//------------------------------// // 28th November, 2015 (Interlude) // Story: Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité // by Ponelover //------------------------------// Canterlot Castle, 7:00PM, +14 days after event “I don't know whether or not ESA is pulling weird pranks on me or what, but it should damn good one knowing that I'm going to ask a Princess of Equestria about the sun and moon” Julien says as he starts finishing his report regarding the current state of Equestria. After putting it in a neat stack of reports to be scanned and sent to both the President and the foreign minister. He now has time to visit Princess Luna regarding why the twilight’s and dusk’s in Equestria are faster than usual. He haven’t been to the nightcourt and Daring Do is back home, busy typing her books so it’s going to be him and him alone against the princess of the night. “Come in, welcome to the nightcourt” Princess Luna greeted the French ambassador as he enters the nightcourt in his usual business suit. Unlike Celestia, Luna haven’t been interacting with the human delegation ever since their initial negotiations regarding opening diplomatic channels with Equestria. But she has heard about operation Alarme and Luna is both amazed and frightened at what these seemingly lanky hairless apes are capable. “Oh yes, hello there Princess Luna. I guess you’ve already knew my name so i’ll make this quick” the delegate opened a briefcase containing satellite imagery of the Equestrian world. “at 1800 hours or 6pm at night. ESA scientists monitoring their satellites and other French assets in space have detected an unusual anomaly. Exactly when dusk and dawn broke in Equestria, the planet’s rotation seems to be moving a bit faster than usual. Further investigation into this mystery reveals that the source of this energy might be located in Canterlot” “and that leads you to ask me a bunch of questions isn’t it?” Luna replied before Julien could finish his sentence “and so that’s……….oh you’ve already known my purpose here, yes i’m going to ask you a bunch of questions regarding the nature of magic and how it works in this planet” Julien asked “Say no more human, your questions might just lead you to a longer trail. It is I Princess Luna who rose the moon at twilight and it is my sister, Princess Celestia who rose the sun at dawn!” Princess Luna loudly proclaimed about the fact that she rose the moon and it was Celestia who rose the sun. Only to be met with a very confused and flabbergasted French ambassador “M….oh….w-what?” Julien was flabbergasted in the revelation that the Royal sisters were the ones responsible for the increase in rotation. Sure from the historical records Celestia gave to him he was given the impression that the Royal Sisters are incredibly powerful magical creatures. But never to the extent that they can move the planet! are they capable of doing such feats? Julien thought as he asked Princess Luna another question “P...princess Luna, are you sure that your…..claim that the increase of rotation of the earth is caused by…...you?” Julien asked “Why of course! it is our natural talent, our cutiemark that allows us to raise the sun and the moon! sure the planet have been rotating around the sun and moon even before the first creatures laid their eyes on this planet. But it is tradition for us to raise the sun at dawn and lower at dusk. Why the sudden curiosity? is it because the lack of magic in your world has given you the impression that it is impossible to increase the rotation of the planet temporarily?” Princess Luna asked the now shocked French delegate “f..frankly yes princess. I’m no scientist but I can tell that the amount of energy that is required to increase the rotation of the planet is simply massive! how are you capable moving an entire planet?” “Very simple, so my cutiemark here” she moves her flank for the delegate to see…….in a polite manner of course, don’t want to give the delegate any ideas that she’s interested in him “allows myself and my older sister Celestia to tap into the ley lines present on this world. And anchor it into the planet temporarily for it to move just a tad bit faster than it used to. I can only maintain such movements for so long before I pass out of tiredness and the same case goes for my sister. But it’s just a special talent, we never find a possible weaponisation of this talent, nor do we want to of course” princess Luna replied. Julien could not believe his eyes when Celestia says she is the goddess of the sun, he thinks it’s just a metaphorical term used to describe her rule over her subjects. He didn’t know it was a very literal term where Celestia ‘rose’ the sun at dawn as most ponies called it. “O…..of course Princess, we have delved into such powerful weapons as well…...the difference is that although you never found a way to weaponize this weapon. We kinda did” Julien responded. Luna was fascinated about France’s capabilities. She thought that France was incapable of doing such feats based on the ‘wikipedia’ articles both she and her sister was given. “Oh is it Mr Julien? i’m curious into what cosmic abilities you have?” Luna responded. If the French are really that powerful and smart to have replicated at least a fraction of cosmic capabilties Julien seemed to say, Luna knew that this will be a French dominated century even more. “Fine, i’ll go back to my room and bring in ‘the package’” Julien responded and left the room. Minutes later he came back with a peculiarly secure looking file and opened the locks. Out comes a bunch of papers and reports which was given to princess Luna. Princess Luna was expecting something in the lines of very organized ‘artillery’ bombardments and plans to conduct warfare via constant airstrikes, nothing ‘cosmic’ at all she thought when she began to read the papers and began sifting the papers as she read and read and read. A couple of minutes later Princess Luna was sweating profusely like someone who have gone out of a hoofball game, nuclear force!! Princess Luna repeated those thoughts throughout her brain at what madness the French have invented. What warranted the French to invent such insane weapons of mass destruction!! thought Luna as she finished the first report. Mr Julien was about to give her the second report only to meet a hoof pointing at him. “y-you” Princess Luna’s hoof was visibly trembling, definitely shaken at the capabilities of the French when pushed into a corner. “W-why did you commit yourselves to unlock such powers beyond your control! Celestia thought that bringing the power of the sun into this planet was impossible and yet YOU managed to do just that! why invent such insane machinations!? are you so afraid and fearful at what lies in your world that it is required to build these nuclear weapons!?!? what possible monsters do you have to confront on earth to warrant such insanity!?” Luna visibly stated Julien only responded with the sad words that have rung true for hundreds of thousands of years. “Us” he responded with his head bowed to the ground “Yourselves!! you have yourselves to blame for such creations!? what ignorance does it take to allow you to build these weapons and commit your own species into such great risks? why!?” Luna asked “Because the human concepts of ‘honour’ and ‘superiority’ Princess. I guess we haven’t given you a lot of documents about human history, but do note that we are apex predators. There are things such as honour if you kill another human in battle and there is a concept called superiority when you advance to such a state you can practically intimidate your enemies into submission, it is not an ideal system but it's a system we have been living off for most of human history” he emphasizes the word 'most' in that last sentence Luna was about to say something only to meet the palm of Mr Julien’s hand “but if there’s one thing that I am proud of Princess Luna, if there is one thing in our history in which I can stand up and say that I am proud that we've achieved this. Is the simple fact that we can learn from our mistakes. We have essentially destroyed these archaic concepts and thoughts from our national consciousness and only kept nuclear weapons as a deterrence. ONLY AND ONLY to be used when the country is facing impending doom, so before you send your agents to steal information and destroy our nuclear arsenals, which I bet you will. Do note that we have the good conscience to not use these weapons everytime something doesn’t go our way. Do not think that we are some savages Princess Luna, for we have effectively brushed off that past behind us and are trailing in the new future we are ALL desperately trying to achieve, a future not based on constant warfare and deception, but a future based on compassion, cooperation…..and most importantly of trusts and friendships” as he finished his long rebuttal to Princess Luna The response given by Julien Thomas was one of those responses Princess Luna have heard from the likes of King Guto of Griffonstone and even King Grover himself. And based from those king’s reigns she can say that she can trust the French in some manner, it’s just the fact that the French have to reach such martial and military heights in order to realize that what they are doing is pointless or ultimately unnecesary is the fact that bugs Luna’s mind. Luna wouldn’t blame the French for trying to keep these weapons and keep them operational (or even improving on their designs!), for Celestia and Luna would if given the same capabilities of the French. It's just too valuable of an asset to lose, eventually after a couple of minutes of silence as Luna thinks about the issue, she gave the French delegate a final order. “You’re dismissed…...just…..go. I need some time to think” Luna dismissed Julien which departed with a visibly dissapointed face, knowing that the Princess is going to meet some ethical conundrums along the way. might as well cancel nightcourt anyway Luna thought as she departed from her throne to think. and Julien never get to ask her about the finer details of magic as well. I would't worry too much, he'd simply ask Celestia in the morning instead Luna thought as she reached her room and closed the doors, preparing herself to be very philosophical on the issue while the night is still young.