"Sir." An older male sat before the president. "I appreciate why you're doing what you're doing, but this will be struck down in courts, quickly, and leave us with little in return. There's an easier way."
President Wilson took a slow breath. "I'm listening."
"Most utilities operate under a granted monopoly, given by state decree more often than not. What is granted, can be rescinded. If states see a reason to do so, a financial one, they'll move. You don't need to take them all over, just make them obsolete. If they aren't providing as much power as the power that's free and everywhere? That will tip the scales."
Wilson nodded slowly, considering this option. "We'll have to keep it all out of federal hands, to stay away from constitutional questions, but it can be done. The question is how do we turn the patchwork of grid ownership into a single body?"
The man placed his hands flat on Wilson's desk. "That's a question for a future president."
Wilson let his breath out, deflating at the idea. "I hate the idea of that."
"I don't think many presidents like it." The man leaned back. "But better to make some small movement rather than being shoved backwards. Some states will rally behind you quickly, some will be slower about it."
"Some movement, right." Wilson reached for his pen. "Better than nothing."
"What a mess." Twilight gaped at the media being presented. The place she had considered was a hotbed of political activity, much of it violent or dangerously near to being so. "I think we can confidently write off the Middle East. I thought America was bad, but the political upheavals." She glanced over the floating globe. "We'd be better off starting in Africa."
Fluttershy jabbed at the globe with a hoof. "Ooh! How about here?" She pointed at Australia, smiling with an ear swivel. "They don't look mean."
Twilight smiled gently at her friend's enthusiasm. "They seem nice enough." The media was playing, showing the Australians and their life. "But they're isolated. Bringing two power plants there? That seems counterproductive. No, we definitely want one there." She pointed to Europe. "An entire continent of friendly nations with a shared power grid. A power source there would make a large impact."
"Oh." Fluttershy chewed on her lower lip before nodding. "I guess that makes sense. Do you have a good spot in mind?"
Twilight focused her attention on Europe, tapping a hoof against the tip of her muzzle as media played from around the area.
One caught her attention, and she swiped back to it, bringing up a media of England. "Mmm. That reminds me of somepony."
Fluttershy inclined her head curiously. "Who?"
"You know her." Twilight pushed off, flying with a strong flap of her wing and hammering new buttons with hooves and magic. "It's time we woke her up."
"Darling, I thought you'd never, mmm, call," came a voice from the computer. "It's so good to be awake. Now, where's my body? I can't look fabulous without one of those, dear."
Twilight gently stroked the wall of their ship. "It'd take some time to generate a new one for you, and we're a little short on time, Rarity. It's good to hear you, but you're going to have to stay like that until you can incarnate."
"Incarnate, darling? You have me at something of a loss."
Twilight pushed away from the wall. "It's already happened with Pinkie. You'll be 'reborn', essentially. You just need to hop into either me or Fluttershy. When we produce a foal with my spell, your consciousness will be downloaded and part of the process. Understand?"
"No." There was quiet a moment. "Still, if that means I'll have a form, that sounds far superior to just being a voice. Dear, I love you all very much, but just being a voice simply isn't my style."
Fluttershy raised a hoof. "Um, I'll volunteer."
"Darling! That's so very kind of you. Well, put your hoof on the panel then. You know how this works."
Fluttershy did so, wincing as Rarity was injected physically into her, spreading through her body in a brief bout of clear pain. "Ow. Um, are you okay?"
A flickering image of Rarity appeared next to Fluttershy. "Much better!" She looked around a bit. "Why is everypony else solid and not me?"
"Timing." Twilight pointed to the globe. "We were thinking of landing here, and I thought you'd fit in quite nicely."
Rarity looked over the media with thoughtful noises. "Well, dear, I do like what I see. They seem civilized enough." She fluffed at her mane, as fake as it was. "We'll see if we can't impress them with pony fashion, hm?"
Twilight smirked at that. "Let that be the largest of our problems. First, we have to check with them." She went quiet, communicating with things so very far away.
Parliament was a riot of conversation. The aliens had reached out to them, quite by surprise, and what they offered was beyond the pale.
"Finally," cried one woman. "America was keeping all those ponies to themselves."
"That's not fair!" This one raised a hand as he spoke. "This isn't fair. They were being hoarded. We deserve the chance to see these creatures, too."
A man near the front stood. "And here's our chance. Their request, however, is considerable."
Things quieted as the specifics were put down. England would have to enhance its power connections with the mainland, which did already exist but could be, and must be, strengthened. They'd also have to freely share the power they received, which they'd also freely get in the first place.
There were nitpicky little things, allowing the UK to recoup the cost of the connections and upkeeping it and a little on top of that, but, overall, it was to be free power. "Liberation." Some laughter broke out, imagining being entirely free of coal and heating oil prices. "And let's not forget natural gas." This brought a louder roar from the room as laughter ran through the crowd.
But that led to the thornier part. "They are suggesting we use this gift as a bargaining chip." Murmurs spread through the room. "To retake a position in the EU." The conversation grew far louder at that. Some raised to shouts, and with it, arguments.
Still, they were arguing, which was a step improved from the matter simply being brushed off the floor.
"Excuse me." The arguments died down, confused at the new voice. "Darlings, a moment of your time, kindly." A face appeared on a monitor, furry and well groomed. "Hello and greetings from Equestria. We will be joining you, hopefully, shortly. We know we've asked much from you, dears, but we do hope it isn't too much. We look forward to sharing in your culture, mm, yes, and to a world less reliant on burning things to get anything done, dears."
The argument resumed, only this time, the lead speaker had a face to look at as he spoke.
Twilight shook her head at the video she was watching. "The situation's complicated enough as it is. You really need to throw random voices into the fray?"
Rarity appeared beside Twilight. "They need to know we're a real thing, dear, not just something far away. We'll be with them, will we not? We'll be neighbors!"
Twilight chewed on the side of her lip before nodding once, slowly. "And they'll need to get used to you." She waved a hoof through Rarity's floating form. "Not all humans will react as well as the Chinese have, and it can be argued how well they reacted." She put a hoof to her face. "Just, be careful, alright? We don't want to encourage any rash actions on their part."
Rarity exhaled slowly, puffing her lips out in the process. "I will do my best to not agitate them, but if they are willing to hear from us, then I do think we should talk with them." She puffed herself up proudly. "Besides, they're all talking, dear. I can appreciate a creature that can talk out their problems. Now, excuse me." She vanished, focusing her attention on the meeting she had interrupted.
The members of parliament were a bickering mob now, rather than an organized congress. A single voice rose above them all, trying to rally support for action.
"I am the prime minister! You must listen to me." His voice boomed with the force of years spent on the campaign trail, and even more on the national stage.
Then Rarity appeared anew. "Sorry for that interruption, darlings. Where were we?"
"They can be dealt with," stated the prime minister in a harsh tone. "Now, it's time to focus on our new visitors."
Rarity cocked her head slightly at that. "Just who are you talking about?" She leaned forward, stretching out her neck with a frown. "Do be clear, dear."
"England will resume its position as the leader of Europe," declared the prime minister with confidence.
Rarity inclined her head. "Well, hm." That did mean, technically, they were doing what they had been asked, but. "Darling, do remember you're on shaky ground. Perhaps you should get in the door before declaring you're in charge, dear. Let's advance, together." She put up a hoof in what she hoped would be solidarity.
But the arguing resumed.
Rainbow nuzzled her little foal. "You're not as colorful as me, but, pfft, who is?" She looked them over. "In fact, you're almost opposite. So bright white." She ruffled their little head. "But you are a pegasus. Pinkie, what do you think?"
But there was no reply.
"Pinkie?" Rainbow poked at herself. "Hello? You in there? Pinks?"
"Surprise," squeaked out the little foal, smiling with her purple eyes and shaking her blonde mane.
Rainbow blinked at that. "Uh?"
Surprise reached out to tap Rainbow on the nose. "Bird-day."
Rainbow frowned a moment before it clicked. "Pinkie?!"
"Surprise!" cried out the foal, bursting into merry giggles as she bounced in place.
"Pinkie!" Rainbow hugged her child, who was also her best friend? "Twilight does some weird stuff, huh?"
"Yes." Surprise hugged Rainbow, the two fondly sharing their embrace. Strange or not, they loved each other dearly, and little else mattered for the moment.
"I have to get to work." Her chosen human peeked in. "You alright? Who are you talking to?"
Rainbow twirled around, holding Surprise. "Our Daughter, Surprise."
"Oh, uh, that's her name? Surprise?" The man stepped up to them with a curious look. "Hi there, Surprise. My name's Pete." He stuck out a hand.
Surprise turned her head slightly as she looked at the proffered appendage. Reaching out, she pressed a hoof against it and burst into fresh giggles.
He smiled at the exchange. "Now, you be nice to your mom." He moved his hand to give Rainbow a fond rub across her face. "Be back later, okay?"
"You got it." Rainbow saluted with a wing. "Now, Surprise, we have things to discuss." She sat down with the foal, holding her close. "We gotta be careful with humans, so we don't get in trouble."
Surprise gasped in horror. "That's no fun!"
"Well, some of them aren't as good at thinking as you and me." She touched noses with Surprise. "And you're not as tough as you used to be." She squeezed Surprise just enough to get a squeak out of her. "See? Normal pony, not space pony. You could get hurt."
Surprise smiled with a look of determination in her eyes. "But I won't."
Rainbow had to laugh at that. "Wow! Whoa! Right there with you, Pinks." She ran a hoof through Surprise's mane. "Oh, uh, will you get mad if I call you Pinkie?"
Surprise considered that with all the gravity a little foal could manage. "No." She pointed at herself. "Surprise!"
Rainbow giggled. "Okay, let's not make that confusing." She held Surprise close with a hoof across her chest. "Surprise is just fine." She smirked a little. "I swear, they didn't tell me this was coming, but it does mean we get to hang out, and you're not just a hologram, so I'll take that as a win."