//------------------------------// // Chapter 32: Seven Years of Happiness Part 2 // Story: Pearlwort, Unintentional Villain // by Halira //------------------------------// Two Years After Moving to Crystal Heart It was early evening when I got back home from work. Tibia had gone to the bank to deposit the daily sales. I came in to find Diamond and Mera sitting on the couch having a discussion. I was surprised to find Mera already downstairs, as she tended to be in our room reading until I got home usually. Her crop of pipe weed wasn't ready to be planted yet, as a special greenhouse had to be built and enchanted. We had paid the extra bits to pay for construction ourselves, and would pay for the enchantments as well. Construction was underway, but would still take time. Until then Mera tended to just lay around while I worked. "Anything interesting going on? I am not used to you being down already," I said to my wife. "There is something interesting going on, but that isn't the reason I needed to get out of the room. Peridot is in her estrus cycle and she is loud enough I can hear her through the wall. I swear she gets louder each time. I don't think I ever got that loud when I was taking care of..things.," Mera said with a disgruntled huff. "Can we not talk about her masturbation habits, please," Diamond said pleasingly. "I prefer not to think about my little filly being hyped up on sexual energy." "Well, let us get a noise suppressing spell on her room, and then we won't have to talk about it," Mera complained, with an aggravated glance at the stairs. "She isn't so little anymore either. She is nearly as tall as me, at a distance you could mistake her for a full grown mare." "Which is why we aren't putting a noise suppression spell on her room," Diamond replied with a sad exhale of breath. "We worry some stallion is going to take her for being an adult instead of a filly. We want to be sure she is the only pony in her room. She is developing faster than most fillies her age, which isn't surprising considering her early onset of estrus." "She is going to big mare when she finishes growing," I observed. "Are you sure you don't have some close Earth Pony relatives? She is going to have a body like a large Earth Pony when she grows up." "Would you believe me when I tell you I actually pulled out the family tree to double check?" Diamond laughed. "Most recent Earth Pony is six generations back. All Crystal Ponies on my side, aside from that one Earth Pony, and another pony who was a Unicorn two generations before that. Tibia's side is obviously all changelings. Not counting you two of course." "Anyway, getting back to the interesting news, and away from the fact Peri's going to grow up to have a body to revival Sunset's Thestral form," Mera said, as she steered the conversation back to the other subject. "You know how we noticed Thestrals coming and going back and forth between the palace and the south the last few months? Flurry Heart is going to be making some big public announcement tomorrow night, and we are pretty sure it has to do with them. The word is Luna has been seen in the palace as well." "I heard some ponies talking about that at the shop, but didn't get to listen in much. Mom has me tending the plants in the nursery and that keeps me mainly out of the front for the moment," I replied. I was actually really enjoying working with the plants in the nursery, now that I had some clue what I was doing. There was something rewarding about tending a plant from seed to full grown plant. "All the shops are supposed to shut down early for the speech tomorrow, I got that much from Mom." "What's going on?" Came a voice from the stairs. Peridot was apparently done with her private activities and coming down the stairs. Her voice still had a filly pitch to it, but it was getting more mature sounding as well. I would have guessed her to be two or three years older than she was if I didn't know otherwise. "There is going to be a speech from Flurry Heart tomorrow we are all going to see," Mera said to her sister, as Peridot came to the ground floor. I noticed that Peridot was wearing a small amount of eye-shadow and mascara, that was definitely new. I didn't even know she had any makeup, or knew how to apply it. Her father definitely took note of it as well. "Peridot Glow, what are you wearing on your eyes?" Diamond said sternly. "It is just a little makeup. Aunt Sunset gave it to me and showed me how to put it on. I like it," Peridot said defensively, with a glare at her father. Diamond considered it for a moment and decided not to push the issue. "I guess if Sunset gave it to you it is alright. Don't think for a moment that you are going on any dates though, not until you are older," he finally said to her. "Yes Daddy, and thank you." Peridot came over and kissed her father on the side of the face, happy with his grudging approval. "Pearl and I will come by your practice tomorrow to watch, and the three of us can meet up with Mom and Dad outside the palace for the speech," Mera told her sister. "There have been Thestrals going back and forth to the palace for weeks and we think this has something to do with that. Everything is shutting down for a few hours for the speech, so it is kind of a big deal." "Will you duel me this time?" Peridot pleaded. "I am almost as big as you, and none of the other fillies and colts there can put up a challenge to me any more. The teachers won't even let me duel ponies my own age any more, because they are worried I might hurt them by accident. Only the teachers are able to put up a decent fight any more against me, and even they lose most of the time now." "I'll think about it," Mera replied calmly. "I don't want to accidentally hurt you. Fighting me is a whole other world than fighting your classmates or teachers." "Please Mera," Peridot begged. "I want to be the best. I won't be the best if I don't get challenged. I understand some bruises and cuts might happen. I have dealt with those before." "I said I would think about it Peri," Mera reasserted herself with a glare. "Mom and Dad wouldn't be happy with me if I knocked you senseless either. Even if you are fine with the idea I might do that to you, I have to explain myself to them." "Tibia would have a heart attack, but honestly I am fine with it to tell the truth," Diamond said. "Peridot is going to get an ego if some pony doesn't knock her down a few pegs on the dueling grounds, Mera. I don't want her to get to thinking she is invincible in a fight. That is me as a father and an old soldier talking." "See Daddy is fine with it!" Peridot insisted. "I have never seen a pony so eager to get knocked out before," I laughed. Mera rolled her eyes at my remark. Peridot just kept looking pleasingly at Mera. "If your teachers are okay with it, then I'll beat the snot out of you like you want," Mera finally conceded. "Don't go complaining if you feel sore and in pain afterwards. I can't believe I am being pressured into doing this, you little masochist. And not a word about this to Mom, she worries enough about you. I'll do my best not to break anything on you." "You'll avoid doing what now?" Tibia said with shock as she entered into the house. "Peridot pressured Mera into fighting her in a duel," I told my mother-in-law as I began my recap. "Diamond thinks it will be a good character building moment or something, and Mera promised not to break any of Peridot's bones. Peridot seems thrilled by the whole thing." "Okay," Tibia said with wide eyes. She then closed them and took a deep breath. "If your father thinks it is worthwhile I will not object. I think I am still going to go out on the back patio for a few minutes while I process this." "You don't have to go outside Mom," Mera said with bemusement. "There is enough of us dropping the air quality in this house as it is, and doing that in front of Peridot sets a bad example," Tibia asserted. She then made her way to out the back door. "I think it is a good time for us to get some fresh air too, Sweetie," I said to my wife. "Want to do a quick flight around the Spire? We can also check the progress on your greenhouse while we are at it." "I would like that," Mera said as she gave me a kiss. "Maybe we can run into one of these clandestine Thestrals that are going about and get some information about what's going on. If they are still going on with that Honored One stuff they will likely tell you anything you ask." I hoped not. I was still glad that my tribe no longer seemed to hate me, but getting treated that way was still really uncomfortable. *** Tibia gave me the day off from work so I could go with Mera to Peridot's training session. The sessions were held at a location that flanked the main Crystal Guard headquarters, and it possessed a trading ground that reminded me very much of the one the Medical Guard trained on, only much bigger. The entire training area was big enough to hold ten of the Medical Guard training grounds. The younger trainees, who were not yet officially old enough to enlist, used only a small segment of the area. That smaller area was still equal in size to the grounds at Meadowbrook's temple. When we got there we saw fillies and colts of varying ages going through the same familiar exercises that I had come to expect to see. Peridot could be seen in the dueling grounds facing off against an older colt who was likely soon to be old enough to enlist. Despite the age difference the fight seemed to be favoring Peridot, as she seemed to be regularly on the offensive and the colt was doing everything in his power just to try to dodge and parry blows from Peridot's training weapon, and looked to be struggling at it. After we watched this for about a minute the colt eventually conceded to Peridot, having not been able to mount any sort of counterattack and receiving several hard blows to his flank despite his complete focus on defense. Peridot's skill and ferocity I had already seen in the two large public competitions she had been involved in previously, the last one she ended up taking first place. She was the pride of the underage ponies when it came to her combat skill. Peridot spotted us, and waved to us with enthusiasm. She then ran to one of the instructors, a teal crystal pony stallion with a blue mane, and spoke excitedly to him while gesturing at us. The stallion looked over to us and considered us for a moment, while Peridot continued to speak to him excitedly. We could see him sigh and then gesture to us to come down to meet with them. We hopped down into the training grounds and made our way towards them. I could see many of the students and instructors watching us with curiosity. When we reached them the stallion raised a hoof to shake fetlocks with, we each did in turn, as he spoke to us. "Peridot Glow here has had a lot to say about her sister Mera," he said as he looked to Mera. "Forgive me for saying this, but I don't see the family resemblance. She left out the fact that you are a Thestral, adopted I assume?" "Yes, I was formally adopted by our parents," Mera said. "I still love my sister as blood though. I am curious about what she might have said about me." "She told some very unbelievable tales about your combat prowess," he replied. "Did you serve time in the Lunar Guard? I have seen the Lunar Guard in action, they have a reputation for their ability to inflict carnage on enemy ranks." "I actually never served in any guard, but did train alongside the Medical Guard for some time," Mera told him. He looked back at her in disbelief. "The Medical Guard? No offense intended to your training, I know they are competent soldiers, but not the source I would have expected a fighter of the prowess your sister describes," he said questioningly. "When I left them there were none among them who could adequately put up a fight against me." Her reply was an understatement. "Well then, your sister has been begging the opportunity to face off against you in a duel. I can attest to her abilities, and think she could definitely win against a trained member of the Medical Guard, again no offense intended to the Medical Guard, she is just that good. I would be willing to allow the duel, it might be good for our students to see a fighter of a different type in action. I expect that you don't intend to seriously injure your own sister," he said. "She says she understands that when she fights me she may well get pretty banged up," Mera replied. "I will not do anything that will lead to any hospital visits for her. She would be unhappy with me if I took it too easy on her, and our father thinks it could be character building." "Bruises and some occasional cuts and scrapes are expected in this kind of thing," he confirmed. "I will provide you with some training weapons and we can see this much anticipated duel. I hope you don't mind the audience." "I have my own training blades, and don't mind the audience. I have had much more intimidating audiences than some fillies and colts," Mera said with a smile. "As you say then," he said with a slight inclination of his head. He then looked around the courtyard and called out to the students. "Gather round! Our own Peridot Glow is about to face off against a pony who has been said is a much more formidable opponent than any you are used to. Observe and see what you can learn from this duel. I will expect you all to be able to discuss with me tomorrow what you observe." "Don't go easy on me, Sis," Peridot said as she moved into position. "I do intend to go easy on you, but that doesn't mean you aren't about to get your flank handed to you. You just fight like you have never fought before, you want me to fight harder, force me to do so," Mera replied as she slipped her training weapons on and passed me her life pack. "Just don't get your pride too hurt when you lose, just take it as incentive to train harder." "I think I might surprise you, I am about as strong as you are I think," Peridot said confidently. "Strength isn't everything," Mera replied as she got into position. "You don't have close to my dexterity or agility yet. You might want to spend some more time developing those." "I'll keep that in mind," Peridot said. She was still smiling eagerly though. "Hold one more moment," Mera said to the trainer before he could order the duel to start. "Some pony help me bind my wings, I don't want it said I was flying and had an unfair advantage from that." "Um, I am sure we can all tell if you are not flying, Sis," Peridot said with confusion. "Mera is really agile, you might be surprised how agile. I could see you mistaking some of her moves as flying," I said, as I pulled out some rope from my life pack and went to bind my wife's wings. "We Thestrals tend to be the most agile tribe on average, along with Pegasi, but Mera really kicks it up a notch." I finished binding my wife's wings and she gave me a kiss in thanks. I then returned to my spot outside the dueling ring. The ring itself was an area sunken into the ground with an outer wall. This kept the combatants from being knocked out of the ring and allowed for spectators who didn't have to worry about either if the combatants getting knocked into them. "If we are all ready now you may begin," the instructor called into the ring. Peridot didn't have to be told twice. She went full on assault against her sister, throwing caution to the wind. This wasn't unusual for her, from what I had observed previously. Peridot liked to try to overwhelm her opponent early on and force them to stay on the defensive. She would rain hard blows down on her opponents in rapid succession, and often all her opponents could do is keep trying to guard, dodge, and parry until eventually one of those failed. This tactic was not going to be useful against her sister though. Mera easily parried the first blow and flipped forward, bouncing off Peridot's back, while landing a blow with her training weapon to her sister's flank that could be heard loudly through the arena. She came down easily on her hooves behind her sister and landed another blow quickly on the other flank that sounded just as painful. "You'll have to do better than that, little Sis," Mera said in a bored tone as she stepped back from her staggering sister. "You weren't exaggerating when you said you could really move," Peridot said as she turned herself back around. "I won't let you pull that kind of move again." "Good luck on that. I was warned by a good friend that there would always be some pony that would just get too damned lucky. Maybe that will be you," Mera taunted. Peridot readjusted her stance and took a more cautious approach now. Mera as usual during a fight looked utterly unconcerned about her opponent. Mera turned to me and gave me a wave as if Peridot was not standing there waiting for an opening. Peridot wasted no time with trying to take advantage of the opening moving quickly into her sister's blind spot and trying to do a quick strike. However, this failed miserably. Mera quickly lowered her forehooves to the ground and gave her sister a hard buck to her face, causing Peridot to get knocked down to the ground. Mera added insult to injury by quickly doing quick weapon strikes to each of her sister's flanks, before retreating back again. Peridot pulled herself back to her hooves with a dazed groan. Her muzzle was now bleeding, and there was a large bruise on one of her flanks. "Imagine if I wasn't taking it easy on you," Mera said to her sister. "I am not giving up yet," Peridot said as she shook her head to clear it. "I deserved that. It was stupid of me to think you weren't going to be ready for me to strike with such an obvious bait." "You said that, not me," Mera snickered. She gave her sister a concerned look. "I didn't loosen any teeth with that kick did I?" "No," Peridot said as she could be seen feeling around with her tongue. "Just a bloody muzzle and some embarrassment. I've had worse." "Well, would you prefer I be the one to go on the offensive now? It doesn't seem to be working out too well for you when I am on the defense," Mera asked politely. "Go for it," Peridot replied. "I need to know what you are capable of if I ever want to beat you. I don't think I have ever had an opponent ask my permission to attack me before." "Giving you every opportunity to succeed I can, what kind of big sister would I be if I didn't give you chances?" Mera said with a toothy grin. As soon as Peridot pulled herself into a defensive stance Mera moved forward quickly. Peridot moved her training weapon to try to guard against her sister's strike and was shocked when Mera readjusted her strike to be aimed at the weapon held in defense. The blow on the weapon brought it down out of where it could block the foreleg that Mera next brought down on Peridot's head, and as Peridot fell again Mera quickly brought up her training weapon again and gave Peridot a hard smack on the base of her tail, causing the young Crystal Pony to cry out in pain. Mera then danced away on her hind legs before setting all four hooves back on the ground a pony length away. "Do you yield for now?" Mera asked her sister. "I yield, for now," Peridot said while still laying sprawled out on the ground. "That was embarrassing. You aren't even breathing harder than you normally would." "Don't be embarrassed, Peri," Mera said consolingly. "I could probably take on all your instructors at once and not put much effort into it to beat them. I was pretty much playing with you through that all. If I had tried my hardest you would have been unconscious in the first few seconds." "You use your hooves and forelegs a lot I noticed," Peridot said, still not getting up. "I am less likely to kill an opponent with my legs and hooves," Mera explained. "My goal in combat is to incapacitate, not kill, if at all possible. In real combat weapon blows can kill. I can do that if need be, but it should be avoided if possible when fighting ponies. You are going to be impressively strong one day, your blows should easily end up knocking a pony senseless." "I'll keep that in mind," Peridot said, as she finally picked herself up. "You will have to teach me how to move like you do, I've never seen an opponent move like that." "Glad I lived up to expectation," Mera laughed. "Let's do something about that bloody muzzle, before you end up freaking out Mom. I'll try to teach you how to move more like me, though I am not sure you will be capable of that when you get full grown. You will be too large for those kinds of acrobatics." "You think so?" Peridot said as she walked over to her sister. "Peri, you are nearly my size now at thirteen years old," Mera said with amusement. "You are going to tower over just about every pony by the time you can actually enlist. I will likely have to take an entirely different strategy to take you down then, you will be too large and muscled for what I just did to work well." "Something to look forward to I guess," Peridot said with a sigh. "A very impressive performance," the instructor said to Mera. "The Crystal Guard typically only has Crystal Ponies, but I am sure an exception could be made if you were interested in a position." "Thanks, but that's more Peri's thing," Mera said with a smile. "I have no desire to join any guard." "Perhaps I could convince you to take on an instructor job with us at least," he said. "We want to be able to train the best soldiers and you could definitely be an aid in that. Your fighting technique is unorthodox, but the results are unquestionable. Further you seem to have sound moral judgement on what the goals in combat should be that we definitely want to pass on to our recruits." "I'll consider it," Mera said with a nod. "I am planning on helping with the family business more soon, but I could possibly divide my time." "I hope you decide you will," the instructor replied back. "But I won't pressure you on the issue." After getting Mera's wings unbound and a cloth applied to Peridot's muzzle until the bleeding stopped we left the trading area and made our way together to the area outside the palace where Flurry Heart would be making her speech. We eventually spotted Diamond and Tibia waiting for us. When Tibia, currently in her natural form, spotted Peridot and bruises she sighed and pulled her pipe from her saddle bags, determined not to make a fuss about Peridot's injuries. "I take it you didn't win," Diamond said as he looked Peridot over. "Didn't even land a blow," Peridot said with a sigh. "I'm sore all over. I got struck hard repeatedly on my flanks, bucked to the face, and she gave me completely unnecessary blow on the base of my bloody damned tail." "Language, Peridot Glow," Tibia scolded. "Sorry, Mommy. Still hurt a lot though," Peridot replied to her mother. "It was necessary," Mera insisted. "It doesn't do much real damage to hit you there, it is a very resilient spot, but it hurt enough to force you to concede." "I think I might have conceded on my own after you made me eat dirt for the second time right before that," Peridot said with a raised eyebrow at her sister. "But I am on my estrus cycle right now, I am extra sensitive in that area right now." "Oh, sorry about that then," Mera said with a blush. "I actually forgot about that." "Thanks for thinking I was up to still fighting after that point though," Peridot said. "I'd hug you, but I bloody hurt too much." "Peridot Glow!" Tibia scolded again. "Sorry again, Mommy," Peridot said with a wince as she sat down. "I don't know where you have picked up the bad language, but please watch it," Tibia said sternly. "Soldiers do tend to have rather filthy language among one another," Diamond told his wife. "What she is saying is very tame compared to some curses I have heard soldiers say. I have said worse myself. Between the fact she is having her hormonal time and the pain I think she can be excused a little." "Don't defend her language, Dear," Tibia said as she gave him a cross look. "Yes ma'am," Diamond said with held back mirth. Tibia rolled her eyes, but didn't press the issue further, and instead just went back to puffing away on her pipe. The crowd grew and swelled across the square in front of the palace as the time approached for Flurry Heart's appearance. Finally shortly after sundown she made her way out to the front steps of the palace to address the crowd. "Citizens of Crystal Heart, today will be a historic day for us," Flurry Heart began. "For far too long the Crystal Ponies of Ocid have had to take the leftovers from the Earth Ponies, the Unicorns, and the Pegasi. Our goods don't get the prices they deserve in other districts, we have to pay higher fees to bring goods into our district, and we are restricted by the radius of the Heart on how far we can settle our ponies. Today that changes." Sounds of curiosity and excitement greeted her opening words. They were all truths, Crystal Ponies needed to stay near the Heart to utilize their full magical potential typically, and Ocid did seem to get the short end of the stick in trade. A side effect of Flurry Heart not being able to leverage more worshipers outside of Ocid. She wasn't the lowest on the Alicorn pecking order, but she was far enough down that she wasn't able to always get the trade deals that most benefited the Crystal Ponies, whom she was patron of the tribe. "My Crystal Ponies, we are not the only tribe that has to lurk in the shadows of the big three," she continued, including herself as a Crystal Pony despite the fact she was an Alicorn. "The Thestrals to the south of us in the Foal Mountain region are also often neglected as much or more than we are. I have been in negotiations with Luna and the Thestral Elders. They too grow tired of their needs falling on the wayside in favor of the Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi. Things are changing in their leaders mindsets now, and we feel we can help one another throw off the yoke of tyranny that has been put upon each of our tribes, and claim the respect and influence we deserve alongside the big three." Cheers went out among the crowd. Flurry Heart waited while the cheering subsided to continue. "You may wonder what our tribes can accomplish together to achieve this," she said, once the cheering subsided. "With the help of Luna I have managed to create a second Heart, one that will be placed in a new spire, to be built between the Southern and Northern Foal Mountain ranges. With the power of the two Hearts the Crystal Ponies will be able to properly spread into that region. The Thestrals will give us access to the resources that can be mined from the Foal Mountains, and we in turn will use the power of the Hearts to make land ideal for the crops that the Thestrals prefer, as well as being able to open new ports for trade and fishing." Gasps of wonder and excited cheering went up from the crowd again. This was big news. This would create a lot of economic power for the combined regions, enough to match the areas to the far south and west. "The Thestrals wish to no longer be isolated from the world, in fear of ponies driving them from towns that they only wish to live in peacefully," Flurry continued. "We shall open ourselves to them, and encourage their settlement here in the north, even as Crystal Pony settlers move into the south. We shall be two tribes working side by side for the betterment of both. The Crystal Ponies of the sunlight shall work side by side with the Thestrals of the moonlight, and we shall create a new era for our combined tribes. There shall no longer be an Old Crystal Imperial District. There shall only be Ocid, stretching from the Crystal Mountains of the north to the Southern Foal Mountains. We are the ponies of the east, we are the ponies of Ocid!" Cheers rang out again, with chants of Ocid reverberating across the square. "In six months the first wave of Thestral settlers shall arrive here in Crystal Heart," Flurry continued again. "With them shall come new businesses, new trade opportunities, and increased security for our outlining villages. Also in six months the foundations for the spire of Night's Heart will be laid in the south. Even now the Thestrals work to clear the area for the work to begin on construction. In the years to come we will be building new ports so we may ship our goods south, bypassing the middle ponies that drive up the costs of goods. Luna and I will also be in negotiation for the turning over of Sire's Hallow to Ocid, with the hopes of having a new university for Unicorns built there to aid us in our magical needs at reasonable prices for Ocid citizens. With our joint influence, and the expanded borders of our region, the Canterlot district will give it over to us." That might bring the animosity of Celestia, who I had learned was the Alicorn who more or less governed Canterlot. Celestia didn't have large amounts of influence, but she controlled the sun. I hoped she didn't use the sun to take some sort of retribution. The idea that there would be Thestral settlers was a surprising one. Thestrals were very isolationist. What had changed? Was this just Luna taking a more active roll in the tribe she was patron? They would do whatever she said, with eagerness. Was what happened to me an impetus of change? "Looks like you aren't going to be the only Thestrals in the city any more," Diamond said to us. "Likely means we will have more ponies trying to find out everything they can about us until those settlers arrive," Mera said with a sigh. "It's going to be a long six months of dealing with ponies." She sat and thought for a moment. "Unless they are sending out an enormous amount of settlers here they are going to have to interbreed with Crystal Ponies to sustain their numbers, that was previously frowned upon. I wonder if they have changed their minds about that." "A Thestral colt might make an interesting stallionfriend," Peridot said, and I couldn't help but noticed she wiggled her but against the ground, with her tail raised, as she said it. She was definitely letting estrus direct her thinking. "You won't be finding out until you are graduated from school and done with your officer training," Diamond told her sternly. "When you grow up we will be happy to meet any stallion you want, but until then no colts and definitely no stallions." "You didn't get so fussy with Biblo when she was my age," Peridot said with a pout. "If Biblo managed to sneak a fillyfriend around us she couldn't get pregnant," Tibia said. "We figured out early on which way her barn door swung." "Wait..Biblo..could have gotten away with having fillyfriends as a teen?" Mera eyed her mother suspiciously. "I feel like I had a lot of missed opportunities." "Oh we would have paddled..Biblo's..backside if we caught her doing anything of the sort, don't mistake us," Tibia said with a laugh. "But we were less concerned with trying to catch her. If something happened without our knowledge it wouldn't be the end of the world. Are you saying Biblo really didn't sneak any fillies behind our backs, with as horny as that filly was? I actually find that hard to believe. We aren't stupid." "No she didn't," Mera said with a grumble. "Well, I am pleasantly surprised then," Tibia laughed. "See Peridot, if Biblo could stand to keep her hooves off fillies until she grew up, you can stand to do the same with colts. Learning to control your urges is part of becoming a mare." Peridot did some grumbling and mumbling that couldn't be made out clearly. What I could make out generally amounted to it being not fair. She would feel better once her current estrus ended. "That is a lot of changes coming," I said, deciding to move attention back to the announcement. "I hope the whole Honored One has died down a bit. I am dreading having ponies treat me like some sort of divine figure in the streets." "Honored One?" Diamond asked with confusion. "When we were traveling near the Foal Mountains and through Sire's Hallow we found out that Thestrals had decided that Pearl had some sort of special favor with Luna. Thestrals can be very religious. The two of us are not really the best ponies to get an idea about Thestral culture from," Mera explained. "I expect one of the first things they will be building when they get here is a shrine to Luna. The culture might be changing, but I doubt it is going to suddenly stop being fervently devoted to Luna." I nodded in agreement. "I am sure it will work out fine dears," Tibia said with a smile. "There are worse things than being extremely respected." Yeah, there definitely was indeed. I also couldn't help but feel the weight of immortality again at that moment. So much had changed in so little time. How much more would it change in the centuries to come. Would the world even be recognizable a thousand years from now? I looked over at Mera and was reminded of one pony at least that would remain. I gave her a nuzzle and a kiss which she happily returned to me. As long as I had Mera things would be alright.