The Equestria Chronicles: The Gallop Through Griffonia

by Slippin_Sweetie

Equality In Harmony

The relative silence of the Palace was the norm. The only sounds were the soft hustle and bustle of the common folk outside, the bird song, or the many servants trotting to and fro with nary a sound. It was a perfect time for one of the guards to slack off, leaning against one of the many pillars, his rifle propped against the wall beside him.

Lighting a match, he’d light a small wooden pipe with a match and inhaled, sighing deeply at the flavor rolling over his tongue. Thankfully, his shift was ending soon, and his superiors were on the opposite side of the chateau, leaving him to slack off in peace.

POP! The Griffin nearly jumped a foot into the air, and the sudden noise, an unexpected gust of wind ruffling his feathers. Turning around, he caught sight of the fading light of a spell. Only once his vision cleared did he realize who it was.

“P-Princess!” The pipe dropped from his claw immediately, scrambling for his rifle and into a salute. “My apologies, I had no idea– please don’t tell my superiors–”

“It’s fine.” The Princess waved him away with a hoof, her eyes not focusing on him for even a second. She seemed frazzled, her mane a bird’s nest, dark rings circling her violet eyes. Unsure of what to say, the guard simply stepped aside, watching as the alicorn trotted down the hallway and out of sight.

“Why did I jump to conclusions so fast…?” Twilight murmured to herself anxiously, gaze trained on the floor. “Am I really that judgemental? I was just worried... Starlight’s so powerful, she could hurt someone without meaning to…”

“But…” A lump formed in her throat, nearly choking her with the anxiety and guilt she felt, “That doesn’t make it right… what I did was cruel, especially when Starlight’s been so hard on herself this whole time…”

Glancing upward, Twilight stopped in her tracks, nearly slamming face-first into the door that led to their suites. She was just so exhausted, running around all day, she wasn’t even sure how much rest she had gotten the night prior. Rubbing her eyes, her horn burned to life. She gently opened the doors before slipping inside.

She needed to apologize to Starlight as soon as possible, but the mare felt like a sandbag. It was difficult enough to keep her eyes open as they were. And maybe it was for the best to give them both a little time. Twilight knew all too well just how frustrated and irate an upset Starlight Glimmer could be. She just hoped the unicorn was channeling that energy into something productive…

The late-day sun beamed through the dozens of windows that lined the palace hall as Twilight attempted to find something to occupy her racing thoughts. The shadows of the many statues of the Doge’s and great Generals from the past peaked through the glass from the gardens. It created an almost pattern of light and darkness, with a portrait of each elected Doge and said general resting on the wall beside their statue outside.

Sets of marble pillars held up the massive canopy, which a mural of The Great Tree had been painted across the ceiling. Its trunk and roots sprawled and spanned across the entire ceiling from the hall’s entrance to the exit. The painting depicted dozens of Griffins and Pegasi from times when, cultivating the great canals spread across the trees’ many branches.

As her trot slowed, the orange hue of the setting sun coated the reflective marble tile in its color, light beaming warmth on Twilight. Before she could distract her mind with the carefully crafted architecture and art surrounding her, the door from across the hall opened, with Starlight walking out before stopping at the sight of the alicorn.

“Hey…” called Starlight from across the hall, her face and body shrouded in darkness and shadow. It was akin to a mask, hiding her facial expressions and body language from the alicorn.

Twilight halted at once, her face stricken with surprise, shame, and sadness. She didn’t need to see Starlight’s face to understand what she was going through at the moment. If she could take back the words she had so thoughtlessly spewed to one of her newest friends, she would.

Swallowing dryly, the alicorn slowly approached, her eyes unable to entirely meet Starlight’s. “I… Starlight, I’m…”

“I’m really sorry. I should have given you a chance to explain and consider your side of things rather than just blindly run in head-first like a jackass…” Her eyes widened, a hoof flying to her lips, “Err– I mean, I was being dumb! Ugh, I can’t say anything right today!”

Ears pinned down to her skull, the Princess sighed. “I understand if you don’t want to talk to me, but I hope you can forgive me. I didn’t mean to be so heartless, and you didn’t deserve to be accused of such things.” Bowing her head, Twilight choked back a few tears. “I-I… I know things have been rough, and I shouldn’t have put my frustrations out on you. No one deserves that kind of treatment.”

Starlight trotted forward, crossing between beams of shadow and sunlight, her hooves echoing against the marble flooring. Approaching Twilight, she met her halfway, and the two stood before each other in the hall. Caught in a beam of sunlight, the pair stared at each other for some time. Lighting her horn, Starlight summoned a set of magic hands and combs, adjusting and straightening Twilight’s mane before disappearing once more.

“I know, It’s… I forgive you, Twilight. I can’t expect everyone to be perfect all the time… and I’m… I know you’re probably going through a lot right now, and the last thing you need on your quest is a liability.” She anxiously rubbed her front leg, “Just… hear me out? ... That’s all I ask.”

The alicorn’s eyes widened, and a small, hopeful smile rose to her lips. The few tears still lingering at the corners of her eyes finally fell, but now they were of relief. “Th-Thank you, Starlight. I’m glad you can give me another chance.”

Sniffling, Twilight nodded, giving the unicorn an encouraging, if somewhat unsure, laugh. “Y-Yeah, okay, o-of course. Can we, um, maybe sit down first? I’m… exhausted.” In fact, her legs were shaking beneath her, as if she was sapped of all energy.

Starlight cocked a brow at Twilight, looking at the mare as if she were mad. She still wasn’t used to being forgiven and accepted so readily. Taking a deep breath, she slowly lifted Twilight with her magic and carried her down the hall beside her.

“Twilight I’m… I’m in no position to deny anypony a second chance after what I did. That’d be hypocritical and stupid of me.” She sighed as several magic hands began rummaging through her saddlebags and combing her mane anxiously.

“I know what I did, and I know how terrible my actions were. I tried to make your life miserable. Understandably, you’ll hold… reservations.”

Twilight tensed up at the magical hold before slowly relaxing, allowing her exhausted body to rest. Her eyelids had nearly dropped shut by the time Starlight spoke again, jerking her back to consciousness.

“Well… that’s no reason for me to hold things like this against you. Besides, I didn’t even give you a chance to explain yourself. It’s perfectly natural to be upset…” Twilight sighed, looking down at the marble floor, “And a part of why I felt so guilty, and why you being so upset is so understandable is– well, exactly what you mentioned. You lost a lot, Starlight, and while your methods were wrong and immoral, you had good intentions and were devastated when you thought I took your town from you.”

“So when offered another chance to prove yourself, and we’ve already come this far, I don’t even give you a moment to explain yourself before insinuating you meant harm or could have harmed someone… I might as well have never given you the chance at all. And that’s not the kind of pony– creature I am. There will always be misunderstandings, and I should have been more thoughtful about your feelings.”

“Starlight… I already forgave you a long time ago… Even if I was stressed, I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.” Twilight finally managed to meet Starlight’s eyes, “So… I’m really grateful you’ve forgiven me.”

Starlight’s eyes met Twilight’s. Her expression was heavy as she anxiously shifted her eyes to the set of doors at the end of the hall. Opening the door before walking through, she pulled Twilight alongside her into another corridor and into the main palace hall before trotting up the main Palace stairs toward the bed chambers. As she climbed to the next floor.

“Fluttershy and I talked about it… I know you’re going through a lot, Twilight. Trust me, I know the stresses of our mission can be overwhelming. Remember the voyage here?” She slowly ducked her head low, trying to find the words to say. She wanted to tell Twilight about her vision and commitment to the guard, but the Princess looked tired and drained from the day.

The mare shifted her eyes to a guest bedroom before opening the door and stepping inside. Uncaring if it was their room or not, it really didn’t matter for their purposes. She carried Twilight to a lavender couch resting near a fireplace, placing her down before tossing a few logs in the fireplace, lighting them with a spark of her horn. A roaring flame engulfed the logs before settling into a gentle, crackling fire.

Starlight stared into the flames as she contemplated her words carefully. A suffocating sense of dread hung over the two, both knowing, despite their weariness and desperation, to leave the conversation on a forgiving note. They both knew there was more to be discussed.

“... I joined the Republic Guard.”

Twilight let out a sigh of relief, slumping into the cushions, attempting to keep her head up in an attempt to fight off her drowsiness. Rubbing a hoof over her eyes, she sat up as best she could, giving Starlight a meek smile.

“I-I’m glad Fluttershy talked with you. She really is the best pony to go to if you need an ear or a shoulder to cry on…” Twilight murmured, glancing between the fire and Starlight. “I… I heard. Again, I shouldn’t have gone so overboard…”

“Frankly, I can see you as a guard. You’re certainly powerful enough and capable. No doubt you’d be an asset.” The alicorn grimaced, gaze falling to the floor. “I’m just worried about making this situation worse, sparking a civil outcry… or you possibly getting hurt yourself. But I won’t forbid you from doing what you think is right. I can only hope you’re careful and mindful of what you do and say… for all of our sakes.”

“I expect slip-ups, Starlight, so don’t be afraid to ever tell me that you made a mistake. I’m not perfect, clearly… I just hope you can trust me enough, even if you’re scared of what might happen…” That seemed to spur a thought, “Just like I should have treated you…”

Starlight paused, taking a deep breath as she turned to face Twilight, “I think Equalism is the answer to all of our problems. Twilight… The fears you hold, the fears every creature holds, are based on ignorance or fears of the unknown.”

She slowly began pacing between the fireplace and the couch, “Just today, the kids were arguing about Thorax when we told our newest member about him. There’s fear and confusion about our fellow creatures.” She pressed her hoof to her temple, “This isn’t about suppressing talents, or cutie-marks anymore, or making everycreature physically the same.”

She slowly recomposed herself, stopping in front of the fireplace before turning to face Twilight, “The month we were stuck in the Crystal Empire because of… my actions and all the– legal issues we had to side step… Even before that, Thorax was…” she’d chuckled, “Is an Equalist, probably a better one than I, but Harmony...”

“Your Harmony to my Equalism is what we need to save Griffonia.”

Twilight’s immediate reaction to the word ‘Equalism’ instantly put a bad taste in her mouth, but for the sake of their friendship and mutual forgiveness, she kept quiet, waiting until Starlight spoke once more.

Taking in everything Starlight said, the alicorn took a deep breath, soothing her anxious nerves, a hoof combing through her hair. On paper, it sounded perfectly fine, ideal in fact. Who wouldn’t want a world where every creature was treated the same? But would the public be as enthusiastic as Starlight and Thorax were? Could they become confused and twist the message to suit their own purposes?

“I… don’t see why we can’t try. And… I don’t exactly have many ideas myself. I’m no tactician.” Twilight chuckled with some mirth, “Sure. Tell me everything.”

Starlight’s expression lifted from an anxious scowl to a relieved smile as she slowly trotted toward Twilight and sat beside her. Physically relaxing as relief washed over her, she had fully expected Twilight to shoot down her idea for the name alone.

Turning to face Twilight, the unicorn cleared her throat before speaking, “Harmonious Equalism is–”

The door would suddenly open as a set of grunting and strained voices entered the room.

Thorax and Trixie stumbled inside, dressed in their performer’s attire and carrying Trixie’s boxes of ‘magical’ tools and acts. The heavy crates were quickly placed on the floor before the Changeling shed his disguise and panted heavily.

“Trixie… why couldn’t we just ask the servants to help us?” questioned Thorax.

Trixie stuck her nose in the air, “Because I don’t trust them not to drop it by accident and set everything off! You really don’t want to see fireworks going off inside a tree, the forest that one time was bad enough…”

Twilight blinked, her exhausted mind spinning. She was not equipped to deal with Trixie of all ponies right now. Turning her gaze to Starlight, she attempted a weak smile, “Er, maybe another time would be best?”

Starlight cocked a brow at Twilight as she looked over the couch to see Thorax and Trixie. She didn't understand why her and Trixie didn't get along.

“What are you guys doing here? This isn’t our room,” questioned Starlight.

Thorax quickly perked up at the sight of Starlight, “Oh, um, hi, Starlight! We were just putting the magic stuff away.”

Starlight rubbed her chin as she looked between Twilight and the Changeling, “Thorax, we need to talk about Equalism.”

Thorax tilted his head curiously, “Oh, um, I thought we weren’t doing that anymore, so we don’t upset anypony.”

“Well, Twilight is open to listening to our ideas Thorax.”

“...She is?”

“She’s right next to me.”

The mare peered over from the couch, “Hi.” Twilight gave the Changeling a small, if tired smile.

Trixie rolled her eyes, “Oh, THIS again? Ugh, you have fun talking politics. Trixie is going to treat herself to the spa and a massage. Maybe even a hooficure…” Removing her stage suit, she began to gently and neatly fold them before setting them down on the guest bed.

“I’m glad to see you’re taking this journey so seriously…” Twilight grumbled.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t complain when they try to indoctrinate you too.” The blue unicorn snickered before trotting to the bathroom.

Thorax tossed his top hat aside on the guest bed as he adjusted his collar and bow tie, finding his suit appealing and sophisticated. Attentively watching Trixie before looking between her and Twilight during their brief spat. He winced slightly at Twilight’s jab before speaking up.

“H-hey c’mon, we’re taking this seriously, don’t worry. We just got back from performing. It was a real hit! The Doge said if we did really well, we’d be able to perform to the upper crust of Swallowtail society.”

He’d slowly trot over to Starlight and Twilight as he looked at the two tired mares. His brow lifted in surprise, “You guys look uhm… a little rough.”

Starlight rolled her eyes, “Thanks… now let’s talk about Equalism.”

Thorax rubbed his leg anxiously, “Ah well… I… when I saw you, Twilight, and your friends, I felt… I felt like I needed to change something. Seeing you work together like that inspired me to try and find a purpose outside of feeding…”

“So I left the hive and crossed the Crystal Mountains for a shot at friendship… that’s when I found Starlight and Trixie… Starlight told me about Equalism, and… although she was hiding the… unsavory parts of her ideology, from what she told me, it sounded… fair.”

“I did a lot of reading and studying in the Crystal Empire with Starlight. I wanted to keep her occupied and busy… " he turned to Starlight, "I know you’re not keen on forgiving yourself, but I couldn’t just let you… be alone and think that I wasn’t your friend despite your hiccups.”

Starlight gave a worn smile to Thorax as she gestured to him to continue.

“S-So… I read about you, Twilight, you and your friends. The thing that caught my attention was the Elements of Harmony, so Starlight and I decided to base Equality in Harmony.”

“That’s–” Twilight’s eyebrows rose, “That’s really sweet actually… I’m sorry, Thorax, I never really considered how all the changelings felt. To be fair, I didn’t have much time during a full-scale invasion of our capital, but to think I hadn’t even considered the common Changeling’s opinions and thoughts on such things really is an eye-opener.”

“And I’m honored that I was able to inspire you to leave your colony. I think that, without you, this whole ordeal would have been a lot trickier…”

Trixie huffed from around the corner, poking her head out of the doorway. “Yeah, I’d be DEAD! But to be fair, I would have tried to kill Trixie too if I was being constantly upstaged~”

Twilight didn’t even bother to look in her direction.

Thorax chuckled at Trixie, looking over at the mare, “Oh c’mon Trixie, I think you would’ve been fine… but the Elements Of Harmony… they’re powerful. I mean, you’ve used them to destroy almost any threat to Equestria. Your bond is stronger than anything I’ve ever seen. It’s magic, it’s power, and it’s all based on friendship, right?”

“So, Starlight and I thought about applying the elements in a way every creature can be Honest, Kind, Generous, Loyal, and be able to share Laughter and the Magic of friendship.”

Starlight nodded, “A good creature should be Honest, and being honest means being fair, just, and truthful when dealing with anybody. Honesty means gently correcting a creature when they’re wrong, and by showing how and why dishonesty can hurt a creature’s chance at a fair life.”

Thorax spoke, “A good creature should be kind. Kindness means lending your fellow creature a helping hoof, claw, or wing in their time of need. It means being understanding and considerate of the differences between creatures while being respectful by treating every creature with respect and dignity.”

“A good creature should also be generous! Being generous means giving to those in need regardless of their species, lineage, or origin. It means giving everycreature you meet the benefit of the doubt and allowing the content of their character shine through regardless of species.”

“Creatures should be Loyal to one another. Loyalty means being committed to equality and to harmony. No matter how bad things are, and no matter how tense things get, a good creature will never abandon their values based on their loyalty alone.”

“And through shared Laughter and joy, we can overcome barriers between creatures and spread the Magic of Friendship throughout all the species of the world.”

Twilight let herself sag against the cushions, unsure of what to say. Every single word that they had said resonated with her in a way she hadn’t expected. She opened her mouth, struggling with her words, unable to come up with a suitable response.

The only thing that she could finally blurt out was, “Sounds… good.””

Trixie looked at the alicorn incredulously, “” Just… ‘good’? You don’t think that sounds like a cult at all?”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “Don’t you have a bath or wine to get to? Or both?”

“Feh, I see I’m not wanted…” Trixie trotted back into the room, closing the door.

“Mmm…” Twilight rubbed a hoof across her face, “Anyways… I think what you said makes a lot of sense. It seems like you both have a good understanding of the key elements of friendship. Although, I wouldn’t really call friendship power… more like friendship is powerful.”

Thorax cocked his brow curiously at Twilight, seeming genuinely shocked by her answer, “How could you not see it as power? You, you beat back an army for a time, y-you killed-”

An annoyed huff escaped Starlight, “Yes, she killed Sombra and defeated Tirek, we know. Friendship is power, which keeps ponies together when times are hard. It’s literally a source of magic.”

Thorax rubbed her temple as he sat down on the floor next to the fireplace, looking up at the girls, “What’s the plan? Are we going to spread Equalism in through the branches and roots?”

Starlight slowly looked at Twilight.

“Err…” Twilight shuffled, “Well, I didn’t technically kill Sombra. That was the Crystal Heart and my sister-in-law… and Spike. And friendship’s magic IS powerful, but that doesn’t mean it should be used like a… weapon.”

“As for, um, spreading this…” Calling it an ideology would be accurate, but it also made her nervous, “... these… beliefs, I don’t see much of a problem with it, although it may be difficult to convince those in the upper branches. But do be careful… I don’t want to start an uproar or civil unrest while we’re also dealing with a looming war…”

Starlight objected to that sentiment entirely, finding Twilight’s stance too soft and not nearly proactive enough for the situation. In her eyes, the war was inevitable; there was no way in her mind that a nation bent on enslavement and brainwashing could be redeemed. The friendship problem was in Swallowtail, and her enemies only exacerbated the issue.

“If we’re going to win this war, we need to take the power of friendship seriously. If every creature is friends with one another, then there’s no way they can lose against the Unicorns. If everycreature has each other’s back, there is no way they can be tricked or lied to. If everycreature sees each other as a friend, they’ll defend and protect each other.”

“Creatures should be outraged, frankly; look at how they’re living Twilight! Ponies and Flightless below barely scrape by while creatures in the branches party and celebrate like there isn’t a care in the world! The only way we can get this entire country ready for a war is by bringing them together by settling their differences and focusing on the true enemy in a united front.”

Thorax swallowed, “Uhm… that’s a little violent. Starlight, I thought you didn’t want to hurt ponies anymore.”

“I don’t want to hurt innocent creatures, but I never said I had any qualms with combat, especially with these monsters that call themselves ponies. They’re evil! They deserve everything that’s coming to them.”

“Starlight, I’m not comfortable with instigating violence,” Twilight spoke with surprising firmness despite her exhaustion. “I don’t even want a war. I’m hoping that Princess Celestia’s plan will work and we’ll be able to work our way inside the kingdom. Causing agitation, fear, and anger between the branches will not help that.”

“Especially if they begin to blame each other…” Twilight sighed. “Creatures are a bit more complicated than that Starlight. Ponies are… very trusting in Equestria.”

Thorax quickly piped up, “Princess Celestia has a plan? Maybe this will be the answer we need.”

“Well, I’m not ecstatic about her plan, but…” Twilight groaned and sat up as well as she could, “She wants me and a few of my friends to enter Unicornica. She sent her nephew ahead of time… Prince Blueblood. Since he has a direct relation to Celestia herself, they embraced him with open hooves…”

“So when I arrive, he’s going to…” She looked ready to vomit, “Eugh, propose to me. Since he’s of royal blood and I’m, well, me, they’ll crown us as rulers. Then… well, Celestia was hoping we’d be able to give the crown to her and take control of the situation… but the Doge doesn’t like that one bit. And from what I hear, neither would the rest of Griffonia.”

Starlight would scoff, “Of course not. The culture of Swallowtail is anti-authoritarian. The Republic was founded on the principle that no Monarch or bandit could force the winged into anything. I studied Griffonia and Swallowtail in preparation just as much as you did, and I’m taking this assignment very seriously. If anything, the Parliament will freak out if they find out about this plan. Do you remember Chaircreature Francesco? He threatened to kick us out of the tree if we broke the anymore laws. This could be considered treason or something!”

Starlight’s expression twisted. She seemed almost personally insulted by the Princess’s plan.

“How can we expect Celestia to take care of this? She has failed these Griffonian ponies to such a heinous degree I’m starting to question her competency! What in the hay is going on in Canterlot!? Where is she and Luna? Why hasn’t the Royal Guard been informed and sent over here? We should be rolling over Unicornica, not trying to play House with a bunch of SLAVERS!”

Thorax was taken aback by Starlight’s sudden anger and passion, quickly intervening on his friend’s behalf to soothe any possible tension, “Look, we all know the unicorns are bad, but is violence really the answer? I’ve been in war, it’s not very fun… it’s scary, and there weren’t any guns, cannons, or deathly serious magic being used ... I just don’t want anybody to suffer anymore. It’s not right, and more suffering shouldn’t be the answer to less suffering.”

“We should be very careful about using force and the kind of message we promote. Just because we’re someplace different doesn’t mean we have to stop making friends any differently than we would normally, right?”

Twilight had bristled at Starlight’s antagonistic reply but quickly switched her attention to Thorax. A small smile grew on her lips, and she nodded with him. “He’s right. And that’s exactly what we should all hope to avoid. Revenge is never the answer. However, I’m not saying those who have done wrong shouldn’t be punished.”

“And on the topic of Celestia… there are bigger forces out there than armies that Celestia and Luna have to contend with… They… made an agreement thousands of years ago not to meddle in other lands. If Celestia were to actually step hoof here and begin… ruling, it could spark a war far worse than Unicornica and Swallowtail combined…”

Starlight quietly processed the information presented to her, seeming to compare and contrast everything given to her as she tapped a hoof on her chin. Thinking deeply, she slowly squeezed her eyes shut and began rubbing her temple.

“I think the stress is getting to me. It’s all so… hazy and unclear… I heard about the attack down by the roots, and with everything we were already told, and the fact everywhere I go, creatures look back and do a double take just to be sure I’m not going to hurt them is concerning, and it’s a symptom of a greater problem.”

“That’s why I joined the guard because I want to prove to the locals that I’m personally not a threat… and that any creature, no matter what they are, can be something of a friend. Or at least somecreature they can trust…. so Celestia and Luna are strong hoofed out of the equation entirely?... This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.”

She sighed, “Twilight, I don’t want a war, but I don’t think we’ll have much of a choice. Something is going to happen that’ll get everyone provoked and itching for a fight. We’re very close to the anniversary of the first Unicorn-Swallow war…I just think we should act quickly before it’s too late. We should try to show the creatures up top the real problems the creatures below are facing.”

Twilight closed her eyes and sighed, her optimistic look dropping. “... I know. Avoiding a war is pretty much impossible at this point, and with Celestia unable to really help directly, we’re on our own. And you’re right, we have to act quickly. I’m just not used to stakes being this ridiculously high…”

A thought occurred to her, and her eyes opened once more. “Or maybe… maybe we’re not as alone as I thought. Griffinstone might be able to help…”

Starlight tapped her hooves to the sides of her head as she desperately attempted to think of a peaceful solution, “Hmmmm… what if Griffinstone and Swallowtail signed a friendship treaty… wait… what if we all signed a friendship treaty?”

“But… that won’t work,” replied Thorax.

“It doesn’t have to. It just needs to buy us time.”

Twilight nodded slowly, mulling it over in her head before turning to face the two, “Starlight’s right. It might not necessarily stop the war, but it might distract Unicornica long enough to give us time to build a proper defense and hopefully strengthen the relationship between the flightless and those in the branches. We should go over this with the Doge right away!”

Struggling, the alicorn got to her hooves… and immediately collapsed onto the floor. “Mmm… hehe, maybe one of you could write him a letter…?”

---

The Doge was walking beside Fluttershy in the gardens, enjoying the late dusk sun as he accompanied the mare through the lush and dense foliage. The gentlecreature took the time to talk to her about the simple pleasantries and comforts of life, what they did when they weren’t attempting to stop calamity.

The Doge lifted his robes as he trekked through the grass and brush, careful to avoid snagging any of his fine silks or cloth, on a branch or bush, “I envy you, Fluttershy.” smiled the diamond dog.

The Pegasus, who had been marveling at the beauty of the garden, turned to gaze at the Doge with curiosity. “I’m… not sure what you mean, Mister Doge, s-sir…” She still wasn’t entirely sure how to refer to him, “Your home seems so lovely…”

“Please, you’re a friend, just call me Donatello ... yes my home is very beautiful, the Palace has been a living tradition for over three hundred years since it was built. But what good is luxury if I have no one to share it with…” His tone was somber and quiet as his eyes wandered across the gardens. Looming toward the bottom of the tree, he approached the edge of a branch. Leaning against the stone railing, he sighed.

“Oh, um, okay… Donatello.” Fluttershy murmured, a small blush rising to her cheeks at her awkwardness. She paused, unsure of what to say, but followed beside him closely. Joining him beside the edge, she sat down.

“You live a life surrounded by nature and good company. Not having to worry about keeping appearances constantly, you’re accepted… and I see why,” he’d slowly placed his crown on the railing as he turned to face Fluttershy, “You are the most beautiful creature these eyes have ever laid on, the beauty of the palace garden, no the entirety of the Doge’s Palace cannot compare to the beautiful soul you keep.”

“I-I…” Her face burned, her tongue turning numb in her mouth. Fluttershy’s mind had gone blank. Sure, a few stallions attempted to ask her out on a date, but they had usually backed off once they realized just how petrified she was. But no one had ever called her… something so sweet.

“Th-thank you…” Ducking behind her mane, her face was shrouded in a pink curtain. “I-I, um, d-don’t know wh-what to say… um…” Clearly, she wasn’t used to this kind of attention.

The Doge was a hue of red and crimson as he yipped anxiously, clearly in over his own depth as he stroked the back of his ears nervously, “My apologies for being so forward. I understand a lady like yourself must receive a lot of courting and gesturing. But if I am to be so bold as to ask you to accompany me for a private dinner or show? If that is acceptable.”

“Umm…” Slowly combing her mane out of her face, she considered his offer, although still heavily flustered by the attention. Ponies had called her pretty before, but nothing quite so poetic. She was incredibly flattered, and she wanted to accept, although something in the back of her mind made her anxious, “N-No, y-you don’t need to a-apologize. Um, I’d l-love to…”

He swallowed, surprised by her acceptance as he clasped his paws together happily, “I believe there will be a celebration near the anniversary of the first Unicorn-Swallow war. We can stow ourselves away once all the formalities and such are finished. Until then…” he’d slowly place his crown back atop his head, “Why don’t we find you a dress and an excellent wine in preparation for our evening.” he’d offer his paw to the mare.

Fluttershy let out a slightly overwhelmed giggle. Was this what it felt like to be royalty? Gently placing her hoof into his paw, she nodded. “Th-That does sound like fun… but um, y-you don’t need to give me a dress. You’ve already been so generous…”

“I am the Doge of Swallowtail, and you are my honored guest. Of course, I will provide you with a dress for the upcoming celebrations. It would be in poor manners and taste if I didn’t.” smiled the Doge as he gently pulled Fluttershy to her hooves and began walking with her, “Let’s see if my personal seamstress and tailor can make something for you.”

Fluttershy giggled softly, “W-Well, um, if you insist. I don’t want to be a bother…”

"Never." assured the Doge.

As they departed and headed toward the Palace, the pair would soon bump into Starlight, Thorax, and Twilight after turning around the corner of a shrub. They turned the corner so fast they nearly collided with one another.

“Oh! Twilight, Starlight, and Thorax, I assume everything went well between you two? Thorax, I heard good things about you and Trixie’s performance. I’ll be sure to set aside your pay tonight, and I have another job for you two. You can be the entertainment for the anniversary celebrations.”

Twilight, who by some miracle was still standing, gave the pair a smile. “Good to… see you... too…”

Fluttershy held a hoof to her mouth, “Oh my, Twilight, are you alright? You look exhausted…”

“I’m okay. I just need to talk to the Doge for a little bit. Then I can get some rest…” The alicorn rubbed her forehead. “We have an idea to help buy some time.”

The Doge pressed a claw to his chin, “Hm, more time, eh? That’s an invaluable asset. Well, I’m all ears!”

“We want you to sign a friendship treaty with all your neighbors,” answered Starlight.

“....All my neighbors?.... Including Unicornica?” questioned the Doge.

“Yes.”

“....Hahahaha!” laughed the Doge, “Alright, very funny, what’s the actual plan?”

“We don’t expect it to actually work. We just have to entertain them with the idea for a while, at least Unicornica. I do hope we can strengthen the ties between the rest of your neighbors. While we do that, we can hopefully convince them to help us deal with Unicornica. I’m almost certain Queen Gilda of Griffinstone would be willing to offer her help.” Twilight nodded.

Fluttershy seemed uncertain, “Are you sure they will actually send someone over to sign the treaty?”

“I don’t know, but I think it’s worth a shot, especially if they believe I’m the one handling it.” The alicorn gave her a weak smile.

The Doge began biting his nails anxiously as he began adding the political debt and favor he would gain slash lose by doing such an action. Parliament would need to agree to such a treaty and, despite Griffinstone not necessarily being an enemy. They weren’t exactly a friend either. Swallowtail was historically a refuge for Griffins dissatisfied with the old monarchy.

“Well… it’ll be hard… but I’ll throw it on the list of things I’ll need to convince the Parliament. Consider it done.” nodded the Doge, “Hm… perhaps we should Capitalize on this. Why not host the Convocation of the Creatures and have Griffinstone sign the friendship treaty there? We could formally invite Equestria by having you represent them! That way, Equestria, Griffinstone, and Swallowtail will be bound by friendship!”

Starlight quickly perked up, “Twilight, if you sign the treaty, Unicornica will be even more likely to listen to you. You could actually bring the treaty yourself and use the time to dismantle Unicornica from the inside by following Celestia's original plan too. They believe you’re a god, right?”

Thorax spoke, “We could also use this time to help the wingless below. Maybe there’s somepony who could represent them! That way, the roots and branches can also be friends if we include them in the treaty, too.”

Twilight nodded her head eagerly, “Exactly! We just need to use this wisely and very delicately. We really only have one shot at this…”

Fluttershy slowly stepped over and laid a hoof on the alicorn’s shoulder. “Let’s, um, try to think positively. Starlight is right. You could use this as a way to get inside, and hopefully, we can avoid a war.”

“I just don’t know how we can change things from the inside so radically without starting some sort of fight.” Twilight sighed.

“I know…” The Pegasus slowly rubbed her back. “But let’s not underestimate the creatures inside Unicornica. I bet there are a lot of creatures there who want to be free, and if you’re there, it might give them the courage to free themselves.”

“Maybe… I hope so.” Twilight gazed up at her friend, appreciating the support.

The Doge slowly looked between Starlight and Twilight, “Heh…hehehe, hahahaha!” he’d howled in laughter, “How couldn’t I see it before! The answer was right in front of me! Starlight, Twilight, you’re the courage and hope Unicornica needs to free itself!” he’d quickly pace around excitedly.

“Twilight is the symbol that we need, the thing Unicornican understands to a tee. You’re a god to them, and Starlight, she’s the competent mage we need on the inside helping the peasants and slaves! Twilight can go to the Capital, and Starlight can be sent with one of my Griffish officers, er…” he’d snap his claw, “Yes! Captain Gerhardt, that’s it; he’ll be perfect for a mission with such stakes.”

“Starlight can free the slaves, and Twilight can convince the local ponies to believe her over the council and distract them with the treaty and original Celestia's marriage plan. While Starlight and my Captain stop the slave raids and keep the Unicornian army busy. We want them to be distracted as long as possible so we can tend to the creatures in the branches and roots."

“Twilight is the...yin to Starlight's yang. As Strongfang would say.” smirked the Doge

Twilight struggled to think of what to say, staring at the Doge before trading looks with Starlight, “I, um… thank you?”

Fluttershy gently patted her on the shoulder, “It’s okay, Twilight… let’s get you into bed, okay? You need some rest…”

“Yeah.....I think we all could us some rest after today..." yawned Twilight.

"Yeah, today was something else..." muttered Starlight.

"Yes, I think we can save further discussion for tomorrow after such a busy day..." strained the Doge.

Comments

[Yoshifan30]

“Err…” Twilight shuffled, “Well, I didn’t technically kill Sombra. That was the Crystal Heart and my sister-in-law… and Spike. And friendship’s magic IS powerful, but that doesn’t mean it should be used like a… weapon.”

Yeah that's true King Sombra was gone after the crystal heart was shining and everything so yeah it wasn't the girls who did it

[Yoshifan30]

“I don’t want to hurt innocent creatures, but I never said I had any qualms with combat, especially with these monsters that call themselves ponies. They’re evil! They deserve everything that’s coming to them.”

As much as I agree with that there are other people who will get caught in the crossfire

[Yoshifan30]

“So when I arrive, he’s going to…” She looked ready to vomit, “Eugh, propose to me. Since he’s of royal blood and I’m, well, me, they’ll crown us as rulers. Then… well, Celestia was hoping we’d be able to give the crown to her and take control of the situation… but the Doge doesn’t like that one bit. And from what I hear, neither would the rest of Griffonia.”

I still don't think that's a good idea either especially of all ponies

[Yoshifan30]

“How can we expect Celestia to take care of this? She has failed these Griffonian ponies to such a heinous degree I’m starting to question her competency! What in the hay is going on in Canterlot!? Where is she and Luna? Why hasn’t the Royal Guard been informed and sent over here? We should be rolling over Unicornica, not trying to play House with a bunch of SLAVERS!”

Cheese and crackers Starlight I get it but are we going to be better than what they did to us or the other creatures like I said this is a very tough situation

[Yoshifan30]

Well then things are starting to look up for a bit so Twilight return to the castle try to find Starlight to say she was sorry about jumping conclusion but it looks like she got her chance and both of them having a pretty conversation with each other and even apologizing to each other for misunderstanding but with all the stress that Twilight is in it was nice of Starlight to give her a lift to the room but then thorax and Trixie return and it looks like they tried to come up with some ideas of how to go forward with the plan Twilight wants to make peace with the other ones but Starlight wanted to bring the war against them but somehow thorax was in the middle but it looks like they figure it out how to distract them without any other reason to fight hopefully this treating will help them out and I really do like the moment between Fluttershy and the Doge now I wonder how this will work out I guess we'll find out next time