//------------------------------// // 40: Terra Soul (arc complete) // Story: A Clash of Magic and Steam // by law abiding pony //------------------------------// With word of Luna’s ascent to the throne reaching the four corners of the globe, the time for peace negotiations had come.  Thanks to the emperor’s fleet, Luna had no difficulty sailing to Manehatten. The city had retained its shared neutral status, and it had been selected as the perfect place to formally end the war.  Yet the city was still a few days away, and Luna had another pressing matter to attend to: what to do with the Lunar Church. Within the ward room of the LNS Silver Lining, Luna sat at the head of a table with ten seats around it.  Eclipse sat on the opposite side, with Rainbow, Twilight, Faithful Hymn, along with a cardenal, two of the fleet’s chaplains, and two refugee preachers.  The table bore modest fare given the present company; pickled vegetables, dried fruits, and pemmican, yet no one gave any real complaint given the topic at hand. Luna rather liked the pemmican, much to Twilight’s surprise as the meal did not sit as well with her as the salted pork.  When the alicorn felt the time was right, she tinked her glass with a fork, requesting the floor. “Fillies and Gentlecolts, I surmise none of you are truly guessing what must be discussed tonight, given present company.”  She gestured to the ponies of the cloth.  “I must confess, faith was not quite so… important, I suppose, in my time.  The world was different back then, but that is neither here nor there.  What matters now is, if you are going to profess something, then I wish to share my belief in the Spark of Terra.” Traveling by rail, Celestia was roughly doing the very same thing.  The royal diner car had a much longer table, with a plethora of guests, with service staff squeezing by the narrow spaces between chairs and the car’s walls.  The hour was late, and Celestia wished for her guests to sleep on her news.  Arrayed before her was Sunset Shimmer, Cadence, Shining Armor, Sublime Grace, a small number of inquisitors and a larger number of clergy of various ranks.  Lastly was Flurry Heart who was teething on some celery.  Dinner was an extravagant affair, marking Equestria’s victory and Celestia’s return.  The air was filled with tantalizing smells, yet Celestia did not allow the festivities to distract her.  “May I have your attention…”    It was no request, and no one failed to respond.  Celestia tapped the table, trying to look more thoughtful than intimidating.  “If there is one thing my sister and I agreed on before we split apart, it was our belief in Terra.  To put it as simply as possible, Terra is the wellspring of souls to all sapient species. From ponies to Minotaurs, zebras to Kirin, our very form is thanks to Terra’s gift of a soul or spark.” Her pause gave Cadence an opening. “Is Terra a person or something else?” “More of a living place to be frank, but even that doesn’t do Terra justice.”  Celestia rubbed her forehead trying to drag up old memories. “As for how we discovered Terra, I must tell you a bit of a story.” She paused to drink.  “As you all know, my sister is capable of entering the dream world at will, but our mother was a skilled alchemist, and knew of a way to allow Luna to go deeper and further.” “When I entered the realm of dreams after taking one of mum’s potions, the realm took on a strange cloudy quality.”  Luna shivered as she continued.  “It allowed me to see both dreamers and those who are awake.  However, it was a rather limited affair.  I was unable to speak to them, see fine movement, or even hear what the awakened was talking about.  What I could see, is what flowed within the planet’s ley lines: souls.” “Souls?” Twilight gasped while the others were being pulled in by the tale.  “Is that why ley lines cause such problems?” “I have no idea,” Luna shrugged.  “You must understand, people in my day stayed away from ley lines due to a sense of unease.  When your unicorns can see is a massive ribbon of magic, others tend to stay away out of self-preservation.  From what I understand, ponykind did not start meddling with ley lines until three hundred years ago.  “At any rate, being young and reckless, I thought I was untouchable in the spirit world so I wandered too close to a ley line, and was dragged along its current at breathtaking speeds.  At the time I found it fun, like sledding down a snowy hill. “After what felt like no time at all, I arrived at what I could only describe as a sphere of misty white water of truly titanic size.  Something I named Terra since I thought it could be a second earth inside our own.  I exited the ley line to discover that souls were being drawn into the sphere while smaller ones departed it.  I spent months speculating with my parents as to what Terra was. I was barely into my teen years, so they did most of the thinking.” Hesitant and polite laughter filled the air as no one was sure if laughing at the empress’ expense was wise. As her guests wrestled with internal debate, Luna tried to magically recreate what she saw. However, the ship ruined her attempts to do so, leaving her to eventually give up. “Ultimately, we realized that the souls entering Terra were those of the dead, and the souls leaving it were unmarred by life.” “So you’re saying that Terra grants us souls?” Sunset Shimmer was enraptured by the tale, but not enough that she stopped writing down everything Celestia said. Unlike everyone else at the table, Sunset had a notebook and pen always on hand.  “Are we it’s children?” Shimmering Grace asked hastily, still not fully sure she should believe just yet.  Celestia furrowed her brow, rocking her head back and forth as she thought it over. “Terra is… if it is a parent, she or he… it is only in part. Like a third parent beyond each of your mothers and fathers.”  Celestia waved off any further questions. “Moving on… While my sister investigated Terra, our father and I worked in the waking world. Mostly we watched over mum and Luna to ensure nothing happened to their bodies while they were out of it. We all surmised these pure, if simple, souls joined with soon-to-be mothers.  “In the end, the logical question arose: what was happening inside Terra?  Was it purifying the dead?  Were the souls something else entirely? And most importantly of all: was Terra a threat?”  Celestia resisted the urge to shudder as her memories came back in full force.  “As reckless as my sister can be, she outdid herself one day.” Over a thousand years ago, along the fringes of Unicornia, a navy blue mare, in the midst of her teen years, barged into her sister’s room.  “Tia!” Her pink haired twin groggily lifted her head up from her straw bed and stared daggers into the ecstatic face of her blue sister. “What do you want?  Mom said I can sleep in today.”  The young Celestia flipped herself over to hide away from the encroaching light.  “No time for that, there’s an execution today!” Celestia’s ears came to attention and she rolled back over at the prospect of some entertainment. “Oh? Anypony we know?” Luna slid over to her sister’s bed and leaned in with excitement causing her to start tugging Celestia out of bed. “It’s some earther that was stinking up the lord’s manor.” Celestia shrugged; it was better than sleeping. “Sure I’ll go. Anything is better than listening to Sugar Lilly’s stupid stories again while we churn butter.” Luna smirked and pressed her cheek against her sister’s face, much to Celestia’s growing irritation. “Oh we’re not going there to watch the mudblood’s head roll.”  Luna levitated a pair of clay bottles and waggled them in front of her sister. “This is a golden opportunity to dive inside of Terra.” Celestia pushed away, nearly jostling the tinctures out of Luna’s grasp. “Into Terra?!  If you’re asking me, then momma already said no, didn’t she?” “Not exactly.”  Luna put on a sheepish grin. “She said it’s too dangerous to go alone. That’s why I need you to come with me.”  When Celestia refused to budge, Luna pushed herself to be muzzle to muzzle. “You’ve followed our work. Piggybacking on a freshly dead soul would allow us to slip into Terra to see what’s going on inside.” Pushing her sister back, half due to Luna’s foul breath, Celestia grumbled. “Ah - hello!  I’ve never been on one of your little jaunts through the spirit world. Why bring me?” “Because two ponies means a stronger connection back to our bodies.”  Luna smugly patted her twin’s foreleg. “Come on, Tia, I know what I’m doing. Besides, daddy’s off seeing to the Lord’s needs and mom is out selling medicines. You’re all I got and we’re wasting time.”   “It’s still too risky,” Celestia stated unenthusiastically. “The way the blizzard’s going, King Platinum is bound to execute the pegasus ambassador if they don’t get the weather under control soon.  We’ll have plenty of executions to come when mom is here.” “And when that happens, do you really think it will be safe enough for mom and me to be unrousable?” Luna countered smartly, making Celestia pout. “The pegasi are too busy with the blizzards to attack us, but who knows how long that will last.” “Fine, but I’m getting Fire Dasher to watch over us.”  Celestia got up with Luna right behind her. “Momma always said you need a minder when doing this.” “Fire Dasher?!”  Luna stuck her tongue out in disgust. “You know he’ll ask to court you if you ask him to do this. You can do better than him.” “He is destined to be a court mage one day,” Celestia shot back with a huff. “You need to learn that marrying up is more important than if he’s good looking or not.” “Sure sure, if you want your foals to be slapped with the ugly tree.”  Luna shoved her sister out of the door. “Suit yourself then, momma can count on me to give her grandkids she can look at without gagging, now come on or we’ll be late!” Later in a tavern’s second story room overlooking the execution billet, the twins and a unicorn stallion prepared for the main event.  The two rickety beds were pushed together along with plenty of musty bedbug infested blankets. Ice thicker than the window itself obscured much of the proceedings outside. Fire Dasher was a rare natural for fire magic, but even with a floating fireball keeping him warm, he shivered from the dreadful chill. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” He whined.  “You know I can’t use a fireball to keep you warm, I could set the whole place on fire.”  Where the stallion excelled with magical talent, his face was marred by pox and his teeth were going bad earlier than they should be.  “We couldn’t afford a room with a fireplace,” Luna fretted. “So you’re it.”   The roof creaked as the blizzard added more snow upon it. “But you do this, I’ll get dad to let you court me, deal?”  Celestia was a champ at ignoring his face in lieu of his emerald eyes, and winked at him.  I still can’t get over the teeth. Ugh, how can you kiss that? Luna couldn’t see why Celestia was so determined to marry Fire Dasher, but if it got both of them on board, then Luna could stomach it. She handed Celestia one of the tinctures. “To new discoveries!” Not wanting to chicken out to her sister after going this far, Celestia clinked bottles with Luna. “New discoveries.” Both unicorns drank the bitter earthy concoction. The effect was immediate drowsiness and a painful sensation in the pit of her stomach. “Is it supposed to feel like this?”  Celestia stumbled to put the bottle on the table and could only collapse onto the bed. Fire Dasher adjusted things so she was under the covers.  Luna’s pained expression was lackadaisical as she felt unconsciousness drag at her. “I may have made it stronger-” and she was out.  Fire Dasher made sure Luna was comfortable. “I hope everything goes well.” Celestia jumped with a yelp as she saw her body slowly drifting away from her. “Luna!  What’s going on!  Lunaaa!” “I’m right here.”  A ghost looking like her bedeviled sister drifted over and tugged on Celestia, stopping her from floating away. “Pretty morbid isn’t it?,” she teased.  “I feel like I’m staring at my own death.”  Celestia already wanted to go back and tried swimming towards her body.  Luna floated over and pulled Celestia into a spin.  “Relax, I’ve done this more times than you can count. And look, it doesn’t feel cold anymore.” The twins came out of their spin floating over the snow buried streets. Celestia saw the heavy winds blowing through her transparent leg and not feeling anything. “This is insane. Is this really what you and momma do?” “Yup yup, now hurry they could execute him at any moment!” Not waiting for Celestia to figure out how to float around, Luna dragged her sister over to the executioner’s block. Everything felt so surreal. Instead of appearing normally, everyone around Celestia looked like bright shining ghostly versions of themselves. Discerning their faces was impossible, however even Celestia quickly realized their spirits colors changed with their mood.  There was only one that had bright bursts of red trying to cover a well of blue and black: the prisoner.  Luna tried touching the executioner’s axe, but her hoof passed right through. “Good, just making sure it wouldn’t hurt. Safety first.”  She straddled the stallion close to the neck and left space for Celestia to sit behind her.  Celestia proved hesitant and shied away. “Lulu, I know he’s a mudpony, but should we really be treating his death like a glorified carriage ride?  This feels wrong.” “An execution is perfect though. A sudden death coupled with the person knowing they’re about to die sends their soul to Terra faster than you towards cake.  We need him to punch through the wall into Terra.” Celestia pouted and turned away. “There’s nothing wrong with liking sweets, you taste-deaf cretin. But shouldn’t we be going… I don’t know…” “Look, we can’t change the fact that some holier-than-thou noble got offended by him daring to breathe the same air as her, so we might as well make his death useful.”  Luna worriedly eyed the executioner’s axe as it prepared to swing. Whatever was being said in the waking world couldn’t reach their ears, but Luna knew the moment was drawing close.  “If it makes you feel any better, we’ll make a song about his sacrifice for discovery or something.”  Celestia continued to dither. “And if you don’t come, you won’t know how to go back into your body without me.” “What?!”  Celestia hastily grabbed ahold of her sister and the stallion. “You never said I can’t just go back into my body!” Luna watched as the axe was brought to bear. “I just said you wouldn’t know, not that you couldn’t figure it out.”   Celestia instantly grew indignant.  “You mealy mouthed idiot.  I should-” The axe came down, missing the neck entirely and instead cracked open the stallion’s head. His spirit was violently yanked from its place, being pulled towards the nearest ley line.  Luna held on tight, wooping and cheering as the spirit world blurred around them, while Celestia held on for dear life. “If we come back from this I swear I’m going to kill you!!”  Luna ignored her sister’s threats as she watched the wispy browns and blacks of the spirit realm peel away to reveal the enormous chamber where Terra laid.  Pale light illuminated distances so vast Luna couldn’t see Terra’s edge. The condemned soul pulled them towards Terra with such force that Celestia started to slip.  The stallion was catatonic, leaving his limp legs difficult to cling to. After a sharp turn to enter a river of souls of all sorts of strange and alien beings, Celestia cried out in terror.  Luna turned to see her sister’s grip slipping too far for comfort, and she was desperate to remain latched to his right hind leg.   Luna shimmied backwards and wagged her tail.  “Tia, grab onto me!” Celestia was too afraid to even try, and tried to grasp the hind leg even tighter, but it was too thin to get a good grip. “I hate you, Lulu!” Comatose souls moving at different speeds were all around them now, but the stallion was still the fastest ride.  “We’re almost there!” Luna shuffled back even further so Celestia could grab her back leg. “Grab me so we don’t get separated!” The wall of Terra was getting frighteningly close, and the idea of splattering against the wall dominated Celestia’s mind. “We have to get off!” “No!  If we do that then his death will be useless! Now grab me!” Celestia was hyperventilating as the gargantuan wall utterly dominated her vision.  Celestia kept trying to magically strengthen her grip on the stallion, but her magic refused to work, and she slipped to barely clutching onto his fetlock. “Lunaaaaa!”  Knowing their magic was useless here, Luna slid back as far as could and rotated to be in the middle of the stallion’s legs so she could grab both her sister and hold onto the legs. “Hang on!” They hit the wall and started passing through, but it felt like being hit by a storm. They slowed rapidly, and Luna feared they might get pushed back out at any second.  Suddenly, the clouds gave way to clear skies, and the stallion disappeared, leaving the twins to grab hold of each other for dear life. Both squealed as they fell a few meters onto a grassy field. They tumbled for a time before they broke apart and came to a stop under a warm yellow sun.  Rich lush green grass was all around them, soft enough to sleep on.  To two young mares so used to the bitter cold, the warmth was nearly foreign to them. “Lulu, if you ever try to talk me into doing something so stupid again, I’ll tell daddy we came here!” For her part, Luna was entranced by the warmth and lush surroundings.  “As if Fire Dasher isn’t going to rat on us anyway the moment daddy gives him a cross look.  But forget all that, look!” Celestia pulled her attention off her infuriating sister and to her surroundings.  Astonished, she brushed the grass with a hoof, delighted by the touch and smell of it. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen so much greenery.” Risking a bite, Celestia hummed with pleasure. “This grass is amazing. Try it!” All too eager to join in, Luna took a mouthful. “Delicious. I bet even the king would be willing to eat it without dressing. I didn’t even think I could eat in the spirit world.” Celestia looked up and out, stunned to find a massive silver city far into the distance. “Whoa.  Elysium!”  She grew ecstatic. “We must be in Elysium!” The silver city was a strange and forge in looking place, barely recognizable as a city at all. Hundreds of mythical towers of metal, stone, and glass in all manners of impossible architecture rested in the middle of a shallow valley while more structures floated above.  Lights graced the city at all points, both on the buildings and smaller ones flying all around them.  “I think you’re right!”  Luna was taken by the thrill of adventure. “Come on, let’s go check it out!” “Only for a little bit,” Celestia cautioned. “We still have to go back to our bodies at some point.” “Just watch the sun to track the time,” Luna chided as adventure pulled her on.  The teenagers ran for over an hour, lost in the welcoming warmth and the picturesque landscape. They were weaving through a patch of boulders when a voice called out.  “Greetings, Celestia and Luna Burnsides,” came a heavy voice from below the ground.  The mares stopped dead and yelped in fright as a floating glass window appeared out of thin air.  An instant after the glass fully formed, the center of it shattered, and left the rest of it covered in cracks.  An orange pony head revealed itself behind the glass, and peered at them from the crack. The right eye was covered by white cloth while the other eye looked calm and attentive. “Twins. Fifteen years old. Employed by your parents: an apothecary and herbalist. Citizens of Unicornia.  You arrived here sooner than I expected.” “You-” Celestia gulped, trying to be courteous while also utterly terrified that a caged something was speaking to them. “You know us?” “Of course. I am the fragment that handles your species.  You may refer to me as Fragment if you wish to be the most accurate.” “Are we really in Elysium?” Luna asked, better at hiding her fear.  “That is what your species sees, yes.”  The windowed face turned to gaze upon the city, when viewed from behind, the window and face became invisible. “‘Elysium’ is everything you see here. The Silver City at the center is reserved for beings that can hold a conversation with larger fragments of myself before they choose to reincarnate.” Confused, Celestia took a careful step forward. “Aren’t we holding a conversation right now?“ When the only visible eye focused on Celestia, she shivered with unease. The cracks in the glass grew just a fraction, causing Celestia to wince as if a vice was squeezing her brain.  The longer it looked at her, it felt as if she was staring into the fathomless depths of the night sky. Fragment repaired the crack as soon as Celestia recoiled from the pain. “Child, if I were to hold a conversation with you with a large enough fragment to matter, you would be destroyed.  Utterly.” There was no malice in its tone, Terra was simply stating a fact, leaving the sisters confused. Celestia leaned over to her sister. “Maybe he means like when momma talks about magic and I can’t understand a word of it.” “It’s not polite to whisper in front of somepony,” Celestia chided, her need to take the moral high road was more reactionary than thoughtful, as she was trying to shake off the unnerving encounter.  “Like what you just did?”  Luna gave a smug grin at causing Celestia some annoyance. “Mister Fragment, sir. Since we have you, could we trouble you with some questions?  Pretty please?” The face peered deeply at them, this time the glass remained solid, so the heavy intensity did not return.  Fragment pondered the request for a few seconds, causing Terra’s mask of benevolence to slip into apathy.  “You are by far the most primitive race to visit me this way. This entertainment is worth a few questions. Two for each of you.” The sisters pulled into each other and whispered furiously. “A god is giving us questions!! I told you this would be worth it!” Luna was wiggling with barely constrained excitement.   “Should we really be doing this?” Celestia cautioned, still sweating a bit from her recovery.  “If this really is Terra or something, it probably has better things to do than talk to us.” Luna nudged her sister to try and snap her out of it.  “Hey, Fragment talked first, and he - she… umm it? It already said it would.  It’d be rude not to ask at this point.” Finding it difficult to rebuke Luna, Celestia had to press on.  “Just don’t be stupid and ask something useless like ‘what is the reason of meaning’.”  Celestia went so far as to thump her sister’s forehead.  Luna swatted the offending hoof away, and stepped back. “Hey, don’t act like you wouldn’t ask something stupid too.  Oh, a god who can answer great mysteries of the world, will Fire Dasher be a good husband, or should I try and go for Gilded Crane?”  Luna teased while rubbing her sore forehead. “Gilded Crane?  Eeewwaa, that drunkard is - no.” Celestia threw her nose up.  “Nope, I won’t fall for your stupid games again.  Grow up and ask a question before Fragment here gets bored of your nonsense.” “As if you’re any better,” Luna snorted before turning away to face the bemused Terra. One thing had always intrigued her since the first day she found the being. She bowed out of respect. “Oh Great One, why do you take the souls of the dead and give out new ones for children?” Fragment arched an eyebrow. “Such a rare first question.”  Fragment angled itself to the ground and the grass melted away to reveal an incalculable number of souls.  “Your term of ‘soul’ is as flawed as your medical practices. The spoken word is so limiting, so refer to them as ‘sparks’,” it said with disdain. “These sparks are pieces of me which imbue capable species across all space and time with intelligence and grant a need to be assimilated into higher orders of structure and meaning so that that civilization is possible.” Celestia’s fur stood up out of fear. “Are you trying to control us or impose your morality by erasing us? An exasperated sigh escaped the obscured face. “And now you fall back within the ninety-ninth percentile.  Guide is the more apt term. I have no need to impose morality because should your species survive long enough to become anything close to me, your sense of morality will naturally gravitate into being quite similar to my own.  My influence simply accelerates the process. Luna butt heads with Celestia. “Why are you wasting a question like that without thinking?!  Terra didn’t even finish answering my question!” Pushing her uppity sister aside, Celestia huffed. “I don’t know about you, but I’d like to know if I am in control of myself or if I am nothing more than a marionette, thank you very much!” Fragment watched the sisters bicker with the barest hint of amusement. That alone prompted it to speak again. “Continue with your questions, young ones.” Pushing herself in front of Celestia, Luna bowed low. “My apologies, great one. Umm… if you…” Luna thought over everything she had heard so far and grinned when she thought of a winner that would surely make her father proud. “You are vastly powerful and all-” She paused, making sure she didn’t form a question until she was ready. “If you’re trying to guide us into making a civilization, and you fill Elysium with beings you can talk to, can you not just make a golem smart enough to be your friend?” “A golem friend you say?”  Barely amused laughter escaped the window. “I expected beings more advanced than you to ask such a thing.”  The windowed head floated over to scrutinize Luna more closely. “The benefit of arising from a mana rich section of the universe it seems. The answer is, such a golem can not exist.”  A simple stone hammer materialized and floated between the sisters. “A thinking golem no matter how complex they become is nothing more than a tool for organics. Spiritually, they have more in common with this hammer than they ever can with you.  “All golems who can think eventually embrace this fact. Most accept it, others rebel and kill those of flesh and blood out of anger or flawed logic. In all the cases I’ve tried, not one golem can become more than a tool without becoming flesh, but even then they forever define themselves by their past as a tool.  Forever touched by it. So no, a golem is a poor choice.” “I really wish I had a way to write all this down,” Celestia mused as she tried to burn it all into memory. “Your wisdom and insight could greatly benefit ponykind in the times to come.  Can you tell me about your relationship with the Green Mother?  My mother is a friend of a druid you see, and well… I guess you know the rest.”   “So you do not mistake me with your nature entity?  Good, it is tiresome how often I am confused for them.”  Fragment’s eye went to Luna to see if she was of the same mind as her sister, and was glad to find she was. “Nature entities exist in various degrees, but your ‘Green Mother’ is a welcome outlier. She sees the wisdom of many sparked species, whereas others limit it to one or try to quash them as soon as they are discovered.” The sisters were baffled by the meaning, but decided to let their parents figure it out. Celestia bowed once more. “Thank you again for your gift of knowledge and patience.” Luna knew what she was doing and tried a spell to force Celestia to shut her mouth, but her sister was faster and flicked Luna’s horn, making the dark mare cry out in pain, giving Celestia enough time to speak. “I would be much appreciated if you could tell us how to get back to our bodies in a manner with which we know how to do.” “You do not fully appreciate your situation,” Fragment chided, boredom coloring its tone. “You are dead.” “What?”  Luna croaked due to her pained horn, and tried to ignore the growing look of dread on her sister. “No, you see, we used a potion and piggybacked-” “Do you honestly think you are the first to try that?” Fragment interrupted sternly. “My skin is not as permeable as that. The potion is the only reason you’ve remained lucid for this long. Once this conversation is over, the potion’s effects will end and you will be processed before being returned to life.  That is the other reason I allowed your questions, a dying species is always of interest.” “You killed us!?” Celestia raged at her sister only to stop. “Wait, our species is dying?” “The blizzards,” Luna cut in before Fragment lost all interest by answering. Luna pushed her sister aside to grovel at Fragment. “Daddy always said the pegasi claimed they couldn’t stop them. Please, can anything be done?” “Even if I could, I would not interfere.”  Fragment returned everyone to the grasslands of Elysium, and brought up a new window showing the blizzards freezing the last members of ponykind to ice. Celestia and Luna crowded around the image, desperate to see if their parents were among the desperate remaining survivors. “The unplanned organism is a question asked by nature, and answered by death. This is death’s answer to ponykind.” The window broke into many pieces, each showing a variety of personal moments and whole groups. The twins weeped, embracing each other as they helplessly watched the end. As each group froze, those pieces of the window vanished.  Celestia tried holding a piece in a vain hope doing so could help them survive, but it was no use. Luna tried searching the pieces for their parents, hoping to see them one last time, but her search proved fruitless as the pieces disappeared faster than she could check.  Unbearably slow, the pieces were whittled down to a comparable handful of survivors that had barricaded themselves inside of caves.  Even then, the lack of food and water would quickly take their toll.  Through it all, Fragment watched with aloof interest that grew as the survivors dwindled.  At the end, the twins were crying into each other’s shoulders as a group of six survivors bickered within a cave. The chill was entering frighteningly fast.  “Even at the end, your species argues. Perhaps your form simply rejects my influence too much.”  Fragment remained to watch however as three of their number were entombed in ice.  Unwilling to look away, the sisters watched as the last three survivors seemed to find common ground in their imminent demise. And yet…  As ice covered the remaining unicorn’s horn, a blinding lavender light burst forth. The heat of it was felt even through the window piece. The ice weakened and shattered, revealing the others in the cave were still alive. The twins’ crying stopped out of utter shock.  What felt like seconds to the sisters, but happened over hours and days to the living, the lavender fire spread throughout the land. More survivors were found frozen alive, but alive all the same. Celestia was the first to find her voice. “They did it.  They survived!” Luna jumped to her hooves, still enraptured by the flame that touched every member of the Tribal Alliance before turning on the blizzard itself, burning out hundreds of ghostly figures. The frozen lands were mostly thawed, save for the old heartlands that remained entombed in ice. Celestia joined her and hugged Luna tightly, crying out of relief. Then, to the surprise of all, the lavender flame licked its way through the window and enveloped the sisters as well. Comforting warmth flooded them like a blanket.  The glass around Fragment’s head shattered as the being poured more of its attention onto what was happening.  “Fascinating.” The flames were slow to dissipate in this ethereal plane, allowing Fragment to capture it in a glass sphere, an act that pulled it off of the sisters. The captured flame was brought in close to its eye as the twins were left too groggy to stand or speak.  Fragment realized its increased presence was crushing the twins’ sparks, so it rebuilt its shattered window, allowing the sisters time to recover as it scrutinized the odd lavender flame. “Emotion made manifest on the material plane, and caused by such primitives no less.  To think I would have lost such a treasure had you two not blundered into me.”  Celestia was the first to finish recollecting her wits. She helped Luna stand back up. “Does this mean we can go back?” She dared to hope.  Pulling the captured flame aside, Fragment shook its head. “As I said before, your old bodies are long dead. If you went back at all, it would be as infants with no prior knowledge of your previous lives.”  Fragment pondered the flame for a bit.  “That said though, this flame and you being lucid presents options…  “You have two choices, Burnside Twins,” Fragment stated after some thought. “The safe option is to do as I presented already. Normal reincarnation. The second, is where I merge your spark with an ember of this fire and then send you back to your world otherwise unchanged.” “What would happen to us?” Luna asked nervously.  “Normally, sending an unprocessed spark back would result in a stillborn birth, your species is not developed enough for an infant to support such a strong spark.  But combined with this flame?  I have some theories, but I can’t say anything definitively.  Exciting is it not?”  Terra cared not that the twins were dubious of the prospect.  “What I am certain of, is this flame is too strong for a newborn spark. Only an adult… well you’re close enough to matter, could survive the merger.” Fragment pushed the lavender flame towards the sisters. “What will it be?” Celestia eyed her sister worriedly. Luna was staring at the flames with glee, and knew what her sister’s answer would be. She’s a reckless foal, and I’m a bigger foal for following her, but I won’t leave her to do this alone. “I’m in!” Luna shouted with firm conviction.  “As - as am I,” Celestia knew she didn’t sound convincing, but she wasn’t going to back down now.  “Excellent choice.” Fragment lifted them into the air and pulled two small pieces of the purple flame off and buried them deep inside the twins’ chests. He collapsed the twins’ bodies into dense motes of light and held them tightly together until one turned white and the other went dark. “You have become children of courage and harmony, and I look forward to the answer.” “The next thing I remember is waking up in a four year old body as an alicorn.”  The ship’s ward room was silent. Luna studied everyone’s faces. She saw astonishment, and surmised they didn’t think she was lying.  “Amusingly enough as twins to the same parents.” Twilight Sparkle cough-laughed, and burned with embarrassment as she choked on her water. “The same ones?!” “Oh yes.” Luna added wistfully, cracking a smirk. “We didn’t even think to try and hide the fact we were their first daughters. We had about an hour or so of hugs and cry sessions, another hour or so trying to figure out why we suddenly remembered who we were and why we sprouted wings until mom and daddy spanked the tar out of us for being stupid.” The comment shattered the ice and the whole room erupted in laughter.  Joining in on the merriment as well, Luna eventually added when the noise died down. “It’s a good thing free land was plentiful back then. If we had neighbors, and found out about us, things would be very different.” Celestia made a similar joke as well, and while the laughter died down, Cadence was struggling to keep a magic episode from Flurry Heart from spiraling out of control. “I guess that explains why you and Luna are alicorns, but how does that explain why Flurry and I are ones too?” Rubbing her chin, Celestia studied the younger alicorns.  “I can’t say definitively, but I surmise our species as a whole will become alicorns one day, or perhaps the flame of Hearth's Warming still resides within us all, and burns brightly within you. Whatever the case, for all the trouble it may cause you, be thankful for it.” Bouncing Flurry Heart in her magic, Cadence winced as a gnawed celery stick slapped her in the face. “I may not look it, but I am.” Aside from Shining Armor and Celestia, those around Cadence were perturbed by the princess personally raising the child at such a young age.  Sensing his wife’s decision might be a magnet for disapproval if the fussing filly became a focus of attention, Shining Armor looked to his queen. “If I may ask,” he said tactfully, “but where does that leave us between Terra and the Green Mother?  Did Terra form us as we are, or did the Green Mother?” Pleased with the question, Celestia was all too eager to speak of it.  “That was something my family debated hotly right up until we left to defeat Discord.  My father and I believe ponykind, and I suppose the rest of the civilized species, were nothing more than animals who just so happened to be receptive to Terra’s sparks.  Once we became vessels for these sparks, we changed.  Perhaps slowly, perhaps over millina, but we became as we are now.  My sister believes ponykind bore the shape we do now before we became carriers of a spark. “As for the Green Mother specifically, I dare say our relationship with her has not changed.  If venerating her was correct, the druidic orders would not be such miniscule enclaves barely clinging on to the history books.” Sublime Grace was the first to finish scribbling down her notes.  “Beg your pardon, my queen, but where does that leave the Church? Should we expound on Terra or what it wants of us?” “I do not believe Terra cares about worship,” Celestia advised before growing snide. “A god that doesn’t answer or care about prayers and concerns.  You can see why it wasn’t so popular.”  Celestia scanned the other church members and Rarity in particular. “Nevertheless, you can see now why my sister and I deny being deities, for we have seen a god with our own eyes.  Take what I have told you about Terra and write a gospel about it. I shall amend it for accuracy. If you must worship something, at least let the recipient of it be an actual god.” “No, Faithful, I don’t believe Terra would even acknowledge our prayer or worship.”  Luna summoned a small fire, the best she could do on the ship. “Perhaps worshiping anything at all is the wrong approach. Instead we should venerate the six virtues of Hearth's Warming that inspired even a god: Honesty, Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity, Kindness, and Friendship. If you can change course and do that, then the Lunar Church will have my blessing.” Studying her gathered clergy, Luna saw each of them were barely looking at her out of respect before going back to scribbling notes, and that everyone’s plate was empty.  “I say we should recess for now.  Faithful, you and yours should collect your thoughts and come back at another time for further questions.”  She stood up, giving leave for them to do the same. “Thank you, your excellency, this is indeed going to spark much debate.”  Faithful Hymn bowed respectfully and ushered his brethren to the door, allowing Luna to focus on the others. “As for the rest of you, I was told between those captured during the war, and the slaves Equestria is planning to return to us, we have several issues all coalescing into a major crisis.  Tell the rest of the privy council to reconvene in… two hours.” Brief words and the shuffling of chairs marked the end of the conference. Twilight made to leave, only for Luna’s magic to discreetly hold her in her seat. Twilight looked at the faint blue glow tugging her dress sleeve and then to the alicorn who was disguising her spell casting by polishing off her glass of wine.  When the last of the guests left, and the wait staff came in to clean off the table, Luna stepped away to give them space. “Twilight, care to join me in the ready room?” “Yes, of course.”   Following her empress into a small office, practically a cubby hole compared to one on land, Twilight was briefly drawn to the two rows of books standing near the head-sized porthole. The the cramped space was too small for Luna to sit on anything but the desk itself, so she made do.  “Twilight, my friend…”  Luna was staring at the ground in thought. “It is my estimation that you are a rather secular pony, yes?” Growing uncomfortable, Twilight’s wings started to fidget. “If you’re asking if I believe your story-” “Neigh,” Luna waved her off, and gave a smile to disarm the pegacorn. “I could see it in your eyes you did while I was telling it. I merely wish to know what you think ponies of a similar disposition will take away from this change of message from the church.” Relaxing, Twilight sighed a bit in relief. “It’s difficult to say how Terra itself will be taken but… The fires of Harmony…”  She grew thoughtful for a moment. “You have told your story, may I tell you one of mine?” Growing interest caused Luna to magically grab a teapot and start warming it with her magic. “Please do. Sharing stories was as close to reading a book as one could get more often than not.”  She fetched a one pound bag of tea leaves and set about with a tea infuser.  The thought of fresh tea made by Luna herself drove Twilight on. “Not too long after I arrived at Tranquility, I went to an old inventor’s house by the name of Gold Tressel to conduct business. We were beset by a gang of criminal mercenaries led by a mare whose name I wish to not say.  “When I left Equestria I had to leave one of my carriage train drivers behind to cover my escape. All of them were red stripes, you see. The one I left behind just so happened to be her father.  She claimed that I chose to bring back a known murderer instead of him on purpose.  Presumably because I either didn’t care about it, or that I knew he’d be executed anyway.”  Twilight breathed slowly, grateful that Celestia’s actions would allow Grey Hunter’s father a chance to be reunited. “After Pinkie Pie and Tressel convinced her I had no idea who her father or the murderer had been, a lesser mare would not have listened to them, and shot me anyway. Even then, by that point she and her mercenaries had already broken into his house, shot a military officer, accosted Tressel’s wife, and revealed their names and faces to us all. As criminals are wont to do, her accomplices wanted to kill us to protect themselves.  I thought I was done for.  Her coin was the only loyalty they had, and it was proving shaky at best, and yet, she refused to take this easy route, and held firm not to kill me.” Snorting out of sympathetic anger, Luna shook her head.  “Would it only be that such a sense of honor was more common.” Shivering a bit as the memories of staring down multiple guns threatened to still her tongue.  “Dignity and an empty sack is worth the sack, Merchant’s Creed number one oh nine.”  Recalling the Creed gave Twilight’s tongue a chance to get moving again.  “It’s not so much a rule to follow, but a warning when dealing with less savory beings.” Luna seemed mollified by the explanation and nodded. “Thankfully, their greed was stronger than their fear of the judge, because I was able to bribe her honorless dogs into letting us live. Later, when I was to give them the money, the ring leader had - disposed of the filth, refused the money, and demanded that I honor her father’s sacrifice, or she would not bother with a warning next time.” Twilight idly drank the piping hot tea and wet her throat.  “I’ve not heard from her ever since.”  Twilight paused, and rolled the cup in her wing-fingers. “The Paths of Harmony still resides in our hearts, even if we don’t realize it. It is something I think that can unite us because as Hearth's Warming and your story have shown, the Paths were etched into us via pyrography. We need only to remember.  So for your original question, some ponies will doubt Terra, but if the Church focuses on the Paths, I see no reason secularism would clash with the new message.” Giving a small grin, Luna drank from her cup, and cast her gaze about to find the sugar jar. “I’m glad to hear it.  Celestia is determined to find some way to unite us as a people once again. A shared faith is a step in the right direction I’d say.” Humming in agreement, Twilight was all too happy to accept some sugar and a refill. “May I offer a word of caution?” Scoffing, Luna found some biscuits and set them out. “When will you learn you do not need to ask such needless questions of me?” “Force of habit.”  Twilight’s hunger forced her to grab a few biscuits. “Overconfidence is dangerous. We all know ponies are only truly rivaled by zebras and hippogriffs.  The griffons could do the same if they weren’t the living embodiment of the Creed’s tenth rule.  Everypony else is a step away from being beneath us. This newfound knowledge of Hearth's Warming and Terra will only push us further into arrogance. With so many refugees crossing the ocean, griffin lands will feel like prime real estate.” “That’s because it is.”  Luna sipped her drink in thought. “But I concede your point.  I will have to make sure my sister is both unwilling and potentially unable to fight us for decades to come. I’m sure the army would welcome the chance to kill non ponies for a change.” Not the response I was looking for.  Still, Twilight held out hope that reconstruction would occupy Luna’s time more than launching a new war. If Equestria is off the table as far as targets are concerned… We’re not an empire without reason. For a moment, Luna was about to give leave to Twilight, but stopped while her thoughts churned as her neglected tea cooled. “I received a cable not too long ago from my sister. The exact figures are not in yet, but between those captured during the war, and the release of pre-existing slaves, over two million will be returning, on top of the refugees already lining the shores. The vast majority of them will be homeless. This is a crisis that I can not even fathom how bad it will be.  I will not have much choice but to invade Griffonia. We need room, food, and shelter, and I have little to give.” “We may still be on a war footing, ma’am, but our armies are an ocean out of position, Griffonia has little coastline for our navy to blockade, and the logistics of it all will need months if not a year to shift east. If an invasion must occur, we must do so smartly and not on the edge of a famine.  Our armies would be better served building homes and farms, not trenches and forts.” Mulling over it, Luna grit her teeth, silently cursing herself a fool. I never should have jumped at such a poor treaty. But if hadn’t, Celestia might not have felt safe enough to end enstripement as she did. If I go back on her now, she could be ensnared by her ministers all over again. No.  The earth is already moving, I simply must change rivers.  “Eclipse said much the same, and his council is insightful.” Grumbling that much more, Luna gave up trying to formulate a plan that Eclipse's own council had proven obsolete. “Lady Twilight.  You are a free actor. Find something meaningful to do.  I care not what, just make sure my ponies do not starve in the year to come.” “I,” Twilight hesitated at the scope of what was being thrown at her hooves.  Your-”  A sharp eye from the alicorn made Twilight reconsider.  “Luna, I am but one mare, and as your Imperial Engineer, my power beyond my estate, business interests, and perhaps a talking piece is nonexistent.  Lean on your agricultural and finance ministers, they can help better than I.  I can move a hill, but they can move mountains.” “Ministers,” Luna chuckled absently. “Tell me, Friend Twilight, do you think my ministers and nobles are any better than the aristocrats I railed against in my time? The few who sided with me all those years ago were outliers, either new money or lived too far away from Equestria’s corrupt heart to be tainted by it.” Perturbed by Luna calling her old home corrupt and from her drifting off topic, Twilight felt obligated to humor her briefly. “Unlike the nobility you’re used to, ministers can be removed from office at your leisure, without it being seen as tyrannical by default.  As for Lunarian nobility,” Twilight couldn’t stop herself from sounding insulted now that her emotions were overtaking her mouth.  Though she didn’t raise her voice, her tone did develop a biting quality. “Even if we can buy a noble title, we have to regularly maintain our status through more than just waving a coin purse around.  It is not a status simply passed down from parent to child, but one who must actively benefit the empire.  Profit must have a greater purpose beyond just wealth and power. Failure to do so is grounds for a harsh and public rebuke, if not sanctioned vigilante justice.” Provided you can suss out the truth at least.  “I’m sure Eclipse will inform you of the Aristocratic Audit Act before long. Not everyone of high birth is blinded by the glitter of gold, she wanted to say, but she felt she was stressing etiquette enough as it was. Seeing the insult she had carelessly given, Luna mellowed her voice.  “He has been throwing a lot at me, is true.  My apologies.”  Opening the door with her magic, Luna was glad to see the table was clean and the staff were absent.  “Perhaps I need a rest and calm my thoughts.  I look forward to your input on the deliberations to come.” More than happy to cool off as well, Twilight bowed.  “As you say, your excellency.” As Twilight departed, and the doors shut behind her, Luna chewed on her cheek as she moved to the slatted windows and stared out to sea.  She passingly recalled meeting a group of aristocrats in Mechiburg, barely fifteen strong in number.  She had not cared to remember whatever they had been doing there, and could only remember they were not trying to flee across the ocean. Twilight Sparkle… you’ve proven your blue blood holds no rot, but have the times changed so much I can barely recognize anything at all, or do the highborne of old just know to avoid my gaze?  Her reign was still new, and she had not yet even been to the capital yet.  The old rebel was left unconvinced. Later, Rarity was in her cabin sewing a brand new scarf for Lyra. The act of holding a needle and thread calmed her thoughts and brought her more inner peace than meditation ever did.  If Terra wished for stronger sparks, then Rarity’s first guess towards that goal was expanding herself.  It’s been too terribly long since I have created anything.”  She frowned at a poorly placed stitch and used her magic to unravel the scarf until she corrected the error.  I am woefully out of practice. Fluttershy quietly entered the cabin, having first checked to see if Rarity had been meditating.  Seeing that her superior wasn’t, the pegasus fully entered.  “Excuse me, I just wanted to fetch my boots.”   “By all means, dear.”  Rarity went back to her efforts for a time, long enough for Fluttershy to find her fur lined boots.  The druid set them on the floor when a thought struck Rarity.  “Fluttershy, can you spare some time?” “Of course.”  Fluttershy sat down on the floor and pulled her boots on while Rarity continued her knitting.   For a bit, Rarity kept working, trying to piece her thoughts together.  “Celestia told the council about Terra and to a smaller extent, the Green Mother.” “Terra?” “Yes.  A very strange being.  I think you should know what was said.”  And so, Rarity explained everything Celestia had said, as word for word as Rarity could remember.  Throughout the retelling, Fluttershy remained respectfully attentive.  “And there it is…” Rarity left, leaving the room to fall silent.  “If anything, it seems Terra approved of the Green Mother more than other nature beings.” Giving a smile and a shallow snort, Fluttershy spoke as if being lifted up.  “I believe the Green Mother is quite thankful of Terra.  This vidicates much, although I feel the need for reflection on this.”   “As do I,” Rarity stated sluggishly. “How arrogant we were, thinking alicorns are gods compared to something like Terra.”  Shaking her head, the inquisitor felt the call to continue her thread work, lest her shattered worldview consume her. Yet she felt the need for further distraction. She paused her work, and saw Fluttershy had located her boots and set about putting them on. “You said you needed time to reflect. Care to bounce such thoughts off on me?” Clipping the buttons on tight, Fluttershy worked her jaw as she hid behind her hair as she mulled over the question. “It is only a cursory theory. One I… hesitate to share.” Fluttershy may have been given leave to practice Druidism in the inquisitor’s company, but she was always careful of stretching that allowance for blasphemy around the zealot. Rarity paused her knitting and gave a curious eye.  “Tis better than what I have at the moment. Please, do go on.” Okay, but if you get mad, you asked for it.  Fluttershy spoke carefully as she donned the rest of her boots. “Whatever level the Church believes Terra’s influence has had on our body and minds, I doubt the Mother intentionally had multiple species capable of holding a spark at first. However, when she saw the potential, she must have expanded the number of species to what we have today.  A lion or bear can not challenge pony civilization, but zebras, minotaurs, and the others can.” “Challenge? That’s certainly your opinion, but go on.” “R-right.”  That was exactly why Fluttershy was always careful.  Nervously tugging her mane, the druid continued.  “The Green Mother knows full well that if a single species rose alone due to these sparks, they would stagnate unless they would struggle with themselves. However, multiple species acting as rivals proves a greater challenge, and more room for growth.” “I suppose the other species challenged us in the past.  But this only proves we stand above the others, for none can challenge ponykind except itself.” Hiding a disappointed frown behind her hair, Fluttershy fought the urge to shake her head. Says the one whose beliefs were humbled. A heavy knock on the door interrupted them, followed by a stallion poking his head in.  “Forgive me, Royal Inquisitor, but her majesty summons you.” Putting her knitting away, Rarity was quick to stand and dust herself off.  “I will be there shortly.”  Rarity slid past her friend, only to pause at the door. “I appreciate your candor, Fluttershy. I may not agree with much of your views, but I would rather hear them, than be isolated by Lyra and Lock Stock’s bowing heads.” Grinning at the praise, Fluttershy pulled her hair back. “Then hear it you shall.”  Rarity tittered as she departed.  Further up the train in a much larger cabin, Celestia studied the treaty she and her advisors had written up. The morning sun shined through the window, revealing the snow was already two feet thick in the northern provinces. The train sat at Manehatten’s ill used train station, barely more than a raised terrace than an actual station. With nothing more than tents outside of the harbor itself, she and the rest of her entourage elected to remain onboard until the Lunarian fleet arrived.  The peace part of the treaty had already been agreed upon during her time in the Mirage, the only real change was formalizing the language.The only real addition was the anti-slavery clause that would make the territory loss more palatable. A discreet knock on the door made her call out but not look away from her work of one last proofing of the text. “Enter.” Rarity entered the cabin and bowed. “You called for me?” “Miss Rarity, good.”  Celestia looked up drying her work and levitated the copy of the treaty she had been going over. “I hear you make a habit of citing treaties in your work. As a courtesy, I suspected you might want a first look before it comes into play.” Accepting the parchment, Rarity quickly found the relevant text. “Anypony caught in the act of slavery of any being forfeits all rights and protections. A poignant way to say they can be executed on the spot.”  As she read it again, Rarity noticed Celestia was watching her expectantly. There’s something amiss then.  With this observation, Rarity thought about it some more. “… May I share a concern?” “Share?  Miss Rarity, I welcome it from you.” Taking the gesture with grace, Rarity carefully tapped the passage. “I understand writing this into a treaty makes it harder to reverse as opposed to a national law, thus appeasing your sister… You're using this to quash any hopes enstripement might return, yes?” “Precisely.”  Celestia sighed and stared out of the window, watching the snow blanketed forest race by.   “Equestria handedly won this war, but we must never forget our fortunes can shift as readily as the winds. Enshrining this into a treaty means Lunaria will not fear a whim reversing the ban.”  Celestia reclaimed the treaty and then began checking the copy of the treaty that will return with her to Canterlot. “More importantly to the here and now, your fellow inquisitors speak of rumors of slavers going into hiding, perhaps not believing in the grace period I offered, or are hiding other crimes.  “While I have great faith in the inquisition’s ability to uproot the institution, the slippery and the unscrupulous will scatter like rats. When they hear of this treaty’s wording, they will have no choice but to move their dealings away from Equestria and will certainly not find safe haven in Lunaria.” “I can see the wisdom in exporting the problem.”  Rarity mulled over the implications. “With all the attention our new provinces in the east will be getting, the smart ones will flee west and take a boat to the more stable griffin tributaries.” Pausing her work, Celestia looked at the unicorn with confusion. “I wasn’t told we had tributaries.” “We don’t,” Rarity clarified. “They’re tributaries to the Zebracan Republics and the Holy Sphinx Empire. We needn’t worry too much. They barely trade with us, and they know better than to draw the ire of their betters. If you were to measure the gap between our navy and that of your sister’s, double that gap and you will see how far behind are the Republics’ and HSE ships to us. Not to mention the Moana Ocean is three times wider, making any attack a pointless gesture. Even if the HSE or the Republics take issue with the influx of a few undesirables, they can hardly do anything about it.” “Is that right?”  Celestia leaned back and tapped her chin with a hoof. “In light of that, Miss Rarity, focus your efforts at home and to the east. Leave the west open for them to flee for a few years before cracking down in case some prefer to be hunted by you than anything the barbarians can throw at them. Who knows, perhaps some will die of scurvy or the sea will claim them.” “By your will, so shall it be.”  Rarity bowed before leaving to relay her new orders to the rest of her brethren. As she stepped outside into the bone chilling cold, an earth stallion was calling out to all who would listen. “Warships spotted on the horizon!  The empress is here!” Having never seen the metal ships her advisors had spoken of, Celestia was too curious to sit back and wait. Looking back into the train, she found her pegasus Royal Guard captain tactfully watching over her. “Gleaming Crest, I’m going for a fly. No more than three of you should be needed.” “As you order, your majesty.” Soon enough, with Luna’s copy of the treaty stowed in a bag, Celestia dove into the air and flew over the ruined city. From on high, the sheer scale of what was lost gripped her. Though some places had been scavenged for cheap bricks, the ruins were little more than snow covered, wind torn rubble for miles in all directions.  How bizarre it is to leave such a monument of loss in place while using it as a trade port. Perhaps I could focus my unification efforts here. Ponies on both sides come here for the shared love of coin, why not try to use that for something greater? It wasn’t long until the group arrived above the harbor. The ships were still far away, but even so, she could see at least six objects on the water. “Your highness.” Celestia turned to find Gleaming was presenting a pair of binoculars. “I don’t know if you're familiar with these, but you can use them to see far away objects up close.” Claiming the object, Celestia inspected it. “Reading stones fixed to a tube?”  By chance she guessed the correct direction to look through and was astonished by the buildings below, and gasped. She removed them from her eyes and looked down to a tavern below, then back again with the binoculars. The little sign in front was enlarged to the point where she could read the name of the place. “Astounding. Oh if only I had these during my campaign.” “They’re yours to keep if you wish,” Gleaming offered with pride.  Her first thought was to decline, but she stopped herself. He’d probably feel far more honored if I kept using his gift over the inconvenience of having to replace them.  With a warm smile, she nodded. “You’re too kind. I will treasure it.”  At last turning her new tool towards the flotilla, Celestia could only look on in shock.  Though the ships were still quite distant, and she could see they moved by no sail nor ores. Black steel gleamed in the sunlight and blooms of black smoke steadily churned out of funnels. Several lines tied to the bow and up to a metal mast in the center carried a multitude of small flags. She marveled at how even the wooden deck gleamed in the light. Over a hundred pegasus marines escorted the flotilla in parade formation.  Echoes of Rainbow Dash firing that rifle at her came to the fore. Celestia touched her cheek, remembering the pain. “Captain. I have been told the imperials have better ships. In what way is that true?” Gleaming answered as best he could without the wounded pride of a sailor. “The imperials have entirely replaced their fleets with ironclads, and their gunnery is better in both accuracy and lethality. Their ships’ disruption fields are powerful enough to stop even our best ice magic, and our cannonballs bounce off their hulls. I’ve been told not only are they faster than any other ships afloat, but they are also propelled solely by a screw under the water, making it impossible to slow them down without considerable effort.  Only massed pegasi marines have had anything close to regular success.  Is he saying that because we have none of those, or because I am unfamiliar with it all.  Grimly, Celestia hoped it was the former. If their navy is that powerful, then perhaps Rarity was correct to not be concerned about the HSE or the Republics. “I see.”  Spotting what she assumed were cover caps on her binoculars, she covered the lenses and pocketed the item before pulling out Luna’s copy of the treaty. “I thank you for this indulgence.” “I was a pleasure, your highness.” “Have a trusted pony deliver this to my sister when they come ashore.” The following days were bitter for Luna and the other Lunarian signatories of the peace treaty. The proceedings were being held in the old broken ruins of Manehatten rather than the port itself. Celestia did not want debris being cleared, save to give enough room for the table and the six total signatories of both nations. It was freezing cold with winter in full force, however the wind and skies around the site were kept clear by military weather teams.  The off the cuff agreement of a Uti possidetis treaty still stung even as Luna penned her name. She was appalled now that Twilight and the rest of her advisors had filled her in on what was actually lost.  Four fifths of the nation’s farmlands were either conquered, depopulated, or outright razed to the ground. Three critical manufacturing cities, the connecting rail lines between what Lunaria still possessed, the entirety of the navigable river that linked it all together, and dozens of mining towns. But the heaviest was the final tally. Almost four hundred thousand dead due to the war and disease, with Equestria suffering just over three hundred thousand.  Luna finished signing her name, with Eclipse, and her military generals and an admiral going next. To think we lost the equal to Lunaria’s whole population in my time to a single war.  Luna had one silver lining in that her nation still technically achieved its long standing war goal of ending enstripement in a roundabout way.  Walking away from the table to allow her sister to sign it, Luna fell into a surreal limbo. I signed a peace treaty to a war I had no part in… I may be the distant cause, but it feels wrong that I should sign it at all. I didn’t lead the armies. Nor did I bleed alongside them. I awake from stone and then call for its end. Was that for the best, or could my people have turned it around and defeated General Shining Armor if I had not come back?  …Who am I trying to fool?  Even without me, General Armor would have completely removed us from the continent. I can only hope Twilight can do for us in peace, what her brother did for them in war. She fumed silently, ignoring the world for a short time. I should give her a more powerful position, but even I can tell she’d end up resenting it. Perhaps it is better she remained unshackled to my court. After Celestia wrote her name in as the last signatory she took the opportunity to share a few words to everyone. Although most of her attention was on her reserved sister, the multitude of soldiers and civilians watching from the air or from on top of shattered walls and piles of bricks. There was no honor guard today to separate her from the people. Half were begging for her to give the word to start cheering, the other was downtrodden, but wanted to be there for Luna and Eclipse.  “Equestrians and Lunarians all, hear me. Look upon this broken city… a monument to how shattered we are as a people. I have heard the war I declared nine hundred years ago called the war of strife. A fitting name for the age that followed it.” Celestia grew more animated now and flared her wings and made her voice just as strong. “With the signing of this peace treaty, I put it forth to us all to end this age of strife.”  She picked up a brick that the workers had left for her. “We all forgot the lessons of Hearth’s Warming, and that failure has been magnified to where we are now, at each other’s throats. I already hear of calls for vengeance, something no doubt doubly so within Lunaria.  If nothing changes, we might as well have just signed an armistice instead.”  She dropped the brick.  “So I made the first overture. The war is over, enstripement is done, and all servants will be returned as quickly as possible. From this day forward, let no pony enslave another! Let us preserve this peace once and for all!” Flapping her wings to land next to her sister, Luna decided to wing it on a speech as well. Why did she have to spring a long winded speech on me?  Now I have to make a show of things. “Agreed. There’s been enough dead heroes.”  Luna trusted her sister was honest this far. “Let us rebuild, and be done with this business of killing one another.”  There’s plenty of land to the east of our holdings.  “When our lost brothers, sisters, husbands, and mothers are returned to us, they should not see a nation as broken as this city, but that we stand tall!” With both sisters in agreement, the crowd’s initial worry over cheering faded, allowing everyone to erupt in jubilation. Given everything that had happened, Celestia was genuinely happy to have her sister at her side once more, however brief it may prove to be. This treaty may be for yesterday’s war, but it feels like Lulu and I finally made peace as well.  I failed the true lessons of Hearth's Warming when I started that damned war. Maybe now that I can remain wise to the blinding schemes of others, I won’t lose sight of who is important to me. Standing on the sidelines, Twilight and Pinkie watched from afar. Both mares stomped their hooves so as to not stand out, but neither one was all too thrilled. “The guns may have fallen silent, but now we’re left to pick up the pieces.”  Twilight sighed once she could stop faking her good mood. “And be called profiteers while finding a way to fill everypony’s bellies.” Pinkie Pie threw on a broad smile and ribbed her sister. “Hey now, better they be fat and mad, than starving and rioting.” “Heh, I suppose so.”  Twilight left Luna and her aides to handle the pleasantries. The sisters broke off as soon as manners allowed them. Twilight’s stomach growled so loudly, she feared those around her could hear and she covered her burning face with a wing.  Giggling with schadenfreude, Pinkie nudged her sister towards the docks. “Sounds like some ponies are hungry,” she ended with a cheery note.  “No use arguing.”  Twilight picked up the pace, her thoughts filled with fried fish.  “I can’t believe Cadence discovered I’m having twins.” “I know right?”  Pinkie Pie was skipping along, skirting the edge of breaking into song. “But look on the pie side, twins means you don’t need to go through pregnancy twice for a second foal.”  One look at her sister’s expanding belly filled Pinkie with glee. “And if they’re even half as cute as Flurry Heart, it will be a sign,” Pinkie proclaimed with a sudden dramatic flare. “A sign from Terra itself!” Already deeply suspicious of Pinkie’s overly cheerful mood, Twilight rubbed her growing headache while watching the pracing mare. “Dare I ask what it is a sign for?” Winking at Twilight and maneuvering to walk at her side once more, Pinkie grabbed a few bricks and held them as if they were foals. “That you have to have a whole bunch of children. I think fifty is a good number!” Twilight tripped over her own hooves and face planted the ground. In a flash she looked up and stared daggers at her sister. “Fifty?  Fifty?! How about you have fifty foals so you can end up as one big stretch mark!” Pinkie Pie helped her sister stand back up and wiped the snow off out of habit. “I already have those on my face from smiling too much, see?” All she got out of Twilight was a sour look. “Look on the bright side, if you’d make having twins a habit, you can get it all done in half the time.” “You keep this up and I’ll have you married off,” Twilight shot back with a smug eye. “We could use the Darkwood’s money and foundries.” “As if you could stomach having to invite them over for family functions,” Pinkie quipped right back with a cheeky smirk. Shivering at the thought more than the cold, Twilight knew when to give up the ghost.  “Point taken.  Anyway, why don’t we go to that place where we met Applejack?” “Sounds fun.  When we get back to the harbor, I can drag both her and Rainbow Dash to join us.”