//------------------------------// // 14 - Rain and Shine // Story: Queen of Equestria // by BlackWater //------------------------------// Spike told me to tell you to open our connection with him as soon as possible because he totally has important changeling information stuff to tell you which he told me some of just in-” “Pinkie,” Twilight frowned when she stopped the pink pony’s blabbering with a hoof to the mouth. “I get it. I was planning to reconnect the non-private hivemind link anyways now that Sombra has been dealt with. I just wished I had the time to get Chrysalis to make another relay. The booster at Neighagra falls is not positioned well to jump our signal from the Crystal Empire to here. It’s faint.” “But it’ll do,” Applejack crossed one foreleg over the other. The group was just walking outside of Vanhoover’s gate on the way to the makeshift airfield. Stormclouds had returned in strength and were already rumbling with thunder. Twilight hoped the weather did not impede the many things she had to do. Or this new airship for that matter. “Does Queen Flux know where to meet us?” Twilight looked sideways to Applejack as they headed off-road. “Eeyup,” the farmpony answered simply. “Perhaps it’s easier that Chrysalis is away for the moment,” Twilight decided. “I wouldn’t want to throw reconciliation into this negotiation now that I know where the changelings have infiltrated. Now to see if Spike has anything...” The connection was restored. Or at least the part that wasn’t private between Rarity and Spike. A flood of information rushed at Twilight’s mind, forcing her to pause in her step. Applejack and Pinkie stopped with her, the pink pony’s mechanical wings twitching in their folded state on her back. “Oh dear,” Twilight blinked green sparks from her eyes. I still think it could have gone better with me around, Spike complained mildly. If you need a place for the changelings, though, my Empire would be perfect. Your Empire? Twilight resumed walking, crunching a stick beneath her hooves as she went. Spike shrugged from the room back in the Crystal Castle. It was entrusted to me and Rarity. He has a point, Rarity added. Oh, I’m sure you’re lovin’ it, Applejack rolled her eyes while following her queen. Twilight shook her head. If the changelings can have a special connection to the power of the crystal heart then maybe they can get their sustenance in the Empire. It would solve not only their problem but also ours. After all- Pinkie spoke up in real words as she regained a bounce to her walk. “You can’t just wave a hoof and erase the part the changelings had in the coup and Cloudsdale incidents. Not to mention the takeover of the Vanhoover city government. Meanwhile the Empire has had no direct dealings and is politically severed from Equestrian jurisdiction, which means it would be the perfect refuge for a treaty-bound changeling hive.” “Right,” Twilight deadpanned, her thunder stolen. “That’s why I’m here, Queeny,” Pinkie bounced back and petted Twilight on her mane behind her crown. “To prematurely expose the plot!” “Plot?” Applejack furrowed her brows in confusion. “Oooh, Jackie,” Pinkie bounce over to the Earth pony and wiggled her brows. “I had no idea you swung that way.” “Swung what way? What in the blooming apples are you talkin’ about, Pinks?” AJ felt truly lost. “I’m walkin’, not swingin’.” “She’s just being Pinkie,” Twilight put a hoof to Applejack’s opposing shoulder as a form of encouragement. “Well at least we got a handle on these here changelin’s,” Applejack resumed their conversation. “I’m thinkin’ o’ spending some time with Rara before gettin’ back to the farm. If you don’t need me past the negotiation.” Twilight shook her head and shivered when a roll of thunder boomed through the air around them. “I don’t think I will. Especially if I can negotiate a deal with the Union as well.” “That all you do? Negotiate with everypony on everything?” Applejack grinned. “It’s what the civilized do,” Twilight winked. “Or the civilized who have the benefit of opportunity, anyways.” They passed another line of trees before the open grass fields came into view. Indeed, the large stretches of meadow-like land were ideal for landing something at speed. Twilight could see the craft there at the far end. Four ponies were visible around it. As they got closer, Twilight recognized Storm Sword but not the other three. The aircraft was large but also much smaller than an Equestrian lighter-than-air craft such as Canterlot’s historic zeppelin. This sleek machine looked thin and agile like a fish with the angled wings of a swallow. A glass portion near the forward tip made a multi-seat cockpit partially visible. Two large bulbs at the back of it were patterned with arcane markings. “Captain!” Twilight hailed once they were close enough. Two of the other ponies snapped to her direction with a precision that was at least as good as the Royal Guard. One was a light gray stallion with a light brown mane and the other was a pale red with white for her mane. Both appeared quite serious, unlike the fourth pony of the group who had shrugged and moved underneath the main body of the craft to do something mechanically with it. “My queen,” Storm gave a partial bow. “Let me introduce the pilots responsible for getting me here. Commander of UA-16, Skies. And Commander Ambassador of UA-17, Friendly. Their passenger engineer is not to be named.” “Oh?” Twilight tilted her head. She had sadly little knowledge of the Pony’s Union culture, but did not fault herself due to the lack of actual materials on them. Equestrian authors seemed to lack an interest on the relatively new nation-like union of tribes. Friendly was the one to speak up and she did well to project her heavily-accented voice over another roll of thunder. “It is an honor to meet you, your highness, Queen Twilight Sparkle of Equestria. I have been given authority by the Common Council to initiate relations with your people and bargain on the Union’s behalf – within the guidelines given to me.” Twilight looked closely at the pair of foreign ponies. The lighting was dim due to the dark blanket of clouds overhead and she thought she felt a drip of water from above. Both ponies were heavily clothed, unlike Twilight or even Storm Sword, who lacked even her field clothes or equipment packs. The suits of the foreign ponies appeared heavy and thick with drab colors of gray and off-white, almost as if camouflage for snowy climates. Insulation, Rarity concluded for Twilight over the hivemind. Typically for cold weather, low pressure, or both. “An honor to meet you as well, Friendly. Skies,” Twilight responded with a pleasant tone and nodded to each. “Perhaps it would be best for us to speak somewhere we will not be rained upon.” Friendly brought up a hoof in agreement and spoke clear and crisp. “I will follow you. Commander Skies must watch over the 805. Lead the way.” The light red mare refused to shed her heavy-looking suit when they entered the covered home-wagon on Countess Coloratura’s rented performance grounds. She looked around her in mild interest at the cabin-themed mobile living space, which was massive for such a vehicle and had plenty of room for all inside. Twilight leaned on Applejack’s suggestion for a place they could find shelter in as well as privacy. No inn had been arranged previously so Twilight didn’t want to worry about securing such a place when it started to rain. Town Hall was clearly out since the changelings were still occupying the place covertly until negotiations with Queen Flux could arrange something else. Coloratura, or Rara as Applejack called her, delivered Friendly a cup of hot cocoa. The ambassador was sitting on the living space’s large inconspicuous sofa. She gave a quiet thanks in her own language and took a small taste of the drink as the sound of rain picked up outside with the crash of thunder. Twilight didn’t mean to stare but she noticed a twinge at the corner of Friendly’s eye when she tasted the drink. Clearly, the flavor was quite foreign to her. She continued to drink either out of curiosity or well-trained diplomatic manners. “Your highness,” Friendly resumed afterward, “the Common Council sent me as a copilot for this mission in the interest of offering your nation the unique assistance of our aerospace technology. We believe in fostering positive relations between our citizens. I understand through Captain of the Guard Storm Sword that you do have use of such technology.” In spite of the thick accent, Twilight noted how easily the mare was able to speak in the plain Equestrian language. Clearly, the Pony’s Union chose somepony who would be a good communicator, but this implied that she had at least some kind of local-level interactions with Equestrians to become fluent. Whoever was interacting with the northern ponies on a regular basis had clearly failed to write and publish any books on the matter – much to Twilight’s disappointment. “Yes, of course!” Twilight tried not to scare the diplomat with too much enthusiasm. “I need to go somewhere very far away as quickly as possible. My teleportation is limited in range. Same for my wings. Either option would take considerable energy expenditure. Even Pinkie might not be able to take me far enough. Your airship is very impressive, however...” Friendly looked over to the pink pony on the opposite side of the sofa from Twilight. She was messing around with her mechanical changeling wings, which were not currently strapped to her. “I am very interested in this unusual saddlepack machine,” the cool mare admitted. “However, you need not worry of range for our 805 windcutter. It harnesses a limitless energy.” “Besides transport for myself,” Twilight shifted on her seat as she thought, “how many others can it carry?” “Four total, but only two can be Equestrian,” Friendly began to explain and finally set her cup of cocoa to the side table’s apple-patterned coaster. “Three seats and one external deployment harness. Commander Skies must pilot from the front seat. Or myself. The engineer must also be present at all times in the rearmost seat. The copilot is the middle seat but can be occupied by a passenger.” “Deployment harness?” Twilight relaxed backwards. The sofas really were top notch. She would have to thank Coloratura again for generously offering her place as shelter. “We rigged it up for Captain Storm Sword. She wanted to be quickly released into a potentially hostile field. However, a pony such as yourself should have no problem. The undercarriage where the harness connection lies is well protected and the glider proved to have a smooth release.” “Does your country deal with last minute changes often?” Twilight decided to ask on a whim. That was the first time the queen saw Friendly smile. “We adapt to every situation and our engineers are second to none.” At some earlier point of naivete, Twilight might have suggested that Equestrian engineers were the best there were. But clearly she lacked sufficient knowledge of other nations to make such a claim. Clearly the existence of this windcutter flight machine proved Equestrian engineering inadequate. At least when it came to aerial invention. “Indeed,” Twilight agreed pleasantly. She guessed Friendly was particularly proud of this fact and decided it might be best to play off of it. “I’m sure your country must have already begun exploration of aircraft with larger passenger capacity.” Friendly kept her smile but waved at the idea. “Of course, but no such craft has been designed for a lack of any need. The resources required to construct and operate such machinery outweighs its benefits. Within the Union at the very least. For mass transport, we have developed a more practical and efficient means. Ground wagon capable of considerable speed, rough terrain, fifty passengers, and no biological drivers capable of weakness.” “Nopony pulls or drives the wagon?” Twilight sat back up in shock. Friendly finally frowned. “Eh, no. Not what I meant to say. I mean, no citizen pulls it. There is a driver, who steers it. Not always a pony either. The Pony’s Union of Marescow-Stalliongrad has all kinds of citizens, such as ponies, griffons, mules, buffalo, and a sizable number of caribou. There are also some seapony, changeling, and arachne we house as political refugees. All are equal and the Common Council is once again settled on updating the Union name to be less exclusive.” Twilight sat back again with wheels turning in her eyes. That must be why Celestia said that Chrysalis was not the only changeling to ever be exiled from a hive, she thought to herself. “Arachne?” she asked aloud, recalling Chrysalis’ tale about Sombra’s dark magic journey. “Only a few,” Friendly leaned forward. “They are those who dissented from worship of the Vine of Life.” That caused Twilight to jump up from her seat with wide eyes. “You have knowledge on the Vine of Life?!” Friendly leaned back from the pony in her face but kept a cool expression. “Our records on the Vine are all accounts of the refugees. We have not been able to improve border relations with the arachnes as a whole. They are very secretive and suspicious of foreigners. According to our refugees, the Vine is a sort of deity. None have ever seen it, so there is reason to believe it was simply made up. We cannot yet confirm or deny this.” Twilight sighed and went back to her seat, head hung low. “My apologies, ambassador. The Vine is of great interest to me and I’m eager for any information I can get.” “No apologies,” Friendly shook her head. “Though perhaps I might have some ice water?” The purple pony tried not to chuckle. “It’s so cold and rainy and yet you want ice water? Are you sure you don’t want something warm?” Friendly frowned at the hot cocoa on the side table. “Where I come from, there is a pure snow we melt to become drinking water. Even melted, it is as cold as ice and clear as crystal. Here the water does not yet freeze in the sky. It rains. Quite warm enough for me.” “Perhaps I might try this pure snow sometime,” Twilight regained a diplomatic smile as she got up to get the requested drink. “Now about those ground transports...” “You wish for mass transit?” Friendly asked over to Twilight in the adjacent kitchen area. “Once or on a permanent basis?” “We might discuss permanent options at a later point but I just mean for a single...migration,” Twilight decided to phrase it. “Simply put,” she explained as she returned with a cold glass of water in her magical grasp, “I need to get a small but still considerable group of changelings from this city to the Crystal Empire. However, it’s more than simple wagons could safely handle and the train has no direct tracks from Vanhoover to the Empire. I could still use it but I’d prefer to keep the movement as private as possible.” Friendly gave a quiet thanks when grabbing the glass with her hooves. Twilight took her seat again. “Many of the changelings are no longer capable of disguising themselves and I don’t want a big public display.” “We could accommodate this while your personal travel is in motion,” Friendly replied matter-of-fact. “However, it will take several of our best transports, I am sure. Perhaps Equestria might offer something in return.” “I’m just as eager to improve knowledge and cooperation between our nations,” Twilight levitated her cup of hot cocoa from her own side table. It was finally cool enough for her tastes. “Is there anything in particular that interests you or should I make suggestions?” “In fact, yes,” Friendly sipped her drink, put it down, and crossed her rear hooves. “We have been seeking to harness additional energy for domestic as well as scientific use. An energy relay into the Union from southwestern Equestria would be immensely beneficial towards this.” “An energy transport line?” Twilight quirked a brow. “But why southwest?” “Light and heat are bountiful there,” Friendly explained. “Of course, we must confirm our scientific guesswork, but it will likely be the case. We have developed energy transit methods with exceptionally low distance-loss ratios, which makes the location the best for net energy on delivery.” Twilight’s lips shifted back and forth. For once she wasn’t the only one using scientific language. “It seems you’ve put a lot of thought into this already. Building energy converters and transit lines – granted I don’t know the engineering specifics – must take considerable effort for us to build. I’m not sure if all of that is equal to one-time transportation I need.” “I did not mean to imply it was,” Friendly splayed her hooves out and gained a sly expression. “I thought that perhaps adding Equestria as a partner in our space exploration program might justify the trouble. After all, part of the scientific use of the energy would be for the development of a space-reaching propulsion system.” “Space exploration?” Twilight froze in place. She had watched the stars since a filly and was always head over hooves at the idea of someday reaching out into them – and not by being banished to the moon. “I have heard of ponies in Equestria who dream of traveling to the stars above,” Friendly took a starry-eyed look upon herself. “It is very much so where I am from. The Common Council decided some time ago that such exploration is critical to our understanding of the universe and our survival within it.” Twilight had to pause at that. The idea was incredible. If possible, this could make leaps and bounds in science itself! She thought for a moment on this. Canterlot was still struggling with reconstruction of pegasi homes and even with the release of Las Pegasus resources through the city’s reorganization, it was unlikely there would be enough. Cloudsdale was more than lost homes and lives. It was a lost economy. All of those ponies no longer had a means to get by. “You have a thought?” Friendly asked, breaking the silence of Twilight’s wordless musings. The alicorn shook herself out of it and realized how deeply she was frowning. “Sorry,” she quickly apologized. “There are just so many things I have to consider. Tell me, would your light and heat energy converters be capable of powering large weather factories?” “As long as the lightning generators are not drawing power from it, I would assume so,” Friendly pursed her lips. “I am no electrician, however. Nor a weather production technician. I was only given cursory details on the power system as a part of my briefing for an initial offering.” “We will have plenty of details to discuss then, but for now I’d like to settle matters with the changelings and their relocation so we may leave for my own journey as soon as possible,” Twilight concluded with a minute shake of her head and a forceful release of her frown. At that, Commander Ambassador Friendly got up from her seat. She took a long sip of her water and placed the glass back down with a sigh. “I will communicate your wishes to the Council.” “When will we be able to go?” Twilight got up with her. “The destination will be the Far West.” “Arachnes?” Friendly squinted. “We will not cross their borders. We respect the lines.” “If you drop me off on the opposite side of the mountains then I will still be on the right side of the border of Equestria without being too far away from my destination. The ridge forms the natural border with an exception close to the target.” “Then as soon as you are ready,” the ambassador tilted her head slightly with a smile.