//------------------------------// // Chapter 37: Awakenings 9 // Story: Piece by Piece // by Eltirions //------------------------------// 13 December 1008 By the time the train pulled into the station at Crystal City, it was almost midnight. Dinner had been very much an informal affair, not at all organised in any sort of central manner, but still it had been quite tasty. On Rarity’s back, Flurry stirred. She had fallen asleep hours ago without difficulty, and even when being moved from her bed to Rarity’s back it hadn’t looked like she would suddenly wake up. Poor filly. She’s dead tired, probably. A Tight Ship was waiting for them at the station, together with an escort of Night Guard. ‘’My lady,’’ he greeted her with a demure nod. ‘’We received your message. The Palace has been readied for your return.’’ ‘’Thank you, Tight Ship. I apologise for the late warning, but I informed you as quick as I could.’’ ‘’It is no problem at all. How is the Princess?’’ ‘’Asleep, but well.’’ ‘’Very good.’’ Tight Ship cleared his throat, then continued: ‘’I imagine you are all quite tired. Come, let us return to the Palace!’’ ‘’Let’s,’’ Rarity agreed, and the assembled party set off. As they walked through the city, she had to suppress the urge to yawn more than once; she was tired too, but she couldn’t show it. Rainbow fell in next to her. ‘’Sharing a bed tonight?’’ she whispered. ‘’Sure,’’ Rarity answered after a moment. ‘’Flurry will like it, at least. But I’m tired too.’’ ‘’Of course, of course,’’ Rainbow agreed with a soft chuckle. ‘’It might surprise you, but I am tired too.’’ ‘’I thought you couldn’t get tired?’’ ‘’That might be exaggerated.’’  ‘’Is it?’’ ‘’Shush you.’’ Rainbow’s wing swatted lightly against the back of her head. ‘’Or you won’t get anything at all, any day.’’ ‘’A threat I’m sure you’re willing to follow up on,’’ Rarity quipped, even with the blush she could feel creeping up on her cheeks. ‘’Heh.’’ Rainbow chuckled. ‘’Anyway, I’m gonna talk with Darkheart for a moment. Don’t go to bed without me.’’ ‘’Yes ma’am.’’ Rainbow chuckled again, and then she was off. Rarity let out a sigh. Her friend was irrevocably charming, when she wanted to be, and she was self-aware enough to know that she was falling for the pegasus. Caepasia help her. I cannot send her away… but I can’t let her become more important than the nation, either. I am a ruler, and a ruler must be responsible. The Crystallians looks to me to protect and govern them, and by the Sun and Moon I will do that, if it is the last thing I do. The Crystal Palace was shining dimly in the moonlight, its many windows casting out the light from inside into the wide open world. It was visible from the moment they stepped out of the station into the city proper, and throughout their journey it only got closer and closer, a massive tower that loomed over them all. Just before they reached the Palace Square, Rarity paused for a moment to look up at it. It was beautiful, the epitome of Crystallian architecture and a demonstration of the skill and might the ancient Crystal Empire had commanded. And now she sat as its regent, whilst its future ruler was sound asleep on her back. ‘’It keeps being impressive, even after so many years,’’ Tight Ship suddenly remarked. ‘’Now come. December nights aren’t made for being outside in, even when it isn’t snowing.’’ And so the party made its way into the Palace again. |-x-X-x-| 13 December 1008 ‘’Sunset Shimmer, curse you,’’ Nightmare muttered to herself as her eyes scanned over the notice that had been delivered to her just now, sourced from Ponyville.  She could stop Sunset if she wanted to, of course. Have the Night Guard in Canterlot inform her that her presence was desired in the investigation, not heading north to Crystal City. But she wasn’t going to. Leaving aside the fact that Sunset would be supremely annoyed with her for the act, her logic for heading north was sound; and whilst Nightmare was tied down to Manehattan without emergencies to draw her away, Sunset had no such restrictions. If she went to Crystal City ahead of Nightmare, she could hold off a possible attack by Twilight for long enough that Flurry and Rarity should be able to get away. So, she flicked the message away with a push from her telekinesis, and turned her attention back to the many other matters that required her attention. Perhaps, she mused as she looked over a report on the reduction of resistance activity on the northeastern Eastern Seaboard, there is some wisdom in restoring the Parliament. Celestia did well to delegate some of her less important tasks to them, and I cannot run this nation on my own, but I will not make her mistakes. This Parliament should be nothing but an advisory organ, incapable of making any decisions without explicit approval from me. Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Nightmare reached for a pen and an empty piece of paper, and quickly planned out a conceptual new Parliament, which she then shelved for later; there were more pressing matters she had to attend to, such as the… Navy budget? The costs of the Civil War and subsequent rebuilding efforts have heavily strained the economy and treasury, and the vast majority of funds have gone to the army and reconstruction. However, the ships of the Imperial Lunar Navy, formerly the Royal Equestrian Navy, still form one of the largest and greatest fleets in the world. With the inclusion of Chiropterra, New Mareland and Puerto Caballo in our domains, we now have domains on all three continents. It is therefore inconceivable that our fleet is forced to languish in port, unfunded. A consistent and targeted funding campaign is necessary- Nightmare stopped reading the document there, and instead let out a long, suffering sigh. There were a million things to keep track of, and she had only so many hours in a day, so many issues she could focus on at once. A secretary, then? And later a Parliament. I will have to delegate some issues, but I must be careful. I cannot allow my power to slacken, or I shall end up like Celestia, a prisoner of my own making. There was a knock on the door. ‘’Your Majesty, there is an urgent report from General Selenite, about Stalliongradian troop movements on the borders.’’ ‘’Enter.’’ A unicorn mare of the Night Guard entered, dutifully bowing her head before placing the document on her desk. ‘’Here you go, Your Majesty.’’ ‘’Thank you, Staff Sergeant. You may return to your stations.’’ ‘’Yes, ma’am.’’ Another bow, and the mare was gone. Nightmare tried to remember when she inaugurated a Unicorn mare into the Night Guard. Ah, right. That must have been Fleur de Vaillance. One of those Prench noble daughters. I remember now.  Perhaps, long ago, she had campaigned with the mare’s ancestors. Prance had been an ally at times of ancient Equestria, and some of their nobility had even come to her aid during the First Equestrian Civil War. And of course, Prance had readily joined her side in the Second Equestrian Civil War. Perhaps she ought to visit the city. Horseleans was said to be a lovely place, after all, especially in winter. Perhaps later, when things had died down. With that thought in her mind, Nightmare turned herself to Selenite’s report, and from then her work did not cease until far past midnight.