• Published 10th Jan 2019
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Sigil of Souls, Stream of Memories - Piccolo Sky



In an alternate world of shadow, steam, and danger, the future hinges on six individuals forming a new friendship.

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Daybreak: An Unreachable Summit

Two Months Later


“It is my esteemed honor and great pleasure to welcome you to the first Continental Summit in eight years. I assure you that, as host of this great re-inaugural event, the nation of Manehattan will do everything in its power to accommodate you. I’m looking forward to an eventful and productive conference.”

The moment he finished, Fancy Pants looked back to his secretary. Inkwell was finishing checking a small index card for compliance before looking up and nodding. “Perfect that time, sir.”

He nodded back before reaching up to straighten his lapel. “How’s my hair?”

“Excellent, as always.”

“My tie?”

“Perfect.”

He nodded, looking down the steps of the congressional building. Like him, it was in immaculate condition, having been cleared out, cleaned, and prepared for the Everfree Continental Summit. The broad pavilion before it that had historically been reserved for gatherings of crowds or even military displays stretched open now. While soldiers still framed it, including ones who were not from Manehattan, it mostly provided a long runway of sorts for all of the delegates from the other nations of Greater Everfree to arrive.

At that moment, as the sun reached it zenith, the first of a series of steam carriages had turned into the gated grounds and was now making its way toward the building itself.

Fancy Pants took a deep breath. He nearly started off down the steps, but before doing so he turned back to Inkwell one last time. “Fleur made it to the lodge, didn’t she?”

“Telegram came in an hour ago confirming it, sir.”

“And the rest of the heads of state?”

“They made it as well.”

Nodding back one more time, he steeled himself and turned to the stairs. He left the rest of his retinue save for a pair of secret service members as he descended to ground level. The crowd of newspaper writers, as well as at least three photographers, that was gathered at the periphery of the area along with the national guardsmen primed themselves to immediately start taking notes and snapping pictures. The chancellor ignored them and focused fully on the first steam carriage.

It wasn’t long before it came around and pulled in front of the estate. At that point, Fancy Pants gave it a rather puzzled look. The vehicle was the official one put at the disposal of the Fillydelphian ambassador, which was evidenced by its colors, but it was all by itself as opposed to being in a team of native Fillydephian vehicles.

As soon as it stopped and the door opened, the chancellor prepared himself none the less to give the greeting, only to falter again on seeing only a single individual emerge: a Manehattan escort. Being of the higher-ranking military, he stood straight and tall and official as he walked out, expressing nothing, and faced the chancellor. Immediately he gave a salute.

Fancy Pants somewhat absent-mindedly returned it. “Pardon me lieutenant, but where is the Fillydelphian delegation?”

“I’m sorry, sir. All their airship sent was an envoy. Given the current civil unrest in Fillydephia, they have elected not to attend this summit.”

Fancy Pants looked rather uncomfortable at that, as did anyone else’s who was in earshot. All save the reporters, who immediately began to frantically write that down as one of the papers snapped a picture. After a moment, he nodded to the man. He saluted again, then turned to go back to the steam carriage.

Soon after, the next grouping arrived—decked in the colors of Appleloosa. Unlike the others, the carriages in this group, aside from the Manehattan-provided one, were still horse-drawn. Fancy Pants felt more at ease at seeing an expected motorcade and drew himself up again with renewed decorum. The door to the side of the carriage opened and soon after the ambassador stepped out himself.

As the official’s assembly fell in around him and began to advance, Fancy Pants nodded. “Mr. President, it is my esteemed honor and great pleasure to welcome you to the first Continental Summit in eight years. I assure you that, as host of this great re-inaugural event, the nation of Manehattan will do everything in its power to accommodate you. I’m looking forward to an eventful and productive conference.”

He punctuated by holding out his hand.

The official looked at him as he gave this address, but never smiled. He looked too tired and sore to be enthusiastic. He did (after a moment) reach out and take Fancy Pants’ hand, but the handshake was flimsy and quickly parted as soon as another picture snapped. “Yes, yes, chancellor… I trust this is in the founder’s hall?”

His own smile faded a little on seeing the Appleloosan’s reaction. “Why…yes. Yes it is. Just-”

“I’ll see you inside.”

Without another word, the official moved on and took his retinue with him; most of them looking just as tired and sore as he was. Fancy Pants was so caught off guard he looked after him as he left, but the ambassador didn’t stop and soon his own team of carriages had moved on.

By the time the chancellor looked forward again, the Mount Aris delegation was pulling up. He quickly righted himself as they dismounted, doing so far more traditionally. After coming to a halt, several of the Hippogriff members, each one dressed immaculately in pressed uniforms and conducting themselves with strict and rigid mannerisms, moved in lock step to flank the entrance to the steam carriage. One opened the door and the ambassador stepped out. He looked even more rigid than the rest; holding his head high and gazing down his nose not only at his subordinates but the world in general.

Once his own entourage filled in behind him he began to walk forward. Fancy Pants began again, in spite of the fact this person wasn’t exactly who he had expected. “Ambassador, it is my esteemed honor and great pleasure to welcome you to the first Continental Summit in eight-”

The man, now standing in front of Fancy Pants, cut him off with a curt nod but gave no more than that. “I am Ambassador Sea Spray. I have been authorized on behalf of Princess Skystar to take her place at this summit in her stead.”

Without another word or look, he stepped around the chancellor and began to head in with his own company. Fancy Pants was left standing a little dumbfounded. The Hippogriff hadn’t even waited for him to finish his own greeting and his hand had gone ignored.

He spent so long recovering that he barely even noticed when the Trottingham assembly came forth. Immediately, however, he smoothed himself out and redoubled his efforts to look composed; knowing this was the first that his country would see of this nation’s new leaders following the coup d’etat.

At least, that was what he thought until the carriage opened. A short-haired young woman stepped out, both younger and far less scarred than the reports of the Trottingham Aerial Navy’s new admiral. He looked at her somewhat curiously as she approached with her own company, which themselves were oddities in their own right. They were masked and they almost seemed to be gorillas rather than men considering the size of their muscles and frames.

On reaching him, she called out. “I’m Ambassador Sunny Flare. I’ll be representing Trottingham and the king at this summit.”

That was enough for him to nod. “Well… Ambassador, it is my esteemed honor…”

He trailed off, for the Trottingham ambassador never even stopped before him. She walked right past and into the building.

By now, the chancellor was not only getting used to these brusque responses but was beginning to expect them, yet that in turn began to paint his features over with a look of dread. The final two ambassadors were the worst of the bunch. The Griffonstone delegation not only left half the people on the pavement coughing and choking from their filthy, oversized machines, but they only met gazes with the chancellor before walking in. Not long after, the Dragonlands delegation finally arrived. Although Dragonlord Ember herself had come to act as chief diplomat, she and those with her acted as if both the chancellor and his own assembly wasn’t even there as she walked in without greeting or acknowledgment. The reporters almost ravenously snapped pictures of each snubbing.

By the time she went in, much of the chancellor’s earlier enthusiasm and hope for the summit was gone. His smile had almost entirely faded and it was all he could do to continue to look official, especially knowing the local papers would plaster all of this over the front headlines that evening. Trying his best to remain optimistic about the situation, he turned about, held his own head high, and proceeded after the final ambassador into the congressional building.


The mood hadn’t improved much when the congregation assembled in the founder’s hall and the doors were shut. The room seemed even quieter than when it was emptied out for the new furnishings. As was the normal tradition for the summit, the room had been cleared of furniture save for a large central table and a chair for each delegate. Within the natural sunlight streaming in through the ceiling skylights, the delegates stared at each other silently with unfriendly looks while their representative escorts stood around the room looking even more hostile and cold.

Fancy Pants himself was acutely away of the empty chair at his right hand, but to his left the Appleloosan President was barely suppressing a scowl to the Trottingham ambassador. He wasn’t alone. The Dragonlord sat with her arms crossed kept a perpetual sneer in the direction of the ambassador; refusing to even look at her. The Griffonstone ambassador was almost rolling his eyes and seemingly waiting for everything to be over. The Mount Aris ambassador, now confirmed by Fancy Pants’ secretary to be a high-ranking military member, kept his head high and looked down his hawk-like nose at everyone.

With no one making the first move after five full minutes, he cleared his throat.

“I’d like to thank everyone again for being in attendance. I regret to inform you that I received a message from Fillydelphia saying they will be unable to attend this summit, but nevertheless I’m glad that we are all here again seated at one table. I’m hoping that this Continental Summit can indicate a return of semblance of sanity and civility following the past eight years, and that we can all move past the dreadful events of the Lunar Fall toward a more prosperous future for all of us.”

Scarcely had he finished speaking when the Griffonstone ambassador let out a sharp scoff.

“Spare me your pleasantries and noble speeches, chancellor. I consider this summit something of an insult right at the onset by holding it here in Manehattan—well within your territory. It would have been far more equitable for everyone to hold it in Griffonstone. We’re the most central country geographically, after all.”

Another scoff came from the Mount Aris ambassador. “As much as I don’t care to turn this summit into a geography lesson, it’s long been known that Mount Aris splits Greater Everfree in two at the southern border. Besides that, if there was going to be an equitable summit, it should have been held in our territory regardless. Mount Aris is the only one here who hasn’t entered an alliance against other parties present in the past eight years, after all.”

“Um…are you forgetting about the existence of the Dragonlands in that little jibe?” the Dragonlord immediately spoke up.

“My apologies. The only one here who hasn’t entered an alliance against other parties and isn’t a country made up of warmongers.”

The Dragonlord’s eyes flashed violence as she began to rise in her seat, but Fancy Pants quickly held out his hand first. “Now, now! Need I remind everyone here that this is a civil, diplomatic discourse? There will be no name calling or insults of any kind here. We’re all meeting on a common ground of mutual respect for one another.”

The Dragonlord only reluctantly lowered again and the Griffonstone ambassador snorted, but no one said anything else.

After a moment, Fancy Pants inhaled again as he too settled. “Starting things off, I would like to begin by saying that Manehattan is committed to keeping the peace as much as possible. There is a great deal of confusion and suspicion among everyone even with the good news of the end of the Lunar Fall, but, at the same time, none of us are aware of what exactly caused it in the first place. I think what we could all stand for, at the moment, is a return to stability. All of us have been suffering from either subpar or stagnant economic growth for some time, and the results have been horrendous on our societies. Organized crime, widespread poverty, smugglers and bounty hunters everywhere, and widespread social injustice and unrest. So, for starters, I have prepared a twelve-point plan that I would suggest we all commit to following to stimulate economic growth and recovery for everyone.” He reached for a paper in front of him as he adjusted his monocle. “Item one, for the next six months, we all agree to impose a freeze on changing tariffs-”

“This is all well and good, chancellor,” the Griffonstone ambassador cut in again, sounding even more bored and annoyed than before, “but I’d prefer if we didn’t beat around the bush any longer. Griffonstone came to this summit for one reason and one reason only.” He looked around the table. “I propose that Equestria be partitioned immediately among all participant nations.”

The other delegates either sneered or tossed out a biting comment at the situation, save for the Trottingham one. “Ambassador,” Fancy Pants answered, “I think it might be too soon to make the drastic step of-”

“On the contrary, I think it’s already getting to be too late. You say this meeting is supposed to be from a point of mutual respect. By all means, let’s all stop trying to play each other for fools. We all know full well that something in that country created the Light Eaters and the Nighttouched, and that something else in that country both created and destroyed that eternal night. Now we have people popping up left and right with special powers, and some of them are already finding places in militaries. And all of us have the same thing in mind—it came from Equestria. Not to mention, as always, whoever owns that country gets the only all access route to everyone else in a time of war. And Equestria itself had no shortage of resources and land either before all of those monsters got rid of the local residents. That’s why we’re all scrambling to make as many inroads as we can into it while we can, isn’t that right?”

No one at the table refuted that, although some looked a bit more anxious about it than others.

“Then let’s head off the next war right here and right now and draw some boundary lines. I want to know which piece Griffonstone will get to itself and that if anyone tries to take so much as an inch of it there’ll be hell to pay.”

The Mount Aris ambassador let out a sigh. “Our government has little interest in dividing up the carcass of Equestria as if it were some abandoned half-eaten cake, nor do we take much stock in treasure hunting for fairy tales and hokum. We’re far more interested in reality, such as the seizure of our native land perpetuated both by Appleloosa and Griffonstone alike.”

The Griffonstone ambassador frowned, while Appleloosa looked stunned. “What are you talking about, ambassador?”

“You know full well what I’m speaking of, Mr. President. The Talon Strip, the Whistling Highlands, Osprey’s Peak…”

“Those weren’t seized! They were signed over to Appleloosa by treaty!”

The Hippogriff’s eyes narrowed. “Yes…a treaty that ended a war the Appleloosa initiated. A treaty with explicit verbiage claiming that Appleloosa was claiming the land due to a need for a bulwark against the encroach of night from Equestria. Equestria may have some issues with…” He held out his hand and waved it around. “…‘pest control’, but with no further Light Eaters the problem will be resolved at some point, and so I see no reason why the land shouldn’t be relinquished to us.”

His jaw tightened.

“In fact, we demand it.”

The Appleloosan grit his teeth. “Pest control? Pest control?! Is that what you think fighting swarms of corrupted insects or rodents that eat men, women, and children alive in seconds is? Mount Aris hasn’t suffered half as much as Appleloosa, and you haven’t had to deal with Trottingham breathing down your neck every other year either! That land is ours by treaty, and it’s going to stay ours unless you take it back yourselves!”

“Perhaps we should,” the Hippogriff retorted dangerously.

“Can we have order, please?” Fancy Pants quickly interjected, just as the Appleloosan gave the Hippogriff a look that could kill. By now he was sweating a little. “I know that we all have concerns regarding the border restructuring and Equestria itself, but for the time being can we focus on points of common ground? There’s still a great many issues facing the world that concerns us all. Now, the ambassador from Griffonstone makes a good point in regards to the individuals who have been appearing all over Greater Everfree that appear to have special abilities…”

“I do say,” the Hippogriff interjected again, “can we think of a more concise way to describe them?”

The Appleloosan ambassador snorted. “Like what? Witches? Warlocks?”

“Freaks…” the Dragonlord muttered.

“…Our own state department has been trying out the name ‘eidolons’. The point being that with the threat of the shadow over Equestria greatly diminished, it’s only a matter of time before this issue takes the forefront and a coordinated plan across several nations might be in order.”

“I have your ‘plan’,” the Dragonlord retorted, “Round them up and send them to a colony where they can go crazy and kill each other in peace.”

The Griffonstone ambassador chuckled. “The Dragonlord over here is just sore that she jumped the gun and started doing that to her own batch. Now that they’re turning out to be the power of an aerial battleship packed into one, she’s ruing the day and wants everyone to trash their own advantage to even the playing field.”

She sneered, but said nothing.

“Well, I, for one, fully agree with the Chancellor,” the Appleloosan spoke up, a hint of snideness in his voice. “That’s why I feel it’s only proper that our respective departments all be obligated to share any and all information they have managed to gather on these folks. For the common good, as we’re all similarly afflicted.”

The Hippogriff snorted. “Why certainly. Why stop there? How about all of the weak points in our naval warships and airships as well? Or the holes in our border defenses?”

“Don’t give me that garbage. Your country didn’t have to deal with ground zero of all this.” He whirled to the Trottingham ambassador. “Speaking of which, we still demand restitution for the actions of your captain who went AWOL, and don’t think executing her was nearly enough. Especially since we still haven’t seen proof of it.” He turned to Fancy Pants next. “And you, chancellor…don’t think word hasn’t gotten around that you actually sided with six of these ‘eidolons’ or whatever. These Trottinghamites obviously wanted to have the market cornered on these people when they hit us both.” Finally, he turned to the Dragonlord. “And you! Wanting us to round ‘em all up, huh? How do I know this isn’t a little bit of counterintelligence to get us to kill ‘em for you, huh? What do you know about them?”

The Dragonlord bristled again, looking like she truly wanted to vent her anger at that, but, barely containing herself, she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. “One of the conditions of the treaty we…” she nearly hissed, “…signed…was that we maintain our neutrality. I’ll abide by that. That means no sharing of intelligence, either.”

The table was quiet for a fraction of a second. Everyone save the Trottingham ambassador gave the Dragonlord an uneasy look at that admission. The Griffonstone ambassador scoffed and said what everyone was thinking. “Damnit, girl…what the devil did they do to you that cowed you so badly?”

If possible, she grew even more infuriated at that, but she didn’t get a chance to act on it. At that point, the Appleloosan crossed his arms and leaned back.

“Well, if none of you are willing to help us out, then perhaps we aren’t willing to help you out. The council already decided. Effective from here on out, whoever here isn’t willing to cooperate in intelligence with Appleloosa can look forward to a 20 percent increase in tariffs on exported food.”

For the second time, the table erupted into a clamor of outrage. This time, even Fancy Pants found himself joining in with calls to “be reasonable”. The Griffonstone ambassador wasn’t nearly as composed or polite, and the Dragonlord shouted something explicit.

“-can’t think of anything more obscene!” the Hippogriff finally managed to get through. “Are you trying to break our economy with that ridiculous price?”

“Protecting our interests is more like it! You think now that you have the Light Eaters off of your backs but Equestria unclaimed that you’re going to turn our country into your next free-for-all?” He glanced around the table. “And if we can’t count on any of you to back us up, then we’re going to make sure you aren’t in any spot to trouble us! You may think you can just wander in and start blasting, but we’ve still got the most arable land and don’t you forget it!”

“Ambassador,” Fancy Pants quickly interjected, “I must ask that you request your government to reconsider. That sort of increase is going to cause a massive amount of unrest all over Greater Everfree. This couldn’t just kick start a depression. It could lead to outbreaks of violence.”

“O-ho! Is that a threat, chancellor? And here I thought a Manehattan capitalist like yourself would be all about private owners being able to do as they wished with their own products.” Again he wheeled to the table. “Is that what it comes down to? Either we sell to you at the prices you like or you’ll just walk up and take it? If we wouldn’t keep our prices low when you all left us to fend for ourselves, there’s no way we’re lowering them under a threat! You know our conditions, and that’s final.”

There were no shortage of angry glares now, and Fancy Pants rubbed his forehead and sighed at the latest downturn. He looked back up, and saw that the only one who didn’t still seem to be at anyone’s throat was the ambassador from Trottingham; still sitting there calmly with arms crossed.

“Ambassador, is there anything that Trottingham wishes to declare before members of the summit?”

She sat a second longer before she uncrossed her arms, then reached over the table. Fancy Pants had taken the liberty of having the most up-to-date map of Greater Everfree that the Manehattan cartographers could produce on such short notice made and distributed copies to each attendee. She took hers and brought it in front of her. Taking the pen also provided to her, she began to draw on it.

The other attendants, somewhat puzzled, watched as she did this behavior for about a full minute. Once it was done, she put the pen back and turned the map around for everyone to see.

“This is all that the Storm King told me to tell you.”

Fancy Pants had to lean in a bit closer but he could make out what she had done. She had drawn a much bolder outline around a good portion of Greater Everfree. Almost half to be exact, including former Equestria, part of the Dragonlands, and all of Mount Aris and Appleloosa.

She tapped on it.

“These are now the borders of Trottingham. Either accept them now, or take it up with the armada when they arrive.”

As everyone sat there stunned, the ambassador simply rose out of her chair, turned, and began to walk out. The Trottingham guards she had brought rapidly accompanied her, and moments later the doors to the chamber closed again…leaving the remaining ambassadors still staring at the map.


Inkwell had the Manehattan executive steam carriage ready to go an entire hour before the day’s session was set to end, complete with the military escort ready to receive the chancellor. As a result, she had to check the time twice to make sure she wasn’t off on the hour when she had arrived just in time to receive word that the session had adjourned and the chancellor was on his way out. Leaving her notes and memos she had been getting ready for both press as well as official release, she quickly exited the carriage and took her position to receive the chancellor just as he finished descending the stairs of the congressional building.

She gave him the traditional greeting, but other than a quick nod and a hand wave he gave no reply. Tensing up a little, she waited for him to enter the carriage and then quickly slipped in after him.

She had hardly taken her seat when Fancy Pants looked forward. “Back to office. As quick as you can. Send a message to the presider that I need to meet with her as soon as possible.”

The driver nodded as the rest of his security detail quickly loaded and shut up the car. Before Inkwell had a chance to ask about anything the engine revved and the carriage began to move.

As they made their way off the pavilion, she finally spoke up. “The…session ended a bit earlier today than I thought it would, sir. Does this mean things are going well? Or at least that you’re getting an early start tomorrow?”

Fancy Pants inhaled and exhaled uneasily. “I’m afraid not. The summit is adjourned.”

Not only Inkwell but several others in the carriage looked perturbed. “Adjourned? Already?”

“Well, between one no-show, one walk-out, and everyone else at each other’s throats, there wasn’t much reason to extend it the full three days.”

She looked even more uncomfortable. “It went…badly?”

Fancy Pants let out a quiet chuckle. “Well, I can safely say it didn’t go as badly as the last summit did, but that’s not saying much. Whenever the delegates weren’t all looking for the best way to gain advantages for themselves at the expense of everyone else, we had to deal with Trottingham making no less than an ultimatum to either accede to their demands from now on or prepare for war. To think, I actually thought things might have improved now that Regent Cinch was gone. This new ‘Storm King’ makes me long for a conflict with the Dragonlands…”

Fancy Pants’ own weak smile faded.

“I’m sad to say that only two things came out of this summit. One is that for the time being it’s effectively every country for themselves. The other is that all the other nations of Greater Everfree have reached the same conclusion about the source of the Light Eaters and the eidolons residing in Equestria. Now it’s just a matter of who can get through the Nighttouched first and claim it.”

She clenched her fingers nervously. “What can we do?”

“For starters, I’m going to sign the Manehattan Doctrine into law tonight.”

“Are you sure? I thought you said the language in there was too loose.”

“It can’t be helped anymore. The rest of Greater Everfree is already moving. We’ve been sitting quietly for too long, and now we can no longer count on Fillydelphia to be our shield.”

She took in a deep breath. “Alright, sir. Anything else?”

“Yes. I’m afraid we can’t wait for the other five of those eidolons who we spoke with two months ago to return. We’ll have to make do with what we have. Send a letter to the one requesting a meeting first thing tomorrow morning.”

Author's Note:

I got to try and keep future chapters manageable in size like this one.

So, one of the Humane Six made it back. Any guesses which one?

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