We sat there for some time, crying into each others' shoulders. I finally looked up from my tears and saw the time on the clock in the corner. "Violet."
She sniffed and coughed. "What?" She croaked out.
"It's late. I think we should go to bed." I said in a similarly raspy voice.
"I guess. I-" She broke out in a yawn. "I'm more tired than I thought I was. Bed sounds good."
"Tomorrow then. Tomorrow will be a brand new day, and we'll look at things with brand new set of eyes." I said with false confidence.
Violet looked over at me, then shook her head. "That might have been the cheesiest thing I've ever heard." She smiled faintly. "But it also sounds like good advice."
We both went to her bedroom, and got ready for bed. "Good Night, Violet." I stroked her mane gently as I said this.
"Good Night, Martin." She whispered back.
Working through the occasional sob, we eventually fell asleep.
*****
I awoke the next morning, and went through all the normal motions before getting in the shower. As I was showering off, an off-hand comment Violet had made to me a few days earlier came to mind. She has a performance in Canterlot in a week! That's perfect! I can somehow bribe Cel and Luna into letting me use the royal archives, as well as deliver my standard threat. I finished my shower, dried myself off quickly, got dressed, then slithered down for breakfast.
I looked at Violet, who had red eyes from all the crying the night before, still had a depressed look on her face. "What are you so happy about?"
I gave her a big grin. "I think I figured out a solution!"
She looked at me, Excitement playing across her face. "Really? What is it! Please, tell me!" She was almost frantic, and her eyes held a splash of desperation.
"Remember how you have a performance in Canterlot coming up?"
"Yes?"
"I'm going to go with you, and I'm going to do my best to get an audience with the Princesses, and somehow convince them to let me into the royal archive. If it's anything like the other realities I've been in, it should have something on negating this body, or perhaps allowing me to change bodies. I'd much prefer to be either a human or a pony than this stupid species." I said with enthusiasm.
It took a moment for what all I had said to sink in, but then Violet's eyes got wide, and then a goofy grin broke out on her face. "Marty! That's perfect!" She started to dance around excitedly, then looked back at me. "How are you going to get an audience? The open audience list is always backed up, and to get a private audience with both of the Princesses is almost impossible to do."
"Leave that to me. I have a few ways of weaseling my way into where I need to go."
"And those are?" Violet looked at me with some confusion.
"Worse comes to worse, dreams, mind control, or breaking and entering." I looked at her, smiling.
"You can control minds! How? Why?" She looked at me, horrified.
"I can, but I don't particularly like doing it. It's basically admitting that I can't get you to do what I want with just simple persuasion, and that I need to use a crutch to even win over someone. Also, my type of mind control can either leave a loving husk, or a fully operational persona that is merely obeying an order." I explained gently. "And no, I've never touched you with it." Sensing what she was going to ask. "Friendship based off of a controlled mind is not a friendship, but a relationship between a master and slave. And you know my opinion on slavery."
She let out a relieved chuckle. "That I do. Don't do anything too preposterous, Marty."
"What do you have to worry about, it's me?" I said mischievously.
"And that is precisely why I am worried." One of her ears flicked at me, while she turned back to finishing her breakfast.
"Anyways, for the moment, it's a moot point, as we're not currently in Canterlot. I'll figure something out." I returned to my meal.
We finished our breakfast, then went to about our normal routine, Violet practicing her instrument, and my work at the forge.
*****
I looked over at Steel as we took a water break. "I think I've figured out the proper gear-age for the water wheel."
"Oh?" The elder minotaur looked at me.
"I believe a 13:9 reduction for the first gear set, and then a 9:5 reduction for the second set should set it up perfectly." I took a sip from my mug, then continued. "Making the gears will be a nuisance, a lot of rasp and file work, but what's that to two master smiths?" I grinned cheekily at him.
"No more than busy work, lad, no more than busy work." He smiled back, a bit of amusement in his eyes. "Anyways, back to work."
I gave him a mock salute, then picked up my hammer to start working on repairing a valve.
*****
I was slithering home, when a green ball rolled out in front of me.
"Hey mister! Could you give us our ball back?" A filly cried at me.
I turned and looked, to see Littlepip and Blackjack waving at me. I smiled at them. "Sure. Here you girls go." I gently tossed the ball to Littlepip, then continued on my way. I kinda want to see if they'll let me join in on their game, but that's probably going into creepy adult territory. "Have fun you two!" I called out as I left the area.
*****
The next few days passed much the same way, with work starting on the water wheel for the nail press. I informed Steel that I would be going with Violet to Canterlot for a few days, but didn't expect to be held over. He calmly accepted that, though did seem slightly annoyed.
The ponies of the town had truly become used to my presence by then, most of them stopping to chat with me on my way to and from the forge on various tidbits of gossip. Nothing of interest beyond the typical small village scandal.
*****
The day that Violet and I were to leave for Canterlot arrived, and Violet looked at me curiously as I quickly cleaned off my armor.
"Why are you taking your armor with us to Canterlot? You're not going to try and get into any fights, are you?" She asked, nervously.
My eyes got big, and then I smiled a devilish smile. "I don't plan on it... but if the opportunity arises..." I trailed off.
"Marty!" Violet looked at me, aghast.
"Alright, I'm joking. I don't own any true formal wear, and my armor is both formal and functional. And when you intend to meet with royalty, both are a good idea." Though I plan on meeting with them looking like a human, not this, thing.
Violet rolled her eyes, then picked up her mellow-toned violin, and a small suitcase. I picked up my bag, and headed towards the door. "Shall we head on out?"
"Yes, yes we shall." She replied, sounding slightly exasperated.
*****
We had been on the train for several hours, when Violet got a contemplative look in her eyes. "Marty, I don't believe I've ever seen you as what you call your true form. You as a human, that is."
I chuckled. "No you haven't. Here, I'll be happy to show you." I grabbed the source, and began to weave together an illusion to match how my human body looked. "What do you think?" I said, sans emotion.
Violet stood up, and began to look me over. "You certainly look interesting. No muzzle, no nose to speak of, and no fur. A very odd look. Not a bad look, though. I think I prefer it to your-" She struggled to think of the correct word. "-current body."
"I know I would. Legs are so much better than belly locomotion."
Violet laughed, and smiled at me. I undid my weaves, and then released the source, watching as the world became less vibrant.
"If you don't mind, I'm going to try to take a nap." I said to Violet.
"Okay." She replied.
*****
We had arrived in Canterlot, and checked into our hotel, with plenty of daylight still left. I had told Violet that I was going to get myself on the list to see the princesses, and that was just what I was on my way to do. I came to the main entrance to the palace, and saw a clerk, a line into the castle, and several guards of mixed types.
Walking over to the clerk, I asked him "Is this where we make appointments to have an audience with the Princesses?"
The bored-looking mare said without looking up from her paperwork "It is. Name, province, and type of audience?"
Knowing the fastest way to get through bureaucracy like this was to drop every title at your disposal, I cleared my throat, and began to speak. "Martin Stuart, King of United Africa, Lord of Sero, Knight of the Order of the British Empire, Knight of the Order of the Sun, Knight of the Order of the Moon, General, Healer, Planetbreaker and subordinate of the Twin Jesters of Chance, Oponn." At the statement of king, the clerk had looked up, and was staring at me wide-eyed. "I currently live in the town of Coltogne, and I seek a private audience with both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."
The clerk looked up at me like she was going to hyperventilate. "Guard! Guard! Come here for a moment!"
One of the guards came over, and saw my sabre at my side. "Scribe Winter, was this stallion threatening you?"
She gulped, and shook her head. "N-n-n-no. I have a request for an audience with the Princesses, code gold!" The guard looked shocked, then looked at me closely, shocked and suspicious.
"Hello there. I assure you, all of those titles were earned." I said confidently.
The scribe quickly wrote down all of my titles, along with the hotel where Violet and I were staying. Scribe Winter looked up at me, having calmed down somewhat. "My Lord, we shall contact you when we have a time when you can meet with both Princesses. I would not be surprised if you can meet with them tomorrow evening."
"I look forward to when I can meet with the Princesses." I did a polite bow, and left the premises. Hopefully it is tomorrow night, I'd prefer to not miss the symphony Violet's orchestra is playing. Such a gorgeous piece of music.
I arrived back at our hotel, and went to the suite that Violet and I were sharing. "Good news, Violet, I've most likely gotten an audience set up for tomorrow night!" I told her excitedly.
She broke out in a wide grin. "That's great news, Marty! And you'll even be able to make the concert the night after! I know you've said you enjoy the donkey composer Ravel's works a great deal. I'm just sad that I won't be able to go with you to see the Princesses." Her grin slightly faded at that last bit, but was still present.
Not long after I told her this, a knock sounded on the door to our suite. "Royal message for King Stuart!" Came from a nervous voice.
Violet mouthed at me "King?"
I mouthed back at her "I'll explain later." I then went to open the door, and found a pegasus stallion in court livery. "A message from the Princesses already? You work fast."
The stallion was taken aback, but handed me the message. "I must see that you receive and read the message, milord." He said, respectfully.
"Of course, good sir." I opened the wax-sealed scroll, and began to read.
King Martin Stuart, We the Princesses of Equestria will receive you in the Royal Study on the -Tomorrow- of the year of our reign at the hour of twilight -7 pm-. We anticipate our engagement with your esteemed personage with the hope of joyful relations.
Signed,
Princess Celestia Everfree
Princess Luna Everfree
I finished reading the short message, then looked to the page before me. "I am from a different culture, would you get offended as a page if I tipped you?"
The page laughed. "No, no I would not. None of the nobles or diplomats do it, but I would not be offended."
I laughed along with him. "Heh, You're a smart lad." I handed him five bits, and wished him luck, then turned to go back inside.
Violet waited for a bit, then asked. "King Martin, huh? How come I never knew that?"
I smiled at her. "Simple, I only care about three titles right now. Those are one, Marty Stu." I slithered over to her, and started to hug her neck. "Two, blacksmith." I then got a mischievous grin on my face. "And the third and most important one, friend." Violet gave a little d'awww at how sappy my statement was... until I started to tickle her.
"Come on Marty stop!" She tried to say through her giggles. "Come on, stop it!" She kept laughing, even after I stopped. "But seriously, you were a king? How'd that happen?"
"Oh, I conquered an entire continent in fifteen years." Lost it five years later when I was assassinated by the woman I married for political reasons I thought bitterly.
"Oh, I guess that would make you a king then, wouldn't it." Violet said, somewhat unsure.
"Yup." I said simply.
Violet shook her head, and then went off to check on her instrument.
*****
I slithered up to the palace the next day, having woven and tied off an illusion on myself of being a human. I was dressed in my 'full' armor, with my sabre at my side. I approached the guards stationed out front, and showed them my invitation. "I am King Martin Stuart, here for my audience with Princesses Celestia and Luna. I was told that they would meet me in the Royal Study?"
One of the guards nodded, and motioned me over. "We were so informed. I will lead you to the royal study." He then started to stately march into the castle, beckoning me to follow him.
I slithered behind him, and followed him at a distance of two meters. We traveled in silence, passing various members of the Princesses' staff. Soon enough we happened upon a door. The guard turned to me, and stated. "In here is the Royal Study, Their Highnesses will be along shortly."
I slithered inside quickly, making sure my tail was inside before he could shut the door and note my illusion. I took in the room, noting the tea set in the corner, and three chairs set up for comfort. I took a seat, and waited for my audience.
*****
The Princesses walked in not too much later. "Greetings, your majesties. I am called Marty Stu." I bowed respectfully to the diarchs.
Celestia looked at me with some recognition. "Greetings, King Martin." She said softly, almost as if she was tasting the name.
Luna looked at me with some amusement. "Greetings, Lord of Sero, We welcome you into our hearth and hearts."
"I thank you for your gracious and swift reply to my entreaty for an audience." I said, trying to sound haughty, thankful, loquacious and respectful all at the same time. "By life and light, I am honored."
Luna looked overjoyed at how flowery my statement was, whereas Celestia's poker face slipped for a moment, a trace of 'Oh brother' passing across her face. Luna looked at me with some curiosity. "The titles that thou spoke to our esteemed scribe yesterday were unfamiliar to our countenance. Pray tell, elaborate."
"Africa is a continent on a world known as Earth, which is a human homeworld, Britain is also a country upon that same world, and Sero is a fiefdom in the reality known as Kebarta. The Order of the Sun I was knighted into by 'A' Princess Celestia, and the Order of the Moon I was knighted into by 'A' Princess Luna." I looked over at them, expecting some interesting expressions.
Luna wore an expression of open shock, while Celestia hurriedly drank from a cup of tea. "Thou, thou art from another world?!" Luna said blankly.
"That I am. I am also from a different reality, and have traveled part of the multiverse." I said blandly.
"I see." Celestia said calmly. "And you must have traveled to another dimension that was similar to this one, yes?"
"Correct. This is the ninth Equestrian reality I have entered."
"Intriguing." Celestia took another draw from her teacup. She looked into her teacup for a moment, and then looked at me. "What is your purpose for meeting with us, Martin Stuart? Why have you entered our halls?"
"My purpose to meet with you is two-fold. To ask for your permission, and to deliver to you a story and a promise."
"What is thy task that thou requires our permission, human lord?" Luna asked blithely.
"I will show you why I ask for your permission, and I ask that you do not attack me when I lower my illusion." I said, slightly nervous.
"You are under an illusion? I sensed no such magic from you." Celestia frowned.
"That is because my magic is fundamentally different from yours, from source to application. Anyways, now is not the time for a discussion of my abilities, now is the time for me to drop my deception." My vocal inflections turned to ice during the last sentence. I wove a powerful shield in front of myself, and then proceeded to remove my disguise.
"Tirek-Spawn!" The two of them yelled, powering up their horns.
"Really? Where?" I said in a sheet of cold sarcasm.
Both of them stopped charging their spell, then turned to each other, confused. "Tirek-spawn, speak now of your request, or accept Tarterus as your new home." Luna said in an equally cold tone.
"Ladies, I am a human trapped in a body not his own, who is looking for a way to avoid harming any and all potential mates that I might have while on this plane. I seek the use of your library in order to facilitate either the transformation of my body into another form, or a magic that would make it so that either I do not have children, or so that they are not lethal to their mother." I said, still wrapped in the emotion-dampening properties of the void.
"I will tell you right now, transformation magic is almost completely ineffective on Tirek-Spawn. Fertility magic, which is what you are describing, is a rarely-studied aspect of magic. We shall let you peruse our collection of these spells at a later date in return for a favor that we shall decide on later." Celestia said, calm once again.
Luna looked at me, then spoke up. "Thou said thou had a story and a promise for us, correct?"
"Indeed." I let go of the source, and began to talk. "By my own reckoning, several thousand years ago I came upon a certain world, a world much like this one."
“There was a Princess Celestia, and a Princess Luna, and they acted much the same as you do. They had their failings, and they had their triumphs. One had a brilliant student named Twilight Sparkle, who was beloved by them both. She served both of her princesses dutifully, along with her five friends. I assume you see where I’m going with this so far?”
“Yes” the two princesses replied simultaneously. “Continue.”
“Modern industry had made a huge desire for a certain resource, namely coal. Equestria had used up its supply of coal, and that of one of their protectorates. The business barons and nobles looked for another supply for their voracious appetite. They found one, in the zebra lands. The zebra were willing to trade their vast supplies of coal, but only for a resource that Equestria refused to give them, gemstones that gave off magic.”
I swallowed, then continued on. “Tensions rose, and finally war broke out.” I paused, hearing the princesses collective gasp. “It started off amicably, for a war. Captives were traded easily, and there was hope for peace. Then a dual tragedy changed the tone of the war. The mutual annihilation of a school and a refugee train escalated the war. It escalated and escalated until the bombs fell. Balefire megaspells, which tainted the land, poisoned the water, and destroyed lives in the... I really don’t know how many died. But the death toll was massive.”
The princesses at this point where in shock. “We would, we would never.”
“Let me continue, I’ll give you the details.” I told them the stories of Big Macintosh, of Celestia’s abdication, of the experiments, of the prison camps, and all the horrors of the war. “These horrors pale in comparison to what happened after the bombs fell. I don’t remember the first fifty years, as I spent them drinking a distillery dry, but the next one-hundred and fifty years were pieces of absolute horror. Slavery, marauders, mutations, and so-called loyalists that were barely loyal to themselves, let alone the ideals of harmony.” I then regaled them with the true horrors of the wasteland, ghouls, the actions of the slavers; especially to mares, and raiders.
“I lived through all of that, and that world would still be living through that, if it weren’t for the actions of one mare who found the method to cleanse that world, and a mare that inspired them to be better. They share names and color schemes with two fillies in the village I’m living in. I will tell you the stories of Littlepip and Blackjack.” The horror and tears on the princesses faces assuaged my fears to a degree as I told their stories while I continued on. “I never did meet either mare, so that I could thank them for fixing their predecessors mistakes, including mine.”
“What was your mistake? By your own admission, you were a diplomat and a healer during the war, and did your best to end it.” Princess Luna asked tearfully."
“My mistake is one I will never repeat. I had the power to demolish both governments, and to force a peace.” I steadied my voice, and looked at both princesses. “Celestia, Lady of the Day; Luna, Duchess of the Night; if you go to war with a mortal foe that threatens your world, I will act. I will compulse your minds to nothing, and use you only as puppets to control the sun and moon. I will destroy the leadership of your foe utterly.” I shift my voice to as grandiose as possible. I took hold of the source, and wove an eavesdropping ward on the room, and then wove my voice to be as loud as I could make it. "Do not doubt me or my resolve. I will protect your subjects, and I will protect myself from any repeat of that world.
I quickly undid my weaves, a flash of humor across the void at their expressions at my volume. I let go of the source, then continued on. "But, I will likely not have to go through with my threat. This world is more likely to be destroyed by my human colleagues than you. So like the last two times I've made this threat, it was rendered idle." Though it should have been three times. Stupid banana-loving light-blasted version of Celestia.
Both Celestia and Luna continued to cry, and held each other in a hug. This continued on for a while, during which I poured the two of them more tea. "Here, drink this. It won't do for your staff to see that you've been crying." I handed them both their teacups, which they both took large drafts of.
Celestia looked at me, having stopped crying. "For what it is worth, I apologize for what my alternate self did to you."
Luna looked at me, sadness clear in her eyes. "I extend my humblest apologies for the harm my reflection caused you."
I shook my head. "Ladies, I do not blame you for what someone who looks you did. I only seek to keep you from repeating the mistakes of the past." I suddenly felt very tired. "I hate to cut our conversation short, but I feel exhausted. I thank you for the audience. May all of our future dealings be more peaceful than this encounter."
"Agreed." The two alicorns stated in stereo.
"And so, I bid you good even, and take my leave of this place." I then slithered off to leave the palace.
*****
I got back to our suite, and found a note from Violet saying that she had eaten out, and to go ahead and use the horn. I ate a delicious as usual meal, performed my evening ablutions, then went to bed.
*****
The next day was a wonderfully busy day of getting Violet ready to perform that evening, and then I got the best seat in the house to listen to the music: The front middle of the balcony.
*****
Author's Notes
Some time ago, I did a related crossover/interview with Nathan Traveler's story Puppy Love's Chess Game. Give it your love and support, please.