Bellosh

RECENT DISCOVERIES & DEVELOPMENTS: Transformation for the changelings! Overthrowing the tyrannical Queen Chrysalis by sharing the power of Love, the former outcast Thorax has shown that there is another way to live aside from constant starvation. By freely sharing Love, a changeling can metamorph into beautiful insectoid equines with colorful coats and bodies without holes. When not forced to live as a hive-mind, changelings additionally adopt any combination of horns, wings, tails, or gemstone-encrusted chests. When every changeling in a hive constantly exchanges Love with one another instead of avariciously consuming as much for themselves as possible, nobody ever goes hungry. It remains to be seen whether other changeling hives — those who never swore loyalty to Chrysalis’s Kingdom — will follow King Thorax’s example.....

Something that wasn't mentioned in the linked article is my headcanon that ultimately, the Sun is the ultimate source of all Magic (at least for Equestria). Just as leftovers from our Sun's creation constitute our Solar System, the natural processes that allow Equestrian magic to happen would ultimately require a greater cosmic origin. Thus in the FiM universe according to my theory, stars naturally produce Magic, and ALL leftovers from star creation (including Life) are inherently magical in turn. As for the mechanics of spell-casting, if you don't mind reading old RPs, here's a story (featuring my Magic Guild mare Moony) about what it could entail to learn complicated spells like Teleportation:

Actually, feel free to modify the cutie mark to be as much like the first drawing as possible.

This Unofficial Lore article (which I helped co-write) pretty much establishes my headcanon thoughts on how Magic works:

1. Moony has a gift for spell-casting. Although not up to the level of prodigies like Twilight, Starlight, and Sunset, she's very talented in her own right. Moony has a particular aptitude for teleportation spells. 2. Her other hobby is..... dancing! (At the time I apped her, I identified Moony as the mysterious "Moondancer" name-dropped in the series premiere. But then M.A. Larson came along in Season 5 and ruined everything! I'll never forgive him for introducing a polar-opposite Moondancer from my own). 3. Moony has a congenial personality and loves staying up late at night. However, she's poorly organized and can't stand being left alone without others for long stretches of time. HIGH-RES CUTIE MARK:

Ooooh, been a while since we've had a request thread! I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, so how about a piece with my Magic Guild OC, Moony?

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: Ponyville’s star continues to rise! The magic of the Tree of Harmony has given birth to a crystalline tree-castle growing on the shore of a lake outside of town. Used by Princess Twilight Sparkle as her home and personal archive, the Castle of Friendship shines as a monument to the power of Harmony. Perhaps its more remarkable feature is the Throne Room, where six crystal thrones are gathered around an illusionary map-table of Equestria. It is in this chamber where the Friends of the Round Table confer with one another, and are bestowed Friendship problems to solve by the Cutie Map. On the opposite side of the lake from the castle stands the even-newer Ponyville School of Friendship. Founded by Princess Twilight, the School’s mission is to pass down the lessons she and her friends have learned to future generations of creatures from all over the world. Unique to other schools governed by the Equestrian Education Association, Friendship professors are given wide latitude to provide non-conventional teaching methods, such the use of live animals or party cannons. Despite initial controversies, the School of Friendship’s proven success in its goal thus far have earned it the distinction of being the only EEA-accredited institution granted the distinction of not having to teach “by the book”.

That's okay, I suppose age levels can be as flexible as needed for a particular backstory to work.

As long as you consider Mythic Vision to be older than Twilight Sparkle (like Sunset probably is), then yes there is room for prior encounters between our two magic students. Expect Mythic to have been rudely told off if she tried asking Sunset what's up with her. You know, somebody should set up a Magic School reunion thread one day so all our former magic student characters can have a meet-up.

RECENT DISCOVERIES & DEVELOPMENTS: It is now widely known that in a cave beneath the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters once grew the Tree of Harmony. Planted over a thousand years ago by the Pillars of Old Equestria as a means to defend their land, it was no ordinary plant, its trunk and branches made of living crystal. Infused with the elemental power possessed by each Pillar, the Tree of Harmony gave life to both the Elements of Harmony and — a millennium later — the Castle of Friendship. While its physical form has recently been shattered, the Tree of Harmony’s spirit endures. It is still very much capable of manifesting itself in both the Material World and Dreamscape, and has used its power — in conjunction with the Magic of Friendship wielded by its Students — to transform its remains into a crystalline treehouse within the Royal Castle. As for the abandoned Castle itself, restoration efforts are currently underway and have been for some time, although progress has been slow. It does not help that for the most part, the Everfree Forest remains an overgrown, untamed, and monster-infested wilderness.

Sunset Shimmer could hardly believe when her friend, Twilight Sparkle, asked her to come on board as a guest teacher at the Ponyville School of Friendship. Sunset... a TEACHER? How absurd!!! The Equestrian girl hadn’t even graduated from high school yet! How was she supposed to juggle her studies and friendships in the Mirror World with mentoring responsibilities back in Equestria? Was Sunset actually worthy enough to be entrusted with nurturing the next generation of friendships? Yet Twilight had a plan. She always had a plan. All Miss Shimmer would have to do was convince the necessary authorities to let her leave school early each Tuesday and Thursday to do student tutoring at the (newly EEA-accredited) School of Friendship, alongside the winner of the last Fall Formal. Twi would then take care of everything else! Although Sunset Shimmer still had doubts, as far as the Princess of Friendship was concerned, the fiery unicorn had proven her worth as a friend and mentor many times over in the Mirror World. In particular, the lavender alicorn believed that Sunset’s unusual background as a villainess-turned-heroine gave her a unique perspective on Friendship matters that most of the other professors lacked. Nopony else had the qualifications to provide lessons in empathy and understanding the nature of lost souls like Miss Shimmer. Needless to say, Twi won Sunset over to her idea using the alicorn's powers of logical and emotional persuasion. And thus, come the new school year, the students of the School of Friendship found a new twice-per-week afternoon course added to the curriculum; “Defense Against Dark Hearts”, taught by Guest Professor Sunset Shimmer. The other teachers also discovered that a familiar magical mirror — once stored in the Friendship Castle — had been relocated to the Teachers’ Lounge. All so that one guest instructor can more easily reach her classroom on schedule. ---------- The hour is coming soon when the Students of Friendship will meet their new Defense Against Dark Hearts professor. Defense Against Dark Hearts classes is take place in the classroom once used by Counselor Glimmer for her lectures. Not much has changed about this lecture hall, although youths with keen memories will note the room’s walls have now taken a reddish hue instead of blue as prior. Two new posters have also been mounted on each side of the chalkboard; one depicts a phoenix burning bright in the sky, the other shows a sparkly “Embrace the Magic!” slogan superimposed onto an idyllic wilderness. One minute until class is scheduled to begin! The professor has not appeared yet, allowing time for punctual students to briefly gossip amongst themselves... or for the more tardy youths to get to the classroom on time.....

With the spotting of Yanhua by Feng, the time for chatter and speculation came to an end. Sunset Shimmer followed behind the longma stallion; again, there was no way a city girl like her could gallop as fast as experienced trackers. The good news was that Yanhua was fleeing in Ponyville’s direction, which meant the pursuit was now entering the cleared lands between the outlying woods and the town proper. Being able to clearly see the terrain in front of her, Miss Shimmer felt she could now deploy her own little tricks to head off Yanhua! All of a sudden, a bright flash blocked Yanhua’s path of escape. Within a second, the light subsided to reveal Sunset, who had used a teleportation spell to get in front of her. “Yanhua, wait!” the fiery unicorn cried out desperately, only to rear up in astonishment; “WO-AHHHHH!!!!!” Whatever Yanhua had transformed — or more likely, reverted — to, it wasn’t like any fox Sunset had ever seen in her life! Since when did foxes have four twisty-looking tails!!???

Hope Hollow - At the End of the Rainbow At first glance, nothing seems all that remarkable about the tiny town of Hope Hollow. Nestled not far from the source of the Galloping River, Hope Hollow’s only apparent distinguishing feature is a giant rainbow billboard at the town's edge. Yet if one was to dig into the town’s recent history, they would find a fascinating case study on the power of Hope and Hopelessness as potent magical forces in Equestria. In a sense, Hope Hollow was “discovered” half a century ago by a Manehattan travel writer scouting for weekend getaways away from the big city. With numerous locales nearby such as the Galloping River headwaters, Whitetail Wood, Roundbottom Hills, and the southern terminus of the Solstice Heights, Hope Hollow was strategically placed as a hub from where sightseers could potentially visit all destinations in one vacation. But just as vitally, this town represented the complete opposite of big city life; a small-knit community where everypony knew everypony’s name and looked out for one another. As for how the Rainbow became Hope Hollow’s official symbol? Being situated on the windward side of a mountain range means far more unscheduled rain showers caused by condensing moisture, and with those comes far more opportunities for rainbow-sighting. Many creatures throughout the world dismiss rainbows as nothing more than simple natural phenomenon, or even as simply the mass produced products of weather factories. In reality, each rainbow — no matter how it forms — is actually infused with a deep elemental magic; exposure to its color kindles the fires of Hope, Vitality, and Wonder within the hearts of ponies (along with triggering the natural evolution of rainbow trout). In turn, ponies infused with Hope can passively saturate a region with even more vivid colors! Perhaps it was no wonder then why Hope Hollow — constantly exposed to impromptu rainbows — became legendary for a hospitable town spirit unrivaled in Equestria. Few understood the power of rainbows better than Clear Skies, a transplant inventor from Canterlot who lived in Hope Hollow at the time of its “discovery”. Inspired by then-mythological tales of the fabled Crystal Heart (now proven to be ever so real), Mr. Skies created a magitek device that painted the sky with a prismatic aurora. This Rainbow Generator earned the stallion mayorship of the town, and the Mayor used his gizmo as the hallmark attraction of another legend-inspired initiative of his; the annual Rainbow Festival, where townsponies gathered together to renew the spirit of unity and hope. Hope Hollow’s economy boomed for several decades thereafter, allowing the town to host such amenities as the luxury Rainbow Resort and Spa. A number of big city tourists even permanently moved to the small, cozy town. However, Hope Hollow’s economic prosperity depended upon remaining an attractive vacation destination for ponies living in Equestrian’s metropolitan centers. Overtime, the town lost its trendiness as more train-friendly (and thus accessible) locales like Ponyville and Rainbow Falls became the new fashionable destinations for holiday excursions. By the time Mayor Skies’s grandson assumed the burden of municipal leadership, the tourism trade had all but whittled away to a trickle. Hard times followed as townponies struggled harder to make ends meet, sacrificing bonding with their fellow neighbors in the process. In an effort to revive community spirit, Mayor Sunny Skies attempted to upgrade the Rainbow Generator to enhance its prismatic output. But nopony cared anymore; fancier rainbows weren’t going to pay the bills, don’t you know? In that decisive moment; Hope for a better friendlier tomorrow was seemingly displaced entirely by cynicism and selfishness. Coupled with a coincidental malfunction of the Generator, this unfortunate event caused almost all color to vanish from Hope Hollow! Aside from the giant Rainbow Billboard and a few choice photos, everything and everyone within the town radius existed only in shades of black and white. What happened to Hope Hollow was what may be the most extreme instance ever recorded of ponies succumbing to Despair. Just as hope-filled ponies shine with color, those filled with Hopelessness are known to have their coats lose there vibrancy. In Hope Hollow’s case, the barrier of despair was so great that not even a Sonic Rainboom could restore color back to the town! As fate would have it, Sunny Skies — who blamed himself for the disaster —years later triggered the chain of events that led to restoring color to his community by conning the famous flier Rainbow Dash into being the guest of honor at a phony Rainbow Festival. Thanks to the efforts of Dash and her friends though, it turned out that rebuilding the severed relationships between townsponies was the trick needed to bring color back to Hope Hollow. Although other pressing issues still need to be addressed, for the first time in many years, the locals see there is light at the End of the Tunnel... or Rainbow, rather. ~Hitchhiker's Guide to Equestria (Revised Edition)

Empress Yuè had to give it to King Oisin; the young buck’s persistence at wearing his emotions on his sleeve may technically be incorrect protocol, but his mood was rather enduringly infectious. The Empress herself could feel the embers of pride stirring within her, making the qilin beam with delight at Oisin’s vow. More importantly than earning the enthusiastic acquaintance of a fellow leader, Yuè’s impeccable acumen will now allow more of the seeds of Long Sun culture to sprout and flourish in other lands! And in return, the Empress gets a new supply of the sweetest fruits ever tasted. She could foresee sending Àilóng on many produce runs to the Velvet Strand in the near future. Less guarded with her facial expressions, Empress Yuè playfully slipped a subtle grin towards her counterpart. “I will hold you to your word King Oisin, as I intend to be one of those visitors myself.” Yes, once all of Yuè’s gifts had time to grow, it would mark an excellent occasion for a reciprocal state visit to the Velvet Strand! As per Palace custom, now that the pomp of today’s special session of morning court was nearing its conclusion, the Palace photographers came up to the two royals and began setting up their equipment. As she waited to get an official picture taken with the Peryton King, the Empress quietly suggested their next course of action; “Once we are done here, may I show you through the Palace Gardens? I know they can never compare to the natural beauty of your land, but it is Long Sun tradition to recreate and miniaturize natural landscapes in our gardening. As King of the Perytons, your insights would be most welcome.” At the very least, walking along windy paths as they led past lotus ponds, miniature rock mountains, and groves of willows will give Oisin a change of pace from sprawling avenues and stately halls.....

Only a second after one of the staff ponies started applauding, loud shouts filled the room; “WOOOO!!! YEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! LET’TH GIVE IT UP FOR OUR NEW HEADMAAAARE!!!” The lispy cries came from a short bipedal creature at the front of the audience, madly clapping to generate excitement. School of Friendship, meet your newest fellow student: Grubber the Hedgehog! Unlike the others, Grubber lacked any sort of nostalgic attachment to Princess Twilight. To the runt, all Twilight had been was the pony princess Tempest captured that one time so her horn would get fixed, but things didn’t quite work out as the Commander hoped. Grubber therefore couldn’t contemplate what was the big deal about Twilight leaving. Still, that didn’t stop the hedgehog from taking a crack at energizing the room. That sort of thing came naturally to the optimistic guy. After giving the main foyer a chance to quiet down, Grubber took the opportunity to ask the first — and most important — question. “Tho uhhh Headmare Bluebelle, I just wanted to know; do they therve cake and pie here?”

Name: Grubber Sex: Male Age: Older adolescent Species: Hedgehog Eye Color: Opal Coat: Cobalt blue Spines: Light gray, extending from head to tail in a mohawk-like pattern Physique: Quite short in stature compared to the typical Hedgehog his age; also chubby Attire: Sleeveless shirt adorned with a pink cupcake Occupation: Student of Friendship Residence: Ponyville - School of Friendship dormitories History: Despite once serving as the personal assistant to the nefarious Storm King, Grubber would say that all he was is a simple guy with simple desires. As a hoglet raised in a working-class urban family, nothing made Grubber happier than being able to eat a good meal — an extremely rare commodity in the wretched industrial cities of the Stormlands. But one day, the young boy saw a recruitment ad for the Storm King’s Armada... and it promised excellent rations to all who enlisted! Grubber didn’t even think twice about signing up. Despite being little more than a runt compared to the Armada’s elite Yeti warriors, Grubber was put to good use as an airship cabin boy. Sure, military rations were indeed a step above the glurk the hoglet used to settle for, but what really delighted him was the chance to plunder the mouth-watering cuisines of other lands all for himself! In time, Grubber’s lack of ambition beyond filling up his stomach caught the attention of the Storm King himself. Suspicious of those driven to climb up the ladder (and potentially dethrone him), the satyr tyrant saw in Grubber a simpleton lackey who’d never dream of betraying him. And would you believe it, the King made Grubber his assistant! Grubber would end up paired with the Storm King’s top lieutenant, Commander Tempest Shadow. The hedgehog’s official assignment was to lend assistance to Commander Shadow and obey all her commands. The Storm King also prompted Grubber to debrief him on Tempest’s field performance and everything she said, but the King encouraged the hedgehog to keep those chats their little secret. At least, that’s how the runt explained things to Tempest in one of the many times he failed to think before speaking. Although not the most competent aide-de-camp, Grubber served faithfully right up until the Storm King’s defeat at the hooves of Princess Twilight Sparkle and a face-turned Tempest Shadow. For his part, Grubber didn’t mourn this turn of events. Sure, the King who had believed in him was gone and he was stuck in a foreign kingdom with little hope of making it home again... but at least he was stuck in the land that made the best food yet! And hey; maybe there’s something to this whole Friendship thing as well. With the begrudging approval of his ex-commander, Grubber is now a student at the Ponyville School of Friendship. Of course, whether the lazy hedgehog is able to put the hard work into studying remains to be seen..... Character Personality: To put it simply, Grubber can be quite a brat. Smart-mouthed and obnoxious at times, the hedgehog believes himself to be funnier than he actually is. Furthermore, his work ethic and ability to take things seriously leaves much to be desired. It is, in fact, a rather fair observation to make that Grubber’s only real passion is for food, which he will devour with glee upon sight. Sweets are a particularly favorite delicacy of his. Yet for all of Grubber’s immaturity, he can also be quite cunning when he wants to be. Unusually for a creature from the Stormlands, this hedgehog is also easy-going around anyone he meets. Nothing ever seems to get Grubber’s spirits down, and he’d always make at least one attempt to raise the spirits of those around him if they’re feeling down in the dumps. Character Summary: Grubber may have once been part of the bad guys, but her never truly had the heart of one. The runt still has much to learn about what it means to be a good friend, but if he works hard, Grubber can achieve anything his heart desires! .....Assuming he ever wants anything more than endless desserts, that is.

A short snicker escaped Sunset Shimmer’s lips as Tempest Shadow boldly rejected the existence of hidden portals. Tsk tsk... if only she knew about Sunset’s adventures. That feeling of smugness came to a quick end when the broken-horned unicorn cockily suggested to take a break from tracking, which touched a nerve within Sunset. “Ugggh!!!” The worried mare’s voice oozed with frustration; “We’re NOT on a trophy hunt, Tempest! There’s a girl out there who’s scared about what’s happening to her and NEEDS our help! And we can’t do that if Yanhua thinks you wanna MOUNT HER on your wall!!!” Sunset Shimmer sighed as she gave herself space to cool down... and to mull theories over. “Hmmm, it doesn’t seem likely that a palace chef is capable of transformation magic. Qilin earn cutie marks just like us ponies, and whichever cutie mark you get tends to limit what spells you’re capable of. Even IF Yanhua’s special talent was magic instead of cooking, transformation spells aren’t easy by a long shot! I’d know; I dabbled in them once or twice back when I used to be Princess Celestia’s student.” She pondered some more, accounting for everything Feng mentioned earlier as she mumbled; “If anything, considering all the physical exertion Yanhua would have felt while doing the rock climb, it should have been even more difficult for her to accidentally trigger a transformation. Not to mention that spells aren’t supposed to spontaneously happen if you have control of your powers. No, it’s far more likely that somebody using a magical glamour would have that wear off due to physical activity than the other way around. But then, that would have to mean..." Miss Shimmer stopped dead in her tracks; everything concerning Yanhua’s freak out now clicked together. “Hey guys? You might think I’m crazy, but maybe we have to consider that Yanhua..." “...Isn’t a qilin at all.....”

The Stormlands - The Uncharted Southern Territories For as long as the existence of civilization, there have been places in this world where four-legged beings fear to tread. In the majority of cases, heroic adventurers have time and time again striven to explore these forsaken regions in the name of gold, glory, and goodness. Yet for all that daring-do spirit, the storm-covered lands of the world’s southern hemisphere have proven for a thousand years to not only be unconquerable, but all but impenetrable. Traditionally, the biggest obstacle separating the Stormlands from the Northern Hemisphere is the magically-corrupted Boiling Ocean at the world’s Equator. There, sailing ships get trapped in windless doldrums while the scalding hot seas literally burn away the doomed wooden vessels. Few equines have ever made it back from mishaps on the Boiling Ocean, while virtually none who’ve made it beyond the Equator have ever been seen again. Of the Stormlands, little is known other than wild rumors and the scarce testimony of those southern emigrants who care to speak about their ancestral home. Everyone can agree however that down under, the inhabitants walk on two legs instead of four, and can come in all shapes and sizes. Cyclones and monster waves plague the southern seas; the lands aren’t much better, mainly comprised of treacherous mountain ranges, ice sheets, and arid sub-zero deserts. Marvelous wonders of nature like auroras and rainbows have purportedly not been spotted in Stormland skies for more than a thousand years. What scarce habitable land exists is entirely occupied by grimy, densely-packed metropolises. The infernal engines of industry run unchecked in the cities; coal dust covers the streets and acid rain scars anything it falls down upon. Mountainside forests are remorselessly cut down to fuel the fires, while miners toil endlessly beneath the earth in search of the coal and metals that factories hunger for. Whatever food is produced in the Stormlands is, charitably speaking, so utterly vile that describing it violates all norms of polite conversation. However, it must be said that few nations match the Stormlanders in their ability to invent and manufacture steam-powered machines. Beyond the cities and mines lie the domain of the Yeti; primitive tribes of abominable storm creatures who speak in guttural tongues. The Yeti and the Stormlanders have lived in a state of continuous hostility for the last couple hundred years, which may have played a role in convincing all the Yeti tribes to unite under the Storm King’s banner. Other creatures strike fear into the hearts of Yeti and Stormlander alike; prominent among them the Raijūs, three-eyed wolf beasts with bodies composed of lightning and cries of thunder. And then there are terrors of a more nameless nature; incomprehensible Others who are said to dwell in the dark holes and corners of the Stormlands, capable of driving those who foolishly gaze upon them into insanity... or worse fates. As the Stormlanders are masters of air-zeppelin travel, immigrant communities in northern realms can be found here and there. Settlements like Waterhole in the Hesperian Outback, or Klugetown on the southern Equestrian-Aquellian border are — while nasty places to live in their own right — nowhere near as wretched as the deplorable slums back in the Stormlands. Relations between Stormlander settlers and other beings native to the north have always been tense... except in the case of the Yeti. Ironically, the very creatures who once served the Storm King most faithfully have proven surprisingly affable to living as pony neighbors, and they now live happily in the mountains between Equestria and the Crystal Empire. No news has made it out of the Stormlands since the Storm King’s defeat. Without the satyr tyrant or his elite Yeti troops to keep the South enthralled by fear of pillaging and enslavement, it is unknown whether the rest of the Storm Armada is intact. Powerful relics and priceless treasures from the North stolen by the Storm King’s minions over the years remain unaccounted for, potentially forgotten about in secret stashes or in the possession of aspiring power-hungry successors. As the Stormlanders can’t be counted on to recover what the Storm King had stolen, it will be up to beings from the nations of Harmony to tread where no ungulate has trod before..... ~Mane's Intelligence Review: Dangers to Global Friendship & Harmony

What a day for Sunset Shimmer! It started out with a fouled-up attempt at shooting a Golden Cupcake, only for the fiery mare to come across the almost-infamous Tempest Shadow, and now... Sunset, Tempest, and the newly-crowned Iron “Pony” were looking for a fellow contestant — a qilin friend of Fēng Yīnhǎitāo — who started transforming into a fox in the middle of her rock climb? Equestria; twas a strange and silly world at times..... Miss Shimmer trailed behind the others, herself lacking much experience in wilderness ranging or tracking. “Everfree or not,” she advised; “We should watch our step. If we’re not careful, we could find ourselves tumbling through a hidden portal into a- who knows where?” She hastily corrected herself, not sure if Princess Twilight was cool yet with letting people outside their small group of Equestrian friends know about the Mirror World. Sunset shook her head to refocus on their mission; finding Yanhua... and solving the mystery behind her transformation! “Anyway,” she interrogated Feng; “Is there anything we should know about Yanhua? Do you have any reason to believe that your friend has consumed any questionable potions or other brewed substances? Is it likely she’s been exposed to a magical relic or any plants native to the Everfree Forest? Has she been in contact with anybody suspected of illicit enchanting?” As a former student of Princess Celestia’s, her research instincts were naturally kicking into high-gear; once all impossible possibilities were ruled out, all that remained — however improbable — was the truth .....

Oh my; those enchanted fruits looked too alluring to NOT taste this very instant! Normally, Palace protocol usually demanded that a servant first sample any food offered to the Empress to guarantee it fit for consumption. This time though, the attendant handling the fruit basket eagerly smiled in approval... and the grim-faced Imperial Watcher who had been assigned to escort King Oisin provided a subtle but clear nod signaling the offerings had already been tested and deemed safe. Silently assured there was no foul play ahoof, the Empress plucked a single pearly grape and gracefully put it in her mouth. She took her time savoring the supernatural sweetness of the fruit; the royal qilin believed at long last, a true rival to the cultivating prowess of the Wise and Noble Long had been found... and the majestic Serpent Dragons as a whole were even more reclusive than the Perytons. Spellbound by Oisin’s bounty, Yuè failed to conceal the bliss expressed by her face as she gleefully swallowed the rest of her snack. The Empress briefly quieted her vocal tone as she privately conferred with her counterpart... well, as best as two heads of state could manage when in front of a large audience. “At tonight’s banquet, I shall present the Palace Chef to you. I am confident she will be eager to incorporate the Velvet Strand’s bounties in her recipes.” As she spoke, Empress Yuè gestured to her attendants, who saw their cue to fulfill their to return King Oisin’s gesture. Gift exchanges were a normal part of diplomatic affairs, especially between two civilizations attempting to open ties with one another. Thus, the Long Sun prepared offerings of their own; ones believed to be most appropriate for Perytons. In perfectly coordinated unison, six heavy chests landed to King Oisin’s side with a thunderous THUD! Each chest was ornately adorned with a unique naturalistic motif, but otherwise betrayed no hints as to the contents inside. “May we present to you one of Long Guo’s most beloved treasures,” the Empress returned to her commanding Imperial Proclamation Voice; “The Six Friends of Harmony!” One by one, prettily-dressed maidservants would open a chest, each one filled not with gold or gems or magical artifacts or even exquisite silverware. Nope; nothing but..... seeds. Seeds, seeds, and more seeds. Namely: “Peony. Orchid. Lotus. Chrysanthemum. Plum Blossom. Bamboo. These are the six plants we hold most dear in our culture. Your kind have a well-earned reputation for loving all things that grow. We hope each of the Six Friends will take root in the Velvet Strand, serving as a reminder that Harmony is cherished by all beings of this World!”

Sunset Shimmer couldn’t recall if she ever met who had as much difficulty grasping the idea of a hoofshake as Tempest Shadow... but there was a funny bone in her body, at least. The broken-horn mare’s quip actually made Sunset think seriously about how she could be doing more to touch base with fellow people like herself who were recovering from once losing their true selves. “I’m mainly here today because Princess Twilight asked me to come.” She bashfully glanced towards the Friendship Castle at the town's edge; “But I’m not kidding when I say that I come from a town far crummier than this place. All in all, I find Ponyville pleasantly quaint!” Spoken like a true city girl. If Tempest hadn’t jutted in, Sunset would have relentlessly teased the longma warrior who obviously crushed on his Empress. But maybe there was a chance to do that later! “Sure!!!” Miss Shimmer excitedly responded to the offer; “I’m not entering any of the other contests, so I’m free to cheer everyone else on!” This was exactly what the mare needed to get her mind off her horrid luck earlier..... *EXIT SUNSET SHIMMER*

A blush appeared Sunset Shimmer’s cheeks as Tempest Shadow of all ponies scolded her for an impolite greeting. Heh, at least the self-described warrior was in the same mess as her, so... hooray? And Empress, huh? Back at Celestia’s School, Sunset learned that some old dude was the guy in charge over in Long Guo. Maybe the Equestrian girl ought to keep a better track of developments beyond her birth country’s borders, although as it was, she already had her hands full living in two worlds. “Well, what can I say?” Sunset bashfully rubbed the back of her head with a hoof; “At magic school, we were taught how some creatures are able to naturally read minds or predict the future without casting spells at all. ESP’s an extremely rare ability mind you, with only a tiny handful of proven documented cases, but it isn’t unheard of.” Miss Shimmer could testify from personal experience, but technically speaking, that only counted in the Mirror World. Sunset turned towards Tempest, offering a foreleg to shake in a genuine gesture of friendliness. “The name’s Sunset Shimmer, by the way. You might not have heard of me Tempest Shadow, but Princess Twilight has told me a great deal about you, and how you helped her vanquish the Storm King. I wish I could have been there alongside the Princess and the others when they could have used my aid, but geez, how do I put this... I live far, far away from here these days.” The unicorn didn’t forget about the longma she accused of mysticism; “So you’re a warrior who serves the Empress of Long Guo, huh? How is she compared to her predecessor; Emperor Xin, was it?” Better late than never to keep ahead on foreign affairs!