//------------------------------// // 6. The Treaty // Story: Knight and Day // by Anzel //------------------------------// “Sooo…” Sunny Day said as she wandered up. I finished cleaning up several of the mini-plates and took my apron off. “So, what? Are they done?” I asked. “Nooo…” Sunny trailed. “Okay. What then?” “I know a secret,” she said in a teasing tone. “And… you’re not going to tell me and expect me to be bothered by it. Right?” I asked. Sunny quickly nodded and wrinkled her nose. “Exactly!” “What if I don’t care that you have a secret?” To punctuate my point I went past her and started tying up a garbage bag. Don’t give her what she wants. Be cool. “Nooo! You have to care!” Sunny grabbed me around the barrel. “It isn’t fun if you don’t care. Why don’t you care, Silent Knight? Why don’t you care?!” I tried to take a step forward to escape her but she was locked on and we fell over into the pile of trash bags “Tell me you care!” she urged. “No means no, Sunny!” I cried while squirming to get out from under her. There were several giggles from behind us and both of our heads shot up from the trash pile. We were being watched by three Princess Celestias, two Princess Lunas, one Celestia-sized Princess Twilight Sparkle, and non-pirate Princess Cadence. Sunny Day slowly let go, stood up, and backed away from me. “Yes. Silent Knight and I were just… You see we were…” I cleared my throat. “Amateur theatre? I take it the meetings are over, Princesses?” Our Princess Luna, I think, nodded and replied, “Yes. If you could prepare the common room we’d like to sign the agreement and have our closing statements. That is assuming your performance is concluded?” “Of course, Princess, right away.” I bowed, put my apron back on, straightened my maid hat, and went to work getting the common room set up. I’d have to figure out what the secret was later. ☾ ☼ Princess Celestia stood behind the podium and looked out onto the sea of alicorns. “It has been a pleasure to host this summit and once again I thank you all for attending. We have covered a lot of ground in a very short period of time. The Treaty of Eleven Equestrias is ready for signing. Before we do so, however, I would like to go over the key points.” A small piece of paper levitated from the table and onto the podium in front of the princess. “First, realm entanglement must be avoided at all costs. In order to ensure the safety of all ponies, travel between Equestrias must be limited. We cannot know for certain how much is too much but per the agreement no individual will travel to another realm more than once every decade.” A decade seemed like an awfully long time to me but I wasn’t an ageless alicorn. Sunny Day looked my way and shrugged. “Second, we must be mindful of the exchanges that occur between realms. Gifts, materials, and even spells traveling between Equestrias must be limited. One gift per visitor per visit should be sufficient. Anything more and we risk further entanglement.” I pondered on whether or not this particular summit counted as everypony’s one visit per decade. It would make sense that it would but, in truth, I hoped it didn’t. If Princess Luna went somewhere I would likely go with her and that meant a chance to see another world. That seemed pretty terrifying to me but I was also warming to it. “Finally, and I realize this was the most hotly debated topic here, we have agreed with a narrow margin that alicorn knowledge will not be shared between realms.” Throughout the room there were murmurs of dissent. Just less than half of the attendees seemed displeased which meant in some cases a given Equestria had a split vote. Princess Celestia softly cleared her throat and the room went quiet again. “I know. Suffice to say we all agreed upon the rules and we should all abide them. There are many other provisions so I invite you all to review the document again before signing. As agreed, this treaty will be in effect for 250 years and we will have the next summit ten years prior to that. May we all be well served by the protection it offers.” At that point the many rulers started going over the final document. Sunny and I stood guard duty in the back of the room behind a long table that had eleven identical copies of the treaty resting on it. They were all oversized and ceremonial. There was some humor in that. It was unlikely that ponies outside of this room would ever see them. I suppose that is just how treaties are done, however. Princess Celestia and Mother Mare from Equestria One wandered up to the table, quills levitated in their magic. They started signing in the appropriate signature blocks, working their way down the table. More alicorns started to follow behind them. It was somewhat entertaining to watch Princess Pfft sign first in a pink crayon and then again with a green one using the Chryssi doll. I wasn’t sure that was strictly binding but no pony else seemed to mind. The assembled rulers each took a turn signing the eleven treaties and, eventually, each one had 22 signatures. Sunny Day and I started carefully placing them in silkbound covers and getting them ready to travel. Each one had nothing more than number on the outside, except the one with the letter R. The printer had no idea why I wanted them but he’d done it. “With the final signature I would like to call this summit to a close. We have done much to ensure the safety of our ponies. May we know 250 years of peace.” Princess Celestia said before banging a gavel on the podium. “Safe trip home, everypony!” ☾ ☼ Sunny Day and I stood by the mirror and exchanged pleasant goodbyes with all of the dignitaries as they left. We were actually there to count and make sure they all went home. It was important we didn’t allow any stragglers to get loose into Equestria Six. Eventually every pony that had arrived went back through the mirror. “Thank our Celestia,” Sunny said before taking her helmet off. “Yeah,” I replied, doing the same. “I’m exhausted. I’ll never underestimate the palace staff again. Being a guard-maid-server-aide was too much.” I sat down on the stone floor. Sunny did the same. “From now on just guards. Agreed?” Sunny asked. “Agreed!” “Are we having our own little summit?” Princess Celestia asked after poking her head in. Quickly we both jumped up and to attention. Sunny replied, “Yes, ma’am. We’d like to resign as maids, servers, and aides.” The princess softly laughed and winked. “So noted. I realize this has been hard on you two. You did wonderfully, though.” Princess Luna followed up behind her sister. “We obviously don’t have to remind the two of you that this summit, more or less, did not happen and may not be discussed.” “Yes, Princess!” we replied in unison. “Very good,” she responded. I cleared my throat. “Should we start cleaning up? Also, should we lug this thing back upstairs?” I motioned to the mirror. Princess Celestia shook her head. “No, this will all keep. After all, we still have… rats, was it?” “Yes, Princess.” I replied. “Then leave everything as is. We’ll magically ward this room. I think from now on the mirror will be kept here. As a reward for your dedication, Luna and I are going to send each of you and a guest on a vacation. I’m certain your section sergeants can keep us safe for a few days?” “Yes, ma’am!” I replied eagerly but Sunny looked somewhat vexed. Lightly I nudged her. “Oh, yes, Princess,” she replied absently. Princess Celestia’s head tilted and she asked, “Is something wrong, Sunny?” “No, ma’am. It is very gracious of you. Truly.” “Then what troubles you?” Princess Celestia asked. Sunny nibbled on her lip and finally said, “I’m having some trouble at home, Princess, and, well… I’m sort of with two ponies. So a vacation for two is probably going to do more harm than good.” “You can have my tickets,” I offered. “Maybe give the second one to a single pony that needs a vacation? That slightly insane, hearts-obsessed one you’re friends with?” “What about you and Crystal Wishes? She’d be upset,” Sunny asked and then added, “Lovey Dovey isn’t insane… she’s just… special.” “First, she’ll never know because this never happened and second I don’t think we need this vacation as much as the three of you do.” I explained. Princess Celestia softly cleared her throat. “No!” Sunny said forcefully. “You’re always giving things up for ponies. You earned this vacation, too. I’m not letting you fall on the sword for us.” I peered at her and took a step closer. “They’re my tickets and if I want you to have them that is that. You work just as hard as I do… maybe harder. Let me do something nice for you and Azurite for a change, okay?” “Ponies…” Princess Celestia said softly. “You can’t make me take them and I can manage my relationship just fine without your meddling, thank you very much. You’re so stubborn. Just take Crystal and go on a vacation. I’ll figure it out!” That earned Sunny one of my patented officer glares. She didn’t back down though. “Who is being stubborn now? When was the last time you had a vacation?” I asked. “What does that matter I’ve—” “Be silent!” Princess Luna shouted at us. That shocked us into doing just that. “As you were saying, Tia…” Princess Celestia held a stern face but it looked like she wanted to laugh. “Or, and I’m just throwing this out there as one of two rulers of this entire realm, I could just get Sunny a third ticket now that I know she has two special ponies. Assuming Silent Knight isn’t determined that she has to have his or that Sunny Day isn’t going to let anypony, including me, help her at home.” Sunny sheepishly rubbed her hooves together. “That works for me. You can help me, Princess.” Quickly I nodded. “No objections.” “Very good then. I’ll get three tickets,” Princess Celestia said with smile. Princess Luna eyed us. “Now kiss and make up.” My ears shot up. Sunny Day closed the small distance between us. “You heard the princess,” she said, leaning in for a kiss. Softly I put my hoof against her cheek to push her away. “No means no! Princess, you’re being a pest and an enabler!” All of the mares giggled and seemed to find great amusement in my embarrassment. And so it seemed, as always, that mares ruled not just this world but ten out of eleven.