Flames Reach

"And the end to another day finally comes."

The sun setting against the horizon cloaked the sky with an array of reds and pinks, the clouds changing color to suit the scene before the Princess that now gazed upon it. One could never disappoint one of the Princesses, and even Nature itself followed that rule. She enjoyed the sights her setting sun brought to Equestria, and it was the one painting that seemed variable, yet constant; it was the same act and same fall every evening, but the drawing was always different. Nature had a way of surprising somepony like that.

"We have come to relieve you, sister," a quiet whisper distracted the regal alicorn from her appraisal of the painting, and she turned. Two light blue eyes looked back from the darkness of her quarters, and the deep-blue coated alicorn approached, her cautious demeanor still shining through; it hadn't been long since Nightmare Moon was defeated, and the scars of her past likely weighed on her still. The appraiser offered a caring smile which her sister took as a notion of calm, and she righted her stance.

"Thank you, Luna. Are you still getting used to the routine?" The appraiser raised her brow.

"It is not a difficult procedure for us to grasp, it shan't take more than a fortnight to become accustomed again."

Fortnight... such an old term. She chuckled at the antiquity of the term, while the dark alicorn simply raised her eyebrow in questioning.

"Is something comical, Celestia?"

"Oh, not at all. Just brings back memories, that old term you used," Celestia tipped her crown back slightly to rest against her horn, and stood up, "Carry on, Luna."

"Very well... though are you certain you don't wish to chat?"

Celestia pondered for a moment. Four days ago, Luna returned to Equestria as that dreaded, jealous witch, and within that same day, she was brought down by Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Of course Luna would wish to talk and catch up... that ritual would have to wait then, she supposed.

"Of course, sister, I wouldn't dare leave if you've something to ask."

"We just wished to catch up on recent events... we only remember up to a sudden flash within our prison, and us standing before thee," Luna looked off to the side.

"You certainly missed a lot, these past thousand years... though don't let it keep you down. You're back to normal, are you not?"

"Of course we are, it's just... Nightmare still troubles us so."

"Understandable, it hasn't been that long since you returned. What is there to talk about... hmmm."

Celestia tapped her chin in thought; what had happened in recent times? She supposed all the theories on temporal modification would be interesting, but did Luna study advanced magic? She did have a hefty grasp on many spells, but the science behind magic hadn't been discovered until eight hundred years ago...

"Well, I suppose I could talk to you about recent developments in magic."

"Has there really been that much development? Research towards the fields of magic froze twelve hundred years ago, around the time Discord was thrown out of power. We tried restarting it, but no unicorns had knowledge of it."

"That has changed indeed. Do you remember how magic is constructed?"

"It is natural energy from the environment, comprised, in part, of Harmony. Harmony with the earth, sky and sea enabled the use of magic within unicorns."

"That is the old theory, yes. It's gone under considerable development in the last eight hundred years however."

"Really?"

"Indeed. Magic functions on a study of energy, and the flow and control of that energy. We still base the nature of it in Harmony, as a similar form of it is put to use when the Elements are activated, but not much could be told about the relationship between the two."

"I never took you for much of a scholar, sister."

"I've had a thousand years to study and learn."

Given how much of this research was brought to the Royal Court when it was still thought of as the insane drivels of an old unicorn, she'd read, re-read, re-re-read the notes, specifics, figures and diagrams of the sciences around magic. If memories of Discord's defeat had been written in ice upon her mind, then these notes were burned in through magma; the coldest memories of her rebellion, and the hottest debates she'd ever had to suffer through.

And did she ever suffer... if there's one thing that can be said about a scientist, it's about how stubborn they can be about their work. Still, her work focused on infallible logic, so it certainly helped. They weren't fun, but they helped.

"Impressive... have more recent studies revealed anything different?"

"The past two hundred years have been focused on practical application, rather than the background theory. Some unicorns still chase the old fields of research, but many have turned their eyes to the future."

"How so?"

"Mechanisms, dear sister. Machines, machinations, devices, all running on fuels and magic of every kind. Many are still rather simple, but we're making headway."

"Very interesting... have we access to any in the castle?"

"Thus far, it's all been prototypes in quiet, closed circles. I've only heard of the term 'machine' through rumors, but I believe they will be making an appearance soon, possibly even with a proper name!"

"How exciting! Though it makes us wonder what these could be used for," Luna quirked her mouth, looking off into space. Machinations? Back when she was still around, everything was done by hoof, mouth and horn. Nopony complained...

"I'm not quite sure either, though we'll have to see, won't we? I'm simply excited to see what our precious ponies will come up with. There's a lot of brilliant minds out there."

"Makes one wish one could join in the festivities, however... I must catch up on my studies, perhaps create one of my own 'machinations'."

"Would you like a partner in such development?"

"We believe it would be proper to approach this on our own; you don't learn much when you have a partner doing all the work for you."

"True, true."

Machinations... it was an interesting subject, but touching on it would take a lot of time.