Friday, January 14, 1008 A.L., Equestria

Many things could be said about Celestia Solaris’ character, especially as of late. Could it be said that she had been complacent? Perhaps in some areas, yes. What about a bit too compromising? In some ways, sure. Forgetful? In the case of one Jason Wright, yes. Political strategist? She had to be in her position. Ignorant of problems? Until recently, yes. But she would never let it be said of her that she was tolerant of high treason.

That was what she was facing currently as she sat in her private office, Raven Inkwell giving her all of the paperwork that the House of Lords and the House of Knights had drawn up, along with references to their supposed proof of her and Luna’s inability to rule Equestria anymore. Twilight, who sat at a temporary desk in the same room, was looking over a few papers of her own, specifically as to the two options she had apparently been given by Celestia’s adopted nephew and that…skank…Marchioness High Life. Celestia ground her teeth in barely repressed anger at the sudden turn of events. Especially since the laws that those two and the majority of the House of Lords had quoted could very well be twisted in their favor.

And the worst part of it? Some of what they had shown as evidence could very well be legitimate proof of her and Luna’s inability to rule.

She inwardly sighed as she looked over a graph that somepony on the House of Lords staff had made, showing an increase of events under her rule that had left citizens in danger across Equestria. Next to it, she saw a medical report that part of her thought she should have sealed away. A report on her sister Luna and her mental state. She knew about the Tantabus incident and how it had almost caused a crisis in the real world. This was their main proof of Luna’s inability to rule, and the report detailed the…concerns…of both Houses in self-destructive behavior on the lunar princess’ part. They also emphasized that Luna had only gotten a token amount of aid from a licensed professional therapist.

“Good job, Blueblood,” she muttered to herself darkly, the room around them becoming warmer as she spoke, “your timing was impeccable.” And, she reflected, her own actions when she had heard about Gregory Graystone’s existence was not an action in her favor. She’d acted rashly, something she’d not done in many years. Of course, one defense she had against the charges was that all of the money she had taken to them was in talons instead of bits, but the fact of the matter was that even if they learned of that, it looked bad for her and Luna regardless. She could be accused of attempting to bribe another government even if that government was a brand new one.

She had not traveled around Equestria in the months since Jason’s invasion of Canterlot and his destruction of Ponyville, but one whiff of a second human and she immediately left. Silently, she cursed her impetuous actions. Actions she knew now were fueled by some part fear and some part a pitiful attempt to make up for her past mistake with Jason. What in the Maker’s holy name was she thinking??

She let out a long sigh as she looked back at the paperwork. She was trying to determine if she had the ability to squash this action without any sort of legal ramifications against her. The fact of the matter was that the House of Lords had a considerable amount of power, power which they had siphoned for themselves over the centuries very slowly. The members of that house also held considerable power and influence which she couldn’t ignore. How could she fix this problem without making things ten times worse?

“P-Princess Celestia?” Twilight’s hesitant tone brought Celestia out of her increasingly spiraling thought process.

“Yes??” Celestia squeaked, causing Twilight to flinch. Realizing that she was still on edge and that the room was growing increasingly warm, she took a deep breath and exhaled, forcing her emotions to calm. “Yes?” she asked in a calmer tone.

“Is there really a second human on Equus?” Twilight asked.

Celestia inwardly winced. Her former student’s tone was one of shame and regret, but there was also curiosity there. Celestia had heard from some reports that Twilight had requested information on humans from the Canterlot Library and the Restricted Section several months ago, but those requests had quickly tapered off as winter rolled around and she had to focus on other things, such as the usage of the Castle of Friendship as a refuge for all of Ponyville. In that moment, Celestia realized that she could have easily requested that Twilight herself go to Gryphonstone as a representative of the Equestrian throne. Tartarus, she could have sent anypony else!

So why hadn’t she? She had to admit that she hadn’t because she wanted to get out of Canterlot and away from all the politics there and hopefully gain an ally in Gryphonia, whatever that fledgling nation turned into. They were fast becoming allies of other nations, including the Crystal Empire. Just the thought of that kingdom brought a fresh wave of guilt and anger down on her. One of the examples of her failing judgement had been the nearly disastrous incident where she had sent Twilight and her friends to the Empire. In the moment, she had done so to test her student, but that was now being called a near failure because Sombra’s disembodied spirit had nearly taken over the Empire. She should have sent more than six inexperienced ponies and a baby dragon, the report had stated.

Returning to the present, Celestia turned back to Twilight, who was still looking expectantly at the older monarch for a response to her question. “His name is Gregory Graystone,” she said, “and he’s a member of the newly growing Gryphonian government.”

Twilight’s ears flattened. “Is he a king?” she asked.

Celestia shook her head. “He’s a member of something called the Convocation,” the ancient alicorn replied. “One of a number of others who are working to revitalize the former Imperium from what I gathered. Equal to the other members.”

Twilight nodded in understanding. “Okay,” she said before returning back to her papers. Celestia did the same, and for a few tense moments there was silence. Then Twilight spoke up again. “What’s he like?”

Celestia paused, thinking back to her interactions with Gregory. Her first interactions in the Convocation Chambers, formerly the Gryphonstone Throne Chamber, had been less than ideal, she realized. He and the Convocation had somehow known about her special agent and when he had forcibly teleported them to the meeting chambers he had not hesitated to point an advanced looking form of firearm at them. She couldn’t fault him completely for that. She had been the one to send Sweetie Drops to observe-

No, she thought with an inner shake of her head, I sent her there to spy. How they had known about her wasn’t the most important thing at the moment. What was important was that she had rushed to judgement too often regarding Gregory Graystone.

She shook herself, realizing that Twilight was still waiting for an answer. She cleared her throat. “My first impression of him is that he’s definitely loyal to the gryphons and to the Convocation where he serves,” she said. “He’s no slouch mentally, either, but with Geoffrey there, I think he has potential to grow into the role.”

She was satisfied to see that Twilight was listening as Celestia briefly recounted the events of that first meeting. She winced when she learned that Gregory apparently had access to firearms, a weapon that Canterlot experts were trying to replicate, although so far all they had done was manage to create something that they were calling a matchlock musket. It was heavy, needed a fuse to be lit, and still inaccurate and in the experimental stages, but the experts had claimed that in only several short years they would have working models.

“Do you think the Convocation will actually let those two act as Equestrian ambassadors?” Twilight asked after Celestia was finished.

“I don’t know,” Celestia admitted, “but once these meetings with the Houses of State are concluded, I intend to send a formal envoy to handle all negotiations.” She looked at her former student. “I had hoped that you might want to go as well. You’re still a princess.”

Twilight looked at her wings and her ears flattened. “I was thinking about stepping down at some point,” she said somberly. “I don’t deserve these wings. I don’t deserve the title. Still, I want to get Ponyville on its way to being rebuilt before that. I can still do some good with this title…”

Celestia was a bit shocked to hear this, but after a few moments more of thought, she wasn’t surprised. There had been nights where she herself had contemplated stepping down, but she had always shaken herself out of it. She had a job to do, and her little ponies relied on her to make things right.

No, not just my little ponies, she thought, my subjects. Now that a veil had been lifted, and not the one Discord placed on her, the weaknesses of her own kingdom were now becoming clearly visible. Nonpony treatment by ponies across the kingdom was coming to light rather quickly, and most of it was not good. Poor wages, being paid under the table, poor housing for many in larger cities, ostracisation for a large number of them, and apparently violence, from what she had recently learned about Zecora’s treatment. At least she and Luna knew who was responsible, and she had sent a group of Royal Guards to apprehend the three for questioning.

Not only that, but there may have been some rotten apples in government positions, she had learned. Ponies who had been born outside of Equestria who wanted to become citizens had an easier time becoming one than nonpony immigrants. The number of pony immigrants who became citizens was higher than nonponies who managed everything, and in the case of the latter it could take years for the system to process them. That system needed a new overhaul, she knew, and it was high on her list of priorities.

She shook herself, realizing that she had zoned out once more. She yawned, realizing that she hadn’t slept much since coming back. It had been six days since Celestia and Luna had returned to Canterlot, which happened on the same day that Twilight had heard about the House of Lord’s (read, Blueblood’s and High Life’s) proposal. Upon learning of their arrival, the House of Lords had been ‘generous’ enough to provide them with time to make their case. An entire week no less. How generous of them, Celestia thought ruefully. However, if she had learned anything over the years, it was that the enemy also made plans. “Twilight, you should go get some sleep,” she said, stifling another yawn. “We have until tomorrow afternoon before our first meetings with the Houses begin.”

Twilight stifled a yawn of her own, shaking herself as well as she looked down at the paperwork. “I can still work for another…” she yawned again, this time unable to hide it, “…another few hours.”

Celestia shook her head. Twilight might be younger than her and still full of youthful energy, but even alicorns had limits. “We need your wits fully about you,” Celestia insisted, “so get to bed.”

Twilight let out a small sigh, then nodded. She cleaned up her own desk, organized everything, then slowly stood. As she was about to open the door, it opened slowly and Princess Luna stepped in. Looking down at Twilight, she paused. “You’re still up this late?” she asked before looking at Celestia. “Both of you?”

“I’m heading to bed now,” Twilight said softly, once more yawning and rubbing her eyes.

“As you should be,” Luna said before giving her sister a stern gaze. “Both of you.”

Celestia wanted to argue. She had survived on less sleep before, but in hindsight she had less of a success rate in court the next day than when she got a good night’s sleep, something that had eluded her for the most part for decades if not centuries. And at this crucial time, she couldn’t afford to lose sleep. “I am about done here,” she replied, “and then I was going to become very acquainted with the Sandcolt.”

“Oh no, you don’t,” Luna scolded her, “you’re going to bed, or should I grab father’s belt?”

Despite the situation, Celestia chuckled. “Your point is taken,” she said as she stood, organizing her own desk with her magic, “even if your proposed methods are unproductive. Going to bed with a stinging rear is hardly conducive to a restful sleep.”

“Then it is a good thing that father only ever threatened us with it,” Luna said sardonically, but with an amused twinkle in her eyes.

“True,” Celestia replied. Neither of them had seen the belt, but they had heard about it. Their father had obviously exaggerated that it was nine feet long, eight feet wide and was enchanted to hurt more. The belt probably never even existed. Their father may have been stern, but they knew he loved them. “I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow?”

Luna chuckled. “And see me in all my nighttime worst? You know it.” She walked over and gave Celestia an affectionate nuzzle. “Sleep well.”

“I will,” Celestia replied, nuzzling her sister back. “The Maker be with you.”

“And also with you,” Luna replied in the ancient chorus of the Holy Eurynomian Church. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” And with that, the two parted, one to the sweet embrace of slumber and the other to their personal desk and office to look over the many documents the House of Lords had provided.

Saturday, January 15, 1008 A.L., Equestria

Spike pulled the white scarf that Sweetie Belle had made for him for Hearth’s Warming snugly around his neck before adjusting the dark green wool sweater she had also made for him. Even if Sweetie Belle didn’t have as much skill as Rarity when it came to clothes, she must have inherited a bit of skill from her lineage because she managed to make a sweater that, while a bit big for him, was warm and even enchanted to be waterproof. His wings flapped behind him as he hovered above the snowdrifts where he, his fillyfriend, and his other friends were playing.

“Gotcha!” a familiar colt’s voice said before a snowball flew out from behind a pile of snow towards him.

Reacting quickly, he opened his mouth and green flames shot out towards the ball, turning it from a mass of snow to steam. He threw his own snowball in the direction that he had seen the first come from before diving into another pile of snow. He was satisfied to hear the impact of the snowball on fur and a grunt from the same colt. Spike laughed. “Gotcha, Rumble!”

“No fair,” the pegasus colt said, “you can’t use fire! That’s cheating.”

“Then you can’t use your wings to throw,” Spike retorted. He had noticed that when pegasi used their wings like he used his arms, they could throw harder than if they used their hooves.

“That’s different,” Rumble huffed as he came out from the snowdrift where he had been hiding with one hoof up. “I’m hit!” he shouted. He then turned and grinned at Spike. “Good luck finding your princess.”

“She’s in another castle!” another colt’s voice, this one Button Mash, called out from a greater distance.

Spike growled, but he made it obvious that it was a playful one. “Your princess is being guarded by our finest warriors, Rumble,” he boasted.

Rumble’s face went crimson. Spike knew that Rumble had a massive crush on Wind Sprint, a pegasus filly who looked very similar to Twilight Sparkle in coloration and mane and tail style. He was fairly sure that she had a crush on him as well. The two were both athletic and had some similar interests, but with different goals for the future. Rumble wanted to be a Wonderbolt like his brother, and Wind Sprint wanted to be active in several sports at once, including Buckball. “Sh-Shut up, Spike,” Rumble muttered as he went to the time out area where a couple of other foals were sitting.

Spike snorted and spread his wings again, flying back to their fortress, where Wind Sprint was pacing in the circle where she was ‘imprisoned.’ Two ‘guards’ stood on either side of the ‘cell’. She looked up and frowned. “I want to be out there, not in here,” she muttered.

“We drew straws for who gets to play the damsel in distress, and you lost,” Spike said.

“I’m a warrior princess,” she insisted. “How about next time, we have the colts be the princes in distress, huh?”

“I’m sure Rumble would loooove to be saved by you,” Spike chuckled.

He was rewarded with a blush from the young filly. “Sh-Shut up, Spike,” she muttered.

He laughed at her unwilling echoing of Rumble’s words. He then turned as he heard what sounded like a war cry from the enemy lines. He turned, grabbing a couple of snowballs as a mass of foals came charging over the hill, hurling their snowballs. Spike would have blown some fire, but he didn’t want to hurt anypony. Instead, he shouted, “Invaders!” and hurled snowball after snowball at the charging army.

Sadly, though, while he did manage to hit a few, they overwhelmed the two guards and Spike, forcing the three to either ‘die’ or surrender. With that, the game was over, and everypony was gathered around, discussing the battle and what they should do next.

“How about some hot chocolate first?” an older female voice asked from behind them. Everypony turned and saw a familiar pony, one they hadn’t seen in months. Pinkie Pie, with a now slightly wavy mane and tail, held a large metal tray full of steaming mugs in her teeth, enough for everypony there.

“Pinkie!” the group exclaimed as they rushed over to grab a mug. Spike kept back waiting for everypony else to grab one.

Soon, there were two left and the foals were all talking to the older mare at once, asking her where she’d been and what she was doing back. However, Spike saw her giving him sad looks every so often before giving a smile to the foals.

After about ten minutes, the foals were sitting in the snow and sipping on their mugs. Pinkie came over to Spike then, offering him one of the mugs on the platter. “Extra hot and extra chocolate with marshmallow fluff just the way you like it,” she said.

He nodded as he took it. “Thanks,” he said as he took the mug and sipped it. The familiar favor of his favorite way to drink hot chocolate touched his tongue and he shuddered in pleasure, reaching up to loosen his scarf.

“So…um…how are you doing?” Pinkie asked with a hint of nervousness.

Spike turned to face her, and he noted for the first time that her fur had regained some of its pink color, but it wasn’t quite the same. He shrugged. “I’ve been okay.”

“What have you been doing lately?” Pinkie asked.

“Nothing too big,” he said. “Earning money by part time work in the kitchen, playing with friends my own age, actually getting an education in school with Miss Cheerilee’s class, having limited dates with Sweetie Belle, stuff like that.”

Pinkie gave him a small but genuine smile. “You and Sweetie Belle? Congratulations. She’s a good filly.”

“Good? She’s the best filly.” Spike smiled as he pictured his fillyfriend in his mind’s eye.

Pinkie nodded, then her smile faded. “How…How are things with you and…and Twilight?”

He stiffened a bit, but forced himself to relax. “I don’t really talk to her much these days,” he said, “but I have seen her often enough.”

“Is she doing alright?” Pinkie asked.

“She looks tired every time I see her,” he said.

Pinkie’s ears flattened slightly. “I see,” she said softly. “Where is she?”

Spike turned and pointed up to the snow covered Canterlot. “Up there,” he said.

Pinkie frowned in confusion. “Why is she up there?”

Spike sighed and turned back. “No idea. That’s what her note said when it was found this morning, though.”

“I see,” Pinkie said before she turned back to Spike. “What about the others?”

“I don’t know, and truthfully I don’t particularly care,” Spike said, his eyes narrowing at the pink mare.

Pinkie looked down, pawing at the ground with her hoof. “Spike…you probably don’t want to hear this, but I’m so sorry for everything.”

“Sorry for what?” he asked, trying hard not to get angry again. Seeing Pinkie brought back hard memories, mostly because out of all the ponies, he figured that she’d be the one who would actually care. Instead, after his first disastrous birthday in Ponyville, he’d never had a birthday party in the town again. Sure, he’d had a private dinner with Twilight every year since, but no party. Not even Pinkie had made one, and that, he later learned, was something that Twilight had asked Pinkie not to do because she was afraid, or in her own words ‘concerned’, that Spike would grow big from greediness again.

“Everything,” Pinkie said. “I shouldn’t have listened to Twilight about parties for you. I shouldn’t have excluded you from our friend group. Just…all of it.”

Spike had been growing sick and tired of hearing all of these apologies from ponies, but for some reason, this one was one he could stomach without staying upset. Sure, he was mad at her, or at least he had been, but he had done a lot of maturing since his molt some time back, and he had realized that out of the others, Pinkie was one of the least guilty out of everypony in the Elements. Sure, she had still wronged not only him, but Jason Wright as well, but she hadn’t been deliberately cruel. It was just her. Without realizing it, he downed the rest of his hot chocolate, tossed the mug into the snow, walked over to her, spreading his wings, and wrapped his arms around the pink pony. He heard her gasping and dropping her own mug, then she began to softly cry as she wrapped her forelegs around him tightly. “I forgive you,” he whispered into her ear.

He held her as she cried for the next few minutes. She wasn’t bawling like she normally would. This crying session felt a lot more genuine, not overexaggerated. Not that he doubted that she was overexaggerating when she cried before, but still. After she started calming down, the two broke the hug. “I’ll make it up to you,” Pinkie said. “I may not be the same party pony that I was before, but…” and here, she reached into her flatter mane and pulled out a sapphire encrusted cupcake before passing it to him, “…I can start to make up for it.”

Spike couldn’t help it. He laughed. Pinkie giggled sweetly as well as Spike said, “Well, this is a…decent start.” He popped the cupcake into his mouth and began chewing, enjoying the sweet taste of the sapphires and the raspberry flavoring of the blue cupcake. He swallowed, then belched in satisfaction, patting his stomach. “Aaah…that was good.”

“You have a bit of frosting on your lips,” Pinkie observed, now snickering.

“That would be mine, now,” a new and younger voice said before a white and pink teenage filly came up, pressing her lips against Spike’s.

Spike froze, eyes wide in surprise at his fillyfriend’s sudden appearance. He quickly recovered and wrapped his arms around her, kissing back with the eagerness of a teenager in love. He even forgot that Pinkie was there before he heard a camera click and Pinkie saying, “Awww, that’s so sweet.”

The two lovebirds broke apart, cheeks red in embarrassment as Pinkie’s camera, one of the brand-new instant cameras, spat out the image. “You seriously took a picture of us kissing?” Sweetie asked as the aforementioned earth pony mare held the image in her hooves and shook it back and forth to dry it.

“Hey, you kids need these memories,” Pinkie argued back as she offered them the still developing image.

Spike took it and looked at it. The image was still blank, but from what he knew, it would eventually become clear. He looked down at his fillyfriend, who was still blushing but now had a warm smile on her face. He put a wing around her and pulled her closer. “Heck yeah, we do,” he said before turning back to Pinkie. “Where are you off to next?”

“Well…” and with that, her smile faded partially, “I wanted to…to try and visit the others.”

Spike nodded. “Everypony except the Apples are at the castle,” he said, indicating the purple tree-shaped castle at the edge of town. “I was just going to go back there for a nice warm bath and then some other indoor games with my friends.”

Pinkie nodded, then looked hopefully at Spike and Sweetie Belle. “May I join you?”

Spike looked down at Sweetie Belle, who just shrugged and nodded. He turned back to her. “Sure. Let’s go.”

Author's Note

I was working on the trial chapter but couldn’t finish it in time. I didn’t think what I had was any good so I’ll work more on it later. It may turn out to be my weakest chapter. Writing alone can suck sometimes haha.