“Your majesty, I must say that I am completely against this!”
Luna frowned as she gazed at the pony who had just spoken. It was Senator Gigawatt from Dome Seven, which was mainly a residential Dome. He was a bright blue unicorn with a silver mane that had three bright yellow streaks running through it. His cutie mark is a single bolt of bright yellow lightning. Around him the other senators nodded agreement as they sat around the circular table which Luna was at the head.
There were a total of thirteen senators that made up the Lunar Senate, not including the princess. Each one came from one of the thirteen Domes that made up the Republic and were voted into office. To make sure that no pony who was unfit for office ran, Luna had made a law that required candidates to take a series of tests to ensure that they were up to the task. In the one thousand year history of the Republic, there hadn’t been a single case of corruption or incompetence. However, that didn’t mean that they didn’t cause Luna headaches from time to time.
“I understand your concern,” said Luna in a strong, commanding voice. “For a long time we have remain independent and strong. My heart soars with the knowledge of what we have accomplished. How we have continued to push our understanding of magic and technology. How our nation has no poor or homeless ponies.”
“Then why are you thinking about accepting Equestria’s offer?” demanded Senator Peaceful Meadow from Dome Four. Luna turned her head to look at the lime green Pegasus mare with a bright red mane. Her Dome was mainly woodland that helped create air for the Domes. Thus it would make sense that her cutie mark was nature related. Three pink flowers represented her special talent.
“Because I fear we have little choice....” said Luna as her head dropped slightly.
“I refuse to accept that,” said Gigawatt angrily. “Their offer is an insult to every pony in the Lunar Republic. They are asking for us to be integrated into ‘their’ nation. For us to become apart of Equestria! What will that make us? A colony?! We will have to hoof over all of our nation's secrets, everything that we have worked hard for. You, Princess Luna, will be demoted to co-ruler. What will we be getting in return?”
“Water,” said Princess Luna. “As you all know, our population has been growing at a steady pace and we need to expand. Three new Domes are in the middle of construction as we speak. There is still plenty of room left to grow, but without more water our subjects might die of thirst.”
“Sad but true,” said April Showers from Dome Two. Dome Two was one of the oldest Domes in the Republic, in charge of controlling water flow to all the other Domes as well as weather in the forested and residential Domes. They obtained the water by having specially trained unicorns grab a comet that was passing by. Once they had collected the comet they would mine out ores and frozen water. April was a grey Pegasus mare with a blue mane and had a raindrop as her cutie mark. “The Princess is right. We are pressed thin for water right now and there is no telling when the next comet will pass by, but surely there must be another way!”
“We could trade with them,” said Senator Stock Market, a brown earth pony with a bar graph for a cutie mark. He was from Dome Five which was mainly a business Dome; from shopping to factories, Dome Five seemed to have it all. “We have plenty to offer them in return. There is no need for use to submit to their demands.”
“I am afraid my sister will not bend so easily for there are really only two things that she desires,” said Luna with a frown. “Two ponies to be precise. And one of them is me.” Her face softened a bit. “But do not fret so. I will only do what I think is best for my little ponies. I have a few plans on hoof to see if this is truly the best course. If not then we will find a new way of securing water. On that you have my word.”
The senators began to talk all at once again when the doors to the chamber opened. Everypony turned their heads to see Twilight Sparkle standing at the doors. At first she looked confused and then embarrassed.
“I’m so sorry,” she said as she began to close the door. “I didn’t know that there was a meeting going on. I’ll just-”
“It’s fine Twilight,” said Luna to her personal student. “I was just about to call for a recess anyways.” The senators grumbled, but got up anyways. One by one the thirteen of them filed out of the room until it was just Twilight and Princess Luna.
“So, ah, may I ask what’s going on?” began Twilight. She felt a bit uneasy seeing the senate so upset. For as long as she could remember the senators had always worked together with the princess in a strong and positive way. But today they looked more like they were furious with the princess.
“Yes you may,” said Luna with a smile. “But first I think a pop quiz is in order.” Twilight’s heart nearly stopped when she heard that last sentence. Luna was giving Twilight a pop quiz?! She hardly ever did that! “Please tell me about the founding of the Lunar Republic.”
Twilight blinked in confusion. The last time Princess Luna had given her a pop quiz it was to run a magical obstacle course while levitating an egg. If she dropped the egg or it broke then she failed. It had been one of the most difficult tests she had ever had to undergo. Now she was being given something so…simple. The founding of the Lunar Republic was something that was taught to every filly and colt when they were in the first grade!
“Um, alright,” said Twilight as she cleared her throat. “The founding of the Lunar Republic began over one thousand years ago in the land of Equestria. During those times it was ruled by two regal sisters. The eldest was Princess Celestia who used her magic to raise and lower the sun while the younger sister, Princess Luna, used her magic to raise and lower the moon.
“For many years, ponies mainly slept during the night and ignored the beautiful nights that younger sister created. But slowly that began to change. There came ponies that viewed night and day as two sides of the same bit and wanted to experience them equally. There came scientists who wanted to study the night sky as well as poets and writers who drew inspiration from the star filled sky. These ponies were well ahead of their time, asking many questions that made other ponies nervous. Like, for example, why should the nobles get a place in government? What made them qualified to rule? Just because they were born into a certain family?
“As time went on, these ponies were treated like outcasts. It started small, with merchants who refused to sell them their wares. They were greeted with icy glares and soon hostility. Things continued to spiral downwards as the ponies who didn’t sleep through the night were being arrested on false charges and later being attacked in their homes. While this was going on, Princess Celestia did her best to find a peaceful way of resolving the situation. A way that would get both sides to see that they weren’t so different. Yet she was taking too long and her younger sister could not stand the thought of the ponies who appreciated her suffering.
“Princess Luna decided that if the ponies in Equestria would treat their neighbors in such a way then it wasn’t worth staying here. But the problem became clear: Where were they to go? Most of the surrounding land was already occupied and they were too few to start up a new nation with so many enemies on all their sides. And what if Equestria decided to attack them? So Princess Luna decided to take her ponies to a place where they would be safe: the moon. And thus the Lunar Republic was founded.”
“Very good Twilight,” said Princess Luna with a nod. “As expected of my prized student. Now to answer your question, I have received a letter from my sister. She is asking that we rejoin Equestria once more.” As Luna spoke, she walked over towards a large window that overlooked Domes One and Two. Twilight followed her leader. “She has made offers like this in the past. This time she is not only offering us water that we desperately need but also assistance in our plans to terraform the moon. If that happens we will no longer need the Domes and my subjects will have real valleys and forests to run and play in.”
“But at what cost?” demanded Twilight. “We’re being asked to give up our independence!”
“The senate has said the same thing,” said Luna as she turned around to look at Twilight. “But I must do all that I can to protect my subjects. I can not just simply do whatever I want. Besides there is more at stake.”
“Like what?” asked Twilight.
Luna sighed. “A thousand years ago, me and my sister fought many enemies. We defeated them and then banished them in one form or another. However, banishment only lasts so long. Take, for example, Discord who used his magic to spread chaos all over the place. When he was defeated my sister and I turned him into a stone statue. Sooner or later the magic that keeps him as such will end allowing him to resume what he started. If that happens and we remain divided there I can’t guarantee that he will not find his way up here and spread his chaos.” As Luna said this, she felt a sense of disappointment. For the last nine hundred years or so, the ponies of the Lunar Republic had been working on ways to defend themselves against such a threat instead of sitting on their plot. Naturally they had come up with several methods, but had no way to test them out.
“I see,” said Twilight softly.
“Now then,” said Luna. “Later today I will be meeting with my sister to discuss the changes that will be happening in greater detail. Things like what will change and what will stay the same. She also wants me to meet some ponies and so forth. The next day, during something called the Summer Sun Festival, we will be announcing our decision.”
“Is that why you called me?” asked Twilight. “Am I going with you?”
“No my prized student,” said Luna as she shook her head. “I have another task I’d like you to do. My sister likes raise the sun in a different town each year for the Summer Sun Festival. This year it will be in a place called Ponyville. I’d like you to go there ahead of me and get to know the ponies that live there. I’d like to know what they think of the night and if they would truly welcome us. Just think of it like a field research assignment.”
Twilight beamed when she heard this. She was being given an opportunity to study another culture, something that no pony in the Republic had ever done. She was a little scared due to the fact that she had never left the moon before. But the princess was counting on her and she wouldn’t let her done.
“So when do I leave?”
“Soon Twilight, but I never said that you were going alone. Why don’t you ask the captain of the Royal Guard if he would like to go with you? I’m sure he would like the alone time.” Luna fought back a snicker as she saw Twilight blush.
“T-Thank you Princess.” She stammered. Without another word, Twilight bowed and departed. As she left, Luna took a moment to reflect on how much her student had changed since the day they first met. It had been the day the poor filly’s parents had died and Luna had taken both her and her brother in. For a while, Twilight interacted with very few and Luna had allowed this. But after a year and a half the Moon Princess put her hoof down, wanting Twilight to make new friends. It was hard for her student to pry herself from her books, but in the end it was worth it. Now Twilight had many friends even a very special somepony.
In a way, Luna felt like a proud mother. As this feeling of pride filled her, Luna turned her head to look out a different window. One that showed her the planet that the moon orbited. Looking at it, her eyes narrowed. “If you end up hurting her there shall be no forgiveness,” swore Luna.
-x-
Twilight raced through the castle as she searched for the captain of the guard. He could be anywhere and she had a limited amount of time, the sooner she found him the sooner the two of them could get going. Then they could have some time alone together without any interruptions from a certain stallion who kept interrupting her love life.
As Twilight ran at full speed, she turned a corner and ran right into a member of the Lunar Guard head first. The impact caused them both to fall down, yelping in pain. As Twilight got up she noticed the cutie mark of her victim. “Sorry Lightning Dust,” said Twilight as she helped her friend up. “That was reckless of me. I should have been watching where I was going.”
“I’ve had worse,” admitted the Pegasus as she dusted off her armor that looked very similar to Derpy’s. However, instead of being black it was metallic silver with no trimming. Another difference was that on the chest plate was Luna’s cutie mark. And instead of a sword there was instead a crescent moon style glaive with blades that glowed a light blue color. “So where’s the fire?”
“No fire this time,” said Twilight with small grin. “I’m just looking for your boss. Any idea where he might be?”
“If I had to guess he’s on the training grounds,” said Lightning.
“Great thanks,” said Twilight right before she teleported away. A moment later she reappeared in the middle of an open field that existed between the castle walls and the castle itself. All around her she saw various types of ponies working on their training. Unicorns blasted dummies with arcane beams. Pegasi flew in the air at amazing speeds as they dodged various obstacles. Earth ponies practiced with their weapons in simulated combat.
As she stood there, Twilight became aware of a shadow that fell upon her. Looking up she saw a bat pony with the deepest black coat she had ever seen. The stallion soon landed in front of her and his golden slit eyes stared into hers. He had a thin scar on his forehead that was partly hidden due to his messy purple mane. She knew that on his flank was a grey sword that had a batwing style guard. “You shouldn’t be here right now.” he said in a rich, deep voice.
Twilight grinned. “Oh, it’s ok. My coltfriend is the captain of the royal guard.”
“So you think that just because you’re dating Captain Shadow Blade means that you can magically appear in the middle of a training season whenever you please,” said the bat pony with a slight smile. “Some ponies might have a problem with that.”
“But not the ones that count,” said Twilight as she leaned forward to kiss her coltfriend.