//------------------------------//
// The Royal Breakdown 
// Story: Destiny Book 2: Time Traveling Foal Sitters 
// by SirScribe 
//------------------------------//

	King Cosmos sighed as he placed the mug on the table. He suddenly didn’t feel like drinking anything else. The silence between the two rulers upset the Doctor, but Applejack was confused. “What’s genocide?”
“The slaughter of an entire race or species. It includes the destruction of the population, religion, architecture, art, and so much more. It is like erasing an entire history from the planet,” the Doctor said with venom in his voice. “It’s a crime more serious than anything else, and I’ve paid the price for it.”
Solaris nodded. “That’s awful! Why would this Silverstar fella want to genocide the Draconiqui?” Applejack asked.
“That’s what I would want to know,” the Doctor said as he turned to Cosmos.
The king sighed. “Silverstar was one of my best generals and a friend to the family. When the war started, he had compassion and a heart to stop the Draconiqui from taking the world. He was smart, but that’s the nasty truth about war: it changes you.”
He looked down at his tea cup. “A few months ago, a battalion of Draconiqui laid siege to a settlement in the East. It was comprised of unicorns and alicorns, even his parents. When the Draconiqui arrived, the settlement was reduced to ashes. Silverstar was there as he watched them destroy his family. According to eyewitness reports, there were 150 Draconiqui in the area. The report said that all of them had their throats slashed by his wings.”
Applejack no longer wanted to drink her cider. “He was heartbroken,” the Doctor said.
“Yes. We tried consulting him and even tried to cover up the incident, but we failed in both. Word got out and our armies appeared to be comprised of vengeful gods. I even asked if Celestia and Luna can help him, and for a while it worked,” Solaris said. “He opened up to us for a little while.”
The two time travelers sighed. “The other day, we discovered a plot set by him. He had signed his team up to storm the royal fortress of the Draconiqui and capture the king. In reality, Silverstar wanted to kill him and all the others inside. By doing so, he would send up the red alert and bring all the Draconiqui there to finish him off. One alicorn against a whole empire is madness.”
“Tis suicide to consider being a lone soldier,” Solaris said.
The Doctor grimaced. “However he is not the first to do so, is he Doctor?”
Applejack looked over. “What happened then was because there was no other choice. I did what I had to do to ensure all of Creation would continue spinning. Billions and billions of trillions of lives would not exist had I stood by and watched Time burn,” the Time Lord said. “What separates me from Silverstar is that I did it because there was no other way.”
“And we believe you Doctor,” Cosmos said. “And in a way, we all understand his pain. We can all be vengeful gods should we be pushed too far. I had to deliver justice by removing Silverstar from his duties permanently otherwise worse things may’ve happened.”
The Doctor’s ears perked up. “Go on,” he said. “You mentioned Changelings earlier and I assume they are trouble.”
“They are a third party in this war. They despise both races and can gain from either one’s loss, and that makes them a threat. Nothing is more dangerous than an enemy that nopony expects. It’s especially dangerous when we cannot predict their actions,” Cosmos said.
Applejack sighed. “Ah hear ya,” she said. “Changelings interrupted Princess Cadence’s weddin’ in the future.”
“Their best attribute is infiltration, young mare,” Solaris said. “I pray the Changelings can learn from their impending doom.”
The Doctor looked up with concern in his eyes. “What are you doing?”
Solaris and Cosmos looked at each other. “We decided to seek an audience with the king of the Draconiqui in hopes of ending the war before the Changelings,” Cosmos said.
Applejack immediately stood up. “Ya can’t do that! Draconiqui are lyin’ snakes!” she said.
“While I agree with my companion, you do have a point,” the Doctor said.
Applejack looked over at the Time Lord. “Doctor?”
“No Applejack, they are wise to go through here. Draconiqui are known for their wits and speed. Alicorns are known for their brain power and strength. An alliance can work,” he said.
Applejack sighed. “Doctor, ya know Discord is trouble, don’t ya?! These Draconiqui are probably worse!”
“Yes, but look at where they are. Both sides are targets of the Changelings and both sides have held them back over the years. If Cosmos and the Draconiqui king, what’s his name?”
“Silver Heart,” Cosmos said.
The Doctor looked confused. “A lot of ‘Silver’s in this time,” he said.
“Tis a common name,” Solaris said as she shrugged.
"If Cosmos and Silver Heart can hold their forces and combine to stop the Changelings from becoming a threat, they can probably achieve more than freedom."
“Indeed. Silver Heart and I will hold a summit in a secret location and discuss terms as to how the war will end. If we can agree to a formal event, Silver Heart and I can organize an attack on the Changeling homelands outside the kingdom and hopefully stop them from ever trying to interfere with our quarrels. If we can do this, and keep the treaty intact, we can have the peace we’ve been striving to obtain for over a thousand years. I want to raise my children in a world where Draconiqui and ponies can work together and live united through magic,” Cosmos said.
“Tis a dream every parent dreams about,” Solaris said. “And while I feel as though this can end differently, I have hope we can accomplish peace tonight.”
“And foalsitting Celestia and Luna?” the Doctor asked.
Cosmos sighed. “Being a family of magical might, we tend to make enemies. For a while now, Changelings have been trying to take the throne of the Empire in order to end the war. My daughters are clever enough to detect Changelings, but they know they can. We have discovered an attempt on their lives, and we feel with Silverstar’s passing, you two would be best in protecting them. I know you, Doctor, and how you helped us before. We have faith in you and your companion,” Solaris said.
Applejack blushed a little bit. Somepony had enough faith in her to protect, not regular fillies, but the royal sisters that she later befriends. If Twilight were here, she would call it heaven. “So, can we count on the last Time Lord in existence and his charming companion to look after our treasures?” Cosmos said.
Solaris smacked him in the shoulder, but the Doctor was already smiling. He looked over at Applejack and she smiled at him. “Shall we get started?”


Solaris and Cosmos let their new foalsitters through the castle. As they walked, the Doctor was able to keep Applejack up to date on the current events. Most of the stuff was restricted because there was a lot that Cosmos had not completed yet. The Doctor kept reminding himself that he is in their timeline and revealing future events was dangerous. Applejack was busy looking around the castle to hear anything from the Time Lord.
Applejack looked down a hall they were passing, and immediately recognized it. Down that hall was the Hall of Statues that she and Rainbow Dash got lost in. Why Rainbow thought she put her hoof around her, she will never know. Yeah, Rarity may’ve had something to do with it, but for RD to say it like she did raised an alarm in the Earth Pony’s head.
“—and that’s why I can never go to Zecora’s without at least one magical charm, although I don’t see why she would want a piece of my TARDIS, and I’ve told her several times that ‘NO’ means ‘NO’, but then she goes into a rap battle and in 900 years of time travel, I’ve never—”
“Doctor?” Applejack called out.
“Yes?” he responded.
“Shut up.”
Solaris held back her laugh while Cosmos shook his head and smirked. “I’m liking your new companion more and more, Doctor. She seems to burn with a fire that would outburn you,” he said.
Applejack smiled at the king. “Ok, Luna and Celestia should be around here somewhere. LUNA! CELESTIA! Where are you?!”
The Doctor looked around. “I suppose they are on the other side of the castle,” Solaris said.
“But we checked the Hurricane Slide, their bed chambers, and even in the garden. Where could they be?”
Applejack looked around. The Hall looked pretty much empty and everything looked the way they did back in her time. As the Doctor continued searching for the two fillies, Applejack began walking through the Hall. All the statues looked to be perfectly still and in place.
But not the last one.
“Uh, Doctor?”
The Time Lord came to her. “Hmm, what is it?”
Applejack pointed to the last statue. Unlike all the rest, this one was moved slightly to the right. The head was turned in the other direction, like somepony was playing with it. The Doctor smiled as he realized what was going on.
“Well, since we can’t find the two princesses, I guess we should just go back to our regular adult talks in the kitchen, right my faithful companion?” he said aloud.
“Oh ya, we aughta go back. Ah am mighty hungry after searching fer them. Ah don’t know about ya, but ah want me some chocolate cake,” Applejack said, catching on.
The statue moved slightly. “Cake?” came a small voice.
There was a pause. “Luna, I think they have cake,” one voice said.
“Sister, why are you in love with that frosty treat? It’s so messy!” Luna said.
“But-but its cake!”
The Doctor quietly walked over, and opened the breastplate of the statue. Two filly alicorns came tumbling out, Luna landing on Celestia. Applejack looked down at them. They looked so adorable like that. They reminded her of the Crusaders when they go off on their adventures.
“Tia, you made us lose! All for cake that probably isn’t real!”
Celestia facehoofed herself. “Whoops, sorry. Hi mister-”
The fillies looked up at the Doctor and his companion. “-and miss. You look familiar.”
The Doctor fixed his tie. “Well, maybe I am familiar. Hello Celestia and Luna, we’re your new foalsitters!”
Celestia looked around. “Where’s Silverstar?”
King Cosmos intervened. “He’s still out, but while we wait for him to get back, the Doctor and his friend here will take care of you for a little while,” he said.
Luna shrugged and approached the Time Lord. “Your nose is big.” Then she ran down the hall with blazing fast speed.
“LUNA!” Solaris yelled.
Celestia ran after her sister, both laughing. Applejack tipped her hat and ran after them, apparently playing with them. The Time Lord turned and looked at both of them. “Don’t worry, they’ll be fine,” he said.
“Ok, but don’t mention Silverstar. I want to save the news until after the war ends, which I hope is soon. We will be back before sunset,” Solaris said.
The Doctor nodded. The royal couple ran after their children and said their goodbyes to them. They later boarded their balloon carriage and flew off toward the rising Sun.
That was the last time Celestia and Luna ever saw their parents.