//------------------------------// // Chapter 30 - Interview With a Satyr Part 1 (Edited by JBL 11.29.2017) // Story: The Last Descendant // by Cup of Coffee //------------------------------// Deviating from my usual routine, it was one of the maids who roused me at sunrise to inform me that breakfast would be served soon. Knowing that I had a long day ahead of me, I got up and began getting ready. Shaving with a straight razor was a challenge in itself, but I managed with only a few scrapes. Now that I had received all my clothes, I spent a few minutes choosing an outfit and even matched colours, eventually settling on a white shirt and a pair of knee-length black pants. Checking myself in the mirror, I came to the conclusion that simplicity was best, especially since I didn’t have any formal wear. Pleased with my choice of attire, I opened the door and was about to step outside when I was assaulted by Pinkie Pie. She said “Hi!”, practically glomped me, and hugged me around my neck, stating that it was my morning medicine. Similar to last night, it lasted ten seconds before she dropped down onto the floor and cantered away while going “La-la-la-la-la-la!” I just had to keep telling myself that she meant well. Celestia, Luna, Twilight, and her friends were already assembled for breakfast when I arrived in the dining room. Rainbow Dash was there, though only in body. She had fallen asleep by the table, her head in a bowl of cereal, blowing bubbles in the milk. I chuckled, though no one else reacted at the sight. Either they were used to this sort of behaviour, or perhaps table manners were a very relaxed thing around here. During breakfast, we discussed today’s schedule. Journalists from every newspaper in Equestria had received an invitation to the press conference, while freelance journalists would also be admitted. A similar invitation had been sent to the respective diplomats from each embassy. They would arrive in an hour or two. Once again, Celestia promised that she would handle any questions or requests from them. Luna mentioned she would find a third party for our interview, having ordered the guards to find a willing journalist and photographer among the freelancers who would be paid by the Crown for their service. Whoever they found, I doubted they would be willing to pass up this chance. *** The conference was only thirty minutes away, and my nerves were getting the better of me. My heart was thumping heavily in my chest, I felt hot and clammy, and cold sweat ran down my forehead. I didn’t want to do this. By all that was holy, I did not want to do this. But I had to. Celestia and Twilight had gone to prepare for their speech, accompanied by Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity, leaving me alone with Luna, Fluttershy, and Pinkie. The latter pronked ahead, giggling at the stoic guards lining the corridors and trying to make them laugh. It didn’t work, probably because Luna was there. “…Some of the questions might be complicated, so pause for a moment if you need time to reflect on your answer.” Luna had offered a stream of advice for the last half hour, being the most experienced one here when it came to dealing with the media. “Think before answering, got it.” “Good. I believe you will do well.” We walked no more than five steps before she laid a wing on my back, gaining my attention. “That reminds me of another subject,” she began, sounding more serious. “If questioned on who your ancestor was, do not mention Star Swirl. Simply say that you do not know.” “Why not? I thought a lot of ponies would’ve already made the connection by now. You guys aren’t stupid, and his entrance wasn’t exactly subtle.” “That might be true...” Luna responded, drawing out the answer. “However, due to his fame, some may refuse to believe you. You might be accused of using his legendary status to further your own standing. It is better to simply not mention him at all.” I agreed with Luna, if for no other reason that doing so would only result in more attention on me. “Yeah. Besides, it’s not like I want anything to do with him. He already made a mess of my life since before I was born.” I kept my eyes locked on the end of the corridor. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Fluttershy turn questioningly to Luna. I couldn’t see what Luna signalled to her, but whatever it was it made Fluttershy appear worried. “Will you and your friends be able to keep quiet about Star Swirl?” I asked her. She walked up to me, matching my pace. “We can. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna already asked us to not say anything to anypony about him.” “Good. It’s my life now, not that old bastard’s. I won’t have his shadow hanging over my head for the rest of my days.” The trepidation I experienced was rapidly turning into anger, as it usually did when it involved Star Swirl. “Although I cannot condone you denigrating Star Swirl’s name, I hope that one day you can find it in your heart to forgive him,” Luna said from behind me. I didn’t bother turning around. “Everypony deserves a second chance.” “Maybe they do.” I heard Luna’s satisfied hum and turned my head. “Everybody but Star Swirl.” Her moment of relief was dashed, and Fluttershy’s face mirrored her saddened expression. We continued on for a while, eventually reaching the assigned room for the interview. Two guards stood outside while several others lined the corridor, reflective of the increased security presence today. The room itself was the size of a family’s living room. A proper armchair had been brought down from one of the minotaur chambers, which was a relief for my ass. Cushions didn’t quite do the job. Luna was supposed to be with me for the duration of the interview, and a dark royal-blue cushion had been brought for her. A couch was also there for the journalist and photographer, along with a coffee table, a silver mug, glasses, and a vase with fresh flowers. Walking into the room was enough for my fit of anger to be dashed, my anxiety roaring back. Walking over to the chair, I sat down and poured a glass of water to steady myself. While sitting there and blowing my hair away from my forehead, the others seemed to notice my discomfort. Pinkie, true to her… strange nature, appeared next to me, presenting me with a huge grin. “Do you need more medicine?” she asked me, holding her forelegs apart, ready for a hug. I shook my head. “I doubt your hugs can fix what’s bothering me now.” “Are you nervous?” Fluttershy asked as she and Luna walked up to me. “Like you wouldn’t believe it. I mean, I’m one of the biggest secrets in Equestria—better yet, the world—and I’m about to go public. I mean, I can’t stop thinking about all the what-ifs and would’ve, should’ve, could’ve…” I leaned back in the chair, huffing in frustration. “Calm yourself,” Luna commanded while walking in a circle around me. “It will just be you and two ponies simply asking questions. I will be here for support as well. Nothing can go wrong. You are safer here than anywhere else in Equestria.” I nodded slowly, acknowledging her claim. “I know. I’ll just try to calm down my mind and my heart.” I inhaled deeply several times before relaxing every muscle in my body. The tension in my body decreased, but I still kept sweating. “Just think of something happy,” Fluttershy suggested. “Whenever I’m nervous, I try to think of bunnies playing during the day, or being hugged close by their parents before they go to sleep in the evenings. Sometimes I even like to sing for my animal friends.” “Or you can do what I do when I’m nervous, which is almost never, but sometimes it happens,” Pinkie interjected. “I throw a party with lots of friends, because I know that with so many friends around me, I can forget what makes me nervous and instead be happy. We play games, and talk with each other, and eat plenty of yummy food. We even have sleepovers sometimes.” I cracked a smile. Their intentions were well-meaning, but misplaced. Food and cuddling with animals couldn’t magically alleviate my ailments. It was simply another thing that set me apart from ponies, and I wondered if it would become a major pattern in the future. Luna nodded, seemingly satisfied that I had my nerves under control. “Now then, if you are certain you are ready, I will fetch the journalist and photographer. My sister and Twilight will begin the press conference shortly. While I am away, perhaps Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy can keep you company.” “I’ll manage, thanks.” I reached into my pocket for the pebble and held it out to them. “I have my own way of settling fraying nerves.” Fluttershy and Pinkie both looked curiously at the pebble in my hand. Luna knew what I meant, and had found it amusing that the simple act of levitating the stone had such an interesting effect on me. “Very well. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, shall we go? I believe the others are waiting for you behind the conference room’s stage.” Luna began walking towards the door and came to a halt at the entranceway. “As usual, there are guards stationed right outside should you need anything.” I nodded to her as Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy followed Luna. At the door, the two ponies looked back at me. “See ya later, Maggy! Good luck!” Pinkie hollered with a wide grin on her face before pronking outside, giggling to herself. “Don’t worry, you’ll be okay,” Fluttershy said. Rubbing her foreleg nervously, she said, “I was famous too, once. I was a model, but I didn’t like it, so I quit. The photographers followed me for a while, but soon forgot about me. Maybe you can have the same luck as I did.” Smiling meekly, she followed Pinkie out into the hallway. Luna’s watchful eyes stayed on Fluttershy until the demure pegasus was out of sight. “They both care, you know.” A smile appeared on her face. “One who wants you to laugh and be happy once again; the other wishes nothing but kindness upon you.” I nodded thoughtfully, but didn’t say anything. Luna cleared her throat, then looked behind her. “I should go. Sister is about to start the conference. I will return shortly.” “Good luck finding someone,” I called back to her. Just as the doors shut, I caught a glimpse of Luna’s confident eyes. They told me that she had everything under control, and it made me feel more at ease. The doors shut with a muffled thud, leaving me alone with nothing but the furniture and my own thoughts. Before they could begin antagonizing me again, I held the pebble up in my hand and focused my magic into it. The chiming sound of magic filled the air as a green aura appeared at the top of my vision. Magic coursed through my body, the pleasant sensation soothing and relaxing my thoughts. The pebble glowed green as I pulled it around in the palm of my hand, as I had done many times before. Feeling a bit bold, I brought my hand all the way up to my face. Holding the pebble in place, I slowly lowered my hand until it rested on my knee. The stone, however, still retained its position in the air, supported only by magic. “Huh, would you look at that,” I murmured as the tiny pebble slowly revolved in mid-air. It was lighter now than it had been days ago. I couldn’t suppress my growing joy, and with a smirk, I declared, “I grow stronger every day.” *** Twilight moved the curtains aside, sneaking a peek into the great hall. Rows upon rows of benches and chairs were placed from the doors all the way in the back to the stage at the front, upon which stood a low table and cushions for the princesses. Even though the hall was about half-way filled, a steady stream of ponies and non-ponies were wandering in, finding seats for themselves. Journalists, photographers, and representatives from the other nations had special seats reserved for them. The diplomats, clothed in garments befitting their status and countries of origin, sat at front row to the left, idly chatting with each other, probably debating the nature of Princess Celestia’s announcement. However, she didn’t see any crystal ponies in the crowd. Shining Armor and Cadence were busy up north, and since the Crystal Empire was a protectorate and Celestia and Cadance were so close to each other, no embassy was needed in Canterlot. If they weren’t already aware of Magnus’ existence, they would soon be. Releasing the curtains, Twilight walked back to her notes, flipping through them even as a slight pang of apprehension struck her. She took a deep breath and went through Cadance’s breathing exercises, which did wonders to calm her. Celestia, having finished relaying instructions to her secretary, Raven, dismissed the unicorn when she noticed her former student performing the familiar exercise. Walking over to Twilight, Celestia asked, “Are you nervous, my former student?” Twilight returned her hoof to the floor. “Not so much now, no,” she replied. Looking towards the curtains, she couldn’t help but feel a slight fluttering in her stomach. “Maybe a little bit.” Celestia smiled. Twilight was young and had much to learn, but in time, she would become a natural speaker. She had written her own coronation speech herself, after all. Twilight turned her attention to Celestia, a questioning gleam in her eyes, one that Celestia knew well. “Can I ask you something?” “Of course, Twilight.” “Well, it’s about a book I recently read concerning the noble families of Equestria,” Twilight explained. “Some of the noble families that came to Equestria from the old kingdoms still exist to this day.” Celestia nodded. “That is correct, although many families have faded from history, many more than you will ever find in history books. Some intermingled with other ponies out of love until noble blood and famous names meant nothing to them. Other families, unfortunately, produced no heirs and simply faded away.” Twilight considered Celestia’s answer for a moment. “But the Galaxy family still lives. Magnus’ family.” ‘Curious Twilight,’ Celestia mused, joyful over her former student’s inquisitive mind. ‘Nothing can stay hidden from you.’ “Indeed, Twilight, the Galaxy family still lives. Or rather, she lives.” “She?” Twilight asked inquisitively. “Who is she?” “Baroness Brilliant Star, the matriarch of House Galaxy, and the last known heir. Currently, she lives at the family’s castle in Hollow Shades.” “Brilliant Star? I’ve never heard of her, but the name...” Twilight brought her forehoof up to her chin, rubbing it thoughtfully. The name sounded so familiar; she had heard it, or perhaps seen it written somewhere long ago. It was then her eyes shot wide open as her brain made the connection. “Brilliant Star! As in Brilliant Star, distinguished professor and lecturer at your school? The unicorn mare who once was the vice-principal? That Brilliant Star?!” she exclaimed. “The very same.” Celestia giggled at Twilight's shock. “Brilliant Star has been my friend for many years. Now she is retired, spending her days in peace with her family in Hollow Shades.” “Amazing,” Twilight whispered, partly awestruck. She remembered seeing an old black and white photo of Brilliant Star, along with her fellow teachers and Celestia, the headmistress, hanging on the wall outside the lecturers’ lounge once. When she had asked one of the younger teachers who they all were, she had been told of their identities. Sadly, she knew very little of Brilliant Star except her name and some of her work at the school. There was no great contribution to magic, no famous written thesis, nothing new and revolutionary, but she apparently had been a skilled and knowledgeable wizard worthy of the title of vice-principal. “I didn’t know she was a noble. Why did she work as a teacher?” It was almost unheard of for nobles to take jobs such as teachers and the like. Most of the nobility didn’t work at all, except owning businesses, preferring to let others work for them. Celestia sighed, regret flashing briefly over her features. “The Galaxy family was once the most powerful family in Equestria. Even in Unicornia, they were a powerful house that held ties to the royal family. In their prime, it was said that they held more wealth and influence than many other nobles houses combined. Sadly, it was not meant to last.” Intrigued by the story unfolding before her, Twilight felt like a filly once again, like the times she sat between Celestia’s forelegs, being told stories of magic and intrigue from Celestia’s life. “What happened?” Celestia frowned, her eyes focused past Twilight and into some unknown period of history. “The same that happens to all noble families, given time: they lost influence. Their wealth declined, their rivals attacked them on all sides, rumours about them flourished, and within a century, they had lost nearly the entirety of their power. Their businesses were in ruins, and lacking steady incomes, they soon had to resort to working for others. Their titles, however, remained intact. ” “But what does this have to do with Brilliant Star being a teacher?” “Brilliant Star chose to become a teacher, not because of her cutie mark, but because she was highly skilled and experienced.” Celestia chuckled lightly. “She is also the least aristocratic pony I’ve ever met. She ran away from home when she was a teenager and constantly went against her parent herd’s wishes. She even attacked me once.” Twilight's jaw fell to the floor. If the marble floor wasn’t so thick, her jaw would have broken through until it hit bedrock. Chuckling, Celestia remembered the bantering they would get up to back in the day with fondness. “However, she calmed down considerably over the years. When she was fifty years old, she accepted my offer as a teacher at my school, and settled down into a quieter life.” It took a minute for Twilight’s brain to reconnect to its power source. Hoisting her jaw back into her skull, she began connecting the dots. Magnus had a family, which meant he wasn’t completely alone. The question was, would he want to meet Brilliant Star? It was up to him if he ever wanted to. Family bonds were strong amongst ponies, though she wondered if he would feel such a connection to this mare, being so far removed from the ‘parent tree’ as he was, and being only part pony. “Do you think Magnus would want to meet her? She is the only family he has.” “That remains to be seen. Remember that we’ve asked you to avoid mentioning who was Magnus’ ancestor. Magnus holds little love for Star Swirl, and I believe he would prefer not being reminded of him. Brilliant Star is very old and frail, and I fear for her health if she is told about Magnus too soon. The shock alone may cause her health to rapidly decline.” Twilight acknowledged the truth of Celestia’s words. Great care had to be taken, especially concerning an elderly mare. Given that the mare had appeared old and grey in the photo, she could very well be over a hundred now. “Whether he wants to or not, Magnus deserves to know,” Twilight argued. “He will be told,” Celestia replied as she craned her head down to Twilight. “When it comes to Brilliant Star, I will speak to her personally and break the news to her gently. I doubt she wants a throng of journalists on her doorstep. It is my hope that they will agree to meet with each other, and that Magnus will discover that he is not as alone as he believes.” Celestia privately acknowledged that such a meeting would have to be one day in the future, for more pressing matters were at hoof. Twilight nodded, appeased by Celestia’s reassurance. She wanted to be there for the meeting, to see how two different persons of different races, yet still family, would act, but thought better of it. They deserved a private meeting, should it happen. A pony, one of the many in charge of putting together the press conference, walked into the room behind the stage. “Princess Celestia, Princess Twilight, all the seats are taken. You may begin whenever you are ready.” “Thank you. Twilight, shall we?” “After you.” Following Celestia, Twilight walked out into the now-crowded hall and onto the stage. The crowd stood up when the princesses appeared, a few flashes from cameras going off in the process. Celestia took her seat and Twilight sat next to her, the crowd then seating themselves. “Thank you for coming today,” Celestia began, gazing out over the crowd. Today was the day history changed. She knew it, Twilight knew it, and by tomorrow, Equestria would know. Continuing on, Celestia’s regal voice carried her words to reach the audience. “Many times, I have sat in this hall, on this very spot, bringing news from far and wide to Equestria. These walls have seen and heard many things, both good and bad. What I am about to share with you today is something not even these walls have heard before.” A few low murmurs came from the crowd, yet Celestia continued unabated. “I believe each and every one of us has asked this question at some point in our lives. Long ago, ponies believed we were the only race that inhabited our world. Earth ponies thought themselves to be all alone on their great plains, as did the pegasus in the sky, and so did the unicorns on their lofty mountains. Then they met each other, and as time went by, they discovered that they had more in common than they originally assumed. Eventually, they even went so far as to found this kingdom together. “As the decades and centuries progressed, we discovered that we were far from alone. Ponykind already knew of the griffons to the east, and from them, they learnt of a race that called themselves minotaurs. From the minotaurs, we learned of diamond dogs. Far across the western seas, the Saddle-Arabian ponies lived in their great golden desert, and to the east, the zebras lived on their far-reaching plains and jungles. In the fiery lands, the mighty dragons rested on their hoards. Our world is a big place, and there may yet be other races living in faraway lands. We simply do not know.” If Celestia wanted the crowd’s attention, she had received it. Every pony and non-pony’s attention were on her, intrigued by her words. “I believe it was the Prench philosopher Penseur Profound who first gave word to the thought: “Are we truly alone?” It is said that upon a moonlit night nearly two millennia ago, he gazed up at the infinite universe, stared at the sparkling stars above, and asked himself a greater question: “Since we live on this flourishing planet, surely there must be other planets where other species exist.” At the time, few believed him, and yes, some even branded him as a madpony. Now, so many years later, the question he posed is not so foolish. The idea of otherworldly beings living on other planets has found its way into books, comics, and films. In various form of media, the idea of what we refer to as ‘aliens’ flourish. The modern scientific community, not just in Equestria but in many countries, acknowledges that the question Penseur Profound asked himself long ago cannot be brushed aside as a flight of fancy.” Pausing, Celestia looked at the audience. Eyes on her, tongues held still behind teeth, yet not a single voice spoke up in impatience. A few ponies’ mouths slowly opened, as if to ask a question, but nothing was uttered. A few eyes even grew wider at the implications. Taking a deep breath, Celestia cleared her voice. Her next words would ring on for a long time. “I am here today to tell you that Penseur Profound’s question has been answered. We are not alone in the vastness of space. There is life flourishing on other planets, and the resident of one such planet has found his way to Equestria.” A moment passed in silence, then two, and finally, three. Celestia’s words echoed within the hall for a few seconds as the ponies, griffons, and other races heard her words repeat themselves twice. Mouths gaped, eyes grew wider, and the previous flashing of cameras ceased. Silence. And then four hundred individuals simultaneously began shouting, a ferocious din enveloping the hall. While Twilight shrunk in her seat, more than a little frightened at the sudden response, Celestia maintained her collected countenance. She had expected this to happen. Now she just needed a moment for the crowd to calm. *** In a room adjacent to the conference hall, the door stood open, allowing the ponies within to hear and witness what happened within the hall. Several guards stood ready to intervene in case something happened. So far, everything had been relatively calm. That was until Celestia announced the existence of extraterrestrials in Equestria. Even though the crowd became unruly, the guards did not interfere, seeing as no one made any moves towards the two princesses on the stage. Among the guards, two other ponies did their best to escape. Both of them identified themselves as a freelance journalist and photographer who worked together. Out of nearly two dozen freelancers, these two were picked for the job. “NO! LET ME GO! I HAVE TO HEAR THIS! I HAVE TO GET THIS STORY!” the earth pony mare shouted at the top of her lungs. A unicorn guard held her still while she struggled in his magic, her hooves finding no purchase whilst floating mid-air. Alongside her, a pegasus stallion clung to his camera while also struggling against two earth pony guards. “Get off me!” the pegasus exclaimed with an angry glare. Waving his hoof at one of them, he threatened weakly, “I know Hoof-Fu!” “That would be assaulting a guard,” one of the guards retorted nonchalantly. “Besides, you agreed to take a job for the Crown, didn’t you?” The mare looked around and sneered at the guards. “That was before we were told that there are aliens from outer space in Equestria. This is much bigger!” The pegasus stallion snorted loudly, shooting the guards an angry glare. “Yeah! You’re hindering the press! This is our job! We’re missing out on a great opportunity!” Despite the mare and stallion protesting, the guards held them still. They knew what the two ponies had been hired to do, and when the moment they became aware of that, they would probably Prench kiss the guards for holding them back. “I hear my sister has begun the conference.” The guards turned, facing Princess Luna. They saluted as usual, even with the pair tightly in their grips. Seeing that the Princess of the Night stood before them, the pair could only lower their heads in respect, unable to fully bow. “Guards, release them. I will take it from here,” Luna ordered. The mare was gently set down onto the ground while the guards holding the pegasus at bay stepped to the side, allowing him free movement. Luna took a good look at the two. The mare had a grey coat and a black mane cut short. Her cutie mark was a typewriter, signifying a talent for writing. On her back rested a saddlebag filled with paper and quills, and on her head, she wore a hat with a white card labelling her as a member of the press. Her compatriot was quite thin for a stallion, but was taller than most. His white coat and two-toned yellow mane blended nicely together. Around his neck, he had a camera, and a tripod and rolls of film he carried in his saddlebags made them bulge. He also wore a white press card on a string around his neck. “Good morning, my little ponies. What are your names?” Luna asked them. The mare took a confident step forward and smiled. “Scoop, at your service, Princess Luna.” Smiling, Luna nodded to her. “Welcome, Scoop.” She then turned to the stallion. “Sharp Lens, photographer extraordinaire.” The stallion performed a flourishing bow and shot her with a cocky grin. “Welcome, Sharp Lens.” Luna nodded politely to him. The ruckus coming from the conference room suddenly increased in intensity. Luna’s ears perked towards the open door, picking up on Celestia’s description of Magnus. She would need to use her Royal Canterlot Voice. Poor ponies. She knew that Twilight Sparkle would soon regale the audience of how Magnus came to Equestria and also about the portal. The volume would certainly grow louder by then. This was no place to hold a conversation. “Sharp Lens, Scoop, if you would follow me, I wish to offer the two of you a job.” She then turned and began walking, but didn’t hear the two ponies following. Looking over her shoulder, she saw them alternating their gazes between her and the conference room, looking torn. “Em, your highness,” Scoop began hesitatingly. “It’s not that we’re not excited to work for the Crown, but…” She paused and began fumbling with her forelegs. Seeing that his companion had lost her confidence, Sharp Lens took over. “There’s an alien in Equestria!” he exclaimed. “This is the biggest news since… ever!” “I am aware of that. The job I wish to offer you involves him,” Luna replied. She began walking again, and after a few seconds, she heard the two ponies hurrying after her. “H-Him?” Scoop asked, stuttering slightly. “What job are you talking about?” Luna cracked a smile. “Interviewing him, of course.” With her eyes focusing on the hallway that led to the room Magnus was in, she couldn’t see the two journalists, but she heard them stop and gasp. Looking over her shoulder again, the two flabbergasted ponies stared at her as if they couldn’t believe her words. “Come now, we will speak as we walk.” It didn’t take more than a few seconds before she heard their eager hooves behind her, along with them whispering to each other. Sounding both excited and perplexed, she hoped that her guards had found right ponies for the job. Scoop cantered up to Luna, matching her pace. The mare looked ahead, then to Luna, then to the guards that lined the hallway, then ahead again while trying to formulate a question. “Why us?” Scoop asked. “This is great for our careers, but why us?” “You two are what they refer to as ‘freelance’, are you not?” “We are,” Sharp Lens replied, maintaining pace with Scoop and Luna. Satisfied that the guards had indeed found someone ideal for the job, Luna continued, “My sister and I have spoken much of how our alien guest should be revealed to Equestria and the world.” Luna turned a corner. “It would not be fair for one newspaper to have an exclusive interview, which is why we have decided to hire you two to interview him. The complete interview, along with all photos taken, we wish to distribute to every newspaper in Equestria.” “That’s very considerate…” Luna picked up on her mare’s hesitance and glanced at her “You do not sound happy about it.” “We are happy to get this opportunity,” Sharp Lens interjected. His smile faltered slightly. “But we are freelancers. We get paid for the interviews and the photos we get for the papers. We’re talking about an interview with an alien! The major papers will line up to kiss our hooves and throw bags of bits at us for what we can give them.” Luna nodded. True, even these two had bills to pay, and bits were required in everyday life. Fortunately, Luna and Celestia had prepared for this. They were not about to demand work for free. “The Crowns will pay you a generous fee for the interview and the photos. In addition, my sister and I will personally give both of you a royal recommendation for your services to the Crowns.” Sharp Lens opened his mouth to speak, but Scoop’s hoof was quicker. She covered his mouth, gave him a glare, then turned to Luna and smiled innocently. “Can we have a moment to discuss your offer?” Luna was slightly caught off-guard, not expecting them to hesitate. Back in the olden days, ponies would almost always agree with the decisions made by the alicorns. So much had changed in a thousand years. Still, they were free to accept or decline, and she wasn’t about to force them. “Of course. Make haste; I believe the interview may last for a long time.” Scoop and Sharp Lens quickly trotted a few hooves away and began furiously whispering to each other. One of them would propose something, to which the other one would object to and offer an alternative. After about a minute of debate, they returned. “Princess Luna, we accept your offer,” Scoop answered confidently. Sharp Lens nodded eagerly. “Yeah, and a royal recommendation helps too. We’ll be almost guaranteed to find a steady job at whatever paper that’s looking to hire.” Luna smiled widely; it appeared that these two were looking for full-time employment. She was happy that the offer would help them. “Excellent, it pleases me that our terms are to your liking. Now, are you ready?” Luna glanced towards the end of the hallway and the door blocked by four guards. Scoop couldn’t stop grinning, but the confident expression Sharp Lens wore wavered. “Uh, does it bite?” *** “~Over the hand and between the fingers, To the other hand it goes. The magic knows the way to carry a stone, With magic green and white.~” While I sang, the red pebble floated over my hand, then passed between my fingers. It amazed me how much control I could muster with having only known magic for a few weeks. Maybe it was due to my unicorn heritage, or some type of instinct, that taught me finer control over objects. I didn’t doubt it; so much else had happened recently. For now, this little magical session helped me focus my mind elsewhere. Unfortunately, my solitude didn’t last long. The double doors were opened by Luna’s magic, and she came strolling with a serene smile on her face and two ponies behind her. Their getup was almost stereotypical for two individuals working in the newspaper industry, with a camera, tripod, press cards, and notepads. The moment they saw me, their gait slowed until they lagged behind Luna and finally stopped. They were like deer in headlights; frozen stiff, eyes as large as dinner plates, and mouths hanging lazily open. Their mouths tried to formulate words, but only a stream of unintelligible gibberish emerged. “Magnus, I hope my short absence did not cause you unnecessary discomfort,” Luna asked while she approached. “After all, the castle is quite crowded today.” “Nah, I was fine. I’ve found a nice way to unwind.” I floated the pebble over to Luna, but halfway to her, it began bobbing in the air before falling to the ground. Luna caught the pebble before it hit the floor and levitated it back to me. “Magic has range,” she said. “With practise, your range will increase.” I put the stone in my pocket and nodded. “Huh, gotta remember that.” I looked over to the two ponies at the door, still standing still like statues. “They the journalists?” “Indeed.” Luna looked over to them. “They appear to be a bit speechless.” “I have that effect on ponies; can’t understand why,” I quipped dryly. Giggling, Luna walked back to the two ponies. “This is Scoop, a journalist.” She placed a wing over the mare’s back, who didn’t seem to notice Luna’s touch with how she was gawping at me. Casually walking over to the stallion, Luna placed her wing over his back, jerking him to his senses. “And this is Sharp Lens, a photographer. Together, they will interview you.” I nodded while looking at the two. “Freelance workers?” Luna nodded. “Okay. Might as well get the introduction over with.” I made my way over to the ponies and crouched down to their level. The mare and stallion had kept their eyes on me from the moment I stood up until I was crouched in front of them, but not once did they make any move to avoid me or run away. I liked that. I saw both wonderment and fascination on their faces, like a child receiving its first teddy bear and then trying to figure out its purpose. “Hello there.” They blinked a few times in response as though they were emerging from a dream. “I-It talked… You talked!” the mare exclaimed in astonishment. “You talk just like us!” “I do. I had some help learning your language.” Despite my ire towards Star Swirl, I could appreciate his help in this regard. “T-This is amazing. Sharp, are you getting this?” The stallion next to her hadn’t even attempted to take a photo yet, but at Scoop’s query, he began fumbling with his camera. Somehow, most likely by accident, he managed to take a picture, though the lens wasn’t even pointed at me. However, the flash blinded me for a moment. “Sorry, sorry, didn’t mean that.” The stallion repeated apologized while he tried to get the camera under control, but only managed to take a few more useless photos in the process. While I got my eyesight back, Sharp managed to get a firm grip on his camera, but the mare next to him seemed rather peeved. “Sharp, what’s wrong with you? We’re here for an exclusive interview, not to blind him,” the mare chided her companion, only to focus on me a second later. “Um, you are male, right? You do sound like a stallion.” “I am male.” I rubbed my eyes, still seeing stars. Feeling that we had gotten off to a rocky start, I decided to introduce myself before anything else happened. “My name’s Magnus, Magnus Powell.” I reached out my hand to them. Both ponies just looked at it for a second before the mare jumped at the opportunity, holding onto my hand with both hooves. “I’m Scoop, independent journalist. Pleasure to meet you,” she greeted me eagerly. “And this,” she laid her foreleg over the stallion's back, “is Sharp Lens, my photographer. We always work together to dig up stories, and honestly, we make quite a team.” I reached my hand out to the pegasus stallion. He hesitated for a moment, looking at my hand, but his curiosity won him over in the end. Grabbing my hand, he shook it eagerly. “Sharp Lens, photographer. It’s nice to meet you, Mister… uh, Magnus, was it?” I nodded in confirmation. “Right, name sounds a bit strange, no offense.” “None taken.” Next to us. Luna cleared her throat. “Now that you have met Magnus, perhaps we can begin the interview. I believe you have many questions you want to ask.” We walked with Luna over to the seating area and took our places. While Sharp Lens set up his camera on the tripod and readied his rolls of film, Scoop began stacking blank paper on a clipboard, while also readying quills and ink. In the meantime, Luna went through a few rules with Scoop concerning the interview. For instance, certain information would not be divulged due to its sensitive nature, while another was that I was free to not answer any questions I felt uncomfortable with. Otherwise, Scoop would have free reign. I sat comfortably in a chair, one leg resting over the other while Luna sat on a star-ridden cushion that matched her coat’s colour. While Sharp Lens was finished with his equipment check, Scoop seemed somewhat flustered, constantly adjusting her papers while jotting down some notes. “I-I have no idea where to start or what to ask. I’ve never even thought about something like this happening, let alone me having the chance to perform an interview like this.” She scribbled down a few more notes, then shook her head before scratching ink over them. “My questions won’t be in a specific order; I’ll just have to ask as I come up with them, I guess. You won’t mind, will you?” “I have no idea what to expect from the interview, so whatever questions you have is fine by me.” “Right.” She nodded rapidly. “That’ll have to do. Sharp, you ready?” He shot her a lazy salute. “Good to go.” “Good. Mr Magnus, Your Highness?” “Yeah, go ahead.” “Please, begin when you wish.” “Right, hope this’ll go well.” Scoop closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “Nothing to worry about, just my entire career and the greatest story in history.” I chuckled; she was even more nervous than I was. “Okay, here we go.” Scoop opened her eyes and focused on me. It was as if her anxiety had melted away, and she appeared much more professional, which surprised me. “As this is a momentous event in Equestria’s history—the entire world, in fact—you can appreciate that all of this is quite overwhelming for us. Nothing like this has ever happened before, as far I am aware. So, for the sake of simplicity, why don’t we start with your name?” “Good start,” I said with a grin. “My name is Magnus Powell, and I’m from planet Earth, or sometimes called Terra, which also means Earth. I am twenty-seven years old, and of my species, I’m a male.” “Good, good.” Scoop began writing on her notepad. Then the first flash went off; Sharp Lens had begun taking pictures. “And what are you? Your species, I mean.” I idly scratched my chin. “Now that’s a bit tricky. Honestly, I’m mostly human, but also part unicorn. I’m what you call a hybrid.” “Hybrid?” Scoop looked up from her notepad in confusion. “As in how?” I looked to the alicorn next to me. “Princess Luna, you know more about them than I do. Would you mind explaining?” Luna cleared her throat. “Of course. A hybrid is the product of two different species creating offspring. In this case, the offspring between a human and a unicorn. Hybrids are generally very rare, with one born every few centuries.” Tapping her quill against her chin, Scoop’s eyes went towards my hooves, then my head. “So… that’s a unicorn horn? Those are actual pony hooves?” “Yes, though I wasn’t born with them.” Scoop stared at me for several moments, chewing on her quill while the gears in her head turned. “I don’t understand,” she admitted. “Neither did I to begin with, but I’ll explain.” For the umpteenth time, I retold my journey to Equestria, but omitted who had sent me on my errand to the sea, only stating that I’d had strange visions telling me to go to the Bermuda Triangle. When I reached the part where I was knocked unconscious, Luna took over. She described the days encompassing when I was rescued and taken to Canterlot, during which a magical construct created by my pony ancestor, which she did not mention by name, appeared in the throne room to explain its action in bringing me to Equestria. Luna then went on to explain the impact magic had on curing me of my migraines and transforming my body. When Luna described the unicorn horn staff, Scoop was quick to mention that she was one of the reporters who had written about it, and had actually earned some cash on it as well. She also pieced together that I was the supposed unicorn hunter and then the foreigner Celestia had spoken about a few weeks prior. When Scoop queried why the public weren’t informed about me, Luna explained that the Crowns wanted to avoid spreading panic and rumours among the population, thus the reason for my secrecy. Luna also revealed that the day of my trial was also when the castle had been closed to the public, also stating that a few of the nobility knew of my existence and were sworn to secrecy. They were now free to talk about it, though personally, I hoped they would keep stories about me to a minimum to avoid crazy stories appearing. Luna later mentioned to me that it was unlikely that anyone would have made the connection to Star Swirl; hats, capes, and beard were in style during Star Swirl’s era, and due to various artistic styles over the years, no one actually knew what he looked like. Most works of art depicting him were inaccurate. “This is astonishing, absolutely amazing,” Scoop gushed while her quill worked in overdrive. Sharp Lens moved around the room, taking photos from just about every angle. A few times he even mounted the camera on a device around his neck and flew near the ceiling to get some aerial shots. “A magical gate that leads to a distant world! Incredible!” She then asked Luna, “Your Highness, now that this gate has been found, will this lead to possible contact with Earth? How do you and Princess Celestia propose to forge possibly diplomatic relations with humans? Are the leaders of the other kingdoms aware of the existence of the portal? Have you discussed it with them?” Luna shook her head. “We will not make contact with humans,” she answered plainly. “The portal is gone, closed forever. It was simply too dangerous to be left alone, for it posed a threat to us as well as the humans. We have yet to inform the leaders of the other kingdoms about the portal, due to its closer proximity to Equestria, thus it was our problem to solve, not theirs. My sister will relay this information to the press at the conference.” I expected Scoop to object to hearing that no one could visit Earth, but she just nodded while focusing on her notepad. The quill she held in her mouth suddenly came to an abrupt stop, and her eyes darted to me. “That means… I, um, I was about to ask how long you planned to stay in Equestria, but…” I clicked my tongue, my gaze drifting towards the sunlit windows. “Yeah… means I can’t go home. Ever.” I allowed my words to settle in the room. The others remained silent for a moment before Scoop reluctantly broke it. “I’m very sorry to hear that. I… Did you have family?” I exhaled softly, my conflicted emotions coming to the fore again. “I had several friends who were as close to me as siblings. My parents died years ago; my grandparents are gone too. I have no living relatives that I know of.” “... Do you miss them?” A lump in my throat made itself known. “Every goddamn minute of every goddamn day.” Scoop didn’t say anything for at least a minute. The only sound heard was Sharp Lens’ camera occasional clicking along with Scoop’s quill scratching on paper. “I only have one more question regarding this particular subject, and then we’ll move on, okay? How did you react when you were told of your situation?” I crossed my legs and gazed at Scoop. “I screamed.” A glint of comprehension entered her eyes. “You were the one who screamed loudly about two weeks ago, weren’t you? We were told that somepony at the castle had lost their family.” “Twas I who released that statement,” Luna answered. Her façade was unsmiling, not that I expected her to when recalling the lowest moment of my life. “It was the truth. I simply held back information regarding who it was.” “I see. Mr Powell was still being kept a secret at the time.” Scoop flipped over to a blank sheet, jotting down a number at the top of the page. “I’m aware that many ponies sent flowers and condolence cards to the castle. Have you received them?” “Yes. I’ve read many of them, and there’s still a lot I haven’t gone through yet.” A faint smile fluttered across my face, and judging by the flash, Sharp Lens had captured it on film. “I have to say that it’s touching, really. There’re so many ponies telling me how sorry they are for what happened to me, to not give up, to stay positive, to find something worth holding onto. I will admit I have some trouble doing just that, but I try my best. Most of the time it’s hard, but… I hope that as time goes on, I’ll get over it, although I’ll carry the memory of Earth and people I knew and loved forever.” “That is what is important.” Luna stretched out her wing, gently placing it on my shoulder I shot her a grateful smile, then turned my attention back to Scoop. “I’ve received so much attention, so much support from so many ponies who don’t know me, that it gives me hope for my future. I want to say thank you to everypony who's showed me support, to those living in Canterlot, but also to the castle’s staff, as well as Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Twilight Sparkle. Make sure that gets on print.” “Oh, trust me, this’ll be in the papers by tomorrow,” Scoop replied with a short laugh. I saw her make a few adjustments on her clipboard. “Might have to edit this a bit, you know, find a way to really express yourself. You’re not a stallion of complicated words, are you?” “No, I prefer to keep things simple and straightforward.” My own personality and growing up in a small rural town tended to make one refrain from long-winded, flowery speeches. My lack of a lengthy education might also have played its part. “It may be easy, but it gets the job done,” Scoop commented. She rolled the tip of the quill from one corner of her mouth to the other. “Perhaps we can talk about humans. What exactly is a human?” I took a moment to ponder the question. Keeping it simple would take the least amount of time, yet still be informative, without me sounding like an anthropologist. “Simply speaking, a human is a mammal, belonging to the family of primates. Basically, humans are highly evolved primates.” “So, like… apes?” I tilted my head to the side, rubbing my chin. Although Earth and Equus had many things in common, I doubted everything was the same. “I haven’t seen what the primates around here look like, so maybe. Although most humans don’t like being called apes.” Scoop nodded compliantly. “I’ll keep that in mind. While we are on the subject of humans, perhaps you can tell us about your world, um…” She flipped through the pages for a moment. “Earth.” Leaning back in my chair, I crossed my legs again. “Okay, choose a subject.” Scoop’s grin grew ever wider.