Jessie poked her fork into her French toast not attempting to break off a piece to take a bite of the syrupy breakfast item. Her brother and grandmare were watching the television intently. Her dad was eating his own breakfast over at the human table, and her mom was in the bedroom feeding Dusk. The television had been on the news since she woke up and both her grandmare and brother had been very insistent on it staying there.
"Just moments ago a reporter was able to question Psychic Calm about whether Sha'am Maut would be retiring as promised with the death of Ghadab. Here is that footage from our Denver affiliate."
"Dreamwarden Calm, will the Warden of Death be retiring as promised?"
"Sha'am Maut will do as she promised as soon as her heir is in place. We are currently observing hundreds of candidates for that purpose."
"Are you able to give us any insight into what you are looking for in candidates or the names of any likely candidates?"
"No, when the decision is made we will announce it. Our decision making process is a private matter."
"Are there humans being considered for the position of Warden of Death?"
"The position is for Dreamwarden, not Warden of Death. Whoever we choose will take their own title, not attempt to copy Sha'am's. There are both humans and ponies under consideration. I can say they are unlikely to be a night pony."
"When will the Warden of Death be retiring and the new Dreamwarden put in place?"
"I cannot give any exact dates on that."
"Dreamwarden Calm, will Sha'am--"
"I have said what I am willing to say on the subject for today. Let's not forget that there are thirty-eight ponies who are dead and a world grieving right now. Put your politics away, and have some compassion for those hurting."
"Jessie, you need to eat your breakfast," her dad said gently.
She frowned and broke off a bite of food and put it in her mouth. Food just wasn't that appealing this morning. The television wouldn't stop talking about what had happened, and even when she got on the internet every single site seemed to have some sort of statement about what happened. It was a horrible thing, and she didn't want to see and hear about it, but there seemed no way of getting away from it.
This morning she had tried to do research on mental problems with premature human babies, rather than let what Robby said to her yesterday upset her. There were people who were really smart that were premature births; they weren't all stupid, but there was a higher risk of having severe developmental problems and physical problems. What Robby had said had some grains of truth, but he had been exaggerating. It had made her feel a little better, but not completely.
Her grandmare started snapping at the television. "What they really should be doing is finding out why no one made any attempt to prevent this from happening."
"I'm sure they would have if they'd known," Jessie's dad said in a tired voice.
Her grandmare scoffed at him. "They had to have known what was going on. It's where Ghadab was at. Do you really think the world's governments aren't keeping track of what was going on near each and every Dreamwarden? I say they let them die just so Ghadab would die."
"You sound like a bat-brained conspiracy theorist," her dad scolded.
"This bat-brained conspiracy theorist isn't the only one thinking it," Grandmare Nocte said as she pointed a hoof at the television. Jessie could hear a report about how protests had intensified outside the hotel where the government delegates were staying, and that the protestors were angry about what happened in Morocco.
Her dad shook his head. "Really? Just think about it. Ghadab just became more powerful when he died, why would they want to have him killed? There's no logical reason for them to do something like that. That's why there's no conspiracy."
Grandmare Nocte snapped her wings out briefly. "It has nothing to do with them hating him; it's all about Sha'am Maut. They've wanted her gone since they first learned of Dreamwardens and she promised she would retire shortly after Ghadab died. Or did you not notice that that was the only thing they cared to ask Psychic Calm about. Not what they were going to do to the ones who slaughtered Ghadab and the ponies he protected, but how fast can Sha’am be sent away."
"And you think they let all those ponies die just to get rid of her?" Jessie's dad asked skeptically.
"Oh, I'm sure that's exactly what they did," Grandmare Nocte growled.
"Didn't realize you were so loyal to Sha'am to get so upset about the idea of someone trying to force her out," her dad muttered.
"I've got no special love for Sha'am, but I give respect to all Dreamwardens as they deserve," her Grandmare replied. "What I'm upset about is they were willing to let thirty-eight ponies die to get what they wanted. Governments are supposed to protect people, not let them get butchered like animals."
Her dad shook his head. "I don't think there's anything to that, but believe what you want." He turned to Jessie. "You need to finish your breakfast. I want you to come with me when I go to watch Jackie and Jordan. If your grandmare and Robby are going to have the news on all day I'd rather you weren't here."
That was a good incentive for her to eat faster. She really didn't want to be here listening to the news, but she was still worried about getting angry with her mom. Staying here she could maybe tell Robby that there was a chance he was wrong, but he didn't seem like he was going to pay much attention to her today. He wasn't voicing it as loud as their grandmare, but she could tell he was just as angry about what had happened.
"Are the demons going to be there too?" She asked as she finished up her food and unstrapped her fork.
Her dad shook his head as he bent down and collected her plate, mug, and fork to take to the sink. "They're spending the day with their parents. Phobia is having a service and they'll be attending that."
Her mom slowly walked into the room holding Dusk in her arms, as if walking took a lot of work. "I don't see why. They're way too young to be dealing with these things."
"They're the foals of a Dreamwarden," Grandmare Nocte cut in. "As such they're going to get exposed to things most foals would never be exposed to, and have to learn to live a different kind of life than most would. Ghadab is like an uncle to them, and they need to know why their uncle laid down his life and who he laid it down for." The night pony eyed Jessie's mom warily. "And you need to seat yourself, right now. You can walk around a little, but don't overexert yourself."
Jessie watched as Robby and Grandmare Nocte shifted over as Jessie's mom came and sat down on the couch. "Believe me, I'm not going to walk around much. I'm not staying confined to my room and the nursery though."
"Dusk seems to be a pretty calm baby, only heard him cry once so far," Grandmare Nocte observed.
"Hearing the person taking care of him yell and cry will make any baby cry," Jessie's mom said accusingly.
Grandmare Nocte looked down in shame. "Sorry about that. It was just such a shock when the news broke last night."
"Jessie, go get ready," her dad instructed.
She nodded and hurried to the bathroom to get cleaned up after eating her sticky breakfast.
After getting ready and a drive over, she and her dad arrived at her friends' house. From the street level it didn't look like much. It had Mr. Tom and Ms. Amanda's respective cutie marks on the door, and Ms. Amanda had set a pair of potted plants that weren't flowering right now just outside. A small intercom was next to the door and a small sign that said please be patient waiting for response. Give at least a minute for us to get to the intercom. Her dad rang the doorbell and they did as the sign instructed.
After about thirty seconds a response came. "Tom's on his way down to get the door," Amanda's voice said in a hurry. "I'm busy trying to preen Jackie before we leave so can't talk right this second."
They sat in silence for another thirty seconds until the door finally opened and revealed Tom. "Come on in. Mind your step, there's some water on the floor still. Jackie and Jordan decided to get into a water fight in the shower and got water everywhere down here."
She and her dad stepped into the house and she stepped right into a puddle on the tiled floor and laid back her ears. She didn't actually go into that many pony houses, but pony houses were strange. If you came in the door from the street the first room you walked into was the bathroom. The idea that the first thing anyone would be exposed to when coming in was where you pooped and peed felt way too personal for her.
Mr. Tom led them up the stairs through a few floors till they finally reached the living room. Ms. Amanda was on the couch with Jackie held between her forelegs, and the matching pink fur of each made it hard to tell where one began and the other ended. There was a bucket on the floor next to them that she was dropping a feather into. She had an odd looking comb attached to her pony strap that had the teeth curved slightly, and small fluffs of wing dander could be seen caught in it. Jackie was sitting very still and seemed to be enjoying having her wings cleaned and preened.
Jordan had been coloring and looked up at them as they walked in. The purple unicorn jumped to her hooves and quickly ran over to Jessie. "Jessie! I got a new book! Robby taught me new coloring tricks too! Do you want to see?"
She smiled back and nodded. Robby had shown her stuff about drawing before so it might not be new information to her, but she wasn't particularly well practiced either. Jordan looked like she was practicing and that meant they could practice Robby's techniques together. It was something that she and Jordan could get better at together.
"Okay, you look good and preened," Ms. Amanda announced as she released Jackie and started unstrapping the comb. "Mr. Paul will be watching you two again today. You be good while your dad and I are gone."
For some reason Jessie's mind drifted to why they were gone yesterday and the conversation that her mom and Ms. Amanda had. That mixed with her fights with Robby and her mom and she suddenly realized she wanted to talk to Ms. Amanda about something.
She paused and called out to Jordan who was already hurrying to the bookshelf to fetch her new book. "Hey, I'll be right there. I need to ask your mom something."
"Ask me something?" Ms. Amanda said curiously. "I'll be happy to answer any questions you have."
Her dad held up both hands. "Um, don't promise that. Jessie can ask some really uncomfortable questions." He walked over to Ms. Amanda and whispered. "I know she's six, but try to pretend she's an adult when answering questions from her. She doesn't settle for vague answers and she understands most concepts pretty well. Try not to be caught off guard by any subject matter from her."
"I can hear you Dad," Jessie said with annoyance he was trying to whisper about her, but her mood brightened as she realized he was confirming she understood things well.
Ms. Amanda smiled at her dad. "I understand. Any foal her age that's already in high school I expect to be asking questions well above their normal age level. I listened to her yesterday, and have heard her talk about things before. So I promise not to be shocked." She turned back to Jessie. "That being said, is this something I wouldn't want discussed in present company?" Her eyes gave a pointed look at Jackie.
Jessie picked up on what was being said and nodded with her ears lowered.
"Then we'll have to go downstairs and talk about it," Ms. Amanda concluded. "Let's be quick about it. I need to be leaving soon."
The pink earth pony led her downstairs to the bedroom area and to the far end of the hall before turning and smiling down at her. "Okay, as long as we keep our voices down Jackie and Jordan shouldn't be able to hear us. What was your question?"
She nervously shifted her hooves. "The stuff you were saying to my mom yesterday, about us replacing our human selves, is that true?"
Ms. Amanda's smile fell and she sat down. "You do ask some hard questions. I can't say for certain that's a hundred percent true, but after what I went through that's how I feel about it."
Jessie lowered her ears. "So when I became a pony I was replacing the baby that my mom had?"
The older earth pony's eyes went wide. "Oh sweetie! I know what you're thinking and please don't think like that. Your mom loves you very much and you are her daughter. I've known the two of you since a few weeks after you were born and I can sincerely say that she doesn't see you as a replacement for her baby, you're her baby."
"But you said--"
Ms. Amanda waved her to silence. "I know what I said. It's a lot more complicated than that. It has to do with how we think, feel, and experience things--large aspects of our personality that make us who we are. When you’re a newborn baby none of that is established yet. You're kind of a blank slate, and while some instincts might have been changed a little when you transformed you were still just as much that blank slate. You didn't replace anyone."
Jessie lowered her head. "Robby said he thinks I'm smart because of becoming a pony. That changing changed my intelligence."
Ms. Amanda bit her lip. "I can't say one way or another on that, I don't know, but if it is true that doesn't make it a bad thing."
"But doesn't that mean that being smart was just given something magical given to me and not something that came from me then if it's magic?" Jessie asked as her eyes glistened.
"Do you think Wild Growth isn't special because she can do so much more than the rest of us earth ponies?" Ms. Amanda asked. "I can't do a fraction of her magic no matter how I try. She can do everything magical I can do and more."
Having one of her idols special abilities brought into question gave Jessie pause as she sat and considered that.
Ms. Amanda wasn't done though. "Your mom is a really good artist, but it isn't likely she will ever be as great as the more famous human artists. Robby is a smart colt, but he doesn't begin to compare with you. We don't all have the same level of natural ability on things. Each of us is a unique individual, magic or no magic. Even though there's nothing magical I can do that Wild Growth can't there are things I'll do that she'll never do that are just as special in their own way."
Jessie blinked. "Like what?"
That earned a smile from the pink pony. "I'm a teacher, and that means I help shape young minds. Wild Growth might impress and inspire foals, but I'm there five days a week encouraging and teaching them. Your mom has no magic and does the same thing. I think we have more direct impact on their lives day to day than Wild Growth, even though she has a positive impact on them too. We're all special in our own ways."
"So why was everyone turning into ponies bad if everyone is still special?" Jessie asked.
Ms. Amanda looked sad. "Because it snuffed out a lot of thoughts, personalities, and more and replaced them. A lot of what was there was lost forever, and that's a sad thing. Ponies aren't bad for being ponies, and it isn't our fault that all happened. Forcing us all to be human again would have been just as bad because it would just be doing the same thing--losing all those unique pony minds forever. Your mom as a pony would be just as wonderful a person as your mom is as a human, but she shouldn't toss aside who she is as a human if there's no need to."
"People who need to would be like Ms. Jean?" Jessie asked.
Ms. Amanda bent down and looked her in the eyes. "Or like you were when you were a baby. Your parents thought you were going to die back then. Your mom said you getting changed was a miracle. You are a miracle, someone who was given a chance to live when there seemed no chance. You have so much potential to do great things with that brain of yours, and we all want to see you make the most of it."
Jessie smiled. "Thank you. This really helped."
"I'm glad I can help," Ms. Amanda said as she stood up. "Now, let's get back upstairs so Jordan can show off her book to you."
She followed after the teacher. She really did feel better after her night of self doubt. It didn't matter what the source of her intelligence was, it was how she used it. Phobia Remedy had already given her a path to using it to help everyone, and she knew that she was going to use her brain to help save the world.
Though thinking about her mom and Ms. Amanda she wondered if she might find time to someday teach as well, so others could help save the world too.
Jordan was eager and waiting for her when they got back up the stairs. "Jessie! Come look at my new book! It tells all about different types of ponies!"
Jessie hurried over to her friend. Jackie had taken up a spot on the floor next to Jordan and now had a crayon in her mouth drawing on some paper. Jordan had her new book open on the floor and was eagerly pointing at it.
"See!" Jordan said excitedly. "It tells all about what different types of ponies can do. It has pictures of unicorns casting all kind of cool spells!"
Jessie looked down at the book. "But you already know unicorns can cast all kinds of spells. Your dad is a unicorn like you."
Jordan nodded. "But this is my first book that really shows ponies more than anything else. Most my books don't even have ponies in them. I don't know why."
"They might be older books. That would explain why," Jessie said as she glanced over at the bookshelf.
The little purple unicorn gave her a confused look. "I don't get it."
Jessie's ear flicked. "Your older books are from when there were no ponies. So they wouldn't have ponies in them."
This seemed to just further confuse the kindergartener. "What do you mean there were no ponies?"
"Before six and a half years ago there were no ponies in the world," Jessie explained. "You didn't know this?"
Jordan looked at Jessie with abject confusion. "But you're six and a half and a pony, and Mommy and Daddy are way older than you---really old, like twenty or something--and they're ponies."
"They used to be human. I used to be human too," Jessie explained. "I think Jackie started off human as well."
"Nope. Always been a pony," Jackie objected as she sat and considered her drawing. Only seeming to be paying half attention.
"You were a human when you were in my tummy," Ms. Amanda corrected as she walked over and gave each of her daughters a kiss on the forehead. "Your father and I are leaving now. Be good for Mr. Paul."
"Yes, Mom," Jackie replied.
"Okay, Mommy," Jordan said with a half giggle. "Mommy is what Jessie saying true?"
"Yes it is," Ms. Amanda replied. "And I am perfectly happy as a pony and I think you and your sister are the cutest most special little fillies in the world that I would never trade for anything."
Mr. Tom came over and gave each of his daughters' a kiss and hug and the two adult ponies left out the roof to head to the monorail station. Jessie's dad took up position on a couch and pulled out his cell phone and started doing things on it; probably web surfing. Jessie still wished she could get a phone too.
She turned back to Jordan. "So, you believe me now?"
"If Mommy says so then it's right," Jordan said with a level of acceptance that surprised Jessie. How could someone just accept something that changed how they perceived the world so easily?
"I was in Mom's tummy?" Jackie asked in confusion. Some things were apparently easier for a foal to believe than others.
Tonya sat just off stage in the chapel of the Bastion. Today was the big day of the public showing, but that would not be for hours yet. Right now it was church hours. She was supposed to have sung today, but all plans for how today's service would go had been scrapped when news of the tragedy in Morocco had spread around the world. Today people needed a different type of reassurance.
Phobia now took the podium that Sunset would normally be preaching from right now. "In honor of Ghadab's wishes, and the wishes of all the victims I'm now going to speak about the victims of the Moroccan genocide. The dead no longer have secrets, and this is the testimony they were never able to give the world."
The chapel was packed to standing room only. Newscrews had cameras rolling to broadcast Phobia's words across the world, just as other such outlets were even now broadcasting similar eulogies elsewhere from Psychic Calm and Yinyu Wu Yan. There were far more night ponies in attendance than there normally would be, and they weren't the only ones expressing shock and dismay at what had happened. News stations had already been ordered to cease broadcasting images of what had happened because it was considered too disturbing and upsetting for the public.
It had been just thirty-eight ponies, far worse tragedies had happened in recent memory, but the images the perpetrators had given had been graphic. The first image she had personally seen had been of a foal no more than three years old. Public outrage was strong, and people wanted to know why nothing had been done to stop this from happening. Those in power must have known what was happening in Morocco even if the public didn't, why had they sat back and done nothing?
"First to speak of is Habiba. Habiba was Ghadab's lover," Phobia said in a choked sob. "She was a gentle unicorn with tan fur, yellow mane, and the brightest yellow eyes you'd have ever seen on a unicorn. Her cutie mark was a well, and she had a talent for finding water below the ground. She was foalless, but would spend many a day teaching young fillies how to knit and sing with her lovely voice."
Tonya hung her head and leaned into Sunset. There were so many names yet to go through, and Phobia had stories and descriptions for each. The hardest ones to listen to would be the foals, of which there were nearly a dozen. Like so many others the question she most wanted to know was why. That the Bedouins hated ponies and had been genocidal against them was well known. The why that needed answers was why had nothing been done to stop this.
"Sunset, tell me the truth. Did the government know what was going to happen?" She asked quietly. There were a small number of Shimmerist Congress members, just enough that they had to be negotiated with to be brought into voting coalitions when votes were tight. When parties needed those Shimmerists to agree to vote with them they often negotiated with Sunset directly. They knew where those representatives got their marching orders.
Sunset sat silent for a minute as Phobia paused to collect herself. While the Warden of Fear was blowing her nose she answered in a whisper. "We knew."
"--was the spiritual leader of the group. Though Youssef was the eldest at nearly seventy years old he kept up with the others when they needed to move quickly. Every night the old unicorn would recite verses from the Quran from memory and say inspirational words to encourage the group."
Tonya grit her teeth and tried to hold back a cry of anguish. "Why then? Why didn't they do anything?"
"It was a little over three dozen ponies, ponies that refused to leave their lands," Sunset said slowly. "The offer was made, more than once, to give them shelter elsewhere."
"That doesn't answer the question," Tonya growled. "Why didn't someone send an army or something in?"
"As I said, it was just over three dozen ponies, versus thousands of Bedouins. We'd have had to kill hundreds to keep those three dozen safe, sometimes you can only do so much to help someone who doesn’t want it," Sunset said in a tight voice.
"And the fact that Sha'am Maut would retire once Ghadab was dead had nothing to do with that decision making process?" Tonya demanded.
Sunset turned her head away, and said nothing.
Tonya stared down. As Phobia continued to recite names.
"Elyazi, he was a grey furred earth pony colt with a red mane and deep blue eyes. Even though he was only twelve he stood taller than many of the grown stallions and could lift more than any of them. His cutie mark was hard to make out because it was a grey stone against his grey fur, and you'd just think it some lines drawn until you looked closer. Despite his great strength he was an intelligent colt who loved chess."
"Did anyone at all try to stop this? Other than Ghadab?" Tonya asked her wife.
"--as Khansae. Though we might call them weeds, they were often all the food that the group could eat. Khansae put so much time and effort into growing them, and she never spoke an ill word to anyone."
Sunset licked her lips. "Each of the Dreamwardens, except Sha'am, begged for help from our government--and not only ours. Some representatives or senators would sometimes put forward a bill, but they never went anywhere. There was always an excuse why the bill couldn't go forward; excuses that sounded reasonable to the right ears."
"Did you try to push anything through?" Tonya asked quietly. Sunset wasn't in congress, but she had her sway over the Shimmerist representatives and had several senators of other parties she had some sway with. The president had actually offered Sunset the Housing and Urban Development seat in the cabinet as a peacemaking gesture to the Shimmerists. Sunset said she wasn't prepared to take the position at the time and suggested another Shimmerist in who had been accepted.
"I...I had to focus on fights I could win," Sunset said with shame.
"Afif, a yellow pegasus stallion with an orange mane, his cutie mark was an orange sun with a gust of wind. There was not much moisture in the air so he couldn't bring rain, but Afif would help bring gentle breezes that would not stir the sands in order to help cool the group. He was married to another pegasus named Tahra, and they had four foals; Rim, Olaya, M’hamed, and Ghali."
The phone on Sunset's leg started to buzz and she raised it up and gently tapped it. "Keep your voice down, we're in the middle of my daughter speaking. What is it that couldn't wait?"
"Sorry, mayor, but we've got a situation over where the US delegates are staying. Protestors have started throwing things at the hotel," the voice on the phone said quickly.
Sunset grunted. "I authorize them to be pushed back out of range of the hotel. Arrest anyone actually tossing anything, but don't incarcerate anyone who is non-violent. What's the word from the military?"
"It's going to be hard to sort out who's being violent and who's not," the voice said warily. "The general is asking permission to send more peacekeeping forces. The governor's office is differing the decision to you--for now."
"Allow it, have him contact me with the details after the service," Sunset replied. "Make my wishes clear that I want to avoid hurting or arresting anyone not guilty of violence if at all possible, but the leads on site are free to do what they feel they must if they see no alternatives."
"Understood, Madam Mayor," the voice answered before the phone cut off.
"Ghali...he was the youngest of the group, a pegasus with blue fur that matched the sky on a clear summer's day with a brown mane and tail streaked with gold--" Phobia's voice stopped with a choke. "He was only a year old...and the first to die. They...they kept Tahra awake long enough so she could watch them..." Phobia started sobbing again. "I'm sorry...I can't speak of it."
Tonya leaned closer into her wife for comfort. The unicorn sat down and pulled her into an embrace as they sat and cried on one another.
The names continued on for some time. Each was given a description, and occasionally a story about the pony would be given as well. Finally, there was only one name left to discuss.
"Ghadab, my brother Dreamwarden," Phobia said and took a deep breath. "Few of you know Ghadab as I know Ghadab. Ghadab is a pony concerned above all else with justice. He tried to convince the ponies there to flee to safer places, but they refused to leave the lands that they had lived in for generations uncounted. He had the option of leaving, he could have left and not suffered the same fate, but he stayed and did everything he could to keep them safe as long as he could."
The crowd was silent and Tonya and Sunset sat still as stone as they kept their eyes locked on Phobia.
Phobia continued after her brief pause. "Being a Dreamwarden you would think him powerful enough to stop this by himself. You might ask what are Bedouins to a cosmic being? Our power is in the dream realm though, and even there it is highly restricted. When trying to protect those ponies he was no greater than any of them, a simple night pony trying to do what is the core of the night pony tribe--protect others."
Phobia licked her lips. "He can be crude, exceedingly so, and insulting. Ghadab didn't spend time tempering his words. In his early days of being a Dreamwarden he made no effort to pressure dreamwalkers to say their oaths. He simply banished them from the dream realm if they refused--he saw no justice in trying to force ponies to do what they didn't want to do. He was an avid reader, and most of what he carried in his saddlebags were books, even though traveling light was what was preferable in his situation. Behind his harsh persona is a stallion that dreamed of heros righting wrongs and happy endings."
The Dreamwarden started to cry again. "My brother deserved a happy ending, all those ponies deserved a happy ending. The Bedouins knew who and what he was. They made sure the whole tribe was knocked unconscious when they started slaughtering them in full. They wanted him to see each and every one of their lights be extinguished, and they saved him for last. It was a final cruelty and insult; having him know he outlived all those he loved and dedicated his life protecting."
A few night ponies yelled out, enraged at what had happened, and others joined them. Tonya wanted to as well, but she was too busy holding back tears.
The Warden of Fear stared out at the cameras that were still rolling with a harsh gaze. She seemed to be debating with herself whether to say something else. Her muscles tightened and her wings went rigid.
"To anyone, anywhere, who sees what happened to these ponies as a means to an end for disposing of the Warden of Death let me say this; Sha'am will honor her agreements, but I hope you're happy. Sha'am Maut believes that the world is a cruel and harsh place, that justice is but a fairy tale. With your inaction in order to remove her you have tried to prove her right. I hope that others will see what has happened and work to show that isn't so."
And with that the Warden of Fear turned and exited the stage.
The VIP section of the chapel was stilled filled with ponies after Phobia had finished her speech and Sunset had come forward, read a few Bible verses and then dismissed the crowd. There was no reason for anyone in this section to leave the building. In a few short hours the demonstration of the temporary transformation spell would be taking place and more than half the ponies here were Equestrians come to see that demonstration. The Equestrians were gathered in small groups away from her and her family, apparently believing that the crying foals needed some privacy.
Wild had her nephew wrapped tightly around one of her legs. Alfie was seeking comfort after listening to his mother speak. It had been a horrible thing for foals to have to hear, but her sister and sister-in-law insisted that the demons would hear what happened to Ghadab. They were night ponies, and the foals of the Dreamwarden, as such they were expected to get a harsh education about what it meant to be a night pony. Other night pony parents in the audience had brought their own foals, citing again that night ponies should learn about injustice and learn to hate it.
The twins were each wrapped in a wing from Rosetta. Rosetta held them tightly as all three cried. Looking at the trio Wild sat down and pulled Alfie into an embrace as well. The little colt buried his face in her fur and she didn't mind that he was getting it wet with snot and tears. She'd cried last night, again earlier this morning, and yet again as Phobia described the fact that Ghadab was made to watch the lights of those lives extinguish. The memory of her dream last night only becoming all the more sorrowful as what she had witnessed was confirmed.
"I wish I could have seen this gentle side of you under happier circumstances.," Rarity said from nearby. "You displayed an impressive show of power yesterday, but this side of you is more in line with your image back home."
Wild looked over at the Equestrian unicorn, as she approached. Rarity was wearing a simple purple dress without much flare to it and looking at Alfie with sympathy. "I don't really agree with them having been here, but I'm just their aunt. Night ponies have a culture all their own."
"Yes," Rarity said slowly as she sat down next to Wild. "They do back home as well. Though I don’t believe it is as harsh as this one."
"Most things on Equestria are less harsh from what I understand," Wild replied. "All that anyone here can do is hope to try to make things better. I like to think everyone wants to make the world a better place. I like to believe in the good in people. Days like today hurt not just because of the tragedy, but because that belief gets challenged."
Rarity's ears fell. "That it seems less harsh doesn't mean that bad things don't happen. We Equestrians like to focus on the uplifting stories of groups of heroes like my friends, who go out and vanquish the miscreants, save the day, and all is well once again. But it's a nice fiction. We have saved the day many times but tragedy still happens, even to those closest to us."
Wild didn't have much of a response to give to this. Instead she used a hoof to gently brush Alfie's mane.
"If it isn't too bold to ask, why is he cuddling you instead of his mother?" Rarity asked.
"When Alfie gets upset or scared he needs one on one care," Rosetta answered as she continued to cuddle the twins. "These two don't mind sharing when they need to cuddle, but he gets a bit more personally needy. When Phobia gets up here he'll probably attach to her."
Rarity took on an embarrassed look as she turned to Rosetta. "Apologies. I hadn't meant to be rude by asking your sister instead of you. I know who you are, but I don't believe we've ever been properly introduced. I'm Rarity."
"Rosetta Stone-Remedy," Wild's sister replied. "Phobia has told me a little about you and your friends' adventures. You're a very accomplished hero. She holds the Elements of Harmony in high regard."
Rarity beamed. "And I hold the Dreamwardens in high regard as well." She paused as if reconsidering her reply. "They may be a bit rough around the edges, but with the lone exception of Sha'am Maut they seem very upstanding in their intents. I admit to being quite flattered that your wife looks to me for style inspiration. If the situation was better I would be trying to speak with her about fashion right now. "
Wild raised an eyebrow. "You know Phobia personally?"
The unicorn smiled and nodded. "Of course, darling. Luna introduced the Elements of Harmony to all the Dreamwardens. I admit they were difficult to get used to, but as I said once you get past the surface most of them are quite agreeable ponies to know."
Wild nodded. She'd never really gotten to know them all well, but she knew Phobia well and her experience last night with Ghadab had taught her that he was a stallion with a heart of gold. Yinyu she'd never heard a night pony speak ill of, even if they joked about her sexual appetites. She knew less of Psychic Calm and Krik, but she never heard anything negative said about either. It was just Sha'am Maut that stood out as the bad egg, and last night even she had shown a tiny amount of tenderness. Sha'am wouldn't be around much longer anyway.
Alfie stirred as his ears swiveled to the sound of approaching footsteps. He looked up from her fur and cried out as he started to pull from her. "Mommy!"
She released the colt and watched as he dashed towards Phobia and was caught up in a hug from her. He then planting himself with his face buried deep in Phobia's fur just as he had just been a moment ago with Wild. Phobia wrapped a protective wing around the colt as he did so.
Rosetta guided the twins with her as she walked over to her wife, Wild and Rarity followed after her. The night pony couple kissed and necked each other before Rosetta took up a spot sitting next to her wife. The twins stirred from Rosetta and went to embrace their other mother which resulted in Alfie quickly migrating from Phobia to Rosetta.
"Oh my, your mascara is in a dreadful state. Allow me," Rarity said as she produced a handkerchief from somewhere within her dress and levitated it over to Phobia to start wiping the Dreamwarden's eyes. Phobia put up no objections to Rarity's concerns about makeup and allowed her eyes to be wiped.
"That was a very touching service, but your closing is going to ruffle some feathers," Wild said.
"It was something that needed to be said," Phobia said with a sigh as Rarity withdrew the cloth from her eyes. "We cannot cower in fear and not call out those who've done wrong."
"Are you sure it's the case?" Wild asked.
Phobia growled. "There were enough who wanted Sha'am gone at any cost that something might have been done if not for them. There were other challenges to getting those ponies help, but people being reluctant to do anything that might delay Sha'am retiring exacerbated those problems."
"It is simply dreadful, the lengths that some will go to accomplish a goal," Rarity said with a sniff. "You were right to speak out about it."
Wild raised an eyebrow at Rarity. "You really have no problems with the princess of nightmares?"
"Queen of nightmares," Phobia corrected.
Rarity gave Phobia a gentle smile. "I confess, meeting her I was uncomfortably reminded of Sombra--between her focus on fear and the striking similarity between her dream form and Sombra's dark cloud. It took some time for me to see it, but abilities don't make the pony. Phobia has shown she is not Sombra or evil in any way, and I trust her good intentions."
"I almost took the name Nightmare Moon. I wonder how that would have gone over with Equestrians," Phobia said with a half chuckle.
"Not well, not well at all," Rarity said in deadpan.
"What's wrong with my mommy naming herself Nightmare Moon?" Alfie suddenly spoke up and asked.
Rarity looked taken aback. "Dearie, that was the name Luna took when she went through...her unhappy phase and caused a great many nightmares."
"So?" Alfie asked in confusion.
Rarity laid her ears flat. "So? That means it would be inappropriate for a good pony to have that name."
"My mommy might have had that name, and she's a good pony," Alfie reasoned aloud.
"That is true...," Rarity said slowly. "But ponies often have a hard time separating being bad from that name."
"If Mommy wanted to be named Nightmare Moon it is a good name, because it would be her name," Alfie said as his voice got louder in defense of his birth mother.
Wild leaned over to whisper to Rarity. "Night pony, even as foals they get kind of protective. He thinks you're bad mouthing his mother."
Rarity gave the indignant night pony colt an apologetic smile. "I mean no disrespect for your mother. I just wouldn't want ponies to get the wrong idea about her because of an unfortunate name coincidence."
Alfie apparently wasn't satisfied with that answer. "Maybe I should name myself Nightmare Moon for my pony name."
Rarity's eyes went wide again. "May I ask why?"
Alfie seemed to have to consider how to put his reasoning into words. Wild could see him struggling to think it through. "Because if the name is treated like it is bad then someone good should have the name so it can be a good name. If Mommy thought it was a good name then it should be treated as good."
"I think naming yourself that might be a bit hasty," Rarity said carefully.
Rosetta wrapped a wing around the colt. "You can decide that once you get your cutie mark." She looked down at him. "Understand? No pony name for you until I see a mark on your flank."
The colt looked over to Phobia for hope of having this overruled. Phobia gave him an eyebrow. "I concur. Once you get your cutie mark you can name yourself whatever you wish, and you'll have my support, but I want you to be mature enough to make that kind of decision first."
"Have you considered Luna’s reaction?" Rarity asked incredulously.
"Actually, I can't wait to see it when I tell her my son is considering Nightmare Moon as a name," Phobia said with a smile.
Wild gave the Dreamwarden a sideways look. "You do have a sense of humor after all. It's just completely screwed up."
"Phobia finds humor in awkward and uncomfortable situations, as well as in irony," Rosetta stated plainly.
Wild was impressed. In the course of two days she'd seen Phobia get angry, cry, and have a passing grin at humor. She never disliked Phobia, but she wished she could see more of the emotions hidden away underneath.
She needed to get everyone focused on what was to come though. "The protestors are getting much worse today. The delegates from our government are hesitant about even stepping outside their hotel at the moment. We'll get them here, but they might not arrive until close to time."
Phobia nodded. "There's a lot of anger out there about what happened. On the bright side it is getting various groups that would normally be yelling at each other to find common ground. On the less positive side that's a lot more people venting their anger together."
"No one can blame them," Wild said sadly.
"I just hope it doesn't get too bad," Rosetta said with concern. Then she cuddled Alfie closer to her. "I also can't help worrying that if people looked the other way so Ghadab would die that they might look the other way again so that..." She let of a little choking sound.
"That won't happen," Wild said firmly.
Rosetta looked at her. "You'll understand how I feel after your foal is born and some wacko decides they're going to go after them because you're too powerful for them to hurt directly." Phobia nodded in sad agreement with her wife.
"I know it's rude to ask under the circumstances, but as a delegate representing Equestria I have to," Rarity cut in. "How far along in your selection process are you in finding Sha'am Maut's replacement?"
Phobia sighed. "We have candidates. We've been monitoring people since the agreement was first made that Sha'am would be stepping down after another warden died. None of them know they are possible candidates as of right now. We want whoever steps in to be a kinder and gentler Dreamwarden than Sha'am. Someone who can help inspire hope and unity. Even once we have narrowed it down to just a few it may still be a challenge to convince anyone of them to actually accept the position."
"Um, if I'm on the list please cross me off," Wild said hesitantly. She had enough responsibility and power without having the mantle of Dreamwarden added to it.
Phobia gave her a nod. "As you wish."
"Wait! I was on the list?" She all but yelled. "I was only partially being serious."
Phobia nodded again. "You were indeed on the list of possibilities. I will remove you from consideration though."
"Seriously, was I even on the list? I can't even dreamwalk," she said in continued shock.
The Dreamwarden chuckled. "There is no need that a candidate be able to dreamwalk to be considered. The ability comes more or less with the job. You are a good pony that works to help everyone, often with no consideration for yourself. That gave you consideration. Don't worry, you weren't on the verge of us asking you to become a Dreamwarden. You were but one of hundreds of candidates, and as I said they have to actually accept the offer to become Dreamwarden."
"I'm guessing you are heavily considering a human if you're wanting someone unifying," Wild said as her shock wore down.
Phobia sighed. "Most of the humans with powerful magic that work to bring unity between humans and ponies are indeed under consideration."
"Jenny?" Rarity asked tentatively.
"Among others," Phobia said with a nod. "I doubt Ms. Tanner would accept the offer to tell the truth. I'm not even sure if she would be a wise choice considering her other influences that we don't fully understand."
"Jennifer Tanner, is she the lady who can make illusion based stories?" Wild asked as she tried to recall the name.
"That is her, though there's more to her stories than a good imagination," Phobia replied. "Again, she's under consideration, but unlikely due to a number of factors."
"And you can't tell us who the likely final candidates will be at this point?" Rarity asked.
The Dreamwarden just silently shook her head. "No, but Sha’am will have no input in it. Please, I would prefer to spend this time grieving for Ghadab and his tribe than to discuss what very well may be the reason they died."
Wild gave a minor sigh of relief that Sha'am wasn't going to be involved in the selection process. Some might call it negligence, but in Sha'am's case it was more a clean break from her. Everyone would be suspicious of anyone that the Warden of Death had input on the selection process of.
"I also have another reason for being here," Rarity continued. "Originally it was going to be one of the nobles, but Twilight changed it to me when she got word from you about a certain little filly. It was quite the chore to get ready to lead this delegation on such short notice, but I am eager to meet this bright young filly if what you say about her is true."
Wild raised an eyebrow at that. "Are you talking about Jessie? I know she's bright and special, but I don't understand why that constitutes making sure an Element of Harmony meets her. And no offense to you, but aside from maybe Rainbow Dash you're the last Element I would pick for meeting a foal."
Rarity gave a sniff then her ears sagged briefly. "I’ll have you know that I all but raised my little sister from when she wasn't much older than Jessie, and Sweetie Belle has grown into a fine young mare. And everypony else who would normally be asked was actually busy. But that doesn’t mean I don’t understand how to deal with foals."
"Still doesn't explain why she's such a big deal," Wild replied. Jessie was a really smart filly, smarter than just about anyone else, but that didn't constitute meeting foreign delegates at six years old.
"Jessie has some very important theories and equations she has been working on. Important enough that they might help save the world," Phobia said, then dropped her voice to a whisper. "If they are right then that means the Devourers are going to be here much sooner than expected, and that's something the world must know if we don't want to be caught unprepared."
Wild's eyes went wide. "A six year old figured this out? She's bright, but her figuring out something that I'm sure there were plenty of experienced scientists already working on seems kind of far fetched."
"She didn't figure it all out on her own, and if anyone but a Dreamwarden looked at her data they wouldn't know what was indicated," Phobia answered. "From what I can tell from her notes she got her hooves on several recent studies by others in other fields and decided to build on them and apply them to astrophysics and astronomy. Someone else inevitably would have done the same thing soon, but their work might not have passed before a Dreamwardens' eyes to put the missing pieces in until too late. This was a fortuitous circumstance, and one that might save the world. One of the most dangerous things about the Devourers is how most civilizations get caught completely unprepared for their arrival."
"And as such, a bright young filly that is already contributing so much to what might save both our worlds becomes a pony everypony should know," Rarity said with a smile. "In Equestria doing things like this are rarely a one time thing. I'm sure this won't be the her only contribution to the fight against those horrid Devourers. We should be expecting great things in Jessie's future."
Wild couldn't disagree with that. Who was she to say that a filly couldn't help save the world when she herself accomplished feats beyond belief. The world had changed in the last few years. The world was changing yet again now. Humans that never thought much of ponies showing outrage and anger at the treatment and slaughter of ponies, the Dreamwarden roster was shifting, and fillies were helping fight off cosmic horrors. Later today it would change some more, as the lines between pony and human blurred further.