...Well, almost everyone.
James cocked his head, or tried to, as much as he could in a lying position.
"I'm sorry, Princess, I must have misheard you; I thought you just said I was going to be your military advisor."
Princess Celestia turned back towards him. "You heard me correctly, James. You will be our military advisor for the indefinite future... If you accept the position."
James frowned. Inside he was a little freaked out she knew his name. He opened his mouth to ask her how she knew it (as he knew Twilight had not been downstairs long enough to tell her his name), but she beat him to the draw:
"I have known your name for the past few months. I have stepped into your mind, and seen who you are and what you could be."
"It was you!" James almost shouted, the realization practically falling upon him like a flood. "You're the... thing, feeling, whatever... that I've felt every now and again."
She nodded. "And I've also seen your... show, that you watch us on. It is intriging to me how it is able to highlight so many happenings here so accurately and almost completely..."
She got no further before Rainbow Dash flew right into James' face.
"How have you been able to see us? Why have you been able to see us? Are you a...
"No I am not a damn spy!" James was irritated; this was not how he had hoped things would go.
The guards, startled by the outburst, raised their spears again, but at the orders of the Princess, they lowered them again. She turned to Rainbow Dash.
"No, he is not a spy. In his world, we are seen as fiction. Most humans, if not all, have no idea that we are real, that we are living, that we can feel and know."
She then went on to explain the T.V. show a bit, as she saw that James was not up to doing the task himself; she attempted to describe it as a better version of the projector (seen in "Hurricane Fluttershy"). James didn't think she did a good job, as they all continued to give him funny looks. Well, except for Pinkie Pie, who, although she listened, seemed to be doing so completely out of politeness. James wondered...
But he could not do so for long, as the Princess turned to him again.
"James, will you please accept the position of military advisor?"
"Why me, why not someone older, and better qualified for this? Surely there plenty of humans who are actually in the military who can help you better than I can." That was just the truth as James saw it. Celestia could have easily gotten someone like Schwartzkopf or Franks to lead her forces into battle and to modernize it if necessary. Why didn't she?
The Princess took a deep breath, "Because the... other candidates... would likely have thought they were insane if they were brought here. I can tell you don't think this way. Because you are not tainted with the rather violent, aggressive training and philosophy that they have. Because you are practically a genius in the games I saw you play. And... because you have a liking for Equestria. I think I can trust that any army I give you will be treated well."
James was speechless. She had just shook off his belief that another, older, more experienced person could have done the job better, and had praised him above what he saw as being realistic.
Shining Armor looked a bit annoyed, and James knew he was upset that Princess Celestia didn't seem to have faith in him to lead the nation's armed forces... for whatever reason she thought needed James. However, he stayed quiet. Luna was looking rather nervous, though the way she didn't ask any questions hinted that she and her big sister had already discussed James and his... appointment.
"Ma'am, I was only having fun in those games, and military history doesn't often hold a candle to the real picture." He tried to bring the picture around a bit.
She shook her head. "I chose you, above millions of humans, above many of our own people, to lead our forces. However, I do give you the choice of the matter. You may refuse, and I will return you to your world. However, please believe me when I say that there is a major threat approaching our fair land, and that we are indeed nearing a crisis."
Applejack spoke up for the first time since the Princesses had arrived. "Uh, yer Majesty, ah don't mean to intrude on this conversation, but what in the hay are ya'll talking about, crisis and all that? It's the firs' time ah've heard about it." she seemed a little miffed.
Celestia turned to the farmer pony. "I intend to talk about that to James, if he chooses to help us."
At that, James crossed his arms, moaning as the painful gesture was performed. "Ma'am, with all due respect, all you got to say to me about this threat can be said to the room at large, it's not like they're not gonna hear of it their ownselves."
Luna stepped forward, frowning; clearly she viewed James' words as a challenge, however small, of royal authority, and Shining Armor, who had said and done little up to this point, had a similar look on his face. Of course, as Captain of the Royal Guard, he would be loyal to his rulers over a stranger. And doubtless, as a Guard, he has had to keep quite a few secrets himself.
"What right have you, a creature from another world, to make demands of royalty?" Yep, she was a little pissed off. However, Princess Celestia cut in.
"He's right. I should not keep this knowledge from my trusted subjects."
Subjects. Hmph. As if they were all inferior by more than ruler and citizen. That was a little unjust, but James couldn't help feeling that way whenever that word was said on the show. In America, everyone's a citizen... except for illegal immigrants. Everyone has equal chance by law to become anything they want, within the confines of the law. Even the poorest man or woman could become president. His attention focused back on Princess Celestia as she began to speak.
"Our relations with the Griffons have been deteriorating rapidly. They believe amongst themselves more and more that Equestria is ripe for the picking. We have tried reasoning with them, but they believe in their superiority more day by day. Sooner or later, they will choose to turn to military action."
James held up his right hand; at the angle it was at, it was a little difficult to see it for the gesture that it was, the gesture that said one had question, yet the Princess saw it for what it was. "With all due respect, How far do you think they'll be willing to go? Will they demand concessions, or perhaps a slice of territory?"
"No... they want full conquest. They want all of Equestria."
Everyone really did gasp at that, even Shining Armor. The thought of an attack by the Griffons had apparently never occured to anyone in the room, even in their wildest daydreams. The thought of war seemed to be even further away, even to the guards; clearly war had not hit this land for an immense span of time.
"And the Griffons are not the only problem. You saw the chaos at the royal wedding?" she asked James, who nodded. "Shining Armor and Cadence defeated the Changlings and their queen, but they are marshalling near our borders, in massive numbers and growing daily."
She stopped as James raised his hand again. "Are they in conjuncture with the Griffons?"
"No, that is certain; the Changlings have no allegiances other than to themselves. This is unrelated to the Griffon threat, but is coincidental with it, and we cannot ignore either one."
She looked at him in earnest. "I ask you... no, I beg you, to become our military advisor, and help us in this war that is to come."
James thought for a moment. "This is really happening?"
"It is."
"...They're really coming?"
"Yes."
"And there's not a thing you can do to stop them other than by force of arms?"
"No. I can try to stall for time with the Griffons, though I can only promise months, perhaps weeks, before they cut off all contact and begin military action. With the Changelings... they WILL attack, and who knows when they will do so?"
James felt overwhelmed by the emotions and feelings that fell across him. "Can I have a moment to think about it please?"
She nodded.
James began to gather his thoughts.
First off, he felt a little upset that he had been spied on, and then obviously brought here, against his will... or perhaps against his convienence. His parents would be worried sick if he chose to help the ponies. And if it came to war, there was a possibility, no, a likelihood, that he would die. And even if he didn't, he would likely have to kill; true, Changlings were evil, and they were essentually vampires, sucking off of others' love, but it still felt... if not wrong, then troubling, to have to kill them. And Griffons, from what he had seen and heard from on the show, were civilized if, from the knowledge he had just gained, belligerent. They weren't naturally evil. Killing them wouldn't just be like exterminating evil bugs; the conflict with them would be against a people who had feelings and free will, who could think for themselves, who had lovers, sweethearts, and families.
However, a feeling of guilt arose; if he rejected this appointment, as it had been made clear he could very well do, he would have left the ponies to likely future of extermination, enslavement or at least of subjugation, depending on whether the Changlings or the Griffons won in the end. The ponies might win without him, but it was clear from the look on Princess Celestia's face that she doubted the ability of her army and guards to do so.
And now everypony was looking at him, waiting for his decision. James glanced in Shining Armor's direction, and saw that he had taken in the seriousness of the threat; it was clear he didn't want to face the Changlings again at any rate, perhaps out of fear for Cadence and Twilight Sparkle, if nothing else. James stole a look at the other guards; they were trying to look serious and tough, as they usually did, but James could see that they were also nervous.
He saw the fear in the eyes of the Mane 6, not fear of him, but for the situation they were in. Their Princess's despair of victory had infected them, so used were they that their leaders had solutions; to see Princess Celestia in doubt of a situation troubled them and spread her despair to them, even if subconciously. The trust Celestia had placed in James was clear to them, to the point where they trusted him too. Their Princesses looked at James with desperation, and the Mane six and the Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at James in a similar way. He could barely meet their eyes without tears beginning to form.
And on top of all that, his heart was begging him to help them. That clenched the matter.
"... Alright. I'll help you."
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Immediately the Mane 6 and the CMC perked up, as well as the Princesses; Celestia let out a sigh of relief. The guards, though, looked at James, clearly not trusting the being from another world in front of them. Shining Armor was the first to say anything.
"Permission to speak, your Majesties?"
Celestia looked at him, frowning a little; the captain's voice was noticably irritable, as though he had been left out of something. However, she nodded.
"With all due respect, this thing, this human... he's from another world. Why should we trust him?"
"Now wait just a cotton pickin' minute!" Applejack's voice was raised. Inside part of James sniggered. In some parts of my country, that might be seen as racist. It clearly wasn't here. Applejack went on, anger or outrage filling her voice, "This human just saved mah sister an' her friends from a pack of them timberwolves. And he got hurt fightin' em too! An' you ask if we can trust him?" Ah, so thats it. She must be really grateful I protected her sister. She has no other reason to be sticking up for me, and every reason to distrust me.
The Captain of the Royal Guard withdrew as if struck by a glove with a brick inside it, and the other guards, while turning in Applejack's direction, made no threatening move towards her.
"Captain, I understand any concerns you may have, but James has, in the few hours he has been here, proven himself trustworthy. He has my trust, and that of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. That should be enough for you."
Shining Armor, though scalded, was still upset, and getting more and more so by the minute. Princess Celestia sighed. "It has nothing to do with a lack of trust in you, Shining Armor," she said, and the captain perked up slightly. "However, we need someone with outside experience, who can train our forces in proper warfare, lead them into battle, and ultimately defeat them. You are a great guard, and a great captain, but you have no military experience against Griffons whatsoever, and it will take more than a love spell to defeat the Changelings this time around."
James tried to sit up, but his arm rebelled. Seeing this, Fluttershy came over to him.
"Oh you poor thing, you shouldn't be moving. Please lay back down. That is, if that's alright by you," she said, anxiety suddenly overtaking her face.
"...Fine." James did lie down, though his legs seemed to be fine.
"I do insist you stay in bed until a proper doctor can heal that arm of yours," Princess Celestia said, remembering for the first time that he was injured. Damn timberwolf. If it had missed... But it hadn't. The Princess went on, "You have also lost a lot of blood. You need to rest for a while."
"I can't do my job for you while I'm lying in a bed. The rest of my body is fine."
"...Well, I'll still have a doctor come to see you. If it really is just your arm, You should be good to go by tomorrow."
"Good. I can't wait." He could see Rainbow flash him a sympathetic look. Perhaps she remembers when she was stuck in the hospital.
"Now, I must return to Canterlot, to make preparations." Princess Celestia began to walk back toward the staircase, but before she left, she looked at James, gave giving him a small smile before leaving.
Princess Luna, however, did not follow her big sister, nor did she follow the Royal Guards as they left. Instead, she walked up to James, and stopped with her face not much more than two feet away from his, as though she was trying to study him. She stared into his eyes, making him uncomfortable, but he forced himself to meet her gaze.
"...You seem to be a very good person, James," she said at last. Where did that come from?, he thought. I've done very little for the community at large, until now anyway, and she hasn't known me for more than a few minutes.
She began to back away, but as she did so, her left hind shoe came off; before she could notice (and before anyone could tell her), her left front hoof came down and smashed it. She only noticed when the sound of bending metal came to her ears (not to mention everyone else's ears). She looked down and gave a small gasp.
"WORTHLESS TRINKET OF METAL! HOW DARE THOU REBEL AGAINST US! The roar of Princess Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice swept across the room almost like wind; James could feel it as much as he could hear it. Just like the Rebel Yell in the Civil War, he thought. He didn't want to suffer hearing the voice again, however, and neither did anyone else; Fluttershy was trying to hide behind a sofa opposite his bed, and Applejack had lost her hat, which had been blown onto a nearby plant. Caps lock; not necessary all the time.
However, Luna realized she had slipped, and lifted her hoof to her mouth. "Er... sorry, everypony", she said, quietly this time. Then, levitating the broken shoe with her magic, she began to walk out, offering farewells, and a rather heartfelt apology to Fluttershy, who, though still frightened, accepted it.
After Luna had left, James looked at the remaining nine ponies. The CMC had been quiet since the Princesses had arrived; so much that Jame had almost forgotten they were there. They were still near his bed, though farther away than before. James couldn't help but notice, however. Luna had not noticed her shoe coming off, nor did she realize she was going to step on it until it happened. He didn't notice he had said this all out loud until Twilight responded.
"Yes, our hooves cannot feel anything, so she didn't know until, well..." she broke off.
"But I noticed Rarity complaining, in the Hearth's Warming's Eve..."
Rarity answered this time, blushing slighty. "Yes, well, some of us can get a little dramatic sometimes."
"But then how can you pick anything up with them?"
Twilight explained that when a pony went to pick something up with their hooves, a beam of invisible energy would pick up the object. The mechanic was actually activated from the ankle (or fetlocks, in their case? isn't that what horse ankles are called?), and the object had to be touching the hoof for the thing to actually be picked up, shifted, or rotated. This was only true for the front hooves, though; the hid ones had no capacity to pick things up. I expected as such; rock hard, unfeeling hooves. They're basically used to it, since they've had to work with this mechanic since childhood. This explains it a bit better than I could have, though.*
With that explaination out of the way, James yawned, then looked out the window; to his surprise the sun was setting, casting a orange and pink glow across the clouds and over the horizon. Just like Earth... Well, MY Earth, anyway.
"Oh goodness, look at the time!" Twilight said, surprised. A loud gurgle rose, sounding out around the room. Everypony in the room started at the noise, before realizing it was James' stomach; he hadn't eaten since lunch that day, and that had been back in Maine.
"Why didn't ya tell us you were hungry, sugarcube?" asked Applejack, who was now smiling in a friendly way.
"I didn't want to impose, and I have nothing but the money in my wallet... Damn it, I left my blasted bag in the forest!", he hissed angrily, not upset with the ponies but with his own short-sightedness and the fact that he couldn't even offer to pay paper money that was probably all but worthless here anyway.
"Well, where did you leave it?'" Twilight quipped.
"I left it in the forest when I noticed the Crusaders going to Fluttershy's. I could see both her cottage and the library from there, and left it under a big tree. It wasn't too far into the woods.
Fluttershy thought for a moment. "I might know where that is. I could get it for you in the morning."
"But the timberwolves... I don't know if there are more of them. And the cockatrice, and.."
"I have a way with animals. I don't think they'll hurt me." She looked slightly scared, but her voice was full of confidence.
"I can't ask you to do that..."
"Oh, it'll be no problem at all, I promise."
Like how you said the Cutie Mark Crusaders would be no problem at all.
Before he could out-and-out refuse, however, Applejack came up to him. "Ya'll don't need to worry bout payin' us, we'd help anypony in need... or any non-pony in need", she added, noticing his facial expression. "And Fluttershy'll get that bag for ya lickety-split anyways."
"It's not just my wallet in there... there's a bunch of books, and a few more items that I... cherish, in there..."
He saw that Twilight's ears and eyes had perked up at the mention of books. Oops. However, at the look on his face she got it together again. However, her eyes still had a spark, lusting for yet more knowledge, knowledge only James had... or would have had, if the bag had been here instead of back in the forest.
Applejack asked, "Can ah use yer kitchen, Twilight?"
"Sure."
"Thank ya." With that, the pony with a southern/farming drawl went downstairs.
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Applejack didn't take long to make a dinner that, though small, was capable of satisfying everyone. Of course, befitting her name, most of the meal was apple-based. James didn't complain; the apples here were delicious, and the sweet juice from the fruit helped quench his thirst.
At first everyone ate in silence; lying down, James couldn't concentrate much on eating and talking at the same time anyway. However, as the food dwindled, the ponies' curiosity of him became more and more evident.
"So, James, what's your home like anyway?" Twilight's question rang through the silence. Everyone looked up from their plates.
James didn't feel like answering. Still, he felt obliged to do so.
"...I live out in the country, next to some woods." That got a nod from Applejack. Surprise, country girl likes country.
Rarity sniffed upon hearing this, though Applejack didn't hear her.
Twilight then asked, with a small smile (clearly she was happy he was opening up a bit), "Do you have a country? What's it like? What's your people's current..."
James had lifted a hand to silence her. "Sorry, one at a time." He paused, hoping he could put what he felt into a good description. "I live in the United States of America, a proud country that espouses freedom as it's national idea." Every country James could remember had something, some idea, that set it apart. For the U.S., it was liberty. For Russia, it was a rough, tough, never back down attitude. Britain, royal tradition. Japan, a long reign and focus on family. "I live in the State - you would probably say province - of Maine, in the Northeast."
Rarity looked interested. Oh, you must tell us about the royal, er, American family."
James didn't know whether to frown or smile. With great restraint, he did neither. "We have no royalty in America."
Everyone looked up. James could swear he heard a bed spring go off. When everyone looked at Pinkie, he realized that he wasn't just hearing things; Pinkie was sitting there, looking like she had just hiccuped.
"Oh, excuse me," she said, looking a little sheepish. However, everyone went back to looking at James soon enough.
"But what other system of government is there?" Twilight asked this without hesitation. And it wasn't just her looking for an answer here; everyone wanted to hear the answer to this question.
No freaking wonder. They've lived over a thousand years with monarchy. with the same monarch. They can't imagine an effective government without one, or at least it's hard for them to come up with one.
"We vote for our leaders, in terms of four years, with no President to serve any more than two four-year terms."
The adult ponies looked surprised to say the least. "So yer leaders don't stay leader that long?", Applejack asked, her head cocked slightly to one side. Another thing I didn't consider. With one leader for over 1,000 years, they have confidence in her leadership and wisdom, more than we do in any president today.Well, Nixon and the Watergate scandal had fixed that distrust in American government in stone. Back in Abe Lincoln's day, people trusted the government. They don't anymore, blast it.
"We don't like the thought of one man taking power. We prefer it this way, over an absolute ruler who could do whatever they wanted with no law capable of stopping them." Looking at their faces, he added, "Not that all monarchies are bad. Princess Celestia doesn't seem like the bad sort. Princess Luna..." How do I answer this one without being insulting? Luna seemed to like the idea of absolute rule, albeit a benevolent one, more than her big sister. "...She's a little rough around the edges, but she's nice, once you get to know her."
"Yeah, about that. It don't seem right that you were lookin' at us without us knowin' about it," Applejack quipped.
...Drat. James wasn't keen on answering that one. That all said and done, he didn't like how that question had just come up, not least because he felt some hostility from it. "It's not like I was watching... private affairs. I could only see events linked to Twilight's friendship lessons. And as for me seeing you and you not seeing me... Think about it this way. Twilight, how many fiction books have you read?" He almost regretted adding that last. Before she could answer, he went on, "And how many times did you think those characters would someday be right in front of you, real as you and I are now, and talking back to you?"
She hesitated briefly. "...I never really thought I would meet them for real, though many times I wished I could."
James nodded. "I could see you through a screen; I couldn't see you for real. Most, if not all of us, think you're all fictional characters. Not that you are," he said, as Rarity began to inject her own opinion of this, "but that's how we see you. Therefore, none of us thought we we invading privacy or anything like that. We just saw some of your adventures."
The ponies calmed down a bit, and James sighed mentally; that was one little battle won.
"D...d... do you have, um, any, um, animals you take care of?" Fluttershy, or I'm a mouse.
"Yes. mostly a few cats." He wondere dif that was a mistake; Rarity's cat Opal was perhaps the nastiest creature this side of the Everfree Forest. He desperately hoped that not all cats here would be the same. "I've also taken care of a few horses in my day." Not that I've lived all that long. He resisted the urge to smile, as some of them suddenly looked a little shocked by this.
"You have ponies in your world?" Twilight asked.
"Yep. Truth be told though, they don't hold the smallest of candles to ponies here. Ponies and horses in my world don't have any desire to advance beyond the grazing animals that they are. They have no civilization, no language, and they don't typically understand when you talk to them." Seeing that they had all relaxed (again), he went on; Humans sometimes ride horses and ponies, for fun and for exercise." They all stared at him again. Blast it. "Most of them take care of their... companions, and a bond can grow between them, just like it would between a boy and his dog." James hoped he hadn't spread bad feeling about humans to the ponies in front of him.
After a long silence, Applejack smiled. Not that it was one that James particularly cared for; it was the kind of smile people have when they were thinking of mischief.
And she did not disappoint in this; "Ah reckon ah challenge you to a bronco buck. Ah win by buckin' y'all off, you win by staying on."
James digested this. Uh oh. Thanks, big mouth, for getting me into this. He thought about it. He had a fear for heights, but although Applejack's head came up to about his chin, he didn't think that, even if she did get him off, that he would go flying all that far. Plus, that grin she still had made up his mind. I am so not letting her get to keep that.
Quietly, he asked, "What do I win?"
That grin grew bigger. "If y'all win, y'all get some free apples, and a free room at Sweet Apple Acres while you're here. If ah win, ah get bragging rights, and you have to sleep in mah barn."
Oh, pride, how many nations have fallen before your blade! James gave a mental shrug. "I accept. Please wait until my arm has healed, though."
"Ah wouldn't have it any other way, sugarcube." Applejack was still smiling, but more sympathetically this time round.
"Aw come on, you'd have a better challenge with me!" Rainbow huffed.
Yes, and I'd have a hundred feet to fall if you did buck me off. No thanks. James wasn't all too inclined to bet that she wouldn't use her wings to try to get him off; to Rainbow Dash, flying was as natural as breathing.
Perhaps what he was thinking showed up all too well on his face, as she went on, forelegs crossed, "Oh, I get it. It's not like that, I'd stay on the ground like Applejack. I'd still have you off in a matter of seconds, though," she said, grinning.
Great, now I have two of them trying to get me thrown off their backs. He didn't have time to waste, however; already Applejack was looking at Rainbow in a familiar way, a way that said she was going to challenge her. NOT going to happen, I don't want a Mexican standoff here. "Applejack made the challenge first. I go with her." Rainbow released an "Awwwwww!" that meant disappointment. James went on, "I have Applejack to deal with first. After that, I think I might be too busy trying to train and upgrade an army to have much time for that kind of... pleasantry." Seeing she was still disappointed, he added, "I might be able to schedule some time between training sessions." Not likely. That's going to take up quite a bit of my time, but it might be possible. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Rainbow brightened up a little at this. Meanwhile, Rarity asked, "Do please tell us about your family, if that's alright."
James didn't like talking about his folks too much. Still, it was a question that he didn't want to brush off; he wanted to make friends here, real friends, no push them away. "Well, my Dad helps at building houses. Mom's... not employed. Not after having a baby two months ago."
"Oh, congratulations!" Twilight almost cheered. Everyone else used similar words.
Finally, after about five minutes, all the celebration from that began to die down. Applejack asked, "What do you do for a job, sugarcube?"
That last word is a bit repetitive. All the same, I won't bother telling you off for it. As for his job... "...I'm kinda looking for one." He thought about that for a moment. "Correction, I WAS looking for one, until I got here. Apparently, I'm now military advisor/reformer for Equestria." This morning, he hadn't had a job whatsoever. It had taken less than 24 hours to change that. Time, please take a damn day off.
The rest of the meal passed in silence as that last bit killed the mood; the only reason you needed a military advisor, or a military, for that matter... Nathan Bedford Forrest had once said "War means fighting, and fighting means killing." While disagreeing with the Confederate general on many points, James could see that that was too true. Deaths in Equestria tended to be from old age or from thankfully rare deadly illnesses, from what James could see. Taking life, however, was beyond most ponies' thinking. What will they do when they go out to battle? Will they fight, or will they run, or even surrender rather than killing? James could think of some brutal things human militaries did to make killing easier to take in the long run. James shook his head. I would not, COULD not wish any of those upon these people. I'll train them, help make war plans, maybe even lead them in battle. They'll learn on the battlefield, and they'll learn whatever I can pound into their heads before they get there. Giving up one's own morals in order to win is despicable when all's said and done. No, we'll win, and I won't make them give up whats good within themselves in doing so; and they WILL win. By God, he hoped they would.
Finally Rainbow Dash got up, stretched, and said "Well, I'm beat. I'm gonna go hit the sack."
"Ah need to be gettin' home as well. Come on, Apple Bloom."
"Awwwwww."
"Come along Sweetie Belle, you need to be getting to bed."
In similar fashion, everyone said their farewells and went home, although Fluttershy did check James one last time before leaving. Twilight and Spike simply said "good night" to James before leaving the room; Twilight was still looking very much interested in the prospect of reading James' books, as he had said she could.
All alone now, James yawned, growing tired. He laid back against his pillow and looked out the window to his immediate left. The stars shone and the moon was bright as he began to fall asleep.
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* This is the hoof structure I will be using in all my stories. Also, the ponies will be speaking English unless I specifically say they are not.