Preview of the Next Chapter of All-American Girl · 6:10pm May 29th, 2013
All-new Chapter 11! (and yes, I know I should be resting).
There were times, Paul Philips, noted, that being married to a diplomat had its huge disadvantages. This was one of them – this, meaning being up at four in the morning, with the three TVs in the kitchen all set to the news channels for a change instead of the soccer channels. And him making a huge batch of coffee, in a portable thermos mug, knowing full well that it wasn’t going to be enough. And having to explain why the house was ruckus and ramble at a time of morning when nobody was ever awake.
Footfalls sounded in a descent down the stairs and a mare who looked barely awake walked into the kitchen. She’d thrown on a sports coat, button-up shirt and slacks, but didn’t go for the full nine yards. “Dear Celestia on Her Throne,” Lyra said, rasping, “I swear I feel every bit of my age right now.”
“You’re still just as beautiful as the day we met,” Paul replied, handing her the mug. “Here. I hear this stuff turns piles of mush back into coherent ponies again.”
She took a sip and a wide, lazy smile came onto her face, even as she could barely open her eyes. “Ah, coffee – proof that any species that knows how to make it is clearly sapient,” she mumbled as she reached for some Pop Tarts Paul had just pulled out of the toaster.
“Lyra,” he said, “you’re barely awake and I don’t feel confident about you driving to DC right now. Hell, Terry must be barely conscious and he’s gotta drive from Reston to come get you, right?”
“Don’t worry,” she answered, waving an arm in front of him. “There’s an emergency protocol for these things. Leesburg PD’s going to pick me up and drive me to Leesburg Exec, then State will fly me to the embassy in a helo. I won’t be behind the wheel at any given time, I promise. I’ll be too busy….” she said, her voice suddenly absent.
“I know,” he said, reaching over and giving her arm a comforting squeeze. “I mean…wow. As an American, I’m used to reading about wars in our history. But for someone to bomb Cloudsdale?”
“I don’t know, and I won’t get into that conjecture,” Lyra responded, slipping into neutral voice. But Paul knew his wife long enough to know when something deeply bothered, her and if there was anything, this had to be it.
“Family in Cloudsdale?” he asked.
She nodded. “My aunt Skylyre. My parents said that me and Harper look a lot like her and, yeah, same coat and mane colors and all. And we were never really close – as you could tell, she didn’t come to our wedding. But Serenade’s family’s also from Cloudsdale and….”
“I’ll call Harper as soon as the sun rises. I’m sure he and Serenade are in a panic right now.”
“I appreciate that,” she said, looking up to her husband. In the front window of their home, though no sound came, the blinking of red and blue cherry lights could be seen. “That’s my cue, hon. Take care of the kids and tell them I’ll be home soon.”
“Tonight?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I might need to fly to New York to assist AC, or worse, head to Canterlot, and….” She shook her head, just as much to dispel the gnawing worry in her heart as to reassure him. “I’ll call as soon as I have an update.” And before he could say anything else, she walked out of their house, headed for the biggest crisis she’d ever seen as Equestria’s Ambassador to the United States.
I hope they pay enough, Lyra.
I'm so looking forward to this. Good job so far.
Looking forward to this, but watch the whole health thingy; there are hopefully a lot more chapters to go.