The next morning the whole group, including Twilight and her new friends plus Twilight's parents, approached the Tudor-style rotunda of Ponyville's Town Hall.
"Let your mother do the talking, Button," Night Light advised. "She and the Mayor were at school together."
"Dear," Velvet retorted, "Marigold was my teacher, and you know it. And whenever she stares at me over those little half-moon glasses..." Velvet shivered. "I still wonder if I haven't forgotten my homework."
"Wish it was a nicer day," Twilight peered at the cloud-filled sky. "It's kind of gloomy."
"Hey, no problem!" Rainbow said. "I'll just clear the clouds away."
"All that?" Twilight waved a hoof. "That'd take you forever."
"Huh! Lot you know," Rainbow said. "I could clear this whole sky in nine seconds flat."
"She sure can!" Pinkie nodded excitedly.
"Oh yeah?" Twilight wasn't buying it. "Prove it."
Rainbow frowned, affronted. Then she leapt into the air, blasting away so fast she left a shimmering rainbow contrail in her wake. The ponies all watched in amazement as she ping-ponged back and forth like a cyan bullet, zeroing clouds and bucking them to vapor.
"Go, Rainbow, go! Go, Rainbow, go!" Pinkie shouted, waving pom-poms that she'd suddenly made appear from nowhere.
Belting the last cloud with a roundhouse swing of a hoof, Rainbow shot downwards. She landed back on the ground, not even winded, and smugly huffed on a hoof.
"What'd I tell ya? Nine seconds flat."
"Yay, Rainbow!" Pinkie shouted. "Whoo hoo!"
Twilight was floored. Spike reached up and gently shut her mouth for her.
"Oh, my!" said Rarity. "That was... an impressive display."
"I'll say it was," Applejack added, wide-eyed.
"Ooo..." Fluttershy whispered in awe. "It was unbelievable."
"I agree. Most impressive, young lady!"
The group all turned to see Mayor Mare, standing on the Town Hall's porch. The white-maned, tan-coated mare peered upwards at the totally cloudless sky. Then she turned a gentle-eyed gaze on the group. "I see we have some new visitors," she said in a friendly but mildly questioning tone.
"'Morning, Marigold!" Velvet said. "My daughter's made a few new friends, and she'd like to introduce them to you."
Twilight quickly gave the Mayor a capsule summary of her explorations, and then she went round the group, presenting everypony. When she got to the Princesses, Mayor Mare's eyebrows shot up, and she swiftly curtseyed.
"Your Highnesses, it's an honor."
"For us as well, Madam Mayor." Rarity and Fluttershy both bowed their heads respectfully in return.
"Well!" the Mayor said, as she straightened up again, "I always say a day without an unexpected surprise is a day wasted. And this certainly fits the bill."
"Oh." Twilight looked anxious. "Did I do something wrong, ma'am?"
"By performing a minor miracle?" Mayor Mare smiled. "Nothing of the sort, dear. I sometimes manage two or three myself on a good day."
"Oh good!" Twilight replied, relieved. Then she went on to explain the plan for having the Princesses meet with representatives from Cloudsdale in Ponyville. As she spoke the Mayor's eyes widened and her eyebrows crept steadily upwards, to the point where they threatened escape over the top of her mane.
"What do you think, Mari?" Velvet asked cautiously.
"Oh, I think the idea's as marvelous as it is unexpected." Mayor Mare smiled. "And I'm totally on board. This could put Ponyville on the map! Such an auspicious gathering. We could hold it right here, in Town Hall."
"Ah, no offense, Madam Mayor," Rarity put in gently. "But it might be advisable to host the conference in a more neutral spot. So as not to appear to be favoring one group of ponies over another."
Mayor Mare looked a little wistful, but nodded. "Point taken, Your Highness. That would make sense. But what locale would be suitable?"
"Heck, Mayor!" Applejack put in. "Y'all could use our barn if you'd like. We can fancy it up a bit, and it's about as neutral a spot as they come."
"Well that sounds just fine to me," Mayor Mare said. "But I do think we should run it by the Chancellor to get her buy-in. By chance, she'll be stopping by later today to discuss the schedule for harvest-time. So we can put it to her then..."
------------------------------
Thus it was that, later that afternoon, a portly pinto pony wearing the traditional feathered hat and ruff was standing beside Mayor Mare in front of the Town Hall. Chancellor Gravy Boat looked on skeptically as Rainbow darted about the sky gathering what few clouds had re-formed and bringing them down to ground level. Rainbow worked for a while shaping them into a rumpled-looking but comfortable puffy chair. Finally satisfied, she executed one last loop-the-loop, and flopped down onto the chair-shaped cloud with smug satisfaction.
"And that's just when we want a place to chillax, Your Chancellorness. There's a ton of other things we pegasi can do with clouds."
"Hmmm... it certainly looks comfortable." Gravy Boat tapped her uppermost chin doubtfully with a hoof. "Let me give it a try."
Before anypony could stop her she'd waved Rainbow aside and sat down upon the cloud-chair. Or tried to -- she went right through it, like the fog it was, landing with an undignified thump on the grass.
Rainbow snickered. "Oops, sorry! Shoulda warned ya. Cloud-sculpture only really works for us pegasi -- unless we pack it solid. Then you earth-ponies can use it as building material. Like Twilight did with that airplane thing of hers."
"Hmmm." Disdaining Mayor Mare's offered hoof Gravy Boat hauled herself up and dusted herself off. "Seems a little impractical to me."
"Oh, but that ain't the half of it, Yer Honor," Applejack put in. "Pegasi can move clouds around, and make 'em rain on cue. It'd be powerful helpful for farming, when there's a dry spell."
"Hmph." Gravy Boat eyed her. "Making it rain? I find that hard to believe."
"Oh yeah?" Grabbing a hunk of cloud from the chair, Rainbow parked it over the Chancellor's head. Then she gave it a sharp buck. A small deluge of rain pelted Gravy Boat, leaving her drenched, the feather in her hat plastered messily across her face.
"Rainbow!" Twilight gasped in horror.
"Oh my!" added Rarity. "Do let me help you, Madam Chancellor." Rarity's horn sang brightly, and a minor windstorm began whirling about the Chancellor's head. It swiftly dried her hat and her mane, but still left the bedraggled feather flopped across her face.
The Chancellor's puffed the feather off her face. Her frown spoke volumes. "Magic is all well and good," she said sternly. "But if only you unicorns can wield it, what use is that to us? And ponies with wings?" She gave Rainbow a sour look. "I shudder to think of all the regulations we'd have to add to the books, just to deal with you lot."
Rainbow crossed her hooves, and looked ready to fire a snarky come-back. But then she felt a hoof land on her shoulder. It was Pinkie Pie, smiling knowingly.
"Allow me, Rainbow," she whispered. "I got this."
"Pinkie Pie..." Rainbow warned.
"Don't worry, Dashie," Pinkie looked smug. "I speak Chancellor!"
She fluttered over to hover next to the Chancellor, beaming merrily. In return, Gravy Boat scowled back at her doubtfully. "Well?"
"Hi! You like cupcakes?" And just like that, there was a double-grandé chocolate cupcake with pink icing and sprinkles sitting on Pinkie's hoof. Surprised, the Chancellor willingly took it. Pinkie produced another for herself, then companionably munched it as she went on:
"Lemme tell you, your Chancellorissitude, about my concept for a party..."
------------------------------
A short time later the group was walking into the Apple family's sizeable barn, with the Chancellor in the lead and Pinkie hovering at her side. And everypony else quietly following along behind in wondering amazement.
"... and then we bring everypony in here," Pinkie was saying. "And see, we've already got a conference table set up, with bunting and banners for the three tribes. Oh! You'll have to tell me if I got yours right, Your Highnesses."
"They look splendid my dear," Rarity quickly supplied, with a sovereign's grasp of When to Let Somepony Else Do The Talking. "Do go on, please."
"And I figure," Pinkie said, "that as host of this important conference, you'd sit here, Your Chancellorship, in the place of honor." She indicated one of the four chairs set around the table.
"Looks like any of the other chairs to me," Rainbow muttered to Twilight, who quickly shooshed her with a wave of a hoof.
"And the Princesses will be here," Pinkie went on, "both of them together, representing the unicorns, and Commander Bronzehoof -- he's the big cheese from our world -- he'll be here. And the four of you can hash out all that important stuff about unity between our three worlds, and trade, and visits back and forth, and so on. And we'll have cake and pie and tea and coffee and all kinds of goodies to celebrate afterwards. Plus if you wanna take a break from all the diplomatic whack-a-moly, we can bring everypony up to Twilight's barn up the hill there. Show them her workshop and the plane thingy she used to come visit us. Let 'em see what earth-pony ingenuity is capable of, huh? So whaddaya say, Chancellor? Is this a party, or what?"
Gravy Boat snapped out of a comfortable reverie of self-importance. She seemed actually surprised to find she was expected to say anything at all.
"Well..." she allowed carefully and importantly, "we shall have to give it some serious thought. Some very careful consideration. Eh, Marigold?"
"Indeed, Chancellor." Mayor Mare nodded placidly. She like anypony else could tell the Chancellor was sold on the idea.
"An important event such as this," the Chancellor went on. "A meeting of great leaders, as it were. And it seems," she added, with a nod in Pinkie's direction, "the planning is in very good hooves here."
"Aw!" Pinkie dimpled, waving a hoof. "De nada, Your Chancellorness! It's just what I do. I'm a party pony! Hee!"
"Come then, Mayor," said Gravy Boat, sweeping about. "Let's return to the Town Hall and plan an agenda. We'll want to make sure we don't miss a thing, in these initial talks. If you'll pardon us, Your Highnesses?"
"Absolutely, Chancellor! And Madam Mayor." Rarity nodded indulgently. "We'll talk again soon."
As the Chancellor and the Mayor strolled out through the barn doors, everypony present heaved a sigh of relief. And Pinkie looked at Rainbow sheepishly.
"So... how'd I do?"
Rainbow frowned at her -- with clear envy. "Pinkie Pie, I think you could sell a sparrow its own nest!"
Twilight smiled. "I think she did great."
"Darn tootin' she did." Applejack shook her head. "I ain't never seen the Chancellor won over that fast."
"Eh." Pinkie shrugged. "I figured she might like sweet stuff, same as I do. And I just kinda ran with it."
"Well then," said Night Light. "Sounds to me like this conference thing is actually on."
"So... what happens next?" asked Velvet.
"Next," Rainbow said, "comes the hard part. Telling the ponies back home about all this. And Pinkie, I doubt very much Commander Bronzehoof is into cupcakes."
"I might have an idea about that," said Twilight. "If I can get everypony's help?"
"Absolutely, my dear," Rarity said.
"Oh, me too!" Fluttershy added.
"Oooh! Oooh! I love ideas! Sometimes I even have them myself!"
"Y'all can count me in," Applejack said.
"We can use one of the spells I've been working on," Twilight went on. "And if it works, I think it'll really get their attention. What do you think, Rainbow?"
Rainbow smirked.
"Hey, I'm in, totally. This I gotta see!"
------------------------------
Later, at the Cloudsdale Legion HQ:
"Commander Bronzehoof! Sir!"
The gray-maned, silver-armored pony looked up from the ancient mahogany table with a disapproving glare.
"Better be important, Captain."
"I believe it is, Sir." The gold-flanked, fire-maned pony took three precisely measured steps foward then placed a scroll on the table. "This was hoof-delivered to one of the cadets, who was asked to pass it on."
"What is it?"
"Unknown, Sir. It's marked Your Eyes Only."
Bronzehoof sat back in his chair, his eyes narrowed. "This better not be some kind of prank, Captain."
She nodded. "Only one way to know, Sir."
"Hmph." Bronzehoof stared at the scroll. It was made of a stiff yellowish paper. Not like the standard-issue wood-pulp stuff that came out of the farm districts. And it was bound with plain twine, plus a tag with his name on it. Cautiously, Bronzehoof picked it up with his hooves and unrolled it.
And hastily dropped it on the table again when the blasted thing began talking. It was speaking in multiple voices, and sounded much like a bunch of first-year cadets arranging themselves at a portrait session:
"...is it on yet?... Where should we be looking, Twi?... Right at that glowing gemstone on the worktable... Oh! I do hope Fluttershy and I cast the spell right... You did fine, your Highnesses... Okay, quiet now, ya'll! Like we planned, let Twilight do the talkin'."
Bronzehoof reached out a hoof and gingerly drew the scroll closer. And saw in a square box on the paper's surface, a moving image. It was a group of pegasi... no wait, not just pegasi, other kinds of ponies as well. Some of them had horns. Some lacked wings. One was even wearing a cowpony hat, of all things.
The wingless pony in front of the group, a lavender pony with a school-filly haircut, began speaking: "Ahem. Dear Commander Bronzehoof, I hope this message finds you well. I apologize for the unusual means we're using to reach you. I hope it's not outside the bounds of protocol. To keep this brief, there are multiple worlds above the sky, worlds much like Cloudsdale. Some of them are inhabited by ponies. I and some of my friends here are from these other worlds. We'd like to request the honor of your presence at a conference of the leaders of these various pony worlds, to discuss what we all have in common, and how we can all work together."
The Captain was staring at the moving and talking image, dumbfounded. "I almost wish this was a gag, Sir."
"Quiet, Captain." Bronzehoof growled. "This is Need to Know."
"Yes, Sir."
In the image, the lavender pony waved over one of the other ponies, a cyan pegasus. "I particularly want to thank my friend, Rainbow Dash. She was the first pony I met when I found my way to your world. And I couldn't ask for a truer, more loyal friend."
The pegasus timidly waved a hoof, grinning sheepishly.
"Matches the description," the Captain observed, "of the pony who delivered the message."
"Think you can find her again, to get a message back?"
"With a mane and tail like that, Sir? No question."
"Thank you for your time and attention," the lavender pony finished. "And kind regards from me and all my friends. We hope to hear from you soon."
The pony reached out a hoof and the image froze, still showing all six of the strange ponies. Bronzehoof whispered a silent thank you for that. It was going to be hard enough to persuade everyone as it was. He thought briefly then looked up, all business.
"Senior staff to the briefing room. Ten minutes. Go."
"Yessir!" Saluting, the Captain leapt into the air and blasted away -- through the window, to save time.
And Bronzehoof nodded proudly. There was a reason he left the thing open, in spite of all the drafts...
------------------------------
As usual with such things, it took time to get everything arranged and everypony's schedules aligned. So it was a few days later that Twilight and her friends, plus Twilight's parents, were all standing in front of the Apple family's barn late one morning.
Twilight thought she could see Granny Smith peering suspiciously through the window of the adjoining farmhouse, accompanied by Applejack's siblings Big Mac and Apple Bloom. But otherwise they had managed to keep the meeting quiet, so there were no other ponies around.
"Ughh!" Rainbow groused. "What's taking them so long?" She hovered nervously above the group, staring up into the blue sky that she'd spent every second since sunrise clearing of every last cloud.
"We sure we got the day right?" Applejack asked. "You said time runs different in them other worlds."
"The unicorn world runs a little faster." Twilight consulted a circular slide rule resting on her forehoof. "And the pegasi world is... a little less fast," she quickly amended with a glance in Rainbow's direction. "But according to my calculations, this is the right time in all three worlds."
"Maybe they're not coming," Rainbow sank lower and lower, until her hooves nearly brushed the ground. "Maybe they decided against it. Maybe all this effort was just a wild goose chase..."
"Well turn that frown upside down, Rainbow," Pinkie Pie crowed, pointing a hoof. "Because I don't think that's a flock of geese up there!"
They looked and could see, approaching from almost directly overhead, a small contingent of winged ponies. Their silver armor was glinting in the sunlight.
Twilight pointed. "That's Commander Bronzehoof in the lead, right?" she asked, as the Cloudsdale ponies drew closer.
"Ohmigosh-ohmigosh-ohmigosh!" Rainbow choked out, her forehooves pressed to her snout in awe. "You know who that is with him? It's Spitfire!"
"Who?" Twilight asked, staring at the blue-uniformed flyer accompanying Bronzehoof.
"Huh! Only the Captain of the Wonderbolts. She's a legend! They say she's tough as nails because she eats them for breakfast."
The pegasi squadron swept in a circle overhead, glancing to all sides as they surveyed the surroundings. Then they came in for a landing on the meadow in front of the barn. Teeth gritted, Rainbow shivered with hero-worship as the Commander and Captain approached, escorted by a small phalanx of armored pegasi.
The group came to an abrupt halt, and stood waiting.
"Oops, right!" Twilight said. "That's my cue."
Trotting over to an open area of the meadow nearby, she set down the portal gem. Tapping it, she quickly got out of the way as the portal spun open. And through it, a line of unicorn guards strode out, looking stern and impressive. Yet one almost didn't notice the guards themselves. They seemed mere clothes-ponies for the shimmeringly elegant scarlet robes and circlets they were all wearing. Their hooves were polished, their horns decorated with fine swirls of color, and while each pony's overall look was similar they each had subtle, individual differences, so no two guards looked exactly the same. It was like an army of haute couture, of living tapestry.
Twilight grinned. "Looks like Rarity's been busy in that design studio she set up," she whispered to the others.
The unicorn guard quickly formed up into two lines, to either side before the portal. Then they bowed deeply, their snouts nearly touching the ground. And from the portal the two Princesses strode, wearing their own elegantly shimmering regal gowns. Rarity had traded her circlet for a gleaming fleured crown, and Fluttershy wore a finely woven laurel wreath. Plus she had a small entourage of animals accompanying her, a pair of finely-combed badgers holding her train.
The Princesses were preceded by a smallish herald pony, carrying a scroll in her magic, which she unrolled with a flourish.
"Presenting! Their Royal Highnesses, the co-rulers of Unicornia! Her Highness, Princess Rarity of Canterlot! And her Highness, Princess Fluttershy of Everfree!"
Twilight smirked at that. "Fluttershy won the toss, actually," she whispered. "But she still wanted Rarity to be named first, since she'll be doing most of the talking."
The Princesses strode to meet the approaching Commander and Captain, the two sides exchanging respectful, if somewhat watchful, nods with each other. Then both groups turned as, with fanfare of trumpets, the doors to the barn swung open.
Framed in them was Chancellor Gravy Boat. She was wearing a tall formal hat, with a plume-like feather that could have swatted an albatross. Plus she had on a finely-stitched, puff-sleeved doublet, and burgundy pantaloons. She might have looked ridiculous in the outfit, yet there was a familiar distinctively subtle styling to it, which somehow brought the look off. "That's more of Rarity's work," Twilight whispered. "She offered to design the Chancellor's diplomatic wear, as a way of sweetening the deal."
Gravy Boat strode forwards, her hooves spread welcomingly. "Bold soldiers of Cloudsdale!" she called. "Elegant mages of Unicornia! Welcome to Earth, land of the Earth-ponies. It is my great honor and delight to welcome you, for this historic meeting."
The rulers all solemnly traded bows with each other, every one of them the picture of staid, reserved austerity.
And then Pinkie Pie looked out from the barn doors.
"Hey, all you big-wigs and hob-nobs! You feelin' diplomatic yet? Are ya ready to get down, and chew the fat? Let's get this diplomatic party started!" She vanished back inside, and from within the barn ten instruments began playing a sprightly polka number.
Somehow -- nopony was quite sure how -- this managed to merely break the ice rather than shatter the glacier. At Gravy Boat's sweeping gesture, the royal delegations trotted forward, and accompanied her inside.
Mesmerized with awe, Rainbow drifted through the air after them.
And she was brought up short when the pegasi guards stationed at the door flung up wings, glaring at her.
"Uh, right." Rainbow grinned sheepishly. "V.I.P's only. Yep. I gotcha." She backed off as she spoke, then looked downcast, as the guards firmly shut the doors in her face.
"Aw, don't take it too hard, Rainbow," said Applejack. "They're not even lettin' us Apples in -- and it's our barn!"
"Yeah, but..." Rainbow shrugged helplessly. "This is kinda deciding my whole future. I wish I could be there, to hear it go down."
"Don't worry, Rainbow," said Twilight. "Rarity and Fluttershy are on your side. I know they'll do their best to speak up for you."
"Yeah, I suppose." Rainbow still looked uneasy.
"C'mon," Twilight said. "Let's go back up to the workshop to wait. That way we can be ready if the delegation does want to come by for a tour."
"Y'all go on ahead," Applejack waved a hoof. "I'll stick around here just in case Pinkie needs anythin'. We'll give ya a yell if anything happens."
Twilight nodded, and together she and Rainbow headed up the hill. They were followed closely by Twilight's parents, who were chatting with each other in quietly amazed tones.
And as they went, Rainbow stared back at the closed barn doors.
And looked miserable.
------------------------------
In the workshop, Twilight quickly buried herself under the airframe again, quietly tinkering away at the gearing. Spike stood at her elbow, ready to pass her tools and jot down notes. And Rainbow was sprawled on top of the craft, her snout in her hooves, becoming increasingly restive and fidgety as time dragged on.
"Jeez," she finally grumbled. "This is taking forever!"
"Diplomacy's like that," Twilight said. "I read somewhere it's the art of waiting patiently and politely for the other party to say exactly the wrong thing."
"Hmph. How come you're so calm about all this?" Rainbow demanded. "Why aren't you worried?"
There was a pause. "Who says I'm not?"
"Well, you sure don't look like it."
"I'm an inventor," Twilight said. "When I'm worried, I find something to do with my hooves. You see this thing?" Twilight's hoof reached up and thumped the airframe's side. "This is me being worried about what Mom and Dad were going to say about my little trips to other worlds. And you see this whole workroom? How neat and tidy and organized it all is? That's me being worried, too."
"About what?"
Twilight sighed. "About Shining Armor leaving home. When he left to take that apprenticeship in Hoofington, I felt so alone. Like my one and only true friend was gone forever. So when we moved to Ponyville I buried myself in this place, in my books and inventions. But even so, it's not the same."
"What about Applejack?"
"Sure, she's a good friend," Twilight agreed. "And a great neighbor to have. But she's got a job of her own running the family farm, and it keeps her pretty busy. In fact, up until I flew this thing to your world, Rainbow, and ran into you, I'd forgotten what it was like having a close friend. Somepony who has the time to just... I don't know, hang out and do stuff together we both like to do. Somepony I can talk to, about the discoveries I've been making here. That's been kinda nice, really."
Twilight worked away in silence for a while. Then taking a driver Spike had given her she attempted to tighten a screw on the gearing. And found it hard to do, because of the cramped space and tight angle. The grip of her hooves on the handle kept slipping. "Drat," she muttered. "I'll have to re-block this thing. There's not enough room under here. If I only had three more inches --"
She fell silent, as the aircraft silently lifted in the air, exactly three inches. Just like magic.
Shifting around, she peered up past the airframe. And saw Rainbow smirking down at her. The pegasus had hooked her forehooves into the grips on the plane's upper surface and was holding it aloft on sheer wingpower.
"Thanks, Rainbow."
"Heh! Just bein' a good friend, Twilight. Like you said."
Twilight smiled back. "This might take a while."
"No problem, take your time," Rainbow replied coolly. "I can do this all day..."
"Hey, Rainbow!" Pinkie Pie yelled, zooming in through the open barn doors.
"Pinkie!" Rainbow shouted. "What is it? Are they done yet?"
And she let go of the hoof-grips.
"Wahhh!" Twilight shrieked as the airframe thunked back down onto the crates she'd been using to support it. "Rainbow!"
"Aw, pinfeathers." Rainbow said. "Sorry, Twi! Are you all right?"
"Just fine," Twilight muttered, "apart from nearly getting a screwdriver jammed in my eye..."
Rainbow wasn't listening. Instead, she stared eagerly at Pinkie. "So, what did they say, huh? Did they say anything about me?"
Pinkie shrugged. "How should I know? They're still jabbering away down there. Gab gab gab! They talk more than I do, and that's sayin' something! I just came to let ya know they were thinking about coming up here next, to have a look at Twilight's airplane gadget."
"Thanks for the warning," Twilight said. "We'll be ready whenever they are, Pinkie."
"Okie-dokie-lokie!" Pinkie grinned. And without another word she swung round, and pronked out through the doors.
And Rainbow thunked back down on the airframe again, her snout in her hooves.
"Aw, man!" she grumbled. "I don't think I can take the suspense much longer."
Twilight traded an amused look with Spike. Then she thumped the side of the airframe with her hoof. "Ahem?"
"Yeah, right. Find something to do with your hooves." Rainbow sighed. And re-hooking her forehooves on the grips, she held the airframe aloft while Twilight kept working on the gearing.
------------------------------
As promised, the delegations arrived at the barn shortly thereafter. Twilight gave them a quick engineering overview of the airframe, and then summarized her observations of the different pony worlds, and the cyan vastness that surrounded them.
Princess Rarity had already had the tour so she discreetly stood back out of the way, with Fluttershy huddled beside her, to allow the others a better look. Commander Bronzehoof in particular looked on sternly and unreadably, as Twilight came to a hesitant conclusion.
"And so... well, that's it. I'm thinking of exploring some of the other nearby worlds next, to see if there are any other kinds of ponies living there. Because that would be... really interesting?" Twilight was finding it difficult to keep up her enthusiasm, in the face of Commander Bronzehoof's cold, unmoved gaze.
The Commander looked first at Chancellor Gravy Boat, then at Twilight's parents, who were watching a little anxiously from the sidelines.
"And this... exploration," he said, "is being carried out with no planning, no oversight? Just one filly tinkering away in a glorified playhouse? Shouldn't she still be in school?"
"Um." Twilight winced, not sure what to say.
Then she felt a nudge at her shoulder. It was Pinkie Pie. "Tell him about your degree, Twilight!" Pinkie pointed to a framed document on the wall. "I noticed it at the party earlier, and I was gonna ask you about it."
Bronzehoof glanced at it himself. "What's that supposed to be? Some kind of filly grade-school graduation certificate?"
"No, sir." Twilight frowned. "It's my college equivalency diploma. And the reason I don't go to school any more," she went on, her voice taking on a fierce note, "is because they ran out of tests to throw at me. I study on my own now, conduct my own research." Trotting over to a nearby bookcase, she tugged a notebook out with a hoof, then flipped it open to show pages and pages of notes, sketches, and charts. "Plus I keep meticulous notes of my explorations and discoveries. So that other ponies can benefit from what I find out."
She slammed the notebook closed. "I'm an inventor. And this is not a playhouse, it's my workshop. Any other questions, Sir?"
Bronzehoof stared at her, an eyebrow raised. A brief uncomfortable silence followed.
Then Rarity spoke up. "Well, I for one can vouch for Ms. Sparkle's acumen. You know, Commander, there are times I feel she knows more about unicorn magic than even we unicorns do?"
"Oh, yes!" Fluttershy put in. "We've seen that first-hoof."
"She crafts entire spells," Rarity went on, "knowing nothing more than the logic of spellcraft itself. And the spells work, without even needing to be tested first. That missive we sent to you, Commander, it should be proof enough of her skill. It is, in a word, fabulous!"
The Commander eyed Twilight thoughtfully. "Are all earth-ponies this smart? You, for example," he snapped, looking at Applejack. "What about you?"
"Me, Sir?" Applejack stared, surprised, then grinned uneasily. "Uh, nossir. Just a farm-pony, farmin' apples. Cause that's what we Apples do, with apples. We, uh... farm 'em. But Twilight," she added quickly, "she can think her way outta anything. Around these parts, she's one-of-a-kind, definitely."
"Yeah!" Pinkie put in. "Twilight's so bright I feel smarter just being in the same room with her!"
"That's not much of a stretch," Rainbow couldn't resist whispering in her direction. Then, more loudly: "Uh, yeah, Sir. Twilight can be a bit of a brainiac at times. But if something needs figuring out fast, Sir, I'd trust Twilight... Sir." Feeling nervous, Rainbow added a salute just for good measure.
Night Light nodded. "That's our bright little Button," he said.
"She always makes us feel so proud," Velvet agreed. "She's smart, but she knows how to use that smarts to help other ponies."
"Yeah! Twilight's the nicest pony I know!" Spike insisted. And smiled up at Twilight as he said it.
While they'd been speaking, the ponies and dragon had all unconsciously gathered closer around Twilight. With the result that Commander Bronzehoof found himself facing them as a group, determinedly staring him down.
"Hmm." He nodded. "Very interesting. Well," he went on calmly, glancing at Chancellor Gravy Boat. "I think we've seen everything here. Shall we head back down and continue our discussions?"
"My thoughts exactly," the Chancellor said. "Your Highnesses?"
"Of course," Rarity replied, and Fluttershy nodded too. Gravy Boat led the way out through the doors, followed by the Chancellor, and then the unicorn Princesses. Rarity gave Twilight and the others a reassuring wink as she strolled out through the door.
And Rainbow scratched her mane with a hoof. "Uhh... what just happened?"
"I'm not sure." Twilight shook her head. "I think maybe we impressed him? But that's just a guess."
"I s'pose..." Applejack allowed doubtfully. "Ah well, early days yet! Give 'em time to get to know us, they'll come around."
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The diplomatic session continued late into the afternoon. The sun was lowering in the west when Applejack finally came up the hill to find Twilight, Rainbow, and Twilight's parents. They all joined Pinkie on the meadow in front of the Apple family's barn, and looked on as the four leaders thanked each other for a lengthy but productive session and discussed preparations for the next one.
"As discussed," Gravy Boat said, looking at Mayor Mare, "we'll need a means to keep track of visitors to our world, much as the unicorns and pegasi will do for theirs."
"Well, there's always the Guest Register in Ponyville Town Hall," Mayor Mare suggested doubtfully, "but that's purely traditional. It's never actually been a requirement for anypony visiting the town."
"And it'd be a bit of a hike, into town and back," Applejack observed. "For anypony visiting here."
Twilight nodded. "Or a flight, as the case may be. What if we kept a logbook in my workshop up on the hill? Would that work for now? My friends will mostly be visiting here, anyways."
"I'd feel quite comfortable," Mayor Mare said, "with Miss Sparkle's meticulous record-keeping."
"I'll leave the details for you to sort out, Marigold," said Gravy Boat. "And thank you all, Commander and Princesses! May our future meetings go as well as this one has."
The Commander bowed stiffly in reply. The Princesses did likewise, but more gracefully and in tandem. Then the pegasi snapped out their wings and took off, winging upwards and disappearing into the glowing orange sky. And the Chancellor and Mayor Mare trotted off down the road to Ponyville's town center.
Leaving Rainbow Dash looking astonished and frustrated.
"But... but what about me?" she muttered sadly.
Beside her, Pinkie Pie whipped out a bullhorn and screamed into it, making the hills shake:
"YEAH! WHAT ABOUT DASHIE, HUH???"