Romance and the Fate of Equestria

Okay, this was a pre-note that I was planning to say around New Year's, but… that kinda got away from me, didn't it? But hey, spring is a good time for self-reflection too, I guess. Maybe even more so, 'cause spring's got that rebirth motif going on. Anyway, 2014 was a hell of a year for me. I got out of the rut I'd been sitting in for years, where all I did was sit around and write fanfiction all day. After years of trying and failing to get a job, I realized that the solution was right in front of me: the restaurant that my family owns, where I'd practically spent my childhood. So I moved up to Wisconsin, started work… there was apprehension, no one knew if it would go well, least of all me, but… I mesh really well. It went even better than could be expected.

I'd been putting off getting a driver's license for years; got one in early 2014. I'd never been out of the country before; in 2014, I travelled to Sweden. Huge, huge European and adventure, and my objective was to, you know, see about a lady. It would have been impossible to imagine "me from 2013" in those circumstances. I was there for about a month, I sexed her up real good, we celebrated our one-year anniversary as a couple, and then I had to steel myself for another year before we're able to see each other again.

I lost my grandmother, who'd always been the most dependable and reliable factor in my life. She was just omnipresent, checking in with me every day to see how I was doing, travelling the country as a moment's notice just to spend time with me, making sure I had everything I needed to be happy and healthy, keeping me on course, always making sure I was at the right stage of my life. And then, without even a moment's warning, what was once omnipresent is now totally gone. We had this thing where, whenever we got together, we'd go out and see every single movie that was playing in theaters. Every last one. 2015 is going to be the best year ever for movies. Who's going to watch them with me?

So… in summary… I look back at 2014 and I think, man… I can't believe that was all just one year. And for that matter, most of it was just November. It's madness. (incidentally, as of November I now need to shave every day, so there's another life milestone) And here I am, you know? It's 2015, and I'm a very different person than I was in 2014. So when my thoughts turned to New Year's resolutions, I just told myself, "Listen, Sage: keep doing what you're doing, man, 'cause you're doing good. You're doing real good."

Sage is my name, by the way. I don't think I've ever mentioned that in the text of this story before. I'm clarifying that it's my name because someone I once knew—the guy I called a crazy bastard in the endnote of Chapter 82—was convinced that I called myself Sage as a title to celebrate my own wisdom or whatever. But no, it's my first name. A name I'm fond of, so I didn't exactly appreciate some guy thinking I was using it to express arrogance…

Anyway, if I do have a resolution, it's to exercise more. Naty and I talked about that when we were together. We're both exercising while we're apart, and the fitness goal that we're both working toward is that next time we meet, I'll be able to pick her up and carry her, bridal-style. Wish us luck!

Much like the comeback at the beginning of Part Two, I've got a lot to rant about. 'Cept this time it's about me instead of about the story, because unlike back then, there is a "me" to speak of who has traits other than "guy who writes Romance and the Fate of Equestria". Just bear with me and I'll run out of material eventually.

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Two

In a foggy and humid bog, a sea of squishy ground covered in moss and dotted with odd trees, with occasional ponds of murky green water, a single musical note blasted through the miles-empty landscape.

"Was that it?" Luna asked quietly.

"I think that was it!" Celestia said gleefully. "I think that was five-part harmony."

Song Li pumped her hoof. "YES!"

The five goddesses laughed together, congratulating each other and enjoying their triumph. Kolassa was trudging across the landscape, while the other four floated leisurely at her eye level.

"Good job, girls, we pulled it off," Celestia said grandly. "Let's work on that again some other time. For now, I think it's time we made camp."

Kolassa nodded silently and gingerly stepped across the landscape, scanning for an open spot where she could lay down. The others followed her, but Celestia blocked Okapiopteryx's path and looked at her with pleading eyes.

"I wanted to apologize again for my words when this began," the princess said solemnly, her voice exhausted and sad. "There's no excuse that I can offer for saying words of disrespect to one who, in spite of everything, I consider to be a friend. I beg your forgiveness."

Okapiopteryx blinked her eyes, her striking eyelashes waving in the wind. "Why, pray tell, are you so driven? There was little between us to be riven. Why so much stress on what you want to express, when forgiveness was already given?"

"Well, there's more to it than just that," Celestia muttered. "I respect you immensely. I always have. And I don't understand why the feeling isn't mutual. I'm asking your forgiveness, not only for my recent remark, but for whatever it is that caused this to happen between us. I can assure you it was never my intention to offend you. I've never desired anything but your friendship."

Okapiopteryx hung her head. "Perhaps I made a mistake," she said quietly. "I deeply regret causing your ache. Your friendliness and smiles, your warmth all the while… It all seemed so terribly fake."

"Ah," said Celestia, nodding with bitter amusement. "It was fake. My smiles, my warmth, it was just for show, to put others at ease. Ever since I became princess of Equestria, there have been things knocking around in my mind and no one I could talk to about it. So you're right, I was a phony. You saw right through me."

"Long ago…" Okapiopteryx stammered, a lump in her throat, "um… long ago, I had heard lore, seemed like you were a creature I'd abhor." Her eyes darted around as she searched around for a conclusion to her statement, but changed the subject instead. "I was not at all cut up when you told me to shut up; in fact, I've never respected you more."

"Because… at least that was honest," said Celestia, nodding in understanding.

"I remember the tales I heard, way back when," Okapiopteryx said bitterly. "Of your cold heart, that you harm your innocent kin. So I was suspicious, of course… but I had an unreliable source." She sighed and buried her face in her hooves. "I am so very sorry, my friend."

"I completely understand," said Celestia. "My sweetness which was masking pain and suffering, you thought it was masking… a monster. If all you knew of me was stories from long ago, that wouldn't be entirely off the mark." She sighed deeply, then gave a little smile. "Well! Amazing what five minutes of simple communication can do for seven hundred years of enmity, eh?"

Okapiopteryx chuckled weakly, plainly ashamed of herself.

The two of them landed next to Kolassa, who had sat down with her legs tucked beneath her body. Luna was bringing forth the night, and Kolassa's shadow lengthened over them. Celestia levitated several old fallen branches to their site and stacked them up, using a beam from her horn to light a huge, pure white fire.

Song Li flinched away from it. "Oh dear… that's an awfully bright fire."

"I'm afraid it needs to be," Celestia said apologetically. "I can't see in the dark, and I mean I really, really can't. It's been a weakness of mine since foalhood. It would make me more comfortable if we could keep this fire going as long as possible."

Song Li crept forward and inspected the fire. "It's barely even hot," she said in surprise. "How remarkable." She looked around nervously. "Hrmm, the soldier in me is uneasy about something that reveals our position so obviously."

"I think any creatures that may be here will notice me before they notice the fire," Kolassa said dryly. "Not to worry. We left Mitgaeard and her team far, far away from here. And if it's not them, what exactly would be the problem with somepony spotting us? I think we can handle whoever it might be."

"…Of course," Song Li said weakly, looking down at the ground and scuffing it with her hooves in embarrassment.

"Hey," Kolassa said sternly. "Stop that, all right?" A small tendril of swirling sand sprouted from the ground and lifted Song Li's chin. "You can't keep getting down on yourself for every little mistake you make, and I don't think you could even call that a mistake. You brought up a valid perspective based on your experiences."

"I suppose," Song Li mumbled.

"There ya go. So don't be so hard on yourself."

"Very well," Song Li said formally. "I am sorry."

"And stop apologizing for everything," Kolassa commanded.

"Sorry," Song Li said automatically. She realized what she had just said and paused. "Well, that was a terrible cliché if I ever heard one…"

"I liked it!" Kolassa chirped.

Luna stared up into the night sky, unable to see the moon through the fog.

"Something on your mind, little sister?" Celestia asked.

"Oh, just… thinking about what Vorpal Blade has planned for the Summer Sun Celebration," Luna said absently. "I find myself pondering the possibility that we won't catch him before then."

"Oh, don't fear for that," said Celestia. "As a team… we're unstoppable."

Luna glared. "You know that isn't true."

"All right, as a team we're exceptionally durable," Celestia submitted.

Kolassa rested her head and tail on the ground, and in doing so formed a wall around three-quarters of their campsite. "So… who's up for a bit of girl talk?" she said brightly.

"Ooh, that sounds nice," Celestia said eagerly. "I'll get the ball rolling. Who here has gone all the way?" She raised her hoof and looked around. "Really? Just me? Luna—"

"Ah, no," Luna said hastily. "Sorry, you took me by surprise, that's all." She raised her hoof, as did Song Li and Okapiopteryx.

"That leaves… Kolassa?" Celestia said in surprise.

"No," Kolassa said casually. "Never got around to it when I was normal size, and now that I'm big and stuff… never gonna happen, unless you find me a guy with a sixty-foot-long—anyway. Fortunately, I am a martial artist, so I know a few breathing and meditation exercises that lend themselves well to celibacy. Demand it, even." She shrugged. "I never did care about those particular tenets. I think if I had met somepony… but all things considered, I don't have any regrets. Complete control over my body is definitely a boon. Otherwise, if I ever needed alone time… it'd be hard to find a place where I felt like I had privacy."

Luna frowned thoughtfully. "Are you saying you can…?"

"Just by thinking about it, yes," Kolassa confirmed. She glanced around at them as they stared at her. "Stop staring, I'm not going to demonstrate. Celestia, since you seemed so interested in the subject, when's the last time you went all the way?"

"Oh, wow," Celestia exclaimed. "It must have been… eighty years ago. Yes. His name was Towering Inferno. He… wasn't as impressive as that makes him sound."

They all snorted with laughter.

"He was the richest and most important stallion in Equestria," Celestia recalled. "See, he was responsible for the building of railroads throughout the country. Because of him, life in Equestria became a whole lot bigger, as travel became very easy to come by. As he was an important businesspony, I had a lot of contact with him. I had him by the castle often, we grew close, and eventually…" She sighed. "It had been a while since I'd had companionship, so I made the decision that I would…" She trailed off, and winced at the memory. "Bad sex. Very bad. What they say about stallions with big hooves and big muzzles… it's not true.

"Ah, but I've learned to laugh about it. I've had several similarly unfulfilling experiences. I would prefer, I think, to settle down and marry. I always hoped that by the time I was this age, I would be… well, a widow many times over. I want to share a lifetime with somepony, even if it's their lifetime and not mine. To have a husband, to see him live his life, to say goodbye when his time came… depressing, to be sure, but it's been my dearest ambition for centuries. But certain things inhibit me… cloud my judgment… I haven't been able to form any sort of romantic attachment. Instead, I simply have brief trysts and affairs every few decades that only serve to frustrate me."

She hung her head, then slowly lifted it again. "I… I'm fine now. It turned out that the bond I truly craved was that of the mentor and student… to be a teacher and mother figure to somepony who starts out under my wing and eventually grows into a colleague. I think what I truly wanted was my little sister back." She shrugged. "Whatever my emotional needs are, Twilight Sparkle served to fulfill them. And now that I have Luna back, she does so as well." She beamed at her sister.

"Twilight did renew my interest in romance, though," Celesta continued thoughtfully, "when she herself started pursuing the subject after witnessing the power of love drive the changelings out of Canterlot. Despite being somewhat fed up with the subject of romance, I tried to be supportive of her research anyway, and the headway she's made has brought back my interest. Given me a lot to chew on, you know." She winked at none of them in particular. "I might make the attempt someday, though any wishes I have to form a true bond of romantic love are doomed… perhaps with a certain degree of willpower which I lacked when I was alone, I can fight through my feelings and achieve true romance. Thus is the power of the friendship Twilight and Luna have given to me."

"Did—" Song Li began, before stopping abruptly to make sure Celestia was done speaking. "I apologize if this is tangential, but did you say there were changelings in Canterlot?"

"Hmm?" said Celestia. "Why, yes. Hadn't you heard? At the royal wedding, a little over half a year ago."

"Oh my," Song Li breathed. "I had heard that Canterlot was besieged, but that it was changelings escaped my notice."

"Is something wrong?" Celestia asked.

Song Li shook her head. "Changelings are native to the Sea of Stars, as I am. I've battled them in many a campaign… though as it's said, they can lay waste to a kingdom without any battles taking place. I did not know they had made their way to this world. That's rather troubling."

"Equestria has foiled all of their schemes thus far," Celestia said. "Though we've yet to see a permanent solution."

"Interesting," Song Li said tensely. "I should like to learn more… but it's not urgent. Would it be appropriate to return to our… girl-talk?"

Celestia smiled. "You're more than welcome," she encouraged.

"I had to speak up about changelings first," Song Li said sheepishly, "lest we get far enough away from the subject that it was forgotten, but after that, I intended to tell you that I understand how you feel, inhibited from feelings of love, try as you might. Three hundred years ago, before I came to this world, I had a… a sweetheart." Her voice and the expression in her eyes lost all emotion, and she continued mechanically. "And he did not care for me. Anti-social as I was, it took me immense courage to at last approach him and express my interest in him. He paid me attention because he felt sorry for me and didn't wish to hurt my feelings by rejecting me… at least not explicitly. His rejection of me was apparent in our every interaction as a couple. I knew, of course, that it was all an act, but I loved him regardless. I appreciated the pretense. Few before him had ever bothered to pretend to like me."

Her body tensed and coiled uncomfortably. "That I allowed the phony relationship to go as far as going to bed with him, initiated by me and accepted by him because he didn't particularly care either way, is my second-greatest regret. Which is saying much, as I regret nearly everything I've ever done or said. More than that, though, I regret that he remains to this day my only bedmate. During my first century in this world, after I had been instated into the position that would lead to me becoming empress, I… had a friend, who sought to forge a romantic connection with me. And I turned him down, for I was still foolishly holding a torch for Yao Xing, even a century later. That is the biggest regret of my life… that I never allowed what I had with Terence to become… more."

She was breathing heavily at this point, her body heaving with something close to sobs. "Two centuries, and I have never shared that story once. I don't think I've ever spoken so much all at once in my whole life. I… I feel good. It's rather like a weight has been lifted."

"Well, that's what peers are for," Kolassa said with a grin.

"Okapiopteryx?" Celestia inquired.

Okapiopteryx winked. "There's not much from me you can glean. In romantic matters, I'm a bit green. Such is my fate. How much can I date, when I look like a girl of fourteen?"

"But you raised your hoof when I asked…" Celestia began.

"Yes, there are such stories to be told," said Okapiopteryx, rolling her eyes. "My inner flame is not so cold. While those who find me attractive have little right to be active… well, I'm seven hundred years old."

"Meaning what, that you had to have slept with someone during all that time?" said Celestia. "…Well, I can't really argue with that. Let's establish a theme of questioning here: your most recent experience?"

"It matters little, they're all the same," Okapiopteryx said dismissively. "Those in their late teens or twenties are my aim. When I find one who endears, we court for several years, and when they get older, I end the game."

Celestia grimaced. "I can relate. …Luna!" She laughed. "I never thought of you that way, little sister, but I guess you had your fair share of adventures during the time we spent apart in our mortal days. Tell us about your last time."

Luna flinched. "Erm… you're expecting me to say it was well over a millennium ago. I wouldn't want to put you into shock."

"Wasn't it?" Celestia said in surprise.

"Not exactly. When did we start this 'road trip' that we're on?"

"Um… eighteen days ago, I think," Celestia said blankly.

"Then I last made love nineteen days ago," Luna said shyly, averting her eyes.

Celestia gawped. "How's that possible?"

"What did you think I was doing the first year I was back?" Luna said flippantly. "I was not idle in the sixteen months before I unveiled myself to the public upon Nightmare Night. I was choosing candidates for my lunar guard… have any of you girls ever seen my lunar guard? It was during the selection process that I decided there should always be four of them, the very best among them, who should be used to… warm my bed.

"They all understand that it's not personal, it's merely a part of their knightly duties." She paused, then chuckled. "Ah, I mean their duties as knights, not that it happens every night, hehe. And they're sworn not to tell anypony. The four of them are permitted to discuss it amongst themselves, but I don't think they do. That would be awkward, I imagine. But it's been quite effective. I have a great deal of worries in my life, but my carnal needs are not among them."

Celestia continued staring at her in open-mouthed shock. "So… for the past three years, you've been having frequent casual sex with the four highest-ranking members of your lunar guard?"

"Not all four of them at once," Luna said defensively. "Only one at a time. Every week or so, I bring one of them in." On sudden inspiration, she grinned. "I rotate them so they wear evenly."

Kolassa guffawed at that, and Celestia shook her head in disbelief. "I… I admit, that's a pretty good gag, but still… what?"

"As much as it may be a barbaric practice, keeping 'bed-warmers', it's a solution," Luna said solemnly. "An immortal life can be lonely, as you have all expressed. Where can we find a proper romantic partner we have something in common with, who shares our life experiences? Of course, I'm gay if any of you want to go game with me."

They all laughed; when it subsided, Luna looked intensely thoughtful. "I said that too quickly and transposed the words 'gay' and 'game', didn't I?"

"I think we knew what you meant…" Kolassa mused.

Song Li giggled.

"We're acting like a bunch of children," Luna said in amusement. "The girl talk, bragging and gossiping about our experiences, and now offering to experiment…" She glanced at Celestia, who was stock-still and dumbstruck. "Oh dear, I did put you into shock. I tried not to… why do you think I'm so relaxed and happy all the time?"

"You're pretty high-strung, actually," Celestia corrected.

"I mean, compared to how I was before."

"I suppose. And here I thought your change in attitude was because I'm nice now."

"Oh, that," Luna said dismissively. "No." She laughed. "I'm joking, of course it's you. Oh, I have my fears and issues. I still worry about my public image and making my dreams come true, but really… you're different, I sleep with four of the most virile stallions in Canterlot, the whole package is good. It's a charmed life." She beamed cheerfully. "This is nice, ladies. I enjoyed hearing your stories, all of you—the pleasures and the pains. When this is over, when we've finally hunted down Mitgaeard, we should… we should…" She chewed on her lip for a moment. "I'm trying to think of a way to phrase this that fits my formal and antiquated 'image', as it were… and there isn't one. We should hang out."

"Oh, I'm all for that!" Kolassa said eagerly. "Me, Celestia, and Annihilara… we used to meet up a lot via the scrying mirrors. We'd talk about our lives, we'd harmonize just like we were working on today… this entire trip has brought back memories of how easy things were back then. We were all friends. We didn't just talk about international affairs, we talked about everything. Goddessing is hard work, we need a support group."

"Oh, a support group sounds great," said Celestia. "Hello, everypony, I'm Celestia and I'm a recovering goddess."

"Hi, Celestia," Kolassa droned. She looked around, irritated. "We're supposed to all say that at once. I just knew you'd all leave me hanging to say it by myself. I called that. You guys suck." She sulked, with an exaggerated pout.

Celestia smiled at her apologetically. "Well… here's what I'm asking. You ever hate being so old? You ever think about doing what Soledad did? Just ending it?"

Kolassa shifted into a more comfortable position. "Oh, don't be such a baby," she said dismissively.

Celestia glared. "I think Lady Kolassa is missing the point of a support group."

"Sorry, just… look, we're not that old," Kolassa said pointedly. "None of us… well, first of all, Song Li, how old are you?"

"Hmm?" Song Li said absently. "Oh, about five centuries. Maybe closer to six than five. I'm not sure, exactly. I lost track when I was rather young."

"Okay, then I'm right," Kolassa proceeded smoothly. "None of us are even two thousand years old. Celestia, you're the oldest among us and you haven't even hit a thousand and a half. Do you know how old Discord is? Or Mitgaeard? Or the Old Gods? And we, unlike them, are actually fairly decent people. If those prehistoric jackasses can live with themselves for millions of years, surely we can suck it up and stay alive for a couple thousand, don't you think?"

Celestia bowed her head. "You make a valid point, my dear friend. I apologize."

"Don't," Kolassa said warmly. "You're entitled to feel that way. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Celestia beamed. "It's an honor to have you straighten my head. Luna, you're staring into space again."

"Ay," Luna agreed quietly as her eyes attempted to pierce the fog. "Just thinking further about… hanging out. I am thinking, not only should we attempt to grow closer as friends, we should do the same with our countries, our citizens. There's a sizable percentage of Equestria's citizens who use 'Equestria' and 'the world' interchangeably, not out of arrogance, but because they genuinely don't realize what exists outside of Equestria. That really ought to change, don't you think? I think it would be quite the easy thing to unite our four nations, have them learn each other's ways and develop a friendship. That alliance, that united front, would be very powerful, something that would be difficult for an enemy to pierce. Few would even try, knowing they'd be facing the ire of four countries. And that would start by bringing our people together."

"Oh, that is most inspiring!" Song Li exclaimed in delight. "I don't even want to wait to begin. I'll start now." A screen emerged from behind her ears and hovered in front of her face; a pair of mechanical fingers began tapping the screen rapidly. "I'll send a message to my clergy and parliament to make contact with your nations," she explained. "May our alliance stand as long as we ourselves do." With that, the screen retracted and vanished.

"You may want to check your phrasing on that," Luna said dryly. "Any one of us could still fall to Mitgaeard."

"Yes, well… focus on the spirit of what I said, if not its literal application," Song Li snipped.

"As you wish," said Celestia. "What was that machine that just came out of your armor?"

"It's a simple computer," Song Li said brightly. "Ah, I'm afraid the concept is a bit over the heads of anyone from this world at the present time. It was used to send messages to other computers, but as there are none in this world, I modified it to link to the telegraph system in Westeroceros. My people can receive telegrams from me regardless of my location."

"And it's not magic?" Celestia marveled. "That's amazing."

"I keep it a secret, exactly how it's done," Song Li said shyly. "My experiences in my native land have led me to believe that too much long-distance connectivity can destroy a civilization."

"You're a fascinating creature, Song Li," Luna said, tilting her head. "An alien among us. Why didn't your coming result in a more radical change for the whole world's way of life?"

"I'm just a soldier," Song Li said in embarrassment. "Or, I was back home. There's very little I could teach."

"Well, there's one thing we could learn from you," Luna mused.

"Yes?"

"What do you look like underneath all of that armor?" she said slyly.

"Luna!" Celestia exclaimed cautiously. "…Although, I've always been curious."

Song Li slouched. "Oh dear. I… I made a vow before leaving my world behind. I promised I'd never reveal what was beneath my armor. I only take it off when I'm completely alone. I broke my vow only once, for a… very special friend. The one I mentioned earlier."

"Aren't we your special friends?" Kolassa challenged.

"Come on," Celestia urged. "Let's see that face."

"Do it, Song Li," said Luna. "Be free!"

Okapiopteryx merely laughed.

"PLEASE!" Song Li shrieked. She pointed a hoof to the sky and noisily shot a bolt of plasma into the air. "I don't care for being teased," she said coldly. "It's not funny. It hurts me."

The others timidly gave mumbled apologies, and Song Li looked devastated. "I… I am sorry…"

"Well, if you won't do that for your special friends, then at least look at us when you talk to us," said Kolassa.

Song Li considered it. "Um… no."

"No?"

"No," Song Li confirmed. "I'd rather not. Every day of my life, my train of thought is burdened by constantly reminding myself to look people in the eye, and then by the strain of maintaining that eye contact. If I haven't become accustomed to it over my centuries, I doubt I ever shall. If we are to truly be friends and equals, I take that to mean that your company is a place where I can feel safe and be myself. I would thus appreciate if you spared me that discomfort and allowed me to be at ease when I speak to you."

Kolassa smiled. "That sounds agreeable. Fair enough."

Celestia nodded, and Luna grinned. Song Li glanced around at them, giving a hesitant giggle.

"I know how difficult it can be," she said softly, "measuring yourself, interacting with me differently than you would anyone else. It's not fair, I know. I try to make up for it by measuring my own reactions, trying to be as normal as I can, but there's only so much I can do. It can't all fall to me. I hope it's not too much to ask my friends to bear some of the burden."

"No," said Celestia. "It certainly wouldn't be fair for anypony to expect you to act 'normal' all the time."

"Thank you," said Song Li. "As for my face beneath the mask… I'll consider it. Our newly-formed sisterhood is still too young for me to give such an ultimate display of trust."

"I understand," Celestia said with a nod.

"I can offer a hint, if you'd care for one."

"Oh, absolutely!" Luna said gleefully.

Song Li pointed to her eyes, the only part of her that was unarmored. "What you see here? Not my only pair of eyes."

Four faces turned toward the sky in fascination as they attempted to process that. Song Li laughed out loud. "Oh, my. I doubt the reality could compare to what you're all imagining right now."

"I think you're right," Luna breathed.

Celestia looked around. "We'd best all get some sleep," she said. "I'm usually down much earlier than this, so I can be awake in time for sunrise…" With a spark of her horn, she doused the quietly blazing white fire.

"It feels quite strange to be sleeping calmly," said Luna, reaching over to touch her sister's hoof. "We've kept up this pursuit for weeks."

"Pursuit and fleeing, don't forget," Kolassa said darkly.

"Yes," said Luna. "A safe place at last. Though we should set up a guard… for my sister to keep time, and just on the off-chance that something is out there. I'd be willing to take first watch."

"There's no need to take shifts, I'll watch over you all night," said Kolassa.

"Are you sure?" Luna asked. "There's no need to carry it all yourself."

"It's no trouble. I don't sleep."

"At all?" Song Li said in surprise.

"Nope," Kolassa said brightly. "Can't even try. Though, if you could take it in shifts to, say, keep me company through the night, I'd certainly be grateful."

Luna smiled. "That can be arranged."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Endnotes

You might notice that the goddesses have slightly different personalities than they did in Legend of the Goddesses, especially if you're reading this in that fantastical future world in which Legend is finished, which is a future a lot more faraway than I ever thought it would be. At least, I've noticed that. I didn't at first, but it's starting to really stand out for me.

Kolassa in Legend is a very solemn and serious character, while in this story she's the most at-ease and chill of the goddesses, bordering on "party animal". Okapiopteryx, similarly calm and spiritual in Legend, is here cynical, bitter, and haughty. And Song Li, who spent much of her story figuring out how to muscle through her vaguely-autistic tendencies and deal with people on their level, has regressed into the way she was when her story began.

There are perfectly reasonable explanations for all those, and the reasons are different for each goddess and way too intricate to go into here (or anywhere, really) but the short answer is that it's been a very, very long time since the events of Legend of the Goddesses. And people are capable of changing in a very short period of time if events warrant it, and over the course of centuries… a lot of events happen. Simple as that. It was completely unintentional that I characterize them differently here than I do in the prequel, but it makes a lot of sense to me. Leave people alone for a couple centuries, and they'll come back different than you remember them… a lot different.

Now, originally, I wasn't going to end this chapter here. Originally, the goddesses' girl-talk was followed up by a scene, later that night, where Luna is working through the night on Snowdrop ideas to send back to Equestria, and the next chapter would have been about how they're dealing with working on the movie without her. But, both the girl-talk and Luna's conversation with Celestia about how the production's been going ended up running ridiculously long… while the next chapter was ridiculously short. So I bumped that scene into the next chapter, separating it from the goddess-talk and connecting it instead to more Snowdrop stuff. It works out. So, there you go, free summary of the very next chapter. See you there.