//------------------------------// // Interlude: Kept in translation // Story: The Unknown Daughter's Reunion:Part 3 // by Disembodied_Pony //------------------------------// Knocking at the empress's office, the door opened automatically. Inside, the empress was laying on a sofa, an opened book propped against a pillow. Looking up at the princess, Moon greeted her mother; "Good afternoon Princess, please do come in." Walking into the sizable room, the princess looked around to see that it had a more antiquated feel to it. It was filled with things more akin to Equus, rather than what the space faring ponies usually used. Yet it was strange in places, as odd devices adorned the far wall, and unfamiliar things lined some shelves. As the princess approached the other alicorn, her eyes were drawn to the book she was apparently reading. Sitting down on the couch opposite the empress, Luna inquired of the book. "From time to time, I desire to let my mind wander far from matters of the empire. This is one such tale I look to for such a distraction" Moon replied. "I see. May I have a look at it?" Luna asked. "Of course, though I doubt its words will reveal much to you. For it is in an ancient and dead tongue" Moon said as she levitated the book to the princess. Indeed, as the princess looked over a few of the pages; no meaning could she gather from them. Returning the book to the empress, she sighed in disappointment. "A pity. Reading printed tomes are a thing that I most miss from Equestria... What is it about?" Luna lamented. "Great deeds and misdeeds; valor, treachery, creation of a universe, rule, strife, and shaping of the world" the empress told her. "How does that free your mind from matters at hoof? Sounds much as a reminder?" Luna asked. "Ah, this universe is not our own; Filled with different creatures, ruling powers, and deities. It is familiar, yet equally not so. In fact, it was penned by foreign creatures while our banishment was held" Moon went into detail. "So different it is, that I find it a welcome reprieve. It also provides me with a perspective beyond my little empire of ponies." "How so?" Luna's curiosity was rising. "Shall I illustrate by reading a chapter?" the empress asked the princess. Having been given a slight nod, the dark alicorn opened the book and flipped a few pages into it. Clearing her throat, the dark alicorn spoke in a dialect Luna did not expect that she could make. Though she was speaking in Equish, her voice was as if she were a stranger from an unknown land; "Ђэґэ ωлs Ærų, Ђэ Onэ, ωћδѫ iῃ Δґdл ιs ςάĺĺэd ĺĺuvлtл..." As the empress read aloud the words on the pages, the princess closed her eyes and let her mind paint the words into a form she could comprehend. There; a universe without stars, moon, nor sun took form; A place of only abstract powers and existences, with a yet to be told purpose, propelling it forward. And before she knew it, the short chapter had come to its conclusion. "...λлbιtлtιon of Ђэ foлls of ĺĺuvлtлґ, эstлbĺιshэd άt Ђэ ĺлst ιn Ђэ Dэpths of Tiѫэ, лѫιdsŧ Ђэ iῃῃuѫэґάblэ stάґs." Having read the last words on the page; the empress was silent, looking to the lunar princess. Opening her eyes, Luna beckoned her to continue; "Go on. There appears to be much more to the tome, yes?" Smiling, Moon turned to the next page. While reading a passage in the tome, of the pardon of an entity of great envy and vengeance; the older sister of the two diarchs knocked on the door. "Enter" Moon called. Opening the door, Celestia walked into the room, where the empress offered her a place to sit. Placing herself onto the couch next to her sister, she inquired to what the dark alicorn was reading from. "This? Tis a tale of everything which this universe is not. An antiquity of the past, which I still find joy in recollecting" "A fiction?" Celestia asked. Nodding, Moon said; "One well rounded. It begins before the sun, moon, and stars existed. And spans millennia" "In such a small book?" Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Indeed, though this is the overview of the beginning. Others, detail some events which followed in later times" Moon expanded a tad. "How far in are you along?" Celestia asked Luna. "Mmm, the world has been made, and a creature much, much worse than Discord is about to be released from imprisonment" "Sounds dreadful. Similar to Grogar?" Celestia asked her sister. "Worse, much worse. The treachery of this one, outshines Grogar's ambitions in many ways" The dark alicorn interjected. Seeing the raised eyebrows of both of the sisters looks, led her to indulge them a little spoiler; "Though this story does not detail the methods nor machinations, this villain did far worse than merely destroy... Imagine King Sombra, and Grogar combined, along with the power to shape the very stone of mountains with its will?" A few moments of silence later, Celestia asked; "And you are reading such a tale.... for enjoyment?" Smiling, Moon replied with a smile; "Yes. Such dark tales... grant me perspective. Such as; When I came to Equestria, only to find it in such a state..." Taking a breath, the alicorn looked down as the smile left her muzzle. "I could have routed every guardspony wearing a uniform. Perhaps even, anypony that I deemed responsible for my displeasure in that moment" Looking back up the the two of them, she continued; "My flagship... Had the power to vaporize the entirety of Canterlot Mountain" The princesses eyes growing large at the proclamation, the dark alicorn responded; "My hooves were stayed by the knowledge that; no matter how dire I found the circumstances to be, they could have been much worse than I had found them. Tales written, such as these... work to keep that realization alive" Relaxing a little, the alabaster alicorn shook her head and spoke with exasperation; "What sort of creature would write tales... so dark..?" Exhaling a chuckle, the Moon replied; "Creatures, both dark enough to collude in such dark endeavors, yet also ready to give their lives to stop the very same when they found it. They were... interesting" "Were?" Celestia asked. Nodding solemnly, Moon spoke softly; "were..." "Why, were?" Celestia pressed the alicorn. "Both... endeavors had happened amongst themselves. Leaving me to be the only holder of remembrance" Predicting their next question, one she had been asked many times by her ponies as well as herself, she told them; "I.. had no right nor quarter to rule them against their wills, as such was the requirement to... avert my intervention" "I could only save some token of their achievements, and flee the aftermath. Using one of Sombra's last known tricks" Looking up towards the ceiling, she gestured aloft and told them; "This city, which they built for me without knowledge of what I was, or what was to come... I brought ahead, a centuries time. Far beyond the ruin of the old world. A place for ponies to live, love, and carry onward" Looking down at the opened book at her side, she said softly; "Though, not forgotten; are many of the things which they taught me, in that short time" Looking back up to the princesses, Moon expressed a soft smile; "We both have missed much. Experiences, that have led us to where we are now? I expect that you have more which you wish to know?" After a few moments, Celestia asked; "There was a reason I came calling..." "Please, do continue" Moon urged. "What does... stoned mean?" Celestia asked. After a moment, Moon replied; "I.. do not understand what you mean. To throw rocks, perhaps? Petrify?" Shaking her head, Celestia elaborated; "That doesn't fit. How could rocks compare to drinking beverages?" Even more lost now, Moon asked her to provide more context. "I viewed the Three Hundred celebration, where one of the performances was titled Stoned...?" Celestia added. After talking a couple moments to put the pieces together, Moons eyes lit up in realization, and then she laughed loudly in her seat. "Ah! That stoned! The answer to that, is more involved than one would expect, for it is particular to a condition of the ancients." Getting even more confused, Celestia pressed the alicorn; "Why would your ponies be performing a composition related to the ancient ones? How would they know of, it?" "My unintentional doing I am afraid. Though Blooming Velvet's voice was perfect for the piece, and Wild Swing's drum work at that performance... is unsurpassed to this day. Though I am likely, biased" Moon laughed to herself. "For you see, my little ponies conspired...." The empress told her of the surprise that her ponies put forth many centuries ago. Half way through the story, the other two princesses; Cadance and Twilight, came in a joined the rest. Stifling a chuckle, Celestia commented; "Ponies can be wonderfully surprising, can't they? But that doesn't explained stoned at all" "That is very hard to comprehend, and even harder to explain.." Thinking for a few long moments, the empress told them; "What is easier to explain, is the effects it had, and the means to do so. Put simply, to be 'stoned' is the imbibing of substances, to the point of impairment in the senses and thoughts" "As in potions? Why would somepony partake to such an extent?" Luna asked in turn. "I cannot say with much certainty. However, I suspected it had something to do with escaping... circumstances. Ones, which some found insurmountable, I suppose? Though, these were not potions as we know them. Their effects were entirely perceptual, not substantive" "If it's only perceptual... why, do it? To what end?" Twilight thought it through. "The ends...." the empress said solemnly. "The ends, were sometimes... tragic. Such was the case of, how I became the benefactors only heir" Raising a few eyebrows, the other alicorns waited for her to continue. "I presume that the Tale of the Clandestine Terminus is in order. It is not a pleasant one, and my ponies know not of it. To my ponies, I inferred that it was a common malady, though that was not the complete story... Let us keep it that way, yes?" The empress spoke as she closed the door to her office, and erected a barrier that made the other alicorns horns tingle. "Enough. I don't need to hear any more." Celestia interrupted the recounting. "Is it true, Moon?" Turning to face the lunar princess which asked the question, the empress spoke; "As far as I could read the benefactors emotions, as well as the aversion of specific descriptors at the time... I did not fully trust that I was given the entire tale" Gazing downward, the dark alicorn added; "Unsure of the validity of the events as they were relayed to me, I later seized the opportunity to look into the matter. And so, when the events played out once more, I.. saw for myself, in pony, and in stealth" Looking back up to the lunar princess once more, Moon answered; "Yes, tis true. The details, I spared as much as I could, yet? The world then, was filled with heroes and villains in great quantities. Some were both, and others were neither. Circumstances would conspire to make one the former at first, then the latter. Or the opposite in order. Countless chain reactions and opposing suppressions to them all... In turn, I asked myself which was true of my Benefactor? Certainly he was filled with regrets, and he then gambled what little he had remaining onto me, to unknown ends... I still do not know if he was a conscientious spirit, or merely foolish?" "I guess the word stoned is fitting in a way then. Though it's... I'm saddened by the similarities" Celestia said, having come to a consensus in her thoughts. "But, then, why did that melody appeal to you? After receiving such an...answer to your search for the facts?" Celestia pressed the empress. Looking upward a little, the dark alicorn asked; "You recall the final words? Take me home?" In response to the uncomprehending looks, the empress closed her eyes. "When I heard it early on, it appealed to my desire to simply go home. I occasionally entertained the fantasy of wandering away from.. all that surrounded me. The madness, the burden? Additionally, it paralleled my relations with them, in how it was fraught with friction" "What kind of relations? Cadance asked, trying to lighten the mood, and a tad curious of the presence of romance between the empress and the mystical creatures. "Platonic, I assure you" The empress answered with confidence. "Anything more, would have been incredibly reckless" Detouring the conversation for an aside, Moon asked Celestia and the others; "Have you perchance viewed my performance of Take my Hoof?" Receiving shakes of their heads, Moon replied; "A pity. Written by the same author, I had performed it for my ponies to instill a sense of romance unto them. As it turned out to be the case, the performance subsequently garnered myself a number of would-be suitors as a result. In all, I considered my efforts a success" Moon finished with a soft chuckle. "Aaand??" Cadance pressed for more. "Aand....what?" The empress feigned innocence. "Oh, nothing. Never mind" Cadance waived her hoof, letting the matter slip away. Shaking her head, the empress continued the track of the conversation; "On the matter of the previous work..." The conversation came to a pause for a moment, as Moon became lost in thought and memory. Eventually Twilight cleared her throat, and coming back to the present, the empress mused rhetorically; "I had often wondered, if such was his wish as well? Perhaps, nearly all here were merely seeking such simple things? The means were simply...misplaced?" Looking at the princesses before her, the empress divulged; "Try as I might, the knowledge of the former tale never left me. And I had often wondered, if perchance; he had made it home in a fashion?" A broken smile gracing her muzzle, she looked between them with misty eyes; "May be, even to my old home somehow? Where I had longed to be..." Shaking her head to clear her emotions, she said to herself more than the princesses; "I became a sentimental fool, here. Whom would have thought? There was a saying that extraordinary circumstances, kindled odd kinships..." The empress stopped to take a deep breath, while the other alicorns glanced at each other in bewilderment at the prospect of a melancholy Nightmare Moon. "Before I had fled, the recording had appealed to me in more a prophetic sense. Then afterward, the haunting nature of the melody suits me well when I happen to be feeling sentimental. I hearken back to passed times.. and of the ones I met and said goodbye to" Meeting Celestia's eyes, Moon told her; "Over time, I had gained some understanding of the ancients, and of how they lived. In parts; I formed empathy, as well as occasional disdain in seemingly random measure... Such was the landscape of their world, and so was survival upon it... for all, I can only suppose" Ruffling her wings to shake out the tension from them, the dark alicorn stated; "Both, had spurred me to pour all of my efforts into my work, my future. The future, for my ponies. I squelched my feelings of romance as well as disquiet, with that work. Except for in the rare circumstances when they attempted threat to my efforts. I then... did things, which in hindsight, were... unfit for royalty to perform. There was little provision for love in those rare circumstances" "I can't imagine how a world like that could sustain itself? You make it sound like a rolling sea of chaos that would make Discord envious?" Twilight pondered. "Oh? Hmm, the seas were calmer than you would expect, more so than I can convey in words..." After considering the repercussions for a moment, Moon asked; "Would you care to see a glimpse of it, princess? Princesses?" The alicorn asked her guests. After a few sidelong glances, a series of nods answered Moons offer. "Then I shall share a few select memories, with your permission to enter thine dreams tonight?" Moon proposed. Little surprise was had amongst the princesses, in regards to the alicorn's divulged dream-walking ability. "Splendid. The experiences of beholding their sights, have been only mine to behold, until now. They were marvelous in their time, and it will be a privilege to share them" "What is this?! Where am I??" Twilight asked nopony in particular. "This is a marketplace of sorts. A string of shops, connected from the inside, rather than the outside" Moon's voice answered. Finding herself surrounded by the other princesses, as well as the empress, put her at ease somewhat. "What are those...creatures? They look like... I don't know? And they wear, clothing?" Cadance asked. "Yes, those are the ancients. Not possessing coats of their own, they compensated for it with attire." "There's dozens and dozens of them! And, they walk like Minotaurs!" Twilight exclaimed, trotting up to one of them and looking at the hooves of one of them. Hovering up to its face, she observed "Their muzzles are so blunt, look at their noses!" Laughing in response to the princess's exuberance, Moon told them; "I do not believe that I remarked that they were not ponies, have I? Come, I visited a few of the shops here from time to time. Thus, the contents of them, I can recall in better detail" As they wandered down the wide isle of the mall, the princesses gawked and stared at the odd minotaurs as they went. "As different from ponies as they were, you can make out many similarities as well. They conversed, shopped, ate.." The empress remarked as they passed one wolfing down a cotton candy. The one it was walking next to was making quick work of a piece of breaded chicken. "Carnivores?" Twilight presumed. "Omnivores, in fact. They ate nearly anything, even things which were not edible" Moon answered with a laugh, keeping the matter of non toxic edibles to herself. That concept always made her feel that there was a brick in her stomach. Finally coming to and walking into one of the shops, the group made their way passed some of the creatures doing their phantom shopping. "What are all of these things on shelves? They look like boxes, but have pictures of bottles on them?" Celestia asked. "These are detergents for manes, tails, and coats. Costly things. For I had to procure them in large quantities as I have them in more voluminous quantities than the ancients themselves had. Also there are perfumes for use after bathing" Moon explained while taking a box from the shelve and opening it, pulling out its bottle. "Couldn't they just use the bottles without the box?" Celestia asked while sampling the perfumed scent of the box. "That would have been more efficient, yet the reason for the box was as much for appealing to the acquirer, as well as for security and safety reasons" the empress answered her. "Safety and security? Tis merely a scent, why would such things be of concern? This is no potion, yes?" Luna asked "Ah, yes..." the empress faltered. "Your highness?" Twilight prompted the dark alicorn. "Forgive me, it has been a long time since I had even remembered such things. To answer that question, would cast light on the shortcomings of their society, I am disheartened to say" Looking back to the princesses, she was met with expectant looks from their eyes. "Very well..." Shaking her head slowly, Moon added "There was the constant threat of pilfering, which risked upending the survival of markets such as these. Should sufficient pilfering occur, the store would have to close through failing to uphold their basic barter system" "And, safety?" Cadance added. "That.. is a darker tale of possibilities than I wish to convey at this time, princess Cadance. It is best that such things be relegated to the past" "What, did some taint the contents somehow?" Twilight supposed. Bringing her hoof to her nose, the empress nodded. "Let us be off to the next shop. There, you might gain a sense of the multitude of variations on attire" Moon walked past them after putting the bottle on the shelf. Seeing the four trotting off, Cadance looked between the bottle on the shelf, and the box still in her hoof-hold. Having been hoofed the box to take a sniff of its perfume, she hurriedly set the empty box next to the bottle and hurried after. After going to a few other shops, and passing by strange smelling and looking foods, the group looked over the second story balcony. "There're so many of them. Just strolling along and wandering in and out of shops. It reminds me of Canterlot's market street" Celestia remarked. "So many don't have bulging bags, just small ones... This doesn't seem like a very successful marketplace if you ask me. Why did you come here?" Twilight observed. "I came here, to see them all together, peaceably and sociably. This was a place where time flew by, and I could just observe life pass by around me, quietly" the empress mused openly. "You call this quiet?" Luna groused. "For them; It is rather quiet and tranquil" Moon admitted, "When it became truly quiet and tranquil, it became a sight that brought me little joy" "At the... end?" Celestia asked. "No no, far before it" Moon replied as she adjusted the dream mall around her, making the numbers of humans walking the halls fade away. The shops becoming more and more shuttered as they walked along. "Slowly, they stopped coming here. Little by little, shops closed, and the market became a ghost town" With the lights going out, and their surroundings being lit only by skylight, the scenery became foreboding. Walking along the broken glass of what was once shop windows in the mall, the empress told them; "When the last of the shops closed their shutters, the lights went out, and security all but disbanded. Thrill seekers and the rebellious, seized the opportunity to carry out their impulses unchecked, resulting in the disarray and damage you can see" Looking up to the place of the marquee of the shop they first came to, she told them; "I looked forward to coming here, more in its heyday. Yet I still came to see these places in this state, before they were demolished" "Why?" Cadance asked. "It inspired me. Inspired me to preserve and build. Seeing these places come to such a woebegone conclusion, filled me with a desire to build something to replace it. The sadness in which this sight filled me, I turned into incentive. Having my preferred venue of observation come to a close, showed me how... hollow the endeavor was" Turning around she told them; "Ever since the first ponies set hooves upon the ground, I encouraged them to visit my castle freely, walk and trot the grounds openly, and share dances, balls, and dinners in my home castle. I wanted to be a part of their lives as they passed by, not simply be an observer, as was I in this forlorn setting" Joining them in a small cluster, the empress declared; "Now, to a place which is more active. Though it shall be even louder" ------ "Where are we now?" Twilight asked. "This is a transportation complex. Where thousands every day, would board powered gliders to visit places; Many days, weeks, even months of journey would take otherwise" Moon announced. "Where are they all going?" Cadance pointed as she spied some of them filing into a tunnel. "Those ones? Are boarding one of the gliders which will carry them afar. The purpose of their trip, I cannot guess" The empress answered her. Walking over to the windows along the side, Celestia looked at the vessel attached to the tunnel, but didn't say anything. "It looks to be a formidable size?" Luna walked over and asked of her sister. Nodding, Celestia asked "How many can travel inside one of those?" "There were some which could carry nearly three hundred at a time, if memory serves. A marvel, considering that it weighs that of small building in Canterlot" "What?! What spells could they be using??" Twilight blurted, having joined the other three. "None. They had no magic casting abilities, or any knowledge of such things" Moon replied. All three princesses present were looking at her skeptically, when the empress realized one of them were missing. Looking around, she saw Cadance across the cavernous terminal watching a couple arguing with another at a counter. She just watched them trade sharp sounding words since she couldn't make out the tongue that was being spoken. One of the two at the counter turned to the one next to it, spoke some sharp words, and then pointed to them, before storming off alone with what she presumed was a grimace on its face.. The other, being left standing there, threw its forelegs? up and then exchanged something over the counter with the salespony? before taking a seat nearby. Cadance just stood there with a confused expression. Coming over to her, the empress asked her "What is the matter, Cadance?" "I have no idea what just happened. The two approached the counter together, and when it was over, there's only one still here to board a sky ship? Did they just dissolve their relationship, here?" Cadance questioned the events that just played out. "Unknown. Perhaps they did not, or they just might have. There was no princess of love and friendship here, thus they were on their own to form and retain relations with each other. Please come, there is something I would like to take your mind off of this with" Moon answered her. Walking back over to the princess sisters, Moon adjusted the dream in a way which made a couple of glass window walls disappear. "Let us take a closer look at one of the powered gliders. Admittedly, I always found these machines fascinating. Giving wing to creatures which would never had been able to otherwise" She said as she jumped from the edge of the floor and took flight. With the other three princesses following in kind, the dark alicorn came to a stop and landed on the roof of the fuselage of one of the largest airliners on the taxi-way. "This thing's bigger in pony than it looks from far away, louder too!" Twilight shouted. "When this one prepares to take wing, the sound would be unbearable in the waking world!" Moon shouted back. "How can anything this big and heavy Fly?!" Twilight added. "Observe the wings leading and trailing edges closely, they change the wings shape and effectiveness! However, the ability to lift this much weight, is only possible due to the thrust power of those cylindrical objects. They are the forward driving force, and source of great noise!" The empress finished just in time for the engines to speed up considerably, and the plane began moving forward. "If I said I thought it was loud before, I was mistaken! This's louder than a dragons roar next to my ear!!" Celestia yelled as she sat down and put her forelegs over her ears. Faster and faster, the plane rolled down the runway. Finally everypony on the roof of the plane spread their wings and the empress led them to keep pace alongside the craft. Nearing the far end of the runway, the rear-side wingtips changed shape slightly, and the craft rose away from the ground. Coming to a stationary hover, the empress let the craft go on its merry way without them, to everyponies ears comfort. After a minute of a slowly fading rumble, Luna asked; "I can still hear it from here... Prey tell, was there ever any peace and tranquility?" "It was scarce, however it existed in places" Moon answered as their surroundings transformed into a scenic countryside, dotted with farmhouses, barns, and fields. There, the same creatures were present, but in few numbers, and worked in the fields and around the buildings. "This is an enclave of ones whom preferred the more conventional methods of living. It is likely, the most familiar sight that I can offer" Moon remarked. "It reminds me of the outskirts of Ponyville..." Twilight said somberly. "Is.. that a pony?!" Luna exclaimed as she trot toward a pulled cart. "No, it is similar, yet moreso different than these creatures are to us" Moon called from behind. When Luna got closer to the cart, she slowed to a stop. "What is it? It is.. strange looking for a pony?" She said. "This is one of the native ponies as it were, to this world. They are giant, yet without magic, language, civilization, or culture as we know it. Perhaps in the times ahead, they will develop one of those things? Perhaps they cannot? They are humbling, no?" Mood described the horse pulling the cart. "They're.. bestial? Do they still exist?" Celestia asked the dark alicorn. "Yes, to both questions. We leave them be, to roam as they had done for countless millennia before the ancients harnessed their strength, and stewarded husbandry of them" Moon replied. "What do they do now, that they roam?" Celestia followed up her first questions. "They eat, they sleep, and form herds to keep their numbers greater than predacious creatures can ravage them" The empress replied. "I want to see them, in the waking world. To know for myself" She stated. "Then you shall. There are a number of herds a few hours flight from my cities" The empress promised the sun princess. "Can you show us what their cities looked like?" Luna spoke up. After an uneasy pause, Moon nodded and their surroundings dissolved and reformed around them, placing them all atop a very tall building. Surrounded by noisy streets and endless other buildings of varying heights, the guests looked over the skylines, and downward to the ground below. "This is quite far up, for creatures without flight to have made, don't you think auntie?" Cadance asked Luna. "Quite. Did they not fear falling?" She asked the empress. "Most did. Some were fearless however, only ruing the sudden stop at the bottom" Moon answered with a quip. Rolling their eyes, Twilight conjectured; "The way you made it sound, they wouldnt've had the civilization enough to build something of this size?" "Ah. My descriptions of these creatures leaves countless openings for interpretation. All of this;" She gestured around her; "Was what they could accomplish when not indulging themselves in the lesser parts of their nature. This was once a wild land, wherein they fell prey to the same creatures the herds I mentioned earlier still do now. Here, they prospered long to bring into being, all that you see" "It's a sight to behold, for sure. But it's so..?" Celestia searched for the proper word. "Artificial? Isolating?" Moon offered. "Well, it's so far from nature... yes, I guess. There's almost no grasses, or trees. Mostly stone and glass, and noise" Celestia answered. "Indeed it is. I never understood what drew them to these places, and compelled them to stay. I thought it might have been the sense of safety in numbers akin to herds, however these were not entirely safe places to be" "What do you mean? Surely no predators could survive this amalgam of stone?" Cadance asked her. "You would be correct. No natural predators could subsist in this environment. However, you recall my mentioning of their restless nature?" Moon returned. Receiving a shrug in response, the empress explained; "Their desire for safety, brought forth restrictions, rules, and punishments for breaking them. Yet they also wanted to unburden themselves from all restrictions. This put them in a state of tumultuous change. I avoided these cities, due to the multitude of opportunities for such sudden outbursts of the unburdenings. They were often... dangerous" "It couldn't have been that bad, could it?" Cadance asked hesitantly. "In the grand scope of things? I would have to say, no" Moon then looked to Cadance and spoke more gravely; "Yet many lost loved ones to it, every single day, here. Most, would never notice the loss, due to their multitudes of populace. None could be aware of the well being of hundreds of thousands, across an entire city of this magnitude" Moon added. "I, guess nopony could..." Cadance acquiesced. "Such was part of life here, in these cities. Thus, I stayed outside of them. An elusive danger lived between the stone and glass, unseen and unheard over the noise. However sometimes..." Beckoning them to look towards the east, she said; "Sometimes, it was loud and obvious. There; cast your eyes towards the sea, and watch" "What are we looking for?" Cadance asked after a few moments of not making out anything of note. "Please be patient, and merely keep your gaze fixed toward the sea" Moon advised. Moments passed, when Twilight spoke up; "Is that one of?" But she was cut off by Moon's shushing; "Just keep your eyes sharp." she spoke. With their eyes going wide, they all brought a hoof up to cover their muzzles. "I.. stars..." Celestia gasped, but was again hushed by the empress. "stay sharp" she spoke stoically. After a number of moments, the princesses folded their ears back at the sight, and traded wordless glances with each other. But the empress, never took her eyes from the sight in the distance. From off to her side, a voice whispered "Is... it over? What more can there be?" "....there" the empress whispered as she pointed. The sounds of the city around them changed somewhat, as their vision was obscured by dust and their surroundings dissolved into a white emptiness. There in a void of the dreamscape, Moon summarized her thoughts; "What you have just seen, was supposed to have been impossible. Every single part" Heaving a sigh, the alicorn turned to the rest present in the void; "A thing that I learned of the ancients, was that the word impossible had no meaning to them. They performed the impossible, no matter what that entailed. Impossible heights, impossible lows, impossible..." "a new scenery is in order" she muttered darkly as the surroundings changed to that of a massive concrete causeway, overlooking a gigantic artificial lake. "One of their better works" The empress remarked. "Working in league with the elements of nature" she added. "Why, does that memory bother you?" Celestia asked the dark alicorn. The empress almost blurted out her answer, yet composed herself. "My reasons are multi fold. The foremost, is the added strain that the resulting complications put upon Me" "Such as?" Luna urged her to divulge her thoughts. Breathing a snort through her nose, Moon said; "From avenues that I had not even conceived of, thousands of eyes were combing through my every action, afterward. And with a fine bristle coat brush, at that. Past, present, and proposed; all of my plans and works were questioned directly or indirectly. To make matters even more complex, a few investors in my city; were claimed to have been in some degree, implausibly linked to the event." "Were they?" Twilight asked out of curiosity. "One was linked via a side investment out of their many hundreds. Not that I was privy to such detail when I was questioned repeatedly. I had to look into its veracity myself, at the cost of weeks of wasted time. Of which, was already shortened by others whom seized the opportunity to make spurious errant connections. Those, were made in order to press me for favor amongst their piers. A disingenuous practice which gained popularity to my eyes, as time moved forward" Sitting down hard upon the concrete; "I can only surmise the multitudes whom found themselves navigating blind reefs, like I was? From my perspective, it was the beginning of a landslide, one which I struggled to keep hoofhold upon, yet managed. A landslide which did not abate for me until I fled those times. From a single event, the strain upon my efforts, and me, increased multi fold in a few months time" Looking down to the gritty solid surface, the empress muttered. "I.. learned much in the decades that followed. The shadow that was cast by so short a moment, was long and dark, and haunts my memories" Looking up at the other alicorns, the empress inferred; "Memories which fill me with apprehension, concerning Equestria" Her thoughts, shifting toward a land far away, had Celestia admitting; "I worry what our ponies are doing without a princess right now? Even a poor princess, was better than nothing at all?" Celestia alleged. "It must be... really hard on them right now" Cadance imagined. "My ponies report that widespread chaos has not broken out. It is not much solace, yet such is the limited detail of my ponies efforts at this time" Moon offered. "I presume that they can rely on each other in the sudden absence of a ruler. What they do about that absence, is where things can start to break down" Twilight mused. A gloomy silence having fallen over the group, Moon broke it by saying; "I fear, Celestia. Here, then, I learned its nature. Moreover than the mere uses of instilling it, as I had known before. Fear can make reasonable ponies do the unthinkable, and that instills Me with fear, in turn. A cycle, that one must overcome and break. However, this is a conversation for the waking world. For now, I would like to show you things of a more inspiring nature" Getting up, Moon trot over to the railing overlooking the body of water. "This is an artificial lake. One created through the same means as a beaver would employ. The resulting capacity irrigated crops year round despite drought, as well as brought light to villages, towns, and cities far flung" "Why would?.. Ah, no magic. So this is how they overcame being unable to control the weather?" Luna presumed. "Precisely. Spending few years in preparation, served them well for many decades of time in bountiful crops and more. Utilizing little more than stone and metalworks. The lake was home to many fish, which they also farmed. At least, for a time" "For a time?" Celestia asked. Nodding, Moon explained; "Concerns came, and the resource became prohibited" Moon answered. "Why? Were the fish in danger of being over farmed and depleted?" Celestia asked. "It was perceived that way, yes. That perception having been pushed into place by others, for various reasons. Such were the voices whom held sway over others. You could not imagine how many would have fought and stopped my city being built, had I not intervened. Though it brought forth every conscientious implementation they desired, there were those whom were still not satisfied. Instead, desiring simply that the dilapidated structures and homes be demolished, and replaced with nothing... Strange?" The empress mused. "There's more to this than you're telling me, isn't there?" Celestia presumed. Laughing lightly, Moon remarked; "I could regale you with tales which would make you laugh endlessly, as well as roll your eyes till they were sore" Having their attention brought to Twilight, who remarked in amazement; "They sure knew how to make things big, didn't they?" Nodding, the dark alicorn replied; "I shared that respect. Tis better to have more available than ones needs, rather than need and not have available. My own city was overbuilt some, in that stead. The orchards included" "What did it look like when it started?" Twilight asked. "Largely the same as it appears today. I shall paint the land as it appeared before its construction began" Moon announced as their surroundings changed once again. Small buildings is varying states of disrepair appeared, and unkempt greenery sprung about them where they stood. "This looks like an abandoned town?" Celestia observed. "In large, it is. Once a place of a humble charm, it slowly fell into disrepair through various courses. By applying the medium of their barter system, I provided the few still remaining, a means to travel to more maintained dwellings" "Did they want to leave?" Celestia asked with skepticism in her voice. Nodding, the empress told her; "In large, yes. They did not desire to remain in a place nearly as dangerous as dense cities, yet lacked their splendor. I hooved them a generous sum to take a chance in places measurably closer to their high standards. A few, required some subconscious persuasion..." the empress trailed off "Moon!" Luna chastised. "Princess!?" Moon returned. Stomping up to the dark alicorn, the princess of the night pressed her head against the other's in a shoving match, a literal butting of heads, horns aside. "You performed mind spells against creatures without magic?! That is reprehensible!" Luna admonished the dark alicorn. "Yes it is! I did so, and my ponies have proven it a worthy compromise of my ethics. I stand by my actions, and everything that has transpired in result, good and ill alike. Had I not carried myself as I have, you would likely not have been released of that dungeon, or seen the sun again!" "Be that as it may, performing such an act, is... Unbecoming of an alicorn, of royalty! You claim to have known better, yet still committed to such actions?!" Luna returned. "Judge me as you shall. At the same time, be mindful of how little your knowledge of the depth of my actions, is. There is naught a judgement that you can levy, which would be greater I have upon myself for these many centuries. Therefor, I will not be cowed or brow beaten by anypony in this, not even you" Moon pushed back. Pressing against each other for a while longer, Twilight eventually came over and pressed them apart with her forelegs; "Alright you too, break it up! A couple of over sized fillies you are." Looking down at the princess of friendship, the empress's headstrong streak broke into mirth as she laughed; "Hahaha, you have not changed at all have you? Still the unicorn with a smarty-pants outlook?" "What?! I am not! I mean, yes I have! How do you know about smarty-pants?! I mean, you have no idea what you're talking about!" Her laughter renewed, the empress relented; "Apparently there is more to this than I am aware, princess! What is this smarty-pants, do tell?" "I'm not telling you!" Twilight defended, and then whipped her head around to warn the others; "And don't any of you tell her either!" The spell of the heavy moment, broken the empress divulged; "My mind spell magic simply reawakened their long-dormant wanderlust, which sadly had dwindled for some generations... The subtle influence gave them the freedom and will to explore their surroundings once more. And for some.. for the first time" "I still do not agree that you had the right to do so" Luna stated with finality. Nodding in recognition of her protest, Moon replied; "I understand, and agree. I searched for other solutions, and found none other which would suffice. They are now part of my history.." Motioning with a foreleg, she added; "And part of my cities history, in a small way. If you would, please follow me and watch your hoof-steps. What we will see, will remind you of the commerce center I showed you earlier" "This...?" Celestia came to a stop as soon as she caught a whiff of the scent of the abandoned home's interior. "It is not the most pleasant, I admit. However this is not how they lived, this place has been abandoned for some time. Ravaged by the wildlife as well as others over a hoof-full of years" Moon said as she made her way inside. The only pony which hadn't stopped and continued to follow her, was Luna. "Sister?" Celestia pleaded her sister. Looking back to her sister, Luna smiled with a confident expression; "Tis nothing. I have smelled worse, come" "Lulu..." Celestia said softly, her ears wilting some. Thoughts of spending decades upon decades in a dungeon returning to her imagination. Kicking detritus of discarded refuse away as she made her way from room to room, the empress said proudly; "From this odorous waste, I brought forth this:" She announced, shifting the landscape to that of a sight of heavy construction. "In years time, this will be green, kempt, and ready for ponies to trot happily through the buildings and streets" Looking around, the princesses took in the unfamiliar machines go about their work; digging, rotating, pouring, amongst other things. After observing the almost hypnotic sight of the strange looking creatures laboring in tandem with the machines, Celestia spoke up; "I don't understand. Why would they desire to replace something with nothing, homes especially? Why would voices, as you called them call for such a thing? Such a thing is, if you'll forgive me, strikes me as backwards? " She asked. Coming to a stop, the empress thought for a time. Trying to remember a time long ago, all she could recall was the consensus that she had come to, but without the context of how she came to it. "I...postulated that for a long time. I eventually concluded, that it was the journey, the battle or fight, which was what mattered to them. The ends were simply the byproduct of that, favorable or unfavorable. The issues at hoof, gave themselves purpose, meaning. Where ponies lived to see a happy smile of another in order to move them; the ancients were driven by something different. Yet just as deep and powerful" Tilting her had, Twilight asked her; "That's... different? Certainly different from ponies" Nodding it agreement, the empress admitted; "An aspect which was different and had saddened me, was the use of antagonism as a means. No matter the situation, that appeared to be the core method used to work through it? Try as I might, I could not reconcile the use of fire, to fight fire. This held true to me, whether the infighting was physical, or with mere words?" "But it worked out, did it not? They had come quite a ways through doing that" Luna observed. "Indeed, they had. The losses were palpable, however the results were equally so" "I'd liked to have known how far they could have gone..." Celestia mused. "As do I. It grieved me for a long time, to not have the answer. Perchance, they might have made it all the way to Equestria in my stead? What impact might they have had, should that have occurred, I wonder?" the empress postulated as she looked towards the humans toiling away in the distance. "I'm sure we would have worked out a mutual understanding. We would have much to offer them" Celestia spoke, while Luna's ears turned outward. "While that is true...." Luna spike with unease in her voice "You don't agree, sister?" Celestia asked in surprise. "Not entirely. I do not know why, however I am having reservations in such an outlook" Luna admitted. "Why is that, Luna? We could bring love, friendship, magic, and much more to them?" Twilight offered. "And they could well bring the opposite to you. Seemingly endless numbers, billions, in need of what you had to offer. Could you and your ponies meet and sustain their need? And provided that their nature hadn't changed much in that time, how could you resolve the differences in enlightenment?" the empress asked. "What do you mean, differences in enlightenment?" Celestia returned. "Surely, they having made it to you, before yourselves reached them, would put their methods and ways above your own, would it not? At least, in their own minds it would be the case, yes?" the empress asked. "And?" Celestia prompted the dark alicorn. "Their point of view, would be that Equestria would have to change, to more mirror their advanced selves." Moon told her. "Not necessarily. Sure, some influences would come" Celestia differed. "Should one of those influences be; The dissolution of the Maretriarchy? The abdication of your rule, in favor of whatever system of governance they had in place at the time? One comparatively young, and less stable or tested than yours? Definitely untested and unformed with ponies in mind?" Moon offered with thoughts of the ancients having abandoned royalty rule long ago. "I would have to see it for myself, before I could make such a decision" Celestia answered. "Decision... provided that you were afforded the option to make one?" the empress conjectured darkly. Looking at her in shock, the alicorns began to argue her supposition. "Please, I do not know the answers with any certainty. However, my single flagship had the ability to deliver an ultimatum to Equestria. One which was not made, due to the desire to not change or challenge the Maretriarchy.... yet still I managed to do so..." the empress trailed off. Sighing, she added; "What if I had looked down on Equestria, and saw opportunity, rather than reverence?" She finished. "Well, it's a good thing that you hadn't" Cadance consoled the empress. "Yet still, my incursion.. has brought ramifications. Perhaps, beyond what I realize?" The dark alicorn having paused to take a deep breath, Cadance asked her; "Moon? What is it?" "I am planning to send a couple more ships to Equus. I need to know the extent of what I have done there. I am compelled to know if I have brought ruin in my wake, and intervene if that is so the case. Even at the risk of further incursions" Moon divulged to the princesses. "Don't worry so much. I have faith in our little ponies" Celestia said confidently. "Yet, still I do. Hmph. Even with my best of intentions, I have sent shock-waves throughout the lands." the empress looked down at the gravelly ground at her hooves. "It was fortunate that the ship which eventually came there, was under my command, and not that of a stranger..." She smiled to herself, though it was a pained smile. Looking to the other princesses, she made the aside; "It, could have been much worse?"