"Log Number 895014. Unit testing phase for the redesigned conveyance system. Hydraulic leakage found and resolved without incident. Project ahead of schedule, let's see here, ehhhhh about 37 hours. For lunch today had tiny ham omelettes and oran— ZZZAP AAAUGH! THUMP THUMP THUMP CRASH rattle rattle Oh! Hello Glimmer, you gave me a little scare!"
Princess Entrapta picked herself out of a pile of toppled tools and switched off her voice recorder with her dexterous pair of ponytails. She went over to greet the Queen, who had just teleported into her laboratory.
"Always good to see you, Glimmer! As per your instructions I investigated whether there were any Ascendants among the four other residents of Dryl, and you'd be interested to learn that none of them are."
Glimmer looked unamused, as Queens are sometimes inclined to be. "Your kitchen staff, I can trust. I'm more worried about the one under house arrest."
"Ohhh, of course. HEY, LAB PARTNER!"
At the other end of the laboratory, from behind a big lathe, Hordak stepped out. Seeing Glimmer, he raised his eyebrows and gave a little wave. In horn-rimmed glasses and a lab coat, he looked considerably dorkier than Glimmer was used to. "Good day, Your Majesty. I saw your broadcast this morning, so I can guess why you want to speak to me."
Glimmer pulled up a stool and sat down, and Hordak did likewise. Glimmer faced Entrapta. "He hasn't left the castle, sent any outgoing messages, or received any private messages?" Entrapta shook her head. "He wouldn't be able to even if he wanted to, and I'm certain he doesn't."
Glimmer turned towards Hordak and cast her truth spell. "These Ascendants, Hordak. I'm sure you know a thing or two about them. Care to tell?"
"Nothing other than what I read or watch. I do not take much interest in the outside world these days, but I do keep up with the papers we get sent here. When I read about the new police force in Angellia, I guessed there might have been something going on, but I did not even know what an Ascendant was until today."
"You're aware that they express sympathies for the Horde?"
"Sympathies would be the wrong way of putting it. Maybe the word is nostalgia. These people regret what they've lost."
"Nostalgia! That's funny. I don't feel particularly nostalgic about those days."
"Your side won the war, Your Majesty."
Glimmer scratched her chin a bit. "Another thing I should ask you... I was speaking to Adora recently. She told me about the reasons why Etherians volunteered to join the Horde. Her version of events differs from the Brightmoon records. I was wondering if you could clear up the confusion."
Hordak smiled wryly. "I think I could guess what the Brightmoon records would say. My Horde volunteers, they were all undesirables, lowlives, criminals, ne'er-do-wells, is that not correct?"
"That is... the gist of it, yes."
"It is not a complete lie. It is definitely an exaggeration, but it has a kernel of truth."
"What do you mean?"
"I landed on Etheria in bad times. A combination of several bad crop years, a lack of technological advancement, and unfriendly relations between the various Princess realms put the common people on the verge of famine. Panicked and hungry, they plundered Royal granaries and got into fights with the guards. When Princesses intervened directly, their magical powers had a habit of getting out of hand, and causing unnecessary deaths. More and more people were exiled or fled their homes."
"The records did mention something like this, but nowhere near as bad. Your story is... hard to swallow, Hordak."
"And yet, it is obviously true. Had I arrived in a time of peace, I could never have raised such an army. Most of the people I took in were criminals and orphans, and there were so many criminals and orphans for a reason. It doesn't surprise me, then, that my former soldiers continue to be suspicious of Princess rule."
"Fine, but now the people aren't starving. They aren't rioting. There's unity between the realms, and peace, and plenty of food. Why can't they understand that the Princesses are looking out for them much better now?"
"You are correct. Etheria, when united, is strong. Your late mother Angella recognized that, which is why she built the Alliance. You recognize that, which is why you know you must keep that Alliance firm. Neither I nor Horde Prime were able to defeat Etheria when it was united. Now that the war is over, though, there is no longer an enemy to justify the Alliance's existence, so maintaining it will pose a greater challenge."
"I see." Glimmer sat silent and thought to herself for a moment then stood up from the stool. "Thank you, Hordak. You have been most cooperative."
"I admire your leadership, Queen Glimmer. I believe you will make the right decisions."
"Hey Glimmer, you want a tiny ham omelette?"
We are quite insulted, if not awfully surprised, by Queen Glimmer's attempt to pin the death of Agnid Green on our humble newspaper.
To be sure, we haven't been very polite or courteous in our tone. After all, we commoners weren't brought up with the manners of the Royal Court. Still, we don't want to further perpetrate any misconceptions about our message, which is why I will do my best to convey it in a way that even Brightmoon can understand and sympathize.
We are unhappy with the absolute rule of the Princess Alliance over this country. As an antidote to this problem, would we do something so foolish as publish a threat of assassination, as Queen Glimmer's broadcast on Tuesday morning implied? Surely not. We may be politically radical in a sense, but we are not violent or cruel-hearted, and we certainly don't have any interest in starting another war. Furthermore, it would not further our goal of putting more power in the hands of the Etherian people at large.
No, our tactics must be better than that. Our first demand should therefore be: to call for the election of representatives from all friendly realms of Etheria, to assemble a parliament which will serve as the voice of the common people in the ear of the Princess Alliance. The idea of pure democracy, though noble, may yet be far in our future. After all, many Etherians still trust and love their present leaders, and we would not deny them what they prefer.
Secondly, we must demand the immediate arrest of the officers who killed Green. By way of a fair trial, justice will be done in his name. We call upon all sympathizers to these demands to come out into the streets peacefully at noon Thursday, and show that we are sincere in our call to do the right thing.
"Citizen Octavia, I want this published in the next issue of the paper." In a quiet alley, a fawn woman with dusty brown fur handed her a folded sheet, handwritten.
Octavia read the article over twice, her brow wrinkled, her thumb rubbing her chin. "Alright, Citizen Weste, this is actually pretty good. Personally I approve of it, although... I am not sure whether everyone will. Some of the younger members may see it as going too soft."
"Too soft? Any harder than this, and we'd be executed for high treason."
"Hey, you don't have to try and convince me. I'm not looking to risk my business or my family. I guess the younger members just have less to lose, that's why they wouldn't understand."
"They don't run the paper, do they?"
"They don't. They will probably try to kick up a fuss about it at the next meeting, though, so just be ready for that."
Weste nodded, and Octavia turned to leave the alley. When she'd left, Double Trouble transformed back out of their new disguise. "You're welcome, Glimmer."
The day was hot. The air hung still, and the field buzzed with bees and flies. Two score Plumerians stood in rows, each holding a pike and wearing a leather chestpiece over their tunic. Scorpia stood facing the front, her claws folded behind her back.
"Teeeeen-SHUN!"
Everyone snapped their feet together and held the pikes straight up.
The Plumerian Guard was brand-new. Though some Plumerians fought in an informal role during the Horde War, this realm hadn't the resources or time to organize anything until now. Even now, it was neither large nor well-equipped. As a former Force Captain, Scorpia was the natural choice to command it.
"Alright, let's start with warmups. Drop down!" They all dropped down and lay their pikes to the side.
"Ten pushups!" Scorpia started and kept count. The Plumerians followed along, some keeping up, some slower. When each one finished, they stood and took up their pikes again.
"Two laps around the edge of the field. Knees high, ranks tight. Go!" Scorpia went, and they all followed.
After two hours of drills, everyone's clothes were soaked by sweat. Scorpia led a march down to the creek so they could cool off, and Perfuma came along to join them. Then, the Plumerian Guard was dismissed for the day, and they returned to their tents in the village exhausted but in good spirits.
When Scorpia got back to the Royal Tent, she collapsed onto a cushion and let out a big sigh. Perfuma sat down next to her.
"You need a backrub, my darling Guard Commander, if you don't want your body to be frozen in place by tomorrow." Perfuma reached over to begin working out the knots in Scorpia's shoulders.
"Mmh... thanks, sweetpea."
That evening, the sun didn't set until quite late, since the solstice was only a few weeks away. The air remained quite warm even after then, and it was enough to make Perfuma toss and turn in her sleep.
Edel Zolli returned to her new house late that night. Her face was red from crying. In one of the empty boxes in her oxcart was a stack of crudely printed newspapers.