13th April
14:57 GMT -7
"Al
right, if you're
sure."
Luna nods. "We feel that Our dignity may be undermined by meeting your offspring whilst barely able to keep Ourself upright."
"Yeah, but…" I exhale. "People on our side are perfectly at home with the idea of nonhuman sophonts, but aside from my genomorphs they don't generally
meet them."
"And you are concerned that they may fear Us."
I.. take a moment to look at the living pony princess plush toy I'm dating. Or.. think I'm dating. For a moment I amuse myself with the idea that she's simply waiting for me to give Celestia her bride price. I haven't asked any ponies about their courtship customs, because whatever they are the current alicorn population is too small for there to be a
tradition on how to court the goddess-princesses.
"No. I.. think that you can safely assume that they won't fear you."
She nods. "Because you are renowned as a stalwart protector and your presence will reassure them."
"No. Because you're… Cute."
"We are… Cute?" She regards me sceptically. "We hope that you are not allowing your own opinion of Us to colour your advice."
"No, you're small and furry and look like… Well, you look like a more aesthetically appealing version of a type of farm animal. People are going to ask me if they can ride you. Children are going to come up to you and stroke your fur. Are you
sure that you wouldn't rather do this as a human?"
"We feel that We will most likely survive their affection."
"I'm not the one who's going to be pulling chewing gum out of my pelt, but if it's really what you want…" I trot up to Starswirl's Mirror. "See you on the other side."
I trot in and stroll out in a way which… Still doesn't make sense to me. Looking on the process from the outside I'd guess that the person going through it was in some sort of state of flux, but… My front goes in Wilson-side and I'm coming out Earth-side, even though I can feel my hooves back
there until my feet emerge
here. I should.. fall forwards as my front support vanishes, but that's not what happens.
Weird.
"Mother Box, boom tube to the Mirror room."
Ping.
BOOM!
Luna walks through, her wings bristling slightly with tension as she looks around the room, and then at my crotch. And then at my abdomen. And then at my chest.
And then she backs up slightly so that she can see my face.
I raise my right hand in greeting.
"Hello."
"You are… Quite large."
"Y
es. I
am, but the difference here is
mostly because I'm naturally bipedal. Rather than being
long, I'm
tall."
Luna frowns faintly, slowly walking around my right side so that she can get a better look at me.
"Your posture makes Our spine ache in sympathy."
"Oh?" I turn anticlockwise to face her, dropping onto my hands and knees. "Is this better?"
"Now Our
legs ache in sympathy." I grin, and crawl towards-. She backs up, a look of distinct disquiet on her muzzle. "Stop
stop!"
"Okay." I come up onto my knees and then rise to my full height. "But I warn you; I don't
mind being pony-shaped-."
"But this is your true self." She nods. "We understand. And we hope that you will not grow too besotted with
Our human-seeming form when We choose to assume it."
I shake my head as we head for the exit.
"Nah, I'll be too busy laughing. You and Sunset sorted out a translation spell?"
"We have the form of it, but We think that We will test our skill with your tongue before resorting to magic aid." Her horn glows faintly as she looks around. "Your home is truly a magnificent citadel, but We think that We would sorely miss natural sunlight and the chance to stretch Our wings."
"Once the whole of the world is progressing in the direction which I want it to, I can probably afford to expand upwards and create a more conventional habitation area jutting out of the mountainside. Or just move and repurpose this as a pure fortress. I originally acquired it more as a statement than anything else."
"That you are a troglodytical troll?"
"That my mountain is better than the mountain of those whom I
left."
I bend at the waist, contorting myself until my head is close to her level.
"Though if mountains aren't your thing, we could renovate your old castle. Could be a bonding activity."
She rolls her eyes. "Yes, because clearly We wish to return to the site of our greatest shame."
I straighten up as we reach Sunset's laboratory.
"Yes, getting beaten up by six teenagers and a baby dragon was a
bit pathetic, but I'm sure we can whip you into shape."
"We were referring to Our
fall, not to Our purification."
"Luna, in a thousand years no one is going to remember that."
She tosses her mane. "We are not yet entirely accustomed to the idea that We will live so long. We are uncertain how we feel about it. We were always the less sociable sister, and we have seen how Our Sister's venerability serves to isolate her."
"If you're asking to include her in our herd-."
A mild glare. "That is
not what We meant."
"I mean, one of my brothers is single, but he's… Kind of evil..? If you want to try friendship lasering
him we could
try getting them together…"
The door slides open and Sunset stands in the doorway. Her human form grew significantly as a result of her ascension, and… She definitely has a more
womanly figure now.
"Are we heading out?"
"Indeed, Sunset Shimmer. But why are you accompanying us?"
"You're… Acting as my canary."
Luna tilts her head back slightly. "We do not understand your reference."
"Well, I'd kinda like to walk around as a pony myself… But I don't wanna get mobbed. So I'm going to watch what happens to
you and
then decide what to do."
I leer at her. "I wouldn't be so sure that humans won't mob you anyway. You weren't exactly hard on the eyes
before your ascension, and now…"
"I'm not talking about going to a
club, Grayven. Just walking down the street. I
like people admiring me. I
should be admired. I just don't want little kids pulling my mane or my feathers."
"And so We serve as your test case."
"Hey, you volunteered." She frowns. "And I got promoted from 'thou'?"
"You are an alicorn, and raised to that state by your own skill. We feel that We should hesitate to address you as Our social inferior."
Sunset smiles happily. "
True."
"Alright then, if we're all ready? Mother Box, hush tube."
The portal opens, and I bow to Luna.
"After you."
13th April
15:02 GMT -7
Luna sits, wings flaring slightly and eyes widen as the tide of grinning primary school aged children draws closer.
"We fear that We hath made a terrible mistake."
