Dreams of Forever

Sitting at the table awkwardly, the colt tried putting on his best smile for the two fillies that sat across from him.

"Sooo... How's life on a farm?"

"Tiring." One of the fillies answered. "Lotta work. Gotta get up to do mah chores bright 'n early."

The other filly sighed. "Sorry, this isn't going to work out. Maybe I should just go back to--"

"W-Wait! I-I, um, I--"

"It's alright." The first filly put her hoof onto his. "We get it. Ya ain't used to hangin' with fillies."

Two... more... drops...

Somnia watched carefully as another drop fell into the solution below. She needed to get this done before she was picked up by the chariot for the press conference, and nothing was going to interrupt her work.

The last drop finally fell, at which point Somnia shut off the valve and moved the elixir from the stand to the burner. Blue flames were needed to heat it until it turned a sickly green. She watched it in anticipation, making sure to not take her eyes from it under any circumstances.

"Somnia?" Twilight called from the top of the stairs, trotting down when she didn't get a response.

"One minute." The filly saw the solution start to boil, but still no green.

"What's this for?" Twilight curiously examined the large insulated crate next to her.

"This." The elixir turned green and she threw open the lid on the crate, quickly grabbing the potion with tongs to place it into the foggy depths of the box before closing it and locking all the latches on the top. For good measure, she strained picking up a sandbag to place on top of the deep freeze. She panted a bit before going over to turn off the various alchemy equipment. "It's almost done."

"What's almost done?" Twilight asked curiously, examining the crate. There was nothing to really indicate what it was for, although she assumed it to be a dry-ice freezer from the fog she briefly saw and the ambient temperature around it.

"Your gift." She sat down on a spare chair, grabbing a cup of water from the table that had been sitting there since the start of the project. "In two hours, I want you to take that out and let it thaw. When it's drinkable, chug it down whole!"

"Is it another potion?" She looked over the various supplies still laying out while Somnia drank her water.

"It's an omni-healing elixir." The filly stated, keeping her eyes on her mother to gauge her reaction.

Twilight's eyes went wide. "B-But that--"

"Is only for the best-of-the-best?" Somnia smirked. "You'll be surprised how far I've come. Drink that elixir and your horn will be fixed in an instant and your body will feel like it's brand new."

"Somnia, I..." She returned her gaze to the table and spotted the jar of soulsand, half empty. "That's what you got it for?"

"One of the reasons." She admitted, hopping down from her chair. "The other is over here."

Opening a small drawer with vials inside filled with various substances, Somnia continued. "Each of these produces a specific effect. I've labeled them in Equinish script, so only I know what they do." She grabbed a vial filled with a bubbling mixture of green gases, holding it up so her mother could examine it. "They are experiments of mine. Each one of these on their own is harmless, but mixed together they can instantly produce an alchemical effect corresponding to the other."

"Why did you make them?" Twilight asked as the filly put the vial back and closed the drawer, walking her over to the fridge.

"Instant potions. Two specific ones can be mixed to produce a corrosive substance capable of going through steel, or two might get rid of a headache. Really depends." She replied, opening the fridge to take out a small vial of blue liquid. "Bottom's up!"

In one fluid motion, she drank the solution, eyes rolling back into her head as she rode the high. From where Twilight stood, she watched Somnia freeze in place as the bruises around her eyes vanished. Her whole body shook and writhed, her breathing labored and fluids dripped onto the floor from behind her. Blinking back into the real world after a minute of bliss, Somnia put the tube down on the counter and closed the fridge door before grabbing a towel, wiping up the small mess she made on the floor.

"A word of warning: Omni-healing elixirs will probably give you an orgasm." She giggled. "Wasn't expecting that."

"T-That wasn't even the first?!" Twilight asked amazed.

"Eh, this was my test. Turned out to be correct." Somnia shrugged, picking up the towel and carrying it up the stairs with her, Twilight following behind. She threw the towel into the laundry room before turning back to her mother. "Did you want something from me?"

"I-I was just coming down to tell you the chariot is here." She watched as her daughter simply trotted to the door. "Somnia!"

"Anything else?" She stopped, looking back impatiently.

"You didn't have to make the elixir, you know? I'm almost ready to use my magic again." Twilight smiled to Somnia who returned it halfheartedly.

"You'll need your magic. We all will." She ominously stated before waving goodbye as she went out to the chariot, leaving her mother filled with dread that her daughter saw something big about to happen.

"How's the sun?" Somnia smiled across the table. "Better question: How's the moon?"

"I swear, if you so much as make a single--"

"Relax, Celestia. It's going to be fine." Somnia picked up her cup of tea, examining it like it was fine wine. "Tell the ponies there's nothing to worry about, explain what happened in Hollow Shades and why the batponies are so riled up, dismiss rumors about disunity within Equestria. So easy you don't even need to have me here if it wasn't for the fact I was directly involved."

"Somnia, I'm not going to ask this again. Do NOT make any snide comments or jokes. This is serious!" Celestia took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "They need us to be a unified front. Having you speak on what happened is the best way to calm them down."

"Right." The filly loudly sipped from her tea, eyes focused on Celestia. "No funny business."

They continued to sit in silence for a few minutes, both glaring at one another with suspicion before Celestia finally asked what was on her mind. "Did Rarity do your makeup? I can't see a single suggestion of what you went through except for your horn and wings."

"I used a lesser omni-heal." Somnia admitted openly, one of Celestia's eyebrows answering curiously. "Didn't want to apply makeup, but they'll probably ask what happened to my wings and horn. Do you have illusion spells that could disguise them to look how they are supposed to?"

Celestia nodded, igniting her horn and casting two illusion spells to make it look like the filly was healthy as always. A few minutes later Raven came to get them for the press conference, leading them to the staging area. The two waited backstage for the last few minutes to elapse, giving Celestia one last chance to talk to her alone.

"I'm sorry about what happened."

"Why?" Somnia faced her suspiciously. "Why are you sorry?"

"I can't imagine how painful it must have been." Celestia frowned down to her. "Do you need anypony to talk to about what happened?"

Somnia turned back out to the stage. "We both already know what happened. Can't keep a secret from you."

"I wouldn't doubt your ability to hide things. I didn't know Shattershield and Fleeting Dust would abandon their reports to me. You've given me pause more than once, if only by your capabilities to influence others to follow."

"Can I ask you something?" She turned back to Celestia. Somnia already suspected that she would dodge the question, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. "Why did you have spies in Ponyville?"

"I'm worried about you. About what you will do if I don't keep an eye on you." Celestia admitted. "And it helps me keep tabs on the Elements of Harmony. Or at least the three did, before your guards murdered them." From across the stage, Raven gave them the signal that they were ready to begin.

Somnia took a deep breath. "Out of the fire..."

"Into the sunshine."

Both alicorns strode out to the chatter of the reporters, nobles, and whoever else decided to show up for the address. Compared to her first time speaking in front of them, Somnia was more than ready to face down any questions. While Celestia adjusted her papers, Somnia reviewed her intentions for the press conference.

Assuage fears about disunity, confirm my devotion to Equestria, and most importantly, advocate for the thestrals.

"Good morning, my little ponies." Celestia began after passing down the extra microphone to Somnia. "I would like to start this press conference by answering questions leftover from our last conference with Princess Somnia.

"Firstly, it is true that we weren't being completely honest about the magical burst detected from Ponyville. The situation at the time was extremely volatile, and keeping Princess Somnia's responsibility for the events hidden was for her protection until we managed to create her own personal guard."

The crowd was relatively quiet compared to how Somnia expected it to be. It seemed most ponies were content to listen to what the princess had to say, which was extremely unsettling for a bunch of socialites and ambitious reporters.

"Secondly, the questions directed about Princess Somnia's past are willing to be answered by either myself or Princess Somnia. Without further delay, I would like to address the nation on the rumors and baseless speculation that has been circulated.

"The Princesses of Equestria are not waging a 'shadow war' against one another. I shouldn't have to tell you that, however it seems that some ponies are unable to accept that we aren't competitors. While each of the princesses possess their unique talents and territories, we are all equals according to the Equestrian law and should be considered as equals by all ponies.

"Furthermore, the idea that Princess Somnia is planning a coup of some sort originates from certain disgruntled nobles when they learned of her existence around the time of the Summer Sun Celebration, and it is a deliberate attempt to drive a wedge between us. Clearly, this hasn't worked."

Somnia cleared her throat. "I don't want to have to address this again, so I'm going to tell you in no uncertain terms: I'm not planning or carrying out a coup, rebellion, insurgency, uprising, or anything of the sort towards the princessdom, my fellow princesses, or Equestria at large. I'm literally a filly that hasn't been in Equestria for two months, and it's actually pretty funny that you think I'd be capable of arranging something like that." Somnia giggled before returning to a demeanor a bit lighter than before. "The ponies of Hollow Shades really liked my speech. It isn't any deeper than that."

Celestia continued. "Princess Somnia has been very outspoken for the rights of thestrals. In the short time she's been in Equestria, she has opened my eyes to just how important it is that their communities are repaired and given equal treatment." Some murmurs spread throughout the crowd. "I can understand the concerns other ponies have about our thestral population, however, let me assuage your concerns. They are ponies like any pegasus, unicorn, or earth pony. They may eat meat, but they consume legal sources just as our limited griffon population does."

"And," Somnia spoke up, "the stereotypes spoken about them aren't true. They are not 'more aggressive' than other ponies, they are not 'bloodsuckers' or vampires, and they are not 'criminally inclined'. Each of these claims have been proven wrong, time and time again."

"Princess Somnia knew thestrals back in her original kingdom as well as modern Equestria. Her own father is a thestral, and neither have nor will act disharmoniously towards other ponies or to Equestria." Celestia gave a gentle smile to the crowd. "Now that we have addressed the main concerns, we will be moving to the Q&A section." The regal sister shut off both of the microphones and leaned down to Somnia. "Thank you for helping with this."

"It needed to be done." Somnia smiled up to Celestia, although the smile itself was all for show. "Don't want any 'political instability', now do we?"

"Quiet right." Celestia stood up tall and activated the microphones again. A few reporters were already standing, hooves in the air to be selected. The princess chose one at random.

"I'm with the Crystal Archives, and we were wondering about the mention of 'Queen Somnia' by the residents of Hollow Shades at the end of the speech she gave. Was it merely a slip of the tongue, or does Princess Somnia's proclamation about being 'Queen of the Harmonic Empire' mean something?"

"Good question." Celestia answered as filly in question opened her mouth to answer. "It was merely a slip of the tongue. The Harmonic Empire is a now-defunct political entity that existed during Princess Somnia's time. She was next in line to inherit the title of queen, however such a title no longer holds any weight."

The reporter sat back down, content with the answer. Somnia chose the next pony, a pegasus mare.

"Hi, the Manehattan Times is wondering about who the 'Excalion' mentioned is. Are they related to the old empire in some way?"

"Excalion was commonly known as the 'first alicorn'." Somnia answered. "They weren't actually an alicorn, or even the first, but that is a much longer story. What you should know is that they became a mystical figure within the old empire due to them appearing as different animals to ponies throughout the ages. They were the single most influential individual within the Harmonic Empire besides the queen. Unfortunately, the mystery they shrouded themself in resulted in them being treated like a religious figure."

"And this religion had the 'Ascended' at the head of it?"

"Correct, although it is a bit inappropriate to actually revere them as a deity considering their relative inactivity on affairs." Somnia turned up to Celestia for approval, which she granted with a nod. "Excalion brought their faith with them to the continent, spreading it among ponies. They didn't like being seen as a religious figure or prophet, as they were merely doing what they believed was right by spreading the truth."

"Were they actually real, or are they just a story?" The reporter questioned. "It sounds like they may just be fictional. No offense."

"None taken. They are real." Somnia giggled. "I'd have them speak to you if they were here, but they're back in Ponyville."

"They're alive? Did they go into limbo with you?"

"No, they've been around since the Fall of Excalicorn, helping ponies from the shadows. I used to talk to her a lot back then, and was only recently reunited with them. They're a trusted advisor and good friend."

The reporter furrowed her brow quizzically. "I went to school minoring in ancient legends pre-dating the Founding of Equestria, and I've never heard of a creature that has helped ponies throughout the ages. At least not one without an ulterior motive."

"I can explain that." Celestia spoke up again. "My mother, Queen Faustinia, issued a decree to eliminate any such information. You haven't heard of them because it has been under an information quarantine since before I was born. I can however confirm Princess Somnia's statement: Excalion is a trusted advisor to the crown since long before my coronation and even up to the modern day. All records were obfuscated, rewritten, or simply destroyed of any stories involving her."

The crowd mumbled discontentedly among themselves at the explanation, so Celestia elaborated: "The information quarantine was an archaic solution to a very old problem surrounding legitimacy. In Princess Somnia's time, there were thousands of alicorns. The old stories tended to mention that the royal family had been wiped out entirely, and that no alicorn had been spotted in millennia except by the most curious of scholars or the insane. My mother, along with Excalion, slowly destroyed all records of the old Harmonic Empire in order to secure legitimacy at the head of a new Equestrian monarchy, using the belief that all alicorns were royalty. My mother actually was a member of the royal family, being the youngest of the former queen's foals."

"Are you saying we've been lied about our history for millennia?" The reporter narrowed her eyes.

"Partially. Much of the history recorded is accurate up until the Founding of Equestria. Unfortunately, everything before then isn't certain. Even my sister and I have been unable to fully put together a timeline of events beyond a single legend involving Gusty the Great's defeat of Emperor Grogar."

"Gusty's real name was Princess Stellar Shimmer. She was my sister." Somnia added.

The reporter glared between the two suspiciously. "All of this seems a little convenient, don't you think? A filly showing up from a seemingly long forgotten empire, who happens to not only know some of the most influential figures in all of pony history, but is related to them?"

"That is what happens when information is lost." Celestia simply answered. "Do you have anymore questions, or can we move on to another topic?"

"No, this is fine for now, your majesties." She sat back down, Celestia picking out the next, the one thestral that actually bothers to show up at the press conferences.

"Batty Magazine would like to know about the 'Queen's Promise'. What is it exactly?"

"I mentioned most of it during the speech, but I'll give you the full version." Somnia cleared her throat. "I, Queen Somnia Temporus of the Harmonic Empire and the whole of Equus, descendant of their holiness Excalion of the Veil, do hereby proclaim before the Crucible of Harmony and the Ascended that no pony shall suffer under my watchful gaze. That I, being sovereign to the Children of Harmony, will ensure their peace, prosperity, and freedom against all threats internal and external. From now until death, my duty shall remain bound by this promise."

"You mention a few more of the religious aspects and this 'Excalion' again. Would you mind explaining them further?"

"I would," she winced up to Celestia, "but it would take a while to fully get into it. Long story short, it was made long after Excalion retreated from public life. All creatures in the Harmonic Empire had their own ways of worship, even if it made no sense beyond the seven sets of tenants. The Cyclical Truth was never meant to become a religion, but that's what it became for the majority of the population."

The reporter thanked her and sat down. Checking the other reporters with their hooves up, she spotted a claw among them. A single griffon, likely from the Griffish Isles if her studies into modern Equestria were correct. Swallowing the feelings that bubbled up within her, Somnia picked them next.

"Your majesties, I'm with the Griffish Grimoire from Trottingham, and I'd like to follow up about the faith of Princess Somnia. Within the most popular griffon denomination, Boreas descended from the heavens to bestow griffons the gift of strength and determination. There were also seven old sets of tenants that were initially declared, although they have been added to over time. According to the legend, He made a grand city larger than any other, with a tower of solid metal that reached into the sky at its center. The city in the old texts roughly translated as--"

"Exciplision." Somnia smiled to him. "It's the Equinish script word for Excalicorn. I've read your holy text, or at least the translation I was able to order."

The griffon steadied himself on the chair in front of him. "A-Are you saying our holy texts...?"

"They were founded on the old faith from the Harmonic Empire." Somnia nodded. "Boreas seems to be a slightly distorted version of Excalion, given far more power and influence than she actually possessed. I'm sorry if its hard to accept, but your faith is built on a something older than griffons or ponies. The continent of Griffonia was a major territory within the empire, with a population of over 700 million griffons by the time of its fall. One of my uncles was the royal sovereign of the territory, although he delegated to a ducal council for administrative reasons."

"By Boreas..." He collapsed into his chair, head in his claws, marking the end of the questioning. Celestia sighed, choosing another pony.

"Princess Somnia, you look different than how you were after getting out of the hospital." The familiar unicorn mare had all eyes on her. "You were pretty beaten up, and your horn had a cast on it."

"Sit back down!" Celestia ordered, casting a quick glance town to the filly that lightly shook, her breathing already unsteady. "The health of Princess Somnia is not a topic of discussion we are willing to entertain. She's perfectly healthy."

"W-What she said." Somnia nodded a bit too hastily, returning a worried glance to Celestia.

"But I--"

"Guards!" Celestia motioned with a hoof and a guard went over to escort the reporter from the room as she yelled out about a cover-up. Choosing another pony, Celestia steeled herself for another question directed to her.

"Princesses, I'm with the Canterlot Chronicle, and we were wondering about the reports of thestral activity in northern Equestria..."

"Did you have to tell them about Boreas?" Celestia sat down in front of the mirror of the backstage area, grabbing a cup of water left for her by an attendant. "It's going to take years to secure diplomatic treaties with the griffons at this point."

"Sorry, but they deserved to know the truth." Somnia collapsed onto a pillow, letting go the anxiety she had been holding onto for the last half of the conference. "It's not healthy to believe something that's wrong, especially if its used to justify controlling creatures."

"I'm considering the diplomatic impact." She got up and walked over to Somnia to lay down next to her. "They'll take this as a deliberate twisting of their faith into something that isn't true. We may know it's the truth, but they have no reason to see it as such."

"I'll get around to proving it to them." Somnia shrugged. "Not like they're going to do anything about it until I actually show them they're wrong."

Celestia sighed. "Alright, we'll discuss this at a later date. I'll send a royal ambassador to the Griffish Isles to do damage control. They'll want to hear the full truth, rather than the half-truth the paper will likely report."

Helping Somnia up from the ground, Celestia led her back in the direction of the throne room. Unfortunately for both of them, the nobles will want their turn to ask questions.

A cushion had been left next to the throne for Somnia to lay on while the nobles approached with their inane remarks. Celestia asked Raven about the initial responses to the press conference while Somnia took the time to close her eyes in the hopes of getting a bit of rest and to get rid of the remaining anxiety from the press conference.

"I see." Celestia finished, nudging Somnia over with her magic, right onto the floor. "Did you hear any of that Somnia?"

"Yeah, yeah." She got up and laid back down on the cushion. "They don't believe me. They think we're still lying about everything that was."

"I can't really blame them for being skeptical. The claims would seem unbelievable on the face of it." Celestia tapped her chin. "Perhaps some form of proof would be helpful, however I don't know exactly what would prove it beyond a doubt."

"Excalion and Grar would be able to." Somnia lazily suggested.

"Grar would only bring more questions, especially once we reveal their full name. As for Excalion, she likely will want to continue her work in secrecy."

"I don't know then." The filly sighed. "It's not like we can take them to Excalicorn, or even go there ourselves without being away for a month."

"What about Galdon? That is closer to Equestria and only involves traveling across the Wind--" Somnia shot up and hit Celestia's stomach. "Ow! What was that for?!"

"Do not speak their name! It gives them magic to keep existing." Her eyes were completely focused on Celestia's, conveying her seriousness.

"...That would have been helpful to know before we made it a Hearth's Warming tradition to tell the story of the founding." Celestia groaned. "Everypony in Equestria knows their name!"

"Then we'll need to change the tradition. Replace them with something like 'dangerous creatures' or 'malevolent entities'. But not a name, or description of what they do."

"I'll speak with the Noble's Council and Captain Shining Armor about banning the name from all records. Ponies will probably wonder about the change, however."

"They'll forget in time. Give it a dozen generations, they'll be forgotten." Somnia laid back down on her cushion. "We also probably shouldn't travel through their territory, it can be quite dangerous."

The regal sister nodded. "I can agree with that, however, let's discuss this another time. For now, shall we begin?"

Somnia impatiently tapped her hoof while the reporter made their way to the front. Nearly four bucking hours of constant talking was grating her nerves, there being only been a single pony who had a complaint not related to the conference or her, which allowed her to change gears into something a bit more thoughtful if only briefly. Celestia had to leave an hour prior to help with some situation developing in Ponyville, which left the filly as the sole waking monarch in Canterlot. Again.

"Your highness." They bowed before the throne. After the press conference they started a day court session to answer any further concerns from the nobility, but every so often a reporter would come trickling in, such as now. "I'm still not certain what you meant by 'I swear by the Ascended' in your Hollow Shades speech. Are you paying a religious reverence to somepony?"

"Religious, maybe. Reverence, absolutely. Without the Ascended, nothing would be. It is only proper to swear by their name what I desired to be held in the highest regard. Is that all?" She answered curtly.

"No, I'm still wondering how you came to worship such a deity. We don't have much in the way of religion here in Equestria, with the sole exception of the regal sister's divinity, of course." She gently smiled. "I've been unable to cross-reference the faith with any classical or ancient pony religious creeds."

"It's older than Equus itself and has more living followers than ponies that have ever lived." Somnia squinted as her headache flared up. "You haven't heard of it because it was forgotten after the Fall of Excalicorn, as was explained in the press conference."

"Is there any truth to the--"

"You question the existence of the Ascended, yet you stand before the direct proof of their existence. The Grand Council answers directly to them, or we're supposed to." She sighed. "Look, it's a long story, one I only know enough about to answer on a pop quiz. I'm tired. Is there anything I can clear up for you that won't take me an hour to explain?"

The reporter bit their lip, shooting their next question: "What is a Grand Councilor and who are the Grand Council?"

"Leave." Somnia dismissively waved at them to which they complied.

You wanted to do this. Only yourself to blame.

Celestia needs to be able to trust me. I need to do this.

"Next!" She called out to the other side of the room, turning over to an equally tired Raven. "Can you get me something to eat and drink? I don't think there will be any notes taken while you're gone."

"Of course, your majesty." Raven trotted off out the door, passing a familiar white stallion with blonde hair.

"Where's Princess--"

"Shut it, Blueblood!" Somnia sat up. "What the hay do you want?"

"I would like--"

"Too bad! I'm here, and you will either bring your concern to me or I'll have you removed from the throne room."

The prince swallowed his pride. "Why do you surround yourself with such disgusting vagrants? It's unbecoming for royalty to associate with would-be criminal elements!"

"You're going to have to be more specific." Somnia leaned onto the leg-rest disinterestedly.

"Your personal guards! The captain abandoned their duty to Princess Celestia! The lieutenant is a self-admitted foalconite, and you have a changeling in the guard! What possible reasons could you have for keep these disreputable elements around?"

Somnia was pleasantly surprised it wasn't another complaint about thestrals, although she didn't know if Blueblood actually had anything against them. "I keep them around because they are loyal and skilled. What the captain did was their choice, and Princess Celestia granted the request herself. As for the others, what they may be is of little consequence to said loyalty and skill. Is there anything else I may answer?"

The prince scrunched up his nose. "No, I'll take my leave for Princess Celestia to answer my remaining questions."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" Somnia called out one last remark as the 'prince' trotted from the room. Taking a deep breath: "How many more?"

"At least twelve, your majesty!" The royal guard at the other end called out.

"Send the next one in!"

A unicorn mare trotted up, no doubt another reporter based on their outfit.

"Your highness." She bowed. "I'm Crystal Heat from the Vanhoover Chronicle. I'm here to ask about certain rumors that have been floating out of this year's Rainbow Falls Traders Exchange."

Somnia rubbed between her eyes. "Speak your piece."

"We've had eyewitnesses say that Princess Twilight has a coltfriend. Is there any truth to the rumors?"

Somnia's gaze drifted to the upper perches in the throne room. Cheeky bitch...

"Princess?" The reporter tried to get her attention. "Does the monarchy of Equestria have any comment on these rumors?"

"Yeah, my mom has a coltfriend." Somnia smiled down to her. "It's my dad, Duskwing. They're due to be married in the next few years. We haven't discussed it publicly because my dad and cousin wish to remain out of the national spotlight. Please include in your report that nopony should try reaching out to my family unless it is a question or comment directed toward myself."

"Is that an order?"

"It's going to become one if ponies won't listen." Somnia cocked a brow. "Any other questions?"

The reporter bowed and left with a simple: "No. Thank you, your highness." It was grating, but she had to do this, even if Celestia was available to take over. She had to prove she could handle it respectfully. Celestia needs to trust her.

"Next!"

"I'm proud of you, Queen Somnia." Celestia flew down from her perch. "You didn't have to handle the entire day court on your own."

"I needed the experience." Somnia yawned. "Can I go home now?"

"The chariot has been waiting on the landing platform since I returned." Celestia smiled down to her, landing next to the throne. "Let's get you back to your mother."

The two walked towards the landing platform, escorted by Scuttle who had been patiently standing guard disguised as Dusty. The three boarded onto the the chariot, which promptly took off for Ponyville. It was nearly sunset, a long day's final streaks of sunshine warming Somnia's face. All she wanted was to go to bed, preferably without nightmares.

The chariot landed in front of the Golden Oaks Library and Celestia dismounted to perform her royal duties. She lowered the sun with the usual ease while Twilight exited the library to greet them.

Celestia turned to Twilight, offering a motherly smile for her student. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better." Twilight spoke to her with tired eyes as Somnia walked past. "Is there a reason Luna couldn't help out with this?"

"She really needed sleep after last night's royal duties, and Somnia needed to practice holding court on her own. The timing simply worked out well." Celestia got back onto her chariot, smiling to Twilight one last time. "See you at the Equestria Games, my faithful student."

Twilight returned into the library, locking the doors and windows before going upstairs to collapse down next to Somnia in her bed.

"How was the press conference?"

"Tiring. Boring. Annoying." Somnia groaned into the sheets.

"Did Celestia tell you why she was gone?" Twilight turned the filly over.

"No, what happened?"

Twilight gave a sigh. "It all started when Rarity was helping with the Foal and Filly Fair..."

"Long day?" Dawn stretched out on his bed, waking up a bit more before heading out for his duty. "I see we got somepony new."

"Dawn, this is Love. She's decided to join our little gang of misfits." Shield motioned to the griffoness who stood at attention. "You know that you don't need to act all military, right?"

"I was expecting there to be formal rules of conduct." She turned to the captain slightly confused. "Aren't you in charge?"

"Officially, yes. Unofficially, only Somnia is." He sat down on his bed and began disarming. "We're not superiors or inferiors in the Queen's Guard. We're comrades sworn to Her service. According to the Equestrian government, I'm 'in charge', but that's not what we do here."

A crow flew through the partially open window, Shield closing it once it landed atop its perch. It examined the griffoness critically before finally speaking.

Lovisa of Featherbil, known as the assigned name Love, I would like to introduce myself. I'm Excalion, former Pentus of Soul for the Harmonic Penti, one of the queen's principle advisors and Royal Regent of Equestria. The next few weeks will test you on your devotion for our cause. You will feel like leaving your post at times. All of us have had doubts about what we are doing, it is only natural to feel such a way when confronted with the horrible truth.

There will be many questions you will not get satisfactory answers for, but I will try my best to assist you in adjusting to your new position in life. By agreeing to be a part of this organization, you are swearing an eternal service to the queen, from now until she so chooses to release your soul. You'll likely outlive everypony you know, losing family and friends to the sands of time. If you do not wish to pursue this path, leave now.

Lovisa shifted on her paws and claws. She hadn't expected this, but what the captain had said about fulfillment kept her in place. If there was even a chance she could feel like her life meant something more, that she could feel respected, that she could be with companions that she didn't have to watch carefully, then she would do it. The bits were still a nice bonus.

Since you still stand here, I can only assume you agree to swear service to the Grand Councillor of Harmony Somnia Temporus.

Welcome to the Harmonic Penti