//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven // Story: Tales from the Conversion Bureau: The Last Bastion // by Sachiel //------------------------------// Second Imperial Palace, Petropolis, Second Empire of Brazil After that, there was nothing more to say, to do, the Ponies quickly left, worried what would happen after the truth came out, what the humans might do Pedro made an address, every TV station, every radio frequency, every digital device in Brazil broadcast the final speech an Emperor would make to his people. True to his word he told them everything, what had happened, what was going to happen, the bureaus were open, they could go as newfoals or they could stay as humans. The end was coming, their stories were coming to an end, it was up to each person in the Empire of Brazil to decide how the final pages of their tale would be written. Then he retired to the palace to spend the last days of mankind with his family He was surprised at how calm everything was, some sporadic riots that petered out by the following evening, calm was settling across the Empire. Some went to the Bureaus, the rest stayed, order didn't break down, police, army, doctors, all volunteered to come in if they could, if they were needed. By and large they weren't and went home, content they'd done their duty to the end Sitting on the balcony outside the imperial bedchamber Pedro wondered why, maybe it was stoic acceptance of the end, maybe hope that somehow, some way it could be stopped, maybe they just didn't want to give into anarchy and go out on a high note. Maybe it was a mix of all of that He felt a warm hand on his shoulder “Pedro, come to bed” his wife, Clara of Orleans “Do you think I did the right thing telling them?” the both looked out, Petropolis was quiet and sleepy, it seemed like any other night in the imperial capital “You gave them the choice Celestia never did, the truth she never told them, they seem to be doing okay so far” he put his hand on her own and gave it a squeeze “What did I ever do to deserve you? Luis?” he gestured to the capital “all this?” “Because you still ask me if you did the right thing” They spent the following hours talking, reminiscing on everything they'd known and done, hours later they retired to bed, finally, somehow, he drifted off to sleep He knew he was dreaming because there wasn't usually a tear in the fabric of reality in the middle of the throne room. He made his way to the throne and sat down, even in his dreams he wasn't free from greeting visiting royals Slowly she emerged from the portal “Princess Luna, welcome” the dark blue princess bowed her forelegs, more than the brief dip Celestia did, this was one of real respect “Your imperial majesty” “You really don't need to do that, since I'm in your realm I should be bowing to you I suppose” she held up a hoof “We are quite sick of dealing with formalities when we are in the waking world, may we drop them?” “Agreed” they both breathed a sigh of relief “So why are you here Princess?” she looked at the ground “I...I know what she did” “I thought you might” “And...I wanted to come and say I'm sorry” “For what?” Luna looked shocked “Twilight told me everything, I know you had nothing to do with it” “If I had known...” “Celestia made sure you didn't until Twilight made her move so don't go down that road, don't torment yourself with it” she'd come to comfort him, now it was the other way around “I also...I hoped I might convince you to go to the Bureaus, there's still time” “Can you guarantee my family won't become newfoals, that we won't have our minds messed with?” “I could try a few spells, maybe if I...” he cut her off “So that's a no” she sighed “I had hoped to convince you” “Why?” her eyes glowed white and specs of white flew from her mane, expanding into white orbs, each showing a dream that a certain purple alicorn had had “I know how much she loved your family, I wanted to do it for her so something she loved would survive” “If you knew her as well as I did you know why I can't accept that, why we can't” He expected her to resume begging, pleading, instead Luna smiled sadly “You humans...I can see why she chose to fight for you after getting to know you” Pedro smiled, remembering the old mare one final time “She always said friendship was magic” the dreamscape began to tremble, Lunas eyes went wide and she bowed her head “Farewell Your Majesty, I swear I shall watch over those of your line that endure, for her and for you” He sat up in bed, he didn't need her to tell him what that was about It was coming It was time Asteroid o'clock He and Clara rushed to the balcony, he heard the door to their bedroom fling open and Luis joined them. He could hear it, he could feel the palace begin to shake, it was coming “This is it” he pulled his wife and son into an embrace “I love you Pedro” the horizon erupted into a burst of white light with a pallid green tinge “Me too dad, mom, I've proud to be your son” “I love you both, I love you both so much” he held them tight as the barrier washed over Petropolis and the last of the Empire And, finally, the Earth was gone