The Unknown Daughter's Reunion:Part 3

by Disembodied_Pony

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, Anthology, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Cadance, Nightmare Moon, Science Fiction
Length: 35873

The princesses survived the coup, recovered their strength, and now Equestria needs them back

More than a year has passed since that fateful night at the castle in Canterlot; The night the ruling party of nearly Eighty years Ended abruptly.

Scrambling to fill the void left behind, ponies did their best and worst in its place.

Times are harder than they used to be, corruption is reigning.
Tyranny isn't confined to one form like it used to; It's lesser, but seemingly everywhere now.
In the cities, ponies are afraid to speak too loudly, for fear of what those words usually draw.

Equestria needs the Stable rule of the princesses Back. But how can they turn this tide set in motion by the last ruler?

Published 2022-05-07 02:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2023-07-06 05:36:16 UTC

Who was she?

The streets of Fillydelphia were busy, ponies were walking around, going in and out of shops, bistro's, and the like.

In a tavern, like any other, ponies were chasing their troubles away, their troubles all the same

Everypony knew each other there, and their names...

Conversation flowed back and forth, as usual.

The door to the establishment opening; a pegasus walked in. Few paid her any mind, though a few ponies eyed her up and down, for various reasons.

The mare walked up to the bar, and took as seat between a couple ponies; regulars.

She sat quietly, waiting for the bartender to pay her attention and take her order

"Welcome ma'am, what can ah get 'cha?" The bartender asked, as he walked over to her

"Applejack, and a select, please" She confidently stated, dropping ten bits onto the bar

"Comin right up!" The bartender replied, turning around and sticking his head into the cooler to grab a chilled mug.

The mare getting her drinks, and the bartender taking the bits, he asked her

"What brings you in today? We usually just get the same mugs in here, day in and day out?"

The two ponies at her sides chuckling at the pun, she answered

"Family brought me into town, they can be a real hoof-full. But, what are you going to do?" She answered, before slamming down her shot. "Ahh!"

The ponies around her laughed; Her response, a familiar one. And how quickly she took that shot, betrayed how posh she spoke. They already got the feeling they'd like this stranger

"Are you from Canterlot? Your accent." The bartender asked

"Was, haven't been back since I was a filly. Never could loose the accent however."

"Ah. Sorry, I just wondered if you had any news from there." The bartender replied, relaxing a tiny bit.

"Nothing but the regular rumors, my family moved from there when I was little and never looked back. In hind sight, I am glad they did so. Though, a couple foalhood friends I still keep in touch with." She answered.

Dropping her head down a bit, she spoke

"Speaking of rumors... You did hear about the princess, did you not?" She asked in a low voice

"I..I'm not sure what you mean" The bartender replied, very uneasily

Rolling her eyes, and taking a swig of her mug, she replied "I mean, that the princess is no longer with us, so to speak." still talking lowly, though the chatter in the tavern dwindled a bit.

"The one that I heard, involved an alicorn, a family member... That returned after some time, and was not pleased with what she found." The mare went on

"Well..." The bartender deferred

"MmmHmm, quite the sticky pickle for one to find themselves in. I can only imagine what my family would do if I were the victim of foul deeds."

Turning to the pony next to her, she asked

"What would you do if your sister or mother were... in such peril?" She asked him

He, having a few drinks in him already, blurted out "They'd be missing some teeth, that's for sure!"

"Indeed! Same." the mare reciprocated

The chatter in the tavern now ceased, all ears on the ponies at the bar.

"The same rumor, spoke of the night princess being freed from the confines of the dungeon. I shudder to think what happened to her there all this time." The mare went on

"Really?" A pony couple got up and approached the ponies at the bar

"Indeed. If what I heard is an accurate account of that night, there is still a princess of old out there, free again." She spoke, in a louder voice

A couple more ponies got up and moved closer.

"From all that I could gather, she had a very good track record as a ruler. If she were willing, and we could find her... What,
what if she were to come back to us?" The mare asked, her vivid turquoise eyes shining

"Well, I don't think it would necessarily be a bad thing.." One of the regulars reluctantly admitted

Sighing, looked into her mug.

"Do not mistake me, things right now could have been worse than they have become. They could Always have turned out worse. In fact, I respect the ponies that have tried their hardest to fill the void the last princess left us to deal with." She paused, taking another sip from her mug

Meanwhile, a pony sitting at a far table, abandoning his drink; got up and left the tavern.
Turning down the street, he trotted at a brisk pace

Continuing, the mare at the bar went on

"However, despite their best efforts, or their worst.. Things are growing more dire every day." The daring mare spoke

"You've been giving this a lot of thought, huh?" The bartender presumed with a grin

"Indeed I have. You have noticed my accent, and would understand why I would be concerned with the place; I grew up there. As well, you have heard the rumors coming out of Canterlot recently. From the few ponies there I have kept in touch with... I, have no reason to believe the rumors are not accurate."

Taking another swig from her mug, she continued

"To be blunt, I am worried. Very." She admitted

Staring at her mug for a moment, she added

"As such, I find myself looking to a princess for hope. A good one."

The building throng of ponies around her, had picked up the conversation where she left off.
As the conversation around her devolved into debate over rulership politics, the bar mare's ear twitched.

"If you will pardon me, I must visit the fillies room." She said, excusing herself and walking into the small room in the back.

A couple of minutes later, into the tavern, trotted four provincial guards.

All conversation in the tavern ceasing immediately; The ponies stiffened up ramrod straight, instantly sobering at the sight. The few ponies still sitting at their tables, stared at their glasses and mugs, avoiding eye contact.

Looking to the bartender, the one in charge addressed him
"We have reports of a dark coated pegasus mare causing some trouble"

Shaken by the intrusion of the local authorities, the bartender pointed to the restrooms.

Walking through the tavern, they made their way to the fillies room door, surrounding it.

After making an ultimatum to come out, and receiving no response; They went in to apprehend her.

Going inside, they found that it was empty, nopony there.

Nopony saw her leave, and there was no other way out of there.

The bartender, looked down at the mare's mug sitting on the bar; still half full.

'Who was she?' he wondered

Chapter 1: Silent Running

In an office, inside the Fillydelphia Department of Equestrian Civil Order,

The chief of operations was getting into a Screaming match with one of his subordinates:

"This is the Twenty-Second report I've received of a pony sewing discord in a public establishment and getting away with it, This Week!! It's your job to apprehend these threats to our nation!"

"What am I supposed to do? We receive the report from an informant, and we move on it immediately. I even doubled the patrols as you demanded. My ponies are exhausted! They've begun not appearing to work, or outright quit!"

"I don't care what You have to do! Get it done! No excuses! Get it done, or you'll find yourself on the street, living on scraps like your predecessors!"

"We already are on scraps, you blind idiot! Our force is collapsing all around you, and all you CAN actually do is bark threats. You don't DO a bucking thing, just like those you report to! And without the princess to back you, everything is turning to horseapples! You're arrogant, inept, and never deserved any of the power that was hooved to you! You're a fraud, and it's showing!"

Leaping over his desk, the chief turned to buck his subordinate right in the head; The lowest form of retaliation a pony could resort to.

"ENOUGH" A voice echoed.

The chief's movements slowing to a stop, his rear hooves in mid air.

The pony on the receiving end of the attempted homicide was unaffected, and looked around trying to comprehend what was happening.

Walking through the solid wall that faced the side street, was a mare; black as pitch with slitted eyes, wings and a horn. Especially unexpected since this was on the third floor, and she didn't even have her wings open, he noticed.

"W-what is this?" He asked, his hoof gesturing to the Chief frozen in place. Doing his best to not look intimidated by the creature in front of him.

"Please do relax. I mean no ill to you, sergeant. This, is a dream you are having. A nightmare in fact, by the look of it." She said looking to the chief

"Yeah, one I keep having.." he muttered

"I have noticed, sergeant. In fact, it being such a re-occurrence, has brought me here tonight. I have been observing your troubles from afar."

"Nightmare..." He thought, looking between the frozen chief and the alicorn. Realization hitting him, his eyes widened.

"You're!! We're doomed, just when I though things couldn't get worse!" He cried in defeat.

"I was that, at one time sergeant. Not any longer." Walking up to the involuntarily shaking sergeant, she laid down.

"Please, lay, or sit with me for a time. I have things to discuss with you. Things I have the feeling you will be quite interested in discussing. They involve recovering Equestria to before the false princess's coup."

"What, do you mean, before the coup?" he asked. She had his attention, but he was wary of the nightmare's meaning.

"Sergeant? What if I told you, that the princesses that were thought lost... Are indeed very much alive, and have recovered their strength?" She asked him.

"I'd say you're trying some kind of trick!" He threw back.

Nodding thoughtfully, she continued .

"That is indeed the conundrum we are all facing at the moment. For what I told you is indeed, complete fact. To which, I have found myself very grateful for."

Pausing, she thought back on events. Looking to the pony before her, she replied with a smile.

"Though my beginnings were quite.. unfortunate, I have grown to love them like family."

As she continued, the sergeant went from defensive, to confused. This was bizarre, Nightmare Moon was supposed to be a creature of terror. Noticing his confusion, she volunteered a failing to help put his mind at ease.

"Sergeant? I will admit to you the one recent failing I've had in centuries of successful rule elsewhere. That failure being; It was I whom caused the false princess's death. When she attacked me from the shadows, I retaliated with great haste. Unsettled from seeing her hoofed-work, I lost control. The resulting regicide, as well as the tumultuous situation everypony now faces, is due to that event, I am ashamed to say."

Looking down, she paused for a moment, then looked back up at him.

"I have a debt to Equestria that I must repay, to the ponies that have had extra burden thrust upon them. I will see it payed back."

Sitting down, the sergeant asked "What about the princesses? They were..."

"Yes. Though it is not fully understood, it would seem that alicorns are... How do you say it, 'made of tough-stuff'?"

Recounting the events to the sergeant, the empress finished with;

"Thus they have spent the last year in my empire as honored guests, and royal family. As far as I am concerned, their titles are still valid in their entirety. The conundrum is, what of Equestria? Will the ponies here respect their titles and rule in exchange for prosperity?"

Laying down in front of her, the sergeant thought about it.

"I don't know. The title of princess doesn't carry the weight it did once..."

"Sad that a poor ruler squandered so much a great thing." Moon replied.

Pausing for a moment, Moon addressed the sergeant frankly;

"I will be blunt with you sergeant...." She prompted for his name

"SearchLight, your... highness?" He spoke questioningly.

"Your highness will do fine. Since we are performing introductions, my full title is; Empress New Moon of the StarLight Empire. It it a pleasure to make your acquaintance Sergeant SearchLight."

"So, you have an empire? Like the Crystal Empire?" He asked.

"Not quite. Where the Crystal Empire is a single city province, my empire consists of numerous colonies spanning many distant worlds."

The empress not anticipating the technological culture shock, received a gaping wide eyed stare from the sergeant.

"My apologies SearchLight. I forget that such a thing can be shocking to ponies that have not traveled in such ways. Traveling amongst the stars is not that amazing when one does it so often, I am afraid to say."

"How in the world do you do that!?" He demanded, incredulous.

Sighing, she realized this was a digression she could not avoid...

"Ponies travel by rail at great speeds and distance yes?" She prompted the sergeant. At his nod, she went on.

"Ponies many many generations ago would not be able to imagine using steel, magic, and steam to achieve such a thing. I remember it not even being a fantasy in my ancient days.." She said with a smile.

"Though once unimaginable, it is entirely possible, and quite practical, once the method is known. My ponies know how to fashion the steel, magic, and other energies to make it so. It is not so different, only the scale is."

Shaking his head, she spoke with an exasperated tone.

"Ponies traveling to distant stars..."

Wanting to distract the sergeant, Moon tried another tactic;

"Allow me to tell you about the world I found myself... well exiled, to, so long ago. It is very much like Equus; plants, beasts, seas, rivers, mountains, clouds. Green and blue, brown and grey in places. Lands covered in ice to the north, and a giant ice land in the south. In fact, it has less beasts than Equus does. There are no serpents, nor manticors, bugbears, dragons, the list goes on. It is quite peaceful there, especially now. I am quite proud to call it my home, in fact."

"What's it called?" he asked.

"Earth" the empress told him.

"Like, earth ponies? Are there only earth ponies there?" He asked, his imagination turning.

With a chuckle, Moon replied "No SearchLight, all three tribes are there. Actually, if you will allow me, I can give you a glimpse of it with this dream."

Remembering that he was still dreaming, he nodded.

Moon, closing her eyes, brought up a recent memory she had, and her horn glowed.
All around them, the office and building faded away, and they appeared on a balcony, overlooking a city. Many of the ponies walking around were faint or blurry, but the skyline and buildings were clear as crystal.

"Here it is SearchLight, my home. My balcony, overlooking The First City, heart of my little empire of ponies."

It looked different than anything the sergeant had seen before, but it was still recognizable as a pony city. In fact it looked better than he remembered even Canterlot looking, to his memory. There was more green, trees, and the roads were much wider. With giant wide planters dividing the middle of the roads. There were parks or grassy plots in many places.

"It looks...beautiful" He finally found the word, leaning over the balcony railing.

"Thank you SearchLight. My ponies keep it looking like this, and I have never even asked them to." She said with a smile.

Looking over to him, she offered;

"If, someday, you would like to visit. I would be glad to give you a tour" She smiled at him "It takes a week to reach here, from Equus."

"Yeah. A week?" he asked.

Nodding, she added;

"Once my ponies found my old home of Equus, they worked incredibly hard to bridge that gap between them, as much as they could." she finished.

Thinking a moment, sergeant SearchLight asked the alicorn;

"Since this is a dream, could you, show me the princesses?" He asked.

"Of course! Just remember, that this is coming from my memory, so they will not see or hear us?"

The sergeant nodding, the empress turned from the balcony into her chambers. "Come along sergeant, they are staying in my castle, so we'll just walk. It also gives me the opportunity to tour guide" the empress said with a song in her voice.

Coming to a cozy, but sizable room; they both found the princesses, as well as another empress, sitting on couches, watching some kind of window in the middle of the room.

Watching the images in the window for a few moments, the sergeant turned to the empress;

"So, it's like a book of memories?" he asked

"Yes! An apt description, SearchLight." She answered, impressed.

No longer distracted by the window, he turned his attention to the ponies watching it. The princess on the end of one couch, said something that shocked one of the other princesses. That one, in turn, threw her popcorn bucket at her in expert fashion, upending it atop the largest princess's horn, the popcorn raining down her head. All of the princesses there laughing the entire time.

"The thrower of the popcorn; Is princess Cadance, the princess of love. She responds to risque accusations in such manner." The empress giggled.

"The receiver of the popcorn shower; Is princess Celestia, the princess of the sun. Whom loves teasing her in such ways." She continued.

The purple coated princess, after pointing out how funny the comment was, found herself struggling with keeping her bucket of popcorn in her grip. Princess Cadance attempting an encore shower using her magic this time.

"Oh, you want some help too Twilight? No problem!" She said with a mean smile.

"Noo!" The purple princess cried out in alarm.

"The one now struggling with her popcorn; Is princess Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship.
The only one behaving herself at the moment; Is princess Luna, the princess of the moon.. And my mother, for lack of a better term."

"So, those are the princesses..." the sergeant said, a bit of wonder in his voice.

Meanwhile, laughing at their antics, the other empress got up from her place on another sofa.

"I will get us some more popcorn" She excused herself.

As she left the room, their surroundings faded into nothingness.

"What happened?" SearchLight asked.

"This is where my memory of this moment ends. What happened while I was gone, I can only imagine." She said.

Laying down, the sergeant looked to the empress;

"So, what do you need from me?" he asked, his skepticism satisfied for the moment.

Laying down in turn, the empress answered;

"For a start; Information. The workings of your department of office. Ponies that would be against a change from the way things currently are, and those in favor of improvements."

Pausing for a moment, she added;

"And, I will need you to not challenge your superior. I would be disheartened to find that a good pony, met the fate that haunts his dreams, SearchLight. You would better serve everypony, yourself included, if you placate him. Tell him whatever he wants to hear, even if you cannot and do not implement it. If he notices, placate him more; advise him you are working hard to fulfill his demands."

Looking to him earnestly, the empress went on;

"Their time of abusing unearned power is coming to an end, and very soon, SearchLight; For both your chief, as well as those they hold in esteem. Even should he dismiss you from your duties for not satisfying his demands, do not fret. After he is gone, good ponies such as yourself will be in the greatest need. His dismissal of your duties will not hold. In the mean time sergeant, look after your own ponies, the ones you respect. Even the ones that have already left; Talk with them, albeit softly in this immediate time. Let them know there is hope, and that change is coming. Ask if they would be willing to return under better circumstances?"

"I could do that. But why would it matter that much? With the princesses.." The sergeant asked.

"Power vacuums, sergeant. They placed us into what is currently in operation. From multiple princess to just one, and from one to a corrupt council. Creating another is counter-productive. We all need ponies we respect, trust that they are not there to only satiate their personal hungers. Ready, to step forward to fill the void when it comes."

"That's true. I've watched my office turn; from a place of great possibilities, which it was supposed to be, into a quagmire of misery.." The sergeant conceded.

Nodding in agreement, the alicorn continued;

"It is true that the princesses could accomplish all with their own power, given enough time. However, the entire time they would be struggling to turn things around; ponies of Equestria would be languishing in the problems that the princesses would be fighting. Centuries would likely pass before it would be completely cleaned up and restored. Whole lifetimes of ponies, come and gone; never seeing what was stolen from them."

Sighing, the empress looked down;

"That is such a waste, SearchLight. A needless one. As well as an immense burden on those I love."

Looking back up to him;

"Thus I am here; asking for your aid, and aid of ponies like yourself. Not for myself nor even just for my family. But for friends and families I do not even know of."

Her attention distracted for a moment, she concluded;

"Alas, our time tonight is coming to an end; you are about to wake. Please, consider what I have proposed. I will visit you again tomorrow night. Should you choose to pass on my proposal, I will trouble you no further."

Before he could say anything in response, the empress faded into a haze, before he woke up in his bed.

Looking over to his wife, still sleeping; he smiled.

'It's not much of a choice, is it?' He thought to himself.

Kissing her on the cheek, he quietly got out of bed. Heading in to the bathroom, and getting ready for another day in the same old grinder.

Interlude

Author's Note

This entry is admittedly; a self-indulgent world-fleshing-out one.
(Working through a motivation slump, though Chapter 2: On Dangerous Ground, is in the works)

The genesis of this being:
That for more than a year now, I've had this image of an orchestra of the 'Ponies of the Empire' performing these (in lieu of the Royal Philharmonic), nearly a thousand years from now.
During the uptempo ones; Their rear hooves stomping in time, ponies in the audience rearing up, kicking their front legs and dancing in the aisles, pegasi dancing with each other in the air...

The image never ceases to give me chills.

Where if anything from now were to make it that far; I'd hope it would be something in a timeless fashion like this.
Perhaps; the 'ones lost' even looking on and thinking; 'It wasn't all for nothing, now was it?'

Also, embeds are crazy limited, no floats nor timecode skips.

Interlude

Eleven Months Ago

In the castle of the empress, at the heart of the First City;

Princess Luna was staring at a data pad. Deciding if it would be worth the frustration in finding something suitable to read in it's library of options. Despite how well it was designed, she was missing the simplicity of a common paper book upon a shelf.

Breaking her from her thoughts; There was a knock on the chamber door of the suite she was staying in.

Responding to the knocking, the princess called;

"Enter."

The door unlatching and opening; the empress herself walked in.

"Good afternoon, princess" Moon greeted her mother.

"Same to you, your highness. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Luna replied.

"Between conducting court, and overseeing preparations for another sojourn to Equestria; An interesting proposal has been made to me today?" her highness said with a tiny smile.

"Oh? I can't imagine what it could possibly be this time. In the three months we've been here; I've heard proposals from your ponies, ranging from: Naming one of the colonies after me, to Constructing a castle of my own. It is really too much" Luna replied.

"I told you that you would fine them welcoming. I did not exaggerate" Moon replied with a warm laugh.

"No. That, you did not. However, to go around 'making a castle' is simply preposterous. Surely your ponies have more important things to be considering?" Luna asked with slight exasperation.

"Well.. First, you give yourself too little credit, however that is fine. Second, like it or not, you are very warmly regarded by the empire" the empress told her.

"Yes, yes... I still can't get my mind around the whole.. you know" Luna replied, awkwardly.

"I understand, and I will not press you on it. My ponies however, I can do little about" Moon smiled at her.

"So; What then, was the proposal?" Luna asked.

"A performance, in your honor. All four of you. Be on your guard however, they are still attempting to give you something" the empress teased.

"Ah. Ha, I suppose that is more reasonable than a castle. Have you asked the others?" Luna prompted the dark alicorn.

"I have not yet. I wanted to ask you all together, however I came as soon as my schedule allowed."

"You should have had a courtier or such summon us, your time is more valuable for the moment" Luna hastily replied, hiding a little sadness in her tone.

"Nonsense. A vacation is just as important as work. Besides, I do not like being the empress with the four of you, especially you" Moon admitted to the princess.

"Now, who is spoiling me?" Luna asked with a grin.

"If not you, then whom would I spoil?" the empress declared with a laugh.

"Fine then, I'll go. Let me know when" the princess confirmed.

"I shall. If you will excuse me, I have more guests to ask?"

With the princess's nod of approval, the empress let herself out of Luna's chambers.

Turning around, Luna walked out onto the balcony. Looking over the skyline; Seeing ponies walking around, the occasional pegasus flying above the buildings alongside flying machines, she thought to herself;

'It's strange? A different world, different ponies, and a different rule... But much is still familiar as always.'

Arriving at the concert hall, all four princesses, the empress included; Stepped out of their carriage and onto the walk.

This carriage was made special for the occasion. It was very ornate, and pony pulled.

Pulled carriages and chariots were outmoded before the city was built nearly a millennia ago.

Ground bound ponies: Had always either walked, or taken subterranean transport across town. At least, when it was just one city.
When it grew into many cities; flying transports had already come into being.

Thinking of the performance tonight; The empress knew that her 'little sister' Whistle Wind would be performing, her being a flutist of great skill. Also, there being no chance that she would miss the opportunity to perform in front of visiting royalty.
This place was Whistle Wind's home away from home. She lived here in the First City, and spent most of her time here at the hall. The only times she didn't, was when she was abroad, performing.

In the presence of her highness's Ceremonial Guard; The princesses greeted the ponies waiting outside for their arrival.

Where they were standing, was not the original location that it was built on. Originally, it was much smaller; Located at a site in the city where there was once a solar array field.

Having been moved twice and expanded, it was now a sizable establishment. Now built on a site that was once a power generating facility, which harnessed its fuel from the earth in gaseous form. Dating back to the cities founding.

It seemed poetic to think that now beautiful music was made, on the land where previously; the loud noise of machines once hummed ceaselessly.

Escorted by her highness' guard, they made their way upstairs and to the royal box. The princesses now being able to make their way up the stairs under their own power.

Looking out over the gathered audience, the princesses saw that there were two huge portrait displays showing portions of the orchestra. At both sides of the stage, the views that showed, panned across the entirety of the assembled players; which were many. The ponies, while remaining professional, gave the occasional smile to the audience. Knowing they were being seen across the empire tonight; it was hard to keep their enthusiasm in check.

Trading nods between them, the conductor nodded to the stage pony whom relayed the order to the sound, lighting, and recording crews.

As the lights came up, everypony in the audience quieted down in anticipation for what was to come.

In the royal box, the princesses were looking at the programs they were hooved.

"This first piece: 'Wish you were here'.. What is it about?" Cadance asked.

The empress replied;

"It was written by a stallion while thinking of his close friend."

"It, refers to the sad tale of his friends life. Whom, and with no intention of his own; Became lost of himself, as well as all around him. And having had fallen into steep decline, was never the same as he once was."

"Hence, though his friend was still around physically, he was not otherwise, and the writer wished that he was."

"This one?" Celestia asked, referring to: Follow You Follow Me.

"It is a love song. The two, taking turns leading the other through life" Moon replied.

Timecode skip link (right-click)
As the performance went on; The empress was mouthing the words to the melody silently; She knew this one by heart.

"Sunbeam and Moonbeam?"
Twilight queried the empress.

*Sunbeam and Moonbeam

"Siblings. They worked hard to establish one of the colonies.
While met with continuous setbacks, they never gave in,
and eventually brought their dreams to fruition"
the empress replied.

As the music played, almost all of the earth ponies in the audience tapped their hooves to the rhythm. This melody spoke volumes to the ponies of the land.

*Haystacks

"This one is a story of a budding romance between two neighbors"
the empress told them.

Couples in the audience leaned into each other, becoming swept up in the melody's theme.

"What is this one about?"
Luna asked, suspicions of "Mama"s meaning.

"It is bizarre, and somewhat unsettling.
I would rather not say, as it would spoil the composition."

"I will say that it is not the familial use of the word" Moon admitted awkwardly.

Timecode skip link (right-click)

Half way through the performance of the piece; Some ponies in the audience got up from their seats, proceeded to the aisles and began dancing with each other.

While an increasing number of ponies began dancing, the empress's guard captain came up to her and whispered to her.
Nodding, she turned to the princesses.

"Please excuse me for a few moments, there is a matter I must attend to. I will be back shortly" the empress excused herself.

Looking to the performance program once again, a thought crossed Luna's mind.
'I wonder..'

As the lights came back up again, everypony quieted down.

Looking at the orchestra; The cellists, had changed out their conventional instruments for a more sophisticated looking fare.

As they began running their bows across the strings, it produced a rougher sound.

When the bongos and guitars started to play, princess Luna smiled. Her recognizing the melody, and making sense of the empress's departure minutes ago.

Though she said nothing, she kept her eyes to her sister and the other princesses; having figured out what was about to happen.

Meanwhile, ponies in the audience throughout the hall; Hopped up and leaned on the backs of the seats in front of them. Others were smiling broadly. Many more started to cheer, recognizing the melody as well, without needing to even look at the program.

As the flutists began to blow with the beat coming in, the empress herself walked confidently onto the stage.

Ponies began cheering loudly, and would have drown out the instruments; had they not been amplified by the concert hall's acoustics systems.

Luna however, was not disappointed by the sight of the other princesses. Their expressions were priceless; Muzzles hanging open, and their eyes couldn't get any bigger.

Their hypnotic spell of shock however, was broken when she started to sing...

Luna giggled as the other princesses' heads tilted a bit, and their ears swiveled; Trying to comprehend the words they were hearing.

By the second stanza; The unicorns in the audience, one by one, began glowing the tips of their horns.

The ponies in the audience began joining in, singing backup.

At the second chorus, most of the audience was now singing along.

The empress... by this point, was glowing the tip of her horn Back to the audience. Showing her appreciation for their support.

Meanwhile, the princesses sitting in the royal box, were finding it all incredibly surreal; That ponies were singing back to the empress in an alien tongue, and in complete harmony.

When the song ended, the empress bowed to the audience in appreciation of their warm reception and participation.

With the curtain having come down, the princesses looked to each other. As if to check if they had really just witnessed what had transpired.

That is, until Celestia looked at Luna and saw her amused expression.

"Why are you smiling like that sister?" Celestia asked.

"Your expression and reaction, dear sister. It was hilarious" Luna laughed.

"What's so funny about it?" Cadance asked, like she just got caught with her hoof in a cookie jar.

"It was perfect. Our host just serenaded her guests and her subjects, and you were none the wiser to any of it beforehoof."

"You knew?!" Twilight asked, stunned.

"Not at first. Though the title was familiar. When it began to play however, the empress's departure became apparent" Luna replied matter-of-factly.

"Well, what was it about then?" Twilight pressed her

"Hmm, something about the future, and not giving in. It's a cheerful song" Luna replied, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary; Much to the other princesses annoyance.

"Well. I guess that would explain the fanfare?" Cadance guessed.

Nodding, Luna looked back to the program in her hoof. Reading the next piece that was to be played:

'Star Chariot'

When the curtain rose again, the empress had taken a seat alongside the orchestra, a cello in front of her.

Playing the cello; she joined in played the low notes in Star Chariot, as well adaptations of;

Mare with Power

Plucking the strings, the empress provided the bass for the melody;

Didn't it Rain

Afterward, being escorted back to the royal box by her guard; the empress took her seat with the princesses as if nothing unusual had just happened.

"Do you, do that often?" Celestia asked her.

"Every few years. On special occasions I do, and this night easily qualified as such" The empress revealed.

Turning her attention back to the orchestra playing, she didn't notice Celestia's lingering gaze. The princess finally starting to see what the 'Nightmare' had grown up into. She was a 'pony of the populous', the farthest thing from a subjective ruler that she expected the empress of being.

Before the next song began, the empress turned her head to the princesses and answered the question on their minds;

"This one; "Thats All" is about the friction between two ponies that are in love. Despite all of it however, they stay together"
the empress volunteered.

Timecode skip link (right-click)

Almost immediately, ponies began tapping their hooves in time with the music. A few immediately making their way back to the aisles. As the number went on, the aisles became packed with dancing ponies, pegasi taking to the air above the audience to do the same.

The orchestra; Were stomping their hooves in time, punctuating the beat while they played. When it ended, the thunderous sound of the clopping and stomping of hooves flooded the hall.

Chapter 2: On Dangerous Ground

Sitting at a kitchen table, in the village of Hollow Shades; Two mares were having tea together.

Neighbors for many years now; Lotus Patch was entertaining her elderly neighbor Rose Thorn.

As Lotus topped off her tea, she hummed a tune that wouldn't quite leave her thoughts.

The elderly mare's ears perked, and she asked Lotus:

"Where did you hear that melody, if you don't mind me asking?"

Setting the tea kettle down, Lotus replied:

"In a dream, strangely enough."

Her curiosity peaked, Rose beckoned her to go on. To which, Lotus indulged her older neighbor;

"I'd never had a dream like it before. In it, was a stallion, a guard... Ghostly and old. Wearing an armor I didn't recognize, but was emblazoned with the old equestrian flag, I think" Lotus said.

"Go on" Rose urged her, now very interested.

Taking a moment to remember, Lotus went on;

"He sang. Sang words of secrecy, and of something coming,"
"He wasn't the only one in the dream though. Joining him in the song were.. princesses. A group of them."

Pausing to shake the chills from her, she continued;

"First, it was the princess of the night, I think. Only she wasn't all ghostly like the guard stallion was. As she sang with him, the... other princesses appeared and joined in; They, all looking ghostly like the guard did."

"By the end of the dream, the ghostly princesses around him... weren't ghostly anymore, but.. Real. Like they were alive again. And they looked right at me."

Nodding, Rose replied;

"That sounds a little scary?"

Nodding back, Lotus went on;

"At first, yeah. But they just smiled at me. Warm, confident, reassuring smiles..." Lotus drifted off.

"Yes.. they were, weren't they?" Rose smiled at her younger neighbor.

Looking at her in surprise, Lotus asked;

"You've had it too, the dream?"

Nodding, Rose confidently replied;

"Mhm, I have. More than once."

Taken aback, Lotus asked her;

"Then, what does it mean?"

Without hesitation, Rose replied;

"It was a message: That the princesses of old are coming back to us.. In all of my years, only one princess was ever able to craft dreams and walk among them. The one the rumors say escaped from the dungeons of Canterlot."

Pausing for a sip of tea, Rose continued;

"She's out there. And if I have the imagery of the dream right, the others are as well. Though I have no idea how?"

"The others??" Lotus asked with incredulity.

"I think so. Why would they first show as ghosts, and then become real? And then look right into you as if they saw you in the flesh? So yeah, I believe they're alive."

Pausing to stifle a chuckle, Rose concluded;

"Change is in the air, Lotus. These darker times are ending, and we best be ready."

Nervously, Lotus warned her with a bit of mirth in her voice;

"Don't say that sort of thing to just anypony. The guards might come for you, you know?"

Barking a laugh, Rose met the insincere warning head-on;

"Ha, and what could they do to me Lotus; Throw me in a dungeon? Perhaps rob me of my last remaining few twilight years? Nay, I invite them to try. Drag me from my home against my will in front of everypony, in broad daylight. Let them show everypony how afraid they are of a frail old mare's mere words."

Taking another sip of her tea, she imparted a bit of wisdom to her younger neighbor;

"If they do, they'll expose themselves as the last kind of ponies that should be wielding any power. I have little to loose by words... But if they find words to be such a threat, they're already nearly powerless and on their way out. Like wielding a cardboard shield; Silencing ponies won't protect them from what they really fear."

Wondering what the old mare was meaning, Lotus asked her;

"What are they so afraid of then?"

Bringing her tea cup up high in front of her in a cheering motion, Rose said;

"Loosing their ill-begotten power."

"Ill begotten?" Lotus asked.

Bringing her cup back down, Rose told her;

"All they have came from us. Convinced or told that we should hoof it over for our safety or such. Utter nonsense, just look at what that's done now? I will tell you this young Lotus; Compared to now... I felt safer, and was much happier, in those so called unsafer times. We were lied to Lotus, and we believed the lies, for a long time."

Looking into her teacup, she spoke. Regret tinting her gravely voice;

"We all messed up. And without even noticing it was happening... until it knocked on our doors. When the belief in the lies faded, the patrols began."

All across Equestria the dream was had by ponies. Talks of the princess of dreams was whispered everywhere. In many, hope bloomed in their hearts, and in a few; terror.

Patrols in the cities spiked. Ponies that spoke too openly of her, were.. held in custody for their own safety...

Indeed, the older ponies who'd seen and remembered brighter days, and spoke of them, had found themselves being confronted by the current powers that be.

And in the spirit of Rose's shared bravado...

When they were compelled to leave their homes against their wishes:

Family, and neighbors alike had met the guards with heavy resistance in their attempts to quell the elder ponies. Riots broke out when an elder was being coerced by the provincial guards.

Inside the Department of Equestrian Civil Order, ponies whom secretly heeded the empress's call; Were quick to pull their forces back and completely abandon the seizures at the slightest resistance. Taking the heat on behalf of the citizens from their superiors, for failing to quash the situations at hoof.

Meanwhile, reports from informants of clandestine meetings; Found their addresses altered. Resulting in the Provincial Guards arriving at uninhabited locations, and apprehending nopony. Subsequently being recorded as false reports.

The tide was shifting.

High up, beyond the sky; The flagship of The StarLight Empire kept orbit. Flanking it, were many smaller ships; also in orbit.

The dream that all of Equestria being had; Was the brainchild of the empress;

Made reality by the teamwork of her mother, herself, and the cooperation and lent magic of the other princesses.

That, coupled with the technological use of magic amplifiers and emitters: Had sent the message to all ponies in their dreams, without needing to bring the dreams of everypony into a shared dream to send it.

In order to gain the princesses cooperation in this, the empress had divulged how she knew of such tactics and their seedy history...

Indeed, what the empress had proposed to them, disturbed them at first, and somewhat still. That sewing upheaval from underground was not common nature to pony kind, and they couldn't comprehend how the empress was versed in such ways.

In turn, the empress told them of the masters of such things; What it achieved, and its eventual ending.

For months afterwards, the princesses were intransigent in not accepting her proposal. However, as time dragged on without a counter proposal, they finally conceded.

The strongest argument that the empress held was that; What was befalling Equestria was going to have repercussions longer lasting than the post-Unification period.

In that, was the period that broken her mother, and left Equestria without one of its princess for a millennia.

Now, while the empress maintained that her mother was hardened by the past experience, and would not fall again; She called heed to the other two princesses, being not.

The princess of Love; Would find undeserved bitter hatred thrust upon her by many few for centuries.
The princess of Friendship; Enemies, working against every effort she would make, for the same duration.

For no reason than their mere presence, and the titles they held.

Just like what had happened two millennia ago when the princesses first rose into power: Ponies having lost their power, would then work to tear down a princess in retaliation for their loss. The sentiment seeding generations to come.

Both of the younger princesses would have to bear it all; And throughout that time, they would be risking a fall akin to her mothers.

...the same petty machinations of others, repeating the tragedy anew...

To which the empress would not stand for, for she remembered it all.

That, being the first hard stance they saw the empress make. A surprisingly sweet one that touched their hearts.

Though, it was an emotion filled debate that had the empress and the princesses nearly physically butting heads, to be sure. But after they cooled and digested the situation, came to a consensus.

Working through the details, a plan went through many revisions.
A mixture of subtlety and decisive action, brought them to where they were now.

In a small bistro located in Manehatten, the windows were dark. After the usual hours of operation, it appeared much like the rest of the strip of shops.

At the back door however, the occasional pony came, and was let in.

Walking down to the kitchen located in the basement, well over a dozen ponies had come this night. Talking to each other to pass the time; they discussed everything from funny anecdotes, to the reason they had come.

In the corner of the room, a pony materialized. The reception she received was mixed, as foalhood stories were hard to get passed.

Nodding in acknowledgment, she spoke;

"Thank you all for coming this night. I appreciate your putting off any plans you might have had, in order to be here" The dark alicorn greeted them.

Sitting down before them, she tucked her wings in to appear slightly less intimidating.

"We all know why we are here. Something very important brings us together, despite our backgrounds and histories;"

Pausing, the alicorn went on;

"Though I have changed and grown in many ways, I am here to pull once again on my experience. Though the irony of what I plan to accomplish, is not lost on me" She said with a chuckle.

"As you likely know, a very long time ago, when I was a very different creature; I attempted a coup, against whom I now look to lovingly as my aunt" She began.

"Now, I find myself here; Working to the same effect again. And with the greatest of irony, that I am working to achieve the opposite ends. I am here to chase away the darkness that has fallen, and bring the light back into its proper place over Equestria."

Pausing to let the declaration set in, she went on;

"I am not alone in this endeavor this time. Ponies know that what I am striving for is just. Winning their trust and faith through many generations; a considerable number of bright and good natured ponies are willing to help me pay my debt to Equestria. Thus, a display of force in magic is not my power, they are" the empress concluded.

"So, you don't want to take over as ruler?" One of the gathered ponies asked.

"Indeed I do not. I am very proud of my ponies, and they leave me wanting for nothing. They, having already made my brightest dreams, my reality" the empress answered humbly.

"Then why bother?" Another asked.

"What has befallen Equestria is partly the natural result of my actions with the last ruler. Therefor, this woe is a mark and debt against myself. One that I am compelled to reconcile. Also, there is the matter of those whom I love. They do not wish to see ponies suffer fools any more than I do. As such, they wish to return. Pulling from their measurable experience; they are confident that they can undo what has conspired" The empress answered.

"Who?" another asked.

"I will begin to answer that question with the admittance that I am not entirely certain why we were favored so..." the empress paused, taking a deep breath.

"It happens that the powers that be have favored us with their return to us, in the now" the empress answered.

Seeing their looks of confusion, the dark alicorn took another breath.

"Seeing for yourself will be more effective than any words I could possibly find.." the empress led. Putting a hoof to something on her ear she spoke;

"Please send them down, Frame."

Appearing where the dark alicorn had originally appeared; materialized four alicorns.

The gathered ponies were stone silent as the princesses from their dreams stood before them now in the waking world.

Author's Note

Going over my writing of this after the fact; Keeps bringing to mind a mini-series I watched when I was much younger...

It was called 'V: The mini series' (the first season anyway). It was an allegorical sci-fi series that I didn't come to understand until much later in life.
In short; Aliens came down, all smiles and words of helping.. But that's not the actual reason that they came (To Serve Man, anyone?). And before anyone realized it, they had total control of everything. Collaborators on both sides. The main characters very mother selling her own integrity and sense of right and wrong for mere survival in the aliens cage.

The writers divulged that it was based on what they believe happened in the early 20th century in a certain part of the world; leading up to a major war.

Being a child of the 80's, I consider myself lucky that I experienced the last hurrah of unusual storytelling in the mainstream like those had.
I'm compelled to acknowledge it as an influence at the very least.

Chapter 3: Straw in the Wind

In an abandoned shop in Vanhoover, an occasional glow could be seen through it's windows this night.

Inside, were more than two dozen ponies. Gathered there to meet the princesses and see that they were in fact alive, as well as what they could and would do.

This was the second time this evening that the princesses attended a meeting like this. Over the past couple weeks, they were attending as many as they could. Reconnecting with the ponies of this generation.

As the princesses fielded their questions, the empress was off to the side; Having a conversation with nopony in particular. At least, as how it appeared.

Concluding her conversation, she walked over to where the princesses were happily chatting with the ponies that ventured to be there.

"I apologize for the interruption everypony, but I must intervene" the empress cut off their conversation.

"It has been brought to my attention, that a squadron of Provincial Guard is headed to our location. I ask that you remain calm, and gather any belongings you may have brought with you, and don them now. I wish to leave no traces behind of your identities. For we are all leaving post haste, except for myself."

The ponies who were not needing to pick up anything, looked to her.

"Why are you staying? Are you going to fight them?" One of the ponies asked.

"It will not be a fight, I assure you. Though I will contend with them none the less" the empress answered.

Ponies in the crowd winced, and then smiled a tiny bit; Wishing they could stay to see an alicorn bring a piece of the misery machine to a screeching halt.

"Is everypony ready to leave? This will be a little jarring, but harmless, I promise to you" The empress reassured them.

At everyponies nod, she tapped her ear comm. At once, all of the ponies in the room dematerialized around her, leaving her the only pony for the guard to find when they arrived.

She stood there waiting patiently. Her ponies research having prepared her for the coming confrontation.

Some ponies would walk out of this building with a different viewpoint, or already had such and were roped into this operation. Either way, a culling of the forces of tyranny here, were at hoof.

As the pegasi guard surrounded the windows and land bound ponies surrounded the doors, she took a deep breath. Right or wrong, this task did not fill her with any joy.

For some of the ponies outside: Stood a measurable chance of being banished from Equestria for the remainder of their days...

Aboard the ships in orbit, ponies materialized on the transporter platforms. Looking around, a group of four spotted an an earth pony behind a raised podium looking object in the room. Without hesitation, he waved and greeted them.

"Hi! I'm Flowing Stream, at your service. Welcome aboard one of her highness's ships, a momentary detour before sending you home. We wanted to get you all safely out of that warehouse before the guard arrived, so.. here you are! I guess we're like, cousins? Once or twice removed, maybe? Hmm, well, something like that. It's nice to meet you!" The stallion talked a mile a minute.

"If you want to head home immediately, we can do that. Just come on over to here, and I'll send you to anywhere you'd like to go. Though I'd recommend a place out of plain sight, as appearing out of thin air could being the kind of attention you just avoided... If you'd like a tour of the ship, we'd be delighted! Also, from here you can see all of Equestria, and even though it's night time, the twinkling lights of the towns and cities are still a beautiful sight to see. It's the least we can do for your time with the princesses being cut short by those ruffians... Hooves up for going home now?" Flowing Stream finished.

Their heads swimming for a moment, one of them raised their hoof.

"No problem ma'am. I have a map here, where you can just point the place you'd like to go" He responded enthusiastically.

Her coming around next to him, he pointed to the screen built into the console;

"This is an overhead view of Vanhoover. At the moment, showing the place where you were. I'll just slowly pull back so we can see more of the city... Now, you can see the town hall, the city center park here, the coast there... Hopefully that'll help get your bearings?"

"Could you send me to my dining room with this thing?" She asked.

"I sure can ma'am! With this, you could come and go without anypony knowing you ever left. Unless they knocked at your door and didn't answer, anyways" he replied.

The ponies were a little bewildered and uneasy with that revelation. However, it did show that they could pull of what they were planning, and weren't spitting empty words like they were used to hearing.

"Lets see, I live eight blocks east of the park, and twelve blocks south of it..." She directed Stream.

Moving the map with his hoof, they counted the blocks until the came to the right area.

"That one there I think? The one with the red roof." She pointed to the house.

Closing in on it, the walls and furniture were roughly shown.

"It's so weird seeing the furniture looking all strange like this, but what is this yellow thing?" she asked.

"Ah, that shows that there is something, or somepony there. Do you have a, cat? Gosh, I hope the poor thing is okay, the yellow shows that it's rather cold, it should be a warm red!" He said concerned.

Giggling at his concern, she told him;

"That's my lizard; Ziggy, I'm sure he's fine. I named him that because he zig-zag's when he walks." She smiled.

"Oh, that's good. Well, if you'd hop back up on the platform there, I'll set you down right next to the table?" He asked.

"That'll be fine, thank you!" She replied trotting up to the platform.

"Nice meeting you.." Stream faltered.

"Dragon Tamer. My parents were always an enthusiastic couple" She laughed.

Laughing with her, he bid her safe tidings as he tapped the console. The mare, disappearing from view and appearing as a red glow on the displayed map.

Turning to the remaining three, Stream asked them;

"So, who's up for a bit of sight seeing?"

As the windows of the shop shattered, and the doors broke from their hinges and latches; the dark alicorn remained motionless, her eyes closed.

As the shouts demanding her submission came forth, and magic attempted to grasp onto her, she still remain silent.

When she opened her eyes, they shown of a sad determination. With her wings opening wide as they could go, her horn glowed bright.

"Be Silent" Her voice echoed, rattling the fallen glass.

Their demands continuing by an undaunted many, found their muzzles forced closed by magic. Shock coloring their expressions as their enchanted armor failed to ward off what they were attempting to do themselves. Though, the enchantments glowed a bright white in their attempt to fulfill their purpose.

With a steady and confident voice, she introduced herself;

"I will not submit, nor be spoken to in such manner. This night, you have not entered uninvited to a rabble of ponies trying to escape the iron hoof of the fools that you herald. Some of you may know of me; either ancient tales, or notified of my coming and purpose. That being; the re-installment of rulers of legendary merit and benevolence, the princesses of old."

Taking another breath, she leveled her eyes at them as she delivered her ultimatum;

"You, the Provincial Guard of the office of Equestrian Order; are at a crossroads in your journey. Should you choose to abandon the abusive policies that are in place, I bid you leave. For this, I have not physically restrained you, beyond your muzzles. Freely, you may go and support other policies, or careers therein. I will bid thee no ill will for past transgressions made under ignorance. For now you will know better, and understand the path that you trot down, should you not be able to reconsider."

Closing her eyes, she dismissed the ones willing to let it go;

"Go now. To the brighter days ahead."

After a number of moments and looks between them, two thirds of them left through the broken doorways and windows. The lesser number of them remaining; Trying to spit words of cowardice and betrayal to the others, but getting mere mumbles out.

Opening her eyes, the empress's expression became tainted with revulsion as she took in the ones that remained; The hatred in their eyes being reflected back at them.

As her horn glowed nearly white from the intensity, the enchanted armor covering the guards was unceremoniously ripped from their bodies. Leaving them as bare as any other pony. Their hooves anchored to the floor, the pegasi grounded as well.

Bringing the armor before her; she crumpled it into a ball of metal, and vaporized it into a black powder.

Walking up to them, she looked down at the believers of fools.

"It is now time for formal introductions, for what comes next demands it."

Taking a breath, she proceeded;

"I am the empress New Moon of the StarLight Empire. By committing magical assault upon me by attempting to subdue without formal declaration; You are in violation of the statutes of civilized pony society. As such; your titles, powers, rights and so-forth, provided therein by those statutes, are now void."

Seeing the ponies futilely straining to either fly or move, whether to rush her or flee; she sighed.

"You are hereby prisoners of the StarLight Empire, subject to my discretion or mercies should I deem them appropriate or merited. I will levy my judgement upon you for your transgressions at a later time. Until then, you will be placed into suspended animation under the custody of the Empire. Therein, you can no longer bring harm to others."

'for your own protection' she wanted to add.

Releasing their muzzles only, she gave them a chance to speak.

Receiving biting words containing their expectations of absolution and vengeance, she replied;

"Those whom you would call upon to avail you, will not come. They, looking upon you with the same disinterest that you yourselves had to the ponies under your powers. You, having made yourselves into mere tools. Fodder for uncaring fools, whom care of nothing but what they can achieve to their own ends. As such, I will in turn regard you as you seek to make of yourselves. For the time being however, I bid thee farewell."

With a final burst of magic, the stripped ponies were encased in crystal. Frozen in time, until the empress was willing to deal with them again.

Bringing her head low, and folding in her wings, she tapped her comm once more. Receiving no response, she huffed.

'I guess that was too much for the little thing?'

Sitting down and un-clipping the communicator from her ear, she waved it skyward over her head.

On queue, it dematerialized and another appeared in its place.

Clipping the replacement back, she tapped it.

"That was quite a display, your highness" Shadow Blade's voice came back through it.

"Yes, it was a trying ordeal. For trying ponies" She replied.

"They were no real guards, they were uncouth brutes with heads bigger than their brains" He said with a laugh.

"Indeed they were. Much like the masters they served and revered. Please, have them transported to one of the cargo holds. This is only the beginning I am afraid, and bring me up as well. I feel I need a relaxing bath after tonight."

"Right away, your highness" Blade's reliable response came over the comm.

Empress and prisoners alike; disappeared from the tattered shop. The property damage also just the beginning of the cost of turning things around.

Reassembling at their headquarters; the squadron, or what was left of it, were silent for a time.

About half of them didn't return. Either; scared off, captured, or worse.

Trading looks amongst themselves, one of them finally broke the silence;

"What are we gonna tell the chief?" Steady Arrow asked.

"Well, in this case, I can't see the truth hurting anymore than anything else would? We came up against an alicorn, and lived to tell the tale. We were lucky she was lenient with us" Steel Sledge replied.

"Lenient? What in Tartarus are you on about Sledge? Half of our force is gone!" Silver Storm rebuked.

"C'mon Silver, the unicorns laid there magic on an Alicorn for bucks sake. And after doing that, gave us a choice to leave of our own accord. If a unicorn tried that sort of thing on me, they'd likely have a sore jaw for a week minimum. But she did nothing to us, and she had the magic prowess to push past our enchantments like they were nothing! I'd call that pretty bucking lenient" Steel argued back.

"So, who's gonna tell him? It'd normally be Brick Breaker, but he wouldn't come with us. The idiot.." Saw Blade asked, her misgivings about their C.O. laying bare.

Trading a chuckle here and there, Sledge spoke up while putting his armor away in his locker;

"I'll do it. If the chief cans the bearer of bad news, I can barely care any less" he said.

"Aw, but I thought you liked taking foolhardy risks every day, Sledge?" Silver jibed him.

"Risks, yes. Death-wishes, no. If the chief expects us to go up against alicorns and throw our lives away; he can have my job, and I'll keep my spine. Intact, along with the rest of me. I didn't take this job to be his disposable plaything. If he gets nasty, I'll throw my badge at him and tell him to get a good look at my tail hole on my way out" Sledge returned.

Laughter filling the air, they continued to put away their armor and head into the showers.

The hot water melting away their tension; their minds started wandering to what other lines of work there was out there.

Chapter 4: Dark Pools

Aboard her flagship, the empress sat in her chambers reading through reports.

Provided by her team of dream-walkers, she was reading them over with an increasingly souring expression.

During the dream-walking operation, her team returned from the dreams of Canterlot ponies quickly, too quickly.

Wearing expressions of confusion, and a little hurt; they carried on with the next number of ponies they were to probe intent.

By the end of the fifth return however, they expressed their desire to terminate the mission. Citing that the ponies of Canterlot were united in bitterness and disdain of others.

While surprised, she conceded. As she didn't want to drag her ponies through ugliness if she could at all prevent doing so.

Now, reading their reports detailing their reception, treatment, and dialog's; she was glad that she did so. Glad that her ponies felt free enough to question the mission, as well as doing so to herself directly.

'This bodes very ill' she thought, setting the pad down.

'It is as if they are enthralled by magical persuasion? I do hope that is the case. If it is not, it would mean that the last ruler has deeply poisoned the minds and hearts of an entire city.. to embrace a predominance rule, and deeply..'

Closing her eyes, she breathed out a sigh.

'Such a thing, I have never witnessed in ponies before. Nor seen in nearly a thousand years... To think such a thing could come to Equestria?'

Getting up and going over to the comm, she called the ship captain and her guard captain for an emergency meeting.

They were going to have to find out if this was a magical persuasion or not.

Coming to the door of the princess of the night's chambers, she tapped the door panel; announcing her presence.

The door opening, Luna beckoned her to enter. Walking in, the empress was without her usual greeting.

"...I know that expression, your highness. You bring bad news, don't you?" Luna asked.

"Dreadful" was all the empress said.

Going over to the food replicator, Luna came back with two teas in her aura. Setting them down, she sat next to the empress.

"Go ahead." Luna beckoned.

"Canterlot is poisoned. Irredeemably so I fear. Though we have only a small sampling of their thinking, it is worse than I imagined. And my imagination is quite dark, I assure you." the empress dropped her bombshell.

Sipping her tea, Luna didn't flinch. It was as if she were already aware?

"I see" was all Luna said.

"You do not find this disturbing nor surprising?" the empress asked.

"Disturbing, yes. Surprising, not as much." Luna answered, setting down her tea cup.

"I had made a sampling of my own. Looking up a couple of ponies that were descendants of good friends of mine, in my time. The results, were more than disappointing, I should say" Luna clarified.

"How did they fare?" the empress asked.

"Quite well. Though ,their spirit was dark, and their words full of scorn and bitterness. I was terribly disappointed that the lineage of such good ponies had fallen so. Their manners included." Luna went on.

"What did they say?" the empress asked her.

"Things that I had not heard since Hurricane's day" Luna replied.

Immediately, the empress's wings flew outward. Almost grinding her teeth, she exclaimed;

"They dared?!"

With Luna's nod, she almost demanded to know their identities before she took a deep breath.

"They should consider themselves fortunate that they are too insignificant, to warrant a stay in Tartarus" the dark alicorn dismissed her own ire.

Sighing, the empress followed up on her news;

"We have checked on the ponies we have contacted there. They are not under any form of persuasion in their thinking, I am sad to say."

Looking down, Luna's expression became forlorn;

"That, is the worst news that you could deliver. I had held hope that there was a magic influence swaying their thinking..."

"Indeed. Breaking a mass spell would be easier than breaking what has taken root there" the empress replied.

Looking over to the empress, Luna declared;

"The others, must know of our findings. I kept my disappointments to myself, but with what you have verified; though incomplete, it's..."

Nodding, the two just sat there.

Nursing their teas... though they tasted more bitter now than they had before.

Working in tandem with Luna, the empress checked on a many more ponies in Canterlot via their dreams.

The results being largely; biting words, or the silent treatment altogether. Though with the later, their eyes told them all they needed to hear.

These ponies hearts were filled with darkness. How it got there, or how long it took to accumulate; they could not guess.

Though they presumed it had taken a lifetime to become that way.

Now, in a conference room with the other princesses; they divulged their findings. Both of the dream-walking alicorns telling the others of what they had uncovered.

"I can't believe in this. You must be exaggerating?" Celestia rebuked the tales.

Shaking her head, Luna responded to her sister;

"Nay sister. I would gladly pretend that I had not heard the hurtful words of the ones I spoken to."

"But, there must be some that are open to us?" Cadance asked, keeping her optimism.

"While we have not spoken to all that are there yet, our findings so far have been largely unanimous. That they have no use for change nor other princesses than the one they had" Luna replied.

"As it is standing, should you take seat on the throne of Canterlot; you shall be surrounded by complete dissent" the empress summarized.

"How are we supposed to achieve any means of recovery in such an environment? Court would be pointless... Earnest ponies prevented from even getting close to the castle, let alone being able to take council?" Celestia pondered.

"We'd be cut off. Even our staff would be stopped as soon as they try to leave the castle." Twilight ruminated. Taking a few moments, she spoke again;

"How are we supposed to help anypony when we're surrounded on all sides by a barrier of spiteful ponies?"

"You wont. Such will become their sole purpose in their lives. Till their final days, they will utterly oppose every action you adopt, regardless of its purpose. Should they not let go of their anger and bitterness, that is" the empress spoke.

As they continued their conference, the dark alicorn spoke of her meetings with the ponies there; and how they had not shown any wariness nor fear of the alicorn of old darkness.

"Twas as if they had wrapped their hearts in a cloak of blind hatred, and showed no fear of anything even when it stood before them. Though I do not welcome it; behind fear, is some form of respect. These ponies had none of it" She spoke.

"Had I been the creature they should have feared... They would have stepped into their own destruction through the hurtful words the dared to use. Two thousand years ago, they would have begged for simple nightmares to besiege them, in exchange of what they would have been dealt" the empress's tone taking a hard edge to it.

"If you doubt either of us, we will be glad to take you to their dreams. So that your own ears and eyes can be assaulted by their dark hearts" Luna proposed.

"My own ponies refuse to even approach them now, having befallen their extreme in-hospitality repeatedly" the empress added.

"I have to see for myself. I just can't believe that these ponies have become this....bad." Twilight said.

The other princesses agreeing, they began their mission to reach out to all of the ponies of Canterlot.

With the empress and Luna ferrying the other princess, as well as doing so themselves; they entered dream after dream after dream.

Along the way, the princesses of love and friendship were becoming increasingly despondent. As the ponies they interacted with, were the antithesis of love and friendship.

Recognizing that they had had enough, the other three alicorns continued on without them.

Between the three; the results were only slightly mixed.

Celestia having the most pleasant of the interactions, her grandeur carrying some measure of decorum. Though she could see through the guile as well as reading volumes from the terseness of the conversations.

Though barely polite, they had no interest in what she had to say, and made it clear without words.

Coming to the last of the ponies there, they concluded that less than twenty percent were anything but fallen.

Now, reconvened in the conference room, they had assembled. A heavy silence hanging in the air, though for different reasons.

The younger princesses were disillusioned; their optimism having been dashed.

Celestia and Luna; overcome by the near hopeless weight of what they experienced and now faced.

The empress; by what she was about to propose in dealing with the situation.

Indeed, she had nagging thoughts leading to here, since she first heard the reports from her envoys research on Canterlot, years ago now.

In all of that time, she had hoped that such a proposal would be unnecessary. And though she was glad that her family had no part to play in it, it was still what she considered a worst-case scenario.

And so they sat there. A game of whom would be bold enough to break the silence.

It was Twilight who became fed up with the silence, and broke it;

"This is impossible! What in Equestria is this?! You're sure there's no mind control magic involved?" she shouted in exasperation.

Nodding, the empress repeated their findings;

"Indeed there is not. We have checked repeatedly. There are no spell matrices, charms, wards, nor fields; constant nor reoccurring, nor parasitic incursions. This mindset is a naturally occurring one; a product of a culture made commonplace some time ago" she spoke.

"One such as even I in times past, could not have envisioned nor created" she concluded.

"What are we going to do?" Cadance asked, almost pleadingly.

"I.." Celestia faltered, at a loss for a way out of this mess.

Talking a deep breath, the empress looked up at them all, and said;

"Banishment."

Her one word declaration; shocking all of the princesses. However it was Celestia that spoke hastily in response.

"Do you realize what you're saying?!" her thoughts on the multitude of ponies the empress was talking about.

Overcome by the humor in the irony of what she said, having gotten the best of her; a puff of air escaped through her nostrils while she looked down with a small smile.

Raising her eyes to the white alicorns nose, she replied in a soft and sincere voice;

"More than everypony in this room, combined" she spoke, her eyes then meeting Celestia's.

To this; Celestia flinched back like she was physically struck, and then wilted as humility filled her.

Finding herself outmatched, she was in no position to lecture the mare in front of her in matters of banishment and exile.

The others, Luna included; Were shocked that such a pony would suggest such an action. Finally, Cadance spoke;

"Isn't that a little extreme? It's not like they have enslaved ponies or such. They aren't the last princess" She asked.

"While true, the darkness in their hearts is the same. Sewn by the last princess, it has taken root and sprouted there. It will only bear fruits now, fruits of poison that will plague the rest of the ponies of Equestria until they themselves rid of it. Either through personal growth, or violence."

Talking a moment, she went on;

"I propose they be sequestered from the rest. Where; they may choose to either stew in their darkness, or grow out of it. As they have spoken in earnest; They have no need nor desire for light, not at this time. May chance; they, or their descendants shall some day? I offer them that chance, to choose for themselves what path they will travel, and its end. Same as I had."

Celestia, starting to tear up, pleaded with the alicorn;

"But they're my little ponies!"

Walking up to her, the empress sat before her and wiped a tear from her face. Looking into her eyes, she spoke softly;

"In a way they always shall be. However, they have chosen, or had chosen for them; another path. As such, they will have none of what Equestria, or We wish to offer. Alike foals going out on their own; they may indeed thrive, or they may fall. We, have to honor them as ponies to choose for themselves which, even when it hurts us to do so."

Embracing her aunt, the dark alicorn spoke more;

"They have become ponies apart... Should some day, they wish to come back; they will be welcomed. Until then, it is all up to them, what will be" She finished.

Breaking into sobs, the alabaster alicorn wept on the shoulder of the empress. The other princesses, feeling much the same way as Celestia did, shed tears of their own.

When the flow of tears had slowed, the empress released Celestia from their embrace.

"The resources of the empire are vast. We will give them everything they will need in order to make it on their own, save intervention. A green place on a world of their own, which to claim and do what they will" the empress did her best to assuage their sorrow.

That day, inside that conference room; Marked the establishment of a new future colony, and the end of an era which persisted for the better part of a century.

There was no joy attributed to this event, however. Only sorrow.

Chapter 5: All Due Haste

Aboard the Silver Wing; one of her highness's support ships. The engineers were on edge. Watching their consoles, as much as the engine themselves.

They were traveling within the confines of the magic field, at a speed which was exceeding the engines 'conventional' theoretical safety margins.

Her highness had issued the order to head back to conventional space, to deliver a summons on her behalf.

As communication across the field's perimeter was spotty at best, they had to travel past it, in order to deliver it.

And the engines were running hot, dangerously hot. Dumping coolant across manifolds; they were using years worth of coolant just to shave a couple of days from their trip.

As the empress's order contained the phrase: 'All due haste', meant that her needs were extraordinary. The contents of the summons backed the assertion as well.

So, they were going as fast as technologically possible. Depleting the reserves as much as they needed to, in order to make it to the gate in the shortest time.

Back on Equus, in Equestria; things were deteriorating rapidly.

Responding to their dream probes, the princesses were horrified to see Canterlot change practically overnight.

In three days, they observed compulsory guard training go into effect for the entirety of the cities population.

Even ponies too young to enter into the guard, were being trained in combat.

Though the princesses were dismayed, they didn't appreciate the purpose of it until platoons of seasoned guards begin marching from the city toward Ponyville, as well as disembarking trains in Baltimare as well as Fillydelphia.

The ponies of Canterlot were attempting to seize control of the nation, by occupation of the surrounding areas.

The battalion that was marching for Ponyville; disappeared just outside of its village limits. Bring transported aboard her highness's support ships; they were encased in crystal, and stowed in the cargo holds, in the same fashion that were done with the empress's quarry.

The attempted occupation of Baltimare and Fillydelphia; had backfired, and worked in the princesses favor;

Transporting to the train station itself; they confronted the guards in broad daylight.

The ponies around them seeing what was happening, what the princesses were doing, and with themselves on the front lines; won the appreciation and favor of those who witnessed it.

And word spread like wildfire...

So much so, that the offices of Civil Order responded by sacking a portion of their officers, and hiring new recruits.

However this was a mixed blessing, as those they removed; were largely the empresses allies. After the fact however, it would turn out that their power play had exposed ponies that were part of the attempted seizure, and illustrated where they stood in matters.

At the same time, newsprint suffered the same machinations. Articles started being circulated that painted the princesses in a terrible light.

However the ponies on the streets took to confiscating them and dumping them in the rivers en masse. Some audacious enough to publicly urinate on the propaganda in defiance.

Throughout the information warfare debacle, some ponies names would be remembered for their contributions to it. And they would come to rue their fame; As the princesses would remember those names as well.

Ponies of the empire were now in every city and town, except Canterlot. All hooves that could be sent, were dispatched from the ships orbiting the planet.

Ferrying information back and forth between towns and cities, as well as observing what the powers were up to; they reported everything back to the princesses.

In response to the attempted dissemination of occupying force, the empress gave the order to collapse the tunnel servicing Canterlot's rail line. Greatly stemming the flow of deployments.

In turn, Canterlot tore up the rail lines passing around and through the mountain; Cutting off supply lines across Equestria.

Her Highness's ships now being utilized to relay supplies between the trains around the Canterlot no-go zone; She made the call to summon more ships. Any and all that would answer.

If she was going to put a stop to this madness; she needed transporters, lots of them. Enough to scoop this menace from the mountain city, and pluck its influence from its surrounding habitations.

And so the Silver Wing flew. Almost flying itself apart; it arrived at the Equus Gate in three and a half days.

Passing through, it immediately resumed its rapid course to the Earth Replenishment spacedock.

Opening a channel; Captain Lightning Bolt contacted the Information Network headquarters.

Appearing on the screen was Sunny Vale, happy to hear word on how things were going.

"Hi captain, how are things on Equus?" she asked cheerily.

"Equestria is in chaos. Her Highness has issued an emergency situation summons. Put me through to the senior operations manager please" Lightning's tone firm.

Shocked, Sunny put him through right away.

"Oh my! Yes, Oh course!" she replied before her image was replaced with a 'transferring' image.

Appearing on the screen, was Fire Cracker;

"Yes captain, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"No pleasure this day, Ma'am. I come bearing a summons from her highness. She has issued an emergency situation. The official order is coming through now on the side channel. To explain in detail; is Captain Shadow Blade of her highness' Ceremonial Guard" he said, introducing the other captain and standing aside.

At once, all of Fire Cracker's ease dissipated. Sitting up in her chair, she saluted the other captain.

Saluting back, Blade addressed her.

"The situation on Equus is deteriorating rapidly. Supply lines have been severed, attempts to deploy troops have been made, and campaigns are being run against the populous as well as the princesses."

Taking a breath, he continued;

"Her highness is meeting these challenges head-on, however she calls for everyponies aid in putting an end to this quickly. She calls for all ships that can be spared; to stock energy supplies for transporter usage, and set course for the Equus gate and Equestria with all due haste" He finished.

Having already taken to scribbling with a pen, she nodded fervently and saluted once more.

"Immediately Sir! I'll begin preparing the emergency call as my aide verifies the summons!" she replied.

Saluting her back and sporting an impish grin, Blade replied;

"Let's show her what the empire can Really do!"

With the verified summons being broadcast, ships in mid course had detoured. Picking up speed, they headed to the nearest gateway.

In the spacedocks, ponies flocked back to their ships. And within two hours, departed with full crews and full supplies.

Orbiting ships, made calls to their crews to return, as the ships were leaving in an hour; With them or without. Having to resupply, they couldn't wait for them to tarry.

The communication channels were awash with coordinates, speeds, and navigation details of the field past the Equus gate.

A fleet of ships began to converge at the gate and shuffle to form a convoy. Passing through, they headed for Equus as fast as they could safely go.

Heeding the summons, and responding in Equestria's time of need;

The empire cometh.

Author's Note

This just came to me out of no where.
unless reflashing smart plugs with tasmota counts?:derpytongue2:

I wrote this really quickly, because I love scenes like these; Calls to arms.

Chapter 6: Severance

For nine days, the space above the ionosphere of Equus slowly filled with ships.

Two hundred and three now orbited the planet, fully ponied. Centered over Equestria; they connected to the network of satellites that were deployed.

The deployed network; an endeavor which began with finding the remains of princesses two years ago, was now serving a different purpose:

Watching...

Tracking...

Cataloging...

Ponies sat at monitoring consoles for half of the day, every day. Learning everything about the movements of ponies that now donned the armor of Equestrian Order, as well as the ponies of Canterlot themselves; whom they served.

Where they lived.. their families.. foals if they had such..

What was about to happen would not leave foals orphaned. Being the rightful legacy of the ponies of exile; they would remain at their sides as they have always been.

The empress was not looking forward to the thousand-plus interviews with the captures. Which would undoubtedly have their own foals being thrown as bargaining chips in an attempt to sway her final judgement of sending them to their new home; far away.

The interviews were the final contingency that any ponies were mistakenly captured in the night.

Her own response possibly just as ruthless as their attempts would be; For she learned from masters long ago; the art of ruthlessness. As wicked as a pony could possibly be, she had seen and dealt with worse.

She almost couldn't wait to hear the petty rationalizations in regards to their own recklessness of their foals futures.

Then there was the possibility of a pony abandoning their betrothed at the first sign of consequences... a troubling thought.

As ponies of like mind formed relationships; When one thought a certain way, the other likely did as well. Would a pony that abandoned the other be any better?

All of the conjecture becoming moot in the end; as only the scenery around them would change by the empresses actions, nothing more. Families would still be together, and not ripped asunder; their future would be what they would make of it.

Meanwhile, the princesses were still hard at work; trying to bring around some ponies of Canterlot that were 'on the fence' as it were.

The empress had no qualms about their efforts, as it saved everypony time; provided they would give the princesses a chance.

However she still wouldn't let them completely off of the hook, and would be keeping an eye on them as the dust settled. Ponies being 'on the fence' about such things, made her feel uneasy.

Having left the flotilla of ships, Moon headed back to the empire to speak to her advisors in Colony Prospects to find a place for their soon to be burdenous cargo.

The date was set, and the days numbered. The empire would not be keeping a mass of its resources over Equus for long, and three weeks was all that was willing to be spent spying on ponies.

A week back to the empire, a few days talks with advisors in designating a colony, a week back, and a few days to begin; was the empress's timetable.

Nopony said this was easy, in any way.

Sitting with Grassy Knoll, the empress asked him about his preferred location.

Enthusiastically, Knoll replied;

"I think this'll be the best spot. It's out of the way of traffic lines, and there's good gravity as well as temperature. The atmosphere will have to be adjusted, as it's not breathable right now.. But you said they're in stasis right?"

"Correct. They are, and will be encased in crystalline stasis upon transport. Shielded from time as well as the elements, they would be impervious to even exposure to space" Moon clarified his presumption.

"Perfect then. We can assemble an enclosure quickly to place them in, and terraform the rest at our earliest convenience. When it's done, unfreeze them or whatever... and wholla; instant colony!" Grassy Knoll replied.

"Why the enclosure?" Moon asked.

"Safety precaution. We never terraformed around much else before, and who'd know what effects atmospheric conversion charges could have on exposed magic crystal? We do know what structures can withstand the charges however, and the contents within; magic or not" Knoll answered her.

"Are there no places already containing atmosphere?" the empress asked him.

"None that don't already have ponies living there. It was my understanding that this colony would be a standalone; not part of the empire?" Knoll asked.

"Also correct. Once your work is completed, there will be no empire presence there, nor landings. These ponies will be on their own" Moon answered him.

Confidently, Knoll replied with a nod;

"Then this is our best option. Others have slightly better atmosphere, but still not breathable; so they need nearly the same amount of work.. and are on traffic lines; either existing, or potential ones." Knoll continued;

"This one is a tiny bit more work in the beginning, but shouldn't ever be an issue after that" Knoll finished.

"Let us hope so..." the empress spoke softly, mostly to herself.

Unease about the whole operation had been plaguing her since she first uttered the word 'banishment'. As if a half-remembered memory was whispering to her from the distant past.

Giving her consent to Knoll to begin construction of the enclosure, she bid him farewell and boarded the transport back to Equus.

Meanwhile, aboard the flagship: Homecoming, the princesses were gathered in the conference room.

"I just can't understand these ponies. Logic, and even the process of elimination is... it's like they're allergic to it! Nothing I say has any impact besides making them angrier!" Twilight exclaimed.

"I'm at a loss too Twilight. I makes little difference if I use a light touch in conferring with them or not. They act as if nothing I propose matters in the least" Celestia commiserated.

"They're closed off. Not simply to us, but even themselves, I'm afraid" Cadance postulated.

"As opposed as I was to what the empress proposed... I, can't think of anything else we can do?" Twilight looked at each of the other princesses, almost pleadingly.

Answering her plea, Luna spoke up;

"We tried our very best young Twilight, into the final moments. Which is the most valiant thing we could have done" pausing, as if trying to convince even herself, she continued;

"Though, I will not sleep as soundly as I would have otherwise.. I can find some measure of closure in that" Luna finished.

Hanging her head, Celestia closed her eyes;

"My poor little ponies. May the stars look after you where we could not..."

With the other princesses looking down in turn, the room fell into silence. So few had they been able to turn around, their final effort to rescue them from their fate; felt like failure.

Her highness's transport having returned to the empires flotilla over Equestria; the empress joined the princesses, as well as senior staff of all of the ships.

In a mass conference, the captains; all two hundred and three, went over the plan and schedule.

Beginning an hour before midnight Equestria time, less than twenty hours empire time; 'The Great Exodus' would occur.

Starting at the coast of the Celestial Sea; Manehatten, followed by Fillydelphia, and so forth: Would loose it's departments of Equestrian Order.

Beginning with it's slumbering off duty officers and family, they would be transported from their beds, and into crystal without waking. Placed into the cargo holds; they would never know they left until the empress's interviews came, later.

Active patrols and staff, would notice something happening as they were whisked away, but would meet the same fate as their slumbering counterparts.

Moving across Equestria ahead of the passing Moon, ending in the Luna Ocean; the machine would disappear.

Canterlot... would be a ghost town the following morning.

When the taken ponies would eventually be re-awakened; They would be disoriented, furious, and facing an alicorn with little pity to exchange for their anger.

An alicorn with deep personal philosophical questions for them, which held their return in its balance.

In Equestria;

Ponies which the empress had made connections with, would rise the following morning and report back to their old jobs. Though with vastly different and lighter protocols adopted.

The princess sisters; Would transport down to the castle in Canterlot, Twilight; to her castle in Ponyville, and Cadance; to the Crystal Empire.

Backed by a support contingent of the empress's ponies, as well as loaned Ceremonial Guard; the princess capitals would be self sustaining within hours to a few days at most.

That night, went by many names.

The empire called it; 'The Great Exodus',

Equestria called it; 'The Culling',

The Crystal Empire; 'The Warming',

Some called it.. more unsavory names.

One of the names meant to be critical of it, was; 'The Nightmare'. Referring to the horrible power displayed quietly that night.

While finding it amusing in an ironic sense, it got the empress's attention, and stung her pride surprising deeply. Which, she then took it upon herself to educate those few ponies on what real 'nightmares' were, much to Luna's opposition.

One of them, came close to learning of a dark chitinous terror of the old world, but the empress held back at the last moment. Limiting the pony's nightmare to the disturbing sounds from the steel duct-works above their head, while left wandering through strange metallic corridors.

Believing the true experience was beyond a pony's tolerance for sanity, she spared that one.

She hadn't even shared such knowledge with her mother, fearing it would keep her up nights.

The fleet of ships having left Equus, headed back to the empire to unload their cargo of well over two thousand ponies; a small contingent remained.

It providing medical support for the detachment of ponies of the empire, as well as repairing the collapsed Canterlot tunnel, and the surrounding rails of the former no-go zone.

The flagship heading it, began collecting the satellite network.

Finally making good on the empresses decree made two years ago, now that her mother was back on the throne.

Now was when the real work of getting Equestria back on track: began.

Chapter 7: Questions of the Fork

Stirring slowly, Orange Peel could feel the sunlight on her face urging her to awaken. Though it felt too comfy and peaceful to get up just yet.

In the city, she was usually more woken up by the sounds of ponies outside, rather than the sun.

Opening her eyes, she turned away from the sunlight and faced the inner wall to see what time it was by reading the hanging clock...

But there was no clock there.

And the wall was farther away than it should have been, and it was yellow; not orange like it should have been.

Eyes widening, she sprung up in alarm.

Looking around;

'Where am I?! This isn't my bedroom!' She thought.

Jumping down from the bed, she looked around in a panic.

The room she was in was rather plain, though large. Besides the bed, there was a table in the room with two chairs at it, a door, and a window to the outside.

Glancing out the window caught her attention.

Walking up to it, she looked out at a bleak landscape. Beyond the glass, was a hazy desert; No grasses, or trees, or buildings. Just a few hills in the distance.

'This isn't Vanhoover! I must've been foal-napped!'

Turning away from the window, she ran past the table and to the door.

The door.. had no handle. It looked like a door-shaped panel in the wall.

"Great.." she exclaimed, before turning around and giving the door a couple of bucks.

The door however, didn't show the tiniest dent, just scuff marks made from her rear hooves.

"Just wait till the Chief hears about this.. You won't get away with this! Do you know who I am, I'm with the department of Equestrian Order! You hear me!?" She shouted at the door.

Silence was her only reward for her outburst. Deafening silence...

After a few minutes, she turned away from the door and approached the table.

On it was what looked like a covered platter, a couple of odd cups and water pitcher next to it.

'If they think I'm gonna eat whatever is in there, they've got another thing coming' Orange thought angrily. She wasn't going to go along with whatever..whoever's plan was.

Roaming around the room, she inspected everything in there; The walls, bed, chairs, floor, even the window again.

Though it was quite a drop to the ground outside, she reared up and tried bucking the glass a couple of times as well.

Either she couldn't get enough force to break it, or she was weaker than she ever remembered being.

Looking closely at the glass for cracks, her eyes were drawn to the empty landscape beyond.

'Where in Equestria is this?' She asked herself. She'd never seen a sky like this before.

Turning away from the uninteresting landscape, she paced back and forth across the room; trying to think of a way out of this room she was locked up in.

After an uncounted number of tracks pacing back and forth, the door to the room opened.

Tensing up, Orange readied to make a break for the opened doorway. Or, she did until her eyes beheld was was blocking the doorway;

Striding in, was what looked like a princess, though she had no idea who it was. Big, black, and graceful; she strode through the doorway, which closed immediately behind her when her tail cleared the opening.

Finally, Orange had some idea who her captor was, and was little surprised to see it was a princess. Her jaw clenched in response to the unwanted mares' presence.

The princess was paying her little heed, as she approached the table and chairs.

Without saying anything; she pulled the chair out and sat down, while placing onto the table: a crystal. One that she was familiar with, even noticing the emblem of the Office of Equestrian Order emblazoned on its holding base.

Seeing this caused her heart to sink a little, as well as her ire to rise.

Pouring a cup of water, the alicorn took a couple gulps before clearing her throat and looking at an object she held in her levitation.

"Orange Peel, recently joined member of the office of Equestrian Order of four weeks; I am here to ask you a few questions, as well as answer a few of your own. This object which I have confiscated from your offices, will perform its task as designed, assuring that you answer truthfully as well as promptly. It is also my hope that you will learn something from this experience, which will give you pause before deploying such invasive tools such as these in the future." Moon spoke to the earth pony mare, motioning to the crystal.

Receiving no response from the mare, Moon nodded and cast a spell to activate the crystal.

As it began to glow, words that Orange was keeping from making their way to her muzzle; bubbled up and spilled fourth.

"How dare you! Who are you to foalnap and imprison me here against my will?! And where am I, where is this?!" Orange blurted out.

She felt embarrassed and dirty that she had no control over what she was speaking. She then turned her eyes to the crystal and charged toward it, making an attempt to shatter it.

Though as her hooves came close to it, they bounced away as a shield around it made itself known.

"Even if you were successful in breaking this one, I have hundreds more. All confiscated from your offices... It, must be uncomfortable to find yourself on the other side of the table?" Moon asked her.

"Get bucked!" Orange retorted without hesitation.

"Indeed, I have been. A few times, in fact. Now to answer your questions; Who I am specifically, is irrelevant in your holding here. By the tenants of your beliefs, I am the pony who holds the power of rule; agreed to by all ponies involved, as well a mass majority. More so that your council held, in fact."

"Lies! The council held total majority of all ponies in Equestria!" Orange spoke confidently.

"If that was so the case, why were troops being deployed to cities to reinforce your majority? Surely that would be an unnecessarily redundant show of power and force?" Moon asked her.

"It was to quell the dissident ponies that would threaten the rest, and they were on the rise."

"What were these dissident ponies doing that was so threatening? Were they mugging others, destroying their homes, perhaps worse?" Moon asked the mare.

"Much worse! They're rebelling against us!" Orange shouted.

"That is true. They defied the offices policies and actions, at least in part" Moon conceded.

"Told you, they were bad ponies. And they were gaining support in droves!" Orange admitted.

"What do you suppose would happen when they gained majority support, Orange?" Moon asked her.

Looking at the alicorn, Orange spoke with venom;

"The princesses would come back. We'd be right back to where we were two years ago, stepped on by the hooves of a princess again! Just when we got out from under it, they came back again!"

Nodding in understanding, Moon commiserated with her somewhat.

"Indeed, the princess you lived under your whole life was... of very poor quality. I met her in her final moments, and I was.. unimpressed, terribly so. Though, she was false; A unicorn that masqueraded as a princess, nothing more."

"Doesn't matter, a princess is a princess. You're all misery!" Orange rebutted.

"That is a very broad supposition, considering you only experienced a single fraud, much less met a real one. You are aware that the princess you speak of ruthlessly attempted to slay the real ones, yes?" Moon asked her.

"Don't care. The fact that I'm here, and you're using the crystal against me, tells me all that I need to know" Orange said matter-of-factually.

Moon was silent for a moment, to which the earth pony grinned. Reveling in her perceived victory over a princess.

After a couple moments, Moon spoke again;

"Are you not doing the same, Orange? With the same tools as well? You are proposing that despite your actions in the now, you will build a better future. One that is somehow the opposite of what you are doing?" She asked the earth pony.

"Of course. We're doing the hard work now, and getting it all out of the way. When all's done, all of the problems will be in the past. Ponies will be better off, and won't need princesses to keep it" Orange said.

"You are placing all of your trust to your intent, over the reality of what you are doing, Orange. Has there ever been happier future that was built of the foundation of misery? I am very old, yet have never seen it happen. Quite the opposite in fact, and many times..."

"Frankly, you're the last pony I'd trust to give advice" Orange rebuffed her advice.

"Yes, that if obvious. Perhaps you are correct in your thinking, and could be the first to prove it. Though, I do not personally think so. In fact, I fear for you. However, you are in good fortune for the most part. Where you are now, is very far from Equestria. As you have seen through the window, this is a very different place"

Taking another gulp of water from the glass, Moon went on;

"Very soon, this land will be made green and suitable for you and yours. Ponies in like mind as yourself, will come to call this place home. Free to conduct yourselves as you will, princesses will never come here, never bother you, nor rule. Your council will reign unopposed, and ponies that already support it will follow. There will be no need for Equestrian Order or whatever you name this land, for it has not been named yet. The next time you wake, you will find yourself in a lovely home built for you, and on lovely land, made. Should it need to be expanded, it will be by the labors of yourselves which will perform the task. Earth ponies as yourself will be in greatest demand. Though I wonder how the council will regard you as you are not represented in it yet?"

"What do you mean?" Orange asked.

"You are aware that the council is ponied entirely by Canterlot ponies, all of which are unicorns, save one pegasi?" Moon asked her.

"N-no" Orange replied.

"I am not surprised. More than two hundred interviews such as this I have conducted, and none have ever met the council members. Though they trust them waveringly... I have doubts that the council have ever left Canterlot to see where their food comes from, yet make important decisions regarding it, every day" Moon remarked.

"I'm sure they know what they're doing! They've done just fine so far" Orange defended herself.

"Growing up on your families farm, you yourself likely learned more through observation, than they have accumulated knowledge as a whole. The vast numbers of Equestria's earth ponies working autonomously, could overshadow any misgovernings coming from up high, even by princesses..." Moon looked at the mare, her expression unreadable.

At Oranges fading expression of confidence, the empress added;

"This will no longer be the case, Orange. Your job as an enforcer is over, and you will likely be placed on a farm by the ponies you herald so highly, as the need will be great for your magic" Moon foretold the mare's future.

"Fine! No problem" Orange blurted, but without enthusiasm.

Standing up, the empress deactivated the crystal, and levitated it in her magic.

"Excellent then. You shall be united in building your future, together with the others. I wish you prosperity and happiness. Perchance, you will prove we princesses wrong in our skepticism" Moon declared the interview concluded.

Turning to the door, she paused to say one last thing;

"Whatever comes, this will be the last you shall ever see of a princess. Farewell" the empress spoke.

To which, the earth pony returned to her tight lipped self, and said nothing as she watched the unnamed alicorn pass through the doorway; it closing behind her.

Chapter 8: The Book of the Valiant

As the empress and her guard materialized in the courtyard of the Crystal Empire, they collectively saluted the posted guards on duty.

Returning the greeting, they welcomed her highness, and together made their way inside the palace.

Today, Moon sought an audience with the Princess of Love, as well as the Princess of Friendship.

Having chosen to visit her old foalsitter, Twilight took the opportunity to make a vacation of the event.

Trotting into the throne room, the empress was welcomed by the sight of two princesses at the head of the room.

Cadance was on her throne, Twilight standing besides it.

Bowing before the princesses, the empress and entourage was introduced by their escort.

"Your highness's, announcing; The restorer of Warmth, Sun and Moon, Friendship and Love; The Empress: New Moon of the Star Light Empire." Cadance's guard escort boomed.

'That is quite the proclamation. Is that not a bit exaggerated?' She though to herself.

Brandishing a wide smile, Cadance greeted the visitors.

"Welcome to the Crystal Empire, auntie empress" Cadance greeted the dark alicorn, which drew a bit of a snorted laugh from her.

"I thank you... princess niece-y?" Moon lobbed the joke back awkwardly.

Twilight shook her head at their antics;

"You know, this is supposed to be an official audience. You're supposed to be following protocol here" She spoke in admonishment.

"Ooh, loosen up Twilight. You'll be getting stiffer than the sisters at this rate. This isn't some dignitary from the Griffons or the Dragon lands here; it's Moon" Cadance spoke like an older sister to her.

"Be that as it may, this is still an official event. The empress is a ruler from foreign lands, and we should conduct ourselves accordingly" Twilight spoke.

Looking to the giggling Cadance, the empress spoke;

"Now she speaks almost as I do. Somewhere I heard that imitation is a sincere form of flattery, however I never expected such from you Princess Twilight. I am most honored" the empress joined in.

"Wuh? What are you talking about? I'm just saying that we should follow proper procedures, that's all!" Twilight defended herself.

"She reminds me of the Lunar princess from long ago; She was very proper, and quite steadfast with procedure. Well met, princess Twilight" the empress piled on.

"Oh just forget it, then!" Twilight relented, throwing in the towel.

"Okay, now that greetings are taken care of, to what do we owe the pleasure, your highness?" Cadance asked the dark alicorn.

Nodding, the empress took lead of the conversation;

"I seek both of your audiences, concerning a result of The Warming performed a year ago. As you are aware, Twenty-nine ponies returned to Equestria following my interviews with the ponies captured that fateful day. However there were many more ponies with pure hearts that chose to stay with their families in their new home, rather than abandon them. An honorable choice and gesture, to be sure" She spoke with pride.

"Though their lives would be at odds with the ponies surrounding them, they stayed true to their loved ones. Choosing to live and work to bring them out of the darkness; A task they did not expect to achieve in their lifetimes" the empress finished.

"How many?" Twilight asked her.

"One hundred, and twenty-one" she answered.

"So many..." Cadance said with wonder.

"Indeed. Wonderful ponies. I spoke with them at length. Where my interviews would usually be quite short, I spent hours talking with each of them, hearing their stories. The interviews having been recorded, I had them transcribed and recorded into this tome. In hopes that upon the return of the exiles descendants, their names and stories can be recognized with honors as unsung heroes. Posthumously of course, but no less honored for their works" the empress said while her assistant brought the book up to the princesses.

Cadance, taking it into her hooves, read the cover.

Emblazoned on it, were the words: 'The Valiant Ponies among the Exiled'

Below the title were the words: 'May their brilliant hearts outshine all else'

"Their love and spirit of friendship were so strong, I... could not decide whom of the two of you should be its keeper?" The empress asked.

Looking up from the book, Cadance smiled.

Epilogue: Fading Era

Exiting the gate outside the orbit of Luna's moon, her highness' ship entered into orbit.

Trotting onto the transporter platform, the empress nodded to the operator; Still Frame.

As she materialized in the entrance way of the castle in Canterlot, the guardsponies saluted her. The long standing tradition, outlasting the true reason they had taken to doing so over the customary bowing.

Saluting them in response, she followed them to the Royal Court where the princesses were tending.

It was time for the empress's status update to the princesses, on the colony of ponies banished from the paradise that was Equestria. Every fifty years, the empress would check on the ponies there, and report her findings on the colony that was set aside for the exiles.

Such was the part of the agreement the princesses made with the empress: Though they would not visit nor appear before them, they were always hopeful that the descendants of the exiled would eventually return to Equestria. Welcomed back after their hearts had healed of the darkness they carried.

Walking past the open doors, she saw her aunt and mother sitting.

While waiting for the last petitioner of the day to conclude their business, she looked around the room. Her eyes always lingered for a moment longer above the throne, thankful that the space there was taken by the symbol of Equestria and not what still graced her nightmares on rare occasion.

Two hundred and three years ago, it was here that her world was shaken, and in response she shook back...

With the petitioner exiting through the doors, the guards closed them behind them, leaving the royal family to themselves.

Smiling, she approached the reining Diarchs of Canterlot. Both of them arose and met her at the steps, embracing for a short time.

"It is wonderful to see you again, daughter" Luna smiled. She, finally have gotten used to saying that.

"Me as well, my niece" Celestia said. It took her a while longer, but had finally gotten passed the awkwardness after everything had settled down.

"Thank you, both of you. It warms my heart to see you again, and to where I hold you in my heart. Though my visit here this day is tainted with ill news.." the empress said sadly.

"Oh..." Was all that the two diarchs could utter, their ears wilting.

Taking a breath, the empress began her report without delay;

"The colony of the exiled; has fallen, and is no more. Research indicates that the majority of ponies there had met their end through starvation. The colony proper, contained only the remains of unicorn and pegasi. Further searching found that the earth ponies were nearly One Hundred and Five Thousand lengths eastward, and had perished nearly two years beforehoof, of dehydration we presume. As there were no water sources available anywhere outside the colony site, we are certain of this" The empress pushed out the words.

She didn't need to carry a pad to remember these details, they were terrible enough to remember without one.

"That means that..." Celestia gasped. Luna, picking up where she left off;

"They drove out the earth ponies, and then starved to death without their magic... Horrible!"

There was no question as to what had occurred, the earth ponies could sense that there was nothing beyond the colony but that of a barren landscape of death. They, would not have left had they any choice in the matter.

With a nod and a sad sigh, the empress went on;

"We will never know the specific reason they did so, nor if they came to realize their mistake before the end came for them. It is quite possible that they changed their minds a week afterward, but was already too late. Dooming themselves in only two days, then taking two years to come to fruition."

Sitting down, the empress lamented;

"In the millennia which the empire has existed, this is the first of a colony fallen. The final legacy of the descendants of the exiled ones.. Consumed by that which they carried in their hearts."

After a few minutes of silence, Luna spoke up;

"What should we do about their remains?" She asked, looking to her sister.

"I, should we bring them here?" She asked the empress.

"That could be done, though they have already been laid to rest on the lands they had lived. Neither ponies of the empire, nor Equestria."

Pausing for a moment, she asked;

"With your permission, I shall cast an entropy spell which shall break down the remnants of their remains, into the elements from which they were made."

Looking to the empress in surprise, they asked her;

"Can such a spell do that?"

Looking past them both, remembering a time long ago... The empress replied with a voice haunted by memories;

"It, does."

In the coming centuries, the lost colony world slowly became a lush green paradise. Being terraformed by automated systems; grasses, trees, and plants of all kinds grew there now. Rains fell from the skies unchecked, and rivers flowed of their own accord into seas.

But ponies never tarried there too long. Instead, passing it up for other worlds.

That world...the holder of a dark spot on the empire's prosperous history.

The memory of the era of fallen ponies, fading with the passing years.

Author's Note

A sad ending to a tiny part of the universe, but life shines brightly everywhere else.

The book of the valiant ponies was eventually published in Equestria; A tribute to those that stood against impossible odds, and kept the end at bay while their light shone.

Though the colony was eventually lost, it would never be forgotten by Equestria nor the Empire.

Chapter 9: Presence (in-progress)

Author's Note

This chapter, is an odd one. Pulled from an unwritten story I'd call "The Performances of Castle Midnight; an HiE story". Of course, there will be no HiE here, due to the chronology of events in this universe.
Though, I find it a rather sweet notion that the fledgling space explorers of old could -in a fashion- make it to Equus, and present some of their best to ponies.

If only I were an animator :raritywink:, because the performances would be great fun to portray.
Adding to it little-by-little over the months, this is what I have so far. The set list is nearly completed, it just needs polish.

Chapter 9: Presence (in-progress)

Leaving the throne room, Twilight walked with the empress down the hall.

"Your Highness? There's something I'd like to talk with you about?" Princess Twilight asked the dark alicorn as they walked.

Her curiosity piqued, the dark alicorn followed her to a side office. There, they sat down at a small table.

"It's about our ponies... yours, and our younger ones who don't know us" Twilight began.

This was an idea which Princess Twilight had spearheaded herself. Though they had collectively noticed something which mas missing.

Which was; that soon after retaking their respective thrones and crowns back, the princesses come to realize that in the time that had passed, effectively had severed their connection and image with the ponies born in the recent many decades.

Analyzing the situation, Twilight noted that they needed a way to show Equestria that they were there for them. Present, and not some detached shadowy force sequestered in castles in distant parts of the lands.

Seeing the empress perform for Her ponies and connecting with them on her world, had given her the idea on how to build that. She then told the other princesses what she was thinking, and after a little deliberation, they agreed.

However, now they were at a bit of a loss on what pieces to perform, who would play them, and how it could actually connect with the recent generation of ponies, while involving the princesses, at least in part.

The last era had seen the suppression of performances and music, amongst many other things....

Harmony now was at an all time low, and expressions of love and friendship were much rarer than they had ever seen in their day.

Nearly two years had gone by now, and efforts in changing this were fruitful, but very slow in coming.

"This isn't exactly our apple cart. Arts like these were what our ponies made on their own, and we never had to encourage or promote it before." Twilight spoke.

"Now you've got experience in this, obviously. What, would you do?" Twilight asked with a leading smile.

At this prompt, the other alicorn smiled back with a knowing look.

This is where the only alicorn with practiced experience in musical performances, became a subtle part of the lives of Equestrian ponies for a long count of generations.

...and with her, the empress, so did an other party, though posthumously.

Elsewhere, life in Equestria was getting along better than it had before. But there were still the wounds of missing pieces in a few places.

Materializing in a park, Magnifying Glass waved to a couple ponies that saw her appear, before heading toward the street.

The two she waved at, just looked at each other and shrugged as the mare hurried off.

A few ponies that wanted to visit friends they made during their deployment, had tagged along on the trip. Magnifying Glass was one of them.

Coming to a bakery, she opened the door and smelled the aroma of baking bread.

"I miss that smell" she said to herself.

The ringing of the bell on the door, elicited a "Coming, be right there!" from the kitchen in the back.

Smiling at the voice, she went up to the counter and waited for the proprietor.

Coming around the corner doorway, a mare covered in flour greeted the customer;

"Okay, what can I get you? We have fresh..." she stalled as her eyes widened.

Magnifying Glass, seizing the opportunity, ranted;

"What kind of service do you call this?! I spend WEEKS traveling here to get some fresh bread, and what do I get? be right there What kind of place are you running here?!"

"Glass!" the flour coated mare exclaimed as she made her way around the counter.

"Long Bread!" She happily hugged the floury mare.

Releasing the hug, Glass told her;

"Still getting into your work I see?"

"Oh you know, If you can't get into your work, do something else, I always say!"

After sharing a laugh, Long Bread ushered Glass to a table;

"So which one tickles your fancy today? Pumpkin, Banana, Sour dough?"

"Ohh, pumpkin for sure! Just can't get that back home. It's close, but not the same" Glass replied as Bread went to grab a serving with butter and a glass of milk.

"I can see your keeping busy, so whats Pumpernickel up to these days?" Glass asked, making conversation while the other mare worked.

After a moment of silence, Bread replied;

"It's just me these days. Pumpernickel, didn't come back to work after.. that night" She said, her features downcast.

"Not Pumpernickel! He was so nice!" Glass said with shock.

Coming back with Glass's pumpkin bread, and shaking her head, Bread told her;

"It wasn't Pumpernickel, it was... his wife Ink Blot. She was a ranking clerk somewhere in the Equestrian Order. I never new where exactly, as he didn't like to talk about it. I got the feeling that she was really sold on what was going on."

Sitting down at the table, Bread told her a little more;

"He wasn't happy about it, but he had three foals. They, took after their mother. I could see it in his eyes; he was heartbroken, but he pushed on"

Smiling at the memories of laughter that the two shared, Bread added;

"He always said, 'love has no easy answers Bread'"

"The way you talk about him, he sounds pretty dedicated?" Glass consoled her.

"Yeah, he was a good stallion"

Bringing her hoof to the other mare's shoulder, Glass said to her friend;

"I think, you'll be needing to put a help wanted sign, out. I don't think he'll be coming back, no matter how much he'd love to..."

Looking down, Bread gave a sad nod;

"Yeah..."

Returning home, the empress called on her ponies to submit suggestions suitable for a musical performance upon Equus. Many came in from both musicians and the musically uninclined.

The alicorn went through them as they trickled in, when a submission from a composer by the name of Bass Clef, arrived.

It was massive; Complete sheet musics and demos, of which there were nearly a hundred there. The submission was titled simply; "For your consideration, your highness"

As the empress played through the demos, the first two were familiar to the three-hundred celebration, though they were more refined and flowed better than the ones played over a half millennia ago.

She listened on, impressed with his minor adjustments to the well known songs to pony ears.

The third was one that wasn't featured in the celebration, but she knew it well, as it was from the same origin as one which was. Wondering how this was still floating around so many generations later, she followed the attached sheet musics. The string and horn sections were most impressive, as they were for more than a hundred piece orchestra. Demo'd by one he conducted.
It was; 'In Your Wildest Dreams'...

Listening on, there were a few other which weren't known to ponies, to her knowledge.

One, stopped her cold as she read the prefix attached to it. It said

"I always thought of you when I listened to this one, your highness. I think, maybe Equestria would like to hear you sing the re-imagining?"

The song was titled 'Undelivered Words'

Listening to it, the song was essentially a past tense version of 'Why' by A. Lennox. Where it played like an apology for passed transgressions.

Sitting there in silence, she thought for a great while.

...perhaps, it is time? she thought.

Going back to the dragons hoard of reworks, she marveled at the effort which went into it.

All the while, she thanked the stars that her Mare-Metal, as she called it, wasn't here.

However other things were here, which were definitely of the era reminiscent of her time amongst the Ones Lost.
Things she hadn't heard in well over a century.

While wondering where the stallion had amassed such a collection of her listenings, the alicorn thumbed through the titles. Many she didn't recognize, however that made sense as the stallion didn't have the official titles available to him if her suspicions were correct?

Choosing a curiously titled one, she recognized it as well. 'Wake me Up,' or 'When I'm Older' as Bass Clef called it.
This was turning to be a surprise game of name-a-tune.

Perusing the list again, there was another note prefixing one titled 'A Gift of Princesses' which said;

Sung by the princesses?

Seeing that it was nearly ten minutes long, she gaped;

"He did not!? Why would he spend such effort?

Playing it through, it was exactly what she thought it was. This pony translated another from a dead tongue into Equish.
A song which was sung by what would be princesses, by the Ones Lost's lore.
The parallel was uncanny.

This pony knew the princesses secret thoughts to an extent deeper than most. As, she always pictured the three of them singing this to ponies.

He must have, used the reference I released in order to perform this feat?

When the alicorn released 'A New Beginning', she had to release the translation dictionary along with it. So by now, the tongue was tiny bit familiar by many, and in-depth by a few scholars.

This whole time, the though of playing a few of them for Equestria ran through her mind.

As she listened to the re-imagined collection, it made more and more sense; The ones lost had an innate ability to turn their anguish, into joy through music. The ponies of Equestria, had just gone through a terrible ordeal, and needed that leftover strife turned into happiness...

Sitting back she chuckled.

Here was a pony, showing her what was sitting under her very nose for nearly a millennia, through his own eyes. He possessing only a fraction of what she knew of it, yet he was reminding her of a great power that slumbered under her guard...

Perhaps it was time for that power to stir once more?

Calling an audience with Bass Clef, she talked with the older pony.

Turns out that many generations previously, his fore-bearers had been the ones to write the sheet music for the three-hundred celebration, and so had the recordings from the intrusion of her office.

Over the generations, the recordings in their completeness, had been hooved down as a family heirloom as a connection to the; then princess.

The ponies of his line had grown up listening to them as a part of their foalhoods, and he was no different.

During that time, occasionally one of them would take on the task of recreating the music they heard into compositional form.

What Bass Clef submitted, was the cumulative effort of generations of writing and tweaking what they heard.

Looking at the confident yet humble stallion, the empress told him;

"You might have just accomplished a thing, that even they had never dreamed. How would you feel of being my coordinator and advisor in this matter of the performance?"

"Yeah! Oh, I mean, I would be honored your highness" He said as if a number of decades on him, had just melted away.

"Excellent. We have much planning to do, including selection of diegetic compositions. I hope your schedule can be cleared?" the alicorn asked him as she raised an eyebrow.

"He might not realize how much he has just bitten into?" she wondered.

Looking him over for a moment, the empress asked him;

"From growing up listening to what you have heard; What is your impression of the Ones Lost musical abilities?"

"Simply...amazing, I'd say."

Nodding in agreement, the alicorn followed up by asking;

"How well did you come to know the tongues they spoke, from the songs you have rewritten?"

"Okay, I'd guess. But I'm no expert" Clef replied.

"Hmm. Come with me, if you would?"

Leaving the throne room, the stallion followed the empress up the stairs to the second floor hall. There, they walked together and turned a couple corners, and finally came to the empress's private office library.

Walking inside, Bass Clef's eyes bugged out of his head. This was an honor bestowed to very few ponies; In fact, he was the eighth pony besides the empress to step hoof into the expansive room.

Walking behind her desk, the alicorn brought up her now antiquated built-in desk computer. Where, she moved a strange device along her desk, and then typed many keys on the odd looking array of buttons.

Turning away from her desk, she walked down an isle of small shelves, Bass Clef following along with her.

Humming to herself, she spoke softly and melodically. It was familiar to Clef, but it was in an uncharacteristic manner for the empress. The words that escaped from her muzzle, formed;

"~we just can't escape it....like flames reaching out from the sun~"

This was one that Clef hadn't heard before, so he was quick to ask;

"Your highness? Escape what?"

Broken from her thoughts, she looked to the unicorn.

"Oh? My apologies, tis nothing of import. Merely something which has been brought back into memory by recent events"

Turning back to the shelves, she paused and then turned around. Heading back toward the end, she stopped and pulled one of the cases from its place. Opening it, she slipped out the paper inside and unfolded it. Reading the ancient text to herself, her expression became... forlorn.

Pausing to think for a few moments, she muttered to herself;

"I wonder..."

Folding it back up and slipping it back together, the alicorn put the case back onto the shelf.

"An aged song by even their reckoning. I listened to it when I was trying to comprehend them in those days. Yet strangely, at the same time; often finding myself looking back upon my own dark times. And of Celestia as well"

"What do you mean? How could it compare?"

"Ponies, caught in the middle during a coup. Additionally, the specter of being worse-off for it...instead of better as was often proclaimed. Such played out here from time to time, and the words speak of it"

Shaking her head to clear her mind, she then looked to Clef with a resigned smile.

"Nopony can be sure of the results of change beforehoof. For even scrying, cannot alleviate... doubts. Thus, I rarely perform the feat of scrying the times ahead. I look only as far as ponies still walking the lands here, in a century's time"

Turning her gaze back to the shelf, she resumed her search.

Looking closely, reading fine print along the spines; she hovered one out, then repeated the motion, getting another, and finally another.

Turning around, she made her way from the aisle, and over to the wall behind her desk. There; was an antiquity, over a millennia in age.

Bass Clef stared in wonder and amusement as the alicorn turned on the system; it's amber displays illuminating symbols, both familiar and not.

From the three items she brought with her, she opened each one and hovered out a flat platter. The ?cases? he guessed, had pictures on them and words. The first, had a mural with strange looking creatures in it. The second, had...a skeleton looking figure on it. The third; had what looked a bunch of circles on it.

Placing the three platters into an overly complicated looking cartridge, the alicorn inserted the cartridge into one of the units housed in the wall.

While she did this, she spoke to Clef;

"If you would be so kind, what was your impression of; Marvin, I love you?" Moon asked offhandedly.

An expression of confusion coloring his face, he returned;

"Your highness? What do you mean?"

"You submitted it to me, Clef. The composition?" She clarified.

Thinking it over for a moment, he replied;

"Oh! The one about the robot? That was composed by my mother, Somber String. I just recorded it as she wrote it" He replied.

"Ah. Hmhm, I suppose that Somber would indeed do it justly. An eclectic combination of uptempo humor and gloom" she answered.

"Yeah, I heard it quite a few times, and eventually asked her what a robot was" he broke for a laugh "I thought they were scary, and I'm happy we don't have any shuffling around, even now. Though it's hard to be scared of a sad robot!" he finished heartily.

"Such was the reason I found the tale charming. Though he was but a minor part of it, it was always a treat to see the awkward figure make his appearances" pausing to think, the pondered;

"I wonder if my ponies will eventually make their own rendition of the odd tales some day? Through mere coincidence?"

Turing back to the stallion, she addressed him;

"This, as you must have surmised, is an antiquity of era of the Ones Lost. What I placed into it here, are recordings that they made. The recordings vary from the heart capturing-ly sweet, to things that would make thy blood freeze in thine veins. I asked you here to my office, so thee would have a greater understanding of the power you wield via their songs. I shall play a few of them for you, to deepen thine palette. I feel that you will appreciate what their voices will tell"

Smiling at him with mischief in her eyes, she said;

"The first, is a fable. One that I have little doubt hath occurred at least once, in their long history. It is about Two Knights; guards, and two Maidens; mares"

Turning her head toward the player, her horn lit, and the buttons pressed in succession; disc 1, track 10+ and 1. Also, the alicorn pressed the 'Vol >' a number of times, eliciting a decreasing negative number on the display.

After a moment of clicking and whirring, a faint rumbling came from the speakers. Fading in, it was joined with ambient sounds and a distant drumming. Swiveling his ears, Clef was doing his best to make out what he was hearing, when the reversed piano chord made him jump.

"Two Knights and Maidens"

The alicorn studied the expressions of Bass Clef as he listened. When he blushed a bit, she knew that he was understanding the voices in the song.

When the song finally reverted back to a fading rumbling sound, Clef's eyes were tiny pin pricks, and he was considerably paler than he was before.

He just looked at the alicorn with an expression of horror as he pointed at the wall and said;

"Th...They're, they were eaten.. the Knights?!"

Looking upward, the alicorn shrugged;

"Who is to say? Though I believe such was the result. The Maidens had solved their Knight problem, and the Knights might not have ever known they were at their end, until after? A powerful message in such a simple melody is in not? Made ever more powerful, provided it happened to not be fictitious? Such were the Ones Lost; powerful and... unpredictable. The powers that each other held, were never quite what they seemed. These, Bass Clef, are their echo's..."

Letting that sink in for a few moments, she smiled. Taking joy in playing the part of a teacher once more; she had missed seeing the wide eyes of realization settling into ponies. Many centuries had passed since she turned the role of teaching over to the younger ponies, from her role of being the sole instructor in the beginning days.

Clearing her throat, the empress drew Clefs thoughts back to the present;

"I found that their most striking and brightest of works, were made possible through only their darkest and deepest woes that they could conspire to manifest. That their light was only possible, due to their dark nature. Such was my kindred beginning, had led to how my understanding and appreciation of them, was made."

Closing her eyes, the alicorn lamented;

"An appreciation such as most ponies cannot form. More so as the distance of time and experience makes..."

Looking back to Clef, she ushered the conversation along.

"This next one...is embarrassing for me to present to another, here and now. I, have not played it in a very long time. For me, it was symbolic to what I was facing... should everypony had not come to be. Judging from what thee have submitted, it is unlike any you have heard before?"

Turning the volume down a little, her magic illuminated the; disc 2, and the 7, buttons.

Her voice uncharacteristically soft, she spoke;

"Midnight"

Pressing stop at the end of the track, the alicorn sighed;

"I am glad those times are behind me now, as those were troubled nights. However, it is amusing how allegorical lyrics can be interpreted in so many different ways. Surely the lyricist had not envisioned how I would receive them, Clef?"

"I've, no clue what they would've meant. Now, thinking back to the saga, and how, y'know... things might've went? That makes a bit more sense? Maybe?" Clef shrugged. "Sure is loud though!"

Smiling back at him, the alicorn chuckled.

"Indeed. Long ago, in another time, a forever night had a different meaning."

Looking sheepishly, Clef pressed the alicorn for an answer to a question that just wouldn't leave him;

"You highness?"

Following the empress's nod, he pressed on;

"The um.... banishment..."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he finished;

"...the exiles?"

Getting a feel for what Clef was getting at, the empress clarified;

"Of all ponies, why would I carry out such an act?" She prompted.

"Well.. yeah. I'd have thought, that after what you've been through..." Clef trailed off.

"Mmhm. Twas not my first, nor second desired method.. In actuality, such was.. my last resort"

Looking downward, she thought back to what was weighing on her mind when Equestria was under siege from within.

"What directed my choice Bass Clef, was... fear."

Hearing such a thing fall from her highness's lips, was...nearly preposterous!

"What could you've possibly been a-afraid of?? You're?!"

Heaving a sigh. The alicorn knew that words would not do her fears any justice. Regretting that her library didn't contain the ones lost historical accounts, she searched her memories of how to relate to Clef what she knew.
Recalling the words she read recently, it came to her.

"A moment if you would, Clef. I believe I can illustrate."

With those cryptic words, the alicorn turned and trot swiftly back to her desk. There, she entered many different terms, and scrolled through tiny pictures, until she found what she was looking for.

Leaving her desk, she passed by Clef where he patiently sat, as she went back to the shelves.
Peering closely at the spines, she pulled one out, removed the platter from within, and placed it where the case she removed had been.

Levitating it in a manner which Clef could not make out the cover, she returned to where he waited patiently.

"Bass Clef; What I am about to show you, is to not leave this room. Am I making myself clear?" The alicorn spoke with a soft, yet clear tone which left no question that this was an agreement with royalty. An informal contract of terms.

"What do you mean?" Clef gulped.

"What I am ready to reveal to you, I feel will answer your question. And if you truly do want to understand what would give an alicorn pause, and even direct her to wield banishment in order to avoid or prevent... You must agree to keep this image to yourself for the rest of your days, describing it to nopony. Agreed?"

Nodding hesitantly, Clef wasn't sure if he wanted to know. Though his curiosity was getting the better of him.

"Very well. Now steel yourself, for this is most un-pony. With fortune, should it stay that way, always."

Levitating the case to him, he gripped it with his own magic as he brought it closer, trying to make out the image. For a few moments, he couldn't make sense of the picture. There was no color in it, and seemed to be a chaotic mess of white and shadow. His eyes were finally drawn to the side, where a shape could be made out, however it wasn't a pony, it was..

His eyes widened as he thought This is one of them? It is, this is how they looked!

However, that was about all he could discern from it.
Looking up to the alicorn who was watching him intensely, Clef asked;

"I, don't get it. What's this all over, it?"

Releasing a held breath, Moon replied;

"Tis fire"

"Wha..?" He trailed off as his eyes went back to the image he held in his aura.

His furrowed expression having changed into that of wide-eyed shock, his magic grip fizzled out. The case, falling freely to the floor with a clattering sound.
Laying there opened and undamaged, the case's protection enchantment still holding true, even after this millennia passed.

"W-wh? They had no magic?! That's...real?? How, why?" Clef sputtered.

"Slowly Clef, breath, slow breaths. Now you see the need for my requirement of confidentiality, yes?"

"Y-yes. That's, beyond, horrible. I...can't" Clef said between panting breaths.

"Indeed it is. At the same time, this was by his own volition. None did that upon him, for that was; a mere protest"

"Against WHAT?! What could possibly...make This.. worth doing?!" Clef exclaimed.

Covering the case in her magic, the empress closed and levitated it back to herself. Resting her gaze upon the picture, she told him;

"I do not know exactly. Actions such as this were extraordinary, and fortunately just as rare."

Taking a deep breath, she ruminated openly;

"Images such as these carry meaning beyond words....many of them questions; Who he was, what he was thinking of, what intricate circumstances conspired to bring this to fruition...are to name but a few"

Looking up from the picture to Clef, she made her point;

"What this image says to me, is that; Ears may have heard him and his protests, however.. their rulers seemingly took little heed of them, or could not. Effectively, they were deafened to them"

Ruffling the tension from her wings, she laid down before Clef.

"Endless, even needless-complexity, was their way I feel. Tis the only thing which makes sense to me, in order to explain this. Ones who had the ambition, yet not the wisdom, took reins. They were not ready, and so, did not think through their machinations to their ends. Making decisions ad-hoc as they went, installed the complexities, which in turn, constrained them more and more as they went"

Smiling a bit, she puffed a chuckle as she remembered a phrase from back then.

"Keep things which are important, simple Clef. Though such.. is a harder thing to practice than you would expect. As it limits one from making personal exceptions. Which even I falter doing on occasion. Case in point; should I had fallen in that throne room two years ago..."

Looking him in the eyes, the empress asked him;

"Could and would you have ruled in my stead as my successor, thrust into power due to my recklessness? Would you be wise enough to make decisions to keep the empire from splitting apart over disagreements?"

Clef shook his head wildly; "Stars no! Me?"

Quirking an eyebrow leadingly, the empress followed;

"Even if you, for some reason, thought of yourself as most qualified? Perhaps that through the generations of exposure to the 'heirlooms of the empress' had granted you insight into the mind of a ruler? And therefor, more qualified than the average pony?"

Laughing openly to Clefs expression of incredulity, she put the unicorns mind at ease;

"I jest, humble Clef. The ponies of Equestria that ceased power, thought themselves worthy of ruling power for similar meager exposures. Such are the ways things sometimes happen. Ponies, can loose appreciation for their own naivete, and put themselves in places which they are not well suited nor ready for"

"Well, that's certainly not me. I'm perfectly happy just conducting orchestras" Clef dismissed.

Nodding in appreciation, the empress looked back down to the colorless image.

"In Equestria, I saw ponies making gestures which I had witnessed before. Gestures which might have led to..."

Meeting his eyes once again, she told him;

"I would not see ponies turn deaf ears to one another as they trod on each other's hooves. Slowly deviling into a situation where the unthinkable, would seemingly become the only remaining option that they had left to them..."

"Fear for such an outcome, pushed me to place my hoof in, and down as hard as I would dare to. Should even a single pony eventually resort to engage in an act such as this, would show that the princesses and myself, had failed them. I would not see that become part of the history to my old home. And so, against that end, I performed judgement, banishment, and exile. Now, only time will tell if it was folly to do so?"

"I think it'll work out just fine. In the end, it worked out for... you your highness"

Standing back up, the alicorn walked back to return the case and its platter to its place on the shelf, replying;

"I indeed hope so, Clef. Inducing chaos, destruction, and doom once more, is not what I wish to be remembered for. I went back to remedy relations, not renew the stale ones which existed"

"Still, I can't believe things on Earth were that bad..." Clef trailed off.

Returning back, the empress answered his supposition;

"Oh it wasn't. The world was a big place, even with billions of them all across the lands. There were small pockets, and
flares from time to time, however overall? They got along well enough, despite it. Do you remember the detonative devices they possessed?"

"Not really, my knowledge of where they left off and we began is a little fuzzy?" Clef answered.

"Ah, hmm... from what I can recall, they had fissile detonators in some capacity at the time that image was taken. In retrospect, it could have been infinitely worse. In turn, leaving me to arrive much later, only to be met with desolation...and without form, permanently. There would be nopony here, evermore, and Equestria left to the way we found it."

Shrugging her wings dismissively, she admitted;

"I cannot rightly split hairs on the happenings which took place before my time. Because of them, I can be here today, speaking with a talented pony, and a re-met family in Equestria."

"The odds are.. mind boggling. With chaos like that happening... Well, I'm just glad we're ponies!" Clef exclaimed gladly.

Quirking her head to the side, finding a puzzle piece out of place, the alicorn asked Clef;

"Clef, you stated that you did not know well, their advanced abilities?"

Receiving a nod, she went on;

"You are familiar with the song Forever Young yes? What is its meaning to you?"

"It's about the dangers of immortality, if I remember correctly" Clef stated simply.

"Hmm, I guess that is true... However, what would you think if I told you that the song, was a protest?"

"Against.. living too long?" Clef guessed off-hoofedly.

Finding amusement in his grope for an answer;

"Hmhmmhmhm, nay. T'was against living in constant fear of their world coming to an end at any hour. For you see, an entire generation had grown up knowing that those fissile detonators could be launched at any time. And eventually, they became frustrated with living in and under the constant tension of that reality. So...they supposed to end that stagnation, in one way or another. The protest message was; Either launch them, or put them away, all of them, no more of this."

"Wow! That's... well, the word risky doesn't come close to covering it. The musical piece made it sound like an awfully peaceful protest?" Clef remarked.

"Oh, Its original composition was quite different than the orchestral variation that you have heard; the one I prefer. It is worth pointing out that with the countless voices, I was exposed to only an insignificant number of their expressions in music. Even the ones which I stumbled across, were often re-imagined; before or after I came across them. Let me check if I have its original composition"

Heading back to her desk once more, she typed into it, the title;

"Of course, I recall it now. Hmhm, new wave genre, everything was 'new' then."

"Your highness?" Clef asked, confused by her remark.

"Tis nothing Clef. Merely an old cultural observation" the alicorn dismissed as she walked back to the shelf and picked out another case.

Walking back to the wall where the equipment was, she remarked to Clef;

"This will likely be trying to your ears Clef, as you enjoy the fullness of authentic instruments. This song was made with their synthetic instruments, when they were still quite primitive"

While she loaded the cartridge, a thought crossed her mind, so she asked Clef;

"You are aware of the synthetic performer; Buzzing Chorus, yes? What is your impression of him?"

"Oh... He's all right. Though I'm not completely sold on the idea of there not being a real pony doing the singing. I guess he's a proxy for a pony who can't sing themselves... but still? I don't know"

"Tis fair. When he came into being, I was not at all surprised. In fact I was waiting for it to happen again" the alicorn responded with a secret smile on her lips.

"Again?" Clef asked.

"Yes. You are the first pony I have told this; that he was not the first, though he is the best so far. Unknowingly outshining his predecessors"

With Clefs eyes getting bigger, having put the pieces together, he blurted;

"They had one too?!"

"Indeed, a few in fact. Made in their own image of course, though they were flat and simpler in design. Buzzing Chorus is part of a lineage in a way. Would you like to hear one, it might help put him into perspective?"

"Yes!"

"It will take some searching to jog my memory of her name, or what she was referred to as"

Pressing a few buttons on the equipment, a few moments later "Forever Young (Special Extended Dance Mix)" played while she went back to her computer to being the search for the virtual performer of old.
When the song came to its end, Clef pushed the button that he watched the empress push, causing the playback to stop, saying;

"Yeah, not quite my cup of tea. But it does sound more like a protest than the one I know."

Still concentrating on her search, the alicorn didn't reply. Walking over to join her at her desk, Clef looked at the screen. On it were pictures, tiles of them. Which the alicorn was using a plastic device with a cord coming out of it to scroll through.
As the minutes passed by, the empress said;

"This is a more involved search than I realized. I have already narrowed the search parameters to a specific tongue, yet am reduced to scrolling passed images for something familiar to stand out"

"There's a lot. It's good to see that they're not disturbing like the one you showed me, before" Clef remarked.

"Few had the audacity to put images such as those upon their works, thankfully" she replied.

Minutes more passing by, she paused and exclaimed; "Wait" when an drawn illustration came across the screen.

"There she is"

Clicking on it, the details filled the screen, to which she exclaimed;

"Never in millennia, would I have thought to search by that term. It was not a natural word in any of the tongues which they used."

Turning her head to Clef, she remarked;

"Needless complications, Bass Clef"

Going back to the search parameters, she revised it to simply the term 'volcaloid', where little more than a couple dozen results came up.

"I believe this is the one I recall her sounding the most... realistic" the alicorn said as the details filled the screen

"Odds..ends?" Clef read the screen.

"There were countless applications for the singer, some quite unique" she said as the went back to the results.

Pausing on another, she put the details on the screen. Wondering why it caught her attention, it slowly dawned on her. With the memories coming back, she chuckled to herself.

"The story behind this one is likely greater than the album itself"

"Oh?" Clef prompted her to continue.

"Yes, the album itself, is a re-imagining of another, including the very image upon it. Performed by the virtual singer, it was largely a cover... except for this final track; Satellite Love. It caught my ear, more so than the rest of it did. So unique it was... Now, the likelihood of my encountering the recording altogether was one in a million, for it was a promotional copy, and never re-released in its entirety; the final track... missing. When I began assembling this library, I acquired the re-release only to find than what I wanted most, to not be there. Thus my search for the rare album began... Such is part of why I use the phrase; needless complication when I think back to them." She rambled while she got up to fetch the former album.

After hearing the former song, Clef remarked;

"It's an autobiography of the composer...impressive. And the instruments are much better than the last song, but the singer comes across flat, like you said. The subtleties of..character are missing. I can tell that the vocals are assembled, instead of performed by a pony. Buzzing Chorus on the other hoof, includes those in comparison, thankfully."

"Agreed. Clef, now that you have seen and heard what you have, are you still ready to assist me in coordinating the revival of musical harmony to the ponies of Equestria? Are you ready to meet the challenge of inspiring ponies with the brightness of the old world, from the measure of shadow to its origin?" the alicorn asked the unicorn.

Standing up straight, he looked like he would have flared his wings if he had them.

"I was born ready, your highness!" Clef exclaimed with full confidence.

Returning his confident grin, the empress replied;

"Splendid, and welcome. Welcome, to the empire of recuperation. We have much work to do"

Four months of arrangements and planning later, the empress's flagship was loaded with prefabricated equipment.

Equestria would witness its first nationwide tele-performance. Stages erected in every village and city, would show what the two had contrived at the princesses bidding.

While the stages were being erected and seats were placed, posters were hung seemingly everywhere.

Titled simply; [Presence of Harmony; Live from Ponyville to Everypony],
ponies became curious of what would be played at the performance.

The core performance was located just outside Ponyville, beyond princess Twilights castle.

There; the players and singers images and sounds would be captured for live re-transmission to the other stages. At the other stages, everything would be projected in lifelike depth, indistinguishable from the real thing; Save for the audience knowing that it was coming from Ponyville.

Ranging from skepticism to anticipation of many things about the performance, curiosity would be attracting ponies in droves. Countless ponies were going to be filling the seats that were being set up around the stages and its speakers.

It had been some time since ponies had been able to see a show, and they were itching to see one again.

Meanwhile up in orbit, a couple of support ships assumed position for their part in the show.

See the Sun

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Alternating Tones of Change

"Now this is something I haven't seen in a very long time..." Twilight spoke after seeing the synthetic performer appear for a private run through of his performance.

"I take it that they no longer walk Equestria?" Moon asked in response.

"Well, no. Not like this anymore. They've changed" she giggled at her own pun.

"Oh? How so?" The empress asked in curiosity.

"They look different now, after learning to share love. More colorful, and the holes are filled now.. completed, I guess?" the princess answered her. But after a moment added;
"The queen however... Nopony has seen her in centuries. Not since she left Equestria for the south. Only rumors that she was still around reached us, and that was some time ago"

"She didn't change with her hive?" Moon asked.

"Not that I know of. Maybe queens cant? Nopony knows."

"Hmm, perhaps not in form... I shall have to look into this" the empress commented to herself aloud.

"I'm surprised you didn't know about her. What with all those things in the skies overhead?" Cadance asked, trotting into the performance hall.

"Ah, hello princess. Welcome. I apologize for starting without you" Moon greeted the princess of love.

"Think nothing of it, I ran into a pony who was lost in thought. Or more to the point he walked into me. So I helped him with a little love trouble that had him distracted" She answered.

"A princesses duty is never complete, nor her life, dull" Moon quipped.

"So what did I miss? Must've been some setup to explain an ancient changeling here" Cadance looked the performer up and down. "Is this that singer who isn't real that you told me about?"

"Indeed it is. I present to you, the synthetic performer; Buzzing Chorus"

"Hello Chorus" the princess greeted the changeling.

When he didn't respond, Cadance looked to the empress and asked;

"Is something wrong?"

Shaking her head no, the empress answered;

"Not at all, his actions are pre-set before-hoof. Though much toil, at that. They have simply not begun as set, yet. Everything he says, sings, and moves, are planned out before they have begun."

Hoofing them a couple of scrolls, the empress told them both;

"Here are the stage direction which he will follow. There are two songs, with a short break between them."

"I want to know what love is..." Cadance read from the top of the scroll.

"A favorite which he has performed many times for my ponies. It was his introduction song, which exemplified a little of what I supposed a changeling was like, my knowledge of them incomplete" Moon detailed.

Reading the lyrics over, Twilight nodded a little;

"Sort of, but it's more pony than changeling. At least compared to the way they used to be...overall"

"I like it. It reminds me of Thorax" Cadance commented.

"Thorax?" Moon asked.

"Their first king. The changeling that changed them the most, into what they are today" Cadance replied with a serine smile.

Returning back to the moment, from her reminiscing;

"But where do I come in?" she added.

"At the end of the second song. Joining him on stage, to demonstrate a helping hoof when in need" Moon answered.

Looking back to the scroll, Cadance read;

"Hmhmm, you flatter me. Love's Divine?" she giggled.

"Something new for the occasion" Moon smiled back, thinking;

"New to ponykind, at least"

Strolling through the woods at a leisurely place, the empress approached a respectable yet moderate sized domicile.

The thicker and random brush giving way to a more orderly and cleared wooded landscape, the alicorn caught sight of her destination.

Snatches of dark stone and green roof began to appear between the tree trunks at a distance.

In her mane, was tucked a rolled scroll with stage directions, sheet music, and lyrics to a song called 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!'

The woods were typical, complete with the usual sounds one would expect. Nothing stood out besides the domicile ahead.

Coming to the door, the empress knocked three times.

Receiving no answer a second series of knocks, a pony spoke through her ear piece;

"She's in there, your highness. Sitting on a chair, staring at the door with her ears twitching as far as we can tell?"

After knocking a third time and receiving no response, the empress called through the door;

"Your highness, I know you are there, and can hear me well. I have a proposal which I believe you might find mutually beneficial?"

Getting no reply yet again, the empress spoke again;

"It has been a long time since you imposed exile upon yourself. Do you not believe, that it is high time ponies and changelings alike, heard your voice again Chrysalis?"

Author's Note

A short one, inspired by a couple comic pages by artist hakar-kerarmor
Part 1
Part 2

Interlude: Kept in translation

Knocking at the empress's office, the door opened automatically.

Inside, the empress was laying on a sofa, an opened book propped against a pillow.

Looking up at the princess, Moon greeted her mother;

"Good afternoon Princess, please do come in."

Walking into the sizable room, the princess looked around to see that it had a more antiquated feel to it. It was filled with things more akin to Equus, rather than what the space faring ponies usually used. Yet it was strange in places, as odd devices adorned the far wall, and unfamiliar things lined some shelves.

As the princess approached the other alicorn, her eyes were drawn to the book she was apparently reading.

Sitting down on the couch opposite the empress, Luna inquired of the book.

"From time to time, I desire to let my mind wander far from matters of the empire. This is one such tale I look to for such a distraction" Moon replied.

"I see. May I have a look at it?" Luna asked.

"Of course, though I doubt its words will reveal much to you. For it is in an ancient and dead tongue" Moon said as she levitated the book to the princess.

Indeed, as the princess looked over a few of the pages; no meaning could she gather from them.

Returning the book to the empress, she sighed in disappointment.

"A pity. Reading printed tomes are a thing that I most miss from Equestria... What is it about?" Luna lamented.

"Great deeds and misdeeds; valor, treachery, creation of a universe, rule, strife, and shaping of the world" the empress told her.

"How does that free your mind from matters at hoof? Sounds much as a reminder?" Luna asked.

"Ah, this universe is not our own; Filled with different creatures, ruling powers, and deities. It is familiar, yet equally not so. In fact, it was penned by foreign creatures while our banishment was held" Moon went into detail.

"So different it is, that I find it a welcome reprieve. It also provides me with a perspective beyond my little empire of ponies."

"How so?" Luna's curiosity was rising.

"Shall I illustrate by reading a chapter?" the empress asked the princess.

Having been given a slight nod, the dark alicorn opened the book and flipped a few pages into it.

Clearing her throat, the dark alicorn spoke in a dialect Luna did not expect that she could make. Though she was speaking in Equish, her voice was as if she were a stranger from an unknown land;

"Ђэґэ ωлs Ærų, Ђэ Onэ, ωћδѫ iῃ Δґdл ιs ςάĺĺэd ĺĺuvлtл..."

As the empress read aloud the words on the pages, the princess closed her eyes and let her mind paint the words into a form she could comprehend.

There; a universe without stars, moon, nor sun took form; A place of only abstract powers and existences, with a yet to be told purpose, propelling it forward.

And before she knew it, the short chapter had come to its conclusion.

"...λлbιtлtιon of Ђэ foлls of ĺĺuvлtлґ, эstлbĺιshэd άt Ђэ ĺлst ιn Ђэ Dэpths of Tiѫэ, лѫιdsŧ Ђэ iῃῃuѫэґάblэ stάґs."

Having read the last words on the page; the empress was silent, looking to the lunar princess.

Opening her eyes, Luna beckoned her to continue;

"Go on. There appears to be much more to the tome, yes?"

Smiling, Moon turned to the next page.

While reading a passage in the tome, of the pardon of an entity of great envy and vengeance; the older sister of the two diarchs knocked on the door.

"Enter" Moon called.

Opening the door, Celestia walked into the room, where the empress offered her a place to sit.

Placing herself onto the couch next to her sister, she inquired to what the dark alicorn was reading from.

"This? Tis a tale of everything which this universe is not. An antiquity of the past, which I still find joy in recollecting"

"A fiction?" Celestia asked.

Nodding, Moon said;

"One well rounded. It begins before the sun, moon, and stars existed. And spans millennia"

"In such a small book?" Celestia raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed, though this is the overview of the beginning. Others, detail some events which followed in later times" Moon expanded a tad.

"How far in are you along?" Celestia asked Luna.

"Mmm, the world has been made, and a creature much, much worse than Discord is about to be released from imprisonment"

"Sounds dreadful. Similar to Grogar?" Celestia asked her sister.

"Worse, much worse. The treachery of this one, outshines Grogar's ambitions in many ways" The dark alicorn interjected.

Seeing the raised eyebrows of both of the sisters looks, led her to indulge them a little spoiler;

"Though this story does not detail the methods nor machinations, this villain did far worse than merely destroy... Imagine King Sombra, and Grogar combined, along with the power to shape the very stone of mountains with its will?"

A few moments of silence later, Celestia asked;

"And you are reading such a tale.... for enjoyment?"

Smiling, Moon replied with a smile;

"Yes. Such dark tales... grant me perspective. Such as; When I came to Equestria, only to find it in such a state..."

Taking a breath, the alicorn looked down as the smile left her muzzle.

"I could have routed every guardspony wearing a uniform. Perhaps even, anypony that I deemed responsible for my displeasure in that moment"

Looking back up the the two of them, she continued;

"My flagship... Had the power to vaporize the entirety of Canterlot Mountain"

The princesses eyes growing large at the proclamation, the dark alicorn responded;

"My hooves were stayed by the knowledge that; no matter how dire I found the circumstances to be, they could have been much worse than I had found them. Tales written, such as these... work to keep that realization alive"

Relaxing a little, the alabaster alicorn shook her head and spoke with exasperation;

"What sort of creature would write tales... so dark..?"

Exhaling a chuckle, the Moon replied;

"Creatures, both dark enough to collude in such dark endeavors, yet also ready to give their lives to stop the very same when they found it. They were... interesting"

"Were?" Celestia asked.

Nodding solemnly, Moon spoke softly;

"were..."

"Why, were?" Celestia pressed the alicorn.

"Both... endeavors had happened amongst themselves. Leaving me to be the only holder of remembrance"

Predicting their next question, one she had been asked many times by her ponies as well as herself, she told them;

"I.. had no right nor quarter to rule them against their wills, as such was the requirement to... avert my intervention"

"I could only save some token of their achievements, and flee the aftermath. Using one of Sombra's last known tricks"

Looking up towards the ceiling, she gestured aloft and told them;

"This city, which they built for me without knowledge of what I was, or what was to come... I brought ahead, a centuries time. Far beyond the ruin of the old world. A place for ponies to live, love, and carry onward"

Looking down at the opened book at her side, she said softly;

"Though, not forgotten; are many of the things which they taught me, in that short time"

Looking back up to the princesses, Moon expressed a soft smile;

"We both have missed much. Experiences, that have led us to where we are now? I expect that you have more which you wish to know?"

After a few moments, Celestia asked;

"There was a reason I came calling..."

"Please, do continue" Moon urged.

"What does... stoned mean?" Celestia asked.

After a moment, Moon replied;

"I.. do not understand what you mean. To throw rocks, perhaps? Petrify?"

Shaking her head, Celestia elaborated;

"That doesn't fit. How could rocks compare to drinking beverages?"

Even more lost now, Moon asked her to provide more context.

"I viewed the Three Hundred celebration, where one of the performances was titled Stoned...?" Celestia added.

After talking a couple moments to put the pieces together, Moons eyes lit up in realization, and then she laughed loudly in her seat.

"Ah! That stoned! The answer to that, is more involved than one would expect, for it is particular to a condition of the ancients."

Getting even more confused, Celestia pressed the alicorn;

"Why would your ponies be performing a composition related to the ancient ones? How would they know of, it?"

"My unintentional doing I am afraid. Though Blooming Velvet's voice was perfect for the piece, and Wild Swing's drum work at that performance... is unsurpassed to this day. Though I am likely, biased" Moon laughed to herself.

"For you see, my little ponies conspired...." The empress told her of the surprise that her ponies put forth many centuries ago.

Half way through the story, the other two princesses; Cadance and Twilight, came in a joined the rest.

Stifling a chuckle, Celestia commented;

"Ponies can be wonderfully surprising, can't they? But that doesn't explained stoned at all"

"That is very hard to comprehend, and even harder to explain.."

Thinking for a few long moments, the empress told them;

"What is easier to explain, is the effects it had, and the means to do so. Put simply, to be 'stoned' is the imbibing of substances, to the point of impairment in the senses and thoughts"

"As in potions? Why would somepony partake to such an extent?" Luna asked in turn.

"I cannot say with much certainty. However, I suspected it had something to do with escaping... circumstances. Ones, which some found insurmountable, I suppose? Though, these were not potions as we know them. Their effects were entirely perceptual, not substantive"

"If it's only perceptual... why, do it? To what end?" Twilight thought it through.

"The ends...." the empress said solemnly.

"The ends, were sometimes... tragic. Such was the case of, how I became the benefactors only heir"

Raising a few eyebrows, the other alicorns waited for her to continue.

"I presume that the Tale of the Clandestine Terminus is in order. It is not a pleasant one, and my ponies know not of it. To my ponies, I inferred that it was a common malady, though that was not the complete story... Let us keep it that way, yes?" The empress spoke as she closed the door to her office, and erected a barrier that made the other alicorns horns tingle.

"Enough. I don't need to hear any more." Celestia interrupted the recounting.

"Is it true, Moon?"

Turning to face the lunar princess which asked the question, the empress spoke;

"As far as I could read the benefactors emotions, as well as the aversion of specific descriptors at the time... I did not fully trust that I was given the entire tale"

Gazing downward, the dark alicorn added;

"Unsure of the validity of the events as they were relayed to me, I later seized the opportunity to look into the matter. And so, when the events played out once more, I.. saw for myself, in pony, and in stealth"

Looking back up to the lunar princess once more, Moon answered;

"Yes, tis true. The details, I spared as much as I could, yet? The world then, was filled with heroes and villains in great quantities. Some were both, and others were neither. Circumstances would conspire to make one the former at first, then the latter. Or the opposite in order. Countless chain reactions and opposing suppressions to them all... In turn, I asked myself which was true of my Benefactor? Certainly he was filled with regrets, and he then gambled what little he had remaining onto me, to unknown ends... I still do not know if he was a conscientious spirit, or merely foolish?"

"I guess the word stoned is fitting in a way then. Though it's... I'm saddened by the similarities" Celestia said, having come to a consensus in her thoughts.

"But, then, why did that melody appeal to you? After receiving such an...answer to your search for the facts?" Celestia pressed the empress.

Looking upward a little, the dark alicorn asked;

"You recall the final words? Take me home?"

In response to the uncomprehending looks, the empress closed her eyes.

"When I heard it early on, it appealed to my desire to simply go home. I occasionally entertained the fantasy of wandering away from.. all that surrounded me. The madness, the burden? Additionally, it paralleled my relations with them, in how it was fraught with friction"

"What kind of relations? Cadance asked, trying to lighten the mood, and a tad curious of the presence of romance between the empress and the mystical creatures.

"Platonic, I assure you" The empress answered with confidence. "Anything more, would have been incredibly reckless"

Detouring the conversation for an aside, Moon asked Celestia and the others;

"Have you perchance viewed my performance of Take my Hoof?"

Receiving shakes of their heads, Moon replied;

"A pity. Written by the same author, I had performed it for my ponies to instill a sense of romance unto them. As it turned out to be the case, the performance subsequently garnered myself a number of would-be suitors as a result. In all, I considered my efforts a success" Moon finished with a soft chuckle.

"Aaand??" Cadance pressed for more.

"Aand....what?" The empress feigned innocence.

"Oh, nothing. Never mind" Cadance waived her hoof, letting the matter slip away.

Shaking her head, the empress continued the track of the conversation;

"On the matter of the previous work..."

The conversation came to a pause for a moment, as Moon became lost in thought and memory. Eventually Twilight cleared her throat, and coming back to the present, the empress mused rhetorically;

"I had often wondered, if such was his wish as well? Perhaps, nearly all here were merely seeking such simple things? The means were simply...misplaced?"

Looking at the princesses before her, the empress divulged;

"Try as I might, the knowledge of the former tale never left me. And I had often wondered, if perchance; he had made it home in a fashion?"

A broken smile gracing her muzzle, she looked between them with misty eyes;

"May be, even to my old home somehow? Where I had longed to be..."

Shaking her head to clear her emotions, she said to herself more than the princesses;

"I became a sentimental fool, here. Whom would have thought? There was a saying that extraordinary circumstances, kindled odd kinships..."

The empress stopped to take a deep breath, while the other alicorns glanced at each other in bewilderment at the prospect of a melancholy Nightmare Moon.

"Before I had fled, the recording had appealed to me in more a prophetic sense. Then afterward, the haunting nature of the melody suits me well when I happen to be feeling sentimental. I hearken back to passed times.. and of the ones I met and said goodbye to"

Meeting Celestia's eyes, Moon told her;

"Over time, I had gained some understanding of the ancients, and of how they lived. In parts; I formed empathy, as well as occasional disdain in seemingly random measure... Such was the landscape of their world, and so was survival upon it... for all, I can only suppose"

Ruffling her wings to shake out the tension from them, the dark alicorn stated;

"Both, had spurred me to pour all of my efforts into my work, my future. The future, for my ponies. I squelched my feelings of romance as well as disquiet, with that work.

Except for in the rare circumstances when they attempted threat to my efforts. I then... did things, which in hindsight, were... unfit for royalty to perform. There was little provision for love in those rare circumstances"

"I can't imagine how a world like that could sustain itself? You make it sound like a rolling sea of chaos that would make Discord envious?" Twilight pondered.

"Oh? Hmm, the seas were calmer than you would expect, more so than I can convey in words..."

After considering the repercussions for a moment, Moon asked;

"Would you care to see a glimpse of it, princess? Princesses?" The alicorn asked her guests.

After a few sidelong glances, a series of nods answered Moons offer.

"Then I shall share a few select memories, with your permission to enter thine dreams tonight?" Moon proposed.

Little surprise was had amongst the princesses, in regards to the alicorn's divulged dream-walking ability.

"Splendid. The experiences of beholding their sights, have been only mine to behold, until now. They were marvelous in their time, and it will be a privilege to share them"

"What is this?! Where am I??" Twilight asked nopony in particular.

"This is a marketplace of sorts. A string of shops, connected from the inside, rather than the outside" Moon's voice answered.

Finding herself surrounded by the other princesses, as well as the empress, put her at ease somewhat.

"What are those...creatures? They look like... I don't know? And they wear, clothing?" Cadance asked.

"Yes, those are the ancients. Not possessing coats of their own, they compensated for it with attire."

"There's dozens and dozens of them! And, they walk like Minotaurs!" Twilight exclaimed, trotting up to one of them and looking at the hooves of one of them.

Hovering up to its face, she observed "Their muzzles are so blunt, look at their noses!"

Laughing in response to the princess's exuberance, Moon told them;

"I do not believe that I remarked that they were not ponies, have I? Come, I visited a few of the shops here from time to time. Thus, the contents of them, I can recall in better detail"

As they wandered down the wide isle of the mall, the princesses gawked and stared at the odd minotaurs as they went.

"As different from ponies as they were, you can make out many similarities as well. They conversed, shopped, ate.." The empress remarked as they passed one wolfing down a cotton candy. The one it was walking next to was making quick work of a piece of breaded chicken.

"Carnivores?" Twilight presumed.

"Omnivores, in fact. They ate nearly anything, even things which were not edible" Moon answered with a laugh, keeping the matter of non toxic edibles to herself. That concept always made her feel that there was a brick in her stomach.

Finally coming to and walking into one of the shops, the group made their way passed some of the creatures doing their phantom shopping.

"What are all of these things on shelves? They look like boxes, but have pictures of bottles on them?" Celestia asked.

"These are detergents for manes, tails, and coats. Costly things. For I had to procure them in large quantities as I have them in more voluminous quantities than the ancients themselves had. Also there are perfumes for use after bathing" Moon explained while taking a box from the shelve and opening it, pulling out its bottle.

"Couldn't they just use the bottles without the box?" Celestia asked while sampling the perfumed scent of the box.

"That would have been more efficient, yet the reason for the box was as much for appealing to the acquirer, as well as for security and safety reasons" the empress answered her.

"Safety and security? Tis merely a scent, why would such things be of concern? This is no potion, yes?" Luna asked

"Ah, yes..." the empress faltered.

"Your highness?" Twilight prompted the dark alicorn.

"Forgive me, it has been a long time since I had even remembered such things. To answer that question, would cast light on the shortcomings of their society, I am disheartened to say"

Looking back to the princesses, she was met with expectant looks from their eyes.

"Very well..." Shaking her head slowly, Moon added "There was the constant threat of pilfering, which risked upending the survival of markets such as these. Should sufficient pilfering occur, the store would have to close through failing to uphold their basic barter system"

"And, safety?" Cadance added.

"That.. is a darker tale of possibilities than I wish to convey at this time, princess Cadance. It is best that such things be relegated to the past"

"What, did some taint the contents somehow?" Twilight supposed.

Bringing her hoof to her nose, the empress nodded.

"Let us be off to the next shop. There, you might gain a sense of the multitude of variations on attire" Moon walked past them after putting the bottle on the shelf.

Seeing the four trotting off, Cadance looked between the bottle on the shelf, and the box still in her hoof-hold. Having been hoofed the box to take a sniff of its perfume, she hurriedly set the empty box next to the bottle and hurried after.

After going to a few other shops, and passing by strange smelling and looking foods, the group looked over the second story balcony.

"There're so many of them. Just strolling along and wandering in and out of shops. It reminds me of Canterlot's market street" Celestia remarked.

"So many don't have bulging bags, just small ones... This doesn't seem like a very successful marketplace if you ask me. Why did you come here?" Twilight observed.

"I came here, to see them all together, peaceably and sociably. This was a place where time flew by, and I could just observe life pass by around me, quietly" the empress mused openly.

"You call this quiet?" Luna groused.

"For them; It is rather quiet and tranquil" Moon admitted,

"When it became truly quiet and tranquil, it became a sight that brought me little joy"

"At the... end?" Celestia asked.

"No no, far before it" Moon replied as she adjusted the dream mall around her, making the numbers of humans walking the halls fade away. The shops becoming more and more shuttered as they walked along.

"Slowly, they stopped coming here. Little by little, shops closed, and the market became a ghost town"

With the lights going out, and their surroundings being lit only by skylight, the scenery became foreboding.

Walking along the broken glass of what was once shop windows in the mall, the empress told them;

"When the last of the shops closed their shutters, the lights went out, and security all but disbanded. Thrill seekers and the rebellious, seized the opportunity to carry out their impulses unchecked, resulting in the disarray and damage you can see"

Looking up to the place of the marquee of the shop they first came to, she told them;

"I looked forward to coming here, more in its heyday. Yet I still came to see these places in this state, before they were demolished"

"Why?" Cadance asked.

"It inspired me. Inspired me to preserve and build. Seeing these places come to such a woebegone conclusion, filled me with a desire to build something to replace it. The sadness in which this sight filled me, I turned into incentive. Having my preferred venue of observation come to a close, showed me how... hollow the endeavor was"

Turning around she told them;

"Ever since the first ponies set hooves upon the ground, I encouraged them to visit my castle freely, walk and trot the grounds openly, and share dances, balls, and dinners in my home castle. I wanted to be a part of their lives as they passed by, not simply be an observer, as was I in this forlorn setting"

Joining them in a small cluster, the empress declared;

"Now, to a place which is more active. Though it shall be even louder"

"Where are we now?" Twilight asked.

"This is a transportation complex. Where thousands every day, would board powered gliders to visit places; Many days, weeks, even months of journey would take otherwise" Moon announced.

"Where are they all going?" Cadance pointed as she spied some of them filing into a tunnel.

"Those ones? Are boarding one of the gliders which will carry them afar. The purpose of their trip, I cannot guess" The empress answered her.

Walking over to the windows along the side, Celestia looked at the vessel attached to the tunnel, but didn't say anything.

"It looks to be a formidable size?" Luna walked over and asked of her sister.

Nodding, Celestia asked "How many can travel inside one of those?"

"There were some which could carry nearly three hundred at a time, if memory serves. A marvel, considering that it weighs that of small building in Canterlot"

"What?! What spells could they be using??" Twilight blurted, having joined the other three.

"None. They had no magic casting abilities, or any knowledge of such things" Moon replied.

All three princesses present were looking at her skeptically, when the empress realized one of them were missing.

Looking around, she saw Cadance across the cavernous terminal watching a couple arguing with another at a counter.

She just watched them trade sharp sounding words since she couldn't make out the tongue that was being spoken.

One of the two at the counter turned to the one next to it, spoke some sharp words, and then pointed to them, before storming off alone with what she presumed was a grimace on its face..

The other, being left standing there, threw its forelegs? up and then exchanged something over the counter with the salespony? before taking a seat nearby.

Cadance just stood there with a confused expression.

Coming over to her, the empress asked her "What is the matter, Cadance?"

"I have no idea what just happened. The two approached the counter together, and when it was over, there's only one still here to board a sky ship? Did they just dissolve their relationship, here?" Cadance questioned the events that just played out.

"Unknown. Perhaps they did not, or they just might have. There was no princess of love and friendship here, thus they were on their own to form and retain relations with each other. Please come, there is something I would like to take your mind off of this with" Moon answered her.

Walking back over to the princess sisters, Moon adjusted the dream in a way which made a couple of glass window walls disappear.

"Let us take a closer look at one of the powered gliders. Admittedly, I always found these machines fascinating. Giving wing to creatures which would never had been able to otherwise" She said as she jumped from the edge of the floor and took flight.

With the other three princesses following in kind, the dark alicorn came to a stop and landed on the roof of the fuselage of one of the largest airliners on the taxi-way.

"This thing's bigger in pony than it looks from far away, louder too!" Twilight shouted.

"When this one prepares to take wing, the sound would be unbearable in the waking world!" Moon shouted back.

"How can anything this big and heavy Fly?!" Twilight added.

"Observe the wings leading and trailing edges closely, they change the wings shape and effectiveness! However, the ability to lift this much weight, is only possible due to the thrust power of those cylindrical objects. They are the forward driving force, and source of great noise!" The empress finished just in time for the engines to speed up considerably, and the plane began moving forward.

"If I said I thought it was loud before, I was mistaken! This's louder than a dragons roar next to my ear!!" Celestia yelled as she sat down and put her forelegs over her ears.

Faster and faster, the plane rolled down the runway. Finally everypony on the roof of the plane spread their wings and the empress led them to keep pace alongside the craft.

Nearing the far end of the runway, the rear-side wingtips changed shape slightly, and the craft rose away from the ground.

Coming to a stationary hover, the empress let the craft go on its merry way without them, to everyponies ears comfort.

After a minute of a slowly fading rumble, Luna asked;

"I can still hear it from here... Prey tell, was there ever any peace and tranquility?"

"It was scarce, however it existed in places" Moon answered as their surroundings transformed into a scenic countryside, dotted with farmhouses, barns, and fields.

There, the same creatures were present, but in few numbers, and worked in the fields and around the buildings.

"This is an enclave of ones whom preferred the more conventional methods of living. It is likely, the most familiar sight that I can offer" Moon remarked.

"It reminds me of the outskirts of Ponyville..." Twilight said somberly.

"Is.. that a pony?!" Luna exclaimed as she trot toward a pulled cart.

"No, it is similar, yet moreso different than these creatures are to us" Moon called from behind.

When Luna got closer to the cart, she slowed to a stop.

"What is it? It is.. strange looking for a pony?" She said.

"This is one of the native ponies as it were, to this world. They are giant, yet without magic, language, civilization, or culture as we know it. Perhaps in the times ahead, they will develop one of those things? Perhaps they cannot? They are humbling, no?" Mood described the horse pulling the cart.

"They're.. bestial? Do they still exist?" Celestia asked the dark alicorn.

"Yes, to both questions. We leave them be, to roam as they had done for countless millennia before the ancients harnessed their strength, and stewarded husbandry of them" Moon replied.

"What do they do now, that they roam?" Celestia followed up her first questions.

"They eat, they sleep, and form herds to keep their numbers greater than predacious creatures can ravage them" The empress replied.

"I want to see them, in the waking world. To know for myself" She stated.

"Then you shall. There are a number of herds a few hours flight from my cities" The empress promised the sun princess.

"Can you show us what their cities looked like?" Luna spoke up.

After an uneasy pause, Moon nodded and their surroundings dissolved and reformed around them, placing them all atop a very tall building. Surrounded by noisy streets and endless other buildings of varying heights, the guests looked over the skylines, and downward to the ground below.

"This is quite far up, for creatures without flight to have made, don't you think auntie?" Cadance asked Luna.

"Quite. Did they not fear falling?" She asked the empress.

"Most did. Some were fearless however, only ruing the sudden stop at the bottom" Moon answered with a quip.

Rolling their eyes, Twilight conjectured;

"The way you made it sound, they wouldnt've had the civilization enough to build something of this size?"

"Ah. My descriptions of these creatures leaves countless openings for interpretation. All of this;" She gestured around her;

"Was what they could accomplish when not indulging themselves in the lesser parts of their nature. This was once a wild land, wherein they fell prey to the same creatures the herds I mentioned earlier still do now. Here, they prospered long to bring into being, all that you see"

"It's a sight to behold, for sure. But it's so..?" Celestia searched for the proper word.

"Artificial? Isolating?" Moon offered.

"Well, it's so far from nature... yes, I guess. There's almost no grasses, or trees. Mostly stone and glass, and noise" Celestia answered.

"Indeed it is. I never understood what drew them to these places, and compelled them to stay. I thought it might have been the sense of safety in numbers akin to herds, however these were not entirely safe places to be"

"What do you mean? Surely no predators could survive this amalgam of stone?" Cadance asked her.

"You would be correct. No natural predators could subsist in this environment. However, you recall my mentioning of their restless nature?" Moon returned.

Receiving a shrug in response, the empress explained;

"Their desire for safety, brought forth restrictions, rules, and punishments for breaking them. Yet they also wanted to unburden themselves from all restrictions. This put them in a state of tumultuous change. I avoided these cities, due to the multitude of opportunities for such sudden outbursts of the unburdenings. They were often... dangerous"

"It couldn't have been that bad, could it?" Cadance asked hesitantly.

"In the grand scope of things? I would have to say, no" Moon then looked to Cadance and spoke more gravely;

"Yet many lost loved ones to it, every single day, here. Most, would never notice the loss, due to their multitudes of populace. None could be aware of the well being of hundreds of thousands, across an entire city of this magnitude" Moon added.

"I, guess nopony could..." Cadance acquiesced.

"Such was part of life here, in these cities. Thus, I stayed outside of them. An elusive danger lived between the stone and glass, unseen and unheard over the noise. However sometimes..."

Beckoning them to look towards the east, she said;

"Sometimes, it was loud and obvious. There; cast your eyes towards the sea, and watch"

"What are we looking for?" Cadance asked after a few moments of not making out anything of note.

"Please be patient, and merely keep your gaze fixed toward the sea" Moon advised.

Moments passed, when Twilight spoke up;

"Is that one of?" But she was cut off by Moon's shushing;

"Just keep your eyes sharp." she spoke.

With their eyes going wide, they all brought a hoof up to cover their muzzles.

"I.. stars..." Celestia gasped, but was again hushed by the empress.

"stay sharp" she spoke stoically.

After a number of moments, the princesses folded their ears back at the sight, and traded wordless glances with each other. But the empress, never took her eyes from the sight in the distance.

From off to her side, a voice whispered "Is... it over? What more can there be?"

"....there" the empress whispered as she pointed.

The sounds of the city around them changed somewhat, as their vision was obscured by dust and their surroundings dissolved into a white emptiness.

There in a void of the dreamscape, Moon summarized her thoughts;

"What you have just seen, was supposed to have been impossible. Every single part"

Heaving a sigh, the alicorn turned to the rest present in the void;

"A thing that I learned of the ancients, was that the word impossible had no meaning to them. They performed the impossible, no matter what that entailed. Impossible heights, impossible lows, impossible..."

"a new scenery is in order" she muttered darkly as the surroundings changed to that of a massive concrete causeway, overlooking a gigantic artificial lake.

"One of their better works" The empress remarked. "Working in league with the elements of nature" she added.

"Why, does that memory bother you?" Celestia asked the dark alicorn.

The empress almost blurted out her answer, yet composed herself.

"My reasons are multi fold. The foremost, is the added strain that the resulting complications put upon Me"

"Such as?" Luna urged her to divulge her thoughts.

Breathing a snort through her nose, Moon said;

"From avenues that I had not even conceived of, thousands of eyes were combing through my every action, afterward. And with a fine bristle coat brush, at that. Past, present, and proposed; all of my plans and works were questioned directly or indirectly. To make matters even more complex, a few investors in my city; were claimed to have been in some degree, implausibly linked to the event."

"Were they?" Twilight asked out of curiosity.

"One was linked via a side investment out of their many hundreds. Not that I was privy to such detail when I was questioned repeatedly. I had to look into its veracity myself, at the cost of weeks of wasted time. Of which, was already shortened by others whom seized the opportunity to make spurious errant connections. Those, were made in order to press me for favor amongst their piers. A disingenuous practice which gained popularity to my eyes, as time moved forward"

Sitting down hard upon the concrete;

"I can only surmise the multitudes whom found themselves navigating blind reefs, like I was? From my perspective, it was the beginning of a landslide, one which I struggled to keep hoofhold upon, yet managed. A landslide which did not abate for me until I fled those times. From a single event, the strain upon my efforts, and me, increased multi fold in a few months time"

Looking down to the gritty solid surface, the empress muttered.

"I.. learned much in the decades that followed. The shadow that was cast by so short a moment, was long and dark, and haunts my memories"

Looking up at the other alicorns, the empress inferred;

"Memories which fill me with apprehension, concerning Equestria"

Her thoughts, shifting toward a land far away, had Celestia admitting;

"I worry what our ponies are doing without a princess right now? Even a poor princess, was better than nothing at all?" Celestia alleged.

"It must be... really hard on them right now" Cadance imagined.

"My ponies report that widespread chaos has not broken out. It is not much solace, yet such is the limited detail of my ponies efforts at this time" Moon offered.

"I presume that they can rely on each other in the sudden absence of a ruler. What they do about that absence, is where things can start to break down" Twilight mused.

A gloomy silence having fallen over the group, Moon broke it by saying;

"I fear, Celestia. Here, then, I learned its nature. Moreover than the mere uses of instilling it, as I had known before. Fear can make reasonable ponies do the unthinkable, and that instills Me with fear, in turn. A cycle, that one must overcome and break. However, this is a conversation for the waking world. For now, I would like to show you things of a more inspiring nature"

Getting up, Moon trot over to the railing overlooking the body of water.

"This is an artificial lake. One created through the same means as a beaver would employ. The resulting capacity irrigated crops year round despite drought, as well as brought light to villages, towns, and cities far flung"

"Why would?.. Ah, no magic. So this is how they overcame being unable to control the weather?" Luna presumed.

"Precisely. Spending few years in preparation, served them well for many decades of time in bountiful crops and more. Utilizing little more than stone and metalworks. The lake was home to many fish, which they also farmed. At least, for a time"

"For a time?" Celestia asked.

Nodding, Moon explained;

"Concerns came, and the resource became prohibited" Moon answered.

"Why? Were the fish in danger of being over farmed and depleted?" Celestia asked.

"It was perceived that way, yes. That perception having been pushed into place by others, for various reasons. Such were the voices whom held sway over others. You could not imagine how many would have fought and stopped my city being built, had I not intervened. Though it brought forth every conscientious implementation they desired, there were those whom were still not satisfied. Instead, desiring simply that the dilapidated structures and homes be demolished, and replaced with nothing... Strange?" The empress mused.

"There's more to this than you're telling me, isn't there?" Celestia presumed.

Laughing lightly, Moon remarked;

"I could regale you with tales which would make you laugh endlessly, as well as roll your eyes till they were sore"

Having their attention brought to Twilight, who remarked in amazement;

"They sure knew how to make things big, didn't they?"

Nodding, the dark alicorn replied;

"I shared that respect. Tis better to have more available than ones needs, rather than need and not have available. My own city was overbuilt some, in that stead. The orchards included"

"What did it look like when it started?" Twilight asked.

"Largely the same as it appears today. I shall paint the land as it appeared before its construction began" Moon announced as their surroundings changed once again.

Small buildings is varying states of disrepair appeared, and unkempt greenery sprung about them where they stood.

"This looks like an abandoned town?" Celestia observed.

"In large, it is. Once a place of a humble charm, it slowly fell into disrepair through various courses. By applying the medium of their barter system, I provided the few still remaining, a means to travel to more maintained dwellings"

"Did they want to leave?" Celestia asked with skepticism in her voice.

Nodding, the empress told her;

"In large, yes. They did not desire to remain in a place nearly as dangerous as dense cities, yet lacked their splendor. I hooved them a generous sum to take a chance in places measurably closer to their high standards. A few, required some subconscious persuasion..." the empress trailed off

"Moon!" Luna chastised.

"Princess!?" Moon returned.

Stomping up to the dark alicorn, the princess of the night pressed her head against the other's in a shoving match, a literal butting of heads, horns aside.

"You performed mind spells against creatures without magic?! That is reprehensible!" Luna admonished the dark alicorn.

"Yes it is! I did so, and my ponies have proven it a worthy compromise of my ethics. I stand by my actions, and everything that has transpired in result, good and ill alike. Had I not carried myself as I have, you would likely not have been released of that dungeon, or seen the sun again!"

"Be that as it may, performing such an act, is... Unbecoming of an alicorn, of royalty! You claim to have known better, yet still committed to such actions?!" Luna returned.

"Judge me as you shall. At the same time, be mindful of how little your knowledge of the depth of my actions, is. There is naught a judgement that you can levy, which would be greater I have upon myself for these many centuries. Therefor, I will not be cowed or brow beaten by anypony in this, not even you" Moon pushed back.

Pressing against each other for a while longer, Twilight eventually came over and pressed them apart with her forelegs;

"Alright you too, break it up! A couple of over sized fillies you are."

Looking down at the princess of friendship, the empress's headstrong streak broke into mirth as she laughed;

"Hahaha, you have not changed at all have you? Still the unicorn with a smarty-pants outlook?"

"What?! I am not! I mean, yes I have! How do you know about smarty-pants?! I mean, you have no idea what you're talking about!"

Her laughter renewed, the empress relented;

"Apparently there is more to this than I am aware, princess! What is this smarty-pants, do tell?"

"I'm not telling you!" Twilight defended, and then whipped her head around to warn the others;

"And don't any of you tell her either!"

The spell of the heavy moment, broken the empress divulged;

"My mind spell magic simply reawakened their long-dormant wanderlust, which sadly had dwindled for some generations... The subtle influence gave them the freedom and will to explore their surroundings once more. And for some.. for the first time"

"I still do not agree that you had the right to do so" Luna stated with finality.

Nodding in recognition of her protest, Moon replied;

"I understand, and agree. I searched for other solutions, and found none other which would suffice. They are now part of my history.."

Motioning with a foreleg, she added;

"And part of my cities history, in a small way. If you would, please follow me and watch your hoof-steps. What we will see, will remind you of the commerce center I showed you earlier"

"This...?" Celestia came to a stop as soon as she caught a whiff of the scent of the abandoned home's interior.

"It is not the most pleasant, I admit. However this is not how they lived, this place has been abandoned for some time. Ravaged by the wildlife as well as others over a hoof-full of years" Moon said as she made her way inside.

The only pony which hadn't stopped and continued to follow her, was Luna.

"Sister?" Celestia pleaded her sister.

Looking back to her sister, Luna smiled with a confident expression;

"Tis nothing. I have smelled worse, come"

"Lulu..." Celestia said softly, her ears wilting some. Thoughts of spending decades upon decades in a dungeon returning to her imagination.

Kicking detritus of discarded refuse away as she made her way from room to room, the empress said proudly;

"From this odorous waste, I brought forth this:" She announced, shifting the landscape to that of a sight of heavy construction.

"In years time, this will be green, kempt, and ready for ponies to trot happily through the buildings and streets"

Looking around, the princesses took in the unfamiliar machines go about their work; digging, rotating, pouring, amongst other things.

After observing the almost hypnotic sight of the strange looking creatures laboring in tandem with the machines, Celestia spoke up;

"I don't understand. Why would they desire to replace something with nothing, homes especially? Why would voices, as you called them call for such a thing? Such a thing is, if you'll forgive me, strikes me as backwards? " She asked.

Coming to a stop, the empress thought for a time. Trying to remember a time long ago, all she could recall was the consensus that she had come to, but without the context of how she came to it.

"I...postulated that for a long time. I eventually concluded, that it was the journey, the battle or fight, which was what mattered to them. The ends were simply the byproduct of that, favorable or unfavorable. The issues at hoof, gave themselves purpose, meaning. Where ponies lived to see a happy smile of another in order to move them; the ancients were driven by something different. Yet just as deep and powerful"

Tilting her had, Twilight asked her;

"That's... different? Certainly different from ponies"

Nodding it agreement, the empress admitted;

"An aspect which was different and had saddened me, was the use of antagonism as a means. No matter the situation, that appeared to be the core method used to work through it? Try as I might, I could not reconcile the use of fire, to fight fire. This held true to me, whether the infighting was physical, or with mere words?"

"But it worked out, did it not? They had come quite a ways through doing that" Luna observed.

"Indeed, they had. The losses were palpable, however the results were equally so"

"I'd liked to have known how far they could have gone..." Celestia mused.

"As do I. It grieved me for a long time, to not have the answer. Perchance, they might have made it all the way to Equestria in my stead? What impact might they have had, should that have occurred, I wonder?" the empress postulated as she looked towards the humans toiling away in the distance.

"I'm sure we would have worked out a mutual understanding. We would have much to offer them" Celestia spoke, while Luna's ears turned outward.

"While that is true...." Luna spike with unease in her voice

"You don't agree, sister?" Celestia asked in surprise.

"Not entirely. I do not know why, however I am having reservations in such an outlook" Luna admitted.

"Why is that, Luna? We could bring love, friendship, magic, and much more to them?" Twilight offered.

"And they could well bring the opposite to you. Seemingly endless numbers, billions, in need of what you had to offer. Could you and your ponies meet and sustain their need? And provided that their nature hadn't changed much in that time, how could you resolve the differences in enlightenment?" the empress asked.

"What do you mean, differences in enlightenment?" Celestia returned.

"Surely, they having made it to you, before yourselves reached them, would put their methods and ways above your own, would it not? At least, in their own minds it would be the case, yes?" the empress asked.

"And?" Celestia prompted the dark alicorn.

"Their point of view, would be that Equestria would have to change, to more mirror their advanced selves." Moon told her.

"Not necessarily. Sure, some influences would come" Celestia differed.

"Should one of those influences be; The dissolution of the Maretriarchy? The abdication of your rule, in favor of whatever system of governance they had in place at the time? One comparatively young, and less stable or tested than yours? Definitely untested and unformed with ponies in mind?" Moon offered with thoughts of the ancients having abandoned royalty rule long ago.

"I would have to see it for myself, before I could make such a decision" Celestia answered.

"Decision... provided that you were afforded the option to make one?" the empress conjectured darkly.

Looking at her in shock, the alicorns began to argue her supposition.

"Please, I do not know the answers with any certainty. However, my single flagship had the ability to deliver an ultimatum to Equestria. One which was not made, due to the desire to not change or challenge the Maretriarchy.... yet still I managed to do so..." the empress trailed off.

Sighing, she added;

"What if I had looked down on Equestria, and saw opportunity, rather than reverence?" She finished.

"Well, it's a good thing that you hadn't" Cadance consoled the empress.

"Yet still, my incursion.. has brought ramifications. Perhaps, beyond what I realize?"

The dark alicorn having paused to take a deep breath, Cadance asked her;

"Moon? What is it?"

"I am planning to send a couple more ships to Equus. I need to know the extent of what I have done there. I am compelled to know if I have brought ruin in my wake, and intervene if that is so the case. Even at the risk of further incursions" Moon divulged to the princesses.

"Don't worry so much. I have faith in our little ponies" Celestia said confidently.

"Yet, still I do. Hmph. Even with my best of intentions, I have sent shock-waves throughout the lands." the empress looked down at the gravelly ground at her hooves.

"It was fortunate that the ship which eventually came there, was under my command, and not that of a stranger..." She smiled to herself, though it was a pained smile.

Looking to the other princesses, she made the aside;

"It, could have been much worse?"

Author's Note

Timeless stories endure. But who can guess the book she's reading to Princess Luna?
A hint; It begins: In a time before there were elves, dwarves, or anything else.

Stoned, Take my Hoof, and See the Sun, are references to Dido

Appendix: Abridge (Moon & Celestia)

Due to this entry's human-centric nature & dark/sad themes, I've placed it in:
The Unknown Daughters Reunion:The Early Days/Appendix: Abridge (Moon & Celestia)
Chronologically, this is before they all travel back to Equus.

I thought Celestia and Moon deserved a bit of connecting and bonding. Here they catch up a little.
A couple of long-lived mares having a mature conversation.

The first question anypony would ask in catching-up is; 'what happened?'
The answer being sad at first, as the early part of her banishment is tainted with dark subtexts before it was the time of ponies. (darkest before the dawn)