Royal Pony Council called. (Closed)

[Princess Luna]

n due humility, with respect to and in service of Ponykind, we the Regal Sisters of Canterlot by the authority vested in us as Supreme Rulers by the plurality of Ponykind and in eternal obedience to the Mandate granted to us, beseech the attention of the sundry rulers of those nations within the great Pony Lands region and neighboring region of Mystria, and other nations with significant populations of our subjects around the world and beyond. We have beheld recent events, and the decreasing utility and increasing lugubriousity of the Coalition of Ponyist States, with dismay, and in accordance with our ancestral mandate hereby state our desire to help promote the ideals of Harmony and Unity for which we were Acclaimed aforetime and consequently request henceforth that those of our friends and followers who are active upon the international scene gather in Council in our name to further these goals.

The unfortunate disunity that has recently plagued the Pony Lands and Mystria regions of late aggrieves us, and the terrible prospect of pony fighting pony reminds us of times that we had hoped long past. Although our ancient mandate has traditionally only applied to ponies, we are in this age, venerated far and wide by many sapient-kinds, and we in turn acknowledge this respect and consider it our fiduciary duty to act always in the best interest of not only ponies, but those who offer their friendship, be it accompanied by religion or not, to us.

Of especial concern to ponies, and thus to us, is the Mystria region, adjacent to our own, which has recently seen many escalated tensions between members of the Coalition of Ponyist States, along with the native peoples of that region, some of whom have been hostile to us, others of whom have stood alongside us in friendship and common cause.

We would have it that all peoples who suffer danger or want may shelter under our wings, and all who wish Friendship with us in good faith receive it, and we disavow any exclusivity save on the grounds of need and friendship, it is an article of faith to offer friendship without precondition upon status of race, species, class, gender or any other identity not chosen by the individual, and we intend all cultures and peoples to be able to attend this council, should they so wish and their conduct vouch for their fittingness to hold such members,

To this end, this charter hereby establishes the Royal Pony Council, a council to serve as an arbiter between those nations who attend, and would strive in goodwill to ensure the productive and peaceful future of all those in communion and friendship with us.

• Her Divine Majesty Celestia, Ruler of the Heavens, Sun-Raiser, Commander of the Seasons, Guardian of the Elements of Harmony, High Chancellor of the Earth Ponies, Supreme Commander of the Pegasi, and Monarch of the Unicorns, Embodiment of the Magic of Earth, Sky and Inner Being, Princess of Equestria
  
• Her Divine Highness Luna, Mistress of the Night and Princess Regnant of the Principality of Princess Luna, Princess of Equestria

Supreme Co-Rulers of Ponykind

The Objectives of the Royal Pony Council shall be:

1. To protect pony populations and states with pony citizens or allied with the same worldwide from unfair discrimination and attacks.
2. To create and preserve peace and goodwill between states with pony citizens or allied with the same.
3. To create a common forum for the resolution of disputes and the debate of concerns among those states with pony citizens or allied with the same.
4. To further the prosperity of all states with pony citizens or allied with the same.

Article 1. The Composition of the Royal Pony Council

1. The Royal Pony Council shall be chartered by the Princesses Celestia and Luna of Equestria, who shall act as its official patrons, but shall otherwise not participate in its governance in this capacity. The Princesses shall be invited to attend as or send observers by courtesy, even if not members.
2. The Royal Pony Council shall consist of a number of councillors, one per member state. These shall be named officials in service to governments, or elected politicians, or heads of state, as deemed appropriate by these governments. The councillor’s appointment will be subject to change at the whim of the sponsoring government, and no other approval will be required.
3. The Royal Pony Council shall be empowered to elect a High Councillor to act as official spokespony and chairpony. At the council's inception, this shall be the councillor representing the Principality of Princess Luna. Change of High Councillor is to be affected as an ordinary motion, but must be announced a week in advance. Should the High Councillor become inactive, a vote for a new High Councillor should be held within one week.

Article 2. Voting Procedure

1. The High Councillor may not propose or second any motion before the Royal Pony Council.
2. Any other Councillor may propose one of several types of motion. These must then be seconded by another Councillor before being put to a general vote.
3. In the event of a tie, the High Councillor will cast a deciding vote on any motion.
4. Motions that are voted upon and attain a majority will become non-binding resolutions, to which all members are requested to accede.
5. Permissible motions include the adoption of an official position on an issue, sanctions against an individual nation, alliance or region, an order to any member to cease military action it is engaged in outside its own borders, or an amendment to the charter.
6. Amendments to this charter require a three in five majority.

Article 3. Membership

1. Obtaining membership in the Royal Pony Council shall be by either a vote created by a motion from an existing member in which an applicant gains six approvals from members including the High Councillor and not more than one disapproval, within a week, or by obtaining the approval of a simple majority of members. The High Councillor is permitted to vote on membership issues.
2. For one week from the Council's inception, the High Councillor may invite and approve membership directly or until six members including the High Councillor are established.
3. Membership may be suspended by the High Councillor at any time for perceived violations of this charter, until such time as a resolution is voted on to expel or reinstate said members. The High Councillor may only suspend a member at the request of another member.
4. No state may be a member of the Royal Pony Council that holds persons or ponies in involuntary servitude save as redress for crimes of a non-ideological nature. States that commence this shall be immediately expelled from the Council. The determination of this issue lies in the hooves of the High Councillor. The High Councillor may veto membership on these grounds.
5. No state may be a member of the Royal Pony Council that performs genocide. States that commence this shall be immediately expelled from the Council. The determination of this issue lies in the hooves of the High Councillor. The High Councillor may veto membership on these grounds.

Article 4. Inactivity and Crises

1. Should a member state fall into civil war, and both or multiple representatives wish to claim to the title of Councillor, legitimacy will be determined by a council motion, and until that is taken, such members shall be suspended from voting but all parties allowed to attend where nondisruptive, and practical.
2. Members are considered inactive (or Emeritus Royal Pony Councillors) should they miss four successive votes and one complete week pass, or declare themselves to be so. Such status is restored to activity immediately upon casting a vote, or making or seconding a proposal, or declaring one's self active, if inactive status was self-declared.
3. Should a member state become non-extant by World Assembly reporting measures, its council seat shall become inactive by default.

Article 4. Collective Security

1. All member states of the Royal Pony Council agree to defend one another from any external assault as though it were an attack on themselves.
2. No member states of the Royal Pony Council shall engage in war between themselves. Should this event occur, the council shall determine the aggressor, if appropriate, and act to restore peace to status quo ante bellum with full military force of all members as directed by the Council.

Article 5. Common Prosperity

• All members of the Royal Pony Council shall extend to one another the status of Most Favoured Nation in trade, establishing among themselves automatic equal treatment by national authorities to all other nations on the most preferential terms, save where matters of developmental aid and similar humanitarian concerns are established. That is to say that all members shall extend to all other members the equal of the most favourable terms they trade with any nation they trade with, whether a member of this council or not.

Article 6. The Royal Order of Harmony

1. The Royal Order of Harmony shall be proposed by an ordinary council motion, to any being deemed to appropriately have futhered the interests of those in need, and granted upon the Royal Assent of either Princess of Equestria. This shall, where such things are given credit, be accorded all due respect and dignity of an order of knighthood or similar decoration in acknowledgement of merit. No obligation to acknowledge this is required of states without similar domestic institutions.
2. The Royal Order of Harmony shall be revoked or suspended by the High Councillor for improper conduct of a recipient only, subject to the Royal Assent of either Princess of Equestria.

Article 7. Other Honours, Awards and Prizes

1. The Royal Pony Council may additionally award similar prizes, creating these by council motion and either voting for recipients in council or delegating authority to select recipients in a similar manner. Such honours should be bestowed to those who have served meritorious causes in fields such as the promotion of peace or the advancement of science to the general good.
2. Such awards shall be revoked or suspended by the High Councillor for improper conduct of a recipient only.

Her Divine Highness Princess Luna, High Councillor, hereby requests the following states appoint Councillors:

• The Eternal Necrontyr Empire of the C'tan and the Principality of Princess Luna, as a single-councillor and single seat in accordance with the International Organizations Reciprocity Operational Protocol of The Selenite Treaty of Guarantee
• The Greater Pony Herd
• The Dominion of the Lubyak
• The Harmonious Republic of Lykosia
• The Eternal Grand Duchy of Muffinvania
• The Beastling States of Crystal Spires

Councillors are requested to attend by the end of the week in Her Highness's Pony Lands Nightspire Palace.

OOC: With gracious thanks to Magical Equestria for signing off on the wording and Celestia's sponsorship.

[Muffinvania]

WaterLily the minister of foreign affairs of Muffinvania sighed contentedly snuggling closer to her husband and bodyguard RockSolid , she was a teal and green earth pony whose eyes were a cloudy white covered by a pair of dark sunglasses. She and her husband were currently on a private jet that was headed towards the Principality of Princess Luna and the Nightspire, she was to be the temporary council member while DaffyDill was attending to business in Crystal Spires, she felt quite honoured that the Arch Duchess had chosen her to go in her stead and was quite excited to get to meet Princess Luna, she mumbled quietly to RockSolid, "Rocky how far away are we?"

Her husband was a very large dark brown unicorn with a silver mane and gold coloured eyes, he leaned down WaterLily and nuzzled against her nose gently and whispered back to her in a low rumble, "I think we still have a couple hours to go Lily"

WaterLily nodded and kissed him gently before leaning against him and saying,"I think I'll take a nap for a little while then, I don't want to want to be all jet laggy and cranky by the time we get there" she slipped off her sunglasses and placed them into her bag and then closed her eyes feeling the hum of the jet, WaterLily's mind went back to when she had met RockSolid, how even way back when they were just foals he always seemed to know where to be to help her, he would guide her around places she didn't know and he would whisper to her and tell what was going on...the years they spent apart when they had gone off to their own higher education, her going into political science and he going to the the Muffinvanian Academy of Hocus Pocus had been hard, but finding him again once she had joined the foreign affairs office of Muffinvania and him being assigned to her as her bodyguard felt like the world had been made for them just to be together. It wasn't long before they truly were together and as WaterLily finally started to drift off, thinking about this new adventure they were going on, she could hear the big lug starting to snore. A small smile crept onto her face as she slipped off into sleep.

[Crystal Spires]

The High Chancellor of Crystal Spires looked around him in the beauty of the Nightspire and despite his sense of awe at the beauty that was around him he was deeply disheartened. In the days before joining the Coalition of Ponyist States, the Spires was ever a stalwart supporter of Pony rights, always appealing to the Elements of Harmony to attempt to quell international conflict between ponykind and appealing to their practice in the world theater. The Spirean people opened their hands to those who shared in their vision of freedom, equality, harmony, and justice and found it repaid with distrust and open cruelty. Some of this cruelty was met by fear and hatred, something the Pony Race had experienced throughout the times of what the Spireans called the "Heaven's Tear", which was when ponies, a peace-loving and gentle race, were deliberately targeted for eradication due to their race and religion. The Spirean people, sympathetic to their cause, rallied behind the 'Harmonious Call' which was a bannerless group, whose duty it was to respond quick with deliberate action against genocide, with lifesaving as their priority. Forming many organizations against genocide Spireans were a bastion of sapient rights, and carried themselves forward and alone to defend ponies everywhere. With honor Spireans fought for ponies, justice as their cause, and with honor they struggled to protect the ponies's rights with the banner of sapient rights waving and with their hearts full of loving compassion, they died in the battlefield protecting the gentle creatures from the horrors of war and death. With every bit of loyalty they focused on protecting the innocent pony race. As the clouds of the Heaven's Tear abated and the dusts of conflict began to settle, the genocides ended and the Spireans with their great pride tried to fade into anonymity but things did not continue to be so. The Spirean's reputation did not disappear, but so too did there come a shadow which faced the Spires which looked them in the eye.

Hippostania, It was a nation which stood for everything that the Crystal Spires opposed. Corporate greed which deliberately produced poverty with regressive tax burdens, ill-health produced by marketing of deliberately unhealthy products which shorten life-spans, reduced quality of life by denying all forms of public services including education, healthcare, basic amenities, and even charities were considered to be discouraged if not completely illegal. The Despotic government disarmed their populace and forced them to completely give up all sense of political freedom and civil rights. In many ways Hippostania stood for everything that the Spireans opposed: It was baldfaced corruption supported by institutional greed. It did not take long for the Spires to bare their fangs to the Hippostanians, but they were defended by a built-in status quo made during the Heaven's Tear to support the Pony Race during the horrible times of blood and terror: The Coalition of Ponyist States. At first the Spireans regarded such an organization with disgust, it was a Bastion of Pony supremacy which instilled only the defense of the Pony Race and Religion as opposed to promotion of harmony and sapient rights in general. The Spires attempted to avoid it, and when confronted by the Status quo Hammer, the Spires hammered back with their progressive vision of a unified understanding of harmony and brotherhood. It was a stalemate with each step until the matter boiled over to what was almost open conflict between the Spireans and the Hippostanians. It became a Cold War that continued on and on as the Hippostanians became more paranoid and began to alienate those around them.

The Spireans struggle against the status quo hammer however seemed to have made its impression upon the Coalition itself, for their decisions had slowly but surely made ripples in the Pony world. Within a few years there were sprouting alliances as the Spireans took their open hand of comradeship to attempt to unite and raise the smaller nations in the Coalition into a dignified position globally as part of their vision to bring forth a brighter future, but once again Hippostania stood before them on the edge of life and death and the Spireans were given an open hand by the Greater Pony Herd. It was a choice to make a difference inside the Coalition rather than outside as an observer. It was a chance to shake the Coalition with Spirean presence rather than rattle from the outside of a gilded cage. The Spirean High Chancellor shook the hand of Twilight Sparkle, sealing the deal of friendship between the two and with a signature the seeds of conflict were sown, and the Coalition began their division as they divided and pushed away from Hippostania little by little. During the Shrill Crisis however, things had proven to be far more complex than first imagined. While the Hippostanians were being repulsed by the coalition, so too were the Spireans as the strange alienation began.

It was not long after that the Ponyist States saw the Spires as a member of the coalition that the fear and uncertainty surrounding the Spirean people had backlashed horrifically. Perhaps they believed Spireans to be a savage race, but no one really knew why they were being targeted. Spireans were described as beastmen and were considered savages who were big, tough, and not particularly bright. They were a race of brutes from an incomprehensibly proud warrior tradition whose glorious goal preached rebellion and insurrection. They aspired to Knighthood and the brotherhood of Rangers who scouted the horrifying wood in their terrible home. A frail hope was in their eyes as they were raised at birth to become determined beings beyond all sense of reason, with the fear of death chasing their every tottle from infancy and every step and leap until they reached their grave. They lived each day familiar with unimaginable brutality, and were taught to beware and fear enslavement which was very real and not mere conjecture. They were taught mnemonics to remind them how to assemble rifles in classrooms, they were taught how to fire a gun with instruction. Screams of terror and rumbling in the dark were their lullabies. At best Spireans were considered to be Noble Savages in an almost medieval society of white knights, but at worst the Spireans were no different from the monsters which tore their own families to shreds. The mothers who sang her songs to her child at night was no different from the sirens which made their calls to wayward sailors, the fathers which supported their sons and daughters were no different from the ogres, wyverns, and chimeras which killed their wayward sons and daughters. These Spirean people were monsters with their strange, beastly visage and their strange almost guttural language, and they spoke of ideals which terrified others; Ideals like collectivism and communism, ideals which sought to end corruption, tyranny, and despotism; the ideal of Justice, ever-changing and complex. Many feared the Spireans would seek them, that they would come and with the brutal force Spireans used to crush horrible monsters of imagination, oh how they feared being at the end of a Spirean scope so much that they were willing to go to great lengths to curb Spirean power. The idea that the beastman could not struggle between life and death and not only survive, but live with dignity was unthinkable.

So Anti-Spireanism became the status quo, and the Spirean people suffered for it. Wars and genocide, economic sabotage and false flags, betrayal and kidnappings, slavery and death whispered tales of doom from every corner, and yet the Spireans lived with the image of dignity. Hope, however fragile that picture was, had all changed with one moment for the High Chancellor. It was a moment that made his primal instincts send a rush of fear that was deeply incomprehensible to anyone who had not experienced it before. A sublime feeling of unadulterated terror.

"There was a Hippostanian Nuclear Submarine discovered in the Catralia sea, we were able to intercept it before it unleashed a payload of SLBMs, but it was for certain carrying them with the intent to hold the Spires hostage or to use them." Krichen said to the High Chancellor as she gave him a terrified look. "Maven, there could be more on their way, you need to act now. Convene an emergency session of the High Council, act before they have another chance, summon the support of your allies. You must make a decision while we still have something to save."

It was a decision that Maven couldn't bear to make, but it was one that had to be made and with the single act that would destroy the Coalition of Ponyist States, the Great Powers in the Pony Lands released a barrage of Nuclear missiles into the Pony Republic of Hippostania, eradicating the nation with a bright blinding light that could be seen beyond the lands. However the Mystifying result of such a devastating attack was that people forgot what perpetuated it. It was not about the Spireans having encountered a close shave with complete and total eradication, it was about the Hippostanian 'victims' the ones who perpetuated a mess of sapient and civil rights violations, and the ones who defended the Spireans, the Spireans who defended themselves were the aggressors whose 'brash' decision cost the Hippostanians the one thing that their government had not taken from them, their lives. The situation was so alarming that the Spires could not stand another moment of being in the Coalition any longer. The Royal Pony Council was considered to be a solution, one that the Regal Princess Luna herself had suggested would have 'your true friends' in it, but morale for the Spireans were very low, and they did not see this coalition with the optimism that they had when the High Chancellor shook hands with his friend Twilight Sparkle to declare their intention to make a positive change for pony rights. He was afraid of creating another opportunity to victimize the Spires once more, of smearing the honored names of the men and women who fought and died for the gentle pony race, and of facing more of the harrowing circumstances that put the Spires's people at the end of a choice between life and dignity. However in spite of deep criticism the Spireans soldiered on and with the courage and determination that they were known for, they took up the burden of loss and Mellow Spirit was sent to act as Councillor for Crystal Spires. Despite his rather uneventful career, Mellow was a kind-hearted councilman, and was deeply moved with a sense of duty to act for the High Council in favor of ponykind while the High Chancellor was still taking a sick day which was unusual for him in many ways. He would perhaps come with Darrus later to act for Spireans at a later date, but Mellow still took his time to do his own work to make his own mark in the Council.

[Princess Luna]

As the delegates arrived, they were greeted by Princess Luna's Hoofmaidens, and shown via teleport circles on a brief tour of the facilities reserved for the council.

The upper levels of the Nightspire had been designed from long before the tower had been constructed to host this organization's leaders, above the princesses's quarters were the council's night gardens, which spread across an entire level in a dome through which the upper levels of the tower rose narrowly, a hangar built to support spacecraft, while above that, a security layer and a broad set of waiting rooms, boasting four bathrooms, for 'male bipeds' through 'female equines.'

The waiting room was immensely richly appointed, furnished in dark blues and silvers, with a series of broad windows that looked out on the view to the east. Above this room was a small, as such things went, T-shaped throne room, the ends of the room ending in transparent semidomes that looked out far and wide, while the joined area boasted a great throne-area with two marble earth pony heads on either side of it, with tables, the whole raised dias was cut from white marble, a reconstruction of the throne from which Celestia and Luna had ruled a thousand years ago, and several chairs beside them, scarce less in elaborateness, though on a lower level, six chairs, one built for a particularly large humanoid, though all were elaborate. This Audience Chamber was intended for occasionally putting the fear of Celestia into guests, or for award ceremonies, should any be created.

The Hoofmaidens led councillors up to the small office, another broad window behind it, assigned to the High Councillor; and on the same floor; the kitchen. This was, perversely, a grandiose room, under the communications spur built off the side of the tower, it had three vast westward looking windows with gothic arches and renditions of the two defeats of Discord, and in the center, the defeat of Nightmare Moon. The room was well appointed, richly decorated in expensive woods, a direct flight of stairs led from this to a lounge above, set with various couches and coffee tables, intended to serve as a relaxed environment, seven arched windows depicting Celestia and the Elements of Harmony dominating the room, though these were merely engraved, not stained.

Further up, the actual council room could only be reached by service ladder or teleporter circle, much like other Menelmacari, was the council room itself.

The highest part of the nightspire, the room was six sided, with a circular table at its center, elevated curlpads and a chair set up against it. Each of the six corners of the room was decorated with inscriptions denoting one of the elements of harmony, and for now the seats had been set up to point from the table to the corners, from the left hoof of the Princess, the Lubyakans had Honesty, the Lykosian, Kindness, the Spirean, Generosity, the Muffinvanian Laughter, the Herdite, Loyalty, and the Lunar, Magic. The alignment wouldn't keep, but it had amused the Princess.

Small inscriptions and enchantments englobed the room, suggesting it might have another function, eight kilometres into the sky, one could see over three hundred kilometres in all directions from here, and the windows were enchanted to allow one looking through them to see details that could not be easily seen even with fine telescopes.

The Princess stood, and greeted each as they appeared, dismissing her hoofmaidens, bowing to WaterLily, and then to Maven, “Welcome, councillors. I'm glad you could come, half of us here already, I'm sure the others won't be long."

[Lubyak]

<<I do not require you to be holding my hoof, Minister,>> a white furred unicorn said as she strode down the halls of the Nightspire towards the council chamber, a Lunar hoofmaiden guiding the pair. <<I am perfectly capable of performing this assignment on my own.>>

<<All the same,>> Octavia--the Dominion's Minister of Foreign Affairs--answered, keeping her purple eyes forward, and trotting at a lively space as she turned back to face her companion. <<I am here as much on a personal level as I am for being present at the opening, Dawn Breeze. I'll be out of your mane within a few days.>>

The black maned unicorn scoffed slightly. <<Just because I do not work for your Ministry does not mean I am incapable of behaving as a diplomat.>>

<<And I know that, Dawn,>> Octavia said with a sigh. <<This assignment is important. The Dominion Council has been screaming for my head, and it's only the C'tani and Menelmacari who stopped them from making Alexandrov send me out. Choosing you for this assignment is something I will be hard pressed to justify to the many other diplomats who think themselves more qualified,>> the grey earth pony continued, stopping for a moment to look at her companion. <<But this is an assignment where I need a pony I can trust,>> she said, laying a hoof on Dawn Breeze's shoulder. The white unicorn glanced down at the surprisingly intimate gesture from one she'd alway considered a superior officer more than a friend. For an instant, a flicker of concern passed through Justicar Dawn Breeze's eyes before she brought them back under control.

<<Very well,>> she said, nodding as they resumed trotting towards the entrance to the Council Chamber. <<I will do my best to properly represent the Dominion here.>>

<<And me,>> Octavia stressed. <<Do not forget that you're here under my name.>>

<<Of course,>> Dawn Breeze replied with a nod.

<<Excellent,>> Octavia said, her ears and eyes perking up in a smile, even as they were announced into the Council Chamber. Looking around, they saw that they were far from alone here. Already, Maven Auryn of Crystal Spires and WaterLily of Muffinvania were present, along with Princess Luna herself. The two Lubyakans nodded graciously at WaterLily, but left Maven with but a shard nod as greeting, before each took a low bow to Luna, almost bringing their noses to the ground, before moving to their assigned position. For now, Octavia took the main seat, with Dawn Breeze standing behind her, eyes already sharp to take in whatever she might need.

[Lykosia]

Sunshine Heart looked around at the interiors of the Nightspire, admiring them as she trotted down the halls with Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosy Cheeks and a Republican Guard on her side. She was amazed by the surprisingly tall structure, nopony back in the motherland had the courage to build a structure as tall as this. Aside of funding, the problem would be the construction materials despite of the fact that they had the concept. The ornaments which could rival the ones in Rhythmus Palace made their eyes sparkled.

"I thought Regal Charmer never want us to quit from the coalition?" Sunshine asked to the minister with a slight whisper, didn't want to break the tranquility they felt here. Rosy Cheeks sighed as a response. "Maybe. I...I don't know..." she replied timidly. "I mean, you were the foreign affairs minister before me, you should know..."

"Rosy, things quickly turn upside down around here if you look closer. I witnessed a major political shifts where countries suddenly against Hippostania, or when there was a tension between our country and, both Herdites and Lubyakans. Which made me demoted...sorta," Sunshine sighed sadly at the memory. It was a luck that the president gave her a second chance as a diplomat, while she herself didn't even feel worthy for foreign affairs. It was a blunder that affected Lykosia's relations with those nations, a big loss just because of faulty selection of words. She hung her head momentarily.

"President Regal Charmer is planning a normalization of diplomatic relationship with them," Rosy Cheeks said, somehow calmed the diplomat down. "I noticed the shifts. Hopefully the formation of Royal Pony Council will make things better and...easier. I and the president expect much from you."

"I hope so, since they know I wrote those letters..." Sunshine said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

The minister giggled quietly. "Those things were inevitable, Sunheart. Without the letter that would still happen with Regal ordered the naval exercise. Besides, you are an excellent diplomat....only you don't competent enough to write letters to other governments yet. Well...that's what the president told me..."

"He told you about me? Anything?"

"...yes..."

Sunshine Heart scoffed. "I wonder why that stallion can't just shut up. I thought he's not a talkative one!" she complained. Rosy smiled at her comment. Both knew Regal was a quiet pony, he only talked when he had to. Nevertheless he was fun to talk to, especially towards his friends. "He told many good things about you actually."

"Really..." the chocolate-colored mare replied as her smile returning, Rosy replied with a sincere nod. They continued their stroll silently. Sunshine Heart had become a friend with the green-maned mare, and a kind of tutor with her experience she had. The former minister remembered when the nation entered CoPS, when she's still a Ministry of Foreign Affairs expert staff. Before that Lykosia was still rather isolated from the rest of Pony Lands with little interactions with the other nations in the same region. If not for their self-sufficiency, the nation would not do better in the modern days. Although historically related to Equestria as an equine-populated country, Lykosia had no diplomatic or economic relationship between them or the other nation directly related like the Greater Pony Herd before. The creation of the Coalition of Ponyist States opened a way to international affairs. It was also a chance to interact more with other ponies besides their own across the ocean. Yet, there were also concerns that it would turn into a speciesist organization with pony supremacy, a thing that a multi-cultured country like Lykosia feared. It was a reason why at first they applied to be an observer, before became a protector then a full member. They gladly cooperated with another nations to defend ponies around the world from oppression and accommodate them who were became victims. Happily they participated to help fellow members in need. Participation and experiences in several military engagements, with only one actual war in Vorradia, plus upon witnessing other countries' military operations, they made the government conducted a modernization and reorganization to the military.

Joining CoPS was actually also a chance to spread values of friendship and the elements of harmony with the help of the organization. In turn more nations joined, and eventually there were too many conflicting interests and views. There were some member nations that Lykosia didn't know if they really implement values of friendship and the elements of harmony, especially with the recent events. Cooperation was far lesser than the early days of the coalition. The members could barely unite their voices now. Its relevancy and solidarity began to be questioned. Leaving the coalition suddenly became the most reasonable and sane thing Lykosia should do. It was probably the best thing they had done rather than witnessing more things that were against their own principles and belief.

The two, with the Republican Guard who escorted Sunshine Heart were led by the hoofmaiden towards the council room. Sunshine curiously tried to take a look at the inscriptions on the wall once in awhile, trying to understand them. They feared that they were late, but to their relief it seemed the others were just arrived. Both mares felt excited as they could see Princess Luna in front of them, but for the sake of politeness they should contain their squeal, at least for now. The three, including the guardspony, bowed very deeply to the princess of the night, then to the other delegates, although not as deep as before. Sunshine Heart, as the appointed Lykosian councillor sat on her seat. The minister and the guardspony were just accompanied her to this place, so they excused themselves to Sunheart and the others, then left back to the motherland.

[Muffinvania]

RockSolid whispered what he saw to WaterLily who nodded a little, she curtsied low and said softly, "Thank you your Highness I look forward to working with you and the whole council...", She moved to her seat with RockSolid leading the way and sat down quiet as he whispered to her the details of the room, she carefully took out a pad and placed it on the large table and plugged in an earpiece that would read documents to her and voice any messages sent to her.

She heard the voices of the other council members and waited for them to be seated before she spoke to them or announced her own temporary stay there while the Arch Duchess was completing her own business, she listened carefully to RockSolid, the chamber sounded beautiful, it almost make her sad that she couldn't see anything, but she wouldn't let that get in the way of the very first meeting of the council, she was going to do her best to make sure to act in the best interests of Muffinvania and the Pony Lands.

[Urmanian]

It was a bright summer day and the sun itself seemed to smile upon Alpha Mare Sparkle and Enataian King Alexander as they shook hoof and hand over the new declaration of pony rights and the creation of the Coalition of Ponyist States they both have just signed. Herdite tricolors flew proudly next to Enataian flags and the banners of the newly created alliance as ponies and humans alike celebrated and nothing suggested that it was anything but a start of a new dawn for the ponykind and many great friendships.

But the enemies of ponykind were vanquished, eventually, or hid in their dens from the might of the Coalition. For the lack of external threats, the bloated, loosely-knit Coalition, lacking any kind of charter, shared ideology and ultimately reason to its existance at all, began to turn on itself. Great friendships turned into great feuds, fear and suspicion ruled the halls of Coalition headquarters on Hideaberry Island, splinter alliances were formed and dissolved, member nations spied, condemned and went to war with eachother. No one, even Twilight Sparkle herself, could say that the further fate of the Coalition was unexpected.

Yet while it did not come as a shock, the complete collapse of the Coalition of Ponyist States affected Twilight. Even as it fell into its sad state of a dysfunctional morass she still prized its creation as one of the crown achievements of her political career, and stubbornly continued to hope for the change for the best. Yet it did not come, and the Coalition collapsed, and what is even worse it was like a blister cut open for the fetid miasma to come pouring out. It was no secret now that the Herd was widely hated and feared, that former 'friends', and now the Herd scarce had any true friends aside from its army and navy, plotted for its downfall and as realization creeped up on Twilight she became more and more detached from day-to-day politics and it was whispered that she won't stay on the Alpha's throne for very long.

And now most of the burden is on me, Morning Star thought gloomily as he walked through the halls of the Nightspire after the Lunar hoofmaiden, the immaculate beauty of the surroundings doing little to distract him from disheartening thoughts. The last stressful weeks of insane diplomatic and bureaucratic hassle and nightly lonesome libations that served as a futile attempt to divert his mind from the depressing reality took a toll on him, and nowadays there was little shine to his stone-gray fur and polished white hooves, and there were black circles under his eyes so thick as if his eyeballs tried to escape deeper into his brain.

The Royal Pony Council's promises were taken with a grain of salt by the Greater Herd. "There will be friends", they said, but who of all the nations gathered there could the Herdites truly call friends, aside from Spireans? There were voices in the Ponies' Chamber clamoring that the Royal Pony Council was a ruse to cuff the Herd by hoof and leg and enslave it to the interests of Lubyak and others, and Morning Star couldn't help but wonder if that bore a kernel of truth.

He looked forward to meeting Luna, of course, but while he wanted little more but to roll into the smallest ball possible and hide under her wing now, he knew that there was the other Luna waiting, the ruler and a goddess without any time to waste on the insignificant little him, the impassive statue of black obsidian that he often prayed to in the Harmony Cathedral and that had a judging stare that pierced your very soul and forced you to kneel and pray for cleansing of your sins.

With those thoughts Morning Star was announced into the council chamber and as he scanned the surroundings he could see that everyone else has already gathered, the Lykosians and the Lubyakans, the Muffinvanians and of course the ubiquitous Maven Auryn and so he greeted them all with a cursory glance, a curt nod and a faint smile before he bowed deeply to Princess Luna and walked over to curl up on his designated seat by her right hoof.

[Princess Luna]

Princess Luna's smile was simply radiant, as she nodded to Octavia, Sunshine Heart and paused when Morning Star arrived, walking over to him, wings smoothed down on her back, as she leaned down to kiss him, not apparently in the stern mode he expected, but feeling quite relaxed. This done she paused a moment to nuzzle his mane, and then slunk back to her own curlpad, looking around the councillors.

“Good evening Everypony. Not wanting to stand on ceremony, I've prepared an agenda, but anypony should feel free to deviate from it.

“Before we begin I should like to stress that this organization isn't meant to be a replacement for the coalition in a meaningful sense, it's meant to be what the coalition should have been. Altough this is a democracy, I would caution against admitting any nation without a distinct history of responsible and mature decision making.

“Similarly, I would like us to all remember that we are all friends, or rather, we should be, you may have noticed the décor, it's not simply for this occasion, but I thought meeting in the harmony room might prove a reminder that we should all aspire to unity, and consensus, not just for ourselves but as an example for others to aspire to.

"I've prepared an agenda, or at least, a list of issues, I think we could work on, you'll find another copy of the charter for your perusal on the front page, I do hope we don't get tied down in disputing the specifics of it, but naturally that's the first thing to discuss if anyone's unhappy with it. But if we can, we've six copies to pass around," she said, "for signing."

One of the hoofmaidens passed out neat little black folders with the council seal on them, and silver linings, heavy archive paper sheets inside covering the agenda, with embossed silver renditions of the same symbol inlaid into the paper.

Inaugural Meeting of the Royal Pony Council
Agenda

1. Royal Pony Council Charter, discussion and signing
2. Crystal Spires, The New Nassrau embargoes, and Aid Situation.
   
   Her Highness believes that the Royal Pony Council should adopt a strongly pro-Spirean position in this matter and that all members should provide material assistance to ongoing C'tani efforts to supply direct assistance. Furthermore that the council should prepare a statement condemning the New Nassrau government for refusing to rectify its errors and allowing the nation of High Treefolk still beliving it must act against Spirean interests. Furthermore, the Princess suggests that the Spirean High Council be given authority to negotiate with the High Treefolk government to restore relations to status quo ante bellum not only as a sovereign nation, but also on behalf of the council, and with written documentation noting that the council will consider further action as necessary should the High Treefolk government continue these extremely harmful sanctions against a member government.
3. Lykosia and member concerns regarding the Anti-Subversion & Internal Security Act
   
   Her Highness supports the right of the Lykosian government to pass such laws as it sees fit, subject to ethical concerns, and wishes to express her dismay at the recent Anti-Subversion act, not only in and of itself, but also for the stain it shows internationally on the previously good reputation of the Lykosian government. Although her affection for Lykosia has not waned in the slightest, it is her suggestion that the council should issue a statement calling on the Lykosian government to urgently reassess its priorities in this area and replace the current legislation with a framework with better regard for sapient rights.
4. New Membership Candidates
   
   Her Highness's opinion is at this time that Orlkjestad should be approached for membership.
5. Royal Order of Harmony proposals
   
   Her Highness proposes that the inaugural Royal Order of Harmony award be granted to Whitefang of Crystal Spires, for constant work in liberation of enslaved persons in Altea and abroad.
6. Any Other Business

"I hope everypony doesn't mind if we just took the treaty as read," she said, waving the hoofmaiden on to pass them around, "And get onto the first issue, Maven, what're your thoughts on the situation in your homeland, and more importantly, what do you need?"

OOC: I'm not mad keen to spend time discussing the treaty or posting signing it, so if people could slip their signings into posts on other topics, that'd be best.

[Crystal Spires]

The Upper Northwest Cloister of the High Council Building
The Beastling States of Crystal Spires
One week before Crystal Spires Left the CoPS

The Upper Northwest Cloister was quiet as the dim light seemed to pass through the colored stained glass windows, depicting strange battles in their wake, but their forms just becoming a blurred ghostly light in the shadowing nooks and crannies throughout the High Council Building in Caltris. It is said that there are many, many, archives dating beyond the ages of the Gods, and the old dusty books in glass cases surely did give off that impression as the soft azure carpeting stretched out across the marbled patterned floors of stone, making every step in the building echo. The tapestries on the wall were from a time far past, yet still they maintained their regal appearance. Though dignified, there was of course that small corner in the immense library of the Archive where no one else seemed to bother to come. The colors of the books varied and they were behind a small glass cover and they seemed to be beyond the area as a pile of feathers was in the corner covered in Spirean legal books which were all marked and edited. The Storkii lay there, in a pile of books and was in a pile of disheveled feathers as he could be heard mumbling to himself incomprehensibly. His blue green eyes were red from lack of sleep and the emotional wrecking ball that had crushed him like a bug as he received the news of more spreading disease in the Western Central Corridor of Crystal Spires. He had been working in the factory for 3 1/2 weeks for 12 hours straight assembling more weapons for the overseas market as the wear had been showing on the Storkii. All while taking over the Western paling at 10PM-6AM to ensure the protections stayed in place. The Storkii continued to mark books in the Archive as he then collapsed from overwork, feeling the pulsing of the blood in his veins as the palpitations gripped him fiercely.

H-How desperate am I? Should I just... no one is coming to help us. No one... He thought as he read a communique and laughed hysterically for about 15 minutes, tears streaming from his eyes before collapsing again into a feathery puff ball, and as he did so he tapped his cellphone and messaged the High Council for an emergency meeting.

The High Council Chambers
The Beastling States of Crystal Spires

There was uneasy muttering in the chambers as each one of the Council Members seemed to be completely exhausted and already pushed to their limits by the activities they had been struggling with to keep their prefectures and protectorates from falling apart to hell as they continued to try and curb the massive casualties from being killed by monsters, disease, starvation, exposure, and overwork. There was already a clear disappearance of many Councilmen who were remarkably absent. Perhaps they were working still, or perhaps they were dead, but either way they could not wait anymore, and the session began with the same words that the Storkii delivered with the solemnness that he tried to keep in his heart.

"By the oversight of our Lord Fornt, I hearby declare this Legislative session open. We are here to discuss the new Charter for the Coalition of Ponyist States. Let it be reminded that we, who know of the dangers of Corruption more than anyone else, know that the punishment for corruption and betrayal of the people is death. Thus is it our solemn vow as Councilmen to act in what is the best for the Good and Welfare of All people."

"The purity of heart, mind, and spirit is represented by words, thoughts, and actions. Councilmen! Every sentient being is responsible for their own words, thoughts, and actions and are obligated by law not to willingly commit harm to another sentient being with greed, hatred, or ignorance as a motivation." Jürgen recited the religious texts powerfully as his voice boomed over the sound of the murmuring in the Council Chambers.

"And so we promise with our full hearts that we have not acted in hatred, greed, and that we are aware of every consequence of our actions." Maven recited as he put his hand over his heart and bowed.

"Be seated," Justine said with a an exhausted nod and a slight gesture of her hand. "We have been called forth by the High Chancellor to discuss a possible pledge of foreign aid to our people. Maven, is this true?"

"Indeed, it is true. It also shall come from one of the most powerful nations we know. They have declared willingness to help us." the Council murmured in a quiet frenzy as the Councilmen were whispering about as to who it might be.

"Allanea, maybe!" One Councilman said.

"You idiot! Allanea is already helping with what they can contribute."

"Knootoss?" A female voice whispered.

"Not a chance."

"Oyelia says the C'tan may help."

"Oyelia is alive still? God's blood."

The Muttering died down as the Birdman stood up and said in a clear voice that made the entire High Council become dead silent.

"The Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar."

The High Council was silent as small gasps could be heard, they all looked at each other with fear in their eyes as Maven's exhausted red eyes were still unblinking.

"Reye... weren't you telling me yesterday that you'd accept aid at this point no matter whom the source originated?" The Storkii said with the same powerful rumbling in his voice.

"Yes, but High Chancellor... they will finish us off. They will kill us." Reye Tradonil sobbed as she buried her face in her hands as Oyelia entered the room slightly late.

"We're not letting you doom us, Auryn. If you take this you will have to take the fall. I'm not going to risk my people and their lives at the whims of pernicious elves." A young elven councilwoman said as there was a murmur of agreement.

"I will... handle this on my own." Maven said as he looked reassuringly to the council. "I... you can count on me. I will get help."

The Theater District in the City of Caltris
The Beastling States of Crystal Spires
11:30 AM Mystrian Central Standard Time 27th, of Eventide

The Theater district was still hot as the sun was slowly reaching high noon as the air was dry, which made it feel less oppressive, but still sunny as the wind was slightly gentle against the fluttering streamers and colorful decorations of the Theater District. A few pale birds sang from the top of a strange parapet, decorated with a slightly gothic arch where the old theater building stood, as the hovercraft sped by through the city, but it was strangely desolate. There seemed to be few people out and about. They seemed to be busy passing by selling their artisanry and hand-crafted items of beauty as the sun bore down on them openly. The Confetti still collected over an area where a service worker was cleaning up, and he looked at the whole empty street, massively overwhelmed.

The strong smell of Catralia lilies which bloomed in the Summer wafted through the district as there was a quaint and small cafe, where the smell of warm coffee and tea was inside the cool air conditioned building’s first floor and outside the Storkii sat, stirring his ice tea as he read a newspaper, his hands shaking as he nervously tried to remember the purpose of this meeting.

Goodwill, this is what Menelmacar desires, they are trying to help... I hope. he thought as he tried to calm his rapidly increasing heartbeat which seemed to make him shudder even more from the thoughts crossing his mind. At ease, be calm and it will go well.

A measure of comfort for the white haired winged being as he raised his monocle nervously with his slender gloved hand which still trembled as his cool aquamarine colored eyes scanned for the arriving hovercraft, and he then wiped the cold sweat off his brow as his feathers puffed up and he was forced to repreen them as he heard the craft approach, taking his hint to readjust his ascot tie, a nervous habit, but one he did involuntarily. He approached the Delegate as the hovercraft was parked nearby and immediately he tried to put his best foot forward.

“Joy and salutations! Welcome, I am pleased to see you again, and in my home, Lady Sirithil. Can, I get you some tea, perhaps? Some cake as well?” He said as he bowed and offered his hand to help her out of the craft.

The Elentári of Menelmacar nodded with a warm smile; one might almost think that she hadn’t told him to keep off the furniture. She took Maven’s hand and carefully stepped out of the hovercraft, crimson eyes and golden hair shining, resplendent in regal many-layered robes of scarlet, shimmering in the sunlight, worked all over with golden embroidery of such elegance and detail that one might think whoever did the needlework must surely have gone blind. From her shoulders hung a glorious cloth-of-gold cape worked with more intricate embroidery, most notably a large daggerstar at its center, the red threads forming it shining as if they were made of ruby. The Daggerstar Crown shone on her brow, the Nauglamír at her throat, and Dant’harthad her sword hung at her belt along with a plasma pistol. “You are most gracious, Maven Auryn,” smiled the Lady, “And all that would be wonderful of course, once we have gotten ourselves settled.” She gestured to the other elf-Lady who had been with her in the hovercraft, “Allow me to introduce Lady Serindë nos Eärendil, my Prefect of Trade.”

Serindë was every inch the Noldo, even slightly taller than her Lady and raven-haired, with eyes of the iciest pale blue, and she wore robes of deep blue with silver embroidery, and nodded her greetings. “A pleasure to meet you, High Chancellor.”

As well there were a number of knife-missiles hovering about, along with Mornahossë guards carried in the other hovercraft, but these needed no introduction as they too disembarked and formed up around the Elentári and the Prefect, imposing in the famous void-black galvorn armor and the enchanted elven-cloaks that, in seeking to emulate whatever was behind them, seemed uncomfortable to look upon for those unaccustomed to the effect. Their every movement was languid, smooth, catlike, their eyes missing no detail as they watched for the slightest hint of threat; the Mornahossë carried themselves with the supreme self-confidence of those who knew no equal in the arts of death.

“Please, join me, I am ever your humble host.” The Storkii said with a bright smile, hiding the terror that he felt, yet he still was the illusion of complete courtly manner. The Beastling set the table for the others to be seated as well, and lay iced refreshing flavored tea before them, the taste of the honey and a slight floral aftertaste to the tea, but it was light and refreshing for the hot day. The cakes before the Elentári were varied as there seemed to be 4 different kinds, all of them small and fluffy for sampling as the Storkii was not sure if the flavors would appeal to her, and did not wish to perhaps provoke if he was wrong.

The first cake was a moist and rich devil’s food cake, covered in chocolate glaze which was melted on top and the layer of chocolate ganache was smooth and rich which melted in your mouth as you took a delicious bite. The second cake was a red velvet cake with soft and fluffy creamy white cream cheese frosting. The slight tinge of color coming from the handcrushed vanilla beans which added flavor to the frosting. The third cake was a double layered yellow cake with fruit compote inbetween the layers, and the buttercream frosting had a slightly citrus flavor to it as the design of a white calla lily decorated the top of the cake and left a sweet taste as it was heavier than the other cakes, and the last was a delicious cheesecake which had a slight taste of espresso and soft spongy layers of ladyfinger cookies. The powdered chocolate bits along with a hint of candied flowers, which looked like violets upon the top seemed to add a hint of texture to the creaminess.

“I hope you enjoy your cake, My Lady, these are Spirean traditional cakes, and I was not sure if it would suit your tastes.” He said with a nervous wringing of his hands.

Serindë grinned a little, the storkii’s obsequiousness more than a little amusing, but Sirithil smiled gently, as if trying to reassure.... a little. There were still the Mornahossë spaced about the room and the knife-missiles patrolling the area, after all. “The cakes look wonderful,” she said as he described each one, and she took some of each, all four of them sounded and looked and smelled delightful and she’d be happy to at least sample each one. She tried the red velvet first, and was more than pleased. “They taste wonderful, too. Your staff are most skilled.”

“Oh, these were hand-made, mostly by my girlfriend and I. It was a team effort, I say.” Maven said cheerfully as he cleared his throat. “I hope the weather is not uncomfortable.” He said sincerely as he wondered if the poor maiden was hot beneath all those heavy looking clothes, he motioned with his hand and there was a slightly cooler sensation as he managed to cool the area down slightly with a spell he had learned from a friend, but of course it was not his specialty, so he was not sure if it made much of an improvement to the heat. It was also slightly painful as he was Xyros-blessed which meant that to him, using cold and ice spells hurt him like grasping hot embers. Of course, the Storkii was unwilling to show weakness, and didn’t even wince. “Now that should be better, I hope.”

As he helped them get comfortable he looked nervously at the knife missiles and his eyes glazed over for a moment and he twitched and cleared his throat.

“Well, I’m quite receptive to your desires to exercise good-will with the Spires, and the High Council was thrilled to hear of your willingness to support us in these rough times. I am curious though, Lady Sirithil, perhaps you can enlighten me as to what you intend to do to assist us in these days of dusk?” The Storkii said as he looked around the area, finding the lack of people to be mildly disconcerting still, but an unavoidable fact of Caltris’s population problems.

The lack of people might not just be from lack of population; Maven was likely not the only one to be somewhat intimidated by the Menelmacari show of force.

“Handmade yourself?” Serindë asked, lofting an eyebrow. “I’m impressed, you seem a man of many talents.” She reached for a devil’s-food cake. “It’s all quite tasty.” She sipped her tea, then began getting out various items from her satchel, various flexis and a small holoprojector among them.

Sirithil shook her head to his question. “No no, I’m not uncomfortable at all,” she says, “I’m sure all this looks very unwieldy but it all breathes very nicely, and Vinyatírion has a very warm climate.” She smiled, though his efforts at cooling the area brought her thanks nonetheless, as she went for another cake. She didn’t notice his pain in casting the spell, but she did notice the magic didn’t flow as smoothly as it should. “Are you all right?” she asked, “Not your magical specialty, I presume.”

“Oh, that? Ah, I learned it relatively recently, ah taught by a warm friend I have from Vehir, she’s an archmage, rather talented. Though, I’m not generally used to casting it yet, perhaps it will come with time.” Maven said with a seemingly cheerful disposition, like an eager child having learned to read a book for the first time. “So, I should be fine of course! And uhm, well the ah... I suppose I should possibly explain, the circumstances that have arisen...sadly in my absence while I was being held hostage by the Nefreedians?” He said indirectly as he remembered that ‘held hostage’ was not exactly the intention, they were likely going to kill him and he, like a fool compelled by some sort of irresistible draw was taken there, knowing he would not come back, thinking he was worthless and worthy of discarding. A strange compulsion that he found out was likely imprinted upon him by, of all people, his friend. The resulting war that occurred wiped out a massive amount of the Spirean population and led to perhaps the biggest diaspora of Beastlings since Kessian’s second call to the faithful.

The brutal executions of men, women, and children by Speciesist Stalinists from Nefreedia made the beginning of the terrors that arose during the war but paled in comparison to the aftermath. When the starvation and conditions resulted from the massive blockade and shortages in food, water, energy, and lack of defenses against the monsters culled the population massively. It hammered the nail into the coffin of the High Council. It led to a full governmental collapse of infrastructure, which had to be redone as the High Chancellor returned to what was a shadow of a government. He nearly a victim of Nefreedian callousness himself when he nearly faced execution perhaps by hanging or beheading. He looked at Siri with a nervous expression, not sure how aware she was of the aftermath of the war, and embargoes. This made the nervous creature seem all the more pitiful as he seemed to try and shove away the feeling of guilt he hid which made him look almost like a puppy which had been kicked lovingly returning to its master out of fear. Still the High Chancellor, yet he felt he was guilty for the whole matter and reviled and cursed himself for it.

Serindë set the holoprojector in the middle of the table, and activated it; the file that sprung to life was an impossibly detailed three-dimensional image of the whole of the Beastling States, likely taken from the Elenpalantíri. The Prefect had clearly anticipated this line of discussion.

Sirithil looked to Maven with a sympathetic nod. “Please, do explain... a full background of the situation we’re looking at here will make this a more informed discussion, so we all know the full extent of what we’re dealing with.” She looked over the storkii for a moment, just a bit warily. He was hiding whatever had hindered his magic, and he was a lot weaker than he was letting on. Was he hiding anything else? Menelmacar’s eyes in the sky had already ascertained much of the situation on the ground in Crystal Spires, but Sirithil wanted to hear Maven’s explanation of it, satellites didn’t see some of the social aspects of course, and she wanted to know how much he would admit to her; a lack of openness and sincerity would make working together here more difficult, and nobody wanted that.

“Of course, Lady Sirithil, I would like to know what you are aware of, so that I need not repeat what you already know. I wouldn’t presume your ignorance of matters, and I would not wish to burden your ears with my endless squacking or my wife, erhm... girlfriend shall say that I shall bore you.” He said with a nervous laugh and he sipped his tea carefully avoiding eye contact and looking at the ground, pretending to be utterly fascinated with a potato bug on the floor, and then genuinely becoming fascinated with the little thing as it did tend to remind him of his more innocent blameless days when he would climb through mud with skinned knees and the most terrible thing that could happen to him was a mere lashing by a Praetor or a Cleric.

Sirithil rested her elbows on her table and her chin on her hands, looking at him sternly, that ageless crimson gaze seeming to bore right through him. “I know you are not presuming me ignorant, but I have my reasons to ask you to begin, and to explain in full,” she said, “If there is redundancy in what you say, it has its purpose, I assure you.”

“O-of course.” He said as he snapped back into focus, his dread at having to relay the terrible happenings would, of course, be pushing him to relive most of the painful memories he had to endure in the aftermath of the tragedy. His voice was hoarse and he seemed to be rather emotionally shaken “W-where do I begin, then?” he tapped his fingers nervously. “Ah, more tea first... a moment!” he said as he summoned the gentleman who seemed to be working the whole cafe on his own. He poured the birdman more tea and he sipped it as he prepared his mind for one of the oddest conversations he expected to have with Sirithil, one of exposing vulnerability willingly which to him was something that could be construed as an almost suicidal act culturally and literally.

Now it was Serindë’s turn to be reassuring, and she reached across, through the holo, and gently took his hand. “High Chancellor, we assure you, we are well aware that talking about this is difficult for you, that the tragedy cuts deep, and that showing these weaknesses is not something you find easy to do. But we are here to help you. If Menelmacar wished you harm, even at your people’s loftiest heights you could ill prevent it, but that is not why we are here. Tell us what has happened to you, and what you need, and we will see what we can do for you.”

“Well, I suppose then I have a longer story then, to tell you.” Maven said as he sighed and was tempted to perhaps cry, but instead he laughed. “Well, you see Crystal Spires as we are, we are very strongly leftist, we sought allies in Paradoxia and the Northermark, so we tried to broker peace with the Kingdom of Peace, and the Socialist Workers’ Republic of New Freedomstan. We of Crystal Spires were successful in brokering such a peace, but it did not come without a price. You see, both nations were pretty much Autocratic states, and they both considered me to be a liability to their ‘so called’ political power, so the Peacians tried to have me assassinated by New Freedomstan, having me shot out of the sky by Nefreedian anti-aircraft batteries.”

The Storkii said nonchalantly, minimizing the fact that it was a miracle that he survived being mowed down from the sky and the subsequent fall. “Afterwards, I was forced to try and find a way to escape with my life, but I uncovered stations where Sapient Rights abuses were being conducted, and things became worse. I was a liability, and so I had to flee for my life out of New Freedomstan, but in doing so, I used a...terribly unconventional tactic to escape from New Freedomstan, resulting in the murder of thirty three militiamen who I killed with my magic.”

Maven remembered the screams in terror as he fled, leaving the arcane horrors to do his dirty work as a distraction and a terrible path of blood and death was carved through. He knew it was extreme, but he knew if he didn’t do so, they would kill him as callously as they had shot him nearly to death from the sky.

“When I made that choice and conducted that act of violence, New Freedomstan declared me a Terrorist, and demanded I appear before their court and refusing to do so would result in a war with New Freedomstan.” He said with a grit of his teeth. “Anders Ivansen did not care how non-sensical this was, and I knew that it would not be a fair trial by any means of the word. Bigods they already tried one innocent man for my ‘so-called’ crime and killed him. This was not likely going to ever be a war on even terms anyway, as we were outnumbered seven to one.”

The Storkii remembered having to think back upon his first meeting of Ranisath and Lady Sirithil and it was certainly something he was baffled and terrified as he saw that he was not only weak, vulnerable, but he was also unsure of their how their reaction would be to the quite obviously vulnerable Head of State and the opposition which still demanded his head, for certain.

“After the deadline ended I was demanded by the Nefreedian government to appear to the Central People’s Collective, for a trial, and quite likely an execution. I... I went, and I tried to stem the tide of war, but I was kidnapped by the Army of Democracy and was hidden and threatened and as the Deadline passed, the Nefreedians went to war with my country anyway. Irianul was blasted with artillery shells and was decimated, Tabril was held hostage by the Nefreedians and later was destroyed COMPLETELY, Rulkjetaashan people were killed without thought to whether they were men, women, children. It didn’t matter. Hospitals and Schools were destroyed. Whole families massacred, and we struggled to keep them at bay as our entire Navy was decimated and destroyed. The shores were violated as fleshcrawling menaces were grown and an oilwell burst, one which supplied Ohm to the North in the High Mountains. We faced an energy shortage as a result.”

The Storkii began to shake as his voice struggled to keep calm, and every so often it broke and he had to stop for a breath, to control his mind and to keep from bursting with emotion.

“The People in Ohm live far in the High Mountains of Fornt’s crown. It is freezing up there, all the time, and without heat or energy to withstand the crisis... they froze to death as the Mephisteans tried to connect them to their power grid. It was too late, and Vehir, another northern village was almost lost as well when the shortage of soldiers to protect them from monsters became worse. Crystal Spires is like a large line of dominos, disturb one of them and it sets in motion a chain of events which merely lead to a magnificently horrible fall. This was one at breakneck speed. Without soldiers to protect the farmers, the farmers could not grow food, without the transporters being able to deliver the food and fuels, the cities became locked away, and the people starved.”

The Storkii dropped his glass of iced tea and apologized as he quickly reached over to pick it up. He was quiet for a moment and looked at Siri with a whisper he spoke.

“We of Crystal Spires used to be a population of almost 700,000,000. Now we dwindle to almost 250,000,000. Allow this to explode in your mind for a moment. The gravity of the situation... we had a full infrastructural collapse, and our people died in DROVES. We still are struggling each day to keep cities supplied because there is not enough men to protect the workers, and not even enough workers to work anywhere.” Maven said with a quiet sob. “We have won the war against New Freedomstan, but the cost was unimaginable. Have we survived? Perhaps, but only just.”

Sirithil gasped quietly as he spoke, and she listened intently to every word, not touching her tea or her cakes. The full gravity of what he was feeling dawned on her the first time, the burden he was carrying on his shoulders, the guilt. He believed himself responsible for every last death in the war. It was curious; hundreds of millions had died at Sirithil’s command over the centuries, and tens of thousands at her hand, but all she had done for her people, and for Arda Healed; Maven had not killed a single one of his people, but carried the guilt for it as if he had personally slit every throat. She shook her head slightly. “I’m so sorry,” she said, reaching across to take his hand and looking straight into his eyes; with the other hand she took hold of his chin, so he could not look away from her. The sorrow in her eyes mirrored his, those deep pools with their ages of wisdom heavy with the sadness of what he had revealed to her. “I’m so sorry.... so much pain you carry...” An edge, a firmness came into her voice. “You did not do this, you must understand. The Nefreedians, these oceans of blood, every drop is on their hands, not yours. Do you understand me? You are not to blame. You did not do this.”

“I.... Lady Sirithil...” He couldn’t speak and his mind was screaming with immeasurable pain as he tried hard to keep his composure, but still the sobs wrecked him and he took a deep breath as he took his hand and neurotically preened at his feathers as she could notice a few patches of his feathers had been pulled out, the skin beneath raw and scabbed, if not with bloody specks. “I’m sorry, I.. I must be... how deeply unprofessional,” he said as he wiped away tears and tried to keep his mind focused. “We have a... labor shortage, our people are exhausted and overworked, and we have a lot of work to be done and we need... help.”

To Sirithil’s right Serindë shuffled some flexis and folders uncomfortably, until she remembered her tea and busied herself drinking it, far more at home amidst the facts and figures and carefully-laid plans of her work than among the shambles of Maven’s psyche. Sirithil, meanwhile, clenched his hand tightly in a gesture of warmth and concern. “All will be made right,” she answered him, “But before we say another word of infrastructure and labor and resources and trade, I want to hear you say it, and I want to hear you mean it. ‘I did not do this. My people’s deaths are not on my hands.’ Say it.”

“I... I did not do this... I...” He started, but his thoughts seemed to crush him like a weight over his gentle heart. “I ...but I can’t...” He said with a massaging of his temples. “I do feel culpable... for everything. I.... I could have done something. I could have prevented more somehow... WHY? WHY DIDN’T I DO MORE?” He buried his face in his hands. “I... am sorry... I must... more sugar... perhaps.” He said as he reached for the sugar, his hands shaking uncontrollably.

“There was nothing you could have done,” Sirithil answered him firmly, “short of sacrificing yourself to torture and death. You could not have seen this.” She frowned, pondering. Was she responsible in some way? Ivansen had wanted to invade Crystal Spires to shore up his government and she and Ranisath had let it happen. But she had not foreseen such destruction either, even with all her talent. She forced down the thought and shook her head a moment. “Are you going to be all right? Should we adjourn until tomorrow?”

“N-No... I will do what I must, as I should...” Maven gave a humorless laugh at the thought in his mind.” Torture and death... if it could have prevented this, I would have given myself enduring pain beyond pains until my very last breath...” He remembered the food and water deprivation, and knew how the SWRNF had tried him in absentia and ‘found him guilty of terrorism and espionage’. Never mind that it was self defense, but that was not how Nefreedia painted it. “Are you saying the honourable Nefreedian militiamen would violate their duties? Nonsense. You were being arrested, and responded by killing the poor workers who were only doing their job. So you are sentenced to death.” He imagined as his mind began to pain.

“I even tried to do so, I knew they would behead me or hang me. I look at what they did to Ivansen in retrospect, what they wanted to do to me, what they would have done. Lady Sirithil I couldn’t avoid it all even if I had practically handed myself over to them without a single moment of resistance. Knowing what would happen, and still they murdered my people, and it happened...All I wanted all I truly want now, is for all of it to be made better, for the terrible crimes that occurred to my people to be repaid and forgotten.

For myself to be forgotten as well.

“I do not wish to...” Maven started as he took a deep breath and stopped in mid-thought as his pupils dilated. The thought of feeling of the heavy blade of the guillotine falling upon his neck, striking away his life was somehow relief. The image of the noose pulling at his muscular neck, slowly and excruciatingly strangling his breath away was justice. The lightness of his body making the struggle longer as he instead, he would die on the weight of his own body as he succumbed to exhaustion. The pain subsiding with his consciousness leaving his body, eliminating his sense of guilt. With death, the horrible burdening responsibility of the entire situation would be lifted. It was an intoxicating seductive illusion, while he imagined the sense of suffering, and the sublime pain he had been feeling for months would disappear, leaving like an ephemeral bubble as he felt his morbid imagination lose consciousness, slipping away in his mind, staring away into the abyss of nothingness that was death. It was then he remembered that this would be an easy way out. He remembered his people, his family, and his lands. He wouldn’t be able to just endure, no, he needed to accept it, as it was his punishment.

“I do not wish to have my people suffer anymore.” He looked at Siri and tried to keep his strength up as he looked at the others around him as well. “I need to strengthen my people, so that they may flourish once again, but I fear that despite my best efforts we may all die anyway. I’ve few hopes due to the horrible infestations of monsters, there is practically no one to fight them or those with the ability to do so, I’ve spread magi across the Country, engaging in defensive maneuver #251, and it has kept our population safe for now, but several magi have faced the horrible consequences of spell fatigue and I know about 15 of them have already died from exhaustion. More death on my hands.”

“Please... you must focus,” Sirithil urged him, as gently as she could manage. “One thing at a time. We will get you back on your feet and then we will deal with the monsters if you wish. Those mages are not on your hands either, they made the same sacrifice you would have if you had known it could have prevented this war, they gave their lives willingly to protect their people. It is not your fault. Now.... if you can, please show us on the holo the extent of the damage.”

“How would I enter the data?” Maven asked as he looked at the object blankly as he tried to shuffle through his paperwork and there were massive folders with names of districts, cities, protectorates, and prefectural blocks. He had several grids on them as well highlighting huge areas of damage and the districts were highlighted according to the ‘urgency’ of action.

Serindë frowned as she saw the sheer volume of documentation. “Ah... hm. Maybe we need a different approach,” she said, “Perhaps we should speak today in general terms of this arrangement and in general terms of the approximate extent of rebuilding required. Then you can send us these documents and I have people who can analyze it in more detail, source contractors, and so on. How does that sound?”

“This does sound reasonable, I would like to consider this matter, but first and foremost my people need to rest. They have struggled tirelessly throughout the whole mess and need the burden of the labor needed to sustain themselves lifted.” The Storkii said as he pulled out a satchel with pure mithril bars. “I’m willing to pay for it, if necessary it will be done with every effort to ensure that my people can flourish in the best way possible and working them to death isn’t what I ever intended or wanted.”

“Of course,” Serindë said, she was more than surprised at just how much mithril he was carrying on him, but however vast the amount here it was a bare sliver of a fraction of what would be required to fund out of pocket the rebuilding of Spirean infrastructure from the ground up. Fortunately, Serindë had thought of that too, as would become clear. “The Lady and I have envisioned the restoration of Crystal Spires in three rough phases,” she began.

Sirithil took over. “Phase one is to ensure that basic needs are met. My son Maglor and the Prefecture of Compassionate Relief would handle this part. The idea is to ensure that the usual basic necessities are available to all Spireans; potable water, good food, medical supplies, and whatnot. I will certainly not see your people perishing to starvation or preventable disease.”

Serindë continued. “That of course would be free of charge. Profit-minded we may be but we are not callous. Phase two is the infrastructure. Roads, rails, communications, energy, ports, all that sort of thing is available and can be built quickly and to high standards. Phase three, which would be concurrent with phase two, is economic. Due to your severe labor shortage I think the best option would be to increase the productivity of your workforce so they’re worth what tight demand necessitates they be paid. Otherwise your nation’s businesses will die due to labor costs, and that will make things worse. There are many Menelmacari firms that design and produce machinery, equipment, and capital goods to meet the needs of governments and businesses all over the galaxy, and your cooperatives and councils can buy or rent as is best for their interests.”

“This sounds reasonable, and we can also see if we can get some to the individuals who can afford them as well in the private sector assuming they’re not also as overwhelmed and opted to join the councils to help bear the burden together. This is not unusual especially in states of emergency.” The High Chancellor said as he took notes in his book and highlighted a few areas on his maps and began to work through logistics and realized the overwhelming amount he would have to cover and was tempted to return to the horrible frigidness of Kultika’s caves and to pry and refine more silver once more. Archmage and High Chancellor, he was, but he was unwilling to sit around saliently any longer and instead opted to work himself to death as was a proper punishment, but his wear was showing as he held the satchel to the Menelmacari. “Please, this is what we are able to cover right now, I cannot immediately deliver more, but I will. I must.”

“I suspected that was your concern,” Serindë noted. She grinned. “We’ve all been there at some point in our lives. We see something we want to buy. We want it. We maybe need it. And then the question hits.... ‘How the hell am I going to pay for this?’” She paused, making no move yet to take the satchel. “There is a simple solution to this. You have many rare and valuable resources and products here in Mystria for which there is demand in Menelmacar. Instead of placing you deep in debt, which is not in either of our interests, as you would not likely be able to pay in the end, a trade concession might be preferable. Simply put, we would get a discount on trade with Crystal Spires; your government can pass that back in the form of a tax break to the affected cooperatives and businesses. We would secure supply. You would secure demand. Over the years we would build trade relationships that would last. And as both of our economies flourish, your bills would pay themselves. We would be remiss in not taking your mithril against the balance if you offer it to us, but consider whether you can truly afford to do that at this time, or whether you need it to cover other obligations.”

“This sounds more than reasonable, I cannot help but feel there is a condition for which I have not fulfilled, or some sort of catch, am I to be punished for some sort of insult? Will I do more? Is there perhaps...maybe more in mind?” He said still digging through his paperwork and trying to think of what sort of contract he would have to work out.

Sirithil frowned, tilting her head to one side inquisitively, looking almost childlike as she asked, “What... sort of other condition do you suppose that might be?” She was genuinely curious what was in his thoughts.

“Well, my people think that you shall demand some sort of blood sacrifice.” He said with a laugh. “They shrink in terror of Menelmacar, and not without reason, we know well that if you desired our removal from this planet, it would be done, and we know that there is little sympathy we hold for the Menelmacari for political reasons... we sort of expect something more drastic, so to speak.”

Sirithil laughed, a beautiful, musical sound. She was clearly very amused. “If you must punish yourself, Maven Auryn,” she said, mischief sparkling in those garnet eyes, “Let it be in telling these cravens who would not join us here today that there was a terrible price indeed, and that you will bear it yourself. Let them look on you in awe and fear of what we extracted from you. Of course there is no such price and we will not ask one, we are terror itself to our enemies but there is likewise no truer friend than Vinyatírion. As for... politics,” she said, “I am told your economy was collectivized for reasons of survival. It is an issue I can set aside for that reason. Perhaps after the hunting is done, we can revisit it then, and when that day comes we will help you then as we are helping you now.”

“Well enough, as well there are manners of situations that we will be forced to address soon, I will send you more information on locales and details for aid provision, as time is ticking away at our people’s livelihood.” Maven said with a tired look. “Though, I somehow wonder if the High Council are going to imagine I have been deatomized and reconstructed or some other hogwash, to your amusement, I am sure.”

Sirithil smiled. “Don’t even give them a hint about it, aside from to say I did not ask you to do something against the interests of your nation; let their imagination wander. Their own deepest fears will fill in the blanks more effectively than you or I could. Anyway, whenever you get a chance, just send Serindë copies of everything you have there, and anything else relevant, and she’ll work up some manner of proper bid proposal for you or whatever it is she does.” Serindë pouted a bit at that, but good-naturedly, while Siri continued. “I know you’ll not want to let that data spread any further than it must, so I’ll ensure a set of one-time pad encryption keys are made up for future communications between our governments.”

“This is well enough, I intend to do so, and I pray that things do truly get better, in time we shall see. I shall do my best to endure in the meantime, and we shall get aid where it must come.” The Storkii said as he looked at Siri with a traced bit of a neutral expression of calm. It was not like the strange smiles and nervous laughter she had seen before, nor the tears at his ailing heart, but it seemed to be contentment. “I trust you have many things to do, and I will do my best to not waste your time.” He bowed his head apologetically, as he slightly cringed and then met her eyes again.

“This hasn’t been a waste of time at all, Maven,” Sirithil replied, “I think we will both come off better, especially you.” She rose, and Serindë gathered her things, and the satchel of mithril Maven had insisted on giving them. Siri beckoned the waiter over, and gave him a Menelmacari credchip. “I’m covering the bill,” she said firmly, “no matter what Maven says. I know there’ll be change on this, but consider it a tip.” The balance on the chip was actually more than two orders of magnitude greater than the bill. “Could you wrap up the rest of these cakes as a doggie bag?”

She let him busy himself with that, and then standing over Maven she rested her hand over his. “If you ever need to talk,” she said, not talking about matters of state, now, “You know where to find me, yes?”

“I... believe so, yes. I shall return to... to my duties for now. Please do keep my people, in your thoughts.” Maven said with a slight sadness in his tone returning.

“Good. I might even let you sit on the furniture. Take care, Maven Auryn.” Siri smiled and winked, then patted his hand lightly, and her and Serindë filed out, followed by the knife-missiles and the phalanx of Mornahossë, whereupon they returned to their hovercrafts for the ride back to the airdocks. The Storkii bowed and looked at the hovercraft with an aching feeling still lingering on his conscience, but he didn’t have time for self-pity. More work was needed, he needed to make up for the horrible circumstances he had his people endure.

The still city seemed like a ghost town as Siri passed through it and still she saw only few people who passed by in the jetting speeds of the hovercraft as she headed to the airdock in the West Narai district where the river could be seen gleaming in the noon sun. He didn’t let the afternoon worry him, still he went ahead and continued to look into the city streets as he knew he would have to return to discuss with the High Council about the Menelmacari aid, and this would be one interesting conversation as he did intend to say as Lady Sirithil asked him to speak.

“It seems I’m not a complete failure in international relations...” He said to himself as he flew ahead to the governrment district. Only mostly a failure.”

He flew and landed upon the High Council Building’s front steps and planned to head to his office before revealing the news.

The Nightspire
The Lunar Principality
Present time on the 31st of Eventide

The Storkii was still run down as he listened to the Lunar Deity he had come to care for as the Princess of the Moon. Luna, the Serene lady of the night. He instinctively smiled in alarm as he found himself being addressed directly.

"Aaah? Well..." He said absentmindedly. "A lot." He was bewildered as he tried to find words to express the level of stress upon the Spireans that still was killing them all slowly and excruciatingly.

"I... hardly know where to begin. We need food, medicine, and defenses against the monsters. I was almost killed by a giant snake in my own home naught but three days ago. We're all on the strictest and most Draconian rationing since the Time of Sorrows which was an economic depression in the Spires, and the slowdown of our rebuilding originates from the utterly enormous labor demands on our people."

[Lykosia]

"...what the hay? Seriously?" Sunshine Heart said under her breath and groaned in disbelief as she looked at the agenda, especially the part when they would talk about ASIS Act. She could not believe that the Council would fiddle with Lykosian domestic affairs. She knew they would receive international response sooner or later since the law had been spotlighted extensively by the media outside the Harmonious Republic itself, but not something like this, from the RPC. "This won't end well..." the mare sighed.

She took time to listen to the Storkii for a moment and nodded, having heard their post-war conditions. Sunshine wrote a note on a paper, her ears perked up at he mention of monsters. She tilted her head as she felt a bit puzzled.

"Um...I'm sorry, but..." she started. "The Harmonious Republic of Lykosia would surely provide humanitarian assistance, material or non-material, and funds to rebuild your country. And might be a peacekeeper force. However...I'm not sure about the monster part to be honest. Can you tell us a detailed information about the current condition in Crystal Spires?"

[Muffinvania]

A signal was sounded from WaterLily's touch pad she slipped on and earpiece and pressed a button she tilted her head in surprise and then stood and bowed to the council, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I must leave at once under the orders of Arch Duchess DaffyDill the First of Muffinvania, I once again thank you for allowing me to come to this council, I hope we may return to our seat soon."

With that WaterLily turned leaning against RockSolid and followed him out of the council chamber and back to the flight deck, the private jet soon took off and began it's journey back to Muffinvania.

[Crystal Spires]

"In the aftermath of the war, several roads have been destroyed, several bridges, several ports, our strongest railway.... and more than that, several cities have all but been leveled. Most have already been rebuilt, but we are continuing to be pressed back by aggressive creatures in the Spires. We call them klodoth which is D'rɑgolɛth for monster. No other words can describe them. We are used to many, many monsters as they have been a factor of Spirean Wilderness for many, many years. " Maven said with a frown. As he raised shifted through the chancellery maps. "We are not strangers to violence, but the level of infrastructural damage is unheard of. Our cities are constricting, and this is a dangerous thing."

"The large divisions you see are chancelleries. Caltris, Shaei, and Anherc are in Luminas, which is the Chancellery I am in charge of. The ones with the most damage are Kranɑr which has the large municipality of Vierenspire and the small city of Rulkdjetɑɑsha, then there is Valiste which is where Irianul is, and then there is Valur which is where Tabril once was, it has been completely destroyed and is now where Zepilani stands. We have out work out out for us. The pledges your nations send may come in many forms. There's pledges of food, medicine, and temporary shelters such as tents which we will enchant unless you are also able to put protective wards upon them. The second kind of pledge would come in the form of voluntary manpower, which we will use for building, transportation, rewiring electrical grids. They will be paid fully and we are willing to ensure that they will also receive bonuses for overtime. Another pledge will be of military aid. Our navy has been severely compromised, and we are in deep need of defenses for threats which we perceive will become a major factor in keeping Crystal Spires safe. Then we shall need security forces for roads, rural townships and regional municipalities in areas we deem 'the red zone."

The High Chancellor removed a map and frowned deeply as he cracked his knuckles and removed his gloves showing bright golden talons as he scraped the side of a tube and there was a slight clicking sound as he put his glove back on and removed the map from inside and placed in upon the screen which allowed for it to overlap the map of the chancelleries.



"I fear diagrams spell more than words. At the moment, I would say with relative certainty that there is a lot more trouble in specific areas, but we must focus on rescuing people in the cities. I've been spending arduous time to try and rid a singing swarm in Shaei but because the area is more rural we've had much less success. The Other Chancelleries have been a tad bit, combative of my plans lately, as they feel that I am part of a multilateral conspiracy to bring back the monarchy. An Archtraitor to the spires, or so they say. I wish I could laugh it off and dismiss such a claim, but where I stand they see me as entirely culpable, and they are not wrong."

Maven then shut away his computer portal and quietly folded his hands.

"As for the ASIS matter, my feeling is that it is anti-democratic, and is therefore against the principles in Lykosia's constitution. With a little judicial review this should be declared unconstitutional. I'm more concerned about it of course, as it implies corruption in the Lykosian institution as a whole. A matter I find highly disturbing. Corruption is dealt with very harshly in Crystal Spires for a very good reason." Maven pointed at the map once more. "THIS is the result of corruption. Hundreds of thousands of deaths and more than enough infrastructural damage to send us back 5 and a half years, Gods help us."

[Lubyak]

Octavia shifted in her chair slightly, tapping her hoof on the desk in front of her, listening as Maven began his message, pleading for aid from the rest of the Council. He told them stories of how the people of Crystal Spires were in peril from their own environment, espescially with their own forces so weakened by the war with the Nefreedians.

'How typical,' she thought to herself. 'Maven Auryn's nation continuing its downward spiral into becoming a...not particularly nice suburb of hell,' she continued, still listening to Maven's speech. 'Nonetheless...I suppose we should help him. He is...technically an ally,' she thought to herself, even as Maven finally finished, and she rose up to give her response.

"We of the Dominion of the Lubyak do feel the pain of the Spireans in their time of crisis, and we hope that we may be able to offer you some form of assistance," she said, glancing around the room. "As you no doubt know, the Lubyakan Army and Air Force have forward deployed certain unit to the Lubyakan Administered Regions of Altea, and--through great investment of funds and effort--these forces have cooperated with the local populace to rebuild local infrastructure and maintain it against the hostile wildlife endemic to Mystria," she said, trying to not sound too boastful of Lubyakan accomplishments in Altea.

"We would be happy to offer the assistance of our forces in order to rebuild your infrastructure, and protect your citezenry agains the deprivations of monsters."

[Lykosia]

del

[Crystal Spires]

"To take a protective measure is one thing, but to sacrifice liberties is another. We of Crystal Spires know the risks and sacrifices one must take to protect one's nations from all external and internal threats and I must admit, I was blinded by the affection and loyalty that Chancellor Eames had shown to me which allowed him the ability to overstep his bounds as a politician. What ASIS does is silence criticism, which you are no doubt aware is a dangerous step from protecting your nation from threats." Maven said with a slightly miffed expression. "Perhaps elucidating for you what I mean will make you rethink your position."

Outskirts of Merlon
The Beastling States of Crystal Spires
The Third Age 1992,
The 23 of Snowfell 9:30PM MCST

It was in the Third Age, in the time of tears and tribulations. The cold chill of winter has descended upon the land, and the purges continued without mercy. Many of our kin suffer during the King's rule, as injustice is everywhere. The New Idealists are pressing northward to Vehir in desperation. Regarded as traitors, they have turned from their King and are said to have cast off the Kuukarah.

"We struggle for our freedom, while the Great King calls for our execution for treason!" I heard him say, a hero in many eyes and to others he was a usurper. A foul beast who has profaned the Holy Codices to sate his wretched ambition. I know none of these things. To me, he was just brother. Alɛn Mythor, one of us. A templar with strong Forntian values. A conservative whose heart pumped with the ferocious beat of justice which could be felt in every Idealist's heart. As he stood proudly and recited the crimes of the nobility, I was just a boy. Tiny, listening, tottling from behind my mother's leg, watching up at her brilliant feathered wings as my father stood silently beside her. His hands were speaking to the strange horned satyr, and our Lord Swore to uphold true justice that we, as Idealists, knew. I didn't understand it then, but after my family died, and I was taken in by the templars. I began to see life very differently.

As a young templar I was bold, and brazen. I stood and held by ground and believed myself undefeatable as all children did, but when I saw with my own eyes the injustice, the bloodshed, I knew something had to be done. As I held the bloodstained severed head of an innocent mother who fell to the hands of Lord Trevanesse, a noble of Caltris, a woman he killed for a minor offense at his honor, I knew that Mythor's words were true. I reviled my Skyborn caste, and swore to cast it aside in the name of righteousness. And so with honor and strength I took up bayonet and rifle and enlisted. It was a harsh life as a young soldier. I had to travel far and wide, and I watched people die by my hand feeling like I was merely a tool, yet enjoying the feeling of the rush of battle. It sickened and terrified me. As snow fell and several soldiers prepared the batteries, I stood by Captain Medure and we raised arms side-by-side.

"Hey, what's your name, brother? I heard you do not have one?" The strange man with black cat ears said to me as I tipped the snow off my beret.

"Well, the brothers call me Auryn, for a good reason." He said pointing at the bright white wings. "What could be more Auryn₁ than that?"

"Well, I can think of a few things." The man said with a chuckle. "But no name, huh. That's strange for a Skyborn." He said as the Storkii became visibly uncomfortable. "Not that it's something that you should pay much heed to. A name is a name. Going by common names I'd say Jɛrɑl, Rejgɛn, Tiigɛn, Kej. Names should match a person's personality, I think."

"Heh, so you believe I am all those things? You are kind." I said with a smile and a blush as I had not been paid such compliments ever before. As the snow falls we prepared for the coming night. With a smile I looked at Reis Medure, unaware what would come in the cold night. "Is that...food?" I asked bewildered as I saw a few saved peanuts and chocolates in his small box of pistol ammunition.

"Oh this... well when you do this long enough you learn that it's always best to save as much grub while you can. Ultimately you're more likely to be put in a situation where they'll try and cut off supply lines, and from there it's a waiting game where they'll try and in that situation it's a survival game with how long you can hold out without basic necessities, and then they strike when you are your weakest. With this, it's a completely dishonorable, but an effective tactic. But the Gods Bless the Spires with this matter, as it becomes a waiting game for the both of us, and in my case, and many other veterans, we tend to anticipate the waiting game, and so we get more food than ammunition."

"That is...hilarious, so you're carrying more jerky, chocolate, and nuts than bullets." I asked, naive I was then.

"Yep. You might want to wrestle some long lasting grub too when you're at it. Can't be too careful or know when this can happen." he said nonchalantly as he loaded his rifle and we watched in horror as our commanding officer notified us. The Enemy had come.

"Shit." I was terrified again as any one would be in such a situation. Being in war didn't make you less afraid, but it made your fear less important than your courage, and this I could manage as I flew up high, firing carefully and precisely. They weren't so stupid as to charge a .50 Caliber Machine Gun, or so I thought. "Holy Lord of the Law..."

They ran at it in droves as the driver was shocked by their stupidity as they all fell like beans being thrown at a window as the bullets hailed over their bodies like a tumult. They tried to take us down and spared no resources, they threw as many men as they could at us as we were forced to pull back. Through the fluttering through the forest and trees I spotted Medure being split off from the group and I tried to lay down some supression fire as I then lost sight of him in the canopy cursing to myself. I turned the radio on and heard white noise, as I reported quickly to my commanding officer. Medure was MIA, we couldn't find him. I assumed he made way for Merlon and was laying low, but I knew if they found him, he was dead.

Meanwhile for the whole night alone he rushed toward Azohuorah on the horizon, trying very hard to get as far as he could to the city, panting all the way as he fired back at the enemy and ran for his life. He wasn't the only one to become disconnected from our squad, because they had used jamming that had attempted to take out our communication. Fair enough, we used it on them as well, turnabout was fairplay. As Medure tried to catch his breath he made it to the city limits. He saw well, however, that the enemy was waiting for him. He watched as a few of his brothers were gunned down, shot and killed as he rushed from the outskirts to hide in the city streets. It was not only the brothers that they killed, but dissenters. Anyone who disagreed with the attempted slaughter was beheaded or shot in the streets.

As he sprinted in the moonlight through the narrow passages of the ghettoes his primal instincts kicked in. He told me he felt panic, and terror unlike any other as the sublime realization that he was alone in a place where people wanted to kill him sunk into his mind. He passed from the ghettoes to the open space, space that was necessary for him to keep clear from the dangerous nightmare that made him a target among innocent people who could be used as a shield. He heard firing as he climbed up a pipe and into a balcony. To his horror the pipe broke and he fell into an open deck of a rather posh household. Nobles. He knew what this meant. As he quickly opened the deck entryway he held his pistol out, he inwardly cursed as he knew his rifle was empty, his pistol was empty. He had his bayonet and wit left, but as his smelled the perfumed room he looked around panicking as he tried to see if the room was empty, and to his horror, he heard a slight stirring from the bed where a white ear poked out. She seemed to look at him blankly for a moment before she saw his gun and recoiled and he pointed at her quickly and in not but a whisper he said.

"Don't scream. If you or raise your voice, I will shoot." She got up and carefully attempted to go for the door, but he blocked her way. "That's right, there's nowhere to run. That's good. I'm not going to hurt you, if you're good I will not harm you at all." He said as he looked at the rather scantily clad woman in her night gown, her white cat ears peeked out as she realized he was a soldier of the rebel army.

"W-Who are you?" She asked as she tried to keep her eyes on the rather haggard looking exhausted soldier covered in blood and snow. He trembled as he held the gun as steady as he could.

"I apologize for my disturbing you dear lady; but you recognize my uniform, for certain. I'm a New Idealist and if I'm caught I shall be killed. Do you understand that?" He said as he nudged for her to back away from the window. "I don't intend to get killed if I can help it, so if you'd be so kind so as to not make me have to do anything hateful, I'd appreciate it." He said as she sat at her bed.

"I.... I don't want to die. Please don't hurt me!" She said with terror in her eyes, pleadingly.

"I don't want to shoot you, and I won't if I can help it, but if I let you call for help, a whole squad will burst into this room of yours where you sit rather nakedly and they'll slaughter me here like a monster and I'll fight like a demon before they attempt to drag me out and torture and execute me. No, it's better to go down fighting than get me into the streets to amuse themselves with. I know what they are. Are you prepared to receive that sort of company in your present nudity?"

"Eep!" She covered herself blushing madly as he pulled away her sheets and whispered.

"Nu uh, nope. It is simple! I keep this, and you make extra sure that no one comes in here to see you naked in this room with me half naked!." he said with a warm chuckle. Why it's a better weapon at this rate than this pistol anyway, which is what I'm pretty sure it was that he was thinking. A noblewoman undressed and quartering a soldier from the rebel army? It would be a scandal and a horror to behold.

"You are... YOU ARE A CAD!" she whispered tersely, emphasizing her displeasure as much as she could as he tried to relax in the corner for a moment to catch his breath. As he heard the doorbell he heard another voice down the hall. Her servants, probably.

"Lady Katriel, there is someone at the door."

"Lissie, entertain our guest for a while, I shall be down in a moment." She said as she looked at the soldier who cringed as he closed his eyes.

"He says it's urgent, and he's a soldier of the Idealists. He says to let him in." The black eared soldier looked at her, crestfallen, his green cat eyes filling with hopelessness as he accepted the fact that he was done. He was a dead man walking. He took his bayonet and attached it to his rifle and knew what was coming now, as he looked at her while she whispered low.

"What are you doing?" She asked shrilly. "I...you're not going to...."

"I'm done for." He said with a desperate frown and he handed her the covers. "It was worth a try... It's alright milady, shield your eyes, this won't likely last long." She saw in his eyes the grimness of a desperate but determined man. "I was paid to live as long as I can, while taking as many of the enemy to the sacred realms, and so help me, I will take as many of them down with me as I can. You're in for one hell of a fight, miss!"

"No! Just.. Oh damn it all." She said as she took the thin and scraggly soldier and stashed him away in her closet.

"Lady Katriel?" A voice could be heard at the door.

"Oh, my Lord to what do I owe the pleasure?" She said sweetly, her voice dripping like sugary honey.

"Your neighbors have mentioned that they heard a loud noise and I fear we may have a traitor who has profaned the sanctity of your home. I'm willing to safeguard milady as is my duty to." The man's voice said with a polite conviction.

"Oh, you are a charming one to be sure, but be assured, there was no traitor here! You've been catching strays all day from the battle not far off from here. So many that I'm sure my neighbors may have mistaken my window cleaner or pool boy for one of them. Rest assured, that there is no traitor here. Why they are all scoundrels, and if I had one I would kill him myself. The nerve of them breaking into my house! Perish the thought!" She said with a fury. "As of the current moment, Milord you can be certain that there's no soldier here! I would enjoy my privacy once more, if I can help it!"

"Aye, yes milady. Please do alert me if you do have anything you need." Reis heard the door close as he breathed a sigh of deep relief. He waited and slumped in the closet as the adrenaline and endorphins crashed in on him. He had already run out of ammo and provisions and he had forgotten how long he had been running. She opened the door, and pulled on a robe as she looked at the man pant in exhaustion with a frown.

"That was... the closest shave with death I've had in a while. I'm forever in your debt, Miss... Katriel was it? A beautiful name to be sure." Reis said with a charming smile.

"So, you're one of the traitors who want to murder the king, kill my family, and to steal our national liberty?" Katriel said with a bitter look."

"Heavens, no!" He said with an offended expression. "I oppose Kuukarah, and if the King Opposed it, and agreed to follow the principles of the Just God, I would kneel before him and declare myself his subject. I also do not understand why you believe why I'd want to hurt your family, I've no quarrel with them."

"You want to kill them, because they're 'bourgeoisie' and 'oppressing the proletariat' we're nobles so we're deliberately harming the workers and all that. I know what Mythorians believe." She held his gun out and gave it back to him. "Here, to defend yourself from my horrid greed ridden oppressiveness." Reis looked at Katriel and took the gun in his hand and set it in his holster.

"It was not loaded." He said with a reassuring glance and smiled slightly. "I'm also certain you've misconceived the Mythorians."

"Hmph, and you've misconceived nobles. Look at how generous I have been! And see now, I grant you shelter. Maybe now you will come to see that we are not all devils worthy of death? I give you, the poor prole safety and sanctuary. You will live."

" Don't make promises you cannot keep. Yes, this particular rush will soon pass through; but the pursuit will go on all night. I must take my chance to escape when it's quiet. You don't mind my waiting just a minute or two, do you?"

"I offered sanctuary didn't I? You're not going to go back out there into danger again will you?" She asked with a frown. "And why aren't you loading your gun?" She asked as she looked at the soldier with a pout.

"Erhm, I don't have anything to load it with? Unless you count nuts, smoked meat, or maybe chocolate, but I think I ate my last bar on my way here." he said with an exhausted smile.

"You what? Like... a high school boy, you are stashing food in your gun cartridges?" She asked horrified as her fantasies about honor and soldiers with bravery and bullets and blood and steel were dashed by the strange man.

"Hm? It is not so unusual, but I must wonder what happened to our machine guns. It was... unusual for such a thing to happen. They don't usually allow anyone to pass through like that."

"You were at a battle?" She asked as she saw the poor man barely staying conscious and was back and forth between nodding off.

"Yes, and I've been on staff, which means I've barely had a good sleep in days. Not even 2 uninterrupted hours of sleep... Been up for 36 hours, on my last leg. Though, I don't think you'd understand the level of stress that puts on one's body, being a noblewoman and all."

"You!" Katriel said while hitting Reis upside the head with her shoe. "I suppose you want to go down the balcony and climb down from my deck? You want to go off hiding from here?"

"Oh Gods, if you're going to make me climb down, you might as well sound the alarm and bring the soldiers here." He said with a groan. "I'll fall to my death as surely as that, or they'll kill me when I get down there out in the open like that. I've no energy to do it. Call them here and I'll get good uninterrupted nap on the pyre anyhow."

"You're... you're that exhausted?"

"No, c'mon. I can manage... let's go Reis!" He said as he shook himself; pulled himself together; and spoke with rallied vigor and courage. "You see, sleep or no sleep, hunger or no hunger, tired or not tired, you can always do a thing when you know it must be done. Well, that pipe must be got down. Do you hear that, Reis Medure?!" He said as he beat his chest and then quickly looked at the balcony and climbed to his feet.

"A....and if you fall?" She asked nervously

"Then I shall sleep uninterrupted as if the stones in the gutter were a feather bed, farewell milady." He said as Katriel surely heard the guns erupting in her mind, shooting the starving, exhausted, and unarmed man brutally in the streets ending his life as he gave that strange, almost handsome laugh and smile. She reached for him again and pulled him from the window.

"No, don't go... you'll die." She said with a sad look in her eyes.

" Never you mind about that. This sort of thing is all in my day's work, I'm bound to take my chance. You want to help, then do what I tell you. Put out the lights, so that they shan't see the light when I open the blinds. Keep away from the window, whatever you do. If they see me, they're sure to have a shot at me, and... it will be over then."

"No! Just... Must you be so! Ugh! Come here." She said as she led him away from the window. "It's a full moon. They're clearly going to see you bright as day, and they'll kill you. Just... just let me save you, okay?"

"Huh?" He asked as he tried to keep his mind clear. "What?"

"You must remember that a Noble's highest and most important duty is to maintain her honor, and so for that you must trust that it is my honor to provide you with our family's highest hospitality. So you are going to rest, and you're going to relax." She said as he rested.

She turned out to be one of the strongest supporters of the movement, although she never did relent on the meaning of nobility, and soon enough it took on a completely different meaning. It wasn't something that was born, it was something that was fostered. Something that grew like a flower in the soil of liberty. The true meaning of nobility. I've my disagreements with the opposition, and in many times, I've hated them. None however, have I truly wished harm, and the story that Reis Medure told me, of how he met Kat, it changed my perspectives around on how we should handle the ejecting of nobles from our society. From our new society, from a free society. While Katriel came to see that the Idealists were wasting away the lives of good men on both sides, she began to sympathize more with the New Idealists, and in her own way, she joined the resistance. Soon enough she became fervently part of what was the High Council.

Royal Pony Council
The Lunar Principality
Present Day

"If you have no idea what it is like to be in the opposition, nor do you take the patience and care to understand what they are truly like, all you will do is lose support. Treat them with disrespect, and they will disrespect you. Fight them, and they will fight back. Abuse them, and see what happens as they abuse innocent people. Locking them away and throwing away the key will not silence their voices, because they so loudly speak in their silence. This is not merely a domestic matter anymore. “ The Birdman said with a cross look.

“You are our allies, and we have to be sure we can trust you, and if you want secured investments in the Spires and not a massive sell off of stock from lost confidence in Lykosian investments, you will rethink your position from the lens of the opposition, or we will rethink our treaties and arrangements with you. This is a discussion not only about liberty, democracy, and core values but it is a way to curb corruption where it stands." Maven said clearly. “Are you ready to clear away your tarnished image, and step forth into a more honorable future? A noble change, into a place where the opposition can speak freely with respect in an open and transparent environment? I know of both sides personally, and I’m asking you to consider it strongly.”

[Princess Luna]

Luna gave Maven a flat look of displeasure as he decided to expound at considerable length about the 'ejection of nobility' even if she found the story interesting enough in itself, she couldn't help feeling that perhaps he was being a big circuitous coming to his point. She would have to look into this 'explusion' more, and this Reis Medure. She quashed annoyance as he spoke of corruption in his own terms; she didn't like the religious baggage that Spireans thought of when they used the word, but then, she couldn't really expect Maven to divorce himself from that either, with any fairness, so she'd have to live with it.

She smiled, "I am sorry to say that I must agree regarding the ASIS act; it will hopefully fail at a judicial review, but even the fact that it needs to is indicative of something very wrong in the minds of those who passed it."

[Lykosia]

Sunshine Heart tapped her forehooves together, her face could tell she was not comfortable with Maven's story, even though he certainly had a point. She herself didn't support the controversial law, however she could not stand hearing foreign nations interfering in the national affairs.

"I understand your concern regarding ASIS. It is indeed a controversial law even in the motherland itself, the government already largely criticized by the people. We know about the protests outside our embassies in the Greater Pony Herd and Crystal Spires," she looked at Morning Star and Maven. "We know this has shocked and caught the attention of the international community, some may strongly oppose this. But I have to emphasize here that we will not easily affected by some foreign pressures, including from the Royal Pony Council. We like to solve our problems ourselves."

[Muffinvania]

WaterLily stood clearing her throat, " Fellow members, in light of Her Highness Princess Luna's strong motion against the government of Lykosia and the ASIS Act during her Hearts Warming Eve address the Eternal Grand Duchy of Muffinvania can no longer remain silent and sit idly by, We move for the immediate suspension of The Harmonious Republic of Lykosia from this council until such time as they revoke the dangerous and offensive legislation and once again are guided by the principles of Harmony, Friendship and Magic."

[Crystal Spires]

Maven Auryn nodded silently as he weakly gestured for Mellow Spirit to speak on his behalf, and Mellow eagerly piped up on behalf of Spirean Values.

"It is fairly sad that Lykosia, once considered a paragon of compassionate and wise action in the Pony Lands, has decided to go down the path of paranoia and dismantlement of Civil Rights. While we fully understand the reason Lykosia has taken a proactive stance for protection of Lykosian citizens and their elected government, there hardly seems to be a justification for locking up dissidents and throwing them in obscure work camps in who knows where. We voice our deepest concerns and with reservation we vote against Lykosian suspension, if only so we could discuss a full review of ASIS. If they are suspended we would not be able to discuss the reasoning behind it, and the manner we could take to reduce the concerns for the Lykosian people who voted directly in favor of said legislation. It is fairly revealing that the measure was passed with resounding approval of the populace, which begs the question of 'Why'." Mellow Spirit said with a nervous look back at the Birdman.

"There are many reasons why Lykosia could or would resort to legislation based on fear, but the Spires is curious why such measures were needed or even presumed necessary by the Lykosian population. While it would be simple to condemn the nation of Lykosia for said act, it was democratically passed through." Maven said with a muffled cough. "Which is, to me, more disturbing and disconcerting, we must reconsider suspending their membership and instead openly discuss the problem, and then if Lykosia refuses to act in the interests of Civil Rights and Sanity, we of Crystal Spires will, then and only then, support the Muffinvanian motion to suspend Lykosian Membership." Maven Auryn said with a hesitant manner. He suspected that perhaps this was a type of ploy to set up the means to attack Lykosian, an act for which he would be expected to oppose in order to defend them, being a reluctant ally. This would be problematic with a decline of popular support of Lykosia despite their generally compassionate acts. However their compassion was misplaced when they attempted to support the New Freedomstani in the Civil War, and it created a rift between Lykosia and the Spires.