The Sides We Choose

by Frost Bear

Bliss of Ignorance

Filthy Rich fell to the cold floor of his cell. Celestia made good on her promise and made Filthy her personal slave. An iron collar clenched his throat with a chain trailing to the sun tyrant’s hoof.

Celestia sighed and walked away.

The look Filthy gave her was cold and full of hate. He may have not chosen a side before, but now he was dead set on having Celestia’s head on a silver platter. He often chuckled to himself. Mumbling about a secret weapon he wishes the Republic would find and use on Canterlot. When asked about the weapon, he gave the same response.

“Imagine the sun being thrown at you,” followed by a dark laugh and crooked smile.

The guards marched down the halls in crimson gold armor. Their spears replaced with rifles. Pistols on their sides. Celestia smiled at the sun pendant that was pinned their uniform. Loyalty to the rightful ruler… the one that stayed in power, no matter the cost.

“Princess,” an old stallion called.

“Empress,” Celestia corrected, “We’re reconquering our land and lands beyond. I’ve told you this Kibitz.”

Kibitz frowned at her, “What then, Princess?”

“Excuse me?”

“What do you plan to do once you’ve taken over this world? Move on to the next? Then another? Repeating the same quest for conquest over and over for all eternity?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Kibitz, my only concern is the well being of my ponies.”

“The first lesson you had me teach Luna, when she returned, was to not treat ponies like property.”

Celestia glared at the old stallion, “Make your point, Kibitz, I have no time for games.”

Kibitz humphed indignantly, “Do you see servants anywhere in the castle?”

Celestia looked around her. Every corner the pair turned around held guards. The halls were empty saved for the small chance a guard was patrolling. All rooms, all space in the castle held no living pony that wasn’t a guard. They eventually made it to the throne room.

“Well?” Kibitz inquired.

“I can not defy that which has been proven fact,” Celestia moped.

“Frankly, I’m appalled you did not mention me.”

Celestia tripped over herself at that comment. She turned to Kibitz in stunned horror.

“Am I less than a servant to you, Princess? Am I just another pony that delivers you cake and tea? Unthinking and unemotional to everything whose only purpose is to serve you?”

The nearby guards leered at him. Celestia had to single them to stand down before she lost another friend.

“Kibitz… you are my frie-“

“NO! I am not!” Kibitz cut her off.

A sharp pain stabbed Celestia in the heart. She wanted to cry but held it back. She had to keep a strong image for her ponies. If she faltered, even a little, she’d lose her throne. She’d lose the one thing preventing her ponies from falling to a true dictator like Sombra. She was not going to be seen as what he was. She was good, truthful, and kind to her ponies… wasn’t she?

“You are not the same Celestia I’ve known for years!” Kibitz shouted, “You are behaving more like a dictator than a proper princess.”

“Bite your tongue, Kibitz!” Celestia threatened.

“I shall not!” Kibitz rebelled, “You USED to allow ponies to be open to you, now you refuse to hear the truth. Instead of heeding Discord’s warning, you attacked your own sister! Instead of owning up to your past, you’re repeating it! Instead of having friends, you have a cult.”

“My faithful stu-“

“EXACTLY!” Celestia cringed, “YOUR faithful student created a cult dedicated to YOUR worship. Something you had me teach Luna as a barbaric fantasy from an age long dead. Seems you now wish to revive it.”

Celestia was about to rebuttal something but failed to find a counter argument. It was true, ponies had thought of alicorns as gods before Celestia taught them different. Despite the archaic belief, it was needed to help moral in her empire. She couldn’t risk losing the support of so many ponies… from a small source of land. It dawned on her that she only had Canterlot and the east coast cities under her reign. She had all the resources to build an army but lacked the numbers for it. Cloudsdale remained neutral with stronger support for the Republic than the Empire. If she lost Cloudsdale, her empire would lose weather. The small amount of pegasi in her empire would be swept away by Cloudsdale superior weather craft. She’ll have to send Discord there at once. She heard Republic influences were creeping into Ponyville once more as well. She’ll command Discord to wipe them out once Cloudsdale is in her grasp.

“So what am I to you, Princess?” Kibitz broke her out of a militaristic state, “Can you tell me how many slaves you own?”

“Ah well, there’s you and Filthy Rich and…” a jolt of realization struck Celestia. She could only pale at Kibitz’s expression. Disappointment. The same look Starswirl gave her when she acted like a spoiled brat, “K-Kibitz… I’m sor-“

Kibitz held up a hoof. The guards sat on the ground, shocked by how swiftly Celestia answered him. They wondered who else she viewed as a slave, were their names on that list? Kibitz turned and walked away from Celestia.

“The other servants left to join the Republic,” he stated in a gloom tone, “I am going to go join them as well. If you find me on a day where you’re feeling thirsty… I hope to satisfy it.”

The two guards shakily prevented Kibitz from leaving through the door.

“Let him go,” Celestia ordered, “I grant him permission to join the Republic.”

The guards backed down. Kibitz turned to Celestia with a lighter expression. Celestia knew it as the expression he’d give Luna when she came close to acceptable social behavior. Just close enough to getting it right… close enough.

“Bring me today’s schedule,” she demanded.

A single guard hesitantly gave her a scroll, “First order of business,” she sighed at the line she read, “Dealing with supporters of the Republic… send them in.”

The guards brought in numerous ponies in chains. Most of them were crystal ponies who had immigrated to Equestria from the Crystal Empire. Curious as to why they were here if they originated from an Empire. They were violently thrashing themselves away from Celestia’s presence. Had she terrified these ponies so? How could anypony view her in such fear?

Ponies that weren’t crystal were mostly pegasi or earth pony. Canterlot was mostly made up of unicorns. Earth ponies and pegasi must’ve come from other regions of the Empire. Celestia was almost convinced the pegasi were from Cloudsdale. She even recognized a few Wonderbolts.

“Soarin? Spitfire? Fleetfoot?” Celestia muttered with betrayal, “How could you three rebel against the Empire?”

“Empire? Ha!” Spitfire spat, “I never served an Empire in my entire life.”

“Me neither,” Fleetfoot snorted.

Soarin simply glared at Celestia. No doubt the words he had in mind were grandiosely… crude.

“I am saddened by the fall of the Wonderbolts. It’s clear to me that they were far to separate from the military. I shall fix this problem later.”

“Fix the problem? Sounds more like terminating to me,” a teal pegasus mocked.

“And who are you to judge your empress?”

“Lightning Dust,” the pegasus stated proudly, “And you’re no empress of mine. I’m siding with Luna until death!”

The ponies in chains cheered. Their cheering caused the chains to finally snap after the abuse the crystal ponies gave them. Metal clattered along the ground and everypony scattered. The guards were flabbergasted by the display of defiance. Earth ponies attacked guards head on, pegasi took to the air and assisted the earth ponies, what little unicorns there were teleported away. None of them concerned Celestia except the crystal ponies.

The crystal ponies became wild animals. In their panic, they trampled friends and foe alike. They were blind to what they were doing. No direction or reason, they ran. They ran all over the room. Some made it out of the room while most bumped into themselves or over guards. Celestia tried to stop the chaos until a small crystal pony hit her leg. The crystal pony shivered as she looked up to Celestia. Their eyes met. Celestia saw terror, absolute unbinding terror. She remembers Twilight describing this type of terror when she first sent Twilight to the Crystal Empire. It was a terror brought on by the past. A terror of a dictator.

The crystal pony’s eyes shrunk, “SOMBRA!!!” she screamed in fear. The mare desperately dragged herself away from Celestia. Sorrow and dread filled her as she watched the crystal ponies assault everything. They were remembering their time with Sombra… they believed Celestia was Sombra.

Celestia shook herself out of her mind. She spotted two guards cornering a lone crystal stallion. Celestia trotted to the stallion, seeing terror grab ahold of him the closer she came. In seconds she was looming over him. The poor stallion practically pissed himself. He jolted away from her as she bent down.

“NEVER AGIAN! NEVER AGAIN!” he cried before jumping out of a stained glass window behind him. It was the window that displayed the element of harmony defeating Nightmare Moon. The glass shattered, leaving nothing but open space.

Celestia poked her head out the window. An aerial view of a dead crystal stallion in the streets of Canterlot greeted her in morbid taunting. More glass broke, making Celestia quickly return to the madness in the throne room. Crystal ponies began chanting ‘never again’ before jumping out the windows. The pegasi acted quickly as they grabbed for the deranged ponies, ensuring they don’t fall to their deaths. The pegasi also grabbed earth ponies before escaping. Thankfully, the guards managed to stop some from escaping. Many were wounded or killed by gun shots. Celestia was thankful not all of them escaped.

Celestia looked around the throne room. Numerous corpses flooded the area. Be they trampled or shot, they were not the worst of the deceased.

No, outside were the worst. Crystal ponies falling from the sky. Shattering on the streets below. From what Cadence told her from the Crystal Empire, the various impacts would’ve harmed many Canterlot citizens. She could imagine a lone foal playing in the streets when a crystal pony falls from her castle, shattering on the ground, crystal shards impaling the innocent foal.

All out of their fear of a tyrant…

A fear of Sombra…

A fear of her.

Celestia soaked in the atmosphere of the tragedy. There was no escaping this. Ponies from all over and beyond will forever remember this day. The day ponies were thrown out of Celestia’s castle to kill any unsuspecting pony was beneath her. She could swear the Republic planned this…

Yes… that’s it.

The Republic planned it! She was never at fault in this, it was all the Republic’s fault. The crystal ponies didn’t fear her, they were just ordered to kill themselves! All for some flawed idealistic dream for freedom! Ponies loved her! She could never be wrong. Her will was just and fair. Celestia would be proven to be kind and honest in her rule. Even if what she was saying was false accusations.

“Next order of business…” she calmly said.

“You highness?”

“NEXT order of business…” her eye twitched, “Please.”

The frightened guard picked up the disgraced scroll and gave it to her, “What do you wish to do to the prisoners?”

Celestia gazed at the ponies in the throne room. The ones that weren’t dead. Fear, hate, and anger enveloped their eyes. Emotions that defied her. Emotions that she did not like.

“Collar them and throw them in the dungeon. We’ll put them to work soon enough.”

The crystal ponies lost their minds on that. They restarted their ‘never again’ chant as the guards dragged them away. Some committed suicide in spectacularly creative ways. Celestia watch as one tore his own head off. Another forced a unicorn guard to stab her with his horn until she was dead. Then there were the ones that used the guns. Shoving the metallic tube down their throats and pulling the trigger. Made for a fast and painless execution. The sight was vomit inducing. So much killing, so much blood, so much… too much.

Celestia just wanted to get to the next item on the list.

“N-Next order of business…” she gasped at the next line, “the health of my royal guards?! But our medicine and healing spells are far superior than any other!”

“They are but…” the guard stuttered, “This type of illness… it’s like something we’ve never seen before…” he glanced at a few deceased crystal ponies, “except what just recently happened. It’s a lot like that.”

Celestia grimaced the thought. What horror were the guard’s facing? What monster could be harming her ponies?!

“Send them in immediately.”

“Your highness, surely you’d like to clean this mess first.”

“I do not have time for cleanliness,” Celestia harshly spat, “We can clear the corpses later. What matters most is ensuring the guards are well.”

The guard bowed and singled for the other guards to come in. The guards from the Appleloosa battle nervously wandered in. Horror fell upon their faces. As soon as they entered the room, panic and mayhem took hold.

The panicking guards began crying and screaming. One huddled in the corner sobbing about black devils leaping out of shadows. Celestia reacted quickly and ordered the panicking guards to be detained. In a swift swing the guards restrained the guards. Over the sobbing of her traumatized guards, Celestia quivered. She was shaken to her core. Memories of the ‘Reign of Terror’ echoed in her mind. The executions, the lies, the demands she refused to listen to raced across her mind. Then came the screaming. Oh how she dreaded the screaming. one thousand years worth of screams. Screams of fear, screams of pain, screams of fury, screams of sorrow, screams of the end. The end to the screaming never came. They would never come. Celestia collapsed on the floor, sobbing and rocking herself in her own hooves like the panicked guards had.

“Take them away! Take them away!” she cried out.

“W-Where?”

“ANYWHERE! Just, please, take them away!”

The guards shoved the screaming guards out of the throne room. The went ahead and took the initiative of putting them in the Canterlot Hospital. They would find a cure for this strange illness. Perhaps they should give Celestia the cure once they find it.

The Empress laid on the floor among the dead. She laid there, motionlessly with sunken eyes. Pale complexion and unruly hair denied her a regal image. For a brief amount of time she stayed still. Her eyes darted through the room. She watched the corpses fester on top of each other. Accusing eyes stared into her soul. All of them asking, ‘why did you have me die?’ all silent bloody faces burned into her mind. She was never going to get a night of rest after this. Not that she has been, anyhow.

“Empress?” a guard quirked over her.

Celestia weakly stood up. Her hazy gaze blinded her to her surrounding. Blinking twice she found the worried guard beside her.

“I-I’m fine,” she dismissed his attempt to care for her, “I am simply stressed is all. We must continue,” she levitated the scroll to read the next assignment.

“Are you certain, Empress?” the guard asked with concern, “Perhaps you should retire early and let another handle things.”

Celestia growled at the guard, “There isn’t a pony alive that I would trust with these duties. I am more than capable of handling them on my own as I have for over one thousand years!”

The guard fell back, silent. He trotted back to his position by the door. Celestia allowed herself a deep breath to calm down. She read the items on the scroll. It was going to be a long day. She would have to ignore the corpses for now. Business must be attended to first, then she can issue forth a proper funeral for her loyal subject… and the rebels.

“Bring in Fancy Pants,” she commanded.

The handsome stallion with a trophy wife trotted in. He ignored the dead bodies and kept his eyes on Celestia. He wore a striking red suite with a golden tie. A sun pendant pinned his collar, complementing the sun clip on his monocle. His wife, Fleur, was just as ignorant to the scene. Fleur trotted along side Fancy with a pleased expression. She was dressed in flowing red silk that bleed into the pools of blood around her. A beauty out of violence. It was almost as though she fantasied about being in a room full of dead ponies. Celestia could’ve sworn she saw the mare lick her lips when she caught site of a decapitated rebel.

An uneasy rumble churned in her stomach as the pair bowed respectfully to Celestia.

“Rise and state your business,” Celestia ordered.

Fancy chuckled, “My colleges have issued forth some papers regarding special… privileges for unicorns loyal to the crown. Have you read any of them?”

Celestia shook her head, “No, I have been far to busy with the war for trivial privileges. The last time you talked about privileges, my student informed me that they were most unreasonable.”

“I assure you, that’s changed. These privileges will aid the Empire greatly! Mind if I read a few to you?”

Celestia nodded with hesitation.

Fleur took out a stack of papers she had in her saddle bag. She levitated them to Fancy who coughed in preparation. A sly smile on their faces alarmed Celestia.

“First is the privilege of owning weaponry-“

“Denied,” Celestia immediately stated, “Only the military have need for weapons. Giving them to every day citizens would encourage them to rebel against authority.”

Fancy hummed but accepted, “Very well. Next is the privilege of owning slaves. Surly you’ve don’t plan on having the rebels rot in the dungeons, do you?”

“Correct, I had plans for them to work in the crystal mines underneath Canterlot,” Celestia admitted, “I approve of that privilege, continue,” even thought she wished to change the word slave to something beneficial. However she could not find any that would be suitable.

“How does the privilege of compromise sound?”

“You’ll have to explain that one.”

“Relatively simple; most unicorns don’t grow their own crops nor are they able to properly control weather. This privilege states that unicorns will be allowed to take as much food as they need from local producers as well as being allowed to decide the weather condition of recreational areas.”

“And what do the earth and pegasi ponies get in exchange?”

“They will be given an agreed sum of bits for their leisure.”

“Acceptable…”

Few hours flew by. Most of Fancy’s privilege demands were mostly uninteresting or quickly denied. Celestia found herself pondering over the privileges concerning relations between the upper class and lower class. While the lower class were important in maintaining goods and produce, the upperclass saw to the trade of those goods with not only Equestria but other nations as well. She decided to approve of those privileges in the end. With all of Fancy’s privileges taken cared of, he and Fleur left. Celestia rubbed her eye and checked the time. She had just enough time to for one more meeting before dinner.

Thankfully she had to talk to the delegates from Saddle Arabia next.

Two large bodied equines galloped in the room. Looks of anger plastered on their faces. A third member of their nation wore a white robe. He carried a jewel encrusted book. A look of disgust caught the mare once she spotted the bloated bodies. The foul stench they created didn’t help. The leading stallion gritted his teeth. An aura of rage enveloped them.

“Greetings, my friends,” Celestia welcomed with a faint smile.

The stallion glared at her, “We are no friends of infidels!”

Celestia flinched, “Did I offended you?”

The robed stallion stepped forward and opened the book, “This is our holy text,” Celestia paled. She knew well enough of what that meant, “It clearly states that there are no other gods than the one true being. To claim divinity is blasphemy of the worst kind.”

“I apologize but-“

“Silence!” the stallion shouted, “Infidels do not speak.”

“We expected proper treatment when we arrived,” the mare said, “We expected the same treatment we have had since our initial negotiation. Instead we were treated like animals!”

“When we arrived, your subjects shoved this strange book in our faces,” the lead stallion roared, “Some unholy text written in gibberish! Then a mare smugly asked if we accepted you as a holy savior. We politely said no and she cursed us all the way to our embassy!”

Celestia shrunk under the stallion’s rage.

“It gets worse,” he assured, “The decor of our homeland, our sacred national flag, our art, everything was replaced with your empire’s visage. Then you have the nerve to lay corpses across your throne room! Is this a threat?!”

Celestia had no words. The delegates were right in their anger. She was unaware the embassy replaced all of the Saddle Arabian belongings with works of her Empire. The guards told her to clean the throne room but refused to listen. She believed the corpses did not matter. She believed the delegates would be fine with them. She realized now that the display made her look more demonic than godly. Godly, a word she used to describe herself to her subjects. A word that insulted the belief of the delegates. It was an insult to their entire nation.

“We are halting all trade with your nation! We will not stand for this!”

“No! Don’t!” Celestia panicked, “Please, we can fix these problems. We’ll give you anything you want! Just please don’t cut off the trade!”

“A goddess begging? Ha!” the robed stallion laughed, “Your pride is as weak as your will.”

“Please, we need all resources to stop the republic.”

“We have heard mention of this republic,” the mare hummed, “Perhaps we should visit them? Luna certainly hasn’t declared hubris.”

“Tell me you’re not serious,” Celestia gawked.

The lead stallion nodded, “If we find the same blasphemous taint with Luna, we will sever trade with Equestria for good! For now, your Empire will never do business with us!”

The delegates furiously left. The doors to the throne room slammed shut. Celestia collapsed in defeat.

“Send… send someone here to clean this mess,” she glanced at the deceased bodies, “I hope I didn’t have to tell anyone to clean the bodies outside.”

A guard saluted, “No, your highness. The guards below should’ve cleaned the areas with minimal difficulties.”

“Wonderful,” Celestia sighed, “I’m off to dinner. Send a report to me as soon as possible.”

It didn’t take long for the report.

Celestia was enjoying a calming cup of tea and a fresh garden salad. The palace cooks shrank in number and they lost their most valued chef. Ironically, his short temper influenced the current chefs to stay in the Empire. Celestia sighed at the poor excuse not to be in the Republic. Maybe she over reacted to the idea of a republic. Would things really change if she gave them the option to elect a new leader?

But was if the new leader was all charisma and no intellect? What if ponies elected a celebrity instead of a politician?! No, she would not risk such a thing. Celestia’s rule was just and fair. The Empire knew that. The Republic were just… self entitled. They wanted things that would harm Equestria. They were risking the loss of tradition in favor of delusional ideas. Ideas that caused war in the past… despite Celestia being the one who attacked first. Equestria would never be able to rule on their own. She had to rule for their benefit.

Celestia picked up the report. Hundreds dead; majority of the body count were of republic sympathizers, half that number consisted of innocent Empire citizens who unfortunately caught shrapnel from the crystal ponies’ long fall. Property damage was high. The shrapnel had punctured doors and walls of numerous homes. The rain of crystal ponies proved to be twice as effective as a hail storm on Canterlot. The lost lives weighed heavily on Celestia. There would be time for vengeance AFTER Equestria was united once more, by force is necessary.

Discord will be that necessary force.

“Thinking of me, Empress?” the foul monster manifested before her.

“Discord…”

“Celestia…”

“Discord…”

Discord glared into Celestia’s eyes. A long silence held between them.

“I should go,” Discord stated as he got up to leave.

“Stay,” Celestia whispered, “Please.”

Discord sat down, “Those delegates didn’t take kindly to your new cult.”

Celestia hummed.

“You knew what you were getting into when I warned you.”

“You should’ve told Luna to forget about this ridiculous republic.”

“Oh, Tia, my friend-“

“EMPRESS!” Celestia shouted, “I am your Empress! Not your friend.”

Discord’s expression fell, “I don’t take kindly to authority, Tia, you best heed my warning before worse happens.”

“Worse?!” Celestia squeaked, “Pray tell, how can things get worse?”

“An element of harmony could die,” Discord darkly muttered.

Celestia stood shocked, “What did you see?”

“My influence might, MIGHT, prevent an element’s death,” Discord shrugged, “Don’t know which one it could be though. Could be Twilight, Rarity, or Pinkie Pie for all we know… but…” Discord rung his claw around Celestia’s neck, “You best beg the heavens and the earth that it is not Fluttershy.”

Celestia was taken back by his very serious threat. An icy chill ran down her spine.

“I had no idea you cared for her so deeply.”

“She showed me friendship even when others sought control. She was the only one who allowed me to be me. Something you and those other ponies were incapable of doing,” Discord let go of her.

“Did you just say I was incapable of something?” Celestia bite back a sour taste.

“Surprised? You’re not as perfect as your cult claims to be,” Discord summoned a black book with a red ribbon sticking out of it, “Have you read this book? Inspirational if a bit contradictory. Look at this passage! It describes how you can not do wrong but at the same time claims you can make mistakes. How absurd! Even I am not this madding.”

Celestia took the book and read two pages, “My… faithful student was the one that wrote this?!” she reeled back in disbelief, “Appalling! No pony of sound mind would write this nonsense! Only the gullible would believe such a thing.”

“Funny how your Empire sucked it up into everything.”

Celestia pupils shrank, “They… They’re not even reading the book, are they?”

“Of course they aren’t,” Discord snickered, “Not when Twilight’s reading the book to them.”

“She’s what?!”

“Reading her little fairy tale to all the over grown foals in Ponyville. Frankly, you’re quite lucky it’s just Ponyville with this problem. Baltimare, Manheaten, and Cloudsdale rejected that book. Seems that the upper class has no care who holds power so long as their pockets and bellies are full.”

Celestia quirked and eyebrow, “You mean like the privileges Fancy asked about this morning?”

Discord laughed, “You ate up his requests like your subjects eat up this goddess nonsense! Hoho, it’s so hilarious! I can die from laughing so hard!”

Discord turned white and held a daisy to his chest. He fell on the table in a comedic fashion.

Celestia was not amused.

“Hmm, thick skinned,” he knocked on her skull, ”Is it even possible for you to smile anymore? Pinkie would be disappointed with you.”

“I remember you saying laughter was your favorite element. Does that mean you like Pinkie as well?”

“Of course, her bubbly personality is just the right kind of chaos I love to spread!”

“What about Applejack?”

“Eh, I don’t see her much to have an opinion on. Although it was fun convincing her to lie to her friends. Nothing like influencing a self fulfilling prophecy.”

Celestia sat silent.

“Something wrong Empress?”

“N-Nothing. Just a reminder you gave me.”

“Oh do tell,” Discord slithered to Celestia’s side.

“You warned me to stop my sister.”

Discord frowned angrily, “Wrong, I warned you to make peace with your sister!”

“Make peace? How was I suppose to make peace when she refused to let go of her ideologies?”

Discord gave her a deadpanned look.

“What?!”

“Did it ever occur to you that you should’ve let go of your reign and give Luna’s idea a chance?”

Celestia searched for an answer.

“Well?”

“No, no I didn’t.”

“Did you ever think about her problems in the past? Ask about the hours she spent in isolation? Ask about her feelings? Do anything to prevent her from becoming Nigh-“

“ENOUGH!” Celestia screeched, “I am well aware of the consequences my actions have taken. There’s no need for you to remind me.”

“Oh, my dear Celestia,” Discord rubbed her chin, “How can you be aware of past actions consequences when you repeat them?”

He gave a toothy smile as he ran a talon through her head.

Literally.

He ran his talon straight up to her horn and tapped the tip. The horn clicked and fired confetti.

The sensation gave Celestia goosebumps.

“Regardless of what you say,” she shuddered, “I need you to go to Cloudsdale. Republic influence has become a problem. We’re shutting down the Wonderbolts and sending in more pegasus guards.”

“Tia, that will diminish all pegasus guards in your entire Empire,” Discord warned, ”But you’re going to do it anyhow.”

Celestia nodded.

Discord sighed, “Fine… but I’m doing it MY way. No exceptions. You take the blame if problems occur.”

“Just make it as bloodlessly as possible.”

“That’s my goal in this war, Empress,” he sneered before disappearing in a pink cotton candy puff.

The day was over. Celestia returned to her chambers after a long list of mundane tasks her court required. Trade between her Empire and the rest of Equestria was… stagnant. The mountainous region she took over made it difficult for flightless being to travel. Baltimare and Manheaten laid on the east coast but were just as closed off as Canterlot was. Ponyville was the ONLY city she could rely on for a proper trade route. However, Ponyville has gained a rampant crime rate. Murder, theft, and vandalism were among the most common crimes committed on a daily basis there. She remembered how it used to be a welcoming town full of smiles and honest workers. That all changed when the elements split.

Hopefully, she could get the elements together once her Empire has taken hold of them. She was thankful Rainbow Dash stayed loyal to her… even if it was blind and more about the glory she’d be able to take defending her. At least Twilight stayed… faithful… writing religious text that cost her an essential ally. Celestia never head a thing about Rarity since the riots started. She wished she was well regardless of what side she was on. Pinkie Pie was noted as a depressed blob when she was in the Canterlot dungeon. Twilight gave her a report on Pinkie’s inspirational speech. Who knew such insight was hidden inside that party pony? Applejack couldn’t be won over easy. One lie to the nation was enough for honesty to despise her for eternity. Applejack’s sense of truth and justice was more solid than Celestia wanted to admit. Then that left Fluttershy…

By all that is good, she hoped Fluttershy was ok. Not just for her well being but for the well being of Equestria. Nothing would stand a chance against Discord’s wrath.

All her thoughts ran wild through her mind. Nightmares plagued her Empire worse than before. No night gave easy rest. Luna’s duties as dream guardian seemed to be bounded by the boarder between the Republic and the Empire.

Celestia regrets setting the sun now. She hated subjecting her subjects to the horrors the dreamscape. Celestia was convinced Luna was causing nightmares on purpose. Would she create a tantabus if it would mean victory for the Republic? That would be foolish and reckless! It would certainly prove Luna’s incompetence and cement Celestia as a good leader. For now Celestia would have to endure the nightmares. She would have to set the sun and watch the moon rise. Even if she didn’t want to. Even if she hated the night and what it brought. What her subjects thought of it and what those same subjects saw in her day.

Maybe she would leave the sun up tomorrow… just a little longer…

Comments

[Southern Moon]

My favorite part of this has to be the Delegation from Arabia. Having visited their counterpart, I could say without a doubt while they are kind to all religions, they will protect their own in a heartbeat.

Nicely done, and looking forward to who's next.