The War of 1002

by Fireheart 1945

Chapter 88; Canterlot again

A couple hours later, James was sitting on the left side of one of the cars (facing away from the sun), waiting quietly for the train to start. His bag had been retrieved and he had one of his old books out. But he wasn't reading it. He was sitting with his head resting on his hand, staring out the window.

He remembered the first train ride he'd taken in Equestria... the one to the west, to the war. He remembered the changeling ambush, and his first skirmish in an actual war.

Almost a year ago, we were using crossbows. Compared with what we have now... and we had no idea what our enemy was truly like, and didn't until the Second Changeling Campaign.

He sat up straighter and leaned against the side of the car. I was able to recover from the guilt, or at least I think I have, but why am I going through these memories? I'm feeling a little... bummed out, if I dare say it.

"Are you doing alright?"

James turned to see a tall, cream-coated unicorn mare standing there. "Yes, just... having thoughts."

"Be careful, those have been known to be dangerous," she replied in a cheeky way.

"Maybe. I'll take my chances."

She laughed. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"Emmm..."

"Oh, it's not like that."

"Well, okay, then."

The white unicorn took up her seat next to him.

"Why aren't you in uniform, anyway?" James asked, noticing for the first time.

"Hmmm? Oh, I'm not a soldier."

"Then... what are you doing here? You a reporter?"

"Oh, no. I'm not reporting for any newspaper. Not when I'm able to get my news first hoof anyway from my employees."

"Oh really? What line of work are you in?" he inquired, suspicious.

"...Corporate management."

"Uh huh."

"Look, I'm not from any media source. I had business here."

"Had?"

"Yes, had. My work at Gryphos is done. I did what I came here for."

"And what might that be?"

"A bit of negotiation and... making sure that things worked out."

"Sounds.. criminal."

"Not really. Not when-" There was a flash of green light, and Queen Metamorphosis was sitting next to him. "-you're a ruler."

James stared for a moment.

"It's my first time on one of these things," the Queen said, settling down. "I'm relieved the war is finally over." She gave a relaxed sigh, then looked at him. "Sorry, I couldn't resist having a little fun."

"Well, you did get me. Now, what's up?"

"The roof. The sky. Birds. Random changelings and pegasi." She winked. "I just saw you sitting here by yourself, and you looked like you needed a friend. That's what Equestria stands for, isn't it?"

"I guess so." James leaned back and glanced out the window.

"Wow, you're really out of it."

"Yeah. Just... felt like the war was never going to be over. Feels like years have passed, not twelve months. Can't help remembering things at the moment."

"I understand," the Queen replied sympathetically.

"You do?"

"Perhaps more than you do. My hive was occupied by Chrysalis for about seven years. I still have nightmares about it, and I probably will for the rest of my life, along nightmares about the war itself." She shuddered. "I'm glad you didn't get to see us bullied for long. Some of the things they made us do, to ourselves and to others... it isn't something I want to really talk about. But needless to say, it felt like a lifetime between the conquest and when we outed Chrysalis."

"I... I suppose a single year or so of training and battles isn't much compared to that."

"I wouldn't pretend to know what you've gone through during the war. It's been bad for both sides."

"Not sure what we accomplished, though. Chrysalis and the griffon king weren't exactly masterminds. This war didn't have to happen, especially on the griffon side. And General Barrel has what I think are reasonable fears of a future forgetful population." He sighed. "It was so unnecessary."

"You - meaning everyone on your side - liberated peoples who were enslaved. That's worth it in an of itself. And we threw two cruel, expansionist rulers in prison. Two less rulers who will be urging war in the near future. I'd say Equestria, and most of the world, have a decent future to look forward to."

"Unless some other threats are lurking. There's always somebody that wants to upset the status quo."

"Well, that's to be expected. But when they do come, we won't have the former griffon king or Chrysalis to worry about."

James thought about it, then nodded. "What are your people going to do now?"

"Continue living. Free. We'll still have to send out harvesters to collect emotional energy; it's basically what our civilization is based on. At least if their cover is blown now, they won't get lynched by an angry mob, not legally anyway, and the authorities have to let them do their job, which is entirely necessary to allow our society to live, grow, and function. And we don't have to worry so much about having to live in hiding, though we're going to continue trying to keep some secrets in case of a future conflict. It's difficult to tell when the next evil queen or some devouring scourge is going to happen." Metamorphosis put a hoof to her chin as she thought. "I suppose I'll try to open up an embassy in Canterlot and begin a cultural exchange between our two peoples in order to foster peaceful relations, and try to gain some decent luxuries. A good couch would make the house of a normal drone much more comfortable."

James smiled as he thought of a pair of changelings, a male and female couple, resting on a sofa, watching TV together. "I don't doubt it. Just don't become decadent."

"What, do you think we're fools? Of course we're going to be careful as to what we take in. I doubt that we'll ever become slothful as a whole, and the queen is needed too much to allow herself to become all play and no work."

"Okay, sorry. I just wanted to make sure."

"It's fine."

"Just thought of something. Has there ever been a changeling king?"

The queen's face went red very briefly. "No. At least, not officially, and no male drone has ever had the power of a queen."

"I see. Sorry."

"You didn't know. Don't worry about it."

"How often have queen been absolutists? I don't mean like Chrysalis, but-"

"Oh, through most of our history, we've had queens with absolute power. Actually, all queens technically have absolute power within their hives, but there are some, like myself, who like to give their drones rights. However, that's been a recent trend, within the last one hundred years. Perhaps our history of secrecy and disguise had something to do with it, but anyway, most queens have held tight rein over their drones. Chrysalis simply brought it to another level. They ruled as though drones should not have rights or be treated as well as they should be; these queens treated drones more like self-conscious livestock than equals. Only other queens were held up as equals, and the meetings tended to be rare."

"Why? Were there wars?"

"Occasionally; the rivalry between hives was intense. Usually, though, it was a mindset of survival of the fittest. Not to the extent where war was common; the loss of too many drones would hinder a hive's ability to sustain itself. But we would generally remain aloof from one another."

"What changed?"

"Ironically, the very ponies that we were impersonating. As new ideas of government and society emerged and the medieval society slowly became the one it is today, it infected - and I say that word for the lack of a better term - our drones, who would come back from missions with these radical new ideals. Naturally, most queens tried to snuff it out, but a few - including my grandmother - tried testing them out. While some of these new concepts failed, others thrived. Our system of lighting and power would probably not have emerged if not for the information our harvesters were bringing back. Once they realized that they were being outdone, even the more... traditional queens adopted, with resignation, these inventions."

"How long did it take for the crystal lights to be invented?"

"About five years of experiments... sadly, including several failures. One experimental light exploded, killing the would-be inventor and two of his assistants and wounding the other five. Another burned out - don't ask me how crystal can get burned, it just happened and I'm no technical expert. Eventually, one inventor got it right, and boom, a city that could be lit night and day. Made things much easier."

"And of course increased work shifts for drones of more traditional queens."

"That goes without saying. But gradually, as drones and queens grew up in a world that was becoming more enlightened, most adopted the changes and gave more liberties to their drones. Chrysalis and her family, as you might expect, did not."

"You could strip those right away by just pretending they don't exist, though. You admitted that moments ago."

"Essentially I could, yes. But I choose not to."

"You successor might."

"My daughter might, yes. Which is why I'm trying to raise her in thee same way that my mother raised me; among the common drones of the hive."

"Why didn't you introduce us back then?"

"I had gotten into the habit of keeping her isolated, away from Chrysalis' officials and soldiers. By the time I was ready to introduce her to anyone, we were leaving to liberate Camilla's hive, and she had to stay to keep the place running. I must add that princess changelings are capable of forcing a level of obedience on their subjects, as the queen would, but their power to do so is significantly less than that of a full queen."

James' head suddenly and painfully banged into the side of the car; the entire car had given an unexpected lurch. "Ow!" he cried, bringing his right hand up to his face.

Similar cries told him that he wasn't the only one to to have suffered from the bump. Metamorphosis hit her head on the back of the seat in front of her, and rubbed her head. "What happened?"

James did his best to think given the circumstances. "If I had to guess, I'd say that that particular rail wasn't perfectly aligned or something. The enemy did their best to wreck their railroads as we advanced, and they were probably reconstructed poorly. I'd reckon that we ought to be ready for more bumps like that."

"Ugh. I hope you're wrong. If the seats were made out of wood or something hard like that, I think my horn might have cracked, which would have been bad."

James let out a moan of pain, then settled back into the seat - a little further away from the wall. "At least we're on the ground. If something goes wrong with a machine or natural flight, you're out, unless someone can save you."

"I wouldn't be getting shoved around in a steel box, and my fate could still be in my own hooves," the queen countered.

"I'd prefer getting killed on the ground."

"I'd prefer not getting killed at all."

James shrugged, not seeing a way to immediately argue with that. He tested the bumped area of his face; it was still in pain, but there was no blood. Eager to learn a bit more, he asked, "How has your hive fared since we left?"

"I've been away with the army, of course, but reports seem to indicate that repairs are going well and the hive is fed. As long as that's true, we can survive."

"What jobs do drones normally do again? Harvesting, fighting, nursing, and construction, right?

"Yes, those are perhaps the most noticeable jobs, and the four that they have traditionally fulfilled. In more recent times, though, my mother, and Camilla's, tried to pick out some drones who were more architecturally skilled and commission them to try and make things like art and learn to cook food. As you might expect, early results, like those with the crystals, were rather disastrous, though fortunately not fatally so. Eventually, some, like Aphid and Fix, gained enough experience for their respective trades."

"And Fix..."

"Fixes things. Mechanical stuff. When he's not needed for other things, his job is to repair damaged conduits, tools, and other items. Cica is great on a harmonica; it's a shame you didn't get to visit in peacetime, before Chrysalis' takeover, I would have loved for you to see it."

"I'm sure it'll be worth visiting now. You've probably be getting visitors from all walks of life pretty soon. My advice; set up a tourist industry."

Metamorphosis broke out laughing. "I definitely will," she replied when she was able to regain a bit of self-control. "But later, once we've recovered more. It's only been a few months."

"Feels more like years."

"After witnessing the war myself, I can't disagree."

Both were silent for a moment.

"Have you heard where Chrysalis is being tried?" James finally asked.

"In Canterlot, as agreed. We'll be trying her alongside the ex-king."

"What about Raneiro's trial? You guys taking part in it?"

"Oh, we are, but our main concern is Chrysalis." Metamorphosis sighed. "Just getting them to agree to a trial instead of literally tearing her apart limb by limb has been hard. Most ordinary drones of the formerly subjugated tribes would like nothing better, and some of the Queens - particularly Nocturnal - want her dead. In a big, public execution that's as humiliating as possible, I might add."

"Well, that's pretty harsh."

"It's not like I can easily fault them; I've had feelings like that, even after our private talk the night before the liberation."

James sighed. "Not like I'm perfect in that regard, either. It's easy to get angry, especially in a war or if you're under occupation, and hatred is possibly the easiest trap to fall into under the circumstances. But hate towards another person doesn't solve anything; it keeps you in prison, and you don't even realize it."

"I know. Or I know now, to be more precise. It's been easier to put those... feelings, aside as I watch my hive rebuild." The queen bowed her head. "I hope to God I can forgive and put all hostility away." She took several deep breaths before going on. "We seem to have recovered so much, but nothing more than our spirit, or morale, I suppose you might say. But we have far to go. At least we have friends now."

"True. I agree with what you said earlier; it looks like the immediate future is bright. But let's not let our guard down."

"Naturally."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Come on, get up."

"Unngh... wha?" James asked in sleepy confusion, trying to get a hold of things after being awoken.

"We're almost there. Canterlot," the - male - voice said.

James rubbed his eyes with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand and looked up from the floor where he had been sleeping. He made out, after a couple of seconds, a white stallion with a blue and cyan mane.

"Morning, Shining," James said, groaning as he slowly lifted himself up into a sitting position. He almost bumped Metamorphosis, who was sleeping on the seat, as he did so. The nighttime arrangements had been decided on the flip of a borrowed bit; heads for the queen, tails for James. The coin had landed heads up. Fortunately, he had managed to retrieve his bag before everyone started falling asleep, though it wasn't the best pillow.

"Same to you. Might as well get ourselves ready."

Metamorphosis' eyes opened, and she let out a massive yawn that reminded James of that of a cat. "Are we there yet?" she asked in a voice filled with morning exhaustion.

"Almost, apparently."

"Ugh. Five more minutes, please."

Shining shook his head. "We're not even five minutes from the station now."

"Drat," the queen said, yawning again. "Well, here we go, I guess."

James got to his feet and stepped out of the way, into the center of the car, taking his bag with him. The queen followed a few moments later, stretching as she went.

As Shining had said, it wasn't long before the train stopped at Canterlot Station. James hopped off, his bag briefly clattering down the steps, with the rest of the car's inhabitants following. The sun shone brightly on the station and the city as he accompanied Shining and Metamorphosis.

The capital looked much the same as it always had. It had never once fallen under attack during the war. Then again, most Equestrian cities hadn't; Trottingham and a few other eastern cities and villages had been captured, but the griffon army had failed to go any further. Most ponies continued their lives, almost as though the war hadn't happened. James squelched the feeling of jealousy he had; if not for the performance of the army, these ponies would have suffered the same fate as had those at Trottingham, the very thought of which made him sorry for feeling that jealousy.

Lord, please forgive me.

"General Armor! General Lavigne! This way!"

James turned his head a bit to the left. A white Guard stallion was waving his right front hoof at them.

"Greetings," the Guard said, when they approached him. He stuck out his hoof, which each of them shook in turn. "I'm here to guide you both to the palace."

"What about me?" Metamorphosis asked.

"Oh, of course. You too, Your Majesty..."

"Just 'Metamorphosis," or 'Meta' will do. And thank you."

"Are the Princesses already here?" James asked.

"I think so. I'm not sure, but I think so. They prefer to fly by chariot, which is faster," the Guard replied.

"Less safe," James murmured, though the Guard either didn't hear or affected not to.

"Or they might have come in on the train. I don't know for sure."

"I would say the latter," came a light, motherly voice.

Everyone turned around; Princess Celestia had come up behind them. James wondered how that was possible, but then realized that the sound of hooves, some shod and some not, would naturally have kept him from identifying those of any one pony.

"Please, don't worry about walking to the palace. I'd be happy to lend us all transport."

As if on cue, several chariots flown by Royal Guard pegasi landed just a few feet away.

I really hope we don't have to fly.

------------------------------------------------

As it turned out, they didn't. Or at least, the stallions pulling the chariot James was in didn't. It was easy enough to guess why; it wasn't as if he did his best to hide the fact that he feared flying, and Twilight might have told the Princess after he had lost the bronco buck with Rainbow Dash. Furthermore, he had made it abundantly obvious to fellow soldiers, like Crystal Clear, who, thankfully, was on the road to recovery. The fact that the Princess knew that he was scared of heights should not have been surprising.

In any case, the trip to the palace didn't last long, and once there, he was swiftly reunited with the others, now joined by Princess Luna, in the throne room.

"Please feel free to sit down," the Lunar Princess said, doing just that herself upon her throne, beside her sister.

James sat down in the armchair on the right; Shining took the central one, and Metamorphosis took the one on the left.

"They talk about armchair generals," James joked, "but I didn't think I was one until now."

A chorus of chuckles briefly rang throughout the room.

"The war is over at last," Luna went on. "Now, we need to know what to do with the perpetrators and ensure peace for the future."

"I don't think it's so simple as that," James said, at the same time that Shining replied, "I'm not so sure, Your Majesty."

"Please, one at a time." Luna nodded in James' direction.

"I think we have to be prepared for future conflicts," James noted in a resigned voice. "We've opened a big genie's lamp here, and I'm not so sure we can control it. Furthermore, this world has seen war in the past; the ancient pegasi were warriors, after all. It's going to be almost impossible to prevent the spread of military technology across the globe, as there's always going to be someone willing to sneak or steal either the weapons themselves or the plans for them. To put it bluntly, even if we see peace in the immediate future - in my mind, maybe twenty years - that won't stop it. Equestria needs to build and maintain a competent military that is constantly trying to improve."

"Why would you assume that war would become common after what has happened over the past year?" Luna asked. "The world has seen the horrors of armed conflict; surely, they'll see that friendship is better than slaughtering each other over disagreements?"

"That didn't work in my world, and it won't in this one," James answered. "As I said, there's always going to be some villain who will be willing to go to war. Furthermore, in nations where poverty and famine are common, war can look a whole lot better than maintaining the status quo, which may well promise only more poverty and famine."

"I have to agree," Shining said a moment later. "Don't get me wrong, I love friendship, and I love peace - the latter even more nowadays. But there's always somebody out there, and the Elements of Harmony have only been used against very powerful, singular entities, like Discord or Nightmare Moon; I don't know how they would affect an army, especially one that is willing to fight for their cause and is fighting for their families and livelihoods. Would the Elements imprison them? Sentence them to a terrible fate? Twist their minds to make them think their reasons for war were illegitimate? We know that many griffons felt that way, even though we now know the real reason for the conflict."

"In addition," Metamorphosis added, "the world now knows that Equestria can be invaded and militarily challenged, where few would have dared before. Although it has beaten off two attackers, potential enemies smelled blood for a while. They know Equestria can bleed. They know they could destroy it."

"Do you think that friendship is useless?" Celestia asked.

"I do not," James said, raising a hand. "Being friends is no less desirable now than it was before. Even war can see bonds formed between two or more people; most of my friends in this world are, or were, in the military. Nevertheless, if there is a peaceful and good way to settle a dispute, then it ought to be pursued. I agree with you there. I just don't think burying your head in the sand is the right way to deal with the post war period."

Luna and Celestia looked at one another for a moment, then nodded in unison. "We're convinced," Luna stated. "We thought you might take that view."

"Good." James relaxed in his chair. "But we can't be sure that a long lasting peace is inevitable. We'll have the trial, and then the ex-king and all the murderers will hang, and that'll discourage some - key word, some - would be tyrants. But until the Second Coming, there's always going to be someone who will rise and try to seize as much as they can. I'm glad we've won, but we can't afford to just rest on our laurels. A thousand years of peace isn't the rule; it's an anomaly."

"I pray you're wrong about that," Luna returned. "Though I've been given little reason to doubt it, given our experiences compared before and after the times of peace."

"In the meantime, the preparations for the trial are, except for the gathering of evidence, complete," Celestia announced. "We should be ready by this time next week, perhaps sooner."

"What's taking so long?" Shining asked. "I thought we had more than sufficient evidence already!"

"We do," Luna responded. "We're making sure to jot things down on paper and to make our case airtight, so none of the defendants will be able to get off. Chrysalis and the former griffon king, along with their confederates and underlings, will receive justice, for the world to see, which is just what the world needs to see. Newspaper reporters will be present, along with the best lawyers Equestria can bring to bear."

"I suppose we'll be called as witnesses?" Shining asked, ears facing forward.

"Of course."

"Will I be called for the ex-king's trial, or just that of Chrysalis?" Metamorphosis asked.

Luna turned to her. "We would understand if you would prefer to just stick with evidence against Chrysalis. You didn't see the terrible things that other, more direct witnesses did during the campaigns of the east."

"I saw enough. I'll testify, and willingly, of what I personally saw. Also, numerous harvesters were killed as supposed spies; we changelings have a stake in this case as well as the other races."

"I suppose you do," Celestia noted, raising a glass of tea to her lips and sipping it.

"Anyway, we should handle all this with care," James said. "I know you two" - he meant Celestia and Luna - "trust that the defendants won't get away or that this won't turn ugly. We thought that a little while ago outside Gryphos, and the theory didn't turn out as sound as advertised."

Celestia winced, and Luna's face turned stern, though not angry. "We'll have three entire brigades surrounding the court in question," the Solar Princess said a few moments later, "as well as many squads of soldiers inside. Security will be as tight as we can possibly make it. Lunar Guards will be keeping watch on the prison and the court by night, and the Royal Guard by day. Nevertheless, we'll take whatever extra precautions you might advise."

"Not sure what else I could come up with, and three brigades is probably overkill," James replied, satisfied. "So long as your lawyers are up for it, I think there's as much chance for the culprits of the late war to get out of being punished as there is of the Imperial cause being revived... which is to say, none."

"I concur," Luna said, smiling slightly for a few seconds. "But now the war has shifted from rifle and cannon to gavel and lawyer."

"Indeed," Celestia agreed, taking another sip of tea. "Let's make sure our soldiers and weapons for this fight are better prepared than they were for the previous one." She finished her cup and set it down and smiled. "At least it's a war with pen and ink rather than bullets and shells. That, I know how to handle."

"I think we all prefer that kind of battle," Shining answered. Everyone nodded immediately, though James was a bit behind the rest.

"Now, on to arrangements for our guests," Luna said, smiling and levitating a long piece of paper up to her face. "James, you'll have the same room as you had before, and Shining will have his quarters. Queen Metamorphosis, we will offer you the best room in the palace-"

"Thank you for the honor, but that's not necessary," the Queen interrupted, raising a hoof. "I'd prefer to bunk near the quarters of my subjects within the castle."

"That is more than acceptable," Luna said, rolling up the scroll.

Just then, several ponies carrying cups, glasses, and some cake walked in.

"My friends and guests, please feel free," Celestia said, getting up out of her throne and approaching the small table that one of the servants had placed.

"I agree on the condition that similar treats are given to the soldiers," James noted. "I don't feel comfortable accepting otherwise."

"Second!" Shining spoke up.

"That's a condition I'll grant gladly," the Solar Princess said, nodding in agreement. "Now," she went on, levitating another cup and a plate in front of her, "tea and cake, anyone?"

Author's Note:

Sorry this was so late. Procrastination and school are partly at fault, but it's mostly me at this point. Juggling several stories at once is... difficult (and a mistake in the first place), and finding time for them all is troublesome, especially with school pressures and stuff making me want to play video games even more than normal.

Furthermore, I admit this is kind of a filler chapter. I see at least some filler for the next chapter as well.

Comments

[Fixer]

I feel like the next chapters will be a little boring as trials and peace agreements tend to be.

But in my mind I hope now that all nations are weak is time for the Storm King and Tempest Shadow to try to conquer the world, blitzkrieg style.

This scenario almost never fails to occur to me in Civilization V

PD. Storm King can be a real challenge for James if Tempest summons a human as mercenary.

[Fireheart 1945]

9222933

This scenario almost never fails to occur to me in Civilization V

I feel your pain.

Also, not a bad idea. Not what I was thinking for the sequel, but then, that's probably going to be shorter than this, and another story about James in a war might be possible.

[damnaion]

yay and this look like it and you are alive?

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

Celestia winced, and Luna's face turned stern, though not angry. "We'll have three entire brigades surrounding the court in question," the Solar Princess said a few moments later, "as well as many squads of soldiers inside. Security will be as tight as we can possibly make it. Lunar Guards will be keeping watch on the prison and the court by night, and the Royal Guard by day. Nevertheless, we'll take whatever extra precautions you might advise."

Snipers. At least one per prisoner. If it looks like they'll escape, shoot them.
Lawyers. Warn them that if they pass messages to or from third parties it is treason and they will be executed for it.
Visitors. No unsupervised meetings.
+Keep them isolated from other prisoners, they might pass messages

[The Atlantean]

Don't worry, I have the multi-story juggle problem too.

[Night Star the Scholar]

I wonder... what became of Chrysalis' daughter. Former Queen Chrysalis may have been a tyrannical monster, but her daughter still loves her. What she must going through, knowing that her mother will probably hang for her crimes.

[ihatehaters1994]

I dont care how long it takes for chapters to be posted, you put alot of work into your stories, keep up the awesome work good buddy. Thanks for a great story, cant wait to read about the trial.

[Night Star the Scholar]

9224035
Ditto!

[Aramisxx]

Oh boy, this is good.

[Earthpatriot117]

Good chapter nonetheless.

[Fireheart 1945]

9223123

Sorry for not saying this earlier.

Nice ideas. Mind if I use them? Also +1.

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

9250687
They were given to be used. Just glad that I could help
Oh, & as for killing a prisoner before they're convicted? In the USA, at least, Common Law says that "flight is evidence of consciousness of guilt"

[Dreadnought]

The cover art of J.L. Chamberlain from Gettysburg has me intrigued.

Dreadnought

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

9388006
It's also a problem w infantry getting too close w incendiary devices, restricted pathways which can be mined, basements = tank traps, & the need to slow down to avoid obstacles. No, cities are for infantry & it's hard going for them too.