Canterlot Castle, the Year of First Contact (YFC)
Twilight trotted into the throne room, kneeling on reflex, she knew she didn't need to do it, she was one Princess greeting another but despite being raised to Alicornhood Celestia was still her former mentor and Twilight was still her former student, not bowing or kneeling just didn't feel right
“I came as fast as I could Princess” her old teacher rose and descended the steps leading up to her throne
“And I appreciate it Twilight” she paused by her “walk with me”
Together the two headed out the far doors
“How was your first visit to Earth?”
“It was amazing, everyone at the UN was so welcoming, the Secretary-General and his husband were very friendly, they seem nice” she looked up at the older Alicorn “don't you think so?”
Twilight saw Celestia do something she’d never seen her do, she hesitated. From the very first time she saw her raise the sun as a little filly the one thing that always struck Twilight was how completely unflappable Celestia was, she always had an answer for everything. She was always patient, she was always calm, she always had a plan and she always knew what to do. Her dad said she had the best poker face in Equestria. Even when Chrysalis, Tirek and Discord appeared she’d been shaken but she had a plan, she never let on that she was at a loss. Now she didn’t seem to know what to say and that worried her far more than it probably should
“Tell me Twilight, did you ever read the legends about humans when you were a filly?”
Twilight realized what she was getting at, the myths of the hu-mans were old, very old, they predated the Royal Sisters, the Three Tribes, even Dusty and Grogar. They spoke of hu-mans hunting ponies, of enslaving ponies and working them, sometimes to death, to build things and farm the lands, in some parts of Equestria they were still used as bogeymen to keep little foals in line
“Yes but those were stories, myths”
“All legends have to start somewhere “ she replied quietly
“Princess...” Celestia quickly turned to smile warmly at Twilight
“I'm not saying I believe them, I went there too, the humans I met were very nice but as Princess I need to consider everything, we need to know more about the humans” she looked down at her former student “Twilight, there is no pony whose opinion I trust more than yours, I sent you to Ponyville once, now I'm asking you, will you go to Earth and meet the humans, as many as you can, study them, learn everything you can about them so I can put my fears to rest?”
“Of course Princess” the Sun goddess smiled
“That's my Faithful Student, I'm proud of you Twilight”
The Imperial Gardens, Second Imperial Palace, Petropolis, Second Empire of Brazil, Present Day
Luis, Prince Imperial of Brazil stood at attention outside the Palace, flanked by Joao Rocha and another Archer Guard, the rest of the welcoming party and the press. He'd made sure he looked perfect, his brown hair neatly combed, he was dressed in the formal uniform of the heir to the Empire, with a sash across his chest, a present from his tia to her Number One Assistant. Only his deep blue, almost purple eyes portrayed any hint of nerves
Celestia wasn't coming alone, she'd bring her bodyguards, her retinue, her court, no royal travelled without an appropriate entourage even one with power over the sun. Pedro had prepared, the grounds were set up to host them, a reception to keep them busy while the Emperor and the Princess discussed whatever she'd come to discuss
As far as the history books said Twlight's defection was for unknown reasons, one day she'd appeared at the UN with her friends and requested Brazilian citizenship, the world called it the Schism of Harmony. The Elements spread out, taking in as much of the world as they could and finally settling down across it, followed by some of their other friends in Equestria. No-one knew why they'd left, no-one living but him and the imperial family, the keepers of her final secret once they reached the right age to learn it
He knew why his cousin had left though, his father had told him,said he needed to know, needed to understand why those sorts of decisions had to be made when you ruled. Personally he thought his dad was more interested in having someone to justify it to than anything else. He got why, he understood, that didn't mean he had to like it
“She made her choice, we made ours” he muttered under his breath, noticing the gates swinging open, the delegation had arrived. Celestia at the front, flanked by her Royal Guards, no sign of Luna or Cadence, it was just her. Good.
The anthem of the Empire played out as he stood ready to receive them, statesmanship 101, everything was a show of power, especially to a hostile realm. Pedro wasn't meeting the Sun Princess outside, he was letting his son and heir do it, greeting a Princess with a Prince, not an Emperor. Also showed continuity, that Luis would one day become a leader, an Emperor, showing the future as well as the present of the Empire. Even if everyone there knew there would be no empire soon, no more emperors, no future, Luis was a Prince and a Prince he would likely end his existence as
Still, the game had to be played and neither Pedro or Luis were going to let her claw another victory from them and what was left of humanity
The white alicorn stopped in front of him and the Archer Guards, she bowed politely, showing the respect due to a foreign royal
“Prince Luis” he bowed, making sure to try and match how low she'd dipped, treating her as an equal, the journalists snapped picture after picture
“Princess Celestia, welcome to the Empire of Brazil, I trust you had a safe trip?”
“Quite safe, thank you” he turned to match her speed, walking her in, as was only fitting, their respective guards fell in behind them
“how is my Most Faithful Student?” that was a low blow, he wouldn't rise to it, for tia
“She died a year ago”
“Oh” she didn't lose her pace but the flawless visage faltered for a moment, something crossed her face, shock? Grief maybe? Relief that she wouldn't have to face her? Could have been anything, royals had to learn to mask their feelings from their subjects, he'd been doing it for all his eighteen years, his dad had been doing it for forty, she'd been doing it for more than a thousand
“I'm sorry for your loss” maybe on some level she was, he stopped by the door
“My father awaits Princess”
“Thank you Prince Luis, I'll leave my party out here with you if you don't mind”
“Quite alright Princess” she paused at the door, her back to him
“I'll also be leaving you with my new student” with that she trotted inside and the heavy doors slammed shut, all things considered a successful reception, they'd done well
Luis turned to see a unicorn standing in front of him, sporting a pale blue mane, straight black hair and deep blue eyes, her cutie mark was an astrolabe with a sun to its upper right
“A pleasure to meet you miss...?” the unicorn cocked her head to the side
“Come on Lou, you can't recognize me?” only one person had ever called him that, he thought those eyes looked familiar
“Isabella?”
“I go by Dawn Splendour now”
“Okay...Dawn, how's it been in Equestria?”
“Oh it's great, I'm one of the Newfoal nobility, you're talking to the first Countess Campolina”
“You're not a Princess?” she laughed
“Oh no, gave that title up after I left the Bureau, only three of them over there, you've gotta earn that and I didn't” she said cheerily, Luis looked at her ears, her unpierced ears
“Where's your earring?”
“What earring?” she tilted her head “you mean the old emerald one?”
“Yes, like the one you gave to my dad and said you'd wear to remember where you came from” she looked confused, then shocked, then her head twitched to the side and her smile was back
“Oh, that, not sure, I might have given it to my fiancée as part of my dowry”
“Your fiancee?” this coming from the girl who'd swore she'd never marry
“Yeah, the Princess is integrating us into the old families, you gotta do what you can to to fit in, it's the least we can do for them giving us a place to live, they've been so good to us. Maybe you've heard of him, Prince Blueblood?”
“I...” for a split second he froze, then regained his composure “I haven't, you want to tell me about him? I'd like to get to know my future cousin-in-law” he offered her his arm, she took it
“We were introduced by Celestia after I became her personal student, we were in her private chambers when he walked in, first thing he said was...” he led her to the other guests milling around in the gardens, trying to shake the cold, dead weight he now felt forming in his stomach and the chill that ran up his spine