure many of you remember the greater significance of that. When all of you signed indentured contracts with Sparkle Industrial, that was one of the early exit clauses. I tell you now what I told you in the beginning. We wanted ponies who could follow the Paths of Harmony. Honest work, generosity with your neighbors, kindness to the starving, laughter to keep your chin up, loyalty to throne and country, and friendship is the glue holding it all together.

“Each of you who were invited tonight have done this not just to my satisfaction, but to that of our community.” More applause and cheering erupted, with Applejack and Rainbow joining in with equal enthusiasm. Pinkie continued when the noise died down. “The second exit clause, one I’m sure none of you believed would be admitted to,” Pinkie went on to meet eyes with a few in the listeners. “Was that my estate would need to recoup its expenses to fund the growth of this grand venture. After all, building a town isn’t cheap. But I am proud to say that tonight we have!”

Confused yet tentatively excited murmurings grew rapidly. Pinkie let them talk for just a bit before taking the floor again. “You heard right. As of this very moment, our books are in the black, which means each and every one of your contracts is hereby completed!”

Cheering and stomping hooves burst to life with wild abandon. Hats were thrown into the air, laughter and tearful hugs were followed by Pinkie throwing a hoof into the air. “Come by the counting house starting tomorrow night at eight to sign the releases!” Lauding celebration rang out as Pinkie bowed and left the stage, allowing the band to resume.

Well damn, now I wish I could drink to celebrate. Rainbow scarfed down some beans. “I didn’t think this would happen for like a decade.”

“The investors…” Applejack muttered. A worried frown fell over her. I hope this plays out like you planned, boss. That money’s supposed to maintain your research group.

Far to the east, beyond the expansive Grey Plains and the mountain aviaries of the Griffon kingdoms laid the triple union of the Sphinxes, Hippogriffs, and Kirin.

A brittle peace held for now, but no one believed it would last. Grand Patriarch Summer Flame of the Kirin, Queen Novos of the Hippogriffs, and First Citizen Saleena of the Sphinx Trade League were all sitting together above a grand arena. A chariot race with camels was going on, and crowds of all three nations cheered for their favorites.

Drink and food was plentiful and the crowd shouted in wild abandon any time racers tried to club each other when chariots collided. Dust clogged the air, adding to the suspense when a fight entered a cloud and a victor emerged.

Saleena had pulled her lounge seat close to the railing so she could watch closely, her tail swaying wildly with each thrill. Summer Flame was more reserved, but was silently hoping for his racer to win, and cursed any time misfortune struck. Novos was the most dignified of them all. She cared little for sport, and favored quiet contemplation and poetry. She was largely only present as a show of solidarity and to keep the Union together.

So it was that when a bodyguard knocked on the wall to call for their attention, that Novos was more than happy for the interruption. She turned to find the guard was escorting a familiar griffon jane. “Ah, Princess Gilda, please, join us.”

The other leaders turned to the griffon, disappointed that matters of state just walked through the door. Griffons were uncommon in Union lands, save for times of war. To the Union, they were an empire in name only, and were largely considered peerless mercenaries above all else. Gilda held herself with shaky confidence that she masked well with bravado. The pistol and bladed wings she was known for were present, but her armor wasn’t. The jane was not known to travel so lightly. “Honored allies, I bear grim tidings from the west.”

“Can this not wait until after the race?” Saleena pouted, barely spending the time to glance at the griffon before returning her eyes to the track. “It has been too long since I have seen one, and I’ll be damned if I lose to you, Summer!”

Not wanting to entirely dismiss the mercenary princess, Summer Flame angled himself so he could see both the race and the griffon. “Now now, you already know you’ve lost. Why not save yourself the heartache and pay heed?”

Suddenly wishing boredom was her chief concern once more, Novos felt the most gratitude to the griffon and her father since he rescued three of her cities from sieges that would have been their doom. “The west you say? Is there another warlord of yours going rogue?”

“I only wish that was the case… Lunaria’s eyes have moved east once again. I am here on behalf of my father to rally your support as promised.”

Being drawn into another war less than a decade after their last one held no supporters. Saleena’s attention was nonetheless pulled off the race, concern narrowed her eyes and her previous joy vanished completely. “In what way? Speak plainly.”

Gilda tried to keep her rehearsed talking points together. “Word has it that Lunaria lost vast territory in its latest war with Equestria. The little else our spies have gleaned is that hundreds of thousands if not millions of ponies have arrived at the Lunarian peninsula. If that doesn’t end up as one massive army I’ll toss my gold into Mount Incendious.”

With Saleena’s lands being the most exposed to the Union’s rival, the Emerald Horde, she above her peers was riddled with terror at the news. “Have the ponies made any moves yet? Troop build ups or the like?”

“That’s where it gets… clouded,” Gilda was sluggish to admit. Ponies tend to kill our spies on sight; we’ve lost dozens in the past year alone. All that’s gotten back to us is that they appear to be more interested in greatly expanding their farmland.” Having been coached on how disarming that could sound, Gilda was hasty to add her next bit of news. “The reason I’m calling for aid today though is that Lunarian missionaries have entered our aviaries and are trying to convert our people to some new religion.” Gilda watched each leader’s faces closely. “My father and I are of the same mind. This is just an insultingly obvious spy mission prelude to a war sure to come.”

“A new religion?” Summer Flame tilted his head. He was keenly fascinated by all matters of faith, and how each one could evoke aggression. The Nirik within him took pleasure in bringing out the flame of others. “I heard whispers that the alicorn sisters had returned. Perhaps you’re mistaken and a reformation has occurred instead.”

“It does not matter if the faith is new or reformed,” Novos declared, derailing Summer’s attempt to provoke Gilda. “Have these missionaries actually done anything egregious? Is the religion violent?”

“I can’t not speak much of whatever lies they’re spewing. Whatever they’re preaching doesn’t matter because it’s all just a big lie to get spies inside.” Gilda’s initial momentum accelerated as she found her stride. “Village chiefs claim the missionaries are going to every aviary they can find, and a number of warlords are already asking father for permission to kill or expel them. One group was not far from Griffonstone when we got word and I left for here.”

Saleena scowled and crossed her forelegs. “That’s all? If these ponies were as dogmatically devoted to that alicorn goddess as we were led to believe, why missionaries? Surely they don’t expect you to worship her too?”

“Do they at least look and act the part of missionaries?” Novos asked, presuming Gilda would at least know that much.

“What does it matter?” The young griffon tried to reason, feeling she was on shaky ground. “Ponies are not interested in honoring ancestors, spiritual balance, or saving souls, but ending them and taking our lands.”

“So you don’t know for sure,” Summer Flame stated flatly, worming doubt into her assertions.

“Well… no but you have to agree it is entirely too suspect of them,” Gilda shot back, trying to hold onto the alarm she was trying to ring. “Our pact of union still stands. We defended you against the Centauri, you must aid us against the ponies!”

“And aid you we will. If you’re attacked first,” Saleena stated firmly. “You know damned well our pact is defensive since your father wanted no part of the counter offensive we were hoping for against the Centauri.”

“I must agree,” Summer Flame chimed in, trying to keep favor with Saleena. “You must also know the Emerald Horde won’t be licking their wounds for much longer. None of us can afford a distraction in the west when they return.”

“Distraction?!” Gilda cried with anger. “My people have earned more than that!”

“Indeed you have.” Novos left her chair and spoke more diplomatically. “But you must see that the timing could be better. Still,” Novos raised a claw to ward off an argument. “If scouting is their true goal right now perhaps there is still time to prevent a conflict we can ill afford. Summer Flame, Saleena, we should open official relations with Lunaria. If we can explain our position and offer Empress Luna enough incentive to not attack the empire, will that suffice?”

The need for revenge in Gilda’s heart ached to be satisfied, but her people came first, and a tribute payment is what she understood most. “… Aye. Provided they remove these blatant spies from our lands. All it would take is for someone to lose their patience and kill one of these so-called missionaries and it could be used as a call to war.”

Further east laid the vast territory of the Emerald Horde, home to six species, all led by the Centauri. Within the occupied port city of Fespar the emerald king lorded over a map table in his private chambers.

It showed the entirety of his domain which stretched for half a continent and the lands to his west. He was young for a king, but was reputed to be firm of mind and body. His black fur and mane was cropped close, and his armored hooves made his steps heavy and strong. He was thin and lithe for his kind, yet he was respected enough that none of his brothers and sisters wished to wage open civil war against him after their father died at the end of the last war.

Fueled by the ambitions of his father, King Kateno was going to conquer the Union. “Thirty years they held my father back. Thirty years and your people have played a key role in our defeats, Grunhilda.” He looked up to a lightly armored griffon.

“A contract is a contract is a contract. Pay us well, and my warlord will be more than happy to rally to your flag.” Grunhilda was a bitter old bird who earned her scars, and she spoke with a raspy voice that belied her lethality with a blade.

Kateno rolled his shoulder as a multitude of matters warred for his attention. “Would that not cause your emperor to crush him for disloyalty?”

“It would not be the first time we’ve crossed blades with our own. Before you came, the Union countries bought our services for their petty wars.”

“And yet you refused to be bought off,” Kateno replied with a sly grin. “Mercenaries who honor their agreements above coin is not what the legends of your kind’s greed would have me believe. I am glad to see such rumors were just that: rumors.”

“I imagine your father wasn’t so happy,” Grunhilda said with a smirk, testing the young king’s temper.

Katenos smirked in amusement. “He was a fool to believe the Union all fought the same way. How many can your master promise?”

Moving on to business, Grunhilda’s mood chilled. “Five thousand, though you know full well each of us is worth five of yours, and ten of any alliance soldier.”

Humming in thought, the centaur pulled back from the map. “We faced a force of a hundred thousand griffons on top of the alliance army. Your paltry five would be a waste of gold. I have it on good authority that your emperor is on retainer to the alliance.”

“That is a problem,” the mercenary admitted. “It’s an old treaty the emperor signed with the alliance the last time the Lunarians went on a land grab. Should his lands be attacked again, the alliance rallies to their aid in exchange for a cheap price in fighting you.” The griffon became agitated having to bring them up at all.

Rubbing his chin, the emperor returned to his throne and was lost in thought for a bit. “I have had little dealings with those… ponies I believed you called them?”

“Yes. They remind me a lot of you, but you’re easier on the eyes.”

Kateno was amused at the empty flattery, and decided calling her on it wasn't worth it. Grunhilda is my only trusted informant on the alliance and beyond. If I am to take these lands, I need to cement her allegiance. Such a goal had to wait for now. “What can you tell me of them? I know little outside of their occasional merchant ships having quality yet seemingly identical items. From what I understand, these merchants care for little beyond our gold, silver, and spices.”

“Ponies are a militant species, that is for sure. They war constantly with their equally warlike western pony neighbor Equestria. When they aren’t busy fighting each other, the Lunarians come after our lands. They completely crushed the lands our people used to have beyond the western sea, and then followed us here. It irks me to admit this, but we’ve never won a war against them. We’ve carried the day on numerous battles and skirmishes, but never the war.”

Arching a bemused eyebrow at Grunhilda, the king leaned forward, his hands clasped. “How long has it been since you last warred with them?”

“A full war?” Tapping her beak, Grunhilda idly paced a bit. “Sixty odd years give or take. The previous emperor tried to retake our old lands and got killed for the trouble. So his successor largely pulled back and cut all contact with ponykind so they couldn’t use some random insult to justify a war.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were directing that warning to me.” Kateno ignored the old jane’s nervous fidgeting. “Your emperor fears them that much?”

“His policy of 'let sleeping ponies lie' has garnered him acclaim for a reason.”

Humming in contemplative delight, the king leaned back, imaging what battling such a feared foe would be like. “War can not be all they know,” Kateno stated with true interest. “I have seen their craftsmanship. My own artisans wish to limit trade out of fear for their survival. That alone would just be a curiosity. But I have seen a Lunarian merchant ship in person, and its black iron hull would surely make it immune to attack save for magic. I know not why it seemed to smoke as if there was a bonfire under her deck, only that the crew was unbothered by it, and refused to explain it. I will give them credit for healthy paranoia. If there is one thing my people understand, it is that steel and blood is how a nation imposes its will. Adopting the armor and weapons your people use taxes our steel to its limits, and I have taken great pains to solve that. But an iron ship?!” Kateno grabbed his personalized rifle admiring the barrel and firing assembly. “To produce enough steel that your civilian merchants can armor their ships in such a manner… The Centauri need such power.” He put the rifle back down and rounded on Grunhilda. “I will not commit the same mistake my father did by shunning such wonders.”

Shaking her head, Grunhilda was left with little to work with. “Outside of their merchants, I can not speak of Lunarian steel or their ships. There are few who can except themselves. I only know they are half decent warriors, but make up for that with strategy, guile, and they know firearms better than anyone else because they invented the damned things. If you see an exposed Lunarian column marching on open ground it is a trap. If you see a wagon train, leave it alone, I almost lost a leg learning that one. and even then I was barely old enough to hold a sword when I last fought a pony. And you can forget about challenging them at sea, my people abandoned such fantasies ages ago. A fire burns within ponies, and it is safer to stick your claw into burning oil than to draw the ire of Tranquility. Unless you’re Equestria.”

“I am forced to agree. If they know firearms better than your people do…” Kateno still ached from the two bullets that had to be removed from his lower body. “The ponies clearly have no love for Griffons. But what of the Union? What few merchants I have spoken to seemed to care little that we Centauri have subsumed the greater part of the Sphinx homelands.”

“That would be partially our doing.” Grunhilda gestured to a wine bottle, to which Kateno nodded his permission. “She poured herself a glass and wetted her throat. “The past few emperors have poisoned the well against the ponies in the Union’s eyes. The Union trades and remains cordial to pony visitors, but shies away from doing anything more. The less Lunaria pays attention to them, the less reason they have to covet Union lands.”

“Such a tragedy for them that they were too focused on blinding the west.” The king fell into a contemplative silence for a spell, broken only by occasional drinks. “…If I conquered the Union, would the ponies come for me?”

She went silent and thought it over for nearly a minute. “I doubt it. As far as I know, the ponies barely know the true extent of the Union, let alone care about its fate. Although I don’t know if that is simple indifference or that their claws have not yet tried to reach that far east thanks to constantly battling Equestria. So long as you or your successors never try to go past the Trianthian Mountains of my homeland, they probably won’t even bring the Emerald Horde up in their hallowed halls.”

That was not something directly appealing to the young king, but he could feel the eyes of his people upon him, and he needed a glorious conquest to appease them. Death mattered little to his people, so long as it advanced the nation. “Grunhilda, is it possible to use the ponies to remove your emperor from the board?”

“Use them?” Her tail swished back and forth as tantalizing ideas pulled on her primordial hunting instincts. “That is a dangerous game, your highness. Ponies are best left to their own devices.”

“So long as my hand in the provocation never becomes known, then it should be comparatively easy to generate good will between The Horde and Lunaria. Once the Union is mine, I can focus elsewhere and leave them be.”

Grunhilda was still left nervous about it as it would be her people that would face an angered Lunaria, and ponies were not known to discriminate between the warlords. However, gaining Kateno’s trust was her assignment, and being alone with him in his private chambers spoke volumes. To lie now would undermine everything. “In that case, provoking Lunaria is a trivial matter. Our two peoples have bad blood between us. All the ponies need is an excuse.”

A humorless grin crossed his face. “Then provoke them as best you can. I have many mountains in my domain, proper lands for your kind to roost. If you aid me in removing your emperor from the Union’s armies, so that I may succeed where my father failed, your warlord can have his choice of mountain homes and your people will hold a privileged position in my armies.”

Grunhilda’s eyes dilated and her claws dug a little into the stone floor. Her warlord wanted to curry favor with the Centauri, believing they would win the next war, but to be granted such a gift for what should prove to be very little effort? There was only one possible answer she could give. “I will need to return home in person. Something like this can not be trusted by messenger alone.”

Satisfied with her response, the king stood up and removed a brass pin from his jerkin. It was twin arrows in a cross and raised fist behind it all framed in a circle. “If he agrees, give him this. It matters not if we win the next war. So long as your warlord serves me honorably as my air commander, the Griffon people who follow him will be full citizens of my domain.”

Grunhilda claimed the symbol with care. “I will leave immediately.” Grinning at the thought of new mountains to call home, she was that much more motivated to sprint back to her master. “Have your spies watch the Union’s armies. You will know of our success when they are drawn to the west, or when I return with news that they have abandoned the emperor to his fate. May the sun always shine on the Emerald Horde.”

Author's Note

Will the plot succeed? Does Luna count bat sheep to go to sleep? Will they invent the ever delicious MRE? If Luna is classified as a boss, does that mean she's immune to sleep spells? How has Twilight handled the massive influx of scientists and engineers fleeing the mainland?!!?

You might find out one of these emit txen!

42: Missionary Work

Shivering in his airborne chariot, Faithful Hymn was bundled up in blankets and coats as his small entourage was being escorted to Griffonstone. His group of ten unarmed fliers flew in between a dozen griffons. Each pony was a volunteer from across the peninsula.

The mountains were a beautiful sight to behold as he flew past them. Peak after peak graced him with natural wonder, each with a pristine cap of untouched snow, or hosting small hamlets and communities. One such place was no hamlet, but a training ground. Steady gunfire echoed off the mountains. He peered over his chariot to find hundreds of figures sparing below with an equal number using a gun range. The multitude of barracks and other cliff-hugging structures only warranted mild attention. However what held his interest was the increasing number of them the further he went. I've seen better.

He bit his lip to reprimand himself. None of that. You are an emissary of Harmony. Kindness will thaw the animosity of the past, no matter how slowly it may take. It was so easy, comforting almost, to fall back into sneering superiority with an unbroken history of military success against their old foe. A foe that in their desperation against Lunaria had turned to unscrupulous means to grab any sort of triumph against his people. Even so, a nation was capable of change. Just as his was beginning to learn how to fully embrace Harmony, he saw no reason the griffons couldn’t do the same.

That very thought pulled his mind back to months prior in the palace.

Faithful Hymn walked with pained purpose to the imperial court room. His knees ached from age, and his gait was impaired, but he refused to be carted wherever he was needed. His only concession was leaning more heavily on his newly commissioned staff of office. It was silver with gold filigree across its length to symbolize a united faith with Equestria at Luna’s behest. It was topped with six gemstones in a circle to symbolize the six paths. Five of them orbited the central amethyst to represent friendship as the core to it all.

Faithful had resigned from his station as an advisor to the empress soon after she arrived at Tranquility so he could remain in quiet contemplation and pen the new gospel. No, gospel is not the correct word, is it? Not anymore. How about the virtues? Possibly. The Tenets? Maybe, but it doesn't roll off the tongue well enough. Why is the title always the hardest thing to do? He knew the moment he was given the task that the gospel would become his magnum opus. He had barely slept and ate while he worked. Dozens of clergy aided in its creation, even correspondence from the Solar Church was considered. Again at Luna’s behest.

Upon arrival at court, those watching the proceedings saw him and parted ways for the archbishop. Luna first heard the hushed whispers and moving ponies. She looked away from the current supplicants, and waved a wing for them to pause. When the craggy old unicorn was visible she stood up out of her throne and waited for him to be close enough to speak to. “Archbishop Faithful Hymn, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

His magic grabbed a new book bearing the same mark of his staff as he struggled into a proper bow. Upon standing back up he held it aloft for all to see. “My empress, the “Paths of Harmony” is complete as per your guidance.” I suppose that will have to do. Perhaps the simplest is the most memorable. He hid being glad he had yet to put any kind of title on the book yet. “Even now, my priests await throughout the city and beyond for your final word before distribution can commence.”

A pleased grin fell over the proud alicorn. Seeing the clergy throw themselves into this new philosophy soothed much of her earlier concerns. “So long as nothing substantial has changed since the last version I read, then you have my blessing.”

“I thank you.” Hymn glanced behind him to one of the priests who had escorted him over. The signal given, the priest quickly departed to spread the word. Returning his gaze upon Luna, he kept his copy of the scripture aloft. “Your majesty, as important as this development is, I would not interrupt court if that was all I had to ask.” Drawing himself up as much as his old bones could muster, he grit his teeth to keep the pain in his joints under control. “In light of the reawakening of Harmony within us, I humbly request your permission to begin missionary work.”

Confusion rippled through the crowd, and such feelings were mirrored in Luna who tilted her head. “Missionary work? For whom?”

Faithful did not answer straight away. Fear and the old ways tried to still his tongue. Wrestling through it, he pressed on. “It has been with great reflection that I have come to realize that Harmony does not need to be solely for ponykind.” Faithful Hymn steadied himself for backlash, and to ensure no one would think he was even remotely joking. “As our Three Tribes ancestors embraced kindness and put aside old hatreds for each other, so too must we make a similar gesture.”

“I suppose they did in time,” Luna admitted with some caveats she kept to herself, suppressing the need to argue the point. “Between the tribes at least. But it…” She stopped as one word finally registered. Ponykind? “You can’t possibly mean..?”

“I do.” Faithful drew himself up. “I wish to extend the hoof of friendship to the griffons.”

There it was said, and the stunned silence that surrounded him was deafening. Heated, angry, and disbelieving voices quickly exploded from the petitioners, breaking Luna out of her own stupor. “Silence!” She commanded, quickly bringing the audience under control. She heaved a sigh and rubbed her forehead. “I can not speak of griffons, save for what I have heard, and little of it is good. Point of fact, the only reason I have not seized their lands is because an army can not march during a famine.” She shifted back into a proper sitting position and studied the crowd. What they couldn’t say by speech, they said by their faces. They were tense and agitated. An energy she had seen a millennium prior of a people willing to go to war. “Something we’re only now getting out from under.”

“How difficult was it for our ancestors to embrace Harmony among the tribes?” Faithful asked more to the crowd than to Luna with the same strength of his sermons. He knew that energy all too well. He had grown up and worked alongside warhawks his whole life. He knew how to stir them into action, but now he had to turn that energy into something unfamiliar. “Your majesty, you of all ponies know how quickly many of our ancestors slipped back into the old ways when the Flame of Harmony was not nurtured. How can we follow the Paths if we don’t change?” He waved the gospel at the crowd, knowing they would influence Luna more than he could. “This is meaningless without thought and action. Are we going to ignore the best part of us? The part that gave a god pause? I. Say. No!” He stomped his hoof, enhancing the noise with magic. The crowd flinched, cowing from his words and force of will. “Our empress saw the flames of Harmony sputter from the winds of the old hatreds once already. So long as I draw breath, I refuse to see the day she has to witness that again!”

Turning back to Luna he slid down his staff to a kneeling position. “I am not expecting them to return any sign of friendship. I expect to be rejected, spat on, kicked, or worse. But the first act must be made. I for one freely offer my life as kindling to the Flame if need be. I beg of you, Empress, let me be the one to spread the Fire of Harmony! I care not if all I find is a rainstorm, I need only to kindle a single ember, and I will have succeeded.”

Rubbing her eyes of both stress and indecision, Luna refused to fall into silence, not in the face of such a proclamation. “You may be willing to suffer such injuries, but as the Church’s archbishop, the griffons harming you in such ways can not be tolerated.”

“It must be me,” Faithful implored her. “Somepony must entreat the griffon emperor to allow such missionary work to continue for any length of time. Anypony of a lower station than myself would be an insult to him.”

“As if I care about insulting some flying cat freaks,” she muttered while chewing her cheek.

Faithful opted not to acknowledge the comment, lest it gain ground in the audience.

Luna’s eyes slowly drifted over to her advisors seated across her flanks. “Do any of you wish to add anything before I make a decision?”

“I do,” Eclipse offered while standing up. When Luna nodded her assent, he walked over to stand before everyone. The old emperor now stood as Luna’s chancellor, and the people loved him as much as they did Luna herself. He was widely becoming known as the Oathkeeper for stepping down. “We have always been a people in love with our heroes. I have yet to meet somepony who doesn’t love Champions' Week. You, Empress Luna, stand above them all, for only you had the strength to free us from the injustices of the past and set an example for the rest to follow.” Eclipse made an effort to minimize Celestia’s blame in it, as Luna wished to bury it. “We are in a time of great change. Not only do we continue to struggle with the refugee crisis and the lingering marks of the famine, a change in the pony spirit is upon us. Somepony must assume the role of the revolutionary hero for the Flame of Harmony to burn brightly in us all.” Eclipse stepped up to his aging friend and rested a proud hoof on him. “Faithful Hymn, such a role is not an easy one, but I have seen how well you have taken to the Paths. If anypony can take that role, it’d be you.”

Filled with emotion, Faithful let a few tears fall, and spoke with trembling joy. “You honor me, old friend.”

“And you honor us all,” Luna declared while gracefully climbing to her hooves. “Once again, my ponies have proven their strength of character, and I could not be more proud of you, Faithful Hymn, and the ponies of Lunaria as a whole.” She saw the audience was following along, practically begging for her to formally give the word. “You are correct to avoid the mistakes of the past. Harmony is a flame to be spread, not smothered in isolation.” Inwardly however, Luna had to mask her deep reservations about the griffons. Ultimately though, she did not want to get in the way of the momentum Faithful Hymn and Eclipse had started. Nevertheless, she could not let the old unicorn walk into the nest of vipers without some form of protection. An armed escort would make his work impossible, so implied threats will have to do. “You have my blessing to try and enlighten the griffons. But make no mistake, friendship is a two way path, and can not stand alone. Lunaria is loyal to its people and its heroes. If they harm you, there will be consequences.”

Faithful arrived at last to Griffonstone, and was surprised at what he saw. Unlike the old ruins of Talon Peak, Griffonstone was a vast city that straddled three mountains like one massive fortress. Homes and businesses were carved into the mountainside with hundreds of thousands of griffons present in the air and ground. A vast system of cables and pulleys dragged freight up from the valley floor. Redoubts and fortifications were so ubiquitous that made any assault look like a fool’s errand.

As the escorts brought them closer, he identified what could only be the castle. A spire of iron five stories tall that looked more like a spear bursting through the mountain top than a seat of government. Even with the escorts bringing them in to land near the front, he could see guns and cannon were not yet aimed at his entourage of five other priests, but the soldiers were certainly watching closely.

An honor guard was waiting for them and didn’t bother letting the old stallion get off the chariot before speaking harshly “Be honored, ponies the emperor has deigned to see you. Do not keep his majesty waiting.”

Faithful had selected his entourage well, and none of them returned the hostility with any of their own. He magically straightened his robes and held his staff in front, then flashed a smile and nodded. “My thanks to you, and your emperor.”

Not the arrogant reply the bird expected, the royal guard was left rather disappointed. “This way.”

A multitude of onlookers had spotted the arriving ponies and were gathering between the landing point and the castle entrance. None of them knew or cared why ponies had arrived, only that they were unwanted.

Insults did not flow the same for griffons as it did for ponies. Words were for comradery, shunning was for your enemies. That is what Faithful Hymn faced as the curious crowds dispersed as quickly as they came. Troopers kept watch over their every move, but castle staff and visitors all turned their backs to the missionaries, and uttered not a single word.

While both species shared distaste for each other, Faithful Hymn knew the significance of such an insult, even if some of his entourage did not. He bore it with dignity, and it did not stop him from offering simple greetings to anyone who caught his eyes and didn’t turn away fast enough. He would not return insult for insult, even if by mistake.

At last, they arrived at the throne room at the highest point of the castle. The thin air at this elevation taxed Faithful heavily even with a gifted amulet making it easier to breathe. His strength was diminished, but his pride kept him moving without another’s support.

The throne room was small, barely five ponies wide, but entirely open to the skies. Eight columns held a spire above, and each arch had a rolled up tapestry. Four advisors sat on the throne’s flanks, and a multitude of griffon onlookers flew outside, eager to see what their lord would do with the ponies.

The emperor was an old bird, though not quite as aged as Faithful Hymn. His black feathers were half-grayed, and his thin fur was well groomed. His eyes were keen, and he zeroed in on the single unicorn among them.

The guards stopped ten feet away from the throne and saluted. He waved it off with a wing before focusing on his unwanted guests. Though his blood wished to insult these intruders as much as the rest of his subjects, his station demanded that he speak with them. “Ponies of the moon,” he thumped his claw on the metallic armrest of his throne. “Know that you stand before Emperor Geraldy the Savior. You hardly look the part of a messenger of war. Why come where you are not wanted?”

Not entirely trusting the messenger that had flown ahead of them, Faithful planted his staff with a loud ‘chink’ on the rough stone floor, and bowed his head as best he could before speaking. “Your highness, I am Archbishop Faithful Hymn, and I come here with the blessing of Empress Luna herself. Lunaria has embraced the truth of the Flame of Harmony with more vigor than we have in the past. This truth is one which we believe is compatible with all species, not just ourselves.”

Laughter sprang up from everyone, from onlookers to Geraldy’s council, only the emperor kept such mockery in check. The fact that none of the ponies appeared to take offense unsettled him. He remembered any insult given to a pony was always returned. In truth he had expected Faithful’s temper to be as short as his remaining years were. Though the orbiting griffons kept their gossip quiet, the derision was clear. Geraldy was content to only give a humorless half-hearted grin. “I know full well of the six aspects of pony ‘Harmony’. They are nothing more than words. nay, tools of convenience to pass yourselves off as morally superior and just.”

Faithful was unmoved by the remark’s biting tone, and held a placating smile. His fellow priests kept quiet to follow his lead. “I suppose if any outsider knew us best, it would be the griffons. But that lip service is no more, or at least we are changing to make sure of it. Empress Luna revealed a deeper truth that brought new meaning to Harmony. We do not come to draw the faithful away from your pantheon, for at its core, the Flame of Harmony can burn bright in any soul, no matter their faith.”

“Is that so?” Geraldy leaned back in his throne, eying the frail old unicorn like prey in an attempt to unbalance him. “You speak as if your Flame is an ideology, yet you are clearly ponies of the cloth.” Geraldy tapped the armrest of his throne. “You’re either poor liars, or are being cheap with your finery.”

Laughing briefly, Faithful Hymn glanced back at his entourage. “I suppose you could consider The Paths an ideology of a sort. The tale which brought new meaning to Harmony involves the god Terra, but we do not worship it.” As much as Faithful’s heart begged to tell Luna’s story, now was not the time. “As for our garments, generosity spoke to us. Money spent on a tailor for the whole church was better spent on other matters. Somepony else will see to a change in wardrobe before too long I’m sure.”

“Other things he says,” Geraldy mused with a sneer. “Like staving off the ravages of famine perchance?”

There was no point in lying in Faithful’s eyes. Saving face was better served with honesty, not masking national pride where it was already lost. “Aye. It is difficult to justify new robes when you need only look out your door to see the masses wasting away for lack of food.” Two years prior, Faithful would have added a rebuking question, but he kept it quiet, and waited for the emperor to reply with only a polite smile.

Seeing that the bishop clearly didn’t act like the Lunarians he was used to, Geraldy eased up. “Perhaps you are here with Luna’s genuine blessing,” he said with a laxer tone. “Or perhaps you are a heretic sent here to die.” Before Faithful could protest, Geraldy stood up and flared his wings, an act his missing right hind leg always made it difficult. “We griffons will have no part in Luna’s game. The Seers will hear your ‘truth’. Then, when they hear your empty words, you will leave. Until then, you will remain in the castle. If you wish to return home early, then by all means, I will see you escorted back to your starving people.”

Faithful bowed once more, the act giving him time to realize he had been allowed to stay, if for a time. “I look forward to meeting these Seers, your highness. I thank you for your hospitality.”

“There is one thing I require of you before that.” Geraldy debated on whether or not asking this particular question during open court was necessarily a wise thing to do, but ultimately felt his people should know.

For his part, Faithful Hymn was unsurprised. “But of course. What would you ask of me?”

Geraldy snorted. The unicorn’s civility rattled him. Even so, he needed to know something dire. “Stories of your empress are known to us. An old tale used to frighten hatchlings was that Luna is a dreamwalker. Now that she flies the world again, she has become more than a nightmare for misbehaving children. Can she intrude on the dreams of others?”

That was definitely a dangerous question, one Faithful was not too keen on answering, but given where he was, he saw little recourse. “Honesty is something I strive for, so believe me when I say this. Luna can indeed enter the dreams of ponies, it is true. In fact she has visited me multiple times as I penned the Paths.” Horrified gasps and gossip started circulating among everyone, both onlookers and advisors alike. Faithful had to nearly shout to make sure he was heard. “However, if you fear for your own dreams, I can not say. She confided much in me, but only in relation to my station.”

Displeased with the response, Geraldy sat back down to put on a front of calmness to ease his people as best he could. “Is it possible she can visit your dreams all the way out here?”

“I would imagine so.”

Geraldy grumbled, his fears were mounting. He looked to the sentries surrounding the ponies. “… Very well. Glarherald, escort them to the guest quarters.”

As soon as the ponies were led away, Geraldy called out to the circling citizens. “Court is over for the day! Clear the skies and your fears. If the Dreamwalker can invade your sleep, we will find a way to protect you.”

The onlookers quickly fled, knowing the soldiers would drive them off if they lingered. Soon Geraldy was alone with his four advisors. His Peak Minister, Zerald stood up to stand next to his emperor. “Keeping them here is dangerous, sire.”

“Do you think I don’t know that?” Geraldy bit back heatedly. “This has to be some sick joke on Luna’s part.”

“For what it is worth, sire, I think Faithful believes what he said. Even so, every slight against them could be reported back to Luna daily. We barely know anything of her, save for old wife’s tales and superstition.”

“And I have read those records.” Geraldy gave a stiff gruff, and his words were bitter. “Ever since word of her return reached me, I knew she would turn her eyes to us eventually. Superstitions always begin with a kernel of truth. If she is anything like the old fables, then she reflects her people well, and is just as bloodthirsty as they are. We don’t give the gods enough praise that the ponies distract themselves with each other more often than not.” He shook his head, the stress was already causing him to flee his age. “Tillera, what say you?”

All eyes went to the very plain and unassuming griffon jane, Geraldy’s spymaster. “Missionary work is loud and obnoxious. A perfect cover for one of their number to slip out and do some scouting. There would be no need for secreting messages back to Tranquility since Luna can just speak to them every night. But I would be remiss to rule out that it is entirely possible some of them are genuine clergy, Faithful appeared well intentioned, but the five who traveled with him are suspect. Also, I must agree with your earlier assessment. Faithful Hymn is a heretic, and his expected death is clearly an excuse for war.”

“Expelling them is dangerous as well, sire,” Zerald cautioned while raising a restraining claw at Tillera. “The Emerald Horde is on the rise again, and you are not the only one with informants, Tillera. The Horde fully adopted firearms at a frightening pace after the war, and I have reports of griffons serving as training advisors. We have traitors in the warlords’ ranks. They will be ready for us next time, and that time is fast approaching.” Zerald fixed a hard gaze on Geraldy, trying to hammer each word home. “We can fight the ponies, or we can fight the Centauri, only a fool would fight both.”

Tillera pushed his claw off of her, and spoke as if she had been offended. “I am not saying we should. Only that we need to give a politically tasteful reason to expel them. We need only to stay Luna’s hoof long enough for Equestria to draw her ire.”

Geraldy hummed his agreement. “The situation is delicate. Perhaps more so now than ever before. For if the ponies manage to dislodge us from these mountains where else can we go? The frozen peaks to the north? Or try our luck across the Carabath Sea and hope for lands there? These missionaries are a complication we can ill afford. Tillera, watch them closely. This is a powder keg, and I need you to keep any sparks well away from it.”

“As you order, sire.”

“Giddens, speak with the seers and listen to this ‘new’ interpretation of Harmony. We can not be poor hosts and ignore this ideological shift completely. Treat their eyes as Luna’s eyes.”

“If that is your will, sire.”

“We must make sure those missionaries leave our mountains alive, everyone,” Geraldy warned sharply, hoping none of them might start scheming. “The Union will drag its heels in supporting us if the missionaries come to harm, even if Lunaria declares war first.”

“Do you think that is their angle, sire?” A griffon tom left his chair, his numerous metals clinking on his chest. It was Commander Graze, the master of arms. “The Union wouldn’t abandon their savior so lightly.”

Tillera sighed and looked to the distant east. “Perhaps we have been too successful in creating fear of the ponies on our erstwhile allies. “Not to mention they have a very real fear of the Centauri that is much fresher.”

“Indeed. Ponies are devious and full of guile. Especially when it comes to war. We should rule nothing out.” Geraldy joined Tillera and looked to the east, fearing he might see storm clouds on the horizon.

“Including taking this at face value?” Said the final advisor. Everyone cast various looks of disbelief at Geraldy’s youngest son Gallus. The blue and white feathered griffon had never met a pony until today, and he was largely there to offer the fool’s wisdom that the old griffons around him wouldn’t consider. Because he was told that very reason, he was always caught between taking offense and wanting to live up to his duties. The young tom pressed on, feeling the need to elaborate his point now that he had gained their attention. “Father, the archbishop claims Luna revealed a new truth about Harmony, correct? If those are the same six aspects of Harmony we know of, only genuinely practiced, then this could be a serious attempt to find peace with us. A real peace.”

“I told you reading that nonsense the ponies themselves only paid lip service to was a waste of time.” Geraldy sighed and curtailed his first reply to stew on his answer some more after seeing Gallus’s feathers starting to rise out of growing anxiety. “...I suppose it would be folly to ignore your theory entirely. Since you suggested it, you will see to their needs. However honest or deceitful these missionaries prove to be, play the part of the good host until further notice.”

Feeling vindicated, Gallus jumped to his feet with his chest puffed out. “As you order, father. As loony as it may sound, how amazing would it be to get them to help us fight the Emerald Horde?”

“Loony indeed, my son.” Every fiber of Geraldy’s being railed against the idea of fighting side by side with a pony, and that was exactly why Gallus was on the council. Right or wrong, the young prince would learn from it.

Some time later, the missionaries were settling into their guest quarters of the castle. They were spartan affairs, with only beds, a small table and stool holding a wash basin present. The wooden walls and floors were gentler on Faithful’s hooves than the stone everywhere else. Overall, the room had a feel that they were never expected to be used, and had been at the bottom of the furnishing budget. He opted out of using the stool and rested on the bed while going over his sermon notes. Magically floating parchment and pens made revisions depending on where he would be allowed to preach.

A firm knock on the door made him lower his work to the bed and he struggled to get back to the floor. “Enter.”

He had been expecting to wait on the Seers for hours, perhaps even days out of spite more than anything. So when a young blue tom walked in. Faithful first assumed he was a cadet who drew the short straw. Given his smart and well fitting military uniform, Faithful quickly decided to give him measured respect. “Can I help you?”

Mildly irritated by not being recognized, the griffon nonetheless kept it civil. “My name’s Prince Gallus, third son to his excellency, you saw me in the throne room, yes?”

A short laugh drifted out of the aged stallion followed by a kind smile. “My apologies, young prince. I had not heard your name until now.”

Embarrassment ran through Gallus, but he refused to show it. Growing up hearing stories about murderous ponies left him cautious around a unicorn. “Ah. Of course. The Seers should be here within a fortnight. They’re being recalled from other aviaries you see.”

“I thank you for the clarification, Prince Gallus.” Faithful glanced around, sullen at last by his minimal accommodations. “Might I say you are the friendliest griffon’s seen yet, it warms my heart to see it before my work has even begun.”

“Friendly… right.” A bit too strong of a word just yet there old timer. “I’m here to play the role of the good host is all.”

“Wonderful.” Faithful waved him to fully enter the room, and ignored the implications of Gallus’ reply. “Is there something else you wish to discuss?”

“There is actually.” Gallus walked in and closed the door. “I know you’re a bird - uh pony of the cloth, but do you know anything of the Emerald Horde or the centauri?”

Humming for a moment, Faithful looked to the sky. “Emerald Horde… It does ring a bell… But I am afraid that is all it does. I have all but sequestered myself these past two years as the Church adopted the Flame of Harmony more fully. When I was on the council before Luna’s return, Emperor Eclipse would often interview far reaching merchants on what they saw of the Horde, but he never did it in open court. I would imagine the empress is well aware of them, but I certainly am not. I’m afraid I cared very little outside of Lunaria save for Equestria and to a lesser degree the Griffon territories. You may ask my brethren, but I doubt you will find much luck.”

“Mores the pity.” Gallus shook off his disappointment, hoping to at least get something useful out of them. “Anyway, I assume you brought silver or gold with you? Staying here is currently the limit my father will allow, but food is a charity he is unlikely to extend until the Seers come. If and that is the big ask, if the Seers see no reason to expel you, he will offer standard fare; as is your right as a dignitary.”

“Ah yes, that much I understand.” Faithful looked to his eastern wall where his neighbor was staying. “Good will is in expectantly short supply. We brought enough silver with us for a few months’ food and other possible expenses. There is little cause for generosity just yet, but hopefully in time we can foster such things together.”

“You think so? Well, since missionaries love to hear themselves talk, I was hoping to hear about why this Flame of Harmony would drive you to come to us at all. We’re sworn enemies are we not?” Gallus studied the aged unicorn closely, seeing if he could pick up any tells or slips.

“Perhaps the griffons feel that way,” Faithful conceded with a fatherly smile. “We ponies have had… less severe opinions about you. I do not deny our history is replete with blood and vinegar. I am not fool enough to think I am still here out of your father’s desire to warm relations. He wishes to avoid a war, which is a good sign for my efforts.”

“You ponies don’t exactly have a glowing reputation,” Gallus remarked with more aggression than he wanted, but his upbringing was warning him of treachery, especially from a unicorn.

“Of that I have no doubt,” Faithful replied, trying to calm the boy. “Which is why you must be given a reason. Many of them over a long time, I am here to be the first.”

Wary of it all, Gallus still felt the need to back up his claims to his father. It would have been easy to believe Faithful was lying with every word, but Gallus had thrown himself into the possibility it was the truth. I'll end up as Gallus the Fool by the end of this. Try as he might though, Gallus could not sense much if any deceit from the old pony. “And all of this new thinking came about because Luna returned to this world?”

Snorting at himself, Faithful magically retrieved his book and held it close to his chest. “It might be more accurate to say when I was first humbled by a pegacorn who proved me wrong, and then by Luna who destroyed my world completely. But she gave me a chance to rebuild, stronger than I was.”

“Huh.” Gallus scratched the back of his head before catching himself and stopped. Coughing as a distraction, he spoke with his practiced authority more to keep the soldiers outside of the door from thinking less of him than to intimidate the old unicorn. “At any rate, when the Seers meet with you, I’ll be there too. Might as well see if this new Harmony business is worth listening to if you’re going to be preaching to the people.”

Faithful grinned broadly and tilted his head in thanks. “A prince listening to me prattle on about philosophy? My boy, I came to bend ears, and having you would be an honor.”

Author's Note

Will Gallus beat Twilight in opening a school of friendship? What's the deal with a friendship university anyway? What job can i get with a doctorate in friendship? Can I at least get transfer credit from STEM classes?

44: The Seminal Tragedy

Shortly before Novos and Summer Flame arrived

Luna found herself inside of Eclipse’s quarters. While she may have taken his place on the throne, she had no intention of taking his bedroom. While that was all well and good as a symbolic gesture, it did cause the mare private aggravation when callers went to his door instead of hers.

Presently, she was being pampered in front of a mirror in preparation for the delegates’ arrival. It hardly mattered if her only experience in foreign diplomacy was her sister, she was at least going to look her best.

Two attendants hovered around her with brushes, trying to locate any hair out of place or blemish that needed correction. Off to the side, Eclipse was sitting at his desk with a report bound to a clipboard. A bemused grin came to his face at Luna who looked so deep in thought that she might keel over and not even notice.

It was only when her assistants mentioned their work was complete that she pulled herself to the present. “Thank you ladies, you may go.”

Once they were gone, Eclipse looked up from his report. “Slip for your thoughts?”

Luna sighed heavily. “I’m worried about going too heavily with Harmony. The other races will interpret it as us going soft. If that happens, it will only lead to trouble.”

Flipping the pages back on his clipboard, Eclipse fixed her a firm gaze. “There is a minotaur idiom that I have recently grown quite fond of. The god Fel granted them two hands. One with an open palm, and one with a closed fist.”

Luna wrinkled her brow and sarcastically looked at her raised hoof. “I fear that wisdom doesn’t translate.”

Chuckling richly, Eclipse let the report clatter onto the wooden desk, and stood up. “Ahhh but it does. Perhaps an offered forehoof and the raised back hoof? In essence, we all possess the capacity of both friendship and violence. If these visitors of the east have even a drop of intellect, they should have realized by now the fleet escorting them here is our raised back hoof. Now is the time to offer the fore. Which hoof they choose after that is their doing.”

Grinning out of good humor, Luna gave herself another check in the mirror, and found she looked the part of a dignified ruler. “I see what you did there, you wily one. It is easier to offer a forehoof, than to spin around and buck somepony.”

“Guilty as charged, your highness.” He gave an exaggerated hoof roll.

“Oh stop that.” Luna waved a wing at him in playful irritation. “You know it is just names between us.”

Giving a wilting smile, Eclipse looked away from her. “I appreciate your friendship, your highness, but such familiarity between us could lead to things best left for a different stallion.”

That was not exactly on Luna’s mind, but the refusal did not miss the mark entirely. “Perhaps three years ago, but even now? We are over the hill with the famine. The crime wave will diminish along with it. Especially once we finalize the Policing Charter and more ponies seek out homesteads instead of overcrowding the cities.”

She closed in, wanting to embrace him, but held back for fear he would recoil out of duty. “The people trust my rule is stabilizing now.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but it is simply not my place.” Eclipse pulled a pocket watch out of his vest, intent on verbally pushing her out the door, only for a crack and crumbling sound to pull his ear back to his desk. The oddity of the noise also drew Luna’s attention.

The old emperor gasped in fright as he scrambled to pick up the broken pieces of the quartz crystal. “Damn…” He sunk his head, prompting Luna to place a comforting hoof on her friend and advisor’s back.

“What’s wrong?”

Taking a few steadying breaths, Eclipse presented a broken piece. “Faithful Hymn just died.”

A chill ran down Luna’s back. “…Isn’t that the stone the assassin gave you?”

Cringing a bit at the question, Eclipse collected the pieces. “It is. I’m glad I never had to return it to Card Holder. Faithful said he’d never return, but…” Eclipse held his tears back, guiltily glad Luna would have to leave him soon so he could grieve. “I had held out hope he would change his mind. He was a good pony.”

Resting a wing on Eclipse’s back, Luna wished she could nuzzle him for comfort, but this was all she could do. It felt too sudden. She had spoken to Faithful yesterday, and the stallion was as fit as one could be at his advanced age. Yet sudden death was an all too common thing for the elderly. “I still have time. I’ll dreamwalk to one of his attendants to see what sort of arrangements he might have requested.”

The prospect of his old friend being interred in the Tomb of Honored Heroes gave Eclipse a measure of peace. “It only happened seconds ago. Surely anypony sleeping right now wouldn’t even know it even happened yet.”

Luna magically pulled some sitting cushions over to her. She settled down into a comfortable enough position that wouldn’t sully her careful grooming. “Perhaps not this second, but I passed instructions to his entourage to have one member sleeping if the time came so I could coordinate his prompt return.”

“You are too kind, your highness.”

Giving him a sad nod, Luna easily fell asleep and left her body behind. The starlit nebula of the dreamscape greeted her like an old friend. Aside from Faithful Hymn, her sister and Twilight Sparkle on occasion, she found it increasingly difficult to find time to simply take a walk as it were. The city around her and the territories beyond and above it were awash with light from sleeping ponies. A sizable number of them were the brighter purple-blue lights of her thestrals. It warmed her heart seeing so many of her citizens, but she did not have the time to indulge.

She let the wistful feeling go and traveled to the mountain aviaries within a matter of seconds. As with everywhere else without thestrals, she was met with the familiar pale white lights of dreamers across the city. To help identify her missionaries from all of the griffons she hard marked them, turning them into a rich auburn color. At least it was supposed to make them easy to find.

Luna scanned the sea of lights, trying to find an auburn glimmer, and instantly felt something was off when she couldn’t find any. The hour is late here. Were they all awakened upon finding out Faithful had passed?

The theory didn’t sit well, even if it made sense.

She looked around, thinking maybe one of them was at the forum and might be napping unawares. Although she could see nothing of the real world, repeat visits had given her a rough idea as to where it was. However, she barely angled down to search when she spotted a faint splash of auburn. She immediately went for it, but she could already see something was terribly wrong.

For one, it was in the opposite direction of the forum, but more distressingly, it was dim with flickers of darkness closing in on it. A clear sign to her practiced eye that death was near. That she could see it at all meant they were asleep, or worse, had fallen unconscious.

For a brief moment, she thought that perhaps she had found Faithful Hymn, still alive but in his final moments. The others could be awake trying to find him. Entering his mind to hear his last words was dangerous. The unconscious mind was not like a dream. Her control was limited, the mindscape was extraordinarily fragile, and any injury suffered would be mirrored on her real body.

Nevertheless she dove inside to find a black void, save for a single stallion floating limply in the center. It was not Faithful, but a pegasus called Sea Spray. Luna had dealt with many unconscious soldiers during her war trying to awaken them.

She slid next to him and rested a hoof on top of his forehead. “Sea Spray, are you there?” She rubbed his head, only to cause thunder to crack from directions, and a sharp pain lanced across her belly as the mindscape fractured. There was no deadening against pain here, and the bleeding injury nearly took wind out of her. Yet Luna was practiced enough to forcibly remind herself she didn’t breathe here, and the spasm subsided. “A head injury…” There was little she could do then. “How did that happen?”

She did the only thing she could to find answers. Moving the hoof on his chest in a circular fashion, the black landscape sluggishly morphed into his most recent memories, the only things that were easily accessible from an unconscious mind.

Luna found herself in a familiar dining area within the griffon castle. It was part of a sequestered section the missionaries had been granted. Little more than a dayroom attached to shared lavatories, the bedrooms, and a small cooking area and larder. Gentle conversation filled the air along with humming coming from the thestral mare sitting opposite of Sea Spray. The two were playing chess while others were reading books. Close to the exit, Faithful Hymn and a young pegasus lad were mixing cut vegetables together. Lantern light gave the room a warm, almost cozy feeling to the pale wood walls and furnishings.

However, Sea Spray’s injured state gave everything a fuzzy distinction. Voices were tinny or outright unintelligible, shadows flickered far larger than they should have, and black spaces formed and vanished erratic patterns with the only constant that the spaces were growing larger and would smother the memory in short order.

Luna pressed her magic into the memory, closing the black voids as best she could and brought clarity to the eye, but even she was limited here.

She chiefly paid attention to Faithful Hymn, waiting to see if perhaps he suddenly died to a heart attack or perhaps something else that could be sudden. However, she did not limit her focus on him. “Something bad happened. Sea Spray is young and strong, and by the looks of it, in no place to be injured like he is.”

The memory progressed without incident for a short while. The strain of controlling the deteriorating dream was heavily taxing. Far more than it should have been. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he is dying. Luna stared into a stubborn patch of blackness that refused to fade. The empty void beyond chilled her to her heart.

Sea Spray just checkmated his opponent when the exit door slammed open. The memory became crystal clear around the griffons who stalked into the room while almost everything else grew dark or too blurry to know what it was. Luna instantly knew something was off. The griffons were postured lower to the ground than normal, as if they were getting ready to pounce, their eyes were murderous. Every pony in the room went on edge and stopped what they were doing. Some, like Sea Spray started carefully retreating.

Faithful Hymn however, ignored it all, and stepped up to greet them. He stopped cold when the lead griffon turned a baleful gaze upon him. Luna had seen such a face before, but only on wolves or manticores who were hunting her in her youth. Luna knew what was going to happen next and instinctively tried to magically blast the griffon away. Yet her spell might as well have been air.

The griffon tackled Faithful Hymn, his beak ripping into the unicorn’s neck, and his claws clamped down to hold the stallion in place. The ponies split, some tried to fight, but others like Sea Spray were momentarily shell shocked. The griffon did not use a weapon, they were hungry.

Sea Spray quickly backed away, pressing himself against the door, trying to save his chess partner. Both he and his partner ran for the same bedroom. Luna watched as the griffon tore a piece out of Faithful and looked away in complete revulsion.

She couldn’t bear to see him reduced to that. The stallion that she admired for his resilience and passion. “Reduced to food for a monster.” Luna was caught between sudden grief and being incandescent with rage.

She watched Sea Spray’s partner barricade the door with a bed, pleading for him to escape. He threw a stool at the window, creating an opening. He was trying to climb through when the griffons smashed the door open. One pounced his partner while the one behind the first pulled a pistol and fired.

The shot hit Sea Spray in the left wing as he jumped out, and he started tumbling uncontrollably to the mountain below.

Luna couldn’t watch anymore of it and pulled herself out of the stallion’s dying mind. With her strengthening presence gone, she saw his light wink out completely.

Screaming her rage into the heavens, Luna glared at the sea of griffon sleepers. “You will answer for this, Geraldy. You all will!”

Luna blankly stared at the meal before her. Her original idea of having the delegates join her for dinner while telling them what she had learned was beginning to feel like a poorly-thought out plan to unsettle them. She had no appetite for her favorite food now. Glancing over, it seemed Twilight Sparkle’s food was barely touched, as well as Novos’ own. A bit to Luna’s exasperation, Rainbow Dash’s stomach would not be denied.

“So now I trust you understand why I can not let this stand,” Luna postulated to her guests. She watched Summer Flame who had collected himself and remained unreadable for the moment, hiding his truth thoughts behind a careful grimace.

“Would giving ol’ Geraldy a few nightmares would be out of the question?” Summer Flame asked, earning a spiteful glare out of Novos for being so flippant.

The hippogriff’s irritation was matched by Luna’s surging anger, something Novos had to put a stop to. The queen slapped him across the face with an audible smack. “You’ll have to forgive Summer here, Empress Luna.” Novos stared down the stallion’s coy expression as it slowly morphed into one of embarrassment. “Kirin are… difficult to understand at first. He means no insult I assure you.”

Luna wasn’t exactly buying it, and cast her gaze upon Twilight to see what the pegacorn would say.

Upon being given silent leave to speak up, Twilight shivered to try and suppress the mental image of griffons eating ponies. “My sister has personally taken more than one trade enterprise to Union lands, your highness. Kirin are naturally… how best to put this… provocative. Not so much to elicit violence, but to inflame the mood, as it were.”

Seeing that neither foreigner was quick to argue the point, Luna moved on. “Very well. I’ll have to remember that. Moving on… I leave you two choices. Do not interfere with my dealings with the emperor moving forward, or - expend yourselves resisting us.”

Novos’ mouth went completely dry. She knows more about the Emerald Horde than she lets on. Novos made an attempt to appear even keeled, but inwardly she was quickly becoming a nervous wreck.

Recovering quickly with a cough, Summer Flame resolved to better hold himself in check. “Forgive me, ma’am, but I can’t see Geraldy ordering this. He knows full well that angering you over some - over this would be foolhardy beyond the pale.”

“Whether he ordered it or not hardly matters,” Luna countered heatedly, still disliking the kirin. “It happened.

“If the emperor is too incompetent to protect a group or missionaries, he should have sent them away. You don’t honestly think expelling missionaries would have angered me as much as this has, do you? He had more than enough time to conjure some slight out of the ether to justify removing them on less shaky ground.”

Not knowing the full extent of Luna’s knowledge, Novos tried to placate the fuming alicorn. “If I may, perhaps he was taken by the message they were spreading. If nothing else, improving relations with you would ease the stress on his rule and people.”

“Doubtful.” Luna tapped the table with every point. “You see, I’ve kept close tabs on my missionaries, something I expect Geraldy knew full well. He made no effort to show interest, not even a token one for diplomacy’s sake. The only one to show genuine interest was his youngest son Gallus. I’m sure the two of you know full well his role is the fool who pulls his father’s ear. Geraldy was either too incompetent or too much of a coward to expel my missionaries nor protect them. I do not believe either to be the case. He would not be your so-called savior if he was so miserably incompetent.”

“At least allow him a chance to make amends,” Novos pleaded. The fear of watching the Emerald Horde destroy her nation and her people was surging over her fear of Luna. “This is a grave crime, but it need not lead to war!”

Luna made a show of sluggishly pulling back to think. She idly toyed with a meatball in her magic before looking to her two thus far silent subjects. “Friends Twilight and Rainbow, what say you?”

Rainbow practically jumped at the chance to speak and propped herself up on the table with a heavy stomp of her hooves. “Geraldy practically spat in our faces letting this happen, worse if he’s actually behind it. I say we extract our pound of flesh! Once the people hear of this, they’ll demand no less, I guarantee it!”

Twilight used a hoof to gently pull Rainbow Dash back into her seat as she stood up in her place. “If I may be so bold, war is the last thing Faithful Hymn would have wanted, regardless of the emperor’s motives. I may not have known him all that well, but if his speech in court came from the heart, he wanted to offer the hoof of friendship to a people we have long warred with. Geraldy rightfully bears responsibility for allowing this to happen, but if he did not give the order, then he should be given the chance to make amends.” She caught the angry glare from Rainbow and matched it with an iron stare of her own. “Faithful and his own were the ones who were killed. We should honor their wishes to bury our animosity, provided the griffons allow justice to have its day.”

Her words felt like a slap across Luna’s check. Not in a manner befitting an insult, but in making Luna feel as though her wisdom was as lacking as Geraldy’s competency. It’s as if Eclipse is speaking through her. “I agree,” Luna cut in before Rainbow could argue further and break protocol. “It would dishonor his memory if we forsook aspects of Harmony when it suited us.” She paused a moment to think, pursing her lips as she did. “I will give Geraldy a chance to make things right. However,” Luna stared at her guests, leveraging her full weight or personality to impress her grim sincerity. “The armies will be made ready, and the navy will raise steam to keep you in your place if you try to defend them. Should matters become… heated.”

Novos’ feathers ruffled, but she knew full well who held the position of strength. “Ma’am, this escalation is hardly necessary.”

“Then you wouldn’t honor your defense agreement with the aviaries?” Luna rebuked with a sneer.

This time it was Summer Flame who took point away from Novos. “I can see we are all still in shock about what has happened. Might I suggest we retire for a day? Douse ourselves with water, give the matter some thought, and then return again with clearer minds?”

Luna was about to refuse, until her eye caught Twilight nodding vigorously. Letting go of a held breath, Luna relented. “Perhaps you’re right. My guards will show you to your quarters. If you so desire, I will arrange an escorted tour around the city as well.”

“I completely agree.” Novos felt like she could breathe again. It was getting difficult to keep her feathers smoothed over as the stress mounted. As embarrassing as it might be for her feathers to get out of sorts, it offered the perfect excuse. “The long voyage here has taxed me heavily. Perhaps I would be better company after I have had time to sort my thoughts.”

Gallus stepped down into the bowels of the castle, and into the dungeon proper. The stone brick of the fortress above gave way to the gray mottled granite it sat on. The slime covered floor was damp from disuse, as proper prisons had taken the dungeon’s role decades ago. There had not been a criminal shameful enough to be cast down here in just as long.

Gallus tiptoed around the sticky slime molds, wishing he had been wearing his boots, but his purpose down here diverted his disgust of the rotting floor and walls to the griffons he was here to see.

Sparse torch light guided him to the dampest, squalid cells where three soldiers stood watch over three others behind bars. The three were further subdued by leg irons attached to the wall, which held them uncomfortably upright.

The young prince’s temper flared upon seeing the condemned. He could still see the bloodied rooms where blood and scraps pooled under the half eaten ponies. The prisoners before him had not even been given a chance to clean themselves. Each of their beaks and faces were still awash with blood, yet not all of it belonged to their victims.

The emperor had ordered them beaten, and the torturers had been overly enthusiastic. There was no love lost on the Lunarians, but no one in the aviaries wanted a war with the ponies, not now.

Gallus had half a mind to add a few bruises of his own, yet each of them were already on the brink of unconsciousness.

With a silent gesture to the guards, he was let inside the cell where Gallus focused on Steel Heart, the former sergeant of the ponies’ escorts that night. Among other injuries, the middle aged tom had a broken left claw that he suffered while being subdued. It was not being tended to as his execution was expected to be swift, so no care was given.

Gallus’ approach garnered no reaction from the prisoners, not that he truly expected one. He could see at a glance they were spiritually vacant. Not just the slump of a defeated and captured soldier, nor that of a helpless babe being confronted by a pillager, but ones who were already laying in a grave, and awaiting someone to start piling in the dirt.

That revelation blunted Gallus’ first thought of petty revenge, but his ire still held an edge. Instead he spoke with controlled anger. “Why? Steel Heart I have known you since I first held a blade. I thought I knew you, but last night shattered that illusion.”

The shamed soldier said nothing at first. He couldn’t even bring himself to look up at his prince. However, to say nothing would imply he was now insulting Gallus directly, and that was something even the becursed griffon couldn’t do.

“I have no excuse, sir.”

“Bosh there isn’t!” Gallus half-yelled, losing his self-control for a moment. “A bird doesn’t just eat somebody just because!” Gallus reached to grab Steel by the scruff of his feathered neck, but stopped short. He clenched his extended claw with enough anger to cut the skin. “Why did you do it?!”

“…I can’t explain it.” Steel Heart wished his prince to flog him as well if it could give the young griffon some small measure of satisfaction. “I just… we… I felt so hungry and - and - I… lost myself.”

“Lost yourself, he says.” Gallus’ cold voice replied as he forced himself to separate from Steel and the others. He couldn’t trust himself not to divulge in corporal punishment if he stayed so close. “Well, I have a number of other losses to report. As ordered by my father, you and the others havelost your citizenship and honors. For the crime of eating a civilized, you have lost any chance to see Valinhine as the Seer Council has disinherited you from the ancestors.” The other three besides Steel Heart finally reacted in muted pain. Yet ultimately none of them spoke out, having expected this very punishment. “Lastly, you will be lost on the Lunarian border. Where they can do with you as they see fit.”

Gallus leaned in towards Steel Heart. “The council wanted the lot of you shot and your corpses thrown off of Traitor’s Fall, but ultimately the ponies will decide your fate.” Steel Heart flinched away, but could not bring himself to speak in his own defense. “If that doesn’t satisfy Luna, and you have lost us the peace, then the Emerald Horde will be the hammer to the Lunarian anvil. If there is a single mote of honor left in you, then pray your extradition will satisfy her.”

Twilight and Rainbow Dash were riding in the back of the aristocrat’s personal model - s, having just passed the city limits and were on the now paved road leading to Talon Point. The barely muffled chittering of the engine threatened to drown everyone out if they didn’t raise their voices. Talks and other matters had eaten away the day, and now they were in the dead of night. Pinkie Pie was the acting chauffeur more out of the continued novelty of the motor car more than anything else.

A million things ran through Twilight’s mind as she stared out to the crescent moon. Chief among them was the infuriating soldier sitting beside her. Rainbow likewise was as sour as three month old milk that was left in the sun. Unlike Twilight though, she was boring a hole into the side of Twilight’s head with a baleful glare that had barely moved ever since Pinkie Pie picked them up from the palace.

Navigating the hustle and bustle of the city had dominated Pinkie’s attention, but even she could see the sparks flying between the two friends. As the tent city outside of Tranquility fell away into the countryside, Pinkie only had the moon and her dim headlights to navigate by. The tall grass that used to be here had long since been eaten down to the dirt, but it at least allowed her to feel safe that no desperate highwayman could be lurking in wait.

“Sooo,” Pinkie called out behind her, wincing a bit as rocks on the road made the ride a bit too bumpy for a bit. “I take it that things went poorly.”

“That’s an understatement,” Twilight said flatly.

“Poorly would be an improvement,” Rainbow said at the same time. Her evil eye never wavered from Twilight.

Pinkie frowned fretfully as she kept trying to watch both the road and her friends. “Well it can’t be that bad.”

“They ate them!“ Rainbow growled, jostling Twilight from the side of the motor car.

“What ate what?” Pinkie chanced as many glances backwards that she dared. The car started to swerve a bit, causing Pinkie to refocus lest they end up in a ditch.

Twilight fussed, even as Rainbow was getting increasingly belligerent towards her. “Go on and tell her,” Rainbow demanded. “See how a normal pony would react!”

Twilight lost her patience, and shoved her face into Rainbow’s own. “We are supposed to be better than normal ponies, that’s why Luna is empress and we are to act to a higher standard.”

“Tell her,” Rainbow repeated more aggressively.

Feeling like Rainbow’s temper was causing her sister to dig in her heels, Pinkie slowed the car and reached back to put a hoof on Twilight. “What happened, Twily?”

Sighing her frustration away, Twilight pulled away from Rainbow. “Luna dreamwalked into a dying missionary in the aviaries, and she saw the emperor’s own soldiers killing and eating the other missionaries…” She looked away, trying to keep her stomach under control. “Starting with the archbishop.”

“They what?!” Pinkie slammed on the brakes, and lost control as the car spun onto the short grass of a turn off, and nearly slammed into a wooden fence. The pink mare didn’t even wait for everyone to stop rocking in their seats for her to fully turn around to speak to them. “Tell me this is some mean prank.”

“It’s not!” Rainbow seethed. “The warengines should roll on the aviaries for this!”

“Hear hear,” Pinkie chanted.

Twilight tried to play the role of reason and sat back into her seat. “A lot of good they’ll do against a mountain.”

“You know what I mean! The last thing we should do is ‘wait and see’,” Rainbow jeered harshly.

“We are in no position to fight a war, Rainbow. We’re just now crawling ourselves out of a famine, we don’t have the stores necessary to feed an army on the march, let alone to war.”

“We’ll take it from them,” Rainbow countered. “By Tartarus, if I have to eat Equestrian bread to make those monsters pay then so be it!”

“We should still wait to see what the griffons will say first.” Twilight refused to raise her voice or shout. “If he comes out stark raving mad and claims he gave the order himself, then by all means, we make him answer. But I can’t see why he’d do this.”

Having gotten tired of banging her head against the wall Twilight was putting up, Rainbow turned to Pinkie so sharply the earth mare jumped a bit. “You said it yourself, we should go in there and raze Griffonstone to the ground, eh?”

Pinkie felt the heat of the spotlight that she had just been thrown under as Twilight stared at her intently. The tycoon loved the spotlight when it didn’t feel like an interrogation. “W-well… What exactly did Luna see?”

“She told you already,” Rainbow spat with growing impatience. “The emperor’s own troops killed and ate the archbishop and the rest of the missionaries.”

Twilight wanted to bring up the state of Luna’s ‘witness’, but she didn’t know enough about dreamwalking to feel comfortable arguing it. “But why would he wait?” Twilight rebuked with firm conviction. “If he wanted to do this, he’d have done it the day the archbishop arrived.”

“Are you daft?!” Rainbow cried as she flared her wings, only for the car to catch and scrap her. “He wanted to find a way to block Luna from getting into his dreams. He’s a monster, but he’s a smart one. I knew the stories about them eating ponies was true!”

Seeing that she was getting nowhere, it was Twilight’s turn to get a response from Pinkie. Her sister’s ears were flat from all the shouting, and she had not been able to get a word in until now. “What say you, Pinkie? You’ve dipped your hooves in eastern trade. Do you think the emperor would have done this if he is as smart as Rainbow claims?”

Still trying to wrap her head around the enormity of the crime and keep her dinner down, Pinkie was glad for the distraction. She turned back to sit properly in the driver’s seat to think. “Well… uhhh,” She tapped her head with one hoof while waving the other to the left. “No… Not unless he felt war was going to happen no matter what he did.”

Twilight latched onto the fact and pushed on before Rainbow could get a word in. “So if he wouldn’t order it, who would?”

The question irritated Rainbow enough to give her pause.

Pinkie had to think it over for a solid minute before cobbling together a possibility. “If anypony was going to frame the griffons it’d be the centauri, but I can't see how they could get a group of the emperor’s own soldiers to do any of - what was done. The Union loves the griffons, but the griffons love money more than praise. It’s possible a group could be paid to spark a war, but I don’t think they’d live long enough to spend the gold.”

Rainbow scoffed at the notion. “Even if, and it’s a big if, there’s traitors, I’m not taking a bird’s word over Luna’s own.”

“Nor would I,” Twilight said with a disgruntled sigh. “Claiming responsibility for the order would be suicide. So of course the emperor will deny whatever part he has to play, if at all.”

“So we go back to my plan,” Rainbow replied in morbid triumph. “We fly in there and show them why ponies aren’t on the menu!”

“And I say we let them have a chance to negotiate a settlement,” Twilight shot back.

The argument sparked anew, only this time Pinkie stayed out of it. She cranked the engine back on and drove off once more trying to ignore the bickering behind her. What a mess.

Celestia stood on a balcony overlooking a theater. The ponies below were reenacting her favorite story, a play lost to time in the modern age. Rich red curtains fell, closing out the performance, much to the crowd’s clamoring approval.

It was a cheer Celestia found herself unable to join in, for another story had met her ears just now. Luna sat beside her, the dark sister’s tongue had been still for barely a moment before Celestia turned and placed a comforting wing on Luna’s back. “What do you plan to do, sister?”

Sighing like a dying engine’s last gasp of steam, Luna absently stared at the actors below phasing out and back into their starting positions. The dream started to repeat itself now. “I’ve already given the order to mobilize the army and navy but-” she eyed her increasingly distressed sister with a stern glower, “I will demand recompense as a first recourse. If they refuse, the aviaries will burn.”

It wasn’t the outcome Celestia wanted, but it was an understandable decision. “If the emperor has any good sense it won’t come to that.”

“Assuming he didn’t order the murders.” Luna fully turned to her sister. She didn’t want to look desperate at this moment, but the question was too important, and it was making her mask of confident indignation slip. “Sister, Tia, you may not feel this is necessary, but I must ask. Can you ensure no Equestrian elements will interfere while my armies are distracted with this?”

Celestia was actually hurt by the question, but she was equally hurt that a part of her couldn’t blame Luna for asking it. Celestia held her pain in check by putting on a stern front. Part of her wanted to reign her sister back from warring so soon after their rule. Do we really want our rule to be defined by war? It was a bitter thought, but another matter pulled at her mind. She wanted her sister’s trust more than putting on a pacifist front. “Interfere?! Lulu, I most certainly refuse to sit by and do nothing. These murders are not just a crime against Lunaria, but all of ponykind. If anything, I insist on lending you military support.”

Taken aback, Luna stammered, “you would go that far?” Recovering quickly, Luna shook her head, and then took it further by warding her sister off by pushing her back with a wing. “I’m sorry, but no, this is a matter between Lunaria and the Aviaries.”

Celestia wasn’t going to give up that quickly, and slid around the offending wing. “Luna, I have no doubt you can handle this on your own. You have long since proven you are a capable leader…” Celestia stopped as she saw a bullheaded stubborn scowl crawling over Luna’s face. So she switched tack and let go of her sister’s hoof. “Very well,” Celestia began again trying to ward off the coming retort. “If aid is not what you desire, then can I at least offer arbitration? Equestria has had about as much history with the griffons as Lunaria has had with the Union species.”

As planned, Luna’s rebuke died on the edge of her tongue. She pulled back and pursed her lips. Luna was no fool. The offer differs but the motive’s the same. Even knowing this, Luna still found the idea had merit. That made her even more suspicious.

“You certainly won’t be going in person, it’s on the other side of the world from Canterlot. Who could you possibly send in your stead?”

Seeing that the door of opportunity remained open, Celestia practically pounced on Luna’s hesitancy. “I'll be sending one or more of my justiciars, and escort. I have full faith that they can perform this duty honorably.”

Luna became wary, but did not go so far as to challenge the idea. “I can’t say I’m familiar with justiciars. Who are they?”

“Well I hope you’re familiar with at least two of them. You met them in the swamp we awoke in.”

Author's Note

Will Sumer Flame learn to chill? Can RD and Twilight resolve the debate of cuisine? Did Pinkie ever get her driver's license? Can Luna learn to let go, or will she follow her path towards the dark side? Will Celestia finally admit milk chocolate is better than dark chocolate? Find out next time on the spin offs!!

Ooo, this chapter needed a couple of rewrites, but it's finally here.

45: A Chance at Peace

Warlord Lilja was sitting down as two attendants carefully applied white makeup on her beak and ensured her tan mail armor was immaculate. Tonight would not be a battle of swords, but of appearances and words. For she was not in her mountain home, but visiting a less-than friendly neighboring warlord. However, even though the buckles were latched and her armor was in place, she was missing information.

The attendants pulled away from her, drawing Lilja’s attention. Lilja grumbled at a delay only she was privy to.

She wore a grim continence as she posed in front of a body-sized mirror. Turning too and fro, Lilja was pleased her armor felt firmly in place without it being constricting. Where is that fool?

She waved off any further efforts by the attendants only for a gentle knock on the door to set all of them on edge.

Unlike the missionaries, the hosting warlord would suffer little consequence if she was betrayed. Her family ruled over the smallest domain among the aviaries. A domain that had suffered one too many poor warlords. Her mother’s poor showing during the Centauri War didn’t help. Lilja’s ancestral holdings were five times what they were now.

An attendant took the fore and opened the door to reveal one of Lilja’s servants, instantly letting the tension leave the room.

The servant bowed low and presented a sealed letter. “This arrived moments ago, warlord.”

The attendant claimed the letter and presented it to Lilja. She inspected it carefully, ever paranoid of the final betrayal that would see her family and people brushed away from the pages of history. If the chapter of my house is to end among the aviaries, then I will find a new book for my people’s history to be written in.

The letter was unmarked, yet the seal of a broken glaive was all she needed to know. At last, my spymaster sends word.

Fearful of eavesdroppers in a foreign castle, she nods for the servant to leave. “Thank you, you may go.”

Once the door was closed, Lilja turned her back to the only corner of the room her attendants assured her did not have any spying holes in the walls. The master of the castle was notorious for such things.

Cracking the seal and pulling the letter out revealed two messages. The top only had three words: red letter day.

Grinning, Lilja paused before reading the rest. The plan worked perfectly. The pony missionaries are dead by the claws of the emperor’s own soldiers. As volatile as things are, the emperor will not be so eager to join the ponies in battle. He still needs another push or two.

The two words at the bottom of the page were finally given her attention: transfer appeasement.

So… Some of the assassins survived, and Geraldy intends to give them over. Lilja idly watched as her servants put the finishing touches on her ceremonially adorned beak and patterned feather paint. They were the markings of a warlord, but until this moment she was barely a prefect, such was her family’s steady fall.

The servants pulled back, save for one presenting a small mirror. After a thorough inspection, Lilja felt fully dressed now. A crisis was at hand, and now she had to ensure the emperor had no choice but to go to war, no matter who with. More than a few warlords have bloated egos over our victories against the centauri, and those who remember our last war with the ponies are long dead. It shouldn’t be all that difficult to light the correct fires.

Her plan was in motion, but there was still much work to do. “Ink and parchment.”

At her command, the servants collected the needed items and presented them onto a short table. She wrote in code, but knew it well in her mind. Inform my husband the time has come for us to leave. Prepare the people and make it look like we have been hired by a border province.

To anyone else, it would look as though she only wrote a seven worded poem about dumplings, and a bad one at that. Then she wrote three more letters of false information and useless gossip, all to fool potential spies. Using a wing to fan the ink dry, Lilja then rolled it all up and stamped them with her wax seal, before presenting the letters to her most trusted servant. “See to it personally that these are delivered directly to Balja’s claw.”

A month passed since the death of Faithful Hymn, and once again Twilight found herself waiting in the separated foreigner quarter of Tranquility’s docks. A scheduled rain storm would arrive within the hour, leaving the skies to the east dark and menacing. She shielded a book she was reading to pass the time from the wind and splashing waves. She was camped out under a tarp with Luna and Rainbow Dash as the others watched one of the few surviving Equestrian warships slowly maneuver itself into port with the help of some steam tugboats. Twilight had no intention of wasting her attention on an antiquated style of vessel. It bore no engine, nor even possessed metal plating. It would be all too easy to get all romantic about inventions and methods while the world around it advances. I’m going to live too long to afford such bouts of nostalgia, it distracts from the now. Sure, living her full expected lifespan wasn’t a guarantee, but by Tartarus she was going to try.

The rough seas further out caused the salt spray to thankfully be redirected away by concrete breakers further out, saving her book and dress from the worst of it. However, the waves still crashed hard enough to give the tugs difficulty in maneuvering one of the last remaining Equestrian ships of the line. Its sails billowed in the rough westerly winds and sailors scurried about the rigging, trying to lash the sails. Flocks of seagulls cawed incessantly as they circled around mast height searching for food before the storm hit.

Be they Lunarian or Equestria, all of them were experienced mariners, and the warship was secured to its berth without incident. Once the gangplank was set into place, Pinkie Pie nudged her sister in mild concern. “The Equestrians are here,” Pinkie half-whispered, worried how such a distracted look may come across as indifference.

Having no bags on her dress, Twilight deftly tucked the book inside Rainbow’s half-empty ammo pouch before the soldier could even notice it. “You’d be mad as hops to read it too if you liked Daring Doo. This one’s a sizzler.”

Pinkie licked her fetlock before using it to smooth some errant fur on Twilight’s neck before proceeding to fix bits and pieces of her ensemble that had been misaligned by the wind. Twilight wore her signature hat, complete with the half cogwheel brim and white pegasus feathers, still the originals from when it was given to her. Now though, she had a dress to match. Purple silks and white contours created a traveling dress that looked exquisite in its melding of complex needle work along her chest while the rest was elegant in its simplicity that complimented the hat all while drawing the eye back to it. The whole thing made the hat, and Twilight’s face the focus of attention.

It was a dress that even forced Rainbow Dash to begrudgingly switch to her full dress uniform, and made Luna second guess herself before leaving the place. It would not do to let anyone out dress the empress herself, intentional or not.

Rainbow Dash was quick to cover the ammo pouch with a wing, and give the engineer a side-smirk. “Is that so? Then I’m keeping this until I’m done reading it.”

Flummoxed and quietly huffing, Twilight bickered with Rainbow, as quietly as decorum allowed, for the book’s more immediate return.

Luna missed it all as she looked wistfully at the elegant woodwork of the warship. The smooth lines of the vessel and the way it creaked and groaned made it feel alive to the time-lost alicorn. Although it was of a far more advanced design than her oar driven boats of the past, it still pulled on her younger memories. The alicorn figurehead at the bow looked striking, and gave the ship far more life than the simple yet functional designs of her navy.

Form has clearly been forgotten by my shipwrights. I will have to correct that before long. A proud ship can inspire a crew just as well as any speech can, if not more so.

All banter, or debatably playful bickering, fell away once the gangplank had been rolled up and into place. The first to step off the ship was the captain, stone faced and craggy, looking sea-green earth stallion as if he was born from the salt of the sea. No other crew departed, so he was only followed by two passengers. One bore a familiar curled purple mane while the one behind her had a mane of purple and pink.

The officer of the watch briefly met with them at the bottom before escorting the three of them to Luna. Upon reaching the cordial looking empress and the others, Rarity was stunned to a halt at what Twilight was wearing, and had to exert extreme effort to focus on returning to the captain’s side.

The officer bowed before the stoic alicorn. “Your highness, May I present Captain Hackleback, Justicar Rarity Belle, and Aspirant Sweetie Belle.”

“Thank you commodore.” Luna briefly watched the officer remove himself so she could focus on Hackleback. The earth stallion’s gravelly voice only amplified his craggy face. “Empress Luna, I thank you for having us. I must say, even in a time of peace I never thought I could bring a ship this close to your city and live to tell the tale. I only wish I had pulled in at night so I could see it in its intended beauty.”

The compliment surprised Luna and left Rainbow Dash suspicious of it. In spite of herself, Luna cracked a slight grin. She inwardly lauded his stately, dignified poise, something she found was a common and sought after virtue among the navy. It seems Tia chose her representatives carefully. “You may yet get that chance, Captain, but more on that shortly.” She turned her gaze on the justicar and her second, which prompted the captain to step aside and allowed the two mares to bow.

Gone were the gold and white dusters and wide brimmed hats. Rarity wore a navy blue trench coat that had metallic gold trimming and steel buttons. A matching hat of a novel design rested upon her brow. It had an indented crown with a two inch brim that warped itself to allow for Rarity’s mane to flow up a bit. Lastly, a ribbon wrapped itself around the crown with a gold emblem placed on the left side. The only difference between Rarity and Sweetie Belle was that the younger mare’s emblem and trimming was copper.

Rarity took the lead and raised her head up. “Empress Luna, you honor us with your presence and invitation.”

“Your assistance in the coming weeks is appreciated. I trust you already know my field advisors.” Although Luna didn’t show it, she was rather proud of that impromptu distinction, even if it did get a bemused look out of the trio beside her. While word play may have amused her, Luna was largely left feeling inadequate by the two justicars. She was still not up to date with all the fashion trends she was expected to know, but even she could see true art of form and function stood before her. If friend Rainbow Dash is any sign, I need to take another look at the uniforms. Be it on the battlefield or at the tailor, you will not be given an inch, sister.

“I most certainly am,” Rarity said while Luna was having her mild internal crisis of fashion and posturing. The segue was the perfect excuse for Rarity to drink in Twilight’s attire. The respectful and deceptive compliments between the hat she had designed with the dress that carried the motifs in their own direction was like a balm on the mare’s heart. It soothed a wound she had long forgotten about, leaving her spirit briefly as light as a feather. In her mind, if everything else became a failure, the voyage was worth seeing her gift being so well respected and loved.

“Madam Twilight Sparkle, it gratifies me to no end to see a promise fulfilled with such grace.”

Twilight slowly spun in place, letting the unicorn admire the ensemble from all angles. “How could I not? Your generosity had been in good faith, and no good deed ever goes unpunished,” she ended with a coy grin.

“If this is punishment, I fear your rewards,” Rarity tittered. Upon composing herself, Rarity gestured to the young mare beside her. “This is my younger sister and fellow soon-to-be Justicar Sweetie Belle. She will be assisting me in our efforts.”

As the others had talked, Sweetie Belle was caught in warring emotions. She was only months from graduation when Celestia had ended enstripment. It had been too late for her to receive the revised education her future peers would have. The distant, untouchable alicorn she had been trained for over a decade to pity and war against now stood before her. Taking Rarity’s lead, Sweetie had taken to inquisitorial dogma with a fervor that had been a subject of praise right up until that very day. Now, even with Celestia’s direct command to respect and honor Luna as she would Celestia, it was a herculean effort to keep a cordial mask from cracking under the pressure. At least I’m only here to present myself, and I don’t have to actually talk much to her.

“I am at your service, Empress Luna.” It was all Sweetie could think to say, her face burning at the delay. Nothing else she could have said sounded right or would cause a diplomatic incident.

“I am glad to have you. Now, Captain. There has been a change of plans. I will be requiring your ship to serve as neutral ground for the coming negotiations.”

The three Equestrians were taken aback, the captain more so than the others. “My ship?”

“If it pleases you, naturally,” Luna clarified. “The griffon emperor must think me a fool because he wanted to hold the meetings in the center of the Brown Plains, two hundred miles away from my nearest outpost. It is a naked attempt to set up an ambush, and was quick to change his mind when I stated as much.

“As for needing your ship in particular…” Luna glanced out at the flotilla of battleships that were maneuvering to take up a position in the harbor to weather the storm. “Your vessel is as close to neutral ground on these seas as I can muster.”

Without looking at the two justicars, Hackleback was fairly quick with an answer. While Rarity may have had overall authority, it was still his ship to command. He inclined his head, more than a nod, less than a bow. “I would be honored to assist. I will inform the crew our tour will run a little long.”

“I thank you for your indulgence,” Luna said with a regal smile. His agreement was mostly expected, but she was glad to see the request was not met with resentment. “Present a list of provisions you require and I will see to it being delivered before we depart. I will personally inform my sister of your assistance.”

“If I may be so bold,” Rarity tactfully announced before anyone could argue. “Your majesty, may I come ashore so I can question the Union representatives? I fear my understanding of griffon etiquette is rather lacking.”

Luna chewed her cheek at the request. It was more than reasonable, and yet tradition demanded not one Equestrian ever set hoof on Lunarian soil east of the ocean. The moment grew long as she debated with herself. “Tradition being what it is, I find it… difficult to agree to. It doesn’t help that the public are in uproar about it all since the murders were leaked to the press last week. The last thing I want is a mob turning their anger upon you.” Or upon myself for this breach of tradition.

Pinkie Pie had been waiting patiently for Luna and the others to come at some impasse. It didn’t matter what, only that one occurred. “May I beg for a moment of everypony’s valuable time?” She asked with two hasty bows to Luna and Rarity. “I have a solution in mind.”

At this point, Luna was desperate to keep Rarity off dry land, yet the Justicar beat her to the question. “Oh? Then please, do tell.”

Pinkie still remembered those fearful days of inquisitors, and Rarity’s new uniform and title did little to help. The mare looked as dangerous now as she ever did. Pinkie cleared her throat to keep her voice from cracking. “I’ve done extensive trading with Unionites, along with a trip into the Emerald Horde at Novosgrande. I can help you get acquainted with Unionite sensibilities offshore, and you can board their ship so you can speak with them afterwards. I dare say you won’t find a more reputable expert on the matter.”

Twilight debated on if she should come to her sister’s defense. Stepping in would make her sister look weak in front of the very person Pinkie wanted to show a strong front to. Well put, Pinkie. It was all she could do until they were in private.

“It is disappointing,” Rarity confessed with a forlorn look at the city beyond. She wasn’t going to admit it to the Lunarians, but she suffered horribly from sea sickness for the first two weeks, and had been dearly hoping for some dry land. “Such a pity, the beauty of Tranquility is a legend back home, but if that is how it has to be then so be it.”

“Very good,” Luna said quickly before Hackleback could potentially argue. “Captain Rainbow Dash, you have my authority to arrange things.” Luna pulled a silver emblem off her regalia and floated it over to the thestral. “But,” Luna eyed her subjects with satisfaction. “We should speak of the details in private.”

After the meeting had concluded and the Equestrians returned to their ship, Luna had everyone retreat to Twilight’s flying machine. Luna had wanted to resolve the details with Pinkie’s plan at the palace, but holding the meeting now meant more time in Twilight’s delightful flying machine. A noise dampener spell from Luna was all that was needed to keep things conversational. Although the tight confines of the vehicle left Rainbow Dash to fly alongside.

“Lady Pinkie Pie,” Luna eventually stated in a much more relieved tone than even she expected. “You have my thanks. I didn’t believe Rarity would actually request to come on land. Your quick wit serves you well.”

Partially at a loss, Pinkie did an admirable job remaining in her seat rather than bounce all over the non-existent walls. Luna’s praise was welcome, but being able to stand in front of an inquisitor without becoming a bundle of raw nerves was exhilarating. “It was my pleasure, Ma’am.” Pinkie said more to buy time to think rather than out of courtesy. “I thought it was best to have an amicable reason to keep them off the mainland without falling back too heavily on tradition. I hazard a guess that the Equestrians were as blind to the Unionists as most Lunarians are.”

“You are wiser than I am in this matter, Lady Pinkie Pie…” Luna's brief pause caused the pink businessmare to bubble with an inflated ego. “Which is why you will conduct these negotiation in my stead.”

“I - wha?” Pinkie’s brain came to a crashing halt, and her head slowly tilted to the left as she tried to make sense of it.

“Huh?!” Rainbow parroted, nearly forgetting to keep her wings going. Only Twilight had an inkling as to Luna’s reasoning.

Luna put a hoof on Twilight’s withers to make her halt the machine. With a wheezing straining crank, the motor idled, leaving them drifting slowly inland as the storm winds pushed them on. “In my day, managing the nation was so much simpler. I had deputies and a few noble houses who joined me, and that was it. I governed a people numbered fewer than Tranquility by itself. Now I have ministers and concerns stretching an ocean, and I still struggle to give matters their due course. …As dire as Faithful Hymn’s fate was, personally leaving on this negotiation is an indulgence I can ill afford. As such, in light of your experience with these foreigners, I charge you to settle these matters in my stead.”

“You want me?” Pinkie dumbly looked over to her shrugging sister before looking back at Luna and remembering herself. “Ah I’mma - With complete respect, Your Majesty, I am just a businessmare. This - this-”

“Is little different,” Luna countered with a softer tone. “You may not be trading in goods or money so much as clout and dignity. If you are anything like your sister, I believe you can acquit yourself to my satisfaction.” Luna’s moment of regal poise was ruined by the loud caw of a seagull flying scant inches over her head as it headed inland.

The bird got a snicker out of Pinkie, and it did much to calm her nerves, even if the moment passed just as quickly as it came. The weight of the task was imposing, but with a clearer heart, Pinkie squared herself. “If you wish it, then I will do what I can.”

“Excellent.” More birds started passing them by, irritating Luna enough to glance at Twilight to get her to fly them on.

Nodding, Twilight manipulated the controls, only for the tassel engine to rev far too fast and loud, making her ease off and try again.

Doing her best to ignore the excessive noise barely two feet from her head, Luna flattened her ears. “I shall not be sending you alone of course. Lady Pinkie Pie, you will speak with my voice, and friend Rainbow Dash will be the voice for the heart of the people. Your sister will be the voice of this infernal machine apparently.” Luna growled as the machine grumbled painfully loudly for such a small engine. “Friend Twilight, if you please?”

“Sorry, sorry! I think the engine’s flooded. A simple fix,” Twilight laughed sheepishly, trying to keep calm. “Ah - Pinkie, you mind opening the valves like I showed you?”

“Rightio.”

Rainbow swung around so she was between the helplessly drifting flying machine and town. They were nearing the domestic docks now. “Empress, why don’t we just fly back the old fashioned way, and leave them to it?”

A bemused frown fell over Luna as she moved out of the way for Pinkie Pie. She rather liked flying by more than just her own power or that of a chariot, but disappointment was always ready to show its unwanted head. “Perhaps you’re right.”

She was about to turn away from watching Pinkie’s repair work when, of all things, a seagull smacked into the side of Pinkie’s head, instantly causing the mare to go dizzy. She tried to grab at anything to steady herself, and ended up yanking a control wire.

“Pinkie!” In a panic, Twilight turned in her seat, unaware that the wing balancer had been thrown off.

Fearful of the humming wings of the machine slapping her, Rainbow waited until Pinkie cleared them entirely before swooping down to catch her. By then, Luna and Twilight had lept to the air to check on her.

Twilight was at her sister’s side as quickly as she dared, nearly colliding with Rainbow in the process of hefting the earth mare into a better carry position. “Pinkie, are you alright?” Twilight inspected the impact, and saw a decent sized welt forming.

Her head was spinning, but Pinkie blearily tried to shake off the dizziness. “I think so. Just need the world to stop spinning first.”

Rainbow huffed with effort as she moved Pinkie once more into a better position. “I’ll take her over to the medic, but she’s probably fine.”

“Well that was certainly some excitement,” Luna offered with a head shake. She would have said more, but the humming from the flying machine grew strangely louder, and more distant. When she turned to look, it prompted the others to do the same.

Twilight shrieked at the sight of her creation having almost completely flipped itself over and falling out of the sky. She bolted for the controls, but Luna pulled her back with her magic.

“No, Twilight, it’s too dangerous!”

“But I can save it!” Twilight swore impotently as the wings went further out of control right above a merchant ship. Deckhands scrambled out of the way as the machine tumbled. It slammed into the bow before rolling off and ultimately crashing into the sea.

Twilight hung in the air, completely floored by how quickly everything happened. “But - but - how - what?!”

Rainbow cringed at the sight of the flier quickly slipping below the waves, leaving only a small number of bubbles behind. “Well that’s going to be a shipping hazard.”

“You!” Twilight growled at Rainbow, only to be stopped by the sight of her injured sister, so she was left to spin in place, tossed about by the wind and impotently kicking the empty air. All while sailors grumbled below, unwilling to shout obscenities in Luna’s direction. “Stars above, why did it have to be in the blasted harbor?!”

Luna eased her way over and used a hoof to stop Twilight’s rotation. “Perhaps it is for the best that I remain behind after all. I will have it dredged from the waters and smooth things over with the shipmaster while the three of you focus on the tasks ahead.”

Queen Novos was getting antsy. Being gone from her people for a month had progressively felt like she was an unwitting prisoner in a gilded cage. So it was with great relief that she was finally sitting in her stateroom aboard her ship.

Granted both she and Summer Flame sent and received letters from home every day, but she felt the city electrify when news of the missionaries' fate broke to the public. Calls for war had not left the newspapers since, and more than one protest had broken out in front of her diplomatic home. The ponies wanted blood, and the Union leaders were often an easy target as opposed to the perpetrators sitting hundreds of miles away.

At least Luna was courteous enough to keep the sentries in place when Summer dragged me out to whatever nonsense he wanted to see. Not that it matters now, I’m finally going home, and away from these smoky skies.

She lingered near the window, wanting to see if the fabled cloud district could withstand the storm that now thundered over the city. The stateroom she was in was attached to a modest library, which amounted to three shelves aboard the ship.

If there was one good thing about Summer Flame, it was that he was as much of an avid reader as he was a nuisance. The stallion in question was pouring over a magazine titled ‘The Modern Mechanic’ he had swiped before leaving Tranquility. More importantly though, he did it quietly.

Novos’ gaze partially kept an eye out for any approaching chariots or shuttle boats carrying the Equestrians. The Lunarians have been no help in how I should approach them. You can’t get them to say one good word about Equestrians, other than that they are good in a fight. She scowled, her worries grew about this ‘Harmony’ revolution amounting to little in the end.

So she huffed her impatience as the hours dragged on, with her only companion being the ticking of a clock and the occasional comment from Summer Flame. “They’re making us wait,” she declared irritably. “The Equestrians arrived yesterday. Where could they be?”

Summer Flame never looked away from his new magazine as he spoke. “You worry too much. I thought you’d be glad to be gone from here.”

“Oh make no mistake, I can’t wait to get some proper wine. We’ve been too far from home long enough, and the Lunarian’s miserable excuse for wine has nearly ruined my sense of taste. And you had the audacity to claim theirs was better.” Novos threw a candle stick at him, only for Summer to catch it in his magic without looking away. “We’ve been lied to. The Equestrians have no interest in our knowledge.”

“They’ve only been here a day, my ornery compatriot,” Summer chided while lazily flipping a page and setting the candlestick down with a satisfying thump. “I dare say the Lunarians are giving them an ear full that would make you blush.”

“And what exactly do you mean by that?” Novos replied with a testy voice, idly searching for another heavy object to throw. Part of her felt like rising to his prodding just to serve as a distraction. Yet her plans were foiled by a knock echoing into the room and down the hall.

The timing got a rise out of Summer who put his book down and leveled a mischievous look at Novos. “Perhaps they’re here to finally kill us out here where it's convenient. You best hide… Just in case.”

Novos used a wing to get her servant to answer the door while she rubbed her forehead and glared at him. “The next time I have to come to Tranquility, you’re staying behind.”

Standing up to stretch like a cat, Summer flicked his tail at her. “And miss out on my warm demeanor? My dear, you’d have gone mad having to listen to Saleena prattle on about which of these cafes have the best scones, and how they are woefully pale compared to her personal chef.”

“And this is why…” Novos painfully bit her lip. He was an insufferable commoner, but he was her peer all the same. The jester who wins a battle and then the high seat. I wish the world pulled a prank I could laugh at. Fearing she had delayed too long, Novos gestured at the hippogriff soldier near the door.

When it was opened, two unfamiliar ponies walked into the increasingly cramped stateroom, and yet at the same time they were frightfully familiar. Novos knew not their faces nor their names. No, she saw a being who dominated the gravitas in any room they entered. And she did it all while wearing a coy smile and a deceptively sunny disposition and a polite bow.

“Thank you all for seeing us. I am Justicar Rarity Belle, with my sister and protégé Aspirant Sweetie Belle.”

The sister by contrast carried herself with false confidence, yet Novos couldn’t tell if it was from the nervousness of being around two heads of state, or being new to her position. The queen dismissed the youth almost as fast as she took notice of her. “Greetings. I am Queen Novos.” She turned to her kirin counterpart, expecting some inflammatory introduction, only to see he was unsettled.

Summer Flame studied the pair without his traditional snide grin, but with a much more controlled neutral expression, as if a predator was in the room. “I’m First Citizen Summer Flame, always a pleasure to meet new faces.”

“Isn’t it though?” Rarity kept eye contact with a promise of violence that was carefully kept in check, like the claws of a cat barely touching a balloon. She didn’t even do it consciously anymore, it was simply how she was. “Now, I’m confident both you and our hosts have been kept waiting long enough and I can only imagine the… indignities you’ve had to endure during your stay. Shall we proceed with griffon dining etiquette?”

“So you ponies do have a sense of humor.” Summer Flame let off an exhaling laugh as tension left him. “I can tell you now they only ever use a single fork, even in their high halls. Which says a lot considering the climes.”

A dark grin crossed the justicar's muzzle. “How dreadfully utilitarian. But it certainly is a step up from what I've heard so far.” The young Aspirant glared at Rarity as if she were embarrassing her.

In spite of herself, Novos allowed a lot of the tension to bleed out of her as well. The Justicar may come across as a danger, but now she knew it was only her sense of humor that was the worst part. Heavens help me, now there are two of them.

46: Arbitration

A hundred miles off the narrow griffon coastline, Rarity roosted in the crow’s nest of the Equestrian warship. Sailing all around her in the choppy warm waters was the single Unionite flagship and a squadron of Lunarian vessels: four so-called battleships and six smaller protected cruisers, along with two armored transports for marine fliers.

She never did invest herself in naval knowledge, but even she could see the masts were vestigial holdovers, relegated to signal flags instead of the vast sails her ship still possessed. Armored turrets bristled along the flanks and odd trumpet-like projections all over the tops of the ships were a uniform feature.

She sighed, idly wondering how daunting it would be to go against such a force. Unification was never going to happen. We could push them to the sea and no further.

Annoyed feminine grunting came below, yet Rarity didn’t move until Sweetie Belle managed to hook a foreleg over the lip of the crow’s nest and pull herself high enough to see her older sister. “There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“I hope not for very long.” Rarity eyed her sister shamble into the nest, nearly colliding with her in the cramped confines. “Investigations must be conducted with care and expediency. Like stitching together a protective ward in the midst of battle.”

“Yes, yes, I know.” Sweetie grumbled at the same anecdote all over again. She readjusted her fedora, it having gone askew. “I’ve been having trouble with that assignment you gave me.”

Rarity nodded slowly, fully expecting the issue. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. We’ve been asking the question of unification for centuries now. Why do you think our ancestors gave up and tried to use force and enstripement?”

“Yes, about that, I was hoping you could grant me a leave of absence.”

Arching a bemused eyebrow, Rarity surveyed the ocean around them before looking at her sister. “Where exactly?”

Sweetie Belle stepped up to the bow side of the nest and pointed at the Lunarian flagship. “The Nightingale. I wish to present the question to Lady Twilight.”

Rarity frowned deeply, her ears twitched with nervous energy. “As much as I would like to speak with her as well, we’ve been mandated to cause as little fuss as possible outside of our task of arbitration. It could lead to accusations of espionage or endanger our credibility as arbitrators.”

“Could we invite her here?”

Rarity rubbed her chin, weighing her options. She could wait until the proceedings were about to begin, but getting a proper answer out of Twilight would be difficult. “I doubt it. I don’t know how… secure she feels in what the born-and-raised Lunarians think of her. She may decline out of hoof if it could lead to unwanted questions.

“Still-” Rarity stopped, her curiosity winning out. “You always lose the battles you don’t fight. I’ll try to arrange it.”

Down into the sweltering hot belly of the Nightingale, Twilight and Applejack were fully absorbed in studying every facet of the triple expansion Irons engine. After days of instruction, the boatswain offered to let her run the thing. Watching the pressure gauges, tweeting wheels and levers to make it all run just-so, it felt like Applejack had come home.

A farmer’s life might have its own trials and peacefulness, but the sea and the engine room was where her heart belonged.

Twilight in turn studied the machinery with great enthusiasm. Her first taste of engineering came from the sea, and the clamoring, bearing heart of the Nightingale was a step down memory lane. She was here to study it all for her own work of course, but at times, she could feel herself wanting to ask her father a question about one thing or another. Only to remember he was far away. It made her homesick, far more than she even knew.

Applejack tugged her unarmored wing. “You alright, boss? You’re crying.”

“Am I?” Twilight used a wing finger to wipe an eye and was embarrassed it came away wet. “It must be the heat,” she lied poorly. Looking at the other engineers, she adopted her aristocratic airs out of habit. “I should grab something to drink anyhow. Do you want anything?”

“A bottle of anything will do.” Applejack debated on if she should say more, but Twilight was already headed for the stairs before the sailor could think of anything meaningful. Shucks, sugar cube, Ah hope you’re alright.

Twilight made her way to the top deck and meandered over to the railing at the stern close to one of the flag wires. She looked out and breathed deeply of the salty air. However, any calming that could have given her was marred by the sight of the two wooden ships in the middle of the formation She ached to see her three children again, and the ships echoed memories of her old Canterlot home. Weary of the occasional sailor walking by and the ever watchful flier patrols overhead, she decided to move to the bow when she noticed signal flashing coming from the Equestrian ship.

She didn’t know the meaning of it, only what it was. It's probably just a wellness check or the like.

Ultimately, she took to watching the distant sailor flash the lights, and tried to puzzle out what it tried to say. It served as a good distraction, so much so she didn’t notice anyone approaching until she heard a firm cough behind her. She looked back to see the former crown prince, Admiral Pale Light. The dark furred earth stallion had lost none of his regal bearing, and had blended it well with customary naval calm and collected poise.

“Lady Twilight, enjoying some time away from your desk and engine room I see.” A coy, barely perceivable smile cracked his lips. “All that soot was starting to stain your fur.”

Her face burned as Twilight dusted herself off, and was mortified by how much dust and dirt was coming off of her. “Y-yes, quite so.”

After a few seconds of watching her dance between frantic grooming and trying to remain dignified, Pale Light took pity and reached into his coat. “Here. A soot brush might be a wise investment should you ever find yourself in a ship’s engine room again. Just be careful or you’ll pull your fur out.”

The bristly fine comb looked painful to use, but bathing with water out at sea was a luxury few could afford. Thankfully, she was one of those few. “I thank you, Admiral. But I still might require your bath when the proceedings begin.”

He laughed richly as she claimed the gifted brush. “But of course. Unfortunately, offering advice is not why I’m here. The justicar and her crony wish to come aboard and converse with you.” He sniffed derisively at the notion. “I considered dismissing it out of hoof, but I suspected you might have a personal touch to add.”

“Did the message say why they wish to talk?”

“Some nonsense about a dress and what not.”

Twilight hummed inquisitively while staring out at the Equestria man vessel. She could see figures milling about, yet the most noticeable were the pegasi teams adding wind to the sails. It was a daily battle to give the vessel enough speed to keep up with the steam driven squadron around them. The Lunarians themselves aided the Unionite ship. “I thank you for the message, Admiral. If it is not too much trouble, I would ask that you permit their indulgence. We can speak right here if that is best.”

A surprised, yet subdued hum escaped him. Pale Light took a ship’s whistle from his pocket and blew three long notes before pocketing it once again. He spoke as his signalmares gave a reply. “And here I thought she’d be the last person you’d wish to speak to. You don’t look like somepony for petty insults. Or is it word about your far away parents that you want?” His tone softened at the end, sudden guilt over his earlier harsh words.

A slight grin cracked Twilight’s subdued expression as she gave up trying to look presentable. She was an engineer, not just a noblemare, a little soot and occasional grease stain will just have to be tolerated. “I’ve heard the crew talking. An inquisitor by any other name is still a horror. There is a pony underneath that mystique, and she’s a remarkable seamstress.”

“A seamstress?” Pale Lighted coughed a disbelieving laugh behind a hoof. “My dear, there is a time and place to have a measuring done.”

Off in the distance, a pegasus chariot pulled away from the wooden ship of the line, as if they were desperate to arrive before the admiral changed his mind. “I don’t know, Admiral, sometimes we need to remind ourselves that our enemies are ponies too. Lest we grow too fond of hate and forget the lessons of Harmony.”

For a long moment, Pale Light was left speechless at being dressed down so politely. “I - I would say hate is a strong word, my lady.” He sighed, resolving to meet the justicar as well. “Impersonal would be more apt, I’d say.” He shook his head at his little truly made a difference. “You may see Harmony take root, Lady Twilight, but I fear only my children’s children will live it.”

“Perhaps.” The chariot was closing in now, and she only had a few moments left before the chariot arrived. “But with any luck, I might be able to give you a glimpse into that future.”

The two escorts for the chariot directed it down to the waiting pair at the stern. The chariot eased its way onto the ample room on the deck. Rarity didn’t bother waiting for a full stop and deftly hopped down with a graceful landing. An act her sister was not too keen on mimicking so she waited until the wheels hit the deck.

“Ahh, Lady Twilight, Admiral, I thank you both for accepting our request.” Rarity’s eyes darted all over Twilight’s soot markings. “I see you’ve had a productive day.”

The comment renewed Twilight’s self consciousness, and she had to fight the urge to use the brush in front of everyone. “Yes, well in a field such as mine, one can't be afraid of a little dirt.” Even as the words left her mouth the perfectionist in her screamed in terror at how filthy she let herself get in public.

Rarity suppressed a chuckle, fully able to read her masked panic attack on Twilight's face. “Ha! Don’t we all? And don’t fret, Darling, the kind of dirt I sometimes end up in can be just as difficult to wash out.”

By now, Sweetie Belle had stepped up to her sister’s side, giving Pale Light an excuse to expedite matters. “I can only imagine. Now, Justicar, your message said you wanted to discuss an inquiry?”

“Quite right, quite right,” she repeated as Rarity stepped to the side to give Sweetie a small magical push forward. “Go on, Sweetie.”

Now that she stood before the very mare that got her horrendously mocked by association in the academy, Sweetie Belle wasn’t sure how to take the other face of Twilight Sparkle. This face, bereft of the finery of her station, was dirty and damp from sweat, like that of a common worker. She had to shake the thought away to focus. “I - Ah - I had hoped to ask you something before we all get horribly busy later. Lady Twilight, do you think reunification is possible?”

Both Lunarians were taken aback by the unexpected question. Pale Light recovered first, but held his tongue as it was not his question to answer, and a part of him was interested in how Twilight would answer.

For her part, Twilight found she was ultimately not surprised the question existed, but that someone like Rarity had allowed it to be voiced so plainly. Perhaps this is her way of adopting honesty. The theory sounded shaky even to her, but it was all she could think of.

“The only thing more dangerous than a question is an answer, Aspirant.”

Rarity flashed a knowing smirk. “Merchant’s Creed two oh eight I believe. We can not always hide behind old wisdom. I believe we all know where that led to.”

“We shouldn’t be so quick to abandon all of it, I think,” Pale Light countered with an even keel.

“As you say,” Rarity conceded, more out of politeness than agreement.

The interruptions might have left others feeling dubious about it all, but Sweetie held firm, letting Twilight decide on how to answer.

At last, Twilight felt like she’d end up doing herself a disservice by dodging the question a second time. “If you must know, Aspirate, yes I think it is possible.”

Giving a fretful look at the admiral to Twilight’s left, Sweetie Belle started wondering if she should have asked for privacy. “Would it be too much to ask how?”

“Not at all. Equestria has asked the question of force for a millennia, and Lunaria’s answer of refusal has culminated into this,” Twilight stomped her hoof on the deck. “With a navy you can not hope to rival and an ocean between us, the only path to unification now is peace. And like it or not, you have to actually consider Lunaria’s disposition to that particular question.” With a jeering and playful manner, Twilight flared a wing at Pale Light.

Faced with such an answer, Pale Light couldn’t bring himself to play along, and instead gave it some serious thought, leaving Twilight hanging. “Five years ago, I’d say unification was laughable. With Luna’s return however, the answer is… not so certain.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Twilight righted herself, and idly bushed a particular dark patch of soot with a wing.

Overjoyed her question was answered with such insight, Sweetie Belle tried to withdraw her notebook and pencil, only to find her magic painful to even draw from. The ship, you dodo! With everything still fresh in her mind, Sweetie didn’t want to lose any of it and couldn’t trust her mouth writing to save her life. “Thank you both for such wisdom. I should return to my cabin and write it all down before I forget even a single word!”

“Go ahead of me, Darling, I have one other matter concerning the investigation to discuss with them.”

Barely waiting until Sweetie had boarded the chariot, Twilight hummed out of interest. There was only one thing the justicar would openly speak about investigating. “You risk your position as arbiter if you do this.”

“Not from where I stand,” Rarity countered flatly yet with firm conviction. She looked into each of their eyes, knowing full well they still saw her as an inquisitor. “While only an alicorn can hope to embody the six paths of Harmony, we mere mortals can at least master one. A justicar’s duty is to Honesty, or more accurately, to the truth, no matter how ugly it can be. I would like to count on the Lunarian delegation to support this endeavor.”

“You think the griffon Emperor is trying to deceive us?” Pale Light was growing concerned that even the Equestrians were starting to think that. That's why I brought half the second fleet with me.

“Possibly, but just as likely not.” Rarity fished out a small notebook from her trench coat. “The Unionites stressed that when it comes to criminal justice, if the matter reaches the Emperor and he makes a ruling, it is final. Understandable in of itself, except for the little issue of just how final it actually is. There are no appeals, no further investigation, and no missed evidence. To imply the prisoners he brings might be innocent is tantamount to a slap across his face.”

Twilight scratched her chin as a dark cloud fell over her until she eventually nodded. “How utterly... blunt. The whole matter suggests a manipulator. The people want justice, Miss Rarity, and that begins with the real perpetrators being identified. Should that prove to be somepony other than the prisoners, neither Luna nor the people will care if it is inconvenient for the griffons.”

“I have to agree.” Pale Light’s jaw was wound tight as the implications for such a discovery grew. “And if the emperor should object, I will ensure it is short lived.”

Their reactions were expected yet still unpleasant. “I’m glad our positions are clear.”

The time came early on an overcast summer day. Emperor Geraldy stood at the head of an entourage thirty strong. However, further back, hidden among crags and bends of the mountain pass, camped an army of ten thousand. They were a last resort should the Lunarian delegation prove to be an elaborate trap to decapitate the empire.

Four of his eight children were there as a formality as he only wanted Gallus in particular to attend. His fate will be tied to the peace that still stands. Five smaller processions stood along the flanks carrying banners of his most powerful houses.

The gloom over Shady Sands did not hide the enormity of the Lunarian fleet. It was moored in a circular formation well out of range of any cannon the griffons could have brought to bear. Not that they had any real hope of damaging the alleged metal monsters they heard about from the Union.

“This is not a delegation, it’s an invasion force!” Gilda cried, a claw tightly gripping her pistol. “I knew this would happen.”

The aging emperor remained silently watching the fleet as others bickered around him. All he could see were legions of pegasi and thestrals invading, and cutting a swath through the aviaries before the mountains took their toll and the Lunarians were driven back. The worst of it though, he knew the Emerald Horde was watching, and begging for that to happen. The tiresome dance of politics. If Gilda wasn’t so excitable, she’d have made a decent heir.

Standing close by was Warlord Char, a monstrously large griffon clad in a crisp Sky Marshal's uniform. His jet black feathers and grey fur made him blend in well with the dark rock of the mountain. His armored claws dug into the stone as the stress gnawed at him. His keen eyes could see the rumors were true about the Lunarian navy. He knew how to assail wooden sailing ships, but a vessel that was practically a small steel island?

“This is not an invasion, you dim-witted jane, it’s a warning,” Char directed scornfully at Gilda. “You must be cautious, your excellency.”

Of all of the griffon warlords, Char was both the most powerful, and the most ambitious. Geraldy kept him close lest he raise a rebellion in secret. Geraldy nodded in rare agreement with Char, yet he was less than pleased about the muttering of the other warlords in earshot. Most were in a mocking tone, however he had no time to discern what was being said as a group of hippogriffs were flying in from the sea.

The queen’s size gave her away at a distance, and Geraldy allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. He waited for them to land before he flared his wings in greeting. “Ahh, Queen Novos, I thought I spotted a ship of yours down there.”

Flaring her wings as well, Novos finally found comfortable company. “The Seaspray is a favorite of mine,” Novos folded her wings and stepped up to Geraldy . She gave nodding acknowledgements to the various warlords who reciprocated warmly. Of all the Unionites, the griffons respected the hippogriffs the most for their valor, even Char gave her a respectful, friendly greeting. “I only wish our meeting was under better circumstances.”

A huff of a laugh escaped the old bird. “It feels like we can never pull away unless the world is in flames.”

“You were quite lucky by the way,” Novos hinted with a grim tone. “Summer Flame and I were due to have an audience with Luna the very day of the attack.”

“You were there?!” Geraldy suddenly felt as if a cannon ball had flown right past his face and was only now realizing it. The warlords around him were equally surprised and murmuring sprang up around him. “Then I suppose I have both of you to thank for today rather than a war we don’t need that would already be upon us.”

“Probably you more than that flaming irritant,” Char chimed in. Some of his warlords were insulted by the emperor’s words, but with Char in agreement, none of them spoke a word against the sentiment.

“Don’t thank me yet,” Novos cautioned with a shiver. “We still need to convince the ponies to trade coin and land instead of ball and shot.”

“Ponies?” Geraldy narrowed his eyes in vague suspicion. “Does Luna have a council she answers to?” He asked with disbelief.

Now Novos was getting nervous again. Griffon pride was paramount, and she knew this would not go well. I need to put this as diplomatically as possible or everything will fall to pieces before the hour is up. “Matters in Tranquility are very demanding, and she could not be here. So she sent two of her advisors and a speaker in her place.”

“She’s not here?!” Geraldy roared with indignation. “Luna threatens us with war and she can’t be bothered to show her face?” He wanted to punch something, stab, shoot, something for this insult. The feeling was matched by the griffons at his side. “What? Is she rallying her armies to march on us even now? Is all of this a farce?!”

His anger was speaking faster than his senses. He faced Gallus with contempt in his voice. “If she’s sending advisors, then so shall we. Boy, you will go in my stead.”

Novos fretted and stepped in before the young Griffon could say anything. “Your excellency, I urge you to reconsider. This is a genuine attempt at peace, but if you send the fool, you might as well send the army instead.” She knew him well enough to know he’d have a few thousand troops waiting nearby.

“What choice have I? I will not negotiate with anyone except Luna, perhaps Eclipse, but no one else.”

Char saw his chance to to step in and offer himself, but he paused, waiting for the emperor to look his most dire. That old fool’s failure to protect the missionaries and his worthless seed proves his family is not fit for the throne. The only question is, should I make my move now and have the ponies sign the treaty with me, or let Geraldy buffer me from any failed talks?

Char was not alone in how to respond, as others were starting to look more to him for direction. “I’ll do it,” Gallus stated defiantly, surprising Char and his faction at the youth’s audacity. “But, father, I need your word that any agreement I make will be honored. It’d be pointless otherwise.”

Clenching his beak, Geraldy’s wits were finally catching up to him, but he had said too much to fully reverse course now. He didn’t trust the boy with a platoon, let alone any talks. He’d get rolled over and give away half the aviaries! Scratching his beak, he turned to Novos for a way out. “Which ship will be hosting the talks? Yours perhaps?”

Pointing a claw out to an unfamiliar masted ship sailing close to the center, Novos tried to sound as convincing as possible. “That one. It’s an Equestrian warship, I’ve spoken with the captain and he is an honorable one.”

I was told to expect them to mediate, but to do so on one of their ships? Perhaps it is for the best. Char wouldn’t dare cause problems that could irritate Equestria as well.
“What about my escort?”

“The Equestrian marines will be providing protection. You, two advisors, the prisoners, and five honor guards are what is expected. The same goes for the Lunarians. Anybody beyond that will be turned away or shot if need be.”

Nodding in growing acceptance, Geraldy hummed at last in approval. “It may have been centuries ago, but our ancestors and the Equestrians were allies in battle a number of times until we fled the old world… Very well, I will attend in person.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Novos felt she was finally going to get a chance to return home without bloodshed. “Marvelous. Once you finish today’s talks, would you care to join me on my ship so we can catch up? I’ve learned a great deal during my time in the pony capital.”

Rubbing his neck, Geraldy grumbled aloud. “If only I could do so before the talks, but making them wait any longer would be a poor showing. But yes, I would gladly join you, old friend.”

“Then I’ll break out the processo and sweetmeats. I had several bottles brought over, and I’ve been dying to enjoy good company.”

Geraldy gave a rich belly laugh. “You always knew how to put too much class into your parties, but if things go well, who am I to turn down those tiny little cheese cubes you like so much?”

Pinkie Pie stood on the deck of the CRN Sun’s Last Kiss with a nervous tick in her right eye. Equestrian style was evident among the woodwork from mast to keel, and it kept dragging painful memories of her enslavement. The appearance of the griffon delegation over the water only made things worse for her nerves.

Just think of it as a board meeting. Just a board meeting… Pinkie kept repeating that mantra over and over again until a familiar wing pulled her in close.

“You’re going to do fine, Pinkie. Rainbow and I will be right there with you.”

The love and gentle care in her sister’s voice cooled Pinkie’s nerves. She wanted to lean into the hug, but feared it could be seen as a sign of weakness to the approaching griffons. So she had to be content with a brief nuzzle against Twilight’s cheek. “Thanks, Twily.”

A light chuckle escaped the pegacorn as she returned the gesture before separating. Now it was her turn to make sure Pinkie’s business dress was immaculate. She wore a slightly simplified mare’s cut of a three piece suit with a skirt instead of pants. Twilight wore a form fitting ensemble, typical for fliers, under her armor’s leather jacket.

“Don’t thank her yet,” Rainbow cautioned as she stared at the approaching griffons. “We have to survive the day first.” She wore her light battle uniform, sans her rifle, and looked almost more underdressed than if she had done without clothes at all. At least it was all ironed and starched.

“Speaking of which we should take our places,” Twilight advised as she turned to leave the forecastle. Pinkie was quick to follow after her with Rainbow trailing behind in the air.

Space had been cleared out between the central mast and the forecastle for a table brought over from Tranquility. It was large enough for six people, with the open deck and skies offering plenty of space for guards and witnesses.

As the griffons drew near, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Fluttershy emerged from below deck in a mild hurry. Rarity gave Twilight an acknowledging nod before pulling her group back to the quarterdeck for the reception.

Equestrian pegasus marines lined the skies, but gave way for the griffons to pass and to land on the quarterdeck, prompting Pinkie and the others to follow after Rarity.

Flanked by his first mate and other officers, the captain gave his guests plenty of space for a few to land. “Emperor Geraldy, welcome aboard the Sun’s Last Kiss. I am her captain, Hackleback.” He presented both his staff and Rarity’s entourage. When it came to introducing the Lunarians, the griffons’ brief good spirits evaporated for a collective dour mood.

Geraldy sized Pinkie Pie up, and was irritated by what he found. Two merchants and a slipshod soldier. This is insulting. Had they been griffons, the prismatic bat pony would have been reprimanded so hard he’d have drummed her out of the army. “Lady Pinkie Pie…” He already found the name tasted bitter. “Shall we get this over with?”

Squaring herself up, Pinkie Pie put on her best business smile and gave a small shake of her head. “In due time, your highness. I take it those are the assassins?”

Geraldy did not follow her gaze, but he did lift a claw and pointed two fingers to the deck. “They are indeed.” Escorted by one sentry each, the three prisoners were unceremoniously dumped onto the deck. Each of them looked beaten, bruised, and close to emaciated. “We’ve had to force them to eat and drink long enough to be brought before you.”

Hiding a scowl, Pinkie gave a quick nod. “So I see. Were you able to discover why they did this? From my understanding eating a civilized being, no matter how hated, is taboo among your people.”

“It is,” Geraldy insisted sternly, feeling his honor was being further besmirched simply by standing close to the guilty. “As for why, it hardly matters. They were found…” He grew visibly disgusted. “In the act. They are the ones you want.”

Pinkie felt she had to be careful. Causing any unnecessary insult would make future talks difficult. Luna had given her two mandates. Secure the guilty, and gain the rights to the Grey Plains. War was on the table, and she knew Rainbow Dash would demand it if things turned sour. “Lunaria wants justice, your highness, and even if these prisoners are indeed the culprits, merely having them is not enough. We require motives. This isn’t a simple poisoning or knife in the dark. This crime made a statement. Luna wants to know exactly what that statement was.”

Geraldy snorted dismissively at the roundabout statements and posturing. No amount of poise or grace from anyone other than a soldier or minister held much weight on his scales. Merchants, least of all. “And what exactly do you want? Once the prisoners are in your custody, you can question them all you like.”

“Because the griffon character has been assassinated as thoroughly as our missionaries,” Pinkie Pie rebuked with a firm tone, before quickly sliding back into a customer service smile. “You may not give two slips about what the common pony thinks of you, but Empress Luna does.” Pinkie turned to Rarity who stepped up to stand between both parties. "In light of this, we have requested the services of Justicar Rarity Belle."

Bow respectfully, Rarity carried herself with a deeply professional air. “In pursuant of this matter, I must humbly ask of you that a few of your entourage be available for interviews as well.”

An inquisitor being humble? That’s a lark. Twilight had to keep that thought from reaching her face.

Pinkie Pie hoped that including Rarity would give the Emperor more reason to agree, but the griffon was difficult to read. Between his beak, smaller eyes, and unfamiliar body language, she couldn’t tell if he was agreeable or rethinking the whole matter. So she pushed forward to sweeten the deal. “I have been authorized to demand more lenient compensation should the findings prove…” Pinkie hesitated, trying to find the right word. “Enlightening.”

Perhaps the idea did sound appealing, but Geraldy was suspicious of the ponies’ motives, Equestrian and Lunarian alike. His kind’s friendship with the Equestrians may be historical, but perhaps it was too far in the past now that he listened to them. Ultimately, the investigation offered an opportunity to hear Queen Novos’ information on the ponies. “Very well. I had a doctor monitoring the prisoners, she will be commanded to join you here, along with my son.” Gallus shot him a nervous look, yet his father did not look away from Pinkie and Rarity. “He was closest to both the prisoners and the missionaries. If anyone will suit your needs, it will be him.”

“Your own son?” Rarity was diplomatically taken aback, but after hearing about his court from Summer Flame, she was hardly surprised. “You are very generous.”

For his part, Gallus was not blind to being thrown to the wolves. Yet he still felt guilt over the missionaries’ deaths, and if aiding the investigation might help, then any objections died long before they reached his throat. Instead, he meekly dipped his head with a small hope he could do some good. “I am at your disposal, justicar.”

Later in the afternoon, Rarity, her sister, Fluttershy, and Gallus were watching a group of unicorns empower a room spanning spell array in what used to be a secondary cargo hold. All of whom were specialists inherited from the inquisition who for one reason or another never wore the gold dusters or the new trench coats.

Sitting in the center of it all was one of the prisoners, a beaten and battered tom who was missing his wing feathers. Scabbed over claw marks marred his form from beak to tail. Manacles bound his claws while blunted leather gloves kept his claws from causing harm. Presently, he was under a sleep spell and laid down in the otherwise empty half of the room. The ritual spell being weaved would blanket him in an illusion among other things.

Presently though, Rarity was waiting for those illusions to be completed. So she spent her time questioning Gallus, truly the first griffon she ever held a proper conversation with.

As for the prince himself, Gallus was trapped between nervousness, and dare he admit it, curiosity. Faithful Hymn had made it his mission to be friendly and fatherly, these ponies however were under no such obligation. It was a chance to see a truer side of ‘harmonious’ ponies.

“Prince Gallus, I must thank you for participating in these matters, voluntarily or not.” Rarity offered a cup of warm monkey tea in her magic. She had been saving such expensive tea for important guests, and a prince fit the bill quite nicely.

Accepting the cup with a touch of hesitancy, he nodded in thanks. “I know my father will have to be coerced into this, but allow me to extend my apologies for the whole thing. He may have allowed the missionaries to stay, but he only did so because of me.”

“So I’ve been told. Did you know the prisoner before the incident?”

“Only in passing.” Gallus’ nerves were getting to him and he started scratching a foreleg. “He never seemed bothered by the detail, nor by the requests the missionaries asked of him. He was agreeable company from what I hear. He had been up for promotion.”

Fluttershy frowned and moved a lock of hair out of her eyes. “Does he have a name?”

Sucking in a fretful breath, Gallus turned his gaze upon the sleeping prisoner. “He used to. This may not be much of a custom among ponies, but a griffon’s name ties him to the ancestors. When the Seers disinherited him and the others their names were taken from them. If you must use a name, this one used to be called Gregory Climes.”

“Taking one's name… Quite the intriguing punishment.” Rarity tapped her cheek with the pencil she was using to write notes. “I believe I have enough.” She closed her notebook and gave it over to Sweetie Belle. “It is time to get some answers.”

As Rarity stepped into the illusions, the griffon doctor touched down on the deck, concealing a very particular flower.

Author's Note

Will Rarity discover the truth? Will Pinkie Pie take Geraldy out of his throne? Can Twilight recreate the triple expansion engine from memory? Will Rainbow Dash finally admit she forgot her dress uniform? Can someone explain to me why my cat is currently chewing on my hair?

47: Interrogation

Rarity stepped into the illusion to find it was perfectly crafted to her designs. She seemed to walk out of a small wind-worn gray shack that stood near a mountain cliff. Wind gently tousled her mane while a biting cold wrapped around her. Mottled and uneven rock met her hooves, with bits of green and dead brown moss clinging to various surfaces. The sun shone through thick cloud cover, drawing the eye to the forested valley below. It was a rough approximation of Matterhorn Valley only without the urbanization it possessed.

A pleased grin fell over her at how even the rocking of the boat was masked by a suggestion that she was simply dizzy. The proper ward protected her senses, but the prisoner would be left wondering just how bad his condition was.

Glancing back into the ‘shack’ Rarity saw it was unfurnished, and just as grim on the inside as it looked outside. She set down a bowl of salted pork, hardtack and a mug of beer. Finally, she magically removed his restraints and set them all down within arm’s reach before dismissing the sleep spell.

The name-stripped griffon roused slowly at first, but when he moved enough for her, she spoke with a serene tone. “Awake at last, Mister Climes?”

The ex-soldier jumped out of shock, then took a moment to realize he was unbound and alone with a strangely dressed pony. Then he saw the sheer drop into the valley below, and the promise of death’s embrace. Ignoring Rarity entirely, he ran for the cliff, but his starved and injured body could only accomplish a clumsy scrabble. He reached the edge, seemingly without the pony interfering, and jumped to his death.

He did not make it even an inch to the masked floor when Rarity's sapphire magic locked him in place. She turned him around and pulled him back to his original spot. “I understand you are under duress, but ignoring a guest is incredibly rude.”

She gently placed him down, worried she might cause injury to the already broken tom. “Please, I would prefer that you ate and drank rather than let gravity have its way with you.”

“No, no, not another pony.” Whatever pride he once held as a soldier had been stripped from him. And he started sobbing in front of her as flashbacks of that terrible night screamed in his mind. “Please just let me die.”

“I am not your executioner, Mister Climes.” Rarity hesitated with her usual interrogation. If she pressed too hard he could clam up entirely. “I am here to ensure justice is satisfied.” She stood up and started pacing slowly, each step carefully measured. “To do that, I need to know what happened that night.”

“But it’s all true.” Climes nervously grasped his head, his claws inadvertently splitting feathers apart. He could still see the missionary struggling against his beak, the taste in his mouth. “I did it. we did it,” he barely said above a whisper.

Fearing a calm approach was off the table, Rarity instead tried to press her authoritative voice. “And I am here to find out why.” Rarity watched him carefully, but the tom wasn’t listening. The nightmare kept repeating in his head over and over. His claws dug past the feathers and started cutting into his skin, and Rarity was a hair’s breadth from forcing his claws off of him. “Gregory Climes! she yelled sharply, drawing his eyes to hers. “You are no assassin. A poisoned blade, a confounded pencil I could believe. But no assassin eats their target.” She pauses a bit, trying to gauge his reaction. “I can pull important strings, Mister Climes. Answer my questions, and your fate need not be oblivion.”

His beak quivered, but he managed to loosen his grip and nod weakly.

“That’ll do,” Rarity said with calm command. “Now, tell me what happened before you went on duty that night.” Now that she held control, Rarity loosened her tone to a warmer one.

“We were…” Climes blinked repeatedly, his eyes darting across the ground. “The six of us went to the sentry mess to have dinner. Tales was going on about how much ‘sense’ Harmony made. No one listened, but we’d all heard it before. Since we had training early in the morning that day, and it was chicken dumplings night, we got the scraps, but there was some cold bread left.”

Rarity hummed aloud. Good he’s talking. Now I just need to keep him at it. “Did the bread or dumplings have an unusual taste, by chance? Too sweet or having a bizarre flavor to them?”

The topic of food kept dragging up memories of the attack. Climes was assaulted by the sickly taste of pony in his mouth.

Rarity saw the panic attack building. She thought of some placating words, only to be taken by surprise by him screaming bloody murder. Climes suddenly slammed his head onto the ground with a crash. An act that would have killed him had the ground been actually stone.

Instead, Rarity picked him up with her magic and quickly carried the unconscious griffon out of the illusion. “Call the medical officer, and have him checked out.”

One of the marines near the doors was already halfway to her side and claimed the limp griffon. Once the prisoner was on the way out, Rarity dusted herself off as if it was business as usual, and turned to Fluttershy and Sweetie Belle. “Well that was illuminating. Sweetie, care to explain what we learned?”

The young mare finished scribbling in her notebook and slotted the pencil behind her ear. “He’s clearly in a broken state. I can’t imagine him being an assassin.” She started sweating when Rairty gave her a disappointed eyebrow. “At least not an intentional one.”

Rarity nodded her approval. “Go on.”

Getting flustered a bit, Sweetie Belle pressed on. “I believe it is fair to say he remembers the attack quite vividly. It rules out drink and other sorts of mental control magics as the victim typically has no recollection of events.”

“Very good, Sweetie.” Rarity looked towards her second. “And what of you Fluttershy?”

The druid grit her teeth out of nervous habit. “I… would not focus on magic so readily here. If what Novos and Summer told us is true, what griffons lack in magical prowess, they make up for with impressive alchemy. I say they were drugged by something.”

“I agree, well done. Prince Gallus, do you know of any illicit substances that could cause such a thing? Something smoked or eaten? A topical item perhaps.”

The young prince was still shaken up by the whole scene, and felt at odds with how blasé the two unicorns were taking it. Only Fluttershy seemed to share his discomfort. He turned away to think, but nothing was coming to mind. It wasn’t helping that he was exhausted, having gotten little sleep the night prior. “The seers use something called Sky Sight. It's a powder that helps connect them to the will of the ancestors. But outside of that - I can’t really think of anything. I am no expert on the matter though, but…”

A long pause elapsed where Gallus said nothing, only looking off into the distance. Eventually, Rarity grinned just a touch before speaking. “Something clicking into place, perhaps?”

Grimacing, Gallus dug hugs claws into the deck in a small attempt to keep focused against his fatigue. “The only ones I can think of who would know more about anything that could lead a bird to act in such a way would be the spymaster, and she was left behind in Griffonstone.”

“Perhaps a seer is all we need,” Fluttershy said with a cautious tone. “Surely your father came here with one or two.”

Slowly, Gallus’ eyes drifted to one of the other sleeping prisoners. He was caught between honoring his father’s proclamation of guilt, and the growing possibility he was wrong. “You may not need to go that far just yet. The one who was called Steel Heart was studying to be a seer. He might have read something.”

Rarity looked to the waiting illusionists who had been listening in. She jerked her head to the prisoner and they went about readying the next prisoner and set him in the same spot as before. “A student is hardly ideal, but one can not argue with the convenience.”

“Justicar.” A gruff voice called from the door. In came a marine followed by a griffon jane in a pale red jacket. She had a heavy leather satchel slung across her back that rattled with glass jars. “The doctor as requested.”

The haggard looking jane had just flown with the heavy satchel and was still recovering her breath. She was a brown feathered bird with tan fur. The neutral center expression she started with morphed to one of veiled concern upon spotting Rarity and Sweetie Belle. She gave a loose salute to Gallus. “Doctor Marigold, at your service, my prince.”

Every move the heavily breathing doctor made was joined by one or more clinks of disturbed glass. Rarity tilted an ear at it and a disappointed eye at Fluttershy. The druid in turn was more concerned about Gallus taking notice of the noise, but the tom seemed more focused on appearing wide awake.

“Much appreciated.” Gallus replied, quietly glad to have another griffon around him. The missionaries were a welcoming bunch, but there was a subtle hint of fear he felt about the ones surrounding him now that made him realize how much of a true believer Faithful Hymn had been.

A sneaky idea popped into Sweetie Belle’s mind and she pulled her pencil back up to the notebook and approached the doctor as she laid the heavy bag onto the floor. “Doctor, I thank you for coming.”

Fluttershy shared an expectant look with Rarity, yet the older mare allowed her sister to take the lead.

The tired looking jane flexed a sprained wing, and only gave Sweetie the barest minimum of respect. “I go where the emperor commands.”

Sweetie came close to brushing off her stiff mannerism, and managed to keep her tone polite. “Our last prisoner was hysterical. Could you give the rest of them something to calm their nerves?”

The doctor’s face became unreadable, much to the justicars’ annoyance at their own inexperience. “Yes, I’ve been using an opium derivative to make them jovial enough to keep from harming themselves. Admittedly with unreliable results, the drug is still new you see.”

Gallus grumbled as recent memories sapped his already flagging spirits. “It has proved to be a necessary precaution thus far.”

“I noticed.” Rarity and Sweetie Belle stepped aside to let the doctor approach the prisoner that was placed inside the illusion. Gallus tagged along to speak with the doctor further with Fluttershy going as well to keep an eye on them. The delay gave the elder sister more time to reflect on the matter. “I smell foul play. I say these soldiers were set up.”

“I’m more worried about how he didn’t think to mention doctors or pharmacists.” Sweetie Belle had to resort to serious self control to keep from groaning at poor witnesses.

Rarity squeezed her eyes shut in shared pain, but ultimately the royalist in her pushed Rarity to be more diplomatic. “Perhaps there is a cultural distinction we’re not privy to.”

Even with their time apart, Sweetie Belle was still well versed in reading her sister. “Or there is a good reason he was chosen to be the fool.”

Sighing, but not willing to voice a counterpoint, Rarity decided to move the conversation along. “Perhaps, but that is neither here nor there. If this Steel Heart fellow does not provide insight, she will.”

The sisters heard incoming footsteps and turned to see the two griffons and Fluttershy return.

“This prisoner seems to be faring better than his fellows,” Doctor Marigold began with emotionless candor. “I’ll still need to apply something for the pain though.”

Gallus was more than happy by the news, but it was blunted by a massive yawn. He coughed halfway through to try and recompose himself. “Doctor Marigold, did you happen to bring any coffee with you?”

It was only for a second, but an odd look crossed her face. “I’m afraid not, my prince. But I do have a family recipe for wakefulness if that would serve you better.”

He had a feeling it would be a long day, and Gallus didn’t want to bring shame upon himself by nodding off. “Anything you can give me would be welcome, thanks.”

He watched her retreat to her satchel and start mixing some medications together. His mood dipped as memories of the last month irked him. He cast a sidelong look at Rarity. “I have to thank you for doing this investigation. Since they were excommunicated, speaking with them is forbidden without my father’s approval. I never had much of a chance to ask any questions.”

Of the three, Sweetie Belle was almost insulted. If there was one thing she latched onto after the inquisition was rolled into the Justicars, it was the pursuit of truth. “Why? Shouldn’t questioning the suspects be the first thing you do?”

“Sweetie Belle,” Rarity chastised curtly, causing the younger mare to back off. “Remember who you’re speaking to.”

Wilting only a little, Sweetie Belle was still incensed over the failure of basic investigation. “My apologies, Prince Gallus, but I stand by my point.”

Gallus did not take it as a personal insult, but that directed to his people. “It is a criticism that is well deserved. If you listen to my sister, half the blame falls on Luna. With everyone scared half to death of her dreamwalking, my father felt any delay in punishment would be seen as proof of guilt on his part. So they were sentenced to discommendation. You might understand it better as being excommunicated.”

“So that’s the rub.” Rarity smirked a bit, wondering if the players involved were just that skillful or were playing it by ear. “You couldn’t interrogate them, but we can. Can’t say I approve of slapdash diplomacy though.”

“Sometimes that’s all you can do.” Gallus was left uncomfortable in how much he could say to them.

When he failed to say anything further, A prolonged silence fell over them, enough of one that the illusionist team came up to them and looked to Rarity. “Ma’am?”

Finally having something to smile at, Rarity nodded at the rather fetching stallion. “Yes, Lancer?”

“The illusion should be stable for half an hour. Is there any chance the boys and I can break off for lunch?”

Rarity instinctively looked to the sky, only to be met with the wooden deck above. Smirking at herself, she ultimately nodded at the hungry mage. “Oh my, where does the time go? But of course, Lancer. Could you bring the rest of us a bite to eat when you get back? I’m feeling a bit peckish myself.”

“I hear Cookie was whipping up something nice for the talks, I’ll get something choice for you.”

With hungry anticipation, they watched him leave as the doctor weaved in between them as she returned with her prepared medicines. She had two filled syringes tied to her coat and a filled cup in one claw. “Here you are, my prince. It may not taste the best, but it is sure to get your blood pumping.”

Taking the tin traveling cup, Gallus was instantly repulsed by the fowl green sludge that moved like syrup with unidentifiable chunks floating on the surface. “This - ah - do you have anything less horrid?”

Although Gallus missed it, Fluttershy saw a brief dark smile pass over the doctor’s eyes and a subtle click of her beak. “I’m afraid I only planned on medicating the condemned, sir, so I didn’t bring any flavoring.”

“I see.” Sweating nervously, but trying to put up some measure of resolve in front of the ponies, Gallus kept his cup close to the chest. “Thank you kindly.”

“Glad to be of help, sir.” With a bow, the doctor slid around the three of them and pressed on to the prisoner sleeping in the illusion.

Fluttershy watched her go until she crossed over the array before turning back to see Gallus trying to work up the nerve to actually drink the vile green swill. He kept opening his beak, only to clamp it shut again when the smell became too much. “Um, your highness, I could have some coffee or tea delivered if you prefer.”

It wasn’t, but at this point Gallus felt he was in too deep now. “Perhaps later. I’m not sure just how potent this is.” He tried to sound adventurously excited, but even he knew that was unconvincing. Taking a deep breath, with the cup far away from his nostrils, he downed the whole thing with furious abandon. Fluttershy and Sweetie Belle watched in morbid fascination as Gallus’ eyes watered and his beak quivered with the aftertaste.

“Ahh, should I get you some rum or something?” Sweetie Belle asked, feeling vicarious disgust from his face alone. Yet the young griffon shook his head as he hastily grabbed his canteen and started chugging water.

Glory be that no pony doctor would ever try to push something like this on me. I’d throw them in jail for it. Sweetie Belle shivered as she too was repulsed by the smell alone. “Now that we are all freshened up, it seems the good doctor is done helping the prisoner.”

Rarity used a bit of magic to fix a few stray locks of hair. “Very good, let’s continue shall we?”

Before she could take more than a step, Sweetie Belle came forward. “Instructor,” she started with so much formality it gave Rarity pause. “May I do this interrogation?”

If she was going to be confronted by a formal request, then Rarity would match it. She stood a bit taller and studied her sister’s face closely. “This is no mere street thug or slaver. Are you sure you’re ready?”

It wasn’t a denial, and that made Sweetie Belle’s confidence surge. “This is what I trained for.”

Pride swelled within the older sister, and she gave a nod. “Then you best get to it.”

Grinning with empathic pride from Rarity, Fluttershy almost joined her friend as the two unicorns walked up to the illusion. Instead she paused long enough to watch the doctor quietly walk past them with barely a nod of acknowledgment to the ponies as she made her way for the remaining prisoner. Her moving gaze brought Fluttershy back towards Gallus.

As if catching something out of the corner of her eye, he looked… off. Like something familiar was suddenly more pronounced. As to what it was exactly, she couldn’t put her hoof on it. “Is something wrong?”

Gallus was jittery to the point of having a mild tremor. “I think the doc made that stuff a bit too strong. I feel like I could fly to Griffonstone and back again.”

“Is that normal?” Fluttershy’s hair stood on end as the possibility of poisoning came to mind, but she tried to tamper it with caution.

Gallus on the other hand did not look all that concerned and nodded vigorously. “No idea. But I should really find out the recipe. Just need to improve the flavor.”

Giving him an unconvinced smile, Fluttershy eyed the doctor as she went about injecting the last prisoner. The druid had not lasted this long as Rarity’s second without a sense for trouble. Calling upon her druidic senses, she scrutinized the increasingly jittery prince. His heart is racing. Without making it obvious, she checked his eyes, ear holes, and beak, yet no signs of blood or other fluids, and aside from the fact that he was pacing and fluttering his wings, he seemed fine-ish. Perhaps griffon alchemy should be avoided. Even as she thought it, Fluttershy wasn’t entirely convinced he would be alright. However, Sweetie Belle’s command voice pulled Fluttershy’s attention away before long, although she kept one eye on Gallus all the same.

The up and coming justicar stood alone with Steel Heart on the illusionary mountainside. “I asked you a question, soldier,” she stated with iron force.

Unlike the previous prisoner, Steel Heart was crouched low and dangerous, close to a pouncing stance. “I don’t answer to ponies.”

With Rarity standing just outside of the illusion, Sweetie Belle stood alone. To the griffon she looked like a young mare that was barely filling out. Only her self-assured poise kept his claws at bay. “You had better answer me if you want to find redemption.” Her stance may have been firm, but her thoughts were reeling. She had expected timidity or fear, not the razor focused tension she found herself in.

“Redemption?” Steel asked as if he only partially understood the word. His eyes darted around, checking to see if any other ponies might be close by, and found none. “Are you alone?”

“No.” Sweetie’s bravado started to slip. Why is he so aggressive? Shouldn’t he be terrified like the last one? Sweetie wasn’t even sure she could rough him up to get answers out of him. “Now you’re going to tell me why you attacked the missionaries.”

Steel started growling, his wings slowly flaring out. “I was sleepy. Then I was hungry. I am hungry.”

Sensing the danger, Sweetie used her magic to twist a foreleg to a compliance hold. “I don’t care for your attitude.”

Steel seemed to ignore the pain and only grew angry. He wrenched himself free of her grip with frightening strength and let out an ear piercing screech.

Sweetie Belle recoiled in pain, and even Rarity flinched from it. Steel launched himself at Sweetie Belle, his claws flashing and beak open.

He moved too fast for magic, so all Sweetie could do was lift a shielding foreleg to keep his beak off her throat.

He tore into her leg, but she managed to avoid one claw while the other left her with a shallow gash on her chest. Falling back on her training, Sweetie spun to allow the crazed bird to slide past her, using his own momentum to pull his beak off her leg.

Rarity answered by grabbing him with her magic, attempting to lock him in place. “It seems you are not as repentant as the last one.” Rarity stepped through the illusion to confront him face to face. She tried to split her focus to check on her sister, but the prisoner’s squawking only got louder and more guttural. His veins bulged and his feathers rose up. Rarity’s magical grip seemed to waiver as it boiled on his skin. She redoubled her hold on him, even as Steel thrashed wildly and let off more ear splitting shrieks.

“How in the…!” Fluttershy heard a thump to her right, and turned to see Gallus had fallen to the floor and was clutching his chest. His beak was wide open in a soundless scream while blood was trickling out of the corners of his eyes. Her gaze darted to the doctor who was in the middle of unlatching the third prisoner from the floor. “Stop right there!” She commanded with her wings flaring.

“I’m afraid it’s too late for that.” Marigold looked to the growling, wild eyed prisoner and whistled as if she was giving commands to a dog. The prisoner focused on her, and she pointed a wing at Fluttershy. “Feed.”

Marigold stepped away and started to make her way for her bag while the enraged prisoner prowled towards Fluttershy. Not waiting another second, Fluttershy belted out a loud cry. “We shall beat to quarters!”

The warship itself came alive with traces of blue magic that rapidly spread throughout the floor and ceiling and spread her words to every room and sailor. “We shall beat to quarters!” Her words echoed loud enough to make her instinctively flatten her ears, and distracted everyone in the room. A crisp military drum beat came from the decks above and the sudden thunder of stampeding hooves quickly followed.

Marigold abandoned trying to reach her bag and bolted for the exit. The prisoner cawed a feral challenge and charged at Fluttershy. Calling upon her connection with the Green Mother, Fluttershy’s eyes glowed solid green as she spoke with her full authority over the wilds. “Παύση!” He surprised her by stopping so frantically with a fearful look overtaking his keen predatory eyes. That should have just given me a second to move away from Gallus. But he’s acting like a- Following a hunch, she pointed at an empty corner of the room. “Πήγαινε εκεί και μείνε να γλείφεις τις πληγές σου.”

Cowing away from the imposing druid, the prisoner obeyed and fled to the corner.

Having to act fast. Fluttershy cast a glance back inside the illusion, Rarity has magically forced Steel against the wall and Sweetie Belle was reapplying his restraints, but did not seem to notice the alarm Fluttershy had started. The illusion. She can’t hear the alarm.

A seed of helpless panic threatened to trap Fluttershy. She looked at Gallus, and her druid’s hearing could now sense his heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest. “She’ll know what she gave you!” Fluttershy took Gallus’ discarded tin cup and threw it as hard as she could through the illusion where it hit the ground and rolled to a stop against Rarity’s back hoof. Trusting the justicar to get the message, Fluttershy shoved her panic aside and sprinted for the exit, jumping over the bag Marigold had left behind.

She did not need to go far. Upon bursting into the gundeck, she found two marines standing at the top of the stairs and several sailors with swords and pistols drawn had cornered Marigold not even ten meters from the door.

“The justicar commanded me to go to the top deck, clear the way.”

“Bollocks to that,” the marine countered sternly. “All ‘guests’ are to remain where they are when we go to quarters. Now go back-” he looked over to see Fluttershy rush into the room.

The door had barely slammed into the wall when Fluttershy pointed a hoof at the doctor. “Assassin! Seize her!”

Reacting first, Marigold reached into her coat and threw down a small jar that exploded into blinding light. She grabbed the closest sword by the blade and yanked it free of the unicorn’s magical grip. Taking the sword into her other claw, Marigold sliced the rope locking the nearby gunport.

With a grunt of sharp pain, she shoulder-checked the panel to open it, but was too slow. A sailor had recovered and sliced her flank wide open with his saber.

“No, we need her alive!” Fluttershy ordered as she too ran to stop the assassin.

The command caused the sailor to hesitate. Marigold used her claws to slash at his chin, pushing him back. Before anyone else could act, she threw herself out of the gunport.

Fluttershy was given room to leap through the gunport first with the two pegasi sailors following after her. The druid looked all over, to the skies and the horizon looking for her quarry. A loud splash brought her eyes to the sea below.

“What is that daft bird doing?” A sailor exclaimed with bewilderment.

But Fluttershy knew. “She’s an assassin who doesn’t want to be taken alive.” Knowing she could never reach Marigold in time, let alone drag her back to the surface without drowning herself, Fluttershy inhaled more than just air. Spreading her senses, she could feel beyond the ship and its sailors, down into the water. She could sense Marigold still pushing herself deeper and deeper still. But Fluttershy could also sense hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of fish all around the drowning griffon.

Summoning as much authority and magic as she could, Fluttershy shouted with all her might. “συγκλίνουν και ανεβαίνου!” She first spread her forelegs out wide to encompass as much of the sea as possible, and then clicked her hooves together before motioning her forelegs up in one long sweeping motion.

By the thousands, fish closed in on Marigold, and by their sheer mass, pushed the griffon back up to the surface with such speed, that she was thrown a foot into the air. The sea roiled with fish fighting and jostling to keep the now half-drowned jane above the water.

Knowing her countrymen would be hesitant to approach such a bewildering sight, Fluttershy swooped down and struggled to pull her out of the water. Once she had a good grip, she willed the fish away. As soon as the fish vanished beneath the water, the stupefied crew snapped out of it and two stallions descended to help Fluttershy pull Marigold to the deck.

“I need a medic!” She half yelled, almost completely out of breath herself.

One had already been close by and shoved his way to stand over Marigold. The unicorn rolled the griffon onto her side. “Get back, all of you.” With a magical jolt, he targeted her lungs. Marigold’s chest spasmed and she coughed up sea water. He jolted her again, and she shook from the force of her cough. The second one was enough and Marigold’s body betrayed her as she woke up and coughed and hacked up the rest of the water from her lungs. The ordeal was too much and she collapsed.

Marigold awoke with a start. She leapt to her feet and her heart sank. She was standing on the rock face of the illusionary mountainside, staring down at the forested valley below. She tried to reach into her coat, only to find it missing. Fearing someone would restrain her at any second, she bent over and flexed her right hind paw to pluck at the false middle claw where she saved some poison. Her blood ran cold when she saw the whole talon was missing.

“So glad you’re finally awake.”

She spun about to find Rarity sitting at a small table with some wine and cheese. There was a dagger sunk into the wood of the table and a filled glass floated near the mare’s head. The barest hint of a cold grin colored Rarity’s face as she pulled a stool out from the wooden shack. “Sit, and the last thing you will taste will be wine, and not steel.”

“You think I am afraid to die?” Marigold asked with clear mockery.

A short laugh escaped Rarity’s lips before she carved a small square of cheddar. “Oh you’ve clearly demonstrated you’re not.” She popped the cheese into her mouth and chewed on it while using the silence to unbalance the griffon. “But I’d imagine the manner of your death is of paramount importance. A poisoner such as yourself should be no stranger to the art of death. Slow, fast, agony, peaceful, and so many other flavors. Tell me, Marigold, what do you want to taste when the end comes?”

It had been a question the assassin had asked herself many a time in the past. It was something she never spoke of, even to her warlord. But here, at the end of her career, nothing held her back. Dark delight brightened Marigold’s eyes. “I wish to burn from within. To feel the candle of my life turn into a bonfire so that I may meet my ancestors wreathed in flames.”

If the admission unsettled Rarity, the justicar made no show of it. Instead, she sipped her wine and magically pulled a small purple vial from her trench coat. “I assume that’s what this will do.” She floated it closer to Marigold, but kept it frustratingly just out of her reach.

It was the vial from her missing talon. It looked intact and Marigold could see that the fluid within moved as expected. “It is.”

Rarity pocketed the vial once more. “Answer my questions and it is yours.”

For a long moment, Marigold studied Rarity very closely. Yet she was as much of a disadvantage as Rarity was. The mare’s ears and mouth alone seemed to emote differently than a kirin, let alone a sphinx, and Marigold had barely visited their lands as it was. The only saving grace was Rarity’s large eyes that spoke of easy confidence. It was time to see if that confidence was well founded.

Marigold closed in and claimed her stool and sat at the table. She eyed the dagger, unsure if it was just another illusion, or if it was a display of control on Rarity’s part. If it was the latter, Rarity had her respect. “Ask away, Justicar.”

“From one professional to another, that poison you used on the prince was quite a grizzly affair. Pray tell, what was it?” Rarity sounded genuinely impressed, as if she were appraising a piece of art.

“Why does it matter? He should be long dead.”

“You don’t honestly think the Justicari and our predecessors have never dealt with such things before so you?” Rarity looked almost insulted. “He suffered terribly, and quite slowly at that. I know my order could use it for our own dealings.”

Marigold laughed bitterly at the praise. “It is not a new one. We call it Treant’s Revenge on account of the trees we harvest the sap from to make it. Two wrap around each other to make it look like a minotaur. I’m sure someone of your talents can figure the rest out on your own.”

Flashing a thin smile, Rarity nodded her appreciation. “Naturally. Now. Were you the one responsible for the missionaries' deaths?”

“Afraid not, sad to say.” Marigold sighed wistfully as she recalled first hearing about it. “That particular elixir is ordinarily forbidden. Not that such trifles would stay my claw from using it, but without the…” Marigold briefly considered saying she served the emperor, but decided against such an obvious lie. “Warlord’s approval, the punishment is a steep one. Only they and the emperor’s inner circle can order its use without discommendation.”

“Strange…” Rarity used the dagger to carve two wedges of cheese. This time from the small wheel of Gouda, and offered a piece to her. Marigold plucked it from the air, but held onto it for now. “Because if it was well known enough for the emperor to give approval, he’d have to know of it. And if he did, he would have told us the prisoners were not themselves.”

“Come now, justicar, you know as well as I do how old laws can be all but forgotten, yet still be on the books. It wouldn’t matter if the Master Seer tried, my soul is safe from discommendation.” A smirk crawled over Marigold’s face. She looked past Rarity and into the shack behind her. Marigold could only imagine who was standing outside of the illusion, but she hoped it was Geraldy himself.

“All wrapped up in a blanket of security. Being beyond the reach of your betters is always a fantastical comfort, isn’t it?” Rarity sipped her wine, taking a moment to inhale the pleasant aroma. “I’ve seen it a hundred times. A criminal thinks they have successfully hidden stolen goods, or managed to wipe a crime scene clear of evidence, or think they know the law better than I.” Rarity produced a pistol from the other side of her trench coat and placed it heavily on the table. “You won’t look so smug with a hole in your head. They sure didn’t.”

Snorting derisively, Marigold popped the piece of cheese in her mouth, and chewed it slowly to annoy Rarity. “You forget, Justicar, I only want my poison for the death of my choosing. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter how I die. Your threat means nothing to me.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Rarity tapped her hoof on the pistol grip. “See, a few years ago I was introduced to a fascinating artifact called the Tain. A necromancer of significant skill created it to house thousands of souls. The bullet was made from a fragment of the Tain.” She paused to take a calming breath as the memory still gave her shivers. “Tell me who your master is. Who ordered the attack on the missionaries, or Terra help me, you will never see the ancestors.”

Finally, a current of genuine fear crossed over Marigold, but she was quick to bury it in disbelief. “Quite the convenient story, but that is all it is. Nothing can trap a soul like that.”

Rarity claimed the pistol, and opened the breach to withdraw the bullet. Unlike the usual brass or lead Marigold was familiar with, this bullet was made of corroded steel and carried the barest hint of a dark purple light. Just looking at it made Marigold feel dirty, like the bullet tugged on her very soul. What made it even worse was that Rarity’s magic seemed to bend and warp around it, as if touching the thing was a danger. Rarity slotted the bullet back into place and closed the action. “I entered the Tain once, you know, thankfully the necromancer was kind enough to make it only a temporary affair. You, however, will have no such luck.” With the pistol floating beside Rarity’s head, she carved a piece of cheddar and took her time to eat it while Marigold’s imagination ran out of control. “Just imagine it. Forever trapped in the shattered remnants of an amphitheater. All alone in the dark with not a soul to speak to. I think I will give the bullet to Emperor Geraldy once you’re inside. I’m sure you would make quite the centerpiece of conversation.”

Marigold’s feathers were quivering, but she wasn’t a wreck yet. “You made your point.” Marigold made a show of mulling over the threat before huffing distastefully. “Warlord Valgretho. He gave the order for the missionaries and my own.”

“Ahh. Char’s biggest supporter. How obvious.” Without so much as a shrug, Rarity pointed the gun at Marigold and fired. The jane barely had time to even see the muzzle flash, but the bullet did not strike her. Instead it grazed her cheek, and seemed to slow to a crawl as it pulled on her face like she was falling down a well.

The sheer force of it was enough to throw her to the ground, and Marigold was left utterly terrified and hyperventilating. The sound of a second round sliding into the pistol caused her to whip around to see Rarity leveling the pistol at her once more. “That was a warning. Lie to me again, and I’ll take another fragment of your soul.”

Marigold’s mouth ran dry. Disbelief and the still fresh feel of her face being pulled by the bullet. For a long moment she couldn’t speak even if she wanted to.

“I grow tired of waiting, Doctor, and I can just as easily puzzle out your master’s identity through your belongings alone.” Rarity leaned forward, the pistol briefly pointed away. “That satchel of yours is quite exquisite. Triple stitching using two threads of sinew with plant fiber for the center line. Not a choice of necessity, but of style.” Marigold began to sweat even harder. “The button on the inner pockets are of particular interest. The same style of wolf’s head with the sun on one side. Practically a signature in of itself. The number of hidden pockets means it was custom made for your line of work, but the real prize was fading used in the leather’s interior.” Rarity genuinely smiled the more she remembered. “It all looks like weathering to the untrained eye, but it all bore a master tanner’s touch.

“And then there are the plants and dried animal pieces. Lost on me, but not my druid friend.” Rarity brought the pistol square in the center of Marigold’s forehead. “So spare me the effort, and give me the correct name, or spend eternity alone in a void. Your choice.”

Painfully false bravado made Marigold grimly laugh. “Fine then. With the Prince dead, war will follow. Nothing quite makes one forget a larger threat than the promise of the imperial throne. Lilja is my master.” She hoped the extra information was enough to get her vial back.

“Lilja…” Rarity pulled her pistol away and sipped her wine again. “A minor player in the north. Seeking to grab more land during a civil war? No. I think not, she doesn’t have the strength to hold it. You see, your hippogriff allies are quite close with you. Shared prowess in battle only offset by your better equipment and doctrine if I heard correctly. Common ground breeds familiarity you see.”

Rarity put the pistol down and once more pulled the poison vial out and inspected the liquid death within. “Lilja’s only conduct of note is serving as a useless diplomat with the Emerald Horde.” A dangerous grin cleaved her face. “Your master took exception to that, am I right?” Marigold said nothing. Even now her loyalty stayed her tongue. “Your face says it all. Here, as promised.”

Marigold almost didn’t catch the vial when it was thrown at her. It bounced from claw to claw before she finally managed to hold it tight. She checked it over again in the off chance Rarity slipped her a different one, but the glass had the proper rough texture, the liquid looked the same, and the weight was correct. She held it up to her face with growing anticipation. “Ancestors, welcome me home.”

Marigold cracked the vial open and started to drink, only for the vial to completely break apart into a swirling mist of gray magic. “What is this?!” Her claws stiffened before turning to stone. “You lied!”

“I did nothing of the sort.” Rarity stood up as Marigold’s forelegs solidified and floated her food and weapons along with her. “I never said that was your poison. I’m afraid the vial is proof of a professional’s hoof in this attack, and I still have need of it.”

Marigold tried to jump on Rarity, only for her to stumble as her hindlegs turned to stone. “You honorless sow. You better hope and pray I never get free!”

Rarity ignored the threat and tipped her hat at the assassin. “It’s been a pleasure, Doctor. I hope you don’t mind being neighbors with the prince until we hand you over. When the emperor frees you to stand trial, if by some miracle you escape with your life, you would do well to stay well clear of pony lands.”

Marigold screamed her rage as Rarity walked through the shack which the petrification silenced as she stepped outside of the illusion.

Standing on the other side was the entirety of Rarity’s retainers along with the Lunarians. Rarity fostered her food and wine onto Lockstock. “The rest is yours, my treat.”

Taking a big bite out of the cheddar, he nodded his gratitude. “You always have the good stuff, ma’am.”

Rarity passed by Lyra and handed over the dagger and pistol. “Worked like a charm, Lyra. I’d put you in for a promotion were it possible.”

“Extra pay is always welcome,” Lyra replied while stowing the weapons onto her person.

“We’ll discuss it later.” Rarity took a short detour to the left where her sister had a mana driven recording pen serve as an automatic stenographer. The young mare was currently reviewing the pages it had written down. “Did you get it all?”

Sweetie Belle punctuated her completion by stabbing the last period. “Yes, ma’am. I’ve annotated all the facial expressions.”

“Marvelous, darling, compile three reports, one for us, the Lunarians, and the emperor.”

Giving her magic a bit of a rest, Sweetie Belle tucked her paper away while slotting her pen in a pocket. “I’ll get the griffon one done first.”

“Very good.” At last, Rarity stepped over to the Lunarians. She gave both of them an appraising look. “I believe that settles the matter of who the guilty party is.”

Twilight shivered a bit at the whole ordeal. “You were taking it easy on me all those years ago.”

Laughing behind a modest hoof, Rarity flashed a careful grin. “Twilight my dear, I never stopped.”

“I guess you did alright,” Rainbow Dash gruffed with begrudging praise, even though she fearfully hoped to never be on the receiving end of Rarity’s tender mercies. “This confession probably wouldn’t fly for a judge, but as far as the common pony is concerned, they’re going to want double payback for trying to toy us.”

“In spite of somepony’s lack of faith in the judicial system,” Twilight added with an unamused snort. “The nobility will not stand for this.”

Pinkie Pie didn’t like all the negativity floating about, and the interrogation already sapped her flagging spirits. “I’ll relay this to Luna tonight, but I fear with Gallus in the state he is in, we don’t have the luxury of waiting that long. It doesn’t look good to hold onto the statue of a prince for the sake of convenience, and Luna won’t be watching out for me for at least another twelve hours.”

Rarity nodded with a solemn expression. “So what will you do?”

Pinkie Pie closed her eyes to think for a few seconds. When she opened them again, she held Rarity’s gaze with conviction. “Request that the emperor return as his earliest convenience, we’ll simply have to play it by ear.” Mustering a hopeful yet thin smile, Pinkie Pie looked to her friend and sister for strength. “My favorite way to play.”

Author's Note

Peace is an ever elusive things is it not?

48: Peace in Our Time

The sun was setting over the flotilla, casting a beautiful golden light across the sky above and ocean below. The summons had come later than Geraldy had expected. However, the pegasus messenger’s nervousness had been frightfully infectious, and he dispensed with making the ponies wait on him for a change. He and his entourage landed on the Sun’s Last Kiss with a heavy thump thanks to the stress eating he would never admit to while speaking with Novos and Summer Flame. His talks with them had been about as worrisome as they were enlightening.

With his return, his mood wasn’t helped by the restless crew watching him from the rigging and on deck. The same table as before was close to his landing site, as were Rarity, Captain Hackleback along with the three Lunarians at the forecastle. Hastily prepared food was set out again, but it stank of sailor fare not fit for an officer, and certainly not royalty. Granted there were fruits, but the pastries were clearly going stale, and there was a slapdash presentation with the arrangements. Were it not for the same meal being given to the Lunarians as well, he would have felt deeply insulted, now he was all the more concerned.

Warlord Char took it all in with a different light, he saw chaos simmering just underneath the scraggly pomp and ceremony. There is an opportunity here.

As reintroductions and pleasantries were conducted, Geraldy noticed the two Unionites had been invited to join the proceedings this time around as witnesses. Yet one face was missing.

Everyone had been in the midst of taking their seats when the griffon emperor placed an arresting claw against the table. He looked everyone in the eye before zeroing in on Captain Hackleback, as he was the shipmaster. “Where is my son?”

Rarity had been standing close to the stallion, and rested a hoof on his shoulder. “I was the one responsible, I should tell him.” Hackback gave her a long searching look before firmly nodding, giving Rarity leave to step forward. She took out Sweetie’s report from her coat pocket, and floated it over to land near Geraldy. Unlike the hastily prepared meal, the script on the page was clean and legible. “I’m afraid he nearly fell victim to an assassination attempt by the doctor that was sent to us.” It was perhaps not the most delicately stated, but putting it out there at once hopefully kept his expected anger directed elsewhere.

“What?!” Geraldy slammed the table with all of his stress turning to anger, even Char was taken aback.

Remaining professionally stoic, Rarity pressed on. “Doctor Marigold poisoned him with something she called Treant’s Revenge. I’m afraid I have no knowledge of such a poison, so I petrified him to save his life.”

Geraldy shook with tightly wound emotion, and his claws dug grooves into the wooden table. He couldn’t trust himself to speak, but his restraint was pressed hard.

Char on the other hand remained composed and rather aloof over the prince’s fate. If anything, he seemed pleased. “Treant’s Revenge? That sounds familiar…” He tapped his chin and gave a casual hum of thought, an act that caused Geraldy to glare raw hatred at him. “If it is what I think it is, revenge is slow to kill but is rare enough that antidotes are not easy to come by.”

Geraldy threatened to crack his beak from the strain if he gazed on Char a moment longer and forced himself to turn away. His murderous gaze shot back to Rarity. “You saved his life by turning him to stone?!”

“Indeed.” Rarity withdrew two stone tablets from her trench coat. They were the size of her hoof that was coated in protective wax and had a single mana gem in the center. “This is a softening charm. When you are ready to restore him, break one of these close to Gallus’ chest, and he will be flesh and bone once more.” She floated both over to the emperor. “Time is not a factor, so you can take however long you need to find an antidote.”

Geraldy hesitated at first before taking them. He didn’t trust himself to touch anything without damaging the thing. It didn’t help that his claws were carving grooves into the table. Even his voice cracked from barely restrained emotion. It took serious effort to regain control over himself so he could rest a claw on the closest one, only to stop. “Why are there two charms?”

Rarity allowed some coy pride to show on her face this time around. “The other is for Doctor Marigold herself. Even though she attacked both my team and your son, I got what I wanted from her, so she is yours to take. I suspect you will have ample reason to inflict your own punishment upon the assassin.” Rarity pulled the vial of poison out as well and floated it over to the emperor. “Here, proof that Marigold was indeed an assassin. This was found in her middle right hindpaw.”

Shoving as much of his raw emotion as he could into a box, Geraldy glared at the vial. Even in his bewildered state, ravaged by the need act, he recognized the vial. Not this one in particular, but it bore all the marks of a nail replacement, something he couldn’t imagine the ponies even knowing about prior to today. He squeezed his eyes shut. He knew what he must ask, but he dreaded doing so. “Bring them to me.”

With a clap of her hooves, a pair of unicorn crew members levitated both petrified griffons out of the ship’s hold and placed them in front of the emperor’s entourage.

While Marigold looked like she was half stumbling, half trying to attack someone, Gallus rested on his right shoulder with his left wing hanging limply at his side. A deeply panicked look marred his face as his claws grasped painfully above his chest. As his father closely inspected him, barely holding back tears, he could even see a small trickle of fossilized blood near the tom’s eyes. It broke his control and he gingerly tried to hold the boy, but he had little knowledge of petrification. He feared anything but the slightest touch could damage the stone. “Bring me a cloth. I will not suffer him to be seen this way.”

Hackleback gave the fetch order while Rarity tried to give the shaking emperor time to compose himself, but Char was not as considerate. Instead he took the report off the table and began to read it. He lifted a curious eyebrow as he read the names. “Lilja?” Char looked up to the justicar out of disbelief, and even Geraldy looked up in surprise. “How can you be so sure that conniving little worm is responsible for all this?”

Geraldy halted his attempt to touch Gallus and listened to Rarity with his beak clenched so hard it creaked. “Marigold might be a half decent assassin, but anyone can be made to talk with the correct incentive.” Rarity wanted to flash a smug grin, but with Geraldy so unstable, she held it back. “When the queen wants the truth, she turns to ponies like me.”

Twilight Sparkle nervously cleared her throat. Even though she knew the Equestrians wouldn’t turn on them, she still couldn’t tell who she feared most, what Geraldy could do in that moment, or Rarity. “We witnessed the interrogation, and abide the Justicar’s findings.”

That was enough for Char, and his assessment of the ponies went up considerably. They're giving up a lot by upholding honor. Now knowing war with them should be easily avoided, he gave a smirking snort. “Didn’t think she had it in her; a pity she chose to betray us all. I’d offer her an alliance otherwise.”

Geraldy stood up and marched over to snatch the report out of Char’s claws to read it himself. His already thin control over his fury weakened with each word, and his wings quivered with it all. “The Horde? She’s working for the Horde?!” Geraldy was far too furious to think clearly, yet it made enough sense for him to believe it. In a screaming rage he tore the report to shreds and let the ruined paper scatter in the wind. “I will have her head for this!”

It was roughly the moment Pinkie Pie had been waiting for and she stomped a hoof to get his attention. “Do what you wish to Lilja, we will have words with the Horde itself.” Her declaration got the two griffons to focus on her, and hopefully the talks to come.

Char gave a humorless smirk. “Is that so?” He took a seat at the table, an act that Geraldy should have done first. “What do you propose?”

With his anger still running high, Geraldy locked a claw on Char’s shoulder, and yanked him to meet eye to eye. “Do not presume to speak for the aviaries!” With a cry, he threw Char from his chair before sitting down on his own.

Far from being cowed, Char jumped to his feet and was about to challenge Geraldy then and there, only to be stopped by Rainbow Dash nearly shouting to be heard.

“If you birds can’t sit down and talk, we will take our pound of flesh with or without a treaty!”

Joining her efforts, Twilight Sparkle chimed in with a more aristocratic display of impatience, and fixed them both with an iron stare to match their own. “Whatever grievances you share can wait until after we settle our affairs together.”

Had Pinkie Pie been dealing with other ponies, working with Geraldy being so distraught were grounds for a recess. However she was not conducting business for her house, but on Luna’s behalf. An unbalanced opponent was an opportunity not to be wasted.

Snorting disdainfully at his emperor, Char righted his chair and sat down. “But of course. We are all civilized beings here.”

Embarrassment flooded Geraldy in equal measure to his fury. He looked away in shame as he tried to compose himself. He wanted nothing more than to take his son and leave, but as emperor, he had to remain here. “Speak your piece then, ponies.”

Pinkie Pie nearly sighed in relief as she claimed her seat with Rainbow and Twilight doing the same. “Very good. Now, Luna desires the Brown Plains and the central forests in their entirety.” That got a rise out of the griffons, but Pinkie didn’t let them get a word in just yet. “I have more to offer than just silver and gold.”

That gave Char a reason to wait, but Geraldy was still too unbalanced, and constant glances at his son only worsened it all. “We need the region to keep you at bay. You won’t get a single blade of grass from me!”

“I want to hear your offer,” Char countered firmly, even in the face of Geraldy seething at him.

Pinkie Pie started to focus her attention on the more placating warlord, something Geraldy noticed quite quickly. “Our peoples share a great deal of bad blood, but that does not preclude the possibility of friendship. And to that end, I am offering a peace treaty of fifty years.”

“Are you mocking us?” Geraldy spat bitterly as his wits crawled back to the fore bit by bit.

Pinkie eyed Char and Geraldy both with a salesman’s smile. “Fifty years is only what is written on the tin, but the duration is not fixed. You see, the era of Harmony is upon us, and with it, the opportunity for friendship between our people. In spite of what some of us would like to admit, Celestia has been making strides to mend the gulf between ponikind.” Whether any of it sticks is anypony’s guess. “If prolonged peace is possible between Equestria and Lunaria, then there is no reason to think the same can not be true between us as well.”

Char made to speak, only for Geraldy to grab his claw with an iron grip, but kept his gaze locked on Pinkie Pie. “Well I suffer no such delusions. I need more than just time.”

“Such as?”

Char ripped his claw free and growled at his emperor, but Geraldy ignored it for now. His first demand stopped at the tip of his tongue, but he had recollected himself enough to amend it. “A reason to keep the peace beyond just words on a page.”

Rubbing his sore claw, Char was left curious enough to wait for the ponies to answer the question. The three mares shared glances between each other. “We are open to suggestions.”

It was an opening Geraldy had prepared for on the journey to the talks. He wrested control over his voice and managed to speak with a level tone. “If Harmony is as strong of a movement as I have been led to believe, then I’ll permit more missionaries into the aviaries. However,” he hit the table with his fist. “No more ranking members of your church or whatever you call it are to set foot in the aviaries. And the crown will not be held accountable should any of them face death or injury.”

“Nor any warlords,” Char added quickly to speak his peace. “And they must abide by griffon law while they are here. Any failure to do so will result in immediate banishment.”

“I would hope that would only extend to crimes warranting imprisonment or worse.” Pinkie Pie gauged Char’s reaction, and it wasn’t a disagreeable one. “Abiding griffon law is… Acceptable. But need I remind you that we are not here because of crimes perpetrated by the missionaries, but because they are the victims of it.”

Char was quick to answer as if his word carried equal weight. “This was a preventable tragedy, wasn’t it? How about this? The perpetrator of any crimes against missionaries convicted in our courts will be forced to pay monetary compensation to their victims.”

Pinkie eyed Geraldy closely. He seemed furious again, but was not openly refuting the provision. Satisfied both griffons were some semblance of agreement, she turned to Rainbow Dash.

The captain had been hoping she could speak on this, and jumped at the chance with fire in her voice. “Money!? I would rather have a person not a wad of slips. Do you really think we sailed half a fleet out here for money? That may fly with you greedy bastards, but not us! You don’t want bishops and deacons here, so be it, but we’d string up our own nobles if they committed murder. So don’t think you’re going to pay your way out of a short drop and sudden stop!”

“I can speak with confidence that the nobility sees the matter the same way,” Twilight added firmly. She suppressed the need to level a worried look at her friend.

Seeing Char’s misstep as an opportunity to undermine the warlord in front of his tensing entourage, Geraldy spread his wings in a placating manner. “Your objections are more than reasonable. Perhaps a joint investigation into such incidents will be sufficient, and the punishment matches the crime?”

Pinkie felt like the griffons might stop seeing her as Luna’s voice and spoke up without consulting the others. “Then your condition is acceptable.”

Geraldy leaned heavily towards the ponies. “And just to put it to paper, you leave Lilja to us. This is a griffon matter now.”

“Naturally.” Pinkie Pie glanced at Rainbow. “We care more about the mastermind behind it all anyway.”

An idea struck Char so hard he couldn’t hide the grim smirk in his eyes. “If that is the case, then perhaps you can do more to punish the Emerald Horde through more than just strong words.”

Huffing disdainfully, Rainbow Dash pointed a wing at the nearest battleship. “Do we look like we’d settle for sharing harsh words?”

A feral grin crossed the warlord’s face. “You and I speak the same language, as does the Horde. The liberal application of force is what they respect. But the promise of force can be equally destructive. If you guarantee the independence of the Union, I’m sure we can part with more of the northwestern reaches up to and including the Glittering Coast.”

“That is not yours to trade away!” Every inch of Geraldy’s being regretted dragging Char along for these talks. He half hoped the ponies would try to fight them, and his biggest threat would die in battle. “The lands surrounding the Brown Plains are mine to do with as I wish, not you.”

“And yet we have done nothing with that land for generations under your family’s rule,” Char countered smoothly. “You are blind if all you can see is time and faith.” Char snatched an apple off the table and took a moment to enjoy the rare treat. “What say you, ponies? We give you the land stretching up to the Glittering Coast in exchange for guaranteeing the Union’s independence.”

Novos and Summer shared a stunned but hopeful look. The ponies were equally taken aback by the offer. Twilight brought up her mental map of the continent to gauge just how much land that included. Rainbow was deeply conflicted and a scowl developed on her face. Only Pinkie Pie managed to keep her thoughts from displaying on her face. “That is a tall ask, Warlord Char.”

Char leered at Geraldy, silently mocking him before turning back to Pinkie Pie with a much more polite expression. “The Emerald Horde wanted you to fight us. A sternly worded letter and some fuss is not enough. You want to punish them? Strike at the very reason they did this in the first place.”

Chewing on her lip, Pinkie turned around and brought the other two into a close huddle and whispered as quietly as they could. “What do you think, Twily?”

The pegacorn was still neck deep in her calculations, which wasn’t helped by the lack of a nearby map. “Honestly, I am not sure. But if we accept, we more than double what we wanted in the first place. If we play it smart, there’s no reason we can’t get some one-sided trade deals out of it.”

“Hey, don’t go wrapping your head around mountains of slips,” Rainbow warned while giving her purple friend the evil eye she learned from Granny Smith. “Smacking the Horde around for retribution is one thing, but there ain’t a pony on Equus that would shed blood for the Union. For all we know, once we settle matters with the Horde, they could prove to be better friends than enemies.”

Twilight balked at not having considered that, and gave it some thought. Twilight of all people forced herself to think ahead. Years and decades meant as much to her as months and years did to others. Yet at this moment, she realized she lost the present. “That is a good point… But consider this, if Celestia and Luna make good on a prolonged peace between us then the military will grow restless. There is no way of knowing what direction the winds of Harmony will push us. Less scrupulous generals may try to reignite our hatreds. I say by directing our warriors’ energies towards a new goal will help the Sisters’ aims.”

Rainbow Dash wanted to refute her, but couldn’t think of much to say. “I still don’t like it, but…” She sighed heavily. “I see your point.”

Through it all, Pinkie sighed in disappointment in her sister. “Are we forgetting the Merchant’s third rule? ‘Never pay more for an acquisition than you have to.’” Rainbow expectantly gave her a mix between confusion and annoyance, but Twilight’s eyes went wide at the realization. Not wanting to leave the thestral out of the loop, Pinkie tapped her with a hoof. “Char never said it had to be indefinite,” Pinkie Pie added with her inner tycoon coming to the fore. “We could give the Union a month or even just a week. It’ll be up to them to make it worth our while.”

Twilight was finding it difficult to keep her voice to a whisper. “We get some serious trade concessions out of the Union if we play it smart.” Her sister nodded in agreement, yet Rainbow was hesitant.

“You know, if Applejack were here, I think she’d agree that this sounds really dishonest. Shouldn’t we follow the spirit of the agreement if we agree to it at all?”

Humming in thought, Twilight couldn’t argue against it. “I think you’re right… Ummm… How about we bring it up with Luna and let her decide? We can take the land now, and let her figure out how long we make the agreement. The people can take comfort in the extra land we secured them.”

“Except for those who are busy protecting the Union.” Rainbow remained firm, and silently glared at both sisters so they wouldn’t try avoiding her point again.

“Perhaps we can offer a signing bonus or perhaps set land aside for anyone sent abroad,” Pinkie offered with only the barest beginning of a plan. “It’s not like anyone has a claim to any plots just yet.”

“We can have Luna and her ‘non-field’ advisors work out those particular details,” Twilight added, finally earning a hum and nod of agreement out of the resolute captain.

Pinkie sat back up straight to speak to the griffons, an act followed by the others. “We retain the right to determine the length of that guarantee dependent on the Union’s offer.”

Eager to retake command over the conversation, Geraldy tapped the table with a fist. “Agreed.”

The talks continued long into the night and through the following day until they all retired for sleep and food. Such a respite was hardly soothing for Queen Novos.

Presently, she was pacing in her ship’s stateroom with Summer Flame lounging near the window to bask in the late afternoon light. The hippogriff flagship was more akin to a floating palace rather than a true warship, an indulgence from her predecessor. As such, Summer Flame had a full balcony to enjoy the sweltering summer air, an activity that proved too humid for the hippogriff.

Novos was nursing a local brew that was weak enough that she could justify drinking it like water. At this point, she had already imbibed a case worth of the thin grog and she had not even worked up a buzz. “Accursed swill,” she vented her frustrations and threw the cup at Summer Flame. The irritating kirin was far too relaxed for her liking.

The cup fell short and rolled underneath his lounge chair. He did however pull the blinders off as he heard the cup roll to a stop against a chair leg. “You worry too much. Relax and sit with me.”

Dragging a claw across her face, Novos was an inch from finding something heavier to throw. “How can you sit there without a care in the world?! You saw what happened yesterday! Char has removed our saviors from the field. When word of this gets out, the Horde will be upon us in a week!” Sitting on a desk was a book she thought quite poorly of, and threw it at him.

He casually knocked it aside with a touch of magic, and the book fell open onto the deck. While on any other day he’d bask in her indignation, even he knew Novos was on the brink when she started throwing things. So, acting against his nature, Summer dusted off the rust from his placating tone of voice. “Then we should make the most of the requirement that the ponies lend us their protection.”

“I don’t know if you paid attention to their history, Summer Flame, but Lunaria is the kind of empire that expels you from their conquered lands. At least the Horde stops short of supplanting your culture. You remember how Deradian used to be the crown jewel of your people. Now it’s nothing more than ruins.”

The mention of his hometown struck a nerve and Summer’s eyes burned like fire. “I know full well what the Horde will do if they conquer us.” He violently shook his head to calm down.

If anything, Novos was glad to have irked him so.

When his vision returned to normal, Summer let off a brief smirk of respect for the verbal lash. “But I have little reason to believe the ponies will do to us the same they did to the aviaries of old. They just acquired a massive stretch of virgin land to occupy, so they will have little cause to come to us to do the same.”

Barely even half hearing him, Novos joined Summer on the balcony, sea spray washed over them both. The warm waters bore no good tidings this day.

She leaned heavily onto the railing, staring out east to her homeland. For his part, Summer Flame leaned back in his chair to catch the last good rays of the day. He held no illusions that matters would happen quickly when he returned to the capital, so he chose to relax while he could.

Novos dearly wished for some gin or one of Summer’s cigars at this point. The empty cup rolling on the deck in tandem with the waves still felt bitter on her tongue. “I can’t believe we have to put our faith in Lunarian restraint and generosity.”

He sagged in his chair, the blinders slipping a bit from his eyes. “I know exactly how you feel.”

Snorting at the kirin’s perceived faux empathy, Novos looked at Summer, only to realize he was dead serious. The scowl dropped from her lips, and into a sullen expression of desperation.

A knock on the door went unanswered at first. Novos suspected what it was, and wanted no part of it. Summer however, felt like he needed to lighten the mood and called out anyway. “Enter!”

A kirin emerged from deeper in the ship and bowed. “Begging your pardon, but word arrived from the Equestrians. Business with the aviaries has been concluded and the griffons will break camp in the morning. The Lunarian fleet intends to escort us back home, and their delegation requests your presence tomorrow evening at six sharp.”

The two remained pensively silent for a moment until Summer noticed the kirin was waiting expectantly. “Was there something else?”

“Yes, sir. Given the Equestrian’s findings, Geraldy gave the prisoners an indefinite stay of execution. One of them wishes to join Novos’ court or at least her army.”

“Stay of execution? That doesn’t sound like a pardon to me.” Summer Flame sighed in disappointment. He looked to Novos who knew the griffons best.

“Discommendation is… Difficult to undo. Given how things are, I don’t know if I can blame Geraldy for the half measure.”

Hardly satisfied with her answer, Summer turned back to the messenger. “We need every sword we can get. Let him know he and the others are welcome among the kirin at the very least.” Summer shivered as his future darkened all around him. Doing his utmost to remain strong for his people, he was left with a heavy heart and a lackluster, “thank you, may your heart remain alight.”

“And to you,” the messenger replied before stepping out.

Novos watched the door click shut and rubbed her brow in a vain effort to ward off a growing migraine. “A single hopeless griffon won’t do us any good…” she stared up at the shifting clouds above where the sky was beginning to turn to dusk. “Do you think the Lunarians can save us?”

Summer pulled himself up with a grunt of effort and gazed out onto the metal warships glinting in the sunlight. They bristled with cannons he could only dream of having. “Can is not the word I would use.”

A thunderstorm raged when the time came for the two Union leaders to arrive on the Lunarian flagship. Unlike the Union vessel, the Lunarians made no effort in magically shielding themselves from the storm. Instead, the warships seemed to plow through the squall with little difficulty and with no regard for the wind.

Looking over her shoulder as Novos stepped onto the rain slicked deck, she saw the iron battleships plow through the choppy water with only minor difficulty. The storm was no monsoon, but it certainly wasn’t a good day for sailing. After being ushered below decks and through a maze of narrow metal corridors, they arrived at the officer’s mess. Everything felt coldly utilitarian. There was no woodwork, save for a single panel depicting the ship silhouetted by a full moon. Everything else was iron or steel. Novos broke into a cold sweat upon seeing the three Lunarians already seated and waiting.

Pinkie Pie stood up, prompting the others to do the same. “Queen Novos, First Citizen Summer Flame, always a pleasure to speak with you.”

Twilight and Rainbow offered similar meaningless pleasantries that Novos was too nervous to even hear. Makeup and a very dedicated attendant made the hippogriff queen give off a regal appearance, but no amount of mascara could ever hide a jane one wrong turn from a nervous breakdown. The very weight of the warship felt oppressive.

Her head buzzed with the kaleidoscope of horrid news ever since that day at the races when Gilda first appeared. This was all supposed to be a peace and reconciliation mission. Now the aviaries will run red with blood, no matter what the centauri do now. The Lunarians will hang us out to dry, and the Horde will roll over us with a vengeance.

“Your highness?” A mildly perturbed voice from across the table called out.

Novos snapped out of it and held a claw to her head. “My apologies,” she blurted out, revealing her frayed nerves from under the mask. “I’ve been feeling under the weather as of late.”

“Quite literally today it seems,” Summer teased in that insufferable tone of his.

Pinkie Pie hummed aloud as she tapped a few folders sitting on the table. “It will still be a few days before we reach your homeland. Do you need another day to rest?”

It may have been spoken in a business-like manner, but Novos saw contempt where there was none. “No. Thank you. Better we complete our business in a prudent manner, so that I may rest afterwards.” And give me more time on how to tell Saleena the horrid news to come.

“If that is your wish.” Pinkie Pie shuffled three colored folders and separated a red one from the stack before pushing it towards them. Summer was quick to take it into his magic, but didn’t open it just yet. “As I’m sure you must have noticed, Warlord Char failed to iron out a duration for our guarantee of independence. We consulted at length with Empress Luna last night, and she is not without empathy for your plight. The red document will offer our military protection to the Union for exactly one year starting today. You will only be required to grant us basing and coaling rights for the imperial navy for twelve months, along with access to shore leave amenities.”

“That’s all?” Novos grabbed the folder out of Summer’s magical grip and pulled it open to read. Sure enough, the draft read as the earth mare had stated. It was more than she had hoped. A month or maybe a season at most, but a year was worryingly generous. That’s when it hit her. She looked up towards Rainbow Dash. “What of the army? When the Horde comes for us, it won’t be by sea.”

“That will cost extra.” Pinkie Pie slid the blue folder over to Rainbow Dash. “Our soldiers would vastly prefer to be preoccupied.”

Twilight Sparkle pulled a rolled up map and unfurled it across the table. It was of the brown plains and the territories beyond it. A massive swath of it was dotted in blue ink that encompassed just over two hundred thousand square miles. In fact, all of the unused land, save for a thirty mile wide strip on the aviaries’ borders was included. “This is the territory the griffons have agreed to hoof over to Lunaria in exchange for increasing the peace period to a century. It is completely virgin land which means a whole host of prospectors, surveyors, botanists, and an army of other experts will be needed.”

Rainbow Dash jumped in with a firm slap on the blue folder. “And the actual army’s going to comb the place from dirt to clouds. The aviaries may not have had any sanctioned settlements there, but that much open ground doesn’t go without squatters or malcontents creeping in, not to mention any number of monstrous beasts that don’t know to fear a rifle yet. The army’ll be needed to ensure our settlers go unmolested. If you want us to pull soldiers away from this duty, you’re going to have to make some concessions.” At that, Rainbow shoved the blue folder across to the Unionists.

Summer Flame was grateful some glasses of water had been provided and had to take a long drag of it. He eyed the blue folder with trepidation. “Such as?”

“All of the minutia is written in there, but to keep it simple,” Twilight started while adopting a warmer tone than Rainbow’s gruff posturing. “We need you to make some trade concessions along with regular payments. Nothing egregious I assure you. We would require the right to stage troops in your major cities, along with embassies that are considered Lunarian soil. The important thing is that you denounce the assassination as a Horde plot, and make a declaration of friendship with Lunaria.”

That was what Novos had feared, and she firmly slapped the blue folder out of Summer’s magic and planted it on the table. “You want to vassalize us.”

“If that is how you chose to see it,” Twilight Sparkle stated with a disappointed head shake. “But that is hardly the intent.”

Rainbow Dash took her air corps cap and presented the emblem of her service branch to the pair. “The imperial military is not a mercenary force. We don’t fight just to get paid. We protect our homes, our families, and our friends.”

“It is that last part that you should keep in mind,” Pinkie Pie stated firmly, her businessmare smile partially slipping to a stern one. “Trade facilitates connections.” She tapped the table with her right hoof. “Connections lead to acquaintances.” She tapped the table in front of her, before punctuating the rest of her words with a tap further to the left. “Acquaintances. Become. Friends. Stationing our soldiers in your cities may look like an occupation that you’re being taxed for, but you must look at it from the perspective of the rank and file. If our troops mingle with your people, there is a chance personal friendships could bloom. As they are rotated back home, that sentiment follows with them. As stated, a pony will fight for a friend.”

Their words struck a chord with Novos. She didn’t trust these ponies to light her cigar let alone see her people as anything other than subjects to be conquered. But there was a chance it could work. “How long would this offer last?”

“Five years, with a provision of renewal.” Pinkie Pie tilted her head and pushed the white folder over. She pressed it heavily with a hoof before letting go. “If that is too short for you, Empress Luna is willing to formally incorporate the Union as a domain of Lunaria. You will be subservient to the Throne in all matters, and we would in turn protect you as our own indefinitely.”

Summer Flame snorted with smoke leaving his nose. “I’m sure that extreme will be unnecessary.” He took the white envelope and burned it to cinders. “My people will die before accepting foreign rule.”

The act did not seem to move the two sisters, but it got a curt nod of respect out of Rainbow Dash. Novos might have been surprised by the fiery act, but she remembered well how dangerous kirin could be. In an effort to cool him down before the nirik could surface further, she pulled the blue one in close to read it, brushing the ashes away in the process. “I agree. The Union will stand side by side with its allies, not on its knees before an overlord.”

“As you wish,” Pinkie Pie said without reservation. “We are merely offering fixed terms, not twisting your leg to sign it.”

You may not be, but the centauri are twisting us for you. Summer leaned over her shoulder to read it as well. Novos had been quite conservative to the Lunarians weeks prior when they had asked her about the Union’s mineral wealth, but the treaty floating before them spoke of a knowledge she had thought evaded the ponies. “Not egregious!? The terms you’re demanding are worth eight times what the griffons required!”

“That hardly matters to us,” Twilight assured her with an unnerving grin. Taking a page out of Rarity’s playbook, Twilight took the pitcher of tea and went about pouring herself a cup. “You see, your highness, we are actually being quite generous not charging you more.”

“Generous?! We could hire the entire griffon military for half of this!”

“You’re more than welcome to try.” Rainbow’s tone became disrespectfully dismissive. “But I doubt they’ll be in any position to help you now.”

Pinkie on the other hand, maintained her businessmare’s courtesy and toothy smile, even as her words were colored in a harsh light. “How about we clear the air? You didn’t travel to Tranquility to help us or truly even the griffons. You came only because without them, you are at the Horde’s tender mercies. Over the years, you may have been courteous on the surface, but you imposed exorbitant tariffs on food exports, flatly forbid any business ventures into Union territory, deliberately delayed a number of our merchants from going to market until after others already offloaded similar products. You deny our merchants to set hoof beyond the first row of businesses to the docks. There is a laundry list of petty grievances against your port authorities for this year alone.” Pinkie’s ever present smile fell into an iron glare. “You have made it abundantly clear that you are not our friends. The Emerald Horde by contrast has been rather honorable with their dealings with us. The only reason we haven’t made our displeasure known in more certain terms is because Equestria and recovery were our chief concerns.”

“Now wait a minute,” Novos tried to rebuke with a thread of panic setting in. “Don’t act like you wouldn’t do the same to us if our positions were reversed.”

A humorless half grin fell over Twilight as she dropped some sugar cubes into the tea. “That’s not what we’re saying in the slightest. The tariffs and the travel restrictions are standard practice for Tranquility. Especially with the famine we suffered,” she added with a grim look that lasted a moment. “But what we are saying, is that we have no goodwill between us. These trade agreements and tribute payments are simply here to balance the books between us. You made us pay a wing and a leg for grain and meat, now you will do the same for our blood and thunder.”

For a long moment, Novos was left speechless. She remembered personally signing the tariff laws into place. The order to have Lunarian grievances stop reaching her ears. The wealth she had squeezed out of Lunaria had been instrumental in rebuilding her armies and fortresses. Now though, the crows were coming to roost.

Summer magically pulled the blue folder and treaty out of Novos’ grasp. If she was too paralyzed to speak up, he’d do it for her. “Well, if we’re all about mending bridges, then I will be the first to lay stone.” He was about to put pen to paper when Novos stopped him.

She pulled his ear in close and whispered harshly at him. “Are you mad? If we sign this without Saleena at least getting a word in the sphinxes will be madder than retired hatter.”

Despite the pain of having two claws digging into his ear, Summer Flame was enjoying Novos’ desperation, if only as means to subdue his own. “Then she should have joined us instead of being a layabout for wine and races. The two of us have the majority, so anything we sign binds us all.”

Novos’ decorum was slipping and she grew louder. “Give me time, I can work on easier terms.”

“Perhaps you misunderstand us,” Pinkie Pie declared, breaking Novos’ grip on Summer’s ear. “Each deal will stand as they are written. If the blue plan is not to your liking, the red one is still there.” She paused and raised a warning hoof into the air. “But I should mention the red one has no renewal clause. We give you the one year and then Luna will wash her hooves of you.”

“We will still expect basing and coaling privileges of course,” Twilight added with neutral firmness. “The Emerald Horde acted in a rather ugly manner, true. However, both Equestrian and Lunarian ponies have been rather horrid with each other for centuries, and we always reopened trade shortly after our wars ended. The centauri will be no different if you refuse a deal.”

“Would you genuinely come to our aid if we signed?” Novos countered quickly without thinking it through. “Or is this some elaborate way to drain our coffers before the invasion comes?”

“Are you questioning Lunarian integrity?” Rainbow asked with a harsh growl. “Another word like that, and I’ll rescind the people’s support right here, right now.”

Laughing sheepishly, Summer pushed Novos back a little so focus was brought to him. “There’s no need for such drastic action, I assure you. Queenie here lacks a filter sometimes.” He glared at Novos with a single burning eye, making her avert her gaze. Squashing the fire by rubbing his eye, Summer flashed the same believable smile he did to his political opponents when he won election. “Now then, since the terms are fixed, I believe I can safely speak for the Union that the blue plan is acceptable. Where do we sign?”

Luna waved a wing, and the reenactment of the interrogation and follow up negotiations was swept away and replaced by the distant light of Tranquility as seen from Talon Point in the dead of night. It and the surrounding farmland reminded her of an old perch she loved before assuming the throne, and the stars shone through the light pollution as if it wasn’t there. More importantly though, it limited what Celestia could see of the city itself.

Celestia conjured up a sofa, and sat down with an inelegant whump, having misjudged the height of the sofa. “It seems our little ponies can be quite devious.”

“I fail to see much of a difference from our time. The magic is certainly more refined at least.” Luna opted to remain standing on the balcony, her gaze fixed on the view beyond. She was reluctant to say anything further, but to leave her sister in silence felt rude. “I must thank you for insisting on sending your justicar… Had she not been there, it is likely the truth would have never come to light and I would be at war with the wrong people.”

Giving an unseen nod, Celestia tried to summon some grapes. And while the fruit did manifest, they tasted like nothing but air. How does she do it? “I’m glad things worked out for all parties concerned. Although, it is likely you’ll end up in another war regardless.”

Huffing in partial disdain for the pacifist leanings her sister, Luna boasted proudly. “We both know our ponies are not afraid to shed blood. That being said…” Luna grimaced as she turned her gaze to the northeast, and partially in her sister’s direction. “I can’t say I am quite so eager to fight such a distant foe. The griffons were already going to be challenging, but the Horde? We would make your overextension along the Cresting Ridge look paltry by comparison.”

Scowling bitterly at the comment, Celestia let it go as she realized there was an opportunity here. The fleet was to go their separate ways at first light, which meant… “Lulu, just how badly do you wish to punish the Horde for this misstep of theirs?”

Sighing heavily, Luna returned her gaze to Tranquility in the vain hope the name alone could imbue that peace upon her. “I - I admit, while I want justice for Faithful Hymn, it was the perfect excuse to claim territory. The Horde is far too distant. It has nothing I want save for the pound of flesh they owe.”

It was as Celestia hoped, and it was hard to remain only partially contemplative rather than conspiratorial. She had the cooperative momentum going with Rarity’s aid so far, now it was time to see if Celestia could push it further. “If that is the case, would you be opposed to a bit of theater?”

Giving her sister a suspicious look, Luna let it go for a faux jovial expression. “It is all theater. However, your agent has had her fun, the stage belongs to me now.”

Author's Note

What kind of theater will it be!? Shakespearian, Kabuki, or free style?

49: Gunboat Diplomacy

Nearly a week later, King Kateno of the Emerald Horde was standing in a watch tower overlooking the north western periphery of Fespar. A mile long procession of griffons were walking or flying low to the ground. Most of them carried little more than the clothes on their back and a small bag of personal belongings and the last scraps of food they had left. Only the escorting soldiers carried weapons.

The soldiers themselves marched in the disciplined column formation and gleaming rifles glinting in the light. The troops were small in number, but it was their military bearing that pleased him. They will make excellent drill masters. No doubt many of them will make themselves useful in short order. But them being industrious mountain dwellers is the real prize. The mineral wealth such habitats would grant him only made his smug grin even wider.

Dust on the road brought his attention to the base of the tower where a centauri runner skidded to a halt to speak with the captain of Protectora: a brown diamond dog of unusual intellect for his kind.

The captain saluted the runner away before he charged up the stairs. Upon reaching Kateno, he kneeled before him. “My liege, Warlord Lilja wishes to meet with you.”

“Of course.” Kateno tapped his hooves to break loose any dirt before making for the stairs. “Today is a good day, I think.”

It wasn’t long before Kateno and several of his Protectora rode out to meet the griffons. The throng of newcomers came to a slow stop once they noticed Kateno’ approach while the soldiers came to a crisp halt. Lilja and her husband were at the fore. She wore only a travel garb, as did her husband, but she still looked the part of a highborne commander.

Upon Kateno coming to a stop close by, Lilja knelt down and presented her personal rifle to him. “King Kateno of the Emerald Horde, I Warlord Lilja, offer my house’s fealty as well as my followers.”

Grunting in approval, Kateno took her rifle in hand and inspected it. The weapon was keen and well designed, with a relief in gold depicting a mountain. “A fine instrument, as I am sure you will be as well. Rise, Lilja, and stand as one of my khans.” He returned the weapon to her, and Lilja bowed her head once more before claiming it.

“I am honored, my king. Know that word has already spread of Char’s open challenge for the imperial throne. My kin will be in no position to threaten your conquest now.”

“Whispers of the conflict has already reached me, well done. But we can plan for war tomorrow, tonight, we feast in your honor as the seventh species to stand with the Horde! Come my friend!”

True to his word, Lilja and her followers feasted long into the night and into the wee hours of the following morning. Word of the imminent griffon civil war spread through the city like wildfire and soldiers sang songs of vengeance and bloodlust. Their humiliation years prior would be surely rectified within a month.

It was almost noon three days later when Ketano was at his war room and staring over the map of Union territory. He remembered much of the eastern land well, and he had more than enough kirin and sphinx defectors to have a solid grasp of the borderlands and the fortifications around major cities. A gleeful expression was plastered on his face as he dreamed of the conquest to come.

He already had stockpiles of food and supplies prepared, and summer was already halfway through. We avoided the spring mud season, but we will need to reach beyond the Sloping Mire before the autumn snow starts. It will be close, but I should be able to cut my way into Weaterburg before the weather turns.

“Contrania, I have orders.”

His young daughter jumped from her quiet studies and ran over with pen and paper. She settled in on the eastern end of the map and rolled it up just enough to have room. “Ready, father.”

“Khan Martok is to take his army north along the Gamgies lowlands. Have him fake a second army approaching striking distance of Fort Sands to keep their forces there pinned. Second, Cinia must make sure our supply problems in the region are not repeated. As for Lilja…” Kateno had been considering what to do with his newest subjects ever since they arrived, and he was not entirely pleased. She came with so few actual soldiers. It would be better if she focused on settling her people than the conduct of war.

Hasty, almost frantic pounding on the door stopped him from writing the latest dispatch. Kateno fumed a bit at the interruption as his Procetora poked a head though. “Sire, urgent news from Sea Watch.”

Wrinkling his brow, he rounded the war table, but motioned for Contrania to remain where she was. “Speak then.”

A winded minotaur bull was ushered inside, and was only just now beginning to recover his breath. “Sire, unknown ships were spotted by the Sea Watch. Twelve of them in all. At current speed and heading, they should reach the harbor in thirty hours.”

“Twelve ships?” That was worryingly unusual. Merchants were known to travel in groups at times to protect against pirates, but civilian formations were too sloppy for that many to manage. The largest civilian convey he had ever seen was four ships. That left only one possible alternative. The only question was who. "Is there anything else Sea Watch knows of these ships?”

The minotaur was recovering his breath, and thought to unfurl the parchment he had been given. “Yes sire, each of them bellows steady black smoke. They were too far away to see any flags properly, sire.” Kateno waved at the minotaur for silence. His blood ran cold at what the messenger at said. “Black smoke... were they on fire by chance?” It was a thin hope, but one he had to shoot for.

When the minotaur answered negatively, Contrania was catching on to her father's rapidly darkening mood. She tentatively stepped closer to him, almost daring to lay a comforting hand on his own. "What's wrong?"

Blinking to end his contemplative stupor, Kateno cleared his throat. "Black smoke and no fire can only mean one thing: Lunarians."

The hour was late the next day when the Lunarian squadron was closing in on the city. The edges of the city was visible via binoculars, and a thick cloud of harpy fliers covered the ships anchored just outside the harbor. Admiral Pale Light stood on the bridge of his flagship the Nightingale as he bounced between gazing through his binoculars and reading the charts his own fliers were making of the enemy position and the port city beyond it. His bridge crew were in a tense silence, save for minor updates or commands being passed. Twilight Sparkle opted to avoid the tight and difficult steps and flew up from outside and spoke through the window.

“You wanted to see me, admiral?” Pleasant surprise painted her face.

“Yes, yes, please,” he waved to an empty spot close to him. He watched the seas as she swung around to a door to get inside. “I heard about you acquiring books on Horde military strategy while we were coaling, and that you consume literature like a starved parasprite.”

Blushing enough to avert her eyes a moment, Twilight dragged a hoof in circles on the wood flooring. “I suppose I do.”

“I must confess I have only had time to get halfway through a kirin veteran’s memoirs on such matters, but I am afraid it is only on their ground warfare. Fascinating read, but hardly the relevant subject of the day. I was hoping you possessed some insights into the Horde navy and shore defenses.”

“I do. What would you like to know?”

Pale Light turned away and used a pair of binoculars to survey the multitude of silhouettes floating between him and his prize. “Well, for one, I don’t see a single sail in the fleet ahead of us, and I’m worried we should have brought a second squadron. Sour Apple, be a dear won’t you and fetch some glasses for the good Lady here.”

When the yeoman returned with said item, Twilight accepted it graciously and joined the admiral in viewing the opposing fleet. The opposition outnumbered them three to one. While it was too far away to get a good look at the hulls, it was painfully obvious not one of them held a sailing mast. “Yes, I heard about this. The hippogriffs noted Horde vessels were fast, up to fifteen knots in many of their ships of the line. Interestingly enough, the centauri are newcomers to sailing. They conquered the peoples of Drakenfell and some other one I can’t pronounce. Now both nations crew and build the horde navy.”

Leveling mild exasperation her way, the admiral kept it to a minimum. “As fascinating as history is, presently I would like to know more about the ships themselves.”

“Oh, yes of course, pardon me.” Twilight tried to clear her thoughts of embarrassment. “While fast, Horde ships are still only armored with timber. Their cannons are weak even by Union standards, so we should out range them with ease. The only danger they pose is an airborne boarding action. It is said harpy sailors are fast, perhaps more so than the average pegasus, but not as sturdy. As for the lack of sails, they use a similar method that the Equestrian navy does by magically turning the screws. Centauri are not innately skilled in magic as say, a unicorn is, but they can train themselves to be quite dangerous magi.”

Satisfied, Pale Light lowered his binoculars. “I see. Thank you. You mentioned harpies as their fliers? Can't say I am familiar with those.”

“They're bipedal bird things, ghastly to look at half the time, but the Horde also possess the occasional drake soldier.”

“Dragons too, eh?”

Twilight wiggled a wing finger. “Not quite the same. Drakes apparently rarely grow taller than Luna by the horn, and live much shorter lives, about average for a pony actually.”

“Either way, let us not get caught with our britches down.” He looked to his bridge officers. “Signal the squadron to prepare for airborne assault.”

Bells rang and shouting erupted as the crew went about to obey, Twilight was growing increasingly worried. She had never seen a naval engagement, only heard stories of the Imperial Navy dominating the high seas. “Do you need me to go below?”

He regarded her closely, seeing if he could detect fear in her. He found little, but it was there. “Only if you feel it necessary. I would prefer you remained though, for your insight.”

She couldn’t very well leave after hearing that. She returned her gaze to the Horde fleet. They had arrayed themselves in a concave line and were ready to meet them. “So what are we going to do? We are not at war after all.”

Pale Light rubbed his chin, mulling over it all. “Helmsman, turn us to starboard and tell the engine room to drop to one eighth. Yeoman, signal the squadron to move into defensive formation. And raise the extra large colors in the off chance they don’t know who we are.”

Kateno had perched himself on the forecastle of the biggest ship in his navy. When the Lunarians started turning, a cheer quickly grew from the sailors below. Jeering and mocking calls of cowardice sprang up like flowers after the rain. And while Kateno would have liked to ride the same enthusiasm, he had to stand above it. This is dangerous, he mused as he looked out over his sailors. Glorious war loomed on the horizon and to the average sailor, it looked as if yet another nation was cowing before them.

A chill ran down Kateno's spine. These were not the sailors of the Union his father had left broken and battered, but the ponies themselves. The very ones that the griffons fear. “Why are they here?” he queried impotently yet again. It surely couldn’t be because of Lilja’s action. He had been assured it couldn’t be traced back to him. They might be acting on no evidence. Would they do that? The answer eluded him, and that was troubling.

“My king,” his zebra admirali stated with poorly concealed worry. “I have never seen ships that gleam in such light. Are they here to fight?”

“A good question.” Kateno’s smoldering ire turned to Lilja. The griffon and her people still rested from their long exodus in the city behind him. A part of him wanted to blame her, but the king in him demanded that he accept responsibility. it is still possible they are here for something unrelated, not that I can think of any other reason to bring so many warships out this far, but here's hoping.

As difficult as it was, he returned his eye to the lenses. Through his spyglass, he saw hundreds of fliers take to the skies. Once they got above the ships, they dropped explosives into the water, creating large geysers of water. Others raced over and circled the still columns of water and pulled them skyward to create clouds. Kateno squinted, thinking his eyes deceived him as a third group was carting cannon up into the new clouds. “They're placing antiboarding defense that far out?” Do they outrange us that far?!

“Sire?”

Kateno looked back at the admirali, who had a collection of officers and a few crewmen within earshot. His observation caused excitement and disbelief washed over them. Honorable victory or heroic defeat, so long as glory was earned, each of them were eager to fight.

While the same thoughts ran in his blood, Kateno wanted to spend their blood in conquest. Yet he did not want to share his father's fate. He collapsed his spyglass with a click and pocketed it. “Inform the fleet to remain here and run up the white flag. We should parley before anyone does anything definitive.”

The admirali turned about. “You heard the king, get to it lads!” The crew burst into action and the zebra waited long enough for all of them to be busy before turning back to his king. “Sire, I advise you to take a shuttle back to port. It would be shameful if you treated with anyone but Luna herself.”

“It is a poor king that shies away from meeting a potential enemy eye to eye.” He clapped the zebra on the back with a forced jovial laugh. “Come now, Zanzar, the only way to live forever is the history books.”

Pale Light pursed his lips as he contemplated on what to do about the single warship sailing towards him flying the white flag. “Interesting. My Lady, does the Horde have a history of violating the rules of parley?”

“The Union has a lot to say about the Horde, a lack of honor among them. But I would hardly count Novos and Summer Flame as being impartial.” Twilight nervously ruffled her wings, causing light ‘clinking’ with her armor. “But I doubt a lone ship could pose a boarding threat.”

Pale Light eyed her, internally debating if she insinuated an intent to dishonor himself. Ultimately he left it be. “You’re right of course. Helm, pull us out and alongside the Horde vessel coming our way.

“As for you, my Lady, I suggest you fetch your sister. Luna’s voice will be needed soon enough.”

It required some delicate maneuvering on both ships’ parts, as such vessels could hardly stop on a dime. But the deed was handled well enough for the two ships to drop anchor close enough for the crews to shout at each other.

As his sailors went about arranging things, Kateno was enraptured by the warship before him. A single great mast stretched out bearing the Lunarian colors. Instead of the fore and aft being elevated, there was a two story superstructure dominating the center. Two massive cannons poked out both fore and aft, while inset smaller guns were mounted along the flanks. Next, the ship sat low in the water, which would force him to jump or climb down to stand on it. Lastly though, and most concerning of all, was how closed the ship looked.

All the windows were glassed and far too small for a harpy boarder to climb through, and metal hatches were fitted on every door he could see. It made a boarding action seem like a useless gesture. That left him to a gun duel. He did not need the ringing echo of hooves on the metal deck, nor his eyes constantly being dragged to the gun turrets to know that victory was a mad fantasy of the highest order. No matter where he looked, Kateno found no purchase for victory.

Throwing his troubles aside, Kateno watched as sailors on both sides threw rope to tie the ships together, and allow a gangplank to be lowered into place. Taking the lead, Kateno marched over and was the first to step aboard, followed by his admirali.

Waiting for him were two mares and a stallion he quickly identified as an officer, and given by the decoration, he assumed the stoic stallion was an admiral. Yet as he got closer, he could see the highborne airs around the oddly winged unicorn. Pony sailors were perched on the mast, along the superstructure, and behind every porthole with a view. None of them bore obvious weapons, but Kateno was not going to be cowed no matter the case.

“I thank you for welcoming me aboard. Know that I am High King Kateno of the Emerald Horde. This is my Admirali Zanar. Leviathan of the high seas.” Kateno regaled with shared pride.

After the zebra bowed, the stallion stepped forward. If Kateno was going to stand on longer titles he’d oblige. “Greetings, High King. I am Fleet Admiral Pale Light of Her Imperial Majesty’s navy.” He gestured to the sisters. “Beside me is Lady Pinkie Pie, Voice of the Empress, and her sister Imperial Engineer Twilight Sparkle and head of House Sparkle.”

Voice of the Empress? Then dignity can be maintained. Kateno focused on the earth mare who was two heads shorter than him. Resplendent in his armor, Kateno only now noticed the full plate regalia felt much heavier than normal, but he ignored it to maintain his poise. “Voice of the Empress, I must admit your arrival caused quite a stir. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

Seeing how Pale Light had passed the buck to her, Pinkie tried to look overly important and unintimidated by Kateno’s size. “We came here with two issues for which we felt a simple messenger would be insufficient. First, Lunaria has signed a treaty with the Union guaranteeing their independence for the next five years.”

The hackles on Kateno’s spine rose sharply, and his face soured immensely. His ire focused on Lilja, but he held back before it was cemented. “I see. I - thank you for the warning before anything unfortunate could occur.”

Pinkie arched an unamused eyebrow. “Funny, because something unfortunate has already happened. We know you’re behind the gruesome murder of our missionaries in Griffonstone. We know you gave the order to cause a war to break out between Tranquility and Griffonstone. The Empress is most displeased with your indiscretion.”

His first impulse was to lie and claim ignorance. However, standing here on the battleship near its forward turret, he saw the futility of it. He resisted the urge to suck in a breath. “As would I, were the blood on your - hooves. What form of recompense do you require?”

The ready admission surprised the pink pony enough for her to pull her head back. “Your honesty is a welcome surprise. We were going to demand a pound of flesh, but given the circumstances, we are willing to hear what you might offer instead.”

The suggestion stunned Kateno so much his mouth was left agape for a few seconds before he shook himself. “I - see. Give me a few moments.” Shoring up enough bravado to appear unintimidated, he stepped away and waved his admirali to join him in private. With pony ears as big as they were, Kateno made sure to put some extra distance from them.

As soon as Kateno walked off, Twilight cast a look of disbelief at Pale Light before reaching her sister and gently tugging her ear in close. “Pinkie, what was that?” Paranoia made her scan the gathered sailors, and they were a mix of confusion and mounting irritation at giving the Horde the option to make terms.

“I - I panicked,” Pinkie whispered hastily while tugging her ear free. “I thought, hey honestly, that’s our thing right? He should get rewarded for it.”

Twilight leveled a stern glower at her. “Other beings are capable of honesty, Pinkie. Besides, even without Harmony, only a fool would try to lie to us now.”

“For somepony as well traveled as you are, my lady,” Pale Light commented dryly, “You display far more faith in other beings than I thought possible.”

Pinkie gently poked her sister in the chest to get some space. “It’s not like I gave anything up. We can always say no if he tries to make it too soft for him. Who knows, maybe he could surprise us.”

“Surprise us she says,” Twilight grumbled while rubbing her eyes out of exasperation. “Pinkie, you know I love you, but you baffle me sometimes.”

A mischievous grin found its way on Pinkie’s muzzle. “Only sometimes? Then I need to work harder.”

“No! That is not what I meant, and you know it.” Twilight once again scanned the gathered sailors and had to hold back a tirade. By Pinkie’s satisfied look, said tirade apparently wouldn’t do her much good anyway.

Twilight was still debating on what to say when Kateno and his admirali returned. The Horde King was stone faced, as if he remained stiff to keep his nerve. “Honorable Speaker of the Empress, I believe I can satisfy your anger, and prevent a regrettable conflict. How about my fleet fights against your own tomorrow.”

Less than polite laughter rang out amongst the sailors, which didn’t truly help Pinkie’s attempt at diplomatic confusion. “I… am not a military mare, but even I know that will not end well for you.”

“On the contrary, it will end precisely as I need it to.” Kateno paused for a moment to steady himself. “My people… seek revenge on our defeat against the Union. To turn our armies away now would see my head on a pike. But this!” He opened his arms to encompass the closest turret of the battleship. “This is a force for which we have no answer. But my people do not know this, and my word alone would be seen as cowardice. So a war is needed. Just a little one,” he added while pinching his fingers. “Enough to know you ponies are not the enemies we need without a renewed call for blood. It will give me enough support to turn my armies to other less… prickly prospects.”

“Sounds interesting, a moment please.” Pinkie pulled Twilight around and headed to Pale Light, bringing them out of earshot of Kateno. The admiral looked unbothered by it all, and kept an even keel when he spoke first.

“A pragmatic way to spend lives. Cold, but dare I say it, a smart move.”

“So you approve?” Pinkie asked, almost hesitant. Twilight was a bit skeptical, and was waiting for him to drop the mask and reprimand her.

Even if she didn’t say a word, Pale Light could sense Twilight’s apprehension. “There is little he can glean of us by doing this, save for cementing our dominance in the region. I’d wager my commission this will calm our people down long enough to focus their energies on taming our new lands.”

It bothered her, but Twilight sighed in agreement. “The people will certainly approve of wrecking a small fleet over some honeyed words and a hollow promise.”

“Exactly,” Pale Light replied with the knowledge he was right. “What do we care if this king wants to throw away centauri lives or whatever other miscreants sail under his banner?”

As much as she didn’t care to admit it, Pinkie could see that harsh calculus would work in their favor. This feels like it goes against Harmony, but I can read the room. “Perhaps it is for the best then.”

The next day, close to the appointed time, Kateno stood on a hastily cobbled together platform elevating him above the docks. Gathered all around him were his citizens and soldiers alike. He had commanded as many citizens to be present as could fit.

At the moment, he bided his time, acting like he was conversing with three of his advisors with Lilja close by. While his delay caused some stir, the real cause for commotion was that the local naval vessels were anchored just off the docks, as if they were prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.

For her part, Lilja was in a panic. Though she hid it well, she was not blind to who exactly was waiting out at sea. All griffons, even one as removed from the sea as her people were, knew the Lunarians ruled the waves. It was half the reason they largely abandoned the coasts. Yet strangely, Kateno had yet to mention it, save to demand her presence.

Off in the distance, towards land, the tolling of the hour came. Once the bells silenced, Kateno passed a signal to his honor guard, who sounded horns for the crowd’s attention.

Minotaur soldiers scattered to the far ends of the crowd carried magical relays so the whole crowd could hear Kateno. “Civilians, citizens, and soldiers all, heed your king. All of you are eager for the invasion to come, and I most of all.” A thunderous rose of approval sprang up from the crowd, an event Kateno let die out on its own. He still had time before the engagement began. “It is with great satisfaction that we welcomed our new people, the griffons who through guile and wit remove their brethren from the war to come.”

Lilja steadied herself as renewed cheering erupted around her. This is why he wanted me here. To take the fall in place of himself. It was a bitter realization, but one she could not blame him for. Even so, she wasn’t going to go quietly. I did not betray the empire and fly across that damned Union just to be torn apart by an unwashed mob. So she waited for the enviable denouncement to come her way, a litany of rebukes already on the tip of her tongue.

Unaware of his newest khan’s musings, Kateno continued on. “However, wallowing in their terror, the Union threw themselves at the hooves of Lunaria begging for the ponies’ protection.” Kateno leaned heavily into derision over the fact, earning a multitude jeers and laughter all over the mile long stretch of onlookers. Though it was harder to catch, she could see some citizens were less than thrilled.

Now however, he took a more serious tone. “Everyone,” he called out to silence the crowd. “The ponies have no love for the Union, but when the Union leaders promise mountains of gold and their first born, I think you would struggle to find someone unwilling to carry that rifle. So they had come this day to test us. To see if opposing the Emerald Horde is worth that mountain of gold. If our brave and undefeated sailors crush the ponies this day, Lunaria will know to stand aside!”

The crowd’s cheering redoubled into a fevered pitch, and while Kateno acted like he was basking in it, his inner thoughts were deeply troubled. Zanar, may the gates of Howenhime open for you.

The hour was close now, and the warships slipped their moorings and were in the midst of stoking the magic propellers to life. Unease gripped Kateno’s heart as thirty six good ships and their sailors went to their doom. Zanar knows… but I don’t know how much he’s told his men. I left it to him to decide.

He had to keep up appearances though. This was supposed to be easy, a formality at best. A few people in the crowd had seen Lunarian steamships as anything more than showboaty. Fewer still saw the cannon those pony merchants kept carefully hidden when not dealing with pirates. Except for those very pirates, not one soul in the crowd had ever seen a Lunarian warship through anything but a spyglass.

Those scant few privateers laying low in the crowd knew them all too well. No one believed their tall tales of untouchable metal leviathans. Each of them found nooks and hidden crannies to watch that willful ignorance be swept away. They had felt those guns before, and to watch the other navy that hounded them from coast to coast receive a bloody nose would be a joy to behold.

Having broken from his troubled musings, Kateno cast his gaze upon Lilja. The jane was tense, no, wholly on edge was more accurate to his eye. “Remember this day, Lilja, this is a lesson we can ill afford to forget.”

That didn’t sound like an impending execution to her. So she took a moment to stop and truly listen. “Had I known they would come, I would have done differently, my king. My people-”

Several explosions rocked the harbor. The force of it instantly made Kateno flashback to the battlefields of his youth and that he was the target of artillery again. The whole center of his fleet, having not even cleared the harbor buoys, were aflame. The flagship alone had its bow blown off and there was the makings of a massive fire amidship. Taking his spyglass, Kateno saw flames licking from what gaping holes he could see.

The flames raged so strongly on the flagship that Kateno could barely make out the crew trying to fight the fires through the growing black smoke. A second shot struck home, this time plunging straight through the top deck. It exploded amongst the powder magazine and completely blew the ship apart in a volcano of fire and splinters that showered the waters all the way up to the pier.

“I know the time has come and gone, but was it truly necessary to open fire before they even properly got underway?”

“This is hardly the time for half measures, my Lady. He wanted a spectacle, he’s going to get it.”

As more shots rained in, some went wide, hitting the water, yet it all had the desired effect. The more flighty members of the crowd were already fleeing the area, yet some of the braver ones were already taking to the water to try and rescue survivors. Every shell burst, every sailor diving for safety, every act of desperation, Kateno watched it all to honor Zanar.

It was dusk by the time the guns fell silent. Like a satisfied dragon, the untouched Lunarian ships departed without a word. Their speech had been written by the wreckage and flotsam that stretched barely two miles from the pier to the sea. The carnage was given deep shadows by the dying sunlight and the multitude of flares, both mundane and magical alike. The harbor was alive with small boats trying to fish out what few survivors remained. The battle had been over for hours now, and everyone from the lowest beggar to Kateno himself were only still moving to keep from thinking about the battle. Yet the king did not have the luxury of seclusion.

It was late into the night that a pen scrawled on parchment as Kateno wrote the latest set of dispatches. He had established himself inside the customs house to remain close should his word be needed any further. He was surrounded by officials and soldiers alike as he coordinated the continuing relief effort.

With the late hour, matters were going to worsen. The wreckage of ships and bodies alike were going to clog the harbor for days, if not weeks as the tide turned and cast the more distant wrecked ships back onto land. It was all an enormous mess, and Kateno had silently resigned himself to personally lead the effort.

At present, a khan was talking with him over what to do about Lunaria. Standing or leaning in a rough half-circle in front of his desk were two other khans and three ministers. With a curt announcement from the guards outside, Lilja entered Kateno’s office. He waved the zebra for silence as she caught his eye. “Ah, Lilja, good, you’re here. Come, come.”

The jane was trying to suppress the fact that she was out of breath, as she had been neck deep in the relief work. Even with her efforts being futile, pride made her try anyway. “You called for me, sire?”

“I did.” Kateno cast a glance at the two other khans and ministers in the room, and motioned them to stay, but looked to the guard still poking his head in. “Make sure no one disturbs us.”

“Aye, sire.” Snapping a crisp salute, the door closed tightly behind Lilja.

Kateno heaved a heavy breath and stood up to address everyone. “Today has been a black day. Something that will never - should never be forgotten.”

“Aye!” cried the black drake in light leather flier’s armor. “It may have been a duel between fleets, but there was no honor this day, save for survival.”

“We can’t let this go,” said a zebra while slamming the wall with a hoof. “First the Union and its allies, and now the ponies?! We’ll be a laughingstock if we let this go without an answer!”

Scowling, Kateno looked to his newest khan. Lilja looked even more on edge than she had before the battle. He could guess as to why. “Lilja,” he said, causing her to jump a bit. “When you heard the ponies came here in force, did you know this would happen?”

Surrounded by all the other eyes in the room, all while the door was closed and undoubtedly barred, Lilja had no option but to hold her head high and speak truth to power. “I believed you would have either handed me over to them, or have me punished for this mistake.”

“Mistake?” Kateno parroted with faux surprise. “This was not a mistake, it was an error. I for one prefer to keep them distinct.” He looked at the drake. “Galrath, when you were ambushed at the Bleeding Widows, did my father punish you for losing half your army?”

Flashing crimson down his scales, the drake growled low. “Yes, sire.” That day still felt bitter, even years after. Knowing he would have to elaborate, Galrath pressed on, partially thankful Lilja would learn of it through his own lips. “Your father wanted my head for the dishonor of it all. You stopped him.”

“And I don’t regret it.” Kateno stated with firm conviction. “Before and after the ambush you have served with distinction and valor, old friend. Your honors are well earned.” Having placated the drake, Kateno returned his attention to Lilja. “I know you had no intention for this to happen, so there is no reason to censor you over it, save to ensure you remember your error. Am I clear?”

Surprised not just that she would not be punished, but that the other khans did not seem to regard her as darkly as she feared. “C-crystal clear, sire.” Her respect for him grew immensely.

“Good.” Kateno poured himself some wine, but stopped short of taking a swig just yet. “Because on all accounts, this massacre should never have happened. Error or not.” Grumbling, he downed half the glass in one go as those around him shared concerned looks. “As you must have heard, Zanar and I went on that pony flagship. We saw the power of those iron islands, and they mentioned that they had signed a guarantee of independence for the Union, every fiber of my being screamed at me that the war was already lost. And yet I could do nothing to stop it.” The admission drew pained looks from everyone save Galrath who remained stony. “Honor demanded something to be done. So I gave the order. I commanded Zanzar to sail to his death, and that of every sailor under him. Had I called off the invasion without a grand show of Lunarian power, my honor would be forfeit, along with my head.”

He looked up and cast a scathing glare at his subordinates, trying to see if anyone harbored the will to speak. “Not one of you can deny it.”

Neither of the khans looked comfortable enough to give an answer. Even the imposing Galrath could not bring himself to speak. The silence hanging in the air was oppressive, enough so that the zebra khan felt obligated to change the subject. “What are we to do, my king?”

Kateno took another drag from his wine, leaving a trail of red to run down his chin. He held the glass in front of himself as he wiped it away on his sleeve. “My original plan had been to turn the armies south. With griffons at our side now, we have a chance to cross the Hermite Cliffs, but now…” He put the glass down and stood up while lording over the desk to look each khan in the eye. “The Horde is damaged, and it was not done by pony hooves. No, they only exposed the wound.”

“Damaged how?” one of the ministers inquired. “That we are clearly lacking in cannon and iron?”

Kateno grumbled and impotently banged his glass down onto the desk, making the skittish minister jump. “No, it goes deeper. Our pride cost us Zanar and his fleet. It would have cost us the next war were my father still alive. The Emerald blade has chipped and we didn't even know it. Willful pride and those still drunk off our past victories is not a blanket we can wrap ourselves in.”

Kateno paused to think. He reclaimed his shot glass and blankly stared at his reflection. “We must slow to reflect and reforge ourselves anew. As to how or in what direction, I…” He scoffed at himself, feeling like his point was being lost. And with it, the loyalty of his inner circle. So he thought up a quick idea to buy time. “Lilja, you are still new here, and your ideas are novel. Tell us, how do the griffons view and make war? We have a general understanding of your methods, but not from a griffon’s eye.”

The room fell to silence as all eyes turned to her. Yet now it was her turn to chuckle derisively. “My king, your - acclaim is appreciated, but I fear the empire is not who you should turn to. No, instead you should know about how the ponies wage war.”

“How, pray tell, can we do that?” Galrath fussed over a seeming dead end. “The Lunarians are a secretive bunch. Any other leader would have sent a delegation to demand recompense for what was done to them. Not a damned flotilla.”

“Clearly none of you remember how Maladora reacted to their merchant caravan being butchered,” remarked a minister with grim humor. “Granted it wasn’t us, but that didn’t stop them.”

The zebra khan growled, trying to banish the poor joke. “Diamond dogs are brainless barbarians, I was more surprised they didn’t raid their own caravan by mistake.”

A thus far silent minister smoldered anger at how all of this talk amounted to surrender. “The ponies are not that complicated. They know war. Today was just a tease. A taste. But they were fools to stop there. With respect, we should spend our time crafting our own ironclads, not lamenting the limits to our station.”

Kateno stomped a hoof, rattling the table, and waved at them. “Silence, all of you!” He focused keenly on the last minister until the centauri cowed his gaze away from him. Slowly satisfied he remained unchallenged, Kateno zeroed in on Lilja. “Continue.”

Lilja nervously smoothed the feathers on her neck after nodding her compliance. “My knowledge comes third claw, I’m afraid. My holdings were the furthest from Lunaria, and unfiltered knowledge about them is scarce enough as it is. But what I can say is that to the ponies, war is a… a…” She rolled a claw trying to find the right word. “Like a trade, or industry. Yes, those fit. To them, war is trade. A good to be supplied and expended.”

Galrath recoiled at the very idea. “Trade?! What of honor or valor?”

Lilja scowled a bit as she recalled all those letters and details. It helped her house had formed due to the last war with Lunaria, so she had less bad blood to color her words. “They value that as well, if you can sift through the grime and muck my brethren say about them. Acts of valor and the like are rewarded, naturally, but the conduct of war to them is like the machines they hold so dear. Each soldier is a cog. Supply the lubricant, and leaders are the ones tending to it all. If there is a defect, like say a poor plan of action, then they discard it with ease. That is how they amass such power and respect. The Equestrians can check them, but that is only on land.”

“War as a trade… a machine…?” Kateno sat back down and clasped his hands in front of his face. His thoughts dwelling deeply upon the idea.

A khan laughed mockingly about it all. “What soldier can fight under a leader or cause without honor? Not even mercenaries think only of coin.”

Galrath shook his head in exasperated disappointment at his peer. “Clearly they see honor differently.”

Fearing his khans would start spiraling off topic, Kateno made a show of standing up and noisily pushing his chair away. “I need all of you to go back to your homes. Summon your brightest minds and gather them at the old capital, I am moving the throne. Take the lesson Zanar paid for in blood to heart.”

“What do we tell the people?” asked one of the khans. “They will be calling for blood before long.”

Kateno slammed his hands on the desk and leaned over to him with a look of stunned exasperation. “They want blood, they can sieve it out of the harbor! The ponies didn’t have to stop at sinking our ships. Had they so choose, they could have razed the Horde’s entire coast to cinders, and we could never scratch those metal monsters.” He glared heavily at those he suspected would falter or still craved battle. “Eight cities and over a hundred villages gone, and the Emerald Horde would be cleaved in two. This was a slap across the face, and I refuse to make it worse than that.

“These reforms need to happen, and they need time. So bluster, belittle this defeat, do what you must, but do not allow the people to force you into provoking the ponies. If we have to lose face to spare our coasts the flames, so be it. I have spoken.”

That was the end of it. Lilja and the ones like her were in no small amount, please to hear it. Those who were left incensed however were left bitter, but even they could not deny facts. They would all begrudgingly turn their eyes away from the Union.

It was weeks later by the time Twilight Sparkle finally returned home. She was done. The expedition, the talks, the long trip back, all of it dragged on her energy as the carriage pulled into the sparse farmland around Talon Point. With Rainbow Dash lagging behind to address her unit, and Applejack splitting off to visit her family, the carriage had been thankfully quiet.

The trip from castle to manor had only been an hour or so, yet it was long enough for Pinkie to collapse into a nap. Presently, she had claimed the forward bench and was snoozing through the various bumps in the road.

Twilight however was content to watch the skies and clouds above. Word of the new lands ripe for colonizing had put a fire in everyone’s bellies. The cloud districts above were already thinning as fliers were the quickest to leave, many not even bothering to wait for the pioneer programs to establish themselves.

To think all it took from Luna was to say we had breathing room again. I wonder how much farmland around here we will be forced to let go fallow.

The carriage came to a stop with a cobblestone clatter. Fatigued to the point where her wings were going limp, Twilight stepped out to find her husband and three children waiting for her. This time apart had been difficult. Each day felt like a week, but now she could move past all the pomp and ceremony of Tranquility.

A brilliant smile crossed her face at the sight of her family and she was quickly beset by the twins. The two fillies, one pegacorn and the other a thestral, swamped her with squeals of delight.

Decorum demanded Twilight restrain them a bit, but she was too tired for protocol. So she submitted to the youthful assault by dropping to her belly and cradling them in her unarmored wings.

With a surprised, but welcome chuckle, Silver Vein walked over with the youngest on his back, a little thestral colt who was teething on a blanket. “Glad you managed to pull yourself away from the palace. Come on, Spring Roll, Prism, give momma some room to breathe.”

He offered her a hoof, and she struggled to rise even with the help. “It has certainly been tiring.” She leaned down, wobbling a bit, to nuzzle her twins. “How about we all relax in the library with a spot of tea and I can read the Hungry Parasprite?”

The fillies stopped jumping and crowded around their father. “Cookies too?!”

Smirking and casting an eye towards Twilight, Silver spoke with a silly tone. “Well momma is the boss. You should ask her.”

Twilight scowled at him, only for Spring to tug on her mane, forcing Twilight’s head down to stare into the manic eyes of her daughter. “Please momma, cookies cookies!”

Groaning out of fatigue and just down right lack of social energy, Twilight didn’t even put up a fight. “Yes, you can have cookies. But only if Aunty Pinkie Pie helps you make them, not the staff.”

A distant and confused, “huh? What?” came from behind her. Pinkie playfully yelled as the fillies swarmed her.

Silver Vein helped Twilight back up and uselessly swiped at the bit of drool encrusted mane. “They’re adorable aren’t they?”

Still feeling the sway of the ocean beneath her hooves, Twilight took a deeper liking to her peaceable son who was still preoccupied with his blanket. “What they are is a bit much.” Using some untapped reserve of strength, Twilight used her wings to fix her hair right and proper, and took some comfort from all the manic giggling coming from the carriage. “Instead of tea, I need a hot meal and a chance to sleep in my own bed. We can do tea and storytime tomorrow.” He bent down and kissed her son’s forehead before pulling back to repeat the gesture to Silver’s lips.

“I suspected as much.” Silver waved a wing towards the elevator, prompting his wife to join after him. A look further back revealed Pinkie Pie was making a fool of herself playing with the fillies. It was odd to see a noble act in such a way, and yet Twilight had not said a word against it. Well, if she allows it, then who am I to speak up? “Oh, by the by,” Silver announced as he fished around his vest.

Twilight watched him struggle to find the item while keeping the colt on his back. She closed the elevator grate, and activated it right as Silver produced a letter.

“Here it is, the daft thing didn’t want to let go.” He gave it over. “This arrived yesterday.”

It was a hefty envelope, and could easily be holding a decently sized book. She didn’t need to fully read the return address to recognize the hornwriting. “This…” She held it close, fearful the winds might carry the heavy thing away. “This is from my father!” Shielding the envelope from the wind with her body, Twilight pulled it back to fully read the front. Sure enough it carried her home address on the corner, while the mailing address was in her mother’s hoofwriting. “They finally wrote me.”

Her thoughts raced as to what could be written within. With renewed vigor, she went about reattaching her wing-armor. She no longer wanted to wait for the elevator to take her home, but she stopped short to look at her husband. “Silver, I-”

Twilight was struck by emotion, and her voice faltered. Her lip quivered at what her parents could have to say, what reprimands flooded those pages. Apologies perhaps? Anything and everything ran at blinding speed in her mind’s eye.

Outwardly, Twilight was a sputtering mess. She paced in circles around Silver, her armor remaining partially hanging off. She was spiraling into such distress that Silver tugged on her shoulder to stop her. “Twilight, maybe you should read those with Pinkie Pie.” Twilight opened her mouth to argue, but he held a firm hoof up. “It hardly matters what these letters say, it will be difficult, of that I have no doubt. I-” It was his turn to stumble now. He wanted to help her, but he knew Pinkie would be a better fit. He gently held her by the chin and met her damp eyes, already swelling with tears. “She can help you better than I.”

“I can’t,” Twilight pulled away and tightly closed her eyes. “I was their daughter, but Pinkie was their slave.”

“She is your sister all the same.”

Cringing at the duress Pinkie would be put under, Twilight held the thick envelope close to her heart. The last she heard of them was from Shining Armor during the peace talks. The envelope burned in her grasp as she desperately wanted to open it. She tensed her jaw and lowered it a touch. “Perhaps you’re right. Right now she’ll want to cook dinner and play with the girls. Once everything settles down, I’ll ask her.”

Silver knew she needed cheering up and maneuvered himself so the colt was next to her. The boy rolled over to grab at her, cooing to hold his mother.

A wide grin helped distract her, and Twilight leaned over to take him into her wings. The little thestral wiggled and squirmed to hold her cooing the whole time to get her attention. With a stress releasing giggle, she nuzzled the jubilant child. It can wait a few hours.

Author's Note

Returning to where it began. That shouldn’t cause any emotional issues, right?

50: A Letter From Home

Twilight and Pinkie were reading books in the manor’s study after supper. With Silver busy tucking the kids into bed, the mares were left in relative peace.

Perfect for what Twilight needed.

The study was a quiet place, furthest from the workshops, kitchen, and bedrooms, the tall oak bookshelves stretched from wall to wall. As much as she wanted to sink into her book, the envelope remained on an oak desk close by. She looked over to her beloved sister, a nervous frown fell over Twilight. After such a heavy meal, Pinkie looked enthralled by her book, and there was a contentment on her face that Twilight dearly wished to remain.

And yet to ignore the envelope from her parents would be impossible. So with great reluctance, she closed her book and set it heavily on a small table, adjusting its edges to line up with the table. “Pinkie, I got a - package today.” As her sister looked up, Twilight pulled the envelope over.

Deciding to ignore the hesitant tone, Pinkie focused on the size of it as she too put her book down. “Oh! Is it Maud’s mineral report? You know how much she loves to go on about geode sizes.”

Twilight got up and walked over to sit next to her sister. “No…” She held the envelope close to hide the addresses. “It’s from my parents.”

Pinkie’s ears flattened instantly, but she caught herself and tried to force a more supportive expression. “Really?” She looked down and noticed the envelope remained sealed. “You didn’t need to wait on my account.”

“Maybe,” Twilight acquiesced while fidgeting with her wing fingers. “But it didn’t feel right to leave you out.”

Giving a thin smile, Pinkie held little love for Twilight’s parents, but she had no distaste for them either. As far as slave masters went, they had been firm but in other ways more lenient than they otherwise should have been. Still, Pinkie could see how worked up Twilight was over it and couldn’t stand seeing her in such a state. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll read it with you.”

Relief washed over Twilight’s face, and she moved in to nuzzle Pinkie. “Thank you.”

She quickly adopted a more jovial demeanor for Twilight’s benefit, and poked the rather thick envelope, and arched a curious eyebrow. “Did they mail you a book? A diary perhaps?!”

Taking a deep breath, Twilight put the envelope on the table and was quick to open it. Within was not a letter or a book, a fact that earned both mares’ curiosity. There was a small bolt of cloth wrapped around a rectangular drum. Cotton by the feel of it, and it had a strange pattern to it. The drum had a dim mana crystal inset on the top, undoubtedly having lost its power in the transit over. Lastly there was a single sheet of folded paper tucked into the leading edge of the cloth.

“It’s an instruction leaflet?” Pinkie claimed the page with intrigue flooding every word.

Twilight focused on what was underneath it and dominated the bulk of the package. Carefully picking it up, it revealed the cotton was a single continuous piece ten feet long. Dyed into it was a surprisingly intricate pattern of runes, circular pictographs, and-

Twilight hummed in uncertain surprise. “If I didn’t know any better, it’s say this is a spell tapestry.”

With her sister so focused on the cloth, Pinkie claimed the paper. “It’s a… phono witness spell,” Pinkie stated after skimming the instructions.” She was curious more than anything. “It says we only need to feed magic into the crystal insert, and the drum will speak.”

The sisters shared a look with a fair amount of excitement over the novel device. They couldn’t find a unicorn staffer quickly enough, and once the crystal was empowered, the two waited with baited breath as Twilight slotted the charged crystal back into place.

“Is it working?” came Twilight Velvet’s inquisitive voice.

Twilight Sparkle’s breath hitched at her mother’s voice. It was more reedy now, but she knew who it was in an instant.

“Yes, ma’am,” an unfamiliar stallion stated with conviction. “The roll will give you a few minutes. I’ll go ahead and give you two some privacy.”

“Thank you so much,” came Night Light’s voice, although he sounded as strong as ever.

There was a pause, save for hoofsteps on marble that grew increasingly distant. The delay rubbed Twilight’s nerves raw, and tears were already running down her face at hearing her parents’ voices. She held Pinkie in close with a shaking wing. Her sister nuzzled her for strength, and pulled back when Night Light spoke up as soon as a faint door closure was heard.

“Twily, I hope our message finds you well. We thought about writing a letter time and time again. But we had no idea if our letters would even get to you, or if you would even open them. Terra knows I made one too many inquiries to see if your letters might have been intercepted by the inquisition and then…” He scoffed at himself. “Here I am wasting time with excuses.”

In Spite of herself, Twilight grumped out of mild embarrassment at Pinkie giggling at her expense.

This time her mother chimed in. “No, don’t you dare try to mess with it, Nighty, what’s written is written. Trying to stop it mid way though causes the whole thing to be ruined.”

More exasperated sighs left him. “To think I can-” He stopped himself once more. “Twilight, my dearest daughter. We love you impossibly so, but the pieces have fallen where they have. We do not begrudge you for anything you’ve done, Twily. Goodness knows the fear of you being too idealistic for your own good was always in the back of my mind. Dare I say this, but even before you aided in the Sisters’ rescue I believed you winding up in Lunaria was probably your best chance at seeing past thirty. Now might be able to add a zero to that number,” Velvet added with bountiful pride.

“You have done amazingly well, dear,” Velvet chimed in, followed by hushed words with her husband that were too quiet to hear properly. “But there is a reason we wanted this to reach you in our voice rather than a letter. My brave little girl, with you living your life in Lunaria, and your brother married into royalty, House Light has no heir, save for your cousin Waning Light. You couldn’t find a more fitting name for her heart, if you ask me. Let me be clear,” Velvet said with sudden haste, as if to cut her daughter’s thoughts off short. “This is not a request for you to return for good, just to visit us.” “You have made a life for yourself, and if even half of what I hear is true, then it’s a damn good one. But I am too old to foal again, and have been since before you left.” There was deep pain in Velvet’s voice, as if she felt the weight of her house’s demise was squarely on her shoulders. “Which is why we will be donating the estate to the crown when we pass.”

Twilight gasped in surprise, and even Pinkie Pie was taken aback. The two had been so buried into their own affairs, the sudden news was like a splash of cold water.

“I know it sounds premature, but with my health ailing,” Night Light stated with raised conviction, “I would rather handle the matter sooner rather than later. Besides, it’s a roundabout way to let Shiny inherit everything.”

“You would not believe how furious that made Waning Light,” Velvet cloyingly huffed with utter disdain. You were probably too young to remember Waning very well, but believe you me, I won’t see her getting her grubby hooves on a single blade of our grass.”

This time her father spoke up with a muffled sour cough. “Now - now I know what you’re thinking, you renounced the family name and all. But, we never disowned you. And we kept your room more or less how you left it. I’m afraid the Inquisition at the time felt the need to tear the place apart looking for further evidence of unpleasantness, but we fixed it back up for you.”

“Including that rather daring picture of Summer Storm, you had under the bed. I had to pull rank to save that little number from the inquisition too, I hope you know,” Velvet teased with a low laugh. Twilight went beat red and hid her face from a snickering Pinkie Pie. “You can imagine full well how fussy they were,” Velvet added with the old coy note in her voice. “And well, my little cloud hopper, with matters between the throne and crown improving, and the full pardon you received, we were hoping you could come home to see us.”

“You’re twice a world away, Twily,” Night Light added with barely masked pain. “And even I admit this problem with the estate could be seen as a vain one, but if nothing else, we hope it is not too much trouble for you to visit us. Whatever you choose to do, please don’t leave us in silence.”

The voice cut out as the last of the tapestry had run its course. Twilight was left dumbstruck by the news, and were it not for Pinkie, she’d have dropped to the floor. Her sister kept her steady long enough to pull Twilight over to a chair. Pinkie sat down in front of her, and held Twilight’s hoof until the pegacorn was able to speak again.

“Pinkie… I can’t just write a letter. Not to this…”

“I doubt you’ll settle for shipping a gramophone either,” Pinkie replied with a resigned smile. “And we just got back home too.”

Having long gotten used to her sister’s off humor, Twilight opted to simply hug Pinkie. “You know me too well.” Squeezing Pinkie close as a tear sank into her fur, Twilight pulled back. “I won’t ask you to come too.”

“Pah! You think I'm going to let you go back there by yourself?” Pinkie sighed in faux insult. “You can't get rid of me that easy.”

51: Homecoming

“And that’s the long and short of it.”

Luna slowly nodded as Twilight fell silent. The empress had pulled her into a sitting room during a recess in court. A strong fire filled out the room where the warm light bulbs failed to reach. The fine furniture was so new the cushions were still a little stiff.

A tea cup clinked back onto its saucer as Luna finished her sullen musings. “Friend Twilight, I can honestly say I would love nothing more than to see my own parents again. I can have a thousand acquaintances and a dozen friends, but no one ever replaces your parents…” A short, rough laugh escaped the empress. “They’d probably bite my ear off for everything that has happened between Tia and I, but all the same…” Luna fell quiet as she tried to leave that scar alone. “But it is politically troublesome to let you go. I like to think the public see you as Lunarian, but a visit to Equestria like this might give your detractors reason to sow doubt.”

“I thought of this,” Twilight stated with her wings held forward for emphasis. “Which is why I’m not there to visit family, but to see about establishing an embassy for us.”

“An embassy?” Luna met the idea with a low smoldering scowl. She stood up so as to hide her souring face. “I had thought better of you, Friend Twilight. We have no need for such a thing with Equestria, and as much as I value your friendship, I will not sink into nepotism for your political convenience.”

Taken aback by the vitriol, Twilight gave a placating wave of her wings. “With respect, your highness, I do not ask this of you lightly,” she replied a bit too hastily for her liking. “I will admit, the timing is convenient, but I firmly believe we need an embassy, now more than ever. A proper one that is more than glorified museum piece.”

Luna felt a flash of the old anger, of the nobility’s silver tongues robbing her sister of her sight and reason. Yet thus far, the pegacorn had served her faithfully, and so Luna was willing to listen rather than kick her out of the palace then and there. “I can speak with my sister freely each day, we can negotiate in moments what it would take diplomats and talking heads years to accomplish.” Luna did not turn back around just yet, unwilling to trust herself to remain outwardly neutral, let alone cordial. “The dream realm is my embassy.”

Twilight saw her mistake in that moment and bowed a little out of habit. “I wouldn’t - Ah - dream - of trying to put ponies between you and Celestia. I know that’s how our people became divided in the first place. But what if you got hurt, or wanted to go on holiday and couldn’t reach us?”

Humming in annoyance, Luna shook her head. “Yes, yes, and I heard all of this before both from your lips and others when I first took the throne. It must seem so obvious to you, to delegate so much, but it was not so in my day.” At last she turned back towards Twilight Sparkle with barely any improvement to her scowl. “There is so much talk of practicality and ‘common sense’ to it all. What personal touch do I have left if not diplomacy? The way it all feels, am I ruling ponies, or a vast machine?”

Had it come from anyone else, Twilight would have been incensed by deriding a machine. Here however, she had to think for a moment to find the right words. “If… Your Highness, I - that is a very impersonal way to look at government.”

“Am I wrong?” Luna challenged sternly. “I have a department of agriculture, war, law, treasury, education, coal, there’s even one for just handling shipping in and out of the city. All of them cogs and belts. I will confess speaking with my sister is not always pleasant. By Terra she can be damnably irrational half the time, but at least it is pony to pony. Not some untouchable thing that claims responsibility but takes none of it.”

Trying to hold firm under such glowering scrutiny, Twilight kept her tone strong. “I am not trying to take Celestia away,” she continued a bit softer now. “But what I propose would allow you more time to just be sisters, not only rulers.” When Luna pulled her head back in suspicion, Twilight pressed on. “Believe me when I say this, Pinkie means the world to me, and I have no doubt Celestia means that to you, or else you would have told Rainbow Dash to fire a second shot that night. Let a diplomat take care of the small things, the little necessities that get between you two and just having a nice night together.”

Luna said nothing for a spell. She averted her gaze to think, yet no matter how much time Twilight gave her, the alicorn’s mood only darkened.

Realizing that more rebuttals were coming, Twilight had to think quickly. “I - if - if this is not -” Twilight gasped a little as an idea struck her. “May I ask you a personal question?”

Luna’s grim mood faltered at the reluctant tone. “Go ahead.”

“Do you want our species to reunify?” Twilight spoke with quick insistence now. “I don’t mean tomorrow, a decade, or even a century. But at some point, do you want us to come together?”

The difficult question was posed firmly, and in that Luna felt compelled to answer rather than blow it off. “I… can not say. Right now I do not. As much as I wish to hold my sister again, my people revile Equestrians, and how can I blame them? And yet today’s Lunarians are so very different than the ones I led in rebellion. They honor me, yes, but the culture… is so very different. You were from Equestria before, surely you understand. What I want now, what the people want could change in time into something unrecognizable.”

So a long winded way of saying ‘I don’t know yet.’ It was noncommittal, but it was something Twilight could work with. “If it is too early for a diplomat, then what about an… an envoy!”

Luna’s thoughtful glower turned a modicum towards a humorless smile. “Are they not one in the same?”

“Not necessarily,” Twilight hastened to say with a raised warding wing-finger. “We could, instead of imperial business, let the envoy speak on… um, matters of Harmony, like Faithful Hymn. Yes, we could continue his work there. And might I add, there is a distinct lack of cannibalism in Equestria.”

Having acquiesced to Luna’s refusal, the empress’ expression softened considerably. But only to a point. “Crass, but fair. Besides, they already follow Harmony. What would be the point?”

Now that she had bought more time to think, Twilight tried to refine the idea. “While I have no doubt you can keep the peace with Celestia on a personal level, the public at large doesn’t exactly benefit from these talks. Which is what the envoy would be for. They can speak with the Equestrian public directly and quell the animosity between us, one act at a time. Celestia would have an easier time imposing the peace if the number of potential warhawks was diminished.”

Luna waved a wing for her to stop. “You have made your point.” The empress turned to think it over for a minute or so. “I resent having my wing twisted like this, but I will discuss the matter today with her. I doubt the mare eternally guilty of pollyanna will be more than happy to hear this.” A playful grin crossed Luna’s muzzle. “Do you have a candidate in mind, yourself perhaps?”

Twilight’s fur bristled out of panic and she hastily waved her wings to the negative. “No no noooo no. No. I have a workshop and children to raise. With respect, my place is at Talon Peak.”

“I only jest, my friend. I’m sure a candidate will manifest soon enough. I will make an announcement in court that you will be sent to secure this… embassy of peace for us. That should give you leave to see your parents in the public’s eyes.”

Bowing with a relieved sigh, Twilight resisted the urge to rub the stress out of her face. “I thank you for your kindness, your highness.”

“Oh don’t thank me too hard. Your estranged family may be eager to see you again, but I doubt you’ll get such a warm reception from anypony else who recognizes you.”

Within relatively short order, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and the twins were on a boat for the old world. With her son far too young to travel, both he and Silver Vein reluctantly remained behind to keep an eye over the estate and the foundry’s progress in particular.

On a clear and crisp night barely a day or so from arriving at port, Twilight was seated at a desk going over notes and draft paper as she conjured her next invention, an improvement to aluminum smelting.

Her desk was as organized as the rocking of the ocean would allow her, yet it was a far cry from the mess her daughters caused not hours prior.

A knock on the door dragged Twilight’s nose out of the draft paper. “Enter.”

Rainbow Dash stuck her nose inside the cramped cabin before fully stepping inside. “Everything is set for departure tomorrow.”

“Wonderful.” Twilight closed a red binder to focus on her friend and bodyguard. “Rainbow, I’ve considered your problem with security, but I’m afraid your proposal is untenable.”

Scoffing and blowing some mane out of her eyes, the thestral spoke with more annoyance than anything else. “Only you would find it impossible to avoid work on what amounts to a holiday.”

“Oh it’s not the work issue. I’ll be shipping these back home when we arrive in Mechiburg. But I will be making use of the safe I mentioned.”

Rainbow groaned loudly at the idea of having to lug such a thing around, let alone protect it. “If you’re not putting anything in a safe, then why bring it at all?”

Twilight stood up and waved a hoof with an aristocratic flare. “If there is one thing Equestrians know us for is that we love our secrets. Something they equally loved to force slaves to divulge. You’d be surprised just how many spy novels and plays Equestria has about us.”

Rainbow tilted her head out of mild confusion. “So you’re going through the trouble of bringing a safe to play up a stereotype?”

“In part. The safe is a statement,” Twilight replied with an overtly conspiratorial eyebrow wiggle. “The common Equestrian will be drawn to expose whatever secret lies within. The only thing of value in the safe are drawings from the girls. Believe me, this’ll make your job easier,” she added with a coy wink. “If opened by anypony other than myself, a multicolored staining dye will explode out. That part was Pinkie’s idea.”

“Classy, maybe we can give them a clown nose to complete the look.” Rainbow’s mirth proved persistent as she wiped a tear away at the mental image of a royal guard covered in dyes. “I’ll pass the word on to my crew to treat it like actual sensitive documents.” Rainbow paused for a moment as a devilish grin crossed her lips. “Ya know, if the whole point is to draw attention, what if you ‘accidentally‘ carry away some ‘documents’? I can tackle you to the ground to stop you, eh?”

Twilight recoiled from past pain. Anytime a threat emerged the thestral loved to tackle Twilight to the dirt ‘for her protection’ of course. “I would prefer you announce your intentions for once. If nothing else, it’ll keep my brother from jabbing a pistol against your temple.”

“I’m sure he’s got a sense of humor in there somewhere,” was all Rainbow said while keeping a sly grin.

Suddenly feeling like she was in danger of visiting the floor again, Twilight had to physically shake herself to keep her poise intact. “All joking aside-”

“Who’s joking?” Rainbow interrupted flatly.

Grimacing at potential future pain, Twilight coughed into a wing. “Yes, well, I wanted to thank you for coming along with me. I know the last thing you wanted to do was to set a hoof inside Canterlot without an army at your back.”

“Are you kidding?” Rainbow asked with genuine enthusiasm. “Not only am I going to be the first bat to enter Canterlot, but everypony’s gonna know it was the same mare who blooded Celestia’s nose. Oh I can’t wait to see all those angry faces! It’s going to be awesome!”

Now deeply regretting her choices in life, Twilight nearly dropped all poise and leaned over the desk with a pleading look. “Rainbow, please for the love of the armada, don’t cause a diplomatic incident. The last thing we need is your battered smirk on newspapers across the world.”

Rainbow held her wings out in a faux innocent gesture. “What do you take me for? I’m a stand up imperial officer, with plenty of diplomatic standing around and looking tough. I don’t have to do a thing, the thugs will come to me. Just like how they occasionally come for you every so often.”

“As I recall, the local ruffians are after my money or food, not my person.” Twilight had to breathe nice and slow to calm her nerves. “At least self defense is an enshrined right in Equestria.” Twilight adopted a conspiratorial grin to derail the thestral’s teasing. If Rainbow was going to play dirty, then so could she. “All that aside, I heard from a very reliable source that you’re up for promotion to major when we get back.”

Rainbow groaned at the reminder. Major was more than just a step up in rank, but an automatic acceptance into the nobility, no matter one’s birth or wealth. An elevation in status that was only up for renewal a decade after retirement. “That’s the last thing I need.”

“Poppycock,” Twilight declared with a dismissive wave of a wing. “You are going to be a general one day, and you’re not allowed to retire until you have a star on that sleeve.”

“If I go major, I’ll be taken off your protection detail,” Rainbow countered with a morose tone and wilting ears.

“Rainbow Dash, the sixth Merchant’s Creed expressly states: Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity. It’s a crass rule, but it has enough merit to listen to.” Rainbow gave Twilight a sour look with one ear going flat. “What I mean is, we can and will still be friends, but don’t cling so tightly to me or the others that your career suffers.”

“It’s not just that,” Rainbow countered weakly. “Odds are good I won’t get a frontier assignment, and even if I do, I won’t get to do any actual exploring. I’ll be a desk jockey.”

Suppressing a need to roll her eyes, Twilight decided to ignore the jab. “I doubt the one who ‘smacked the sun’ will be chained to a desk. Besides, even if you do, it’s not the problem it sounds like, because I heard you bought a ring for Soarin.” Rainbow went beat red, only egging Twilight on. “Rainbow you crafty temptress, he’s quite a dashing one isn’t he? Oh you two will make beautiful foals together.”

Flushing bright red down to her neck, Rainbow made sure the door was shut and leaned in to whisper-shout at Twilight. “How did you hear about that? I haven’t told anypony!”

“A lady never tells,” Twilight stated, irritating the thestral to no end. “Just be sure to let me know when the wedding is, I insist on covering the costs.”

Trying to gather her wits, Rainbow pulled back and cracked the door open to make sure no one was eavesdropping. “What makes you think I want a big wedding in the first place?”

Now it was Twilight’s turn to scoff dramatically. “You, the braggart who looks for a new face at the lounge so you can tell the story about you breaking Celestia’s nose? Or how your unit ambushed a camp of twenty inquisitors while dragging poor helpless me all the while?”

“All of that is mostly true.”

“Funny, because whenever Applejack joins you, those stories sound far less grand.” Twilight leaned in, causing her friend to start sweating. “Don’t bother trying to get out of this. Pinkie Pie’s already working up the details. The history books will dedicate a whole page on it after she’s through.”

“She wouldn’t dare!”

“Are you sure?” Twilight developed a mad hatter grin. “If you behave, I might be able to talk her down to just a hoofnote in history.”

“Hey, would you look at the time? I need to check on my team.” Rainbow bid a hasty retreat, leaving Twilight cackling in her wake.

The transfer from ship to train took only a day, and the group were traveling westward by the following morning. Since Mechiburg had not fallen, by old treaty, the Equestrian border wouldn’t be reached for another seventy miles. For many, it was still too close. Due to her official mandate, Twilight had been granted a special car with an expanded cabin for all, including a private study.

Her private car had been latched to the rest of the more Equestrian-sourced train. With both Rainbow’s small detail of soldiers along with a large contingent of escorting Royal Guards, no one along the route bothered the car, let alone the family itself. With the train having taken the last collection of supplies for the final push to Canterlot, both sisters and Rainbow were present in the study. Twilight had given up trying to work days ago, and was instead trying to teach the twins the alphabet with mixed results. Something Pinkie Pie was glad to help with. Content to watch the education from afar, Rainbow Dash lounged on a bench with her nose in a book, but most of her focus was on the passing landscape outside.

In the flatlands surrounding the Canterhorn, the town of Ponyville was whipping by. What she saw both confused and worried the soldier. Tenement houses flanked a series of factories if the tall smokestacks and steady stream of black smoke were anything to go by. It was a pale shadow to Tranquility’s industrial zones, but their existence at all is what got Rainbow to stand up out of concern. “Equestrian factories… By the moon, that’s horrifying,” she exclaimed inadvertently too loudly.

The tone drew the sisters’ attention. Pinkie stayed with the twins, allowing Twilight to join her protector at the window. “What’s wrong?”

Rainbow waved a hoof outside. “Look!”

Complying, Twilight gazed out and couldn’t help but to coo out of delighted surprise. “Moon in the stars, I didn’t think I’d see this for two hundred years.”

“What’s going on?” Pinkie called out while Prism demanded snacks.

“You remember Ponyville? It’s becoming a factory town.”

Shaking a few cookies free of her mane, Pinkie offered them as sacrifices to join the others at the window. “This I have to see for myself.”

The others moved aside, and once Pinkie saw it she let out a low whistle. “I’ll be. Looks like you got your wish, Twily.”

“Wish?” Rainbow asked in worried astonishment.

Twilight lingered at the window as the factories were obscured by the rest of Poniville. The train was soon going to start the long winding path up the mountain. “This was back before I defected of course, but I had dreamed of bringing Lunarian-style factories into Equestria since I was a filly. To see it now… irks me a bit I suppose, because now I can’t be the one to pioneer it.”

“Psshh,” Pinkie huffed dismissively. “You got to skip the hard part. You’re still doing great work with aluminum and the reworked flying machine. It’ll be five years tops before even a pauper could afford a set of aluminum cutlery. After that, a flying machine that anypony can use.”

Prism pulled away from her twin and scampered over to weave herself in between her mother’s legs. She looked up into Twilight’s face with a massive grin. “Hi momma.”

Giggling, Twilight brushed the filly’s mane with her unarmored wings. “Hey my little cloud hopper. What about you, do you want a flying machine?”

“Yeah!” The filly cheered happily as her featherless wings wrapped around Twilight’s forelegs. “A fast one that can beat a pegasususus.”

“I might just do that.” Twilight brushed Prism’s nose with her own.”

Screeching metal wheels heralded the train’s arrival at Canterlot Station. Twilight had Prism nestled between her neck and her armor’s engine. She was gnawing on a cookie to distract her. Pinkie followed after her along the car’s hallway with Spring Roll latched to her mane. Rainbow Dash came up third while her three soldiers followed after them with the safe being rolled along.

An earth pony conductor was standing at the exit and bowed lightly upon seeing them. “I trust our accommodations were to your satisfaction, my lady.”

“They were, thank you.” No sooner had the words left Twilight’s mouth that she caught sight out of the doors. While other passengers freely departed the other cars, a cordon of royal infantry was quickly forming up. “It seems our debutant chaperones are here. Captain, it’s time to be introduced to high society, I hope you worked on your airs.”

“Oh very funny,” Rainbow jeered as her paranoia rose, being around so many royal soldiers without a rifle. “Try to put me in a sundress and I will stab you.” She waggled her wing claw for emphasis, an act that didn’t elicit much concern out of Twilight, only an amused grin.

Twilight took the lead with Pinkie Pie at her side. Rainbow came next with her three troopers escorting the safe on noisy rollers.

Standing not too far off was Shining Armor resplendent in his dress uniform with Cadence at his side. She too wore her regalia with practiced grace. The crowd of ponies beyond the cordon of infantry took keen interest, doubly so when they realized there were four thestrals and a unicorn wearing the imperial army’s uniform.

The crowd started to press in, only for the infantry to bang the ground with the butts of their rifles, a firm warning that the civilians heeded. While keeping enough distance to avoid provoking the soldiers again, the crowd’s curiosity caused many to go airborne to get a better look.

Twilight tried to ignore it all to focus on her brother and sister-in-law. Upon reaching speaking distance, she bowed to Cadence. “Thank you for having us, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Prince-Consort Shining Armor.” Pinkie bowed as well, however Rainbow and her crew who only gave a nod of respect, as was tradition. Through it all, the fillies were wide-eyed at all the new sights and sounds. Silver had trained them well, and the twins remained quiet, but were excitedly bouncing around on Twilight and Pinkie’s backs.

Cadence wore a brilliant smile upon seeing Twilight and that smile only grew upon laying eyes on the foals. It took serious effort to refrain from squealing over them. “Imperial Engineer Twilight Sparkle and company, please join us in the carriages. Given the late hour, Queen Celestia would prefer to formally welcome your arrival in open court tomorrow morning. Especially you-” Cadence paused to check the rank insignia on Rainbow’s hat. “Captain. I don’t think there has ever been a thestral in Canterlot.”

At least not one that wasn’t a prisoner, everyone thought in one form or another.

The request caught the soldiers by surprise, and they all looked to their commander. “Uhhh -” Rainbow coughed to buy time to think. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Excellent.” Shining Armor waved to the waiting carriages. His eye caught the safe, making him stumble a bit. “We expected luggage, but a safe?”

“You know me, I never could go a day without work. Unfortunately a lot of what I do is confidential.”

“Yeah but…” He sighed a laugh. “You haven’t changed at all.” Shining Armor laughed warmly before he guided everyone to the carriages.

Between the four family members and the two fillies, the first carriage filled up quickly. Before stepping inside, he looked at Rainbow Dash. “We have a second carriage for you and your subordinates.”

“If it’s all the same,” Rainbow Dash stated with a note of malicious compliance. “I am not one to leave my charge unattended. My crew will take the carriage, and I’ll ride on top of yours.”

The declaration caused Shining’s brain to backfire, and he dumbly blinked at her. The delay was enough for Twilight to stick her head out to whisper in his ear. “We all have our eccentricities. Best to let her have this one if it won’t cause undue trouble.”

Trying to digest it all, Shining’s stupor was broken by the sight of Rainbow’s fang filled grin. “Interesting. Then by all means, have your fun.”

The family jostled a bit to settle in with the sisters on one side and the couple on the other. Once the door was closed and the windows drawn, Cadence couldn’t wait to fawn over the fillies.

“My stars and garters they are so darn cuuute! Please let me hold them!”

Prism didn’t wait for her mother’s permission and fumbled over as the carriage started moving. “Hello lady.” Twilight giggled as Cadence claimed the little pegacorn into her magic so she could rope Prism in a crushing hug.

“You look just like your momma.” Cadence took in the filly’s dark purple fur and toothy grin. “She has your eyes and nose.”

Twilight held onto Spring Roll and nuzzled the top of the thestral’s head. “And she’s a hellion. There isn’t a nook and cranny she won’t get into. Spring here is much more mild mannered, aren’t you, baby girl?” Spring mumbled a reserved reply.

Cadence smushed the filly into a hug. “Hello, Prism. I’m your aunt Cadence, and this is your uncle Shining Armor.”

“You so pretty, Caddy!” Prism bubbled as she buried her face into Cadence’s neck.

Shining Armor tostled Prism’s hair, an act that the filly all too happily leaned into. While he busied himself winning the filly over with play, his words were reserved for his sister. “Thank you for coming, Twily, it couldn’t have been easy to return.”

Continuing to nuzzle Spring’s forehead with her chin, Twilight tried to put up a confident front, but inwardly she was filled with doubts. “It took some doing with Luna, and I’m here with her mandate. As far as the rest of the aristocracy is concerned, I like to think I’ve earned enough trust.”

Cadence allowed Shining Armor to take Prism into his grasp so she could speak easier with Twilight. “I’m glad to hear it. As much as we all wish you could stay with us…” Cadence paused as she struggled to bring out the words she had practiced on. “I think you are where you need to be.”

“Where is best for you,” Shining Armor added while dodging a bouncing young sparking horn that would have zapped his face.

“I think they know you even better than I do,” Pinkie stated with a nudge and a wink.

“Gah, enough about me, what about you two?!” Twilight fussed while gently rubbing the spot her sister nudged. “I can’t believe you have factories now, and not a peep about it hit the papers, let alone what you two have been up to!”

Both Shining Armor and Cadence shared an uncertain, but cordial enough look at Pinkie Pie before focusing on Twilight. The years of seeing her as a slave and now more or less family was tough for them to broach. “You can blame the factories on me,” Cadence announced proudly. “With enstripement gone, so went the primary reason Equestria neglected machines. I - well - questioned whatever captured engineers the army claimed. Before Celestia returned, the plan was to lift the ban on all machines outside of Canterlot’s plates. I was hoping to use the knowledge I collected, along with the actual machines we captured to give us a leg up in starting our own industrial revolution. It turned out you only needed to get your hooves bloody to end enstripement.” Cadence ended that with a melancholy look. Not one of regret, but of how little she believed her subjects would have listened at the time.

Twilight hugged Spring Roll close, an act that made the filly wiggle around so she could hug her mother back. “I always knew getting rid of that was going to be a bumpy road. Back then, I thought it was going to be my life’s work.” She shook her head to clear away such grim thoughts. The last thing Twilight wanted was to be in a dower mood before seeing her parents. “So I’m glad that same work has become far more constructive.”

“Luck willing, you’ll end up with multiple life’s works,” Shining Armor quipped with a smirk before settling on a more down-to-earth expression when he faced the mostly silent earth pony. “Pinkie Pie…” He coughed to collect his thoughts. “I wish to say this in full, please bear with me. I - I want to thank you for looking after Twily for all these years. By the time Twilight and you had fled to Lunaria, I knew you would protect her.” He fixed the stunned pony with a warmer look, one he had practiced when speaking to injured soldiers. “I had been around enough slaves to know it was not your stripes urging you to protect Twily, it was what you truly wanted. It pained me greatly to watch both of your successes from afar, but I am gratified you did it side by side. I can’t speak for our parents, but I want to personally say, I welcome you as family.”

Tears welled in Pinkie’s eyes and her lip quivered her other raw emotion. Twilight was quick to hug her sister, and nuzzled her. Cadence rested a hoof on Pinkie’s own. “I am of the same mind. I could see your bond every time I could break away from my duties to foalsit Twilly. How Twilight shared her treats when you thought I wasn’t looking, or how many times I had to hide draft papers in both of your writings from the maids,” she added with a wiry grin.

“That was you?” Twilight asked in bewilderment. “I thought Sunbeam was just staying quiet about it.”

“Perhaps she caught it a few times,” Cadence admitted. “But if she was, I had no clue.”

Pinkie would have leapt forward to hug them had the carriage allowed it. Instead she had to be content with Cadence’s touch. “Thank you. Thank you so-” Her breath hitched as the tears flowed. So Twilight held her tighter, and Spring Roll joined in as well, only knowing her aunt was crying.

The group started to share stories as the Light Manor came into view. Two figures waited eagerly at the gates.

Earlier, as the family climbed into their carriage, Rainbow Dash rounded on her three soldiers moving the safe on a litter. First Sergeant Jacks was trying to look nonplussed, but she could tell he was wary around so many royal soldiers, let alone being in Canterlot itself. “Boss, when I told you I’d follow you to Tartarus and back, I didn’t expect you to send me somewhere worse.”

“Oh relax, this is a milk run. Watch the safe, mind your P’s and Q’s and we can claim to be the first Lunarian troopers to set hoof in Canterlot in forever.” Rainbow jabbed a wing at the second carriage. “Load the safe and let’s get going so we can find some proper grub.”

The unicorn and thestral privates could get behind that and hurried themselves to obey. Jack eyed the carriage and inwardly scowled at the lot of them. “I don’t trust this one bit. The ladies might be blinded by family, but these people could make us disappear if they wanted to.”

“Which is why I’m riding on top of the front carriage,” Rainbow snarked. “I can keep an eye on you three and flaunt myself at the same time.” Rainbow made a show of flaring her leathery wings. “And I get to ruffle some feathers. I want to end up in a gossip rag as a diplomatic irritant by week’s end. Carry on, Sargeant.”

“Yes ma’am.” Jacks smirked at the idea as he saluted. “I’ll be sure to buy multiple copies for posterity.”

The two separated with Rainbow flying up to land on top of Twilight’s carriage. The two driver stallions looked up at her with irritated confusion. They had not been selected for diplomatic grace. “We know the way, we don’t need a conductor.”

“I’m not here for that, I’m here to flaunt,” Rainbow mocked while flaring her wings. “And to see if there’s any threat to my charge.” Probably should have led with that.

The drivers grumbled at each other when a loud whistle behind them shrilled out. The drivers started moving at the signal with the rear carriage following close behind. Lastly, the cordon of royal soldiers took flight and flanked the two carriages from above.

Rainbow did her best to ignore them and focus on the city itself. She could see right away it was all too bright for her tastes. Most of the buildings were pale white with gold roofs or highlights. Everything from the lowest warehouse to the highest spires all had sun motifs in one form or fashion. Worse yet was that some places had mirror shines to them which flashed the sun in her eyes more than once. “Sheesh, is that all there is? Sure, we got the moon all over the place, but at least we have other things too.”

Pulling a road map Twilight had given her earlier, Rainbow scrutinized the street signs as they went. After a few turns she was confident they were not being led astray. So she tucked it back into her coat and primped herself for the locals to gawk at. More than one civilian pointed at her in bemusement, and that caused a slow but steady ripple effect as she pulled ever more eyes.

“That’s right, you got a bat in the belfry. Marvel at me.” That turned a few heads of the escorting soldiers, and an equal number of dirty looks. I always heard the Questies get riled when it came to the ‘stoic guard’ routine, but I didn’t think it’d be that easy.

Rainbow basked in their collective ire until one of the more level headed soldiers banked to fly a bit closer to speak his mind. “Captain, I have little doubt the queen will be glad to see you all.”

Rainbow leveled a smug grin at him. “Why? Looking for revenge?”

“Revenge?” He tilted his head and glanced at his flanking comrades to see if any of them knew what she was talking about, yet all he got were shrugs.

If anything, Rainbow was rather annoyed no one had heard of her clubbing Celestia in the swamp. Even so, she had been around military politics enough to know sometimes intrigue was worth more than an open truth. “Well if she hasn’t said anything, then it’s just as well. You lot be good, yeah?”

The pegasus officer desperately wanted to push her for more details, but now was not the time. So he huffed in disappointment and nodded at her. “Fine, keep your secrets, Captain.” Without another word, the officer rocketed forward to resume his place in the convoy.

Snickering, Rainbow laid down on the roof and kept a silent eye out. They were out of the city before long and were on the cobblestone road leading to the Light Manor.

52: The Age of Mending Has Begun

The banquet hall had become a lavish affair backed by royal coin. Gold and silver streamers lined the ceiling and the mahogany serving table was ladened with foods of every flavor on silver and gold dishes. Word had spread of the purpose of Twilight’s return long before the mare had set hoof on the train, so nobility and ponies of means had flocked to Canterlot and now found themselves here.

The guests were seated at six-pony round tables with tablecloths that were magically decorated to be the sun on one side and the moon on the other. Seated at the front of it all upon a raised platform was a straight table for the royal family, including the in-laws. Lighting everything were floating suns and moons from stem to stern.

Twilight was collecting some peach cobbler when her eyes once more drifted over the decorations. She winced at how many moons there were, and leaned into her mother’s ear. “Mom, are you sure this sort of décor is proper? There’s only nine of us, and I feel as though I’m going to a Nightmare Night party, not an official dinner with the queen.”

“Oh pish posh my dear,” Velvet moved her plate to one side so she could give Twilight a reassuring pat on the back. “The queen and Caddy are trying to make moons in vogue in light of the peace embassy.” She leaned into Twilight’s ear while keeping an eye on those around them. “But you’re right it’s dreadfully tacky; it’s not really for our benefit, but for Luna when she and Celestia dream-visit tonight.” Velvet leaned away as her daughter gave a nod of understanding if not approval. “She does do that right? The whole dream visiting thing?”

Twilight was in the midst of debating if she should get more mashed potatoes and gravy when she heard the question. With a half mortified, surprised look, she turned to her mother. “Of course she does. Wait have you been going this whole time thinking Celestia has been lying?” Suddenly paranoid about eavesdroppers, Twilight scanned her surroundings and found no less than five ponies intently listening in. Twilight swung around Velvet and carefully used a wing to pull her further down the line. “Mother, isn’t that a dangerous question to speak so loudly?”

“Perhaps,” Velvet sighed as the scones she had been eyeing fell out of reach. “But it would do her Majesty some good to have another verify such tales. Since Luna does not visit any of us.” Before Twilight could get a word in, Velvet moved on to the table of honor. “Besides, dear, the fillies will love the theme.”

Ultimately deciding to ignore her mother’s audacity, Twilight scanned both the two alicorns at the table, finding no children among them, then to the kid’s table nestled on the northern corner of the room. Only a scant few nobles had brought their own children, and used it merely as an excuse to rub wings with Flurry Heart. For all the good it will actually do between five year-olds. Of the dozen children there, not one of the twins nor Flurry Heart were present.

A note of concern washed over Twilight. She was halfway to the table now, and her eyes scanned back the opposite way, and caught sight of a familiar curly pink mane. Focusing in, she spotted Pinkie Pie sticking her head out from the door behind the guest of honor table. Pinkie saw her at the same time and silently and frantically beckoned Twilight over.

Twilight’s worries doubled and she set her plate down, bowed politely to the alicorn and excused herself before sliding over to her sister for a quiet word. “What’s wrong?”

“This.” Pinkie pulled Twilight inside to reveal the three fillies being distracted by a game of paddicake with Rainbow Dash. “Where are their dress-” She paused as she caught sight of Flurry and Spring’s ink covered faces. “-ses… Pinkieee! Why do they look like they just robbed a bank?!”

“Because Prism kinda tried?” Pinkie cringed at the enraged pegacorn. “Look, I know it's a problem, but we really should be solution oriented. I suggest inviting the foals to hoofpainting, and claim they did it to themselves, which isn’t a lie.”

“Twilight,” Night Light called from the ballroom, “the speech is about to start.”

A staffer stepped up and politely tried to escort the fillies to the kid’s table, only to pause at the ink. Yet the stallion acted quickly, giving Twilight a knowing nod before leading the girls away.

Twilight dearly wanted to fix the problem, but one look at Celestia was all she needed to realize Celestia was about to take her seat. So Twilight took her place a bit too quickly for the crowd of forty eight nobles waiting to eat in front of her.

So she stood by her chair with Pinkie quickly going to her own. Celestia noted the late arrival to the kids’ table first and the state of the fillies’ faces before turning her head to see her guests of honor were finally in place.

Internally, she amended her speech. “Ladies and gentlecolts, today is a day to remember. Close to a thousand years ago, my sister and I saved the known world by defeating Discord, and barely sixty years later, we tore it asunder.” She turned towards the children and magically grabbed Flurry Heart and Spring Roll and pulled them over. She gave Flurry a calming kiss on the forehead and rubbed Spring’s cheek for the same reason.

Twilight and Pinkie were mortified that the ink was on full display, while Shining Armor and Cadence were no better and went wide eyed at the sight of it before turning to a red faced Twilight for answers. There was hardly a soul there that wasn’t laughing.

Celestia took a little pleasure in rotating the children to distract them so the three parents were the only one dying from embarrassment. “Like these silly fillies, we too ended up with ink on our faces that miserable day.” She floated over some cookies and when the kids grabbed them she floated them back to the kids’ table. “Unlike those fillies, our failures have cost all of us dearly.”

Impassioned speech or not Cadence couldn’t help but to shoot Pinkie a stern eye. I don’t know, dealing with a half-shaved child isn’t exactly going to be fun either.

Celestia pressed on, ignorant of the annoyed couple on one side and the two nervously embarrassed sisters on the other. “This constant warfare between ponykind must stop!” The force of her declaration gave her honored guests a welcome distraction. “So it is with great satisfaction that Luna and I will be exchanging peace envoys on a permanent basis. This small seed will grow in the sunlight of Harmony. With this act, I declare the Age of Strife has come to an end.” She raised her glass up high for all to see. “May there be peace in our time!”

The crowd joined the toast and started cheering Celestia’s name with a boisterousness that could rival a stadium.

Later that night, Twilight was reading a bedtime story for the twins. Spring Roll was already fast asleep and Prism was hugging her tightly and was moments from drifting off as well. As precious as they were to her, Twilight still cringed at Spring’s stained face. I suppose it’s too late to claim she’s a pinto. She sighed in defeat. I'll have to have her shaved sometime tomorrow.

Gentle hoofsteps pulled her attention to the door. Pinkie Pie waved from the door with Cadence poking her head out from behind. Neither wanted to wake the twins, a sentiment Twilight shared, so she quietly stepped out into the hallway and shut the door. She found the hallway was bereft of staffers.

Cadence began everything with a half amused, half annoyed snort. “I’ve been meaning to take a holiday, and tonight was as good of a reason as any.”

With her ears down in apology, Pinkie expected a lecture from Twilight at some point. “At least the dinner went well. I never knew Celestia was such a good orator.”

Deciding that Cadence had probably laid into Pinkie enough, Twilight decided to have mercy and change the subject. “Indeed. Where’s my brother?”

Cadence however, had no such inclination of mercy. “He has Flurry under a sleep spell so he can shave her. That aside though - I have to share Celestia’s sentiments. I’m glad the Sisters want peace. Even if Luna’s really only doing it so she can colonize her new territory.”

Giving a sympathizing grin, Twilight glanced to the east. “Luck willing, by the time we’re done digesting it all, any calls for reconquest will have withered away.” She returned her gaze back to her family. “I still can’t believe that Rarity of all ponies is going to be your envoy.”

Cadence hummed in agreement. “I know what you mean. But she wants somepony she can trust implicitly to keep from stirring the pot. Rarity’s handling of your countrymares in the Mirage is what led to her decision. Now the only question is who will take up your side of things.”

Pinkie took a deep breath. She had steeled herself to withstand one heated argument today, and that had been spent on the dye fiasco. “I am.”

“What?!” Twilight cried out in somewhere between astonishment and panic. “Pinkie, I need you with me back home!”

While her ears went limp, Pinkie kept an apologetic smile and braced her sister with a hoof. “Twilly, it’s only going to be for a year. After that I’ll rotate back home.”

“For what it’s worth, I think it is a grand idea.” Cadence met Twilight’s withering gaze with a flat one of her own. “Who better to assure everypony Luna is serious if not the Voice of the Empress herself being the first?”

“Eclipse could have worked just fine,” Twilight countered weakly. The moment the words left her mouth she knew she was being selfish. The guilt of that instantly tore at her.

Pinkie nuzzled Twilight’s neck, taking comfort from the familiar touch. “I need to do this, Twilly. You’ve always been good to me, you gave me a chance to be more than a servant, but after seeing how your parents were…” Pinkie pulled back, her usual good cheer failing and her hair going straight. “Enstripement left us all damaged, Twilight. The scars may be more obvious on ponies like me. I still have times when I wake up feeling the stripe’s ghostly pull on me. But there are scars here too. Self-inflicted though they may be, they are no less destructive.”

Cadence leaned in with a heavy heart. “Suicide rates skyrocketed after the Red Pronouncement, and that’s just part of the trauma. You remember how ubiquitous it all was. For most, it was like being told eating carrots was a cardinal sin all along. The common pony, the aristocracy, everypony could finally see what you, I, and every abolitionist movement had from the very beginning.” Cadence stepped in a bit closer. “A society can’t just walk away from that. The cheer I saw in that room tonight was probably the most I’ve seen combined in the year prior. I think of all ponies, a former servant is the perfect candidate to allow us to heal. I say more should take her place once her rotation is complete.”

“I had no idea…” Twilight sank onto her rump, and her eyes staring off into the void. “I was so focused on my work and whatever tasks Luna gave me.” She blinked as she realized something. “Luna never said a word of this to us.”

“I’m not surprised. Celestia didn’t want Luna feeling compelled to agree to this out of pity. She believed it would undermine the envoy’s mission away from what was on the tin.”

“I wish you had told me sooner,” Twilight declared with raised ire. “I may be Lunarian, but I remember where I came from. I could have convinced Luna to do this sooner.”

“I wanted to, but Celestia forbade it.” Cadence sighed heavily and shook her head. “We all have hills we’ll die on, and this was Celestia’s. She keeps looking long term and big pictures. I have to constantly remind her that the big picture is a mosaic made of little pictures. Small forces here and there can move mountains.” With a begrudgingly amused snort, Cadence waved a wing towards the sleeping fillies. “The foolishness of three fillies gave Celestia a chance to change her speech for the better. Her words, by the way.”

Pinkie giggled at the ink, even if the embarrassment still weighed on her. “See, some good came of it.”

At first, Twilight gave the comment an exasperated sigh. “More like adapting to a situation.” Then the longer she stared daggers at Pinkie, the quicker she realized she couldn’t stay mad. “We have a big week planned, and you and make it up to me by being the one to shave her.”

It was early afternoon the next day when Twilight found herself in a carriage with Pinkie and her parents. They were going through the busy streets of Canterlot headed towards an apothecary for some fur growth ointment.

Twilight was looking out of the window, watching the various buildings move on by. Pinkie Pie was leaning against her and watching the streets as well, searching for changes since she was last here. Twilight’s wing was wrapped around Pinkie in an absent minded hug.

Velvet was doing much the same thing with Night Light, only her attention was on her daughter. “It all just looks so strange.”

Raising an eyebrow, Twilight realized the statement was directed at her and turned her head, an act that made Pinkie sit back. “What do you mean?”

Velvet fished around in her purse and withdrew a picture and gave it to Twilight. It was a birthday party with Twilight receiving a new dress with Pinkie diligently standing close by holding two others she had already received. “That was your nineteenth birthday. And you haven’t aged a day.”

Holding the picture in close, Twilight might as well have been staring into a black and white mirror. “I suppose so. It’ll be a long time before I see wrinkles.” It was only then that she focused on the old Pinkie, and then looked at her sister. There wasn’t much of a difference, Pinkie was still a fair bit off from thirty. But she could see it now. Twilight was older by a year, and yet now she looked like Pinkie was noticeably the older sister. A surge of unease washed over her now more than ever with Pinkie leaving for a year.

For her part, Pinkie Pie tried to ignore the stripe in her old reflection and focused on the event itself. “I remember this one, you got that ugly sour green dress and shoes as a mean joke. Sour Milk gave it to you, I think.”

“Yes, I think it was her if memory serves,” Night Light added with a derisive huff. “Never did like the nag. What Rich sees in her I’ll never understand.”

The carriage came to a stop in front of the first apothecary on the list. The two elders moved to depart when Twilight spoke up. “Mom, dad, go on ahead, we’ll catch up.”

While Night Light saw nothing out of the ordinary, Velvet got a feeling the unease in her daughter was because of the picture. Frowning at herself for causing distress, she resolved to make it up to her later. “Okay, dear. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Pinkie watched the doors close before giggling. “Are you thinking of a bit of revenge?” Her train of thoughts were derailed when Twilight grasped her in a bear hug, almost squeezing the air out of her lungs. “Twi?” Her humor changed once she saw her sister was crying. Pinkie was quick to hug her back. “Come on, the dress was ugly, but at least you never had to wear it.”

“Please stop aging.” The pain in Twilight’s voice was doubled as her mind knew it was an impossible request, even as her heart begged for it to be real.

Trying to defuse the tension, Pinkie nuzzled Twilight’s mane, even if it meant she’d have to comb it again. “Come on, Twilly, I don’t even have any gray hairs yet.”

“But you will!” Twilight didn’t want to let go for fear of possibly seeing a piece of gray Pinkie could be ignoring or didn’t notice.

Adopting a sympathetic expression, Pinkie gently pried Twilight’s forelegs and wings off of her, and held her hooves in between them. “Twilly, do you really think I would let something like death keep us apart?”

Confusion muddled Twilight’s sniffles. “What do you mean?”

Waggling an eyebrow, Pinkie became more animated. “When my time at Terra’s wheel comes, I’ll find my way back to you. I’ll march right up to him, and say ‘sir! Put me back in whatever life you must, but only one from which I can return to my sister!’”

Twilight couldn’t help but to laugh at the absurdity of it all. “And you think Terra would agree?”

“I can be very persuasive,” Pinkie countered with a knowing grin before she shook Twilight’s hooves enough to rock her sister entirely. “I may not remember this life, or even why I belong at your side, but rest assured, I will always find you again and again until we both see Terra together.”

A weary smile crossed Twilight’s muzzle as she pulled a hoof free to wipe her tears away. “You really think you can do it?”

“I pinkie promise. Now let’s go, we still have this life together, and there’s no point in fretting such things.”

Author's Note

I want to thank you all for coming along with me on this journey, and hope you all enjoyed the ride. Special thanks to my editor A Bitter Pill for sticking with it even with life threw him so many lemons that he nearly drowned in them. May you all have a great life.

I will be posting an epilogue soon enough, so stay tuned for that.

Come Along With Me

Ponylands

The scars of the age of strife and enstripement ran deep, and in spite of the efforts started with Pinkie and Rarity, Equestria and Lunaria never could reconcile their past to reunify. Their efforts did however prevent wars from ever happening between them again. Everything changed once ponykind reached into space over three hundred years later. The United Pony Space Initiative spearheaded the construction of local colonization and space based infrastructure. Seizing the opportunity, Celestia, Luna, and Cadence molded their respective nations to be under the UPSI’s governance once the need for such a body became apparent with the advent of civilian space stations and industries. In doing so, they at last ruled side by side as their subjects spread their wings to the stars and beyond.

Griffin Aviaries

The civil war went poorly for Emperor Geraldy. Tired of being sidelined and her advice ignored, Gilda defected to Warlord Char’s host during a critical battle that saw her father’s armies crippled. While Char proved to be a capable administrator in his original lands, his governors proved far less so. In the decades to follow, the Aviaries floundered economically and socially now that they had no great enemy to focus on.

With the Union reluctant to acknowledge Char’s right to rule over the empire due to the damage his civil war caused when it spread outside of the mountains, it was actually Luna who proved to be the first to recognize Char as the legitimate ruler of the empire. As a result, Char abandoned the old isolationist tendencies and instead began to exploit the aviaries’ mineral wealth of the mountains. It was a move that ultimately saved the aviaries’ economy. Between exports to Lunaria and the Union, the Aviaries experienced centuries of modest prosperity until resources from space eclipsed them. It was not long after that they agreed to be subordinated by the Union under miserable terms in order to survive the space era.

The Union

With the threat of the Emerald Horde lifting off their shoulders, the Union felt cheated by how exorbitant the Lunarian basing tax became. It led to multiple protests outside of those very bases and Union government buildings. Tension nearly came to a head right before the griffin civil war unexpectedly spilled into Union territory where multiple villages were burned to the ground. Novos formally asked the Lunarian garrison to aid them, only to be surprised that the soldiers were already preparing to march. It was not long until Char was driven from Union territory. Afterwards, the garrisons were not as contentious as they once were, and the Lunarians were begrudgingly praised for their protective efforts. Even so, the garrison contract was not renewed.

The Union slowly coalesced into a formal single nation, and maintained open relations with Lunaria. Eventually, when the Unionites joined the ponies in space, they were the only other nation able to negotiate a mutual accord due to the ponies’ early entry and prosperity breeding xenophobia in the other nations of the world.

The Emerald Horde

Under Kateno’s leadership and reforms, the horde gradually morphed into an effective militarized state. Often called an army with a nation, they conquered several more countries before the cultural shift Kateno started evolved into a more secure and defend mentality. Soldiers and veterans became the only people with more than basic rights and the impetus of war became less about individual glory and shifted to professionalism and honor to the state and one’s unit above all else.

Their neighbors to the south and east would not experience peace for more than a decade until the day a pony landed on the moon. With the stars above now a very real battlefront the Horde had no presence in, the wars stopped, the armies halted. And in their place, the centauri reached their hands up to grasp the heavens.

In the decades leading up to the formation of the space initiative, the horde suffered a long period of social upheaval as the thirst for glory had not been entirely snuffed out, and their enemies realized they could do more harm by not starting a new war. Ultimately the first military space station belonged to the Horde, and it was used to on itself as a civil war erupted. Three kingdoms emerged from these would-be late-comers to the stars, often having to take what dregs everyone else had not yet touched. Many centauri and their joint species turned to mercenary work or piracy after realizing there were only scraps left for them in the system in the decades before a means of faster than light travel was discovered. It became a lasting tradition among mercenary and pirate bands to adopt unit monikers from the Horde’s own heraldry whether they hailed from the Emerald Horde or not.

Twilight Sparkle

House Sparkle stood as a beacon of technological progress, forward thinking, and an advocate for peace among ponies. On the first anniversary of Pinkie Pie’s passing, Twilight founded the Pinkie University and Research Enterprise in Manehatten. There she gathered the brightest minds of both nations, an act that breathed new life to the ruined city. Through the efforts of her university, Manehatten eventually grew and prospered until it became the host of the United Pony Space Initiative. Twilight was instrumental in the Initiative’s creation, and the university hosted the first mission control and astronaut training program.

It was also through her efforts and those like her that pegacorns were officially recognized as ponykind’s sixth tribe after the rediscovery of the crystal ponies. After her death, the UPSI would always have at least one station be named Sparkle, and an explorer or flagship spacecraft by the name Twilight.

Pinkie Pie

Pinkie found her true calling as a peace envoy, and went on repeated tours back to Equestria. Although her contemporaries claimed it was an exaggeration to say, she was accredited to reviving the Equestrian spirit. She did this all while keeping the warhawks from gaining purchase among political circles. A statue of Twilight and Pinkie Pie was raised in the courtyard of Canterlot castle. Twilight for her championing the return of the Royal Sisters, and Pinkie for her herculean efforts as the envoy. Twilight first coined Pinkie as being a titan of character. Pinkie’s passing was mourned by the entire pony world, and became a shared holiday to champion Harmony among ponies.

Rainbow Dash

Captain Rainbow Dash retired as a three star general due to her efforts in taming Lunaria’s new territories. With her husband Sorian, she became the founding matriarch of a military dynasty famed for their dogged loyalty and bravery that lasted long past the day ponies climbed to the stars. Her name was first honored on the destroyer LINS Rainbow Dash which distinguished itself magnificently in the war against the Storm King. As a result her name became traditionally tied to fast warships even long after the mare herself was lost to history.

She spent her retirement making a nuisance of herself among high society gatherings. An activity Luna refused to put a stop to, citing with tongue in cheek, ‘far be it for me to try and reign in the firebrand that could give my sister a bloody nose.’

It gave the old soldier no end of amusement to see her face in the news and gossip rags for all the wrong reasons.

Applejack

Always taking pride in a modest life, Applejack and the rest of the Apples took to life among the farm fields surrounding Talon Point with quiet dignity. Yet the sea always called to her. It wasn’t long before she bought a small steamship to take on frequent pleasure cruises or sell her produce to the old world. A longing for the sea became a trait that seemed to stick to her family line. While the Apples never made it into the history books as a whole, their name became synonymous with hearty farmers and stalwart sailors of both the blue and later the midnight sea. Having an apple serving aboard was seen as good luck and a promise to return home.

Rarity Belle

As with her time as a justicar, Rarity took to her duty as peace envoy with unwavering fervor. She turned the manor she was given into the ‘Sunrise Boutique’, and after some initial hesitation on the part of Tranquility’s populace, the lure of her exotic styles soon found her becoming a nexus of fashion and culture. Given the separated nature of the envoy estate’s location, businesses cropped up around her, spreading Tranquility’s urban reach along what would be called Belle Street. Barely a decade after taking her post, Rarity found herself being invited to soirées and various other social functions. It wasn’t long before a saying spread throughout the capital: ‘An Equestrian has no place in Tranquility, unless she’s Rarity.’

The mare decided to remain in Tranquility until her dying day doing what she loved. She was the first Equestrian to be buried in the new world with full honors. A statue of her joined that of Twilight and Pinkie in the castle courtyard of both nations. The three mares standing together became a common symbol among ponykind after the founding of the UPSI as a demonstration that the divisions and scars between them on Equiss did not follow ponies into space.

Fluttershy

Following Rarity’s retirement from the Justicars, Fluttershy opted not to join a different one, and at last felt ready to found the Holistic Order. Given that she did not require her neophytes to give up the comforts of the modern world, recruits soon became more than she could handle alone. Slowly, but steadily, Fluttershy grew into her role as the order’s matron, and with her, the Holistic Order soared in strength and numbers.

The order specialized in melding nature and urban life together so that from the air many Equestrian cities looked like buildings poking out from a forest. The order also focused on finding the means to harvest or exploit natural resources in the most sustainable and productive means possible. Such great success drew Tranquility’s attention, and Luna signed a treaty so that the Holistic Order could operate within both nations. It was through the order’s many successes and good will that Twilight felt the time was right to resettle to Manehatten and accelerate the renewal of the city that her university had started. It also allowed her to visit Cadence and Flurry Heart more frequently.

However, by tying themselves so closely to the civilized, the other druidic orders became openly hostile to the Holistic Order, and anyone they saw as their allies. They spurned Fluttershy’s name and either further withdrew from the civilized world’s territories, or began undermining her order whenever they could. Eventually these disruptions culminated in all other orders being expelled from ponylands.

Nevertheless, the Holistic Order followed ponykind to the stars where they became unparalleled masters of terraforming.

Celestia and Luna

The Sisters never chose to retire. As the years turned into decades and centuries, the pair slowly allowed the bureaucracy to handle the day to day until rumors of corruption, gross inefficiencies, or negligence held sway, and the sisters would uproot it all and start again. When calls for more power to the people resurfaced, they would step back bit by bit until they had their vacation. It would all cycle again eventually. The only constant, was that the Sisters always retained their authority and power to usurp the government when the rot returned.

Mi Amora Cadenza

Cadence learned much more on how to rule from Celestia than she ever did under Queen Corona. So much so that when the Crystal Empire resurfaced and King Sombra was defeated, she led the empire into a respected state, and turned to Twilight to help drag it’s time-lost people into the modern world.

Leveraging the unique resources of the crystal regions, the empire became leaders of several key industries which proved instrumental in facilitating the UPSI in its early decades.

Much to Cadence’s bemused chagrin, Shining Armor used his total authority over the Crystal Corps to finally implement miniskirts into the uniform.

Lockstock

Following Rarity’s departure, Lockstock remained with Fluttershy. Though he had no talent for druidic magic, he helped her however he could. He used his contacts to find potential recruits, organize a training regiment, and obtain enough start-up funding to allow Fluttershy to focus on tutoring and codifying her philosophy. Eventually, he worked up the courage to ask for her hoof in marriage, and was accepted.

Lyra Heartstrings

Lyra was ultimately the only one of Rarity’s retainers to remain with the justicars, joining up with Sweetie Belle. She became both Sweetie’s second and confidant, helping the younger mare refine her education with Lyra’s practical experience. Though she pined for a life on stage, Lyra felt her past binded her too tightly to the justicars to ever feel comfortable retiring until she suffered a broken leg that couldn’t heal right.

She never looked back at the mirror world from whence she came. Not that she had an opportunity to do so, as the portal on the other side was inadvertently destroyed during a controlled demolition.

Lyra ultimately settled alone near the fringes of Rainbow Falls, and was visited on occasion by her old compatriots. One day, Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy dropped in to present birthday gifts, only to find the terracorn was missing. In spite of a month-long search, no sign of Lyra was ever found, and she was presumed lost to the various waterfalls.

Sweetie Belle

Sweetie Belle ultimately couldn’t grasp the same zeal that had gripped her sister, and her love of the job faded. Nevertheless, she served the Justicars with distinction for the full thirty years required for a pension. She led a quiet life after that, visiting her children and grandchildren, save for having a modest amateur singing career in Ponyville’s various lounges.

Gallus

Gallus was indeed cured of his poisoning and petrification, and none too soon as Char was already on the warpath. Following the death of his father and the sundering of his armies, Gallus fled to the southeast and gathered all of the followers he could to escape. Char was expected to execute him as a rival claim to the griffin throne, so he took who he could into the Union for asylum.

In respect to his father, Queen Novos and Summer Flame welcomed the refugees. When Char eliminated all remaining sources of resistance, he turned his gaze to finish off Gallus. Still on a strong war footing, Char did not believe the Union would stand up to him in defense of the erstwhile prince, nor that the Lunarian forces would care to interfere since he was not the Emerald Horde. He was bloodily wrong.

The following conflict was a brief one. With his army defeated in the field, Char retreated to the mountains, a place no one truly wanted to besiege.

As for Gallus, he opted to settle his followers in the Union itself and they became the glue that enabled the Union to fully come together. Relations chilled between the Union and Char in the years to come, claiming Gallus and his followers as traitors and cowards. It was a pervasive sentiment that ultimately led to the Aviaries never capable of being more than a source of mineral wealth or mercenaries for distant wars.

…

Twilight awoke with a start, and instinctively jumped to her hooves. She found herself not on her deathbed surrounded by friends and family, but a large ceaseless meadow. Swaying tall grasses and sunflowers filled her view as the sunless blue sky stood above her. The sky was not empty though, as countless distant figures were slowly drifting off over the horizon.

It took her a moment longer to realize she was standing unaided. She looked down and realized she was no longer plagued by the frailties of old age, and that she was mostly transparent. Her skin was barely a ghostly blue outline at best, yet burning at the center of her chest was a small but steady ball of purple flame with embers circulating around her extremities and back again. I died… She blinked slowly as her recent memories came back in patches. The dozen crying faces were gone, but their sobbing still echoed in her ear for a few moments more until the wind and grass took their place.

“So this is the grassy meadow Luna talked about. But I don’t understand, shouldn’t I have needed to take the potion to still be conscious?”

“Twilight!” cried an unsettling voice from within the tall grass. It sounded eager to see her, but was composed of five different voices, each of them frightfully familiar.

Unsure of what to do about the voices, Twilight readied herself for anything and was about to call out. However, she felt a tug pulling her towards the source of the voice. It was as if gravity was coming from two different directions. “I’m here.”

The grass rustled wildly as something raced towards her. Bracing herself, Twilight wondered if she could even be harmed.

Emerging from the grass was a rather strange willow wisp. It was like her in many ways. The wisp was more spherical, but it shared the same thin transparent blue skin and a purple flame at its core. “Twilight, I knew all I had to do this time was to wait!” It cheered manically, the flame convulsed with every word.

It was then that Twilight recognized the five voices. They were all of ponies that she had held closest to her heart, and the voice she missed the most was there. “Pinkie Pie?” Dared she hope? “It’s it really you?!”

“That was my first life, yup yup!”

Twilight raced to hug her long lost sister and was grateful her legs and wings didn’t phase through her like the ghosts they were. “I missed you. Damn it all, I missed you.”

Unable to be more than a ball, Pinkie could only float there and accept the embrace. “Twi, you silly filly, we’ve only been apart for ten years total. You recognize all of my -ah- other voices, right?”

“A bit,” Twilight confessed as she started focusing on Pinkie’s multiple tones and manners of speech.

With a bit of a wistful hum, Pinkie started to sing a heart aching song. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray.”

Tearing up, Twilight joined in together. “You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.” She couldn’t go any further, and Twilight squeezed Pinkie even tighter as the pain of loss and joy wracked her body. She didn’t care that Pinkie lacked the means to reciprocate, only that she stayed close.

Pinkie gave her time for the tears to dwindle away into sniffles. “During my second life and on, I wouldn’t know why to sing that song when I met up with you again, but it called to me.”

The bittersweet tears renewed, but Twilight was able to speak through it. “I sang it to you as you passed away. And I did so every time after that.” Twilight finally let go and tried to wipe away the tears, but as a ghost, there were none to be had. “I had hoped you would remember it since it was the last time you heard my voice as just a Pinkie… I know you came back, but you never remembered growing up together. You were my dearest friend, my son one time,” Twilight was still a bit wigged out by that one. “Even a kirin once. But it…” She sighed and shook it away. “But it doesn’t matter, you were with me all the same.”

“You can blame the kirin on me,” came a heavy, new voice that made Twilight’s very core shake and shutter. A broken window appeared out of thin air with a single obscured head that was barely visible, save for the eye peering through the crack in the glass. “I was curious to see if your bond would survive transcending species. You proved to be correct, amusingly.”

Twilight felt like she was being pressed down, like her aged weakness had returned in full. Even Pinkie dropped to the ground and was compressed into an egg shape. The eye narrowed in annoyance and the crack in the glass mended a bit. The pressure on the ponies slackened, and they stood or floated once more. “It seems despite retaining your form without cheating, you are still not ready for a prolonged conversation, a pity.”

“You must be Terra,” Twilight stated with nervous reverence. “The ahh… Celestia and Luna spoke highly of you.” As the lone eye focused intently on her, Twilight felt paralyzed. Over her life, she stared down the barrel of more than one gun, two cannons, and more than a few flying sprays of molten metal, and of it combined paled compared to that single green eye.

A rumble of tired amusement shook Twilight to her core. “I’m sure they did.”

Searching her memories for the stories Luna spoke of the entity, Twilight gingerly stepped up to the floating window. “I apologize for any inconvenience, as I understand it, I - really shouldn’t be awake, should I?”

“Inconvenience?” Terra’s humorous rumbling laugh did not come from the window, but the very ground itself. The grass and flowers shook with it. “Child, conversing with others is why I do what I do. Even though I removed my capacity for boredom, conversing with what few beings that can reside here for any length of time can become tiresome since only a few species have come as far as even you have.” The window and the great eye behind it focused on Pinkie Pie. “This one used medication to remove herself from the current above. Reshaping her into a sphere helped preserve her strength for a time.”

Adopting a thankful tone, Pinkie bounced on top of Twilight and nestled herself on her sister’s withers. She also exerted some effort to only speak in original voice. “In my last days as Chill Breeze, I knew you were close to passing away. So I took Luna’s potion to ask Terra here to delay my resurrection until you arrived. He offered to protect my spark for a year before sending me back to life. And that he would pull you out of the current so we could see each other again.”

“Ten months and two of your days.” Terra closed in on Twilight, making her shrink back a bit in primordial terror. “Remarkable,” Terra said as it scrutinized Twilight intently. You just finished your sixth life, and yet your last one solidified your spark to such a degree that there is little trace left of your past selves.” The god studied her form with more than just sight alone. “Or should I refer to you as a flame now? That seems to be a rather unique trait among the magical species out there.” Terra didn’t seem to care for the word, but chose what was familiar to the pair. “Could it be because your last life was unusually long for your species? Perhaps aided by your counterpart subconsciously using your bond to return to you time and time again?” Terra asked itself more than Twilight.

Her ears falling flat, Twilight looked over to a wing she outstretched to see. “That’s not a bad thing is it?” She looked over to Pinkie Pie who floated there with a seemingly casual bobbing up and down. “Being solid, I mean.”

“Depends on how you see it, I suppose.” The window orbited Twilight, as she was scrutinized by some unknowable metric. “When I prepare a spark for reincarnation, I see their lives. It is almost universal that individuals who live much longer than average for their species grow discontent with existence. Change becomes a desire strong enough that the elderly welcome death. As you did in your final years. But that passion for life did not fade until after living five lifetimes. And life molds the spark it houses. As you are now, I firmly predict your flame will be drawn to a newborn pegacorn filly. So the only question that matters now is…” Terra pulled back so both Twilight and Pinkie could not mistake its words. “Twilight Sparkle, do you wish to keep your bond with Pinkie Pie?”

Summoning the iron will that saw her through four centuries, Twilight pulled Pinkie Pie into a vice-like embrace. “Absolutely. No question!”

“You already know my answer,” Pinkie said with a knowing twirl of her inner fire.

“Indeed. Take care however,” Terra warned with enough force to vibrate Twilight to the core. “As I stated, your spirit will gravitate towards a pegacorn mare, and should you live such a long life again, it will be all you ever can reincarnate into. The only way to return your mailablity is to deepen your origination, but that would certainly sever your bond. Your compatriot here is safe, as she is still malleable.” As if to demonstrate, the eye pulsed and Pinkie’s body convulsed. She yelped in panic until she was once more in pony form, only more of a blank slate.

When Twilight recovered from the shock of Pinkie’s change, she was so overcome by the trauma of loss that she bolted over and gave her a proper vice-like hug. Yet Terra’s words kept her from truly enjoying the shared embrace, or even hearing Pinkie’s joy. Her first thought was to wonder why Terra presented her situation as a problem in the first place. She did not desire a unicorn’s magic, and she had long ago created a means to fly. But then she pondered a bit more. She was already a forward thinker, her tribal nature demanded it, yet a god was far more so. She detached herself from Pinkie who by now realized her sister was highly distracted. “Are you saying if ponies evolve past pegacorns I could be locked out of reincarnation?”

“Wait what?” Pinkie asked in worried shock.

“You understand the way of things. It is possible what happens in your next life could change this fate, but you will not remember the dilemma to act against it. So I present you with two choices,” Terra leaned forward, it’s growing interest in her strained the glass. “Keep your bond at the risk of never tasting life again, or I restore your malleability at the cost of your bond.”

Pinkie pulled away from Twilight’s side with terror in her eyes. “Please don't tell me you’re considering this! We could always find each other again some other way.”

Nuzzling Pinkie with sigh as the pain of loss slowly evaporated, Twilight didn’t care if Pinkie had no fur, or even noticeable body warmth. All she cared about at this moment was that her sister was with her once more. “Pinkie, how many times have I nearly died in my past life? As far as I am concerned, this is no different.” Twilight hugged her tighter, and a tear fell off her cheek. “A life without my sunshine, my rock, is no life at all.” She pulled back again and gave Pinkie a look of absolute conviction.

It was a gaze not even Pinkie could ever defeat. Even after knowing Twilight for six lifetimes, Pinkie was too moved to speak. She could only lean into her true sister and cry joyfully at the time they spent together, and the times to come.

With Pinkie still leaning against her, Twilight faced the windowed eye with that very same conviction with her featherless wings proudly flared out. “I didn’t get as far as I did by playing it safe. I jumped off that cloud until I learned how to fly.”

“So it is decided,” Terra announced with satisfaction. The window shattered, and the great green eye pulsed. Both mares were launched up to the river of souls to be prepared for reincarnation. Once there they both fell back into the blissful rest of the dead. However unlike the other souls around them, they were the only ones holding tightly to another. Wherever her wings would take them, it would be together.

Author's Note

And so at last the book finally comes to a close. The end.

1: A Life Denied, a Friend Given

Canterlot stood as it had for a millennium, a gleaming monument of marble and magic. Tall spires sitting on curved terraces suspended from a mountainside so sheer that only magic could keep them from falling away. While dominated primarily by unicorns, members of most known pony tribes plied its streets and skies. The city had stood for a thousand years as a testament to ponykind’s enduring strength, force of magic, and courage. This was a legacy its inhabitants planned to endure for a thousand more.

Almost lost among the busy streets of cobblestone was an off-white and gold carriage. It was pulling away from the Celestial Academy of Gifted Ponies, likely to never go under the venerable building’s shadow again.

A ten year old Twilight Sparkle was wailing into her mother’s forelegs as Twilight Velvet whispered calming assurances. Her father, Night Light, was an older unicorn stallion with only a dash of grey in his dark blue fur. He fumed silently as he stared out of the carriage’s door window. He didn’t want his daughter to see his bitter disappointment over the news, lest the child blame herself further. The din of Canterlot was muffled by spellwork so nothing would disturb the bemoaning family.

“I can’t believe they didn’t even bother seeing her,” Velvet angrily whispered to her husband. She was a deep grey pegasus who wore her mane in a flamboyant braid. “She would have been a sixth generation student! How dare they! I should get Shining Armor to have a word with that headmaster, then we’ll see who’s not stepping hoof inside those halls ever again!”

“The last war changed things, Velvy.” Night Light took out a smoking pipe, but didn’t light it. He had quit ages ago, but still, he liked to chew on it. “Word has it Queen Corona’s going to announce the academy’s going to be turned into a warmage academy by week's end. Apparently with the outreach programs being cut, the rumors were true. She wants the curriculum to focus on unicorns with enough power to punch through the thaumic disruption field, and that…” He couldn’t finish, not after catching the waterlogged, reddened eyes of his observant daughter. “That simply means Twily is destined to finish her education elsewhere, that’s all.”

As her sobbing intensified, arcs of electricity danced uncontrollably over Twilight’s horn. The young filly was a halfbreed… a winged unicorn with the crippled power of both. A horn that was a dysfunctional conduit for pegasus magic, and wings which could not draw upon it. Those same wings completely lacked feathers. Only the three wing-fingers upon each wing remained, bereft of the down and vanes regular pegasi wings possessed. She and all those like her were cursed to be known as demicorns.

Velvet felt torn between oppressive guilt over her daughter, and a mother’s concern for her son going to the next inevitable war. She wrapped a wing around Twilight and hugged tighter. “It’s my fault she doesn’t have the body she should. Shining got off lucky, but—”

Night Light used his magic to keep Twilight’s lightning grounded to the floor before joining in the hug as well. “My dear, don’t blame yourself for what fate struck her with. We knew the risks of marrying outside our tribes. But I should have never let her become my little assistant. Maybe her magic could have developed normally, and she would—”

Twilight wiped the eye that wasn’t buried in her mother’s dress. “But I like helping you at work, daddy!”

A sad smile crossed her father’s mouth, and he leaned in to nuzzle her briefly. “And a big help you are, Purple Spot.” He nuzzled the back of her neck, trying unsuccessfully to elicit some giggles. “If you want, we could try the Dawn Youth. They still have outreach-”

Velvet held Twilight tighter out of instinctual fear. “Absolutely not. You know what kind of graduates they produce. Besides, they may not admit it, but they are exclusively unicorns anyway. No better than the academy now.”

“Alright dear,” Night Light replied while trying to placate her with a brief nuzzle. “It was just a thought. We could still try next year, I still have the ear of some of the queen’s advisors. Maybe I can make them see the importance of these programs for morale purposes.”

Velvet stroked Twilight’s mane and took a long deep breath. “If the academy’s already at the point of refusing Twilight’s enrollment, then the conversion is too far along for your word to have any sway.”

Giving a regretful sigh of his own, Night Light thought it over a bit. “Maybe we can send her to Baltimare Academy. You have a lot of business dealings there, we can move if need be. Or perhaps a tutor would help more. The best Canterlot can offer!”

Velvet sadly shook her head at Night Light, but didn’t say a word.

Fear of seeing those prejudiced faces again struck Twilight to the core, and her self-consciousness made her jerk away from her mother to furiously shake her head. “No, I don’t wanna go to school, they’ll laugh at me just like the others did!”

Velvet roped her into a hug. “The faculty did not laugh, Twily. We were all there.”

“They did it with their eyes.” Twilight hung her head in utter shame, tears and sniffles filled the carriage as the adults went silent.

Velvet and Night Light shared a silent conversation until he spoke up. “Then we don’t need them. If formal education is off the table then there’s always the traditional way: apprenticeship. How would you like becoming my full time assistant, what do you say?”

Twilight’s sniffles stopped and she looked up at him with hope. “Really?!” The first real smile of the day flashed on her face.

“Not so fast, you two,” Velvet said, interrupting Night Light’s cheerful reply. A mother knew distraction was the best way to bring a child back up, and she wouldn’t let the opportunity pass for directing Twilight’s aspirations. “You will need a more rounded education than just your father’s work. You will work with me as well to learn how to balance the books of the estate and learn mercantilism. Along with a tutor for other things.”

“Why would book balancing be a job?”

Velvet snickered and tightened her hug on her daughter, but kept talking to her husband. “Celestia above knows you stallions could never stay afloat without me even with the crown’s grant money. Only she knows how you kept your estate before you married me.”

“Of course, dear. Right, Purple Spot?”

“Uhh, I guess so,” Twilight wasn’t sure what was now expected of her, but the conviction in her mother’s voice was enough to know she was still important, still loved.

The crowds of Canterlot eventually faded away as the carriage went along the isolated road around to the northeastern side of the Canterhorn. There, far away from any other manor, was the Sparkle Estate. A respectable gated manor with terraces granting them more garden land from the mountain side. A little further back was a structure that was half the size of the manor, looking more akin to a warehouse than anything you would normally find on such an estate. Unlike the city itself, absolutely no magic was required to keep the estate from gravity’s pull.

The cobblestone road came to a circular end in front of the manor, but Night Light initially waved the coachman off from opening the door right away. He whispered into his wife’s ear. Twilight tried to listen, but couldn’t make it out.

Velvet glanced past her husband to see outside. She adopted a firm look. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”

Trusting her, Night Light at last nodded to the coachman who quickly opened the carriage door for them. Night Light stepped out first, followed by Velvet and Twilight. Up close, the manor had a marble flagstone courtyard with matching marble columns that stood before the pale red bricked home that sported curtained windows all along the face. The family butler was a dignified older earth stallion of brown fur and silver mane, and wore an immaculate black jacket. His poise spoke of the pride in his work. Next to him, shaking in terror was a young pink earth filly, no older than Twilight herself. Her slightly darker pink mane had a pair of striking blue and green streaks in her hair, marking her as a servant.

As Twilight ran over to stand between her parents, as was proper, the family was met halfway by the butler and his charge. Twilight briefly glanced behind her as the coachman barked orders to the two stallions pulling the carriage.

“Sir, My Lady, I… take it things did not go as hoped?” he added with concern.

Twilight wanted to start crying again, but she was a noblefilly, and a proper filly of any age did not cry over such things in front of servants and staff.

Night Light gave a halting nod, but it was Velvet who took over. “Afraid so, Benningstone. But it may be for the best.” Velvet stroked the side of Twilight’s barrel to encourage her to stay strong. “Twilight would have been surrounded by negativity there anyway. Her destiny will most likely follow her father’s, but I will be giving her an education in trade. A mind like my little dimple should take to money handling like a fish to water.”

Benningstone’s gaze went down to the young filly. “Rewarding and respected positions both. Count yourself lucky Mistress Twilight Sparkle, dare I say either will be more rewarding than traditional schooling.”

“Well spoken,” Night Light commented with an upbeat tone. Ideas were already coming to life, making him have the same left-sided twitch Twilight saw anytime he was in thought.

“Indeed,” Velvet added, before looking down at the silent pink filly that was trying to look insignificant. Her voice took on a commanding presence that Twilight instinctively heeded. “In either case, Twily, you will need a personal assistant to aid you, and you are of age for your first one.” She pointed a hoof at the pink filly who barely restrained a frightful tremble. “Introduce yourself.”

Managing to curtsy with the expected depth, and casting her eyes at the ground, the pink one was somehow able to keep the fear of slighting them out of her tone. “Greetings, Mistress Twilight Sparkle, I am Pinkamena Diane Pie, grateful servant of the dawn. I am here to serve you in all things until Celestia above accepts my final rest.”

Surprise caught Twilight flat-footed. “Ahh, oh, um,” Twilight stepped up as was rehearsed, but she had not expected to ever actually receive a servant, let alone today of all times. “Thank you for your service, Pinkamena Diane Pie, know that your grandchildren—”

“Just children,” Night Light corrected.

“C-children,” Twilight flushed red for a moment, “will have your efforts to thank for their freedom.” Now that Twilight was close enough, she studied the servant more closely. Her mane was depressingly straight, and the two stripes of blue and green streaks were unnatural and moved independently from her hair swaying in the wind. The magic in them made sure both stripes were always visible to anyone looking at her. The child had a weakly controlled impassive face that kept straying into frightful sniffles.

Twilight couldn’t help but to feel guilty, even though she couldn’t understand why. “Do you-” Twilight stopped herself from asking to play. Servants were not treated like staff employees. She was supposed to be distant. Shining always makes me feel better when we play. “Can you help me find a book?”

The two fillies walked through the manor’s halls to the attached library on the east wing. Twilight’s glum mood threatened to return, but Pinkamena held it at bay with her presence alone. Twilight knew the way by heart so she kept stealing glances at Pinkamena.

The earth filly was marveling at the tall ceilings, hanging art and the occasional bust of the Light family member. That astonishment came to a sudden halt when Pinkamena finally noticed Twilight watching her. She flattened her ears and automatically locked her eyes at the ground with just enough of Twilight in her peripheral sight so she wouldn’t wander off.

That reaction deeply unsettled Twilight who came to a dead stop and turned to face Pinkamena. The servant filly in turn started shivering in anticipation of getting scolded. “I’m sorry, Mistress, I just I-I just…” Pinkamena clapped her mouth shut and hid behind her arrow straight hair.

Twilight’s first reaction was to look around for an adult’s guidance, but they had already reached the library and no other ponies were even within eyesight. The mental controls in Pinkamena’s mane were so trusted, Twilight’s parents had left the fillies to their own devices. When Twilight realized she was on her own, she came to the most logical conclusion for her: it was a test. A test to do what though?

A servant is not a friend, echoed her father in Twilight’s mind. Respect them as a pony and for their service, but no further.

Twilight might very well have followed that advice to the letter, if she was older. But here, all the ten year old noble scion could see was a filly her age on the verge of tears. Just like she had been not even half an hour prior. “What’s wrong?” Was the proper first question to any problem, as her father taught her.

It was not said harshly or in judgement, but genuine concern. That got the fellow blank flank to swallow to steady her lip and stare up so she was looking at Twilight’s nose and no higher. “I’m sorry for looking around.”

It took a moment for Twilight to realize that Pinkamena was actually serious. “Why would that be a problem?”

“You didn’t give permission. I shouldn’t look where my masters might have things best not seen.”

“But ugh…” such a thing was anathema to the little scholar. Twilight had real difficulty understanding why anyone would think that. “Well that’s totally bananas. If you really think that, then from now on, look wherever, whenever. You gotta know what’s going on around you, right?”

Just briefly, Pinkamena looked Twilight in the eye in bewilderment, but instantly shot her eyes back down. However, she didn’t look like she was about to cry now. “As you wish, Mistress.”

Averting one’s gaze didn’t sit well with Twilight. Outside of her family and the house staff, no one wanted to really look at Twilight. She didn’t see it coming from Pinkamena as a sign of respect, no, she saw it as the same reason no one else willingly looked at her if they didn’t have to. Well Pinkamena was her personal servant, and this time, Twilight wouldn’t stand for it. She hardened her features and shouted, “Look at me!”

Pinkamena jumped to attention. That was the tone of voice she was used to. She was quick to obey, and finally looked Twilight in the eyes. “Yes, Mistress!”

The trembling in Pinkamena’s eyes and shivering hooves derailed Twilight's spark of resentment. She finally realized Pinkamena was terrified of her. Twilight didn’t know how to respond to that. Even if Pinkamena was a servant, she didn’t want her to be scared. “Sorry I yelled.” Twilight prided herself on being a good girl, and scuffed the floor in shame. “I just don’t like it when ponies make fun of me for my wings.”

“Your… wings?” Pinkamena stumbled when her training failed to have a more proper reply. “I thought you were a unicorn.”

Twilight honestly didn’t want to reveal her useless wings. Wish I knew you thought I was a unicorn. I’d just hide them. She could still try to lie, lean into Pinkamena’s assumption, but even a child as young as her knew that would never work for long. And now that Pinkamena was actually looking at Twilight, no one could have missed the bulges on her sides.

However, it was surely still possible to have Pinkamena sent back to wherever she came from. If she was going to be like so many others and look down on her for what she was, then Twilight would just make do without a personal servant.

Even with that chosen course of action, Twilight was still nervous about showing off. “Well, I’m not. I’m actually a - a demicorn.” Having said that, Twilight turned to the side and unfurled a featherless wing, and spread her three fingers out barely wide enough to reveal them.

It was not the expected distaste that settled on Pinkamena’s face, or the neutral, completely impassive expression the adult servants and staff had. Instead, Pinkamena looked at her in amazement. Her eyes went wide and her ear finally stood upright. “You’re an alicorn?!”

Twilight’s face burned red and she quickly folded the wing back. “I wish. I said I’m a…” Twilight’s grew resentful in anticipation for the undoubtably coming disgust from Pinkamena. She grumbled and shook her head. “Never mind. Doesn’t matter.” She quickly tucked her wings back to her barrel.

Pinkamena‘s sunken mood evaporated, and she gingerly walked over to inspect Twilight’s spindly, folded wings. Twilight furrowed her brow and scowled trying to look scary, but Pinkamena was solely focused on Twilight’s wing. “May I see them again, please?”

That was a first. No one had ever wanted to see her wings before, not even Twilight herself. Well, if she doesn’t like it then I can get daddy to send her back to wherever she came from. Bolstered with the promise of petty revenge, Twilight unfurled her wing, much to Pinkamena’s delight.

A bright smile that looked at home on Pinkamena’s face lit up and she started bouncing in a tight circle. “Wowsers, that is sooo cool. I wish I had wing hands, I could-” In an instant, her hyperactivity cut off like a switch. She planted her hooves again and reverted to a much calmer, but pleasant demeanor. “Sorry, Mistress, I get over excited sometimes.”

“Ahhh, That's okay...” Twilight folded her wings back in place. “You don’t think it’s gross?”

“Why would it be gross?” Pinkamena asked with a tilted head. Good cheer was creeping back on her face now that her fear over Twilight was fading away. “I could do all sorts of stuff if I had those. Like baking with mitts, write without using my mouth, handstands, hold a candle without the flame burning my eyes, and-and-” Pinkamena rattled off more and more examples, faster and faster with each word. Her speech started going so fast her words ran together until she acted as if she hit a brick wall and stopped short. “Oh sorry, got over excited again.”

Twilight was left speechless. Not from Pinkamena’s hyperactivity, but the positivity of it. Directed at her wings of all things. “I never thought about it.” Twilight stared at her open wing as if for the first time. Could she actually do all those things? She looked back up at the smiling servant with the same shocked expression, yet managed to regain her composure a bit. “I um. Thank you. So uhh. Where are you from?” If one pony had no problems with demicorns, then Twilight needed to know where there might be more.”

Pinkamena shook her head, and some of the curls in her mane started to straighten back out. “I lived on a rock farm with my family before…” Pinkamena blinked and came up short for a moment. “Umm, before I was taken to the Matron. So I didn’t go very far outside of that.” A sadness crept in behind the veneer of a smile. She could barely remember her parents and sisters’ faces, but she could not recall their names at all. Oh how dearly she wished she could. Now she was alone, save for the noble filly in front of her.

For Twilight, the house wasn’t the same since her dearest brother Shining Armor left for the army. She had no one to confide with. No one to vent her frustrations to without parental judgement and lectures. But. Just perhaps, the servant filly before her could fill the void as best she could.

Dragging a hoof along the plush carpet in a circle, Twilight worked up the courage to ask, “do you happen to like reading Nieghzsche?”

Later that day around dusk, Twilight sat alone with a book about Pinkamena’s original people on the cliffs near the estate garden. The wind was strong here, and Twilight kept her book safe with some smooth stones to weigh the pages down. The high winds tossed her mane around and she had her wings flared out so she could feel the air crossing them. She often found her focus was stronger this way as the wind crossing her wings brought a sense of calm that stopped the recurring arcs of lightning from her horn.

Between chapters, she closed her eyes and pretended to be in the air, flying alongside the Winged Corps defending Equestria from the bandits and troublemakers of Lunaria. During these breaks from reading, she often tried to imagine what it was like to have feathers. To feel the rush of wind across them.

As typically happened, the wrinkle of pages in the wind drew her attention back to Lunarian Enstripement, and her focus returned in earnest.

Time always rushed by when she read, and by now the hour was indeed getting late. The sun was touching the horizon when the gentle clip of hooves on stone brought Twilight’s attention to her approaching mother. Initial joy at seeing Velvet surged tenfold when she saw the harness Velvet was wearing. Twilight squealed in excitement and hastily moved the stones out of the way so she could close the book, then put the stones back on to keep the precious tome safe.

“A lovely sunset, isn’t it Twily?” Velvet asked with a smile that bespoke more of relief than anything else.

“Uh huh! Can we go higher today?!” Twilight flapped her useless wings trying to jump onto Velvet’s back so she could strap into the harness.

Velvet looked behind Twilight to make sure the potentially expensive book was safe. She caught the title of the book, creating a spark of curiosity. “We’re going to do something special tonight, but first… what were you reading?”

If there was anything that could match her love of flight, it was reading. Twilight scampered over to the book, gently removed the paperweights, and presented the book to her mother with a smile by using her wings as hands. “I wanted to find out more about ‘Those Born Under Moonlight’ and why they are servants. So Pinkamena and I found this!”

Velvet accepted the book and flipped through the pages. She shook her head and put it down after she saw the legalese. “Surely you could have found something that could explain it better for somepony your age.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked as she tilted her head so one ear was closer to Velvet’s face. “I can read it,” she added with defiant conviction cracking her voice.

“I’m sure you can, little spark.” Velvet sat down and cradled Twilight with a wing. The filly leaned into the affection, but kept her eyes and ears fixed on her mother. “Twily, the stripes are servants because they are either criminals or the unwanted from Lunaria.”

“Criminals?” Twilight tried to jump back, but Velvet held her close with her wing. “You mean Pinkamena is—”

“Shhh, little one. You are perfectly safe around her. The stripes in her hair help keep any harmful thoughts away. The friendlier the color, the less restrictive the reformation is.” Velvet laid down so she would be eye level with her daughter. “We picked her for you because her colors mean she is well suited to be your assistant. Have faith in the stripes to keep you safe.” Twilight smiled and nodded. So wondrous the mind of a child is. How malleable they can be.

“Yes, mommy. Can we go flying now? Pleeease!!” She pulled out of Velvet’s hug to start grabbing at the harness.

“Only until the moon rises. It’d be just our luck the Night Witch would snatch us away given half a chance.” Velvet stood up and helped Twilight get on her back, allowing the filly to do the rest. Once she heard the sound of belts tightening and felt Twilight clamping down with all four legs, Velvet bent down and flapped hard. Both of them skyrocketed up. Velvet was used to Twilight flaring her own wings out, and adapted to the disturbance easily.

Velvet may have been getting along in years, but she still pulled off some rolls and a flip or two. With each turn and maneuver, Twilight angled or tilted her wings to match her mother. Though she was breathing laboriously and her wings ached faster than they used to, Twilight’s happiness kept Velvet going long after she would have quit.

Eventually, when only a sliver of sun was above the horizon, Velvet came to a landing on a cloud overlooking the estate. Twilight looked around and after deeming the edges of the cloud to be safe enough, she undid the straps with her wing-fingers and jumped off. Unlike her mother who depressed the cloud only an inch or so, Twilight sank to her knees. She had to keep her hooves moving, but she was able to climb up to her fetlocks so she could walk around. As her mother practically collapsed onto her belly to rest, Twilight drank in the sights of the world below, oblivious to her mother’s pains. An ancient instinct made her wings twitch with anticipation of the rush of flight once more. The lights of the Sparkle Estate were blocked by a large, mostly stationary cloud much further down, but she could see the glow behind it.

“Thank you so much, momma!” Twilight bounced on her cloud, her wings flailing before she thought to tuck them back in. “Do you think I’ll ever be able to do that?”

Velvet had been dreading this day. It was a mother’s duty to see her child grow, not to coddle them. “Twilight, I know the sky calls to you, but…” The truth can be cruel. To a child, it can be scarring for life, and yet, it was unavoidable. It had to be said. “You will never fly, not on your own power.”

Ears fell flat and a shaky frown started forming. The child was too smart for her own good. Twilight knew it was true, but childish hope had clung to the adults finding a way. “...Why am I broken?”

“You are not broken, Twilight Sparkle,” Velvet declared with enough authority to rattle the young filly. “Others may call you that, I know they have, but you can show them differently.”

“But they’re right, aren’t they? You said it yourself that I can’t fly.” Tears were welling up. Twilight tried to look away to cry, but Velvet used a wing to keep her daughter’s head high.

“You are not broken,” Velvet repeated more confidently, “just rare.” With a hoof, Velvet gently pulled Twilight’s featherless wing forward so the filly could see it. “Demicorns like you are a strong and inventive tribe. Wings, horns, and hooves are tools, Twilight, no less than your mind. You must learn how to thrive with the tools you have, and not cry over the ones you don’t.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Twilight replied with no enthusiasm. Velvet let go, allowing Twilight to refold her wing and finally looked away in shame.

Velvet’s jaw hardened. The fire of the pegasus armadas of old still roared strong in her tribe, fueled by the wars of the past thousand years. She stood up to her full height, and kicked the cloud so it rocked a bit. “I will not allow you to grow up a sputtering candle.”

Bewildered, Twilight looked up to suddenly cower before the stern, almost glowering face of her mother.

“Stand up!” Velvet commanded sharply.

Fear overrode self-pity and Twilight jumped to her hooves, and her thoughts came to a halt.

“Twilight Sparkle, every pegasus from the dawn of time to today must learn to spread her wings and soar. We have always been the warriors of Equestria, and that means we must stand strong against a hurricane if we have to.”

“B-but, I can’t soar or fly.” Twilight’s courage threatened to fumble before it could even stand.

“Not in the skies, but in life,” Velvet clarified. She swept a wing out towards Canterlot and the few traces of light that still remained as the day came to a close. “Do you think there has never been a pegasus with damaged wings before? Or that a city of marble and gold as old as ours can rest on the side of a mountain without hard work? Magic bends and breaks the world to fit our designs, our will. You must use your strength and will to forge a path that will allow you to soar. Starting tonight.”

Velvet took to the air and hovered just off the cloud where Twilight remained.

“Wait, don’t leave me here! I can’t get down!”

“You have a choice, Twilight.” Velvet kept her matronly command voice, instilling a note of trepidation on top of Twilight’s anxiety of being abandoned. “You can stay here all night where it is safe, or you can jump and join me on the cloud below.”

“Jump?!” Was all Twilight heard. Her wings snapped closed and sudden terror gripped her. “W-what if I get really hurt? Or I don’t make it?”

“Twily.” Velvet floated over so she was eye level with her daughter. She bore an iron glare that pulled Twilight’s attention and would not let go. When she spoke, her tone demanded to be remembered. “Life is full of hardship and pain. You will fall, and you will get hurt. What is most important is that you try, and you get back up again.

“The armada of old does not care if you can fly or not.” Velvet flared her right wing at the darkening sky where the first stars were beginning to appear. “Clipped Razor became a hero against the griffins long after he lost a wing, and we remember his name since before Equestria was founded. Be like him, find another way to soar, another way to make both our ancestors, and Celestia proud.”

“Another way?” Twilight somehow managed to tear her eyes away from Velvet to look at her frightfully bony wing.

“Yes.” Velvet declared as she came in to land again. She cradled the small wing in a hoof, and gently ran the edge of a feather against Twilight’s fingers. “Fate may have given you a body others find distasteful, but in return it gave you a keen mind. Leverage your mind and the fire in your heart to reforge the tools you’ve been given to soar.” She took to the air once more, and moved towards the estate below. “The armada is watching, Twilight. Show them the courage I know you have. Show Celestia above you will not be cowed.”

Being honest with herself, parts of her mother’s speech went over Twilight’s head. But she was old and smart enough to get the idea. It was a test. A test to see if I am worthy of the family name. Was that accurate? Was this moment a point between remaining in the family or being sidelined and married off at the soonest convenience and forgotten about? Or was she overthinking it again?

Whatever the case, Twilight felt an ember kindle in her heart. She moved to the edge of the cloud. She briefly looked to her stone-faced mother then down to the cloud below. It looked so far away, and too far forward. And yet, that ember ignited into the same fire that had pushed her winged ancestors to be the masters of the battlefield. The sheer drop felt different now. It was an obstacle that dared her to overcome it, promising death should she fail.

Her mother, all but forgotten in this moment, flew away and out of sight. She circled back so she could hide under Twilight’s cloud, waiting to see what kind of person her daughter would choose to be.

Slowly, carefully, Twilight stepped up to the farthest point of the cloud she could go and tightened her wings against her barrel. Her mind was zeroed in on the moment. She had no math to fall back on. No useful experience on how to survive should she fail. That’s the point. This was her test. “I failed the one at the school without even getting a chance.”

It was a bitter taste, still painfully fresh now that Velvet forced her to confront it. There was no book to hide behind, only her and the bitterly cold mountain air. “I’ll never fail again.” Twilight defiantly unfurled her featherless wings, for all the good they would do, and jumped.

Author's Note

Took long enough to get this all out and ready to go, but this time around, I have several chapters good to go, so I will be giving out weekly updates for nine more chapters. Hope you all enjoy the ride!

Also, I know full well some of you might cry foul on wing-fingers, but they are canon. I present to you exhibit A:
https://www.derpibooru.org/images/2091360

Not enough? Then these exhibits as well! https://www.derpibooru.org/search?q=winghands%2C+screencap&sf=score&sd=desc

5: A Servant's Wishes and a Master's Troubles

The months following after the gala saw the family slip back into a routine. While Twilight Sparkle was still barred from the lab, even if it would have been a great distraction from the gala, leaving her with Twilight Velvet more often than not. There she learned the ins and outs of trade, supply and demand, and her worst subject: the art of the sale.

Today, Pinkamena cantered through the halls with a tray of drinks on her back to find the three Lights sitting in the estate library. Velvet and Night Light were sharing a meal at the central reading table, gossiping over the newspaper. Twilight was camped out on a drafting table she had talked her father into pulling out of the lab. The books she was assigned to read were long since complete, so the budding scholar was hard at work, drawing something with her wings. Several crumpled up papers resided in the waste bin, along with a broken quill or two.

I hope the lords are in a good mood. They’d never go for my idea if there is anything souring the air. Pinkamena rounded the table and turned so the drinks were presented to the adults. “Here are your drinks, they’re on the house!”

Night Light levitated two of the drinks away. “Thank you, Pinkamena,” he said absently.

That was more than just a nod or affirmative grunt. A good sign to be sure. She went straight over to Twilight and waited for her to lift her quill from the parchment so she wouldn’t cause the demicorn to mess up her drawing.

Twilight, however, noticed the presence behind her, and stopped her efforts, thinking it was her father. Her face lit up when she saw who it was, and doubly so at the sight of the rootbeer float. “Oh wow, thank you.” Twilight put the quill down and claimed the drink. “Why don’t you get one too?”

That was the game they had to play. Pinkamena wasn’t allowed to get such treats, unless one of the Lights gave permission. Yet it was something Pinkamena didn’t want to abuse. Her one friend was too precious to risk losing. “I’ll get one later, thank you, Mistress.” Pinkamena rubbed the back of her head and smiled at how happy Twilight looked as she licked the hits of melting ice cream spilling over the sides of the cup. “Do you require anything else?”

“There is one thing.” Twilight took the paper she was working on and presented it to Pinkamena. She had to whisper to keep her parents from overhearing. It had multiple drawings of the boiler in her father’s lab. Complete with frontal, side, and cross sections. “How accurate did I get this time?” Her father had resorted to taking the broken boiler apart for new leads, and without Twilight there to watch him, she had resorted to getting Pinkamena to spy for her.

“Hey, that’s really good.” Pinkamena scrutinized the drawing closely, knowing full well Twilight was not looking for praise. Still, it was nice to be able to do both at once. “It’s like I'm looking right at it.”

“Excellent.” Twilight rolled the paper up, and looked over her shoulder to make sure the parents were still not paying them any attention. “Since I already know the engine inside and out, now I can go for the big cheese. To design my own boiler! Better boiler, faster steam, right?”

“I love cheese! Especially on garlic bread and macaroni.” Pinkamena’s stomach growled, making her blush with embarrassment.

A snort-laugh escaped Twilight. “Then go get us some! I’m sure Baker Dozen has some left over from last night.” She pulled up a folder full of notes she copied from her father. “We can go see a play tonight, I heard the Sly Flies are playing all week.”

“A play? Ooo that sounds like fun!” Pinkamena noticed the ink well on Twilight’s desk was low. “Looks like your quill is getting tired, I’ll go get some fresh supplies.” Pinkamena skipped over to the adults to see if they had any needs to fulfill, but came up short when she heard what they were talking about.

“So the execution was today, was it?”

“I’m surprised it took this long. The whole gala saw it, and he confessed. Was there even a point to bother with a trial at all?”

The Gala Killer... Oh! if they're already thinking about it, then I'll never get a better chance to ask! Doing her best to muster up the courage she had lacked thus far, Pinkamena went up to Night Light and remained quiet in the corner of his vision, awaiting him to acknowledge her.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long. He broke his conversation with Velvet to regard the young servant. “Yes? Oh the plates, silly me.”

Pinkamena turned aside so the plates could rest upon her back. “Begging your pardon, Sir, but may I ask a question?”

“Yes?” He looked to be in a moderately good mood, and was giving her undivided attention. Velvet was a bit annoyed at being interrupted, but kept her peace.

“I couldn’t help but hear about the Gala Killer. And, well, could something like that happen to Mistress Twilight?”

Night Light shifted uncomfortably. He took his glasses off and absently cleaned them with a cloth. “I’d be lying to say it would be impossible. But after witnessing such a thing happening right there in front of dozens of Royal Guards and even a senior inquisitor, no less... Why do you ask?”

Good, she got them in the desired frame of mind. All she had to do was say it. “Could - could you get somepony to train me so I can be Mistress Twilight’s bodyguard?”

“Bodyguard?” all three of the family members echoed. Twilight stopped her work, stunned, and both parents looked upon Pinkamena in a new light.

Whelp, now or never! “Yes!” Pinkamena jumped, causing the plates to rattle. “It is my honor and purpose to help her forever, right? But what if she gets in the kind of trouble words can’t solve?”

Any other day, this might not have worked, but Pinkamena could see the wheels turning behind the adults’ eyes. They looked at each other, a silent conversation passing before Night Light spoke up. “Servants are not typically allowed to be taught how to fight. Too much temptation to order them to do something illegal before the servant has a chance to realize it. But, she does have a point.”

“Point being what it is,” Velvet added with a waggle of a feather. “Only the queen herself can authorize such a request. You’ve got her ear, Nighty, but why cash in that clout for this when we could just hire a regular bodyguard?”

“Not that she really needs one right now,” Night Light added with a hum. “Maybe if she leaves the nest, but…”

Pinkamena tried to remain firm and hopeful, any show of doubt would ruin her chances, but it wasn’t her place to interrupt them, no matter how much she wanted to.

“Cadence might!” Twilight called out. She cantered over, and whispered into Pinkamena’s ear. “Do you really want to train to protect me?”

“Yes, I really do.” Pinkamena felt no need to hide her reply. “If some ne'er-do-well attacks you, and I was there, but couldn’t stop him, then what good am I?”

‘You’re a lot of good!” Twilight scowled at the self-depreciation. “Like, like, how often do I forget to eat were it not for you? Or all kinds of stuff.”

“But I can do more, Mistress! Just like Daring Do said, ‘a spear is useless weight if you don’t know how to wield it.’”

“For a child, you make a good case,” Velvet admitted, only to shake her head. “But the problem remains that you are a servant. It is simply not done. We’d just hire a bodyguard, but again, I don’t think Twilight needs that right now. The gala was not aimed at the aristocracy, it was an isolated incident.”

It was not what Pinkamena wanted to hear, even though she expected it. What do I say now? I don’t want Twilight to get hurt if I could help it. But what can I do? Her heart sank, and Pinkamena wilted, knowing it was not her place to press the issue further.

“What if you hired the trainer for me!” Twilight said suddenly. “Pinkanenia could be trained by proxy.”

Pinkamena was stunned and looked over at the other filly with weak hope.

Feeling as if she had a good case, Twilight pressed it home. “A true lady of the skies and great halls need not hide behind somepony else's blade. At least that's what you've always said?”

"She has a point," Velvet said, interrupting Night Light's coming refusal. “If she is willing to heed tradition, even if it is under unbecoming conditions, then we should follow through."

“Far be it for me to deny the warriors of the skies,” Night Light huffed, fully aware of his daughter’s argument working too easily on his wife. “I'd normally be glad to hear you come around were it not for the timing.” He looked to his wife who silently forbade him to turn Twilight down. A lot of help Velvet was at the moment. “But you have my blessing.”

“Good,” Velvet stated as though she would accept no other answer. Still, she leveled a weary gaze upon both fillies. “If this is what it requires for you to take such training seriously, then so be it. While your other work still takes priority, I expect you to actually listen to this trainer, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, ma'am!” Twilight nodded with all the fierceness she could muster.

It ended up being just after summer started when the martial instructor arrived. The north end of the estate, which faced the mountain, was roughly thirty feet from wall to cliff. Shining Armor had used it as his old training ground before enlisting, and Velvet had taken the time to replace rotting dummies and equipment for her daughter.

It was a bright morning on the grounds where Twilight and Pinkamena stood in the center of the dirt ring. The instructor was an earth pony stallion whose brown mane was greying on the edges, and his tan fur was getting a bit patchy in places, but the numerous scars and strong physique banished any thought that age was the only source of his ailing health. He wore nothing, save for a scabbard for his muzzle sword, a common single bladed weapon for his tribe, that would clutch tightly to the face so the skull and jaw would take the brunt of the blows, rather than his teeth.

Arrayed between him and the manor were a dozen weapon racks, all filled with steel and wood training versions of all types of weapons, save those used by unicorns.

While Night Light was absent, Velvet watched them from upon the roof so the fillies wouldn’t notice her.

“In the event your parents neglected to mention my name, I am former Captain-Lieutenant Cross Hook. Glad to see you are a filly willing to wake early in the morning without needing my boot up your tail on the first day,” started the trainer with an accent Twilight couldn’t place outside of being unfamiliar. “I must admit I was intrigued by the prospect of instructing a demicorn, so if you are going to lazy about this, tell me now so I don’t waste my time.”

The two fillies were not really sure on how to act around him. He wasn’t like the drill instructors Shining told them about, so they stood at a rough approximation of attention. Twilight nodded at the stallion. “I’ll train as hard as demanded of me if you train Pinkamena as well.”

“Oh..?” He turned his scarred face to the pink ball of shaking energy. Her vibrating body, poofy hair, and uncomfortably massive grin set him on edge. “I was worried that’s why she was here.”

“You mean daddy didn’t tell you she was part of the deal?”

He grumbled irritably, and leveled an evil eye in the manor’s direction. “No. I suspect he was hoping you’d think better of it by the time I got here. But... one or two it matters not to me. Still though, a servant at that.”

Pinkamena performed the army salute Twilight had taught her. “Yes sir. I stand by my Mistress in everything!”

He studied the color of her stripes. “A personal servant... At least you ain’t a red.” He turned away and tapped his left front hoof in a nervous tick. “What is it with the nobility and skirting the law? No wonder the pay was so damn good.” He groaned, rolled his shoulders, and faced the fillies once more. “Whatever, it won’t be my hide that gets tanned.” He adopted a sudden hard glare. “Alright, little miss, you got a deal. The first thing we need to find out is what weapons you should be trained in. Bare hooves are all well and good, but there will be times you actually have time or need to arm yourself. I don’t care what those martial artists claim, good steel will always be better than bare hooves.”

Seeing that the fillies had no idea what he was talking about, Cross Hook waved a hoof to the weapon racks. Like a pony’s Destiny, one is drawn to the weapon most befitting them. Go and see for yourselves, but I hope I don’t need to remind you to not touch the sharp ends. The average noble intelligence is lacking at best.”

Taking Twilight’s lead, Pinkamena bounded over to the racks with the earth pony symbols. Many of them looked interesting, and they all looked lethal. What finally got her attention were a collection of bladed shin guards. Tough rune magic coursed through them, making them highly resistant to disruption from anything other than a machine.

“A good pick,” Cross Hook said after Pinkamena started trying to strap one onto her foreleg. He helped her put the set on in short order. Unlike most others, this training gear was also metal, save for the blades themselves. “They’re fine to wear at all times, so long as the safety cantrap is active. So long as it’s active, the blades don’t slide out.”

“What makes them go out in the first place?” Pinkamena asked as she shook her legs, testing the weight.

“There are three settings, safe, double, and single. With single, every time your hoof goes more than a few inches off the ground, higher than typical running gaits, the blade will project out, allowing for stabbing and slicing. Double is used for bucking and the like. Settings can only be changed by inscribing new runes into them so nopony other than you can control the blades. They’re also typically paired with a face shield, but with that kind of weight, somepony your age is already pushing it with the shin guards. Go run some laps to see how they feel.”

“Yes, Sir!” she cried out before galloping off like a bullet.

Once he saw her off, he looked to Twilight and gave a toothy grin at armor that had grabbed her curiosity. In the end, it was really the only choice he would have been happy with. “You like?” he asked with a smirk.

In truth it was the only weapon originally designed with a demicorn in mind. The right shin guard was much like Pinkamena’s own. The left one had a single-shot holdout-pistol strapped to it instead of a blade. Strung along on chest straps were a complicated set of pouches and rods. It had taken Twilight a few minutes to guess their purpose. “Oh! Those are there so you can reload a pistol with one leg. Genius!” All of it was protected by a flap that was currently open for display. The edges had lines of toothed metal that Twilight gently prodded with a wing-finger. “What is this?”

“Quite the marvel, innit it? The inventor called an automatic, continuous clothing closure.” Cross Hook knelt down and closed the flap by moving the metal tab up and then reopened it by pulling down. “But as you can hear, it makes a zippy sound when it opens and closes so I just call it a zipper.”

That little invention hooked Twilight almost then and there, but she managed to rein in her impulse and continued to search the rest of the armor. A pair of buckler shields for the ‘hand’ of her wings grabbed her attention next. It looked normal enough, if a pegasus didn’t want to fly very well, or at all. Not really a problem for me. What had ultimately pulled her attention, was the rigid leather circlet with an attached horn ring. It was much like her own, but built sturdy enough for combat.

Her curiosity was sufficiently peaked. The sheer complexity of it all made her think of the engine, and if nothing else, that was enough for her. “What is all this called?” she asked while running her fingers over the straps.

“It doesn’t really have a name, but it was a custom job. Even comes with its own literature if you can believe it.” Cross Hook inspected the leather, finding it cracking with age. “All I know is that it was originally created seventy years ago for some eccentric noble’s bodyguard. Apparently he had a thing for hiring one of each tribe to protect him. Never did manage to snag a thestral though. Anyway, I found it at a pawnbroker, and I was a collector at the time. Now I just trade one weapon away at a time to new students.”

Twilight looked up at him with a half-frown. “Is that why you came? So you could finally offload this one?”

He laughed derisively and eventually shrugged when he calmed back down. He ended up giving a sharp smirk. “In part, sure. Demicorns aren’t exactly common, among the nobility even more so, and I’d hate to for such a weapon to never see use after such care was put into it’s creation.”

“Huh…” Twilight had to admit, it looked rather fitting. I bet Shining would think it's perfect. Not really sure about the circlet in a fight though. If anything, lighting could help distract the bad guy. “The pistol bit is quite excellent,” she added, trying to hide at least some of her enthusiasm.

“Aye, you aristocrats seem to prefer pistols nowwa days anyway. Almost as if the Lunarians were right about firearms all along.” He bit his tounge, having spoken out of turn. Not that he had to worry about the filly. Twilight was too engrossed by the armor that she didn’t register what he said. He decided against looking up to see if Velvet had heard him.

“I’d take it, but it’s far too big for me.”

“It was made for a stallion anyway. But if it tickles your fancy, I’m sure your father could have a new one commissioned. Probably get an adjustable one for somepony your age to grow into, eh? Only problem might be that zipper, buuut I’m sure with your kind of bits, it should be no problem, eh?” He chuckled and took a few steps back, studying the filly’s form, to see just how he could best train her.

She nodded at the piece and faced him with steady determination. “If daddy can make one, I’ll use it.”

“Good, good, at least now that old fool can rest easier knowing his work won’t fade into obscurity without ever being tested. First though,” his voice took on sudden command, “get some laps going! Your assistant there’s already breaking a sweat, now get, get!”

The rest of Twilight’s year was taken largely by Velvet at her emporium, the real source of income for the family. Yet on Hearthwarming, Twilight was offered a position at one of the arcanosmiths, named Gold Hammer, who was working on more replacement parts for the engine.

While it proved to be mildly interesting, the magic based method of fabricating the part was beyond her capabilities, and thus garnered only professional interest. No, but what Gold Hammer’s shop was able to provide was easy access to the grinding wheels and other tools to make engine parts on her own. For months, she practiced and labored as often as she could to perfect her manufacture.

Late one night, a collection of glow lamps surrounded a workbench Twilight Sparkle was leaning over as she worked on her latest creation. Small springs taken from children toys, gears, fine tools, a hoof-driven grinding wheel, and metal frames were organized around her. By law, Gold Hammer didn’t use any striped servants in his shop. Which was just fine by Twilight. She couldn’t look at them the same way anymore. Pinkamena’s friendship and her eagerness to please haunted the fresh teenager.

Compared to the purple scholar, Pinkakema’s boundless energy found her running circles around Twilight during Cross Hook’s training. That in of itself didn’t bother Twilight. What did, was how much Pinkamena threw herself into it. Was it for the reasons Pinkamena said, or was it escapism from her the chains?

The jester’s lifeless eyes plagued her nightmares from time to time. How the stallion went from distracted depression to jovial clown and back again like a switch. Pinkamena's stripes could just be more subtle.

Are momma and daddy right? Does Pinkamena only act that way because she has to? That question hounded her more and more as the days rolled by. Are we really friends, or is the real Pinkamena buried by the strips? If she could think clearly, would she actually hate me? Does she train so hard so she can try and forget for a moment that she is a servant?

Oh how she hated these thoughts. No. Of course she's always honest. Stop overthinking everything! Twilight squeezed her eyes shut in a vain effort to enact that impossible task.

Or at least, mostly impossible. Gold Hammer's workshop proved the perfect distraction from such troubles. Her mother's instruction in trade and logistics were mentally stimulating to be sure, and she had long since been allowed to return to work in Night Light's laboratory, but nothing sang to the demicorn like crafting a machine with her own hooves, and today was no different.

As with many nights here, Twilight was so absorbed in her work that she couldn't be bothered to control the sparks of electricity dancing freely between her horn, hair, ears, and face. As she grew, so too did her magic, such as it was. Thankfully though, the sparks tended to rarely go much further than her mane. Still, her parents went so far as to commission clothing and bedding that would not easily burn at great expense.

Toiling away in her tireless efforts, Twilight pulled a crank handle off of her creation, and was instantly rewarded with steady ticking. The crude clock face’s second hand came to life, and she could see the exposed gearwork come to life. “Yeeeeeesssss!” She squealed with unbridled excitement, and flapped her wings hard enough that she rattled one of the lanterns, and a particularly large spark arced off her horn.

Resting next to her work was a birthday gift from Shining Armor: a Lunarian pocket watch. The soldier who had taken it as a trophy had passed away, and had given to the only friend who could legally own it due to his family. Shining Armor then gave it to Twilight. Ever curious, she had wasted no time taking it apart to learn its secrets, and Gold Hammer's workshop was the perfect place to do so.

As she compared her creation with that of the pocket watch, the watch's second hand moved much faster than the one she made. “Doesn’t matter right now. I made a working clock. An actual working clock with no magic! I just need to refine everything so it can tell accurate time.”

She went right back to work taking apart the pocket watch again to compare the balance wheels. “Maybe the weight is off. Or the escapement needs calibration.”

The lightning on her horn returned in earnest as her excitement grew. This is so trivial to maintain for an average pony!
No need to buy mana crystals or sign up for the recharge service, just tighten the spring, and you're good for over a day.

Twilight found a possible error she had made in one of the cogs of her new clock, and wasted no time in snatching up a brass ingot from the table. The grinding wheel was loud, but it was hardly the first time she had stayed so late. But this time, was once too many.

A brief pattering of hoof on the wooden floor was her only warning. “What are you doing?!” Came Gold Hammer’s terrified whisper from behind her.

Twilight freaked and accidentally slapped him with a wing as she scrambled to cover her work with a sheet of planning paper. “Nothing! Just creating replacement parts for daddy's engine.”

“Replacement parts my flank!” Gold Hammer shoved her wing out of his face and ripped the paper away. Anger flashed across his face. “This is what you’ve been doing at night? You know damned well making new machines is illegal!”

She was caught dead to rights. Lies would be useless, and if she were honest, she was sick of them. “Well, it shouldn't be!” Twilight pulled her clock away from the irate unicorn stallion, shielding it with her body. “Can’t you see it! Clocks and land engines are just scratching the surface. How long did it take you to learn how to make an arcane timepiece or even this grindstone’s enchantments? Well guess what, I made this in just a year of studying that pocket watch.” She thought better of mentioning her crafting the pieces under his nose.

“None of that matters to the law, you daft filly!” Gold slammed a hoof on the table so hard it rattled everything. “These machines destroy magic, and in case you forgot, Equestria can’t survive without it! By Celestia above, Canterlot would fall off the mountain without it!”

“Then we build somewhere on the ground, like Ponyville.”

“No, no. Don’t you understand, you insufferable girl! If the Inquisition ever heard you made an unsanctioned machine in my shop, they’ll clap me in irons so fast I’ll be before the judge before sunrise.” The surging terror in Gold Hammer’s voice made Twilight falter long enough for him to toss her aside and grab the clock. It was only dumb luck the way she fell masked the pocket watch from sight.

“Hey, don’t break it!”

A few pieces and parts broke off the delicate clockwork from Gold’s frantic grasp, but he got enough of it and backed away to the furnace. “I have to.” Twilight ran up and tried to grab it back, but the unicorn stallion magically pushed her back with ease. He threw the clock into the furnace bucket and magically kicked the bellower to turn up the heat for the next hour. “You made this under my roof, and you’re underage. It would be my neck that met the hangmare’s noose, not yours!”

“These laws will ruin us.” Twilight stayed back, and made sure he wouldn't notice her slipping the pocket watch into the folds of her dress. She was not about to let him destroy that too. Twilight stood back up before he turned away from the furnace to glare at her. “Lunaria is going to keep getting stronger with these machines, and magic is not enough anymore.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. We will get stronger with magic just as we always have.” Gold stormed past her and started gathering his tools. “I still can’t believe you were doing this.”

“What about those of us without magic, Gold Hammer?” Twilight challenged. She was still irritated that he pushed her aside so easily, and held her ground at a distance. “Machines barely affect pegasi or earth ponies. If anything The Crown should be endorsing this!”

“Well, it’s not!” He screamed back. “You want to change things, become an advisor to the Crown. You want to get ponies killed, you keep making unsanctioned machines. But you will make them somewhere else. Your services are no longer required.”

Can’t say I didn’t see that coming. Twilight huffed dismissively and turned to the door, masking her shuffling the watch from the folds of her dress and into a proper pocket. “As if a demicorn would ever be so much as considered for such a position.”

“Why not?” Gold Hammer saw an opportunity. Sending Twilight away in anger, lawfully correct though he may be, that anger could cause repercussions via her father. But if her anger could be redirected, then he could escape this incident with his business intact. “Think about it. Your tribe can live for over four hundred years or so. If you can’t prove yourself become an advisor by then with your family’s connections, then you aren’t trying.”

Unfortunately for him, Twilight wasn't buying it. She shook her head and dug at the floor. “And advise the crown on what? The need to adopt more Lunarian technology. That’ll never happen, and you know it. Not even Mi Amore Cadenza’ll side with me on this.”

“Then if you want to die outside of a dungeon one day, wise up, put your head down, and fall in line with the rest of us. Now get out of here before I start thinking that turning you over to the Inquisition would save my skin more than forgetting this ever happened.”

“... If that is how it has to be.” Twilight leveraged every ounce of noble bearing she had, going so far as to completely silence her horn for the briefest of moments. “So long as I can help it, I will never darken your door again.”

“You’d best.” He returned to the furnace and renewed his work with the bellows to ensure the evidence’s destruction.

Turning away, Twilight stormed out, and slammed the door along the way for good measure. Is the whole damned country insane? So what if unicorn magic gets cut off. I get along just fine without it. Just rebuild Canterlot somewhere sane!

Twilight had expected to sleep at his workshop, so the only way she was getting a bed tonight was to walk. For the first two hours of her long trek through Canterlot she imagined all sorts of petty revenge against Gold Hammer. Having her father cut ties with him, and a plethora of other ways.

Yet by the time the fifth patrol officer asked about her business at such a late hour, and help had been refused, Twilight calmed down enough to think properly.

“An advisor. As if.” She huffed, and kicked a rock against a light pole. “No pony wants to listen to me, so why would that ever change?”

There was one person who listened. Pinkamena.

In that moment, the rebellious embers of her roared to life. Out in the street, she stared up towards the palace. Enstripment. That's the real reason everypony snubs machines isn't it? Celestia above, is this what you really wanted? To bind us all to this horrible state because of that horrible practice?

She turned away from the palace with a bitter taste in her mouth. Fine then. I'll hit two birds with one stone. I'll drag Equestria kicking and screaming into a machine revolution, and Lunaria will offer up all the incentive those stubborn fools in power need once the Lunas crush us in the next war and force everypony's eyes open!

Twilight walked home, ignoring any taxi carriages or police aid. No, she needed time to think. The streets were patrolled well enough, and she had her armor just in case.

“I can still do something to prepare." A flurry of ideas came to mind, some worth writing down, but there was one major problem she could see right off. What am I going to do with Pinkamena though? I'll need her help, but what if I have to do something her stripes would force her stop me?

The fires in her heart sputtered, as if struggling to survive against a blizzard. The need to act and the fear of losing Pinkamena warried within her. If I slip even once, she might leave or be taken from me. Could she fight her stripes enough to help me, or should she be forced to turn me in?

Twilight felt she was once again standing on that cloud. Only now, she couldn't muster the will to jump.

For years, Twilight stood on the edge of that very cloud. Her conscience demanded her to take the plunge, but she had yet figured out how to walk away from it. And so, she languished with inaction until...

It was shortly after the fillies reached eighteen years of age when Twilight finally came up with an idea to test Pinkamena. It had taken Twilight weeks to get the servant to do more than avoid anything Twilight threw at her.

Today's sparring match finally had a breakthrough. Both young mares were both left panting heavily in the dirt. Pinkamena’s legs ached from exertion, and she sported a number of bruises which were further pained by the weight of her newly resized shin guards. What was different this time, was that Twilight was on the dirt, sporting what would soon be a massive welt on the side of her muzzle.

The moment Twilight went down, Pinkamena went into a panic and started franically babbling apologies, and unable to touch her mistress now that the match was over. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! Please be okay."

“Oooh, I'm going to feel that for a week." Twilight had to blink some spots away, but she actually felt ecstatic it happened at all, and started laughing and grabbed Pinkamena so she could climb back to her hooves.

“Alright, that’s enough!” Cross Hook called out from outside the sparring ring. He was in no hurry, and in fact took his time in walking over, giving Twilight more than enough time to sit back up. “I must admit, you surprise me, Pinkamena. I thought you'd never actually bring yourself to hit her."

Pinkamena hovered over the injury, dearly wishing to grab a bandage. “I'm sorry, Mistress, you kept telling me to do it, but I'm not supposed to. Please don't be - don't..." She started blinking hard, trying to come to grips with how to process what was happening.

Twilight acted quickly and rested a tired hoof on Pinkamena's foreleg, doing more in front of the instructor would be unthinkable. “Don't worry, Pinkamena, you helped me out. I can't really expect a mugger to pull his punches now can I?"

“But I - um," Pinkamena visibly shook, trying to come to grips with her stripe bound training, and Twilight's wishes. “Y-yes, Mistress," was all she could muster.

“Far be it from me to give this kind of warning.” Cross moved in close to the young mares and and roughly patted some dust off their manes. “But I suggest you tell your parents you fell down some stairs when they get back. If they hear about this, they might take Pinkamena here to be re-striped.” Both mares looked at him in terror, only for him to shrug uncaringly. “Personally, I'm only being paid to teach you how to defend yourself, and I'd hate to see my hard work go to waste if the pink one is brain drained."

Pinkamena's ears fell and she started quivering at the prospect. Twilight tried to soothe her growing terror by saluting Cross Hook, and pull attention towards her. “Sounds like a good idea. I believe that should be all for today, yes?"

“Good. That’ll be all for today, and the week for that matter.” Cross Hook dusted off one of Twilight’s buckler shields. “The two of you need to polish and wax your gear like I showed you. When I get back, I expect them to be able to shave off that shield, young miss.”

With a feeble, shaking wing salute, Twilight snapped as best she could to attention. “Yes, sir! I think we can call it a day, yes?”

He saluted her back with a snorting laugh. “Yes, I suppose we can. And get a cold compress on it before your mother sees you."

A pair of long showers later, Twilight was sitting in front of a mirror while Pinkamena went through the motions of fixing her hair. The earth pony had remarkably calmed down now that she could aid Twilight in less stressful endeavors.

As Pinkamena hummed a ditty, with comb in hoof, she spotted a troubled frown on Twilight’s distracted face. It was a worryingly old expression by now. Pinkamena had tried to gently inquire into Twilight’s troubles, but her mistress was always vague or misleading about the real cause. Even after recruiting the parents’ help, Twilight betrayed nothing.

I hope today is different. I still don't understand why she wanted me to hit her so much, but maybe now she'll spill the beans. It was no ideal hope, because this time Pinkamena has a plan of her own. “Might I ask what’s troubling you?” She had to be direct. Dancing around the question never worked with Twilight. “Because you look worse than usual.”

Twilight’s ears and posture wilted, and she looked at her servant via the mirror. “You mean besides the swollen jaw?” Twilight teased. Pinkamena's distress returned across her face, making Twilight quickly stop. “Just lost in thought. Sorry.”

Running the comb in short strokes down Twilight’s neck gave Pinkamena a good excuse to be eye level. “Come on, Mistress, you know you can tell me the truth.”

Someone else might have missed it, but to Pinkamena caught Twilight's eyes move towards the servant’s stripes. “I wish that was true. But work secrets, you know. Daddy doesn’t want me telling a soul.”

A silent evil eye was Pinkamena’s response. One that bored into Twilight’s head like a drill. This was supposed to be where Pinkamena would let it go and finish her grooming, but she held firm.

Twilight wilted away even further like a shriveling leaf. “What? What?! It’s the truth.”

“Nu uh.” Pinkamena’s glower grew so intense that Twilight was practically forced off the chair. “That’s not a work secret face, that’s a ‘top secret to everypony’ face.”

“And it’s going to stay that way,” Twilight shot back, duscomfort written all over her. She recovered herself and sat back up, gently pushing Pinkamena away.

“It shouldn’t be.” Pinkamena’s staunch insistence surprised Twilight. She stopped brushing to round on Twilight so they were eye to eye. “Mistress, I have watched you tight lip this secret for too long. Your smiles are low and your cheer was dried up until our match... concluded. You can tell me, I promise.”

Twilight opened and closed her mouth a few times, unsure of how to respond. When Pinkamena held Twilight’s hoof, trying to wheedle her way past those walls, the young noble swallowed. A cold sweat manifested on her brow, and her wings started to tremble. “Pinkamena. If… If I told you to jump to the left, and the queen ordered you to jump to the right. Which one would you do?”

Pinkamena arched an eyebrow and one ear went flat at the question. “Well I guess it would depend on if she was watching me. If not, I’d jump to the left.” Twilight knitted her brow and had to think about the response, clearly surprised, to which Pinkamena felt she needed to clarify. “I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble if she was present. So if she was there I’d jump to the right.”

“Wait a minute.” Twilight stood up suddenly, half of her mane still a tangled mess from the shower. “That doesn’t make sense. If you know it is an order from the queen, you have to do it whether she’s watching or not... Right?” Twilight didn’t even wait for a reply before she started to get lost in her thoughts. “I know I read the rules hundreds of times, what did I miss?”

For Pinkamena, the answer was easy to say. Twilight was her Mistress, the only person who both kept her in such a ritzy estate, and who Pinkamena could count as an honest friend, even over the other servants and staff. “You missed the obvious, silly, your orders are more important. Your health even more so. That really made hurting you, even in practice a real headache.”

To that, Twilight sighed and shot her a sad frown. “I know, sorry again for it. Your stripe compel you to never harm me, so I wanted to know if you could resist that if I allowed you to do so.” Not wanting to get side tracked from her discovery, Twilight spoke again before Pinkamena could respond. "As for my orders being more important than the queen's that’s factually incorr-, hold on.” Twilight scrutinized Pinkamena’s stripes, and even brushed a wing tip through them. The blue and green never lit up, not even a single mote of light. A carefully crafted flat expression descended upon Twilight. “Okay. Servants must first obey the crown, then the law, then their masters. So how am I above Corona herself?”

“Because Mistress, you forgot something.” Pinkamena flashed a broad grin, the same one she gave anytime she knew Twilight would be pleased by something she did. “Celestia is above all others.”

“I don’t follow.” Twilight instinctually looked to the sky, but then back at Pinkamena. “I mean, that’s true, but it’s not like you received a vision or anything. You would have told us if you had.”

“Nope no vision. But just like the queen said, alicorns stand above all others, since you know, Celestia is one. And Mi Amore Cadenza will rule Equestria once she is trained. And you are an alicorn as well.” Twilight was so dumbstruck by Pinkamena’s reasoning; it gave the pink mare time to elaborate. “So logically,” Pinkamena grinned, knowing Twilight loved that word, “until Her Holiness takes the crown, your word is law as far as I see it.”

“But… but.” Twilight tried to wrap her head around such mental gymnastics. “But I’m a demicorn. How many times have I told you that?!”

The servant nodded slowly and patted Twilight’s shoulder. “I know ponies keep telling you that. They see you lack feathers and have a wonky horn, but they are all wrong. Celestia and her holiness have horns and wings, and so do you. Ergo, you are all the same tribe.”

“That, but, what, huuuh?” Twilight squeezed her eyes shut to think. She had to start massaging her temples with her wings. “Okay, so if I told you I want to end the stripe practice, and herald a revolution of machines to Equestria, what would you say?”

Pinkamena’s cheerful disposition vanished completely. A poorly masked fearful smile crossed her lips, making Twilight nervous. “Wow. That. I always knew you wanted machines to be accepted, but endings stripes? Mistress, the crown would never accept that. Let alone the public.”

“Ahhh, but you see.” With Pinkamena not running off to warm her parents, Twilight felt confident enough to elaborate with renewed vigor not seen for some time. “Queen Corona wouldn’t, but Cadence will once she assumes the throne.”

“Sorry, Mistress, but I don’t think so.” Pinkamena shook her head. The fear in her expression only worsened and she was feeling the creeping effect of desperation. “Alicorn or not, she’d be directly contradicting scripture given to us by Celestia before she vanished.”

Twilight huffed bitterly and sat back down so Pinkamena could continue work on her mane. “Those in power would only use that as an excuse. But you’re not wrong. However, as Merchant Law Ten expressly states: greed is eternal. The piety of those in power vanishes quite quickly when it hurts their purses.”

“To be fair, Mistress, but talk of ending stripes isn’t very pious either.” Pinkamena removed the comb and started fixing the damage. Her efforts weren’t helped by Twilight slumping in brief defeat.

“I know that, but it also means I know why those in power do what they do. So I need to change their minds. Equestria won’t survive if Lunaria keeps improving where we never bothered starting.”

Pinkamena exhaled in relief. Oh goodness. For a second there I thought she was planning on treason. I can’t protect her from the government. “Alrighty!” Pinknamena finished up the last of the brushing and fished for a mirror so Twilight could see the back. “So how do we do that?”

“I don’t have anything solid yet.” Twilight looked too and for before nodding in approval of her hair. She got up and patted the seat so she could return the favor. The young mares were alone in this part of the house so no one would see a master grooming a servant. “What I do know is that I’m going to need independence from mom and dad. Doing anything around here will get shut down before I can get anything started.”

“Might need sizable purse.” Pinkamena practically jumped into the seat. Having Twilight help with brushing was always a treat.

“And time.” In the past, Twilight could do little with Pinkamena’s disastrous mane. Had she been a socialite, it would have been embarrassing to be seen with the pink pony. But now, Twilight was able to at least make the curls look well managed. “And I looked into Gold Hammer’s claim. Apparently none of the books has ever seen a demicorn die from old age. The longest living one was five hundred and twenty three years old.” She suddenly became angry and growl-whispered. “Even if Felt Hat was just a show piece for the crown, and was kept alive with alchemy.”

“Point is, I have all the time in the world to make it happen. Even if Equestria doesn’t.”

Author's Note

My editor BP, has signed off on all typos, and undoubtably added some more to vex me for playing alliance.

Still, I hope you all enjoyed a good read. And now, as is tradition...

Will Pinkamena ever discover she’s a unicorn with an inny instead of an outy? Will Twiggles ever find out she’s been the victim of the feather gnomes all her life? Which time lost friend will appear next? Find out maybe one of these next time on Clash TV!!

21: A Compromise

BOOM

A massive oaken door that has stood the test of time for well over a millenia old was shattered by three cannon balls. Pieces of the former door hung only by its wrecked hinges as the rest of the venerable doors collapsed in a cloud of dust. Some time later, Rarity, Lock Stock, Turnabout, several infantry, and the artillery crew approached from outside, wheeling the artillery pieces behind them.

Stepping over the shattered pieces of wood and iron, Lock Stock led from the front, sweeping the branching paths with his long-gun. When no threats manifested, he slipped inside, intending to cover the biggest exit, a pair of double doors that were straight ahead. The militia following behind him stopped short at the entrance, only to get Turnabout grumble at them to keep moving so the rest of them could enter.

Each of the Lunarians were accompanied by the noticeable ticking noise of a clock as they took control of the foyer. That ticking came from spring-loaded clockwork boxes, whose disruption fields were strong enough to keep the ambient dark magic just outside of arms length for each soldier.

“Stop lollygagging and take position,” Turnabout huffed with embarrassment in front of Rarity. Even if Lock Stock was a Color Sergeant, his professional military discipline made her militia look like they took more after the civilian part of civilian-soldier.

Rarity stepped up in between Turnabout and the artillery crew who were removing a table out of their path. Though Rarity and Turnabout’s gaze swept the entry hall for threats, they were still drawn to the architecture and furniture before them.

“By Luna’s stars, this place could fit the train engine and half the regiment if they squeezed in,” Turnabout gasped with her mouth agape. “And here I was thinking the oversized doors were just for show.”

The two most distinguishing features were the trio of cannonball size cracks in the left grand staircase, and the ribbons of purple glowing runes all over the walls and floor that gave enough light to cast everything in a pale glow. Yet it was the intact furniture, statuary, carpets, and other decorations that gave the mares pause.

The wallpaper, tapestries, and most painted surfaces were badly degraded or washed out, but the wood furniture was exquisite in design and lavishness. Every hard surface, be it wood, metal, or otherwise, showed nearly no sign of decay.

“Stay sharp. The Dark Father should be meeting us soon.” Though Rarity’s warning kept everyone on edge, the sights before her became a troublesome temptation. She warred with herself if she should take notes of the ancient designs, or keep her inquisitorial airs about her. “This place certainly has a… I’m loath to say ‘charm’ about it, but the decor is definitely a hidden gem.” Standing just outside of the miltita’s collective disruptive field, she found a piece of pottery that had been shattered by the cannonfire. Though the paints had lost their vibrancy over the eons, the relief carvings still looked fresh.

“This isn’t just some hidden gem,” Turnabout was on the verge of losing all semblance of professionalism as she ogled at the architecture and decor. “I can’t believe how much has been left intact! By Mother Moon, this whole place should be a museum for pre-Hearth’s Warming Unicornian architecture!”

Overcome by her creative muse, Rarity tactfully made her way over to her companion. “Lock my dear, hold still.” She sifted around the stallion’s bags and pulled out a pencil and journal. “Do you mind if I borrow some pages in the back of your journal? I simply must take notes.”

“Umm, could you take from the middle instead? I have some err-” he trailed off after seeing Rarity had already opened the journal’s back pages and was staring between it and him in mild irritation. “Personal artwork.”

Sighing deeply, but saying nothing, Rarity flipped to some empty pages and carefully tore them out, her hoof touching as little of the small brown book as possible. “Thank you.” She cantered off to one of the many exits from the main foyer, casting the book from her mind. Upon arriving at the lead into a dining room, she inspected the militia guarding the way, and dropped some mild advice. Her main focus however were the tapestries and furniture. I wonder if it would be too much to hope for to find a dress, or even a hat. As soon as she moved on, she started jotting down notes of fresh ideas for her next ensemble.

Turnabout was less subtle about succumbing to her scholarly leanings, and had some of her own notepaper. She barely managed to sketch the design of the intact staircase on the left when ritualistic chanting from a trio of singers came from the entrance they had made. Turnabout groaned when Blind Speaker walked in with two sailor thestrals. Silver light enveloped the choir, and sizzling black smoke trailed them as the dark miasma was burned away.

Turnabout hastily tucked her notes away and stormed over to him. “What are you doing here? I thought I confined you to the boat!”

Bowing his head, Blind Speaker kept his voice loud enough so all could hear. “We venture into the dark heart of this swamp, dear commander. Though the supposed master of the house seems accommodating, he has made no such claim for his other guests.”

Glancing around at her soldiers, it was subtle, but she could see their spirits were lifted by Blind Speaker and his two pony choir. “Fine, but stay away from the Equestrians. Got it?!”

“If my duties as chaplain allow it.” A vein popped up on Turnabout’s forehead. “Provided the Sun Blinded One does not request an audience, of course.”

Turning towards the inquisitor to see if Rarity was going to cause trouble over Blind Speaker, she was relieved to see the dangerous mare was more focused on a blot of inky shadows coalescing into a figure. Wait, what?! Abandoning Blind Speaker, Turnabout tried very hard not to sprint over to confront it.

Both she and Rarity arrived at the destroyed double doors in between the stairs by the time the Dark Father took shape once more. Lock Stock’s hoof rested on the trigger guard of his long gun. The manor already unnerved him, and the Dark Father’s mild theatrics wasn’t helping.

Stygian said nothing at first, taking a moment to survey the damage the cannons had caused. He hummed in deep amusement while stepping over a head-sized piece of broken granite. “Glad to see your destructive potential has not diminished this far from your boats.”

“We’ve come as agreed,” Rarity stated with careful diplomacy. “I trust you’ve dealt with any threats between here and your cell.”

“Yes, but hurry,” he answered with thinning patience. Freedom was so close he could barely stand any further delay. “The manor regenerates what the druids can not fix on their own. The traps will be repaired within the hour.”

“They repair themselves?” Lock Stock asked, almost stunned.

“Look for yourself,” the Dark Father replied while pointing at the entrance that had been blasted open.

Being paranoid, Rarity kept her gaze on the necromancer while Turnabout and Lock Stock followed the hoof. The great iron door hinges that had been torn from the walls were now pulling themselves back into place by some unseen hand as splinters of the great oak doors were dragged across the floor, to be restored once more..

“Evil that renews itself,” Lock Stock muttered in shivering disgust, which convinced Rarity to look upon it as well. “If this place can not wither with time, then why did the Crookbacks keep coming here?”

“It is their curse, brought upon their ancestors by the original master of this house.” The Dark Father turned away and started making his way deeper inside at a slow pace. “They are drawn to the useless service as deeply as you breathe. Now come, the sooner this blight is razed, the sooner his legacy can be wiped clean.”

Turnabout was quick enough to start barking orders to keep Rarity from doing it for her. Instead, the inquisitor leaned into Lock Stock’s ear. “Keep pace with him, but watch for threats. Only when Stygian's fully dead can we trust a word he says.”

Relief softened Lock Stock’s eyes for a moment before he set himself back into focus. “You had me worried you were going soft on him for a bit.” With no other words said between them, he collected himself and followed after the shadowy pony.

Rarity went about magically clearing the opening so the artillery pieces could move through before running to catch up to her friend.

The prison’s roots as a manor faded the further down the hallway they went. Peeling wallpaper gave way to smoothed granite, then rough stone bricks. Carpet cut sharply off to cobblestone. Opulent rooms that branched from the hallway were hauntingly empty of life. Rarity stopped at one such door to scan it for threats while Lock Stock swept the room opposite.

Rarity’s heart sank upon seeing the bedroom in front of her. By the size of the furniture, dollhouse, and the threadbare clothing hanging off the open wardrobe next to the door, spoke of this being a filly or teenager’s room. The procession kept marching on, forcing her to keep moving, but her poor mood persisted. I need to visit Sweetie Belle when I’m done here. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen that silly filly. She should still be going through the junior inquisitorial academy. If I can settle matters here quickly enough I can visit during Hearths Warming.

Lyra had secluded herself on the eastern side of the druid village, far away from the path the train engine was going, and had hopefully been isolated enough she could practice a bit before the duel. WIth Fluttershy assisting by removing foliage from the path, Lyra felt the need to keep busy.

She was wearing her two body length water bags while her steel staff floated nearby, held by two amber ethereal hands. Her magic was more tactile than others. Lyra could feel the small imperfections in the staff as if she were physically touching it. The heft of the staff was familiar now, comforting even.

With her gaze fixed on a single tree, Lyra created a point almost directly in front of her that caused light to bend. Her hooves started to drag along the grass as her body was being pulled into the point. Mentally counting down, she jumped just enough to get her hooves off the ground, and she was pulled entirely into the point at a frightening pace. The point was dispersed by her will and a new one was created several feet ahead and slightly higher. Her hooves only grazed the ground as she fell up into the second point, that too was dispersed before she came into contact with a third being creating further afield. Lyra repeated this process a dozen more times until she was right next to the tree. With a warcry she twisted her body in mid air with the hand following. The staff impacted a sturdy branch and smashed right through the wood in a shower of splinters. A new point kept Lyra from hitting the water and she was slingshotted up high into the air with the falling branch not quite catching like she did and instead it was sent into a neighboring tree trunk.

Lyra nearly blacked out from the sharp turn, but the mint green mare giggled the whole time at the thrill of flight. She careened herself back to the village, coming to a mad halt as one final point arrested her fall from being lethal, to a gentle landing not even ten seconds after it all started. Peels of laughter rang out and she pranced in a circle. “Ahh, it’s been too long since I’ve done that, and I still got it!”

She was preparing to do it again when she heard a hoof hit stone. All mirth evaporated. Ears up and swiveling, she scanned the village for the source of the sound, and yet there was nothing but empty houses and leaves swaying in the calm breeze. Chewing on a cheek, Lyra called out her best imitation of Rarity’s command voice, “show yourself, or I will make you show yourself.”

Lyra briefly checked the swamp beyond the village, but the sound had definitely come from the village, so she returned her attention there, and still not even a hint of a spy revealed itself.

I can’t practice if somepony I might have to kill one day is watching me.

She took a combat stance, yet before she could summon a point, an earth pony stallion jumped out from inside one of the houses. “Wait, wait, I’m a friend!”

A Lunarian friend? That’d be the day. Lyra scrutinized him carefully. The stallion seemed harmless, and while he had his rifle with him, it was slung on his back rather than in his grasp. “Why are you watching me?”

The stallion weaved through the two rows of houses between them with deliberate and careful steps so as to not make Lyra think he was planning an attack. He was also hesitant to be face to face. Even if Lyra wasn't an Inquisitor, she was still Rarity’s retainer, and the display he had seen was more than enough to earn her some forbearance. “I’m a bookie, name’s Chipper Fox, at your service.”

His tone matched his name, which tugged on Lyra’s amiability towards a fan, rather than a foreign soldier. She gave a half smile and flipped her hair. “A bookie? Trying to get some inside information?”

“Guilty as charged. A lot of ponies think the Dark Father will beat you, and your boss will take him out in revenge. A pity it’d be either one of you instead of us. But then again, I’m not the only one in no hurry to take your place in the duel.”

“Yeah, I can’t really blame you. If my friends had been taken by him, I’d want a piece too.” Lyra’s mood wilted a bit as pity struck her. She tightened her hold over her staff. “But Lady Rarity isn’t going to get that chance because I’ll destroy the Dark Father before he even realizes the fight’s even started.”

The bookie’s eyes wandered to the tree Lyra had smashed earlier. “That mighty fine display you just did is certainly impressive and all, but you didn’t see what the Dark Father did to our boats in the first week. A lot of the boys still want to believe we had just worn his army down by the time you Equestrians showed up, and wish to chalk this duel up to some desperate plan, but… I deal with numbers, and I’m not liking the odds of the boys being right that you’ll be dead.”

Lyra planted her staff hard into the soft dirt, and a bold grin crossed her face. “Well you take this to the bank. When Inquisitor Rarity needs something done with a smile and without her innate intimidation, she lets Fluttershy do it. When she needs someone who can talk military, she looks to Lock Stock to make sure the generals play nice. When she needs help in a fight or needs something dead in a hurry and she’s not available to do it, she looks to me. Clear?”

“Like glass. My sore pride as a soldier will just have to be soothed by a fatter coin purse. Now if you’ll excuse me,” he dipped his head in a short bow, “I have some bets to take.”

She watched him go with pleasant surprise. I half expected him to ask how I did my acrobatics. But somepony like him probably understands some questions are not worth dying for. Her thoughts drifted over how she could use her abilities to enhance her theatrical performances. Making props hang without glowing or wires was always the chief thing on her mind, but surely there had to be more uses. Ah well, c'est la vie.

The foundations of the manor, and any semblances of a house had long passed and given way to the cold stone of an cave that had been artificially widened, before they finally arrived at the Dark Father’s cell, such as it was. It was a grim chamber that sat at the bottom of a ramp easily four feet down. Aside from the Lunarians’ lanterns and Rarity’s own horn, the only source of light was the vast collection of runes and magic arrays that covered every inch of the cave. Situated in the middle of it all was a completely intact arch of smooth ebony stone easily fifteen feet tall and ten feet wide. Resting near the arch was a square cut boulder that was equally covered in glowing purple script. What looked like black fog rose three feet off the cavern floor. It was so inky that nothing of the floor could be seen. The fog emerged from inside the polished stone arch like melting dry ice before it sank to the floor. The daunting fog halted everyone’s progress, save the Dark Father himself. As the group looked further along the walls, there were a number of natural cave openings. One was dry, but the other three were damp with humidity drifting in from outside.

The Dark Father strode into the fog uncaringly and walked through a couple of tables like a cloud while Lock Stock was the first to come to a stop at the top of the ramp, to which no one behind him dared to push forward. It didn’t help that Turnabout’s disruption field, who was closest to the pool of black fog, shrank remarkably to the point that her hooves, horn, and the edge of her tail were now left exposed to the toxic mists around her. The gentle ticking from her saddlebags started speeding up one moment then slowing down the next. At first she didn’t realize what was happening until she started feeling the dull, yet growing pain on her horn and hooves. Nearly yelling in fear, she backpedaled a few steps until she got next to one of her soldiers, allowing her disruption fields to return to normal.

“Holy Mother Moon! What is all this?!”

“The beating heart of the Mirage,” Stygian declared, completely obscured by the dense soup of fog. “My prison used to be a fragment torn from a dark realm. Lord Amethyst had a name for it, but it was just Tartarus to me. Well, eventually that bastard realized what he had opened into this world and used the last years of his life trying to seal it off completely. None of his servants had any talent in his work, so he left hoping to find an apprentice, but the damned fool was far too old by then and never returned. That is why the sealing boulder can’t keep the dark realm from leaking through and influencing the real world.”

Everyone who heard him were first stunned, then those who understood the implications grew angry with one of the artillery crew members bitterly asking, “are you telling me that the Crookbacks have been protecting this - this bomb for a thousand years?!”

Those around him growled in agreed anger, with a soldier adding, “they should have told somepony ages ago.”

“Pride cometh before the fall,” Blind Speaker shouted with the righteous fury he was known for. Ponies made room for him as he stepped up to the front. “We are all children of this pillar of truth.” He clicked his tongue before zeroing in on Rarity. Yet before he could open his mouth, Turnabout roped him into a tight squeezing hug and muttered into his ear. “Speaker, you can talk filth about Celestia or Equestria when we’re on the trip back home, by the Moon I’ll join you in all of it, but I swear on Luna’s stars if you say one cross word in front of the inquisitor I will punt you back to the boat.”

He made a big show of grumbling in supreme discontent, worked his jaw and scowled until Turnabout shook him a bit. “Speakerrr…”

He loosened up and flashed the wide, toothy smile of a snake oil salesman. “Of course, of course I will hold to my word. A paragon of restraint I am, believe you me.”

She let go, trying in vain to believe he would behave. “Good.” Gently pushing him back the way they had come, Turnabout stepped up to the lip of the ramp. She found Lock Stock was looking in Speaker’s direction with thinly veiled discontent, but Rarity at least appeared like she was too busy thinking to bother reacting.

“Commander,” Rarity began once Turnabout came into earshot. “One does not need to be an expert in portals to settle the issue here. Using cannon fire, we destroy first the sealing - ‘boulder’.” She huffed, Honestly couldn’t they think of a better name? “That should allow the Dark Father to pass through the fully opened portal, then we destroy the gate with a second salvo before using your infantry magic disruptors to completely seal it.”

Glad that Rarity was not making a fuss over Blind Speaker, Turnabout focused her attention on the targets. “Should work. Probably don’t need to completely destroy the boulder, just break it up enough to ruin the thing. The arch would be lucky to survive a single cannon ball, let alone two, but my soldiers aren’t going into that soup without protection.”

“Is that not what the disruptors are for?” Rarity asked with a touch of annoyance.

“Oh don’t act like you haven’t noticed how small the protective fields are with our disruptors. We don’t get the good stuff the regular army gets, remember?” Turnabout watched Rarity’s lips, knowing full well a snide smirk was coming. “And before you say anything, I had to pull a lot of strings to get the cannons.”

“If it will set your mind at ease, I will handle the fog then,” Rarity stated with iron while turning her gaze to where the Dark Father had last spoken from. “Anything else before we get started?”

“Yes, actually,” Stygian declared from within the lightless mist. “The Mirage has claimed far more souls than you realize, and I have captured who I could over the years within the Tain. It is an artifact I’ve - created during my time here. It is not exactly a pleasant thing to be contained within, but it is far better than being consumed by the manor, myself, or the other beings that live here. As for what you do with the Tain, I leave that to you, provided my promised duel is honored.”

A Tain? Such things are only spoken of as hypotheticals at the academy. “As far as I’ve seen,” Rarity began with respect, having to hide her surprise. “You have held to your word. Celestia as my witness, you will not find my honor wanting.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” And with that, the Dark Father vanished in a gust of wind that disturbed the fog enough to pour over the ramp, making everyone but Rarity instinctively back away. Between her clothing and a fair amount of mana to keep the wards strong, she was only caught in a thin cloud of burning miasma.

Acting like she had not been holding her breath, Rarity let the cloud pass before facing the others. “I suppose I will do my part first.” She then focused on Blind Speaker with a twinge of annoyance that he was blind, then turned her attention to the rest of the Lunarians. “Bare witness to Celestia’s radiance!”

Knowing Lock Stock would alert her if anyone threatened her, she turned fully to the thick pool of poisonous magic. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the ceiling as if she could see the sun and her horn started to glow gold. “Dearest Celestia, Light of Lights, I beseech you to grant this humble servant to light the path before me so that no shadow may bar the way. Witness her power!”

As she spoke, narrow, slanted pillars of light manifested all over the chamber from the ceiling, and fog that was touched started smoking heavily. Lock Stock bore a grin, both proud and awed, at the light. Most of the Lunarians were caught between awe and fear they too might burn as the light’s warmth struck them. In a sudden crash, the whole chamber lit up like the sun itself had descended from upon high. In a blinding flash, all of the fog was incinerated, not even smoke remained to mark its passage, only a golden light that washed over everyone.

The Lunarians flinched at first, mostly because of their eyes, yet that did not stop Rarity from turning around and declaring. “Fear not. For though you and your foremothers may have forsaken her, Celestia loves all ponykind as her children. You need not fear her light, for it is not the vengeful hammer, but that of a mother’s caress upon you.”

She didn’t realize it at first, but Rarity soon noticed she was quite winded and was breathing heavily. It had been the first time she had drawn this much of Celestia’s light, and the effort left her feeling woozy. Oh my, she required a lot of me for that. She never let her zealous, wide grin be eroded by her sudden fatigue.

Soon thereafter, the holy light faded away, returning the chamber to its dim purple light. Even though the gloom had returned, it took everyone nearly half a minute to recover their wits, save Blind Speaker who approached Rarity even before the light had fully faded. “No pony with any sense denies Celestia’s divinity, for to do so would cast Luna’s own into question. Now, do we not have a job to do, or are the lot of you going to just stand there lollygagging?”

Rarity wanted to take offense at him cutting her display so short, but she couldn't find words to retort without making it sound as if she was throwing a tantrum. “That we do. Commander, I will leave you to conduct the orders while I ensure the leaks from the portal do not interfere.”

Blind Speaker’s interruption had given Turnabout more than enough time to recover from Rarity’s display and decided to ignore the exchange entirely. “Lit Fuse, get those cannons in place. I don’t want to see that boulder anymore.”

Ultimately, it was not the prepping of the cannons that took the longest, but in figuring out how they were going to do it without blowing everyone’s ears out with the confines being far too tight for comfort. The only thing they could do was order the third cannon crew to withdraw back outside and let the remaining two do the work.

The group eventually settled on Rarity adapting her privacy spell to enhance the sound nullifying aspect. The cannons now sat at the lip of the ramp, aimed down. Everyone including the artillery crew stood behind the cannon while Rarity’s altered spell ended up creating what amounted to a foot thick, six foot tall, floor-to-ceiling wall that looked like frosted glass. The only things passing through it were the two pull strings to the cannons.

Despite wanting to maintain the belief that inquisitors were powerful beyond measure, she was sweating heavily and getting increasingly out of breath. Lock Stock never left her side and offered her his canteen. “You’re doing fine, they’re almost done.”

Taking it, the canteen smelled vaguely of rum, but held water at the moment. Rarity took a few gulps before focusing on the spellwork and not the eyes of her erstwhile allies constantly watching for weakness. “I slipped up. Radiant Dawn always said less is more. That display earlier was too theatrical.”

“It’d’ve made Lyra proud,” Lock offered with a half-grin.

A good humored smirk found its way on Rarity’s muzzle. “She’ll probably moan the whole way home that she missed it.”

Turnabout and four artillery crew members stepped through the barrier and took their positions around the back of the guns. “All stand clear!” She only glanced at Rarity before nodding at the artillery crew. “Do it.”

In near unison, the gun commanders of both yelled, “Fire!”

Everyone’s instinct was to flinch at the expected noise, but all they heard was the rumble through the ground.

Rarity heaved in relief as she dropped the barrier, and seconds later she wished she hadn’t.

The cannon shots were spot on, and the sealing boulder had twin shatter points straight up and down. The purple glow on the face of it lasted a scant second longer before it went out and the boulder collapsed into rubble. The instant it died, the air inside the empty portal arch behind it formed a ragged tear like a festering sword wound. The inky black tear was clawed open by writhing ropes of red flesh. No unfathomable entity disgorged itself, but in its place was a tidal wave of the same black fog that had come before, only now it was flowing out faster than smoke from an overworked factory. It sank to the ground, but there was so much of the fog that it crept up the ramp at an alarming rate.

To their credit, the artillery crews hastily started reloading. Rarity took a long deep breath and called upon Celestia once more. Light pierced the gloom and carved into the smog right as it washed over the ramp. The crash of light cleared the room, with a furious cry of pain from near the portal itself.

Yet the reprieve was short-lived with the portal fully open, and Rarity was left laboriously breathing. “I don’t - I don’t think I can call on her again.” Rarity felt so utterly drained that her legs wobbled trying to keep her upright. By now, four miltilia ponies came to a skidding halt at the top of the ramp and slid saddlebags full of the ticking disruptor devices down into the incline.

Acidic black smoke immediately engulfed them all as more devices were thrown onto the bottom of the ramp. Neither Rarity nor Lock Stock could see anything, but Turnabout’s voice was still heard over the din of burning magic and coughing ponies. “Get more in there! Lit Fuse, where’s my second volley?!”

Choking black smoke raged from the disruptor devices’ fields, flooding the whole chamber and down the tunnel in a matter of seconds. “I can’t see a thing, Commander, I don’t know if the cannon’s still on target.”

Coughing from all directions threatened to erase any sense of direction left, so it was all Rarity could do but try to breathe through the fabric of her uniform, and Lock Stock to stay by her side while doing the same.

“Pegasi, get up here and clear it out already!” Lock Stock yelled in his best command voice.

No round of acknowledgement could be heard over the din, but the sudden movement of air, a gust, then finally a storm of wind blasted from within the tunnel, and into the chamber.

Blinking reddened, and horribly itchy eyes, Rarity saw a number of pegasi were now flying directly above the ramp, pounding their wings as hard as they could to keep the smoke back. Enough pegasi got to work that the smoke was intermittently clearing just enough to see the gateway.

“I got a good sight!” Lit Fuse called out. “Firing!” Everyone who heard him barely had time to try and cover their ears or cast a muffling spell before the cannons roared again.

Twin shots struck true at the points where the columns supported the arch of the portal frame. The construct crumbled like wet paper and the torrent of fog slowed to a constant trickle.

The fog still burned against the wavering influence of the magic disruptors, but it’s level was going down steadily.

Rarity desperately wished to lay down, and wobbled on her hooves. Lock Stock stepped in close and offered her a shoulder to lean on. “Amazing as always, Inquisitor. I bet not even Radiant Dawn could call upon Celestia’s light inside such an unholy place twice in a row.”

Too tired to laugh at the moment, Rarity opted to catch her breath a little longer. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

“Funny,” he added with a coy grin. “You said the same thing when you hired me over Firebrand. Yet I distinctly remember you muttering how good my insults were.”

Giving him a scrutinizing look, she couldn’t tell if he was misusing the word on purpose or not. “The day a quip becomes a compliment I’ll change my tune. Until then…”

Her thoughts were derailed by Turnabout clapping Lit Fuse on the back and exclaiming loudly. “Great shot, glad you came with us.”

The artillery stallion was still a bit in shock at still being alive and only nodded dumbly. Turnabout let him recuperate while whistling and circling her hoof in the air. “We ain’t done yet. I want the rest of the disrupters off your backs and formed in a line. The whole chamber needs to be swept clean, got me?” A chorus of affirmatives rang out before she turned to the Equestrians. By now Rarity had stood back up and resumed her aristocratic airs. “Lit Fuse, roll the cannons back outside. Inquisitor, I’m sure the Dark Father will be waiting for us.”

Giving an approving nod at Turnabout’s initiative, Rarity brushed some stubborn soot off her sleeve. “Agreed. I’m surprised he hasn’t already-” She paused upon seeing a black figure walk around the ruins of the sealing boulder. “Nevermind.” Leaving Lock Stock and Turnabout to mentally catch up, she cantered down the ramp and slipped by the forming militia line. The lingering remnants of dark fog were thin enough that she let her ambient magic recharge her clothing’s wards in order to repel the stubborn black magic.

Stygian was gingerly stepping in between the carpet of precious gems, taking special care to widen gaps for his hooves, rather than stepping blindly on them. As he got closer, Rarity could see him properly for the first time. Stygian was wearing a robust gray coat, but that was the only thing that looked to be in good shape. His mane was thin and wispy, like cobwebs desperately clinging to his scalp. His eyes held a pale white shine to them, yet they were focused and lively. His fur was bleached white with only sporadic patches of its original black left. He was using a featherless wing to move some gems aside, and to Rarity’s eyes, his naked wings were sickeningly skeletal compared to what she remembered from Twilight Sparkle. The purple pegacorn’s wing fingers at least looked like there was a little meat on them, but Stygian’s own were so thin, some parts of the skin had been worn away to bone. That’s when she realized everything about him was horribly thin, like he had been dried out, yet he moved without obvious issue.

Oh my. He has our form, but he’s not a pony anymore.

Instinctually repulsed by the sight of such an unnatural being, Rarity stopped her approach at the edge of the spilled gems with Lock Stock and Turnabout coming up beside her and no further. So repulsed she was, Rarity had to stop herself from scouring him with magic on the spot.

He locked eyes with Rarity first, yet suddenly had difficulty looking directly at her. He winced as if someone was sticking a hot metal poker on her forehead, and turned away to focus more on Turnabout, but she was standing too close to Rarity for his pained expression to fade entirely. “I would say it’s grand to finally stand again back in my home realm, but it's rather… hot.”

The comment caught them all off guard as the frigid winter wind that lazily blew in from somewhere in the chamber brought a fresh chill. Turnabout jumped the gun a bit and spoke up before Rarity could. “I should have you shot here and now for what you’ve done to half my regiment!”

“Which I could have just as easily done to the other half, had I not thought better of it.” Seeing that the commander was not going to be a constructive conversation partner, Stygian grimaced as he looked to Rarity. “I hope you will prove more diplomatic.”

Turnabout pressed forward and nearly stepped on a ruby the size of a fist, only for Lock Stock to hold out his long gun and pressed it lengthwise across Turnabout to keep her from taking another step. “Take care about what you step on, eh?”

Turnabout glared at him, then kicked the ruby away without looking at it, then growled at him. “I don’t need your help.”

Rarity smoothly sidestepped the commander while Lock Stock lowered his weapon before any watching Lunarians could protest. “I’d prefer to keep our dealings brief. While my wayward brethren deal with what’s left of the portal, I - can’t help but wonder what all these gemstones are for.”

“Ah, them.” Stygian idly kicked some out from under him. “They’re the mana sources I’ve been using to project my will into the real world. I don’t care what you do with them, sell them, smash them, I have no further need of them.”

“What about the Tain you mentioned?” Lock Stock queried wearily.

“Yes, of course,” the Dark Father was quick to pull his jacket open and using his opposite wing, pulled out a bronze cube, less than a hoof in size. What caused everyone to become instantly skeptical was that it had numerous small, yet crudely forged, gears that were moving with a hollow sounding tick every other second. “Fascinating isn’t it? My magic keeps it moving, which in turn keeps the souls stable.” He studied the intricate workings with the genuine affection of a craftsman revealing his masterpiece.

“How though?” Rarity asked, her skepticism, nearly overpowering her ability to sound diplomatic. “Machines disrupt magic, not act in harmony with it.” The idea of a machine alone being able to house souls was ludicrous in her eyes. “Can you prove this contains the souls the Mirage has claimed over all these years?”

He smirked with obvious pleasure in getting a chance to prove more doubters wrong. “But of course. I have hoped somepony would ask me that from the day I made it.” With a wingfinger, he flipped the Tain on its side and then indicated a glide switch. “If you wish to see them, all you need to do is slide this tab. I warn you though, the eyes of so many upon you can be… disturbing if you’re not used to it.”

Rarity’s alarm bells were on full blast in her mind, and she redoubled the wards on her clothes. “We shall see.” Rarity glanced at Turnabout who was clearly intrigued but was not making any move to be the one to call Stygian’s bluff. By the Sun, if this is a trap, Lock Stock had better avenge me. Not wanting to look frightened, Rarity stepped forward and flicked the tab before too much time could pass. The noisy clanking of the Tain changed tune to a higher pitched whine. In a flash, the whole world around Rarity fell away, only the Tain floating in her magic remained. In the world’s place arose thousands of ethereal ponies surrounding her like the audience of an amphitheater. The vast majority of the ponies looked like they were asleep, floating in mid air like dead fish. However, more than enough of them were not only awake, but were taking notice of her.

Those that did started to draw near, floating above and below. Their clothes spanned the length and breadth of the social classes through the last thousand years, including many soldiers and druids.

“Who are you? You’re not the Father!” one unseen mare called out.

“I know what she is!” came a voice in anger.

“It’s an inquisitor, an actual inquisitor!” came a cheering stallion who wore the garb of a Solar Church priest.

“Look, she’s not see-through like us! Does that mean the Dark Father got back to the real world!?”

The crowd started charging Rarity en masse. Some looked like they wanted to kiss her hooves, others tried to push past the others with murder in thier eyes. Many just pleaded to be freed. Yet before they could touch her, the Tain’s switch clicked back. The dead vanished and the real world returned. The pale white mare managed to be even paler as she suddenly realized she was gasping for air, and sweating so heavily that she was weak in the knees. It had been Lock Stock who had pushed the switch back and he held onto Rarity, gently shaking her in the process. “Hey, you alright? What happened?!”

Blinking dumbly at first, then a few more times to collect herself, Rarity controlled her breathings and carefully pushed the stallion off of her. “Thank you, Lock, that… It’s real.” Shivering in fight and trying to banish the sight of so many ghostly faces, Rarity struggled to calm her voice. “It’s very real.” With a final long sigh, she looked at the grinning necromancer. “How? How can a machine and magic work together!?”

Stygian’s grin became toothy, revealing blackened teeth. “To put it in small words, my magic was the key. Either that being me in particular or something else I can’t exactly determine since I’m the only full bodied pony in that hellish realm. And even then I’m not what I once was.” Frowning a bit, he haltingly presented the Tain to Rarity. “Here. You’ve proven honorable enough to take it before the duel. My magic will keep it going for a day at most. After that, the souls will either perish or be released, I never wanted to experiment to see which.” He turned the artifact on its other side to reveal a trio of keys. “Turn them all at once, to stop the gears. That should allow your magic to reach those trapped within.”

Rarity wasn’t sure if she should even touch the thing, either with magic or by hoof. Ultimately she opted to try and claim it in her telekinesis. To her astonishment, the Tain was heavy, as bronze often is, but her magic had no issue levitating it. “By the light of the Sun! I can actually hold it.” Rarity inspected the gearwork inside, still in shock that her magic could touch the thing. Perhaps he is speaking the truth after all. the Tain was cold, like holding an ice cube on a windy winter day, but it didn’t give off the oily feeling of black magic. She held the Tain close and gave the necromancer an appreciative nod. “You have my thanks. Commander, I’ll be moving the Tain outside before I see about allowing these souls to pass on.”

Rarity was about to leave when Turnabout turned sharply on her. Righteous anger and the boiling indignation of having to work with an inquisitor who kept cutting into her command authority finally broke out. “You’d like that wouldn’t you! There are Lunarians trapped in that thing too, and I’ll be damned if I let you send them on to the Blinded One!”

Rarity made a show of appearing surprised and tilted an ear. “And? Do you you know the proper rites to free a soul from such an artifact?” Granted I was only taught this for only four hours. It’s not like we’re expected to ever deal with soul housing artifacts, but it's more than any of them.

Turnabout worked her jaw trying to come up with an answer that wasn’t blind aggression, but she did not look away from Rarity’s faintly smug expression. “Are you trying to tell me rogue tinkerer necromancers are such a problem in Equestria that liberating things like the Tain is standard training for you inquisitors?”

The redness in Rarity’s cheeks betrayed her inexperience, yet she thought of a quick reply all the same. “Lost is the soul that wants for a fire in winter. Book of Swords, chapter twenty one page eight second line.” Rarity derisively gasped. “Oh, of course expecting such reading from a Lunarians is a stretch. Lock Stock, be a dear and give your version.”

Smirking, the earth stallion didn’t even need a second to think. “Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.”

Every slight, every petty insult real or imagined bubbled up on Turnabout, and she was seeing red on the edges of her vision. Every ounce of her being screamed at her to kill her most feared and hated enemy. The voice of reason holding her back was getting drowned out by the second. “That treaty gets broken if either side harms the other, and you sending Lunarian souls down to burn in Celestia’s revenge is no different!”

Lock Stock’s smirk faded in a hurry as he noticed every single soldier had stopped what they were doing and many of them had already readied their weapons. “Uhh, Ma’am, I think we should-”

Rarity didn’t raise her voice like Turnabout did, but she sounded no less threatening. “If you think I’m going to let you take this back to Lunaria you are sorely mistaken.” She looked to Stygian. “You didnt happen to add in some ability to separate which souls can be given last rites at a time did you?”

The shadow pony was taking his robe off, and his fur was drenched in sweat. His breathing was as ragged as his patience. “You’re not serious are you? The Tain is a masterpiece, not a miracle machine.” He shook his head upon realizing he was drifting off topic, and kept speaking harshly, making sure no one could get a word in. “Can this bickering not wait? The Tain’s energies will not last, and I refuse to recharge it again just so you lot can keep arguing. I have fulfilled my end of the bargain and then some. I will brook no further delay on my duel.”

Lock Stock broke protocol and pulled alongside Rarity and ribbed her a bit. “That sounds like a grand idea. It’ll give us time to cool our heads, and work out a compromise.” Rarity pulled back from Lock and was about to reprimand him, but it was only then that she noticed how all the soldiers were inches from opening fire. That would not have overly concerned her were it not for all of them standing next to or wearing their magic disruptors.

Turnabout was slower to notice the same thing, so Rarity verbally pounced before the commander decided to press the issue one way or another. “Yes, of course, Mister Stygian, let us not abandon diplomacy so readily.” She gave Turnabout a one-eyed stare as she mostly faced the Dark Father. “It would be unwise to close that door just yet.”

Stygian was starting to shake now, his legs wobbled, and his right ear kept twitching beyond his command, yet he muscled through it. “Finally.” His marching for the exit jarred the soldiers out of focusing on Rarity and most were lost on either letting him pass or stopping him, so they looked to Turnabout for orders.

Still recovering from her bout of anger, the commander started shaking too, only it came from realizing just who she had nearly came to blows with. Even after days of working with Rarity, the inquisitor still terrified her. Even while her body shook with fear, she still held calm command over her voice. “Right… right.” This time, she violently shook her head to clear her thoughts. She blinked and searched for her master sergeant. “Peat Moss, once - once we finish sealing the portal, get some boys to go pick up anything that can chisel stone and start destroying all the runes they can find. No runes, and this place can’t eat any more souls, and pick some boys you trust to go look for anything of value here. Money, fancy items, doesn’t matter. Might as well try to recoup some of our losses.”

“Aye, ma’am. We’ll make off with every scrap of silver in this forsaken place.”

The idea of looting the place had been dancing in Rarity’s mind as well, but she had no illusions about being able to make off with a ship’s load of valuables. She pulled Lock Stock over so she could speak with him discreetly. “I’ll triple your pay for this endeavor and throw in a good bottle of rum if you can find some choice suits or dresses. The more unorthodox looking the better.”

He wilted a bit at the request, even if the reward was more than enough motivation. “Ma’am, I like looting as much as the next trooper, but I don’t have an eye for fashion like you do.”

“True, but try to imagine how you’d react to seeing yourself wearing the suits, or Fluttershy wearing some vintage dresses.” Lock Stock’s ears went straight up and a smile started creeping in. “Or your future wife Lyra, whoever is preferable. Those drawings of her were quite flattering in the correct lighting I’m sure.”

“You know full well those drawings had nothing to do with that tone deaf nag,” Lock Stock cowed a bit at the mental image of Lyra in a wedding dress. “I’ll see if there’s a master bedroom or something.” Lock Stock backed away from her as if she had tried to feed him a worm.

After waiting for Rarity to stop laughing behind a hoof, Blind Speaker stepped in between her and Turnabout. “Teasing one’s companions aside, I believe I can devise a solution to the Tain issue. First, let’s bring it to the statue back in town. It may be a depiction of battle, but it does have both sisters in equal light.”

Both Rarity and Lock Stock went wide-eyed at the idea, and he leaned into Rarity’s ear. “Sounds good to me. Where better to release those souls than beholding Celestia’s divine form?”

On that, there was no debate in Rarity’s mind. She nodded appreciatively at him before announcing to the others. “The statue… Yes, that is for the best. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I shall take my leave to oversee the duel since our gracious host seems so bent on doing it without delay.”

“Actually, inquisitor,” Blind Speaker called out before Rarity could leave. “You must know you will not be conducting any sort of last rites on the Tain without compromise. Perhaps you and I can work out an arrangement?”

Turnabout stared at him in surprise at first, then turned to desperate concern. “Speaker, what are you-”

He silenced her by raising a hoof. “Dear child, the souls of our brethren are at stake. To see them given the peace they deserve is my only concern.”

Taking a long slow breath, Turnabout nodded slowly. “I’ll trust you with this. Just be careful of that tongue of yours.”

Giving a smiling nod, Blind Speaker approached the reserved inquisitor. He gestured to the exit. “May we speak of such matters in private, and away from this dreadful place?”

And yet again, Rarity was at a loss as to how to read the blind thesteral. Reading body language was intrinsic to modern inquisitorial doctrine, and yet the old stallion before her constantly left Rarity uneasy. Blind Speaker was controlled, that much she could tell, but not in the way of minimizing his movements, no, he was quite animated for one of his advanced age. Between his tired, yet polite smile to his casual stance, he appeared amicable to her eyes, disturbingly lacking any hint of masked motives. Yet the previous night when he turned on a dime and started calling for her death on the boat, his aggression then looked just as real. Worst of all, so much of a pony’s readability came from their eyes, and here was a well practiced stallion already leagues ahead of her by simply having a blindfold.

Stay calm, Rarity, it wouldn’t do to lose face in front of an old stallion with two hooves in the grave. Swallowing her ill-at-ease, she turns to Lock Stock. “Go on ahead see about that looting I know you’ve been itching to get started with.”

Lock Stock was slow, but eventually nodded with a growing smile. “Oh yes, because dress hunting is my idea of looting. You know, I think you missed your calling as a diplomat.”

Laughing in spite of herself, Rarity ended the merriment with a long sigh. “I’ve had to wear a great many hats haven’t I?”

Keeping a lingering eye on Rarity, Lock Stock made his way to the tunnel and back outside. Now that she was by herself once more, Blind Speaker stepped up and waved towards the exit, prompting her to join him in leaving as well. They walked side by side at a slow pace he was able to keep up with. Rarity soon after summoned a privacy spell that would make it look like the two were not speaking to each other. “I’m not sure what proposal you can possibly have,” she started off with. “So, which Blind Speaker am I talking to this time?”

“Only the one you intend to.” He flicked his ears, noticing how the sounds of hooves on stone sounded hollow, and voices were distant and tinny. Realization of what spell Rarity was causing dawned quickly on him. “Inquisitor, there’s been something that’s bothered me about the druid orders ever since learning about them. With you or I, we venerate the true goddesses of this world, we argue over which sister to follow, but we never challenge the legitimacy of the other.”

Wrinkling her brow, Rarity briefly focused on the path ahead. Some soldiers who had already been carrying tools capable of breaking stone were already at work destroying the glowing runes that ran along the walls. The purple glow dimming with each strike. “That was a concern for me as well when I was approached about enlisting Fluttershy. The inquisition understands the Green Mother arbitrates the passage of druids after they die. She only holds dominion over the material world, the Sisters, and by extension, the afterlifes each tribe is promised is beyond her hold.”

“Really?” he asked with surprised interest. “Rock Salt had held his tongue on matters the Crookbacks held where it was not relevant to our expedition. That being said, while I am sure the majority of the souls the Dark Father saved came from Rock Salt’s kin, I am of the mind that they should still be blessed with Luna’s divinity before fully passing on.” He leaned an ear her way. “And you wish the same for Celestia.”

He left his words to hang in the air, giving Rarity several seconds of thought that went wildly faster the closer she got to realizing his intentions. She came to a stop near a storeroom filled with long expired spices and herbs. “You - you can’t be… Are you seriously suggesting we do a joint last rites?” Blind Speaker made no reply, and simply kept walking as if she had said nothing at all, and that alone was all the confirmation Rarity needed. “You are, aren’t you? No tricks, no jest?”

Giving a tired sigh, weighed down by his age, Blind Speaker nevertheless kept walking. “I am old, child, old enough to be your great grandfather. I have lived and seen love, hatred, misery, joy, suffering, happiness, war, and peace. At times when I am alone, I can’t help but to wonder if the Sisters gave up on us.”

Rarity narrowed her eyes a bit, unsure of what he was planning. “That’s not possible. When I prayed to Celestia just minutes ago, her light cleared the poison from this place.”

“Ohhh, yes it was very impressive,” he retorted with vaguely disgruntled energy. “And if it was her light that helped us, then why were you so winded afterwards?”

“Because we mortals are the conduits through which Celestia acts through. Such is her power, that we are but leaves before a hurricane.”

“Yes, yes, I have heard such explanations before from the Lunar Church as well.” He grew impatient, like a father trying to teach a stubborn teenager. “Yet no pony wants to remember our ancestors possessed divine magic before the Sisters appeared. We have placed them on such a monumental pedestal that no pony thinks we are capable of divinity ourselves if we work together as the heroes of Hearth’s Warming once did.”

Huffing in disappointment, Rarity sped up to outpace him. “So I’m speaking to the inflammatory Speaker right now. I will not yield those souls to Luna. When matters with the Dark Father are complete, our parley will be at an end.” She ended the spell and stormed off, leaving the old stallion equally frustrated. “I suggest you inform the commander.”

Age tried to slow Speaker’s steps, and he had no hope of keeping pace with Rarity, but he tried all the same. “Damn fool of a girl. If bargaining is what you want, then a bargain you shall have.”

It actually wasn’t what Rarity wanted, but curiosity made her stop and face him once more. She lit her horn, masking their speech. “I grow tired of your games. Speak truly, or dont speak at all.”

Blind Speaker’s ears twitched, searching for the signs of the privacy spell again. “A pity your patience is so short today. I’ll be brief then. Join me in a last rites ritual that venerates both Sisters, and I will give you a copy of Luna’s journal in the final year of the Schism War.”

Rarity was so bewildered by such an unexpected offer, she let the privacy spell slip. It was only when the noise of walking hooves and chiseling stone came clearly did her brain reboot and she blinked a few times and resumed the spell. She turned her head a bit, and her left eye scrutinized him closely. “Why and how do you even have such a thing?”

Seeing that he had her interest once more, Blind Speaker checked to make sure sounds were muffled again. “At my age and profession, I’ve made a fair number of powerful friends. I commissioned one of them twenty years ago to break the cipher on her wartime journal. He finally came through last month and read it to me multiple times. I still can hardly believe some of it, which is why I was on my way to get it translated into Braille when Turnabout requested me to join her little expedition. I have both the copy and the cipher text with my belongings back on the boat. Aid me with this, and they’re yours.”

Intrigue pulled on Rarity like a train. It hardly mattered if it was Celestia’s or Luna’s writing, both were invaluable for either reverence and insight, or glimpse into the mind of the enemy to the Inquisition. And yet she held fast a bit. “It can’t be that simple. Not with you.”

Fear of generating too much paranoia, Blind Speaker sighed deeply. “I want to see the Sisters returned to us, yet all of my remaining leads into their disappearance point to Equestria. You, an inquisitor, have access to resources I do not, and I am too old to try for much longer.”

Rarity scoffed, hardly believing what she was hearing. “Are you seriously trying to pass your mission onto me? Of all ponies?!”

“Aye.” He squared himself, and his voice grew grave. “I believe that the Sisters are trapped together, wherever they are. If they are lost within some place inside Equestria, who better to free them, than you? If I’m wrong, I can already get another copy of Luna’s journal, and have my son continue my efforts, but I have to try, for Her sake.”

Rarity went silent for a spell, and dropped her privacy screen. Her eyes drifted here and there as her mind warred with what to do. The Inquisition would never accept this joint ritual, journal or not. And yet… What greater duty can one have than to see Celestia restored, even if it might be a fool’s errand. If that requires Luna’s return as well, then I will accept whatever judgment Celestia has for me.

Fervor filled her thoughts, but caution cooled her back down. “I must see this journal for myself. Lock Stock is skilled with cryptography, so translating enough of it to verify its authenticity shouldn’t take long. But you must do one thing for me. If you are lying, you will surrender yourself to me to be taken before the Crown.”

Blind Speaker recoiled at the implication. The fear of being striped was just as strong now as it had been when he was a youth. He collected himself quickly enough. “Child, I would hope you could trust me enough not to blaspheme against Luna. But if this is a promise you need, then I accept your condition.”

“Oh no,” Rarity cut in with a wave of her hoof. “This must be sworn before your commander so that you cannot Renege on our agreement.”

“By all means, I accept.”

Though she didn’t show it, the ease with which he agreed to her demands irritated her. How do I keep missing the mark with him?

Rapid hooffalls towards the exit first grabbed Blind Speaker’s attention, and then Rarity’s as she turned to find an earth mare and a pegasus stallion were racing towards them. “Honored Speaker!” The pegasus called out. He came to a stop while the mare thundered on. “The Dark Father’s already wanting to start the duel.” the stallion grew extremely nervous and didn’t even want to acknowledge Rarity was even there. “He wants the Inquisitor there as a witness.”

Blind Speaker waved the stallion to the ground. “Really? I thought he wanted us to break the manor’s soul trapping enchantments with the train first.”

Rarity hummed as she thought back on how ill Stygian had looked and acted. “Something tells me he doesn’t have time to wait, and is probably hoping that the trapping effect will be disrupted by our efforts here,” she said while pointing at one such soldier chiseling away at some dead runes on the wall. There was no attempt at making it clean cut, just sharp chunks torn off the wall in haste.

“In any case we had best hurry.” The soldier understood Blind Speaker’s unspoken request and knelt down so he could carry the aged stallion on his back. Speaker gave a word of thanks before addressing Rarity. “Stygian might get impatient and decide to fall back on his first plan.”

“I doubt he would, but it would be uncouth to keep him waiting unnecessarily,” Rarity stated as she stepped ahead of the two. “Keep our agreement in mind for when it is over, Blind Speaker.” Waiting just long enough for him to grunt affirmatively, she galloped off with the pegasus coming in right behind her.

28: A Return to Familiar Shores

The hour was late, but activity was as high as ever at the Tranquility naval harbor. Powerful lights atop a moon tower illuminated much of the central area of the base. Rainbow Dash inspected her new command at a muster point close to the ships. Ninety nine soldiers stood ready in formation and in good order, with one of their number standing front and center ahead of the others. Aside from their issued gear, each of them carried another pack filled with independently purchased food and other amenities they’d normally never see in their rations for the month-long voyage.

Rainbow Dash surveyed the group consisting entirely of pegasi and thestrals, save for a single unicorn mage-corporal. Rainbow Dash had spent a good chunk of the previous day getting all of the excited jitters out of her system so she could conduct herself in front of her soldiers with all of the military bearing expected of her rank. After a single pass in front of the soldiers, not finding anything egregiously out of place, she finally stopped in front of her new first sergeant. He was a navy blue pegasus with pale hair cropped short. He bore some minor scars on his face, and a long ugly one down the right side of his neck before disappearing under his uniform. She did one final inspection of him in greater detail, as she fully expected him to set an example for the soldier, just as she had before him. Strictly speaking, the lieutenants in charge of the smaller platoons outranked him, but he was to be her second in command. If he was to speak with her authority, Rainbow needed to take his measure.

It only took her a second to see he was used to the relaxed field regulations on the crispness of one’s uniform rather than the starch pressed norm of those recuperating in a friendly port. Policy dictated a reprimand, but given that her lieutenants uniforms were as starch pressed as her own, she decided to let it slide for the moment. She was worldly enough to know to speak about it with him in private. It didn’t help the fact that she found him quite handsome. Bah, if anything, I’d have him in my bed within two nights if I wasn’t his commanding officer now.

Controlling herself, she squared her shoulders before speaking. “First Sergeant Jacks, I understand you and the boys earned a few of commendations over the last year.”

“We’re the best scouts and skirmishers, Ma’am. In any army.” Some of the soldiers cheered in agreement, save for the officers who gave firm nods. Jacks kept himself respectful to her rank, if not the pony just yet. “Not only did we spot the Royal Army a week out of Brinewood, we harried them so badly they turned tail until the Third Army came to push us out.”

“So I heard.” You'd be hard pressed to find a company that isn’t pushed back by Shining’s army. Nodding as if she was marginally impressed, Rainbow continued. “You don’t need me to tell you that Command speaks highly of your unit. I have full faith in all of you that we will see this mission through.” Directing her eyes back to Jacks. “Do you know what our assignment is?”

He sighed through his nose, and settled for a humorless smirk. “Permission to speak freely, captain?”

Rainbow glanced at the other soldiers, each of them kept their eyes and ears straight ahead, but she knew nothing would slip their notice. “In a moment. Ninety Second! Grab your gear and climb aboard. The sooner we ship off, the sooner you can spend your pay in Mechiburg.”

With a unified salute, the soldiers either walked or flew onto the iron ship. Jacks picked up his gear, but remained standing, waiting for Rainbow to pull him aside. He didn’t have to wait long, as she approached him once the last of the soldiers was out of earshot. “Permission granted, Sergeant.”

Out of courtesy, Jacks scanned around the marshaling yard to double check that no one could hear them. “You don’t need me to tell you how this looks, captain. Escorting the sister of the Royal Army’s top general back to Equestria? Plus a bunch of hangers on? The boys are talking and it ain’t pretty.”

“Need I remind you that the Emperor himself decided she’d be the one to go?”

Jacks’ first response caught in his throat. He blinked and stepped in close. “The Emperor?”

“Yes, the Emperor.” Rainbow scowled a bit. “Don’t tell me you were told about Twilight and not who exactly gave the order.”

Recomposing himself, Jacks cleared his throat. “Funny thing about that, ma’am. Only thing I knew was that we’d be smuggling somepony behind the lines for some reason our old captain didn’t go into. Whisper recognized that Equestrian inventor, Twilight Sparkle, boarded the ship before it was time to get in formation. I don’t claim to be good at math, ma’am, but even I can put two and two together.”

Bristling from the insult, Rainbow Dash stepped in close and glared at him. “If we do our job and get her to where she needs to go, she’ll have done more to prove her place as a Lunarian than any defector in history. I don’t require you to like her, but you will respect her. Am I clear?”

“More than any of them?” He shook himself out of it upon seeing how close to anger she actually was. “As you order, ma’am!” Jacks snapped a sharp salute.

Rainbow Dash didn’t return it right away. I was a non-comm for far too long to know that’s not enough to keep him in line. “I’d prefer you keep questions about our mission to a minimum until after we reach the front. But I know how the file operates, First Sergeant. If by some off chance you haven’t pried the answer out of one of the civilians, I’ll let you and the boys know then.”

A sly grin and a lifted eyebrow out of Jacks told Rainbow they wouldn’t even make it a week before he got someone to talk. Silver will probably be the mark, he’s who I’d go after. Maybe Applejack if they get her drunk somehow.

“If you need the secret to be a secret then I’ll keep them in line for ya, no problem, ma’am. But you -ah, are you serious about the ‘more than anyone’ comment? Even more than Prism Flash?”

She had heard the name before, but couldn’t place it. She shot down her first instinct to ask who that was out of embarrassment. Instead she silently stared him down while wracking her brain. Gah, I know that name who was!? Wait, isn’t she the first pegasus noble who pledged her house to Lunaria, and bankrolled everything until her house was left broke or something? It is, isn’t it? “Well, perhaps on equal terms then,” Rainbow eventually answered. “So believe me when I tell you to do everything you can to keep the civilians alive when we go past the front.”

“I will do my duty, Ma’am, have no fear of that. That bein’ said though.” Jacks glanced around the area, not seeing anyone not in uniform. “I already knew about Twilight Sparkle, but who are the others you mentioned?”

That much she could answer. “Lady Pinkie Pie and Silver Vein, Twilight’s sister and husband. The fourth is Boatswain Applejack, who’s been reactivated for the duration of the mission. She can take care of herself.”

“Uh huh.” Jacks shifted his bags to be a bit more comfortable. “Far be it for me to tell a noble not to get themselves killed, but escorting three liabilities is a tall order where we’re going. I don’t suppose you haven’t already tried to get at least one of them to stay out of this? Two’s better than three.”

“I did try.” Rainbow huffed irritably as her rashness started breaking through her officer’s poise. “Pinkie Pie won’t leave her sister’s side. I can’t really blame her though. Pinkie knows how to defend herself, but I doubt she can handle a full battle if it comes to that. Silver Vein has some notion of honor compelling him to go with respect to his grandfather. Honestly if anypony is going to need the most babysitting, it’ll be him. He admitted to never having any defense training.”

“Well isn’t that a nasty little wrinkle, eh?” Jacks thought it over a bit. “Might I beg your permission to teach the lad how to use a pistol at least?”

Rainbow eyed him with the same dangerous look her superiors often gave her. “If you’re volunteering for it, then I’ll make sure he goes along with it, one way or another.”

“You’re a commander after my own heart, ma’am.” Jacks bowed with a playful smirk.

“As if your heart belonged to anypony other than whichever mare happens to be in your bed at the moment.” Rainbow Dash instantly regretted the quip. Had she still been a sergeant herself, it wouldn’t matter, but as an officer, she had to play the part.

Jacks laughed wholeheartedly, and if anything, he approved of it. “Ha, you came from the ranks alright. I like you already, Captain. If there’s nothing else, permission to finish seeing the boys to their accommodations.”

“Granted,” she said with a lazy salute, still burning with embarrassment.

It took a month for the Night Stalker to reach Mechiburg. The vessel steamed into Mechiburg under a new moon, and had to be guided in by thestrals with torches. Unlike the sleepless capital of Tranquility, Mechiburg seemed to be lit by gas street lights, as the orange lights all over the city contrasted to the harsh white light of Tranquility. It was almost homely.

Shouted conversation between the crew of the Night Stalker and those from a tugboat disrupted the peacefulness of the nightscape. The tugboat had powerful electric lights illuminating the Night Stalker amidship and was carefully maneuvering the ironclad into port.

Trying to ignore the commotion, Twilight stood with her sister on the bow so the tugboat was out of sight. They leaned against each other as they took in what sights they could. “Never thought I’d be coming back to the old world in my brother’s lifetime.”

Pinkie’s ears flattened, and concern flooded her. “We’re keeping things quiet. He’ll never know we were here until after the Sisters are freed.”

“I hope so.” A shiver ran down her spine, as if one of her brother’s spies was watching her even now. “If he knew I was here…”

“He is your brother though,” Pinkie offered, trying to lighten the mood. “Maybe he realizes you’re happier here and will leave you alone.” Even as she said it, Pinkie knew it was wishful thinking.

“A mare can dream.” Twilight’s melancholy lingered as the incoming sound of leather wings in the air brought their attention to a shadowy shape that came to a close hover on the opposite side of the bow to avoid the tugboat’s lights. A spark of lightning from Twilight briefly revealed it was Rainbow Dash. The captain had flown ahead of the ship hours ago, and was currently rubbing her eyes from the lightning induced pain. “Damn it all, Twilight, one of these days I’m going to put a sock on that horn of yours. Now I’m going to be blind for like ten minutes or something.”

“Good luck trying to put it on,” Twilight stated with little humor given the state of her friend. “Sorry, though.”

Rubbing her eyes still, Rainbow tried to ignore the spots in her vision. “Anyway, we’re going to be hitting a bit of a snag. No one knows how yet, but the Royal Army attacked the power station five hours ago. Everything is shutdown until daylight.”

“Doesn’t a city wide blackout count for more than just a snag?” Pinkie inquired, surging concern coloring her voice. “Wait, is the city under attack!? Maybe we should change ports.”

Snarky sass exuded from the obscured mare. “You don’t think we’d leave the old capital unprotected do you? The locals said the station itself is fine, but the bastards cut the lines before we shot’em full of holes. Should have the electric lights back on by next evening at the latest.”

“That’s good to hear.” Twilight spotted some lanterns being lit at the docks, revealing they were in the final stages before she could go ashore. “How much of a delay are we talking here?”

“That’s the good news. Since all this came from the Emperor, they’ve had our train cars packed and ready to go for a week now. Since I checked in, they’re moving an engine to hitch up to it now.” She pulled her sleeve up to reveal a new wristwatch. “Should be good to go in about four hours, and they want us gone in five.”

“More's the pity,” Pinkie moaned as she looked out over the dark city. “I was told the spaghetti here was world class.”

Hugging her sister, Twilight tried to make out buildings in the distance. “We’ll get all the spaghetti we can eat when we come back. Who knows, maybe Luna will insist on it.”

Applejack stood on the lip of the gangplank. The darkened city before her was only of minor concern after Rainbow Dash had filled her in. She had bags to carry over to the train and she wasn’t a thestral blessed with low light vision, so her progress was hindered. “Boy did I miss the sea, and now I don’t even have time ta hit the pub. Ah’ve half a mind ta slap whoever scheduled all this so tightly.”

Her wistful bemoaning reached Silver’s ears as he swayed badly as he tried to steady himself. Even though the ship was tied to its moorings, the stallion rocked on his hooves as if he was still in the middle of the ocean. “If I ever have to sail again, it’ll be too soon,” he groaned to himself

Chuckling and sauntering over to help, the sailor claimed the loose bag he was dragging. “Oh come on, ya Lordship,” Applejack teased, “We don’t have the time for another shower if you go spewing again.”

Silver gruffed at it all. By Lunarian law, his marriage to Twilight did not grant him a title, and his word did not carry her weight unless backed by written decree. “As kind of you to call me that may be, Just Silver Vein will suffice.” His stomach lurched and he went queasy. “And maybe some help off the ship too if you please.”

A light hearted chuckle escaped her. “Sure, Ah always got time for a friend.” The whole way down, Applejack made sure to point his face away from her. Taking his mind off this always helps. “So, you think the plan will work?”

“It’s our best shot,” Silver said with forced courage, eager to put his mind off his flipping stomach. Once he set hoof on the pier he detached from Applejack to stand on his own. The swaying remained, but he was too proud to lean on her any further. “Assuming we can’t remove the statue from the Mirage, an engine is the best chance we have to free them.”

A grim frown fell over the sailor. “Here’s hoping that if it works, the blinded one doesn’t try ta kill us.”

A huff and a smile grew over his face as he recovered his balance a bit more. “If Celestia does… Luna will stop her. She protects.”

“Aye,” Applejack answered with a warm smile. “She protects.”

The Mechiburg rail yard and roundhouse was always a source of noise and bustling activity. Trains moving troops and supplies was an hourly occurrence in Lunaria’s former capital before the discovery of the new world and the founding of Tranquility. In these times of war, such activity showed no sign of slowing.

The power outage forced many to bring out oil lamps to make up for the non-functional lightbulbs. One such unicorn was running from the storehouse to the rail director’s office, a heavy saddlebag thumping against his barrel with each step. The railyard hardly slowed down. Trains still needed to come and go, and thankfully, the wheelhouse could still be moved manually.

The director’s office was of old wood and strewn with papers and ledgers, many of which were crammed inside cabinets. With all the chaos, the usual secretary outside had been sent away to fetch a lamp for the impatient director. The unicorn smirked at the absence, before quickly replacing it with desperate worry before knocking on the office door.

“Is that you, Green Fields? Hurry up and get in here!” came a curt voice from within. Sitting in a chair he had dragged to the window in order to get some measure of light to read was an ornery old earth stallion.

The unicorn opened the door and presented the lit lamp in his shaky magic. With so many trains in the area and other purposeful disruptive machines around, it was all he could do to hold the thing close enough to his face that the fire hurt his eyes against the gloom around him. “Not Green, sir, I’m Fire Lash from the warehouse to deliver a lamp for you.”

“It took you lot five hours to get here?” With a supremely disgruntled huff, the stallion slammed his ledger on the desk and gestured for Fire Lash to approach. “Well come on then.”

Shutting the door behind him, Fire Lash hastily made his way over to the desk and set the lamp down in his shaky magic, bringing some much needed light. “Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?” In his haste, the lantern still wobbled worryingly on the table.

The director jerked forward to make sure the lamp didn’t topple over. “Haven’t you been told not to carry flammable items in your magic around the railyard, you stupid idgit!? Go on, get out of here before you set my whole office on fire!”

Ducking to appease him, Fire Lash tentatively stepped closer. “My apologies, sir, I’ll leave as soon as you sign off for the lamp.”

“Sign off?” The director wrinkled his brow and eyed Fire Lash with annoyance. “Since when did we have to sign off for a damn lamp?”

His harsh words were cut off by Fire Lash producing a knife from his saddlebag. The director barely had time to acknowledge the threat before Fire Lash sank the blade deep into his neck, and was twisted to make screaming impossible.

Using his magic to stay back enough to keep blood from spilling on him, Fire Flash gritted his teeth trying to keep his magical grip on the director to set him down gently on the floor so no one below would be alerted. He rounded the desk to meet the dying pony’s eyes. “May you bask in Celestia’s light in the next life.”

The director tried to spit at him, but the knife reduced him to mere dribbling of blood until he at last fell still. Waiting a moment to make sure he was truly dead, Fire Lash used his magic to pull out the blade and wiped it off on the director’s clothes before sheathing it once more.

Grabbing the lamp with a hoof this time, Fire Lash hastily started reading the ledger the director had been reading, and smirked at what he saw. “Good, this is the schedule list.” He scanned the newest entries, his excitement growing by the second. “They’ve got everything scheduled up to a week in advance?” He flipped back to older entries. “It’s all here. Troop movements, supplies, everything!”

Shoving the ledger into his saddlebag, Fire Lash withdrew a similarly sized tome. It was neater, a different color, and had no writing in it, but hopefully it wouldn’t matter. Placing it on the center of the desk, Fire Lash used both muscle and magic to carefully place the director in his chair and then lean him against the desk. It was hardly perfect, and any detective worth his job could see the foul play, but time is all he wanted.

Taking the lamp, Fire Lash placed it right next to the book, and toppled it over, letting the reservoir of oil spill onto the desk and book. He backed away quickly as fire spread quickly, soon engulfing the false ledger, and would soon catch on the director’s clothes and fur. Fire Lash bid a hasty retreat, fleeing the way he came.

Meanwhile, down in the railyard, Applejack was doing an inventory on the cargo that had been loaded onto the train. The station crew had done so already, but the sea cat wouldn’t feel right if she didn’t do it herself.

She was counting the spare rations and ammunition stores for Rainbow’s troops when the train lurched forward. The rocking made her lose count, causing her to growl. “Dang nabbit. Ah told them ta wait until Ah was done here.” Grumbling, she resumed count for several minutes longer until the door closer to the engine swung open.

She looked up to find a familiar blue face. “Heyya captain.”

“Oh come on, AJ, I’m not your captain.” Rainbow cantered over and gently prodded her friend’s ribs.

Shooing away the offending hoof, Applejack stopped her count to mark her progress before giving the thestral her full attention. “Yeah, but it bugs you when Ah call you that, so you’ll just have ta deal.”

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow tried to rib her friend again, but Applejack warded it off this time. “Whatever. Did they have all of our supplies and everything?”

“Ah checked the engine parts first, and it's all here. The firetube is all in one piece by the looks of it. Ah’d prefer to test it, but we ain’t got the time. The supplies Ah’m still counting, but so far it looks like we’re only missing some food tins and three slabs of salt pork. Nothing we can’t pick up along the way. Honestly Ah was half worried somepony might’a tried to swipe some of the engine parts while it sat alone for so long.” Applejack disgruntledly wagged her clipboard at the window leading back to the railyard. “Ah told them Ah wanted to check everything first, but the train’s gotta run on time and all.”

A bright light grabbed Rainbow’s attention to that very window and she walked over to it. “Well if all the parts are here, then we should be fine. The other stuff we can pick up at Duskshire. Maybe we can stay long enough to get drunk one last time.” She went still upon seeing what the light was. “By the moon, the yard’s on fire!”

“It what?!” Applejack ran to join her as Rainbow yanked the window open to get a better look. Sure enough, a big plume of fire and smoke filled the air.

The pair stared at the flames for a moment or two before Applejack turned to her friend. “A fire breaks out right as we’re leaving?”

“Same night the power station got hit? Ten slips we got a stowaway.” Rainbow already started climbing out of the window. “I’ll get the Ninety Second to do a full sweep top to bottom.”

“Ah’ll let the others know what’s goin’ on.” Her work forgotten, Applejack ran for the passenger cabin.

All the searching would be for naught. Hours later, first light was creeping over the horizon as Fire Lash crept inside a cave far beyond the city limits. He was exhausted and drenched in sweat, but no one had followed him as far as he could tell.

Better not chance it though. He slid down some outcroppings and had to squeeze through some tight spaces, but he eventually reached a small cavern. Chiseled into the very rock was an inactive portal arch. Brushing himself off as best he could, Fire Lash double checked that his prize was still intact before putting it back in his pocket. Walking over to the arch, he saw a box of blue mana gems still sat off to the side.

He blew away the dust covering them, and inserted all eight of them into various points on the arch. Within moments, watery blue magic filled the space between the arch. Once it settled, he tossed a gold bit through and waited so those on the other side would know a friend was coming, before he too stepped through.

Hours later, Shining Armor had moved his headquarters to what remained of Cotton Ridge’s city hall. Most of the city was either burnt out frames, or demolished wrecks from artillery bombardment. Even the historic city hall had not escaped unscathed.

Having just written a series of orders, Shining Armor was going for a walk through what halls were still safe enough to transit to clear his mind. The polished oak walls and ceiling spoke to the building’s age as each creek under his hooves was not the sole responsibility of the damage it had sustained. It’s been a long time since the Royal Army has reached this far east. A long time since this city was laid low.

The light clip of hooves on wood drew his attention to an earth mare aide-de-camp. She had gray fur and raven black hair, and carried herself with grim certainty. “General Armor, That supply report you wanted is ready.” She fished out a bind of papers from a bag.

No rest for the wicked. Sighing and turning back to a crater in the wall so he could watch his troops file through the broken streets, pushing ever eastward. “Just give me the bullet points, Inky.”

Clearing her throat, the mare opened the papers and skimmed over them to be sure her memory wasn’t flawed. “Food and ammunition are in good supply to maintain a garrison here, although there is concern about the delay in winter uniforms.”

“Garrison?” Shining Armor rounded on her, but he kept his voice conversational. “The first snow is still a month away, I mean to push the attack.”

Momentary embarrassment struck her at the prospect of being on the receiving end of his ire. “I told the messenger from Dispatch the same, but for some reason his superiors are under the assumption you’ll be staying here, waiting for the Throne to sue for peace or at the very least allowing the other theaters to gain some ground. He was also keen to inform me that the northern front has had constant issues with portal raiders intercepting shipments, and replacement material has been rerouted there.”

A low growl escaped his lips. “Either Dispatch is monumentally stupid or Summer Heat can’t be bothered to deal with the raids himself. You tell him that if I don’t have what I need to stay on the march until the first snow, Dispatch can spend the rest of his career at Camp Everfree, is that clear?” Before she could even bow and respond, he continued, “in fact, have Sandy Hills deliver the message. He has a certain love for these kinds of negotiations.”

“At once, sir!” Inky fished around her back and presented a new tome that stank of coal and sweat. “One of our spies in Mechiburg delivered this not too long ago, sir. It’s a shipping ledger for Mechiburg’s main rail station.”

“Is it now?” Excitement nearly made him forget about his supply issue. He claimed the book in his magic and started skimming for useful information. “Then the raid bore fruit. Give my personal gratitude to the spy and grant him a week’s leave before returning for reassignment.”

He missed her reply as he delved into the ledger. With this, I can see what the Lunarians have been up to, and perhaps glean a pattern of behavior…

The hours flew by as he studied his new prize. He started on records dating three months prior, and moved slowly to the present day. Once he had reached the current date, his fatigue was starting to catch up to him. Before promising himself to take a breather, he came to today’s shipping logs. A quick review made his brow wrinkle at a peculiar item. An outboard train carrying a single company of soldiers and a single broken down Charlie engine. That’s one of those ‘do nothings’ they use to protect artillery batteries if I recall. Wait… They dedicated a whole train for only one company and a disassembled disruptor?

“Are they still in such a logistically strong place that they can spare a whole train for that little bit of cargo..? Or is there more to it?”

The news was as troubling as it was confounding. He studied the entry again. “That can’t be right. All the other shipments are far larger. So why…” There was only one real way to find out. “It’s going to Black Bluffs. That’s Brigadier General Reed’s theater.” Damn, I don’t have any forces both close enough to intercept and able to receive new orders in time. Let’s hope Reed is smart enough to heed me and keep a closer eye on Black Bluffs.

43: The Beauty of the Mountains

Weeks passed before the Seers had deemed his Paths of Harmony was ‘not entirely disruptive’. Much to the emperor’s reluctance, Faithful Hymn had talked his way into being given permission to convert a small abandoned warehouse into a forum, of a sort.

It mimicked a chapel with its layout of pews and a podium, complete with a lit brazeer to symbolize the Flame of Harmony. Yet it also proved quaint and cozy, with barely enough pews to house a dozen souls. Curiosity proved a greater force than distaste, and caused some passers by to linger outside long enough to hear the other missionaries exhort the six paths every night and day of the week. As of yet, not one person, save Gallus or the missionaries’ escorts ever entered the forum. While his duties drove Gallus to listen the first time, afterwards he alone stayed for more and more sessions. Such actions did not go unnoticed by the public. Most dismissed him as a foolish idealist or that he was there as punishment.

One day, Faithful was busying himself by sweeping the floor of his forum when some new faces took the first hesitant steps inside. Upon seeing the first group to arrive without Gallus, Faithful allowed earlier insults and failures to fall to the wayside and struggled his way to walk away from his podium. “Welcome, welcome. Have you come to hear of the Paths of Harmony?”

It was a rhetorical question, but a necessary one. The teenage griffon tom who led the group of four sneered at him. “Not a chance. We came to see if the rumors were true about some ponies missionaries. Thought it was a lark.”

“Ah, well as you can see, the rumors of our presence at least were true.” Faithful set his broom aside and wanted to approach them, but the mountain air and his age made him caused a dizzy spell, so he opted to stay still and catch his breath. “I thank you for checking up on me, though.”

One of the group huffed and left, pulling a second along with him. The leader stuck around trying to think of something before he too turned his back, letting his silence speak for him. The remaining jane decided to speak plainly, half believing the old unicorn couldn’t understand them properly. “Why are you still here where no one wants to listen to your nonsense?”

Faithful’s fatherly smile never wavering, and he rested his bones on a pew. “Life is full of seemingly nonsensical things. A child sees no value in real food over treats, a soldier wants glory, not to be scrubbing the latrine, and yet these are things we need.”

The leader slapped his friend for speaking plainly, but the jane slapped him back before continuing. “And what makes you think we need to listen to this farce of yours? You have the gall to think we need a pony of beings tell us how to be good folk?”

“Oh I don’t think you do at all,” Faithful admitted freely, raising his hooves in a shrug. “I am here to show that ponies and griffons share common core values, my friends. If I can do that, then we have common ground, yes?”

The youths were not getting the floundering responses they were hoping for and some of them gave up and left with some parting words. “We don’t need your common ground, we want you to leave us in peace. Go home, pony.”

They departed, leaving the door wide open, and the snowy mountain air rushed in. Faithful simply left it open, and was content on using a spell to keep warm. “They’ve stopped ignoring me and have opened the door, far be it for me to shut it now.”

His age caught up to him shortly after that and he fell into a nap right there on the pew. He stayed there long enough to awaken with a start when a hoof nudged his foreleg.

Standing over him was Luna herself. “Your highness!” Faithful glanced about, still finding himself in the chapel, only it was dark outside with the brilliant start night on full display. He felt admonished even though her face was warm. “I fell asleep again.”

“Indeed you did,” Luna hid a laugh. “Perhaps you are working too hard.”

“Hardly, your majesty. My age has caught up to me.” He sat up on the pew. Within the dream realm, Luna had expressed to all she visited that she had no need for decorum here. “Griffons are a proud people. I suspect none of them will truly take heed until after my death. But if I can open the door for others, then it will all be worth it.”

“You really don’t plan on returning home?” Luna was disappointed to be sure, but she did not voice her desire for him to come home.

“These mountains are beautiful, my queen.” The chapel fell away to reveal the dense mountains beyond, silhouetted by the full moon and stars. “I fear I would not survive the journey back in any respect, even if it would be nice to breathe east again. In my youth, I thought it would be an honor to die in battle, keeping the soldiers spirits strong. After that, I found this cozy little spot on the Cinnamon Beach where I could pass in peace. The sea is so beautiful to me. Here though, the mountains have their own majesty. If I must die far from home, I can’t think of a better place than here.”

“Far be it for me to rob an honorable stallion of his last wish. Have you been treated well?”

Laughing briefly, Faithful rocked his head back and forth. “As well as can be expected. I have not been harmed nor deprived of the basics.”

A heavy ripple rocked the dreamworld, leaving both ponies bemused. “It seems someone is trying to wake you. Take care, Faithful Hymn. Know that Eclipse sends his regards.”

“And I the same,” he said before Luna vanished and he awoke to find Gallus standing over him.

“You alright old timer?” The griffon was not alone. Eight others of his kind were present, along with two missionaries looking relieved.

Frowning as he sat back up, Faithful was quick to gather his wits and replace it with a brilliant smile. “Just needed to rest my eyes. Who might your friends be?”

“Friends is a bit strong of a word.” Gallus pulled back to give the unicorn some breathing room. “Griffonstone Academy was hosting a debate about you ponies on whether or not we should expel you from the city, or just let you wear yourselves out and go home on your own.”

“I see,” Faithful laughed wholeheartedly. “So you’ve either come to tell me the results or to gather evidence for your argument, yes?”

“Something like that.” Gallus used a wing to push his way to a pew. “I convinced this rabble here the best way to get that answer was to hear you out.”

“Is that right?” Suddenly quite animated, Faithful excused his way to the podium where he kept his copy of the gospel and notes. After arranging them in haste, he wore his best fatherly expression to his erstwhile audience. “Stories are always the best way to carry a message. While I know you care little for pony history, we must still first listen to Hearthswarming to grasp the true significance of Harmony. Something which is powerful enough to surprise a god!”

Gallus had heard the entire tale before when the seers made their assessment, but he never spoke of it to anyone. So he played dumb and sat down to give the other cause to do the same. “A god? You mean the alicorns?”

Realizing his game quick as a flash, Faithful shook his head. “Oh what fools were we ever thinking Luna and her sister were goddesses. No, for they met someone truly befitting the title. I will tell you what they told me.”

Hours melted away as Faithful not only regaled the tale of Terra, but also called upon his audience to speak of griffon history that drew from one or more aspect of Harmony. The collection of griffons broke apart slowly, individuals hearing enough and left one by one until the wee hours of the night.

Gallus was the last one to remain, having thought ahead and brought some jerky. Yet even a prince could not stay forever. Yet before he could give a farewell, a memory struck him, causing his tongue to stumble a bit. “Faithful Hymn, I can’t believe I forgot to tell you earlier, but I wanted to tell you about my favorite folk hero: Captain Bent Coin.”

Faithful Hymn never felt happier than seeing such an eager youngster be it before the reformation or after. He wet his throat with some water before wagging his staff at him. “Then I beg of you to share, if I speak much more my voice will give out.”

An eager grin fell over Gallus as he paused to collect his memories. “To understand Bent Coin, you have to know that the Union didn’t just pay my father for his armies, they had to do it to each warlord to gain their services. If they can’t pay for a warlord’s whole army, they can go smaller for independent mercenary captains.

“Bent Coin hailed from the Skystream region under Warlord Grey Amber. The sphinxes bought his contract and he and his company of ninety nine sharpshooters did a tour of two years fighting the centauri.

“About… late autumn I think it was, is when the contract was up for renewal, and the sphinxes couldn’t spare the coin.” Gallus waved a dismissive wing. “By then the centauri had focused on invading the kirin, and no one believed they’d be back to take anything more out of the sphinxes. So Bent Coin went southwest to look for more work and to see if any griffons wanted to fill out the losses he took. He was down to twenty troops by then. It was just starting to snow in a small little spit of a hamlet when Bent Coin made camp for the night when outlaw hippogriffs came waking into town. They were looking to rough up the place for money and what not, but ran off when they saw Bent Coin’s mercenaries.”

Gallus was truly getting into telling the tale and he jumped up on a pew while his tail wagged excitedly. “The village chief begged him to stay or defeat the bandits that were sure to return, but Bent Coin’s lieutenant was the treasurer of his merry band, and reminded everyone that the emperor’s decree was that no griffon was to kill a Union member unless permission was given in writing in the form of a contract. And a hamlet barely thirty people strong, there was no way they could afford to pay his toms for even one night of sentry detail. So long as the bandits did not attack his troops directly, he couldn’t lift a claw. So, he hatched a plan!”

Gallus flapped into the air and landed with his voice taking on a shady back-room tone. “He drew up a contract for installments with a down payment of a single copper piece. The contract would ruin the hamlet, they’d never pay it off, but it was either that, or die to the bandits who were surely watching for his toms to leave. Bent Coin already had someone tail the bandits and he sought them out. Turns out a few kirin outlaws had guarded the camp while the hippogriffs had gone raiding.”

Remembering the times his tutor had told him the story time and time again, Gallus was too engrossed in the tale to care about station or decorum. He turned and ducked behind a pew, only poking his head out as if waiting in ambush. “So Bent Coin set a trap. He and fifteen of his troops settled into firing positions while the rest took the signaling drums they carried with them to the far side. There they gave a marching beat that made it sound like a whole column was flying in the bandits direction, and they bought it like fools. Every last one panicked and ran straight into the ambush. The first ones shot thought they had been hit by the column, completely missing Coin’s toms hidden in the reeds thanks to our smokeless powder.”

Gallus jumped out into the open with his sword raised high and swinging, a thrilling grin plastered on his face. “Bent Coin saw a nirik coming right for him and smashed his face with a rifle jab. But in her panic, the nirik blindly attacked him with a wreath of flames, burning him and his uniform.

“When the fighting was over, and the scant few survivors running for the hills, everyone was horrified that the contract had been burned.” Gallus sheathed his sword and waggled a claw at Faithful. “No contract, no pay after all. Even so, Bent Coin could have easily demanded the contract be rewritten as it previously was. He had the guns and the dead bandits as evidence. But he didn’t, instead he settled for a cover contract, which is nothing more than the locals putting into writing that they gave him permission to kill Union citizens.”

“But here’s why I like this story. Some people say it was his fault in not protecting the contract so he lost good money, other say he was in his rights to force the town into redrawing the contract. A few of us say that he fought that nirik on purpose, hoping to get the contract destroyed.”

“Really?” Faithful queried with genuine interest. “I have heard that nirik flames are especially dangerous. Why take such a risk?” Faithful knew the answer all too well, but he humored the young lad with the same bewildered expression he had used hundreds of times when children would come to him with their favorite verses or stories of Luna’s heroism.

“I say he never wanted the hamlet’s money, but needed a legal way to help them, and knew his troops wouldn’t fight for free. People say he ultimately decided to live in the sphinx lands out of shame for losing the contract so needlessly. I think he did it because he had grown to love the people and wanted to protect them. He gave up coin to find happiness.”

Clapping his hooves, Faithful was glad to see the young prince was truly taken by the example Bent Coin had set. “A marvelous story. Do you mind if I use it for my sermons?”

The distant tolling bell of the late hour grabbed Gallus’ attention. He was quick to nod at his host. “Of course, of course. I should be going though. See you in two days?”

“I’ll be here as always, your highness.” Faithful Hymn watched Gallus bolt away as if his life depended on it. The old stallion gave off a tired sigh as he magically claimed a broom and started sweeping away the snow and dust. After hearing such a tale, he quickly found parallels to similar stories of pony generosity and honor. The more common we are, the more friendly we can be. He started humming his favorite hymn as he toiled away, the smile on his lips never wavered.

Later that night, in one of the seedy bars on the south side of Griffonstone, Grunhilda sat alone, nursing a mug of mead hoping to avoid the eyes of anyone who could recognize her. Her wings ached from traveling hundreds of miles with barely a day’s rest. She bore it with persistent grumbling that never reached the ears of her warlord. So she was left muttering curses under her breath as she spent her time rubbing some knots out of her muscles.

She twisted to get at a particularly stubborn knot, and bumped a bottle strapped to her belt against the table. She paused to look at it with fermenting distaste as her master’s words echoed in her mind.

“You must have the emperor’s own soldiers kill the missionaries while they are inside his castle. By doing so you will dishonor his house both among the other warlords, and the Union. Once isolated, the Lunarians will do the rest.”

“How am I to do this? Control their minds?” She had asked jokingly.

“In a manner of speaking. This is extract from Fire Heart, a flower that grows in the valleys below.” He revealed the odorless, clear liquid to her. “It is an elixir our berserkers of old used back before the days of the empire. It enhances strength and aggression and makes you immune to pain. The one failing is that it calls too deeply upon our primordial spirits. The animalistic predators we still carry in our hearts.”

He handed her the bottle. “And predators eat what they kill.”

Shivering at the thought of drugging someone with such a horrid concoction, Grunhilda soothed her conscience by reminding herself of the Centauri king’s promise. “It’ll be nice to kill for more than coin.” Giving this to the ponies’ guards should do the trick. I just need to find a way to do it without implicating myself.

In Tranquility, Eclipse had settled easily into his role as majordomo. With a country that ran night and day, the throne had to keep up. So he had effectively become the day emperor with a smaller crown. That fact tickled him ever since.

It was getting late now. Court was suspended for the day and now he was going over other matters with the imperial engineer.

Both he and Twilight walked slow laps around the castle battlements as they spoke. The warm sea air of a tropical storm that an army of weather ponies was breaking up washed over the city. There was a light drizzle out, so they stopped under a covered tower on the western end so they could watch the harbor.

“A floating aluminum platform… it certainly would make resupplying cloud districts much easier.” Eclipse gazed up at the greatly expanded cloud city that was being discolored by the abundant storm clouds. “The price per pound is still restrictive, but I can push through an order of thirty five.”

Excitedly jotting down the order, Twilight Sparkle felt close to bursting with how many uses her metallurgical revolution could enable. “You won’t be disappointed, your excellency. Now, about the tassel engine, I know it seems more fanciful than practical, but it was always a proof of concept. The first real product to come out of that development is…” Twilight playfully tapped her wing armor on the floor imitating a drum roll. “The motorized carriage!”

“A motorized… carriage?” Eclipse was more hesitant this time. “I don’t think we can handle such a thing. Jobs are short enough as it is, and threatening the drivers is a bridge too far.”

“Aah, but sire,” Twilight finagled while wagging a wing-finger. “We should not think of the jobs this will destroy, but of the jobs it will create. A carriage is driven by two ponies. Maintenance and construction expand the number of jobs per carriage, yes?”

“I follow so far.”

“You already know how much truly goes into a steam engine from the ore being dug up to maintenance and training. If we expand that level of job creation to something as ubiquitous as carriages all while improving the cargo and passenger capacity, the growth will be extraordinary!”

It was certainly compelling to him, but he suspected Twilight was holding a trump card so he made a show of being indecisive. He looked away to lean against the battlements and ponder things. “It’s possible such things could improve matters, but if you want me to subsidize this, you’ll need to get a working model of a motor carriage that can transport something equal to a two pony trailer.”

With a knowing grin, Twilight took to the air. “I can do you one better.” Climbing higher into the air she started doing figure eights with Eclipse momentarily baffled until he followed the mare’s unchanging gaze. The closest gate began opening with two noisy, driverless carriages chugging into view. The guards and a few ponies on the street also watched them with fascination.

The carriages came to a puttering stop beneath Twilight. An earth stallion climbed out of the bigger of the two with a unicorn exiting the smaller one. In her excitement, Twilight tried to land on the battlement, only for a hoof to slip. She nearly busted her jaw before catching herself. “Ahh heh, well here is Sparkle Industrial’s latest product!”

Instantly wanting a closer look, Eclipse abandoned the first thought of asking for Twilight to carry him down and opted to have a bodyguard do the honors.

Once both were down in the courtyard, Twilight was all too happy to land next to the earth pony first. “Your excellency, this is Fedspar, inventor of the lorry truck.”

Bowing before the chancellor, Fedspar was immediately nervous. “I don’t really deserve all the credit, sire. I made the chassis and er-”

“Ah he’s so modest,” Twilight jumped in as planned, much to Fedspar’s relief. “He upscaled the Tassel engine, increased the number of- um…” She stopped, remembering she shouldn’t dive too deeply into talking shop. Instead she directed Eclipse to the rest of the vehicle. The flatbed in the back had short metal walls and was roughly two thirds of its length. A large two-sided sign advertised both vehicles, when they would be ready for customers, and where to buy them.

“This beauty can transport twice as much as a wagon and can go anywhere a carriage can. Think of it, lorries delivering cargo to places where trains would be impractical. Villages can finally feel a true connection to the rest of Lunaria.” Twilight slapped the truck bed, making it sound solid and dependable. “And since I know it will come up. A lorry can follow the army away from rail heads better than a wagon train.”

Not even giving him a chance to pose a counterpoint, Twilight tactfully pulled Eclipse along to the smaller vehicle. “Now you must be thinking, what about just personal travel, and not wanting to be all hot and tired from walking or galloping there? Perhaps you are injured or infirm and can’t make it down the way to the store, well worry no more for the motor carriage is the answer.” She waved a wing to the unicorn mare who bowed to both of them.

“I prefer the term motor car for short.” The mare stepped aside so Eclipse could get a better view of the motor car. “The name’s Sugar Plum, and I’m the inventor. From the radiator to the exhaust pipe I invented most of the Modal S. Perfect for town travel with class on a budget. But if you want the special package…”

Sugar Plum climbed back inside and levitated her saddlebags with ease. “Thanks to Lady Twilight’s new aluminum alloy making up the chassis, all disruption from the engine is completely blocked. That part is optional of course due to costs and what not.”

The last part stunned Eclipse. “Blocked?” He at last turned to the smirking pegacorn. “You’ve been busy. So much so it’s almost disturbing.”

Deciding to laugh it off, yet inwardly growing worried how she was coming across, Twilight moved in close to Sugar Plum. “Why don’t we all go for a drive? Let his excellency experience the Modal S first hoof?”

Instantly excited to have such a distinguished passenger, Sugar Plum was all too happy to accept and helped direct Eclipse on entry while Twilight congratulated Fedspar and got him to drive back to Talon Point.

With Eclipse’s bodyguards flying above, the bewildered chancellor was caught between the curious gazes of his citizens and watching Sugar Plum operate the vehicle as the motor car chugged and coughed its way along the streets. Technological innovation was highly prized, and he could see in their eyes that each of them, rich and poor, would want a motor car. “This is… incredible. The motor car yes, but how? You don’t even have three years to yourself and you create such wonders?”

Resting a wing on Sugar Plum, Twilight chuckled. “I’ve had a lot of help. Just like Sugar Plum here, thousands of thinkers, tinkers, engineers, and designers came here hoping to rebuild. Instead of having to resign themselves to abandoning their passions, I gave the best of them a place to continue their work. So much coming out of SI came from Lunaria itself, I simply gave them a cloud to jump from.” A wistful half-grin found its way on her muzzle. “The same you did for me.”

The comment caught Eclipse off guard, yet he recovered soon enough and gave a snort and grin. “I did what I could. The irony of power is how curtailed your choices are when you put your people first. When I first saw you, an Equestrian walking into the throne room with her former slave right behind her, I thought the crowd would have demanded your head. I fear that, were it not for the love and loyalty of your sister… I would have had to turn you away. My word may have had the authority to allow you to stay, but Pinkie Pie is the one who had the power.”

“She’ll be tickled even pinker when I tell her that.”

Joining Twilight in polite laughter, Eclipse saw that Sugar Plum had turned around and was returning to the castle. “From what I hear, it doesn’t take much to make Lady Pinkie Pie laugh.” Eclipse paused a bit to think. He slapped the metal door. “I like what I see. Give me a full inventory on the price of one lorry and a hundred. I’ll see about getting some procured for the army. As for this little number,” he leaned a bit more forward so Sugar Plum could hear him better. “I know the Empress would love one, provided it was sized appropriately for her.”

Realizing she was being addressed, Sugar jumped at the opportunity. “Oh don’t worry about that, your excellency. I’ll personally oversee her motor car’s construction. With the dampening reduction, naturally.”

The castle gate was once more in view when a voice called out, “Your Excellency!” A winded looking navy pegasus mare was being questioned by the gate soldiers when the noise from the motor car caught her attention. Too tired to fly, the mare struggled to gallop over to the motor car, only to be intercepted by one of his personal guards. “I have word from the Corinthian Sea Fleet!”

When the mare produced a rolled up letter and waved it at him, Eclipse looked to his captain. “Let her through.”

Sugar Plum remained quiet so she could hear every last word of the juicy gossip to come and idled the engine.

Eclipse claimed the letter, giving the messenger a chance to drop her head and gulp air. “The fleet is quite a distance from here. Captain, get her a drink and a place to recuperate.”

“Thank you, sire.”

As she was led away, Eclipse broke the seal and read quietly, glad that Twilight was making no effort to read over his shoulder. He hummed in bemused thought. “Well now, isn’t this something.” He looked up to the mares. “Miss Sugar Plum, I thank you for the ride, but I’m afraid I will need to walk from here. Twilight, would you accompany me?”

“Yes, of course.” Twilight passed accolades to Sugar Plum who left disappointed she couldn’t be ground floor to new gossip, but was soothed by the money she was surely to earn from her invention.

Eclipse reread the letter again as he guided Twilight to a side entrance into the palace proper, and he had a measure of privacy with her. “My son is reporting that we’re getting proper visitors from the east in two week’s time.”

“Proper visitors? It can’t be the griffons then if we’re hearing this from an admiral.”

“Indeed. It seems two of the Union’s leaders are sailing here to open relations.” He wasn’t overly moved by the news. If anything it annoyed him. The Union had never been anything other than aloof to his previous attempts to open a dialogue, and those of his father as well.

“Ah, the Union.” Twilight looked up in thought while scratching her chin. “Pinkie Pie has been making quite a fuss about wanting to sell aluminum ingots to them. They still see it as a jewelry base, you know.”

“It still is here,” Eclipse reminded her with a humorous leer.

“Not for long if I have anything to say about it.” Twilight waggled her armored wings. “You know ponies have tried to mug me five times for my wings over the years?”

“I’m sure you handled it with the proper force.” He started walking deeper into the castle and waggled the letter at her. “Luna must be informed, and I want you to meet with these delegates in the harbor when they arrive.”

“Me?! I am merely an engineer, sire.”

“Merely, she says.” Eclipse laughed, half believing she was serious. “You wear too many hats to say that with any semblance of believability.”

“Then more's the pity I have but one head to wear them all,” Twilight half-joked as an ear fell and a sheepish laugh filled the air. “But may I ask why the harbor?”

Eclipse gave her a side-long look, smirking a bit. “Lunaria is what it is today because of our inventors, scholars, and engineers. You represent that quite well, Imperial Engineer, and as such, you should be among the first faces they see.”

“Since you put it that way, how can I refuse?” Twilight hummed with a touch of mirth as ideas spun in her mind. “But if I am to do this, how… oh what’s the best word? How ostentatious can I be?”

Arching a curious eyebrow, Eclipse could see a plan was forming. “Swinging from humble to showboaty on me?” He only got a cringing shrug out of her. “Are you wanting to throw a parade?”

“Oh nothing so theatrical,” Twilight giggles while waving a dismissive hoof. “But what is an engineer without her babies?”

Giving an equine snort, Eclipse nodded. “Do as you see fit. And speaking of babies, how are yours?”

A glowing smile flashed onto her face as Twilight pulled her coin purse out of her dress and removed a picture clasp. “Oh the little darlings are doing fabulously.”

She opened the clasp to reveal a picture of the twins: a pegacorn and a thestral filly on the left side and a thestral colt that was barely a yearling on the right. “I’ve already poached some excellent tutors for them, but I will be personally handling their math and sciences.”

Taking the clasp and admiring the pictures, Eclipse gave a wistful sigh. “I remember being a new father. It’s so easy to miss their childhood when the weight of your duties feels so heavy. There’s something to be said about commoners raising their children themselves. I wish I could have been there more.”

The advice stung Twilight deeper than he realized. She reached her hoof forward, prompting him to return the clasp. Upon doing so, she traced a hoof over the pictures. “My father and mother always tried to make time for me and Shining Armor. Even if they couldn’t do it at the same time…” She closed it and returned the clasp to her coinpurse. “Perhaps I should be taking them with me more often.”

“It’s how they learn,” Eclipse offered with a proud smile as he thought of his own children. “Classrooms have their place, but the world is often the best teacher.”

Queen Novos stood above the wheelhouse of her ship the Lustrous staring out over the water where a squadron of five Lunarian warships surrounded her. Tobacco smoke wreathed the hippogriff as the setting sun bathed the world in rich reds. Being escorted by five ironclads on her ship of wood and sail was stressful enough, but now she wasn’t even being allowed to dock in the harbor, but at an off-shore facility. It struck her as a smug insult.

The city beyond evoked unease even more strongly than the warships. Annoyingly, Summer Flame however was enraptured by it. He leaned over the deck, stretching his neck to see as much as possible before the off-shore port moved in front. “It looks as if half the city is on fire, Novos my dear. And the cloud city, ahh truly a sight to behold.

Novos exhaled a ring of smoke as she gazed up at the thunderhead sized cloud district. The black trails of smoke curved unnaturally away from it, leaving the homes and businesses pristine white. “Indeed.” She was deeply worried. Hippogriffs prided themselves on being the industrial giants of the Union. Her people produced most of the steel, textiles, ships, and weapons. Even the griffons preferred hippogriff arms and cannons.

She knew full well those pillars of black smoke were signs of production at a scale she thought unimaginable in a single city. Just how many more ‘Tranquillities’ are there?

Two small boats pulled alongside the flagship with several pegasi and thestrals carrying ropes up to the Lustrous with one surly looking thestral coming up to the closest crew member he could find. “Tie these on to your bitts. We’ll tow you in nice and clean like.”

When the shipmaster looked to Novos for direction, she gave her consent. “These must be the tug boats we were warned about.”

“Fascinating no?” Summer teased, loving the distress his counterpart was expressing. “A little boat that bullies its bigger friends around and tucks them into bed. Perhaps you should buy one for personal use.”

Refusing to rise to his teasing, Novos kept staring out over the city. She did, however, blow smoke in his direction. “I doubt they would part with it. Not to us.”

The two waited until the ship was safely moored to the dock and the space on either side of the ship had been cleared for them. Novos disposed of her cigarette before stepping onto the wooden gangplank, and found two ponies waiting for them: a lavender unicorn oddly wearing metal wings, with the other a leather-winged night pony.

Behind the two was an unsettling number of flying soldiers. Rather than be in any sort of parade formation and uniformed, the soldiers were dressed more for field combat rather than a dress uniform. Each of them were wielding their carbines in an almost lazy hold, but one that allowed for quick aiming should things turn ugly.

Novos was unsure of which official she should address first as she took her fine steps off the gangplank. The griffons often say how militarized the ponies are. Should I lead with her, or let them speak first? The night pony was clearly a military officer thanks to her shoulder epaulets and slung carbine on her back, while the civilian unicorn who. Wait. Now that Novos had walked in close enough, she could see in between the armor’s frame to see the featherless wings beneath it. They send a cripple and an escort that’s not even dressed properly? All of which on top of not letting us dock in the city. Either these Lunarians are insulting us, or their empress is playing games to see how we’ll react.

Novos’ internal debate stilled her tongue long enough for Summer Flame to take the lead. “Ahh, such a marvelous city you have.” He dipped his head respectfully. “I am Grand Patriarch Summer Flame of the Commonwealth of Fire. My silent compatriot here is Queen Novos of Hippogriffa, imaginative, I know,” he said with a side smirk at her, to get the hippogriff to snap out of it. “We’ve come to open a dialogue with Empress Luna.”

The lavender pony scrutinized Novos long enough for the queen to scow. An act that got her to level a healthy smile Summer’s way. “I am the Imperial Engineer Twilight Sparkle, I serve at her majesty’s behest. Welcome to Tranquility, your graces.”

The night pony’s easy stance was at odds with the curt formality of her tone. “Name’s Captain Rainbow Dash. My company and I will escort you to the palace.”

“Would it be possible for a guided tour afterwards?” Summer Flame replied with naked eagerness. “At your empress’ pleasure of course.”

Having had time to compose herself, Novos nodded her agreement. “Yes, forgive me, I feel this meets is long overdue. Our peoples have traded informally for too long, and I for one would love to correct that oversight.”

Rainbow Dash took it differently than Twilight did and rolled her shoulder. “You should know your docking arrangements, are standard procedure. No ship is permitted to dock directly with the city unless it is flying the colors of the moon.” She glanced at Twilight with a brief smirk. “Or carrying foreign passengers.”

Twilight stepped in, trying to treat them the best way she knew: potential buyers. “It is merely a security precaution. You may take four bodyguards with you, preferably ones that can fly.”

“What a shame,” Summer Flame confessed with a bit too much drama for Novos’ liking. “And my people were so looking forward to seeing what all the smoke was about.”

“You’ll have to forgive him,” Novos put forth diplomatically. “Kirin are closely tied to fire, and your coal smoke might as well be a stiff drink to him.”

“Is that so?” Twilight used a wing to point deeper into the artificial harbor. “Well I’m afraid there won’t be much of a chance to sober up on the way to the palace. The industrial district is fairly close to the Throne.”

“Oh I feel like I am going to like this place.” Summer Flame had to reel in his enthusiasm with considerable force of will. “I would very much enjoy a tour of the city once the reception is over.”

Novos nervously eyed the twenty-odd soldiers keeping pace with them in the air. To her, it didn’t matter if she could bring four guards or the ship’s whole marine compliment, she was at the ponies’ mercy. A prospect the griffons always claimed always proved to be a near death experience.

“Here we are,” exclaimed Twilight Sparkle as she stepped up to an odd contraption. The carriage had decorative navy blue trimming and strangely, two metallic bird wings instead of wheels. “The Sparkle Flier.”

“It flies?” Novos was already at odds with the dubious notion of a flying machine. A balloon or kite sure, but something that was clearly metallic was absurd. Novos quickly noticed the carriage’s wings were very similar to the coverings Twilight was using.

“It’s in the name, Novos my dear.” Summer was thoroughly enjoying himself. He quickly spotted the seats, and was eager to see it in action. “You Lunarians are clever indeed. How does it work?”

“That’s a secret,” Rainbow barked, only for Twilight to rest a wing on the officer.

“Come now, Captain. Even if they could replicate it, they’d never get it into the air.” Twilight popped two doors open, allowing herself a more dignified entry into the vehicle. She left the door open to Novos. “It requires a pegacorn’s magic to fly, something I don’t think you’ll find in great abundance within Union territory.”

Novos debated on whether or not to trust the flier, but voicing concern now would only be a sign of weakness. This engineer may not care about such displays, but this Captain and her subordinates are watching my every move. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t.” She looked back to the steel-eyed hippogriffs and kirin that had trailed behind them. “Major Sky Beak, follow along with three of your best. Major Fern Flare, I’m afraid you and yours will have to stay here.”

Summer Flame waved at his escorts. “Oh don’t look so glum, Fern, once we sing each other’s praises at the palace you might be lucky enough to tour the city as well.”

“Lucky is right,” Rainbow grumbled as she took to the air.

The Sparkle Flier hummed and felt as if a beast was coming to life. Novos was only able to bury her nervousness since Twilight appeared unconcerned. Once they were airborne and cruising along over the water, Novos had gotten her nerves to calm down. Being a hippogriff, she wasn’t concerned about the machine failing, but she had no way of knowing if it could explode on her. Or worse. Summer Flame could use a dip in the harbor to cool his enthusiasm as far as she was concerned. Much to the queen’s chagrin, he was looking at everything from the humming metallic wings to the ships and city beyond with childlike amazement. And this is why you don’t elect country bumpkins to high office just because he can charm the crowd.

The pegacorn’s unexpectedly friendly demeanor continued to unnerve her however. Novos had dealt with pony merchant captains before, always bowing and scraping so they could conduct business. Yet to find a government representative being this way? Perhaps the griffons overstated pony hostility. I should have spent the time to officially meet with the Lunarian emperor long before Luna appeared. Novos pulled out of her introspection by a metallic clink. She peered over to her kirin counterpart who was pushing his hoof against the door. With little effort, the metal deformed outward. Before she could try to reprimand him for damaging the machine he removed his hoof, and the metal pushed itself back into place.

“Fascinating. And you say it does this without any enchantment?”

Twilight only briefly glanced away from her piloting to inspect the door. “Exactly. Getting the exact thickness and resilience took some doing, but it helps eliminate wear and tear a bit.”

They were over the city now, and Novos paid more attention to the citizens than allowing herself to be engrossed by the machine she saw more as a novelty than anything truly useful. She noticed rather quickly that the skies were populated by ponies and cloud buildings, not machines. They don’t see its value either.

One thing she did find troublesome was how many buildings had artificial lighting. The streetlights she expected, but there were names written in lights, homes were lit in every window, workplaceswork places were just as bright. Even regular fliers carried lights to avoid collisions. A whole night sky’s worth of light all here in one city. “Your city doesn’t sleep does it, Lady Twilight Sparkle?”

“You wouldn’t be the first to say that.” Twilight gently angled the flier as they closed in on the capital. “Keeping active at night started as solidarity to Luna, and it sort of stuck. I have to say, alternating sleep schedules is hardly easy, but you learn to go with what’s needed of you. And here we are.”

The flier’s escorts were quickly replaced by imperial sentries. Down below in the courtyard, illuminated by lights from the walls and palace itself, stood Luna herself.

Novos saw a baffled look on Twilight’s face, but the pegacorn remained silent as she eased the flier to a more or less smooth landing several paces away from the stony alicorn.

As everyone climbed out, Twilight and Rainbow were quick to approach her and bow. “Empress Luna, May I present Queen Novos and Grand Patriarch Summer Flame. Both represent the Union of the Three.”

Luna gave a troubled nod. “Thank you, Imperial Engineer Twilight Sparkle, Captain Rainbow Dash.” She then studied the two other leaders, and Novos studied her in return. The dark alicorn radiated poise and power. While Luna stood more than a head taller than other ponies, she was still shorter than Novos and Summer Flame.

After a quick reply from her two subjects, Luna gave the two leaders a pleasant nod. “My apologies for not receiving you in the throne room. I received ill news but moments ago.”

“No offense taken,” Summer Flame started with a curt bow. “It may be a poor time for compliments, but I thought your city was beautiful until I saw the lady of the night sky herself.”

Luna gave the kirin a thin smile. “Your flattery is poorly timed, but… appreciated.”

Novos wanted to slap the kirin for his loose tongue but kept herself in check. “If you need time to set things in order, perhaps our talks can wait. I would be overjoyed to see the allure of Tranquility.”

“Perhaps if we had had this introduction earlier, but no. I wish to speak with you first before being formally introduced to the people in open court. You may tour the city after that.” Luna gestured with a wing to a door into the palace. “Please, join me for breakfast.”

It was not a polite request, even if Luna’s words were honeyed. There was an understanding that the mare was holding anger in check, and that left Novos deeply unsettled.

Summer Flame however was intrigued. His nature drew him to anger and passion. Luna could mask it all she wanted, but he sensed the inferno behind her mask of stern iron. “We would be delighted to join you. You know, food has always been a passion of mine. From the finest cuisine that only a king can afford, to that of a lowly pauper making a pinch of salt stretch a mile, food is a door to a people’s soul.”

Something ignited behind Luna’s mask and she leveled a frown that was quickly devolving into a scowl. “There is a wisdom in that… I could not agree more.”

At that, Luna started walking to the doors held open by her sentries. Twilight and Rainbow were quick to jump to her flanks.

Novos saw the continued confusion between the two, as she and Summer walked in behind them. The hippogriff may not have caught the words, but she could tell the two must have been guessing about Luna’s mood. And likely why their presence is still required.

The palace within was somewhat cramped, but finely decorated. It gave Novos the impression of a fortress that was converted into the palace it was today. It was not long before they arrived at a dining room. It was here that Luna turned to address the other rulers before she claimed a seat. “Queen Novos, Grand Patriarch Summer Flame. Before we dine, I would have you know of another meal that had taken place in the eastern mountains. I know full well about the Union’s recent history with the Centauri and the Griffon warlords, and the treaties you signed. I tell you now that I have given my armies the order to mobilize against the emperor.”

Dread plunged Novos into terror. Here she was, an ally to Luna's declared enemy, and she had nothing to save her but the hope that ponies abided the rules of a good host and did not take them hostage. She saw equal surprise had fallen over Twilight and Rainbow. “May I ask why? The last we heard, you were sending missionaries to the aviaries. Hardly a first act of war.”

“My archbishop attempted to extend an olive branch to the emperor, and the griffons ate him for it.”

“Ate?!” Summer Flame gasped. Gone was his gentle prodding, replaced by utter shock. “That - that can’t be right. Surely your messenger must have it wrong.”

“Messenger?” Luna leveled a harsh glare at her guests. “I needed no messenger because I saw it through the nightmare of a dying stallion as the griffons ate him alive!”

Author's Note

As per my editors request. The tassel engine is named as such due to its inventor Golden Tassel.