The air shimmered around the cloaked Deception as it slowed to a stop near their destination. The hill in question was scant meters from being called a mountain. The dense ring of purple leaved trees surrounding its base marked it as the home of the Tea’la people. What threw off Twilight’s expectations was that there were no signs of a civilization anywhere to be seen. For all intents and purposes, the forest on the hill looked completely untouched by civilized hooves, save for a comparatively small break in the canopy towards the summit.
Once her fear of her hosts had abated, Arya marveled at the feeling of flight. She was currently on the bridge with both royal changelings as she watched the landscape sail by. To see the Nel’lok Forest from above was breathtaking. A trip that would have taken her a week passed by in a matter of hours. The dangers of the forest seemed almost insignificant to the great monster of steel and steam. The stories of death and fire that surrounded the objects identified as ‘deck guns’ sent shivers running down her spine every time she looked at them.
Such power! Does the rest of the world possess such destructive potential as the forest distilled into this directed form?
“Hey, Planty, we’re here!”
Arya turned away from the porthole to see Twilight elbow Rainbow Dash in the ribs before walking over. The form of address had not translated, but its meaning had. “Did you want to talk to your people before we meet?”
“Wisdom worthy of the imperial family you show. Our home is guarded by many druids such as myself. With the dangers of the forest being as they are, my kin would act first, and act with aggression. Even if you could withstand their wrath, the whole area is smothered in our pollen. You would fall into a sleep so deep that there would be no waking.”
“Right,” Twilight replied with less diplomatic calm than she would have liked, “we’ll just drop you off outside the purple ring okay?”
Arya glanced out of the window, only just now getting nervous from the sheer height. “Unlike you, I cannot fly. To carry me down would expose you to our sleepful pollen.”
“We have ways to protect ourselves.” She turned to find an aid waiting nearby. “Flint, escort our guest to the ground outside the ring.”
“Aye, my queen.”
Rainbow watched Arya leave the room with a troubled look. “Hey sis, how do we know these guys aren’t going to try and eat us when we get down there? This whole prophecy thing could be completely bogus.”
“That sort of mentality is healthy against rival queens, Rainbow, but we should at least give Arya’s people the benefit of the doubt.”
“Yea well the last time Daring Do had some natives say she was part of a prophecy, they tried to throw her into a volcano.”
Twilight tittered and playfully swatted her blue sister. “Only after she told them she was a virgin, and neither one of us have to worry about that.”
“Kind of hard to hide that with so many purple kids around,” Rainbow trailed off as she watched a pair of masked drones carry Arya to the ground. “But these ponies have survived in a lethal forest not unlike Jungle of the Lings for a long time, and you know how cutthroat the other queens are.”
Twilight held back her first reaction to rebuke Rainbow’s argument when a memory of Celestia brushed the edge of her mind. My biggest mistake, Twilight, was dismissing my little sister’s ideas simply because I thought I knew better.
Twilight’s slight frown switched to a thin smile. “Alright, Rainbow, tell you what. How about I weave some dead mare’s switches? If either one of us falls unconscious we’ll be teleported back here.”
Rainbow thought about it with a hoof on her chin few a few seconds before slowly nodding. “Yeah, that should work. Don’t you need a physical object for that since you can’t cast it on the pony herself?”
Twilight beamed a smile as she took her crown off her head. “That’s exactly right, sis. I’m glad to see you’re actually remembering stuff like that.”
Just accept the compliment, Rainbow. The cyan queen kept herself from rolling her eyes. “I kinda have to since magic and alchemy go hoof-in-hoof.”
“How’s your wing research going by the way?” Twilight inquired as she focused on constructing the spell within her mind.
“Meeeh, slow. I’ve been too focused on learning the basics and mastering telekinesis.” She tapped her horn and looked at it from her reflection in the windshield. “Being able to move stuff with my mind’s really addictive.”
Twilight’s crown started glowing in her magic as the enchantment started taking shape. “You’re making excellent progress, sis. I was groomed since I was a filly to master the arcane arts. Celestia once told me to take magic at my own pace, and I’d like to tell you the same thing.”
“Pah! Your study pace almost rivaled my sonic rainboom speeds.” Rainbow shrugged nonchalantly at her sister’s lopsided grin. “I’ll make the time. Even if I can’t be the speedster I used to be, I’ll make sure my kids can be.”
“That’s the spirit!” Twilight cheered as her mana flowed into her crown. “Speaking of which, have you talked to your kids back home since we left?”
An embarrassed smile forced its way over Rainbow’s face, making her turn away. Unfortunately for her, her embarrassment also made her fur turn completely beet red which only further compounded it issue. Stupid disguise! It only took a moment for her to get her changeling magic back under control. Once she got over her lapse in control, Rainbow could not, and would not, deny how much the five hundred voices of her nymphs pulled on her heart. “Yeah, I talked to Blitz’s clutch while Aegis was busy gathering fruit, and to the lot of them in general this morning.”
With her thoughts centered on them, a few dozen cyan nymphs brushed upon her mind, smothering her psyche with their unconditional love. While she could gain no nourishment in this manner, it melted her heart all the same no matter how many times it happened.
Twilight finished her work on her crown and placed it upon her brow before walking over to give her sister a sidelong hug and nuzzled her, much to Rainbow’s initial weak protests. <A queen is incomplete without her children.>
Rainbow snorted in faux disagreement. Yeah, I guess we are. Her mood shifted as she pulled away from her sister. “I’ve got just the thing for you to enchant for my dead-switch!” Rainbow lit up her horn and closed her eyes to concentrate. The magenta glow intensified as she struggled to weave the spell properly. She was gritting her teeth as a blood vessel on her forehead threatened to burst. Twilight was about to ask her to ease up when a large ring finally materialized and dropped to the floor. Rainbow growled at the possibility of having damaged the object. She quickly swiped it off the deck before presenting it to Twilight, but had to suppress her labored breathing all the while.
Twilight’s magical senses gave her a shock. “This is real! You actually summoned a circlet using a… hearth charm!”
Rainbow couldn’t hide her spike of fatigue and gave herself two deep breaths before speaking. “Yeah well, Gnarled Staff had some interesting spells he was showing off. I figured this one would be useful in case I ever needed a gun or something.”
Twilight adjusted her enchantment so it wouldn’t interfere with the charm and started weaving the spell. “Even so, I didn’t learn that charm until I was a sophomore. Very impressive indeed.”
“Me being awesome is old news. That aside though, I was going to make that thing my crown when I’m ready to earn it.”
That piqued Twilight’s interest. If she’s willing to go that far, then she must- Twilight’s thoughts halted when the glow faded around the headwear and she recognized what Rainbow had given her. It was the circlet (or a good forgery of it) that had first hybridized her. “I thought we left this back in Canterlot Castle’s vault.”
“We did. I had this fake made from memory.” Rainbow snatched the circlet in her magic and pointed at the engraving along the band with a grin. “I don’t recall how it looked exactly, not that I would want to recreate the runes anyway.”
“And… you want that as your crown?” Twilight was stunned. Rainbow didn’t answer right away as she rolled the circlet in her hooves and studied it wistfully.
Everything Rainbow Dash had gone through over the past several months flashed across her mind’s eye. Although Twilight missed it, the date of when Rainbow had first donned the circlet was engraved along the top of the band along with two words in Vespid: Aegis’ gift. With a snarky grin worthy of her name, Rainbow Dash placed the circlet upon her head. “I thought it was fitting.”
“That it is,” Twilight replied with a warm smile and a quick nuzzle along her sister’s cheek before Rainbow could pull away.
A ping across the hive mind stifled any further conversation as the two queens looked through the window to see the pair of drones returning with woven baskets. <My queens, we’ve been given powder that will immunize you to the sleep pollen.>
Rainbow shot Twilight a cautious look. “Putting a lot of clout on faith here, Twi.”
Twilight fell into a regal posture that Rainbow had seen all too often. Her withers were squared, her face warm but strong, and an intense look in her eyes cast her into what Rainbow saw as the definition of a queen. “Sometimes the benefit of the doubt is the only way to give peace a chance.”
There had been enough powder for both queens and a squad of Aegis’ best troops. With Aegis taking point, the group flew down towards the forest below. They descended through a hole in the dense forest canopy where Arya was waiting alone for them. She bowed deeply to Twilight and Rainbow Dash once they came down to a landing.
“Returning members of the imperial family; I, Arya, welcome you home.”
Rainbow grimaced at the formality while Twilight took it in stride. What set Rainbow on edge was the complete lack of a bigger reception committee. <For all the hype Stick-Wings made of this prophecy, I don’t see any wide-eyed natives ooo’ing and ah’ing.>
Twilight chose to ignore the pet name. <Different customs, sister. We must keep an open mind.> Assuming her station required less prostration, Twilight opted to dip her head in respect with Rainbow mimicking her a second later. “Even if imperial blood runs through our veins, this is not our land anymore.”
“For now,” Arya replied coolly as she assumed a normal stature. “You must forgive any strangeness from the absence of others here to greet you. It is not our way to welcome anyone here on the edge of our land where the forest devils can swipe at us freely.”
Rainbow crinkled her nose at a coy oder. “Anypony else smell that?”
<Rainbow! Don’t insult them!>
If there was any insult to be had, it flew over Ayra’s head as Rainbow shrugged off the scolding. “That could be the many purple Fu’tia trees. With them in such numbers, they change our pollen into life-stealing which slays all creatures but ourselves.”
The changelings tensed, but a quick silent command from Twilight stayed their weapons. “That’s what the powder was for, correct?”
Arya noticed the change in mood, but did not comprehend the danger of the more mundane firearms that remained holstered among the drones. “Y-yes. The farseers knew this day would come, so we made sure to create something that would allow you safe passage. We would not dare bring harm to any of the imperial family. Such dishonor has only one way for atonement.” Arya continued speaking before anyone could inquire further. She proceeded to point towards the center of the hill. “Let us not dwell on such things. Today is a day of celebration!”
Aegis only half listened to Arya ramble as she led the group up the hill. The path barely deserved such a description as it was little more than a semi-cleared trail visible only because Arya’s passage. What she saw around her only served to put her more on edge. <Stay sharp guys, there are Planties in tree form all around the area. This could turn into an ambush real fast.>
Twilight suppressed a groan. <You can be vigilant, just don’t look wound up.>
Nothing but trees and untouched nature surrounded the group as they pressed onward. Arya’s originally jovial tone lost some of its happy streak at the thought of the airship above. “I have heard tales of the old empire’s power and culture. I fear we have lost nearly all of it ever since the sands gave way to the forest.”
Both royals shared a troubled look with Rainbow voicing their mutual question. “It’s been thousands of years since then. I’m sure you’ve made some new stuff on your own.”
“We have, your graces, but ahhh… The sands of time are not kind to such things. Even the forest has constantly conspired to rob us of our old ways.” Ayra’s melancholy tone subsided when she spotted a clearing up ahead. “We are nearing Lūn’s embrace…” She inwardly cursed and didn’t need to turn around to know the changelings were in various states of confusion. “That is the name for the inner circle where no creature can venture before succumbing to the pollen.”
Twilight had instantly picked up on the name “Lūn” and pinged her sister to discover Rainbow had noticed the same thing. <It’s probably a coincidence, so let’s investigate more before jumping to any conclusions. I want hard facts.>
The clearing was barely large enough to accommodate a shuttle. However that was enough for the changelings to see well over three dozen Tea’la waiting for them in a wide semicircle. Many more were either exiting their tree-like state or were filtering in from further up the hill. Standing upon aged wrinkled hooves stood five elders, all of whom were stallions. Every last one of them bowed their heads in supplication.
Twilight, used to such functions, had no problems exercising the necessary political caution. Rainbow Dash's ego on the other hoof pulled at her to strut her stuff. She however kept herself from stepping out in front of her more diplomacy-savvy sister. I figured Planty was just blustering so we wouldn’t eat her, but we’re genuine celebrities with these guys!
Upon reaching speaking distance, the eldest stallion in the center looked up to study the mostly purple visitors. “I am Vel’it, seedling of Re’tula. Your subjects welcome you home.”
“I thank you for the warm welcome, Vel’it of Re’tula,” Twilight began. “It is a testament to the strength of your people to have thrived in what my foremothers thought they could not.”
A collective exhale of bittersweet pride washed over the gathered Tea’la. The central stallion elder spoke for the group. “You give us honor we do not deserve, your imperial majesty. We barely survive the trials of the woods on a nightly cycle. Our homes have been uprooted more times than I can count within my own lifetime alone.”
A third elder continued the dismal tale. “It is only within the past moon that we have made our home here.”
One of the younger hot-blooded mares nudged the elder closest to her. The act went unnoticed by the royal sisters as the other elders reclaimed enough wits to introduce themselves. She glared at the old stallion long enough to impress what she wanted to say through him. The elder’s old bones weighed so heavily upon him that his wings drooped nearly to the ground. “Imperial majesties, while our troubles seem unending, we have done more than survive. The farseers have preserved what culture we still possess. It is they who foretold us that your return to these lands would be soon.”
Once her station had been named, the mare came forward with reverence in her step. “That we have, elder. Forgive my impertinence, your majesties. I believe this is a time to rejoice, not burdening you with our woes. Come please, we may not possess many of the old ways, but we have made new ones all the same.”
“You got music, Miss…?” Rainbow blurted out before Twilight could answer.
The farseer understood most of the question and her eyes lit up while her wings shivered in anticipation. “That we do. Come! We shall fill the leaves with the songs of my people.”
Much to the changelings’ dismay, the farseer leapt out of the semicircle to face her kin. “Come! They deserve nothing less than an imperial welcome!” Everyone except the elders cheered loudly and clattered their wings together in exultation.
The Tea’la scattered further up the hill, leaving only a select few of their number, Arya included, to escort them up. “You arrived at a most opportune time,” she explained to both royals. “Game has become scarce or resistant to our sleep pollen. We know you will help with all of that!”
Twilight felt Rainbow’s suspicions grow along with her own ill-at-ease. “In what way?”
“The council of elders and farseers will tell all after the feast!” She waved them forward to follow after the rest. “This way to our humble but proud abode.”
The gathered changelings followed after their exultant hosts with a show of friendship and confidence that they didn’t truly possess. Twilight was cycling dozens of ideas as to what to expect, while Rainbow kept looking up at the canopy to scout future exit points. <If I didn’t know any better, I’d think they see us as saviors or something. You don’t think they want us to solve all their problems and move here, do you?>
Twilight wrinkled her nose at the smell of cooking fires up ahead. <We know next to nothing about them.> Judging by distance to the top, it smells like they could feed an army. <In addition, they’re acting quickly to welcome us, and are probably emptying their food stores to have this welcoming party. Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice if things go south.>
The group gave silent acknowledgements leading to a lapse in the conversation. In that lull, Twilight noticed something was off. Furrowing her brow slightly she expanded her magical senses, and Twilight didn’t like what she felt. <Sister, something’s not right here. The air and earth itself feel as if the ambient magic is wild and chaotic.>
Rainbow tried to keep her exterior demeanor calm, but she went on high alert. <Think our hosts are plotting something?>
To Twilight, the very air faintly writhed as the atmospheric mana twisted and turned on itself as if a magnetic field was being distorted by some unseen force. <I don’t know enough about them to know for sure, but I don’t think so. It could be a local phenomenon, or it be something far worse.>
<Then what are we sticking around for? Let’s beat hooves back to the ship and get clear.> Rainbow tried to sense what her sister did, but her skill was not up to the task.
Twilight absently kept walking forward as she slowly cast her gaze along the hilly forest around her. The trees swayed in the mild wind that blew faint clouds of golden pollen through the air. <This is old, very old. I can’t tell without some equipment, but if I had to guess…> Remembering where she was, Twilight shook of her bad feeling. <If something were to happen, it’s not going to be any time soon. I’ll keep an eye on it, but let’s focus on the here and now. We need to see what we can glean from the aboriginals.>
Twilight first caught sight of the village in the form of tents and hastily fabricated tree houses. The structures ringed the top of the hill with a large clearing in the center. The presence of various tree stumps made her hum in contemplation. <Seems they moved here quite recently. They might be nomadic.>
Rainbow snickered much louder than tact would call for. <Nomadic plant ponies, now I’ve seen everything.>
Twilight rolled her eyes and saw several cooking fires were scattered around while a tall pile of logs was being piled up in a circle of stones for a future bonfire. Each fire pit had knee high stone barriers around them to keep any would be rogue flames at bay. Even with such precautions, Twilight noticed Arya's wings started to clatter as she trembled at the sight of the active fires. The druid averted her gaze and ears away from the flames to keep her composure.
All the while, Arya probed Aegis and her siblings with a barrage of questions ranging from mundane to personal, anything to distract her from the flames. “Exalted Captain. Why do all of you look so much like one of your queens?”
Aegis passed the question on to her mother to see if she could truthfully answer it. She didn’t like the response, but complied regardless. “We are all Queen Twilight Sparkle’s children.”
“W-wha?” Arya took a second, then a third and fourth look at each of the drones and then back at Twilight. “You are all royalty?!”
“Ah, no. We don’t work that way.” Aegis tried to keep her kind’s true nature as obscure as possible, and passed it off as no big deal, because it wasn’t. Might want to keep it simple for her. “Only the tall ones are royals.”
Arya wanted to probe deeper, but a barked command from the gathered farseers grabbed both her and the changelings’ attention. “Arya Ge’ula!” She immediately identified the senior farseer and bowed in respect. “Go make sure the eastern ring has enough defenders so our revered guests will be in no danger.”
“By your will, honored one.”
Arya departed quickly, leaving the Tea’la alone with the changelings. The grey furred mare prostrated herself in front of the changeling queens. “I am He’la, third seedling of Del’la’rus, and Chief Farseer of my people. I want to extend my people’s full hospitality to you and your guards.”
Rainbow was more than happy to let Twilight do the talking as she addressed the drones. <If Twi wants to put on a friendly face, then that’s what we’ll do. But position yourselves so you can keep an eye of us and each other. I want check-ins every two minutes, and keep your weapons holstered.>
<Yes, our queen.>
Rainbow gave a series of more personal orders to each drone and only refocused on He’la towards the end of the farseer’s conversation with Twilight. A stallion Tea’la was whispering in He’la’s ear. She shooed the stallion away to speak to Twilight unimpeded. “If I may be so bold, your imperial majesty, can I see the metal sky beast upon which you rode in? No one can see what Druid Arya claims to have been within.”
Twilight leaned toward Rainbow to silently ask her advice. The cyan queen wrestled with the idea for a few moments before nodding curtly. “Fine.” <Captain Veselov, lower the ventral cloak.> A few moments later, Rainbow simply pointed up at the small opening in the canopy.
He’la and dozens of other Tea’la quickly spotted the steel warship hovering barely fifty meters from the trees. None of them knew it, but it had to be that close for the dead mare’s switches to work. All they knew, was the prophecy was on the cusp of being fulfilled.
A thrill of excitement so palpable that it gave the empathic changelings brief headaches as it swept through the Tea’la like wildfire. Thunderous cheer and the rattle of wooden wings filled the air before He’la ran over to a group of villagers and gave several orders. Soon enough, several crude wooden tables were brought out to give a place for the cooks to display their food. Several musicians produced a collection of large horns and took up position near the gathering tables and started the celebration in earnest.
Several Tea’la guided the changelings to tables covered in what food and drink the locals could spare. The villagers sang and danced to a tempo as alien and violent as the forest they lived in. The flowers on their backs opened and puffs of pollen filled the air, which were tossed about in a tempest as the bonfires were lit. The heavy pollen sent the Tea’la into a psychedelic dancing frenzy. The dancers sang in unison with the deep angry horns, shaking beads, and chilling strings that threw them into a fevered pitch of manic wails and dancing around the bonfires.
The Tea’la scarcely ate anything for hours as the music continued well into the night. Most barely sat down for a scant few minutes to wolf down some food before rejoining their kin. The fires cast eerie shadows across the darkening woods.
By then, most of the changelings had loosened up and found themselves carried away by the intoxicating tribal music that struck a primal chord within them. Not even Rainbow Dash was immune to it and was right there in the middle of the chanting, wailing ponies, throwing all decorum and what little regality she had cultivated to the four winds.
Only Twilight and Aegis maintained their regal and military bearing respectively; even if they were deeply tempted to join in on the festivities. Twilight remained seated more out of intense curiosity, and Rainbow’s warning that her dancing would cause a diplomatic incident. Aegis remained at her mother’s side out of sheer force of will and profound sense of duty with a heavy dose of paranoia for good measure.
<You know, Ratchet, you’re missing out on quite the party down here,> Twilight teased as she looked up at the ship which had long since resumed full cloak.
<Aye, I can see it from here. Looks like one of the raves RD would talk about from Cloudsdale.> Fatigue was clearly evident in his voice.
<Want come down and join me?>
He let of a heavy sigh while flopping onto the royal bed. <Right after I just got the engines purring like kittens again? I’m too exhausted to fly, let alone party.>
She whined sympathetically. <Fair enough. I’ll see you as soon as I can.>
Twilight barely finished the sentence before Rainbow plopped on the bench next to her, giving Aegis a jump-scare at her sudden appearance. She was drenched in sweat from her fervent dancing. Twilight knew Rainbow well enough that she might slip into vocalized chatter and took her off the translation spell. “I gotta tell ya, Twi, these stick-wings know how to have a bang’n good time.”
“That they do,” Twilight agreed with a yawn. Aegis tried her best, but the contagious yawn escaped her as well. “You seem to have made some friends.” She pointed to He’la who was dancing with a pair of drones.
Rainbow chuckled wholeheartedly. “Say what you want about their food being kinda bland, they have a way to party that would make the Canterlot underground jealous.”
“I bet.” Twilight paused while her sister shoveled some food down her gullet in a manner unbefitting for a queen. Not that it truly mattered to them; Twilight was just happy to have Rainbow around, and Rainbow didn’t care about carrying an air of regality. “Why don’t you share party stories with her?”
“I don’t think,” *snarf* “telling her about,” *gulp* “fog machines and turn tables is going to translate.”
“Maybe not. But you could tell her about the world outside the chaos lands and she could tell you about the dangers of the forest.”
Rainbow was gnawing on a leg bone of an animal she would never be able to identify and spoke with it still in her mouth. “Thaff not a bad idea.” She spat the bone onto her plate. “I bet somepony here has to know where the old capital is at least. Maybe they could warn us of some super hydra that sleeps there or something.”
Twilight saw He’la collapse in her seat and pile food onto a plate until it was overflowing. “Now’s your best chance, she just sat down.”
“Uhh… Yeah alright.”
Twilight watched Rainbow stand up before holding out a hoof. “Oh, sister?”
“Yeah?”
With a slight smile, Twilight tapped the side of her head, prompting Rainbow to do the same, only to tap her circlet instead. “Remember you’re a friend and a queen. She’ll think of you as both.”
A pit of dread sank into Rainbow’s gut, but pride buried it. She grimaced at herself and nodded to her sister. “Right.”
Both purple changelings watched Rainbow trot over to He’la and begin talking. Aegis had trouble computing what had just happened for several minutes before turning to her mother. <Did you just get Aunty to conduct diplomacy?>
<I’d hardly call it that,> Twilight replied teasingly. Aegis waited for her to expand on that, but Twilight was content to silently eat a few rather tantalizing fruits.
Aegis shook her head. <It’s scary how you keep coaxing Aunty into more leadership roles outside of the military.>
Twilight looked at her daughter and gave a mischievous wink. Rainbow and He’la talked for well over an hour. Twilight chose to hold faith in her sister and refrained from eavesdropping. Instead, she took the time to commune with the hive back home.
Looks like the first amphitheater is under construction. Rarity will no doubt love the injection of high society that can bring. Part of a stone wall three kilometers further out from the first wall is getting started tonight, good. We need more room for agriculture. Good thing Zecora is there to help preserve any useful plants that might otherwise have been lost.
Gear Ratio was all too happy to speak once Twilight contacted her. Gear’s tone was more business than normal. <My queen, you’ll be glad to know the nursery is running smoothly, although the hatchery is woefully empty.>
Poor filly. She only has half a job to do. <You realize that with the addition of RD’s eggs our projected population is already going to suffer food rationing as it is within a year.>
<That’s only based on worst case scenarios, but… I suppose caution is advisable.> Gear was standing in the hatchery, staring at the rows upon rows of empty incubators with a sullen expression. <At least Aunty’s nymphs are keeping us busy. Even Fluttershy has trouble keeping them under control sometimes.>
Twilight couldn’t help but give off a hearty laugh. <The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?>
<A fair point,> Gear gently rubbed a welt on her flank that one of the dashlings had given her by accident. <I’ve noticed something curious about a few of Aunty’s nymphs. Blitz and her clutchmates seem to have a much deeper connection with each other than any other clutches I've seen in either Aunty's or yours. I’ve decided to let them bunk in the same room from here on out to see if we can foster that.>
Twilight’s gaze fell upon her sister who had just clapped He’la on the back while laughing uproariously. <Blitz is part of RD’s first clutch, if I recall correctly.>
<I knew you would remember that.> Gear Ratio’s pride in her mother only grew at how deeply she cared for her sister. <It makes a rather interesting parallel between them and Aegis’ clutchmates, don’t you agree?>
Twilight hummed at the mention of her own first clutch. <If I recall… Aegis bunks right next to Ferrum, Intel, and Riposte, but I never stopped to realize just how close they truly are compared to my other clutches.>
<Well over two thousand children are a lot to keep track of, I’m sure,> Gear amended with dry wit.
<Ha! That it is.> Twilight tapped her chin in deep thought. <Maybe there’s a special bond a queen’s first drones share that Cadista and I overlooked… Excellent find, Gear. Keep studying it, you may only be scratching the surface of this. And check on the other clutches, it might be present in some of them as well.>
<One step ahead of you, my queen. I’ll keep you apprised of anything new.>
<Good.> Twilight brooded on the discovery for a few minutes. Aegis has already proven herself worthy of rebirth, not that I’ll tell her that. It’d go to her head. Besides, hopefully rebirth won’t be necessary for a long time anyway. Still… if I had known how rare rebirthing reagents were, I would have only gone with seven consorts instead of ten. However, if this bond is deeper and more unique than we realize, I’ll have to find a way.
Any further contemplation was interrupted by Rainbow Dash flopping onto the bench with a scowl on her face. Uh oh. <Everything okay, sis?>
<I messed up, big time.> She desperately wanted a stiff drink, but the Tea’la had only supplied water.
Twilight and Aegis scanned the crowd, but the locals only seemed even more enthusiastic than before as He’la spoke to her kin. <Well, we’re not getting attacked, so it couldn’t have been that bad.>
“Pah,” Rainbow groaned as she frowned at a meatless bone. <You know that prophecy they think we’re a part of?>
<Yeeeees.>
Rainbow grimaced at as she gave Twilight an apologetic look. A look complete with sad frown, wilted ears, and pleading eyes. <Apparently they know where the capital is, and it’s strictly off limits to them, like super big time forbidden here. So He’la said that if I could confirm that we really were the heralded royals, then she could do something about evil spirits or whatever.>
<Wait I’m confused.> Aegis leaned forward on the table to she could see past her mother. <I thought you two were already seen as the prophesied royals.>
Rainbow chewed on her wooden cup as she tried to keep from emotionally exploding on herself. <There were some doubters, so I did some stupid balance test. They told me to do it to prove we were who they think we are. Don’t ask why, I don’t know either. So, I was like, ‘psh’ why not?>
Both purple changelings tilted their heads out of confusion, prompting Rainbow to shrug. <Hey, that was my first reaction too. Anyway, I passed the stupid test, everypony oohs and ahhs, and then He’la says it's final proof that we queens are here to tame the entirety of not just the forest, but the whoooole chaos lands too.>
Twilight spit-took her drink and slammed the cup down. “WHAT?!”
Aegis was rendered speechless. Rainbow buried her face in her forelegs. “I knoooow.”
Twilight’s eyes started twitching and hairs started popping out of her mane and tail as the urge to scream started to boil up through her carefully constructed regality. A mad hatter grin cracked across her face as she hastily constructed a simplistic Linkscape to scream her lungs out.
Aegis’ ears drooped at the sight of her queen. Uh oh… Mother’s got that look again.