“So, today is the day, is it not?” the Chancellor asked, looking out the window of the conference room.

“You were the one who scheduled it. I don’t know why you’re asking me,” Luna answered behind him, not bothering to join him from her seat.

The Chancellor chuckled. “Just a matter of starting a conversation, my dear.”

Luna sighed. “You know, only a week ago you addressed me as your majesty.”

“Only a week ago, Equestria was under monarchy control. But just look at it now.” The Chancellor opened his arms out wide to regal in the view below him. Down in the streets of Canterlot, ponies were in lines that spanned miles wide just to enter booths. “The first electoral election for the leader of Equestria! One of the biggest steps of government improvement in Equestria’s history is happening right before us! Isn’t it a magnificent sight?”

“You’ve probably already seen it plenty of times,” Luna guessed.

“Oh yes, dozens of times while in my position as Chancellor. But it never gets old.”

“It never gets old subjecting a people to your own views then?” Luna said with a cold fury in her voice. “Or forcing them to give up who they are for an imperialist society like yours?”

“Quite the hypocrite, aren’t we?”

Luna frowned. “What?”

The Chancellor returned to his seat at the end of the table opposite her. “You do know of the Crystal Empire, right? And how the ruler was a Princess Cadance?”

“Your point?” Luna asked.

“She was never a true inhabitant of the Crystal Empire. She wasn’t even a crystal pony. She was, for all intents and purposes, a monarch placed there by Celestia to rule over the crystal ponies.” The Chancellor’s grin widened. “Now, I don’t know what the definition of imperialism means to you ponies, but for us humans that fits the definition on the dot.”

Luna’s mouth opened, but then closed as her eyes furrowed. Looking towards the window she stated, “This still isn’t right. You never gave us a choice.”

“I gave Celestia a choice, and she made hers,” the Chancellor corrected her. “The Equestrian people—er, ponies, made theirs. When left with the decision of advanced technologies, cures for almost every fatal disease in existence, prosthetic limbs and cybernetic implants for those who are paralyzed, and much other benefits for unity with us humans, the other choice to remain isolated was clearly the wrong one.”

“Wrong by whose view?” Luna asked quietly.

The Chancellor lifted up his hand and pointed his palm towards the window. “Does it look like the wrong choice by those out there? What about the various other species on Equis? Was it wrong for the diamond dogs to get rid of their overbearing dictator that killed thousands of his own kind in brutal regimes? Was it wrong for the gryphons to exile their queen who spent millions while the poor starved on the streets?” The Chancellor placed his hand back down on the table and smiled to Luna. “Now look at them. In a matter of months the death rate will be cut down to near zero, food will be supplied to the hungry, and poverty will be a thing of the past.”

“But Equestria never had any of those problems,” Luna pointed out.

The Chancellor shrugged, brushing her comment aside. “No, but it did have a monarchy that slowed down both industry and technological advancements. And, unfortunately, like I said, every nation on a planet must coincide with the United Planetary League rules by being a democracy of some sorts. And Equestria just didn’t fit the bill.”

“But I already told you, ponies are different. My sister made it clear enough to you after multiple discussions!” Luna peered deep in the Chancellor’s gaze. “We ponies have depended on magic for as long as we could remember. That is why our technologies are not as advanced as they are. And I can tell you right now, when I arrived back in Equestria after my thousand years absence, it was much different than anything I could have imagined.”

The Chancellor chuckled lightly under his breath, looking down at his hands. “You think I don’t already know that? Luna, I take great care in studying every planet chosen to assimilate into the United Planetary League. Equestria is just that one little piece of the puzzle that you have to force to fit to complete the entire piece.” Looking back up at her, he said, “Equis must be united completely before joining our League. If that means you ponies having to sacrifice for the greater good of the entire planet, then so be it.”

“But—”

“Luna, are you willing to let every other species on the planet suffer because Equestria won’t let go of its monarchy?” the Chancellor asked her.

Luna sighed, avoiding his gaze. “No.”

“Good then” The Chancellor clapped his hands and got up. “Lest we slow down the amazing development of a new, better order than we already are. I wish you luck in the elections. You seem to be a popular choice.”

“You do not care whether I become the new leader of Equestria or not?” Luna asked him with a scrupulous look.

“I do not care if you are leader of Equestria for thousands of years or not. Your new constitution doesn’t say how many times you can be elected or not, and since you are immortal, you can be leader of Equestria possibly forever.”

Luna’s eyes widened. “And this doesn’t matter to you?”

The Chancellor smirked. “Why should it? Equestria is just another country on another planet on another galaxy out here in this big universe of ours. Only difference now is that you must answer to the League. The answerer doesn’t really matter.”

“It… doesn’t?” Luna said.

“Nope,” the Chancellor answered. “Besides, now you have the fun of voting for your own Chancellor for the soon to be created Equis Federation. An election between all the Equis nations should be an intriguing development.” The Chancellor waved to Luna and turned to leave out the door.

“Wait!” Luna called out, the Chancellor stopping in his tracks before he exited the room. “What was the point of this meeting? Why did you choose to speak with me in the first place?”

The Chancellor glanced over his shoulder. “I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t be as troublesome as Celestia was. I’m glad to say, you weren’t.” With that, the Chancellor closed the door, leaving Luna in the room by herself.

Getting out of her seat, Luna made her way to the window overlooking the voters out on the street eagerly deciding upon the next leader of their nation. Luna hoped with a sinking feeling it wouldn’t be her.