We had food in the fridge, with plenty of water stocked to tide us over until we could stop living like savages. The house felt just a step closer to being a place I could call home. I felt... accomplished. Sure, we still had so many questions, but my fatigue was greater than even them, so I rest my head to sleep, and asked Equestria my soul to keep.
It obliged me.
I awoke to the soft bell and the feel of cool, comforting, stone. I missed being able to relax and listen a moment for hints of conversation, but I knew whoever was there would be aware I woke up. Stupid bell. Twilight, sometimes you are too clever...
I shook free of the stone to find myself parked at a table. Celestia was already at the same table, sipping tea and nibbling on a cookie. "Good morning," she called. "And it is, morning that is. You're really with us this time, I hope?"
I glanced around the large room. It was finely appointed and glittering. The food smelled great and my belly reminded me that I would like some. "Good morning," I echoed. The fatigue had faded from me, and I assumed I hadn't been disturbed while I was sleeping, but I wondered how close it was to waking time, in the human world. I hated not knowing. "Celestia, I'm sorry. I didn't meant to just abandon you like that."
"I know you didn't." She reached with a wing and brushed my side. "You live a troubling life, but I could say much the same. Twilight mentioned Starlight had been spotted, and they are aware of her pony status?"
That shook me. Twilight... She was adorable, and a pain at times. "She has. Actually... It seems ponies on my world are not as impossible as I thought it was." Talking about my 'waking' life while I was True Shot felt somehow wrong, just as talking about True Shot while I was Linda felt off. I kept things sane by keeping them seperate, but this was not a situation where that would be wise. "My government wants that portal, to send ponies home, but I doubt it ends there."
"Oh? If you have lost ponies, getting them home would be a high priority," she agreed. "I'm glad they see it the same way, but what more would they want?"
Oh god... "With the current administration, I imagine they'd want firm control over the comings and goings of it. Then they'd send people through to see what's there. They'd get a good look at your fertile fields--" She blushed. "--the other kind of fertile fields, dirty mare." I rolled my eyes. "Your mineral wealths. Given enough time, I bet they'd check for oil and uranium deposits. End result, if it looks easy enough to take, they'd make up a reason to come and take it."
Celestia stiffened. "You come from such a warlike place? You didn't give the usual... signs."
I let out a weary sigh. "On our world, our nations are kept in a sort of... balance, by each other. We have weapons enough to destroy the entire planet a few times over, and fear that anyone will start using them keeps everyone else from using them. On the other hand, what they do here won't be known by the other powers, and if they don't see a reprisal worth talking about among the colorful ponies..."
"The... entire world you say?" she asked, restrained fear in her voice. "You have... brought grave news. I thought we would be able to talk of more pleasant things, but I'm glad you brought this to my attention. It would have been a disservice to my little ponies to put this off even a moment." She stood up from the table. "Are they threatening you?"
"No." I stood up to stay at approximately her level. "I mean, they did, but that was just posturing. I'm fine. They want me to work with them, actually, to talk with the others and help get ponies where they belong."
Celestia shook her head slowly. "I have no objection with that, but it seems we will need to prepare a... show of skill for the first humans to pass through. More than that, we must make the first move."
First move? "You don't mean to attack, do you?"
"What?" She recoiled. "No. I refer to politics." She thrust a hoof at me. "You are singularly the best qualified. You are clearly a child of your world, yet you eagerly embrace this world. You are stuck between them. You love both, do you not?"
I nodded stiffly. "I don't want either to hurt the other. What am I qualified for?"
"You can be our spokespony. Not the last, but the first. One who can explain our world and speak on our behalf, but also who can bring their needs and desires to my ears directly. An ambassador."
Oh... Well crap. "That usually goes two ways."
"Hmm?"
"Ambassadors. If, and I didn't say yes, I were to try to approach the United States and proclaim I was ambassador from a country they knew nothing about, I see two problems immediately. First, they'd need to know, without doubt, that such a place existed, was large enough to recognize as a nation worth talking to, and then they'd likely want to have one of their own ambassadors here, to speak their opinions, make their demands, and so forth." My mouth felt dry. I was sinking deeper into a hole that had no bottom that I could see. "If I made a demonstration large enough to convince them, the entire world would likely know."
"That would be good, would it not?" asked Celestia. "They would all take an interest, and that balance that kept them from rash action would come into effect."
I sank to my haunches. I needed time. "Can I think about it?"
"You may." She stepped forward and leaned in. She pressed her forehead to mine, angled so our horns did not poke the other. "I cannot force you, nor would I want to if I could. You must do as your heart bids. If you take this task, you will be a hero to Equestria, less flamboyant than Twilight's tales, but no less important."
"I think I want to see Canterlot today." I rose back to my footing. "I want to see Equestria."
Celestia gestured for a door. "You may. Do you desire company?"
Part of me did, but... "I think I need space to think." If felt an urge and did not fight it. I suddenly darted forward and kissed Celestia on the cheek. "Wait for me?"
"Waiting is a skill I have," she said, a sad smile on her face. "Go."
I suddenly didn't want to. I wanted to grab Celestia and hug her until everything else went away.
That wasn't a very mature thought, and I knew it. It wouldn't solve a damn thing. "I'll be back." I trotted out and away, the door opening at my mental willing.
I trotted easily through the castle. The guards mostly ignored me, though some nodded as I went by. I wasn't an unknown there.
I emerged into the bright light of the outdoors, as Celestia had made, raising the sun earlier. I gave a soft chuckle, wondering what strange celestial events would cause the sun to be needed to be raised manually in the first place. The very idea was quite silly to what science I did know, yet there it was, and it worked for this world. I would be better tasked with figuring out why, instead of questioning the fact before me.
Wandering the streets of Canterlot, I breathed in the fresh scents, smiled at the people that went past, and for the first time in a few days, just enjoyed living and breathing. I remembered my wish to open a relationship counseling office and sighed deeply. If I accepted the task of being an ambassador, there would be precious little time for that.
Or for being a lawyer, come to think. By day, I would be a visiting ambassador. By night, a returned one, sharing what I had learned and keeping up to date with what Equestria needed. There would be no room for my old position. A little smirk played over my furry snout. There would scarcely be room for the Director and her wishes. Still, I'd see her. As an ambassador, it would fall on me to handle and assist exactly those sorts of things, even if just to help.
It was a mess. It was also my life. I could mope and whine, or I could take it in my hands... I lifted a hoof. That would have to do. I had to be the one deciding what I did, not just casually accepting what others demanded of me, no matter how nicely, or not.
With a sudden flash, Twilight was beside me. "There you are!" Her wings were unfurled. "We have so much to go over. Are you about to wake up?"
I glanced at my hooves again, but they seemed unchanged. "So far I can tell, no. What's wrong, Twilight?"
She folded her wings back to her sides. "What's wrong? You know the answer to that. I signaled you and got Starlight. She told me you were asleep so I hopped over to Canterlot Castle, where Celestia brought me up to speed and told me you had gone wandering off. You tell me, what's wrong?"
Oh the many ways to reply to that. "Ever have the world set on your shoulders unexpectedly?"
She gave a wry laugh at that. "You're talking to an expert." She extended one wing and pointed a hoof at it. "I didn't ask for these. I didn't ask to save the world over and over, and here I am. So... yeah... I've felt that before. I have and it stinks a little." She set a hoof on my chest. "But I did it. I'd do it again."
I was talking to a local hero. I smiled a little. "How did it feel, the first time?"
"Terrifying. The second time, also scary, but I had friends... You have friends too, don't you?" She canted her head a little. "Kevin seemed quite ready to be at your side."
"But he's a he." Twilight squinted. "Look, at least in part, he's hoping for romance."
Twilight shrugged. "Does that make him not a friend? The happiest married couples I know count each other as their best friends. Most of them were that first, friends. Then they became that and more. Hay... I'm jealous a little..." She tapped at her cheek. "I never really made time for that, and if one of the girls approached me for anything like that, I think I'd pass out. The one time I felt my heart prick up like that... I was on an alien world, being a slave to my immature hormones at the time for a male that was too young for the thinking me to even consider!" She let out a loud sigh. "Nevermind me and my romantic life. This is about you."
expert
Shame on you Twilight, I say Flash was plenty old enough. I've said it elsewhere but Twilight needs to get laid, yes I know about that story. Hopefully Linda/True Shot will setup a peaceful co-existence with Earth and not descend into political bs.
8037918 Amusingly already fixed!
Facts verses Desires is often a quick lead in to major problems. Pointing out to earth based goverments that by their own numbers they have the solutions to the problems, its just that it would lead to the poor becoming rich, generally would lead to a quick slap round the face by a tactical device. Quickly foilowed by multiple training squads and diplomatic assistance.
Dont forget, a portal between any two points is tearing apart space time at the quantum gravity level, like a black hole, and as such can tear apart nucleonic constituants even if they arnt unstable converting them to vast amounts of energy, even before vaccuum states and reality energy levels are taken into account.
The trick with a portal isnt making it. Thats easy. The trick is stopping it from causing a cascade that leads to a new Big Bang.
Thats why things like The Agency exist, to do their best to stop politicians from seeing the new shiney and banging it against the bars of their crib until they get the sweeties they know are inside.
I dont like personally the whole ambassador thing, It would actually be prudent to keep the status unchanged and simply help ponies back to their realm. Any meddling from the human world will result in what Linda/True is fearing would happen, when and that is IF the portal is made and made stable it wont be long until Equestria is forced to act to:
A) show they are not to be messed with (which leads to war)
B) establish tentative relations with the whole world leading to heavy modernization of Equestria and its eventual downfall to the same pittfalls that befell our World
.
C) outright outrage and simple takeover for some stupid reason just to expand. Be glad we are still confined to a single planet else the other ''humanity'' planets would probably enter the massive balance war for resources.
I can already see humanity's instant interest in MAGIC the solution to all their problems made true. I can guarantee that USA or any other country would want that to have for itself no matter the costs and since they allready know about ponies and Equus they have already probably made preparations for swift response.
The only thing probably helping ponies on their end is actually not having a gateway since making one is such a huge step and complex beyond reasoning to any magical creature other than alicorns and a certain Draconequs.
Please dont make this into another Humanity vs Ponies skirmish. And that is what will happen no doubts about it
(for bucks sake gems grow on trees in Equestria and gold is abundant thats enough reason for many)
The one where she dies of course. After all, there are no typos in death... but aside from there you're pretty much bucked. I heard they've formed a union now you know. (Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.)
Golly, I sure hope celestial body shifting rulers can find something to convince those nasty ol' warmongers not to invade... through the portal they made... that they control the size of... and location of... and can set up to be turned off... huh. Why is this an issue again?
8038202 USA, UK, Germany, Russia. China and Japan. Banks and credit. Yes, I'm listing that as separate nation.
Each with own interests, solutions and decisions.
Sounds like quite a mess is about to happen. Discord would appreciate that.
And let's not overlook portable scanners and laptops as one of methods of stealing information from a library if book can not be taken out.
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It would be a terrible and entertaining mess, but not for the reasons you listed, IMHO.
Let's say humans can create a portal in some way, as in there's no ontological reason stopping them.
They know it's possible, they have samples of travelers, they have a vague idea based on the show. At this point it really is a question of when, not if. It would probably benefit the Equestrians to do a first move to control at least a bit the chaos and to find allies to keep things balanced.
If it's impossible for humans to create a portal, then we will probably have an Equestrian controlled access that allows one person at a time to get through and transforms them into a pony. Invading a country through a conga line of soldiers is a bit ineffective. You can also place the mirror into a lava pool the moment the shenanigans start. The control of the portal would make Equestrians mostly safe if they are careful.
No, the really messy points will be:
-definitive demonstration that we are not alone out there
-new player with tons of gold and gems
-paranoia about reality hopping spies
-legal status of Linda. Is she was government consultant aiding a foreign power? Do the US recognise double citizenship (I have no idea)
-extradition
-theological issues with ponies moving sun and moon
-btw, can you help us placing this space station in orbit?
-do physics work the same way over there?
-can we violate causality by using the different time-rates?
And so on.
To be honest, war, while it needs to be considered, is almost a lesser issue than the whole other stuff going on.
Oh boy, just wait till they find out about the changeling. We're pretty sure they haven't been reconciled in this AU yet...
Linda makes a good lawyer, True makes a passable politician. We doubt either would be truly happy being an ambassador for the long run. We know! How about we shove it into Kevin! He's not terribly important at his day job anyways, right?
Keep going! ;)
8039953 This comment. I like it. Are you one of Worldbuilders?
https://www.fimfiction.net/group/197119/world-building-alliance
Well, shouldn't theological issues be resolved in a way that "This is a completely separate world governed by completely separate set of laws". Except. When I typed that I realized that this is not true, since Starlight can use magic in human universe.
However, Celestia never says she IS a god or a deity, does she? So that can be countered by pony books on history and Celestia's say so.
And, just a possibility, what if Ponies are in different galaxy? We just don't see their planet in telescope because it's far away.
But then again, either of the options is an another can of worms, is it?
It is just hard for me to think of possible problems.
8040388
I'm in the group but I'm not active there.
To be honest the problems will less be with Abrahamic religions (though the whole missing garden of Eden thing will be a mess, at least for some adherents) and more with the animistic religions. Old religions may be capable of somehow put the new paradigma into their worldview, but I fully expect a plethora of new ones to grow around the two sisters.
Functionally being in a different galaxy or in a different universe makes no difference if the laws of physics are the same. If they somehow differ, then if they are in the same universe then it will become interesting, because it means that physical laws are only valid locally.
By the way, there is a protocol (or a tentative protocol) defined for the contact with aliens.
... you know... it is really treated like Kevin is problematic by Linda. He can't be counted on as a friend, because he might be harboring feelings for Linda, it seems wrong for he and Starlight to share a bed, it's wondered or at least brought up several times if it is inappropriate to date him because she might be "above" him, or they live together and it would be inconvenient if they broke up.
But Linda is Gung ho with courting Celestia. Linda is perfectly comfortable to have cuddled Starlight all night, no issues at all, even though Starlight primarily knew Linda as male, especially at the time when she knew Linda as female for less than one day. And, of course, nobody ever brings up that Celestia being an immortal superpowerful being means that there is an inequality in the relationship.
Even though the fallout of Celestia courting someone because that person resembles an old flame is probably at least as bad as with Kevin, Linda is totally fine with confidently pulling the trigger on that relationship. She also has complaints about Celestia's personality, too, where she is actually overtly comparing Linda to True Shot every time she shows up, but this is somehow not an obstacle to Linda trusting Celestia, like it is with Kevin.