"You know the rules Cauchemar. Secondaries, to me!" Six ponies came over from the corners of the bar to the table where the brown unicorn and I sat. Liar's Dice with the Informer was popular, so long as someone else was the one getting the information. As a secondary, the only risk was a temporary ban or a few bits. The challenger however, risked everything. If they lost, the Informer got their soul. I was good at Liar's Dice though. The anti-magic of the table couldn't stop my fire loading the dice. Even if I did lose though, he was in for a surprise. I had no soul.

"You win again fiend."

"We have an agreement."

"Fine, I'll tell you the Empire's story from the overthrow of Sombra." His horn glowed and words flowed into reality. "Shortly afterwards, there were rumors of Discord's rebellion. Us in the browns only found out when some of the gems blacked out they had been in His days. From then on, we stayed on top of the news. Once Discord was turned to stone, the central spire was suddenly replaced with ice. Slowly, the city followed it. The ponies that lived on the outside, like us, got to watch the ice encroach on us. After it hit us, the next thing we knew was being here in a normal city, but different somehow. Then an alicorn named Cadence and her stallion showed up to repel Sombra again. All they could do was hold him at the city limits until the six young mares that bear the Elements of Harmony showed up to help them. Since then, the only thing that's happened was the bearers' leaving."

"You conduct your business well."

"Come back if you need to know anything else." I exited the bar and started walking toward the spire. Had this Cadence overthrown Celestia? Many of the ponies I passed nodded to me in greeting. I returned them as I walked on. In the yellows, I stopped at the sound of a fight nearby. Listening closely, I found it was only one street over.

A small crowd stood in a circle around two stallions and a mare. It appeared that the stallions were fighting over the mare. Sighing, I opened a fissure in the ground between them and fire shot out of it and formed a wall around the four of them and me.

"What is the meaning of this?" I asked angrily, smoke curling from my nostrils.

One of the stallions mumbled something that sounded something like "We were … the … said … between … had to … her."

"Either of you have anything to add to that?" They both shook their heads and lowered them. "So, from what I got from this guy, I understand that you two were fighting for her favor. This activity, as I am sure you know, has been illegal in Equestria for quite some time, and hence there are other ways to settle this matter. Do you know of them?"

"Yes sir," the mare said hesitantly, "but I couldn't decide between them."

"Then you say no to both of them until such time as you can."

"But that's-"

"Dura lex sed scripta. Settle this now, or part from both of them. Am I understood?" They all nodded. "Good. So which do you choose?" I closed the fissure and turned. "Don't you all have jobs?" I asked the crowd that still stood in the square. As they dispersed I resumed my original course. Indecisiveness and mares were such a waste of energy. Most mares at least. Even worse though, was the breaking of the law while knowledgeable of it. I would have to talk to the ruler about her crime prevention.

The rest of my walk was uneventful. I knocked at the door. When no one answered it, I let myself into a deserted atrium, the, wet to the throne room. In it a unicorn much like the one I had rescued from Sombra stood by an empty throne. "I'm here to speak to the Princess. Do you know where she is?"

"She is entertaining embassadors at the moment. Who are you?"

"Mythrion Kinslayer. Yourself?"

"Shining Armor."

"A guard?"

"I used to be. Until a little while ago I was the Captain of the Solar Guard, but then I married Cadence. I think that makes me the prince of this place or something."

"So the Princess of the day still rules Equestria?"

"Yeah. We lived with her at Canterlot until this place came back. Then we came to help stop Sombra."

"Help? You make it sound as though you did little."

"Well I didn't really. Most of it was my sister and her friends."

"Is it not the duty of a monarch to protect his subjects?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't do much after an encounter with Sombra. Twilight was great though. She found the Chrystal Heart, and her dragon brought it down to Cadence."

"I presume that Twilight is your sister?"

"Yeah, she's Celestia's student too."

"Student?"

"Couldn't be prouder. She's studying magic and friendship in Ponyville. She's so good that her and her friends bear the Elements of Harmony."

"Elements of Harmony?"

"They're magical artifacts. So far the girls have turned Nightmare Moon back into Princess Luna and Discord back into stone."

"I must be going now, excuse me."

"Bye then!" I walked out of the castle, then the city. In the distance there was a large carriage house. Upon closer inspection, I found it to be a train station. A self-powered train none the less. I remembered when they told the engineers that this would never happen. Once on the train and underway, I reflected on my conversation. First, the new bearers. Would they use the Elements well, or just as a solve-all like Celestia had? And how long until the Elements used themself again? So far though, it seemed that they could only imitate the royal sisters. Which brought me to two, Luna being back. That was good to hear. Our efforts had been rewarded. Third, how had Discord escaped? I knew that he was strong, but that strong? What had Sky said about them? That so long as harmony remained between the bearers, that the bonds would be adamantine. Could it be that while Luna was gone Harmony didn't remain?

The shrill blast of a whistle brought me back to the present. The train slowed as a small town filled the window. I could stop here awhile, get re-accustomed to life, find out about the state of the country, train up a bit-

"All off for Ponyville!" The conductor shouted.

Or I could get off at the next stop. If Celestia's student lived there, Celestia would be at least occasionally. She was the last pony I wanted to have any chance of encountering. I settled back into my seat to take a nap.

Dear Twily,

Remember how I told you about Sombra catching me on our way to the Empire and how a flaming pony saved me? Yes I remember that you said I must have been seeing things and to forget about it, but today I saw him again. We talked a bit in the throne room today, then he said he had somewhere to go. I'd mentioned Ponyville and he seemed rather interested in you, so if you see him tell me about it, ok? Thanks.

Your BBBFF,

Shining Armor

The wait is finally over! Seth got off his butt and got this typed up, and I got it right out to all of you. My next chapter should be coming up soon.

I do not own MLPFIM, please don't claim my soul.