The recreation center was chaotic with the droning noise of hundreds of ponies quietly debating with each other about what Alexia’s declaration would be.
The center was crammed with a thousand more ponies than it was designed for, and that did not include the countless pegasi hovering in the air so their ground bound kin could have more seats. When word came that Tune had a solution to the gender ratio, everyone raced to attend the announcement at noon. The center had the space to host a football game, and the roughed up centerfield turf was currently host to a simple platform with a microphone and Alexia’s herd. Tune’s group was waiting for everyone to finish finding a seat before speaking. During that time, many a pony gossiped about what the sudden change in the mane colors of the four ponies standing on the platform symbolized.
Conrad pushed the microphone away to speak to Alexia in private, and had the conversation in Equish so they wouldn’t be understood by others. “You know. Considering they feel as if your word is law, and that I keep hearing princess and your name in the same sentence; I feel as if there’s a paradox somewhere in that.”
She rolled her eyes. “At least its proof I don’t have some super brainwashing power over them like the Colonel’s goons keep spouting. I still wish they’d stop calling me a princess.”
A pegasus mare fluttered down to hover in front of the herd. “I don’t think anyone else can fit boss.”
Glad someone doesn’t see me as royalty. “Thank you Gina.”
The pegasus nodded before flying back up to take her place. Tune tapped the mic with a hoof a few times to get everyone’s attention. “Thank you all for coming.” She waited for the gossip to cease. “As you all know, I called you here to discuss a major problem. Namingly, the fact that mares grossly outnumber stallions. As I have said before to many of you in the past, but never in a formal address; this is normal for our kind. The force that is changing humans into ponies is not skewing the gender ratio. It is in fact keeping us at our racial baseline.”
Some gentle murmurs swept the crowd, but it quickly died down. She glanced about the crowd. “With that being said, one thing is made abundantly clear.” She paused for emphasis. “We ponies cannot support monogamy.”
A chorus of voices from every end of the emotional spectrum erupted from the assembled ponies. Some were thrilled, others angry, more were dumbfounded, speechless, or otherwise argumentative for the sake of being argumentative.
“Enough!” Tune’s authoritative voice rang out loud and clear over the crowd, silencing almost everyone. “Thank you.”
She took a breath to continue. “I am not saying any of you are being forced to abandon monogamy. To expect you to give that up in an instant would be unfair and cruel.” Her words abated many fears. “However. The norm for our society should be the formation of herds, numbering one stallion for every two to four mare. But as I said before,” she said before anyone could start arguing. “This is not mandatory. Your lives are your own, and you have the right to love whoever you wish. All I ask is that all of you at least attempt what I am proposing.”
The crowd was deathly silent as they waited for her to finish her sales pitch. “You have the right to form a herd at your own pace, if you want to form one at all.” She waved for her herd to step forward. “To emphasize my commitment to this solution, my housemates and I have become a herd.”
She scanned the crowd, trying to make brief eye contact with as many as possible. “For those of you who have been wondering why our mane colors have changed, it is not a fashion statement. My mane carries the colors of my herd. Steel for Conrad, pink for Loki, and red for Crimson. All four of us carry the colors of each other to symbolize our union as a herd.”
She knew her public well enough to move on. “I am ready to answer as many questions as time allows.”
Thousands hooves raised themselves in the air. Gina removed the mobile microphone off her belt and flew over the pony Tune pointed out. It was a fellow pegasus mare. “What about intimacy?”
Alexia knew it was a fair question. “As many of you already knew, I have been with Conrad since we arrived at The Ranch. We are still together, and a part of the herd. Loki and Crimson are free to have intercourse with him at their discretion. Which they already have,” she added to poke fun at them.
The next question came from a unicorn stallion. “And you’re okay with this?”
Alexia’s tone took on a slight comical note. “Well I wouldn’t be sharing this information with the world if I wasn’t.” A round of laughter erupted before her raised hoof quieted them back down. “But on a more serious note, I am not only okay with this; but I couldn’t be happier. As I have pointed out on many occasions, this transformation that turned us into ponies left our personality and memories intact. However, we are a difference species now, many of us not even the same gender as before. That means many preconceptions we once held about ourselves are outdated. As humans, monogamy is normal. As ponies, monogamy is only kept because it is what the vast majority of us were raised up on and lived by. The natural state of ponies is the herd, and I trust that once many of you experience the thrill of being in a herd, you will likely not want to go back.”
An earth mare was next. “How did your mane colors get switched around?”
I like easy questions. “It’s a simple spell any earth pony or unicorn can cast. Loki and I will happily teach it in my next magic class.”
A second earth mare took the mic. “So how does it all work? You guys form a committee to makes decisions or what?”
Tune was hoping she could avoid this particular question for later. “Well,” she suppressed a sigh, “we try to reach a consensus on issues, but when a quick decision is needed or we can’t reach an agreement on a matter, it’s up to the herd alpha to make the final call.”
That caused a big stir in the crowd. Yet it was not as big as Alexia thought it would be, as monogamy traditionally had one spouse be the head of household and makes all of the big decisions; even if recent social trends were starting to move away from that. A different pony got the next question. “So who is the alpha in your herd?”
Before Alexia could speak the pony next to the questioner grabbed the mic. “Do you even need to ask? It’s the Princess of course.”
The original questioner yanked the mic back. “She’s not a princess you twat!” she growled. “Besides, what makes you think she’d want to be the alpha?”
Gina wrestled the mic out of the mare’s hooves. “Stop acting like foals would ya?”
Dozens of ponies across the entire crowd clamored to have the question answered. Conrad leaned into the silver unicorn’s ear to speak in Equish. “This might cause a riot if you don’t answer.”
She glowered at the general direction of the asker. “If I answer yes, I’d be validating this whole princess fiasco.”
The stallion couldn’t help but to poke fun. “I thought it was every little girl’s dream to be a princess.”
“That may be, but I was never a little girl.” She pushed the mic into his hooves. “You answer the question.”
He shoved it back. “Oh no. You’re the mare everyone looks up to. Besides, this sounds like running from a problem.”
“Its not running,” she huffed. “Its called a strategic delegation. You can’t expect me to do everything.”
He snickered as he readied the microphone. “Your attention please.” The noised started to die down, but were in mild confusion.
Loki jabbed him in the wing shoulder. “You might want to switch to speaking in English there featherbrain.”
He kicked himself before speaking again. “The question that was voiced is hardly a personal one.” What with the obvious placement of our stripes. He wanted to lean as far away from the princess connotation as possible. “As for our herd’s alpha, that position is held by Alexia Tune.”
A round of cheers cycled through the crowd, making the unicorn groan. It was going to come out anyway.
The questions droned on for two hours with some of them being directed at one of Tune’s herdmates. Several were on the specifics on a pony style wedding, with more than a few requests for Alexia to perform the ceremony for them. At the end of those two hours, Tune called for a recess so she could rest her voice and everyone have a chance to refresh themselves.
Alexia’s herd barely had any time to do just that as they were bombarded with congratulatory praise on being so progressive on solving the dilemma. It was not something any of the four anticipated. Crimson’s left foreleg was nearly numb from all the hoofshaking she was doing. The crowd backed away after ten minutes when Gina and a few others made them give Alexia’s herd some breathing room. Anderson leaned into Conrad’s and spoke in near perfect Equish. “I thought they’d be more resistant to this.”
“I’m sure many are, but they’re like skulking off somewhere.”
Loki scoffed at overhearing it. “Let them sulk. This is how our kind is supposed to be.”
Tune was a little more supportive. “Everyone’s done a swell job at adapting to our new lives so far. This is the last big step for all of us in shifting from human to pony lifestyles. At least as far as what we can accomplish within the camp at least.”
Crimson concurred. “They just need time to adjust.”
Tune was about to respond when a two unicorn mares and an earth stallion approached her. Gina and her security group were spread too thin to notice them. To Alexia’s chagrin they bowed their heads before speaking. “Princess Alexia. Could you teach us the flower spell?”
She recognized the two unicorns from her magical instruction classes. The mares were two of the best casters outside of Tune herself. The classes were a far cry from her studies with Twilight, but it was an excellent way to hone her people’s magic in mass. She tried to be patient about it all. “I am no princess. But as I said, I will teach it at the next class.”
One of the mares stepped forward. “But what if you get called away to one of your assignments? I know many ponies who will want to participate in the Exchange of Color you spoke of, and there’s no telling when you’ll return.”
A valid concern. The Director did tell me to expect a message today. She eyed her students. “Alright, I trust the three of you to filter this down to everyone else who wants it. Its really a simple cantrap that requires the imbiber’s consent. The first thing you need is a large white flower, or several smaller ones…”
As she finished explaining the finer points of the spell, First Sergeant Vanders glided down to a landing amidst the herd. “Sorry to break up your announcement boss,” he said directly at Tune, “but Director Thompson wanted you to have this.”
Alexia’s group tactfully told the ponies gathered around them to give them space while the alpha took the proffered note from Vanders’ saddlebag. “I take it we have to leave right away?”
Vanders half shrugged. “Not quite, he wants to leave ASAP, but also he wants to give you a little time to make an announcement.”
“Make an announcement? Did he find out about my gender imbalance solution?”
“I don’t think so Miss-, I mean Alexia. While you did give word of this proclamation last night, I doubt the Colonel would relay any information to the Director willingly.”
Tune hummed in contemplation at his comment as she opened the envelope. The orders were hastily written by hand instead of the usual printed text. I’ll make this brief and I expect you to destroy this letter as usual. It was nothing Alexia didn’t expect so far. While tact would normally dictate telling you this news in person, when Sergeant Vanders informed me of your current activity, I decided you could use the next twenty minutes more wisely. Now the letter had her full attention.
I’m not sure if this calls for congratulations or simply good cheer. Either way, the Commander in Chief has agreed to free all ponies from the internment camps, there are four others besides your own. You and your housemates are leaving for D.C. where you are to be introduced to the President. He will make his public address tomorrow morning with you at his side.
Alexia half expected to never be given this letter. All of her inquires over the past three weeks into the matter were frustratingly denied comment. Yet right here in her kinesis, was the one thing she had been wanting to hear ever since setting foot inside The Ranch.
Given that you already have your people gathered in one place, you might as well let them know the good news. But do make it quick, we need to be in the air soon. While you do this, I will be forwarding all relevant information to First Sergeant Vanders’ phone so he can answer any questions the ponies might have in your absence.
-T
Many things ran through Tune’s mind in the following few seconds as she reread the note a second time to verify that her mind wasn’t playing tricks on her. She knew every pony in the camp was aware of her dangerous assignments with Thompson. Her popularity within the camp made hiding that impossible.
What did not occur to her at that moment, was a rumor she overheard in passing in which many ponies were under the assumption that these missions were done to ensure their freedom to return to society.
In addition, she did not know that this rumor was championed by those who saw her as a princess. Reed and others like him, were trying to use the idea of Alexia fighting for their freedom as a jumping point to convince other ponies to accept her change in status to that of a princess.
These rumors were pervasive and almost everyone in the camp heard it at least two or three times a week. However many ignored it as blustering from Reed’s group. The general mindset in the camp accepted the fact that Tune’s actions were the reason the farm, rec center, and a scattering other few construction projects had been allowed; but freedom of the camp was beyond wishful thinking. As a result, the princesshood supporters were a small, but vocal, minority.
So it was that Alexia could not fully anticipate the consequences of her next course of action.
She raced to the mic with barely contained giddiness. “Attention please! Everyone settle down for a major announcement.”
Even with those who were quite resistant about the herd solution, when Tune requested to be heard, every pony silenced themselves to listen in an instant. The jarring switch from thousands of ponies talking with each other to near total silence was unsettling to the silver unicorn, but it did nothing dampen her cheerfulness. “Now I have no idea how this is going to happen at this time. But I just received word that the president has agreed to set us free and that The Ranch will be closed!”
A heavy silence hung over the crowd for a full three seconds as they processed the completely unexpected news. Doctor Reed used it as the perfect excuse to get more ponies on his side of the fence and yelled out. “All hail Princess Alexia, the second Great Emancipator!”
One of Reed’s coconspirators ran with it. “The Princess won us our freedom!”
The rest of the pro-royalty crowd started chanting “Princess Alexia! Princess Alexia!”
One of the negative side effects of the herd mindset was a stronger susceptibility to mob mentality. That coupled with the rumors and who the messenger of that emancipation proclamation was, made even those who were completely resistant to forming a herd, and as a result had a dimmer view of the silver mare, abandon all reservations about joining in the cheerful chanting.
Tune’s ears folded back to protect her hearing from the thousands of ponies screaming the words like a mantra. “Princess Alexia! Princess Alexia!” The silver mare felt her mana respond to the cheering and started to writhe and reshape itself the more the chanting intensified as the crowd quickly abandoned any reservations about her royal status, and fully devoted themselves to following her lead. Had she not been too busy trying to keep her anger in check about being called a princess, she would have noticed a tingling sensation coursing through her body as abnormal. In addition, had it not been for the bright cloudless day and the distraction of the cheering, someone would have noticed the vibrant glows around the herd’s cutie marks.
Her fury reached her boiling point and felt as if she was going to explode. Okay, this has gone on long enough. She growled to herself as she was about to vent her supreme wrath of being called royalty.
Tune took a deep breath to begin raging when Vanders tugged on the foreleg holding the microphone. Her seething glare attempted to burn a hole through the stallion’s face, but he had seen worse things in life and was mostly unfazed. “The Director needs you at the helipad,” he reminded her.
Alexia had the presence of mind to click the mic off as she vented on the NCO. “I am not leaving them there to chant that damnable title in front on my name! If I don’t stop them right and now I’ll never hear the end of it!” The tingle became an itch in some places, two of which were at the base of her front hooves and was moving up along her legs.
“And if you don’t go now, you might keep the President waiting. We don’t want to give him any excuse to resend his decision.” Vanders countered.
“If he were that petty he wouldn’t be the Prez.”
“Please P-Miss Tune. The sooner he gives that speech the better.”
A more composed Alexia might have heard Vanders’ slip up. She might have noticed he was trying to get her out of the rec center so she couldn’t nip the issue in the bud, and she might have realized that all the time he had been wasting with her right now could have been spent doing just that.
This was not the calm and collected silver unicorn, but one who was seconds from doing something she might regret. “Fine,” she yelled while tossing the mic at him. “You talk some sense into these clowns. We’re leaving.”
She whistled at her herd and the bunched up to stand abreast. Tune stormed over so she was close enough to speak. “Confound these ponies!” Her horn built up an enormous amount of unstable mana over the course of a few seconds, an array made of blue light appeared beneath their hooves. She and her party vanished from sight with a flash of light and a loud pop of displaced air.
Thompson was monitoring his watch with growing concern. Okay, telling her she had time to announce their freedom was a bad idea. The tailor needs their measurements, and time to make the outfits. Not to mention that the CiC wanted to speak with them at length before tonight.
His inner musings were interrupted by a brilliant azure flash of light as four ponies materialized a few meters from the helicopter. The nonunicorns stumbled away from her in a daze as they were completely unaccustomed to teleportation. Tune was absolutely livid and felt her unstable magic respond to that aggression. “Damn stupid insane blathering morons!” A small part of her realized that if this anger fueled mana were released from her horn again, the results might be disastrous. However the majority of her wanted to vent so she passed it through to her legs. She reared up and screamed her rage while slamming down on the concrete. “How many times do I have to say NOOOO!”
She expected the vented magic would do nothing as it passed from her hooves to the ground. Instead she slightly cratered the concrete with a ring of cracks emanating from the points of impact and going so far as five centimeters away from her hooves. Being away from the crowd dulled the itching, and the tingling became negligible.
Alexia breathed heavily to try and get her temper under control. The other ponies were bewildered by the teleport as they had been expecting a mass invisibility cloak. Loki was the first to be at her side after recovering from the teleport’s vertigo. “Hey cheer up. Its not like they can make you wear a crown or anything. Just think of it as a nickname.” The green mare wanted to avoid the teleport issue for now.
A single evil eye carved a burning path from the fractured concrete to the hacker. She spoke through clinched teeth. “When we come back, we’re settling this issue once and for all.”
“I hear ya.” Loki placed a tentative hoof on Alexia’s withers. “Let’s remember the good stuff though huh? We talk to the big cheese he says yatta yatta yatta, you say yap yap yap, we all go home and pack.”
When all was said and done, Loki had a knack for defusing the unicorn’s occasional blow up. Today was no different. Tune felt her anger wash away as if water through the cracks in the ground. The fact that there were fissures in the concrete didn’t click in the silver unicorn’s mind. “Thanks Loki.”
She let the green mare lead her towards the helicopter with Conrad quickly following. Crimson was the only one to actually notice the oddity of the cracks and she took a moment to look at the points of impact. I didn’t know unicorns could do that. Of course, I didn’t think she was capable of such long distance teleportation either. A troubled though occurred to her. Let alone group teleporting, when did that start?
Thompson waited for the herd to don the proffered helmets before asking the waiting question after seeing her display of frustration. “Problem Miss Tune?”
“No, everything’s fine…” With the cognitive haze cleared as her anger subsided, she realized she was at the helipad, and the droning helicopter was not one flying in low overhead of the dormitories, but adjacent to her. How in blazes did we get here already? She brushed it aside for now to keep Thompson from waiting. “Just some silliness on what the other ponies want to call me.”
The Director agreed that it was a nonissue as far as his business was concerned and dropped the matter. She must have rushed them here with short hop blinks. An odd way to travel, but that’s her prerogative. He led them inside the Sea Stallion and waited until the ponies got comfortable in their seats. Although he did notice that Crimson asked Loki to switch places with her so the pale yellow mare could sit next to Alexia.
Thompson wasted little time in getting started in his explanation of what the next day would entail. “The itinerary boils down to this. When we arrive, you will be kept away from the public sections of the White House until the President can give his speech in the morning. He will introduce you to the public spotlight and announce that all ponies are to be granted all civil liberties enjoyed by the rest of the American public.”
“Except the four of us of course,” Conrad countered.
Thompson was getting moderately tired of the pegasus’s constant reminder of that. “I was not the one who drafted the terms of service. However, given that the administration is upholding their end of the bargain in this exchange, I’d say you came out on top.” He forced his eyes away from Conrad to settle over the mares. “The primary reason I wanted to have us leave in a hurry is to give the tailor I’ve selected time to fashion appropriate attire for you.”
Alexia shook her head. “I’m not wearing anything.”
The Director suppressed a sigh. “This is going to be a worldwide broadcast and will set the precedence for relations between our two species from here on.”
“That’s precisely why I refuse to wear anything save for what is practical.” Alexia politely pointed a hoof at him. “We ponies do not have bodily modesty. If I go up there in our first public appearance with a dress or whatever, it will not only give the impression that we do, but might cause my people to develop such a trait.”
“That might backfire on you.” Thompson cautioned.
“I agree with Alex,” Crimson added. “Everypony looks to her for guidance.” She turned to face the slight grimace from Tune. “Whether she likes it not.” Anderson returned her attention to the Director. “This will set the precedence. It may or may not cause some bad publicity, but in the end I think people will accept us not having to wear clothes.”
Thompson remained contemplative for several seconds before leaning back in his seat. “Its not like I or anyone else is going to force you to wear clothes if you don’t want to. I only did it so you would have something more to dissociate yourselves from animals.”
Conrad tsked. “If anyone can’t tell we’re intelligent just because of that, then they hardly qualify for the term themselves.” His wings fidgeted as they usually did when he was flying by something other than his own power. “Sides, I like the feel of the wind in my fur anyway.”
“Uh huh,” was all Thompson could reply with. “Very well. Let’s get down to the core points of the press conference itself then.”
The briefing when on for most of the rest of the flight, and it was only the last thirty minutes when the quartet had time to digest the information. Crimson however, wanted to do something else and pulled a metal hoof file from the small saddlebag she always wore. It had yet to be adorned with her cutie mark, but it was not an overly large concern when compared to her studies.
The medic laid a hoof on Tune’s foreleg and spoke in Equish. “Let me see your hooves.”
The unicorn was confused by the presence of the file even as she offered her hoof. “I had them filed when we got back from the last mission, I don’t scuff that easily.”
Anderson was checking for signs of damage. “You fractured the concrete back there. Unicorns don’t have the same magic to protect themselves against that kind of force in their hooves.” She was perplexed by the presence of only a little cosmetic damage and put the file down to gently probe Tube’s foreleg. “Do you feel any pain or discomfort?”
Alexia watched her midwife prod the length of her leg. “No, I feel fine. Did I really damage the ground back there?”
“Yeah you did. Were you trying to do that?”
“Not overly much.” She replied sheepishly. “My mana’s been acting funny since the flare. But after this morning’s meditation I thought it would stay under control for at least a few more days.”
Crimson could hardly call herself even a novice at magical knowledge when compared to the unicorn, so she left the matter to Alexia. Seeing no injuries, the pale yellow mare grabbed the file to rebuff her alpha’s hooves. “Well I’m sure you know how to keep it under control. Although I think you should reconsider the dress.”
“Why’s that?”
“Believe it or not. Your pregnancy is showing. Its not far enough along to be noticeable even under mild scrutiny, but you’re going to be on international TV. Someone’s bound to notice and word could get back to the Colonel.”
Tune growled at the thought of him. “What do I care if he finds out? After tomorrow morning his power over us will be neutered; and even if someone does notice, then that makes it all the better,” she declared with a hint of anger still directed at Bowler. “I’m not going to go out of my way to point it out, but if someone does notice my twins then let them. It’ll drive home the fact that we ponies are not some passing trend that’ll be gone in few decades. We’re here to stay, and our children will see to that.”
Anderson worriedly eyed her herdmate. “I’m all for making our kind a permanent presence on Earth, but a little tact couldn’t hurt. This is the President after all.”
The earth mare finished inspecting Tune’s forelegs and repairing the light damage to her hooves. Alexia nuzzled her affectionately. “Thanks for looking out for me. I think I’m just getting over stressed about this press conference and the damnable princess crap.”
Crimson knew how she felt about the last topic, and felt a subtle push was in order. “This whole liberation thing is really going to make it hard for those at the camp to call you anything else.”
Tune crossed her forelegs and rested her head on her fetlocks. “Gah. Don’t remind me. It’s the only bad thing about it all.”
Anderson stroked Alexia’s mane to ease the stress out. “It sounds to me they’re trying to follow current pony customs. You’re the alpha of the camp so to speak, and everypony knows the princesses are the rulers of Equestria thanks to the few scattered books we have. Not to mention Princess Twilight Sparkle herself.”
Tune didn’t answer right away as she mulled over it a bit. For a moment she wondered why Conrad and Loki had been silent as they were supposed to be on the same channel. It only took her one glance to see why. The green and brown ponies were making out with a passion that Alexia suspected was making Thompson feel uncomfortable.
To his credit, the Director made no indication that he noticed or cared as he read a document from his smartpad. The unicorn snickered at her herdmates’ antics before addressing Crimson. “If they know that much about equestrian government then they also know all four princesses are alicorns. I’m not fit for the title even if I wanted it.”
The medic timed her response carefully. “I think it might stem from the fact that there are no alicorns on Earth to take up the mantle. So in all likelihood, you’re the next best thing in their eyes.”
The unicorn eyed the earth pony carefully. “Just what are you trying to say?”
Anderson shrugged. “Just playing devil’s advocate. The best way to handle any issue is to understand both sides, even if you can’t agree on anything the other side has to say.”
“Fair enough,” Alexia replied at length. “So tell me why I should willingly take up that…title,” she said while trying to keep the irritation out of her tone.
“Now granted I wasn’t here to witness how the ponies lived when you first arrived at The Ranch; but what I’ve heard it was a miserable existence. I’m not going to go in massive detail here, but you gave the other ponies hope that they could still have a good life. You’ve helped so many of them acclimate through the support groups. You’ve even gotten us earth ponies to not feel like lesser people because we don’t have wings or a horn.”
Tune scoffed at it. “I only did what someone else should have done before me. Outside of being the first, I’m no different than anyone else.”
“But the fact is no one did.” Crimson nuzzled the silver mare affectionately. “No one stepped up to the plate until you brought them out of the rut they were in. And now look at them. Rachael is one of twenty magic instructors for when we’re away or otherwise busy. We have four football and two soccer teams since you helped us get the rec center.”
“I never told them what sports to play. I don’t even really care for sports in general,” Tune countered. “Never did when I was human either.”
Crimson wanted to berate her about not liking sports, but she herself rarely had time to follow her favorite teams thanks to her medical studies. So she dropped the issue in favor of the more prudent one. “That’s not the point. Did they have a team before you got the Center up and running?”
“Well there were a couple who wanted to make a team, but not enough cared to,” Alexia replied.
“And then you come along and provide an incentive for everyone to feel productive again and then suddenly we have six teams ready to tear up the field.” She leaned forwards to be eye to eye with the unicorn. “You don’t give yourself enough credit.”
Tune gave her a lazy look. “Actually I think I do. The problem is I don’t see why I have to take on a title that is not just royalty, but apparently has religious connotations as well. Its the last part I really don’t like.”
Anderson’s hum was lost in the drone of the aircraft. “Let’s make a ‘what if’ scenario here and say you did accept the title. By doing so, you’d give them what they want: a princess. But as a condition of this acceptance, or maybe even a law passed later, that you want to be strictly seen as a secular leader.”
Tune didn’t believe it would happen. “What about the government? You can’t tell me they’d like it.”
Anderson smirked and waved at Thompson. “Well the government is sitting right there. Why don’t you ask him?”
Everyone felt the helicopter begin to cut its forward momentum and descend to the landing site. Alexia waved the question off. “He’d tell you the same thing I’ve been telling everyone. American royalty is a laughable concept.”
Crimson decided to drop it for now as their flight was near its end. All five occupants of the Sea Stallion felt the touch down and piled out of the aircraft to find a reception of secret servicemen waiting for them. It was early evening, but the longer days of late summer meant the sky was still blue, or it would have been were it not a heavy overcast threatening rain.
The lead receptionist shook hands with Thompson. “Director Thompson, I am Special Agent Menville.”
Thompson let the handshake go while gesturing to the four ponies in turn. “Agent, this is Alexia Tune, Conrad, Loki, and Crimson Anderson.”
Menville thought the absence of family names for the green and brown ponies was odd, but ultimately unimportant. “If you will follow my men, we will take you to your accommodations.”
One of the servicemen took the lead with Menville flanking the herd to the left and Thompson to the right. Loki positioned herself to be adjacent to the Special Agent and waited to speak when the helicopter didn’t drown out her voice as it took back off into the air. “Aren’t we supposed to be here in secret until the big coming out party tomorrow?”
Menville answered without turning his head. “That is correct.”
“Doesn’t the big house have tourists all day? They might see us.”
“Tours are temporarily suspended.”
“Ah. Well that makes sense.”
The rest of the trip was done in silence, save for the mares pointing out various artworks and cooing at the prospect of being guests in the White House. Conrad was amused by the whole thing. If they knew who I used to be, they wouldn’t let me within one kilometer of the White House.
The ponies were guided to the Queen’s bedroom. Menville took the lead to walk into the room before the ponies and Thompson while the rest of the servicemen stayed out in the sitting hall. Loki was the only one who did not balk at the sheer amount of pink and feminine fluff the room had. “Due to the secrecy of your presence, I must request that you stay here until called for by the president who will request a meeting with you when he is able. The adjourning sitting and bathrooms are at your disposal.”
Alexia scowled at the room. “Why did it have to be the Queen’s room?”
“Because I was placed in the Lincoln room,” Thompson replied with the barest of smirks, “at my request.”
Menville was not willing to waste time listening to what he expected would amount to bickering. “My men will wait outside and see to any of your needs. Now if you’ll excuse me.” He and the other two servicemen in the room backed out and left the Director to face the wrath of three irate ponies. The fourth was giggling hysterically while bouncing on the bed.
Thompson headed off any grievances at the pass. “All other guest rooms are either too close to high traffic areas or occupied. The fewer the number of people who see you, the less we have to worry about a security leak. As for the Lincoln room, three of you are female. I saw no reason you would have issue with the pink room.”
Crimson was more peeved than pissed. “So…what? Just because two of us became female we suddenly like pink and frills?”
Loki stopped jumping on the bed and pushed her mane out of her eyes. “You got a problem with pink?”
“I uh.” Anderson stammered out at the glowering green and pink mare who raced over to shove her snout against Crimson’s. “Pink’s all good.”
Loki bounced back with a smile. “Glad you can see reason.” She spied over a dozen pink flowers in a vase on the coffee table and squealed in delight. “They brought us a snack!”
Alexia watched the rest of the herd gather around the vase and start devouring the plants. She sighed before facing the Director. “Why do I get the feeling that’s not the only reason you put us in this room.”
He gave her a calculating look. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. If you’ll excuse me, I have to take care of something.”
Tune gave an equine snort as he left. “Bull.”
Ignoring the irritating color of the room, Alexia decided to use this time for meditation. “You guys have fun; I need to work on my mana.”
Loki stopped gnawing on a flower and raced over to the unicorn. “Not a chance sister. We need to clean ourselves up first.”
“But we took our showers this morning before the announcement.”
Loki whistled for the others to join her as she started pushing Tune towards the bathroom. “Not like that GL, we need to gussy up.”
Much to their protests, Crimson and Loki primped and groomed Conrad and Alexia far more than they were used to. Manes and tails were rewashed, dried and styled to one of the more popular fashions that had been circling The Ranch, and the silver mare had her eyelashes crimped. Conrad was fortunate enough to avoid the latter. Their coats were also brushed to make them sheen in the light.
Loki didn’t think to worry about any sort of lip or skin mascara as she felt they were nonissues. Crimson’s work on Conrad was more out of experience on how to prepare masculine fashion. Towards the end, Loki sighed with despondency. “It’s a shame there aren’t any curlers in here.”
Alexia sniffed at the thought. “I prefer straight hair anyway.”
Loki stepped aside to let the unicorn take a look at herself. “Well, what do think?”
Tune never did get far into overly styled hair. Between her constant busyness and the missions with Thompson, there was little practicality in doing anything more than a simple style. Yet now, her mane was primped to gently flow around her horn, accentuate her eyes, and to bring attention to the three stripes of color denoting her position as alpha. “I didn’t think I could look this good with a little extra effort. This is impressive Loki.”
I only make it look effortless because I’m used to it. “Not a problem GL. We may be making it a point to wear nothing but our fur, but that’s no excuse not to look our best for the big cheese.”
“I’d offer to do the same for you, but I don’t have that kind of finesse.” The unicorn said with remorse.
“Well it’s never too late to learn.” She replied while gently pushing Tune out of the seat next to the mirror. “Just watch what I do and hold stuff in your magic when I tell you to.”
Alexia couldn’t help but let a stupid grin cleave her face. “Sure thing green bean.”
Unfortunately for Loki, she was the only one who could craft a mare’s mane to any sort of decent look, and Crimson’s work on herself ended in such miserable failure that her fellow earth pony found absolutely hilarious and laughed for two minutes straight before composing herself enough to fix the damage. Anderson was determined to not let the snickering get to her.
Conrad watched from the sidelines as the mares fussed over their hair and whether or not they had time to do anything fancy with their tails as well. Guess it doesn’t matter what species they are, females are always weird about this sort of thing.
An hour and a half after arriving, Thompson returned with a knock on the door. He was admitted inside by the lone stallion. “The CiC wants to speak with you over dinner. Is everyone decent?”
Conrad gave him a quizzical eye. Since when are we not? He passed it off as him not knowing how else to ask them to move. “I hope so. Let me drag them away from the mirror.”
The human hummed in sympathy. The whole floor had been cleared of house staff and as a result, the path between the guestroom and the dining room at the other end was occupied by only a handful of secret servicemen.
The dining room would have felt spacious were it not for the massive table dominating the floor. There were four special agents standing in the four corners of the room with President Fitzgerald talking to the waiter as the ponies entered.
He turned to greet the equines with diplomatic warmth while immediately zeroing in on the unicorn. “Ah, you must be Alexia Tune,” he spoke calmly with a thread of being in a superior position.
She offered a hoof to shake. “Mister President, its an honor.”
He nodded in appreciation for her tact. “The feeling is mutual.” He shook the offered hoof and was quickly introduced to the rest of the herd and to the Director. Lastly he swept an arm across the luxurious table. “Please take a seat, we have much to discuss.”
Fitzgerald took the seat at the head of the table with Alexia and Thompson flanking him and the rest of the ponies taking close seating around the oak table that could serve ten guests. The President ordered his drink along with everyone else before he got started with his most interested lines of questioning. “Before I go into more important issues,” Fitzgerald said as he took a comfortable position. “I have often wondered what the common pony desires. I have read many files and reports on ponies Miss Tune, but I feel they are somewhat… removed from the personal element.”
Tune was not sure if it was a trick question. “We want what anyone wants. Freedom to live our lives without military overwatch.”
“Yes, that much is obvious and not quite what I’m looking for here.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “What I want, is to understand you. Humans I understand. I know what makes the public tick, I know what they need to hear and how to placate their concerns.” And what kind of propaganda is effective. “But if these reports have told me anything, it is that ponies think differently from humans; and if I’m going to allow the incorporation of a difference species as equals, I need to know how you think.” He leaned back in his chair to glance at the menu. “And I’d prefer to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.” Tune expected him to laugh at the pun, but Fitzgerald made no indication of noticing the dry humor.
“That’s a complicated answer. But I’ll tell you what I can.”
A lone figure sat in a folding chair on the roof of a hotel that was fairly close to the White House. It was very windy with the potential storm passing overhead and the large tan sunhat he wore would fly off his head were it not for the strap keeping it in place. He checked his watch to see it was just past eight. “Remaining sectors, report,” he called out to the otherwise abandoned roof. He had no radio or other equipment with him, but his words were heard all the same.
A stranger’s thoughts entered his head. “Sector seven reports all canisters are in place.”
“Sector nine is good to go,” said another.
“Sector two is having problems with police in the area. We can’t get the product in position due to a standoff with a gunman. Unknown when it will be resolved.”
The man with the sunhat sent a wordless command to halt further reports. “Find a way to resolve it quickly. I don’t care how, so long as we are not implicated.”
“By your will Overseer.”
Tzadavek gave the command for the reports to resume. In all, he was not pleased. Too many problems and not enough time. Fitzgerald leaves for a diplomatic meeting in London tomorrow, but I know he’ll be there in the morning because of the announced press conference. And I can’t leave this much materiel scattered around the city without detection being too great of a risk. The Mion leader had no idea what the conference was about and assumed it was unrelated to the Koridost. What the Overseer wanted, was to inflict a symbolic victory.
This delay will make a midnight attack impossible… A thought struck him. But everything should be in place by five in the morning. That will allow us three hours of rest before we begin the festivities. A savage toothy grin dominated his face. Yes… That press conference could be exactly what we need to attack humanity’s resolve. With his plan of action set, he spoke aloud again. “Mions! Listen well. There’s been a change in plan.”
Fitzgerald chewed his steak thoughtfully before speaking to Tune. Given the equines’ form, he was surprised to see two of them partaking in meat, although the unicorn only ate a very small amount compared to the greens on her plate. “So tell me Miss Tune,” he said to get her attention, “with all of the popularity and charisma you seem to naturally possess towards your fellow ponies, have they expressed any wishes to have you represent them as a whole?”
Alexia studied him carefully as she swallowed her bite. “Why do I get the feeling you know more than you let on?”
The Commander in Chief laughed deeply. “As part of the preparation in publicly declaring your existence to the people, I have had daily reports submitted to me by the base commander, one Colonel Bowler I believe.”
Tune couldn’t hide her distaste for the man, and Fitzgerald picked up on it immediately. “Makes me worry for my image.”
“Yes,” he replied with a protracted paused as he took another bite. “He tries to sound unbiased in his words, but you don’t get where I am without being able to read between the lines. He hates you and your kind with a passion I thought reserved for murders and rapists.”
Loki wanted to bark a reply, but one look from her alpha stilled her tongue. Alexia broke off a piece of salmon with her magic, but left it hanging in front of her so she could reply. “I trust his words haven’t damaged us too badly.”
“Were it not for the removal of secrecy for your kind, I would have transferred him out by now. Regardless, there is one point of interest I find intriguing.”
“And that is?”
“It has come to my attention that the ponies in your camp desire to see you assume a position of royalty.”
Alexia choked on a crouton and Conrad had to slap her back a few times to help clear her windpipe of the salad dressing. The unicorn’s eyes watered up from the irritation and she blinked it away as she grunted to clear her throat. “Y-yes they seem to have gotten it in their heads that they want me to be a princess.”
Fitzgerald picked up on the gravely annoyed tone. “So I take it you don’t find this favorable?”
“Mister President please, it was not my idea. I don’t know who or what got it in their heads, but I am totally against it.”
He looked satisfied with the answer and seemed like he was going to drop it. Yet after he finished his next bite, he brought it back up. “In your own words, how insistent are they in calling you this?”
Tune’s memory of the chanting crowd in the recreation center came to the forefront. She shuddered to disguise her anger before it could tint her voice. “Far more so than I would like.”
Alexia tried to keep from sulking while in the company of the President and ate silently while Fitzgerald mulled over various courses of action. The rest of the herd asked various simple questions or otherwise only talked to each other. They were willing to advise Tune if she needed it, but left the conversation between the two leaders alone.
It was time for dessert when Fitzgerald broached the topic again. “I’m going to be honest with you Miss Tune, I think you should reconsider.”
Every pony’s flummoxed expressions were centered on the President while Thompson only watched with curiosity.
“What do you mean sir?” The unicorn asked after recovering.
“The thing is. There were five camps total in the United States alone. We reduced that number to four nearly a month ago as an experiment. Of the five internment camps to ever exist, only yours ever showed any sign of the detainees having any spirit left in them.” He snapped his fingers and a secret serviceman stepped forward with a folder. Tune watched him read the highlighted findings.
“According to Bowler’s latest report,” The President said slowly as he found the correct text, “he had to use force to break up a demonstration at the rec center three hours ago.” The ponies were confused, but didn’t interrupt. “There were over six and a half thousand detainees preforming an… apparently illegal gathering during a celebration.” He didn’t like the connotation that Bowler was making out for himself. “In addition, one of the heavily repeated phrases was ‘Princess Alexia’.” Fitzgerald failed to mention how hard the harsh crackdown the Colonel implemented to end the celebration was, he wanted to keep the unicorn as level headed as possible.
He closed the report and handed it back to the agent who returned to the corner. “Now, tell me Miss Tune. The rough population of The Ranch was roughly twenty four hundred before the camps were combined, and now barely over seven thousand. What does that tell us?”
Alexia balled up the small bite of cheesecake in her magic and forced the irritation out of her tone. “That the new members of the camp regained their self-esteem in less than a few weeks.”
“Quite so. So here is my problem,” he began after nibbling on his cake, “The number of ponies within the States, not including those in your camp, number well over ten thousand. After the conference tomorrow they will be let loose back into society. All of my advisors on this issue tell me they will end up becoming a burden on society if we do nothing. Many may try to return to their old lives and jobs…” he paused to give weight to his words while enjoying a bite of cake. “I don’t think I need to say that will likely not go well for a great many of them.”
“With all due respect sir,” Alexia cut in as she knew where he was leading with this, “I only got the ball rolling. If we found some way to gather all of us into one place for a long enough time, the ponies from The Ranch would pull the newcomers out of that depression.”
“You’re missing the point,” Fitzgerald countered politely, “the fact is you are a symbol to your people.” Tune was incapable of retorting to the firm statement. He capitalized on her hesitation to be more assertive with his argument. “The American public, both human and pony, will want a face for your kind. And the reason you’re speaking to me at all is because you’re it.”
“I realize that Mister President,” Alexia replied slowly, “but you’ve already got me signed up for four years of service. How can I do both?” Tune hoped she was steering it away from the royalty issue.
“You’ve handled it well enough for the past month. I see no reason to change that now.”
She crossed her forelegs in apprehension. “If my face is plastered on every TV screen from here to China, how would I accomplish these covert missions with the Director?”
She made the mistake of waving her left hoof at Thompson, which allowed Fitzgerald to point at her invisibly bracelet. “That.” She cringed and recoiled her foreleg. “Besides,” he continued, “if you have the ability to turn yourself invisible, I trust you have a way to alter your appearance to look like any other pony.”
This time Conrad couldn’t help but to interject. “And you’re not worried about us having such magic?”
Fitzgerald nodded his head in approval of the pegasus’s observation and snapped his fingers towards a different serviceman. The agent stepped forward and presented his smartphone to the Commander in Chief. “Miss Tune, would you be so kind as to turn invisible for me?”
She glanced at her herdmates before complying. “Sure.”
As soon as she faded completely from sight, the President tapped the phone to make the screen switch to the antimagic diagram and Tune’s invisibly field was quickly nullified. Satisfied at the sight of the quite visible mare he turned to his agent. “Thank you Agent.” The man nodded and returned the phone in his pocket. Fitzgerald looked at the weary unicorn. “No. I’m not.” He took the time to finish the last bite of his cake. “Provided you continue to work for the best interests of the government, I will place no restrictions on what magic you can conduct.”
“I see.” Alexia muttered.
“Now, as for your title as Princess…” Tune was smoldering at what she was expecting him to say, and ignored the hung sentence so he would speak his mind. Fitzgerald noticed she was going to voice a complaint so he continued. “It seems your people insist on it, and this is one of those times where giving the public exactly what they want is more prudent over personal feelings. I will officially recognize you as Princess Alexia in the conference tomorrow, and you will be publically and legally recognized as royalty.
“However,” he added curtly, “the Treasury will not fund a coronation ceremony, a crown, or any other amenities that other monarchies possess. You will not have special legal status, privileges, or political authority given to you.” Outside of what celebrates get away with anyway. “Nor will you have any government funded security force nor will there be any in the future. As far as the government is concerned you are a royal without a nation to rule, but of course, you will still keep your American citizenship. Additionally, I believe the use of princess over queen is preferable as it further denotes you are not a ruler. You can still have a coronation, crown, et cetera if you wish, but you have to pay for it yourself.”
Tune was raging under a fragile composed mask. “So let me get this straight,” she said as calmly as possible, “the only reason you’re making me a princess is because that’s what the ponies insist on calling me?”
“Correct. That, and America having a royal family will distract people from the psychotropic clouds and other recent problems.”
“Joy,” she growled. Or they’ll see it as a sign of the apocalypse.
Fitzgerald checked his watch. “Well this has been a productive meal.” He got up and tilted his head out of courtesy. “I look forward to tomorrow’s conference. Good evening Princess.”
He ignored her scowl and departed, leaving two secret servicemen behind to escort the herd back to their rooms. Alexia ground her teeth in an attempt to hold her rage in check and looked to Thompson. “I’ll be going now.” Her horn lit up and she blinked back to the Queen’s room. Tune jumped up onto the bed and screamed her unbridled fury into the pillows.
Thompson knew the Secret Service would jump at the sight of the teleport and got to his feet to stop them. “She only went to her room,” he lied, not truly knowing where she went.
“How can you be sure?” one of them asked.
“Because she won’t do anything to jeopardize this chance to free her people.” He looked to the remaining herd who shares looks ranging from sympathetic anger, worry, and bitterness.
The special agents relaxed a little. “We still need to verify that.” One turned to the rest of the ponies. “We will take you back to your rooms.” The first agent nodded to the second for him to run to the guest room to make sure Alexia was actually there.
A couple of minutes later, after the Secret Service was satisfied the unicorn was not a threat, they left the ponies to their own devices and Thompson retreated to his room. The ponies found the defeated unicorn lying face down on the bed. Each of them jumped up to lay down beside her, with Loki resting on top of the pillows.
“I can honestly say I didn’t see that coming,” Conrad said to break the silence.
Tune rolled an eye to face him. “No kidding. I would have thought of all people, the prez wouldn’t want royalty.”
“Well its not like he gave you anything but the title,” Crimson commented as she tried to sooth her mate by rubbing her mane. “He’s just using your popularity.”
“Being used seems to be a common theme for me.” This is just bloody perfect. Once I go on national TV and get called a princess by the damn prez, I’ll never be rid of the title.
“Don’t worry about it so much,” Loki remarked, “America’s had plenty of royalty.” The three other ponies gave her a weird look. “What? Its true. We have the King of rock and roll, then pop, Martian Luther King, the list goes on. In the end, people aren’t going to treat you like you’re actually royalty and scrap at your hooves to beg for your attention. We’re too cool for that.”
“I hope you’re right. But if any of you call me princess I’m planting my hoof in your mouth.” A round of chuckles broke some of the tension out of Alexia.
Crimson knew the unicorn needed to be more stress-free. This anxiety could cause strain on the foals, so she needs a good release. “Alex, did you and Conrad go around this morning?”
“No, I spent the morning meditating before we went to the rec center.”
Loki and Crimson looked to Conrad with a knowing eye. He cleared his throat. “Well I know the perfect way for you to blow off some steam.”
The silver mare picked up on his sultry tones and smirked. “I could go for that.”
Loki grinned. “Okay samurai, you get the back, and we get the horn. Let’s make her squeal.”
By the end of the herd’s evening calisthenics, the ponies were too worn out to worry about tomorrow. The four of them snuggled into the oversized bed and let the rest of the night slip away.