The Council of Friendship
Twilight banged her gavel on the arm of her throne three times. "Hear ye, hear ye! The second Ponyville Council of Friendship is in session!" She looked around the room and forced a smile. "Normally, we would proceed to roll call now, but somepony voted to 'ditch it'." Rainbow Dash nodded smugly. "So, we will instead move on to the minutes of our last meeting. Spike, if you please."
Spike picked up a scroll and cleared his throat as he held it in front of him and unrolled it. "In our last meeting, we voted to no longer call roll, to declare the apple fritter and cider the official royal snacks, to allow us to bring our pets to the meetings if we wanted, and to allow me to get a larger throne." Spike looked behind him at his seat. "Which apparently we forgot about over the week. After that, we ended the council so we could have lunch."
"Didn't Twilight disband the council and declare herself ruling monarch?" Rarity asked.
Twilight chuckled sheepishly. "Well, sort of. But Spike pointed out that since the council was not in session when I declared the dissolution, its legality could easily be questioned should somepony protest about it to Princess Celestia or Princess Luna, and I might face consequences for attempting to pass legislature without the consent of the currently active government. The only alternative to staging a successful coup without being in council would be a show of military power to disband the council by force, which obviously I'm not going to resort to."
The ponies looked at Spike. "You really thought of that yourself?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I spent five hours with her that night reading legal textbooks. I needed something to keep her occupied while I escaped," Spike replied.
Applejack tilted her head. "So ya sold us out to save yerself?"
"Five. Hours. Don't judge me."
"Twilight, darling," Rarity raised a hoof to get her attention. "We agreed to return and try this again, but I must ask, if we are to remain a council, do you truly intend to have us read all those books you had with you?"
"No. I've been in contact with Princess Celestia, and she agreed that forcing you to educate yourselves on laws and ethics was unfair to you, since we all have lives to lead outside the council chambers, and legally speaking I cannot force you to read a thing. However, I do have a recommended reading list of materials you should consider looking over in your spare time." Twilight floated a checklist over to each of them. "Now that that's been taken care of, does anypony have new business to bring up?"
Rainbow Dash tossed her checklist over the arm of her throne. "I motion if that Twilight goes nuts again, we can vote to remove her from the council."
Twilight let out a cry of protest. "I did not 'go nuts' last time. I do not go nuts, period!"
"Want It Need It spell."
"That was one time!"
"Thank Celestia. Literally."
"I'm going to oppose, if you don't mind," Fluttershy said, "Twilight is obviously more experienced with the history of law than us, and her opinion is very well-informed."
"Thank you, Fluttershy." Twilight smiled happily.
"Although, I do have to ask, Twilight… you want us to take these meetings seriously, but, I was thinking…"
"Yes?"
"If we're the Council of Friendship, then, um… what exactly do you want us to do?"
Twilight opened her mouth to answer, and paused, her eyes widening.
"Uh, she does have a point there, Twi. What's the Council of Friendship supposed to do?" Applejack looked over at her.
"For that matter, if you now have an official title as Princess, then, do we actually rule anything?" Rarity added. "Are we the rulers of Ponyville, or some other nation that hasn't been specified to us?"
Twilight remained held in her position, half-ready to speak but her mouth frozen. Her eyes darted around the room, the others looking at her expectantly. Her expression twisted into one of confusion. "I don't know!"
"I'm outta here." Rainbow Dash flew into the air and moved towards one of the windows.
"Wait!" Twilight's magic lit up on the window as Rainbow tried to open it. "We can figure it out. See, this is why we have these meetings, so we can figure out the solutions to problems like this. We need to govern ourselves before we can govern the kingdom. This is good! We have some direction now. We have an objective!"
"So the first thing we have to do is figure out what we have to do?" Rainbow asked, sitting back down.
"Yes! I am the Princess of Friendship, so, presumably, I rule over friendship, and my duties are to spread friendship across Equestria…" Twilight made a face. "And I have absolutely no idea how to do it!" She turned to the books beside the throne and floated the top one over, flipping through it rapidly.
"We could start by examining racial equality." Spike tapped a claw on the arm of his throne.
"Well, lately tensions between Canterlot and the griffon king have been rather high. Perhaps we could be envoys to foreign nations?" Rarity asked.
"Or maybe we're just supposed to travel Equestria spreading friendship to people who don't have it," Applejack suggested.
"I love that idea! We could become a traveling band, dedicated to uniting Equestria through the power of friendship and rock and roll!" Pinkie Pie produced a drum set from behind her throne and grinned, drum sticks held expectantly over the instrument.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Pinkie, that is the dumbest idea you've ever had."
"Yay, a new record!" Pinkie banged out a rim shot.
"Well, we can summon our rainbow power at will from the castle now. Perhaps we're supposed to do something with that?" Rarity suggested.
"Like what?" Applejack replied.
Rarity shrugged. "I don't know; it was just a suggestion. It's not as though I understand how this 'rainbow power' works."
"Do we know how our powers have ever worked?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Look at the Elements, Luna got banished to the moon the first time, then turned back to good the second time, and they turned Discord to stone. Was there some sort of switch on the back we never found?"
"Maybe the elements are powered by the will of their wielders," Fluttershy said. "I mean, I never really wanted to hurt Princess Luna, even as Nightmare Moon."
"So we fire up the rainbow friendship beam and ask it to spread love and tolerance across Equestria?"
"No, we are not using the rainbow power for anything," Twilight said, looking up from her book. "We only used the Elements in times of dire need, this new power should be no different."
"If you have a better idea, darling, please tell us," Rarity said. Twilight shut the book and thought, tilting her eyes up to the ceiling.
"Well… if we're the Council of Friendship… perhaps our duty is to consult ponies on matters of troubles between friends?"
Spike raised a claw. "If that's the case, I have an idea for a matter we can resolve."
"Yes, Spike?"
"I was promised a bigger throne by my six closest friends and they forgot about me."
There was a flash of violet light, and Twilight and Spike switched places.
"We'll get you your own during the week, now please try to be more productive," Twilight said, glaring. "Moving on, if we're to allow other ponies to consult us on matters of friendship, how should we start?"
"Well darling, you already put up those flyers," Rarity began. "Perhaps our petitioners have matters of friendship we can look over?"
Twilight lit up. "Yes! Brilliant idea! Spike, please open the doors and let this week's petitioners in." Twilight smiled happily as Spike stood and moved to the doors. He flung them open and revealed the hallway beyond.
"Oh. Hi Mayor Mare!" Spike stepped aside as the official stepped into the room, looking around in awe. A saddle bag was slung over her back. Twilight composed herself, taking a breath.
"Greetings, Madame Mayor. Welcome to the Council of Friendship. How can we be of aid to you?"
The mayor turned to Twilight. "Greetings to you, Princess Twilight. I have a most concerning issue that needs resolution as soon as possible."
"Of course! We'd be happy to help!"
The mayor reached into her saddle bag and held out a piece of parchment. "Would you care to explain this, please?"
Twilight took the parchment in her magic and made a face as she floated it in front of her and saw what it was. "This is one of the flyers I put up around Ponyville last week." She turned it around to show the others. The poster bore Twilight's cutie mark above an announcement for anypony with concerns to bring before the Princess to present themselves to her at the listed date and time to receive a decision.
"I see. I did hear it was you, but needed clarification. I must ask further then, what is the meaning of this announcement?"
Twilight tried to stay professional and hide her confusion. "I think it's fairly self-explanatory."
Mayor Mare sighed. "Princess Twilight, if I may be straightforward in this; am I still the democratically elected governor of Ponyville?"
"Of course!"
"Then, what is all this?" The mayor gestured her hoof around the room. "I remain in my office, yet you hold the highest rank of government our system allows, you are now stationed in a castle on the outskirts of Ponyville, and you form this 'Council of Friendship' and encourage Ponyville's citizens to consult you for resolutions of trouble. Yet you have not spoken to me or any other officials about this seeming change of leadership."
"Well… um…" Twilight laughed nervously. "I think there's been some confusion here."
"Nope, I'm following this just fine, and it's getting good!" Pinkie Pie munched a hoof-full of popcorn from a bucket in her lap and looked between the two.
"Madame Mayor, if I may." Rarity stepped off her throne. "Our royal council is not meant to override your authority, or the authority of any other official in Ponyville. We have been discussing our place in Equestrian law just before you arrived, and we have decided to only consult ponies on matters of friendship."
Mayor Mare nodded. "I see. Then you would not be attempting to subvert our system of law by overruling Judge Powdered Wig's verdicts? Because he came to me yesterday and said three unhappy clients in the past week have stormed out declaring they will seek council at a higher court. I spoke to one of them before coming here and they indicated this council is what they meant."
"As Twilight said, there seems to be some confusion." Rarity smiled and put a hoof over the mayor's neck. "Our wish, our reason for existing as a council, is not to disrupt the harmony of government in Equestria, but to spread friendship through the land. We would pass decisions on nothing beyond this."
"One of the defendants was a young mare accused by her brother of staging the destruction of a friend's chariot to drive them apart. Would this fall under your council's jurisdiction?"
Rarity paused and thought, glancing at Twilight. She took notice and cleared her throat to get the mayor's attention.
"Since this court case concerns friendship between two Ponyville citizens, strictly speaking, yes, we would reserve the right to preside over the legality of this conflict."
The mayor raised an eyebrow. "Powdered Wig ruled against the defendant, ordering her to pay for repairs to the chariot. Would you overrule this decision?"
Twilight's eyes darted away. "Well, I'd have to review the facts and speak to the involved parties first."
"Then you intend to hold legal court here?"
"I didn't say that!"
"Better not have, 'cause Ah ain't up fer that," Applejack spoke up. Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement.
Twilight groaned and slapped a hoof to her forehead. "How about this? Madame Mayor, I swear on my title as Princess, we will remain separate as a council from Ponyville's government. Any decisions you or any other legal or elected official make, we will not overturn, and we will not pass any motion that would conflict with a decision made by the same offices. Is this acceptable?"
"Very much so, thank you, Princess." Mayor Mare bowed her head. "Though, there is one more matter then, if that is the decision."
"Yes?"
"If your Council of Friendship is not going to have any input on Ponyville's system of government and law, and you do not rule over us, I must ask… what does your council do?"
Two hairs popped out on Twilight's mane.
"Uh, Twilight?" Spike approached her, and jumped as her magic raised the gavel on the arm of her throne.
Twilight glared around the room, her ear twitching. "I'm declaring a recess! Anyone who opposes, too bad, veto!" The gavel banged, and the second after, Twilight teleported away in a violet flash.
Mayor Mare blinked and looked around the remaining ponies in confusion. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice, Princess Celestia."
"But of course, Twilight, I am always happy to entertain you." The solar princess poured three cups of tea, floating one over to Twilight across the table and another to Princess Luna sitting beside her on the balcony of her room. "You said in your letter you needed to speak to me about something urgent."
"Yes, an important legal matter has come up in Ponyville and I need your help," Twilight said. She blew on her tea and took a sip.
"Is this about your efforts to tear down this silly 'democracy' you attempted so you may establish monarchial dominance over Ponyville?" Luna asked. Twilight looked at Celestia.
"You told her about that?"
Before Celestia could respond, Luna did. "My sister has been quite forthcoming with the letters you and your friends have written her over the years. To be honest I was quite disappointed when your friends switched to this 'journal' system after your coronation, though I did come to appreciate the superior organization the format allowed. Speaking of, Celestia, when next we see Discord I must thank him for retrieving that journal, it made for fascinating reading."
Celestia sighed, looking from Luna to Twilight, her former student's jaw hanging open and her eyes wide. "The night court at Canterlot can get a little dull. Luna needed something to occupy her time, and Daring Do only lasted her a week."
"So you let her read my letters? The ones I sent to you in confidentiality?"
"You wrote her about my troubles making friends on Nightmare Night," Luna replied. Celestia just watched the exchange, hiding a smile behind her cup as she took a sip.
Twilight sputtered. "Yes, but, that was about me too! The things I wrote in those letters are private! Or they were, anyway."
"What was it you wrote when your friend Rarity was jealous of Fluttershy? 'Being a good friend means being able to keep a secret, but you should never be afraid to share your true feelings with a good friend'. Do you mean to say we are not friends, Twilight, that you cannot share your secrets with me?"
Twilight opened and closed her mouth a few times trying to form a response. "… ah ponyfeathers."
"Twilight, before we are further dragged into other subjects, perhaps you would like to get the matter that brought you here?" Celestia suggested.
Twilight took a breath. "Yes, thank you. I was holding my second council meeting, and Fluttershy pointed out something very concerning… what exactly is the Princess of Friendship supposed to do?" Celestia chuckled and leaned forward to answer, and paused, her eyes popping slightly. Twilight nodded. "Yeah, that was my reaction too."
"I could have sworn we assigned you some royal duties." Luna put a hoof to her chin and thought. "Was it you we tasked to deliver the griffon terrorists we captured last month back to their homeland?"
"Um, no. And, terrorists?" Twilight tilted her head.
"I suppose it must have been Cadance we gave that job to."
Celestia frowned and turned to her sister. "Ah, Luna? We never spoke of this to Cadance."
"Pardon me, terrorists?"
"Didn't we? Oh my… please excuse me, sister, Twilight." Luna turned from the table, heading to the door.
"Is everything alright, Luna?" Celestia looked up as she left.
"Quite alright. I just believe I now need to write a letter of apology to the griffon king… and a letter of command to the prisons." Luna shut the door to Celestia's room behind her, and Celestia shook her head and turned back to Twilight.
"I confess I was not fully sure what responsibilities to give you as a Princess of Friendship. When you come to be in a position of power, Twilight, and other ponies look up to and admire you… you may develop a routine of saying inspiring things that have little real meaning to them. I recommend you not to pick up my habits in this." Celestia noticed Twilight staring at her. "Is something wrong?"
"Forgive my confusion, Princess, but can we back up fifteen seconds to when we were talking about griffon terrorists!?"
"They were protesting the results of the Equestria Games, asserting the increased size of griffons gave them a handicap in some events we did not properly compensate them for. They attempted to infiltrate Canterlot and set fire to the Star Swirl the Bearded wing, but we apprehended them. The griffon king demanded their release as he is sympathetic to their cause, and I agreed to avoid an international incident. Though given Luna's departure, my efforts may have failed."
"I see…" Twilight took a breath. "Maybe Rarity was on to something with that ambassador idea."
"Pardon?"
"Nevermind. So is there any advice you could give me?"
Celestia tilted her head and gave Twilight an odd look. "Twilight, recall when you assumed the role of Princess of Friendship, you declared you would spread the magic of friendship across Equestria."
"Yes, but, how?" Twilight gave her mentor a pleading look.
"I presumed you had some measure of plan in mind when you decided this."
Twilight laughed nervously. "Well, maybe I got swept up in the moment. The truth is, I have a title now, and lead a council, but… we're not really doing much."
"That sounds fairly standard for democratic councils."
"Forgive my forthrightness, Princess, but it sucks."
Celestia chuckled. "As I said, why the Tree of Harmony would bestow seven thrones to your castle confuses me. Monarchies are so much easier."
"Are they really?" Twilight hesitated, looked at her tea cup. "Not to offend, Princess, but don't some ponies protest you and Luna holding all the power in government while they're limited to petitions?"
Celestia smiled. "Twilight, we have a separate line for petitioners wishing to discuss alternative forms of government."
"And do they ever bring up anything worth trying?"
The princess took a drink of tea before answering. "I don't know; we organize them into a separate line for Kibitz to tutor them on the history of Equestrian law under the pretense of making sure they understand what they are suggesting. I understand his lectures can last well into the night. Not that anypony has endured all the way through to time him; invariably they run out of patience and leave. We've coined the term 'fillybuster' for it."
"That sounds familiar," Twilight deadpanned.
"I know it may seem a bit tyrannical of me, but remember, Twilight, Luna and I ruled for centuries even before the coming of Nightmare Moon. I have long seen every argument for change and most of them fail to convince me that the positive impacts outweigh the negative. And I must act for the good of my ponies, even if that means turning a deaf ear to their protests of my methods. I have over a millennium of wisdom in ruling; they do not."
"So then what am I supposed to do with the Council of Friendship?"
Celestia gave Twilight a sly smile. "You could try staging a coup again."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
Twilight groaned. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to lend me a few guards to station around the castle to at least feign a show of military power?"
"Well, since they would be my guards occupying your castle, I would be the one staging the coup to remove you and the council from power. Have you given any thought to training your own guard corps?"
"We wield the most powerful magic in Equestria. I'm not sure we need them."
"A fair point." Celestia leaned in. "And just between Princesses, they've never been of much use to me either."
"I've noticed." Twilight sipped her tea and thought back to the many times the Canterlot guards had attempted to protect Celestia and the castle. Most of her recollections seemed to end with them slumping to the floor unconscious.
Celestia tilted her eyes to look at the ceiling, thinking. "Well, if you are opposed to a military option, and I cannot say I blame you for such under the circumstances, then you could dissolve the council while in session so it is fully legal. Strictly speaking, Twilight, you are not obligated to do anything as a Princess. Cadance was a Princess long before she ruled the Crystal Empire and I did not pressure her to find any sort of royal duties to keep her busy."
"Maybe. But going back to my normal life just seems so… boring. I mean, if I'm not going to have any new responsibilities and just continue my day-to-day routine like I always have, what was even the point of making me a Princess?"
Celestia gave Twilight a wary look. "Twilight, I'd really rather not bring up that topic of discussion, if you please."
Twilight sighed. "Right. I just wish I knew what to do. The Tree of Harmony obviously had some sort of plan in mind giving us these seven thrones to rule together. I don't suppose you know of a spell to let us talk to the spirit of the Tree so we can sort this out?"
"I'm afraid not. Tree-talking spells are a surprisingly obscure area of magic few ponies show interest in expanding."
"I'll bet. Then I suppose for now we're stuck arguing in circles with no agreement on what to do." Twilight waved a hoof in the air. "Yay for democracy."
Celestia smiled. "I'm sure you'll find your path soon, Twilight. But do not worry yourself if it takes more time than you'd wish. Government is not easy. I of all ponies can tell you. When you reach a decision, let it be one you have confidence in."
Twilight thought and looked up as Celestia took a drink of tea. "You said Canterlot has experimented with more democratic systems before. How'd they turn out?"
"Dreadfully, I'm afraid. Every few centuries when I need a year or so of rest, I institute a democratic assembly. I form a council of prominent Canterlot nobles and allow them to preside over lesser matters in my stead. It often considerably shortens the line of petitioners every day, and so allows me a degree of relaxation in my royal duties, as well as ridding Kibitz of the need to lecture dissenting ponies every day. But they only last a few years at best, the councils always break down into squabbling and red tape and resentment and I disband them because nothing is getting done."
"That sounds familiar too," Twilight replied. "I guess I see the benefit of keeping government radicals occupied. A revolution could destroy the country at this point."
"It nearly did, once. Many centuries ago, a pony was discussing an electoral system with myself and Canterlot's nobles. Candidates from across Equestria could be nominated to rule the kingdom and would be voted upon by all citizens via a secret ballot. The Princesses would be as figureheads that would raise the sun and moon, while the political power would rest in the hooves of this elected 'President'."
"Fascinating. What happened to her?"
Celestia made a sound in her throat as Twilight sipped her tea.
"I banished her to the moon."
Twilight spat her tea over the table. Celestia raised a barrier to shield herself, tea running down to the floor. Twilight coughed and stared at Celestia in horror.
"You mean, all this time, you banished your sister to the moon because she challenged your political power!?"
"Twilight, you deeply offend me." Celestia kept her tone even. "My sister fell prey to dark forces and transformed into Nightmare Moon to create an everlasting night. I banished her to the moon for the sake of my subjects… although, Luna was beginning to talk about some very disturbing concepts regarding government and law. Nightmare Moon's conquest of Equestria would likely have been a disaster for reasons beyond a never-ending night. Though I cannot imagine a democracy thriving for very long under one of her mindset."
Twilight shook her head, her face in her hooves. "I can't believe I'm hearing this. I feel like I shouldn't be."
"Welcome to politics, Twilight."