I took time to relax as I slipped into the bathtub, the hot water feeling nice against my coat as I closed my eyes and rested my head on the back edge of the tub. It felt soothing, relaxing, and the quiet of the room helped my head stop pounding so much. I always felt better when I took a bath or shower when I was sick, and it seemed this was already helping me then.
I let my mouth go below the water, making sure to keep my nose in the air while I rested my eyes. However, the next thing I knew I was drifting off as the water soaked into my fur, then inhaling water into my lungs and feeling my nose burn as I violently coughed, my headache coming back worse than before. I leaned over the side of the tub to cough up the liquid in my lungs, sneezing painfully as I did so, and it seemed as though just a second later the two women, mares, were rushing to my aid to try to do what they could to help, patting my back with a hoof as I tried to force the water out.
“Are you okay?” they asked worriedly. “What happened?”
“I started to fall asleep and breathed in some water,” I explained in between coughs, the tears springing back into my eyes as I shivered, honestly not caring anymore about the fact that I sounded like a little girl with as miserable as I felt. “I just want to go to sleep.”
“I’m sorry, sweetie,” Holiday told me, hugging me close. “Let's get you all dried off and put to bed, okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered back.
The princess took her time to get to her destination, opting to follow her instinct rather than ask about the filly to the mayor of Ponyville. As she walked, she stopped to smile and greet her star-struck subjects, less numerous throughout the town than she would have expected to see. But then she remembered hearing about the case of diphtheria the filly had and figured that her ponies were already advised of the situation and were staying in their homes out of caution. Still though, there were more than a few out and about, and each one that saw her stopped to greet her enthusiastically, and she made sure to return each and every one with a greeting of her own.
The house she went to was on the edge of town, with no other ponies out near it luckily, and, after doing a quick check to make sure no creature had followed her, lightly rapped on the door with her hoof, adjusting her wings and making sure her crown was still in place correctly.
“Coming!” a voice called from far within the home, taking a few minutes to get to the door as Celestia listened carefully to the sound of their hooves against the floor. She stood at attention waiting patiently for them, and gave a kind smile as she saw an older pegasus mare open the door.
“Eep!” Lofty squeaked out, falling back on her rear as she stared up at the very last pony she expected to see show up to her door. The white alicorn was absolutely intimidating to stare up at, and despite her smile, Lofty half expected to be escorted to Tartarus for some unknown crime she might have committed.
“P-p-p-princess…” Lofty was able to get out before Celestia spoke to her, her voice calm and gentle.
“Is it alright if I stepped into your home?” she asked politely. The mare who was asked, in her confusion, quickly shook her head, before realizing what she was doing and furiously nodding, crawling backward on her back as the alicorn stepped in, acting as though she were some fearsome creature.
“It’s quite a beautiful home you have, my little pony,” Celestia commented politely as she stepped inside, the mare finally standing up again as she stepped back away from her unconsciously, keeping her distance. “Very beautiful,” she continued. “I wish I had a home quite as nice as this one.”
“C-c-c-can I m-m-make you some t-tea?” Lofty stuttered out, her wings stretched out as she stood defensively, as though Celestia would strike at any time. The question earned a chuckle from the princess as she shook her head.
“That’s very considerate of you, but no thank you,” she responded. “I’m actually here to meet with a little filly who I believe is in your care. She’s silver coated and has a golden mane from what I hear. May I ask if she’s around?”
“A-a-asher?” Lofty asked. “She-she-she was t-telling the truth about n-not being a filly?”
Celestia giggled at that to keep her calm, dodging the question as she explained, “I got word from Canterlot that filly of yours has diphtheria, and wanted to pay her a personal visit because of it, especially since this year’s Summer Sun Celebration will be restricted to just Ponyville. Would it be okay if I met privately with her?”
“Uh… uh, yeah! Yes! Yes, princess, of course you can!”
“If you would be so kind as to lead me to her, miss…?” Lofty ignored her request for a name as she already turned to call to her wife up the stairs.
“Holiday! Uh, some-somepony is here to meet- to see, Asher! I’m- I’m bringing her up with me!”
“Okay!” I heard Holiday call as I pressed my hooves to my ears, the pony, the mare, still drying me off. I didn’t know what it was about, except for hearing Lofty say that someone wanted to meet with me. I had no idea who it could be, and was too tired and aching to try and think of who it was.
“It’s okay, I’m sure it won’t take long,” Holiday whispered to me as she rubbed the towel over me. “It’s probably a doctor sent here to make sure you’re okay. We’ll let you get right back to sleep once they’re done.”
With that, she set the towel in the hamper as she motioned me to follow her into the hall, the two of us able to hear the sounds of footsteps coming up the stairs. It was only a few seconds before the two ponies came into view, but Holiday gasped first anyway, followed by an involuntary squeak from me as I stepped back fearfully from just the sheer size of this pony. She was more than a head taller than Lofty who was in front of her, more like a shoulder or two taller from what it looked like, and impossibly large, her head looking as though it was just inches from the ceiling. She had on what looked to be gold plated armor on her feet, as well as a necklace and crown that was encrusted with purple jewels, one that she was somehow able to place into her hair against all odds. Her mane and tail were both colored like a rainbow, although only half of one, as it was largely pastel blues and greens as well as a bit of pink that made it up. The hair she had on her head and tail both somehow flowed constantly in the air, being carried along by some non-existent breeze. She also had a long, very long horn like a unicorn and wings that stretched out, seemingly with grandeur, as she placed her eyes on me.
I couldn’t help but take another step back in fear as I stared back at her. I could only assume this was Princess Celestia.
Celestia smiled kindly at the filly, happy to have found her, doing her best to ease the otherworlder’s fears as the frightened pony stepped back again and almost tripped into the bathtub. If it weren’t for the overwhelming sense of anxiousness the mare got from seeing her, she would’ve thought she were just any other foal. However, the feeling alone she got from her told her otherwise.
Despite this, she kept her body and mind calm, portraying her usual friendliness and gentleness as best she could. She didn’t want the filly to be frightened or afraid, even in the face of her own nervousness and worry.
“Hello there, my little pony,” Celestia started gently, taking a few steps forward and leaning down to put her face close to the filly’s. “Can I ask what your name is?”
“Ashley...” the filly squeaked out quietly, almost inaudible, staring back at the princess as her heart beat quickly like a frightened rabbit.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Ashley,” the princess answered back with a smile. “Is it okay if I spoke to you alone?” She shook her head quickly at that question, looking completely terrified of her, and Celestia continued, “Do you know who I am?” With that she nodded and took another step back only to trip and start falling into the bathtub, being caught by the mare’s magic. This caused her to squeak and freeze up completely, unused to the sensation around her, watching as her body was briefly trapped in the golden glow of her magic before he was set upright once again. She stood absolutely frozen as the princess stood smiling, starting to get a bit concerned about the look on her face.
“Are you alright, Ashley?” Celestia asked to no answer. It made her drop her own smile as she looked at the filly expectantly. She turned back to see Holiday and Lofty only starting on at her, looks of surprise and curiosity painted on their faces before turning back to Asher.
“Ashley?” She started again, taking a small step forward and watching as she tensed up fearfully at her movement. Still, despite this, the princess leaned her head down and used her nose to nuzzle Asher’s. Even despite being a strange creature from another world, she still looked like an adorable, if scared, little filly, and the alicorn couldn’t help but treat her as such. It caused Asher to scrunch up her face at the gesture, earning a smile from the princess.
“Why do ponies like touching my nose so much?” Asher asked quietly as she used a hoof to rub it, seeming a bit more settled and snapped out of her terror to Celestia now. She giggled at the cute sight before speaking.
“Is it alright if I spoke with you, ma’am?” Celestia asked again, watching as she blushed and nodded this time. “Is it okay if we did so privately?” the mare asked.
“I- I guess…” she got out. “I- I wanted to find you and speak with you before… but, um…”
“I’d quite love to meet you and know more about you,” she said, “if that’s okay with you. Shall we speak in your room?”
“Princess Celestia is in my house?” Scootaloo practically screamed in shock as she and Sweetie Belle stood stupefied, staring at her and Asher walking into their room.
“Yes, she is,” Holiday told them as she used a hoof to direct the two of them into another room. “However, she wants to speak to her alone, and I’d like you two to leave them be.”
“Whoa…” Scootaloo trailed off as she stared at the door, Sweetie Belle jumping in to finish the thought she was about to start.
“She really is a colt and an alien like she said, isn’t she?”
“Now, uh, I don’t know about that, you two,” Lofty laughed nervously. “She’s actually here because Asher has diphtheria and wants to make sure she’s getting better. Speaking of which, did you two get all of your shots?”
“What do you think she’s doing in Ponyville?” Scootaloo asked her friend, ignoring the mare.
“I don’t know. Maybe she’s here to-”
“Girls. Did you get all of your shots?”
“Uhhh… yeah, I think so,” Scootaloo answered, shaking her head and looking back to her guardian.
“My parents took me to get all of mine a few weeks ago."
“Good, good,” Lofty sighed in relief. “So you shouldn’t get sick if she keeps staying in your room-”
Just as she got the words out, Celestia came back out the door with the filly on her back, who once again looked absolutely terrified as she clenched her hooves around her neck as though she would fall off at any moment.
“I’m sorry to have bothered you all,” the alicorn said, “but if it’s alright, I’d like to take this young filly to Canterlot to be treated for her sickness.”