"Quiet in the studio," said the director, "we are going live in three ... two ... one ... now!"
The technician pushed the button.
The lights went full on, revealing the traditional arrangement of Canterlot Comments. Cutting Question, the host, was sitting upon his usual red-cushioned rest, the normal plastic foliage behind him, the window looking out on a breathtaking view of the Palace and City, glittering with electric lights. Beyond was the webwork of roads, a line of automobile headlights trickling down to bear late commuters back home to their families. Some lights in the sky were jetliners, carrying those traveling further distances.
It was a scene completely familiar to the viewers, watching as the signal was carried live via satellite all over the Earth and beamed out to the colonies beyond. One feature of the scene was, however, unusual.
The normal large settee where the guests sat had been replaced by an even larger piece of furniture, especially brought over from the Palace. It was an even larger backless settee, one designed specifically for the very few Ponies who required such an item of furniture.
Two such Ponies sat there.
Their faces were both famous throughout the Solar System.
Ruling Princess Luna Selena Nyx, one-time Diarch and for the last twenty-four years the Monarch of Equestria, was now as large as her sister had ever been. Starlight shimmered in her flowing blue mane and tail, and great solemn blue eyes gazed at the audience above her long but still-delicate muzzle. She wore a black gown, modeled on the neo-Imperial fashions that had been popular a couple of decades ago, and her usual silver tiara, pectoral and shoes. Her mouth was set in a slight frown, then she seemed to remember something, and smiled at her widespread audience. Still, she seemed somewhat stiff and uncomfortable.
Sitting close by her was her Princess Consort, who refused any higher title or name other than Twilight Sparkle, but was the most respected entity alive save for Luna herself. She had grown over the last few decades, and was now almost as tall as Luna, bigger than Luna had been in the first years since her Return. Her long dark-blue mane bore brilliant rose streaks like clouds illuminated by the setting sun. In the dark-blue parts were stars and galaxies, which were probably astronomically-accurate. She wore a shorter black gown, set with rose pearls, and her own tiara and shoes, though she had never taken to the pectoral. Her big purple eyes were wide, curious and friendly, her mouth smiling.
Cutting Question, a dignified pale-orange silver-maned Earth Pony, had to look up at his two guests. This would have been unavoidable had he not sat upon an elevated throne, which even in the new Equestria would have been considered exceedingly rude, given their royalty. Equestria was more egalitarian than it had been a half-century ago, but it was not that egalitarian.
"We have with us and welcome," Cutting Question began in his usual crisp style, "two ponies who require no introduction, but whom it is my duty to introduce nonetheless. Ruling Princess Luna Selena Nyx, the Monarch of Equestria ..." He paused.
"Good evening and well met, Cutting," said Luna, her voice as calm as the night sky.
"... and her Consort Princess Twilight Sparkle, High Lady of Friendship."
"Hello again, Cutting," replied Twilight, waving a hoof at the audience. Her voice, as always, brimmed with the enthusiasm of having another chance to educate the public.
"First of all," said Cutting, "I want to say how honored I am to have you on my humble program."
"We are honored, as always, to address our loyal subjects," said Luna, nodding to the host. "Without the love and support of ... you ... all, our titles would be but empty pretense." She looked briefly at Twilight, who flashed her an encouraging smile, then returned her attention to the host and the camera behind him.
"I am especially honored," said Cutting, "because I understand that it has been rare for you since ... the victory ... to do live interviews."
"I have been very busy," replied Luna, "since my ... since I have acquired the responsibilities of leading Equestria as Monarch." She looked warmly at Twilight, putting a hoof over hers. "Without the valuable help and greatly-appreciated devotion of my Consort, I do not know how it would have been possible."
Twilight met her gaze, smiled back at her.
"But this is a very special Equestriad -- the dozenth since my Return, the half-dozenth since the final defeat of the Shadows. Our people deserve to see us, to have their representative speak with us for all to witness," Luna concluded.
"You are very gracious," said Cutting, instinctively bowing his head.
"Have you any questions?" Luna asked.
"I wouldn't dream of missing the opportunity," Cutting admitted. "My first question is to both of you. Are you happy with the direction that Equestria, and the world, have taken since your Return?"
"Indeed I am," Luna said. "It was always my dream to see Ponies do all that was technologically-possible, in particular to venture beyond the confines of our little planet and begin to take their place in the wider Universe. Today, we have colonized the Moon and Mars, we are beginning to colonize the rest of the Solar System, there have even been expeditions through the Gates to other star systems. A century from now, we shall be independent of any one planet for our survival; a millennium from now, of any one star system. We shall truly be denizens of the Cosmos." All awkwardness was forgotten; her eyes were shining at the prospect.
After a pause, Twilight spoke:
"When I was a filly," she said, "Equestria had just completed the transition from muscle and wind to coal and steam, and electricity was a new technology. We were forced to advance very rapidly during the War -- we made the leap to internal combustion engines and nuclear energy, to electronics and computers, in only two decades. This was something that took the First Age of Wonders a full century, and it is evidence of the fundamental soundness of Equestrian culture that we were able to achieve this without severe social disruption. I do not think the ponies of the First Age of Wonders could have done the same without collapsing into chaos." She looked at Luna for confirmation.
"They could not have done so," Luna stated flatly. "Moondreamer remembered rampant criminality, social unrest, a general moral decline in the last Age of Wonders. The Ponies of that age were cruel and callous by our modern standards. My ... our leaders prepared us well, before my Return. They built a solid civilization, one that could weather the most extreme storms and retain its basic decency, one which could cherish love and friendship, and yet be fierce to our foes." Her jaw firmed. "As we proved right well upon the incorporeal bodies of the Shadows!"
Her volume rose as she said this, not nearly to the level of the old Royal Canterlot Voice, which modern electronics had rendered redundant, but with a ring to it that reminded the listeners of the battles of the old wars, and the still older wars now buried in history, and those of legend and myth -- and that the mare on the screen had personally led many of them. Across the Earth and the System, veteran Ponies sat up straighter, some coming to full attention. A few actually saluted.
"Some think we've advanced too rapidly," said Cutting Question. "They worry that we are becoming alienated from our roots on the Earth, in the Clouds, amidst ordinary Magic. What can you say to them?"
"We had to advance rapidly," said Luna bluntly. "If we had failed to do so, the Shadows would have won, and the beautiful city you see behind us ..." She turned and looked out at Canterlot, "... would have been lain waste, become a ruin peopled only by bones, with the Shadows seething through them like maggots in a corpse. As would all of the cities on this Earth," She closed her eyes and shuddered "I used to have bad dreams ... I still do sometimes ... it was so close," she admitted. "The Shadows were terrible ... only those who have been their slaves can fully understand ..." She shuddered again.
This time it was Twilight who placed a hoof over Luna's.
After a moment, Luna recovered herself, opened her eyes, and nodded to her consort.
Twilight spoke now:
"Our roots are on this Earth and in these Clouds and in their Magics," Twilight said. "It is our cradle, the place of our foaling. But a foal grows to adulthood, and Ponykind cannot live forever in the cradle." She looked up at a night sky which existed always in her mind, whether or not it was outdoors or in the day. "Our Earth is but one small planet in a vast Universe. Ponies are individually little creatures. Yet as a race we are every bit as vast as the Universe, because our minds can conceive and our horns and hooves and wings master it. Any world can be an Earth to us, any skies the Clouds in which we soar. And, as long as we remember to love one another, the Magic of Friendship will burn brightly, no matter where we roam." She stopped, and took a breath. "Um, I think I've answered that, then."
Luna gave her a look of the purest love and admiration.
"You're watching Canterlot Comments,: said Cutting Question, "with my very special guests Ruling Princess Luna and Princess Consort Twilight. Stay tuned for more after this commercial."