Brother and sister ponies. This is a trying time. For those among you who have remained in Equestria during all these hard years of conflict, you have seen your lands invaded, your cities burning. You have had a taste of the horror inflicted upon the planet Earth, and some of you may feel the rage they have felt. Your monarch, Astra Solamina Maxima, has been deposed and her works are even now in the process of being undone. It would be easy in these times to try and seek revenge, but I beg you to be patient. This time is hard and the times after will be harder, but only together can we regain our country's harmony.

Inaugural Address of Prince Blueblood of Equestria.

***

There was a war, a war which saw nearly all of the human race annihilated by an Empire led by one who had once been a benevolent leader, but had now become a foul Tyrant. That war was bloody and brutal.

And then it ended, with the death of heroes and the defeat of the Tyrant.

Now those who remain must live with the consequences of a bittersweet victory…

***

Canterlot Palace. August 14th. Year 0 of the New Free Equestrian Calendar (2030 Earth time).

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza walked with as much dignity as she could manage, given the somewhat tenuous situation she was in. Her Crystal Pony Guards were tense and grim faced, each of them looking decidedly concerned.

The Court of Prince Blueblood was a much grimmer place than Celestia's court had been. Where once bright colours had dominated, now deep regal blues and dark blood reds were the order of the day. The stain glass windows of the courtroom remained broken whilst small enchantments now kept the wind from entering the throne-room. The Royal Day Guard had been replaced with Night Guard, and relegated to more menial tasks while the transition between rulers was still ongoing (and while many of their number were still recovering from their experience following Solamina’s death and the breaking of the magic that held their loyalty so firmly, Cadence thought grimly). The contrast did not help set Cadence's mind at ease, especially given the reason she had been called here.

The Crystal Empire had never technically been a part of the Solaminan Empire - more a... protectorate state, or close political ally. Even so, the distinction was hardly important except as a matter of semantics.

Crystal Ponies had been sent to war for Solamina, and Crystal Empire technology had been commissioned and sent to support the war effort, most notably the focusing crystal that had maintained Canterlot's shield and the Crystal Golems that had fought for Solamina in Britain and at home. The Crystal Empire had also given something that was to Cadence's mind far more precious: her husband, Shining Armour, had died in the line of duty, returning to the Royal Guard to help fight against the humans and the 'Equestrian Resistance'.

Now that the Solaminan Empire had been disbanded, however... Cadence was left with the politically tricky position of having to deal with Prince Blueblood and the new Equestrian Kingdom. Public opinion was already divided, so she understood: many ponies felt that Solamina’s death was an act of terrorism, with some even calling for Cadence, as the last Alicorn, to lead the remaining Solaminan loyalists. Others were more than happy to denounce Solamina utterly… and those, like Cadence, who had supported her even tacitly.

Blueblood himself was sat on the throne, looking for all the world like a harried school-teacher. His once perfect mane was ruffled and his armour was unpolished. He had bags under his eyes, and he greeted Cadence with a tired smile.

"Princess Cadenza," he said quietly. "So good of you to come."

"Prince Blueblood," Cadence replied cordially. They had known each other in school - the experience was not something Cadence liked recalling: Blueblood had been a snotty little bucker, only ever concerned with his own comfort, and had often bullied or intimidated most of the other ponies in his classes. Still, no reason not to be amicable to the now-leader of a foreign state. "To what do I owe this invitation?"

"There are some matters we must discuss, Princess," Blueblood said shortly. He turned to his Guards. "Show Princess Cadenza's Guards out, and leave us alone. This is a private matter of state."

The Night Guard saluted and moved to surround the small Crystal Pony contingent. The leader of the Crystal Ponies gave Cadence a look, and she nodded. A moment later, all the Guards had been escorted outside.

"That's better," Blueblood said with a sigh. "Hello again, Cadence."

"Blueblood," Cadence said with a scowl - she was irritated at the dismissal of her guards, as well as his overly familiar manner: they had never been friends, after all. "What is this?"

"What is what?" Blueblood asked with a frown.

"You know very well what," Cadence said angrily. "You summon me here without any indication of what to expect, and then you dismiss my Guards. Should I expect a dagger in my back?"

Blueblood's amiable expression hardened. "Only if you intend to keep acting as Solamina's supporter instead of accepting the new status quo."

"Says you," Cadence snapped.

"Yes," Blueblood said, his eyes flashing. "Says me, the pony who saw the error of his ways and actually endeavoured to make a difference. I've had two years to see what the Solaminan Empire did, and let me tell you, I wish I'd left sooner."

Cadence snorted. "So they could have made you their leader sooner, I suppose."

"No, actually," Blueblood sighed. "So I could have saved more lives."

There was a pause. This was unexpected: Cadence had heard that Blueblood had changed somewhat, but the idea that he actually wanted to have made a difference sooner… that was not what she had been anticipating at all.

“I don’t expect you to approve of me staying in Equestria,” Cadence began.

“No, I understand,” Blueblood cut her off. “First you didn’t understand how far Auntie had fallen - none of us did. We all thought she had never changed and when we did realise something was wrong we simply thought it would all get better soon. After we were proven wrong…” He paused, frowning, as if reminiscing about those times. “I imagine you were afraid of what she’d do. And obviously, there was Shining Armour…”

“Yes,” she said snappishly. Shining Armour’s death was rather a sore point for her. “Yes, those were my reasons.”

“And I understand them,” Blueblood said quietly, as if he were trying to be tender. “I really do. Which is why I want to maintain the political alliance between our two nations. It’s important not only because it helps to cement my position, but it helps cement yours…”

Cadence frowned. So he knew about the anti-Empire sentiment, did he?

“... and it helps create the impression of political stability,” Blueblood added. “Which I’m sure you’ll agree is important.”

She sighed. He had her there.

“You’re right, of course,” she said quietly. “It is important.”

“So then,” Blueblood said, smiling slightly. “Shall we get to the brass tacks of a new treaty?”

***

Ponyville. August 15th. Year 0 of the New Free Equestrian Calendar (2030 Earth Time).

A purple Unicorn mare stood over a green Unicorn mare: the purple mare looked tired, a few small streaks of grey marring her otherwise deep purple mane. The green mare was shaking, tears in her eyes even as she lay under the purple mare’s ministrations.

“Just hold still, Miss Blumen,” Twilight Sparkle, late of the Archmagi and former Element of Order (though she preferred to be thought of as an Element of Harmony) said as she stood over her patient. Schöne Blumen was a Converted: one of over three billion still alive. The Converted had once been human beings, but they had become brainwashed, soul-damaged servants of Astra Solamina Maxima, once the benevolent Celestia.

Now, with her death, they were broken. The brainwashing had damaged their souls, but being freed of it had not fixed that damage, merely left them able to perceive it without the brainwashing clouding their perception. Now, the daunting task of trying to help them somehow was left up to Sparkle herself.

Not that she got any appreciation for this, of course - for her own role in Solamina’s atrocities, however much of a brainwashed puppet she too had been, she found herself ostracised by ponydom at large. Still - to her, this was fitting punishment for a failure more monumental than any that had ever happened in Equestria’s history. She would serve her penance through sweat and toil, and fix the Converted if she spent the rest of her life doing it.

A moment later, she stepped away from the now unconscious Blumen.

“If she follows suit,” she said quietly to a nearby Nurse, “then she’ll wake up in a couple of hours tired, but feeling less… broken.”

“Thank you,” the Nurse said tightly. Twilight said nothing, but with her own small smile left the small hospital.

Outside, she found True Grit, technically both her jailor and bodyguard, waiting for her. The green Unicorn stallion smiled slightly as he saw her exit the building.

“Done, ma’am?” he asked.

“That’s the last Converted in Ponyville,” Twilight said with a small nod. “I’ve healed them all. In soul at least.” Her face fell. “I think it’ll take more than I can do to heal their other scars.”

“I guess it will, ma’am,” Grit said with a nod. “Still, you’ve done what you can. Is there anything else in Ponyville you can do?”

Twilight looked around thoughtfully. She had come back here to make peace with her past before moving on to her future. The place had once been home - but now it was empty. She had lost everything. Now there was nothing left but regret for what she had given up…

And remorse for what she had done.

“No,” she said. “It’s time we were moving on. I’ve heard of more than a few Converted having moved out to Appleoosa, I suggest we go there next.”

“Yes ma’am,” True Grit said with a nod. Together, the two of them headed off.

They had a lot to do.

Author's Notes:

The war is never the end. It is only the beginning.

This is the continuation of The Avatar of Albion in which we get to see just how the war has affected... pretty much everypony and everybody.

To new readers, I'd recommend reading the original AOA first. If nothing else, none of this will make sense without it. To my old readers, welcome along for the new ride! I hope you find it as enthralling. I can't promise as regular an update schedule as I'd like, but that's ok. It should be fun regardless, and some of these chapters will be longer anyway.

Thanks for coming along with me, folks.