Wish Gone Awry. Enter Equestria! Enter New Life!

"Your courts are quite absurd. All that talking, just to say a single word. In my lands, as far off as they are, our courts go by much faster, while yours move as though it's stuck in tar. All the talking with nothing said to me is bizarre. I've long since heard rumors, and that helped put me off from going to your city hall. I see I was correct if this is the fate that upon my head would befall," Zecora said as she and Twilight left the main hall. "To cover up all your thoughts, wants, and needs with such flowery language is disingenuous, to say the least. If it were up to me or my kind, all that long ago would have ceased. Frankly, in our time in the court, only two things were brought up that warranted any actual intervention from the country's leaders. But this gaggle wandered in with far too many requests for Celestia, each coming from a horde of incoherent pleaders. She should have seen them out or charged them with wasting the court's time. Coming to the country's top court to argue about minor changes to regional price changes should be a crime," Zecora criticized as she and Twilight headed towards the dining hall.

"Honestly, I agree with you," Twilight heavily sighed as she led Zecora towards the dining hall. "I grew up with it, and even I'm not that used to it. My parents only put up with that because they have to, even they try to leave the court as soon as possible. There are times I wonder how Celestia puts up with it and times when I wonder how it's gotten to this point. But then I remember that Celestia has more experience than any creature alive; surely there has to be a reason behind it," Twilight logicized as she opened the door to the dining hall and walked up to a table.

"I sure hope that you are correct. For the only reason I can see would be to heavily control the Equestrian subject. Now that is a reason I would prefer not to entertain. I would like to believe that she is benevolent enough not to be so vain," Zecora said as she sat next to Twilight, waiting to be served. "Still, to be in power for so long. To have a solo rule for centuries, millennia even, to not let it get to you, you'd have to be extremely strong. While Celestia's strength isn't in question, it is always important to remember that the road to Tophet is paved with good intentions. The urge to do good, to provide for your kind, in that foul actors, whatever their form, make their interventions. Celestia, having maintained her station for so long. Up on high without an equal, to have some concerns, I feel is not wrong," Zecora said as the castle staff served the two their lunch.

"I see where you're coming from; I really do. But, well, Celestia is perfect. As long as I've known her, she has never made any mistakes. My parents and grandparents also never said anything against her. In the schools I've been to and the cities I've visited, I've never met a pony who has anything bad to say against Celestia," Twilight assured Zecora as she started to eat.

"But what schools have you been to; who was their matron? Think of that when you think of the schools that you have been a patron. The cities, too, I'd imagine, are heavily loyal to Celestia without fail. Yet venturing out of those cities, you will find those who do wail. There are the thestrals, which I've known for quite some time. To call Celestia perfect to them, I'd imagine, would be less than sublime. A whole tribe, possibly a fourth of Equestria in disagreement. Of this, I'm sure they'd be quite vehement. Then there are the problems with stallions; the sheer fact that a stallionist movement has started speaks to issues with the crown. I am not saying that Equestria should become like Griffonia, or Asterion, or other such places, but it is a problem that cannot be played down," Zecora told Twilight.

"Fair points, though; I know nothing of the thestrals. And while Griffonia and other places may not have such a difference between stallions and mares, but Griffonia has been going through some serious problems. From what I've heard, The Empire is close to fracturing. As for Asterion, that whole region has been in turmoil for, well, longer than I've been alive," Twilight responded between bites.

"All that might be true," Zecora said as she started to eat. "But those problems have different roots, I thought you knew. It's no matter; my point remains. There are problems across the Equestrian domains. Those problems have to be resolved. This must happen for Equestria to say it has evolved," Zecora commented as she began eating.

"That much we can agree with, though, those problems lay at the royal court, not with Celestia herself," Twilight told Zecora.

"Celestia controls the court. The court's problems are her import. Even if she didn't intend for it, they are her problems to solve. Even if forced on her, those are her's to resolve. And for the court to have become the way it is, that is a problem all in itself. Maybe she thought it wasn't that bad at first and put it on the shelf. Years upon years passed, and eventually, the court took its current form. And now, to resolve that problem would create quite a storm," Zecora pondered as she ate.

"I can see that happening. Celestia wants to see the best in everypony, so she missed that happening. She really is too good to us. Honestly, some of the lower nobility, my parents included, wouldn't mind Celestia taking more control of the court and weeding out some of the more frivolous cases. Alas, we haven't gotten enough support for it. The biggest supporter is Fancy Pants, but he cannot come out publically and support it until there are several other higher nobility publically supporting it. If he did, it'd be political suicide. It's unfortunate, but we understand. It's good having a friendly pony so high up," Twilight said between bites.

"Indeed, I understand that position all too well. The trappings of nobility can, at times, be quite the cell. Our bars that hold us may not always be of the physical kind. Sometimes, the bars that hold us the tightest are the bards of our mind," Zecora said as the two continued to eat.

"That bath was nice, like it was really nice," Julius said as he stretched. "The only thing I could complain about are small personal things. And when that's the only complaint, well, that's a good thing," Julius contently said as he walked back to Luna's room.

"Yes, the bath is set to a standard. Most creatures find the standard to be comfortable. The only ones who have ever really complained are dragons, but to be fair, they usually bathe in lava. I do not believe Spike is old enough to have bathed in lava yet, and I don't think Twilight has tried it for many different reasons. But, I'd guess, in a few years, Spike will start to find the baths too cold and will want to seek out lava pools to bathe in. Fortunately, that shouldn't be a problem; if I remember, the castle does have a lava pool just for that purpose. Though it's hidden and under heavy guard for obvious reasons," Luna told Julius as the two walked into her bedroom.

"OK, I might like hot baths and showers, but that's too hot for me, like way too hot," Julius laughed as the two walked it, with the ponies looking at him. "Oh, we were just talking about dragons taking lava baths. Thoughts?" Julius asked as he sat on a plush sofa.

"I don't think I've ever seen Spike taking a lava bath. But it does make sense since he is a dragon. I'm pretty sure dragons can handle a lot of heat," Fluttershy said as she racked her brain.

"They can," Luna confirmed. "My sister almost always dealt with the dragons since she can handle the same heat that they can. I guess if you really want to split ends and include spirit magic, I can also take that kind of heat, but I much prefer not doing that. On the occasions where I've had to deal with the dragons, I prefer to do it on more neutral grounds, like a plateau. The elder dragons prefer the heights, and I prefer not being surrounded by extreme heat, trying its best to incinerate me," Luna jokingly smiled. "Spike still has some time until he starts bathing in lava. If I had to guess, maybe a few years after he gets his wings," Luna hummed as she tried to make an accurate guess.

"What does lava feel like?" Pinkie Pie blurted out. "I know my sister Maud would really like to know," Pinkie Pie smiled as she sat down next to Julius.

"Imagine trying to swim in the thickest pudding while it's boiling, and you are on fire. I think that's the best way I can describe it. I haven't entered lava that often. Neither has my sister, but she's entered it a bit more than I have. That can really help negotiations with dragons," Luna told Pinkie Pie.

"That sounds awful; I never want to swim in lava. I didn't before, and, somehow, I want to even less now," Julius sighed as he tried and failed to imagine swimming in that type of mess.

"Believe me; it's just as awful as it sounds, possibly worse. But if negotiations reach a hitch, it can tip them in your favor. So reluctantly, we will do it, though the dragons don't push for it. They know that having to do so puts my sister and me in a foul mood," Luna said with a sigh.

"Well, nopony can say that you two don't have Equestria's best interests at heart. I mean, doing something that extreme for Equestria, good job both of you," Rainbow Dash complimented. "Any other extreme things done in negotiations?" Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered in place.

"Well, minotaurs tend to like to spar, no magic, no weapons, just physicality and skill. The whole no magic thing makes it difficult for us. Fortunately, such things are rare, but if you insult a minotaur diplomat or the two negotiating cannot decide the order of things, a round might be held to settle things. A similar thing happens with griffons, but with weapons and armor. Though they keep that in reserve for direct and intentional insults to their honor," Luna told the group.

"Well," Aloysia started to interject, "Grover the second fought in many duels of honor. During the unification wars of Griffonia, if I remember, Grover the second, or just Grover the Conquerer, fought in over a thousand duels. His strength and size were extremely odd. The Grover line was always strong griffons, but even by those standards, Grover the Conquerer was especially large and strong. We've always thought that he may have been born with some form of spirit magic, or from birth, he was dedicated to one of the griffon's greater spirits and was granted power by the spirit he was dedicated to," Aloysia explained. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure if I could take him. His natural strength, his enchanted sword, his enchanted armor, and ferocity made him a terrifying opponent," Aloysia said as she thought back to memories of him fighting.

"I see," Julius said with a sigh. "I suppose it's a good thing that he's dead then. It means we don't have to deal with him. Ummm, he is dead, right?" Julius nervously asked.

"Yes, he is. The current Grover is Grover the Fifth, the sick bird of Griffonia. Under him, The Empire suffered greatly. It's speculated that The Empire will fracture more than it already has after his death. His infant son, Grover the Sixth, will have a monumental time holding The Empire together, assuming it's still around when he comes of age," Aloysia explained.

"You know, in a weird way, that's comforting. The more things change, the more they stay the same," Julius bitterly laughed. "Well, I suppose I should get ready. Is Celestia busy at the moment?"

"She'll be busy for another five or so hours, and then she'll have some free time. Why?" Aloysia asked.

"I have some things I have to tell Celestia and Luna. Honestly, I'm not looking forward to it," Julius heavily sighed as he rubbed his temples.

"Ah, yes. If I remember correctly, Cannae, some period of time, and what's happening now in your world," Luna said. "Relax, I'm sure it's not that bad," Luna assured.

"You're right; it's worse. Though I suppose to be fair, I could tell you of pretty much any Chinese civil war. Those will make pretty much everything I'm going to tell you two look tame. I'm, uhhh, I'm not sure if that's really better or worse," Julius nervously laughed. "Ah well, we got a few hours to kill; got any board games or something?" Julius asked as he leaned back.

"Oh, I got The Galloping Ghouls board game!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she pulled the board game out of her mane.

"Great, I'm up for a few games, if nothing else, to take my mind off things," Julius said as Pinkie Pie set up the game.