Present Day…
(Well, 30 minutes before, but you get the idea)
I was hoping I was right about that pompous colt not appearing at the Mayor’s pedestal, but I guess I was wrong. Just fifteen minutes ago, a mob came out of nowhere demanding that Rue and I be evicted from our home to “let somepony else” use it. I mean, come on, Twilight went out her way, with her friends too, to get that house created and designed for Rue and I!
Luckily, Sunset was more attuned to her magic here on Equestria than Rue previously thought and was able to cast a layered spell on top of us. How do I know? I overheard Rue ask her how she put a silence spell on top of a shield spell as we made our way through the taut crowd without being noticed. I would’ve listened in, but Sunset was pushing her, not me.
‘So Calvin, hear me out-’ Came a hyperactive voice from behind me. I tilted my head forward and rested it in my left hand, pinching my forehead in the process.
‘No thanks Pinkie, not until this is over. Please… just wait a little longer.' I groaned, interrupting her once again.
‘Well, I was just going to ask if you wanted a hug, seeing how you’re all sulky and upset.’ She beamed, whilst she twiddled with a part of her extremely fluffy-looking mane.
‘Go ahead.’ I replied, after a surprisingly reassuring side glance from Rue.
The hug was surprisingly calming; who knew Pinkie’s hugs were almost as calming as Fluttershy’s. Then again, this world was different in some way or another. After returning the hug, we found ourselves walking towards the Mayor’s central office. It stuck out in the centre of Ponyville like a sore thumb, but also didn’t draw attention to itself. Almost like the story of Twilight’s previous abode.
Twilight and Sunset helped to calm our nerves before Rue and I were to appear on stage. The days had gone rather quickly, the ones leading up to this very thing, and we were mostly read for what we were to reveal in front of everyone who not only lived here, but also those who have visited from out of town.
It was overwhelming yet incredible to witness so many ponies coming in from all over Equis. Luckily, Mayor Mare was there to guide us through how to present ourselves in front of so many ponies around us.
Because there were so many people around the place, the stage had to be put away, then we had to make our way inside, head upstairs and talk from an overhanging platform. It looked like it’s seen its fair use over the years. A noticeable path was beginning to show in the middle of the archway to a microphone-like stand by the slowly lowering railing.
‘Welcome everypony! To all the Mares, Colts, Yaks, Felines and all who have made their way to today’s incredible event, I will pass you on to the young mares who’d made this amazing discovery!’ Mayor Mare had exclaimed into the stand, the volume making Rue and I jump in our designated spots. Her voice is being amplified, despite not seeing any form of visible speakers or anything like them.
The questions started off simple, with questions directed at Twilight, Rarity and Fluttershy. Sometimes Twilight or Rarity had to speak on Fluttershy’s behalf for those at the back of the extraordinarily large crowd. Luckily, Sunset stood by the two of us, as a request from Twilight to make sure we stayed calm, that we knew what our lines were going to be, and to not go off topic or start any verbal fights once we stood up to speak for ourselves.
After going over our small sheets with simple notes on them, beforehand, we were pretty much ready to converse with any of the reporters, when one question suddenly got yelled over all the others trying to get a grasp of Twilights previous answer: ‘Wait, so these so-called hairless apes aren’t apes at all? Then what else are they?!’
I was at a loss for the way they were treating us. The question all started blowing out of proportion even before we’d stepped up the podium, but that didn’t stop Rue by any means. I didn’t even know how short-tempered she was until right now. She’d always been so calm and rational. I personally didn’t have anything against it, seeing how we’d had this before.
Speaking of which, I’d been tuning out most of the speech, but something just seemed to click in my head. I suddenly found it insane that this has all but been an unusual bundle of coincidences. From one to the next, I still found it hard to believe that Rue and I were in the middle of a theatre-like platform, reporting ourselves to the people below.
In front of us, Princess Twilight and Princess Celestia attended to the deluge of questions that came from the crowd. This was an attempt to calm them down from their … How did Rarity put it? Oh right, their “Reporter’s High”.
We hadn’t done anything wrong, according to Twilight herself, as well as Applejack and Fluttershy, but it seemed like the crowd begged to differ. At least some were being considerate to Rue. After all, she’s still been in her wheelchair since the start of this entire mess of an event. At least it helped that we were invited by Twilight, to some extent.
The biggest problem was how short-tempered I’ve seen Rue behave during this interview. It took a lot to make sure she didn’t suddenly explode with rage like she last did. Especially after that rude pony guard got a bloody nose right before this ceremony started.
‘How did it all come to this?!’ I thought, trying to make sense of what happened in the past two days for everything to lead to this. In fact, I think I noticed the guard just off to the side of him and his eyes glinted as we recognised each other.
Now that I mention it, I don’t remember seeing Applejack, Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash make their way upstairs until now. Well, except for Dash, who I saw flying down to the ledge from a cloud that looks a little too low in the sky.
If I was in a book right now, I’d probably do some fourth wall Deadpool thing and mention something about not much conversation being held, but I just feel so flabbergasted that all the ponies seemingly looked down on us. As luck would have it, Rue and I were given full citizenship from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
Somehow, this distilled the thought that we were nothing like the usually sentient creatures dotted around the lands.
‘Cal, did you hear?!’ Rue exclaimed happily, shaking my arm violently.
I was taken out of my dazed state of surprise, but still speechless.
‘Yay, goodie! Can we have that welcome party now?’ Beamed Pinkie Pie, grinning happily.
‘For sure, I don’t see why not now!’ Rue replied, patting my back as I dumbfoundedly half-smiled back at Pinkie.
I’m just glad I didn’t have to prove myself to the people of the world that I’m not just some stupid animals they can boss around.
I saw Rarity waving at a male feline in an auburn long-coat as Pinkie pushed Rue inside, with as much care as Fluttershy would. Seems like there’s a lot more consideration going on for Rue than for me. But that’s life I guess.
Pinkie Pie’s party was a blast. The cakes were delicious, the “Welcome to Ponyville” cake was absolutely humongous! The party had been put up in an old barn Applejack hadn’t noticed was on her farm before, despite once bragging that she knew all of the land in her family’s apple farm.
‘Thanks for the party Pinkie.’ I thanked Pinkie, giving her a genuine thumbs up as I bit down on yet another scrumptious cupcake, topped in a soft, pink cream and littered with tiny, ball-shaped blue sprinkles.
‘Don’t mention it! You looked like you needed a break from all that thinking you were doing earlier.’ She smiled, waving a hand in my direction.
Despite her having most of her television personality, this version of Pinkie Pie is a more controlled version of the Pinkie Rue knows. At least, that's what Rue thinks. I still wish I’d seen the show.
All was well when the party started. Only those who’d gotten to know Rue and I properly were invited, then as time drew on, only about five or so others came along to meet us. Despite Pinkie Pie getting this party set up for the two of us, she didn’t expand into inviting random ponies from the earlier arrival ceremony, which Rue and Sunset were dubbing “The Arrival Ceremony”.
Speaking of, I don’t remember much of what happened post mention of the two of us getting full citizenship, but we did finally get a chance to speak with the interviewers. Rue, the film and television show loving girl that she is, told me to use the technique that Judy Hopps and Leodore Lionheart used from Zootopia. Now that was a film I remember watching a little too often with my youngest sister.
It was also a rather big surprise not just to me, but to Rue too when Discord showed up with Fluttershy. They’d appeared upside down, walking down from the ceiling upstairs. Turns out whatever magic Rue and I are currently infused with, it was interfering with his Chaos Magic and instead of appearing in the centre of the party, he’d appeared a bit too close for comfort to the dangling light in Rue’s bedroom.
Fluttershy did manage to calm him down after the somewhat funny fiasco of finding himself impaled with a lightbulb. No idea why, but it seems like something normal, for the Lord of Chaos Supreme.
‘It’s not funny y’know.’ He’d replied, after everyone but Sunset and I laughed at the mental image of him turning into a lampshade.
However, he did end up being a lot of fun to be around. Once again, Rue took note of the differences between this Discord and his counterpart. This version of Discord calls himself a Chimera. Not a draconequus like on the show. His father had once ruled the Lands of Chaos before him, to the point that Discord’s brief introduction left him sharing a weird, almost photorealistic of him and his father, a true draconequus, having what looked like a selfie in a rather large room, almost like the fire-lathed world of Hades’ homelands from Earth’s religions.
Luckily, Discord had done away with the flames and despite it being all chaotic looking, he’d shown us how to navigate it with ease. Oh, right , Discord looks more human than his show version, but still has his counterparts’ multi-creature limbs.
After a few hours and numerous stories, the party had dwindled down to a few remaining party goers, . Rue and I eventually found ourselves together, holding hands, in a corner of the barn on a long curved sofa, courtesy of Discord’s powers. It wasn’t long before Rue fell asleep next to me, learning on my shoulder. I did end up falling asleep just minutes after her, despite wanting to stay away and enjoy the joyous atmosphere one last time. Just before I dozed off, I gave Fluttershy and Discord a warm goodbye as they walked into what looked like a depiction of a white hole, shaped like a door. Despite the two of them going back to Discord’s place, the sofa remained.
The fact that the sofa stayed whilst he was in another dimension reminded me of the extent of his powers.
Without realising it, the two of us had decided to snooze off into the dreamworld late into the following morning. I hadn’t even noticed that the party food, tables, chairs, streamers and such had all been cleaned away when I awoke to a warm, glowing sunrise the next day. I didn’t even know when we’d been covered with a warm quilt, but I’m glad it appeared.
Luckily the barn was weatherproofed and whilst we had slept soundlessly, I think I had been woken briefly in the night. If I could recall, I think it was the sound of muffled hoofsteps coming towards us. I can’t remember who it was that I felt I locked tired eyes with, but the warm quilt sent me back to sleep again.
Applejack’s sister had been the one to eventually come and get us, only to find us snuggled up and not wanting to move or get up. Rue had planted a soft kiss on my left cheek before she settled into a sitting position, smiling warmly. Nothing felt odd about the kiss and we’d just sat there on the sofa, until Rue eventually pulled an almost fully exposed arm out from below the quilt and pointed at her wheelchair silently.
Turns out we’d slept through most of the morning and it was now nearing lunchtime, and it wasn’t just a small spread either. The food was sprawled out across at least two, if not all of the entire table.
‘Woah,’ Rue exclaimed, as she wheeled herself towards the table. This one had bacon stacked up into a single pile as if for a beast, a small grouping of steaming eggs ranging from hard-boiled to “sunny-side-up” and a bowl filled to the brim of lettuce leaves, cucumbers, .
She didn’t even make it far, before I suddenly heard her stomach gurgle loudly. Then mine did the same. Last thing we expected was to have a food coma. Turns out last night was the tipping point that our bodies weren’t used to all that sugary food in such a short amount of time.
At least it was the last of our problems for the day. Especially now that we’re both official citizens. Let’s just hope we’re not caught up in this type of stuff anytime in the future.
After all, I’m looking forward to what comes next. If this world is as exciting as Twilight and Sunset say it is, I’m probably almost as excited as Rue is. Then again, probably not. The reason?
Rue’s the fangirl living out her wildest dreams... Whilst I'm just watching from the sidelines.