Silver let out a little sigh as he settled behind his desk. The trial was over… but his wife was not returned to him. How could she be? Insane people don't get married, or join herds, or… He glared out a window a moment and took slow breaths. Perhaps, in time, it would be settled… In the meanwhile, he had work to do. He had a position, and he meant to take it seriously.
With a silver glow, he gently opened the door of his office to admit any pony, or human, or anything else, that might want to come see him.
Night moved to his side. "I know what you're feeling."
He flashed a little smile at her. Did she? In a sense. She had lost a wife as well. "It was my fault."
Night shook her head. "She is responsible for her own actions."
Before anything else could be said, an unfamiliar voice spoke up. “I was told that this was the office for the human ambassador?”
A moment later, the voice’s owner stepped into the doorway. Dressed in a black two-piece suit and matching gold tie, he could have stepped out of a TV commercial, being a white male, six feet tall with short brown hair. Green eyes swept over the room from behind a pair of glasses before zeroing in on Silver and Night.
Silver sat up, blinking at the new human. "Hello there! Please, come in." He gestured at a chair that moved into easy access with a silver glow. "You've found him, Ambassador Silver Watch."
Night nodded to the new guest. "Night Watch. Don't mind me, I'm just the guard." She retreated to a safe distance, watching carefully but out of the way of the conversation.
The newcomer’s eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second as he watched Night move off to the side, but he kept a polite smile on his face as he took the offered seat. “I’m a little surprised,” he directed his remarks towards Silver. “You don’t seem to have the sort of guards that the princesses have. Is outreach to new human arrivals really that dangerous?”
Silver gestured aside at Night. "She's trying to be unobtrusive. Really, say hello to Night, my wife."
Night lowered her front in a bow. "Pretend I'm not here." As hard as it might be to pretend the lunar warrior was not present.
“Ah, my apologies.” Though he didn’t clarify what he was apologizing for, the human still nodded his head towards Night before returning his gaze to Silver. He adjusted his seat slightly as he did so, apparently to sit more comfortably...that it put Night Watch more firmly in his field of view was surely a coincidence.
“So, Ambassador Silver Watch, I’m sure you can understand that I have a lot of questions…” he trailed off in an obvious lead-in.
Silver bobbed his head. "I can only imagine. Please, how long have you been here?" That would give him a measure of how much his guest may or may not already know. "Allow me to point out, you're safe here." He tapped at the desk softly. "We, I mean, I, I'm here to help."
The hesitation that came before the newcomer’s answer was just long enough to be conspicuous, but not enough to be rude. “Given that there’s an official in charge of meeting humans, I’m going to assume that there’s no easy way back to Earth, is that correct?” That he’d ignored Silver’s question hung in the air, though if the human felt awkward about it, it didn’t show on his features.
Silver blinked at the utter deflection. "N-no. The Text? The words that likely appeared before you arrived here, it's cagey on the topic. If you didn't get to visit home, you will eventually, so be ready for that." He raised a hoof to point at the new person. "What was your name? Calling 'you' by 'you' hardly seems polite."
The human blinked, and for an instant he looked surprised, as though the question had caught him off-guard. It was gone instantly, though, replaced by that same smile. “Ah, pardon me for not introducing myself. I’m...John. John Smith.” He paused then, before returning to the previous topic. “So there’s no way to go home then, short of this ‘Text’ electing to send me there?” His brow furrowed slightly, and even though he was smiling the question was quite clearly a pointed one, as though he already knew the answer.
"Basically." Silver tilted his head faintly. "If you are John Smith, I apologize, but… come on, really? Are you afraid I'm working against you? I'm a threat?" He waved it off. "Please, I just want to be a friend." It was more the delay than the name specifically. The human's edgy behavior was stacking. "Were you hurt?"
Again, the question was ignored. “Come now, Mr. Ambassador, are you really in a position to be calling me dishonest? After all, even though I asked you twice if there was a way to get back to Earth, you didn’t mention Star-Swirl’s mirror portal a single time.” The smile stayed on his face, but this time it quite clearly didn’t reach his eyes.
Silver blinked. That was… "I didn't think of that… I… that's a great idea!" He hopped up to his hooves. "I have no idea how to make mirror portals though." In his excitement, the question was forgotten. "I wonder what's needed to 'aim' them properly."
“I see.” John didn’t seem to share Silver’s enthusiasm, and instead watched him closely, noting his reactions. “Can you tell me how many humans are in Equestria right now?”
Silver raised a hoof to wobble it. "There hasn't been a, wait, what's your name again?" He was awful at names to begin with. One like John Smith wasn't helping things.
"John," provided Night almost immediately. "Are you actually a smith?"
“Hm?” He turned to Night. “Oh, no.” He laughed slightly. Like every other expression he had made, it was so polite and courteous that it was almost textbook. “For most humans, the second name is a ‘surname’ that’s handed down from parent to child. While they used to describe occupations, those days are long gone.” He seemed, for a moment, like he was going to say something else, but appeared to decide against it.
Instead, he turned his attention back to Silver. “Given the paucity of humans so far, am I correct in presuming that your office functions as an adjunct of Celestia and Luna’s government, rather than any human authority?”
Silver bobbed his head at that. "We tried the other way, that was a sham in the end… I work for Celestia, yes." He put a hoof at his chest. "My name is much the same. Watch is Night's name, and I took it, as a token of love, not because I work with watches or I'm even particularly watchful." He tilted his head at the curious human. "Have you made any friends since arriving?"
Perhaps realizing that a third deflection would be going too far, John replied. “I look forward to getting to know new peop-, er, ponies and finding mutual interests that we can build on.” He smiled again, and this time it was deeper, as though he were laughing at some private joke.
Apparently taking his answer as grounds to shift to a different topic, he kept talking. “What can you tell me about the ‘Text’?”
Silver frowned a little. "It likes it when things are 'interesting', it snatches people…" He rolled a hoof slowly. "Neither Celestia or Luna are aware of it… That's about all I know. Oh! He, she, it? It likes to 'open paths', that is, set up ways for you to end up where you want to be, or don't want to be. It won't do it for you, just make sure there is a way to get there and amuse itself watching you make it or don't make it."
Night raised a brow. "It makes me think of Discord, but we're not going to get very far with it, we're here for you, John. What do you need to be a happy member of Equestria?"
“A lever and a place to stand, I suppose.” Again his features showed a hint of mirth. Not bothering to explain what he meant, John stood up. “Well, thank you both very much for taking the time to meet with me today. I appreciate how helpful you’ve been.” Giving a polite nod to both of them, he adjusted his tie as he turned for the door, apparently finished.
Silver blinked as the human, er, John turned away. "Is that really all you needed? Do you have a place to stay? A job?" He took an uncertain step forward. "Even if you feel silly asking, please, we are here to help."
“Thank you, Ambassador, but I know exactly what I need to do next. Don’t worry though, I’m sure that we’ll see each other again soon.” John’s reply came with only the slightest of backwards glances as he left, his stride never slowing.
A sudden cry caught the attentions of the ponies whose office he’d left. Without Samantha there to play smiling nurse, it fell on them to take care of their foals. "I have it." Silver, already standing, moved to take care of whatever had come up, allowing the human to make good his escape. He wandered into the smaller room to see Morning Glory staring at him silently. The crying had ceased the moment he came into view.
"What's wrong?"
He held out a hoof towards Silver, then it fell and he began to wave it around.
It was a vague gesture, but one Silver understood and sighed slowly. "Are you looking for Samantha?"
The little colt nodded.
"She can't come home right now." Silver strode up to the pen and leaned in, nuzzling the colt. "She'll be back." Or so he hoped.
"You will learn." Luna stood up straight as she pointed ahead. "Now what are those?"
Samantha's ears perked up. "Training dummies."
"Incorrect. For this activity, they are ponies. You are to treat them with all the respect owed any other pony. If I see you neglecting them, there will be punishments." She approached the one on the left. "His name is Mister Happy. He likes most things, but expects to be treated with respect and courtesy. We'll start with him. Once you get along with him, we'll move on to the next, harder, pony."
Samantha's jaw worked noiselessly a moment before she nodded and she approached the dummy. "Hello Mister Happy. Nice to meet you." She stared silently a moment, then glanced to Luna. "He's not replying."
Luna quirked a little smile. Nopony promised this would be simple.
I don't think I like this John Smith.
This John Smith smells like trouble.
what's
He seems like a goverment agent but the question is why he knows of the mirror portals if he was one from earth, after that he might be a slave to some ponies and just be a puppet
.... .... Luna's track record for actually fixing anything is a bit bunk.
Ominous human is ominous...
7272077 Fix'd!
7272077
He could be a less overt brony, though he at no point convinced me he wasn't a changeling spy hoping to pave a way for an invasion of Earth.
7272103 sorry but changelings can only change into other ponys and can't change that large, if thy could than thy would ave turned into mantacors and dragons when thy invaded
This John Smith reminds me of classic Chrysalis, or top Politician.
Samantha. This is not a Banana, it is in fact a small off duty Chzechosolvakian traffic warden.
Soooo. Now have the creepy guy from Half-life running around Equestria?
one Silver understand - one Silver understood
*****
Light on typos but heavy on intrigue today.
Mr. Smith's motives are unknown, but he may as well have been holding up a sign "suspicious person" as he was pumping Silver for information.
I almost feel as bad for Luna as I do for Samantha, in the end. Neither one seems to have any idea as to what to do now.
7272356 Agh, all the typos are my fault! This is not how collabs are supposed to work!
7272385 Funny, I thought it went exactly the way it was supposed to.
7272356 I definitely feel more bad for Samantha. Seeing as Luna has no practical experience in treating (or even dealing) with mental illness she's more likely to make things worse rather than better. Especially when one considers Luna's own fragile mental/emotional state at any given time. Essentially Celestia has taken Samantha out of a nurturing environment where she was showing improvement and pretty much assured that she won't get the help she needs in order to put on a show for politics and teach her sister a lesson.
For some reason Anon is reminding me of Text very much... Either that or a plant.
So Luna has Samantha playing House? Hmmm...
Keep going! ;)
Lever and a place to stand, fuck me if that doesn't sound like he's going to hang himself
7273192
More ominous actually. The rest of the quote "and I shall move the world". Paraphrasing of an Archimedes quote.
hum John Smith?? he stinks of trouble.
hum agent John Smith.
7273542
My goodness that was quite sometime ago wasn't it... Anywho. If I remember right it was a oneshot with Celestia meeting an army of griffons that were preparing to invade. And then killing the plothole of a general or a king or some such thing with her teacup after he rebuffs her offer of peace. All while wearing a horn blocker... Truthfully though, I don't remember what it was called, who wrote it and I'm pretty sure that I do not have it marked either so I don't think I can help you.
7273308 I'm glad someone got that.
Poor Mr. Happy has no idea what's inshore for him... even if he's just a training dummy.
7272077 His knowledge of portals worried me too.
7273391
Conversely, this was after Night Watch had a go at her for using a 10X dose of the average pony. She cares about the effects that her actions have on 2 levels. How it will affect her, and how it will affect her "subjects"
7273308
Intriguing. With the rest of the quote it does indeed sound ominous. Though with just the first half and his attitude and seeming to be "put out" when told there was no way back, to me it looked like he was going to off himself.
Not ominous at all, Agent Smith.
that last part reminds me of a true story: some kids in a school where given dolls and told to take care of them as if they were babies-but other kids started deliberately damaging the dolls, much to the confusion and dismay of the teachers...