The silence was what bothered people the most as they dwelt within this room. The main chamber of Ponyville's town hall was large and, at this very moment, as quiet as a grave. The only real sound being heard right now was that of the nearby wall clock, as well as the occasional nervous cough from those present. And speaking of whom, the ponies here were all looking to each other with utter seriousness. On one side of the large central table was Cadence, flanked by Shining and Twilight. On the other was Rarity, with Aurora standing close by. For both parties, their respective guards stood just a few steps behind their representatives, all lined up and keeping an eye on their opposite number. After a good long while of everypony just staying silent, Cadence, after clearing her throat slightly, began the conversation.

"Well...it is indeed a momentous day for our two peoples. A thousand years of being separated from one another, and now, together again."

Hearing that, Rarity raised an eyebrow.

"We are not together, Ambassador Cadenza. We remain very much separate nations."

Nervousness took hold in Cadence's expression.

"Yes, of course. I merely meant that we meet here today in the spirit of unity. We do, after all, hope that a friendship can be established between our peoples, yes?"

Rarity nodded.

"Indeed. Our Queen very much hopes that a productive relationship can be forged. Assuming, of course, that your people wish for such a thing."

Briefly, Cadence seemed taken aback by this, glancing over to Twilight momentarily before turning her eyes back to her counterpart.

"Of...of course we do. Such a thing is surely in everypony's best interests."

Nodding once more, Rarity placed a single hoof upon the table, her expression as stoic and professional as ever.

"That is good to hear, Ambassador. But first, I believe some simple matters need to be addressed."

Cadence nodded back.

"Yes. I believe you wished to talk about the exact location of your embassy?"

Rarity did not answer. Instead, she looked over her shoulder, gesturing to one of the silent guards behind her. The guard saluted, before then starting to march in her direction. The Equestrians watched him intently, seeing him reach his Ambassador before, rather quickly, reaching underneath his armour and pulling out a small parchment. He offered it to Rarity, who graciously accepted it, before gesturing for him to return to his previous post. Again, the stallion saluted, before then taking a few steps backwards to his prior position. Unrolling the parchment, Rarity glanced over it briefly before looking back up to Cadence.

"During our cursory examination of Ponyville and the surrounding area, we came up with this as an ideal choice for the embassy."

Her horn lit up, and the parchment soon floated over to where Cadence was sitting. When it landed at her part of the table, both she and Twilight looked to it carefully. It was a newly-made map of the side of Ponyville that met the edge of the Everfree Forest. And there, marked with a red "X" was the spot where the Lunar Ambassador, presumably, wished for the embassy to be constructed. Observing the paper closely, Twilight then looked up to Rarity with curiosity upon her face.

"You...you want it there? On the edge of the Everfree?"

Rarity nodded.

"Yes. Since the Everfree marks the effective boundary between our respective kingdoms, we believed it to be a suitable location."

Twilight opened her mouth to reply, only to be halted by the sound of somepony clearing their throat. Turning, they all saw that it was Shining, who narrowed his eyes slightly as he regarded Rarity.

"Ambassador, would you mind allowing us a moment to discuss this?"

The alabaster unicorn did not answer, instead merely giving a short nod. Shining, accepting this, got up from his chair, with Twilight and Cadence soon following. Once they were behind the line of royal guards, and thus far enough to not be heard, Shining turned to the other two mares.

"I don't like this. That spot on the map is the only real entrance in or out of the Everfree, at least between our two nations."

Twilight looked to him with confusion.

"Is that a problem?"

Looking back to her, Shining nodded.

"It is. If they build their embassy there, that basically means that they'll control that entrance. And that means that they'll have final say on who goes in or out."

Turning away from her, he frowned as he focused his eyes on the other Ambassador, who had taken to reading some documents in the meantime.

"In terms of ground forces, it would give them a distinct strategic advantage."

Twilight gave her brother a look of disapproval.

"Shining, we're talking about an embassy, not a fortress. And besides...these ponies came here to try and form some kind of relationship with us. They didn't come here for war."

Shining gave her a scowl of his own.

"They say that...but I don't think it would be wise for us to give them this level of trust so soon."

This time, it was Cadence's turn to speak.

"This is their first request to us, Shining. And it's not exactly unreasonable for them to make the choice on where their embassy gets put. If we refuse it, they could take it as an offense."

She let out a sigh.

"They've already been told that they won't be setting up in Canterlot, so it's something of a miracle that they're even being this cordial with us. If we say no to this..."

She didn't finish, but her meaning set in for the other two ponies all the same, leading to Shining letting out a long sigh. He looked to Cadence, then to Twilight, who took a step closer to him and gently placed a hoof upon his shoulder.

"Please, brother...trust."

To say that Shining didn't look comfortable with this would have been an understatement, as the disapproval he felt was as clear as day upon his face. However, seeing the earnest and pleading way his sister was looking to him made him relent, and his shoulders slumped slightly before he gave her a simple nod. Twilight smiled in appreciation, and before long, both she, Cadence and Shining began to make their way back to the table. Rarity, who had finished her readings, looked to them as they took their respective seats once more.

"Thank you for being patient, Ambassador," Cadence said.

Rarity nodded.

"It is diplomacy, Ambassador Cadenza. Patience is a rather vital requirement for this line of work, wouldn't you say?"

Cadence let out a nervous-sounding laugh in response.

"Yes...I suppose it is."

Leaning forward, Rarity looked to her with an analytical eye.

"So...I take it the matter of the embassy location has been agreed upon?"

For a short few moments, Cadence looked once more to Shining, who paused for a moment before shutting his eyes and giving a nod. Seeing that, Cadence looked back to her counterpoint and nodded to her.

"Yes. We've decided that your chosen location will indeed be acceptable."

Taking that in, Rarity considered that for a moment, her expression never once giving away her feelings on the matter, before finally speaking up.

"Very good. Workers and materials from our kingdom will be arriving in a few days time to begin construction, with my staff coming over once it is complete. I take it your people would wish to observe their actions while they build?"

Cadence nodded once more.

"I think it would be a good thing at this early stage. And thank you very much for being so accepting of this."

To that, Rarity simply let out a brief "hmph" sound.

"Were our positions reversed, I doubt we would have done any different."

Here, she turned to Aurora, giving her a silent look, to which the young Captain gave yet another salute. When that was done, she started to move off, taking two of the unicorn guards with her, all while the Equestrian watched them go. Where they were going, and what they were doing, nopony could say, but, Twilight felt that it might be a mistake to question them about it right now. With her Captain now gone, however, Rarity leaned forward, resting her chin against her hoof as she regarded her opposites.

"In the meantime, I and my retinue will require lodgings."

Getting up from her chair, Cadence started to bear a small smile.

"Of course. Ponyville doesn't really have any hotels to speak of, but we have managed to find a pleasant little place for you and your guards to stay until the embassy is finished."

Rarity responded to that with a look of scepticism.

"Indeed?"

Cadence began to move around the table to meet with her, with Twilight and Shining not far behind her.

"It used to be an old clothes store, the Carousel. But the owner left town some years ago, and nopony has used it since."

Stopping just short of Rarity's chair, the young Ambassador continued.

"After word was sent to the Mayor, we heard that she's spent the last week getting it ready. I'm sure you'll like it."

Getting up from her sitting position, Rarity turned from her counterpart.

"I'll be the judge of that, if it's all the same to you."

Cadence nodded.

"Of course. Would you like me to show you the way?"

Looking to her, Rarity raised an eyebrow, giving a single nod. Cadence smiled just a little bit wider to that, before then starting to make her way towards the town hall's entrance. Twilight, for her part, looked as if she was thinking hard on something, then, in a move that caused clear shock to Cadence, spoke up to Rarity.

"Perhaps you and I could talk together sometime, Ambassador? I'd be fascinated to hear what you've been up to since we last met."

Rarity halted in her tracks, looking over to the young unicorn beside her after she'd heard that. She regarded Twilight carefully, then spoke in that incredibly formal manner of hers.

"I appreciate the offer, but I believe I will be rather busy for the foreseeable future, Miss Sparkle. Perhaps at a later date...if I have time."

Her ears dropping slightly, Twilight looked away from her, scratching the back of her head as she responded.

"Oh...of course."

And with that, Rarity once more began to follow Cadence, with their respective rows of guards on either side of them as they made their way out of the town hall. Twilight, meanwhile, stayed behind, though it was not long before she seemed to get herself out of her down feelings over that recent interaction. But, before she could join her old friend outside, she was stopped yet again, this time by her brother.

"Shining?"

The older stallion waited beside her, watching as the Lunar forces left the building, and only when he was sure they were gone did he turn to look at her.

"Twilight...there is something I must say to you. Something very important."

Curiosity grew in her eyes.

"Yes, brother?"

Once more, Shining checked to make sure nopony was listening, before then glancing back to her.

"Cadence may try her best with diplomacy...but there is still a chance that things between them and us don't go the way we hope."

Twilight frowned to this.

"I know you have your concerns, Shining, but we can't just go and treat these ponies like our enemies."

Shining sighed.

"I understand that...but this warning comes from Princess Celestia herself."

Twilight paused at that, clearly taken aback by her brother's words. And it was here that the stallion continued.

"Do not misunderstand me. Celestia hopes for peace as much as you do. But she also has a responsibility to do what's necessary to ensure that her people are safeguarded from possible dangers."

Looking away from her, Shining narrowed his eyes at the nearby door.

"And those Lunar ponies are a possible danger."

Silence passed between them, and when it ended, Twilight looked to her brother with confusion.

"Shining...what is it you're asking, exactly?"

The stallion let out a sigh, before having his eyes meet hers.

"I'm asking...for you to just...keep an eye on them. If they maybe do something that seems out of the ordinary...of if something happens between them and the Ponyville ponies...we need to be prepared."

Once more, Twilight frowned.

"You're...asking me to spy on them?"

In response, Shining frowned right back.

"I don't want to, but...they would do the same, Twilight. You know that."

His sister said nothing, simply watching as her brother's expression began to soften, if only slightly. Slowly, he started to head off towards the exit of the building, just like his fellow guards had done not so long ago. Before long, the young unicorn was alone in this place, and here, all she could do was think over what had been said to her, by Cadence, by Shining and, of course, by Rarity. The positive feelings she'd had not so long ago had now had their edge taken off, and while it would have been a stretch to say she looked unhappy, she did seem unnerved by everything she'd experienced. Letting out a long sigh, she too started to trot outside. But, once out, she was taken aback by a familiar voice calling to her.

"Twilight!"

Turning, she saw that it was Pinkie, with Applejack and Fluttershy not far behind. When all three of the mares reached her, it was Pinkie who spoke up.

"So, how'd it go? Are things good between us?"

Twilight paused again, turning to look in the direction Cadence and the others had walked. And as she did so, she thought over that question and how best to answer it. In the end, she turned to her party-loving friend, before just giving perhaps the only honest answer she could give under the circumstances.

"I think...we have a long way to go."