@Moonatik
Thanks! I find both your characters and worldbuilding quite fascinating, and the character dynamic shown here wasn’t mentioned in the lore document, so I’m glad to understand what’s going on.

@Background Pony #600E
Do you want the full story? Screw it, you’re getting the full story.

Selenite is from Equestria, Auburn Leaf and Lucent Eclipse are from Chiropterra.

Chiropterra is a country in Zebrica formed 1000 years ago when Nightmare Moon was first defeated, as the legions who supported her fled to build a new hyper-militarized and hyper-theocratic state in the name of their Empress, dedicated to bringing her back to the throne. Chiropterra was ruled by “Her Imperial Majesty’s Legionary Council” which formed a vicious regime that combined theocracy and stratocracy. All citizens were born into Legions, and a brutal caste society often determined one’s lot in life at birth. While “pure blooded” descendants of the original legionaries usually rose high through the ranks and descendants of natives were typically stuck at the bottom, some exceptions existed to this rule. Natives were enslaved and put under the control of the Native Affairs Commission, which kept them in horrible conditions and used them in brutal menial labour that was, in the end, essential to the development of Chiropterra and to equip its armies. Labourers and their children would be kept in bondage until they either proved their devotion to Nightmare Moon or dropped dead.

Auburn and Lucent were friends since childhood and were the presumptive heirs to lead their respective Legions once the time came. They also represent different perspectives on how Chiropterra should function. Auburn favors the old ways of all that nasty stuff above. Lucent wants to abolish slavery, transform Chiropterra into a modern society less reliant on theocratic/military rule, and generally make it a much nicer place to live. Despite their differences, they respect one another and remain friends.

In my timeline Nightmare Moon returns and takes over Equestria, with Selenite as one of the main military leaders responsible for bringing her to power. The Chiropterrans arrive in Equestria to help Nightmare Moon’s armies, with Lucent and Auburn amongst them. They befriended Selenite as they were around the same age and had similar interests, so it was a natural fit.

Though immediately there’s a culture clash. When Nightmare Moon personally visited Chiropterra she ordered changes to Chiropterran society, partially on Selenite’s advice but also the advice of many others and her own conscience. She ordered that Chiropterran slavery was to be abolished, that there be a separation of faith and state, and that they had to be nicer to the natives.

Auburn, and all the Chiropterrans like her, were surprised by this but obeyed the orders regardless because they dared not oppose the word of their Empress. After ten years of Nightmare Moon’s rule, a bitter rivalry had developed between Auburn and Selenite as they competed for control of the Empire to achieve their respective vision, a grand chess match on a continental scale if you will. Lucent, however, being a respected friend of Auburn and agreeing with Selenite on political matters, stays on good terms with both of them and kinda just wants to see them get along again.

What exactly happened between these three?

I love playing that Nation