Wish Gone Awry. Enter Equestria! Enter New Life!

"Well, there certainly were a lot of details to hammer out. You must have spent quite some time thinking about this," Fancy Pants commented as he, Fleur, and Julius left his office.

"Not really," Julius said as he followed Fancy Pants. "Most of what I suggested was based on French, Belgium, Dutch, and German defensive plans. Modified slightly to accommodate your form, but mostly the same," he admitted with a nod.

"I see. Then your kind must have quite a deep history with warfare," Fancy Pants solemnly said as he led Julius through the castle.

"You have no idea. Trust me, you don't want to have an idea," Julius responded with a sigh.

"Indeed. As uncomfortable as it is, such conflicts are a part of governing. For the past, well, longer than any of us can remember, Equestria has been nominally at peace. But at the borderlands, there have been some difficulties. The buffaloes are just one; the colony of Nova Griffonia, the Olenia crisis, the yaks, and jaks, even Haukland, not to mention the Changeling Lands. Equestria faces far more problems than the average pony realizes. I only hope we can weather the coming storm," Fancy Pants admitted wearily.

"Wait, all those all external, what about the internal ones?" Julius asked as Fancy Pants led him down some stairs.

"Well, those are a given. We prefer not to think of them with external problems. Honestly, we already have far too much to deal with. Though a few token reforms and appointments won't be enough. More stallions are becoming hardliners; the crisis in Severnaya only bred secessionist thought in other places, then there are the thestrals. Equestria may look strong, but I fear for our internal security," Fancy Pants tiredly admitted.

"And you can't just force the reforms; that'd just cause a larger rebellion; the wonderful headache of ruling a country," Julius quipped.

"Quite, though, I do have a plan that could help things along. For several reasons, I cannot tell you too much about it. Suffice to say, thestrals aren't unknown to all Equestrians; some of us do have working relations with the covens," Fancy Pants told Julius.

"Oh, sounds like you have something interesting planned. Can't wait to see it," Julius responded with a smile.

"I think you can; I think most of us can. I know I can wait," Fancy Pants heavily told Julius.

"Weighing on you?" Julius asked as he saw Fancy Pants' head slightly tilt.

"It is; it weighs on both of us. Sad that things have come to this point," Fleur told Julius.

"It's not anything illegal, is it?" Julius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Technically, no. It's in a very gray area. When it all happens, we can say that we did enough to avoid any trouble, and considering the context and situation, we could even be commended for our efforts. But still, it's sad nonetheless," Fleur assured Julius.

"Well, if it's something that needs to be done, then it needs to be done. Still, such things are uncomfortable," Julius sighed as the group approached a familiar set of heavy doors. "Isn't this the mint?"

"Yes, it is. We've been out long enough that I suspect that the princesses are done with the thing they're doing. If they aren't, then they're probably close," Fancy Pants told Julius.

"Alright, if you say so. I guess I'll see you around," Julius said as he waved the two ponies goodbye. "I'm Julius; I believe the princesses are waiting for me inside," he said as he walked up to the guards.

"One moment," one of the guards said as they magically scanned him. "All clear. Yes, the Royal Sisters are waiting for you inside. Well, not quite, Celestia still has a little bit of work to do, but she should be finished shortly," the guard told Julius as the two opened the massive doors.

"Alright, thank you," Julius said as he walked into the ornate room. "Well, you look exhausted," he smiled as he was greeted by a panting Luna lying on a couch.

"Exhausted, yes, perhaps that is an apt word to use," Luna panted as she kept her head on a pillow. "I swear, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that metal was mythril. But, that only exists in old mare's tales from back when Celestia and I were young," she quipped as she rested.

"Funny that, we also have a mythical metal called mythril. What's yours supposed to be like?" Julius asked as he sat beside Luna.

"According to the tales, as strong as dragon scales, as flexible as heated copper, as light as silk, as magically resistant as changeling black stone. While your titanium does come close in some ways, it's not quite to that level, thankfully. If it was, then it'd have taken far more energy. I know the brothers were getting fed up with it. While Auric might be quick to anger, Sterling is usually calm and level-headed," Luna told Julius.

"Is that hairless minotaur, or whatever it is out there?" Auric yelled from behind the inner doors as they slowly opened. "It is good!" He firmly stated as he stomped up to Julius. "Have you any idea how much work duplicating that Tartarus-sent metal was? Do you?!?" Auric asked as he looked right into Julius's eyes. "We've worked quadruple overtime before, and that was easier. And don't get me started on the fire; oh, Celestia can take that fire and shove it! I swear, it'd be cooler to just banish the metal itself to the sun. The whole smeltery feels like the inside of an oven if the oven was in the sun!" He firmly complained as he kept stamping a hoof for emphasis.

"But the metal is duplicated, right?" Julius asked as he looked back at Auric.

"Is the metal duplicated? Is the metal duplicated. Is the metal duplicated," Auric laughed as he slowly looked over to Luna. "He wants to know if the metal is duplicated," he continued to laugh. "Yes! The metal is duplicated! There is more of the metal! It has increased in its amount! The metal has been doubled multiple times over! We have taken the metal, taken some wood, and magically changed the wood into the metal, making more of it!" Auric shouted as one of his eyes twitched. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, yes, we have, in fact, duplicated the metal. Happy?" He said with a huff.

"Brother, please, not so loud," Sterling said from the other room. "I'm trying to rest. Besides, it's not like he knew it'd be so difficult," he reasoned as he yawned.

"Well, I kinda guessed that it would be," Julius said with a light smile as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"You knew it would be!" Sterling loudly proclaimed as he rushed out and got right in Julius's face. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, I only had a vague idea. Besides, didn't you assess that it'd be difficult?" Julius asked back.

"None of your fancy excuses! You should have warned us! I haven't used that much energy since the silver shortage, and that was spread out over several weeks! Weeks I tell you! Brother, let's never duplicate it again unless we absolutely have to," Sterling huffed with a pout.

"Agreed," Auric firmly stated as he stamped a hoof down. "That used far too much energy, it took far too long, and dealing with Celestia's literal solar fire isn't in my paygrade. That's not in anycreature's paygrade," he said as he softly closed his eyes.

"Hey brother, have you ever wondered how Celestia doesn't burn herself as she breathes the fire?" Sterling asked as Auric slowly turned to face him.

"Well, I've always imagined that she magically protects herself. But I've never asked," Auric responded as Julius got up. "And where are you going?"

"I want to see Celestia breathing fire," Julius flatly said as Auric lightly chuckled.

"Normally, no creature is allowed past those doors except for one of the royal transmuters or the Royal Sisters. But, if you can stand the heat of Celestia's fire, then you can stay back there as long as you want," Auric told Julius.

"Great, it can't be that hot," Julius said with a smile as he walked into the back rooms.

"I give him one minute," Sterling said.

"I give him thirty seconds," Auric responded.

"Oh, please, you two. Ten seconds maximum," Luna flatly said.

"Wow, talk about a lack of faith," Auric said as he looked at Luna.

"Maybe, but it looks like I'm right," Luna told Auric as Julius slowly walked out of the back rooms.

"I think I'm still drowning in my head juices. Have you any idea what burning eyeballs smell like? I do, at least, I think I do, now," Julius panted as he slowly walked away from the door, his head drenched in sweat.

"Did you see Celestia breathing fire?" Auric coyly asked.

"No," Julius flatly responded. "I turned the corner, and I swear, it started to rain from my head. Why isn't that area protected from the heat?" Julius asked as he collapsed on a couch.

"It is; the whole area is. Due to the magical resistance, that's the kind of heat we needed to use," Auric told Julius.

"I swear, if I knew how to make an induction furnace, I'd give you the plans to make one," Julius panted as he slowly cooled down.

"What's that?" Auric and Sterling asked at the same time.

"It's what we use to melt metal. It's an enclosed furnace; I think it uses electricity or something like that to melt metal," Julius told the brothers.

"That'd be very helpful. If you get plans for making one, let us know," Auric told Julius.

"Don't worry, I will. No creature should have to suffer that kind of ungodly heat. I swear, it was like standing on the edge of the lake of fire," Julius sighed as he deeply breathed.

"Oh, you've been to Da burnuroz Wunder eron Drakna'th alar. What did you think of the myth surrounding the place?" Luna asked as she slowly turned her head to Julius.

"I haven't, and what?" Julius asked as he looked at Luna.

"Da burnuroz Wunder eron Drakna'th alar, or The Burning Lake of Dragon's Bane, is a lake of fire deep underground. As far as I know, the passage to it is known only to Celestia and me. The myth surrounding the lake is that sometime in the future, a great king will cast an evil dragon into the lake to pay for its crimes. It's a myth from back when our mother was young. Why that myth was old even to Starswirl the Bearded," Luna said with a laugh.

"Funny, that's very similar to something from my world. Where did your story come from?" Julius asked with a light smile.

"If I remember, it came from the first oracle of Nimbusia. The story is a rough translation of what he said. It was said that a lot was lost in translation. While some doubt that story, every oracle has given accurate predictions. Though, this story is vague in its descriptions of this great king and of this dragon. All it really says about them is that the king is the most beloved scion of the heavens and that the dragon is the most despised enemy of the heavens," Luna told Julius.

"You know, to be honest, that sounds like a flavored version of what God will do to Satan," Julius responded. "What are the odds that they're the same story," he jokingly said.

"Well, you came from your world to here, so it's possible," Luna said with a shrug.

"Yeah, but that was entirely by accident. It was probably just some irresponsible twat randomly banishing a magical inconvenience to a different world. What are the odds of that story going to the same world? There must be a literally infinite number of worlds it could have gone to," Julius reasoned.

"True, but still, the odds are the same as the odds of you coming to this world," Luna reasoned.

"Yeah, I suppose that's fair," Julius nodded.

"Good, you're here," Celestia said with heavy breaths as she walked out of the inner doors.

"I am; I take it that you're done?" Julius asked as he looked over to Celestia.

"Yes, I am. The titanium has been melted into countless little rings, and the brothers have a nice big sheet of it," Celestia said as she walked over to one of the couches.

"Great, fantastic; after we have our energy back, we'll reinforce the door," Auric said as he and Sterling rested.

"As for us, well, wanna rest up here for a bit before I pay you," Julius coyly said with a wink.

"Yes, definitely. That was a lot more exhausting than I thought it would be. Though, not the most exhausting thing that we've done. Some of the creatures that roamed the lands before Equestria was united were more difficult to take down than working with titanium," Celestia sighed as she lay on a couch.

"Hate to run into those creatures," Sterling said as he stretched out.

"Well, country unification and assimilation benefits everyone. Just as long as the country stays strong," Julius blankly commented.

"True, and keeping a large country strong and unified is monstrously difficult," Celestia tiredly sighed.

"I can imagine. Still, no matter what, you've done a pretty good job over all these years. Take heart that you've done better than anyone from my world," Julius assured Celestia.

"Thank you," Celestia said with a smile as she got comfortable on her couch.