The Three Kingdoms

by James Pwyll

First published 31st of March, 2023

In a world divided into three great nations, one pony dreams of a day of friendship.

For as long as anypony can remember, the known world has been divided into three great nations, each keeping the other in check. But at the centre of them all lies the peaceful Everfree Glades, where ponies have only ever lived in harmony in spite of the larger domains that surround them. In the quiet village of Ponyville, a young mare named Twilight Sparkle dreams of a day when all peoples can be as one.

Life in Ponyville

There were few things that brought a smile to Twilight Sparkle's face quite like a gloriously sunny day. And today was, it seems, more than willing to oblige her on that count. Lying on her back atop a green and verdant hill, the young mare looked up dreamily to the pristine and uninterrupted sea of blue above her, with nary a cloud in sight. The breeze was gentle and the world, at least for now, was quiet. Giving herself a quick stretch, Twilight sighed contentedly as her mind wandered, as was often the case for her on days such as these. Alas, her solitude was not to last forever, as her gaze was soon obscured by a figure arriving onto the scene, looking over her as he stood beside her head and blocking out the light of the sun. "Bit for your thoughts?"

But despite this interruption, Twilight smiled, shaking her head slightly. "Not really thinking about anything, Spike. Just enjoying the day." Sitting upright, she looked upon the dragon who, had she been standing fully, would have been the same height as her. Looking to her side, she patted the ground. "Care to join me?"

Folding his arms, Spike chuckled. "Don't mind if I do."

Twilight watched as her adopted brother sat beside her, lying down and looking just as peaceful as she had been mere moments earlier. "So, what's new in Ponyville?" she asked.

Spike, still lying down, gave a shrug. "Not much, really. You know this place as well as I do. Nothing ever changes." His smile grew. "Aside from maybe what kind of argument AJ and Moondancer are gonna have this time."

The two shared a laugh, and Twilight too began to lie down once more. Several minutes passed, and after a while her eyes began to drift away from the serene skies. Instead, they looked down, to the horizon, to a structure far away from them and their hometown. It was too far to make out any details, but even one unfamiliar with the area could tell, even at this distance, that it was a place of importance. "Do you think it'll ever get used again?"

Spike didn't open his eyes after hearing her question, already knowing what she was talking about. "Probably, if they have something new to complain about to each other."

Another sigh escaped Twilight, though this time it was one with a tint of disappointment. "Yeah...I guess." Silence passed over them, and Twilight continued to look out there, seeming quite thoughtful as she did so. While Spike was the very picture of relaxation, she, by contrast, seemed preoccupied, even concerned. Then, after a long while, she turned to her sibling and nudged him slightly, getting him to crack one eye open to look at her as she spoke. "Do you think they'll ever get better?"

Spike looked to her with confusion. "Who?"

In response, Twilight gestured in several directions. East, West and North. "Them. The big three."

Spike snorted. "I doubt it. You know the history, sis. Those guys have been on bad terms for as long as they've known each other. Long before us, long before our parents, long before anypony we know. If they'll ever feel any differently, it won't be in our lifetime."

Twilight frowned to him. "A bit of a cynical answer, don't you think?"

Exhaling, Spike sat upright, looking to her. "Look, I know it's not the happiest answer, but it's the truth. I mean, we're talking about three nations that have never, not once, had any real cooperation or common cause. They just glare at one another across their borders." In a moment of quiet, the drake glanced in each of the three directions Twilight had given to him earlier, before settling on looking out to the northern horizon. "Oh, an let's not forget the happy, little detail that they have us right in the middle. That's always fun," he remarked with no small amount of worry in his voice.

But Twilight did not seem as concerned, reaching out and patting him on the shoulder. "There's always a chance things will get better." She then gestured to that same horizon. "Even now, out there in the world, there's good people who will want what we want. Who will want to look over their borders and see others they can sit with in peace and harmony."

Spike looked to her with incredulity. "No offense, Twilight...but you kinda sound like a greeting card right now."

Twilight shrugged. "Hey, they have to get the idea from somewhere, right?"

Again, the two of them laughed, but as they did so they soon noticed that their laughter was not that of two, but three. So, they turned, seeing another familiar face begin to approach them. A mare the same age as Twilight, with a blue saddle-bag across one side of her body, smiling to both of them. "I hope I'm not interrupting?"

Twilight shook her head. "Not at all. Please, join us."

And Sunny was quick to take her up on that offer, sitting beside them while she rummaged around in her aforementioned bag. Spike looked to her with curiosity as he saw her pull out a small notepad, upon which was a list of what seemed like chores she needed to do. "Wow. Busy day ahead?" he asked.

Sunny beamed to him. "You betcha! I've gotta head over to Hitch's place to help him out with his new deputy, then I've got to be back to babysit for Mr and Mrs Cake. Oh, and I can't forget that the Mayor needs some help in coming up with a new banner for the town. I've been doing some thinking about that..." She flipped over the notes of her book, revealing design ideas for said banners, each of which bore some kind of welcoming logo or slogan. "If we want folk to come to Ponyville and think of it as a place they can feel welcome, you always need a good opening statement!"

Twilight looked to her, clearly impressed. "You know, I don't think I've ever met anypony who tried to do as much for others as you, Sunny." She scratched the back of her own head while looking a touch embarrassed. "Most of the time all I do is work in a library."

But Sunny reached out to her, placing her hoof upon her shoulder in a manner not unlike how Twilight had been to Spike a few minutes ago. "Hey, life is short, Twilight. We need to do what we can. And hey, if you can try to make friends with all the people you meet, you should."

Twilight smiled to her, then looked to Spike while keeping her hoof pointed at Sunny. "See, Spike? That right there is exactly the kind of attitude the world around us needs!"

Spike, for his part, smiled to her. "A whole world of Sunnys? Well, gotta hand it to you, Twilight, that's quite the lofty expectation."

Sunny blushed. "Oh stop! I'm not a saint, Twilight!"

Spike looked over to her, clearly not believing her words. "Oh please, we all know you're pretty much heart and soul of this place. I mean, come on, how many fights and squabbles have been settled because you were there?" Then, his shoulders slumped, and he suddenly had the look of someone who knew exactly what was coming. "And speaking of which, I believe your services are required once more."

Both Twilight and Sunny turned to see what he was looking at to make him say such a thing, and understanding dawned for both of them as they saw a pair of mares walking along the base of the hill. Applejack and Moondancer, the former carrying a large cart of hay behind her while the latter was levitating a book in front of her own face as she walked alongside. Moondancer, for her part, was the one talking right now. "I keep telling you, AJ, if you and your family were to adopt some of the new farming techniques an technologies that are being used by some of the other nations ,you could increase your yield by a great deal."

Applejack, by contrast, just seemed tired with the suggestion. "An' how many time have ah gotta say it, Dancer? Mah family have been doin' things this way fer generations! Mah Ma an' Pa did it this way, mah Granny did it this way, an' ah'm gonna do it this way!"

Twilight, Spike and Sunny all collectively sighed, and Sunny in particular put on a smile as she regarded the other two. Then, after packing her notes back into her bag, she began walking down the hill to meet up with the two newcomers, followed shortly by Twilight and Spike. "Good morning. I hope you two are well today?"

Applejack and Moondancer smiled to the three of them, then turned to one another and frowned. "Sunny, would you please explain to Applejack that I'm only trying to help her?" the latter asked.

But the farm mare wasn't having any of it. "No, Sunny, please tell Moondancer that ah don't need any help!"

Twilight stepped forward, looking to the both of them. "Guys, please, I know neither one of you likes hearing this, but this kind of bickering doesn't do anypony any good."

Sunny nodded in agreement. "She's right. You two are supposed to be friends, remember? You've known each other all your lives."

"Yeah!" Applejack declared. "So you'd think Dancer here would know by now that things down on the farm are perfectly fine without any big, fancy changes!"

"And you'd think that Applejack would get that I know what I'm talking about when I say that my suggestions will make things better for her family!" Moondancer countered.

Sunny took a deep breath, then stepped forward to place herself in-between the two. "Applejack, I'm sure you've know Moondancer long enough to know that she means it when she says she's trying to help, right?"

One look at Sunny's earnest face was all it took for a lot of the bad mood to be drained out of Applejack, though she still kept her voice at a grumble. "Yeah...ah know."

Then, Sunny looked to the other. "And Moondancer, I'm sure you can understand that, despite how well-intentioned your efforts are, no does mean no, yes?"

In a similar move to Applejack, Moondancer sighed. "Yes...it does."

Sunny smiled, stepping back and allowing them to look to each other. "Okay then...so what do we say?"

A deep exhale from Applejack preceded her words. "Ah'm...ah'm sorry fer snappin', Dancer. Ah know ya were tryin' ta help."

"And...I should've respected your decision when you first said it, AJ. I'm...sorry," Moondancer conceded.

Eventually, the two smiled, and they reached out their hooves, holding the other and giving a good shake. Sunny smiled to this resolution to the issue, as did Twilight, who looked over to her brother. "Now tell me that kind of cooperation and peace isn't possible, Spike."

Spike shrugged, silently admitting to her point. "With friends who've known each other all their lives? Sure. But with nations?"

His words caught the attention of the others, all of whom seemed to know exactly what the two of them were talking about. And much like Spike, they showed various degrees of scepticism, with Moodancer being the one to speak up about it after having adjusted her glasses. "Twilight, as bright a future as your dream might be, I think you might just set yourself up for disappointment."

Applejack nodded firmly. "She's right, Twi. Those three didn't like each other a thousand years ago, they don't like each other today, an' they probably won't like each other a thousand years from now."

Sunny looked to them. "Well, as my Dad always said, there's always a chance. I mean, heck, the ancient three tribes of earth pony, unicorn and pegasi once glowered angrily at each other every chance they got, now we mingle all over the world."

Twilight smiled to her friend, appreciating her words. "Sunny's right." She turned, looking out to the horizon with a hopeful expression on her face. "And if that kind of unity happened once...it can happen again."

Author's Notes:

Back in the early days of the fandom, you got to see quite a few people doing their own take on the world, alternate histories and so on, dividing the nation into factions and seeing how things play out. I don't know how often those stories get made nowadays but it was never something I ever really partook in myself. But, ever late to the party, I figured I'd take a crack at it, so I hope you enjoy

Sun of the West

If one were to describe paradise, the image before them would probably suffice. A lush, green garden, filled with every possible piece of colourful flora the imagination could conjure, birdsong filling the air, and a sense of being far from the troubles of the world. The private, royal gardens of Canterlot were famed far and wide as being among one of the more idyllic places one could find themselves, and today they were living up to that reputation. Animals of all shapes and sizes found peace here, sleeping amidst the grass or drinking alongside one another in the great pond at its centre. But among these was, naturally, a pony. A yellow, pegasus mare, to be precise, with a look of pure joy upon her face as she walked from critter to critter. "That's it, everycreature, drink up. Don't want to go thirsty, now do we?" she said to them gently. Fluttershy was looked at by said animals with the same adoration that a child would upon their own mother, and to one, little animal, a small rabbit, there was an exceptional fondness, as it bolted from the pond's edge straight over to her, hopping up onto her shoulder in an impressive display of acrobatics, much to her delight. "And good morning to you too, Angel."

"I swear, nopony in the land is happier than you when you're out here, Flutters." Fluttershy was briefly caught off-guard by the additional voice, but her surprise soon changed to calm, complete with a smile, as she regarded a fellow pegasus, a pink one this time, as she approached. "You really did good getting this place as your duties. If ever there was a pony that suited it perfectly, it's you."

Fluttershy blushed slightly. "Oh, I wouldn't say that, Pipp."

But the other mare shook her head. "Come on, everypony knows it. Honestly, it would have been weirder if you hadn't been put in charge of the royal gardens."

Looking away from her friend, Fluttershy began to busy herself with a small bag of seeds and nuts, which she gently emptied onto her open hoof before offering it to some small, nearby animals, all of whom began to eat the treats with great enthusiasm. "What can I say? I've just always been happy around animals. And they with me. It truly is an honour to be asked to look after them."

Pipp kept her smile as she regarded her colleague, but then that smile faded slightly as she cleared her throat to gain her attention. "You know...some of the other castle staff and I are going out for the evening. Care to join us?"

Instantly, Fluttershy started to look somewhat nervous, even adjusting her mane so that half of her face was obscured to the other pony. "Oh...um...thank you for offering, but...I'm not really that good in crowds like that."

Pipp nodded, stepping forward and patting her on the shoulder. "I know, but really, you need to get out more, Flutters. It can't be good to just stay around animals all the time. Aside from me you don't really talk to anypony." When she saw Fluttershy open her mouth to speak, she knew exactly what the response was going to be, and so elected to head her off at the pass. "Anypony who isn't family, I mean." That did the trick, as Fluttershy's mouth closed again, and she looked away, down to her own reflection in the pond. After a moment of silence, Pipp sighed, looking down to her own image in the water. "It's okay. If you don't want to, that's fine." After a moment, she chuckled. "Honestly, you might be on to something. There's plenty of ponies I'd rather not mingle with myself."

"Hello there, Pipp," another voice called out to them.

Instantly, Pipp's ears drooped, and she developed a grimace. "Ugh, speak of the devil..." She turned, putting on a false smile for the new arrival. "Blueblood. How nice to see you," she replied through gritted teeth.

The white stallion, flipping his blonde mane, chuckled as he regarded her. "Yes, yes, I know. Always a pleasure to see me. But please, do hold onto your adoration, Miss Pipp. One can't be flirtateous all the time of course."

Pipp really had to hold back the understandable backtalk she was feeling the need to give right now, instead maintaining her forced smile. "So then, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

Blueblood arched an eyebrow. "We?" Seeing Pipp look to him with some incredulity, the stallion's eyes eventually drifted onto Fluttershy, and he took a step back in surprise. "Oh! Apologies, Miss. I didn't see you there!"

Fluttershy, who by this point was content to just get back to feeding the animals, simply shrugged. "It's okay, I have that effect."

Pipp cleared her throat, gaining Blueblood's attention, and he tried to recompose himself before speaking up again. "Ah, yes, of course. Dear Auntie Celestia wished for me to inform you that the Senator has arrived. She will be requiring you and the other attendants shortly."

Though not as unpleasant a piece of news as Blueblood's arrival moments earlier, Pipp still wasn't all that thrilled with hearing this. "I know I don't have to talk to them myself, but even so..."

Here, at the very least, Blueblood seemed to be on the same page as her. "Yes, quite. I've met the Republic's senators a few times myself. Bloated wastrels, the lot of them."

Pipp silently took a moment of amusement over Blueblood, of all people, making such a remark about somepony, but of course said nothing to the effect. Meanwhile, Fluttershy had her interest piqued by the conversation, and so moved over to speak to her friend. "But...isn't it a great honour to meet with such an important pony from the East?"

Both Pipp and Blueblood laughed over that, much to Fluttershy's confusion. "Flutters, I know you're used to having a leader who cares for her people, but trust me when I say those over in the Republic aren't exactly as good at their job as Celestia," Pipp explained.

Blueblood nodded. "Agreed. I've seen a few disinterested nobles here in Canterlot from time to time, but at the very least they do something to warrant their position. The senators? All they do is complain the moment their comfy routine is disrupted." He gestured behind him. "Take our honoured guest today. He's only here to discuss the possibility that trade between our nations might be disrupted because of the bandit troubles his side of things is experiencing."

While both Fluttershy and Pipp were equally enjoying the irony of Blueblood metaphorically ripping into a lazy aristocrat, the former was justifiably worried about what he'd just said. "Goodness! I hope the bandits haven't hurt anypony."

Pipp waved her off. "Don't worry, I hear the Senate put somepony in charge of dealing with the problem. Some unicorn or other. Hear she's doing pretty well at it too."

Blueblood scoffed. "Well, maybe she'd better pick up the pace then. I'm not sure how many more of these visits I can stomach from them." He paused to rub his temples, then stopped, looking like he'd just remembered something important. "Oh, I'd nearly forgotten!" Before her could say anything else, there was a sudden, and very loud squealing of joy from just behind him, catching the two mares off-guard and leaving Blueblood himself rather exasperated. "Ah, yes, there she is."

Fluttershy and Pipp looked behind him, just in time to see, to their surprise, a young Hippogriff female, bright pink in her colouring, leaping out of the doors that led from the palace to the garden. Her eyes were wide with enthusiasm, and she flew or jumped to every conceivable flower or critter that caught her attention, looking like she was about to burst from pure excitement. "Oh...my...goodness! So many wonderful new things! Oh, you ponies must be so happy living in a place like this!"

Confusion gripped the two mares, and after they looked to Blueblood for an explanation, the latter cleared his throat before gesturing to the newcomer. "Pipp, Fluttershy, allow me to introduce Princess Silverstream, niece to Novo, the Queen of the Hippogriffs."

Upon hearing that, both of them got down to one knee, showing due deference to the unexpected royal in their midst. "Oh! Um, welcome to Canterlot, Princess!" Fluttershy spoke nervously.

"It is an honour to have you visit us," Pipp added, far calmer and more experienced in such greetings than her friend was.

As for Silverstream herself, she giggled to this display, stepping forward and looking to the two mares almost like she was embarrassed. "Oh, you don't need to kneel. I'm not really a princess princess. That's my cousin, Skystar's job. So you don't have to do all that fancy stuff with me."

Fluttershy and Pipp glanced to one another, then slowly got back into a standing position, with Pipp being the one to break the silence between them. "So what brings you to Canterlot, Princess?"

Here, Silverstream regained some of her earlier excitement. "It's amazing! Auntie Novo actually got me assigned as a cupbearer for Queen Celestia! Isn't that great?!"

Fluttershy smiled to her. "A position of great honour. You'd be right there with the Queen during all of her most important meetings."

Pipp nodded in agreement. "You'd probably be spending more time with her than anypo...er...anycreature else."

Blueblood added his own voice to the matter. "Our kingdom and the Hippogriffs of Mount Aris have always been close, and those of nobility from one have frequently served in the courts of the other as part of our efforts to maintain good relations."

"You mean like how your father, Lord Fancy, served as an advisor to Queen Novo for a time?" Fluttershy asked.

A look of pride came to Blueblood. "A definite feather in the family's cap, if I do say so myself."

Silverstream looked to him eagerly. "So, when do I start?"

"You'll need proper training of course," Blueblood told her. "One does not spend time in the court of a queen without being taught all the things they need to do, and of course, the things they shouldn't do." He then smiled to Pipp. "As a long-standing courtier, I believe Pipp here would be ideal to take you on."

"Me?!" Pipp responded with due shock.

"Well, it can't be me," Blueblood explained. "I have far too many demands on my time nowadays." He grimaced as he looked to the side. "Especially as Father has seen fit to enlist me in the Guard."

Fluttershy smiled to him. "That's nice. Maybe you'll meet my brother while you're there. He's serving too."

Blueblood scoffed. "As long as he's better company than that fool Zephyr, I'll be happy."

Fluttershy paused for a moment. "Um...sure."

Pipp, now recovered from her earlier shock, put on a smile for Silverstream's benefit. "Princess, I'd be delighted to help you in your training."

Silverstream squealed loudly again, leaping forward and embracing Pipp in a hug, much to the latter's uncertainty. Fluttershy, naturally, smiled to this display of affection, but Blueblood, finally seeing an out for himself, took the opportunity. "Well, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I have other things that require my attention, so if you'll excuse me..."

And with that, he was off, leaving the other three to enjoy the relative silence of the garden without him. Silverstream, for her part, was once more at the task of going around the place and showering all the animals with love and joy in a way that even paled Fluttershy's efforts. And as for the animal-keeper herself, she stepped over to her long-time friend, speaking in that usual, calm way of hers. "Well, it's nice to have somecreature else who appreciates the garden."

Pipp smiled to her. "And hey, if she's going to stay for a bit, maybe this is the perfect opportunity for you to start socialising, like we discussed?"

Fluttershy dwelt on that, glancing over to the visiting princess. "No offense to Silverstream, but with a personality like hers around the palace, I don't think it would be possible for me to avoid socialising."

Moon of the East

Rainbow had learned a long time ago that a few moments of silence really could work wonders on the new recruits. Better to let them sweat a little as you're looking them over, get them thinking they need to keep their heads up and make sure they're paying attention. And today appeared to be proving her stance correct. Clad in her dark blue armour, which glistened nicely in the bright moonlight, the mare paced up and down quietly for a full minute as she looked over the two that had been presented to her. These were no ponies, but a Dragon and a Griffon, both of them young and looking to her patiently to eventually speak to them. After a while, the pegasus was satisfied she'd left the proper impression, and so finally broke the silence. "Alright, cadets. Listen up. Today you start your first day of service to the Lunar Republic, understand?"

"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am!" they both replied together, complete with salute.

Rainbow had to resist the urge to smile at their instant response. Wouldn't want to break the image just yet. "You are no ponies, but your peoples have been serving alongside ours for many generations. Griffons and Dragons have been valued allies and Foederati during all that time and, Harmony willing, will continue to remain such for years to come."

"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am!" the two repeated.

After another moment of quiet, Rainbow stepped forward to the first, the Griffon, looking him right in the eye before addressing him directly. "Name?"

"Gallus, Ma'am!" he answered immediately.

"Grandson of the current Griffonstone council, right?" Rainbow enquired further.

Gallus nodded. "Gruff, Ma'am. It's his hope that my service to the Republic will help strengthen the already-good ties between our nations."

Rainbow sighed. "Kid...he's not here. And I prefer my recruits to be upfront about things."

Discomfort and uncertainty gripped the youth, and after a while his shoulders slumped and he sighed, eventually speaking in a less restrained tone than before. "He's hoping my being here will curry favour with the Senate. Maybe give him enough clout back home to extend his time on the Council."

Rainbow chuckled, giving the lad a quick pat on the shoulder. "Well, do good enough and maybe he'll get his wish." She saw him smile to her, then allowed her eyes to drift over to the Dragon female. She was bright orange in her colouring, yet where her forelimbs should have been were instead a pair of large wings. "And you?"

The other, having clearly gotten the gist of the current mood of the meeting, spoke in a relaxed way right from the start. "Smolder, Centurion."

"And your reasons for being here?" Rainbow asked.

"Simple. I'm a girl who likes action, and I heard there was plenty of it to be had in this line of work," Smolder replied, complete with a somewhat cocky grin.

After a moment, Rainbow smirked to her. "I think I'm gonna like you." She then looked to Gallus. "Both of you, actually." She walked a few steps to the side, making sure she was facing both of them before speaking again. "Well, I've been tasked with making sure you two are fit for service. So once we're done here we're gonna get you to the barracks, make sure you're familiar with where you'll be staying during your training. After that it'll be fittings for armour, followed by introducing you to the rest of your squad."

"Just keep an eye out for them. They love to play pranks on the newbies," a new voice added.

Rainbow kept her smile from earlier, turning to see a white pegasus descending from above. The two approached one another, tapping their hooves together before Rainbow finally spoke to her. "Well now, if it isn't my old squad-mate Zipp. Didn't think I'd see you for a bit."

Zipp chuckled. "Yeah, me neither. But, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. With all the wins under her belt it was only a matter of time before the bandits finally gave up and asked Luna for mercy." Her smile grew. "You should have been there, old friend. Seeing them on their knees, crying and pleading for her to spare them was just a joy."

Rainbow seemed happy with the matter. "Wish I could've seen it. But, hey, somepony had to draw the short straw and stay behind for recruitment training." Then, realising that her cadets were still in earshot, she cast them a glance. "Er, no offense."

Smolder simply shrugged. "Meh, none taken."

"Even I'd have said that," Gallus added.

Rainbow nodded before looking to her fellow soldier. "So, where is our Dictator? Getting ready for a Triumph, I bet?"

Here, Zipp shook her head. "No, actually. Normally she would but instead she said she needed to head to the Senate to talk to them about something." She glanced to the side, looking out to the distance in the general direction of where the aforementioned governing body could usually be found. "She seemed...pretty serious the whole march back. I mean, she usually is, but this time..."

By contrast, Rainbow was unconcerned, walking over to the other mare and patting her on the shoulder. "Meh, don't worry about it. She's probably just tired from the whole thing and wants to tell the Senate the jobs done so she can go home." A dry chortle escaped her. "I mean, this is, what, the tenth time they've asked her to step forward and defend the nation? Heck, I'd probably be sick of the routine myself in her shoes."

Slowly, Zipp regained her smile. "Yeah, you're probably right." Much like Rainbow, she too let out a brief laugh. "You and I have fought with her plenty of times before. Harmony knows how tired we'd be if we were actually responsible for the whole thing."

Rainbow turned from her, looking to her two cadets, who had been waiting patiently for the friends to finish their reunion. "Well then, recruits. Looks like it's your lucky day. You now get two awesome troops to learn from." She would have likely wanted to speak further to them, especially since they were both looking eager to carry on with their induction and tour around the grounds. However, it was at that point that the attention of all of them was drawn elsewhere, to the direction of where Zipp had been staring less than a minute ago. It was the loud ringing of bells, and mixed in with that was the unmistakable clamour of cheering from dozens, if not hundreds of other ponies off in the distance. Naturally, not being there at the source led to some confusion for the four of them, which Rainbow was sure to voice. "Um...is there some celebration we weren't invited to?"

"I...don't think so," Zipp added warily.

"It is no celebration, Centurion, but it is a momentous occasion," a new voice chimed in.

All eyes turned, and there before them was a white unicorn mare, elegantly dressed with her mane tied up into a bun. Her expression was stern, though she smiled once she was close to Rainbow. The latter, however, was more than a little uncertain about her being here. "Senator Rarity? What's going on?"

The other mare, taking a moment to look to the four before her, composed herself before finally explaining herself. "I will, of course, be speaking to many other officials in due course, but given our long friendship I felt it was necessary to come to you first." A remark like that naturally made Rainbow uneasy, but Rarity continued regardless. "As of today, the Senate will no longer be the ruling body of our nation."

"What?!" Zipp responded immediately.

"Why?!" Rainbow added.

Rarity, less frantic in her tone, continued. "Today, our victorious hero, Luna, has declared her intent to maintain the role of Dictator. She will not be returning power to the Senate, and she has taken a position as the leader of our people...for life."

There was utter silence after the declaration, during which both Rainbow and Zipp looked in the direction of the Senate building, where the sounds of cheers were continuing to be heard. All of a sudden, the puzzle pieces were falling into place on that count, and after glancing to one another to share their mutual shock, Rainbow looked over to her recruits. "Um...I think that'll be all for now, cadets. Zipp will escort you to the barracks. I'll be with you when I can." Zipp, recognising the need for a private conversation when she saw one, nodded silently to her friend before gesturing to the two kids. Dutifully, the latter saluted their superior before following the pegasus mare, and once Rainbow was certain that they were all out of earshot, she turned to Rarity, her face still stunned by the recent news. "Has she lost her mind?! Taking over?! She's just upended a thousand years of Republic tradition!"

Rarity nodded solemnly. "Quite. And believe you me, the mood was not happy in the Senate chambers when she declared her intent." She looked over her shoulder. "However, I would like to remind you that Luna is a many-times war hero with immense popularity with the common people and the full support and loyalty of the military. By contrast, the Senate has had nothing but disdain from the public because of their long history of corruption and lack of interest in general governance. When the Senate called for her to be arrested, nopony stepped forward to carry out that order." Looking back to Rainbow, Rarity shrugged. "So then, welcome to the start of a new age for our nation, Centurion."

Slowly, Rainbow's eyes narrowed. "You're...taking this very well for somepony who just lost her job."

To that, Rarity smirked. "Au contraire, my friend. My standing is quite secure, I assure you." She then placed her hoof to her own chest. "As one of the few senators who actually did their job, Luna has granted me and a select few of the others for new positions. You, dear Rainbow, are now looking at our esteemed Dictator's chief advisor, as well as the new foremost ambassador, representing our people to the rest of the world."

Rainbow blinked. "...Wow."

"Wow indeed," Rarity concurred. "A place of honour, if I do say so myself. A shock, to be sure, but one I very much intend to embrace and make the most of." She looked to the side. "Luna was always a sensible mare, and today she certainly proved it." Seeing Rainbow arch an eyebrow, she clarified. "Not to toot my own horn, you understand."

Here, Rainbow shared her earlier smirk. "Sure, sure." Looking off into the distance, the centurion was thoughtful for a long while before breaking the silence between them. "Yeesh, what a day."

"To put it mildly," Rarity agreed.

"We'll need to tell our families," Rainbow continued.

Rarity nodded. "Agreed. Sweetie Belle will be eager to ask me all sorts of questions about my new position, and of course our family has just been given more prominence than ever before. It'll be an adjustment, but I'm sure we'll manage."

After a while though, Rainbow frowned. "The other nations won't like this. The Senate wasn't popular, by any stretch, but to just have them replaced like this is gonna send ripples."

Rarity looked to her. "For some, it'll seem more like tidal waves. I can only imagine the storm I'll be walking into when I go out to inform them all."

"You're already heading out?" Rainbow asked.

A nod from Rarity. "We can't delay. Better they hear it from us than somepony else. I'll be packing my things after informing the other city officials. With luck it won't be too long a trip."

Rainbow nodded, then took on a more curious look. "Hey...what's gonna happen to the other senators? You know, the bad ones?"

In response, Rarity regained her smirk. "Oh, you'll met them soon enough. Luna decided it was high time they provided real service to the state, so they'll be sent down to the barracks to be incorporated into the Legion."

After letting that information sink in, Rainbow slowly grew into a mischievous expression. "They think today was bad for them? Just wait until they get to my training regimen!"

Heart of the North

Of all the things Cadance did in her day that brought her joy, nothing compared with being with her young daughter while she was at play. A warm, motherly smile was upon the pegasus mare's face as she watched her beloved Flurry, who was currently using her newly-awakened magical skill to levitate some lettered wooden blocks off the floor, much to her delight. The infant squealed with joy over moving them about at will, and though Cadance was always sure to keep an eye on them to make sure they didn't fall on her, she was nevertheless always willing to give a word of encouragement about it. "Very good, Flurry. You're getting better and better at it."

The little filly smiled to her parent before resuming her playtime, and before long Cadance's attention was drawn to a pair of youths beside her who had been standing at attention for some time now. "She's coming along very well with her skill, Priestess," the first declared.

Cadance looked to her, a young, female Changeling, predominantly blue in her colouring, who looked both happy and quite nervous to be present right now. Her fellow, a Yak, who was naturally much larger, maintained a far more confident smile about her. Cadance, showing her appreciation for the kind words, gave a quick nod. "Her teacher may be new to giving lessons to one as young as her, but it's clear that he's performing ably."

"No need worry," the young Yak declared. "Sunburst is best teacher!" she said with that same, wide smile.

While the Changeling looked to her colleague with horror at having spoken so boisterously, Cadance merely giggled. "High praise indeed," she said. "I'll be sure to let him know how well regarded he is." Then, before anycreature else could say a word, there was a sound of the door of the chambers opening to the side, and all eyes turned to see a white unicorn stallion, clad in distinct, purple armour, entering. He greeted the two acolytes with a nod, but his gaze soon fell upon Cadance. One look between them was all it took for her to understand that this was no social visit, and so she looked to the other two with a smile that all could have seen was merely for show. "Thank you for your attendance. Now, if you would be so kind as to escort my daughter back to her room please? I have matters to discuss with our head Paladin."

And just like that, the two got the message. They bowed to her, and within moments they were upon Flurry, the Changeling carrying her gently while the Yak took care of her blocks, taking them along in case she wanted to play with them further. The adults of the room watched them go, and once they were outside, with the stallion having given a genuine smile and a pat on the head to Flurry on her way out, the door was closed. Now alone, there was a moment of silence between them, and though they both knew that difficult things were going to be talked about, they were at least willing to allow themselves a moment of tenderness. They approached one another, the stallion removing his helmet before embracing her lovingly. She returned his hold, and only a second later they kissed, the intimate encounter lasting at least a few seconds before they parted. "I swear, every moment I spend away from you makes me feel so much less than I am," he said to her softly.

Cadance smirked slightly. "Flattery won't get a stallion anywhere in life, my love...but it certainly doesn't hurt." They shared a laugh, but the mood turned serious again as Cadance looked her husband in the eye. "I take it this is about our recent visitor, Shining?"

He nodded grimly to her. "Everywhere I go today it's all I've been hearing about. This is a sea change, Cadance."

Cadance sighed, moving away from him and looking out of her window to the shining, crystalline city they lived in. "It was a shock to me too, make no mistake. Nopony assumed anything would change out East, and now, all of a sudden, we have a new player on the board."

"And a dangerous one, from what I've heard. Say what you will about the Senate, but we knew how to handle them if need be. This Luna person is a total unknown to us, aside from all the battles she's apparently won."

His wife turned to look to him once more. "Their new ambassador was certainly a charming sort. A welcome change of pace from the entitled, old stallions we usually get sent by them." She glanced to the side. "She assures us that this change of leadership is not meant to signify any kind of hostile intent to their neighbours."

Shining narrowed his eyes slightly. "Did you believe her?"

Cadance considered that for a time before answering. "I believe that she believes it. Whether it's the genuine intent of her new leader has yet to be seen. Time will tell."

Shining was clearly uncomfortable with the matter, and he soon found himself walking over to the same window Cadance was standing by, looking out to the far horizon. "And the High Priestess? Is it her position too that we sit and wait?"

"Mother will always choose patience and caution, Shining, you know that," Cadance answered.

Shining impatiently tapped his hoof against the windowsill. "Our daughter has only just come into this world, my love. And now, we get news like this." Slowly, he hung his head. "I don't want her to grow up in a time of strife between our nations."

Cadance watched him closely, seeing the understandable fear and worry he carried. An so, putting on another gentle smile, she placed her hoof under his chin, lifting his face to look at hers. "And she won't. Our peoples have lived alongside each other for countless generations. Things have always been tense, but never bad. And there's no reason to assume this change will bring that calm to a close."

Shining stared into his wife's eyes for a long time, before finally smiling to her. "How are you always able to say exactly the right thing to make people feel better?"

To that, Cadance shrugged. "When one is raised in the faith of love, Shining, it tends to come with the territory." As before, the two embraced, each enjoying the warmth of the other for a solid minute before moving away again. "I cannot say what will come of this, but whatever happens, we will do what we can."

Shining nodded to her. "I'm sure your mother is feeling more weight about this than I do."

Cadance chuckled. "Mother always takes the stresses of her people upon herself. But she always copes. Now..." She began to move away, to the door of the chambers. "I believe we need to see to other matters. Our domain has more visitors than simply an ambassador today."

Shining couldn't help but widen his smile. "You mean...?"

A nod from Cadance. "Indeed. Word reached me that they arrived in our country a short while ago. I'm sure there'll be cheers in the streets once the two start playing."

"Strange. They usually only arrive during the annual festival," Shining mused.

Once Cadance left her chamber, with Shining close behind, she added her thoughts to the matter. "I would wager a guess and say that they caught wind of our little bundle of joy and wish to see her."

"Ah," Shining said out loud, understanding his wife's point. "Makes sense. They always did have an affinity for the young." He glanced to the side as they continued walking together. "Speaking of which, I'm assuming that, since you let them go with Flurry, that you're satisfied with your new acolytes?"

Cadence gave another smile to him as she replied. "Indeed. Yona and Ocellus are sweethearts, both of them. Ocellus was a bit more nervous about meeting me, but in time I'm sure they'll both be fine members of our clergy."

Shining nodded firmly. "We've always found good-hearted folk among the Yaks and Changelings in the past, so it's nice to know our close friendship with them is as strong now."

Cadance then raised an eyebrow to her partner. "And word on the street is that you yourself have a young charge of your own?"

A dry chuckle escaped the stallion. "Yeah, Sentry. He's got the right stuff, but the kid's a bit of a stiff. I swear, he'd stand there, saluting and never moving a muscle for an entire day if you didn't tell him 'at ease' at some point."

Cadance leaned over, placing her head upon his shoulder. "Sounds an awful lot like another eager-to-please stallion I once knew."

Though he was loathe to admit it, he eventually relented with a sigh. "Okay, sure, maybe he is a touch like me in my early days. I guess he'll grow into the role of paladin sooner or later, once he mellows out a bit."

This time, it was Cadance's turn to sigh. "Mellowing out seems to be difficult for all right now. There's always something coming up to keep everypony's mind on the bad in life. Always distracting them from the good that's all around them."

Shining, in spite of his wife's rather grim words, smiled. "Truly, you are a priestess of love. Always looking to the positive."

Cadance returned the smile. "I suppose it's easy for me, with so much good in my life."

They stopped their walk, turning to one another before leaning closer and enjoying another kiss. When they parted, Shining smirked slightly. "Not that I don't have a lot of good in my life of course."

"Naturally," Cadance replied with a smirk.

But then, before another word escaped either of them, their ears perked up to the sound of music in he air. A smile came to them both, and they moved to the nearest window. The sight of their city beyond, glistening as always, was the same pleasant sight as usual, but what really drew their attention was the source of the aforementioned music. A pair of mares, an earth pony and a unicorn, the former bright pink while the latter was of a purple colouring. "Well, Cadance," Shining began. "If you wanted folk to be happier, I'd say our nation certainly has an advantage right now."

Cadance nodded in agreement with her husband, but otherwise remained silent, for the next voice was that of the pink mare down below who, after strumming the strings of the lute she'd been carrying, made a great declaration to the gathering crowds around her. "Gooooooooood morning to you, Crystal City! It's been a while, but the musical stylings of the Bard Sisters are here to delight your ears once again!"

The other, the unicorn, smiled widely to her sibling, strumming her own instrument before stepping forward and speaking up to the now very-excited collection of ponies before them. "Yes, you heard right! Pinkie Pie and Izzy Moonbow have returned! And we're here to delight your senses, lighten your hearts and bring a smile to each and every one of you!"

Pinkie giggled, leaning over to Izzy and speaking to her. "Hey, look at that! Looks like we're already doing that!" she said, pointing to several happy children in the crowd.

There was laughter all around, but after another few notes from Izzy she stepped forward again to speak up to them all. "And now, before anything else, we have an important quest to undertake!"

Pinkie nodded. "Indeed! Rumour has it there's a new, adorable, little filly here in the city, and we vowed to not rest until we'd introduced ourselves and played for her the most uplifting music she'd ever heard!"

Izzy mused on that for a moment. "Which, given that she's still a baby probably isn't that hard to do, but still..."

From up on the balcony, Cadance gave Shining a sly look, and the latter, after rolling his eyes and sighing, eventually turned to look to her with a smile. "Okay, okay, looks like you were right."

After a giggle, the priestess began to lead her husband down the hallway once more. "Well then, let's give our guests a good welcome."

Spike's Lesson

As was often the case for the classroom of Ponyville Elementary, the early morning was abuzz with the excited chatter of the children as they made their way and to their desks. All manner of talk occurred between them, mostly about what they might be taught today. Cheerilee, who had been here for some time and was looking over a few papers, smiled as she saw such enthusiasm for learning among her students. But, once everypony was here, she got up and headed over to the nearby chalkboard, taking a small piece of said chalk and tapping it against the surface. Instantly, the students heard it, and so calmed down, looking to her eagerly to await her words. Taking a moment to look over the assembled students to make sure everypony was here, Cheerilee nodded to herself before finally breaking the silence. "Alright, class. Good morning."

"Good morning, Miss Cheerilee," the students dutifully replied together.

Turning to the board, Cheerilee began writing upon it. "Now, we've discussed a number of the neighbouring peoples that have been known to ponykind in past sessions, but today, we will be learning..." She paused, having finished writing a single word upon the board, which she now gestured to. "...about dragons." Naturally, a topic such as that caused even further excitement among the children, many of whom now looked wide-eyed to one another. Looking to the side, Cheerilee looked to the door of the classroom, which hadn't been closed since the kids arrived. "And to help with this particular topic, I decided that it might be worth inviting Ponyville's very own resident dragon to the discussion."

As if on cue, which it probably was, Spike soon poked his head into the doorway, smiling to the students before entering in earnest. "Hey, kids."

"Hi, Spike," several of them all said together.

Cheerilee, giving a nod of greeting to the visitor, stepped back slightly so as to give him her spot in front of the chalk board. "Alright then, if you would be so kind as to begin, Mr Spike?"

"Just Spike thanks," Spike clarified. Clapping his claws together and rubbing them, he looked to the students. "Okay. So, where to begin?" Then, he snapped his fingers. "Well, let's start with the basics." He turned, reaching up and pulling down the scrolled-up map that was hanging above the board, after which he pointed to the right-hand side of the image. "So, we dragons, as you probably all know, come from this land right here, far to the east of the Everfree Glades." After tapping the spot, he looked to the kids again. "Dragons are pretty nomadic by nature, so while we do have a homeland, you won't be surprised to find one or more of our number walking or flying around many other parts of the continent." After he'd said that, one filly, whom Spike recognised as Applejack's sister, stretched out her hoof, obviously wanting to ask something. "Yes, Apple Bloom?"

The filly, happy that she'd been allowed to speak, got up from her desk and spoke, with all others watching her. "Is it true y'all have a Dragon King over there? With a big scepter an' everythin'?"

Spike chuckled slightly. "Dragon Lord, actually. But it's not really the same arrangement as the leaders of other peoples. The title of Lord pretty much just goes to the toughest dragon around. The one who all agree you shouldn't mess with. They can give orders, sure, but for the most part they're usually fine in letting dragons roam about and mind their own business." He looked again to the map. "Right now the title is held by a sky dragoness named Ember, and we don't really know that much about her."

Apple Bloom looked to him with her head tilted to the side slightly. "Sky dragoness?"

Hearing her, Spike snapped his fingers. "Ah! Right! Sorry, should've mentioned that already!" Reaching down, he pulled on the cord at the bottom of the map, allowing it to retract back upwards, after which he grabbed some chalk and started drawing something upon the board. "Much like how there's four different types of ponies, we dragons are also divided into a few categories." He stepped aside, revealing that what he'd been drawing was, in fact, a crude image of himself, to which he now pointed. "First of all, you have the earth dragons, such as yours truly," he explained, pointing to himself for emphasis. After that, he got back to the drawing, rubbing away his forelimbs and instead scribbling in a distinct pair of wings in their place. "After that, we have the sky dragons, the ones who, you guessed it, have the ability to fly." Satisfied with how the kids were paying attention, he again got back to the picture, rubbing away the wings and even the hind legs, and replacing them with a pair of webbed forelimbs and a long tail respectively. "Lastly, we have the sea dragons, who live deep beneath the waters." He mused on that for a while as he put the chalk back. "But they're pretty reclusive compared to the rest, so chances are you're only ever gonna see the first two types, unless, you know, you feel the need to head out to the Great Sea one day."

Another young filly, one wearing purple glasses and sporting a curly, red mane, and who happened to be sitting right next to Apple Bloom, raised her hoof, and once Spike gave her a nod, she stood up and spoke, albeit with something of a lisp. "Do the sea dragons spend time with the sea ponies, since they all live in the same place?"

To that, Spike shrugged. "I wish I could tell you. Truth is, you know as much about that whole deal as I do. Sure, they live in the same area as your underwater kin, but really only the Hippogriffs of Mount Aris could tell you whether the sea ponies have anything to do with my guys down there."

The filly nodded, sitting herself back down, and in the moments that followed, another filly, one bright pink and wearing what appeared to be a tiara, stood and spoke without waiting for permission first. "No offense, Mr Spike..."

"Just Spike thanks," Spike said again for the second time, and this time with slight annoyance in his voice.

The filly, ignoring him, continued. "It's just...this is all interesting and all, but when are we gonna get to the good stuff?"

"Good stuff?" Spike reasonably asked.

The filly nodded. "Yeah! You know, about how dragons can grow a hundred feet tall, breathe fire and swoop in to terrorise pony villages and all that?"

Spike had known it was coming, but even so just hearing it was all it took to cause him to groan with exasperation. "Okay...I know a lot of you have probably heard a hundred stories of monstrous dragons in books or from your grandparents, so let me set the record straight here." He cleared his throat. "We don't eat ponies. We don't grow to the size of giants. And we don't, I repeat, we don't...breathe fire."

There was a noticeable murmur of disappointment among the colts and fillies, culminating in that same filly from before looking to Spike with incredulity. "...What?!"

Folding his arms, Spike nodded firmly. "Sorry to burst whatever fantasies you had, kids, but it's the truth." He shrugged. "My guess? Some pony way back in ye olden times had a chip on his shoulder about my kind and so started telling stories about them in the most demonic, unflattering way possible. Then others followed their example and so on until we get to today, where clearly the idea of one of my number not being absolute terrors is a shock to you." He chuckled dryly. "What you're looking at here..." He gestured to himself. "This is about as big as any dragon is going to get, give or take."

All of the students' ears drooped at the news, and the pink filly who'd been speaking slumped back into her chair to pout over having her notions of dragons undermined. Meanwhile, a silver-coloured filly, who'd been sitting next to the former, looked to Spike and raised her hoof. After Spike nodded to her, she spoke. "So...dragons have never been bigger?"

Here, Spike fumbled a bit. "Well...I wouldn't say never exactly..." Instantly, the kids looked to him, enraptured once more. And Spike, of course, did his best to explain. "Looks, maybe back through the generations one or two of us might have grown pretty big. But that was way back. Aside from that, the worst you'd get is inside our own myths about us." As soon as he'd said that, he saw the inevitable. The curiosity of the children, reinvigorated to their earlier hights, eager to hear more. Alas, Spike wasn't about to give them what they wanted. "Sorry, kids. But my being here was to teach you about real dragon facts. Not stories."

Here though, Cheerilee giggled. "Oh come now, Spike. I'm sure a story won't go amiss. It might be fun."

"Especially since it's such a good one!" another voice declared.

Spike's head snapped to the side, and he saw, to his surprise, that it was none other than his four closest friends in the classroom doorway, with Twilight standing ahead of them, having been the one to speak. "Wha...what are you four doing here?!"

Twilight snorted. "What? You didn't really think we'd miss out on your first teaching session, did you?" she answered with at least a little bit of mischief.

"Don't worry about being too serious, Spike," Sunny added. "It'll really brighten up the kids' days."

"And besides, it's always of value to one's education to be given an insight into the cultures of others," Moondancer proposed.

"So go ahead, Spike. Spin em a good yarn," Applejack finished.

Spike sighed, glancing to all the faces looking to him right now, knowing he wasn't going to get out of this. So, after taking a breath and clearing his throat, he finally relented, stepping forward and speaking in the tone of voice one always reserved for storytelling. "Long, long ago, when the world was young, the earth itself brought forth a beast that would strike terror into all who saw it." He took on a more ominous look for emphasis. "Tiamat, the first dragon. The horror of the world! In time, that first dragon sired three sons, who in turn would be the first of the three dragon races. Their names remain unknown to this day, and so are remembered only for the effect they had on the world around them." Stretching out his claw, he gestured to nocreature in particular. "Tremor, Tsunami and Typhoon." After a pause, he looked to the kids. "Imagine it. Wings so vast they could blot out the sky from horizon to horizon. Size so great that every step could shake mountain ranges." Another moment of silence before he continued. "Other generations came...grew smaller...until we became what you see now. What happened to the Old Ones?" He shrugged. "Nocreature knows." His eyes narrowed. "And perhaps...it is best if we never find out."

There was a deafening quiet across the classroom from child and adult alike, and only after a solid minute of letting that story sink in did anypony start to look at each other. Spike, naturally, was satisfied that his story had done the trick, though he was surprised to find Apple Bloom raising her hoof again. "So...yer people's story is kinda like our story about Harmony? One really important person havin' three important kids an' bein' a role model an' such?"

Spike smiled to her. "You're not wrong. In fact, as Moondancer over there has told me..." he began, pointing to the mare in question. "There's been a lot of debate over the years about the similarity between the two stories."

The kids looked to Moondancer, who nodded with a smile to confirm what Spike had said, leading to them all turning their attention back to him. "So...what did they decide?" Apple Bloom asked.

To that, Spike simply gave another shrug. "That's it's just a coincidence. Don't worry about it."

Once again, disappointment was on the faces of the kids, and Cheerilee, who had been equally as engaged with the story, exhaled deeply. "Well then...I'd say that certainly qualifies as a memorable class."

The Gentle Queen

Ask anypony who knew her and they would tell you that Fluttershy was one of the most easily-worried ponies you could meet. And sadly, that general feeling about her was proving quite true today, as even walking alongside her friend Pipp wasn't doing much to calm her nerves. All along their journey through the grand hallways of the palace, she was breathing heavily, and beads of sweat were pouring down her brow. By contrast, Pipp was the very model of calm and composed, trotting along these halls as she had done a thousand times before. However, in spite of her own cool demeanour, she could recognise her companion's worries, and so smiled to her, patting her on the shoulder as they walked together. "Relax, Flutters. Everything will be fine."

"Fine?!" Fluttershy responded, clearly not believing her. "Things will most definitely not be fine, Pipp! I've been asked to see Queen Celestia herself!" Her breathing became heavier after saying that. "What...what if I did something wrong?! What if she wants to kick me out of the palace for some offense while I was working?!"

Pipp giggled. "She won't, trust me! She just wants a talk. It's just something she does. She's not some absent ruler who'll pay no mind to those who serve her. The Queen wants to get to know everypony who lives and works here in the palace." She glanced up to the ceiling as she started mentally recounting the ponies in question. "Let's see...there was the cook last week, one of the door guards the week before that, oh, and there was also the time we had one of the royal librarians in for some chat..."

But in spite of her friend's efforts to calm her, Fluttershy was still allowing herself to become a nervous wreck in all this. "But...but...what do I say?!"

As before, Pipp remained calm in her tone as she spoke. "Don't think of it as you being invited to the leader of our nation. Think of it as...as like when you and me have tea in the afternoons."

Fluttershy shook her head frantically. "But this is totally different! I... can't!"

Pipp saw her spin in place, clearly getting ready to bolt and run as far away as possible. Fortunately, the pink pegasus was swift enough to take hold of her, preventing her from doing so. "Fluttershy! Look at me!" After a moment, Fluttershy did so, allowing Pipp to continue. "Do you trust me?" Another pause, then Fluttershy nodded slowly. "Good. Then just breathe." A while passed before Fluttershy did as her friend had asked, taking in deep breaths before exhaling. Over and over she did this, and with each breath her nerves seemed to diminish, much to Pipp's relief. "Now...I'm going in with you. You won't be alone. I am not afraid to be with Celestia, yes?" Fluttershy nodded, so Pipp asked again. "So there's no reason to be afraid, yes?" Another nod from her friend. "Then there's no reason for you to be afraid, yes?"

"I...no, there isn't," Fluttershy eventually relented.

Pipp smiled to her. "Good. Now..." She turned, putting Fluttershy's hoof into her own as they resumed their walk. "We'll go in together, and if your nerves flare up again, just remember what I said, okay?"

Fluttershy took in another deep breath before nodding. "I...I will."

And so, they carried on quietly for a time, but soon they reached their destination. A large, ornate door, looking almost golden in the light of the sun that was pouring in from a window on the other side. Fluttershy gulped, but a pat on her hoof from Pipp calmed her again. And speaking of whom, the latter looked to one of the two guards stationed on either side of the door, speaking up more firmly. "We are here at the Queen's request."

The guard nodded, turning to reach for the knob of the door. Opening it, he gave a bow of his head to both Pipp and Fluttershy, stepping aside so as to allow them entry. Pipp smiled back to him, and as ever guided Fluttershy in with her. As for the latter, she resorted to her usual habit of hiding the majority of her face behind her long, pink hair, leaving behind a single gap so as to look out. The scene before her was a cosy one, it had to be said. Comfortable furniture and bookcases all illuminated by a modest-looking fire, which naturally provided a great deal of warmth to the room. But as nice as all this was, Fluttershy froze when she finally saw the one they were here for. Queen Celestia, their leader. Now, as a member of the palace staff, Fluttershy had seen her from afar plenty of times, but to do so up close was another thing entirely. The tall, white earth pony, sitting quietly on her large, royal cushion, bore a long, pink mane, not dissimilar from Fluttershy's, and she casually sipped some tea while glancing down to an open book at her hooves. But it was only a moment later when the monarch looked up to them, smiling gently. "Welcome."

Stepping forward, Pipp gave a bow. "My Queen. A pleasure to see you again."

"As it is to see you, Pipp," Celestia replied with the tones one would hear in a caring mother. Then, her eyes drifted over to Pipp's companion. "And you must be Miss Fluttershy, yes? Apologies for not speaking to you sooner."

Fluttershy stood there like a statue for a time, and while Pipp didn't say anything to her, she did cast a glance in her direction. Celestia, for her part, allowed the younger mare all the time she needed to get her words out. Thankfully, that time eventually came, and after another deep breath, Fluttershy mimicked her friend's motions, stepping forward and bowing. "Qu...Queen Celestia. I am honoured to...to meet you."

Celestia could tell a nervous type when she saw one, and so gestured to some chairs close by to her. "Please, join me." Pipp took her at her offer immediately, but Fluttershy, unsurprisingly, was a touch more hesitant. But, given how relaxed her friend was being in all this, the gardener eventually found herself following the example, getting herself as comfortable as she could be under the circumstances. Looking to the side, Fluttershy saw Pipp silently gesturing to her, nudging her head in Celestia's direction. It took no time for her to figure out that she was suggesting that she talk to her, and after a while of wracking her brain for something to say, she finally got her words out. "Um...what was it you would like to talk about?"

Setting her book aside, Celestia looked away from Fluttershy, to the fire. "Well, I would firstly like to thank you for providing such excellent care to my gardens in recent years. Every time I go there I am astonished at how well-kept it is. To say nothing of how happy the animals are there."

Pipp smiled, knowing that the mention of critters would get Fluttershy to become more engaged. And sure enough, the once-fearful pegasus was starting to look more enthused all of a sudden. "Oh! Yes, they are such wonderful creatures to spend my day with. I honestly couldn't think of anything else I'd rather do with my life."

Celestia nodded to her. "It is a fine thing, to live the life that suits you best. Not many can claim that." Again, she looked to the fire. "When I was young, I couldn't imagine being where I am now. As heir, every day was a reminder that, eventually, I would reign over a nation." She looked to Fluttershy slyly. "I assure you, Miss Fluttershy, whatever concerns you had about meeting me here today would have paled in comparison to the concerns I felt in those early years of mine."

Fluttershy blushed, considering that scenario herself. Having to stand before thousands who would look to you as their leader and example. Even in that imagined situation, she found her breathing strained once more, but a few moments to calm herself did the trick yet again. "I...I suppose so," she conceded.

Raising her cup to her lips, Celestia took another sip. "You know, I had the pleasure of being present for your brother's initiation into the Guard."

To that, Fluttershy's ears drooped, and she immediately facehoofed. "Oh no! What did he do?!"

A brief chuckle from the monarch. "Oh no, there was no issue. He did all the things one needed to do during the initiation. He looked the part, kept quiet, though in the latter case it seemed like there was a lot he really wanted to say."

Fluttershy sighed. "Yes. He'd told me the day before that he had...suggestions for the Guard. But I told him he needed to keep them to himself and be on his best behaviour. It...it wouldn't be best to discuss them in polite company."

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Fluttershy nodded. "Let's just say...he had certain opinions on separate changing rooms for mares and stallions."

Understanding dawned for Celestia. "Ah, understood." After another moment of calm, the older mare offered a cup to her guest. "Tea?"

Fluttershy, having settled from her earlier worries, smiled and accepted the offered drink. "Yes, thank you." After taking a sip of it, she again looked to her leader. "I'm surprised you were there for his initiation at all. I'd have thought you'd have been far too busy with other matters. Laws and governing and...well...queen things."

Looking down to her tea, Celestia shook her head. "Contrary to popular opinion, I actually don't involve myself in the day-to-day business of ruling all that much."

Before she took her second sip of tea, Flutterhsy looked up from the drink to show her surprise at her queen's words. "Oh? Really?"

Celestia nodded slightly. "My Mother, may she rest in peace, was quite the opposite. Always had to have a hoof in every aspect of the nation, never allowing those under her command to do their work in peace. A notorious micromanager." A long sigh came from her. "I miss her...but I swore back then that I would not look over everypony's shoulders when the role eventually fell to me." She smiled to the two pegasi before her. "I often find that, if you allow people the space they need, things generally work themselves out. No need to watch them like a hawk."

In spite of how terrified she'd been to be here, Fluttershy actually found herself giggling over that remark. "You know...I'd probably act the same in your position."

Smiling wider, Celestia raised her cup to her. "On that, Miss Fluttershy, I have no doubts."

And so, in stark contrast to what Fluttershy had once assumed she'd be doing in the event of meeting her queen, she actually found herself clinking her cup against the latter's in a moment of mutual understanding, much to Pipp's enjoyment. "See, Flutters?" she asked, nudging her friend slightly. "I told you this meeting wasn't anything to worry about, right?"

While Fluttershy herself looked to Pipp jovially, Celestia, at that very moment, took on a more concerned expression. "Actually, Miss Pipp...I did have an ulterior motive for asking you here."

Pipp looked to her, not concerned but curious. "Oh?" She saw Celestia nod in response, before then reaching down to the side and picking up what appeared to be a recently-opened piece of parchment. After a moment of hesitation, the older mare offered it to her, and once Pipp had accepted it she opened it fully and began reading the information within. Fluttershy watched her, trying to read her expression, and after a minute of silent reading the pink pegasus' eyes widen. Slowly, and after setting the parchment down, she looked her leader right in the eye. "...I see."

Another nod from Celestia. "Indeed. It would appear that our new friend out east has decided to make her mark on the world in a rather unexpected way."

Pipp looked to the parchment again, sighing as she did so, before turning to look at Fluttershy. "So...remember when I said you didn't need to worry about anything?" Fluttershy paused, but slowly nodded, perhaps already sensing that some bad news was about to drop. "Well...seems there might be something for me to worry about."

The Brave Dictator

Rainbow had never been comfortable with long and awkward silences, and today was putting her through exactly that. Standing at attention next to her friend, Zipp, the cyan pegasus looked on with unease at her leader. Luna, newly declared Dictator for Life, was sitting behind her desk, in her chambers atop one of the tallest towers in the city, with a window behind her overlooking all the rest of their beloved capital, and even beyond. The older mare, a dark blue unicorn clad in armour not dissimilar from Rainbow and Zipp, was currently not paying attention to either of them, but instead to a veritable mountain of paperwork that littered her aforementioned desk. Though the contents of the papers was unknown to her, Rainbow could nevertheless make out the insignia of the now-deposed Senate. So clearly this was both official and important. After a while, and after struggling considerably to avoid even glancing in her fellow pegasi's direction, Rainbow's patience was rewarded when Luna, after letting out a deep sigh, set aside her current papers to finally look to them both. "Apologies for making you wait. As you can probably tell, I've had a lot to deal with in recent days."

Both of the other mares instinctively saluted, with Rainbow being the one to speak, finally feeling comfortable enough to crack a smile as she did so. "No apology needed, Ma'am! We know you've got a lot on your plate right now."

"To put it mildly," Zipp added, gesturing to the papers.

Luna chuckled, but it was a laugh without any real sense of humour behind it. "I won't argue with that." She reached over, picking up another of the papers. "I knew a lot of the senators had been lacking in their duties and responsibilities in recent years, but it was only after I got a hold of all this that I understood just how bad the situation really was." She frowned at what she was reading, then looked up to her two soldiers. "You know the public money given to them that's supposed to go towards things like, say, keeping the aqueducts clean and maintained so that the people can have good drinking water?" After seeing the two nervously looked to one another, then quietly nod to her, Luna held the paper up in front of them. "It instead went to things like throwing banquets for them and their extended families! Those aqueducts haven't been cleaned for a year!"

After blinking a couple of times, Rainbow looked over to Zipp. "Huh, I thought water tasted a bit weird lately."

Zipp, for her part, did her best to ignore that, instead stepping forward to address her leader. "Permission to speak freely, Ma'am?"

Luna nodded. "Granted."

After a moment to take a breath, Zipp finally asked what was on her mind. "Ma'am...what you've done has been a real shock for everypony, even those who weren't all that fond of the Senate. I mean no offense, but you taking on this role so directly is...well...controversial."

Rainbow winced, perhaps fully expecting Luna to take Umbridge at such a statement. Instead, the older mare simply nodded, getting up from her desk and speaking in a far calmer tone than predicted. "You are not wrong, Centurion. In truth, I thought long and hard about this for many a time." After a pause, she turned, looking out of her window to the city. Her eyes drifted over the flickering lights of candles from the windows of the many homes below, taking on a contemplative expression before finally speaking up again. "Do you know what it is I did when I wasn't being called to action in a time of crisis?"

Rainbow scratched the back of her head briefly. "Well...no, actually. There was a lot of rumours, but I kinda just figured you went out to just, you know...drill? Every day?" She saw Zipp arch an eyebrow to her, and after mulling over her own words for a bit she cleared her throat nervously. "Which...yeah, now that I say it out loud doesn't really sound...right."

Luna smiled for a moment before turning to look to them more seriously. "I was a farmer, Centurion. I got up at the crack of dawn, I tended my crops, my life was simple." She then frowned. "Were it not for my apparent talent in battle, I doubt I'd have ever caught the notice of anypony important. But, catch it I did, and whenever trouble arose I was called in to deal with it again and again." She sighed. "And when the danger passed, I was always content to just go back to my home, far from the capital, and resume my simple life as if nothing had happened." Slowly, she again looked out to the horizon, perhaps in the direction of that very home. "But the times that needed me...they just kept coming and coming."

Zipp shrugged. "Well, you did what you could. Nopony could have asked for more than that."

Luna's eyes narrowed at her own reflection in the window. "Do you know what a soldier's greatest responsibility is, Centurion?" After waiting for a moment to see if she got an answer, which she didn't, she gave it to them. "It is to ensure the protection of both the state and its people. After a time..." She paused briefly to calm herself. "After a while...I came to understand that the dangers lay not only without, but within. A rot in our leadership, leading to weakness for us and opportunity for our enemies. By focusing so much on themselves, the Senate became an enemy whose mere presence within our nation brought danger and risk to those who call this country home." Finally, she turned to look to them again. "Once I realise that I had been spending my time fighting symptoms instead of causes...my path was clear." Slowly, she hung her head, her voice now one tinted with uncertainty. "I simply hope...that history looks upon my recent actions kindly."

Silence fell, and for a long while neither of the other mares had even the slightest inkling on what to say after that, though Rainbow actually managed to sum up the general mood of the meeting fairly accurately. "...Dang."

"Indeed," Luna concurred.

Zipp, for her part, gave her leader's words a fair bit of thought, and in the absence of anypony else saying anything, she stepped forward to do so. "Ma'am...we can't ever know how we'll be remembered. If the things we do will be agreed with or condemned or any of it." She waited until Luna was looking to her before continuing. "All we can do is...well...our best. Do what we can for the right reasons. And let history do what it will."

Luna considered the response, then smiled to her subordinate. "Well said, Centurion."

Rainbow grinned to her colleague, nudging her in the side. "When did you get all philosophical?"

Zipp chuckled slightly. "Well, we can't always be thinking about topping flight speed records, can we, Dash?"

The other mare scoffed. "Pfft! Speak for yourself!"

Luna, having apparently been made to feel at least a little bit better about her decision, took in another breath before moving back over to her desk, settling herself down behind it before speaking up again, this time with a more authoritative manner. "Rainbow. Zipp. I did not merely call you here for a pep talk, you must have guessed that."

As before, the two stood at attention. "Yeah, we figured, Ma'am," Rainbow answered.

Luna nodded to them. "Part of leading a nation means making important decisions regarding our relationships to our neighbours. Who to have dealings with, who to trust, who to keep an eye on and so forth." She tapped the tips of her forehooves against each other. "In this...I have decided that it is time to revive an old institution." Seeing the confusion on the faces of the two centurions, she elaborated. "I have already sent word ahead to the leaders of the other two pony kingdoms, but you must be informed as well. I intend...to resume the Great Forum."

Instantly, surprise came to the faces of the mares, who looked to one another to share their joint astonishment. "Wait...actual international gathering and negotiations?" Zipp asked.

"The three kingdoms actually getting involved with each other again?" Rainbow added.

"It is a lot, I know," Luna admitted. "Such a thing has not been done within our generation." She looked to the side. "And even our parents would have considered it too far in the past to be viable for a return." She then turned back to them. "However, our nation cannot move forward if we stand still and only look inward. Our dear Senators did not believe such," she began with no small measure of disdain. "And because of that we are likely seen by many out there in the world as a people in decline." Looking over her shoulder, through her window, she mused to herself. "How many out there were even hoping that we would become the 'sick pony' of the world?"

Rainbow stepped forward. "Ha! Sick?! The Lunar Republic?! Not on my watch!"

Luna smiled to her. "Exactly the sort of attitude we need...in one who should represent us."

And just like that, Rainbow's confidence diminished. "...Pardon?"

Zipp, who was perhaps a bit more in-tune with what her leader was building up to, leaned over to her friend. "I think she's saying that you are gonna be sent to the forum."

Rainbow's head snapped in Zipp's direction. "What?! Me?!"

Zipp, far calmer, looked to Luna. "And I'm guessing you want me down there too, Ma'am?"

Another nod from her commander. "I do. I realise this is a surprise, but I require a security contingent to accompany our chosen ambassador when she goes down there to take up residence."

Rainbow, hearing that, calmed down a bit. "Oh, so we won't be ambassadors then?"

Luna chortled. "I mean nothing against either of you, but I believe such matters require a more, shall we say, delicate touch than you two can provide?"

Rainbow smiled to her. "Hey, no argument here, Boss. I'm the last pony I'd say should handle that kind of stuff." Then, curiosity came to her, and she tapped her chin a few times. "Say...who will be your ambassador for this?"

"Why, who else?" a voice from behind announced.

Turning, both Rainbow and Zipp looked on as former Senator Rarity entered, smiling in that way of hers that let all know that she had been informed of all this long before they had. "Ah," Rainbow began. "Figured you'd want to be involved in all that taking stuff, Rarity."

"Ah, it's Ambassador Rarity now, Centurion," the white unicorn corrected. Then, she stepped forward, bowing to her dictator. "And I assure you, Luna, I will not disappoint you."

As before, Luna got up from her desk, giving a brief nod to the newly-arrived mare. "I'm sure. You are the only member of the old Senate who remains in my service. The only one I would have ever trusted to such a task. You will be the face of our nation when you speak at the Forum." Her expression became a touch sterner. "Where your former colleagues made us look like a joke, you will make it clear that we most certainly are not."

Standing tall, Rarity smiled to her. "On my word, you will have nothing less." After this, she turned, looking to Rainbow. "I believe we should get to the business of informing our respective households that we'll be going on a bit of a trip shortly."

Rainbow smirked as she considered that. "Well, Scootaloo always did want to go on a road-trip. Guess it's time her big sis finally delivered on that promise."

Zipp nodded, then cast her eyes to Luna again. "Ma'am, with your permission, I request we bring our new recruits, Gallus and Smolder, with us. This'll be a good first assignment for them to dig their teeth into."

"Or beak, in Gallus' case," Rainbow added jovially.

Luna considered that, then nodded. "Granted. Now, if you'll excuse me..." She looked once more to her massive pile of papers, sighing deeply as she did so. "I have to get back to this mess."

Rainbow grimaced at the sight of the work. "No offense, Ma'am...but I do not envy you on that."

Luna looked up to her, giving a smirk not that different from the one Rainbow had worn a few moments ago. "Nor should you."

The Faithful Priestess

Cadance knew well that her mother, Amore, had three great devotions in her life. Her family, her Lady and her people. Today it was the third of those that received her attention. In a hall adorned with gorgeous stained-glass windows, the High Priestess of the Crystal Ponies stood regally, adorned in her robes of state, bright pink which flowed far behind her. The older mare, a pegasus like her, smiled lovingly to those who stood before her. Cadance recognised the first of the two immediately. One of the younger paladins, specifically the one she had been speaking to her beloved husband about not so long ago. Flash Sentry, who currently wore all of his ceremonial armour, save for his helm, which he carried at his side. As for the other, a pegasus mare with grey fur and a short, blonde mane, Cadance was less familiar. She wanted to say that she was a baker of some sort, but she wasn't certain. What she was certain of, however, was that the mare seemed to have a very odd placement with her eyes, though she knew it would have been rude to point it out. So, she stood silently as the two petitioned her mother. "Oh High Priestess," Flash began. "I ask you bless our union. Long have we loved one another, and now...we wish to take the vows."

The mare beside him, sparing a moment to look to her partner with great affection, stepped closer to him before speaking up to Amore herself. "It would mean so much to us, your Holiness."

Amore stepped forward, keeping her smile as she regarded the two younger ponies. Slowly, she raised a hoof, waving it slightly before them. "The teachings of our Lady, Love, have always held that the bond between those who care for one another is sacred beyond all else. To commit yourself to another, to live your life for them and to hold them in your heart as part of yourself, is a blessing in itself." Again, she moved closer. "But if my blessing is what you wish for, then you shall have it." She bowed her head to them. "Flash Sentry, Muffins, in the name of our Lady, I bless your union. And though your vows have not yet been spoken, I wish you a long and happy life together. May your devotion be true, your marriage fruitful, and may all who look to you see the warmth that Love's promise brings."

The young couple beamed, moving in for a kiss, which was naturally a heartwarming sight for all others. When they were finally done, which actually took a solid minute, they bowed respectfully to their spiritual leader, who returned the gesture in kind, before turning together and making their way out of the chamber. Cadance, moving towards her mother, smiled to this. "If I should ever be in your position, Mother, I hope I bring as much joy to a pony's life with my words as you do."

Amore returned the smile at the sight of her daughter, moving over to her. "And I'm sure you will Cadance. You always did have a talent for lighting up people's day. It is a talent that will serve our people well when my time draws to a close."

Cadance's ears drooped, but only slightly. "Mother, please, we've discussed this. There's no need for that kind of talk."

Moving past her, Amore removed her ornate robe, offering it to a nearby attendant who bowed her head before accepting it. And only after the garment was taken did the high priestess again look to her child. "We are mares of faith, Cadance. And like all faiths, we must acknowledge and accept that our time in this world is finite. One day...dusk will come for me, and on that day, you must be the dawn that stands in my place." Reaching out, Amore carefully placed her hoof upon her daughter's shoulder. "And eventually...this will be the same talk you'll need to have with your daughter." To that, Cadance did not argue, at leas not openly. Instead, she watched as her mother and leader walked over to one of the windows, looking down at all of the ponies below going about their days. "So...how is my dear granddaughter?"

Here, Cadance was given something to smile about. "As happy as can be, which isn't much of a surprise, given our guests."

Amore chuckled. "Pinkie and Izzy are always a delight to have here." Then, she arched an eyebrow. "Though I suspect you did not come to me to discuss Flurry or travelling bards?"

Cadance sighed, walking to stand alongside Amore before answering. "No, I...I came to discuss my recent...appointment."

Amore nodded solemnly. "Believe me, Cadance, I did not make the decision lightly. If the Forum is to be reestablished, I need my most trusted and capable down there to be our people's voice." She looked to her. "And that is you and my son-in-law."

After a moment, Cadanc'es expression towards Amore became a touch more intrigued. "You've never been one to make a move so quickly, Mother. It's barely been a day since the scroll came in, and you're already accepting the suggestion and sending representatives."

Amore, for her part, considered her daughter's words before slowly nodding. "You are correct. Normally I would prefer to wait for a time to see which direction this Luna person would have gone. But consider..." She turned to look to Cadance. "This is not just some small-scale political maneuver. This is an invitation to gather all the great nations together. A potential unity that has not existed in living memory. Unity can lead to cooperation, and in turn, to positive relations."

Another sigh from Cadance. "You believe this is a step towards the dream you've always hoped for?"

"I know you've often been skeptical, daughter," Amore replied. "But we must never forget the tenants of our Lady." Again, she looked out of the window. "Love was the greatest of Harmony's daughters. Her message always carried the hope that ponykind would one day unite and never divide again." She gently placed both forehooves against the windowsill. "If the Lunar Republic seeks to reach out to us, even if their reasons are not altruistic, it is something. A start. And such things cannot be overlooked or dismissed."

Cadance considered that. "Perhaps..." Her worried look returned. "Though you'll pardon me for being more than a little suspicious. Generations of isolation and now they want to involve themselves in the wider world? And only after power was seized by one known mostly for her violence?"

Amore did not look to her as she answered. "You've been speaking with Shining, I take it?"

There was no judgement in her voice, but even so, Cadance did not approve of the implication. "His fears are not unfounded, Mother. Whatever Luna plans...we need to be careful."

Silence passed between the mares, but after a while of it, Amore finally looked to her heir once more. "I know. Though I wish a bright future lay ahead of us, experience has taught me well that our neighbours will not always have our interests in mind." She smiled, but it was one mixed in with a thoughtful expression. "Hope for the best...prepare for the worst. Isn't that the saying among the paladins?"

Cadance matched her smile. "Something to that effect, yes."

At long last, Amore began to move away from the window, with Cadance close behind her as they instead walked alongside the many stained-glass windows of the hall. "Consider also, daughter, that we have a chance to help those ponies across our borders."

Cadance paused here, looking to her with curiosity. "Help, Mother?"

Looking over her shoulder, Amore gave her a more genuine smile than before. "Indeed. For too long, the ears of other ponies have remained willfully deaf to the word of our faith. The teachings of Love stifled beyond our domain. If the other pony realms wish to open themselves to us, then there is a chance for those teachings to finally gain a hoofhold."

Unease took hold of her daughter with those words. "I'm...not sure if the Lunars would appreciate such a move. They have their own faith, Mother, as do those in the west, and they seem content with it. Having our people go to them to try to convince them otherwise might ruffle some feathers."

Amore looked to her with warmth. "You have a good heart, my daughter, as befits one who would safeguard the spirituality of our nation. But they and those of the Solar Kingdom have long been led astray by the ways of Harmony's lesser daughters, Sun and Moon. Consider how much better the lives of the Yaks and Changelings have been since they began to pray alongside us. So too can it be with our fellow ponies to the east and west. We may all look to Harmony as our creator, but that is where our similarities end." She looked ahead, to the end of the hall. "Should things go well, we may be entering a new age of renewed devotion, and a scope of our faith far wider than ever before." After a moment to mull that over, the high priestess began to walk off, leaving Cadance behind her. "Always hope for such things, daughter."

Cadance watched her mother walk away, and before long the younger mare was by herself, left alone to think on all that had been said. However, this solitude did not last forever, as she soon felt the warm touch of a familiar hoof upon her shoulder, leading to a smile from her. "I hope you're ready for a long trip, my love," she began. "I'm not sure how long we'll be down in the Glades for this task."

She turned to look to Shining, who nodded to her. "I devoted myself to your protection, beloved. No matter where you go, or for why, I will be there."

The two, in a moment of uninterrupted affection, moved to embrace, and for at least a little while Cadance could pretend that all was right and happy with her world. But, after enjoying this union for as long as they could, they parted, with Cadance exhaling deeply. "Well, we'd better get ready. If nothing else, it'll be good for Flurry to see more of the world than just our city."

Shining chuckled. "Good thing too. You wouldn't believe how hard me and Izzy had to work to get that sister of hers away from fawning over our daughter."

In response, Cadance giggled. "Not that I'd blame her of course."

---

Izzy had been long at work getting the knots just right, but now, she was quite satisfied that she'd done everything she needed to. Stepping back, she smiled and nodded at the sight of her sister, Pinkie, wrapped up on a chair with rope as tight as they could go. After wriggling around to test said tightness however, Pinkie spoke back to her, her voice carrying an almost fearful inflection. "You'd better hurry with more ropes, Izzy. Once I get in the mood to hug Flurry again I'll become unstoppable! Unmoored! Uncaged! Downright unreasonable!"

Her sister nodded again. "True. But I've been in your head before. I know how you think. I'm the only mare who can contain you."

Slowly, Pinkie glanced over her shoulder as best she could. "Wanna know the only problem?" she asked suspiciously.

Izzy, in a move uncharacteristic of her, narrowed her eyes. "What's that, Pinks?"

Then, her eyes widened in horror to find, to her dismay, that where Pinkie had been was now just a loose pile of ropes on a chair, no mare in sight. "I'm already gone," the voice of her sister echoed around her.

Izzy's head snapped in all directions, hearing Pinkie's giggling but never being able to pin down exactly where it was coming from. "She's in the walls," she murmured, looking all around herself. And so, in a moment of panic, she grabbed the nearest blunt object, in this case the now-empty chair itself, and held it up like a weapon. "SHE'S IN THE HARMONY-DANG WALLS!!!"

Author's Notes:

Okay, I know the last bit is just a blatant rip-off of that one Blark and Son meme, but I've been waiting to use it for ages and I couldn't think of a better pony than Pinkie to use it for

A Happy Breakfast

Twilight had lost track of just how long she'd been standing outside his door, but it was certainly long enough to have seen the sun rise through the windows, as well as hearing the sound of the morning roosters letting out their call from Applejack's farm. But regardless of how long it had been, it was all worth it when Spike's door finally opened, reveling the yawning face of the dragon himself. That face, understandably, soon became one of surprise as he saw Twilight there, her face barely an inch from his, with a great, big smile to greet him at this early hour. "Good morning, Spike!"

Spike, blinking a few times to give his brain enough time to properly boot up, responded with a deep sigh and a slumping of his shoulders. "Good morning, Twilight," he replied with a a touch less enthusiasm than she did.

Giggling, Twilight happily trotted in place for a few seconds before speaking to her adopted brother again. "Do you know what today is?"

Scratching the side of his chin, Spike shrugged. "Did I forget somepony's birthday?"

Twilight shook her head, keeping her smile. "Nope! It's the one week anniversary since we learned that my dream of a unified ponykind might come true!"

As before, Spike blinked slowly, and then, after rubbing the bridge of his nose, raised his claws and started counting them off. "One, if it's a week then it's not really an anniversary."

"Pfft! Semantics!" Twilight countered.

"Two," Spike continued. "All we've heard is that the big three are meeting up for the first time in who knows how long. That's no guarantee of anything."

Twilight, in response, gave him a playful nudge. "Come on, Spike! Where's your optimism or hopefulness?"

The young drake gestured to the bedroom behind him. "I leave it in there in the early hours, sis. You're the morning person, remember?"

Taking hold of his hand, Twilight led him away from the door of his room and to the stairs. "Look, can you blame me? I've been waiting all my life for something like this to happen and now it looks like it might!"

Spike sighed. "It's a step in the right direction, I'll grant you. But just getting together and talking isn't the same thing as saying everypony's friends, is it? I mean, heck, two neighbours who really don't like each other can get together and talk, but if all they talk about is one wanting the other to keep their pet off their lawn then that's not saying much."

As the two headed downstairs together, Twilight looked to her brother with slight disappointment. "Don't be that way, Spike. Any kind of dialogue is welcome after years and years of silence. We can't always let past experiences dictate what the future is gonna be after all!"

Now at the bottom of the stairs, Spike actually cracked a smile to her. "Maybe not. For your sake, maybe I'm willing to be a bit hopeful. But don't think I'm completely on-board with all this." He shivered slightly. "Knowing three big players are coming to our own doorstep is pretty unnerving if I'm being honest. And I doubt I'm the only one whose worried about it."

"Oh, you're not," Twilight confirmed, looking to the nearest window. "There's been talk all morning about how nervous everypony is about this. I mean, you should've seen how frantic Hitch was, galloping all over town to make note of any possible exit routes in case things go wrong."

Spike, folding his arms, chuckled. "Wow, that Sandbar kid really picked a bad time to sign on as that guy's new deputy." Twilight shared in the amusement, if only for a few moments, but now that they were both downstairs she knew what she had to focus on. Namely, taking hold of Spike's hand again and leading him over to the table at the center of the main room. There, her draconic friend saw the spread that had been laid out for the two of them, with every delectable breakfast item one could think of, from cereals to toast to pancakes and everything else. It was a mouth-watering sight, as the slight dribble at the corner of Spike's mouth attested, but it also raised some suspicions in him, as well as his eyebrow shortly afterwards. "And this would be for...?"

Twilight took a seat first, smiling to her brother. "This is because I am happy, Spike. Happy that things actually seem to be looking up for the wider world. Happy that ponies are choosing to talk instead of just ignore each other across far-away borders. Happy because...I'm just happy!"

Spike couldn't really fault her on that logic, and the growl in his stomach was soon overriding the more cynical part of his brain that wanted to comment. So, inevitably, he found himself sitting across the table from her, picking up the nearest slice of toast and holding it up as though it were a cup. "Well then...here's hoping the world lives up to your hopes." Twilight smiled to her brother finally getting in on the enthusiasm, and so raised her own cup, one of tea, to match his gesture. But, the moment Spike's toast was a mere inch away from his mouth, there was a knocking on the door, and he paused for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Ah, there's the disappointment of the day. It's early this time," he remarked.

Another giggle from his sister, who got up from her chair and headed over to the aforementioned door. "I think I know who it is."

Spike looked to her with curiosity, and before long she was there, opening it up and finding her smile growing even wider at the sight of her other best friend, Sunny. "Good morning, Twilight!" she declared with her usual exuberance.

"And good morning to you too, Sunny!" Twilight replied.

"So, I take it you're excited about the news?" the earth pony asked.

Twilight nodded with great vigour. "You bet! Just one more week and our Glades will be right at the centre of it all!"

The two mares let out a delighted sequel together, prompting Spike, who'd actually managed to take a bite of his toast, to shake his head. "This is getting out of hand. Now there are two of them!"

Stepping aside, Twilight allowed Sunny entry into the library, and the latter, once inside, rummaged around in her blue saddle-bag until she pulled out the desired item, in this case a large, white, rolled-up parchment. "I've been up all night coming up with designs for the new banner. I'm gonna present them to Mayor Mare later today. Hopefully, it'll let our visitors know they're welcome here."

Twilight, having closed the door, trotted over to her to look to the parchment with interest. "Well, let's see them then!"

Even Spike's curiosity was piqued, and he rose up from the table to watch as Sunny got to her knees, setting said parchment upon the floor before unrolling it. It was as she'd said, as there were a number of ornate, a very cheery banner designs there, each incorporating the insignia of the three visiting nations together in some way. The bottom one in particular caught Spike's notice, as it depicted ponies from the three realms together and shaking hooves while looking happy. "A touch early to see everypony happy and getting along like that, isn't it?"

But Sunny wasn't in any way sharing in the concern, as evidenced by her maintaining her smile. "Well, if we get things started on the right note, the right mood, the right hopes, that might help towards something better."

Twilight looked to her brother with a touch of smugness. "See, Spike? She gets it!"

"It's Sunny!" Spike countered. "She's always the town optimist!"

But Twilight ignored him, instead looking to the section of the proposed banners that included the national symbols of the visiting nations, at which point something caught her eye. "Say, what's this?"

She had pointed to what was clearly a tree of some sort, drawn as ornately as the other symbols, to which Sunny took on a slight blush. "Well, it's our lands that are playing host to them, so I figured it might be worth getting a symbol of our own into the mix." She then scratched the back of her head. "And yeah, I know that's gonna be pretty difficult, considering..."

"Considering we aren't actually a nation," Twilight conceded.

Spike got down to one knee, looking to the image of the tree for a moment. "You know, it's weird. All these centuries and we've never really thought all that much about what we here in the Glades actually count as."

Sunny smirked to him. "I think Moondancer had an idea of it."

A chuckle from the dragon beside her. "Ah, yes, I can hear her description already." He tapped his chin. "What was it again?"

Twilight cleared her throat, taking in a deep breath before giving what the other two had already suspected was an incoming impression of their stated friend. "A collection of rural communes bound together by common geographical location but lacking in any of the distinct, central leadership or cultural identity of the surrounding nation-states."

Spike snapped his finger at her. "Yep, that was it alright."

The three shared a laugh together, and when it was over Sunny rolled up her parchment and placed it carefully back into her saddle-bag before starting to walk towards the door again. "Well, better get these off to the Mayor then."

But, she was intercepted by Twilight, who barred her path. "Oh no you don't! You're not coming over here in the middle of breakfast without joining us!"

Spike, getting himself back in his previous chair, smiled to the two of them. "You're always welcome to do so, Sunny."

Sunny looked to him, and before long she reciprocated the smile. "Well...the toast does smell pretty good."

"There you go!" Twilight remarked, hurrying her along to sit in-between her and Spike.

Once down at the table, Sunny looked at the spread Twilight had prepared before settling on an orange from the fruit bowl in the middle. "It's actually kinda scary, in a fun sort of way, I mean?" After seeing the puzzled looks she was getting from the others, she elaborated. "The arrivals. I know the Glades have been at the entre of everything, but now we're, you know, at the centre of everything!"

Twilight beamed at the thought. "It's a new chapter. The dawn of a new age. Ponies will look back at this moment and time and say here. Here is where the great powers of the pony world came together for the first time in a generation!"

Spike, who was downing a glass of water, thought on that before adding his own, admittedly less optimistic, words. "Here's hoping history will see it as the start of something good, and not just the first in a long line of ominous dominoes."

"Ugh! Must you spoil the mood like that?" Twilight asked with clear irritation at her brother.

But Sunny was less upset about the dragon's words, and her own had her usual, calm tone as she looked to Twilight. "Don't be too hard on him, Twilight. It's like my Dad used to say to me when I was a filly. Always hope for the best, Sunny, but prepare yourself if things don't turn out that way."

Looking to her, Twilight's look of annoyance was replaced by one of appreciation, and she nodded in acknowledgement of the other mare's perspective. Spike, still holding his glass, held it up to her. "Argyle was a good stallion," he said respectfully.

Sunny nodded, holding her hoof to her heart. "May he rest in peace."

Twilight reached over to her, placing her hoof on Sunny's shoulder and gaining her attention. "If he knew what was going to happen here next week, he'd be proud to see it."

Sunny smiled to her, and to Spike, before looking down at her saddle-bag and the parchment that lay within. "And so am I."

Author's Notes:

Gonna take a break from writing for a bit. Stay well in the meantime