//------------------------------// // A Mammoth of a Problem XV // Story: Rainbow Dash's Unstoppable Ego // by MagicS //------------------------------// There was no avoiding notice when it came to entering the senate chamber and observing things. Larkon and Rainbow Dash had to be announced at the door despite the fact that it would obviously interrupt things. Larkon rolled his eyes through the whole thing but Rainbow Dash at least enjoyed the attention and the chance to awe and captivate the senators again. “What’s up? Hope you guys are going over some cool laws or something today,” she said as she flew over their heads to the sides of the long benches where there were the alcoves for observers. “Any crazy debates? Anybody trying to do something outrageous that you need to vote on?” “Despite your fitful expectations there is nothing of the like going on today,” Larkon said as he looked up at her while he walked down one of the bench rows. “Unless something truly unusual and unscheduled has come up.” “Which it hasn’t,” Bakol loudly said from his spot at the head of the chamber. “We’re just going over some aspects of the budget right now, Miss Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Dare to dream.” “After we finish up discussion of that perhaps we can set aside some time to hear from you and see how you’re enjoying our city so far?” Bakol said. “Yeah, sure,” Rainbow Dash said as she found a seat in one of the alcoves. “There’s plenty of awesome stuff I can talk about that I’ve seen. And whatever else you wanna know about me too, I’m always open to talk about myself.” “Excellent,” Bakol smiled and lifted up his gavel, banging it on his table a few times to get things back in order. “Alright, back to the issue at trunk.” As Larkon sat down next to her, Rainbow Dash then got a front row view of everything she didn’t envy about the Princesses position. There were certainly times when she wondered what it would be like to be a Princess herself, even if she preferred her carefree life, but seeing everything Twilight had to do, and especially Celestia and Luna, she always remembered not to take her freedom for granted. If she actually had to sit around and discuss laws and all this boring kind of stuff she’d definitely go crazy. Or pawn it all off on someone else. Bakol almost looked as bored as she did as various senators just kept arguing and arguing about how best to utilize their resources and what to do about some of the leftover buildings in the abandoned sector. She could tell why he was just the mediator and whatever else he did for the senate, he didn’t have the patience for nonsense and would always try to get things working. Not the type to get bogged down in petty squabbles or anything like that. Which now that she thought about it, Rainbow Dash probably would be the type to do that if she was doing a job like this. More reason for her to not get involved with government. “Is it similar to how things get done back in Equestria?” Larkon quietly asked her. “Uh, not really? I don’t really know too much about how new laws are made or whatever but Princess Celestia basically just decides the big stuff on her own and leaves everything to the individual towns and cities,” Rainbow shrugged. “I see,” Larkon nodded, rubbing his chin with his trunk. “If Celestia ever wants to decree something important or whatever she just does it, and everyone trusts her. It’s always worked for us,” Rainbow said as she watched the horde of senators converse. There were some who kept bringing up new issues or points of business that they thought would negatively be impacted if the senate decided to do things one way. So then those points had to be talked about and debated too. And it just went on and on like that with very little real discussion or decisions being made. Some senators outright refused to allow the discussion to make any progress, sidelining and arguing others until their issues were taken care of. Bakol had to slam his gavel down a few times and shout others down just to keep things civil in the chamber. “I hope this doesn’t make you think too badly of us,” Larkon sighed as the two of them watched. Rainbow Dash smirked. “Heh, don’t worry about it. Ponies argue about stuff all the time. You guys have to take care of this whole place all on your own, I’m not gonna blame you or anything.” She didn’t add her thoughts about how she’d probably be one of the creatures making things worse if she was in that position. “Like I said!” A particularly loud senator roared. “I will not vote, nor will I allow a vote to commence, until we settle exactly how the lumber from the old schoolhouse will be distributed down to every last plank!” A chorus of tired groans arose from the senate and Rainbow Dash had to bite back a laugh. “Oh don’t all act like I’m crazy! Scarcity is a fact of life up here and I will not allow any such material to be wasted or improperly utilized!” The rowdy senator stomped his foot on the ground. Rainbow Dash felt like he would’ve actually gotten along pretty well with Twilight and Applejack right at that moment. He clearly had a point too it’s just that he was being fairly obnoxious about it. What was that saying? Something Applejack told her: you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Either way it caused the discussion to stall as he and some other mammoths on his side were adamant in writing up a binding document that would say what all the wood was going to be used for and that it couldn’t be used for anything else. Well at least in the long run that was a good way to counter misuse or corruption. In the short run however it was probably going to cause them to adjourn for the day before anything of substance had been done. “At least it seems like they finished some of their earlier business while we were at court and the wedding,” Larkon mused. “But there have been days when nothing, and I mean nothing, has gotten done.” “Maybe you guys need to start having Kings again,” Rainbow Dash looked up at him. A wry grin twisted on Larkon’s face. “That is something we’ve put behind us, for better and for worse.” “Whatever works I guess,” Rainbow Dash scratched her head as she resumed watching the debate. Things slowly started to just get petty and devolve into personal insults. The friendliness and amicability of mammoths that Larkon had done a good job of showing to Rainbow Dash was having a hard time withstanding politics. Some mammoths completely tried to push past this argument, others tried to derail further, and most just flat out ignored each other. Laws would likely still be written with enough time, and decisions made, but compromise was not a word that was floating about the senate chamber today. Bakol could finally take no more and slammed his gavel down repeatedly once more to get silence in the chamber. “Enough! It’s clear nothing on this matter will be resolved today, I’m postponing things until tomorrow. Instead let us hear from our esteemed guest, Rainbow Dash. That is something we can all be in agreement on at least.” “Aye!” nearly the entire senate chorused. Bakol looked over to the alcove where Rainbow Dash and Larkon were and beckoned the two of them to rise and come stand before the senate. “Please, tell us how your first day in our city was. This auspicious occasion must be celebrated and recorded.” Rainbow Dash smiled and spread out her wings so she could rise into the air where everyone could easily see her. “Well since you asked so nicely...” She spent the next hour talking about everything she had seen and done yesterday. Helping out with the kelp farming, visiting the other farms, the quarry, seeing the Trunkball game, and just speaking about all the individual mammoths she had met. She did have the tact to not relate anything about Abalun or those three kids that had picked a fight with her, this was supposed to be a happy time in here after all. The mammoth senators were happy to hear everything she had to say and what she thought about their city. And to their joy it was all pretty positive. “Trunkball is really cool, I’m definitely watching more games of it,” Rainbow Dash nodded her head as she folded her front legs over her chest. “We’re overjoyed you enjoy our sport. It fills us with pride!” Bakol positively beamed at her. “Wouldn’t mind figuring out a way I could join in on a game too, just not sure yet how it’d work what with me flying and the ball being as big as I am and all. But I’ll figure something out!” Dash grinned. She then flew over to Larkon, hovering right by his head. “And thanks for letting Larkon take me in and show me around, he’s awesome.” Larkon grunted and looked away in embarrassment. “One of the reasons we accepted Larkon’s proposal was because I knew he would be excellent as your host,” Bakol said. “It has been an enjoyable experience so far getting to tour the city with Rainbow Dash,” Larkon finally said. “She has unique views on things and I, all of us, have learned so much about Equestria and the outside world from her.” “I’ve got a lot of other stuff I want to see and some mammoths to meet back up with already too,” Rainbow said. “I don’t know how long I’ll be staying here but for the next few days at least you’ll see me around! You guys are cool, and I’ll tell everyone about you when I get back home from my adventure.” “Few days?” Bakol raised an eyebrow. “Please tell me you’ll at least be staying long enough to enjoy our Spring Festival? Has Larkon told you about it yet?” “Oh yeah!” Rainbow Dash slapped her forehead. “Duh! Yeah, he told me about it this morning, I’ll totally go to it.” “Great! I had been thinking this whole time we might do something special for you at it… we already do street theater, maybe we’ll do a new play just for you!” Bakol smiled. Rainbow Dash wasn’t about to refuse any special treatment. If they wanted to treat her like a Princess (without all the previously mentioned baggage that came with that) that was their business and it sounded pretty sweet to her. “Whatever you guys got planned I’m looking forward to it,” Rainbow Dash shrugged with an easy grin on her face. “Wonderful,” Bakol trumpeted and many of the other mammoths in the chamber joined in. “Now is there anything else you have to say about our city and culture? Any questions? Please, don’t hesitate. If there is any insight you have into our lives, or something you’ve noticed that seems strange to you compared to your life in Equestria, we’d love to hear that too.” Rainbow Dash briefly shot a glance at Larkon, who shrugged. “Well if you guys insist...”