//------------------------------// // Chapter Eight // Story: The Conversion Bureau: United We Stand // by RK_Striker_JK_5 //------------------------------// Celestia sped through the sky to Canterlot, going as quickly as she dared with her passenger. Danielle's arms were wrapped around Celestia's neck, her head tucked down as far as close to Celestia's mane as possible. “Can't you go any faster?” Danielle shouted over the wind.          Celestia's head shook slightly. “Not without putting you in undue danger, Danielle. I can't even spare any magic to shield you against the wind.” her horn glowed and a roll of parchment and human-style ballpoint pen appeared, floating right in front of her. The parchment unrolled and the pen wrote across it before both vanished once more.          Canterlot quickly filled their vision as Celestia flew up to the tallest tower and a balcony jutting out from it. She touched down even as a half-dozen ponies walked out onto it, Chancellor Fancy Pants leading them. They all bowed as Celestia touched down and Danielle hopped off. “Your majesty, what is the emergency?” Fancy Pants asked. He straightened up, the roll of parchment hovering next to his horn.          Celestia kept walking, the others following her as she exited the balcony and entered the throne room itself. “I do not wish to say this multiple times, Chancellor. Time is already precious enough as it is.” She looked back to him. “I need to address the entire senate, as quickly as possible. It's a matter of the highest importance!”          One of the other ponies there spoke up. “An emergency session was called as soon as your message was received, but it will still be about ten minutes before they're all gathered. General Spanish Steel and Captain Shining Armor have both been summoned. Princess Luna's been roused as well.”          A booming voice from the room's entrance caught everyone's attention. “And I would be MOST interested to hear what's happened at the Rainbow Bridge, Celestia,” Luna proclaimed, entering the throne room herself. She walked up to Celestia and Danielle, eyes darting between the two of them. “Where is Megan?”          Danielle swallowed, shuddering a bit. “We... don't know what's happening with Mom,” she said, rubbing her temple. She waved Luna off even as the alicorn opened her mouth. “Luna, please just...” Her voice trailed off and she sucked in a breath. “Oh, god...” she muttered, finally dropping to her knees. “I just... we just...” She trailed off, tears streaking down reddened cheeks.          Celestia looked about. “Everyone but Luna and myself, please leave the throne room, guards included. Disturb us only when the Senate has convened.” Her eyes hardened as they lingered. “Go!' she barked, sending them trotting out. She waited for the guardponies standing by the door to leave before dropping down next to Danielle. “Danielle, it's alright. Let it out.”          Luna trotted over, joining the pair on the floor. She locked eyes with Celestia. “What has happened?”          Celestia returned her sister's gaze. “The Rainbow Bridge has been blocked. And there's something on the other side with Megan,” she stated, voice little more than a whisper. She raised a hoof even as Luna rose to her hooves and her horn glowed. “Luna, don't. We don't have anymore information beyond that. And someone here needs us right here and right now.”          Luna's eyes flashed, turning white for a moment. She glanced to the door leading to the balcony, then to Danielle sitting next to her. She unfurled a wing, draping it over Danielle's shoulders.          Danielle swallowed and wiped at her eyes. “Thanks,” she said, forcing a smile. “I'm sorry about this, you two.”          Celestia leaned forward and gently nuzzled Danielle. “I broke down a bit after we left the Everfree Forest, Danielle. It's taking pretty much all my will at the moment not to break down again.”          Luna's eyes shifted from Danielle to Celestia. “What precisely happened at the Rainbow Bridge, Celestia?” Her eyes narrowed. “Please, what has happened to Megan?”          The alicorn of the sun shifted her gaze away from her sister. Celestia's body trembled as she spoke. “We called up Megan to arrange lunch, but she was cut off by some odd noise. I flew up to the hole itself, but there was some sort of energy field blocking it.” A mirthless chuckle escaped her. “I tried kicking it, but to no avail. I peeked my head through it and saw...” She looked to Luna. “I saw me, or something that looked like me. She flung me back with an almost casual flick of her horn. There wasn't any way for me to breach this barrier, so I flew here for help and to begin planning... something.”          There was silence for a moment before Luna slowly nodded. “I see. Thank you, Celestia.” She sucked in a breath. “Danielle, how are you?”          Danielle wiped her eyes. She was no longer crying, but her body still shook. “I– I think I'm better,” she said, sighing. “Maybe this whole year's finally started catching up with me.” The young woman pursed her lips. “But Mom needs me. And I can't do her any good sitting here.” She planted her hands on the floor and began standing up, but a soft, golden glow enveloped her and she slid back down. “Hey, what gives?”          The glow around Celestia's horn faded. “Sit. You're in no real condition to go anywhere at the moment, Danielle. And I'm not leaving your side until either you're better or the Senate convenes.” Her horn glowed once more, two tea kettles and three cups flashing into existence on the floor. The first kettle floated, pouring piping hot tea into two of the cups while the other poured coffee into the third.          Danielle slowly reached out to the cup, picking it up and bringing it to her mouth for a sip. She lowered it and chuckled. “Chamomile, my favorite.” She took another, longer drink from it.          Celestia nodded as she drank. “I know my family.”          Luna smiled as she drank the coffee. “Indeed you do.”          The three sat there for a few minutes. The door opened and a hoofmaiden stuck her head in. “Your majesties?” she said, voice quavering, “the Senate awaits your presence.”          Celestia nodded to her. “Thank you, Featherful.” She rose to her hooves, Luna following right behind. She suddenly looked down to Danielle as she rose to her feet. “Danielle, what are you doing?”          Danielle's eyes narrowed even more than they usual. “I'm going with you. There's nothing I can do here.” Her eyes drifted to the two thrones and a stained-glass portrait behind it. “And... I don't know if there's anything I can do there, either,” she admitted, blushing, “but there's more of a chance there than here.” Her hands balled into a fist and she sniffed. “And I don't want to be alone here, either.”          The two alicorns shared a glance before trotting over to Danielle, Luna on her left and Celestia on her right. “Then let us go,” Luna said. Her horn glowed and the main doors opened, allowing them to exit.          The Senate Hall was a scene of minor chaos as senators chattered back and forth, some of them pounding tables for emphasis or because it was a good release. Members of the Royal Guard, stationed at the exits, looked around, pawing at the tiled floor in either confusion, nervousness or both.          Cadance, Shining Armor and Spanish Steel all sat at the front with the Cabinet itself, aides flanking Shining Armor and Spanish Steel. “So... any clue what's going on, Shiny?” Cadance asked, eyes shifting from left to right.          Shining Armor shook his head. “No clue. I just received orders to mobilize the entirety of the Royal Guard and report here.” He turned his head to Spanish Steel, who was staring straight ahead. “General, anything?”          The pegasus shook his head. “I received the same summons as you did, Captain. I also received orders from Chancellor Fancy Pants himself to mobilize the Armed Forces.” He hesitated for a moment. “There are scattered reports of problems at the Rainbow Bridge. Nothing fully substantial, but most of them confirm each other.” He looked to his right. “Hopefully the good chancellor will have answers for us.”          There at the front stood Chancellor Fancy Pants, banging a gavel on the speaker's lectern. His monocle floated about, his head following as he scowled. “Order, I say, order!” he bellowed. He whinnied and nickered. “Not a good show, not at all!”          The commotion quickly fell to a hush as Celestia, Danielle and Luna strode in. The senators bowed their heads as the three walked up to Fancy Pants, who not only bowed but backed away. Celestia bowed her head to him. “Thank you, Chancellor.” She took her place at the lectern, Luna to her right and Danielle standing slightly in back. “I apologize for the abruptness of this, but time is growing short, or may have run out already.          “Luna and I were to have lunch with Megan Richards today. However, something has happened to her.” She paused as murmurs swept through those assembled. “While I was speaking with Megan, something appeared in her front yard and erected a barrier around that end of the Rainbow Bridge. I flew up to the hole itself and saw something through it.” She paused and ruffled her wings. “Something that looked almost exactly like myself. I could feel immense magical power coming from her. I attempted to bring the barrier down, but was tossed away by it... by her.”          Quiet murmuring swept the room. An earth pony by the name of Busy Body slowly raised his foreleg. “Princess, this news... the Mag'ne is in danger?” the minister of economics asked, eyes wide. “Earth is threatened by this... doppelganger of yours?”          Another voice spoke up. “If there is some alternate Celestia, could there be other alternate ponies? Maybe some... alternate Equestria entirely?”          “If that's the case, then there's probably an entire population there!”         “What do they want with Earth? Are they just using it to get to us?!”          “What of those on Earth while this happened?”          Shining Armor and Cadance exchanged a look. “Twiley and her friends are on Earth!” they exclaimed, their breath hitching in their barrels.          Squabbling broke out among the senators. Luna glanced to Celestia. “I do not recall the Senate being so... unruly,” she observed. Her eyes glowed pure-white, the tip of her horn sparked and a small thundercloud formed near the ceiling, rumbling. “ENOUGH,” she commanded, the force of her voice sending the first row tumbling back. “We do not have time for this,” she continued, stomping a hoof on the floor and cracking the tile. “All we have at the moment is the barest of information concerning what is going on. We cannot descend into panic when there is much to do and almost no time to do it.” Her piercing gaze swept out across the chastened senators. “Now then, we need a plan of action.”          Danielle suddenly spoke up. “More importantly, we need information.” She stopped as every eye turned to her, blushing crimson. “I mean to say –“          “You're completely right, my dear,” Fancy Pants said, nodding to her. He looked to Celestia. “Isn't there a... Time Pony or some such in Ponyville?” His brow wrinkled and he rubbed his chin with a hoof. “Some sort of medical pony?”          Celestia glanced to Danielle and motioned to her with a wing. “Doctor Whooves is his name, but I do believe Danielle's gotten to know him and his family quite well over the past year.”          Danielle stepped forward. “If there's anyone in Equestria who can figure this barrier out, it'd be him.”          Fancy Pants' head bobbed up and down. His horn glowed and a quill floated over to a sheet of parchment on his lectern. “Danielle Richards, I am sending you to Ponyville to enlist Doctor Whooves' aid,” he said as he wrote on the parchment. “Normally I'd be a bit less direct about this, but time is of the essence.” He finished writing. The scroll rolled up and floated to Danielle, who grabbed it. “Here is authorization for a direct flight to Ponyville via the Air Wing, as well as instructions for the good Doctor.”          Danielle straightened up and tossed Fancy Pants an informal salute. “You can count on me, Chancellor.” She turned to Celestia and Luna. “Will you two be... alright?”          Celestia cracked a smile. “We will be. Will you?”          Danielle sighed. “No choice. I gotta do this.”          Celestia inclined her head to the nearest exit. “Then go on. No time to waste.” Her eyes followed Danielle as she left before looking down the table to Cadance, Shining Armor and Spanish Steel. “Captain Armor, I need the Royal Guard fully mobilized and sent to the Rainbow Bridge.”          Shining Armor stood up, swallowing. “Your highness, before we continue... I feel I should remind you that Twilight Sparkle and her friends, the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, were on Earth in Autobot City when we were cut off.”          Celestia's eyes hardened. “I know,” she half-whispered. “Right now all we can concentrate on is trying to reestablish contact with Earth any way we can. Besides, you and I both know Twilight and her friends are probably doing their best to help out on their side.” She trotted over to his side, leaning her head down and lowering her voice. “I'm torn up inside as well. But we all have to focus to figure out what's going on and get through whatever this is.”          Shining Armor slid out of his chair, turned on a hoof to face Celestia and nodded. “You can count on me.” He turned to Spanish Steel. “General, with your permission, I need to mobilize the Royal Guard.” At his superior's nod he stepped back, sidled up to Cadance and gave her a kiss before galloping out at full-tilt. His aides hesitated a moment before following him.          Spanish Steel spread his wings and flew into the air. “Chancellor, with your permission, I've got a long night ahead. Off the top of my poll I know there's about a half-dozen or so humans at Fort Bulwark that have to be informed about what's happened.” He looked down at his aides still sitting. “Get to the war room. I'll be there within ten minutes.” With that command, he flew out of the room.          A crabnasty raised a reddish-orange claw into the air, clacking it. “Your Highnesses, is there anything can we do at the moment?” she asked, eyestalks wiggling back and forth.          Celestia looked out at the senator, a smile slowly forming on her muzzle. “Right now, I don't believe so. But thank you.” She looked out at all those there. “Thank you, all.”          Cadance rose to leave, but stopped as a shadow fell over her. She looked up and to her right and spotted Luna looming over her. “I have a mission for you,” Luna said, quickly explaining herself.          Cadance blinked. “It will take at least two days to get there, Luna.”          Luna shook her head. “If you fly at maximum speed, hug the terrain, and don't stop, you should be able to make it in about two to three hours.” She leaned in close to the younger alicorn. “Please, Cadance. We need all the help we can get.”          Cadance nodded, an expression of determination on her face. “You can count on me,” she said, cantering back, turning around and flying up and out of the room. Fort Bulwark, near Canterlot Sergeant Jack Robins tried keeping his gaze level as he followed a soldier down the corridors to General Romper Stomper's office, but his eyes kept drifting to the... being leading him on. It was a Stoneback – a three foot long armadillo-like creature with a green underbelly, sharp claws that clacked on the floor, a tail that snaked out and armor from head to toe. His lips were curled back in an almost perpetual snarl, and the only thing he wore were rank insignia and a harness with various tools and pouches.          The pair eventually came to a somewhat nondescript door in the middle of a hallway, a plaque mounted on it and a single guard at attention the only thing making it stand out. The Stoneback stood up on his hind legs. “Ssssergeant Robhins to sssee General Ssstomper,” he hissed out.          The guard nodded, opened the door and stepped inside. “General, Sergeant Robins is here,” she announced.          Romper Stomper looked up from his desk, his expression grim. “Thank you. Please come inside, Sergeant.”          Jack ducked slightly and stepped inside, snapping to attention in front of Romper Stomper's desk. “General, reporting as ordered.”          The earth pony nodded and motioned to a chair. “Please sit, Sergeant. I've got bad news and I'm not good at sugarcoating it.”          Jack looked down at the chair, sturdily built but roughly half the size for his body frame. He hesitated for a moment before stepping over to it and sinking down onto it. His knees rose nearly to the level of his chest as he sat. “What's the news?” he asked, uncertainty tinging his voice.          “The Rainbow Bridge has been blocked by some outside force. Right now Equestria is cut off from Earth. We have some vague notion of what's behind it, but nothing concrete.” Romper Stomper slid a glass of water across the table in Jack's direction. “I think you might need this.”          Jack reached out, grabbed the glass with a shaky hand and drained it in one gulp. He slammed the glass back onto the oak table. “Cut off,” he mumbled, blinking rapidly. His mouth opened and closed a few times and he waved his right hand in the air before speaking again. “Is t-there anything else or...” He sucked in a breath and closed his eyes.          Romper Stomper slowly shook his head. “What I told you is what I was told by Spanish Steel. I'm sorry, Sergeant. I don't have anything else beyond that.”          Jack nodded, straightening in the chair. “No, thank you for that at least. I... apologize for spacing out like that, General.”          Romper Stomper snorted and waved him off. “I'd be shocked if you didn't.” He let out a soft whinny and shook his head, tossing his mane about. “The second new information comes down I'll let you, your crew and support staff know.”          Jack leaned forward, leveraging himself out of the chair and standing to attention. “With your permission, I'd like to inform them of the news myself.” He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. “And if there's anything we can do, we're at your command.”          The general nodded, his lips curling back. “Of course. I'll be calling a general assembly to announce this, but I'll delay it about ten minutes for you. Dismissed, Sergeant. And may the Herd travel by your side in this.”          The walk to the garage where Jack's tank and crew were passed by quickly. He walked into the cavernous room, quickly spotting the Abrams and a small gathering of humanoids, ponies and a smattering of other species in front of it. He strode across the mostly-unoccupied garage, snippets of conversation drifting to his ears.          “So there we were, Trypticon in front of us and shooting missiles from his mouth. We shot at him, but since he's about the size of Canterlot... we just succeeded in pissing him off.”          A pegasus floating in the air chuckled. “So how long before you tucked tail and ran?”          Jack spoke up, catching their attention. “We prefer to think of it as 'tactical withdrawal'. Not that we had much of a choice at the time, mind you.”          “Attention!” Corporal Janet Kowalski called out, snapping to attention with the other four. She exchanged a salute with Jack. “Sergeant, the natives are chickening out,” she reported.          Blossomforth nickered and trotted over to Janet. “Well, that's a load of bucking horse apples,” she said, looking up at Janet.          Jack looked around. “Janet, I got some news from Romper Stomper. And it's pretty bad.” He glanced down at Blossomforth. “He'll be calling everyone for a meeting, but I'll tell you right here.” He looked back up at his crew, wavering a bit before speaking. “The Rainbow Bridge has been blocked by something or someone. Right now we're stranded here in Equestria.”          The air was quickly sucked out by the collective gasps of everyone there. Janet's gray eyes twitched and her mouth quavered. “W-we're cut off from E-Earth?” she stammered out.          Jack held up a hand as the others began talking. “Easy, easy!” he shouted. “Calm down, everyone. Believe me, I know how you all feel. I went through the same thing in Romper Stomper's office, but we can't lose our heads at the moment.”          Private Racno raised his hand. He was a native of Tlalak, human-looking save for small fins on his neck and wrists, a slightly green pallor to his skin, short webbing connecting his fingers and vestigial gills running horizontally right above his collarbone. “Sergeant, the time dilation if the Rainbow Bridge goes down!” he blurted out. “Is that in effect here? Will time speed up here and slow down on Earth?”          An earth pony stallion spoke up. “I doubt it,” Private Shiny Day mused in a rather cultured voice. He looked up at Jack through thick goggles. “Sergeant, if I may ask, what were the general's exact words? Blocked? Destroyed?”          Jack rubbed his chin for a moment. “He said 'blocked'. But to be honest, I'm not sure they've got all the information on what happened,” he said, shaking his head.          Shiny Day nodded. “Yes, but as the old saying goes, glass half-full, Sergeant.”          Janet slowly let out a breath and bowed her head to the earth pony. “And half-empty,” she retorted.          Jack fixed a glare on her. “Janet...”          Janet swallowed and straightened up. “Sorry, sir.”          A sigh escaped Jack and he shook his head. “Can't blame you. I had a bit of that back in Romper Stomper's office.”          The final member of the crew, Corporal Jose Hernandez, spoke up. “Sergeant, for the moment, what are your orders?”          Jack focused on the youngest one there. “Good question, Corporal.” he began pacing, looking at those under his command. “First off, I told the general that if there's anything we can do, we'd be there.” He stopped in front of the support crew. “Zale, Rizzo, go over every inch of the tank and make sure she's ready to go at a moment's notice.” He about-faced and walked back down to his crew. “The big thing for all of us, right now, is to stick together.” His eyes drifted from Janet, to Racno, then to Jose as he spoke. “We're a team, so we be there for each other if being stranded here gets a bit much. I don't know what's gonna happen over the next few days or even hours, but I do know this; there's no one I'd rather have at my side when the shit inevitably hits the fan than you.”          Janet's face lit up. “Thank you, sir,” she said. “And I think I speak for all of us when I say there's no one else I'd want leading us when... whatever happens happens.”          Shiny Day sniffed. “What a lovely sentiment,” he said, wiping his eye with a hoof.          Blossomforth rolled her eyes. “Snap to attention, Shiny.” She looked him over as he stood there. “I mean it!” she shouted.          There was a sudden high-pitched whine as several large loudspeakers in the ceilings and walls turned on and a voice came on. “Attention, everyone. There will be an emergency meeting in the main training field in twenty minutes. I repeat: there will be an emergency meeting in the main training field in twenty minutes. For those unable to attend, there will be additional briefings held later on. That is all.”          Blossomforth looked up at Jack. “Three guesses as to what this is about.” She looked to her own crew. “Alright, canter to it.” She looked up to her counterpart. “Will you be okay?”          Jack bit his lip. “I hope so.” Blossomforth stretched her hoof to him. Jack smiled, bent his knees, closed his hand, and completed the pony equivalent of a fist bump. “Thanks.” She returned the smile. “Anytime,” she said before lowering her hoof back to the pavement and galloping off after the others.          Jack turned to his crew. “Alright. Let's get to work.” Earth, the White House, a few hours later Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth, head low. The rest of her friends were scattered about a dining room adjacent to the Oval Office, a wall-mounted television on and showing an emergency news broadcast. A pair of Secret Service agents were standing at the door. “Okay,” she muttered, “this is insane. I mean really insane.” She stopped and dropped to her haunches, staring at a spot on the wall. “Really, just really...”          Spike walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her neck, simply hugging her. A smile formed on Twilight's mouth and she wrapped a foreleg around Spike, pressing against his dorsal spines. “Thank you, Spike.”          Rarity, sitting on a chair with her legs tucked underneath her barrel, let out a sigh. “This is absolutely out of control. Some ghastly creature impersonates Princess Celestia, cuts Earth off from Equestria and declares war on humanity?” She held a foreleg to her forehead, swooning slightly. “I know I say this often, but truly, this is the worst possible thing!”          Applejack, sitting across a table from Rarity, looked at her friend and sighed. “Yer known for blowin' things outta proportion, sugarcube... but this time?” She lowered her head and her entire body seemed to sag. “This time yer right.”          Rainbow Dash, hovering near the ceiling, dropped down to the floor next to Twilight Sparkle. “So, what now?” She looked to the Element of Magic and swallowed. “Sonic teleboom? Some sort of magical science? I... I know there's gotta be something you've got cooking up in that head of yours!”          Any response was cut short by the newscast on the television. “And we've just received word that President Abernathy will soon be giving an emergency address from the Oval Office.” the anchorman announced. “We go live to the White House.” President Abernathy sat at his desk in the Oval Office, flanked by two members of the Secret Service. The old soldier placed his hands on the desk and leaned forward slightly, waiting for acknowledgement that he was on the air before speaking. “At approximately ten o'clock, the United States was attacked. This attack is not limited to the United States, but affects the whole of Earth. A hole in space was ripped open in Kentucky and an energy barrier formed in the heart of a suburban neighborhood, destroying a large portion of it, forcing thousands to flee from their homes and cutting us off from the Equestrian Alliance. And that was merely the start.          “From this hole a dark counterpart of Princess Celestia emerged, summarily judging humanity unfit for continued existence. She has declared her intentions to convert every man, woman and child into what she calls 'newfoals', as well as using the barrier to wipe out every trace of our civilization. Our art, our technology, our entire culture would be obliterated under her hoof. She and her 'Neo-Equestria' have already done this to an alternate Earth, and now wish to convert us whether we like it or not. Simply because in her eyes, we are barbarous, immoral creatures incapable of making the 'right decision' ourselves.”          Clayton's eyes drifted to his right hand, which curled up into a fist. “I would be the first to admit I've done some questionable things in the past, but I have also done my best to make the world a better place. The human race as a whole has done some monstrous things. But we have also done many wondrous things. And we have done so of our own free will, which this tyrant wishes to strip from us.          “As she has made her intentions clear, so must we. Therefore, I ask Congress to vote for a formal declaration of war between the United States and Neo-Equestria.” He looked right at the camera. “I ask all of you listening to give your all for this fight. I ask those nations who signed the Geneva Accords to send soldiers, supplies and anything that can be shipped as soon as possible. I ask all nations period to send aid. For if this fight is lost, if this barrier expands, then all of us will pay the ultimate price. Thank you, and godspeed.”          A Secret Service agent standing at the door raised her right hand to an earpiece, nodded, then looked down at Twilight Sparkle. “Miss Sparkle, the president will meet with you shortly.”          Twilight Sparkle nodded to her. “Thank you.” Her eyes narrowed as she stared straight ahead. “Dash?”          Rainbow Dash snorted and pawed at the carpet. “Yeah, Twilight?”          “Get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow, we're going back to Autobot City and telebooming right back to Equestria.” Neo-Equestria, the Solar Throne It was one of the most disturbing things Twilight had ever seen. It was something she had never thought was possible, and something she had never seen before.          Queen Celestia sat on the Solar Throne, wings folded tight against her body. Her mane and tail were almost limp, barely flickering. And finally, Celestia's head hung low with her eyes closed as she quietly snored, fast asleep.          Twilight's eyes never left the sight of her majesty quietly sleeping. It was... disturbing to her in ways she couldn't quite place. Celestia's bodyguards at the hoof of the Solar Throne apparently felt the same way, as each one would occasionally glance behind them at the dozing alicorn.          Hoofsteps behind her caught Twilight's attention. She turned to see Minister Busy Body led inside by another stallion. “Miss Sparkle,” Busy Body said, fishing a clipboard out of a saddlebag and placing it on the floor in front of him. He stopped short as he saw Celestia. “Oh, my!”          Twilight let out a sigh. “Busy Body, can this wait? Queen Celestia is... indisposed at the moment,” she said, sparing a glance to the other stallion.          Busy Body paused for a moment. “Well, I'm not sure. I have some reports from some of the larger cities.” He looked over the clipboard. “There's been reports of unrest in Manehattan concerning food shortages there, as well as Hoofington and Marelin. The farms are having trouble keeping up with increased demand.”          Twilight arched an eyebrow at him. “Then... can't the farms increase production? That's part of earth pony magic, after all.”          The earth pony standing before Twilight stared at her. “It's not that easy, Miss Sparkle. Earth pony magic enhances plants, but it can't create nutrients or revitalize soil. We have seven billion more mouths to feed... although that number is decreasing, even as we speak.”          “What?”          Busy Body flipped the pages attached to the clipboard. “There's been an increase in deaths in Manehattan... of newfoals.”          Twilight's jaw worked for a moment before she finally spoke. “W-well, newfoals do make up the majority of the population nowadays.” She let out a nervous chuckle. “I'm sure it's–“          “It's not 'nothing',” Busy Body interjected. He looked back up at the sleeping queen. “But for the moment that must wait.” He picked the clipboard back up with his mouth and slid it back into his saddlebag. “I shall return,” he said as he turned and trotted out.          Twilight turned to the colt, an earth pony with a purple coat, green mane and the cutie mark of a quill and rolled-up scroll. “Spike, take a letter,” she said as a quill, inkwell and scroll suddenly appeared in a flash of light.          Spike nodded. He reached for the quill, but his hoof merely lifted it a few inches off the ground before it fell back. “Oh, horse apples,” he muttered.          Twilight let out a sigh. “Oh, just use your mouth, Spike.”          Spike nodded. “Sorry, Twilight. I'm still getting used to this.” He let out a chuckle. “But I am glad you did this to me. It's a lot better being a pony than a dragon!” He gingerly picked the quill up with his lips, dipped it into the inkwell and positioned it over the parchment. “Othay!”          Twilight cleared her throat and placed a hoof on her chest. “Dear Queen Celestia. After viewing how the humans treated you and the condition you are in, I have determined I have no choice but to take direct action on your behalf. Therefore, I have decided to cross over to Earth with the other Elements of Harmony and confront our counterparts directly. They must be shown the error of their ways in siding with humans. I'm sure we can convince them of this. Signed, your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.” She looked to Spike. “Got all that?”          Spike continued scribbling on the parchment for another minute before finally dropping the quill. “Now I do.” He looked up to Twilight and brushed a hoof across the floor. “Ah, Twilight, you sure this is such a good idea? How are you even gonna find them? What about the Elements of Harmony? They're still locked up!”          The unicorn reached out and patted Spike on the head, gently mussing his mane and causing him to squirm slightly. “Oh, Spike. You worry far too much.” Her horn glowed and she disappeared, only to reappear right next to Spike and startling him. “I can easily track the other Twilight's magic, then teleport everypony there and back. No problem!” She turned and began walking away from him. “Please make sure the queen gets the letter, alright?” And with that, she walked out.          Spike let out a sigh as he looked over his barely-legible scrawling. “I think I'll just tell her what happened instead.”          Celestia did not dream. Her mind traveled out, beyond the confines of her body and across planes of existence barely thought of. She sought out one mind, across the barrier and to the other Earth. Megan, Megan... Earth, the Antarctic Megan kept her head low and shook her body. Her breath came out in a near-constant cloud. “I'm cold, right?” she asked herself. She looked out across the empty landscape, eyes wide. “And... I should be snow blind but can see fine.” She flapped her wings, shaking snow off of them. “Is this how Celestia, Luna or Cadance feel?”          A voice suddenly echoed inside her mind and across the snow, driving her to her elbows and hocks. “Megan, Megan...”          Megan threw her head back. “LEAVE ME ALONE!” she screamed, her voice echoing. “I... I don't want you in my head, or on this planet!” she sobbed out, biting her lip.          “Megan, please! I want to help you. I want to help you all. But I can't do that if you won't let me.” Celestia's voice grew louder. “And I need you to help me help humanity. That's what I want, and what you want, right?”          Megan's eyes rolled back slightly. She rose to her hooves and her horn glowed, but it sputtered and died. “No, no! Not like this, not like this.” She stared straight ahead. “Why are you doing this?”          “I only wish to help you. Isn't that what friendship is about, helping others?”          Megan shook her head, her mane flying all about. “No, this isn't 'helping others'. This is twisting them against their will. You destroyed the humans of the other Earth, and now you're threatening to repeat that horror here.” She tapped her forehead. “I can see... bits and pieces of what you did. I just... why?”          “For them, for the greater good. They needed our help, just as you do now. My Equestria has fought through much since its founding. But we have finally reached the point where we can share our wealth and harmony with others.”          Images flashed through Megan's head, coalescing into a wavy scene from the past. She screwed her eyes shut, but it continued behind her eyes... A tiny Celestia wandered out of the Crystal Castle and looked up at the deep-blue, almost purple sky. She winced slightly as explosions tore across the sky. She looked to her left as Princess Tiffany walked up to her. “What's going on?” she asked, her tiny wings buzzing. Tiffany glanced up, mouth forming a thin line. “Tirac's stratodons are fighting Grogar's golems, Celestia.” She leaned down and nuzzled the young alicorn. “But don't worry, young one. They won't be able to reach us here. We're too far away.” A particularly large BOOM echoed out, sending Celestia scrambling behind Tiffany's hind legs. “They're so scary!” she wailed. Tiffany looked down at the sand and nickered. “They are.” She spun around to once more face the filly. “But don't worry, Celestia. You and Luna will have the power to stop those tyrants and restore Ponyland to its former glory. You can end Tirac's eternal night and drive Grogar and Tambelon back into the shadows.” Celestia slowly walked back to Tiffany's side. “Why didn't anypony stop them before they did all those bad things?” The pale-white earth pony princess closed her eyes. “A pegasus named Firefly went over the rainbow for help... but never returned.” She reached out and gently nudged Celestia back. “Now come on. It's time for lessons...”          Megan blinked. “Your Firefly... never returned?”          There was blessed silence for almost a minute before Celestia spoke again. “Yes... my Firefly. You knew of her?” “She was one of my best friends,” Megan replied. She looked to the sky. “We worked together to stop Tirac. And I helped her build Equestria. She and I are proof that ponies and humans can coexist, Celestia. There's no need for what you're doing. Please, stop this now!”          Celestia's voice thundered in her skull, driving her back down. “NO! You are murderous, magic-less beings with the barest hint of potential for something better. But I can and will help you, Megan. And you will help me help humanity to ascend to its next level!” Her tone took on a sheen of ice. “And you'll do it willingly, too. With all your heart and soul...”          Megan grunted, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. She slowly rose to her hooves, stumbling a bit from left to right. But she eventually stood up straight and extended her wings. Celestia's voice continued. “Yes, yes! You will help me, Megan. Your family will join you as well. Your husband, your siblings and children will look quite nice as ponies, I think. They and those others from that Equestria-”          “NO!” Megan shouted, her voice shattering ice and sending up great waves of snow. Her eyes turned white and her mane whipped about. “You will not harm my family or friends, do you hear me?!” The tip of her horn glowed a brilliant yellow. “Thank you for giving me a good kick to the flank and getting me in gear. You almost had me.” She lowered her head and kicked the ground, shaking the land. “But no more of that!”          Celestia's voice echoed in her head, softer now. “No, you cannot do this!” she wailed. “Think of the consequences of your betrayal, Megan. Your species will lose, and I will not be kind to you nor your family.”          Megan snorted. “Of course you won't. The real Celestia is kind, merciful and extended the hoof of friendship to humanity. You invaded Earth to conquer it and wipe out all mankind!” She ground her teeth together. “You wear her face, her body and mannerisms, but you are not Celestia. You are not my friend, and you have to be stopped.” “I have an army at my command!” Megan flashed back to a movie she saw with Mike that summer. “We have an Optimus Prime,” she said. “And now I think it's time I start fighting back against what you've done to me.” The wind kicked up, swirling around her. Celestia protested, but her voice was drowned out as the glow from Megan's horn increased, building to a blinding light. It encompassed her body, fading as quickly as it had formed and taking Megan with it. Neo-Equestria Queen Celestia's eyes snapped open. She stood up, quickly focusing on Spike standing at the hoof of the Solar Throne. “Spike, where's Twilight?” she asked, walking down to his level.          Spike swallowed. His ears folded flat against his head. “Well, you see it's... I mean...” He whinnied. “She and the others went off to fight those freaky counterparts of theirs,” he finally said.          Celestia smiled. “Of course you did, my student.” She trotted over to a balcony jutting out from the room. She focused on the sun and a few images that accompanied Megan's announcement of 'Optimus Prime'. “So, Megan, your humans will have aid from mechanical abominations from beyond the stars?” Her gaze drifted out, focusing on something far off in the distance. “Then perhaps I should enlist help of my own like that.” She turned back to Spike. “Spike, take a letter!”          Spike groaned as another quill, piece of parchment and inkwell appeared before him. “Not again.”          “Congress voted to declare war against Neo-Equestria in record time, with only one vote against. Within an hour of the announcement, Premier Ivan Brekhov announced Russia declaring war alongside the United States, followed by all signatories of the Geneva Accords and nearly every country on the planet. We go live to our correspondent in Moscow...”