~Greenback, Yale Rectorate~
In one of the grand courtyards of Yale's renowned University of Greenback, students from both junior and senior years gathered in large groups. There were no professors nor teachers to be seen, as classes had been abruptly dismissed, for the teachers and professors had been summoned for an emergency meeting by the principal. The usual academic calm had been replaced with a buzz of excitement and confusion, as dozens of griffons chattered with growing intensity.
The courtyard was filled with a mix of voices, some lo
ud with curiosity, others laced with skepticism, all focused on the strange phenomenon that had gripped the sky. The light screen above, visible to all, had appeared only hours ago, casting its strange glow over the campus.
"American Civil War? What in the name of Boreas is that? " one griffon called out, his wings flicking nervously at his sides.
"Could it be a typo? "Another griffon suggested. "Maybe it's supposed to be spelled 'Amarecan Civil War? '"
A third griffon, his brows furrowed in confusion, shook his head. "Even if it's a typo, and it's supposed to be 'Amarecan,' I don't think I've ever heard of a pony nation by that name."
A few other griffons exchanged uncertain glances, their wings fluttering with mild agitation.
"Maybe it's an ancient nation," one of them offered, voice tinged with intrigue.
"Perhaps," came the cautious reply.
Another griffon, trying to piece together the mystery, added, "It could be a civil war from a place like Zebrica… an undeveloped region we don't know much about."
A sharp gasp rippled through the group, and one griffon stepped forward, slightly offended. "It could be, but the way you said it, it's like you view them as lesser…"
The griffon who had made the remark rolled his eyes, shrugging. "Oh come on, I'm just stating possibilities. I'm not trying to insult anyone."
The chatter resumed, the students split between the mystery of the light curtain's words and the debate over what the words truly meant. No one seemed to have an answer, but it was clear that whatever this "American Civil War" referred to, it was something far beyond their understanding.
"Wait a damn minute, why are we even discussing this? "One," a griffon snapped. "I mean, we're not history majors like those University of Bruma students. We're medical students! "
"Well, do you have a better idea for how to spend our time? " another retorted. "Because according to the University of Greenback Rulebook, page 14, which I'll translate for you, when a whole class is dismissed, students can't just go home immediately. The university doesn't want to be liable if something happens when everyone leaves early."
"Boreas, damn it. Also, are you implying I'm of simple mind? "
"If fighting wasn't forbidden on campus, I'd punch you in the face for implying that."
"As if."
They bickered on, voices rising and falling in the courtyard while the surrounding chatter continued. Then, abruptly, everyone went silent. The words "American Civil War" vanished from the sky and were being replaced by something else.
Upon seeing what replaced the words in the sky, the students in the Greenback courtyard collectively let out a chorus of either gasps, "Oooohhh," or confused mutters of "Huh?! "
One griffon couldn't help but break the silence with a laugh. "Pffffft, ha! What's up with those faces?"
Another griffon squinted at the display, clearly amused. "I know, right? Look at their claws or whatever those are! Seriously, they look like they were born with pencil-drawn, stick-like arms! "
A third griffon, who had been unusually quiet up until now, chimed in eagerly, "I want to dissect one of those creatures!"
The group turned to look at him in disbelief, one griffon shaking his head. "Please don't. Besides, we don't even know what they are. The curtain of light didn't give a name."
"Well, maybe they're from Zebrica? "One griffon suggested with a shrug, his tone casual.
"Oh, not you again," another griffon groaned, rolling his eyes. "Zebrica? Really? "
"What? It's just a guess! " the griffon that suggested Zebrica defended himself, his feathers ruffling.
"Look at me straight in the very eyes," the other griffon said, raising an eyebrow, "and tell me that you don't think every creature you don't know comes from Zebrica."
"Maybe? " came the sheepish reply.
Upon hearing the sheepish reply, the other griffon sighed heavily, flapping his wings in exasperation. "Why do I even bother…"
Meanwhile, the conversation raged on, with the griffons either trying to make sense of what is being shown by the light curtain or continuing their usual banter.
"Woah, they've got front-facing eyes? " one griffon said, a thoughtful tone in his voice. "Then they must be predators, just like us griffons. Whatever they are."
Another griffon nodded sagely. "Hmp, at least they have the decency to wear clothing, unlike those ponies of Equus... Uh, what was the name again? "
"Equestria, sis," another griffon piped up with a hint of sarcasm.
"Ah, yes… Equestria," the first griffon muttered. "Such a backward country, not even having the common decency to wear clothing. At least those river ponies are better in that regard."
The courtyard fell into a brief silence as the conversation shifted toward critiques of various cultures instead of thorough observation and examining of what is being shown by the light curtain.
~Crystal City, Crystal Empire~
Inside the protective barriers of Crystal City, which surrounded the entire city and were powered by the magical energies of the Crystal Heart, the royal family stood on the balcony of the grand Crystal Palace. At the center of it all, Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor watched as their young daughter, Princess Flurry Heart, played with her favorite toy, a plush creature named Whammy. The little princess innocently giggled, utterly absorbed in her game, as her parents discussed more pressing matters with her auntie Twilight.
The light curtain loomed ominously overhead, drawing the attention of the Crystal Ponies. as it sparked alarm, intrigue, panic, and awe from its first appearance, spreading quickly throughout the Crystal City earlier.
Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance had been in the middle of a conversation with Princess Twilight, who had arrived to visit her niece earlier that day. However, the sudden appearance of the strange light curtain and its cryptic words, 'American Civil War,' had interrupted their reunion. Twilight's face was thoughtful as she spoke, her magic gently holding one of her magically linked journals, the other currently in the hands of Sunset Shimmer, who was in the human world through the Crystal Mirror.
"When I first saw the words 'American Civil War' appear on the light curtain, it felt strangely familiar," Twilight said, her brow furrowing in concentration. "And as it turns out, I was right. It is indeed familiar because Sunset wrote to me just months ago about how she was studying for a history exam at Canterlot High in the Human World, and one of the sections covered the American Civil War. Which means…"
She pointed a hoof toward the light curtain above, her eyes still focused on the strange, shifting words, before turning back to Shining Armor and Cadance. "The contents being shown in the light curtain are from the human world! Whoever or whatever is responsible for the light curtain phenomenon... They must be capable of opening a connection of sorts between our world and the human world, without any setbacks. Or perhaps... They are from the human world, and we just haven't seen them yet—"
Shining Armor exchanged a concerned glance with Cadance. Both of them seemed equally troubled as Twilight rambled on, clearly caught up in the whirlwind of her own thoughts. After a few moments, Shining Armor decided to interrupt her with a series of loud, fake coughs.
Twilight paused, her eyes snapping to her brother. She blinked in surprise before finally meeting their eyes. "Yes? "
Shining Armor offered a sheepish smile. "Well, Twily, it's great to see you so determined to uncover the mystery behind the light curtain... But could we maybe get back to the issue at hoof, mainly, the American Civil War? "
Twilight blinked again, as if just realizing how much she had gotten caught up in the details. With a flick of her magic, she summoned the linked journal in front of her and flipped through its pages at lightning speed. Her eyes scanned the entries before she came to a stop near the end.
She turned back to Shining Armor, shaking her head. "Well, Sunset hasn't written anything about the American Civil War yet," she admitted, frustration edging her voice. "She mentioned it briefly in passing when she was studying for her exam, but that's it. There's nothing in here that can explain why it's suddenly appearing in our sky right now."
Twilight's eyes then lingered on the last entry in the journal, making a mental note to contact Sunset Shimmer face-to-face in the human world and inform her of the bizarre events unfolding in Equestria, the Crystal Empire, Stalliongrad, and potentially other places once the Crystal Mirror reopens. She needed Sunset to be aware of what was happening, especially now that she heard of rumors that it is something that happened around the world.
Meanwhile, as Twilight was lost in thought, Cadance hummed softly to herself. With a flick of her light blue magic, she levitated a cup of tea to her lips and took a sip. "Well, speaking of humans," she said, her tone light, "is that really what they look like, Twilight?"
Both Shining Armor and Twilight blinked at her, replying in unison, "Huh? "
Cadance giggled at their reactions before casually pointing toward the sky. Twilight and Shining Armor followed her gesture, and sure enough, the words "American Civil War" were gone, replaced by this:
Upon seeing the change, Shining Armor muttered aloud, "When did it change?"
Cadance smiled knowingly as she looked at Shining Armor while replying, "Oh, just a few minutes ago or so."
Twilight's eyes widened as she took in the sight of what was now being shown by the light screen. Her brow furrowed in confusion, and she stared up at the strange figures being displayed. "These... they're not the humans that I know of," she murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Looking closer, Twilight's mind began to spiral as she observed the creatures on the light curtain. Apart from their clothing, hair, and beards, everything about them seemed... wrong. Where were their legs? Their feet? Why did their bodies look so disproportionate, with most of their mass concentrated in the head and chest area? These so-called humans felt alien to her, like something was fundamentally off. She couldn't wrap her head around it.
Where are their necks? How do they even move their heads from side to side?
Twilight found herself spiraling further into confusion. The more she looked at the figures of the humans being shown by the light curtain, the more concerned she was. Like, without proper legs, necks, or anything resembling functional limbs, how could they possibly navigate their surroundings? Their very existence already seemed like a massive hindrance to any kind of movement, let alone intelligence. Her mind raced with questions, trying to piece together the logic of it all, but the answers just didn't make sense.
Meanwhile, Shining Armor's attention was fixed on the four field artillery pieces that appeared in the light curtain, two on either side of the figures. A strange familiarity washed over him as he studied them. It took him a moment to place it, but then it hit him in memory, as these field guns reminded him of something from his school days at Canterlot Academy. It was from a particular Ogres and Oubliettes game night, and specifically, it was Poindexter's obsession with the Artificer class. Poindexter always played the Artillerist subclass, going above and beyond with his over-the-top with that subclass signature Eldritch Cannon, often using excessive ways to deal with even the weakest of enemies.
Shining Armor chuckled to himself, shaking his head. He never quite understood why Poindexter had that tendency, but the sight of those artillery pieces now brought back memories of the overkill ways that Poindexter used to unleash on goblins and other low-level monsters.
Speaking of Ogres and Oubliettes, Shining Armor thought, his mind wandering. It's been a while since he had a game night with his old friends. His duties as the ruler of the Crystal Empire, combined with his responsibilities as a doting father and a loving husband, left him little time for anything else. Perhaps it was time to plan a night with the guys again. He smiled at the thought, considering he might finally make time for it later in the year.
Cadance, on the other hand, was focused on something entirely different. Her gaze was fixed on the landmass behind the figures, just under the label of American Civil War. She squinted, trying to gauge its size. It was hard to tell from this distance, but she'd guess it was roughly the size of the Crystal Empire or maybe even a third of Equestria. Though, I could be wrong... she mused. The size wasn't her primary concern, however. What intrigued her was the reason behind the civil war. From the looks of it, the four human figures are divided into two on opposite ends, so they must be the two sides of the Civil War. She couldn't help but wonder what could have led to a conflict among these American—a term she still wasn't quite familiar with. Nevertheless, civil wars could stem from a variety of factors.
Hopefully, she thought, it wouldn't be too bloody. The last thing I want is for Flurry Heart to grow up with that kind of trauma.
~Blosmport, Greneclyf~
On the northern coast of the Griffonian continent, near Farbrook, lay the isolated island of Greneclyf, a quiet place, home to a peaceful population of changelings. Today, however, the usual calm was interrupted by a steady rainfall as well as the appearance of the light curtain, yet the changelings seemed undeterred by the rainy weather. As they moved with purpose, sheltering the most important figures among them all, Queen Gytha and Queen Oiren, under a large, waterproofed canvas cloth. The heavy tar-soaked fabric was tied at each corner to nearby buildings, creating a temporary canopy from the downpour. The changelings worked as efficiently and harmoniously as possible as they ensured their queens were kept safe and dry.
As the last of them scurried into the makeshift shelter, Queen Gytha smiled warmly at her changelings, who looked back at her with adoration. She had always led with kindness, and it was clear that her changelings reciprocated that love with loyalty.
"Thank you all," Queen Gytha said, her voice full of appreciation as the changelings beamed with pride.
With a gentle motion, she gestured for them to gather under the cover, their attention turning toward the rainy skies above Blosmport. The light screen that had appeared in the sky, a strange and cryptic phenomenon, had been the center of concern and intrigue earlier alongside the rainy weather. Queen Gytha turned to Queen Oiren with a knowing look.
"See, my dear? Our changelings don't need to fear. They are loyal because they love, not because they are forced to," she said, her tone soft but firm.
Queen Oiren, still wary and more pragmatic in her outlook, replied, "I know, Gytha, but I can't help but worry about you sometimes. You're too soft with them. If we're not careful, they could grow complacent."
Queen Gytha's expression softened as she placed a hoof gently on Oiren's shoulder. "And what's wrong with being soft? Wouldn't it be better to be a queen loved by her changelings than one who is feared by them?"
Oiren hesitated, but her concerns remained. "Yes, I understand that, but sometimes you need to show strength. You need to remind them of your power. A queen who shows weakness can easily be seen as a joke, especially by the mainland Griffonians. We have to be strong, not just kind."
Queen Gytha fell silent for a moment, letting Oiren's words settle in. The tension between their differing philosophies wasn't new, but it was clear that both cared deeply for their changelings. After a few beats, Queen Gytha finally spoke, her eyes drifting to the light screen above them, which seemed about to shift and change once more while they watched expectantly.
"It seems the light screen is changing, sister," she murmured thoughtfully. "I wonder what it will show next."
Doctor: Okay, Mrs. Lincoln, this is it. One last push and we're done.
Nancy Lincoln: (grunting)
Abraham Lincoln: Nine months and four days ago. My father brought forth upon my mother himself and gave to her a child conceived in a shack in Kentucky and dedicated to the proposition that I will drink num-nums from a bottle and do little poo poos in my pantses for the next two to three years. Now, what is it babies do again? Oh yeah. (cries loudly)
Thomas Lincoln: I am not touching that.
Both Queen Gytha and Queen Oiren stared at the light curtain in stunned silence, the sound of the crying newborn echoing faintly in the skies from the light curtain.
Queen Gytha blinked slowly, then dragged a perforated hoof down her face in disbelief. "What… what did I just watch? " she muttered. "Did I seriously just see that young creature, straight from its mother's womb, just talk? "
Queen Oiren gawked at her sister, then pointed a hoof dramatically. "Yes! You heard that correctly! " She jabbed her hoof toward herself. "I heard it too! " Then she turned and gestured wildly toward the gathered changelings. "In fact, everyling here heard it as well! Isn't that right? RIGHT?! "
At her words, the gathered changelings rapidly nodded, confirming her statement. The two queens exchanged another bewildered glance.
Queen Oiren's brow furrowed as she turned back toward the light curtain. The image of the scene remained vivid in her mind: fresh from its mother, with a hat of a design she couldn't recognize, the newborn creature landing upright while getting a parchment on what appeared to be a conveniently placed table near in front of its mother and father. But she does recognize the setup immediately; it was similar to the birthing tables she had once seen in Farbrook's pony birthing homes.
Unlike changelings, ponies did not emerge from larval eggs. Instead, their young developed within the mother's womb for months before birth, an odd, inefficient, and somewhat unsettling process from a changeling queen's perspective. Still, Oiren's analytical mind began to connect the dots.
"If I were to guess," she muttered thoughtfully, "these creatures must be like ponies in terms of how they brought their young to this world. The females carry their young inside their bodies until birth… months later."
Queen Gytha nodded slowly, still trying to process what she had witnessed. "Perhaps so. But the way that young one spoke, fresh from the womb, no less, it defies even the strangest things I've ever seen until today."
The two queens sat in silence, listening to the faint sound of rain against the tarred canvas above, while the flickering light curtain continued to display more…
Abraham Lincoln grew up with his relatively poor family in Kentucky, eventually moving to Indiana, and finally, Illinois. He read a lot of books, worked a lot of jobs, wrote some questionable poetry and finally entered the law profession.
Queen Oiren muttered under her breath as she watched the unfolding scene. "Hmm. Very studious... I approve."
Queen Gytha's ears perked up at Oiren's words. A playful glint sparkled in her eyes as she observed her companion's expression. The Queen always had an eye for those changelings who demonstrated discipline, hard work, and the willingness to defy the stereotypical perception of other species on changelings.
Despite being self-taught, he turned out to be a pretty clever and astute lawyer. In one case, a guy claimed he witnessed a murder at night and Lincoln was like,
Lincoln: How could you have seen anything in the dark?
Witness: There was a bright full moon.
Lincoln: A what?
Witness: A bright full moon.
Lincoln: Can you say that again, please?
Witness: There was a bright full moon.
Lincoln: A dim half moon?
Queen Oiren, unable to contain herself, whispered loudly to Queen Gytha's ear, "Do you think this Lincoln creature is deaf, Gytha? The witness already said it three times that there was a bright full moon!"
Queen Gytha glanced at her, then shushed her with a grin. "Shh, Oiren, just watch. It'll probably make sense in time."
Oiren rolled her eyes, clearly skeptical but still intrigued. Despite her doubts, she couldn't resist her curiosity and turned her attention back to the light curtain, eager to see what would happen next.
Witness: No, a bright full moon.
Lincoln: That's funny because according to this Almanac there was a dim half moon that night which makes you a liar!
Witness: Uh... Well, I got a bright full moon for y'all right here.
Lincoln: Now that's what I call a reBUTTal.
Queen Gytha giggled, her eyes sparkling as she caught the pun at the end of the exchange. The changelings around them couldn't help but join in, laughing and even applauding Lincoln's clever wordplay, while some changelings are more focused on the audacity of the witness to show his 'bright full moon.' Thankfully the guards in the vicinity stopped him from doing that because they're sure to be scarred for life mentally if they've seen that. But Queen Oiren, on the other hoof, was not amused.
You see, Oiren had a long-standing personal disdain for puns. Throughout her life as a changeling and even before she became queen, she'd been the target of countless jokes about her changeling hair being mistaken for cheese. Those endless, tiresome jokes had grated on her nerves, and the memory of them now made her bristle with frustration and barely contained rage. A faint wisp of smoke began to curl from her ears as she clenched her teeth.
Noticing how Mount Oiren is about to erupt, Queen Gytha immediately stopped laughing and then turned to Queen Oiren before approaching.
Meanwhile, Queen Oiren's frustration was still visible, her posture rigid, her eyes narrowed as she glared at the light curtain and the rainy skies above. But before she could erupt, Queen Gytha was already beside her, a soft laugh bubbling from her lips. "You were about to blow a fuse, Oiren! Take a deep breath, dear," she said, her voice warm and teasing. In an instant, Gytha swept Oiren into her hooves, pulling her into a sudden, unexpected embrace.
Oiren let out a surprised squeak, her body tensing at the sudden closeness. She blinked rapidly, disoriented, her heart racing in a mixture of surprise and confusion. How could Gytha, who knew her better than anyone, still be so calm and unfazed in moments like this?
Queen Gytha then pulled away just enough to look at her friend, her grin wide and almost mischievous. She slid one hoof affectionately around Oiren's neck, her touch gentle and comforting. "Now, what did I say about anger management? "
Oiren's shoulders slumped as she exhaled sharply, the urge to fight against Gytha's words draining from her body. "Don't let your personal hatred of puns and jokes make you angry over something as trivial as this."
Gytha's smile softened into something more satisfied, nodding as if this was the exact response she had hoped for. "Good! Now, are you doing what I said? " she asked, her eyes sparkling with an almost maternal amusement.
Oiren groaned, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation. "No," she admitted, her voice tinged with reluctant honesty.
Gytha chuckled, her tone light and teasing. "Well, at least you're honest about yourself, but you've got to do better. Now, how about we watch a bit more? See where this changeling hole goes? "
Oiren couldn't help but let out a tiny laugh, the remnants of her frustration melting away under her first ever friend's infectious cheerfulness. With a deep sigh, she finally settled back down, her eyes once again fixed on the light curtain above. The flicker of a smile tugged at her lips as she returned to watching the odd moving display being shown by the light screen.