The Great War

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1: The Message
Chapter 2: Beauty Hiding Tension
Chapter 3: A Need for Quiet
Chapter 4: Excitement and Worry
Chapter 6: Concerns, Routines, Families
Chapter 7: Secret Deals
Chapter 8: The Sea is Shackled
Chapter 9: The Day That Would Live in Infamy
Chapter 10: To Avoid the Worst
Chapter 11: A Cozy Get-Together
Chapter 12: The Boprian Straights Incident
Chapter 13: A Time for War
Chapter 14: Sizzling Snow
Chapter 15: Strength in the Cold
Chapter 16: Heavy Bombardment; Heavy News
Chapter 5: The Shogun Speaks

Prologue

Author's Note

Many years in the making, here I begin. Slowly I've worked on this, and am still currently writing it. Let's just say that life is a pain, and it's been a long journey.
A few quick notes: this is a parallel universe, I call "Karamverse", because it all began with the question: "Who leads Saddle-Arabia?"
My friend, Imperator Aetheris, and I worked hard together, gradually turning this into an expanded world for MLP. We started way back when Season 4 or 5 of MLP: FIM was still in the works. We made a huge timeline, came up with ancient history, and made ponified nations of many nations, to flesh out the world.
Sadly, I do not have a map, YET.
It's hard to draw maps, okay?
Suffice to say that there's two major areas of the world, similar to our own world, with the Western side and the Eastern Side.
Saddle-Arabia is far south of Equestria, and between those two nations are smaller Pony-based nations overseen by Equestria proper. Saddle-Arabia itself is a vast area, and has smaller nations around it too.
Suffice to say, don't worry too much about geography.
This story itself was designed to be a starting point for many other potential side-stories and interactions. Hence, you'll hear a lot of random things and characters, and maybe if I have time, I can do short stories with some, or most of them.
Unfortunately, life is a pain, and most of my plans have fallen through. I had many, many grand plans for this universe.
Now, with my co-author too busy and out there in real life, I'm rather sad, and lost a lot of motivation.

However, I liked this idea so much, that even though my writing partner doesn't really do MLP anymore, I'm determined to finish this, and share it all with you.
At the very least, I'll have a hobby to go to, and I'll finish writing this one story for my own self.

Special thanks to my dear friend and former co-author, ImperatorAetheris
Sincerely,

Turquoise Dreamer

Prologue

The blizzard howled around them.
The team of Alicorns was robed in the thickest snowsuits that they could commission, complete with furry boots and covers for their horns that still permitted them to use magic.
In the sky were their targets: the Windigoes. Freed from their prison in the northern ice cap, they swirled around and around, creating a massive icestorm. For days the heroes fought against them, and it seemed hopeless. The team of country leaders, filled with the greatest magic of all the world, still struggled. The Windigoes had been feeding for far too long on far too much hatred. In order to save the world, the Six Elements of Harmony--the ponies who now embodied them, that is-- had to reach the heart of the storm in order to halt it. Besides those six brave mares, there was a brave, young dragon with them, faithful and true, as well as the Princess of Love from the Crystal Empire, The Princesses of the Sun and Moon from Equestria, The Sandstorm King from Saddle-Arabia, The Printsessa of Ice and The Tsar of Ice Of Konlya, The Kirin Emperor of the Sea of Rikuma, and the Kirin Emperor of the Earth and the Zuoji nation.
This was not a mere national emergency. This was a disaster affecting the entire world. All nations were involved. Any leaders who didn't have strong enough magic were currently holding down the line at the Crystal Empire, securing the throne and the Crystal Heart. At the very least, ONE country on this planet would survive.
Of course, the Windigoes knew their time was coming, and they pushed back with the force of a hundred thousand winds, pounding hail and ice shards on the heroes, who raised their magic shields and deflected them all.

“THERE’S TOO MANY!” Twilight Sparkle, the youngest royal, shouted as she pushed her head forward to help steady her magic beam.

“DON’T THINK OF THEIR NUMBERS! THINK OF ALL THE CREATURES DEPENDING ON US!” Celestia shouted back as she folded her wings down at an angle and spread out her legs a bit to steady her own stance.

The two Kirin emperors braced in the snow, and their curved horns blazed first with magic, and then with fire. Together they launched explosive fireballs at the Windigoes. BOOM went the flames. CRASH went the hail. SCREECH went the wind.
After what seemed like an eternity, the hailstorm paused, and the Windigoes regrouped, allowing the heroes to breathe a quick sigh beneath their collective shield.

“Everyone, I want you all to know that I'm honored to be standing here among you, as a fellow leader. No matter what happens, remember this hour, and remember me.” Luna gasped, feeling all the strain from the magic use wearing her down.

Twilight’s eyes widened and she gulped from behind her facial scarves, afraid to even think about such a thing. Remember Luna, as in, a funeral memory? Twilight's mind reeled. Just a few years ago she helped redeem Luna, freeing her from Nightmare Moon, and bringing her back to Equestria. After all Luna endured and overcame, was this to be her end? Twilight Sparkle couldn't believe it. Her six loyal friends, Pony and Dragon, all gasped in equal dismay.

"DON'T TALK LIKE THAT, PRINCESS LUNA!" Rainbow Dash shouted above the wind.

"Yeah! WE STILL HAVE A CHANCE!" Pinkie Pie cheered.

"Please don't give up yet," Fluttershy said in a soft voice, barely audible in the wind.

"Princess Luna! We're still fightin'! Don't you go talkin' like you're dead already!" Apple Jack snapped as she put one hoof on her thick hood, trying to keep the snow out of her face.

"Heavens, no! I didn't walk all this way in tacky clothes and freezing hooves just to plan a funeral!" Rarity wailed, filled with both frustration and despair.

Celestia and the older royals, meanwhile, had calmer, accepting looks on their features.

"Luna, we will remember you. Of course we will." Celestia promised with a solemn nod.

"Cousin, It is indeed an honor to stand with you today. I only regret that the Great Sea separated us all this time." It was Zima Veter, the Printsessa of Ice, who spoke next. She unfolded one wing and laid it across Princess Luna's back in a grateful embrace.

"We were separated for many ages, but at the least, we can die together," Her father, Tsar Ledyanoy Ukryvat said with a soft smile to his two nieces of the Sun and Moon.

Twilight couldn't believe her ears. Luna's family was going to embrace death.

Another voice cut into the wind.

“Remember: Friendship and Love is their weakness! We must have every one of our attacks powered by the love we have for our nations, and not by hatred for the Windigoes!” Cadence reminded them, “In fact, if we could find some way to sympathize with them and feel some gentleness to them, surely we’d win!”

Zima turned away, and again focused on keeping shields up. Her pale blue eyes glowed in the same color of her magic. As she studied the snow, she noticed thin, red streaks being buried by new flakes.

“They bleed like us,” She finally realized. She had learned such a thing from ancient legend, but now she saw it first hoof.

The others became more quiet at that. Indeed, before their eyes, the seemingly-immortal, heartless beings were bleeding just like any pony could bleed. If they had blood, they had hearts. If they had hearts… perhaps they had souls.
If they had souls…

“Sympathize? Love? How can one love a monster!?” Karam snapped, shifting his dun-colored wings beneath his heavy blankets.

The Sandstorm King of Saddle-Arabia had the worst temper. In all his centuries, he had been a fierce king, defending his lands from monsters, and warring neighbors. He could not imagine himself loving the enemy, but these past few days forced him to try. With all he had, he knew he had to love, and be kind, for the sake of the world. Still, it conflicted with all he'd done and seen so far. These Windigoes were hatred-eating, world-destroying entities, not fellow creatures.
Paradoxically, he had to be compassionate toward these beasts, even though they seemed incapable of love.
Quietly, Celestia thought back on all the entire world had been through, and the question echoed in her heart and mind, too.

“How, indeed,” was all she murmured as she looked at Karam, who paused and looked back at her.

How, indeed.

How, indeed?

How? Indeed.

For the sake of the world, they HAD to. This was not a small, isolated blizzard. Already two continents were freezing over, and the sea itself was capping with ice, gallons more each minute. Ponies, Horses, Gryphons, Minotaurs, Dragons, Kirin--EVERYBEAST, yes, every single beast, down to the smallest mouse, was counting on these magic-wielding national figures for hope. If this team fell, it wouldn't be long before the other teams holding back the snow all fell too.

Nevertheless, how could anyone love such a cold-hearted enemy? And... how did this happen? For centuries, the world had its skirmishes here and there, minor wars a-plenty, but now everything was dying. After so long of relative stability, the entire planet was suffering. How was this possible?

Princess Celestia thought back across the events. She strained hard, contemplating the beginning of it all. Perhaps there was no exact beginning… perhaps it all began at the start of the world, building on one bad event and one mistrust after another, but, no, she didn't waste time going back that far.
She returned to the day the message arrived. In the middle of this blizzard, she remembered the letter.

Chapter 1: The Message

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 2: Beauty Hiding Tension

“Welcome to the palace,” Chikafusa said with a bow.

Karam slowed his gait to marvel at it all.
Like everything else here, the palace looked bizarre and enchanting to the king of Saddle-Arabia. The palace was multi-storied, with red, ornate woodworking trim contrasted by dark teal tiles on the roofs.
The gates led to a courtyard filled with gardens, neatly lined up to lead to the palace. Everywhere he looked, Karam was astounded by the colors, smells, and atmosphere. He felt as if he’d entered an entirely new world, and absorbed the experience deeply.
Emperor Umi noted the amazed look in Karam’s blue eyes, and a proud smile graced his white, furry face. Comforted to see the foreigner enjoying the city, Emperor Umi relaxed more, and continued leading the way.
In another minute, they were inside the palace, having a grand tour of the buildings, which featured rooms that were increasingly exotic and ornate. Karam gawked in wonder.
He smelled all the herbs and flowers, listened to the beautiful flutes and instruments playing, and thrived on the feeling of the breeze flowing through the windows.
Everything was marvelous.

“This is Empress Asuka,” The translator introduced, “And the Crown Prince Enmei.”

The empress was a light pink color with a black mane, which was done up in an ornate bun with a hairstick through it horizontally, tipped with dangling, glass flower decorations. Ringing her dark-colored horn were several golden chains and jewels that sparkled in the sunlight through the windows. Covering her body was a long, blue kimono decorated with golden flowers and dragons, though her long tail was left free to move about her.
Her son was robed in equal splendor, and his light yellow coat contrasted with his dark blue eyes, and his black mane and tail. The two bowed to Karam, and he humbly bowed back.
Through translators, they were able to speak.
Empress Asuka humbly thanked Karam for visiting the palace, and Karam gave glowing praise to them all on the architecture and beautiful colors, to which the Emperor and Empress were greatly pleased.
The tour wasn’t over yet, though. Soon Karam was introduced to the inner parts of the palace, introduced to the four concubines, and eventually led to the dining hall, where several musicians were playing for them all as they ate a lunch filled with various fruits and vegetables native to Rikuma. For those next minutes, Karam found it hard to think with all the new sights, smells, tastes and sounds filling his senses. It was all marvelous to him.

Into the scene came a servant, who interrupted the moment.

The emperor nodded and turned to the translator.

“The emperor would like to introduce you to the shogun, who leads the daimyo,” Chikafusa explained with a nod.

“Daimyo?” Karam echoed, narrowing his eyes with a confused look.

Karam’s translator looked over at Chikafusa with a shrug.
Chikafusa looked up at the ceiling, struggling to think of the closest Saddle-Arabian word.

“The Daimyo… are leaders of the clans. They are warriors who lead their areas, but serve the emperor.”

“Ah, I see,” Karam nodded and relaxed, “We have similar things in Saddle-Arabia--the sheiks. So, your Shogun leads all these daimyo? How many daimyo are there?”

“We have twenty-three daimyo, and when the shogun dies, there is a great competition among all the daimyo to see who shall replace him,” Chikafusa explained with a proud gleam in his eye, relieved that Saddle-Arabia understood such things.

Karam nodded and asked, “When will the Shogun be here?”

“He is arriving now.”

With that, Emperor Umi himself stood up from the table, and everyone followed him as he led the way back to one of the outer rooms.

The shogun had a much different outfit on, though still very elaborate. He wore what was known as a kimishimo, which featured a silken kimono, an outer, sleeveless jacket with exaggerated shoulders (called a kataginu), and a sort of pants on his hindquarters over the kimono (called a hakama).
He was a deep, blue-grey color, with a black mane and tail neatly trimmed and rolled into a tight bun, tied with some white fabric, matching his white and silvery blue kimishimo.
Once more, translator Chikafusa helped everyone meet each other.

“This is Shogun Kage, of the Katsumi clan, and he is most honored to meet you.”

The shogun bowed lightly, and Karam bowed back, unfolding his wings slightly, as was customary for a winged creature to do when bowing in Saddle-Arabia. For a moment, the Shogun’s yellow eyes met Karam’s, and Karam noticed a flickering, deep emotion.

Was that… anger?

It was but for a moment, and gone before Karam could register it.
However, the visible tension between the shogun and the emperor was easy for Karam to spot. The two stood just a few feet apart, and bowed to each other, but seemed stiff, and forced.
The two glanced at each other briefly before looking back to Karam.

The translator listened to what the emperor had to say, and then informed Karam, “The shogun will be unable to show you around the clans, due to some minor clan strife at the moment.”

“Understandable,” Karam accepted with a nod, though he had a deep suspicion that the truth was darker. Clearly something was going on that he was not privy to, but as the guest of honor he had no right to ask.

The shogun bowed again, and backed out of the room, not turning his back to the emperor, even as the guards were shutting the vast doors to the room. As soon as the Shogun was gone, the emperor relaxed. It was a subtle gesture in his shoulders, but Karam’s sharp eyes never missed a detail like that from his advisors, or any creature around him.
Something was going on… but what?

Author's Note

Hello, Again!

I hate to break your immersion, so I'll try not to throw in any more author's notes, at least for a while.

If ANYONE has ANY idea for a cover for this story, please tell me. Yes, you probably should read a bit more of the story, but, be thinking of ideas, please. I have no idea what cover to put on this book, and I hate leaving it blank.
At the very least, hearing your ideas might give me another idea, or perhaps I can combine ideas, we'll see.

Also, I am extremely careful when editing and proofreading for myself, but if you happen to catch some dreadful grammar someplace, please point it out so I may fix it.
Feedback is much appreciated, all-around! I'm still writing this story, and a lot of it is possibly going to change.

--Turquoise Dreamer

Chapter 3: A Need for Quiet

“Princess Twilight! How soon will Princess Celestia return?”

“Princess Celestia is scheduled to return in a few months. There is no need to worry. Again, she is taking many guards with her, and she herself is among the most powerful ponies in existence. This is a diplomatic journey of friendship, and we do not foresee anything terrible happening.”

She stood outside the Castle of Harmony, at a podium for all to see. Many, many reporters from all across Equestria were here at her meeting with the media. For the occasion, she polished her golden tiara until the tiny amethyst gems on it gleamed, and then she wore a golden necklace, and fine, polished shoes. With her mane done in an ornate bun, and her wings and pelt groomed to perfection, she stood tall and confident over the crowd of worried reporters.

Dozens more all shouted out questions, but Twilight silenced them by politely raising a hoof and saying, “If you have more questions, please come tomorrow to the next press conference. No more questions for today.”

The crowd groaned in disappointment and grumbled to each other.

“Please leave the castle steps safely, and in an orderly manner,” Captain Flash Sentry said with a wave of one of his wings.

Though it took many stern looks and several polite commands, Flash and his guards did get the paparazzi to leave.
Princess Twilight turned and walked back into her castle, as elegantly as possible. As soon as the doors were closed behind her, she unleashed a heavy sigh, and flopped onto a couch in a side room. Every muscle in her face ached from smiling the same smile for all those hours, and her head swam from all the questions.

“Should I get you some aspirin, Twilight?” Spike asked, handing her an ice pack for her head.

“Yeeeees, pleeeeease,” she groaned, gratefully taking the ice pack in her magic and squishing it against her forehead.

Immediately Spike ran off to another room while Flash quietly walked over. With one eye open, Twilight watched him come, trying to think of something positive to say.

“Well… we got through one day.”

Flash smirked, taking off his helmet with his wings. Even he, who had been silent most of the time, seemed exhausted from the whole meeting, and his neck loudly popped when he tilted his head to the side.
He winced a bit.
Carefully he tilted his head back the other way and sighed.

“Yup. You sure you want to do this again tomorrow?”

Slowly Twilight shifted her position until she was sitting on her haunches, holding the ice bag to her head with her magic.

“Yes. I have to reassure the citizens,” Twilight groaned, “I didn’t realize THAT many of them would be in such a...”

“Panic?”

“No, not panic, just… almost panic? Worry… lot of worry… I should have seen this coming. This is the first time Princess Celestia has gone out of the country in… I forgot how many centuries. Sorry, my brain cells aren’t at full power right now, heh.”

“Yeah, mine aren’t so full either, and I didn’t have to answer everything,” Flash chuckled as he rubbed the sides of his head with his feathertips, “Part of me wants to bang my head against a wall for some reason.”

“Me too, ha.”

One of the side doors opened loudly, making the two ponies flinch and look over.

“FOUND IT!” Spike called as he charged into the room with an aspirin bottle in one clawed hand and a glass of lemonade in the other.

He’d carefully picked a glass tall enough to allow him to run a bit without spilling any of the lemonade, too.
A smile formed on Twilight’s face as she leaned forward and took the aspirin and lemonade with her magenta magic.

“Spike, you are the best assistant a princess could ask for,” Twilight murmured after taking two pills.
The cold lemonade washed over her tongue and down her throat with a soothing, tangy sweetness that helped wake her up a bit more.

Spike looked over at Flash and then facepalmed epicly.

“AUGH! I should’ve gotten something for you to drink too! Hang on, Flash,” Spike called as he darted away again.

“No no, it’s fine! I.... aaaand he's gone," Flash remarked as he flopped onto the seat beside Twilight. "So, feeling better? You looked like you might faint."

He teased his wife with a smirk, and she had a twinkle in her eyes.

“You saying I’m frail?”

“Oh yes, very frail. So frail that you can save the world only once per year."

They both chuckled at that, and Twilight added, “Yes, and I’m already at my world-saving limit for a while, I think.”

Flash cuddled up against her, laying his head on her neck for a brief moment before the door burst open again.

“HERE!” Spike called, running over to Flash.

Flash lifted his head and took the lemonade with his wing. He took some aspirin and nodded to Spike.

“Thanks, Spike.”

“Spike, is dinner ready yet?” Twilight asked, stretching her wings for a moment.

“The servants said it should be ready soon,” Spike informed her with a wide smile, “It’s gonna be good!”

“It always is,” Flash pointed out with a smirk as he hopped off the couch and turned to Twilight.
He offered a wing, saying, “Would you like me to escort you, Your Highness?”

"Of course, Captain Flash," She giggled.

With an elegant flair, she took his wing, and trotted away with him to dinner.

Chapter 4: Excitement and Worry

“Finally! Land! We made it!” Celestia said to herself with a happy flap of her wings and a skip in her step.

There it was, Rikuma, at last. Bubbling with excitement, she leaned over the rails, looking at the harbor with her binoculars and magic.

“After two weeks on an airship, I’m just DYING to get out on solid land, wow! Ha ha ha! I forgot how much fun it is to travel.”

She put down the binoculars and put a hoof to her chin, asking herself, “When WAS the last time I got to go to a foreign land? I really need to get out more. Luna and I both could use a proper vacation.”

“Your Highness,” One of her servants broke into her monologue.

“What? Yes?”

“Would you like to get changed while you still have time?”

Looking down, Celestia realized she was still in her usual jewelry and shoes. For Equestria, that was normal, but for RIKUMA… that was disgraceful.
With a laugh, she nodded and said, “Of course, thank you.”

The harbor and capitol city of Kyotora was bustling with activity once more, as thousands of citizens gathered to watch the ornate, Equestrian vessel pull into the harbor.

Karam was with the Emperor, who was coming to greet the Princess of the Day.
Over the past few weeks, he’d arranged some trade agreements, learned more about the emperor, and even picked up some of the language so he could vaguely understand what creatures were saying around him. Though he still needed a translator, he at least had a bit on what was going on.
As the ship pulled into Kyotora’s harbor, Karam watched the process, fascinated by being on the greeting end of the arrival instead of the receiving end.
As the crowds watched, the flying ship breezed over the city's docks, pulling over a wide strip of water. Gradually it lowered straight down, until it could float on the water like an ordinary boat. After the crew double-checked everything, they lowered down a smaller boat, which Celestia glided down to, with her attendants. Then, the sailor ponies rowed the boat forward, until it met with a dock.
Karam’s sharp eyes picked out a lot of movement on board, and studied the make of the airship. It had a vast balloon carrying its weight, with many small fans on the edges to turn it and keep it steady in the air. He noted how the Equestrian banner flowed high above them all, catching the wind in a beautiful way.
Wind…
What would the sun think of the wind, he wondered.
Celestia was a creature of peace, which was ironic, considering how her nation had a habit of attracting the world's most deadly creatures. It was a puzzle to Karam, and he wondered if Celestia's reputation was a lie. Perhaps, deep inside, she was a warlord of old, like Karam. Perhaps THAT was how she established 'peace' across her land.
Perhaps Karam was thinking too much. Still, he needed to make a proper meeting with her, and ensure she had only positive thoughts of their allegiance. Nobeast wanted Equestria to turn on them. If Karam made one negative move, not only would Rikuma shut him out, but Equestria might kick him as well. He straightened up and took a deep breath to relax.

First off the boat came Celestia’s guards, who filed out and cleared a bit of the crowd for her, with some help from Emperor Umi’s guards.
Flying above the crowds, some Pegasi held trumpets and blew a fanfare for Celestia, who elegantly hopped onto the dock.

Once more, the crowds whispered and waited, the guards stood perfectly straight, everyone was in their best. For a moment, every second was like a pause in time. It was as if the whole world knew it was writing history. Evem the scents of the salty sea, the corner restaurants and their soy-tinted foods, and the perfumes that wafted in the air from the noble ladies all seemed to pause, paying close attention.
The whispers, the hoof-tapping, the armor-clinking, the seagulls crying, everything seemed to be recording it faithfully. Karam himself memorized this moment, and so did Celestia.
There she was.

At last, Celestia appeared at the top of the ramp, dressed in fine, purple and yellow robes, wearing her usual crown and jewelry with it. She held her wings up and behind herself, in a regal pose.

There she was.

The wind was always with Karam, but the sun was always with her. Its light was drawn to her, illuminating her pastel, multi-colored mane that flowed with a power of its own, defying the wind and gravity with a graceful wave.
On every jewel and gold piece of her regalia the sun sparkled, and on every bit of her pale pink, almost-white pelt, it glowed, lighting her up from numerous sides.

There she was.

Even the warlord of wind, Karam, forgot everything and took in the moment of her appearing. All his senses ceased paying attention to the scene and instead zoomed in on her, taking in every second of this moment of shared existence with her. Every piece of her seemed to be utter perfection and grace. She was not the sun's guardian, no, she WAS the sun. Bright, warm, and cheerful, she made all the nervous guards and citizens smile back and relax. Could this gentle giant truly be the one who once fight various monsters in her youth? Even though Karam saw photos of Celestia and drawings, he never knew how accurate they were. None, in fact, were close at all. None could capture the feeling of being near her. Something about the way she walked, held her head, smiled and held her wings carried a unique sense about her. She was the sun, indeed, and Karam suddenly felt like he was but a servant compared to her queenliness.
Abruptly, the wind that loved playing with his mane and tassels stopped, letting his mane fall flat.
His own hair in his eyes startled him and he blew it away with a magic breath from his nostrils. In a moment, his own hair resumed flowing in the wind, though it had no sparkles or warmth to it like Celestia. It was plain, black, and long. Even though Karam was decked out in fine, blue, black and silvery tack, with ornate tassels and sharp shoes, he felt like but a beggar.
He was annoyed with his own surprise, but he shrugged it off. After all, if Celestia could raise the sun itself, surely she was the descendant of a goddess. In this moment, the most important thing was not impressing Rikuma anymore, it was ensuring to not offend Celestia of Equestria.
It was fitting that he should feel beneath her... and yet... it angered him to be outdone by anybeast else, even if it WAS the descendant of a goddess! How DARE she be so--

A voice cut into his thoughts: it was his personal translator.

“Sire, the emperor wishes to know if you want to greet the princess alongside him.”

Immediately Karam put on his serious face and nodded in agreement.

Karam himself lifted up his wings in a regal pose and followed behind Emperor Umi, striding toward Celestia.
The closer they got, the more details Karam could pick out in her ornate dress, and the better he could see her coloration. On closer inspection, Celestia was a pale pink, and not white, and her eyes were a beautiful shade of pinkish purple, with just a touch of heterochromia in them, making them a gradient.
Again, she was smiling and nodding to many of the citizens nearby, as if they were her own.
At this point, Karam wondered if this was all an act, or if it was possible for a world leader to really be this gentle. Certainly, Karam knew how to smile and wave too, but he felt far more stiff and stern compared to this female.
Once again, he was outdone, not a mere ten seconds apart.
The nerve of this queen!
Why was she even a princess to begin with? That was a question he had to ask her. He simply had to know why an adult ruler refused to go by a proper, adult title.
No, no, he dare not offend the Princess of the Sun. Such a thing would surely bring death to his entire nation.

On Celestia’s end, her mind was filled with her own self talking.

OH, wow this is so amazing! It smells and sounds and feels so different. I LOVE IT! Oh bother, I forgot how itchy this dress gets on my canons. Ugh. Oh well, it’s temporary, and I can change later. Better not forget to wear clothes around here--everypony else is wearing clothes, after all.
Don’t want to freak out the locals, ha ha. Oh, wait, if they are Kirin, do they say 'everyKIRIN', or do they say 'everyBEAST', like in Saddle-Arabia?
Oh, look how cute the little Kirin children are! Oh, I just want to hug them.
They like me. Ha ha!
I must focus, really, Come on, Celestia, focus.
BUT THERE IS SO MUCH TO SEE!
No, focus. This is a serious day. We are going to take this calmly.
There’s the emperor, and… and.. Wait, is that the Malik of Saddle-Arabia!? So the rumors are true: he got the news first.
Well, obviously he did, since he arrived here first.
Oh I love his tack. I could totally wear something like that, with tassels all over and a long blanket. Looks comfy.
So it’s true: he DOES have a big scar on his cheek.
Well, of COURSE it’s true--who would lie about that?
His eyes… so serious… wow. Or maybe it’s his version of the permanent smile?
I think it works for him.
He certainly is tall--wow, I finally found somepony taller than I, ha ha.
Oh, oh, here they come. Stand up, smile, relax, bow.

Through translators, they all introduced themselves, and bowed to each other.
In time, they were heading back to the palace.
Celestia’s eyes darted all around the area, taking it in. From time to time she noticed Karam was staring at her, but for only a moment.

Why is he staring at me? Oh, right, we never met before! Of course. Our nations have been allied for decades but never officially met like this. We definitely need some tea together later. Definitely.
I just adore that tack. I really need to get something like that for myself.
He certainly is strong. Just look at those neck muscles.
It’s true: he IS a warrior, isn’t he?
Oh… is that the palace… oh… it’s beautiful….

In time she had her own tour, and all the while fought the urge to ask dozens of questions about the architecture and culture.
No, no, she had to keep it all in, yes. Keep it all in and save it for later.
FINALLY, she got a chance to speak with the emperor.

“Emperor Umi, I thank you so much for showing me your beautiful palace and allowing us to be here,” Celestia said as she picked up her cup of tea with her magic.
She sipped it, savoring the herbal flavor and complimenting it with, “And you make most excellent tea."

The emperor nodded, and allowed a moment for his golden mane to flow out of his face before saying, “And you, Sun Princess, have graced us all with your presence and sparkling laughter.”

Celestia laughed again, putting a hoof near to her jaw to cover it up a bit.

“I apologize for laughing; I cannot help but laugh when I’m excited. I hope our two nations can become good friends, and visit each other more.”

“I hope so as well,” Emperor Umi said with a small chuckle, “I am very curious about your nation, and how it has managed to have peace for over a thousand years, with very little trouble at all.”

“I myself wonder how we kept up peace for so long. Perhaps when you come, I can properly explain things.”

“I look forward to it,” Umi said with a nod, using his magic to pick up his own teacup and sip from it.

Celestia sipped her tea again, and then shifted her position. Certainly, eating at a table where she could lay on the floor was a different experience. She loved it.

“Do you have any questions for me?” Emperor Umi asked as he put down his tea.

Celestia’s eyes darted away and then back to the emperor as she debated something.

“Earlier… the Shogun… was he all right? He seemed tense,” She ventured, hoping to not offend him with such a question.

Umi stiffened slightly. To most creatures, it wouldn’t be noticeable, but to a royal who was used to putting on a mask… it was obvious.

“The daimyo have been giving him trouble lately,” Umi remarked as he looked away, sipping at his tea again.

Celestia nodded understandingly, but her sharp mind was at work. Was this an ordinary disagreement, or something far more sinister?
Umi and Celestia finished their teas, and then Umi’s servants showed Celestia to a room. Seeing the time, she realized it was nearing sunset.

“Emperor Umi, would you mind if I set the sun now? It’s just about time.”

The translator carried the message over, saying, “Yes, but he would like to watch, with his other guests and family.”

“Oh,” Celestia said with a bow, “I’d be honored!”

With that, the Emperor waved his lion-like tail to some servants nearby, chattering some orders out.
In a few minutes, all the servants, guests, and the royal house were gathered around Celestia on a balcony, where she scanned the skies, waiting for the twilight to thicken to just the right amount.

Once more, Karam watched. Although he knew Celestia’s special talent and destiny was moving the sun, it was hard to fathom such a thing happening.
Would she really do it?
Before his eyes, Celestia’s horn glowed with golden magic.
All the servants and onlookers hushed, watching as the princess concentrated hard.
There, it moved!
Under Celestia’s command, the sun DID move, lowering into the sky, tucking itself beneath the horizon.
On the other side of the world, Princess Luna moved the moon, pulling it up and high into the sky.
As soon as Celestia felt the sun was low enough, she ceased using her magic and relaxed.

Silently she turned around, studying everyone's faces.

Through a translator, the emperor said, “That was an incredible display! Thank you for doing us the honor. Will you allow us to watch the sunrise as well?”

“Of course!” Celestia said with a wide smile and a nod.

The emperor smiled back and waved his tail, dismissing the servants.
The others filed away, but Celestia hung back, watching the stars and moon high in the nighttime sky.
All these miles away, she knew her sister was taking care of Equestria, with Twilight’s help, but Celestia wished she could be there herself. For a moment, the excitement of travel wore off, and deep homesickness hit her. For weeks she'd been away, and her motherly heart ached in worry for her citizens and sister and student.
In time, she could tell Luna all about Rikuma, and maybe bring back some recipes for the cooks to make.
It’d be wonderful. For now, she couldn't be worried. She had political work to do.

Into her thoughts came the voice of Karam, who could speak Equestrian.

“Princess Celestia, may I speak?”

Startled a bit, she twitched her wings and turned around, “Yes? What is it?”

“I, too, was honored to watch your magic in work. The sun has been a bright symbol of hope for us, and seeing it controlled by one creature is quite marvelous,” Karam said with a wave of one wing.

She smiled her warm, soft smile at him and said, “Thank you. I’m so used to it that even I forget how incredible it is myself. I hear that you have quite the impressive power too, Al-Asif.”

That made him straighten up with a proud flair. He did his best to nod and offer her a firm, grateful smile.
“Then the mutual admiration between our nations increases,” Karam noted, “I find it strange that in all these decades of allegiance we never managed to meet muzzle-to-muzzle before now. That is a grave error on my part.
I hope we can visit each other properly one day.”

“Yes, I hope so too. I’d love to see your homeland. I hear it’s quite breathtaking,” Celestia said with a nod, her eyes lighting up at the thought of seeing another foreign land.

“I hear Equestria is equally breathtaking,” Karam said, a similar light in his own eyes, “We shall visit each other then. One day soon.”

She smiled wider and adjusted her posture quickly.

“Yes, soon.”

The two bowed to each other, and left.

Celestia was excited.
Today had been amazing!
Not only did she make a fantastic impression on the emperor, but she also got an invitation to Saddle-Arabia.

Karam himself was astounded.
His mind replayed all the moments of the day, taking them in and memorizing them… but all his memories zoomed in on Celestia.
Alas, one question bothered them both:
What was the shogun doing?

Chapter 6: Concerns, Routines, Families

It was late summer. Celestia had been in Rikuma for two weeks, but for the Equestrian creatures, she’d been gone about three weeks.
The citizens were both excited and nervous. Many were eager for any news from Rikuma at all, and others feared something would happen to the Princess of the Sun. For a thousand years, she had stayed in Equestria, and only made short trips here and there. This was the longest trip she'd been on in ages. It was historical and astounding. Unfortunately, many citizens saw Celestia almost like a mother to the nation, and like any child suddenly separated from his mother, everypony was a little anxious. Thankfully, Princess Luna did her best to support the servants, reassure the crowds, and put on a confident face. Over in Ponyville, Princess Twilight was equally swamped by desperate citizens, and daily had to keep on her own smile-and-wave routine.
Today she was pacing around her castle, waiting for Celestia’s reply to her letter.
When spike received it, he swiftly ran to her.
Twilight snatched it with her magic, relieved for something new to tell the citizens.

To Twilight, Princess of Friendship:

Tell the citizens I will be on my way home soon. Expect me to be back by Fall.
Tell them that I am perfectly fine and am being treated as a highly-honored guest.
Really, I am fine.
The palace here is beautiful, the music is soothing, and the food is incredible. Everywhere I turn there’s something new and exciting to experience.
Of course, I'm not the only world leader here trying to make alliances and arrangments. The Malik of Saddle-Arabia is here as well. He has a very serious composure, but he is pleasant to talk to overall. We keep sharing stories of our homelands, and I can tell he has as much passion for his citizens as I have for mine.
Certainly, The Emperor of Rikuma himself has been an excellent host, treating all of us to the best rooms and sights.

Now, Twilight, I would not go telling everypony this, but I sense something is terribly wrong here.
The Shogun has been avoiding us, and whenever he is around, both he and the emperor grow tense.
I suppose the Shogun is merely being cautious around foreigners, which is understandable, but I cannot shake a deep, worried feeling in my heart. In case you aren't aware, Rikuma has two leaders. The emperor is the head of state, while the Shogun is, essentially, the head of the military. It's a little complicated, and I don't have time to write it all. Suffice to say that the Shogun doesn't seem impressed with me or the malik.

Don’t tell the citizens that. You may tell Luna, and your dearest friends, but don’t let the citizens panic. So far, nothing terrible has happened. Perhaps I'm just worrying over nothing. After all, I'm used to everypony admiring and adoring me. I know that not everypony is going to accept me, my culture, my clothing, or my personality. Hopefully all this will end politely.

Tell Luna I love her and miss her, and I’ll write again soon.

---Celestia

Twilight frowned. Carefully she rolled up the letter, contemplating it.

"Twilight? What's wrong? " Spike asked.

"I'm not sure, Spike. Here, read it for yourself."

Spike read it, and twitched his wings in concern.

"So, the military leader guy doesn't like outsiders? What's the big deal? Not like everypony is going to like each other. I mean, no offense to you, Princess of Friendship and all--you know what I mean."

"No, you're right. Even in Friendship, not everypony has to get along all the time. This is different, though. This is politics... and that's something I'm still new to. I don't know the culture over there, or what's a good sign or a bad. Celestia isn't entirely certain either. Maybe it's nothing, but... I have a terrible feeling, Spike."

Twilight paced around her bedroom, thinking it over.

"Well, are you going to write back to her?" Spike asked slowly, holding the letter.

"Yes, of course. Let me get a pen."

To Celestia, Princess of the Sun:

Don't worry, I'll tell Luna the message, and send your letter to her. Please, if you sense any serious change or danger, inform us at once. Don't worry about the citizens here. Luna and I are handling it very well. What matters most is you come home safely. I'll inform you if anything important happens over here. So far, it's been the usual routine, day after day. Citizens keep asking me for news, and I keep saying what little I know. I've given many press releases, and I will give another later today, since you gave me some more information. Luna has the same situation over in Canterlot. Besides that, everypony is fine. Fluttershy just released some pidgeons back to the wilds, now that they healed. She was very excited, and it was relieving to see the birds flying again. Moonflower also has learned a lot from her lately. Fluttershy says she can splint a broken leg very well. Everypony else is keeping busy and getting along just fine. You take care of what needs to be done over there. Enjoy your overseas trip!

Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle

Spike sent the letter away in a burst of flame, and Twilight relaxed her wings.

"Everything will work out well. I'm sure of it," Twilight declared.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm sure Celestia's got it covered," Spike said with a confident flap of his wings.

Flash entered the room, donning his blue and purple armor, which matched the armor of the other guards under Twilight's watch.

"Twilight? It's time for another round of Smile-and-Wave," Flash chirped.

"Ah, right on schedule," Twilight sighed, looking at the clock.

"Will the newspapers ever stop bothering us?" Spike groaned.

"It's their job to report things, Spike. What else are they going to do?" Twilight said with a hint of amusement in her eyes.
She paused, and added, "Spike, send messages to the other Five Councilmembers. I want to discuss the letter with them."

The "Councilmembers" were her best friends, of course. In these days, they were called the Council of Harmony, and watched the Cutie Map from Friendship Castle, which was also called Harmony Castle.
Spike nodded confidently and walked to another room.
For a moment, Twilight stared out one of her windows, watching the press conference gather. Beyond the stage and the crowds, her eyes took in the sight of Ponyville. The town, which had once been a quaint, country place, had boomed and thrived. More and more ponies, donkeys, minotaurs, and other creatures came here to live near the Councilmembers. Everycreature longed to see them in person, read the Friendship Journal, and be close to these heroic Ponies. After saving Equestria so many times, Twilight and her friends were highly regarded, and many came to this town, thinking it would be the safest place in the entire nation to live. Although the economy had boomed in that time, it was hard to keep up with the town's demands, now that it was a city. Carpenters went from small-time work to suddenly building houses every day, and their shops and teams grew into big businesses. Stone masons, too, were never short of work to do, and on every corner was another entrepreneur starting up a business that was sure to thrive. It was a beautiful sight, but required much work. The mayor, though she was quite thorough and knowledgeable, was getting very old. More and more work was given to Twilight to oversee, since she was royalty. In time, Twilight knew that she would be the ruler of this town, and there would be no mayor anymore. On the one hoof, Twilight was honored to have such responsibility, and genuinely wanted to care for her ponies. On the other hoof, Twilight felt overwhelmed more and more each day.
It was a blessing to have such a relaxed husband, and so many good friends.
Pinkie Pie, Spike, Starlight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Flash, all of them were wonderful.
Surely, together, they could handle anything.

"Ready, Dear? You've been staring a while." Flash remarked, poking her with his wing.

"What? Sorry. My mind wandered. I'm ready," She said. For a moment, she adjusted her tiara with her magic, and took a deep breath. She put one hoof to her heart, then moved her hoof forward, and let out her breath.

Once more, she stepped outside her crystalline castle, stood on the stage, and gave yet another update.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle will now give the latest news," Flash Sentry announced.

The crowd instantly quieted, and Twilight cleared her throat.

"Princess Celestia sent me a letter this morning. She assures me that all is well. She plans to return no later than fall. There is nothing for you to fear. Now, any questions?"

Dozens of reporters spoke at once. Cameras flashed. Twilight smiled.
...yet another day... passed.
So many questions were asked that she felt her brain throbbing with contemplation over every tiny, mundane detail. Many ponies weren't even asking about Celestia! They asked random, irrelevant things about Twilight herself, or the guards, or the castle, or the economy.
Now was not the time to talk about the price of tea in Zuoji or whatever it was. However, she did best to remain calm, smile, wave, and give appropriate answers. She'd learned much from the elder princesses, and as the current stand-in ruler of half of Equestria, she had to be bold and confident.
By some miracle, she managed to get through the press conference without losing her last brain cells.
The citizens were relieved to hear their princess was safe, and everything calmed down… for now....

“Good job, Dear,” Flash whispered as he escorted her back into the castle.

“Thanks. I just hope everything will work out over in Rikuma,” She whispered back as the guards shut the doors behind them both.

In the Cutie Map Room, her best friends, and her student, were waiting for her, and the sight of all of them together helped soothe her worried heart. Though Starlight Glimmer wasn't officially on the Council, she was deeply important, and often helped keep tabs on the city for Twilight. If anypony would be the next 'Mayor" of this town, it very well could be her.
Flash shut the door and stood nearby while Twilight took her seat, with Spike at her side.

“Celestia better get back soon, or things could get worse around here,” Rarity remarked as she adjusted her mane with her magic while looking in a small mirror, “For the most part, everypony’s optimistic, but there are more and more neigh-sayers as time goes on.”

“We can keep them happy though!” Pinkie said with a hop in the air.

“Of course, here in Ponyville, but what about other places?” Fluttershy murmured with a shake of her head.

“Twilight, what ELSE did that letter say?” Applejack asked, leaning forward with a serious look on her freckled features.

“Yeah, I get the impression you’re hiding something. Why’d you bring us all here?” Rainbow asked as she hovered in the air nearby.

With a heavy sigh, Twilight tapped a hoof on the table, admitting, “I don't want you telling anypony this, but Celestia feels there is some hidden political tension between the emperor and the shogun of Rikuma. So far nothing bad has happened, but she’s worried it’ll escalate.”

“So? That’s the other side of the world. Why do WE care?” Rainbow pointed out with a shrug.

“Because, Dash, if it DOES escalate while Celestia is there, Equestria could…” Twilight paused, looking down at her shiny new shoes.

...was she really about to say… “go into war”?

War?

It was such a foreign word that she hardly believed it was possible, yet… it was.

“Equestria could what?” Pinkie asked, tilting her head to the side curiously.

With a gulp, Twilight finished with, “Go to war.”

Fluttershy gasped, and fear filled her eyes.
“W-war? No, never. We aren’t warring creatures. That won’t happen, right?”

“WAR? Please, Twilight, Equestria’s been at peace for a thousand years, with only a bit of tension here and there,” Rainbow dismissed with a flick of one of her forehooves, “Not gonna happen. Now, if we’re done here, I have to go to a Wonderbolt meeting. We’re working on some complicated movesets.”

“Dash! Twilight has a point: this is serious,” Applejack snorted while folding down her ears, “We should at least prepare.”

“We’re Equestria, known for HARMONY--surely no war will touch us,” Rarity dismissed with a shake of her head, “Celestia is a wise and patient creature. I’m certain she can persuade any tension to cool down.”

"I doubt we'll go to war either, but if war happens out there, it could still affect us indirectly," Starlight Glimmer pointed out, "We may lose our trading routes with other nations, if they're all busy fighting."

"But why would they fight if one guy is a little upset? It doesn't make sense!" Rainbow Dash retorted, waving her forelegs in the air.

"Well... you do have a point. Maybe nothing will happen," Starlight agreed, shaking her head.

"Uhm, how do you prepare for war, exactly?" Fluttershy asked with a gulp.

Dead silence filled the room. Once or twice, somepony opened her mouth, only to close it again. Not a single creature there, not even Flash, was certain how to prepare for war. Now, preparing for a monster attack, a thief, a natural disaster was doable, yes, but war? That word was so foreign that it didn't feel real. It felt like some bizarre, far-off legend.

"If we do go to war, Princess Celestia will make a plan, with Princess Luna's help. I'm not sure if any of us would be directly involved in that, since we are the uh... guardians of Friendship, after all," Flash suggested with a shrug.

“Yes, I agree. Celestia can handle it,” Twilight said with a nod, “you can go now, Dash. I know you're eager to leave.”

Flash opened the door, and a rainbow burst of wind flew by him, almost knocking him over.
The sound of her speed echoed down the hall and faded away, followed by the opening and closing of other doors. With a sigh, Twilight face-hoofed, and Flash calmly closed the door.

"Guess she was late," Spike commented.

"Rude," Rarity groaned, "She should be old enough to know better. Hmph."

“If we’re done here… I guess I’ll go back to my animal sanctuary,” Flutterhy sighed, sliding off her chair.

“Don’t be sad, Fluttershy! It’ll work out, I just know it!” Pinkie said, bouncing around the room, “Also, I just got the BEST idea for a new cup cake! Seriously! THE BEST! I’m thinking of adding dried mango bits all over! MMMm--MM!”

She licked her lips as she thought of it, and the other ponies brightened at the thought, except for Applejack.

“Pinkie, Mango cupcakes? I mean, I guess it’d work, but it sounds so… strange,” Applejack said as she pursed her lips and adjusted her hat.

Twilight giggled and adjusted her crown with a wing for a moment before saying, “You can all go now, Girls. That’s all I wanted to say. Just a little warning to be cautious, but still optimistic.”

“Thank you for your honesty, Twilight,” Applejack said as she stood up, “I know it’s worryin’, but like Rarity said… it’ll probably be fine.”

“OF COURSE it’ll be fine. This is CELESTIA we’re talking about. If she can avoid war for a millenia, why not a few more years?” Rarity said with a dismissive wave of her tail.

“Yeah, it’ll probably be fine,” Spike agreed as he held the door open for the other ponies.

“Yup! It always works out, one way or another!” Pinkie agreed as she bounced out the door.

“I hope so…” Fluttershy sighed as she drooped along behind.

Twilight exchanged a look with Flash, wishing she could say more to comfort them, but no… she was just as uncertain as they. With a comforting nod, Flash put a wing around her shoulders, and that simple action helped her relax.

“Twilight, is there anything you want me or Sunburst to do?” Starlight Glimmer asked. She was trying to stay cheery for her former teacher.

“No, nothing. You can go now, Starlight. Thanks, though,” Twilight said with a nod and a wave of her wing.

Though Starlight wasn’t certain about that… she decided to ask Twilight about it later, when she didn’t look so tired.

It was late summer, but thanks to Earth Pony magic, apples were already ripe. Indeed, the Apple family was always busy with something, and in this time of year it was apple-bucking. This family could not be more aptly-named.
At 28 years of age, Applejack was still strong, organized, and energetic, but with a foal to take care of, her priorities were shifting. She was glad Apple Bloom was an adult now, and AJ didn’t have to worry so much about the work with her and Big Mac around.
With those two working the fields and Silver Shill working with organizing, shipping and bookkeeping, AJ could breathe and focus on keeping her eyes on her energetic daughter.
That is, when AJ wasn’t busy galloping around fixing fences, adjusting pipelines, or feeding the chickens and sheep.
Ha, nothing could slow her down, no, not even a very, very energetic foal.
Unfortunately, it was a bit hard to focus on work after what Twilight said. On the one hoof, Celestia was a great leader and surely she could avoid war, but on the other---
Applejack tightened the loose bolt so much that she almost got her wrench stuck. Her eyes opened wider and she opened her jaw, releasing the tool.

“...okay, I have got to focus,” she sighed while adjusting her scarf.

Her scarf… Granny’s scarf. It’d been a while since Granny Smith died--about three years now-- but it was still heartbreaking to think about.
It was just a few months after Pinkie’s wedding, actually, in the wintertime….
Of course, they all knew Granny was gonna die eventually, but when she didn’t wake up that day, it still took everypony by surprise. Within just a few weeks, all Granny’s dear, elderly friends were gone, too.
Now Apple Bloom wore Goldie Delicious' scarf and AJ wore Granny’s, in loving memory.

“We don’t have time to reminisce! Get back to work!” Applejack scolded herself as she leaned forward.
Carefully she took the wrench off the pipe bolt and stepped back, examining the pipe.
Good, no accidental damage.

“AJ! AJ!”

Her sister’s voice cut into the moment, and she turned around to see Apple Bloom trotting over to her.

Putting down her wrench in her toolbox, Applejack asked, “Yeah?”

“Silver wants to know where you put the spare blue ink.”

With a sigh, AJ closed her eyes, trying to remember.

“Hmmm… oh! I was walkin’ through the kitchen and put it down, err, somewhere in there. Sorry!” she remembered with an epic facehoof.

“Gotcha! How’s the pipes for the squash comin’?” Bloom asked, trotting closer to look at the irrigation system her sister was working on.

“Pretty good. I had to replace that elbow joint there, and it wouldn’t come off for the longest time,” AJ groaned, adjusting her hat with one forehoof, “But it’s all right now, and I was just tightenin’ up this here bolt where it was leakin’.”

Bloom leaned forward, inspecting the bolt. With a proud smile, she nodded and said, “Looks good! I’ll go back to foal sittin’ now.”

“Foal sittin’? I thought you was helpin’ Big Mac!”

“I was! I was just takin’ a little break, honest!”

“Apple Bloom, I know you: you love Pippin so much you’ll just cuddle her all day.”

“I won’t! Really!”

“OH, yes you will! I’ll go back and take care of my own foal while you get back to your work. Now.”

Apple Bloom gave her sister a fake pout, but ended up giggling it away. The two exchanged a quiet laugh and nodded to each other.
As her little sister trotted away, AJ had another reminiscing thought.
For a moment, she remembered when Apple Bloom was just a little filly, desperate to earn her cutie mark, all those years ago… ah… AJ was so proud of her. Everypony was proud of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
“Okay, time to go find the foal,” AJ chuckled, breaking out of her thoughts.

Silver Pippin was in her playpen, batting around some jangly bell toys. Her pale green pelt and orange mane caught the afternoon sun’s light with a dull glow, and when she saw her mama, her green eyes lit up with excitement.
She lifted up both forelegs, making her cute, tiny noises.
With a warm smile, AJ bent down and nuzzled her daughter, holding back a giggle of her own.

“You’re always so happy, you know that? Good. Good for you,” AJ murmured as she thought again about what Twilight said.

Pippin giggled, booping her mama’s nose with one of her tiny hooves.

“Ha ha, boop,” AJ whispered, gently booping Pippin back with the tip of one hoof.

Pippin put both of her hooves on her face, giggling again.

“Honey, you there?”

Remembering all her work, she pulled her head out of the playpen and called, “I’m in the nursery, Silver!”

Hoofsteps echoed down the hall, and a moment later, Silver Shill poked his head in the door.

“Ah, good. Pippin doin’ all right?”

“Yup. She’s her usual, happy self.”

“... and you aren’t?”

AJ didn’t want Pippin to see her sad, so she walked away, turning her back to the playpen before letting her smile fade. Silver’s teal eyes clouded over with a worried, sympathetic look as he leaned forward and whispered,

“...what else did Twilight say?”

AJ bit her lip.
On the one hoof, she wasn’t supposed to tell the public, but on the other… this was family, and she didn’t keep secrets from family. She left the nursery, gently shutting the door with one of her hind hooves before answering,

“Celestia says there’s some kinda tension between the Rikuma emperor and his advisor or somethin. No, not adviser, uh, Shogun. Yeah. Maybe it’s nothin’, but it could be a real big SOMETHIN’ and it’s botherin’ me, but I’m not supposed to talk about it because we don’t want nopony gettin’ upset over just a little somethin’ that might be a big NOTHIN’.”

Silver nodded his head slowly, thinking it over in his quiet, methodical way.

“... Well… you’re right… could be nothin’ at all… could be awful bad… I think we should just stay positive and go about our business.”

Those quiet, slow words sank into AJ’s worry, dispelling it all.

“You’re right. Worryin’ won’t do any good. Besides, we don’t got time to worry. You, uh, you won’t tell anypony else about that, right?”

“Course not. Anyway, don’t worry about Pippin. I’ll just move my bookkeepin’ in there and keep her company while you do your thing, Honey.”

“Thanks. I’m still surprised I didn’t fall over from exhaustion before you came along to the farm.”

“Now, Honey, you are one pretty tough pony,” he complimented her with a quick nuzzle to her cheek, “Don’t worry about a thing, okay?”

“Yes, Honey, I won’t.”

Rarity stepped off the train, entering Canterlot’s station. With all the increased tourism to and from Ponyville, the station had expanded, and a second railroad was in the works. Ponies filled the area, exiting and entering the train quickly while the conductors were calling out the next stop. The station was filled with the scents of steam and smoke from the train, contrasted by the sweet perfumes of the refined ponies trotting around.
Echoing down the station were dozens of voices, all mixing together into one vague din that hovered around the area like a thick, invisible cloud.
Newcomers would find it distracting, but to a veteran traveler like Rarity, such things were home--especially since she was actually in her new home town now.
There, near a bench, was her family.
Fancy Pants was keeping a watchful eye on the carriage, where little Gold Karat was looking around at all the passing Ponies. Beside them was Fleur de Lis, Fancy’s bodyguard and personal assistant.
Not that anyone would really think she was a tough pony who was a skilled fighter, of course.
She was perfect for the job.

“Karat, look: Mommy,” Fancy said, gesturing with a hoof to Rarity.

Karat looked over, and his blue eyes widened in excitement and he waved his hooves to Rarity.
Seeing her baby, husband, and faithful companion again, Rarity smiled and trotted over.
With her magic, she picked up Karat and held him close for a quick kiss to the cheek, and then pulled him in, letting him feel the fluffy faux fur collar on the elegant cape she was wearing.

“Yes, Darling, Mommy’s home!” Rarity cooed for her baby, before turning to the others and saying, “Ah, it’s good to see you all again.”

“Welcome home, Darling,” Fancy Pants said as he stood up and gave Rarity a kiss to the cheek, “We’re all glad to see you.”

“Oui. Not much to report around here,” Fleur said with a bow, “Welcome home, Madame.”

Rarity put Karat back in his stroller and said, “Good. That’s what I like to hear. No bad news, nothing went wrong, all is well.”

On the way home, Fancy Pants filled her in on the state of the store.

“The opera singer, Bright Morning, bought one of your Lavender Dream dresses, and now it’s soared in popularity. Besides that, the stock is pretty well-kept, and Sassy has been doing an excellent job in ordering the needed fabrics for your next projects.”

“Good. Do you suppose we should hire a third pony to work there?”

“Hmmm… perhaps soon, but it’s not entirely needed. I know how much you enjoy being at the stores yourself. Tell me, how are things in Ponyville?”

Rarity looked around, taking in the sights of all the buildings and ponies around her as she pondered what to say.

“Twilight heard from Princess Celestia. Apparently the Princess is going to return by Fall. That’s about it.”

“Celestia should return soon, before ponies really start to worry. Nopony likes having their chief princess gone after a thousand years of her being here constantly,” Fancy Pants noted as he used his magic to polish his monocle on his vest.

“I agree. Before we know it, she’ll be back, everypony will relax, and we’ll all return to normal.”

“Pinkie, these are DELICIOUS! We should put mango on EVERYTHING!”

“YES!... wait, wait, OH, we could use mango puree and mix it in with the flour, to give it REAL mango flavor! What do you think?”

“I think we should try it! We could use it in the next party!”

“YES!”

Pinkie bounced around the kitchen, gathering ingredients for a mango cake. Ever since she got married a few years ago, she’d lived in her own house with Cheese, where they brainstormed all kinds of party and food ideas. Some of them turned out weird, but most were absolutely scrumptious!
When Lil’ Cheese came into their lives, things slowed down for a bit, but having a foal of their own to take care of made them ten times happier, and gave them MORE ideas to work with.
For the next hour, Pinkie and Cheese worked on pureeing mangoes. They only had a few to work with, but the mangoes were amazingly juicy, and smelled utterly scrumptious with their sticky, gooey, fruity goodness of golden delight.
It was incredibly hard to stay clean and resist the urge to chow down on them.
However, they managed to endure it, and soon baked a yellow-colored, mango cake. As soon as it was cooled, they frosted it with yellow-tinted mango frosting, and sprinkled it with dried mango bits.

“Okay, now for the official CheesePie family taste-tester,” Cheese said with great ceremony as he washed his hooves.

Pinkie’s face grew serious and she nodded. In a blur, she darted away, and returned with Li'l Cheese, who looked around at the messy kitchen with a happy squeal. He knew what this meant.
Li'l Cheese was almost five years old now. He was filled with excitement and wonder at everything his adoring parents did. He had his mother's pink, curly mane and tail, and a light yellow coat. Sparkles filled his bright green eyes, which matched his father's, and he clapped his hooved together eagerly with a giggle.

“CAKE!” Li'l Cheese cheered as Pinkie put him into the highchair.

“Yup! It’s taste-test time,” Pinkie said with a giggle, “Look, here it comes!”

Cheese Sandwich carefully lowered his head down, putting a plate with a piece of frosted mango cake down for his son to see.
As if he was already an expert, Li'l Cheese narrowed his eyes, sniffed the cake, and looked at it from different angles.
Nearby, his parents watched with wide, anxious eyes.
Li'l Cheese sniffed again, and then bit into the cake. Chewing it over and over, he rolled it around his tongue and analyzed it with a scrunched-up expression on his yellow face.
With a gulp, Pinkie and Father Cheese held hooves, waiting for the judgement from the great taste-tester.
Then, with a dramatic swallow, Li'l Cheese looked up again, taking a big, BIG breath.

“YUMMY! BEST CAKE! YUMMY, YUMMY! MANGO IS DELICIOUS! ”

Cheese and Pinkie cheered, bouncing around the room, and Li'l Cheese cheered too, waving his forelegs in the air excitedly.
The new cake had passed the judgement of the taste-tester.

Not everypony was so happy, though.

In her animal sanctuary, Fluttershy made her usual rounds, but her heart was heavy, and her eyes were down. She tried to tell herself it would be all right, but she kept thinking about Celestia, and Rikuma, and what if.. What if… would… would there really be a war?
No, no, surely not. With the power of Friendship, surely there’d be no horrible war, right?
The closest thing they had to a war was the Storm King invading their land, but with Friendship he was stopped, so… why worry about some far-away Kirin who probably didn’t care about Equestria?
Nevertheless, her heart was heavy, and she found it hard to keep up her usual, healing smile and cheer for her animal friends.

“ Miss Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy blinked and turned, seeing her adoptive daughter behind her.
Moonflower was a dark-colored Bat Pony with a white mane and tail, and bright, pink eyes.
She was far too observant and compassionate to ignore Fluttershy’s odd behavior.

“Oh, Moonflower, I… I’m sorry, I’m just a bit worried about something Twilight said today,” Fluttershy sighed as she sat on a log bench, “Maybe it’s nothing and I should push away all this anxiety, but… I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“I can keep secrets, if you’re afraid of telling somepony,” Moonflower murmured as she sat beside Fluttershy.

For a moment, Fluttershy looked away, debating if she should talk about it or not. After all, it was just a vague note of some POSSIBLE tension, and not an actual war declaration. What was there to worry about, right?
Then, the leathery feeling of wings wrapped around her, and when she looked down, she realized that little Moonflower was hugging her with her small bat wings.
Grateful for the filly’s love, Fluttershy wrapped one of her feathery wings around her and relaxed.

“Well, Moonflower… Princess Celestia will be back by Fall. Everything’s fine, but she’s worried something bad might happen, because, well, some of the political leaders are… tense around each other. Maybe it’s nothing, but it has me worried that something could go very, very wrong.”

Moonflower looked up and narrowed her eyes in worry.

“I hope nothing goes wrong… but… if it’s so far away, it shouldn’t bother us, right?”

Fluttershy leaned down and nuzzled her, saying, “Right. We’ll be fine over here. Probably nothing will go wrong.”

Moonflower was her little gift from above. Although Fluttershy was deeply admired and adored, nopony had wanted to marry her. She watched on the sidelines as her other friends all got married--Pinkie Pie first, in the year 1007, then the others in a row, over the past years. Pinkie Pie and Cheese had a beautiful, happy boy in the year 1008, in July. Rarity was married that next winter, in 1009, and not long after, Applejack and Silver Shill were married. Starlight and Sunburst were married next, in 1010. At first, Fluttershy was content to be a bridesmare, and cheered for her friends at every foal shower, wedding, celebration, party, invitation, everything. However, when all of them were engaged or married--even Starlight Glimmer-- she struggled with jealousy, confusion, and even depression. When would it be her turn to be someone's special pony? What if nopony ever wanted to marry her? Was there something wrong with her?
She tried to keep her chin up, and keep herself busy. Besides, her animals loved her, in a family way. Maybe that's the only family she needed, besides her aging parents and her brother. Still, there was an empty hole in her heart.Every time one of her friends had a foal, she was joyful, then angry, then lonely. It was a burning, cold cycle that she couldn't escape. Still, she kept her chin up, and found solace in her sanctuary. After all, the animals needed her. Even if nopony wanted to marry her, they still appreciated her. Perhaps that would be enough.
Then, one day, a sickly, thin, orphaned filly crawled into her sanctuary, shortly after Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst were married. She was so malnourished that her dark pelt became a light, blue-grey color. Her silvery mane and tail were thin and falling out, and she had many cuts and scratches bleeding. Fluttershy opened her wings and let the desperate filly in. Moonflower survived a timberwolf attack that killed every bat in her village. She had galloped and flown for weeks, terrified of seeing anything on four legs. Exhausted and delirious, she trudged and dragged herself to Fluttershy's place, not even knowing where she was. It took weeks of intense medical care for the filly to recover, and even then, it was many more moons before her pelt, mane and tail were restored to full health. At first, Fluttershy tried to find a good adoption service or a foster home for the little Nocturnus mare.
Sadly, nopony wanted a batpony daughter. It had been a thousand years, but the bat ponies were still looked-down on for being associated with Nightmare Moon. What truly happened in that ancient time, only Celestia knew now, but the modern-day bat ponies were wrongly accused of many disgusting things, including cannibalism. Fluttershy and the others of the Council of Harmony did NOT believe such false legends, but even with all the friendship and harmony they had, it was nigh-impossible to get rid of a thousand-year-old grudge that the nation held. Hence, Moonflower had no place to live, except under Fluttershy's wing. That dark hole in her heart suddenly didn't feel so deep anymore. 1011 that Summer, Twilight Sparkle and Flash Sentry were married, then Applejack and Silver Shill had a sweet, wonderful baby girl. Not long after, Rarity and Fancy Pants had a son the fall of that same year that AJ became a mother! However, this time around, Fluttershy was able to celebrate without a deep, hidden frustration, or an icy-cold loneliness. This time, Bridesmare Fluttershy didn't feel so jealous or lonely. This time, when Fluttershy arrived home, she had her own filly beside her. Even if nopony asked her to be a wife, she still had her own family member to invest in and love.
Of course, she hesitated to officially adopt Moonflower. Fluttershy knew little of Nocturnus customs, and was uncertain if even calling her a "Bat Pony" was offensive or not. Even basic things like that were unknown to her. Besides, poor Moonflower suffered immensely, and still grieved her dead family. Fluttershy didn't want to make her grieving worse, and thus didn't bring up the topic of adoption. Initially, Fluttershy took her on as a student, and began teaching her how to care for animals. Obediently Moonflower observed everything, took many notes, and soon helped ease Fluttershy's tasks. Discord liked the new filly very much, and often popped in randomly to see how she was. Moonflower was wary of him for a long time, but eventually treated him like a funny, old uncle. When Chrysalis came around too, Moonflower eventually treated her like an eccentric, stuck-up aunt that surely must have a good heart... somewhere.
In other words, Moonflower was always polite and courteous. She owed her life to Fluttershy and the Council, and loved every creature that the Council loved, no matter how peculiar they were.
It was now the year 1012, almost 1013. Twilight and Flash were married just about a year. All of Fluttershy's Pony friends were married, and several were mothers.
Fluttershy didn't feel jealous, or angry, or depressed.
All was well in her heart.

She only hoped that her Moonflower would be safe, and there would be no war for her foster daughter to suffer through.

“I dunno, Dash, it sounds like it could be trouble.”

“Soarin, pleeeease, it’s so far away that I doubt it’d affect us. Now, if it was something in GRIFFONSTONE or Yakyakistan, yeah, I’d be more serious about it,” Rainbow Dash said as she flopped onto the couch after a long day of practice.

Soarin flopped onto the ground, spreading his wings out to let them relax a bit.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Still, I wouldn’t be so chillax about this.”

“Okay, let’s just say that MAYBE war breaks out. We can just use the elements of Harmony and BAM, everyone’s friends, right? Done. Nopony gets hurt!”

“I don’t think the elements work like that.. Do they?”

Dash looked up, and then a guilty look came to her eyes and she flopped back to the couch, admitting, “Okay, so it’s not QUITE like that, but… you get the idea. We’ll be fine. Before we know it, Celestia will be back, Pinkie will throw a huge party, and this’ll all be old news. All kinds of creatures get tense when meeting new people, right?
It’s probably nothing.”

Rainbow Dash was a straightforward mare. She didn't have time to reminisce, or moan and groan, or contemplate. She had training, eating, sleeping, and her husband. To her, life was perfectly fine. Everypony else was ridiculous.

Chapter 7: Secret Deals

Karam stared at his ship, watching the sailors prepare the last things needed to head out. It was early fall now, and he’d been in Rikuma long enough. The adventure was thrilling, and the business deals were fantastic, but it was time to return home. Through his black mane the cold autumn winds blew, promising that Winter was on its way. Feeling the cold wind, Karam shivered slightly, glad that he wore several layers of tack to keep the bite away.
Though he was glad to be going home, part of him wished he could stay longer. This foreign land was beautiful, filled with unique sights, sounds, and tastes, and it felt like a great shame to leave.
Then again, he had been there for several weeks, and it would take a few more just to return home.
No, it was time to leave.

Emperor Umi had already given Karam many gifts as a finalization of their trading agreements, and the farewell gathering was filled with music and decorations all through the port city of Saikyo. Once more, the townscreatures gathered at the docks, watching the Saddle-Arabian sailors ready to leave.

“We are ready, Sire,” One of Karam’s advisors said with a bow.

Karam nodded to him and trotted over to Emperor Umi to say one final farewell.

“It was most pleasant meeting you, Strong Wind. May this be the beginning of a longer story between us,” Emperor Umi said through translators.

“Indeed, may it be the beginning of something better,” Karam agreed with one final bow.

The Kirin emperor smiled and nodded. His golden-yellow mane ebbed and flowed all around his white pelt and ornate robes, filled with the ancient magic of his ancestors. Something about the motion emphasized his goodwill and gratefulness.
Karam turned, striding toward his ship, and there, just a few yards away, Celestia bowed to him in farewell.
With the sun lighting up her colorful mane, she smiled at him once again. Yet one more time, Karam felt a tinge of competition, which he quickly shrugged away. Certainly, he couldn’t leave without talking to her one last time… mostly to practice his Equestrian speech.
Really.

“It was wonderful getting to know you, Strong Wind. May our nations become closer friends after this meeting,” Celestia said as she lowered her head and neck in a polite bow.
Karam stiffened at the mention of “Friends.”
Something about certain words like that left a bad taste on his tongue.

“Yes, Bright Sun. May we be strong allies for many centuries to come,” he replied with a bow of his own, extending his wings slightly as he did.

“Allies” was much easier to say than “Friends”, yes.

When he looked back up, he found himself studying the exact shade of her purple and pink eyes deeply.
How did one get such beautiful eyes, or such a comforting smile?
...smile… didn’t his mother have such a smile?
He… he couldn’t remember.
It had been too long since he had family.
He cursed himself for being sentimental.
Quickly he pushed away the thought and straightened up, returning back to his ship.

The citizens neared the docks, with Emperor Umi and Princess Celestia at the front, watching the ship pull out of the harbor.
Karam watched the two, memorizing everything about the moment-- the music from the streets, the banners waving in the breeze, Celestia’s mane, everything.
As he watched, Emperor Umi lifted one cloven hoof slightly, and his backwards-curving, white horn lit up with bright teal magic.
Gradually, the sea around the ship swelled, and the waves obeyed Umi’s thoughts.
Karam’s eyes widened and all his sailors halted, watching in surprise as the waves began carefully leading the ship out of the harbor.

“Wait, he can control the sea? THAT is his destiny?” Someone murmured in Saddle-Arabian.

“That’s incredible for an island nation!” Another gasped.

Karam himself was impressed, smirking quietly and watching as the waves moved them along, ‘till they were out of danger. In the distance, the teal glow of the emperor’s horn faded away, and the waves returned to their usual, rolling motion.
Seeing that it was safe, Karam looked up and made his own horn glow with his golden magic.
The wind picked up, filling the sails and pushing the ship to its top speed, heading for the desert sands of home.
Once more, everybeast returned to their work, leaving Karam staring out at the horizon with his usual, stoic expression.

His mind was still contemplating the Shogunate.
Never once had the shogun or one of his daimyo invited Karam over.
Not once.
Not one.
At all.
Was this usual for Rikuma’s culture?
Karam was a warrior.
He knew something was up.
Or was it?

“Sire, may we ask something?”

The voice interrupted his train of thoughts, and Karam turned around sharply.
Standing before him were his advisors.

“Speak,” He ordered, adjusting his wings on his sides.

“Considering that our time in Rikuma is over, may we discuss other matters at hoof?”
His advisor of economics, who was an Oryx, asked with a respectful bow.

“Of course. Speak your mind,” Karam said, glad for something to take his mind off the shogunate and politics.

The advisors were a bit tense, but the Oryx was brave and stepped forward.

Why are they being so tense? They should hurry up and get it over with.

Karam thought to himself while watching them all.

“Now that you have met Princess Celestia, tell us… do you consider her worthy for a marriage arrangement? If not, we could find a way to arrange a meeting with the leaders of Konlya so you may….”

Karam tuned out whatever the Oryx was saying and thought to himself, These creatures have a race in their minds with only one contestant, which was an old Saddle-Arabian saying.

Raising a wing, Karam cut them off with, “Now is not the time to discuss my eventual marriage and continuing the family line, et cetera, thank you.”

"But, Great One, considering that you have now reigned for more than a millennia alone, when would be the most appropriate time? Should it not be now, when all are at peace and there is great economic growth?" The Oryx politely gulped, with sweat on his brow.

"Furthermore, My Lord, consider this: Celestia, and the Princess of Konlya both are Alicorns, such as yourself, and thus are eternal. You have all the time in the world to know them more personally, and thus, decide which would be a more appropriate bride! It needn't be rushed, but the first steps should be taken, yes?" A Camel advisor added quickly.

"If I have all the time in the world, then LET ME TAKE MY TIME!!" Karam said, his voice booming out at the last words.

All the advisors went flying back, and then quickly hid belowdeck. Karam groaned and folded his wings again, shaking his head in annoyance.
Before they left to Rikuma, RIGHT before the message came, they had pestered Karam about getting married.
Now, RIGHT as they leave, they do it once more.
What did they want to do? Force him into a corner and tie him to a female? He would not be chained! He would NOT be saddled! He most certainly would NOT be... be... be what, exactly?
Why was he so angry?
For a moment, his blue eyes softened, and he remembered a quieter time when the thought of family made him smile, and not shout.
...That was a naive, childish era that had long-ago ended. Now, his anger was constantly waiting in the back of his mind, eager to defend himself, prove himself, assert himself. He would lose nothing to anybeast. If war broke out, may the gods help his enemies.

While Karam was making eventual plans and thinking of long-term problems, someone else, in Rikuma, was making current plans for current irritations.

“No one will know?”

“This is of the utmost secrecy, I assure you.”

"You designed them to look Equestrian?" The Shogun said, examining the strange devices.

"Indeed, based off the armor the guards wore."

The Shogun made his horn glow, and picked up one device in his aura. He examined it over and over, and nodded.

"You truly are a master craftsman. Burn your designs, and if anybeast asks, say they are smuggled goods."

Chapter 8: The Sea is Shackled

Celestia knew something was wrong in Rikuma.
When she first arrived, citizens were amazed in her presence, and eager to see her up close. Now, however, many seemed on-edge around her, and avoided her.
The secret tension between the emperor and the shogun was obvious, and it was affecting the kirin.
What could she do, though?
She was just a visitor.
Nevertheless, she had to find out what was going on. Her curious nature insisted that she at least try to get to the bottom of things and offer advice.
After the trading agreement was finalized, and while she was making plans to leave, Celestia mentally prepared her question. The tea she drank with the emperor that day seemed to have less flavor, and she struggled to keep on a smile.

“Sun Princess, what worries you?” Emperor Umi asked through his translator.

Celestia remained silent momentarily.

Gathering her courage, she put down her teacup and admitted, “Emperor, I am most honored to be your guest, but now that I am leaving, I feel that I must… ask a question that may be too political for a guest.”

Emperor Umi listened to the translators, and his face became grave.

“You are wondering about the shogun, aren’t you?” He asked through translators.

Celestia nodded slowly.

“Yes, I am. Does that anger you? You needn’t tell me if you think I shouldn’t know.”

Emperor Umi sighed and slowly shook his head.

“It is nothing personal. The shogun does not agree with my decision to modernize the nation. Many of the social and industrial reforms I instituted he opposes, and many of the daimyo agree with him.
And… yes: having foreigners here does offend him. My father reigned in this land for more than five centuries before he died of old age. I watched what his decisions did to the nation, and wished to change the tides for the future. I've only reigned for a decade myself, and am only in my third decade of life, but even with gradual changes, the people are disturbed by the sight. Perhaps I tried too quickly.”

Celestia nodded with a sympathetic look in her eyes.
"I didn't realize you were that young, Emperor Umi. You are very brave to change so much in such a short time."
Indeed, Celestia assumed he was at least a century old. Not so. Of course, she barely interacted with anything Kirin-like at all. She was a poor judge of age for this species, and the Emperor's golden beard made him look like an ancient, wise sage to Celestia.

"Thank you. Whenever change comes, it tends to be quick. Even the flower buds on the trees speedily die in springtime. I know my ideals upset many traditions and elders, but if the nation is to have a brighter future, something must be done today."

“Though Equestria is modernized and has no ill-will toward foreigners, there are still those in higher institutions who do not trust outsiders easily. Even we have our 'elders' who look down on new ideas, no matter how small that idea may be. Change is hard for any nation, Emperor. Do not feel hopeless. Surely, in time, the people will relax, when they see your sincerity and care. Perhaps one day I’ll face a similar situation to you, and have to urge my creatures in a new direction. I suppose it’s best I’m leaving now; the sooner I leave, the less tension you must deal with.”

“Indeed, it is best you leave now, but your visit has been an honor, and I hope we may meet like this again one day, when the shogun agrees with me.”

“I hope so too, Emperor Umi.”

In time, Celestia was flying away on her vessel, watching Rikuma’s land fade away on the horizon.
In her heart, she had a vague sense of something terrible about to happen.
Her gentle heart longed to make some arrangement or meeting, and calmly settle this matter for her new ally. However, this was not Equestria. She had no authority here, and no sway. Unfortunately, all she could do was hope for the best, and keep her fake smile on her face.

SEPTEMBER 12TH, 1012 SE

A few days after Celestia left Rikuma, it all snapped.
In the country towns, where farmers were gathering in their fields, fire struck. Sudden, wide explosions burst into the fields, burning the crops. The farmers hurried, desperately using anything they could to put out the fires. Kirin are creatures with strong fire magic. Hardly any had the capability to use water magic. Here, in the farmlands, where creatures were down-to-earth and didn't study sorcery, they were very, very vulnerable. Their own bodies could withstand much heat, but not their plants. While the farmers galloped around with buckets and wet towels, the attackers slipped into the villages, burning the buildings directly. The farmers turned, and saw cloaked figures with strange, mechanical devices on their curved horns, which amplified their magic. The farmers tried to fight back, but they were shot down, killed instantly by powerful lasers, explosions, and curses. By nightfall, twenty different villages scattered across the main island were in ashes. The survivors ran, wailing and screaming.
News spread fast, and a few days later, Emperor Umi met with the shogun and his daimyo. The Kirin leaders all gave their accounts of strange bandits using Equestrian-style weapons on their horns. Citizens were terrified and outraged, demanding something be done about the foreign threat.
The daimyo also demanded that the emperor give an explanation. After all, it was Emperor Umi who let the foreigners in.

"I will contact the Princess of the Sun and demand her answer," Emperor Umi informed them with a slow nod.

"Good. The damage is already done, however. Our Kirin beg for safety, and reassurance. Can you promise this will never happen again?" Shogun Kage asked calmly.

"No. I cannot control what bandits choose to use. You are the head of the military. You must organize your forces and prepare them. I give you full authority to use whatever force necessary," Emperor Umi said with a firm flick of his long, lion-like tail.

"What forces, My Lord? You destroyed the Feudal system, remember?" Shogun Kage snorted.

Emperor Umi stiffened slightly. He remained serene as he could, but in his mind, he knew where this was going. A cold dread came over his heart.

"We discussed this before. This matter is settled," Emperor Umi said firmly.

"And now you see the error of your ways. What forces do I have, My Emperor?" Shogun Kage rebuttled with a flick of his own tail.

"You have many, many forces, Shogun. What you currently lack are slaves."

"Workers."

"... Apologies. Workers bound to a system that was hindering their futures. Yes, this is a hard change, I understand, but it is for the good of the future generations."

"At a time like this, My Lord, do such lofty ideals have a place? Do you not see how practical such a system is now?"

"It was practical for a time, but this is a new age. We are all descendants of Dragons, and thus should all be given equal dignity. We all have a mighty flame within us, if we nurture it. We all must seek to nurture our children, and ourselves. This is how a nation shall become mighty. Seek out your villages, and instead of lording over them, find ways to teach them how to utilize their own might. In time, everybeast in this nation will be a threat to all bandits. Surely you find this system is much better, is it not?" Emperor Umi replied calmly.

The Daimyo looked at each other quietly, and Shogun Kage closed his eyes.
Emperor Umi knew Shogun Kage too well. This beast didn't care about the military. He cared about control. He was a creature of pride, and vanity. He did not want to see any other way of ruling. Furthermore, all the other Daimyo were surely with him. After all, they lost their feudal rights too. Surely each one of them was seething, eager to get his economic and military control back. Umi knew his words were falling on deaf ears.

"My Lord Emperor, you are quite wise, but this is not the time to teach ignorant peasants new skills. Your reforms were too fast, and too short-sighted. Now, we have a threat to the nation, and you brought it upon us. Perhaps, soon, these assassins will come for you. What will you do then, against foreign contraptions you do not understand?" Shogun Kage politely asked.

Now, the daimyo were all whispering to each other, looking to the emperor. Emperor Umi took in a deep breath. Though he remained serene, in his mind he felt himself being led into a trap.

Emperor Umi stood up, and his tail and mane billowed out like water around him.

"I am of the divine line. I look to the future and the past equally, and do NOT make hasty decisions. Yes, there will be consequences and side-effects of my changes, but it is for the good of all. One day, you will see the blessings that will come, and you will understand. For now, do as I say and protect your lands."

Shogun Kage slowly stood up. With a deep, fake respect, he remarked, "As your Shogun, it is my duty to protect. This is true. I believe, for your own protection, My Lord, we should surround your grand palace, and search the city for foreign influences."

Umi's fur and scales crawled. He was falling into the trap, and couldn't see a way out.

"As your emperor, I order you to focus on the outlying villages. I am capable of defending myself. Do you suggest I am weak? Do you go against my authority?"

"No, My Lord. Not magically weak. Nobeast could come close to your power... still... you DID give me full authority just now, did you not? Do you go against my authority?" Kage said, taking a step closer.

Umi stiffened. His own words had sealed the trap. By now, all the daimyo were standing up in the room, with cold, determined looks.

"...So? Do you challenge us to battle? Or will you calmly let us protect you... as is our sworn duty?" Kage said in an icy tone.

Umi looked away. His yellow mane billowed around him, flowing steadily as he contemplated his answer.
No. He would not fight. Though he had the power to make the sea rage and wash away the whole island, he wouldn't fight. He was a creature of principle, and he was determined to never use magic against his own people. After all, he was their emperor. It was his sworn duty to protect them.
No. He wouldn't fight. He was trapped. Kage knew it.

"...Very well, Shogun. You win."

The palace was soon overrun by the many daimyo and their fiercest soldiers. Emperor Umi had to order his private guards to stand down, and before everyone in the palace, Shogun Kage clasped chains and shackles on the great Emperor of the Sea. Umi coughed. The magic-stifling jade made his mind reel, and he felt like he was only a third of himself. Everyone watched as the mighty emperor coughed and wheezed, and his mane and tail stopped flowing. It was as if a ship was lost at sea, with no wind in its sails anymore. Empress Asuka gasped, and her heart raced. Her young son hid behind her, watching his father be jerked and pulled away, far, far away to a dungeon. Shogun Kage made the empress and her son watch, while the emperor was tightly locked away.

"The emperor has failed his duty. He is not worthy of service... but perhaps his son will be a better ruler," Shogun Kage remarked, looking to the young Kirin behind Asuka.
Asuka gulped, glancing to her son.
She knew they were trapped.

That evening, Empress Asuka called for one of her maidens.

"Y-you want me to what?" The young servant gulped.

"Do it. No arguing. I must stay with my son, and my emperor. Please, take the tunnels, before the shogun seals them."

The servant nodded, and fled. She had a mission, and it was the only hope Asuka had of saving her husband and son.

Outside the palace, the word spread fast, and the citizens were confused and bewhildered.
Echoing the emperor's defeat, the waves died down, and the sea around Rikuma became still.

Author's Note

Sidenote: In Karamverse, the year begins in the Summer Solstice, on the Equestrian Calendar. It is SE, meaning the Solar Era, as in the period after Celestia banished Nightmare Moon. This is all according to Equestrian dating systems.

Chapter 9: The Day That Would Live in Infamy

The Equestrian airship calmly soared through the air. Its giant fans and heat systems kept the huge balloon and boat aloft, with a soft breeze flowing around. With a steady, gentle strength, the ship pushed ever closer to Equestria’s land. Enjoying the bright day and the cooling breeze, Celestia sat on the deck and sipped some macha from Rikuma.
The macha was such a strong green tea that it was served alongside sweets to help balance the flavors, and Celestia’s chefs had made her petite fours to go with her drink.
Indeed, it was a strong, unbelievably bitter drink, but Celestia enjoyed the fierce taste alongside the gentle sweetness of some tiny cakes.

I wonder if Luna will like this. She prefers coffee, but maybe she’d enjoy this too. Oh well, either way, I know I’ll like showing her, ha ha, She thought to herself while taking a long, quiet sip.

Hoofsteps clacked all around her as sailors continued their duties, and the steady rhythm combined with the humming fans in a soothing din that helped Celestia relax.
She closed her eyes, allowing her mind to travel to when she’d finally be home, telling Luna all about her mini adventure. Hopefully Luna would like all the trinkets she was bringing back-- little cat statues, food recipes, and even a kimono Celestia ordered for her sister!
Oh, surely Luna would love it! It was a beautiful night sky scene, with embroidered cranes and stars and bamboo. In her mind, Celestia already saw Luna’s face lighting up as she tried it on and walked around in it for the first time.
The thought warmed her heart and made her smile.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t allowed to think for long.
That day, on the Meridian, everything would change.

“Your Highness! News from Rikuma!”

The words broke through Celestia’s daydream, and she turned in surprise, saying, “What? What news?”

The sailor Pegasus bowed, tucking his wings along his sides as he answered, “There’s been an uprising against the emperor! The translators are listening in over the radio right now!”

Once more, that deep sense of dread washed over Celestia, banishing all good thoughts. With a stoic look on her face, she said, “Take me there.”

Celestia followed the Pegasus down into the lower decks, in the aft of the ship. There, gathered around a radio, were three ponies all hunched over, taking notes on what they heard over the radio systems. Though it was a big, clunky device that took up the whole wall, the radio system was waterproof, fireproof, highly resistant to explosions, AND was powered with only a few crystals of magic. The great device was finely-tuned in to the Rikuma news stations, and over the loudspeakers came the desperate voice of a reporter.
Since Celestia was merely an amateur with Rikumese, she couldn’t hope to fully understand what the reporter was chattering out, but her ears did pick up a few lines here and there.

Royal family…

Shogun… Emperor… dispute

...god shackled.

The 'god' would be the emperor himself, who was worshipped by the populace.
Celestia’s heart panged in fear, but on the outside she remained calm and kept silent. If she spoke now, she could make the translators miss something important.
Every second that passed while the translators were writing speedily felt like an eternity to Celestia. She constantly glanced at a clock, checking to ensure it had only been a few minutes and not an hour.
At last, a Unicorn translator held up his paper and passed it to Celestia with magic, and she took it in her aura.
As she read, her facade cracked, and her eyes widened in shock.

The Shogun’s army invaded the palace, after a dispute with the emperor concerning the feudal law changes and other traditions that were undone in recent years. According to the Daimyo, this also was a dispute concerning recent bandits who attacked villages, with Equestrian weapons. The farmers still demand justice, and the emperor refused.
From what we gather, the shogun is taking Almighty Emperor Umi away to the Ryanki province.
It is uncertain where the royal family is, or who sold the Equestrian weapons to the shogunate.

“Equestrian weapons!? HOW did Rikumese soldiers get EQUESTRIAN WEAPONS!?” Celestia demanded, flapping her wings in disbelief.

“What!?” Captain Blitzmark demanded as he stomped his hoof, “Is THAT what the reporters are saying?”

“See for yourself, and investigate this IMMEDIATELY,” Celestia ordered in a cold voice as she showed the Earth Pony captain the note.

Captain Blitzmark furrowed his brows angrily, and then saluted to Celestia with, “I assure you, I will find out who did this, Your Highness.”

Turning around, the captain barked orders out to nearby sailors, but Celestia had no time to listen. Cantering away, she entered her cabin and shut the door. She snatched a quill and dipped it in her ink pot and began writing as fast as she could.

Twilight was sitting at the dinner table with Flash and Spike, enjoying some curry soup.

“We should have this more often,” Flash noted between sips, “It’s really unique!”

“It is a good recipe! I’m glad Rarity got it for us,” Twilight agreed, “Actually, we should go visit that restaurant again. Next time we go to Canterlot, we go there. Spike, write that down!”

“Sure thing!” Spike said as he reached for his bag.

A bubbly feeling rumbled through his gut and he inhaled quickly, then spit out a letter in a burst of flame.
He grinned and opened it, and turned to Twilight with wide, excited eyes.

“Twilight! It’s from Celestia!”

“Oh good, another update!” Twilight sighed in relief, taking it in her magic.

Flash sat up straighter at the mention of the Sun Princess, and eagerly waited to hear the letter.

Twilight,

From that one word alone… Twilight knew something was wrong.
Just “Twilight”? No, “My Dear Twilight”, or, “Princess Twilight”?
Something was horribly wrong.

Twilight,

News has come from Rikuma, over the radio.

My worst fears have been confirmed: the shogun has risen against the emperor, and attacked the palace. I don’t know the full details, but I'm certain the royal family is in danger. Surely anypony who tries to stand on the Emperor's side will be cut down. The citizens grave 'justice' and I'm sure you know how that goes down. Just read any history book.
As for the emperor, he sent away the royal family, but he himself was defeated in battle and is being taken away to the Ryanki province.
Worst of all, someone illegally sold Equestrian weapons to the shogunate.

If this escalates further, we could be dragged into this. This could mean war.

I’m sorry this update is so grave, but I had to tell you. I don’t know when the news will spread to Equestria on its own, and perhaps it won’t, but you need to be aware of the situation.
I am fine. This all happened after we left.
We all should be home in another week and a half. Please take care of the citizens until I return.

--Celestia

“Twi, what’s wrong?” Flash asked, leaning forward and trying to see the letter.

“There’s a civil war in Rikuma. The shogun has attacked and kidnapped the emperor,” Twilight murmured, barely believing it.

Spike and Flash exchanged a quiet, dazed look.

“Civil war? But… a-are you sure that’s what she said?” Spike asked, hoping that maybe, just MAYBE, Twilight was wrong.

Twilight showed him the letter, and he gulped quietly and nodded in defeat, “oh… it IS what she said.”

“Did she say anything about herself? Are her troops all right? Is she close to home?” Flash asked, twitching his wings nervously.

“She’s fine--this happened after she left,” Twilight explained, “Spike, show him.”

Spike passed the letter over, and Flash read it gravely.
From the stand where she watched, Owlicious blinked slowly, and gave a worried hoot.
Though he couldn’t speak to animals, Spike sighed in agreement, “Yeah, Owlicious, it’s bad.”

“Okay… so she’s all right…. Well… I guess for now we just… carry on. Maybe this won’t affect us,” Flash murmured as he passed the letter back to Twilight, “What do you think?”

Twilight stared at her golden-colored soup, pondering what to say.
It was a tasty soup all right, but her appetite was gone.
"I... I don't know."

Over the next days, word spread of the uprising, across the seas, by the boats traveling around, warning others of the day Saikyo burned and the sea around Rikuma became still.
From city to city the news darted and sparked and grew, until eventually it reached Equestria proper, and Twilight had to give her best speech to calm the crowds.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t much she could say, really.
Far, far away, other leaders heard, and were wary, including Malik Karam of Saddle-Arabia.

He stared at the news bulletin that he held in his golden magic, reading it over and over and over again.

“This is the most recent news you have?” He asked in the native Arabic.
“Yes, Sire. The most recent,” The messenger camel said as he lowered his long neck and bent one leg in a bow.

Karam nodded, reading the report a FINAL time, trying to glean as much information as he could from the scanty news.

In the days after the emperor was taken, over two thousand citizens were killed in the street-to-street fighting that ensued between those loyal to their emperor-god and those loyal to the daimyo. On top of that, three thousand of the emperor’s loyal soldiers were slain alongside only five hundred of the shogun’s soldiers. Furthermore, fires spread across the land.
Most of Saikyo burned for three days, and the port city was officially closed.
In the end, the shogun declared Prince Aito as the new, supreme monarch, and vowed to “properly serve his true god, and be a faithful regent while the new emperor was still young and being educated.”
So far, that meant burning foreign books, destroying foreign trinkets and killing any foreigners living in the nation, young or old.
Indeed, it was a grim time.

“Inform the army to be prepared.” Karam ordered with a wave of one of his wings.

The camel nodded and trotted away to deliver the order.

Feeling the wind gently breathing around him, Karam turned and looked out the latticed windows of the hall to the courtyards below. His eyes studied the statues and bushes in the garden behind the palace, and slowly moved up until he could see beyond the outer walls, to the city all around. If this shogun-regent hated foreigners, odds are he'd find an excuse to make war. Who would he choose? Either Equestria or Saddle-Arabia, the last two national leaders he met. It would be a wise choice. Surely this shogun could easily pin the blame on this civil uprising on one of those nations. The people would be so desperate they'd listen to anything. In this dark time, the nation NEEDED a reason to unite, no matter how far-fetched or absurd that reason would be. Logically, a war would unite everybeast, and give the shogun more excuses to gather more control.
Of course, Shogun chose the nation known for peace--Equestria. They had an 'army', certainly, and a 'navy' and other forces, but none of them had truly endured battle. Occasionally there was a minor skirmish here and there, some pirates that had to be killed, but that was it. For a millennia, Equestria had been sitting on prosperity and the sun's glorious warmth. The shogun was very, very wise to blame Equestria. Rikuma would be ready for conquest, and Equestria would have no idea what to do.
Of course, Saddle-Arabia had a problem now: should they stand with Rikuma, or Equestria? Technically, Saddle-Arabia and Equestria both were allies of the now-gone Emperor Umi. Perhaps the shogun would just declare war on both of them. That would be foalish though. Only one major nation at a time. It would start with Equestria.
However, Saddle-Arabia's ties would soon become confusing, and chaotic. No matter what Karam did, there would surely be an uprising against him in Rikuma, which would make things worse.

Was Karam worried? No.

Unlike Celestia, Karam was a warrior. For a millennia, he had battled many neighboring nations, conquering much land, and protecting his border from Ippeia, pirates, and the occasional revolt.
Saddle-Arabia was ruled by a sandstorm, ready to blow away all who dared to set hoof down against him. For now, though, he had to arrange a meeting with his other allies, in other nations.

Chapter 10: To Avoid the Worst

September 20th, 1012 SE, Equestrian Calendar

It was eight days after the uprising in Saikyo.
In Saddle-Arabia, in the capitol city of Rikhab, a meeting took place.
The palace greeted the leaders of certain nations who stood together as allies in the Neighkian Pact, and every doorway was decorated and every hallway was sparkling just for the occasion.
Deep in the center of the palace was a wide, highly-protected meeting room with no windows, lit only with torches and magic lanterns. Like the rest of the palace, it was made of stone brick walls, smoothed to perfection and decorated with banners of the nation. Across the longest wall hung the banner of Saddle-Arabia. In the torchlight, the bright green fabric looked darker than it truly was, and the white swatches of symbolic wind seemed more like fire, swirling around the white silhouette of Karam in the very center of the grand field.
Beneath the flag, at one spot of the oval table, Karam looked around at his visitors, studying all their body languages and their facial expressions.
Like Celestia, he was a tall creature, towering above ponies and even many horses as well, and his horse ancestry from his mother gave him a more muscled build than a pure pony would have, as well as more defined hooves and smaller eyes.
He was also a very typical coloration--a yellow-orange dun pelt, with black legs and light grey hooves. Unlike Celestia, he had no magic in his average, black mane and tail, but there was always a vague breeze blowing around him, playing with his mane and the many golden coins and tassels hanging from his ornate, layered tack. In modest fashion, his tack covered his back, hindquarters, and even graced his long face and wide chest.
As always, he held himself high, like a proud warrior would, and his very presence commanded respect.
Today though, eight days after the uprising in Saikyo, he was not the only leader in his palace.

Sitting nearby was the Ambassador of the Gryphon Rikr, Hallr Hrafnsson, who was from an old noble Gryphon family known for having been important in securing the allegiance of some of the disparate regions to the Rikr. This was not the small kingdom that resided on Equestria's continent. This was the Rikr on the Eastern Continent, where the Changeling Hordes, Zuoji, Konlya and other nations were. To keep the distinction of the two ancestral lines of Gryphonhood, most historians and common citizens refered to the Eastern Rikr lands as the "Gryphons," while the lesser, weaker species in Equestria were spelled "Griffons."
However, according to history, ALL Gryphons originally came from the Rikr lands.
Here, the mighty ambassador of the Rikr dressed in a simple yet elegant manner keeping with the traditional martial aesthetic of his motherland. He had a fine vest, with medals displaying his great deeds of war, and his claws were all sharpened and polished until they shone. As a former general of war, he understood the situation very well.

In place of Zuoji was the emperor himself, Biluo Chun, who was a dark green Kirin, dressed in a formal, black and silver and blue, layered robe that flowed around him loosely, and even covered the majority of his tail with its own sleeve. His wood-like horn was adorned with silver rings and chains, showing his status as one of the ambassadors of the nation. With his silvery-colored magic, he adjusted his outfit here and there, clearly not dealing well with the constant heat of Saddle-Arabia, but tolerating it well enough.

Though he was rather old, the Emperor of Zebrica still attended. He was quite tall for his species, and his striped form wore a red robe with silver thread decorations. For matters like these he wore no crown. His mane and short beard were starting to thin with his age, and his dark eyes seemed to be sizing up most of the present leaders--save, of course, for the Alicorn among them, who was Karam. Nobeast dared to make any threat toward Karam, no matter how minor or fleeting said threat was. Nobeast dared to even look at Karam the wrong way--especially not the wide, aged Emperor Taye of Zebrica. Emperor Taye had seen much in his lifetime, having to ensure that the lesser kings in Zebrica fully submitted to his authority. He appeared stern, but in a more… protective way. After all, it was not for nothing that one of his titles was “Shield of his people.” This was a beast that was willing to make the absolute worst short-term decisions to secure the best long-term peace and prosperity.

“As you probably know, the situation in Rikuma is getting worse. I have secured an alliance with Rikuma, but so has Equestria. If either of us joined in the civil war we could easily win… but WHO would win?
Although I wish not to be directly involved, I will support any of your decisions, if I deem them worthy,” Karam said to his fellow pact members.

Thankfully, all the leaders here could speak Common to each other, but even IF they needed translators, this time Karam would know what they were saying, for he was fluent in all the languages around him.

“Rikuma and Zuoji have long been enemies, on and off. I do not doubt that the Shogun would gladly attack us. We all know that 'emperor' child is merely his puppet now. Whoever wins will surely be our enemy,” Biluo Chun said with a flick of his lion-like tail, “We shall not engage for either side, unless one of you enters first.”

“Need I remind you dat de Minotaurs, who are Equestrian Allies, are doing in Rikuma what dey did for decades in parts of Zebrica?” Mentioned Emperor Taye, “Dey used deir trade as a tool to destabilize the land and seek more profit. While I can understand de desire to avoid a direct confrontation, Zebrica will not stand idle while dey do this to another nation.”

Karam and Biluo both narrowed their eyes.

“Indeed… and we won’t tolerate the emperor winning this civil war,” Biluo growled with a flex of his tail, “But for any of us to openly join the war would be suicide. Surely Equestria would jump in to help their new friends, . Such a thing would be… disastrous.”

"Of courrhse, thhis assumes that it VAS Minotaur smugglers who imported thhose Equestrrhian veapons. All of this is still sspeculatiohn. Ve must noht rrhush into varrh." Rikr Hallr said in the Common Tongue, though his accent was very thick. Sadly, he didn't have as good a grasp on Common as his Rikr leader did.

Karam nodded in agreement and sighed, “Wars are nothing new, but… Here we are, across the entire planet, considering joining. Shall we truly start a war among ALL nations? No. Equestria is too powerful to get involved and so is Saddle-Arabia, Yet, we cannot let the Minotaurs get away with this, either.”

“Our fleets are stronger dan dose of de Minotaurs,” The Taye soon reminded everyone in the room, “If need be, we could patrol de routes between deir nation and Rikuma, to stop de flow of weapons to de Imperial forces… I am fairly sure dat dere will also be plenty of Zebricans willing to volunteer to aid de legitimate government of Rikuma…”

“Legitimate? The upstart Shogun who claims he is a king, or the emperor who is a dishonored prisoner of war?” Biluo chun snorted in disgust.

"I see de Shogunate as legitimate, dough dangerous. We can use his zeal for his nation to route de Minotaur smugglers in de area. Den peace will come," Taye insisted in a calm, slow tone.

“I suppose it matters not, as long as Equestria gets the message to stay out of the war. They’ve been at peace for over a thousand years, and surely Celestia will not want to taint her pure, spotless reputation. I only wish to join if absolutely necessary," Emperor Biluo Chun sighed.

Karam nodded in agreement, and added, “I myself will not join, unless Ippeia joins, in which case I will move my troops to keep them away from the rest of the fighting, ensuring that this civil war ends quickly, and with as little collateral damage as possible.”

Part of him was worried about such a move, but he shrugged it away. After all, Ippeia was the nation right beside him, on the Southwestern Continent... and Ippeia had very, very strong ties to Equestria too. For centuries, Ippeia and Saddle-Arabia struggled and warred, but Equestria was wise and remained neutral. Certainly, the princess known for kindness and harmony wouldn't dare come between two of her friends. Equestria had a wise princess who kept to her own problems and focused on her own nation... most of the time.

Said princess was in her own meeting now, with her own sister.

“What now, Luna? Their actions still caused a civil war that we cannot un-do,” Celestia sighed to her sister with a shake of her head.

“If we did get involved now, we’d only make it worse,” Luna pointed out with a serious look in her eyes, “We must stay out of it, Sister.”

“But Luna, the civil war is ALREADY worse--and did you hear that Minotaurs are smuggling OUR weapons into it? What are we to do? Just ignore that?”

“If we do anything, we WILL be held accountable, and our allies could get involved, escalating it all.”

“...I know,” Celestia sighed, “I know. I tell myself that dozens of times a day, but still… I have a terrible feeling that this will all go downhill, and it’ll be my fault.”

Luna looked away, remaining silent for a time.

“I may have been gone for a thousand years… but it seems times truly haven’t changed much. Politics are still as tense as ever,” she bitterly noted, “Come. Let’s… eat supper, and... try to not worry.”

“Yes… that’s all we can do, isn’t it? Stay at home… smile… look confident… I’m sick of it already.”

Celestia's heart ached. Her mind raced over and over, contemplating the future. For once, she did not have hope for a bright ending. Something deep in her soul gnawed at her, warning of dark times to come. For her, this wasn't merely some prideful stunt of keeping her history "pure" or "spotless" or "Harmonious." This was her nation, of her creatures. Everypony was counting on HER to lead them and protect them. For CENTURIES they all believed in her goodness and power, praising her as if she was a saint. If this nation went into war, nopony would have any idea what to do. In Equestria, war was unheard of. Celestia herself saw war, but that was many generations ago. Her darling, innocent Ponies were NOT ready.
Alas, what could she do? Even all the military training her guards and soldiers endured was nothing compared to real battle experience. NOPONY ANYWHERE in Equestria had real experience anymore.
Her heart throbbed in a deep, motherly fear.

Her sleep was plagued with dreams of the future again--dark, confusing twists of shadows, screams, frostbite, and even Nightmare Moon.
In a panic she awoke, breathing hard. For many long, quiet minutes she sat on her bed, gasping for air, until finally she calmed down.
What did she even see? It made no sense. All it did was horrify her. She squeezed her eyes shut, trembling in fright.

A tiny knock at her door made her snap to attention.

"Celie? Celie, I know you had a nightmare. Please, let me in," Luna called softly.

Celestia's magic glowed on the door handles, opening it. Immediately Luna ran in, and the two sisters embraced each other.

"Did you see it, Luna? I--I don't even know what it was. It made no sense. All I can remember is terror," Celestia sobbed, "Was it prophetic? Was it my anxiety? Could you tell?"

"...No. I could sense it was prophetic, but... I know not what it was," Luna admitted, lowering her ears sadly.

Celestia trembled, burying her nose in her sister's dark blue fur. Somehow, Celestia HAD to avoid the worst nightmare from coming true.

Chapter 11: A Cozy Get-Together

The winter factories of Equestria had left their soft, powdery blankets across the land once again. In Twilight’s castle, around a table, drinking hot chocolate, the Council of Friendship was enjoying a cozy friend day together.
The fire off to the side warmed them all, and dried out their booties, scarves and hats while they talked about business, their families, and the world.

“At first, my Sunset Delight gown didn’t sell well, but for some reason, about two weeks later, it completely sold out! I still haven’t the faintest idea why it boomed in popularity, but I’m grateful for it nonetheless,” Rarity reported with a dramatic wave of her hoof, “Fancy Pants and I laugh about it, though we are still confused.”

“I’m glad it sold out! I personally think it is one of your best designs,” Twilight congratulated her, using her magenta magic to pick up her mug and take a sip.

“Thank you! I think so as well!”

“Oh, how’s Karat doing?” Fluttershy asked, looking up after taking a sip of her own drink.

“OH! I can’t believe I almost forgot--but he’s walking so much better now!” Rarity cheered, clapping her hooves together, “We’re both so proud!”

“YAY! I remember when Lil’Cheese started walking. It still makes me so overwhelmingly happy,” Pinkie said with a proud gleam in her huge, blue eyes.

“Silver Pippin isn’t there yet, but she is crawling around more,” Applejack said with a proud grin of her own, “Before I know it, she’ll be walking on her own, I bet, ha!”

“Maybe,” Rarity said, “I’m sure she’ll be a hard worker too, when she gets older.”

“Oh I’m sure she will! At least, I hope so. Right now she just likes smilin’ and laughin',” Applejack said with a laugh of her own, “Maybe Pinkie Pie rubbed off on her somehow.”

“Ha ha ha ha! Maybe!” Pinkie said, leaning back and laughing.

Pinkie’s warm laughter spread around the room, and soon they all shared a quick, bright moment of joy.

“Ha… yeah, that’s nice and all for you guys, but I dunno if I want foals,” Rainbow said with a wave of a wing, “I’m focused on my Wonderbolt stuff, and a foal may just get in the way.”

“Dash, I run a farm, and constantly work, and I STILL have time for my foal!” AJ protested, putting down her hot chocolate with a frown, “Don’t be talkin’ like that!”

“And I run an animal sanctuary with Moonflower, which, well, isn’t quite like a farm, but it is a lot of work,” Fluttershy pointed out in a softer way, “I think you should have foals when you’re ready, Rainbow Dash, but at the same time, don’t be afraid to have children.”

“Need I say how busy I am?” Rarity pointed out as she adjusted her mane with her magic.

“OKAY, I get the point: you CAN have kids and work, yeah yeah,” Dash groaned with a dramatic flap of her wings.

“Hee hee hee, I didn’t even get to say how busy I am, ha! Sorry, Dashie, but the look on your face just now was perfect,” Pinkie said, trying to stifle her giggles behind a hoof.

Dash rolled her eyes while the other girls giggled again.

“Fluttershy is right though: Dash, you shouldn’t be afraid to have foals, but you should probably wait until you’re comfortable with raising them. I’m sure you’d be a really good mom--especially considering how well you treated little Scootaloo when she was a filly,” Twilight assured her with a warm grin and a nod.

“Yeah, I mean I could totally handle it but… I just wanna focus on the Wonderbolts right now--is that such a crime?” Dash sighed as she crossed her forelegs.

“No, we understand, Darling, we just wanted to point out that your work life is no excuse,” Rarity said with a smirk.

“Yeah,” AJ said gruffly as she picked up her mug in her hooves and chugged down the last of the tasty, chocolatey goodness.

“Eh, fair enough,” Dash said, drinking a toast to the working moms.

“Uhm… I know this may be the wrong time to talk about it, but.. Can we talk about the civil war for a bit?” Fluttershy asked, shuffling her wings nervously.

With those few words, the atmosphere shifted.

“Not much to say, Fluttershy. Zebrica has joined the side of the Shogunate, and the Zebrican navy’s blockade around Rikuma grows thicker every day,” Twilight reported glumly, “It's contained over there, and we have nothing to worry about here.”

Fluttershy looked down and sighed, “Those poor Kirin, all caught up in a war they didn’t ask for..”

“Yeah, well, it’s their problem,” Dash scoffed with a roll of her eyes, “Sure, it’s sad, but it’s the other side of the world, and we have enough to worry about right here.”

“It’s the other side of the world NOW, but we can’t act like it means nothin’,” AJ pointed out with a frown, “That Zebrican navy sure is getting close to some of our waters.”

“Can we please not talk about this? I’m officially DONE with this civil war nonesense. It’s all I ever read about in the newspapers, and barely anything has happened outside of Rikuma! I don’t see the need to discuss this further,” Rarity grumped with a dramatic wave of one of her hooves.

“YEAH, no more sad civil war stuff!” Pinkie agreed with a frustrated snort, “Let’s get back to enjoying Girl’s Day!”

The other girls nodded with a relieved sigh.
Looking down, Twilight realized she barely touched her drink, and used her magic to pick it up and take another sip.
Before she could reach it, a green zap of magic bolted it, and right when she went to put her mouth in it, she felt a sticky substance all over. Her eyes opened in worry and she pulled away.

“TWI--oh, too late,” AJ groaned.

Narrowing her eyes in confusion, Twilight looked down at the mug. All over the top was a sticky, green substance that could’ve only come from one creature.

“CHRYSALIS! DISCORD!” She called, glaring at the door.

In a puff of magic, Discord made himself and Chrysalis appear. The former Changeling Queen and the King of Chaos were giggling away, having too much fun from one prank.

“I cannot BELIEVE you fell for that so easily!” Chrysalis taunted with a wave of one of her swiss-cheese-style hooves.

Pinkie laughed it up while the other ponies rolled their eyes.

“Hey! This is Council of Friendship Get Together Day, or whatever we call it--go away!” Dash scolded them, hovering in the air angrily.

“Oh fiiiiine, Chryssie, make her drink go back to normal, would you?” Discord said, crossing his arms with a smirk.

Chrysalis zapped Twilight’s mug with another burst of lime-colored magic, and then the two pranksters vanished once again. Pinkie giggled while the other girls rolled their eyes.

“I admit, Discord and Chrysalis are fun, but not when they are ruining Girl’s Day,” Rarity said with a tiny smirk on her white features.

“Ha, you got that right. Remember that one time with the water hose?” Dash recalled with a sly grin.

“OH THAT WAS THE BEST, HA!” Pinkie shouted, making Fluttershy cringe.

“Yeah, for YOU guys it was,” Twilight sighed with a shake of her head.

At that, all the other girls giggled and nodded.

“It sure is nice to take a day off like this,” Applejack noted as she finished the last of her hot chocolate.

Rainbow Dash scoffed, “you know, Spitfire is making us train for battle now--I mean we did that before, but now we are REALLY training. Pfft, as if we need it.”

“I thought we agreed we weren’t going to talk about war…” Twilight sighed, giving Dash a tense stare.

“I’m just saying! Believe me, I don’t want to talk about war, either.”

Indeed, nopony did… nopony at all.
The day continued, the girls played some board games, and eventually went home.
It was a bright, beautiful, wintry evening… one of the few, last happy Winter days they’d have all together.

Chapter 12: The Boprian Straights Incident

December 15th, 1012 SE by the Equestrian Calendar.

Bright Spark, wife of the President of Trotomia, which was one of the nations under Equestrian protection, was sitting in her room, reading a letter from her husband. With a smile on her pale yellow features, she picked up a quill in her magic aura and began writing a letter in reply.

Darling,

The goodwill visit to Neighlize went very well. Our gifts were received well and the ambassadors were very optimistic. I’m certain they will uphold their trading agreements and all that, even in these uncertain times.
My cabin here on the Onerous is very spacious and cozy, so no need to worry about my comfort. Before you know it, I’ll be back with you and we’ll be going about our usual, boring business together.
Even with all these beautiful decorations and wonderful foods and all that, I find it hard to enjoy without you.

She went on to talk about her voyage, the sights, and wrapped it up with,

I love you and miss you deeply,

Bright Spark

With her magic, she folded up the letter, put it in an envelope, and then trotted down the corridor to the main area.
In the wide, spacious room, there was a small band playing jazzy music, and many Ponies and other creatures gathered around, chattering away.
Bright Spark trotted across the smooth, tile floor and rang the bell at the help desk.

An Earth Mare walked over, and Bright Spark handed her the letter, saying, “Please ensure this gets on the next mail carrier tomorrow.”

The Earth mare bowed and picked up the letter in her teeth, carefully putting it with the rest of the mail behind the counter.
Once she was certain the letter was safe, Bright Spark turned and looked around the room for her companions. In a corner, she saw three of them playing a card game, and her eyes lit up happily.

“Agua! Florita! Nebula!” She called as she cantered over to them.

The three mares looked up and greeted her with wide smiles, and quickly pulled up a chair for her.

“After this round you can join, Spark!”

“Gracias, I could use something fun right about now.”

Meanwhile…

The Hanjari was one of the most advanced ships in the world. This class of submarines had been introduced but two decades earlier, and they were killing machines armed with torpedoes and a cannon on deck, so it would not be defenseless when it was forced to surface. Normally, their pass through the Boprian Straits, which was within sight of the Imperial Palace of Coltstantinople, would be quiet. Sure, the Ippeians likely knew that the ship was sailing through their waters, but so long as no one did anything, nothing would happen.

The problem, however, was that it would not be the case tonight. An overzealous Rear Admiral had given orders to intercept Minotaur smugglers at all costs. The Hanjari had been trailing this ship through the straits. The target: an unarmed merchant with no flag. So long as the crossing was made at night --and no Imperial warship was too close--nocreature would know that it was a torpedo that sunk her. It could safely be attributed to some sort of catastrophic failure of the engines.

“Give me a firing solution on the merchant.” The captain spoke.

“She’s an average, class-A merchant ship,” The ensign replied, “One torpedo to the mid aft should sink her.”

“Good, flood the tube and start countdown.” The Captain was not too happy with this mission. Still, orders were orders.

The ensign obeyed, flipping several switches and setting a countdown timer.
Through the many cogs and pistons steam hissed, and soon one of the torpedo tubes was armed and ready to fire.

“Firing in three… two… one.”

With a flip of a single switch, the torpedo was launched into the deep, where it zoomed straight into the completely unarmed, and unprepared Onerous.

**BOOM**

The missile exploded on impact, bursting into the boiler room and flooding it within seconds.
Of course, such an explosion rocked the entire ship, and Bright Spark and her friends were thrown from their seats.

“What’s going on?” She gasped, picking herself up and hearing the alarms blaring all around her.

The Captain had not been at the bridge in that moment. Being nearby, he could only reply, “I… “ He then saw the fire, and the gaping hole on one side of the ship. All over the ship, screams echoed, and the smell of smoke soon wafted up from lower decks.

“CAPTAIN! The lifeboats are ready! But we need to talk! We think we’ve been attacked!” One of the shipmates panted as he darted over to the captain, “What do we do?”

“Send boats first on the Starboard side, and let’s hope that whoever attacked us has not been able to go around the ship.” The Onerous began to tilt slowly as more and more water flooded into the gaping hole on the port side.

The shipmate nodded and charged back up to the nearest intercom station, sending the message out.

“ALL HANDS ON DECK. PASSENGERS PLEASE FILE OUT TO STARBOARD LIFEBOATS. STARBOARD LIFEBOATS, PREPARE TO SHIP OUT!”

Bright Spark and her friends followed the sea of terrified creatures up to the deck, and soon were on some lifeboats on the starboard side.
Though she was panicking, Bright Spark did her best to remain calm and reassure her friends.
Unfortunately, the only thing she could hear above the shouts and cries of fear was the sound of her heart beating in her ears.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…” some voice called out, trying to comfort others nearby as they were all herded onto lifeboats.

In another moment, the first row of lifeboats was dropped into the water, and some deckhands were on them, trying to row them away from the ship as fast as possible.

Meanwhile…

“We’re done here,” Said the captain of the Hanjari. “Set course out of these straits.”

“Uh… Captain, we have a no survivors order,” The first mate said with a grim look.

It took all of the Captain’s self-control not to start cursing their superior officers at that. Did they not know that such an action would destroy their cover? Sure, out in the open seas, everycreature and their mothers knew what was actually going on, but here? In sight of Coltstantinople…

“Sink the first three lifeboats, we don’t have enough torpedos to sink every last one of them.” Surfacing, in the Boprian straits, opening fire on a merchant vessel there… that would be suicide, and the Captain was not going to do that.

The first mate nodded to the torpedo team, and three more were fired.
The unsuspecting creatures were watching the Onerous slowly tilt over, gradually sinking into the sea.
In another moment, their lifeboats exploded before they had a moment to register anything else.
Bright Spark herself was completely obliterated.

Back on the ship, the first mate of the Onerous gasped, “CAPTAIN...look…”

“How DARE they attack lifeboats!” Another crewmember shouted.

“WHO is attacking!?” Somepony else demanded.

All around, civilians and crewmates shouted and screamed in shock and fear.

Back on the Hanjari, the crew were intercepting the radio transmissions aboard the Onerous.
The Zebra in charge of listening froze in place and his ears folded down in fear.

“C-Captain, uhhh, you better hear this!”

“What is it?” The Captain asked, his face still in a stony expression.

The Zebra flipped the switch, letting everyone else hear it.

“Mayday! Mayday! Unknown submarines in the area! Avoid this ship, repeat, avoid this ship!
We are the Onerous, Trotomian civilian cruiser, class B.
We’ve been hit in our engine room by a torpedo, and three of our lifeboats sunk as well.
We’re sinking, but the unseen enemy could be nearby.
Mayday! Warning! Avoid this ship, repeat, avoid this ship!
But, please, if anyone can send help for the last few survivors, please!
Submarines in the area, repeat, submarines in the area!”

The panicked words repeated a few times until static took over as the Onerous’electrical wiring was waterlogged. On the Hanjari, the Zebra crew grimaced and gulped, realizing that ship was a completely innocent party.

“Damn them all to Tartarus,” The Captain muttered, speaking about High Command, “These foals just got us all killed…” Taking a deep breath and composing himself he finally barked his orders. “Helmsman! Get us out of here.”

On the same night, but in a different part of the seas, a different Zebrican vessel, the Invincible, was watching the waters. Into the blackened seas came an unmarked vessel, putting the crew on high alert.

“Captain, we’ve hailed them, but they won’t answer.”

The Invincible was one of the newer Armored cruisers, armed with a uniform caliber of heavy cannons and turbine engines. With no news from the ships that were around the Straits, the Invincible was uncertain how to proceed.

“The air is still. Fire a warning shot, at your will,” Ordered the Captain.

The ensign nodded, and the Invincible prepared to fire.
In another moment, they blasted out a warning shot with a canon, lighting up the dark sky and narrowly missing the unidentified vessel.
Moments of silence pass over the waters, and then the other ship pulled closer to view.

“Captain! We can see the markers now! It’s called the Basileon.”

“Basileon.. BASILEON!?” The First Mate shouted, and then did an epic facehoof, “We’re sunk!”

Indeed, she was one of Ippeia’s finest naval cruisers, and she returned fire. Into the darkened night sky came a volley of rockets that slammed into the Invincible’s hull, ripping her right open.
Nearby, the Lioness of Mkara saw the fire and headed toward the Invincible. The Lioness was also a sturdy Zebrican vessel, but in the fire that broke out between the Zebricans and the Ippeians, there was no contest, and soon both Zebrican ships sank beneath the waves.

December 17th, off the Konlyan coast, Zebrican ships would sink three Konlyan cargo ships. After that, the Zebrican vessels let loose, taking down more and more Konlyan vessels, all being innocent parties mistaken for Minotaur smugglers.

The fire that would burn the world was kindled.

Chapter 13: A Time for War

The Crystal Empire was a beautiful nation protected from the deadly north winds by the power of love and light from the Crystal Heart and the Crystal Ponies. Over the years, it grew and flourished, with many smaller cities spreading out from the capitol city in all directions, all linking back to the heart like arms on a snowflake.
Usually the nation was optimistic, and peaceful, but today in the capitol there was tension, outrage, and despair.
Behind the palace walls a meeting of the Greater Coalition and her leaders took place, where they all discussed the recent happenings. Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor acted as the mediators and hosts of the meeting, dressed in their most formal attire for the event. Although Cadence tried to smile, her eyes showed just how nervous she was about this affair. Shining Armor kept a stoic look on his white features and sat beside his darling wife. Neither of them wanted to discuss what was being discussed: war.

Sadly… there they all were, saying the ugly word, over and over.

Trotomia’s president, Manjar Blanco, slammed one of his hooves on the round table.
“The zebras must pay! They massacred my people and my wife! We cannot stand by and ignore this atrocity!”

The heavy-set, Konlyan pony representative was equally furious.
“For weeks they’ve been sinking our ships as well. We’ve been straining to keep our end of the peace, and if one more ship sinks, we WILL join against them. That’s my orders from the Tsar.”

“If both of them join, Saddle-Arabia will surely join to help their allies, and we will join to fight off Saddle-Arabia,” Emperor Agamemnon of Ippeia declared with a firm nod.

The Minotaur representative looked left and right with a guilty expression and fidgeted with his thumbs.

“Yes, Stonebreaker?” Celestia asked the Minotaur, “What’s on your mind?”

“I can neither confirm nor deny it, but it is highly possible that our merchants have been secretly selling weapons to Rikuma. According to our intelligence, Zebrica started firing on any vessel similar to our, markings or not, to prevent the smuggling.”

The other representatives gawked at him in disbelief.

From Griffonstone, the Gryphon nation under Equestrian protection, there was Gilda herself standing as the representative, and she flapped her wings to make herself relax just enough to speak. “So it’s YOUR fault that this many nations are on the verge of an all-world war!?”

Emperor Agamemnon and President Blanco glared at Stonebreaker and leaned forward in their seats accusingly. Shining Armor looked around the table, tensed in case fighting broke out. Finally, Queen Novo herself, who was there representing the Kingdom of Hippogriffia, who were the lesser, “Skybound” Hippogriffs, stood up and said, “Perhaps the Minotaur Coalition should be punished for this. Let them take the fall. We cannot risk such a huge war demolishing all nations.”
Of course, her creatures were given such a species name due to their thin, more bird-based body types, and in her true, Hippogriff form, Novo certainly did look elegant and commanding.

“WAIT! Yes, they made a mistake, but we cannot turn on each other. We need to stay allies and work through this,” Princess Cadence begged as she raised her wings to catch their attention.

“She’s right. Stonebreaker, have your people stopped their secret deeds?” Celestia asked in a strained, yet calm, voice.

“Yes, but it seems the damage has already been done, too,” Stonebreaker gulped as he put his hands down on the table.

They were interrupted however, as an Earth Pony was hurriedly allowed in by the guards and gave a message to the Trotomian President. The messenger departed as quickly as he’d arrived, and Manjar Blanco’s face turned pale.

“President, what is it?” Celestia asked, a dark feeling creeping over her heart.

“There was a clash with the Zebrican Fleet… ” He placed the letter on the table, his hooves shaking slightly, “Two armored cruisers and a merchant ship were sunk on their way to Manehattan… And the Zebrican Fleet is bombarding Murona along with Dragon Mercenaries.”

Celestia’s face hardened into a cold, dark fury, and everyone else felt a deep sense of dread.

“It seems we are at war,” Celestia murmured, “They have hurt enough of my Ponies.”

“Saddle-Arabia must be behind this! Al-Asif has always made war with us, and I won’t doubt he is backing Zebrica to spite us all!” Emperor Agamemnon snorted as he stood up and began pacing around the table, “I hoped to avoid war in my lifetime, but it seems it is here once more.”

“We can’t jump to such conclusions! Saddle-Arabia has not officially declared war on anybeast! The Malik has barely said which side he supports,” Cadence pointed out, trying to keep some peace somewhere alive.

“I know that, but Saddle-Arabia and Ippeia have been in and out of many wars while Equestria has not touched such declarations in a thousand years,” Agamemnon pointed out with a humble bow to Celestia, “Of course, I mean no disrespect to the mare who raises the sun each morning. I know this must be hard to you, Princess Celestia, but as you can see… it is time for war.”

“Must we do such a thing, though? With all our alliances, this could mean… the entire world at war. Ippeia fights Saddle-Arabia, Zebrica comes over, we must step in--is there any way to stop this?” Queen Novo murmured as she stared up at the ornate ceiling of the Crystal palace.

For five minutes, no one spoke. Everybeast hung his head, desperate to find a way out.

“It seems we have no choice,” Celestia murmured as she closed her eyes, “It is time for war… a world war.”

When she opened her eyes, there was a pain deep in them, masked by a motherly fury. She found it hard to fathom that after so long of peaceful relations, ambassadors and trading that they would come to this. Could there ever be peace now? Luna, who had been silent this whole time, looked to her sister in disbelief. Even she had no words.

"Celie... they're all waiting." Luna placed a wing on her sister's shoulder as she whispered.

They were in Canterlot once more, behind heavy doors. Outside, they heard a massive crowd calling for them, waiting in fright. Both Luna and Celestia were dressed in their finest winter attire, with their jewelry and crowns perfectly polished.

"I know, but... after a thousand years of peace... what have I done?" Celestia whispered, with her eyes trembling.

"You were always the far more gentle one. I was the more blunt one," Luna remarked, hanging her dark-colored head and folding down her ears, "It's not right to see you declare war."

"...I must do this, though. I must," Celestia sighed, taking a long breath. Her heart broke and she struggled to comprehend this moment. She felt like an utter failure. To her, this nation was her family. These creatures were her children, and she had a duty to watch over them. For centuries she kept them free from terror, and now, she was bringing them right into a war that might be an extreme bloodbath. On the one hoof, she HAD to do this. Her own Ponies, the Principality of Trotomia, right to her southern border, were attacked. Already their city, Murona, was in danger. Celestia could NOT stand idly by. On the other hoof, declaring all-out war meant death for far more than Trotomia. She felt stuck. As a princess, she had a duty to uphold. She could not shake her duty. Still... she failed them all, didn't she?

Seeing her sister's pain in those big, amethyst eyes, Luna decided to be the bad mare again.

"Let me do the talking. I'm not afraid to give bad news," Luna remarked, folding up her wings again.

"Luna, no--"

"Yes. I'm going. Stand by my side, and look motherly," Luna said, trotting to the doors.

With a heavy sigh, Celestia nodded and followed. On the balcony the two sisters of the sun and moon stood, and the crowd instantly silence. Not a single breath or complaint could be heard; not even a bird sang. No, not even a fly buzzed. In her teal eyes was a cold, yet compassionate look. Making her voice grand and loud for all to hear, Luna gave the announcement that would shake the peaceful nation for many, many generations.

"Ponies of Equestria. We know your brothers and sisters in Trotomia are suffering and crying out to us. We are not deaf to your tears or your pain or your fury. For a thousand years, my sister has guarded you, and now I, too, have returned, and watched your dreams and helped you sleep. I have seen your nightmares, and I know your longings. We both care for the peace and harmony of this nation, and all her sister nations under our outstretched wings. That's why, today, we must officially declare war on Zebrica, and all her states. We shall immediately send out troops to help Trotomia, and summon the navy to guard our waters."

December 18th, 1012 SE would forever be known as the day when there was absolute silence for three hours across the nation.

Chapter 14: Sizzling Snow

December 23rd, 1012 SE

The Neighkian Pact was moving north, on the Eastern Continent.
The Qinlong Twelve Banners of Zuoji were making quick progress through the edge of Konlya bordering on Zuoji. The forests of the North were covered in snow, and strangely silent. Only a few species of animals were tough enough to survive, and most were avoiding any area with too much noise. The rows and rows of blanketed, armored soldiers marched through the snow, following forgotten roads deeper and deeper into Konlyan territory. Their white blankets helped them blend in with their environment, but the caravans of supplies were not as easily camouflaged. However, they had plenty of protection. Besides the Kirin soldiers of Zuoji, there were also the Changeling soldiers marching with them, disguising themselves as common animals and casually circling around the far edges of the army, looking out for any signs of enemies. So far, nothing disturbed them, and the only noises were the crunching of snow beneath boots and armored wheels, the clanking of armor, and the swishing of lion-like tails. Occasionally there was a winter bird singing, but even the birds seemed afraid to sing at the sight of the strangers passing by. Perhaps all of nature knew something was disturbing the harmony of the world. So far, nobeast was stopping the Neighkian pact.

The first sign that the Jade Banner Army had that something was wrong, was when eagles and falcons started fighting above them. Initially, they seemed to be just average eagles and falcons, but something seemed bizarre about it. This many eagles? This many falcons? Was this natural? When the eagles and falcons swooped at each other, and got low enough, the Kirin soldiers could see their eyes were bright, strange colors. Their wings seemed to turn in odd angles and flaps, and
a vague sense of magic hummed off them, sometimes. Abruptly, the Kirin soldiers realized that half those birds were their Changeling allies, vassals of the Qianlong Emperor--and the other half of those birds were from other Changeling Hordes, serving the Konlyan Ponies. The enemy!

Their scouts thus occupied, the Jade Banner Army did not see the camouflaged Konlyan positions on each side of the narrow road that they marched through. They did not see the movement of armed ponies who waited for the order to strike. Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed. Explosions from spell-guns rocked the world. The supply wagons for the Kirin shattered into shrapnel and splinters. Kirin flew through the air, blasted, bruised and burnt. The second barrage came but a few minutes later, falling upon the rear, and destroying most of the road behind them. Tiangou the Kirin was lucky --or so he thought-- for he had not been in either end of the column. His unit, sitting in the middle, had but a few moments of rest while everybeast tried to figure out what was going on. A bugle was then heard among the trees, and the Konlyan army fell upon them.

Had things been different, the sheer numbers of the Jade Banner Army would have overwhelmed any opposition. But the Konlyans not only knew the terrain, not only did they have superior weapons, they were also defending their homeland. Enhancing the magic of their Unicorns, the advanced weapons tore through the armor of the Kirin, shattered their heavy vehicles, and blasted through the snow and permafrost, leaving steaming trails and blast holes everywhere. With all their strength and fiery magic, the Kirin of Zuoji lasered back, dodging as much as they could, but behind almost every tree was an enemy--and sometimes the trees WERE enemies. In the middle of the night, with barely any light flooding the area the battle raged on. Soon, the dark snow was lit by burning trees, scorched bodies, and singed bushes. The air stank with burning fur, flesh, scales and wood. Tiangou was one of the few survivors, and he wrote back to the commanding officers the news.

The Zuoji army was on the retreat, and their heavy-set, Konlyan Pony enemies were right on their tails. The death toll rose more and more each day, and Konlya prevailed against the Kirin, right until they reached the bordering cities of Neighkian and Rinkhai. Finally, the determined Konlyans slammed into a wall too big for them to climb and too defended for them to blast through. From here, the battlefields would become static, with bombardments from both sides, spells, boulders, and bombs being thrown back and forth, day and night.

Author's Note

This was written mostly by Imperator Aetheris. Unfortunately, he was unable to keep being my co-author. Life got too busy. He's allowed me to keep on the story.

--Turquoise Dreamer

Chapter 15: Strength in the Cold

Hearth’s Warming Eve, year 1012

The annual pageant was a success. The students from Ponyville’s school all did a splendid job playing their parts, all the parents were proud, and the crowd was moved. Afterwards, Princess Twilight stood up and gave an encouraging speech.

“Thank you for coming to our yearly pageant. Seeing you all here is a wonderful reminder that even in worrying times we can all gather and find peace together. Let this story of our history be a reminder that the most powerful magic is not defense or offense, but friendship. Through friendship, we will keep the fires burning in our hearts, and in our communities. Let us not lose hope, or lose sight of our core values: family, community, dedication, perseverance, and above all, harmony.”

The crowd stomped their hooves and cheered, but it wasn’t as bright or optimistic as other years. News about Konlya was merely the tip of the iceberg of the war worries, and as ponies filed out of the town hall, Twilight knew that her words did little to comfort them. Of course, she kept on her princess smile of hope, and waved her hoof peacefully.

“Hey, Twilight,” Applejack’s voice cut into her thoughts, “You doin' all right?”

She turned around and relaxed a bit, asking, “Yes, thank you. I’m all right. What did you think? It wasn’t much of a speech, but I hope it helped.”

“Of course it did. It wasn’t all high-falutin' nonsense, just honest words spoken from one of us who’s tryin' to keep calm and carry on,” Applejack said with a warm smile and a nod. In another moment, her smile faded and she sighed heavily, “But not everypony’s feelin so chipper. I overheard some of them sayin' how friendship can’t possibly solve a war. Of course, I don’t blame 'em.”

Twilight’s smile melted away too, and she adjusted her tiara with her magic for a moment to gather her thoughts. Walking away from the stage, she whispered, “Applejack, I’m not so sure either. Wars aren’t really about friendship or anger. It’s all politics, schemes and things beyond magic or feelings. Still, we’ve seen how friendship and harmony CAN stop major things, right? Like how we helped the Changelings see how to give love instead of steal it, or how our bonds saved us all from Tirek, or how the power of love saved Cadence and Shining Armor’s wedding.”

“Yeah! But in comparison to a war across all nations…” Applejack lowered her ears and looked away, feeling guilty, “Sorry, maybe I shouldn’t be so negative.”

“No, you’re right. Something not isolated to one area is… different,” Twilight admitted with a grim look, “But that doesn’t mean friendship is weak. No… maybe… maybe we CAN still find a peaceful solution, SOMEHOW.”

“If anypony can do it, I know it’s you, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie popped out of nowhere with a grin, “Don’t give up! I won’t let you give up! It may look gloomy, but we’re still alive, together, and full of ideas!”

Her words warmed their hearts, and made the other two laugh for a brief moment.
“You’re right! We just have to keep calm and carry on, like Applejack said! We’ll find a way to peace, one day!”

“Yeah!”

“Oh?” Fluttershy asked as she neared the others, “What did I miss?”

“Twilight and AJ were being all moody and worried about the war, and I reminded them to not give up!”

“Oh… the war…”

“Not you too, Fluttershy! C’mon, we just stopped bein’ all moody,” Applejack sighed, nudging Fluttershy with a hoof, “Like Pinkie said, we gotta keep up our chins.”

“I know. Even if we can’t do much here in Ponyville, we can still encourage the citizens and spread kindness,” Fluttershy added, standing up a little straighter.

Twilight nodded and found her smile again.
No matter what, they would spread the light of Harmony.
Ponies filed out of the town hall and slowly returned to their homes, trotting in the freshly-fallen snow in their boots, hats, and scarves. Though it was cold, they were covered, and still had a thick layer of fur to help keep them cozy.
...of course, not everyone was a furry creature.
Queen --Ex-Queen-- Chrysalis was shivering, even with a heavy coat, scarf, hat and boots to protect her skinny, chitinous frame.

“Here, Chryssie, let me try--”

“No, Discord, don’t set me on fire!”

“I won’t set you on fire!” Discord pouted, folding his arms as he hovered next to her, “You know I wouldn’t do that.”

“You did one time!” She snarled, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Oh come now, that was a Tiny, itty-bitty, little--”

“It was still fire,” She snorted, rolling her eyes, “But yes, I am freezing. Help me if you can--but do not call me "Chryssie", please.”

Discord snapped his lion fingers, and light flashed around Chrysalis. On top of her heavy coat was another coat that covered all her limbs, and even the base of her wings. This one had a heating element, and within moments it warmed up, sending very minor heat waves through her other clothes. Chrysalis stiffened, expecting something to blow up, but… no, it was… all right. She sighed in relief.

“Thank you. This is… actually quite nice,” She said, closing her eyes for a brief moment, only to open one and glare at him with, “This isn’t a prank is it? You aren’t trying to get me back for the mothballs are you?”

“What? Me? Oh no, you know I love a good prank war, but no, reeeeeeeeally, I’m trying to help!” Discord insisted, folding his hands in a praying manner and making a halo appear above him, “Out of the kindness of my heart and the goodness of my spirit.”

Chrysalis smirked. “Really now? The 'goodness of your spirit'? Hmph.”

“Of course… this blanket is rather dull, isn’t it?” Discord said, leaning over and looking at the blank, brown blanket he made.

“So? It keeps me warm.”

A lightbulb appeared above Discord’s head and he snapped his talon fingers. In another flash of light, the sides of the blanket became covered in a picture of Discord with a crown and a scepter, in flowing, regal robes. Across Chrysalis' broad sides were colorful, whimsical letters saying DISCORD IS BEST PRINCESS, just to top it all off.

“Really? Made me into a sandwich sign?” Chrysalis glared at him. However, the sandwich-blanket was funny, and even she giggled, then tried to cover up her laughter with a cough, “Seriously?”

“Am I ever really serious?” Discord pointed out with a smirk, “Shh, don’t say anything, just casually walk around and see how many ponies even notice.”

Though she tried to keep her glare up, she found herself smiling again and glancing around at the passing crowds. Most Ponies walked past without noticing, but plenty did do double-takes and stare at the sign in confusion. A few laughed while others rolled their eyes and walked on by. The two pranksters chuckled together and walked down main street, enjoying their dumb joke. Of course, life got in the way of a good joke.

“A NEW WAR REPORT IS ON THE RADIO!”

Instantly, the atmosphere changed. Many Ponies shook their heads and returned to their homes, but many others gathered around the nearest radios, listening to the news once again.
Discord deflated a little, landing on the ground and pouting again. Chrysalis groaned.

“I’m sick of hearing about this war. What is it even for? I don’t think anypony remembers. At least when I tried to take over Canterlot I had my reasons,” she grumbled, hanging her head lower and stomping forward down the road.

Discord plodded beside her and commented, “War isn’t my thing. I tried it once, don’t want it ever again. Got too repetitive.”

Chrysalis halted and looked up at him with a blink. “Wait, YOU were in a war?”

“Yes, with Celestia, aaaaaaaaaages ago.”

“Oh, right. I thought she just turned you to stone right away.”

“Nope. Was a whole war for about a century,” Discord recalled, stroking his beard with his lion hand, “I do admit we had some epic battles, and I even managed to mess with the sun and moon and make day-night cycles totally random, buuuuuuuuut in the end, it all became the same.”

With that, a chessboard appeared between them, sitting on nothing, and the pieces looked like Discord, Celestia, Luna, and their armies. Discord’s side was just random pieces, including balloons and evil trees, but Celestia and Luna had Ponies all lined up in armor.

“See, we’d meet on a field like this, she’d move like this, I’d do something like this, make it rain random objects, acid, or ice cream, or even fluffy bunnies, and in the end we’d be at a stalemate and leave. Boring, boring, boring. Same old thing all the time,” He moved the pieces around to illustrate, and they became alive and fought. In fact, it rained on the chessboard different things he named, too. With a bored sigh, he waved it away with his tail and it poofed out of existence as he finished, “War. War never changes. Honestly, I just gave up, sat on my throne, and waited for her to do something interesting. I was almost glad she put me in stone just so something NEW happened.”

“I see.” Was all Chrysalis said as she studied the chessboard. She couldn't help but ponder how much of this story Discord made up on the spot.

“Yes, indeed you do. Of course, then getting in stone was boring too, but I couldn’t escape on my own. I do admit I’m grateful to Cae-cae for my freedom,” He said as he leaned back on an invisible chair, “But, again, war is soooooo overrated. I mean really, the whole point of war is to just win an argument, isn’t it? There’s better ways to do that. Besides, if everyone dies, there’s nobody left to have fun with. There’s nobody left to rule. There’s nobody left at all. I like chaos, but war… is not my kind of chaos.”

Chrysalis looked away, rolling those words around in her mind. “True… very true. I wouldn’t have agreed with you years ago, but… maybe I’m finally getting soft, or maybe… I’m finally seeing things for what they are. “

“You know, you sound a lot like me. Sticking around Fluttershy and the girls for so long has made me really re-evaluate my whole perspective on everything,” Discord admitted, taking out a kaleidoscope and looking through it. He handed it to Chrysalis, who took it in her magic and stared through it, seeing all the shapes and colors move while Discord continued, “Everything has a different angle to look at, does it not? Admitting you need to re-think things isn’t so bad. Of course, there’s things about me I’ll never change. After all, chaos is still my thing--and chaos isn’t really bad, either. Sometimes you need something to shake things up and get rid of the boring routine.”

“You do have a point,” Chrysalis confirmed, though she was too prideful to admit that Discord, of all beasts, had many good points about perspective. With her lime-green magic she gave him back the kaleidoscope and said, “Perhaps it’s best we both ignore this war. It’s not really for either of us--not that I can do much without a hive of my own, anyway.”

Snow began to fall again, landing on her nose, making her sneeze. Looking up, she groaned and her ears folded down in annoyance. Again, Discord snapped his fingers, making a wide umbrella for them both. With a bow, he said, “Then enough of war. How about I escort you home, Your Highness, Queen Mothball the Great?”

With a roll of her eyes, she tried to be regal and snooty, but a grateful smile did slip onto her face. “Thank you… Princess Discord the Ridiculous.”

The two chuckled again and continued walking down the road.
The pageant was a success… but the war was still on… but… friendship was still strong.
Other things were still strong, too.

Chapter 16: Heavy Bombardment; Heavy News

April 3rd, 1012 SE

Coltstantinople, capital city of Ippeia.

The stone city was shut tight. Nobeast walked on the cobblestone streets today. The palm trees swayed in the fierce wind, and the public fountains were shut down to conserve water.

BOOM, CRASH, BANG

The chaotic explosions echoed everywhere. The reinforced walls were cracking, pounded day and night by Saddle-Arabia’s magic canons. The forcefield dome over the city was holding firm, but nobeast knew how much longer it would. The common citizens hid in their homes, quieting their children and reassuring each other. The soldiers were lined up on the inside of the walls, prepared to strike the moment it all crashed down. All around the city was water, and on one side the enemy forces blocked their bridge, pummeling them nonstop. Nobeast could escape the city, except through a secret route, and portals that were being constructed.

In the palace, the servants were hurrying, gathering all the supplies they could before they left. Guards whispered to each other, and some servants slowed down.

“You think he’ll leave?” one asked.

“No. Emperor Agamemnon would never leave the city. He wouldn’t.”

“He should though, right? We can’t have our emperor die in a siege.”

Shouting echoed from behind the heavy door they were guarding, and they quickly straightened up in silence.

Inside the chamber, Emperor Agamemnon paced back and forth, shaking his tail in frustration.

“No, Anaxippos, I’m not abandoning our city. You and your wife should go. You carry on the bloodline,” he insisted, pointing a hoof toward the door.

“Father, our nation needs you to live, not stand here and die in battle!” The copper-furred prince insisted.

“As Emperor, it is my duty to remain here. This is my capital, these are my beasts, and I will not abandon them,” He insisted, putting a hoof down, “There is still a good chance we can survive this siege. This city is very strategic--you know that! If we give up, we’ll most likely lose the war.”

“If you die, our country's morale will drop, and we will lose the war for certain,” Anaxippos begged, “Please, protect yourself.”

Agamemnon shook his head and paced around. He was exhausted, and couldn’t think of a good way to debate his son. Perhaps it was too dangerous for anyone to leave at all. Perhaps he should listen to Anaxippos.
With a heavy sigh, he listened to the distant crashing of spells and heavy stones, and weighed his options. Neither choice sounded like a good option. There was great risk involved either way.

“My Emperor, may I speak?”

The two Unicorn stallions turned and noticed the Nocturnus mare in the small doorway nearby. Her silvery fur contrasted with her black mane and tail, and the bright blue and gold dress that graced her thin frame.

“Lullaby, oh… well, you might as well know our plans,” Emperor Agamemnon sighed to his daughter-in-law, “I think you and your stubborn husband should leave. Now.”

“Yes, I heard that,” She said, tucking her black bat-wings around her dress, “But, it truly is too dangerous to leave now. I think we should pour all we can into strengthening our forcefields, and encourage everyone to stay indoors. If we can wait long enough, our other battalions will reach us. Even if the enemy breaches, we do have a strong army here in our capitol.”

“True, but their forces are getting stronger as well… or so it seems,” Agamemnon bitterly replied, looking out the window again. A rainbow of magicks slammed into the forcefield, making it buckle and tremble, but it held firm, and so did the spires and columns holding up its edges. Maybe they could outlast the enemy, maybe they could. In the city below, the cries of terrified citizens echoed up to the three royals, and Emperor Agamemnon grieved as he saw them rushing to their homes and locking the doors tight. Now it was mostly soldiers on the prowl, kicking and teleporting debris out of the way and positioning it to block any entrances the enemy could use. Every street, corner, gate was either an advantage or an ambush point the enemy could score a deep wound on. The tension was thick in the air, and everybeast was exhausted, scraggy-maned, and hungry. The Emperor waged his own war between his heart and mind. His mind said to send the royal heirs away, to keep the bloodline alive and rule on after his death, but his heart yearned to have his only son close, and feared that maybe out there, his son would die anyway. All the world was filled with woe, and the sky was darkened from the magic smoke. He couldn’t even look up to see any hope beyond his shields.

A leathery flapping echoed down the stone halls, and then a clicking of shoes charged toward the door. The royal family turned to see a soldier in light armor, with black bat wings, swoop in with a skidding halt. He used his wings to yank off his helmet and shook his scruffy, black mane out. His green-grey fur and thin face bore a strong resemblance to Lullaby’s own face and pale blue-grey fur. Both had the same, black mane and tail, though hers had a few streaks of green and blue. His green eyes were hardened by the war and his own determination, but his sister’s blue eyes were still soft, though heavy with grief for the people.

“Wind!” Soothing Lullaby sighed in relief, “You’re all right.”

“Of course. I shut down the last public fountain, Sir. Our water supply from the river is still doing well. We should have plenty of water to last a long, long time, and still water our greenhouses,” He said, trotting closer.

“Some good news,” Agamemnon noted, “As long as they don’t find a way to poison the main river.”

“The river is too vast, Father. It would take too much to taint it all,” Anaxippos pointed out.

“True… at least we have food and water. Will it be enough, though?”

“My Father, please, do not lose heart. You said the citizens need morale, and they do. Use this time to speak to them, and strengthen them. If we can keep them strong, they’ll band together and keep the city,” Anaxippos said, putting a hoof on his father’s shoulder.

Agamemnon’s old heart felt a glimmer of hope again, and he looked around at his small family.
Should he believe in the hope, though? Should he grasp the spark and lead with it? Should he do this?
Seeing his struggle, Lullaby put her wing on his other shoulder and offered him a tired, sweet smile.

“Father Agamemnon, he’s right. All the people need us, and not merely you. They need to see you strong and brave, and they need to see their beloved Prince in the masses, ready for battle with them, and they need to hear my songs. I have the power to soothe children’s nightmares, and calm the fears of the adults. Chilling Wind can keep being our forerunner, alerting us of the first signs, reminding the soldiers how much they lost, and how much we must keep. All together we can save this city, and stand our ground.”

With that, Agamemnon felt his heart beat again. Yes, he WOULD grasp that spark, no matter how small.
He put his forelegs around his son and his daughter-in-law, saying, “Thank you both. Xippos, Soothing, thank you.”

He let them go and turned to Chilling Wind, who bowed and said, “She’s right. She’s usually right.”

“That I am,” Soothing Lullaby said with a tiny grin.

“Indeed you are. Chilling, thank you again for all you do, too, and please, keep out there. Inform the guards I will be giving a speech in a few hours. Let the public know I have not abandoned them,” He said, standing tall and proud once more.

Chilling’s eyes seemed to glow with new life, and he quickly donned his helmet with a salute. He darted out of the room, and the other royals split off to prepare for their new schedules.

June 8th,

Husholm, capitol of the Griffon Rikr, on the Eastern Continent.

King Vidar III of the Griffons read the war report in his front talons.
His eyes widened in astonishment, and the feathers around his eyes fluffed up with new energy.

“I see…” He mused, handing it back to his messenger, “Hmmm… Saddle-Arabia may need our help soon, if Coltstantinople still is not taken.”

“What will you do, My Lord?” One of his advisors said, ready with quill and paper to start writing.

“Hmmm… If we join this war, we’d have to fight our Konlyan neighbors, and we are not equipped to do so… and of course, fighting them would mean fighting their cousins, the sisters of the moon and sun. No. Not yet. We will wait and observe.”

His nearby advisors and servants all bowed in respect while he sat on his cushioned throne, contemplating his next move.

Saddle-Arabian Desert, on the edge of the Draconic Borderlands

“From what we understand, the dragons are neutral,” The general said, eyeing the bulky, red dragon standing before him.

“Hmph. That’s only because Dragon Lord Ember is soft, and wants to be friends with the ponies. We true dragons of this mercenary division are ready to get out there and fight,” He said, baring his fangs in glee.

The general eyed the rag-tag band of teenage dragons and pursed his lips.
Well… dragons would certainly be useful.
...even if they were a bit, well… disheveled and inexperienced.

“All right, Gargle--”

“Garble, Sir.”

“--Right, Garble, I’ll allow you to join the forces of Saddle-Arabia.”

EQUESTRIA

“All right! Latest news! Latest news!”

Spike flapped his wings and zoomed into the meeting room.
Twilight and the other members of the Council of Harmony sat around the crystalline table, watching him hand the paper to Twilight.

“Ugh, I don’t want to hear MORE news, unless it’s good news,” Pinkie sighed, faceplanting onto the table.

“I’m with you, Pinkie, but we have to stay up-to-date. How will we help our Ponies out if we don’t know what’s going on?” Twilight pointed out, using her magic aura to unroll the scroll.

“Can we hurry? I got a lot of work to do on the farm,” Applejack said, tossing her braid behind her back.

“Yeah I have a meeting to get to,” Rainbow agreed, hovering over Twilight’s shoulder.

“Girls, let her read,” Fluttershy said, “Please?”

“I know, I know, we’re all busy,” Twilight said, “Okay good, here… hmmm.”

Twilight furrowed her eyebrows and used her wings to block Rainbow from reading it.

“What is it? What is it?” rainbow demanded, hovering higher to try and get a peek.

“Oh Twilight, just say it,” Rarity said, her eyes widening in fear, “It’s very bad, isn’t it?”

“...Well, it seems Garble is leading one of the Draconic mercenary bands,” Twilight announced.

“THAT bully? I’m not surprised,” Spike said, crossing his arms, “I don’t think he’d really be good in a war, though. He’s just a bully, not really a killer.”

“On another note: the Eastern Griffon Rikr is still neutral, and it seems the Shogunate has almost completely quelled the Imperial forces,” Twilight said in a slow, grave tone.

“You mean the bad guys WON? What kind of ending to a war is that?” Rainbow pouted, landing in her chair angrily.

“Well, at least it’s over,” Rarity sighed, though she did shake her head sadly.

“The war isn’t really over yet. There are still a few strongholds loyal to the emperor, and the emperor is still alive. The Shogun claims they’re dead, but some reports say otherwise,” Twilight said, folding her wings, “If he is found, many citizens will gladly stand on the side of the true bloodline.”

“So, should we celebrate or not?” Pinkie asked, “Is this really good news, if we don’t even know who won?”

“It’s a spark of hope, even if it’s small,” Twilight pointed out, rolling up the paper, “Not much else to report, other than more death counts, which will be posted on the public papers.”

Everypony remained silent at that, hanging their heads quietly. Every day was more bad news. It was a heavy blow after years of spreading hope, optimism, and positivity. All their work in spreading friendship seemed childish and useless now.
Perhaps there was a power stronger than friendship after all.

“Come on, don’t give up,” Twilight said, straightening up, “We can’t be like this. We have a job to do!”

“What job? Be FRIENDLY?” Rainbow Spat, “While they burn the poor Ponies of Murona, and kill so many others?”

“Friendship doesn’t seem very magic now,” Fluttershy confessed, folding her ears down, “Maybe Kindness doesn’t go very far.”

“No, no, we’re looking at it the wrong way!”

Twilight jumped up and started walking around the room. Her loyal friends watched her, a vague glimmer in their eyes. On her chest and shoulders was a deep, heavy burden. She had to do something. Desperately she searched for the right words to encourage them. Friendship had to be strong. After all she’d seen, she knew it was the strongest magic of all.
Think, think, think.
Her brain turned and revved up, piecing together all she knew.

“This war isn’t merely giant puzzle pieces fitting together, it’s also a million tiny ones--and each piece is one pony, Griffon, Zebra, whoever and whatever. This is where things like Kindness, Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Friendship still matter: in each little piece. We must continue to spread what we know through our world, and strengthen our creatures. We can’t give up. Maybe we cannot stop this war, but we can save the creatures in it! Every little spark of hope matters. Just look at us all: we’re all ragged, exhausted, and constantly stressed. We’re losing our hope, and determination. We can’t do our jobs right like this. If we are having problems, think of everypony else. We, the Elements, have to prove to them that there is still a reason to keep fighting, keep living, and keep smiling, and that starts with Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Laughter, Kindness, and Friendship. If we strengthen the nation, they will strengthen the army, and that will turn the tides. It’s not a chess game with four or five pieces, it’s a whole board.”

Standing tall and renewed, she straightened the gold tiara on her brow and declared, “THAT is why we still have work to do!”

Her friends felt like the clouds just parted, and they could breathe again.
Yes, she was right. She was!

“YEAH!” they all cheered, standing up.

“What we need is a huge party for all of the town!” Pinkie declared, “I’ll get busy!”

In a poof of confetti, she galloped, too fast to be seen, blowing Rarity’s ragged mane back to beauty in an instant.

“HA! Why, what is wrong with me!? I’ve been moping in my house far too long. I need to get busy too. I’ll start some charities for the soldiers and their families. I just got the perfect idea! Twilight, thank you!”

Rarity gave her a quick hug, and Twilight cheered her on.

“I think a petting zoo would be good for the little ones. I’ll get some animal friends to volunteer,” Fluttershy said with a twinkle in her eyes, “Thank you, Twilight. I needed this.”

“Hey, we ALL needed that! I’ve felt half-dead for weeks with stress. Twilight’s right: we all needa remember why we’re here in the first place. It’s our destinies and all that. We GOT to be strong for the others,” Applejack said, putting back on her scarf, “I’m headin' out.”

“Yeah, me too, catch you all later!” Rainbow said with a genuine smile for the first time in days.

Twilight watched her friends depart with Spike at her side. Out the window, the town around them was bustling with ponies, all busy and exhausted. They all needed their reminders, too, and Twilight was going to help. Friendship was still the strongest magic, one piece at a time.

Chapter 5: The Shogun Speaks

Farther inland, near the base of a mountain, laid the city Hokuto, which was the high city of the Rikuman shogunate. It was late summer, and the wind carried a cooling breeze over the warm landscape. The architecture here was more heavy-set, and many buildings were stained with old blasts of magic from soldiers and youngsters training their powers. In the heart of the city was the main barracks where the samurai trained day and night in their physical and magical prowess. In the heart of this barracks was a wide, round room where all the daimyo met to discuss their matters.
In the light of the evening sun, they gathered once again.

Shogun Kage of the Katsumi clan, had summoned them all there.

“Everyone, I think it is time we had a more formal discussion on the emperor’s decision. I know some of us do not agree with him. Tell me… what do you all believe of these foreigners?”

Whispers filled the vaulted room, and after a time, one elderly Kirin stood up.

“I never have trusted outsiders, and I cannot believe that the emperor would allow them into the palace of his ancestors! No. I do not agree with this at all.”

As he sat down, several others nodded their heads firmly.

Another Kirin stallion stood up--this one taller, and leaner.

“The emperor always has the citizens and the nation in the forefront of his mind. I say we trust him. It is strange seeing the borders open freely, but I believe in the emperor’s wisdom.”

As he sat down, others shrugged and seemed to agree.
For several hours, they debated, and in the end, they all voiced their opinions, except for Shogun Kage.
The room silenced, and everybeast held his breath, waiting to hear what he thought.
Silence dominated the room.
His eyes were closed in deep thought, and his lion-like tail twitched time and again in frustration and contemplation. Though they all noticed, none wished to speak a word about it. If he was in this much turmoil, none dared to disturb him further.

At length, the shogun stood to his hooves and opened his yellow eyes.

“I do not believe that it is best for the nation to so freely open itself up like this. The emperor has grown soft, and could easily be swayed by foreign tongues who want to exploit us.
If you stand with me, I will see that you are kept safe in whatever happens next… and if you support the emperor, I will allow you to be neutral, and will not threaten you.”

The daimyo looked at each other with serious, alarmed faces.