Laud nodded approvingly as his eyes swept over the black surface. It ran right up to the walls snugly. It was uniform and did not yield under his feet, though he imagined a ship would surely test it more than he could hope to. It was also warm, baking in the heat of the sun. It was a landing platform, a primitive star dock, his primitive star dock.
"You've done well," he complimented the builder ponies who were all watching him, eager for review. "We'll get our true test the next time a ship wants to touch down. The next step requires electricians. Do you have that skillset?"
They looked among each other, each shaking their head in turn before the head-pony stepped forward, tipping his hard hat. "Yeah, not exactly our thing, but I know some ponies. I'll send them your way. About the bill..."
They got into the business of settling up the bits required.
Twilight trotted energetically through the town. She had things to do. She knew this in part thanks to the checklist that hovered beside herself. The arrival of the humans had created no lack of projects to immerse herself in. Focusing on them also allowed her to keep from wondering too long or too hard about personal things.
Besides, she had already settled those.
Her advance was suddenly stopped as not one but two ponies got directly in her way, turned to the side, but their heads were turned to face her, specifically blocking her path.
"Twilight Sparkle," spoke Bon Bon, one of the two blocking ponies.
"We challenge you," spoke Lyra, the other of the two blocking ponies.
"As a herd, we issue a formal bid for superior care of your would-be stallion. You are not only a single mare, but a princess with other responsibilities. There is no conceivable way you can provide for him as well as we can." To emphasize her point, Bon Bon pointed at the floating checklist.
Twilight took a half-step back, eyes coming into focus on the two ponies that had suddenly forced themselves into her thoughts, and schedule. "What? Don't be ridiculous. No one does herds anymore."
Other ponies came to a stop, focusing on the conflict that had sprouted seemingly out of nowhere. Quiet whispers spread. A herd? Is that even still a thing?
Bon Bon shook her head firmly. "The popularity of the concept does not erase its legality. It is still on the books." She tapped the ground. "And we follow the laws around here, Miss Sparkle." She waved a hoof between Lyra and herself. "We have shared residency long enough to qualify for the title without ceremony. A domestic herd, to be proper. As a herd, we are entitle--"
"Stop this!" barked Twilight, her face creasing in a severe frown. "Whatever you're doing, stop it! Did Starlight put you up to this? I can... handle myself, thank you."
Lyra shook her head quickly. "She's barely involved. This is our idea. I... lo... lu..." Her face began to grow redder and redder with every attempt to say it.
Bon Bon slapped her on the back with a hoof.
"I love him!" Lyra finally spat out. "We're challenging you for him. Do you accept?"
Bon Bon smiled easily. "Or, do you cede? There is no third option."
The other ponies had gathered, forming a circle around the three ponies, eyes focused on the drama as it unfolded. There were humans about, but they didn't know the language of ponies, and none of those arguing had translators on, so the best they could do was watch from afar with curiosity.
Twilight drew herself up as tall as she could be, her wings spreading out to add to her overall size. "I accept, of course. Celestia made this decision, and I won't let her down."
Bon Bon rolled a hoof. "Very well. The challenge will be one of domestics. It's only logical, seeing as we've asserted we can provide for him better than you can. Cooking, cleaning, stallion care..." She tapped her hooves with each category of the challenge. "We will clearly demonstrate that two heads are better than one."
Twilight let out a slow breath. "Tell me this is a one time affair."
Bon Bon raised a hoof. "From us? Yes. A herd can only issue a challenge once. If proven inferior, they're out of the running. Of course, if some other herd wanted to try, we could do nothing about that."
Lyra smiled at Twilight, a caring smile, as if worried for the stress she was causing. "I doubt there are other herds waiting for a chance. Um, still friends, right?" She flashed a bright and awkward smile. "I mean, this is just about Laud. I'm not, you know, angry at you or anything."
Twilight heaved a heavy sigh. Lyra wasn't entirely wrong, in her opinion. The odds of other herds was low, unless Starlight or her friends were that desperate to butt into her decisions. "Very well. I'll schedule the challenge."
Bon Bon dipped her head towards Twilight. "You have that right. I look forward to it. Let's all show our best, and to the one that can provide the best home goes the stallion."
With a flash of magic, Twilight vanished. That void was filled almost instantly as if her parting had sucked them in. Ponies crowded in around Lyra and Bon Bon, asking questions.
"You just challenged a princess, do you know what you're doing?"
"You want to marry a human?"
"You two are a thing?!"
Lyra's horn glowed as her lyre appeared above her and began to play soft music. "Chill out, everypony. Nothing's official until we win. If we lose, well, the herd goes with it."
Bon Bon nodded softly. "There aren't too many other legal functions left to herds that we require outside of family structure, and we're fine being Best Friends. Now, excuse us. We have a challenge to get ready for." She began walking forward, clearing a path with her certain strides for Lyra to follow behind on.
Elsewhere, Twilight appeared with a crackle, huffing. She still had so many things to do, and suddenly a challenge to add onto the pile. She heaved a heavy sigh, but got to trotting. One thing at a time, right? The scheduling of that could wait until the evening...
Paul shook with Celestia, his hand grasping her clad hoof. "You've been a kind and generous host. I look forward to further dealings between our people."
Celestia inclined her head slightly. "I as well. I feel there is much we can gain from one another."
Her eyes wandered off towards the sound of galloping hooves. Mayor Mare was charging at them with a flustered expression. Celestia smiled at her, speaking in a calm voice, "What's wrong, Miss Mare?"
Mayor Mare looked between Paul and the princess before pulling out a collar and getting it into position. "Lyra and Bon Bon have issued a challenge to Twilight."
Celestia flinched back with surprise. "What manner of challenge? I was not aware there was any enmity between Twilight and them."
Paul tensed slightly, but allowed the two ponies to speak without interceeding.
Mayor Mare shook her head quickly. "It's about Laud. They're challenging Twilight for the right to have him, quoting some obscure law to do so."
"I see," spoke Celestia, not sounding upset. "Well, then we'll see who wins."
Mayor Mare perked an ear up at the huge form of Celestia. "I... you're not... upset, Your Highness?"
Celestia wobbled a single hoof. "We'll have to see that law stricken from the books. It will only cause trouble. However, such actions take time. The challenge will proceed. We can't claim to be a nation that upholds laws if we ignore the ones that seem inconvenient at the time."
The mayor stiffly nodded to her superior. "I... suppose that's true, Princess."
Paul looked to the mayor. "What ponies are these that are bidding for Laud? Do they have any royal blood?"
Celestia spoke up before Mayor Mare had the chance, "Lyra is of noble blood. Bon Bon is a figure of proven worth to the kingdom. A decorated operative of a covert nature."
Paul raised a hand, fingers flat with the ground level. "How high are we talking? I presume she is not a princess."
Mayor Mare shook her head quickly. "Oh no no no! We only have a few of those. Why, I remember when we only had the one for the longest time, but times have changed."
Celestia smiled gently at the two of them, both far more flustered in appearance than she. "Lyra Heartstrings is a countess, gifted with especially strong magic. Perhaps not Twilight's equal on that field, she did graduate from the same school. She prefers to play music over that of spellcraft, for better or worse."
Paul clapped his hands together. "We can work with that. A countess is higher than his rank, but not overwhelmingly so. Perhaps this is better, on some levels." He looked to Mayor Mare. "Thank you for bringing this news."
Mayor Mare nodded at the tall human. "My pleasure, though I admit I mostly wished to inform the princess. It was her decree that Laud and Twilight be wed, was it not?"
Celestia rolled a hoof. "I made them betrothed. If this challenge is legal and held in good sportsmareship, I have no objection to it. Win or lose, I feel all sides will be made happier for it."
Mayor Mare bowed low to the princess. "I'll be off then, Your Highness."
"Wait." Celestia set a hoof down on Mayor Mare's right shoulder. "Would you officiate the competition? It would be a comfort knowing a competent mare was overseeing the conflict. I don't want either side handling this in poor taste. Let's keep it clean and fair, and to the best side goes the prize."
One of the soldiers that had been standing silently nearby leaned towards another, whispering in English, "Ever wanted two ladies to fight over you?"
"Didn't she just say that one of them is a whole group of them? Not sure how much I'd be up for that."
"You wouldn't want a harem if they were ready and willing?"
The second took a sliding step away. "Your funeral. Besides, they're ponies, and magic ones at that. I'd prefer to keep all my parts where they started."
Paul held up a hand, silencing them. "This will proceed, one way or the other," he spoke to Celestia. "Mayor." He looked to her. "Inform me of the winner as soon as the contest is over."
Mayor Mare's ears perked up. "They haven't decided on the specific time, but you could come and see for yourself. I checked, such challenges are public by default, and they made no arrangements for it to be otherwise. I should imagine a great portion of Ponyville will want to see it for themselves."
Celestia shook her head slowly. "I hope neither side gives under the pressure. Regardless, I must be going. I've been away from Canterlot long enough." She turned towards her own guards. "Is the chariot ready?" She left with them, trusting that things would work out, one way or the other.
Talk of the coming competition became the talk of the town. Ponies of all walks of life wondered out loud what nature of contest it'd be. Would Twilight show them up with fancy magic? Would Bon Bon cook a treat so good, they would have to admit she was a better provider for stallions?
Was Lyra going to play a song or three? She was a unicorn, graduated from Princess Celestia's school, so great feats of magic from her wasn't out of the question at all.
Lyra and Bon Bon are a thing?!
Rarity had no lack of rumors to gossip about, at least, making her spa trips all the more lovely under the caring and attentive hooves of her favored spa ponies. "I tell you, darling, Twilight is a mess. I really can't wait for this to be over..."
Only a few small typos that I noticed.
charging
to Twilight
update
Things are getting set up. Everypony get hype xD
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A typo in the author's notes? The shame ; ;
Cook cook cook! May the best lasagna win!
I think that Twilight will get only more stressed until the challenge happens and she might be to stressed to handle the challenge without problems.
One more typo:
The word you want is "snugly", one G.
So you are really going for the harem route? I don't know how to feel about it, but I guess you will make Lyra and BonBon win, or else the whole thing would be pointless and Starlight gets a conniption, because her plan to "save" Twilight failed.
And it is a cooking challenge against an Alicorn who eats most likely at restaurants or Hay Burger when Spike isn't making meals for her. Well, we will see
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I will note that, in canon, Twilight can cook, and does it well.
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Really? Then this detail must have slipped my mind. But it would be kind of funny to find out that Twilight prepared herself for this challenge as it would be expected by her... cookbooks. ^^
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She had a cooking contest vs Spike in an episode.
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Huh... well, I didn't commit every single episode to my memories Though I look forward to the cooking challenge, whatever it will be.
A domestic competition? Isnt that a bit tricky to do given its supposed to be who is the best wife, not who would be, which Twilight fails automatically because she has a country equivalent to run instead of a corner store with occasional overseas assasinations?
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Note, it's a domestic competition, of which cooking is one of the few portions Bon Bon mentioned. Cleaning and stallion care were also mentioned.
Laud will not escape this.
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A cook off with the only judge being fluttershy, calling both delicious. Fluttershy, the only pony who would call Sweetie Belles cooking delicious, to not harm her feelings.
So no, not wholly convinced.
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Mayor mare has been asked to officiate.
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Except we don't know who won. We can't trust Spike's opinion because he liked Applejack Baked bads.
Hmm. A contest over who is more caring will be interesting.
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A harem in the actual sense of the word, without the connotations modern society decided to place on it. There's no reason to believe they're going to engage in kinky naughty stuff here.
We're wondering if the only reason they need to present as a herd is due to Lyra's bashfulness? Would there have been so much circumstance if it was just a nervous Lyra making the challenge? Surely she would have been shot down immediately, but perhaps so much anti-poligamic outrage would have been avoided? After all, it's empirically proven that political marriages are superior to polygamy-enabled unions bound in love, right?
Keep going! ;)
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The law is that a herd can challenge a single mare, without the option of saying 'no.'
If Lyra asked Twilight for it on her own, the answer would not be positive. Thus, LyrBon combined their powers to make a political move that could not be easily challenged.
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Is it not spelled LyraBon? My first typo kill in the comments!
I'm rooting for the herd! My wish is for Twilight to be free to chose her own husband, nothing more.
So Celestia knew about the law, and did know this was going to happen. God I was right, she is just a stupid bitch *facepalms* She could just just Wed Lyra and Laud and been done with it. But no, had to Drag in Twilight and fuck with her too. And Bonbon, and of course, their friends and family too. Fuck Celestia, I hope she gets shot in the head when Laud takes over.
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me not being convinced was aimed at Twilight being a good cook.
Unless i am mistaken, Fluttershy was the only "juror" of the cook-off between Spike and Twilight.
I expect the challenge here to be fair and square, But wouldn't bet my money on Twilight being a good cook, when the only indicator being Fluttershy calling both dishes delicious when asked which is better. Would it be Applejack, sure, but Flutters?When a such a straight answer could hurt her friend?
Not to mention that calling both dishes delicious was a clear dodge.
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1: Has Celestia the political sway/power to force Lyra to marry Laud? Power is questionable, otherwise she could have declared them married on the spot. As for the other option: Lyra wasn't political active for a while and therefore may not be swayed that way into marriage.
2: Even if she really likes/loves Laud, a forced marriage that way would negatively impact the relationship.
Celestia has "power" over Twilight in the manner that she would naver say no to her. Add in Twilights sense of duty to Equestria now that she is a princess and aranging that marriage was a cakewalk. This way either, even if unlikely, Twilight would marry him OR she forces Lyras into action, and by this making it her choice to marry him.
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Celestia indeed has the Political sway/power to force anyone of noble blood into marrying Laud. And indeed, she could have declared them married right on the spot, but never did. And that is the problem I have. As it's now proven that she KNEW Lyra was in love with Laud but chickened out at the very end. But still chose the option of putting Twilight on the spot, as a way to get Lyra to cave in and admit her love or lose Laud forever.
Second, it would if she really didn't like Laud, or liked him more as a friend, or was in love with someone else. But she wasn't. She wanted Laud, just chickened out without someone there to push her. Like shown in this newest chapter, where again she almost chickened out till Bonbon had to smack her upside the head to get her to admit it. She wants it, just needed a push, and having Celestia arrange it would have easily been that push as well, and cause a whole shit load less of Drama.
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You seem to entirely ignore the feelings of anyone involved.
If Celestia had come on high and pointed at Lyra. "You, marry him." Point at Laud.
Laud would be in a horrible position. So far as he knows, it was his own machinations that made her think he was alright with the idea. It would be, in his head, literally his fault that Lyra was being forced into it.
Lyra, who had fled nobility, would be suddenly picked up and hurled back into it with not a bit of empathy. She would be on the spot without a drop of agency.
Neither would be happy. Neither would be equals, either. There would be a high likelihood that whatever marriage resulted would be far from one that would involve respect or love.
On the other hand! With Twilight being hoisted forward, Twilight can be trusted to do as Celestia bids, because that is just how she's wired.
Twilight is a princess, and never stopped being one. If she is willing, then Laud can look her in the eyes. They are equally put out by this, and that is a unifying thing.
Bottom line: Just because Celestia 'could' do a thing doesn't make it a smart thing to do.
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Or wife. Let's not be labeling Twilights choice yet.
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This is where we differ, because how you view what would happen, and how I view what would happen, are different and there is no way to prove what is correct.
Logically tho, Laud would be HAPPY if Lyra was chosen to be with him. Not in a horrible position. As he himself was trying to pressure her into it before, and now it's getting made official by someone higher up than him. It would take the pressure off his mind, as he wasn't the one to force it, it was someone else' fault.
As for being forced back into Nobility... According to who? You? She is still a noble, rather she is deep into Politics like Celestia, or far away from it like Twilight. She is Nobility by BLOOD, not apointed and thus can lose her noble status if she doesn't do the work she was appointed to. She could vanish for years and come back, and still be a noble by blood.
As for being Equals... They would NEVER be Equals, not even Twilight would have been Equals with Laud. Laud, being the human, is the actual Owner of the planet. He has all the Political power with the outside planets, and full Policial power over the Equine Planet as they would now be subject to the Laws of the Galactic Powers, and to rebel and disobey Laud would probably result in all of their deaths and the Humans coming in and taking their resources.
Twilight and Lyra/Bonbon have NO POWER at all. Laud has it all. It would NEVER be an Equal Relationship. Whats more, Forcing some random Mare, instead of a Friend he wanted, pressured, and who chickened out at the last moment but finally admits it when forced to, should have put Laud in a much more horrible position.
As there is no love. Not even Friendship. Twilight is doing what she does, because Celestia TOLD her to. Not cause she likes, or loves, Laud. If Celestia later on told her to murder Laud, she would do it without feeling anything for Laud, even if they been married for years. Cause she is programmed that way, as you said. In fact, she would probably grow to hate, and resent Laud, and maybe even Celestia as well. We don't know, as they are not real and we can't get a read on how their mind works under different situations.
But I can say, historically, most arranged marrages between people, don't end well, and don't have the people loving, or even liking, the other person. Especially if it's short notice, and they don't like each other in some form from the start.
Laud x Anypony would never have ended well, unless they literally go "We're married, now we're going to split up and live our own lives but not able to marry anyone else." And nothing changes in their lives except they now married to someone else they never have to see or meet or talk with and just live like normal. Laud x Lyra is the ONLY relationship that has a CHANCE of having actual love and the two liking each other. And it's very likely for it as well.
Logically, emotionally, and Ethically, all say Laud should be with Lyra. So I call out Celestia on her BULLSHIT, when she puts this scam together, which could emotionally and mentally scar Twilight for years, instead of doing the simple thing and appointing Lyra to him.
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https://www.famifi.com/25141/the-beautiful-secret-behind-why-arranged-marriages-last-much-longer-than-love-marriages
Appointing Lyra would be blending the two in an unhealthy manner. Forcing a love marriage? Sounds awful.
Ultimately though, it doesn't matter. By your own words, Laud is a huge conquering asshole who sees the world as his property and its people as little more than a means to an end. If this is true, nothing Celestia does matters, why are you mad at her?
A second article, because it's always easy to find one that'll agree with anything.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1363176/Why-arranged-marriage-likely-develop-lasting-love.html
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Actually, that may be a good point. If one is to guess from only the fandom's ships, one might as well think that the Mane 6 are all lesbians.
I'm loving this arc!
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Also the fact that this gives Bon Bon a pretext to be married to Lyra.
Let the fight begin! Xd
I wonder if this actually will be a great boon to the relationship as a whole. Two silly mares against the princess of the realm having a cook-off for the hand of the first human to set foot on the planet would SURELY be something to set humans minds at relative ease.
I mean it is just that kind of charming cutesy thing people would love to gossip about in new and odd culture. Likely will cause quite a few remarks towards all of Hawkwood but they can play the "Oh these silly ponies and their charming ways" card too.