A New Day in Equestria Pages 17-20

 P. 17: Teams

 P. 18: The Great & Powerful Trixie Opens a Magic Store

 P. 19: Pinkie Gets a Job While Tia Schemes

P. 20: The Calm Before the Storm

All artwork, layout and coloring courtesy of Emily Jones of Utah.

A New Day in Equestria Pages 9-12

 P. 9: The Meeting Concludes

 P. 10: Tia Sees All

 P. 11: RD/AJ, Rar/Pinkie, Shy/School

P. 12: TwiLuna

All artwork, layout and coloring courtesy of Emily Jones of Utah.

A New Day in Equestria Pp. 5-8

 P. 5: Twi's Plan

 P. 6: The New Rules

 P. 7: Potential Civil War

 P. 8: Twi Explains

All artwork, layout and coloring courtesy of Emily Jones of Utah.

Tia & Dis on Vacation Pages 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6

 

Page 1: A Deserted Cruise With Full Crew And One Couple Aboard

 Page 2: Tia Needs A Break While Discord Amuses Her

 P. 3: Ponies Crashing Parties

 P. 5: Complications Abound with Hormones, Secrets & Alcohol

P. 6: You Tell 'Em, Pinkie!
All artwork, layout and coloring courtesy of Justyna Tunkiel of Canada.

Rarity's Wedding: The Last Page

P.19: The End

All artwork, layout and coloring courtesy of Justyna Tunkiel of Canada.

Rarity's Wedding, Pages 15-18

Page 15: The Wedding, At Last: Two for the Price of One

 Page 16: Spike Does Good

 P. 17: Twi Commiserates With Spike 

P. 18: Spike Learns the Truth
All artwork, layout and coloring courtesy of Justyna Tunkiel of Canada.

The Battle for Escambria

        “Princess, who is ‘Queen Nebula?’” Twilight asks Celestia after Twi unexpectedly returns one day from the old castle.
The Princess’s eyes go wide at this in surprise. “Where did you hear that name?” she demands of her student.
In response, Twilight Sparkle delicately hands her Princess the ancient parchment with the greatest possible deference. “I found this in the library,” she explains, anticipating Celestia’s next question.
While her sister is lost in thought, reading the document, Princess Luna takes this opportunity to privately ask Twilight, “What is it?”
After Twi’s eyes and facial expression convey to Luna that she would like some answers also, Luna explains so softly as to not let her sister hear, “Queen Nebula was my mother; it was her nickname, anyway. A long time ago.”   
Comprehension washes over Twilight before she explains in the same manner to Luna, “It’s a treaty of some kind, between Equestria and The Low Countries, to the south of us. It says we own them.”
“We own them?” the Dark Princess incredulously repeats.
Twilight nods in confirmation, her eyes signaling to Luna that she grasps the grave meaning of what she’s saying. “In the event of Queen Nebula’s and King Quasar’s death, all those lands revert to the Equestrian Empire.”
Before Luna can inquire who King Quasar is or was, Princess Celestia speaks up. “Twilight, I need for you to make an exact copy of this–word for word. There can’t be any mistakes. Luna, you will proofread it. In the meantime, I will draft a royal communiqué to the current Prince of The Lowlands, informing him of our intent.”
“Which is what?” Luna dares challenge her only but older sister.
“We will honor this treaty, in my mother’s name,” Celestia declares in steely resolve. “No matter what the consequences.”
“Yes Sister,” Luna agrees in equal determination. “We shall.”
Twilight swallows hard because she knows what this means but nonetheless manages to squeak out, “Right away, Your Highness.”
Later on, while working on the copy that will be sent to The Lowlands, Twilight raises a concern that occurs to her. “Luna, what if this is a fake or a forgery?”
Luna doesn’t even look up from what she’s doing. “I know my own mother’s signature,” she levelly explains to the other. “And Tia does too. She wouldn’t make that kind of blunder.”
It occurs to Twilight the reason both Princesses are so preoccupied with this is because of the strong memories and emotions this treaty from the past has evoked, and because it is so obviously authentic. She resumes work, still dreading the days to come but confident in being on the side of right and justice.
Princess Celestia had been prepared to send Princess Luna as ambassador to the south, if her letter and the treaty copy had produced no answer, but she is surprised by the swiftness of the response, in the person of the Montjoy who craves admittance to her court, along with his aide:
“Your Highness, lately sending into our country, did claim some certain dukedoms, in light of this ancient treaty. To which, my master, the Prince, says: you savor too much of the past.
For we are no longer Lowlanders of the Lowlands, but proud and upright citizens of Escambria, long may she reign. And we are a free and equal people. But, owing to the obligations of the past, my master sends you this trove of treasure, in exchange of which, to let those dukedoms that you claim hear no more of you. This the Prince my master speaks.”
Every pony in attendance fully expects Princess Celestia to blow her stack sky high over this but she surprises every pony by remaining cool, at least at first. “What treasure, Sister?”
After motioning for the aide and giving the contents of the receptacle the most perfunctory perusal, the Dark Princess pronounces, “Ping-pong balls, my liege.”
“Yaaaay!” Pinkie Pie initially squeals in joy but immediately regrets it when every other pony in attendance sternly regards her and her outburst.
“We are glad the Prince your master is so pleasant with us,” Celestia begins after a long pause, softly and haltingly at first but building steam and louder as she rises and locks eyes with the Montjoy. “His present and your pains, we thank you for. When we have matched these balls against our paddles, we will play a set and knock his crown off his head. And we understand him well, wishing to consign the contents of this treaty to the dust and dirt of the past. But this is my mother’s signature–” here shoving the original copy into the Montjoy’s nonplused face “–as surely as the sun burns hot in the darkness of space every single day. And her intent will be as honored as her memory is so seared in my heart. Let me be clear: I will keep my state, be like a Princess and show my sail of greatness, when I do rouse me in my throne of Escambria, or whatever the Low Countries are called these days. And while you’re at it, tell the pleasant Prince: this mock of his will turn his balls to cannon fire and the vengeance that shall fly with them. And this lame attempt of changing the name of his country to escape your true and honest obligations from your own past sovereign lords will not deter us, but will only heighten our resolve to claim what is rightfully ours.” Here she stops, realizing she’s about to seriously lose her temper. “So get you hence in peace and tell the Prince: his jest will savor but of shallow wit, when thousands weep, more than did laugh at it.” Here she turns to Rainbow Dash and Soarin’. “Convey them with safe conduct,” she instructs them and has one final rebuke to the Montjoy. “Fare you well.”
After the foreigners depart, Twilight queries Luna, “Well what happens now?”
“So, are we keeping the ping-pong balls or not?” Pinkie asks no pony in particular.
The Dark Princess minimally shrugs, as if the answer is obvious, while ignoring Pinkie, as does every other pony. “Now we wait.”
“This means war, doesn’t it?” Twilight follows up with after a few minutes.
“If it be, never was there a holier or nobler cause,” Luna darkly intones in dread and resolve. “No, never!”
“Then war it is,” Twilight Sparkle silently pronounces, mostly to herself, in quiet epiphany.        
“Luna,” the Princess of the Sun commands. “Build me an army worthy of Equestria.”
“With all possible haste, my Sister,” the Dark Princess concurs.
“Now all the youth of Equestria will be on fire,” Twilight foretells as if by ancient prophecy, as would a chorus. “And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies. For now sits expectation in the air. And hides a sword from hilts unto the point, with crowns imperial. Crowns and coronets, promised to Celestia and her followers.”   
When Soarin’ and Dash return from escorting the Escambrian ambassador and his aide back to their own country, R.D. relates to both Princesses, “Just so you know, they offered both of us a lot of money to betray you. For both your heads.”
“You’re kidding,” Pinkie Pie challenges her friend.
Soarin’ shakes his head no. “She’s not.”
“So they’re not only dishonest–they’re cowards too,” Celestia pronounces in honest disgust and revulsion.
“Sister, this kind of treachery must not be tolerated!” Luna herself exclaims. "Lest example of it breed more of such a kind."
“I agree, Luna,” Princess Celestia ominously intones. “We shall have our revenge. How soon can we attack?”
When Luna doesn’t answer right away, Twilight takes this opportunity to announce, “Princess? Queen Fluttershy has sent by royal decree, that she stands ready to aid in our attack, however many of our Pony Griffonland Occupation Army as you see fit.”
“And from the north, Princess Cadence sends to us that the Crystal Empire stands ready, to do its part,” Carrot Top quickly follows up with.
“Thank Queen Fluttershy and Princess Cadence for their offers, and advise both we may take them up on it,” the Princess of the Sun regally decides. “First, however, as this is our fight, we must lead it ourselves.”
“Absolutely, Sister,” Luna fiercely agrees. “Our army will be ready soon; that I promise you.”
“If we have to empty every factory, business, farm, school, library–whatever it takes,” Celestia advises Luna.
“We’ll get on it,” Twilight Sparkle solemnly promises her Princess. “We’ll make it happen.”
“Dismissed,” Celestia announces to the entire assembled court after she is satisfied that every pony is on board, and all scatter to the far corners of Equestria, to prepare for this campaign.

“Once more into the breach, dear friends. Once more!” Princess Celestia entreats her exhausted army at their first embattlement. “Or close the wall up with our Equestrian dead!”
She continues after her horse rears and then relatively calms down. “In peace, there’s nothing so becomes a pony than modest stillness and humility–but–when the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the actions of a tiger! Stiffen the sinews, conjure up the blood, disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage; then lend the eye a terrible aspect! On, on, you noblest Equestria! I see you stand like greyhounds in their stalls, straining against the start. The game’s afoot! Cry, 'All for Celestia, Luna and sweet Equestria!'”
“All for Celestia, Luna and sweet Equestria!” cry all ponies in unison as they charge.
All except for the CMC, that is. They cheer all right, and encourage all around them back into the fight, but they themselves wait until every other pony has left before they attempt to skedaddle, when they see that one pony has outsmarted them.
“Up to the breach, you dogs!” Pinkie Pie shouts as she menacingly draws her sword, standing behind them, blocking their escape route. “Now!”
Whereupon chagrined and contrite Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo also rejoin the fray.
After the battle rages for a few more hours, Celestia takes advantage of a lull in the fighting to address the besieged city:
“How yet resolves the Governor of this town? This is the latest parlay we will admit. Consider well your best move here. For as I am a soldier, if I begin the battle once more, I will not leave this half-achieved border city till in her ashes she lies buried. Therefore, you brave fighters, take pity of your town and of your people, whilst yet my soldiers are in my command. Whilst yet the cool and temperate wind of grace overcomes the filthy and contagious clouds of heady murder, spoils and villainy. If not–why, in a moment look to see the reckless and bloody soldier with foul hand defile the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters, your fathers taken by the silver beards and their most reverent heads dashed to the walls, your naked infants spitted upon pikes, whilst the mad mothers, with their howls confused do break the clouds! What say you? Will you yield, and this avoid? Or, guilty in defense, be thus destroyed?” 
“The Prince of Escambria, whose succor we entreated, has returned to us that his powers are not yet ready to raise so great a siege,” the City Manager intones in weary but candid resignation to his fate. “Therefore, great Princess, we yield our town and lives to your soft mercy. Enter our gates, dispose of us and ours, for we no longer are defensible.”               
As the ponies make preparation to enter the city, Princesses Celestia and Luna share a private moment while the former gives the latter orders. “Go on and enter the gates; remain inside and fortify them strongly against an Escambrian counter-attack. Use mercy to them all. For us, dear Sister, tonight in decent beds will we rest, so that tomorrow for the march are we well addressed.”
“I’ll take care of it, Tia,” Luna quietly vows.

As news of the ponies’ initial victories spread, it is not greeted everywhere with cheers; for example, in the capital city of Escambria, in the Prince’s royal court, this information is cause for much consternation and debate:
“‘Tis certain Celestia has passed the River Somme,” one of the Prince’s lords details.
“And if she is not fought with all, let us not live in Escambria,” their General entreats the Prince, who remains momentarily silent and noncommittal on this score.
“Equestrians!” another lord sees fit to exclaim in astonishment and resentment. “Stupid freaking ponies! Where have they this mettle? Is not their climate foggy, raw and dull?”
“Where is our honor?” yet another lord cries out in frustration.
“Our honor indeed,” the first lord replies. “For now our madames mock at us and plainly say our mettle is bred out. And if we don’t stop them, now and in their tracks, I say we are not fit to call ourselves Escambrians!”
“Where is Montjoy the Herald?” the Prince intones at last, having heard enough of this. “Speed him hence. Let us greet Equestria with our sharp defiance. Up Lords, and with spirit of honor more sharper than your swords, rush to the field. Bar Celestia her way back to Equestria, who sweeps through our land with pennants painted in the blood of that first border city. Go down upon her–you have power enough–and in a captive chariot into Escambrian City bring her our prisoner!”
“This becomes the great,” the General now congratulates the Prince on his bold decision. “And sorry I am her numbers are so few, her soldiers sick and famished in their march; for I am sure, when she shall see our army, she’ll drop her heart into the sink of fear, and for achievement, offer us her ransom.”
“To that end, General, haste on Montjoy,” the Prince agrees with relish. “And let him say to Equestria that we send to know what willing ransom Celestia will give. Now forth, my General and Lords all, and quickly bring us word of Equestria’s fall.”   

“Where’s Tia?” Twilight asks Luna one fateful morning, bright and early.
“She has herself rode to view their battle,” Luna responds, referring to the Escambrians.
“Why can’t we just go around?” Pinkie Pie entreats any pony who will listen.
“For the last time Pinkie,” Spike minces every word. “That just won’t work!”
“Of fighting Escambrians, they have full three score thousand,” Apple Jack ominously details.
“That’s five to one,” Twi grimly comments. “Besides, they are all fresh.” 
“Those are some fearful odds,” Carrot Top in a voice bordering on panic contributes.
“Oh had we here but one ten thousand of those ponies in Equestria that do no work today!” the Dark Princess loudly laments.
“What’s she that wishes so–my own sister Luna?” Celestia presently speaks up, having overheard and choosing now to make her presence known. “No, fair Sis, if we are marked to die today, we are enough to do our country loss; and if we are to live, the fewer fighting, the greater share of honor for us. By our sacred mother’s will, I pray you wish not one soldier more; rather, proclaim it, Sister, through our host, that those that have no stomach for this fight, let them depart. Their passport shall be made and currency for convoy put into their purse; we would not die in that Equestrian’s company who fears his or her fellowship to die with us. This day is called the Feast of Nebula, my own dear mother’s birthday; those that will outlive this day will yearly on the vigil say: tomorrow is Queen Nebula’s Day. Then shall they strip their sleeves and show their scars and say: These wounds I had on Nebula’s Day. Old ponies forget, yet all shall be forgot but those that fight will remember what feats they did that day! Then shall our names, familiar in their mouths as household words: Celestia, the Light Princess, Luna, the Dark Princess, and Twilight Sparkle, the other Princess, Carrot Top, Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack, Scootaloo Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, along with Spike the Dragon, be in their flowing cups freshly remembered. This story shall the good Equestrians teach their offspring, and Queen Nebula’s Day shall never go by, from this day until the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of Equestrians, for he and she today that sheds their blood with me shall be my kin, be they never so vile, this day shall gentle their condition. And Equestrians now in bed will think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their citizenship cheap, while any speaks that fought with us upon Queen Nebula’s Day!”   
Once the cheers die down, Rainbow Dash exclaims, “My sovereign Princess, bestow yourself with speed! The Escambrians are bravely in their battles set and will, with all expedience, march upon us!”
“All things are ready, if our minds be so!” is the Princess’s confident and enthusiastic response.
“Perish the Equestrian whose mind is backward now!” Luna in turn yells, the camaraderie becoming infectious.
“You don’t still wish more help from home, Sis?” Celestia challenges her younger sibling in good humor.    
“Heavens above, my liege, would you and I were here alone, without any help at all, could fight this royal battle!” the Dark Princess retorts.
“You know your places,” Celestia urgently instructs her compatriots. “Good fortune be with you all!”
Unexpectedly, the Montjoy, all by himself, appears out of nowhere on horseback and stops a respectful distance away, doffing his hat in reverence, before he explains himself. “Once more I come to know of you, Princess Celestia, if for your ransom you will now compound, before your most assured overthrow.”
“Who has sent you now?" Celestia inquires in a withering voice.
“The General of Escambria,” Montjoy simply replies.
“I bid you bear my former answer back,” is Celestia’s immediate response. “Tell him: here I am; achieve me and then sell my bones! Goodness gracious, ponies! Why does he mock poor soldiers thus? Let me speak proudly. Tell the General: we are but warriors for the working day; our lightness and our gilt are all besmirched with rainy marching in the muddy field, but by the mass our hearts are in the trim. Herald! Do yourself a favor; don’t come back here again for ransom, gentle Herald, for they will have none I swear. But these my joints–” here her army cheers her “–which, if they shall have them, after I leave them, shall yield them little enough. So tell the General.”
“I will, Princess Celestia,” Montjoy promises and makes ready to leave. “And so fare you well; you never shall hear Herald any more.”    
After he does take off, Celestia gives him a look that reads to Luna as, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Rainbow Dash again speaks up. “My Princess, most humbly on my knee, I beg the leading of the vanguard.”
After she motions for the banner and hands it to R.D., Celestia intones, “Take it, brave Dash. Now soldiers–march away, and how we please Providence dispose the day.”
And so the battle is joined; after the first hour and a half, this is the assessment of the Ecsambrian high command:
“Why, all our ranks are broke!” the Escambrian General would have enunciated with greater force, if he hadn’t been just now mortally wounded.
“Profoundest of shame!” another lord cries.
“How did this happen?” yet another lord incredulously inquires of the open air.
“Are these the same ponies we laughed at all last night?” the Prince himself hears his own voice wonder aloud.
“Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong,” the first lord exasperatingly answers the second.
“Shame, shame, nothing but shame,” the General repeats with his dying breath. “Eternal shame.”
“Is this the Princess we repeatedly sent to for her ransom?” another voice fills the air in the stunned silence that follows the General’s passing.
“Let us die in honor! In arms!” the second lord entreats his fellows. “Once more back again! We are enough living in the field to smother up the Equestrians, if any order might be called upon!”
“The devil take order now!” the Prince exclaims as he prepares to lead the charge. “I’ll happily go to the throng; let life be short, or else shame will be too long!”
On the ponies’ side, with the confusion of the battlefield, at one point a little later, Princess Celestia urges her compatriots, “Well have we done, thrice-valiant Equestrians! But all’s not done, still yet the Escambrians keep the field!”
Then Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash return to the camp in the rear, after they see some Escambrian soldiers leave from there in a desperate state; they soon discover the reason why.
“Kill the foals in the luggage,” Pinkie intones in shock and amazement after she and R.D. find the blood-stained bodies of the CMC. “It’s expressly against the laws of arms.” She turns to Dash with tears in her eyes. “This is as arrant a piece of knavery–mark you–as can be offered–in your conscience! is it not?”   
Rainbow shakes her head after Pinkie bursts into full-blown sobs. “It’s certain there’s not a kid left alive; those cowardly swine, they couldn’t win on the battlefield, so they sneak back here and pull this!"
Upon coming on this scene, Princess Celestia exclaims to her sister, “I was not angry until I came into Escambria, until this instant!”
“Here comes the Herald of the Escambrians, my liege!” Luna is quick to point out.
“How now! What means this, Herald?” Celestia very nearly screams at the Montjoy after he dismounts his horse and is pulled up by his collar by the enraged Princess. “Dare you return here again for my ransom?”
“No, great Princess,” Montjoy manages to squeak out even as he is held fast by the neck. “I come to you for all charitable license, that we may wander over this bloody field, so that we may record our dead, and to bury them; to sort our nobles from our common men. For while we speak many of our lords lie drowned and soaked in mercenary blood. Give us leave, great Princess, to view the field in safety, and dispose of their dead bodies.”
“I tell you truthfully, Herald–I don’t know if the day is ours or not,” Celestia honestly confesses to the other in a much softer tone after letting go of his clothes.
“The day,” the Montjoy pronounces as he thought he never would. “Is yours.”
“Praised be Queen Nebula’s will, and not our strength for it,” Celestia announces aloud in the general relief that engulfs the ponies. “Tell me–what is this castle, that stands by this field?”
“They call it Agincourt,” the Montjoy simply affirms.
“Then call we this, the field of Agincourt,” Princess Celestia announces so that all ponies may hear. “Fought today on the anniversary of my own dear mother’s birth.”
Presently, as if by Providence, the rain that has been falling on them all day stops and with a swiftness of bracing wind that seems to all magical and effervescent, the clouds part and joyous radiance bursts upon them, as every pony stands enraptured by the glorious sunset, brightly shining off the glistening, shimmering castle.
Princess Luna confides to her sister, “This must have been what our mother had in mind, when she signed that treaty.”
Celestia nods in agreement. “I think it was. Twilight?”
“Yes, your Highness?” T.S. speaks up.
“Remember when you asked at your coronation what you were the Princess of?” she rhetorically inquires of her most faithful student. “Well, I think this is it.”      
"Destiny," the Dark Princess intones in the silence that opens after that proclamation. "I remember her 
telling me a story once, about a beautiful Princess ruling from a grand castle in a distant land, that didn't 
make a lot of sense to me at the time, but now it does."   
"Luna, will you help me?" T.S. earnestly asks in the sepia glow of the fading but still triumphant afternoon.
"Certainly, Twilight," the Empress of the Night immediately responds. "With all my heart."

A New Day in Equestria Pages 1-4

 P. 1: A New Ruler

 P. 2: Late Night Meeting

 P. 3: Dash Spills the Beans

P. 4: Twi's Plan

All artwork, layout & coloring courtesy of Emily Jones of UT.

Last Days of Equestria Pages 15-17

 P. 15: Inquiring Pinkie Minds Want To Know

 P. 16: The Awful Truth

P. 17: Pinkie Gets Sucked In

All artwork, layout & coloring courtesy of Sarah Koch of Texas, USA.

Return to Equestria: Rarity's Wedding Pp. 13-14

 Page 13: Rarity's Nightmare

Page 14: Fluttershy's Epiphany

All artwork, layout & coloring courtesy of Xenya Belaya of Cyprus.

Last Days of Equestria Pages 5-9

 Page 5: Princess Celestia is Officially No Help

Page 6: Has Success Spoiled Twilight Sparkle?

 Page 7: Rarity Flips Her Lid

 Page 8: Rarity Gets Double-Teamed

Page 9: Queen Fluttershy in Griffonland

All artwork, layout & coloring courtesy of Sarah Koch of Texas.

Return to Equestria: Rarity's Wedding Pp.10-12

 Page 10: Twilight's Homework

 Page 11: From History to Policy

Page 12: Shy Freaks Out

All artwork, layout & coloring courtesy of Xenya Belaya of Cyprus.

Return to Equestria: Rarity's Wedding Pages 7-9

 Page 7: Old Friends

 Page 8: Rarity's Dilemma

Page 9: Between A Rock & A Hard Place

All artwork, layout & color done by Ksenia Belaya of Cyprus.

Return to Equestria: Rarity's Wedding Webcomic Pages 2-6

 Page 2: The Deal

 Page 3: The Abandonment

 Page 4: The Queen's Resolve

 Page 5: The Details

Page 6: The Truth & The Deadline

These have been edited for typos but otherwise appear intact.

All artwork, layout & coloring by Ksenia Belaya of Cyprus.

To everyone inside the US, happy Memorial Day!

To everyone outside the US, happy Monday!

Return to Equestria: Rarity's Wedding

Rainbow Dash flies at top speed to the castle in Griffonland; she brings an important message for Queen Fluttershy and her consort, Miss Rarity.

“So how’s Apple Jack?” Shy politely asks while Dash is trying to decide how best to spill the beans to both of them.

“She’s fine,” R.D. allows at length, her trepidation increasing with every passing breath. “Zap apples just came in and her family’s busy with those. Everything’s square at the factory. For the time being.” She lowers her eyes and doesn’t dare mention the word ‘layoffs’ which is recently on every pony’s mind. “Princess Celestia got some good news, though. That woman Lauren Faust came back and the network is interested in putting the show back on the air.” She waits a beat before she supplies the kicker to this whole deal. “They want the first episode to be your wedding, Rarity.”

"My wedding?” Rarity gasps as the light slowly dawns in her eyes. “Well, whom would I marry?”

“That’s just it,” Dash explains, finally meeting the other’s expectant gaze. “It has to be a guy. Of some nature–colt or a dragon. Just can’t be some pony of the same sex.”

“Well–what if–” Rarity stammers but she is immediately cut off.

“If you want to discuss the ins and outs of this, you need to talk to the Princess, and I’ll be happy to fly you there,” Dash curtly states her terms as the preceding two weeks’ series of meetings and letters at the Canterlot castle condenses into an irresolute and opaque mass beyond her understanding or even wish to.

“Well, what do you think?” Rarity is asking Shy.

Shy looks into Rarity’s trance and sees what this means to her; she also thinks back to all that Rarity’s done to keep her afloat. “Let me know what you decide,” Fluttershy allows in a barely audible voice.

Rarity kisses her paramour goodbye with frightening alacrity. “I will,” she promises the other. “Thanks sweetie!”

“You’re welcome,” Shy levelly responds. “Have a safe flight.”

“Are you all right?” Carrot Top inquires of the Queen once R.D. and Rarity are gone.

“Yes,” Shy bravely lies, doing her best to hold back tears. “Is there anything pressing that I need to attend to now?”

“No,” C.T. honestly responds, shaking her head. “Discord’s on top of everything at the moment.” Because of the recent tax increases, because of the growing unrest among the Griffons, the military has had to take a greater role in the day-to-day affairs of state.

“Very well,” Shy replies as she turns to leave.

“Your Majesty,” C.T. dares speak up. “Have you ever wanted things to go back to the way it used to be? Before all this?”

“Yes,” Shy softly admits, not facing the other. “But I know that’s not possible, so–”

“Well, what if I told you there was a way to work it?”

“How?” Shy asks without turning around.

“You could abdicate the throne, as Princess Celestia did with Luna that time.”

“Yes,” Fluttershy sighs in resignation while opening the door to her private chamber. “The coward’s way out. Thank you for your suggestion.”

“You’re welcome, Your Majesty,” Carrot Top softly replies, mostly to herself, in the wake of the Queen’s departure.

Meanwhile, back in Canterlot, Rarity’s initial reaction to what Celestia spells out is, “So what you’re telling me is that for this entire deal to go forward, I have to marry Spike.”

The Princess dismisses the white unicorn’s oversimplification with a wave of her royal hoof. “Not necessarily; that’s merely what the network wants. I imagine you’d have your pick of Ponyville, if not all of Equestria. You know, this is precisely why I sent that Lauren Faust woman home, because I knew you’d take this too personally. You don’t have to do anything, Rarity; you needn’t marry any pony or thing. It’s just, if you did, that would put us back in the network’s good graces.”

“And solve a lot of problems at the same time, at home and abroad,” Rarity finishes for the other when the former senses there’s more on the Princess’s mind than the evenhandedness of her remarks would otherwise indicate.

Celestia gives up some more ground while hoping to prevail in the end. “Yes, toy sales are down, probably because we are so long out of the public’s sight,” she admits without breaking eye contact. “And yes, the occupation of Griffonland is proving more costly on balance than we initially projected. No pony likes layoffs, any more than the Griffons love either higher taxes or ponies plundering their natural resources. I concede, this has come along at a most opportune juncture, but you needn’t star here; the network simply sees you as commanding the highest demographic for this sort of spectacle.”

Rarity feels herself sliding down the chute toward seduction, so she throws out, to end this for at least the time being, “Rainbow Dash also allowed that anything with regard to Fluttershy is off the table; is that true?”

Here the Princess does glance away. “I’m afraid so; she was quite specific on that point.”

“And how soon must I render my decision?”

“A few days, at most. We need to know sooner rather than later, because if you say no, then we have other options to explore.”

“Such as some other pony getting married?”

Celestia nods. “Precisely.”

“Very well, Your Highness,” Rarity sums up as she rises to leave. “Thank you for your time.”

“You’re welcome. Let me know.”

First Rarity drops in on Spike, then Pinkie Pie at the magic shop:

“Hi Rarity,” Pinkie squeals in delight when her old friend enters the store. “What a treat to see you again.”

“Hello Pinkie,” Rarity returns the salutation while she waits for the other to finish ringing a couple of foals up.

“Heard about your wedding,” Pinkie continues to enthuse once her customers have left. “Are you excited?”

Rarity dramatically sighs. “Well, part of me is but then part of me–this entire affair has come along at an inconceivably bad time, I must confess. Things aren’t so great back in Griffonland presently.”

Pinkie Pie hurries by this with an impatient wave of her hoof. “Never mind all that,” she crossly dismisses. “Who are you going to marry?”

“I just spoke with Spike at the boutique,” Rarity reflects as she recalls the scene. “And he understands the situation, with Shy and me. So he’d go along, if I decided on him. And this could really put Equestria back on the map; the thing is, I don’t know how well Her Majesty would react to all this. Plus I’d simply be using Spike, regardless of whether we consummated the marriage or not; I just don’t know what to do.”

Pinkie shrugs. “Whatever makes you happy,” she blurts out without pause, as if the solution were obvious.

Rarity sadly shakes her head. “I wish it were that easy.”

Meanwhile, at the one factory still running, Luna closes the translucent glass door to Twilight’s office as Twi's name and cutie mark show through the filtered light in reverse refraction. “So Rarity’s back from Griffonland?” Twi inquires of her paramour.

“Yes,” the Dark Princess allows while slipping back into her royal Canterlot voice if not timbre. “I think Sis is really worried; she keeps up a brave front but you know as well as I do–”

“Things can’t continue as they are,” Twilight finishes for the other. “If there are any more layoffs, I don’t know how we're going to manage things; warehouses are getting backed up as it is.”

Luna lowers her gaze. “I sneaked a look at the books last night,” she continues in a quiet tone even as the numbers jar her once again while she recalls the initial blood-freezing sensation. “The royal treasury is nearly depleted.”

“Can’t we float a bond issue?” T.S. throws out for discussion.

The Princess demurs. “Pony Bank would have to underwrite it,” she explains. “And after we’ve defaulted on the two other mortgages for the additional factories that are now sitting idle, I can’t see them as overjoyed to have us even walking in the door. Plus Tia would be too embarrassed to ask.”

Twilight nods. “Which leaves us with Rarity and her nuptials.”

“It would seem so,” Luna grimly agrees.

At the next pony staff meeting, Celestia asks Twilight to remain after every other pony has left. “Rarity’s gone back to Griffonland,” the Princess begins once she closes the door to the royal chamber. “I guess she had some kind of awful, terrible nightmare about Fluttershy marrying Discord and me getting jealous and both castles being blown up and I don’t know what all else. Let’s face it–Rarity will never love any pony more than Rarity. That’s merely one of many unpleasant facts of life I’m afraid the time has come for us to confront.

“Twilight, what you have been taught about the origins of Equestria is not the truth—not entirely, anyway. This is something even Luna isn’t privy to; I was told by my mother shortly before she passed away. Millions of years ago, humans ruled the Earth, just as we now dominate Equestria. But the same technology that allowed them to genetically modify what they considered ‘animals’ or ‘dumb beasts’ so that they had the power of speech and the intellectual capability of language also allowed them to explore other dimensions and other forms of existence, so much so that they largely abandoned the Earth for other worlds and colonies. They haven’t died out; there simply aren’t as many around any more in conventional space and time.

“This is where you come in: I’m sorry, but I’m at my wit’s end. Try as I might, I can’t figure out a solution to the present difficulties, so I’m leaving it up to you. I have copies of the humans’ history, in recorded and written form, violent and savage as it may be. I need you to peruse it, learn from it, and I hope save us. Otherwise–”

“Otherwise, we’ve had it,” Twi softly finishes for her Princess.

“I’m afraid so.”

So Spike and Twilight trade places for a few days; while the purple and green baby dragon alternatively spins in Twi’s big manager’s chair and barks random orders to cowardly, craven and churlish underlings, Twi hangs out at the mostly deserted Rarity’s Boutique, studying up on the former lords of the Earth when she isn’t fitting some occasional pony for a new dress or ensemble. By the end of the week she’s ready for her report to the Princess:

“Well, I see what you mean by savage and violent,” Twi begins. “Some of these wars they had, the carnage is completely unbelievable. Having said that, however, I think we’re more alike than we’re dissimilar. The thing about the humans though is they were never satisfied; nothing was ever good enough for them. Their greed was always their undoing; when empires got too big, they simply collapsed because they ran out of money. So maybe the occupation of Griffonland wasn’t the smartest thing we ever did.”

“Well if we recall the troops and pull out, then we have even more unemployment than we have now,” Celestia immediately rejoins and it's not just her pride talking here, since the occupation had been all her idea. “And if the Griffons can’t manage the show themselves, are we really better off letting them degenerate into chaos and anarchy? The Griffon Royal Family killed themselves all off; that wasn't my doing.”

Twilight abruptly stands. “I’m going to talk to Rarity; see if I can sound her out, talk some sense into her. Her and Fluttershy.”

So Twi cruises Griffonland, to find Her Majesty testy and self-defensive. “Good gravy you guys,” Fluttershy explodes for the nth time merely upon seeing Twilight. “I’m sick and tired of every pony walking on eggshells around me; I'm not some baby or emotional basket case. If Rarity wants to marry Spike, then just do it. I couldn’t care less.”

Rather than debate this point and provoke any more royal fury, T.S. starts out with, “Rarity, tell me about your dream.”

“Well,” the marshmallow-white unicorn slowly begins while the seared images play back in her mind's eye. “I wake up one morning and there’s all this acrid haze and foul-smelling smoke all over Ponyville; no one knows what’s going on and then you make a speech in the middle of town square saying that both Princesses are missing and presumed dead, along with Pinkie and Apple Jack, that all of Canterlot has been obliterated and that the Griffon royal castle has also been destroyed. After we hear that Fluttershy has married Discord.”

“As if,” the Queen fires off before any pony can comment otherwise.

“Well if it’s all the same to you, why don’t we just do that then?” Twilight pointedly inquires of Shy, tossing the proverbial kid gloves aside. “We’re in dire straits here guys; some pony has to do something.”

“Discord would never agree,” Rarity interjects before Her Majesty can manage an answer.

“Don’t be too sure,” Twi counters with Rarity in an equally determined fashion, to give Shy a much-needed break. “This whole thing is so off-the-wall it might appeal to his depraved sense of humor.”

“We can make it a double wedding,” Shy announces, the light finally dawning in her eyes. “With Celestia presiding, to make sure there are no hard feelings; the network will love it.”

“That’s it!” Twilight Sparkle exclaims in triumph. "You did it again, Shy!"

So, amid much pomp and circumstance, with extremely tight security, nuptials are prepared, televised and consummated; the only thing missing is Rainbow Dash and her sonic rainboom.

“Every other pony will be at the wedding,” Dash explains to Rarity. “Suppose something happens? I have to guard the fort.”

Indeed, the reception is interrupted when Discord receives an urgent message from R.D. that the Griffons are revolting and that he’s needed back there. Spike sees the change in Rarity’s expression when Shy tells her that she must also return.

“Listen, Rarity,” the green and purple dragon ventures. “I know we were supposed to have a honeymoon and all, but Fluttershy needs you now, more than ever.”

“Are you sure?” Rarity queries her new husband with tears in her eyes.

Spike nods. “Go. I have to watch the store for you anyway.”

“Thank you Spike!” Rarity gushes with honest emotion as she hugs him in farewell. “You’re the best!”

“So they tell me,” Spike mumbles to himself as he watches his new bride take her leave of Twilight and the rest of the wedding party.

“Happy wedding day,” Twi commiserates with Spike once Luna leaves with Rarity, to fly her back to Griffonland.

“Yeah,” Spike dejectedly responds as he downs the last of his champagne. “Hooray for me.”

“Cheer up Spike,” Twilight kindly offers in return. “You saved Equestria. And Griffonland, for that matter.”

“I saved Equestria,” Spike echoes in form and fashion while gesturing in futility. “Big freaking deal.”

Twi shrugs before she rubs noses with the little guy, to lift his spirits. “It is to some ponies.” When that doesn’t work, she ventures, “You know, if Rarity hadn’t agreed to this, some other pony would have gotten married.”

Spike snorts in derision. “Like who?” he demands, refusing to come out of his funk.

“Like me, maybe,” Twi confesses, blushing.

“And who would you have married?” Spike counters with. “Some alicorn maybe, with the initials P.L.?”

“Or maybe some dragon, with the initials S.S.”

“S.S.?”

“Spike Snot-face,” Twilight whispers in his ear. “Don’t worry; Rarity will come back.”

Spike nods in resignation to the truth, that no matter what, that marshmallow-white unicorn will always be part of his life. “She always does, doesn’t she?”

Dear Princess Celestia,

I learned a valuable lesson about problem solving from all this, as well as working with others and delegating authority when you realize you can't save the day. Thank you for trusting me with the truth; I'll keep it safely locked in my heart forever, along with all my memories of us together.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

P.S. We're back on the air! The fun has been doubled! Huzzah!

Apple Jack opens the employee’s door to the second toy factory at 7:30 am, half an hour before the first shift begins, to the crowd of enthusiastic workers, each happy to have his or her job reinstated. “Welcome back,” she greets the first pony in the dawn’s early light, and indeed each successive pony thereafter; the crisp morning air invigorating every pony's senses. “Welcome back.”

“It’s good to be back,” every pony earnestly responds in kind.

After Pinkie Pie passes out freshly pressed zap apple cider to each and every employee, she proposes a toast. “To pony toys,” she exclaims to cheers and applause. “Long may they sell.”

“Hear hear,” Princess Celestia softly repeats under her breath as she watches the festivities via the green-fire-rimmed viewing portal from afar, all alone once again in her darkened viewing room.       

That night, Twilight has a dream:

She's still at the reception; it's late and the band is tired and wants to go home. But they are prevailed upon for once last slow dance.

Twilight is thinking about Spike and the honeymoon night he missed because of the civil unrest in Griffonland. She is lost in thought, her mind reeling from all the alcohol she's drunk, when suddenly Spike is at her side. 

She looks up at him and their eyes lock. She hardly knows what's happening when she hears him in a faraway voice ask if she'd like to dance."I'd love to," she manages to breathe out.

He takes her hand and leads her out to the dance floor. The song is playing in the background as Twilight and Spike sway to the rhythm, holding each other, no space between them. Twilight realizes she never wants the song to finish; she feels herself melting against Spike, wanting anything he desires, desperate to please him.

Suddenly the song does end. The music stops but Spike and Twilight are still holding each other. Eventually Spike breaks it. "Well, I still have to get up in the morning, to open the store and everything," he expostulates in resignation to his fate. "I can't let Rarity down."

Spike turns to walk away and Twilight panics at the thought of him dumping her. She grabs his hand and holds it in her own. "Don't leave me Spike," she implores him as she takes his hand and lifts it to her heart. "Please. I can make you happy."

Spike looks at her with new eyes and sees the desire in her own warm brown irises; he feels how hard her heart is slamming in her chest, how fast it's beating. Her rising respiration is matched by his own as she leads him toward her bed.

Twilight awakes with a start and sits up; she's shocked how drenched her panties are. "It was just a dream," she says to herself. "It was only a dream."

Her final thought before she returns to sleep is that Freud said every dream is a wish.