Charles fitted his sandal back onto his foot and climbed back onto Philip. Since his family had moved to Ponyland four months ago he had never felt so at ease. His cows were growing healthier, he had more land than he ever owned or rented in his life, and he could run his business without worrying about world events. From what his wife heard being said in the market, their neighbors were stupid and carefree.
Even the birds here were more beautiful, there were two of them flying in his direction right now. One was white with a pink tail, and the other seemed black as night. Actually. they are coming in pretty fast, and clearly bigger than I thought. The white one flew around to his back and fluttered to a stop. That’s when Charles saw they were not birds, but pegasi he had heard were rumored to live nearby. He never realized they were as big as the horse under him right now. His hand wandered to his musket ball pistol on his waist as they landed. He never intended to kill anything, just shoot it in the air and scare predators or thieves away.
Both pegasi stalked around him in a circle, and he saw they had horns, too. They looked between him and Philip menacingly. The white one spoke, “How can you degrade yourself to this? Let him walk on his own!”
Charles was confused at first, she had not looked to him but his horse. Her voice sounded like a she at least, and she asked again, “Are you not allowed to speak in his presence?”
“Are you talking to the horse or me?” Charles demanded.
“Still your tongue in royal matters,” her horn lit in a yellow aurora and he felt himself being tossed to the ground. Stumbling to his feet he pulled his gun out, and fired it above their heads with a resounding bang.
“What’s the meaning of this!? What are you doing on my land? Assaulting me? Should I get the guard?” He lowered his gun to clear the barrel and prepare another shot. It had been a long time since he had to do this under pressure, and he was more than nervous.
The black one lit her horn and stepped between him and the white one. She asked, “Who are the guard? Are you the ruler?”
He thought how silly he must look pouring powder down the barrel and spilling half of it over himself. “I own this land. Here, I am king. I answer to no one, no one harass me, my family or my herd. What do you want?” He pushed the round down the barrel and pulled the lock back, pointing the gun to the sky again.
White one spoke again. “What manner of beast are you to ride a horse like a ship? Why does he not speak in your presence? What is this contraption on his back?”
“I am a man and I own that horse, like my cows. And you two are the first horses I've meet who can talk. Are you from Dream Castle?” Charles kept his voice firm and his gun hand steady.
White one continued, “Where is your city? We know a city that appeared overnight and you say you are king. We must speak business.”
“Wait, I own this land but, Scorpan’s governor. You wanna talk business, talk to him, unless you wanna buy my herd!” Charles exclaimed.
“Then tell me where this Scorpan is,” the white one demanded.
“He’s in the city, three kilometers north of here. Midni-“
He was interrupted by both Black and White flapping their wings and flying north without so much as a goodbye.
** ** **
Scorpan winced as he and Baugh passed Mary’s Little Lamb and she said she wanted to grab both of them a kebab. Standing with his hands in his pockets, his mind went back to the afternoon ten months ago when he let go of Mary’s hand and their Circle was broken. The whole science team had returned to the land of Ur. Turning around, he saw his wife waiting for him, holding a watch and grinning in his direction. Picking up his personal rucksack, he hung his hand and stepped toward her warm embrace.
I don’t deserve her love. “We need to talk, Baugh. I’ve done something terrible. Go home, I will be there in about an hour.”
After telling their son Kevin to leave the house until dinner time, he poured out what happened between himself and Mary. It was easy once he started. He had no explanation, he just told her what happened. His last stop before going home was to their lawyer’s office where he filed for divorce papers He handed to her when he was finished.
For her part, she stayed quiet until he finished, and, better yet, she kept her voice calm and composed when she did speak.
“Spike, come in here.”
“Yes Baugh?” he eagerly asked.
She pointed to the papers on her lap. “Throw them in the fire, Spike.”
“Okay!” Waddling over to the fire place he tossed them in and turned around for another command.
“You’re not done, Spike. Don’t leave until they are completely burned.”
Spike turned around and picked up the already-burning papers and twisted them into a pipe before setting them in the center of the embers, watching carefully that they were sufficiently charred. Good thing he's got scales. Turning around again when his task was complete, Baugh said to him, “Thank you, Spike. Please start dinner if you have not.”
“I’ve already got the potatoes peeled, Baugh. I’ll get back to it!” He eagerly ran back into the kitchen as Baugh turned to her husband again.
“That is the end of that. I have moved on, and I expect you to do so as well. If Mary is the scientist you need, I expect to see her on your next expedition. And know that if this happens again, Scorpan, I may have to kill you.”
Scorpan knew his wife was an amazing woman, but this was a new dimension he had never seen. He could hardly process what this meant to him and spent many days trying to convince himself that it was real. That he was not divorced and involved in a bitter custody battle over their son, who he did not love as much as he knew he should, astounded him.
All this passed through his mind until his beautiful middle-aged redhead strolled out of the butchery holding two delicious kebabs. As far as he knew, neither Mary nor Baugh confronted each other about the incident, and he did not speak to Mary about it again.
I don’t deserve her love. It became his mantra whenever she wowed him. He was focused on the warmth of her hand and her love that he did not notice when people started parting in the street and a sight unique to this mysterious, magical land came into view.
The white and black alicorns that harassed Charles the cowherd had been walking through the city together and the white one called out to the passerby. “Do you not know royalty when you see it?! Why do you stand tall? Tell me where your king, Scorpan, is so that he might show you the respect the Princess Sisters are due!”
That got his attention. Scorpan held Baugh’s hand tighter and stepped forward. “I am Scorpan, Governor of this city. Are you the Princess Sisters?”
The crowd parted even more as they continued to exchange words. “I am Princess Celestia. My sister is Nightmare Moon. We are the Princesses of Equestria, a land many leagues west of you, past the mountains of Foster. We raise the sun and moon, respectively, bringing light, warm, and beauty to your lands. For this, we will accept an annual tribute from you, totaling one tenth of all your trade. We have not meet before, so we await your gifts one solar year from today.”
“And why would we give you a tribute? We are a sovereign state. We only wish to live in peace.”
Scorpan’s only experience with reading a pony's face was Firefly’s, but Celestia’s was easy to read as well. She was experienced at orating and debate and was not easily unsettled. He could see she was bothered by speaking to an individual who burdened his hands with his mate’s and his lunch.
“Would you rather us not raise the sun and moon? Where will you get light? How will your plants grow?”
“Would you not raise the sun on everyone because we choose not to give into your uncensored extortion? Would you kill off everyone's plants when we can eat our cattle? Would you throw everyone into darkness as we light lamps and torches to see by? Would you let everyone suffer for our desire to remain independent?” Scorpan kept his voice calm and reasonable while holding Celestia’s eye contact.
He counted off the seconds until she answered him and continued to read her minute facial expressions. She swallowed and took a deep breath, telling him she was keeping calm as well despite being infuriated. No doubt no one had showed her any backbone in a very long time--in public no less.
Celestia finally spoke. “If you do not wish to pay our tribute, we can do nothing to force it from a sovereign state. Very well. We will be on our way again.”
Trying to build relations, Scorpan blurted, “Why don’t you stay? We may take time to get to know each other’s cultures and customs. We are having a celebration tonight, and you are welcome to attend.”
The black alicorn, who remained silent during the entire exchange, finally spoke up in curiosity. “What is the occasion?”
“We finished installing the public irrigation system. Now all the fountains have running water, and if there is a storm, the drains will drain the water safely,” Scorpan explained.
“But you intend to celebrate at night?” asked Celestia.
“What better time to play and forget your problems?” Baugh reasoned, also speaking for the first time.
“I believe I shall stay,” Nightmare Moon said to her sister. “This could prove interesting.”
“I will leave. Goodbye Scorpan,” With a single flap of her wings, Celestia took to the sky and immediately headed west.
After a short silence, the crowd that watched the royals exchange words dispersed and went about their business again. Nightmare Moon walked toward Scorpan and Baugh, curiously eyeing their hands.
“You do not have hooves like ponies. Can you hold hooves and walk at the same time?”
“Yes we can. My name is Baugh.” She placed her kebab in Scorpan’s hand and held out her own to shake.
After a few attempts, they settled for Baugh gripping Nightmare’s hoof and shaking it. “You may call me Nightmare Moon. And what is that in your other hoof, King Scorpan?”
“Please, call me Scorpan.” He held it out for her. “It’s a kebab. Would you care for a…” His face fell when he realized she was still a pony. “I have heard of you and your sister before. You are immortal, but are you an herbivore like other ponies?”
“Yes. Is that some sort of stone? Does your kind eat stones?” Nightmare Moon asked in confusion.
** ** **
The celebration Scorpan mentioned started promptly at sunset and involved the whole city. All fourteen thousand, three hundred eighteen human souls and one alicorn turned out to party. And Nightmare Moon did not leave Scorpans side the entire celebration. Her insistence to “see this marvelous city explained to her” meant she was always in arm's reach of him. When Baugh said she was tired and would head home for the night, she and Scorpan kissed goodnight and Nightmare had his sole attention.
“So, what sort of spirits do you humans brew?”
“Nightmare Moon, you can turn anything into booze. Anything! My poison of preference is fortified blueberry wine. You give it a shot.” He patted her on the back, nudging her toward a stand manned by a teenage boy in an apron collecting a tip.
“Son, two glasses of your finest blueberry spirit.”
Nightmare gasped. “Scorpan, is he your child!?”
“No, no. It’s an expression you say to a man younger than yourself. My son is running around this city somewhere. And he’s slightly older than him. Do you have children?” he asked, sliding a few silver coins to the boy.
“No. I have no paramour and I cast contraception spells when I visit the harem.”
It was Scorpan’s turn to sputter in shock. “I-uh-that makes sense…I guess.”
“Tell me, do humans lay eggs? Or give live birth like ponies?”
“We are mammals and give live birth.”
“Do your females keep their mammaries on their chest?” She was looking at a woman across from the bar in a halter top. “I thought many of them were expecting, but maybe not.”
He sighed as their drinks slid in front of them. “Yes, Nightmare Moon. Women have their breasts high up on their chests. Do you mind if I call you 'Nightmare' by the way?”
“By all means.” She continued to stare at the woman’s chest. The woman was oblivious to it. “I feel I must ask--why do you celebrate at night? You said it was the best to forget your problems--what do you mean?”
“We Sumarians work and toil during the day. We use the sun to grow our crops, prepare our food, light our way, but when the sun sets it’s time to place aside our work and play. In the day, we eat to strengthen ourselves and drink to quench our thirst. At night, we eat and drink to feel good. We press our grapes during the day to tip back our glasses at night.” Scorpan let his volume raise during his speech, sure of his every word.
“Do you humans love the night?” Nightmare asked in anticipation.
“We love the day, but we love the night more. And why not? We shield our eyes from the sun, but stare lovingly at the moon all night. And the stars fill us with wonder and hope. The clouds hide us from the oppressive sun, but block the beautiful night sky. I ask you Nightmare, how can anyone not love the night?”
“And do all humans feel the same way?” she asked, sweat forming on her forehead.
“I cannot speak for every man, woman and child, but I certainly do. And I am know many here share my beliefs in this.”
Downing her wine in seconds, she said, “Very well. Let us continue to explore your city. I wish to see this love of the night you have described.”
“Then we’ll be off.” He tipped his glass back and led her away. “Let’s go to one of the fountains. There’s sure to be a band playing music at one of them.”
“What sort of music do humans play?” Nightmare inquired.
“Many varieties on many instruments: violins, guitars, flutes, pianos, trombones. Oh, wait till you see them!”
** ** **
Approaching one of the public fountains they did hear [url=(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4sqishGuYw)]music and saw people dancing, swinging, and surrendering their bodies to the rhythm. Nightmare had never heard stringed instruments played with such speed and precision and nearly dropped to her haunches in delight. A young girl shyly asked Scorpan if he would dance with her, and he obliged, telling Nightmare to simply dance however she felt.
After numerous tracts and hearty laughs at Scorpan’s horrific dancing, the band started with a slower [url=(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJgF3ZALt-g)]piece. He tried leading her away, but Nightmare sat again and wept as the music continued to its last note. Tugging on her breastplate, he guided her to a small fountain nearby and splashed her face.
“You really like that one, huh?” He joked.
“I’m sorry. I’ve just never heard…Is all your music like that?”
“That’s a good piece, but, more or less, our music is like that. Yes.”
“Wow. Please, show me more!”
** ** **
Scorpan and his alicorn companion turned down a street leading to the city’s more quiet neighborhoods. He looked upwards and let out a whistle.
“You do enjoy the night I created.” Nightmare sounded pleased with herself.
“I always wondered if I would ever look up to the sky and not recognize the stars. And what do you know? I can’t name a single one and I am happy. Do you name the stars?”
“Yes I do. Each one of them has a name, and please don’t ask me to tell you. Every name is deeply personal and I won’t tell a soul.”
“That sounds reasonable. So, what do you think of Sumaria so far?”
Before she could answer, they passed an alley they turned to see a young couple--perhaps both still in secondary school--wrapped in each other’s arms and kissing like the world was ending. Scorpan tried to drag her along, but her eyes stayed focused on the two lovers out of curiosity.
“What was that? Were they kissing?”
“Yes, yes they were. And they were in a dark place, so they didn’t want to be bothered or stared at.”
“I have not seen many couples acting that way tonight. What time of year do women go into heat?” Nightmare continued her barrage of questions.
“Okay, that’s an all--year thing,” he awkwardly explained.
“So humans have sex all year? Do women tire of it?”
“Not if you’re good!” He laughed.
“What do you mean, good? Is it not just sex? Is it not just a means to curb instinctual desires for repopulation?”
“Nightmare, we’re gonna have to have a seat for this one…”
Later, they took a seat and, after ordering a pair of vegetable quiches, he explained a few intricate details of human romance, courting, and sex. After a rather awkward talk, using himself and Baugh as an example, Nightmare seemed satisfied with his answers and went into discussing pony society.
“So, you have sex all year, too. Mares just need it during spring. What happens if she can’t find a stallion? Does she stay at home and pleasure herself for three weeks?” Scorpan asked.
“More or less. Many couples form before spring so mares won’t have to suffer through such humiliation. Disappearing for three weeks during estrous brings up a lot of jokes about them for a year.”
Their talk was interrupted by a crack as the first fireworks of the night went off. Both looked up to see red and green embers burning themselves out over their head. Everyone around her clapped as the second set flew into the air and exploded, but Nightmare's gaze switched between the faces of the crowds, the explosions, and the bands. She remembered all she had seen and heard of since setting hoof in Sumaria.
Ten minutes later, Scorpan was clapping and had lost count of each volley of fireworks. His personal favorite had gone off near the beginning, and it did not look like they would be used again until the grand finale. He saw Nightmare was smiling and staring at the ground.
“Nightmare? Nightmare?” He shook her, but she remained still.
BOOM! A pair of large explosions, each fitted with three different colors mixed together went off, giving the Sumarian skyline a rainbow for several seconds.
She looked up to him and pulled him close with her wing. “How long until they stop?” she called out.
“Shouldn’t be long. The grand finale’s bigger than this. You’ll see!”
It was. Nightmare shook her head to rid the ringing in her ears and asked, “What happens now? Does this mean the celebration is over?”
“Nah! It’s just another part to it. We could go all night long!”
“That is exactly what I wanted to hear, Scorpan.”
Nightmare stood and reared back onto her hindhooves. The wind kicked up into a cyclone around her and the crowds parted. Taking a deep breath, she shouted with all her might, “HEAR ME, PEOPLE OF SUMARIA! IN HONOR OF YOUR LOVE OF THE NIGHT, TOMORROW, THERE SHALL BE A STAR CONSTELLATION IN THE NIGHT SKY! WATCH FOR IT ABOVE THE WEST! LAST TO BE SEEN, AND LAST TO DISAPPEAR!”
She planted her front hooves on the ground again and walked back to her place next to Scorpan, who was shell--shocked by her declaration.
Walking to a nearby bench to sit down, he asked her, “Can…you do that, Nightmare? Put a new star constellation in the sky? Tomorrow night?”
“I am the one who raises the moon. I can do whatever I wish to the night sky, Scorpan. Honor whomever I choose. And I have chosen to honor your city and your people.”
Taking her hoof in his hand, he shook it proudly. “Thank you very much. I hope your sister chooses to honor us as well.”
“Don’t think about my sister. This is a night for you. Scorpan, how would you and your wife care to come to Everfree Castle Sunday night? I will give you a tour”
“I would be grateful. But will it be a long journey?”
“Hmm, perhaps. Shall I come here and teleport you Sunday night?”
“Yes, I think that would work. Thank you Nightmare, you have made this a very pleasant evening.” They shook again, hand and hoof.