Weeks passed before the Seers had deemed his Paths of Harmony was ‘not entirely disruptive’. Much to the emperor’s reluctance, Faithful Hymn had talked his way into being given permission to convert a small abandoned warehouse into a forum, of a sort.
It mimicked a chapel with its layout of pews and a podium, complete with a lit brazeer to symbolize the Flame of Harmony. Yet it also proved quaint and cozy, with barely enough pews to house a dozen souls. Curiosity proved a greater force than distaste, and caused some passers by to linger outside long enough to hear the other missionaries exhort the six paths every night and day of the week. As of yet, not one person, save Gallus or the missionaries’ escorts ever entered the forum. While his duties drove Gallus to listen the first time, afterwards he alone stayed for more and more sessions. Such actions did not go unnoticed by the public. Most dismissed him as a foolish idealist or that he was there as punishment.
One day, Faithful was busying himself by sweeping the floor of his forum when some new faces took the first hesitant steps inside. Upon seeing the first group to arrive without Gallus, Faithful allowed earlier insults and failures to fall to the wayside and struggled his way to walk away from his podium. “Welcome, welcome. Have you come to hear of the Paths of Harmony?”
It was a rhetorical question, but a necessary one. The teenage griffon tom who led the group of four sneered at him. “Not a chance. We came to see if the rumors were true about some ponies missionaries. Thought it was a lark.”
“Ah, well as you can see, the rumors of our presence at least were true.” Faithful set his broom aside and wanted to approach them, but the mountain air and his age made him caused a dizzy spell, so he opted to stay still and catch his breath. “I thank you for checking up on me, though.”
One of the group huffed and left, pulling a second along with him. The leader stuck around trying to think of something before he too turned his back, letting his silence speak for him. The remaining jane decided to speak plainly, half believing the old unicorn couldn’t understand them properly. “Why are you still here where no one wants to listen to your nonsense?”
Faithful’s fatherly smile never wavering, and he rested his bones on a pew. “Life is full of seemingly nonsensical things. A child sees no value in real food over treats, a soldier wants glory, not to be scrubbing the latrine, and yet these are things we need.”
The leader slapped his friend for speaking plainly, but the jane slapped him back before continuing. “And what makes you think we need to listen to this farce of yours? You have the gall to think we need a pony of beings tell us how to be good folk?”
“Oh I don’t think you do at all,” Faithful admitted freely, raising his hooves in a shrug. “I am here to show that ponies and griffons share common core values, my friends. If I can do that, then we have common ground, yes?”
The youths were not getting the floundering responses they were hoping for and some of them gave up and left with some parting words. “We don’t need your common ground, we want you to leave us in peace. Go home, pony.”
They departed, leaving the door wide open, and the snowy mountain air rushed in. Faithful simply left it open, and was content on using a spell to keep warm. “They’ve stopped ignoring me and have opened the door, far be it for me to shut it now.”
His age caught up to him shortly after that and he fell into a nap right there on the pew. He stayed there long enough to awaken with a start when a hoof nudged his foreleg.
Standing over him was Luna herself. “Your highness!” Faithful glanced about, still finding himself in the chapel, only it was dark outside with the brilliant start night on full display. He felt admonished even though her face was warm. “I fell asleep again.”
“Indeed you did,” Luna hid a laugh. “Perhaps you are working too hard.”
“Hardly, your majesty. My age has caught up to me.” He sat up on the pew. Within the dream realm, Luna had expressed to all she visited that she had no need for decorum here. “Griffons are a proud people. I suspect none of them will truly take heed until after my death. But if I can open the door for others, then it will all be worth it.”
“You really don’t plan on returning home?” Luna was disappointed to be sure, but she did not voice her desire for him to come home.
“These mountains are beautiful, my queen.” The chapel fell away to reveal the dense mountains beyond, silhouetted by the full moon and stars. “I fear I would not survive the journey back in any respect, even if it would be nice to breathe east again. In my youth, I thought it would be an honor to die in battle, keeping the soldiers spirits strong. After that, I found this cozy little spot on the Cinnamon Beach where I could pass in peace. The sea is so beautiful to me. Here though, the mountains have their own majesty. If I must die far from home, I can’t think of a better place than here.”
“Far be it for me to rob an honorable stallion of his last wish. Have you been treated well?”
Laughing briefly, Faithful rocked his head back and forth. “As well as can be expected. I have not been harmed nor deprived of the basics.”
A heavy ripple rocked the dreamworld, leaving both ponies bemused. “It seems someone is trying to wake you. Take care, Faithful Hymn. Know that Eclipse sends his regards.”
“And I the same,” he said before Luna vanished and he awoke to find Gallus standing over him.
“You alright old timer?” The griffon was not alone. Eight others of his kind were present, along with two missionaries looking relieved.
Frowning as he sat back up, Faithful was quick to gather his wits and replace it with a brilliant smile. “Just needed to rest my eyes. Who might your friends be?”
“Friends is a bit strong of a word.” Gallus pulled back to give the unicorn some breathing room. “Griffonstone Academy was hosting a debate about you ponies on whether or not we should expel you from the city, or just let you wear yourselves out and go home on your own.”
“I see,” Faithful laughed wholeheartedly. “So you’ve either come to tell me the results or to gather evidence for your argument, yes?”
“Something like that.” Gallus used a wing to push his way to a pew. “I convinced this rabble here the best way to get that answer was to hear you out.”
“Is that right?” Suddenly quite animated, Faithful excused his way to the podium where he kept his copy of the gospel and notes. After arranging them in haste, he wore his best fatherly expression to his erstwhile audience. “Stories are always the best way to carry a message. While I know you care little for pony history, we must still first listen to Hearthswarming to grasp the true significance of Harmony. Something which is powerful enough to surprise a god!”
Gallus had heard the entire tale before when the seers made their assessment, but he never spoke of it to anyone. So he played dumb and sat down to give the other cause to do the same. “A god? You mean the alicorns?”
Realizing his game quick as a flash, Faithful shook his head. “Oh what fools were we ever thinking Luna and her sister were goddesses. No, for they met someone truly befitting the title. I will tell you what they told me.”
Hours melted away as Faithful not only regaled the tale of Terra, but also called upon his audience to speak of griffon history that drew from one or more aspect of Harmony. The collection of griffons broke apart slowly, individuals hearing enough and left one by one until the wee hours of the night.
Gallus was the last one to remain, having thought ahead and brought some jerky. Yet even a prince could not stay forever. Yet before he could give a farewell, a memory struck him, causing his tongue to stumble a bit. “Faithful Hymn, I can’t believe I forgot to tell you earlier, but I wanted to tell you about my favorite folk hero: Captain Bent Coin.”
Faithful Hymn never felt happier than seeing such an eager youngster be it before the reformation or after. He wet his throat with some water before wagging his staff at him. “Then I beg of you to share, if I speak much more my voice will give out.”
An eager grin fell over Gallus as he paused to collect his memories. “To understand Bent Coin, you have to know that the Union didn’t just pay my father for his armies, they had to do it to each warlord to gain their services. If they can’t pay for a warlord’s whole army, they can go smaller for independent mercenary captains.
“Bent Coin hailed from the Skystream region under Warlord Grey Amber. The sphinxes bought his contract and he and his company of ninety nine sharpshooters did a tour of two years fighting the centauri.
“About… late autumn I think it was, is when the contract was up for renewal, and the sphinxes couldn’t spare the coin.” Gallus waved a dismissive wing. “By then the centauri had focused on invading the kirin, and no one believed they’d be back to take anything more out of the sphinxes. So Bent Coin went southwest to look for more work and to see if any griffons wanted to fill out the losses he took. He was down to twenty troops by then. It was just starting to snow in a small little spit of a hamlet when Bent Coin made camp for the night when outlaw hippogriffs came waking into town. They were looking to rough up the place for money and what not, but ran off when they saw Bent Coin’s mercenaries.”
Gallus was truly getting into telling the tale and he jumped up on a pew while his tail wagged excitedly. “The village chief begged him to stay or defeat the bandits that were sure to return, but Bent Coin’s lieutenant was the treasurer of his merry band, and reminded everyone that the emperor’s decree was that no griffon was to kill a Union member unless permission was given in writing in the form of a contract. And a hamlet barely thirty people strong, there was no way they could afford to pay his toms for even one night of sentry detail. So long as the bandits did not attack his troops directly, he couldn’t lift a claw. So, he hatched a plan!”
Gallus flapped into the air and landed with his voice taking on a shady back-room tone. “He drew up a contract for installments with a down payment of a single copper piece. The contract would ruin the hamlet, they’d never pay it off, but it was either that, or die to the bandits who were surely watching for his toms to leave. Bent Coin already had someone tail the bandits and he sought them out. Turns out a few kirin outlaws had guarded the camp while the hippogriffs had gone raiding.”
Remembering the times his tutor had told him the story time and time again, Gallus was too engrossed in the tale to care about station or decorum. He turned and ducked behind a pew, only poking his head out as if waiting in ambush. “So Bent Coin set a trap. He and fifteen of his troops settled into firing positions while the rest took the signaling drums they carried with them to the far side. There they gave a marching beat that made it sound like a whole column was flying in the bandits direction, and they bought it like fools. Every last one panicked and ran straight into the ambush. The first ones shot thought they had been hit by the column, completely missing Coin’s toms hidden in the reeds thanks to our smokeless powder.”
Gallus jumped out into the open with his sword raised high and swinging, a thrilling grin plastered on his face. “Bent Coin saw a nirik coming right for him and smashed his face with a rifle jab. But in her panic, the nirik blindly attacked him with a wreath of flames, burning him and his uniform.
“When the fighting was over, and the scant few survivors running for the hills, everyone was horrified that the contract had been burned.” Gallus sheathed his sword and waggled a claw at Faithful. “No contract, no pay after all. Even so, Bent Coin could have easily demanded the contract be rewritten as it previously was. He had the guns and the dead bandits as evidence. But he didn’t, instead he settled for a cover contract, which is nothing more than the locals putting into writing that they gave him permission to kill Union citizens.”
“But here’s why I like this story. Some people say it was his fault in not protecting the contract so he lost good money, other say he was in his rights to force the town into redrawing the contract. A few of us say that he fought that nirik on purpose, hoping to get the contract destroyed.”
“Really?” Faithful queried with genuine interest. “I have heard that nirik flames are especially dangerous. Why take such a risk?” Faithful knew the answer all too well, but he humored the young lad with the same bewildered expression he had used hundreds of times when children would come to him with their favorite verses or stories of Luna’s heroism.
“I say he never wanted the hamlet’s money, but needed a legal way to help them, and knew his troops wouldn’t fight for free. People say he ultimately decided to live in the sphinx lands out of shame for losing the contract so needlessly. I think he did it because he had grown to love the people and wanted to protect them. He gave up coin to find happiness.”
Clapping his hooves, Faithful was glad to see the young prince was truly taken by the example Bent Coin had set. “A marvelous story. Do you mind if I use it for my sermons?”
The distant tolling bell of the late hour grabbed Gallus’ attention. He was quick to nod at his host. “Of course, of course. I should be going though. See you in two days?”
“I’ll be here as always, your highness.” Faithful Hymn watched Gallus bolt away as if his life depended on it. The old stallion gave off a tired sigh as he magically claimed a broom and started sweeping away the snow and dust. After hearing such a tale, he quickly found parallels to similar stories of pony generosity and honor. The more common we are, the more friendly we can be. He started humming his favorite hymn as he toiled away, the smile on his lips never wavered.
Later that night, in one of the seedy bars on the south side of Griffonstone, Grunhilda sat alone, nursing a mug of mead hoping to avoid the eyes of anyone who could recognize her. Her wings ached from traveling hundreds of miles with barely a day’s rest. She bore it with persistent grumbling that never reached the ears of her warlord. So she was left muttering curses under her breath as she spent her time rubbing some knots out of her muscles.
She twisted to get at a particularly stubborn knot, and bumped a bottle strapped to her belt against the table. She paused to look at it with fermenting distaste as her master’s words echoed in her mind.
“You must have the emperor’s own soldiers kill the missionaries while they are inside his castle. By doing so you will dishonor his house both among the other warlords, and the Union. Once isolated, the Lunarians will do the rest.”
“How am I to do this? Control their minds?” She had asked jokingly.
“In a manner of speaking. This is extract from Fire Heart, a flower that grows in the valleys below.” He revealed the odorless, clear liquid to her. “It is an elixir our berserkers of old used back before the days of the empire. It enhances strength and aggression and makes you immune to pain. The one failing is that it calls too deeply upon our primordial spirits. The animalistic predators we still carry in our hearts.”
He handed her the bottle. “And predators eat what they kill.”
Shivering at the thought of drugging someone with such a horrid concoction, Grunhilda soothed her conscience by reminding herself of the Centauri king’s promise. “It’ll be nice to kill for more than coin.” Giving this to the ponies’ guards should do the trick. I just need to find a way to do it without implicating myself.
In Tranquility, Eclipse had settled easily into his role as majordomo. With a country that ran night and day, the throne had to keep up. So he had effectively become the day emperor with a smaller crown. That fact tickled him ever since.
It was getting late now. Court was suspended for the day and now he was going over other matters with the imperial engineer.
Both he and Twilight walked slow laps around the castle battlements as they spoke. The warm sea air of a tropical storm that an army of weather ponies was breaking up washed over the city. There was a light drizzle out, so they stopped under a covered tower on the western end so they could watch the harbor.
“A floating aluminum platform… it certainly would make resupplying cloud districts much easier.” Eclipse gazed up at the greatly expanded cloud city that was being discolored by the abundant storm clouds. “The price per pound is still restrictive, but I can push through an order of thirty five.”
Excitedly jotting down the order, Twilight Sparkle felt close to bursting with how many uses her metallurgical revolution could enable. “You won’t be disappointed, your excellency. Now, about the tassel engine, I know it seems more fanciful than practical, but it was always a proof of concept. The first real product to come out of that development is…” Twilight playfully tapped her wing armor on the floor imitating a drum roll. “The motorized carriage!”
“A motorized… carriage?” Eclipse was more hesitant this time. “I don’t think we can handle such a thing. Jobs are short enough as it is, and threatening the drivers is a bridge too far.”
“Aah, but sire,” Twilight finagled while wagging a wing-finger. “We should not think of the jobs this will destroy, but of the jobs it will create. A carriage is driven by two ponies. Maintenance and construction expand the number of jobs per carriage, yes?”
“I follow so far.”
“You already know how much truly goes into a steam engine from the ore being dug up to maintenance and training. If we expand that level of job creation to something as ubiquitous as carriages all while improving the cargo and passenger capacity, the growth will be extraordinary!”
It was certainly compelling to him, but he suspected Twilight was holding a trump card so he made a show of being indecisive. He looked away to lean against the battlements and ponder things. “It’s possible such things could improve matters, but if you want me to subsidize this, you’ll need to get a working model of a motor carriage that can transport something equal to a two pony trailer.”
With a knowing grin, Twilight took to the air. “I can do you one better.” Climbing higher into the air she started doing figure eights with Eclipse momentarily baffled until he followed the mare’s unchanging gaze. The closest gate began opening with two noisy, driverless carriages chugging into view. The guards and a few ponies on the street also watched them with fascination.
The carriages came to a puttering stop beneath Twilight. An earth stallion climbed out of the bigger of the two with a unicorn exiting the smaller one. In her excitement, Twilight tried to land on the battlement, only for a hoof to slip. She nearly busted her jaw before catching herself. “Ahh heh, well here is Sparkle Industrial’s latest product!”
Instantly wanting a closer look, Eclipse abandoned the first thought of asking for Twilight to carry him down and opted to have a bodyguard do the honors.
Once both were down in the courtyard, Twilight was all too happy to land next to the earth pony first. “Your excellency, this is Fedspar, inventor of the lorry truck.”
Bowing before the chancellor, Fedspar was immediately nervous. “I don’t really deserve all the credit, sire. I made the chassis and er-”
“Ah he’s so modest,” Twilight jumped in as planned, much to Fedspar’s relief. “He upscaled the Tassel engine, increased the number of- um…” She stopped, remembering she shouldn’t dive too deeply into talking shop. Instead she directed Eclipse to the rest of the vehicle. The flatbed in the back had short metal walls and was roughly two thirds of its length. A large two-sided sign advertised both vehicles, when they would be ready for customers, and where to buy them.
“This beauty can transport twice as much as a wagon and can go anywhere a carriage can. Think of it, lorries delivering cargo to places where trains would be impractical. Villages can finally feel a true connection to the rest of Lunaria.” Twilight slapped the truck bed, making it sound solid and dependable. “And since I know it will come up. A lorry can follow the army away from rail heads better than a wagon train.”
Not even giving him a chance to pose a counterpoint, Twilight tactfully pulled Eclipse along to the smaller vehicle. “Now you must be thinking, what about just personal travel, and not wanting to be all hot and tired from walking or galloping there? Perhaps you are injured or infirm and can’t make it down the way to the store, well worry no more for the motor carriage is the answer.” She waved a wing to the unicorn mare who bowed to both of them.
“I prefer the term motor car for short.” The mare stepped aside so Eclipse could get a better view of the motor car. “The name’s Sugar Plum, and I’m the inventor. From the radiator to the exhaust pipe I invented most of the Modal S. Perfect for town travel with class on a budget. But if you want the special package…”
Sugar Plum climbed back inside and levitated her saddlebags with ease. “Thanks to Lady Twilight’s new aluminum alloy making up the chassis, all disruption from the engine is completely blocked. That part is optional of course due to costs and what not.”
The last part stunned Eclipse. “Blocked?” He at last turned to the smirking pegacorn. “You’ve been busy. So much so it’s almost disturbing.”
Deciding to laugh it off, yet inwardly growing worried how she was coming across, Twilight moved in close to Sugar Plum. “Why don’t we all go for a drive? Let his excellency experience the Modal S first hoof?”
Instantly excited to have such a distinguished passenger, Sugar Plum was all too happy to accept and helped direct Eclipse on entry while Twilight congratulated Fedspar and got him to drive back to Talon Point.
With Eclipse’s bodyguards flying above, the bewildered chancellor was caught between the curious gazes of his citizens and watching Sugar Plum operate the vehicle as the motor car chugged and coughed its way along the streets. Technological innovation was highly prized, and he could see in their eyes that each of them, rich and poor, would want a motor car. “This is… incredible. The motor car yes, but how? You don’t even have three years to yourself and you create such wonders?”
Resting a wing on Sugar Plum, Twilight chuckled. “I’ve had a lot of help. Just like Sugar Plum here, thousands of thinkers, tinkers, engineers, and designers came here hoping to rebuild. Instead of having to resign themselves to abandoning their passions, I gave the best of them a place to continue their work. So much coming out of SI came from Lunaria itself, I simply gave them a cloud to jump from.” A wistful half-grin found its way on her muzzle. “The same you did for me.”
The comment caught Eclipse off guard, yet he recovered soon enough and gave a snort and grin. “I did what I could. The irony of power is how curtailed your choices are when you put your people first. When I first saw you, an Equestrian walking into the throne room with her former slave right behind her, I thought the crowd would have demanded your head. I fear that, were it not for the love and loyalty of your sister… I would have had to turn you away. My word may have had the authority to allow you to stay, but Pinkie Pie is the one who had the power.”
“She’ll be tickled even pinker when I tell her that.”
Joining Twilight in polite laughter, Eclipse saw that Sugar Plum had turned around and was returning to the castle. “From what I hear, it doesn’t take much to make Lady Pinkie Pie laugh.” Eclipse paused a bit to think. He slapped the metal door. “I like what I see. Give me a full inventory on the price of one lorry and a hundred. I’ll see about getting some procured for the army. As for this little number,” he leaned a bit more forward so Sugar Plum could hear him better. “I know the Empress would love one, provided it was sized appropriately for her.”
Realizing she was being addressed, Sugar jumped at the opportunity. “Oh don’t worry about that, your excellency. I’ll personally oversee her motor car’s construction. With the dampening reduction, naturally.”
The castle gate was once more in view when a voice called out, “Your Excellency!” A winded looking navy pegasus mare was being questioned by the gate soldiers when the noise from the motor car caught her attention. Too tired to fly, the mare struggled to gallop over to the motor car, only to be intercepted by one of his personal guards. “I have word from the Corinthian Sea Fleet!”
When the mare produced a rolled up letter and waved it at him, Eclipse looked to his captain. “Let her through.”
Sugar Plum remained quiet so she could hear every last word of the juicy gossip to come and idled the engine.
Eclipse claimed the letter, giving the messenger a chance to drop her head and gulp air. “The fleet is quite a distance from here. Captain, get her a drink and a place to recuperate.”
“Thank you, sire.”
As she was led away, Eclipse broke the seal and read quietly, glad that Twilight was making no effort to read over his shoulder. He hummed in bemused thought. “Well now, isn’t this something.” He looked up to the mares. “Miss Sugar Plum, I thank you for the ride, but I’m afraid I will need to walk from here. Twilight, would you accompany me?”
“Yes, of course.” Twilight passed accolades to Sugar Plum who left disappointed she couldn’t be ground floor to new gossip, but was soothed by the money she was surely to earn from her invention.
Eclipse reread the letter again as he guided Twilight to a side entrance into the palace proper, and he had a measure of privacy with her. “My son is reporting that we’re getting proper visitors from the east in two week’s time.”
“Proper visitors? It can’t be the griffons then if we’re hearing this from an admiral.”
“Indeed. It seems two of the Union’s leaders are sailing here to open relations.” He wasn’t overly moved by the news. If anything it annoyed him. The Union had never been anything other than aloof to his previous attempts to open a dialogue, and those of his father as well.
“Ah, the Union.” Twilight looked up in thought while scratching her chin. “Pinkie Pie has been making quite a fuss about wanting to sell aluminum ingots to them. They still see it as a jewelry base, you know.”
“It still is here,” Eclipse reminded her with a humorous leer.
“Not for long if I have anything to say about it.” Twilight waggled her armored wings. “You know ponies have tried to mug me five times for my wings over the years?”
“I’m sure you handled it with the proper force.” He started walking deeper into the castle and waggled the letter at her. “Luna must be informed, and I want you to meet with these delegates in the harbor when they arrive.”
“Me?! I am merely an engineer, sire.”
“Merely, she says.” Eclipse laughed, half believing she was serious. “You wear too many hats to say that with any semblance of believability.”
“Then more's the pity I have but one head to wear them all,” Twilight half-joked as an ear fell and a sheepish laugh filled the air. “But may I ask why the harbor?”
Eclipse gave her a side-long look, smirking a bit. “Lunaria is what it is today because of our inventors, scholars, and engineers. You represent that quite well, Imperial Engineer, and as such, you should be among the first faces they see.”
“Since you put it that way, how can I refuse?” Twilight hummed with a touch of mirth as ideas spun in her mind. “But if I am to do this, how… oh what’s the best word? How ostentatious can I be?”
Arching a curious eyebrow, Eclipse could see a plan was forming. “Swinging from humble to showboaty on me?” He only got a cringing shrug out of her. “Are you wanting to throw a parade?”
“Oh nothing so theatrical,” Twilight giggles while waving a dismissive hoof. “But what is an engineer without her babies?”
Giving an equine snort, Eclipse nodded. “Do as you see fit. And speaking of babies, how are yours?”
A glowing smile flashed onto her face as Twilight pulled her coin purse out of her dress and removed a picture clasp. “Oh the little darlings are doing fabulously.”
She opened the clasp to reveal a picture of the twins: a pegacorn and a thestral filly on the left side and a thestral colt that was barely a yearling on the right. “I’ve already poached some excellent tutors for them, but I will be personally handling their math and sciences.”
Taking the clasp and admiring the pictures, Eclipse gave a wistful sigh. “I remember being a new father. It’s so easy to miss their childhood when the weight of your duties feels so heavy. There’s something to be said about commoners raising their children themselves. I wish I could have been there more.”
The advice stung Twilight deeper than he realized. She reached her hoof forward, prompting him to return the clasp. Upon doing so, she traced a hoof over the pictures. “My father and mother always tried to make time for me and Shining Armor. Even if they couldn’t do it at the same time…” She closed it and returned the clasp to her coinpurse. “Perhaps I should be taking them with me more often.”
“It’s how they learn,” Eclipse offered with a proud smile as he thought of his own children. “Classrooms have their place, but the world is often the best teacher.”
Queen Novos stood above the wheelhouse of her ship the Lustrous staring out over the water where a squadron of five Lunarian warships surrounded her. Tobacco smoke wreathed the hippogriff as the setting sun bathed the world in rich reds. Being escorted by five ironclads on her ship of wood and sail was stressful enough, but now she wasn’t even being allowed to dock in the harbor, but at an off-shore facility. It struck her as a smug insult.
The city beyond evoked unease even more strongly than the warships. Annoyingly, Summer Flame however was enraptured by it. He leaned over the deck, stretching his neck to see as much as possible before the off-shore port moved in front. “It looks as if half the city is on fire, Novos my dear. And the cloud city, ahh truly a sight to behold.
Novos exhaled a ring of smoke as she gazed up at the thunderhead sized cloud district. The black trails of smoke curved unnaturally away from it, leaving the homes and businesses pristine white. “Indeed.” She was deeply worried. Hippogriffs prided themselves on being the industrial giants of the Union. Her people produced most of the steel, textiles, ships, and weapons. Even the griffons preferred hippogriff arms and cannons.
She knew full well those pillars of black smoke were signs of production at a scale she thought unimaginable in a single city. Just how many more ‘Tranquillities’ are there?
Two small boats pulled alongside the flagship with several pegasi and thestrals carrying ropes up to the Lustrous with one surly looking thestral coming up to the closest crew member he could find. “Tie these on to your bitts. We’ll tow you in nice and clean like.”
When the shipmaster looked to Novos for direction, she gave her consent. “These must be the tug boats we were warned about.”
“Fascinating no?” Summer teased, loving the distress his counterpart was expressing. “A little boat that bullies its bigger friends around and tucks them into bed. Perhaps you should buy one for personal use.”
Refusing to rise to his teasing, Novos kept staring out over the city. She did, however, blow smoke in his direction. “I doubt they would part with it. Not to us.”
The two waited until the ship was safely moored to the dock and the space on either side of the ship had been cleared for them. Novos disposed of her cigarette before stepping onto the wooden gangplank, and found two ponies waiting for them: a lavender unicorn oddly wearing metal wings, with the other a leather-winged night pony.
Behind the two was an unsettling number of flying soldiers. Rather than be in any sort of parade formation and uniformed, the soldiers were dressed more for field combat rather than a dress uniform. Each of them were wielding their carbines in an almost lazy hold, but one that allowed for quick aiming should things turn ugly.
Novos was unsure of which official she should address first as she took her fine steps off the gangplank. The griffons often say how militarized the ponies are. Should I lead with her, or let them speak first? The night pony was clearly a military officer thanks to her shoulder epaulets and slung carbine on her back, while the civilian unicorn who. Wait. Now that Novos had walked in close enough, she could see in between the armor’s frame to see the featherless wings beneath it. They send a cripple and an escort that’s not even dressed properly? All of which on top of not letting us dock in the city. Either these Lunarians are insulting us, or their empress is playing games to see how we’ll react.
Novos’ internal debate stilled her tongue long enough for Summer Flame to take the lead. “Ahh, such a marvelous city you have.” He dipped his head respectfully. “I am Grand Patriarch Summer Flame of the Commonwealth of Fire. My silent compatriot here is Queen Novos of Hippogriffa, imaginative, I know,” he said with a side smirk at her, to get the hippogriff to snap out of it. “We’ve come to open a dialogue with Empress Luna.”
The lavender pony scrutinized Novos long enough for the queen to scow. An act that got her to level a healthy smile Summer’s way. “I am the Imperial Engineer Twilight Sparkle, I serve at her majesty’s behest. Welcome to Tranquility, your graces.”
The night pony’s easy stance was at odds with the curt formality of her tone. “Name’s Captain Rainbow Dash. My company and I will escort you to the palace.”
“Would it be possible for a guided tour afterwards?” Summer Flame replied with naked eagerness. “At your empress’ pleasure of course.”
Having had time to compose herself, Novos nodded her agreement. “Yes, forgive me, I feel this meets is long overdue. Our peoples have traded informally for too long, and I for one would love to correct that oversight.”
Rainbow Dash took it differently than Twilight did and rolled her shoulder. “You should know your docking arrangements, are standard procedure. No ship is permitted to dock directly with the city unless it is flying the colors of the moon.” She glanced at Twilight with a brief smirk. “Or carrying foreign passengers.”
Twilight stepped in, trying to treat them the best way she knew: potential buyers. “It is merely a security precaution. You may take four bodyguards with you, preferably ones that can fly.”
“What a shame,” Summer Flame confessed with a bit too much drama for Novos’ liking. “And my people were so looking forward to seeing what all the smoke was about.”
“You’ll have to forgive him,” Novos put forth diplomatically. “Kirin are closely tied to fire, and your coal smoke might as well be a stiff drink to him.”
“Is that so?” Twilight used a wing to point deeper into the artificial harbor. “Well I’m afraid there won’t be much of a chance to sober up on the way to the palace. The industrial district is fairly close to the Throne.”
“Oh I feel like I am going to like this place.” Summer Flame had to reel in his enthusiasm with considerable force of will. “I would very much enjoy a tour of the city once the reception is over.”
Novos nervously eyed the twenty-odd soldiers keeping pace with them in the air. To her, it didn’t matter if she could bring four guards or the ship’s whole marine compliment, she was at the ponies’ mercy. A prospect the griffons always claimed always proved to be a near death experience.
“Here we are,” exclaimed Twilight Sparkle as she stepped up to an odd contraption. The carriage had decorative navy blue trimming and strangely, two metallic bird wings instead of wheels. “The Sparkle Flier.”
“It flies?” Novos was already at odds with the dubious notion of a flying machine. A balloon or kite sure, but something that was clearly metallic was absurd. Novos quickly noticed the carriage’s wings were very similar to the coverings Twilight was using.
“It’s in the name, Novos my dear.” Summer was thoroughly enjoying himself. He quickly spotted the seats, and was eager to see it in action. “You Lunarians are clever indeed. How does it work?”
“That’s a secret,” Rainbow barked, only for Twilight to rest a wing on the officer.
“Come now, Captain. Even if they could replicate it, they’d never get it into the air.” Twilight popped two doors open, allowing herself a more dignified entry into the vehicle. She left the door open to Novos. “It requires a pegacorn’s magic to fly, something I don’t think you’ll find in great abundance within Union territory.”
Novos debated on whether or not to trust the flier, but voicing concern now would only be a sign of weakness. This engineer may not care about such displays, but this Captain and her subordinates are watching my every move. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t.” She looked back to the steel-eyed hippogriffs and kirin that had trailed behind them. “Major Sky Beak, follow along with three of your best. Major Fern Flare, I’m afraid you and yours will have to stay here.”
Summer Flame waved at his escorts. “Oh don’t look so glum, Fern, once we sing each other’s praises at the palace you might be lucky enough to tour the city as well.”
“Lucky is right,” Rainbow grumbled as she took to the air.
The Sparkle Flier hummed and felt as if a beast was coming to life. Novos was only able to bury her nervousness since Twilight appeared unconcerned. Once they were airborne and cruising along over the water, Novos had gotten her nerves to calm down. Being a hippogriff, she wasn’t concerned about the machine failing, but she had no way of knowing if it could explode on her. Or worse. Summer Flame could use a dip in the harbor to cool his enthusiasm as far as she was concerned. Much to the queen’s chagrin, he was looking at everything from the humming metallic wings to the ships and city beyond with childlike amazement. And this is why you don’t elect country bumpkins to high office just because he can charm the crowd.
The pegacorn’s unexpectedly friendly demeanor continued to unnerve her however. Novos had dealt with pony merchant captains before, always bowing and scraping so they could conduct business. Yet to find a government representative being this way? Perhaps the griffons overstated pony hostility. I should have spent the time to officially meet with the Lunarian emperor long before Luna appeared. Novos pulled out of her introspection by a metallic clink. She peered over to her kirin counterpart who was pushing his hoof against the door. With little effort, the metal deformed outward. Before she could try to reprimand him for damaging the machine he removed his hoof, and the metal pushed itself back into place.
“Fascinating. And you say it does this without any enchantment?”
Twilight only briefly glanced away from her piloting to inspect the door. “Exactly. Getting the exact thickness and resilience took some doing, but it helps eliminate wear and tear a bit.”
They were over the city now, and Novos paid more attention to the citizens than allowing herself to be engrossed by the machine she saw more as a novelty than anything truly useful. She noticed rather quickly that the skies were populated by ponies and cloud buildings, not machines. They don’t see its value either.
One thing she did find troublesome was how many buildings had artificial lighting. The streetlights she expected, but there were names written in lights, homes were lit in every window, workplaceswork places were just as bright. Even regular fliers carried lights to avoid collisions. A whole night sky’s worth of light all here in one city. “Your city doesn’t sleep does it, Lady Twilight Sparkle?”
“You wouldn’t be the first to say that.” Twilight gently angled the flier as they closed in on the capital. “Keeping active at night started as solidarity to Luna, and it sort of stuck. I have to say, alternating sleep schedules is hardly easy, but you learn to go with what’s needed of you. And here we are.”
The flier’s escorts were quickly replaced by imperial sentries. Down below in the courtyard, illuminated by lights from the walls and palace itself, stood Luna herself.
Novos saw a baffled look on Twilight’s face, but the pegacorn remained silent as she eased the flier to a more or less smooth landing several paces away from the stony alicorn.
As everyone climbed out, Twilight and Rainbow were quick to approach her and bow. “Empress Luna, May I present Queen Novos and Grand Patriarch Summer Flame. Both represent the Union of the Three.”
Luna gave a troubled nod. “Thank you, Imperial Engineer Twilight Sparkle, Captain Rainbow Dash.” She then studied the two other leaders, and Novos studied her in return. The dark alicorn radiated poise and power. While Luna stood more than a head taller than other ponies, she was still shorter than Novos and Summer Flame.
After a quick reply from her two subjects, Luna gave the two leaders a pleasant nod. “My apologies for not receiving you in the throne room. I received ill news but moments ago.”
“No offense taken,” Summer Flame started with a curt bow. “It may be a poor time for compliments, but I thought your city was beautiful until I saw the lady of the night sky herself.”
Luna gave the kirin a thin smile. “Your flattery is poorly timed, but… appreciated.”
Novos wanted to slap the kirin for his loose tongue but kept herself in check. “If you need time to set things in order, perhaps our talks can wait. I would be overjoyed to see the allure of Tranquility.”
“Perhaps if we had had this introduction earlier, but no. I wish to speak with you first before being formally introduced to the people in open court. You may tour the city after that.” Luna gestured with a wing to a door into the palace. “Please, join me for breakfast.”
It was not a polite request, even if Luna’s words were honeyed. There was an understanding that the mare was holding anger in check, and that left Novos deeply unsettled.
Summer Flame however was intrigued. His nature drew him to anger and passion. Luna could mask it all she wanted, but he sensed the inferno behind her mask of stern iron. “We would be delighted to join you. You know, food has always been a passion of mine. From the finest cuisine that only a king can afford, to that of a lowly pauper making a pinch of salt stretch a mile, food is a door to a people’s soul.”
Something ignited behind Luna’s mask and she leveled a frown that was quickly devolving into a scowl. “There is a wisdom in that… I could not agree more.”
At that, Luna started walking to the doors held open by her sentries. Twilight and Rainbow were quick to jump to her flanks.
Novos saw the continued confusion between the two, as she and Summer walked in behind them. The hippogriff may not have caught the words, but she could tell the two must have been guessing about Luna’s mood. And likely why their presence is still required.
The palace within was somewhat cramped, but finely decorated. It gave Novos the impression of a fortress that was converted into the palace it was today. It was not long before they arrived at a dining room. It was here that Luna turned to address the other rulers before she claimed a seat. “Queen Novos, Grand Patriarch Summer Flame. Before we dine, I would have you know of another meal that had taken place in the eastern mountains. I know full well about the Union’s recent history with the Centauri and the Griffon warlords, and the treaties you signed. I tell you now that I have given my armies the order to mobilize against the emperor.”
Dread plunged Novos into terror. Here she was, an ally to Luna's declared enemy, and she had nothing to save her but the hope that ponies abided the rules of a good host and did not take them hostage. She saw equal surprise had fallen over Twilight and Rainbow. “May I ask why? The last we heard, you were sending missionaries to the aviaries. Hardly a first act of war.”
“My archbishop attempted to extend an olive branch to the emperor, and the griffons ate him for it.”
“Ate?!” Summer Flame gasped. Gone was his gentle prodding, replaced by utter shock. “That - that can’t be right. Surely your messenger must have it wrong.”
“Messenger?” Luna leveled a harsh glare at her guests. “I needed no messenger because I saw it through the nightmare of a dying stallion as the griffons ate him alive!”