Morning in Ponyville, and everything was perfectly fine. The trees had turned beautiful shades of red and orange, and the crisp autumn air heralded an earlier winter than usual. Thanks to Luna's rationing, and strict control of the farms, the population had no worries however. They were content, if worried.
Except for Wildcard. He was tired, and every muscle in his body hurt. He had been up doing drills since six in the morning, and while Celestia's sun did help with the chilly September winds, it also meant that all his recently added 'insulation' was basting him in his own bodily juices. He was uncomfortable, sweaty, and every push-up was a reminder of the fact he was fifty pounds heavier than when he had first come to Equestria. He was alone in this training session, and the instructor- whom he was shocked to find out had been a school teacher of all things- complete with a cutie mark of smiling flowers, which were totally invisible under her uniform- was giving him some personal attention.
By sitting on him.
Welcome to Bootcamp.
"Ten..." He grunted, and flopped down like a changeling-shaped noodle.
The muscles were there, but by Celestia they hadn't done much for the last few months other than support him as he went from sitting, to eating, to sitting, with a brief interlude to fly across the country- followed by more of the same.
They were not happy.
"Ten, are you serious? Sweet Celestia..." Cheerliee mumbled, and stepped off the gasping changeling. "Luna told me this would be a challenge, but you're supposed to be a trained warrior, not a corpulent noble!" She shouted at him.
Wildcard rolled over, gasping for air. It felt like the damn officers uniform- which at this point looked somewhat like a grease stained paper bag- was suffocating him.
"I... suppose..." He took a deep breath, "... it comes with the title," he breathed.
Cheerilee sighed, and stared at her subordinate. Officer-Recruit Wildcard, she was given three weeks to get him in shape.
Cheerilee was a confident person, optimistic, and never one to back down from a challenge. Looking at the somewhat pathetic lump of a stallion, whom apparently somehow managed to gain the respect of Luna- just how was beyond her- she thought of reconsidering those ideals.
Wildcard caught his breath, and sighed. "I did it, I let myself become a fat noble," he mumbled.
Cheerilee sighed as well. "You sure did, and if we have any chance at getting you back into fighting shape, we're going to have to get... aggressive," she said, and took a notepad out of her pocket.
"Starting today, you're on a diet. You're going to eat trailmix, and drink water- nothing else. You're going to show up here at six AM every day- except the next two days." She ordered, and tore a paper from the pad- allowing it to flutter down atop Wildcard.
"Why the reprieve?" Wildcard asked, as he picked the note up with a wobbly hoof.
It was a very strict diet, with a note added that the Ponyville and Canterlot police had been advised to arrest Wildcard if he attempted to work around his ration. On the one hoof he felt somewhat honored to be receiving all the personal attention- obviously Luna considered him an asset.
On the other he had quite fond memories of pie, and cider, and how it flowed from an unceasing tap. Government dinners, state functions, security meetings, personal meetings, contracting meetings...
Sometimes he would just go out for dinner with his wife...
"Because you apparently have some sort of press conference tomorrow, and it''s imp... hey!" Cheerilee kicked him, and he was painfully removed from his daydream.
He rubbed his rib, and rolled back over on all four.
"Right, pulling together all the leaders..." Wildcard took a deep breath, and stuck out his chest in an attempt to look somewhat proper. "Duke Wildcard, Leader of the Changeling Nation.'
"You look like an idiot," Cheerilee said.
Wildcard coughed, and glanced at her. "Oh please, I can make a suit look good,"
"Wildcard..." Cheerilee said, and adjusted her own uniform. "... the point of a suit is anypony looks good in one," She said.
Wildcard just grinned at her. "So you agree, I do look good in a suit."
Cheerilee sighed, and felt like her soul was trying to tear itself out. "Thirty laps!" She shouted, gesturing towards the track behind her.
Wildcard trotted over, buoyed by his success. He started down the track, and despite the hurt from his complaining muscles he managed to keep a smile on his face.
Still got it.
__________
Twilight stood on the bridge of the Magnificent, forty kilometres east of Equestria. Sticking out of the bow of the ship was her radar- powered by the Magnificent's reactor itself. It fed it's information to the monitor which had been positioned on the bridge beside Northstar's helm, an entirely new position that Twilight sat at now.
Radar Operator.
She beamed with pride as she powered it on, the bridge crew assembled behind her to see it work.
"It's pretty basic," Twilight admitted, "but it's a start."
The screen glowed dimly, Twilight fiddled a little bit with it to make the display work better in daylight. Rainbow Dash had been sent out an hour ago, and was running a zig-zag pattern out there- much too small to be visible.
Ping
"There, ten kilometres out," Twilight said, gesturing at the screen.
The bridge crew craned their necks over her to look out the window- which was now repaired. Twilight had been supplying them in secret over the last week, ostensibly to help her research in Baltimare.
"I can't see her, but the machine can?" Clear Skies asked, looking back towards the screen.
Ping
"It's a radio wave, bouncing off her, and then back." Twilight explained.
Ping
"So it can see things we can't, like a plane at night?" Clear Skies asked again.
Twilight spun around to face the crew, quite pleased by curiosity of the flight controller.
"That's correct Leftenant, no griffon is going to get the drop on you ever again- or anypony else,' Twilight said, beaming with pride at her accomplishment.
Spitfire clapped.
They all clapped.
Twilight stood, and noticed she was taller then them, no- she loomed over them as the sun rose at her back.
Ping
Unknown to any in the room, the sun rose a little faster that day.
__________
Queen Luna bolted up from the throne, utterly shocked, and disappeared into a cloud of blue fog as she teleported. Her guards, rather uncertain how to approach this, shrugged and looked at one another.
"Lunch?" One asked the other.
They left the throne room.
__________
Celestia was visibly shocked as well, and paced back and forth in her office. Today she had been discussing how they would delegate construction of the huge amount of vehicles called for, but all that went out the window when she felt it.
It
First Class stood by her side, entirely confused, as she gazed at the window towards the the rising sun.
"Are you... okay?" She asked worriedly.
Celestia ignored her, and simply stared out the window. Her horn shimmered a bit, and for a moment it seemed the sun paused in it's travels- just a moment.
"I thought we had more time..." Celestia mumbled, and turned back from the window.
Luna teleported in, scaring First Class out of her skin as she shouted at her sister.
"Sister! It's happened!"
Celestia nodded, and looked back towards her younger sister. Long ago in times beyond myth or legend they had themselves discovered what Twilight had discovered today, but it had been no accident- they had been given their power over the heavens. Twilight, apparently, had skipped all this entirely. Celestia had long since suspected this, but wasn't really prepared.
One did not find that sort of power without coming under the gaze of... others. A being with the power to move celestial objects allowed to use that power unrestrained would be the end of everything, and there were those they all had to answer to in the end.
Others.
"She has been pushed recently, I did not foresee this war- or it's consequences." Celestia admitted.
Luna came to her, and First Class watched her- standing off to the side. She felt something in Luna, in her slow trot and expression that seemed to stare past Celestia as she took her sisters hoof.
She was afraid.
"You know what this means, don't you sister?" Luna asked.
Celestia held her sisters hoof in her own, and matched her worried expression. "I will do my part, and you must do yours," Celestia replied.
Luna sighed, and they both turned and looked out the window wrapped in each others wings.
"Eternity seems so long, but from the end... it seems an instant," Luna lamented.
"We still get to choose when Luna, that was the deal," Celestia said, and then they both turned to First Class.
"I suppose this one needs to be informed as well?" Luna asked, looking down on First Class the way a parent might look on a child, as they were about to explain the reality of the world to them- wondering if they could take it.
Celestia took a breath, and her horn shimmered slightly. A moment later First Class slunk into her hooves.
"Later," she said, and ran a a hoof through her assistants mane. She would not remember this morning.
Luna paced the centre of the room. "So now we have a war to win, Twilight is ascending far ahead of schedule, and I plan to end this uprising tomorrow- what the hell happened to 'pacing'?" she complained bitterly.
"Chaos begets chaos- stability is like a house of cards, and somebody shook the table," Celestia said.
"They must have shaken it pretty damn hard."
__________
Finally, after six or so hours, Wildcard had finished the first days exercises. Cheerilee dismissed him with a reminder to stick to his diet, and so now he trotted on rubbery hooves towards the train station, his soiled uniform in a pack around his back. A quick dip in the pond had cleaned him right up, but the uniform would need some more work. At the train station he plopped himself down on a bench and waited for the next train.
Every muscle in his body hurt, but it was a good hurt. If he was going to take down Chrysalis, then by Celestia he couldn't go wobbling around like a tub of lard now. He had a responsibility to his people, and to his wife.
Thinking of her, he smiled to himself. She had never called him out on his... expansionism. She was perpetually supportive, and he supported her increasingly pressing involvement in the government, and attempts to learn magic, as much as he could. Thousands of bits had been spent on books- the textbook industry seemed to be a sham designed to siphon as much profit as possible off government education grants and student loans.
It didn't matter in the end. He respected her as much as he loved her, and every bit spent on honing her new magic abilities- she could now lift a single grain of salt- was worth it. Not only for the pragmatic reason of the fact it meant he was married to the most important non-alicorn in the country, but also because it made her happy.
That, in itself, was worth all of his wealth, ever last bit.
While he thought, and sat in the evening sun, he heard the tell-tale jingle of a changeling medallion. He glanced to the side, and saw a happy looking blue eyed changeling- with a cutie mark of a tree- take a seat beside him.
"Evenin'" He addressed, in a telltale drall similar to a certain farmer in the area.
"Good Evening," Wildcard said, "I'm Wildcard, and you are?" He asked, extending a hoof.
"Applecore," he said, shaking Wildcard's hoof, "and I know who you are- who doesn't?"
"I was actually on my way to see you in Canterlot, I wanted to talk to you before the meeting tomorrrow," He said.
Wildcard squinted at him, sizing him up. This was probably the leader in charge of the work crews for the local farm, one of the nicer jobs out her since Applejack was quite kind to the work crew. A few weeks previous they had encountered fruit bats, and dealt with them in a logical manner. When the townspeople- led by another famous face living on the outskirts- protested, it almost turned violent. Applejack had supported them, and Princess Twilight had intervened in the end. So if he wanted something, he was already coming from a pretty lofty position.
"Oh?" Wildcard asked.
"Well..." Applecore began. "... We pay 90% taxes to home, and if I'm reading into all this correctly, you don't get along too well with Her Highness..."
Wildcard put on a poker face and crossed his arms, it was rather clear where this was going.
"... So you'll want our support, but what can you offer? Your invitation only mentioned there would be a 'discussion' on our 'role'." he finished.
"I can make no promises, but think of it like this. If we stay here, then we'll be paying Equestrian taxes. The tax bracket for a middle manager such as yourself is... moderately lower. The fact that the workers happen to give you their money..."
Wildcard shrugged.
"... Well that's just a bonus,"
"However, I would also ask a... small contribution, for the party," he added.
Applecore considered, and seemed to come to the conclusion this was all acceptable as he nodded to himself, then he turned back to Wildcard.
"I don't suppose that wife of yours... could give us a better deal?" Applecore asked.
Wildcard shot him an angry glare, and behind the train whistled into the station. "Never, never, bring her into this. I will not corrupt the one perfect thing in this world just so you can have a few more bits," he growled, and pressed forward to loom over the stallion.
Applecore swallowed, and seemed to get the point. Wildcard silently gestured down the station, and Applecore just as silently left.
Wildcard sighed, and put his bag back around his back. The conductor recognized him and allowed him aboard, taking a window seat in a mostly empty car. As the train ambled off a few minutes later, he began to consider if he really could keep First Class out of all this. Politics was messy, it was corrupt and it was a step from disaster at any moment. This was the nature of the game- Equestria had managed peace for so long because it hadn't played the game, instead ruled by a never-erring monarch. That chapter seemed to be coming to a close, and his wife was going to have to deal with reality eventually.
There was one thing that he was sure of, he would never do anything against her to further his political career. He would rather lose it all, and die penniless in despair knowing still she was the same perfect soul he had met, then see her corrupted in his own rise. He was already dirty, but she was clean- and by Celestia he would fight to keep it that way.
Then he had a thought, a thought that horrified his very soul.
What if that's the cost to save my people?
__________
First Class awoke, somewhat confused, in Celestia's office. As soon as her eyes opened she sprung upwards, afraid that she had fallen asleep on duty. Desperately glancing around for her Princess, she found instead a note on the pillow she usually laid on.
Don't worry, everything is fine. Some complications have arisen, and both my sister and myself will be taking our leave early today. Take tomorrow off, we'll be quite occupied. If anypony requests an audience, refer them to Princess Twilight in Baltimare- I have a feeling that will shut them up.
-Princess Celestia.
P.S We need more tea.
P.P.S Move Princess Cadence's audience to next Monday.
P.P.P-
The last note ended in a scribble as if somebody had taken the quill from Celestia. First Class crumbled it up, and smirked as she dunked it expertly into the waste bin at the edge of the room. This wasn't the first time Celestia had taken leave for royal business- but there was the mystery of just what had happened this morning. The last thing she remembered was waking up.
First Class shrugged, perhaps they had been practicing magic and she had exhausted herself. She seemed fine, and she trusted Celestia, so without another thought she left the room into the palace hallway. Two guards immediately appeared out of nowhere and seemed incredibly relieved to see her.
"Minister!" One addressed, somewhat shocking First Class- it was rare she was called by her often ignored title, as far as most knew she didn't even have one.
"Yes, what is it?" First Class asked.
The pair of guards glanced at each other, and then the first spoke again. "Princess Celestia and p... Queen Luna are missing!" he exclaimed.
"Is the castle on fire?" First Class asked. "Is the Everfree going wild? Has Discord returned?" She pressed.
"No...?" He replied, confused.
"Then do you need a Princess to dress you? Keep doing what you were doing before, and they will return tomorrow," First Class ordered.
They both sighed with relief, happy to get any sort of direction. With a bow they departed, and First Class allowed herself a smirk before continuing on her own way. Soldiers needed order, and she was willing to give it to them, but the population itself was showing signs of starting to question the status quo, their order.
Their order being their dual monarchs, this war was unforeseen by everyone. The population was starting to wonder if perhaps they had gotten old, and their time was done. First Class knew Celestia well enough to know this wasn't quite accurate, but it wasn't entirely false either. Celestia's time was coming to an end, and her own time was blossoming forth. The population might not realize it at the moment, but they craved order as a soldier- they just needed to be convinced it was their own order. Democracy was not an alien concept to Equestria- all the mayors were elected, and a few times in history during long crises the country had a parliament with delegated powers- which had been dissolved in favour of Luna's rule, war was far too critical a thing to leave to committee. Even the most adamant supporters of a new system understood this- even Trotsky in Ponyville couched his discontent with admittance that any change could only happen after the war, but that didn't mean they couldn't plan- or plot as the case may be where he was concerned.
First Class had certainly been planning, although it was all theory at the moment. She had collected contact information of the mayors, made note of certain organizations within the towns- she certainly had a view from above here in Canterlot. When the time came she could spring into action, and a campaign like no other in Equestria's history could be launched.
She had once considered asking her husbands help in this, but that idea led quickly to evil places. If she had to rely on changeling spies to win... was she really winning?
Of course... the alternative of losing wasn't much nicer. The thought of a stallion like Trotsky running the country, with all of his preaching about a world without a government, with the monied running the show.
Common good? Hah, the stallion had his money, and that's where his interest ended. He and a few other 'captains of industry' had been rallying around a pamphlet circulating in secret, First Class had read a copy once.
It was clearly insane, Pretense was quite possibly brainwashed by the Griffon king of whatever- Galvon. It read like a rant written in an asylum, full of absurd notions of a bizarre Darwhinnyist view of the world. It was everything Equestria wasn't.
So then, if she had to pull a few strings in order to prevent that sort of... person... from finding himself in charge?
She paused, stopping in the hallway to look out a window towards the countryside. Winter was coming fast, and it was going to be a harsh one without pegasi oversight- but perhaps they were better off for it. They had lived in total peace for so long, controlling nature itself and living with every aspect of their world controlled. There had to be some middle ground between that, and total anarchy.
That middle ground was her democracy, and she would see it flourish- even she had to dig out a few weeds in the garden. Staring at the setting sun over the countryside, she thought about that, about the future of Equestria- a nation founded on the values of friendship.
If she had to get her hooves little dirty to make sure those values remained intact through the chaos inevitably coming down the road at them, then so be it. Equestria was worth whatever effort it would require.
__________
The train ride lasted until just after sundown, and when it ended Wildcard had to peel himself from his seat in order to get off. He had been granted a day long reprieve, and it was just as well- he could barely move his sore body. Every bit of his body was in a state of numbed pain, but if anything he still had his willpower. This evening something was burning in the back of his mind, a little bit of curiosity, so before going home he decided to make his way to the police headquarters. Detective Stargazer had been friendly in the past, and Yang- the changeling guard still in Equestria- had refused to come back until he found his lost comrade Yin, The detective had been put in charge of finding him- but nothing as of yet.
He walked down the street, basking in the cool evening air- and noticed how much oranger the sunsets seemed. Canterlot was beautiful, and he had never really been able to experience it up close until recently- certainly not without hiding in the shadows. Today he strode down the street, relaxed amongst the few passerby that noted him only with a few kind nods. Things had certainly changed in the city, it still wore the bruises from a month ago. Life went on though, amongst the barricades and sandbags. Bored looking reservists manned a few posts- nobody seriously thought they would ever be attacked here, but better safe than sorry. It sent the important message across to the civilians too- don't forget we're at war.
Next to the police station- plastered with recruitment posters and reminders that discussing troop movements was treason- was the cities rationing centre. Even Wildcard had to get his food there, although First Class took care of it most of the time. They were entitled to a few more apples, and first pick of any vegetables that arrived, but that's were they're perks ended. Luna had been very clear that everyone was equal- under her. It definitely worked, current figures had every city with enough food to last ten months- definitely enough time for even the most horrible winter. The farms would continue working, although limited by the lack of pegasi keeping control of thin tracts of land, to supply the military.
This meant that sometime around December the troops would be getting apples, while everyone else was reduced to potatoes and other long-lasting food. Wildcard didn't mind- they were fighting after all- but others definitely would. He had experienced thirty harsh winters in the Hive valley, but the ponies had gotten used to perfectly regulated seasons.
Not anymore.
Stepping around the winding line up for rations, Wildcard stepped up the stairs leading to the entrance to the police building, and was stopped by a police officer at the top. He was a rather lanky looking stallion- all the stronger ones had probably been deployed.
However he had a gun on his hip, and his hoof was at it.
"Hold up, where's your uh..." He trailed off, and stared down at Wildcard as he thought.
"Medallion?" Wildcard offered.
He nodded, but didn't seem to appreciate the correction as he silently clicked the safety on his gun.
"Yeah? Where is it changeling? It's unlawful to be without it," He warned.
Wildcard met his gaze, and mentally prepared for the worst. "I'm a citizen, and for that matter I'm a duke."
The officer glared down at him, and Wildcard glared back up. Neither could give any ground without looking like a fool- which was the sort of thing that started wars.
Thankfully, not this time.
The officer sighed, and stepped aside. "Fine, but if anything goes wrong in there I'll have your flank." he warned.
Wildcard smirked. "If anything goes wrong in there, I'm your best friend," he said, and strode into the police station.
Inside he quickly found a bored receptionist, and trotted over to sign in. This wasn't the first time he had been here, and like every government institution everything required wading through paperwork.
"Name," The receptionist said in a monotone, tapping a clipboard on the desk without bothering to look away from her reading- a Daring Do book.
Wildcard levitated the pen, and signed himself in.
With that detail covered she tossed him a visitors badge, and he slung the lanyard around his neck before passing into the hallway beside her. Stargazer had the... basement, buried deep in the building.
A few minutes later Wildcard found him, at his desk beside the buildings boiler, surrounded by dozens of filing cabinets that represented the files Celestia ordered moved from inside the mountain. Celestia, Princess of the Night.
It was weird.
Wildcard opened his mouth to speak, but found before he could the detective had his head over the chair glaring at him, a hoof with a gun poking out of the side.
He was a rather paranoid stallion. Wildcard simply waited for him to recognize he wasn't a threat.
"Oh..." Stargazer said, and lowered his weapon, spinning the chair around to fully face Wildcard. "... I uh- well you can never be too safe."
Wildcard knew the feeling well. "Don't worry about it, can't be easy living with the Night Guard over your head- now I came here to ask you for something," he said.
"Yeah? What's that?" Stargazer said, crossing his arms.
"That device you use, the... magic thingy," Wildcard said, awkwardly trying to think of it's name.
Stargazer reached over and opened a drawer in his desk, removing a 'magometer'. It looked almost like a gun, and had two antenna that poked out from the end, and a panel on the front with a dial and a single light- which turned green in the presence of a changeling.
It was glowing quite brightly.
"What about it?" Stargazer asked, waving it at Wildcard with a bemused look on his face, then he started laughing.
Wildcard cleared his throat and glared at him, wishing he was a worse person and could just beat him up.
"Hey duke, guess what you score?" Stargazer asked, when he had collected himself.
Wildcard continued to glare.
"Zero, it doesn't even think you exist magically," Stargazer said, and tossed the device over.
Wildcard caught it, and rolled his eyes. "Detective- I'm a changeling, we don't make our magic. Of course I score a zero."
Admittedly it bruised his ego to not come up as a ten or something, but the excuse was solid.
"It's still funny, now did you need that for something?" Stargazer asked.
Wildcard nodded. "If you would allow me, I want to borrow this for a day,"
Stargazer shrugged. "Just bring it back in one peace."
Wildcard put the small machine in his bag. "Thanks," he said before departing.
__________
First Class trotted down the lane to her home, humming idly while she did. It was a nice evening, and she was perpetually excited to get home after work and continue her magic studies. She had the weeks rations with her- managing to score some fresh carrots and a pair of apples. Despite her position she was of no more worth than any other pony, and she lined up with them to get her fair share.
She couldn't help thinking of Trotsky while she walked. He clearly thought he was better than anyone else, and eventually he was going to make a play for power. He owned vast amounts of industry, and seemingly came out of nowhere with it. The scant information she had is that he was the engineer son of a banker, and used his inherited fortune to buy and modernize nearly half of the countries meagre factory infrastructure. He had now doubled that, and more or less everything milled from steel in the south came from factories owned by him. Equestria was no longer totally dependent on the Crystal Empire for it's heavy manufacturing, but it was dependent on him now.
Not much of an advance. Thankfully Luna had been wise enough to prevent him from buying the dockyards in Filly Delphia, declaring them a 'strategic asset'. First Class had quietly applied the same rule to a few other factories here and there. He didn't know it, but she was already fighting him.
She sighed, and opened the gate to her estate. Life had become complicated, and the power brought responsibility. She had an estate, which meant she had to manage the estate. She had more political power, which meant she had new rivals.
Closing the gate, she felt a bump in her abdomen and giggled, smiling happily as she remembered the good in her life. She was carrying a foal, something that she would never have expected a year ago. It was a happy surprise, and she knew he- or she- would grow up with two loving parents into a new world. A foal could do a lot worse than Prime Minister for a mother and leader of the changelings for a father anyway. A new life was growing inside her, an image of things to come. The first foal born of a changeling and a pony without any secrecy or agenda- the first born of love.
She continued her humming and trotted along the cobblestone path towards the house. She kept the yard clean of leaves- it was a bit of work but she wasn't going to just stop living for nine months- and kept the hedges trimmed. In her spare time she had been building a crib for their foal as well, but getting her hooves on any amount of wood was proving hard. They were, after all, building an entire naval fleet, and ever more airships.
Opening the door she was relieved to smell that dinner was already being made, which smelled like stew. She trotted in and deposited her bags beside the kitchen table- taking one bag in her hoof, and found her husband watching some boiling potatoes over the stove.
"Evenin'" she said, kissing his cheek.
"Good evening, thanks for getting the rations," He said, and poked them with a ladle. Beside was a pot full of tomato juice and a few cut up steamed vegetables- and a strange black device.
"You're welcome," she said, and deposited a bag of trail mix on the counter.
Wildcard looked at her like a foal might look at his mother when she took away his candy, and she heard his stomach growl.
"Come on now Wild, where's that warrior spirit?" She teased.
"I think it starved to death," he sighed, and picked up the black device.
He pointed it at her, while she looked at him curiously.
"Well you're not a changeling," He said, and studied it.
"Obviously, I think we would b-"
Wildcard gasped, and ran it over her again.
"Well I'll be damned, you're an eight," He said, and handed her the thing.
He was right, the dial had moved to eight- which quickly flung itself back to zero as soon as First Class pointed it anywhere near him. A green light, helpfully marked 'CHANGELING' also came on, which just made her giggle.
"They only do these sort of tests on unicorns, and I thought it took a week to get a result," First Class noted, putting the device down on the counter.
"Technology is a funny thi..." Wildcard was interrupted in his speech as his stomach grumbled again.
He stared at the bag of trail mix, then at the pot, and then back and forth several times. Then he sighed, and grasped the bag of trail mix.
"The things I do for this country..." he mumbled, and grabbed the bag before wobbling off. First Class giggled again, and took his place as Watcher of the Potatoes.
She ate alone, Wildcard taking his leave to eat his days worth of trail mix out in the yard as he stared out at the sunset. If First Class had political problems, his were doubled. His situation was equivalent to her turning her back on Celestia in Saddle Arabia, and then publicly opposing her. They both realized it was in Chrysalis' own interests to not actually harm either of them, but the greatest folly one can make in politics is to assume the other side is acting entire rationally. Every animal pushed into a corner fought.
Once she was done, she packed up the- rather large- amount of leftovers and met him in the yard just in time to watch the moon rise over the horizon. She had a strange feeling that today had somehow been slightly shorter than usual, but that didn't make any sense. The thought disappeared, and she sat beside him on the dry grass.
A swift cold wind blew across the yard, and she shivered. "It's a little chilly out tonight," she noted.
Wildcard's horn lit up and bathed her in a warm green field, she smiled happily at him and he glowed green as well. It was an interesting state of affairs between the two, with her own magic flowing through him and back out to warm her, reminding her of why she loved him and increasing the magic. A self fulfilling cycle of love. He lay back on the grass, and enjoyed the feeling. His wife did as as well, and covered him with a wing.
"We really don't see each other enough," Wildcard lamented.
They peered into each others eyes, and just enjoyed the moment.
"There's always tomorrow," First Class said.
__________
Under the cover of her night, her moon only barely visible through a cloud sky, Princess Luna flew with her sister close at her tail. Together they flew, towards the Everfree. Their birthplace, and once their home. They had left it a long, long time ago- but they were always connected to it. Tonight they had an important meeting there, below the ruins of their ancient fortress.
As they flew in the nights sky, Luna noticed how dark the countryside was. Normally there were a few specs of light here and there- but not anymore. It was illegal to cast light into the night in anything except an emergency for now- to keep up the illusion that she was suspecting an invasion. This didn't stop a single spec of light- from deep within the Everfree. This was their first destination.
This also had the effect of giving Mezza Luna free reign- which played right into Luna's hooves. Tomorrow Duke Wildcard was going to have his little meeting, and make his grab for power. Mezza Luna couldn't possibly pass up the target. She would strike, and Luna would destroy her- before she managed her objective, of course. Wildcard still had his uses, and seemed perfect for managing the home guard- so long as he got back in shape.
In any case, he was less megalomaniacal than Chrysalis- for now. Time would tell if he would just prove to be another insane totalitarian. Luna would not allow another Chrysalis.
That was a worry for another day though, and Luna led her sister down towards the dark forest. They quickly shot through the brush, and landed softly before a quaint hut in the middle of the forest.
Zecora was, by all means, living there entirely illegally. She didn't pay taxes, most of her alchemical supplies had been stolen when she left the Zebra Empire, and there was a warrant out for her in her homeland. Celestia, however, was nothing if not a pragmatic leader- and allowed her to live here despite all this. Zecora remained, at the moment, the only person they trusted to make the potion they needed.
The reason for this is it was poison, and a rather potent one at that. Anyone but an alicorn drinking it would die instantly, and the ingredients could only be found in the province of Zebrica. Luna would make it herself, were these ingredients not banned- by her own order- three weeks ago. That they had been allowed for so long was a bit of a mystery to her- one apparently now solved.
Luna strode up to the door to the hovel, with her sister at her side, and gently tapped at it.
"Who goes there? Don't you be trying to make a scare!"
Luna rolled her eyes- always with the rhyming.
"Tax collection," she joked.
Celestia prodded her. "Be nice, she's done us no wrong," She whispered, and a moment later the door opened.
"Greetings to you, your majesties. What would have of me, as you please?" Zecora greeted them.
Luna looked past her, into the hovel she called a home. Rather small, she thought, although this zebra probably didn’t have much income.
If she did, maybe it was time for the real tax collectors to pay her a visit, or maybe the police.
“We require your… alchemical expertise,” Luna replied.
Zecora nodded, and beckoned they follow her inside.
"My alchemies are in no short supply, but first tell me your reason why?" Zecora asked, gesturing to a pair of pillows on the far side of a bubbling pot.
She herself sat across from the pair, and gently stirred it, as the two graciously sat themselves. Luna noted just how many banned potions or supplies she had, it was almost like looking at an encyclopedia of contraband.
“We need to…” Luna trailed off, trying to think of how she should phrase her request.
“We need to commune to the elements, we need to… open our minds” Celestia said, which seemed to get Zecora’s attention as she ceased stirring.
“We need the bitter truth, Zecora.”
Zecora grinned and sat back, obviously aware of the power she held over the oligarchs.
“Why would you require under my roof, that which was banned by your own hoof?” Zecora asked, smirking at Luna, and continuing to stir.
“Miss Zecora…” Luna said, glaring at her, “It is of no business of yours what I.. what we want with this potion, we need it- and that should be enough,” she growled.
Celestia watched on from the side, slightly bemused by her sisters tone. It wasn’t a good idea to make demands when you had no cards in your hand.
"For this favor that you need, I request this land's deed.”
Luna’s face scrunched up as she realized, to her great chagrin- as well as Celestia’s bemusement- that she had been bested.
“Very well,” She sighed.
Zecora smiled and sipped at her stew.
“Would you care for some stew, while I endeavor to mix up your brew?” Zecora offered.
“Please,” Celestia said, and nudged her sister in the ribs.
“I told you to be nice.”
It took a half hour for Zecora to assembled the ingredients, and boil them in a seperate pot. She and Celestia shared some idle chatter while Luna retreated into her mind, sipping at the- rather delightful- stew as she pondered. Twilight had adjusted the sun- only minutely- but surely the elements had noticed. What would they say? She knew full well she had to ‘abdicate’ eventually, Twilight finally proving to be worthy- after a dozen failures- to receive that power. Even so, she had never thought of a world without that power. Her moon would be taken from her, but in the end... it was never her moon to begin with.
When she had finished, Zecora poured the mixture- a purple fluid that she was very careful to contain- it was after all a potent poison- into a glass bottle. She then handed this to Celestia.
"Here is your potion, your majesties. Add a dab of your magic, and it will appease,” Zecora said, and then glanced past at Luna.
“For our deal do not forget, lest bad mojo bring you regret,” she warned.
Luna squinted her eyes at her, but let the threat pass. Celestia was greatly amused by all this, and strode out with her sister at heel.
"I told you to be nice," Celestia said as soon as they were outside, and started through the dark forest- their horns lighting the way.
Luna sighed, and rolled her eyes. "It's not in my nature sister, next time... you do the talking."
Celestia looked back at her, and lit up her face to make her smirking expression visible even in the pitch dark.
"Gladly."
Luna decided, while they walked, that she was going to take a break from the political terror she had volunteered for. She had quite enough of all this, and surely she could be more useful on the front. Her sister could...
This was some sort of 'lesson', wasn't it? Prove how difficult running the nation was, by allowing me to do so? Ohhhh that's good- but I won't back down that easy.
"Sister.." Luna said, grinning mischievously, "I think it might be best if you spend some time in the Empire, see if you can convince Cadence to support us more," she suggested.
Celestia continued forward through the dark brush. "This couldn't wait?" She asked.
"I think you should leave tomorrow."
Celestia shrugged. "Fine, it'll give me something to do anyway. Can we focus on the task at hand now, please?" She said, as they finally came within view of the monolithic fortress, their own home.
They approached it silently, both taken by centuries of memory. They were born here, in the Everfree Stronghold as it was once known- one of very few hold-outs against Discords tyrannical chaos. Luna had risen to lead their army, while Celestia had worked to uncover the truth of the Tree of Harmony. Together they had overthrown him and been gifted their powers over the heavens. Luna earned her cutie mark as head of the Night Watch, and Celestia hers for her 'illumination of the truth'. They didn't simply raise the sun or the moon one day as fillies.
Luna looked down the cliff towards the cave that the tree resided in, and felt a shiver run down her spine. It was always creepy to try and communicate with it. She shared a glance with her sister, and flew down into the cave.
"If only it had revealed more the last time we were here," Luna said, her voice faintly echoing in the cave.
"I thought it giving Twilight our journal was enough?"
Luna sighed. "It was rather direct I suppose."
The tree itself was, as they approached, looming over them. It didn't have any eyes- it was a tree after all- but even so one could feel they were being watched by it.
They were, of course. The six element carriers had thought they held the power, but in reality it was the power that held them. The elements chose who carried them. A thousand years they had disconnected themselves from her and her sister, since Luna herself was too 'rash' and Celestia couldn't- to them- be trusted with all the power alone.
Rather ridiculous in Luna's opinion- who could they trust if not Celestia? Apparently the answer was a group of young mares, barely out of school. Why not the guard, or even herself?
Granted she did try to take over the world once, but the past was the past- was it not?
With that, she slammed into a purple force field- her sister on the other side.
Luna glared past her, at the shimmering tree. "That was a thousand years ago!"
The field deepened, becoming almost opaque. Celestia trotted up to it, and with a hoof on it looked past her sister.
"It didn't seem to have a problem last time... I'm not sure why it does now," she said.
Luna sighed, and met her hoof on the other side. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure it has... some reason," She said, and turned he back on the force field.
Luna plonked herself down, and played the role of sentry while her sister, despite her worries, turned back towards the tree. It hadn't done this before, last time it had been amicable to both of them- although it hadn't spoken long before discords chaos came back. Thankfully he was still in stone, and that was his last play for freedom. It had failed, Twilight had discovered the truth, and saved the day. She had really earned her title then, single hoofedly saving the nation.
Celestia sat herself down before the tree, and uncapped the bottle filled with the purple poison Zecora had made. The effects on it on alicorn ranged from telepathy, to heightened memory, to nothing at all. As near as she could tell, and Starswirl himself agreed- was that it tore down the mental wall seperating one from the outside of their own mind, leaving it open to foreign influence. This discovery is what had allowed them to contact the tree in the first place, and Twilight- despite not being aware of it herself at the time- had used it to communicate with the elements. They showed her the bitter truth, as they had once shown Celestia something similar.
That was a story for another day however, and with a golden glow from her horn the mixture turned a milky white. Wasting no time, Celestia took a swig, and let the potion take hold.
Almost immediately her eyes glowed, and her mind was transported to a familar place. She knew it as Beyond, the place she had brought Twilight to reveal her true destiny. Now, however, it was utterly blank except for stars in the vast distance.
Before her a vision started to form, as white specs swirled to create a sphere. Celestia watched it, and became aware of the fact she had no physical form in this... whatever this was. It was rather disorienting at first, and her viewpoint spun around as she realized how hard it was to get your bearings without a body to be relative to.
The sphere became blue, and then the blue was set with green. Celestia recognized it as their world.
Hovering over it, on the sunny side, her cutie mark rose over the horizon.
On the other, the dark side, Luna's.
I'm quite aware of our role in things, where you going with this?
The area in the middle- Twilight- slowly expanded over the planet until it covered the whole thing, and Twilights cutie mark itself shimmered into being overtop the planet itself. The message was fairly clear- yield to her. A problem seemed to arise from this however, how could she be both the sun and the moon, the light and the dark? She couldn't be both, but she could be parts of both.
The planet seemed to shrink- or else Celestia's being was being whisked away from it. A black cloud formed over the world, obscuring everything. Around this cloud, a second sphere- much smaller.
Celestia wasn't sure what to think of this.
The clouded sphere shrunk again, and a gigantic third sphere formed. The first two seemed to be attached to it, spinning around.
Now this Celestia did recognize. It was long since said that the planet must logically orbit the sun- not the sun around it- but that was impossible, how else could she control it, if it didn't orbit them?
Unless that wasn't the real sun....
The fog clouding the planet vanished, and Celestia realized exactly what the message was. The natural order, long since interrupted by Discords chaos.
Celestia and Luna had been tasked with returning order, and they had repaired the planet and it's people. It was time then, apparently, to pack that in too and return to nature.
The vision quickly reversed, and returned to the shrouded earth with both cutie marks. For a moment, it was peaceful. Then the sun overtook the planet- and it burned. Once the fire had subsided, Celestia realized the cutie mark blazing the planet wasn't hers- it was Twilight's.
It again reversed, and darkness took it. This time it froze solid, with giant pillars of ice flowing from the ocean into space itself. Again Twilight's cutie mark rose over it like a malevolent god.
Twilight cannot follow either of exactly, I knew that.
Once again it reversed, and as before Twilight took over from the middle. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the colours of planet faded. This continued untill it was an almost gray mass, neither living nor dead, neither light nor dark. Eventually, during what seemed like a mental eternity, it crumbled to dust.
Stagnation? Celestia wondered.
If Twilight receives, and refuses to give up her power... I think I understand.
She also understood something else, their roles in all of this. She was right- Twilight could be neither the sun or the moon. She had to be both, and yet neither. She had to be something new, a pony willing to relent on her powers, a pony that could receive the gift of nigh-godhood, and yet have the nearly impossible humility to return it when the time came.
She and her sister could, but they had held that power for thousands of years. At this point they were both quite ready to give it up, so long as the world remained in capable hooves. Of course, what they both often failed to realize was it wasn't themselves that made that decision- it was the elements.
They had apparently chosen, and with that the image vanished, leaving Celestia alone in the suddenly dark cave.
"So what did it say?" Her sister asked from behind.
"Not say Luna," Celestia said, getting to her hooves and approaching her sister.
"Show, and it showed us our path," Celestia said.
"Oh?" Luna asked, intrigued. "Where does this path lead?"
"In a circle."
__________
The next morning, after a quick breakfast, and leaving a note with her exhausted husband; First Class held the morning briefing herself, finding neither Luna or Celestia had yet returned from... wherever they went.
To an empty room.
Wildcard had slept in, understandable since he was officially 'on leave' at the moment for boot-camp, and Field Martial Armour never attended these much even when he was in town- today he wasn't. Spitfire was 'secretly' somewhere around the coast, and General Masse was busy in the south. This left her alone in the meeting room, flipping idly though heavily classified documents at her leisure.
The Crystal Imperial Legion, totaling twenty thousand- which was incredibly considering the Empire's tiny population of a million- was deployed along their border with Equestria. Armour had, however, promised that it would pour in Equestria if the continent was invaded.
She wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing.
The Legion itself, Equestria's military strength, was deployed in a long series of trenches just south of the Changeling Hive. Sixty thousand of them, mostly recent conscripts. The leadership wished more than anything to send those sixty thousand out on the ocean, but the 'Confederacy of Independent States' kept prodding their defenses down there. It was a rather brilliant strategy- the griffons knew full well they couldn't allow that flank to fall, Canterlot was only a days march from there.
Elsewhere, the newest Legion recruits were being formed into the Home Guard, which was centralized in Filly Delphia. Armour thought this was to ward off invasion- and it was certainly a good spot for it if so- but if one looked closely enough at Luna's orders the truth became evident.
For one thing, the Home Guard had bought a lot of spotlights, and had been drilling on night combat almost non-stop recently. For another there was the fact that a few bat ponies that Luna trusted had found their way into the ranks, and they would know best how to beat their misguided brethren. As far as the media knew, the blackout concerning the Hollow Shades was due to some classified project.
Somewhat true, if the 'project' was 'entirely taken over by traitorous elements we mean to draw out and crush'.
First Class flipped to the last page, the Canterlot Guard deployment for the day.
"Oh no..." She breathed, and stared at the page.
They were on high alert because of an imminent threat, but the usual measures- such as a lighting blackout- wouldn't be taking place. Instead it would be business as usual, if a heavily armed usual. The memo was to brief them all on a 'drill' that was to take place today, allowing them to fill the streets with soldiers and loyalist night guards- centered around the Changeling National Embassy.
Luna had set a trap.
Her husband was the bait.
__________
Eventually, long after the sisters had returned to Canterlot, and Celestia had risen her sun Wildcard awoke in his home. His home had around a dozen rooms, most of which were unused. They, of course, had the largest to themselves. He rolled on his side, and found a note on the night table beside the bed.
Duty calls, I'll see you at 5.
Trail mix is with your uniform, which I washed.
You're welcome.
P.S Remember how you asked me to 'look good'? I went to Ponyville recently. You better believe your sweet changeling flank I'm going to look good tonight.
Wildcard sighed and put the note back on the table, slipping his groggy- and still quite sore- self out of his bed. Curiously, he heard what he swore was a barking at the door, and perked his ears to listen better while his mind woke up.
Bark.
Bark. Bark. Bark.
Knock Knock Knock.
"Wildcard, Wildcard open up!" A mare shouted.
Wildcard knew the voice, it was his secretary- Lyra. If she was here then...
He scrambled out of bed and stumbled out the door, bouncing between the walls of his home like a drunken pinball as he made his way to the door, tripping on the stairs to the main floor.
Dusting himself off, and trying to look dignified, he opened the door, finding Lyra outside in the blinding light of day, and a small dog yapping at her side. A small sheltie puppy it looked like. Adorable, if it weren't for the light burning his eyes and Lyra shouting something at him.
"...time is it?!"
Wildcard shook his head. "Sorry, what?"
Lyra sighed. "It's nearly noon, where have you been?" she demanded.
"Guess?" Wildcard offered, cringing at his impatient visitor.
"For Celestia's sake Wildcard- your resignation!"
"Oh..."
"Oh!" He exclaimed, and spun around galloping back into the house. He darted into a side room and picked up a sealed envelope- addressed to Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings, TH001 Changeling Hive.
It had one line inside, on his own letterhead- From the Desk of Ambassador Wildcard.
"I Resign."
With it in his hoof, he quickly fixed his mane and strode back into the foyer, Lyra smirking at him.
"What would you do without me?" she teased.
"I would probably be dead," Wildcard replied, and took his coat off the rack.
"Has Equestria Daily been 'tipped'?" he asked.
Lyra nodded. "An anonymous source has told them you'll be there, doing 'something important'" Lyra replied, and stepped aside for Wildcard to enter into the world of the living daylight.
He squinted his eyes, and started down the pathway of his estate, Lyra and her dog close at his side.
"Everything is set then?" Wildcard asked.
"You bet, it's gonna cost you ten grand- I spared no expense,' Lyra replied.
Wildcard grinned, he was going to treat his comrades to the time of their lives- and then he was going to seize the reins of power in Equestria. The changelings would answer to him, and Chrysalis would be cut out entirely.
And there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.