//------------------------------//
// Chapter 16: And Awe 
// Story: Flying With Damaged Feathers 
// by hornethead 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 16: And Awe

"Tiran, close your jaw."
Tiran snapped out of it and clenched his jaw shut. What did she mean 'his own family'? Most of his family was dead, or at least dead to him. What in hell could she actually be talking about?
"I'm sorry, Princess, but you've lost me there. There is no way, and I mean no way, anyone I know has been here." Tiran said.
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Are you not related to a Mr. Kaughn?" Tiran froze at the name. Luna mistook it for further incomprehension, "Commander James Kaughn, formerly of the United States Navy, a 'SEAL', I believe they were called. Enlisted petty officer until we promoted him. He helped us form the RSTG. Tiran?"
"Y-you absolutely sure?"
"Quite sure." Luna smiled.
"Li?"
"Wait one.... analysis shows that she is speaking the truth, or at least believes she is." Li reported.
"That's not possible..." Tiran focused back on Luna, "You said he was my Great Uncle Kaughn?"
Luna frowned, "Great Uncle?"
"Yeah, Great Uncle, he disappeared nearly a hundred years ago! How the hell could he have been here just thirty years ago!?"
Luna looked concerned. Clearly, she had not expected to hit such a snag. She looked away in thought, briefly returning to study Tiran's angry face.
"Excuse me," Luna said after a moment, turning towards the door, "I must discuss this new information with somepony." She halted at the door, on the cusp of opening it, and turned to Tiran once more, "While I'm gone, is there anything you might need?"
"Yeah," Tiran said angrily as he stood up, "I want to see Ruwa. And my aircraft, I was told you had it," he beamed rage at her through narrowed eyes.
Luna paused in thought, "Ruwa should be waking soon, you can speak to her then. As for your aircraft... I shall see what I can do."
With that, she opened the door and exited, closing it gently behind her. Tiran sat back down as soon as he heard the lock click. He put his head in his hands, what the hell did all this mean? She couldn't have known those names, not unless... Tiran didn't want to think about it.
All his life, Tiran's distant relatives—and he did mean distant, by his standards—had told him that he came from a family of cowards and scumbags, worthless people all. Then his grandfather came and took him in, gave him a home, told him stories, grand stories, of his ancestors and their great deeds. They lived happily like that for a time. Then the police came...
Turned out his relatives didn't exactly appreciate their paycheck getting taken from them.
Tiran didn't like to think about that time in his life, about how he was tortured for the name he had inherited. But he remembered the stories. He remembered how they made him feel, what they made him want to do. He applied for OCS not long after he got his degree and from there to flight school with the intent of getting as far away from his relatives as possible. He succeeded too, landing himself in the middle of one of the hottest war zones in the world. Not that that was worse than the alternative in his mind.
Rubbing his head, Tiran went to the bathroom and wiped his face down in the sink. When he looked back up, there was something else in those steely blue eyes of his that he hadn't seen in a long time. Real hurt, real hatred. Real rage. Tiran really didn't like to bring up the past.
Seeking a distraction, Tiran eyed his prosthetic. It looked a little off. The synthetic skin looked realistic enough and he was surprised they were able to make any of it. All the joints worked fine, smoother than before in fact. This engineer that the Princess had mentioned was definitely worth his salt.
It almost worked too smoothly. It was almost like Tiran had never lost the limb at all. The skin was even wrinkled in just the right way. He laughed as he walked back into his room, twisting his faux digits into ever more intricate patterns.
Light began to enter the window now, growing as he laughed at the antics of his newly repaired limb. "Tiran?" He stopped, went still and listened. Where had that come from? "Tiran, is that you?"
Tiran cast his eyes around, "Ruwa?"
"Tiran! That is you! Hey, where are you at anyway?"
Tiran smiled, "I'm not sure, all I know is that I'm locked in here!"
"Wait a minute, lemme try something..."
The room went silent again as Ruwa focused on some unseen task. Tiran waited a few moments, nothing happened, but he did hear a door open and close somewhere. He eyed the bed, the pile of clothes was still there. Curiosity blossomed in his head and he went to inspect them.
They were fairly plain. Just a few light T-shirts and what looked to be the approximate of jeans. There socks too, soft and wooly. Tiran even found a pair of boots at the foot of the bed, made out of some thick, durable cloth that he almost mistook for leather were it not for the coarse fibers sticking out here and there.
When Tiran tried them on, he found they fit wonderfully. Tiran tapped the side of his cheek with a finger, wondering when they had time to get his measurements. Then he remembered he had woken up in some kind of gown and without his suit, he decided he didn't really need to know anymore.
Tiran dropped the robe and began to put on the clothes. At first, he though they would be starchy and scratchy, like all new clothes were, but they went on like silk. The feeling of the clothing was at great contrast with how plain and ordinary it looked.
It took a moment for him to get dressed as he had to get used to his arm working at full functionality again, but he managed to pull his pants on along with some socks. He was about to pull the shirt over his head when he heard a door open and close again, but this time it was quickly followed by the jingling of keys. Tiran whipped his eyes to the locked door he had tried the other night, just as the lock clicked and the portal flew open.
"Tiran!"
Ruwa practically flew through the door, in fact, she did; flapping through and gliding straight into Tiran, flashing a bright smile. Tiran stumbled back in an attempt to keep his balance as she wrapped her forelegs around his neck and pulled him into a hug.
"Are you ok? They wouldn't let me see you after they brought us here, I was so scared, I'm still not even sure where we are!" she rattled off with nervous energy. "But can you believe it, Princess Luna is here! I even spoke to her!"
"Ruwa..."
"I wonder if there's gonna be a feast, I-am-famished! They brought me some food last night, but all all that running..."
"Ruwa—"
"Oh, Tiran, your arm, it's fixed! Wow, it looks just like your other arm, does it work, can you show me?"
"Ruwa!" Ruwa's mouth snapped shut and she pushed herself back a little, looking up at Tiran's gray-blue eyes with her icy blue-green ones. "Ruwa," Tiran said in a gentler tone, "I'd love to catch up, but can I please get dressed first?"
Ruwa glanced down at Tiran's torso, then back up. Then back down again, blushing, before pushing herself away, "Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry!" she sputtered, averting her eyes and retreating towards the chairs by the coffee table.
Tiran rolled his eyes and picked the shirt up off the floor. He pulled it on and went for the boots, tying them up to mid-calf. They were snug and fit well, but he would get a few blisters before they were broken in.
All buttoned up, Tiran moved over to the table and sat down, eyeing the open door to the other room as he did so. Ruwa hesitantly looked up in his direction, smiling when she saw he was now completely dressed, "Oh, good," she breathed. "So how are you doing?"
Tiran poured a glass from the half-empty pitcher of water and offered it to her. She took it and he spoke as he poured himself one, "Good, really good, actually."
"They didn't hurt you? When I realized who they were, gosh, I was so worried!"
"Nah, just a couple of bruises," Tiran assured her. "Besides, I got my arm fixed." He held it up and began writhing it around in the air for Ruwa to see.
"Oh, nice!" She said as she admired the odd mechanical contraption. "Pretty cool how it looks just like your other arm."
"Yeah," Tiran agreed, "almost like it never happened..."
"Like what happened?" Ruwa stared at Tiran, expecting an answer.
Instead, Tiran cleared his throat and changed the subject, "Um, nothing. Now I got a question for you..." he said with a grin. Ruwa's eyebrows arched up in question as she took a sip of water. Tiran glanced at the open door again, "That room over there, it's unlocked?"
Ruwa followed Tiran's eyes, "That one? Yeah, I just unlocked it."
"Really?" Tiran looked more closely into the room. Could he use it to make an escape?
"Yeah," Ruwa continued, "but they locked the door to the hallway behind me."
"Oh..." Tiran's shoulders slumped and his face twisted in frustration, "So, they're locking you in your room too?"
"Huh?" Ruwa cocked an eyebrow at him quizzically, "Oh, no. Why would they do that? Besides, that's not my room, I'm in the one down the hall right now."
"What? Then why were you in the room next to mine?"
"Because I was exploring!" Ruwa smiled. "Why, you want me to move in next door?" She said teasingly with a wink.
Tiran grinned inwardly and rubbed his face with his new hand, peeking at Ruwa with one eye through a gap in his fingers, "No. No, trust me, you're fine where you're at."
"Too bad," Ruwa stuck her tongue out at him, "I going to anyway. Room's bigger." She said by way of explanation. "Looks like we'll be here a while, might as well get comfortable."
Tiran pulled his face out of his hand and gave Ruwa a look, "Don't you wanna go back home? I mean, I'm here now, where I wanted to get to, wherever here is. You don't need to be stuck with me anymore."
Ruwa gave Tiran a wry grin, "At first I thought so, yeah. But you've got some crazy ponies after you. Who woulda thought they'd send an RSTG team to track you down? Plus, Princess Luna's interest in you. Besides, I think you need a friend."
It was true, Tiran couldn't deny that. Events seemed to be unfolding around him very quickly. Strange ones at that. Also, Ruwa was right, he did need a friend right now, and she was the only one he had here.
Tiran raised his glass and clinked it against Ruwa's, who smiled. "Well, to friendship then." Then he glanced at his room's door to the hallway, "Hey, think room service serves alcohol?"
Ruwa's smile grew, "Only one way to find out."



*    *    *





"Tiran, please refrain from imbibing too much alcohol, you may become sick." Li warned in her usual tone.
"I'll be fine, Li, I just had one, one beer." Tiran said out loud as he took another sip and studied the scenery below him.
The clouds from the night before had dissipated, allowing the sunlight to shine down onto the land below. From where Tiran was standing, it was quite a sight, leaning over the railing and gazing down at the sprawling hills and forest that receded into the distance. If he focused and ignored the cool wind that blew from time to time, Tiran could almost believe he was flying, being this high up.
"It has been a long time since you've had a drink, Tiran. That, coupled with the loss of body fat from the past few weeks of malnutrition greatly lowers your tolerance."
"Listen to the lady, Tiran, you're a lightweight!" Ruwa teased.
Tiran smiled sourly at the pegasus leaning against the rails a few feet away from him with her head resting on her hooves. She smiled back, then returned her attention to the world below, watching the occasionally errant cloud crawl into their vision before scurrying away on the winds. Not for the last time, Tiran wondered why she stuck with him.
He knew that if some strange man of a foreign species had suddenly shown up in his neighborhood asking for help, he would have been more inclined to ignore him. Then why was this mare helping him? As far as he could tell, she wasn't benefiting from it, or not directly at least.
"What's with the stare?"
Tiran snapped out of it, realizing he had zoned out and was still looking towards Ruwa. She was looking back at him with a light look of concern on her face. Tiran quickly realized how weird he must have seemed just then.
"Sorry, just kinda got lost in thought," he offered, looking away into the sky.
"Like about what?"
Tiran cringed inside. He hadn't expected a follow up question. What was he gonna tell Ruwa, that he was suspicious of her? He needed a deflection.
"I was just wondering, why don't you ever fly, I mean, you're a pegasus, right? You got wings."
Ruwa scowled, "Hey, I fly plenty!"
"Maybe," Tiran said, rolling with it, "but I've only seen you glide a few times, besides that one quick flight." Ruwa just continued to scowl, looking away and mumbling something under her breath. "What?" Tiran couldn't hear her.
"I said, I can't really fly that well!" she spat out.
Tiran almost flinched, "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean—"
"No, it's ok." Ruwa said with a resigned sigh. "You were probably gonna find out sooner or later." She looked away, focusing on some far-off object.
Tiran took a few more gulps from his beer and set it down on the stone table behind him. He was looking at Ruwa in a new light. A pegasus that couldn't really fly. It was kind of hard to believe after witnessing all the others before, but then why would she lie about having a shortcoming like that? It would be humiliating, like if he were unable to pilot an aircraft, being a pilot. Tiran remembered that Ruwa had mentioned something about not being able to control weather either a week or so ago, maybe it had something to do with that?
"Is that why you have a problem with the weather?" Tiran asked in an attempt to understand her better. "You mentioned something about that a while back."
Ruwa huffed again and began to play with a loose pebble that was sitting on the wide railing with a hoof, "Yeah, something like that. One of my flight instructors said it was a coordination thing, said I was too unsure of myself in the air, but I still took risks. He told me that trying to learn to fly like that would get me hurt and well... he was right more often than he was wrong." Ruwa dropped from the railing and paced almost angrily to the other side of the balcony, "It's just, I know how to fly and everything, but for some reason I just... freeze up!" She punctuated her statement with a frustrated stomp.
Tiran fell into thought as Ruwa spoke with her back to him. He just couldn't quite get a solid read on her. When he first met her, she almost seemed timid as a mouse, but then after she followed him out into the darkness when he made his escape from her basement, that timidness seemed to evaporate. It went from there to a confident swagger as she led him through the mountain paths, to a city smart mare when they were in the town, to a near action hero when they helped those two guys at the river. Tiran just couldn't quite get her deal, he had never met anyone that possessed so many facets to their being.
"Maybe you just need to practice more." Tiran suggested sincerely.
"What do you think I was doing up there on the mountain?" Ruwa responded in an indignant tone without looking at him. Tiran imagined an angry snarl on her face.
Tiran frowned, worried that he had just offended her, "Hey, sorry, I didn't think..."
Ruwa's shoulders slumped, appearing to deflate, "No, it's ok," she said with a softer voice. "You don't know much about it." She spun around to face him again, but with a smile on her face, "So, how 'bout you?"
"What about me?" Tiran didn't know what she was getting at.
"I told you something about me, so how about you tell me a little about yourself?" she replied.
"Don't get him started." Li said in an almost condescending tone.
"Dammit, Li!" Tiran shouted over Ruwa's laughter.
"What? You're quite the bitching betty, you know..." Tiran almost believed he could feel her smugness through their interface.
He began to get flustered, "What!? Since when have I been this 'bitching betty' you seem to think of me as?"
Ruwa recovered from her mirth, taking a few breaths, "Oh, cut it out Tiran, she's just playing," she said with a roll of her eyes.
"Yeah, that's what worries me..." Tiran muttered, turning away from the conversation.
"So, how about it?" Ruwa wasn't so easily deterred.
"Really, you still want me to tell you?"
Ruwa flipped an errant strand of hair from her face with her head and nodded.
Tiran sighed in defeat, "Fine..." Ruwa gazed up at him expectantly, not giving him any slack. "I- I like music and stuff, I guess."
"You guess?" Ruwa said. "C'mon, nopony just guesses if they like music. What do you like?"
Tiran frowned again, but not an unhappy kind of frown, more like a resigned one, as if he'd accepted his fate, "Ok, how about this? Li, let's play some music."
Ruwa's eyes brightened as her smile widened, she jumped and clapped her hooves repeatedly together before settling back down under Tiran's odd stare.
"which would you like to play, Tiran?"
"Let's go classical," Tiran unleashed a devilish smile as a song title popped into his head. He turned the speaker et into his arm to Ruwa's face and said in a throaty voice, "Killstardo Abominate."
Two drum taps, then all hell was set loose as an unrelenting tidal force of drums and guitars blasted from the deceptively powerful speaker. Ruwa stumbled back, ears pressed flat against her skull as she grimaced against the onslaught of death metal. Tiran laughed and shut off the music.
Ruwa rounded on him, murder in her eyes, "That was NOT funny!"
"It was a little funny." Tiran insisted between chuckles.
"No it was not!" She turned away from him in a pout.
"Oh, c'mon... alright, here..." Tiran leaned against the railing and held his right arm parallel to his chest, "Li, play something nice, maybe acoustic."
Ruwa covered her ears again, expecting deception, but slowly pulled her hooves down from her head as the dulcet stings of a violin accompanied by a guitar wafted through the air. It was a light, lilting melody that sat comfortably in the heart.
Ruwa smiled, "That's a lot better. You also like this music?"
"Nah," Tiran said passively, "Li downloaded it. Said I need to relax more and this would help. Just kind of bland to me really. Reggae usually works better."
"What's reggae?'
Tiran looked at her and smiled, "It's what you listen to when you want to just chill and melt into your chair. What about you guys, what music you got around here?"
Ruwa tapped her hoof against her chin in thought, "Hmm... there's the Canterlot Orchestra, but it's kind of stuffy. The griffons usually have some interesting stuff, but DJ Pon3 is still really popular. Really energetic, futuristic sounding. Also, really fun to blast at a party." She added with a twisted grin.
Both of them turned as they heard a knock at the door. Tiran moved to go answer it, but Ruwa waved him off and went inside instead, leaving Tiran alone on the balcony. He picked up his beer and downed the rest of it in one solid gulp, taking in the sight of the land as he did.
Everything looked so tiny down there, all the trees like stalks of broccoli, rivers like shining silver ribbons among a sea of green. If Tiran cupped his hands around his eyes to block out everything else around him, he could almost believe he was flying again. He longed for it. That was where he belonged, soaring through the air.
He needed a way to get the Cloudburst airborne again. That one Princess, Luna, said that they recovered it. If he could find it and figure out how to repair it, he had a shot at flying, and getting back into the fight.
"Hey, Tiran!" The door slammed as Ruwa trotted back in his direction. "Hey, guess what?"
"What?" Tiran said, turning back around to face her.
Ruwa smiled back at him with a suspicious spark in her eye, "You won't believe what just happened..."
"So tell me!" Tiran said, getting a little annoyed.
"Jeez, cool down..." Ruwa looked at him sideways, "So, we've just been invited to dinner."
Tiran arched an eyebrow, "So...?"
"So!?" said Ruwa with astonishment, "We're gonna be dining with the Princesses themselves!" She nearly squealed with excitement, spinning back around to retreat into her room. "Ohmygosh, I don't have anything to wear, and my hair is a mess!"
Tiran watched her go, thinking her mixed reaction was a little odd. Out on the wild trail, she didn't give a second thought about how she looked, but get her around some royalty... Tiran's spirits fell.
He wished he had another beer. No, he thought, scratch that, he needed liquor. There was nothing worse in his mind than having to face the politics of dinner with those that dealt in high society. The threat of immanent death and violence was a close second.



*    *    *




Tiran marched down the hall with Ruwa at his side. They were flanked by two uniformed guards, both armed with what Tiran hoped were just ceremonial swords. He was now wearing a dress shirt that had been brought to him by a rather effeminate acting stallion who had also given Ruwa a stunningly crafted dress that matched her eyes almost perfectly. Even Tiran had to admit, it looked really good on her. By comparison, it made the starchy dress shirt he had been given look like scrap.
Tiran tugged and scratched at it constantly, it was itchy and uncomfortable even through his undershirt. Some things didn't change, even in other worlds, he thought. At least Ruwa was happy with her garments, she deserved it after all the crap his mere presence in her world had put her through.
Their steps echoed loudly through the vaulted halls, giving them an ominous feeling. Tiran began to feel nervous as they rounded a corner, bringing them to a wide arch containing a red carpet that rolled outside into a lush garden. He tugged a little at his collar again as they were led through the arch and out onto a path lit on either side by torches set on gilded staffs that had been driven into the soft grass. Tiran wondered at the seemingly opulent recreational park in the middle of what he assumed to be some kind of military complex.
"Stop fidgeting!" Ruwa hissed angrily at him.
"Hey, it's not my fault these clothes are so stiff!" Tiran shot back in a low whisper.
Ruwa still was cross, "Well learn to deal with it, we're about to meet both of the Princesses!"
"I don't care, I don't even want to be here, they made me come!" Tiran gestured at the guards behind them.
"So what? Just make the best of it and try not to embarrass me!"
Tiran wanted to say something back at her, like about just how stupid he thought all the pomp and circumstance was, but arguing with her wouldn't do him any good. So he just shut his mouth and resigned to just silently fume. His one hope was that royal types here were the same as the ones in his world, that there would be some kind of wine or brandy present at the dinner.
They traveled down the winding path, eventually coming to a softly lit grove among the bushes and trees. There were light streamers of dark blue and gold laced among the branches of the trees and the leaves of the bushes, lending a tasteful ambiance to the clearing in the brush. In the middle, at the end of the carpet, lay a thick mahogany table large enough to seat at least eight people, though there were only chairs for four; one at each end and one on either side.
The table was set with what Tiran thought was way too many items. Each place had set on it two different glasses, three plates and an arsenal of cutlery. The only singular items among the entire set-up were the napkins, so white and clean, Tiran could've sworn they had their own glow.
The guards sat Ruwa and Tiran in the seats at the sides of the table and withdrew to the edge of the clearing. Then without warning, a pair of stewards materialized from the ether and poured them both a glass of water from pitchers carved from the purest crystal. Tiran was beginning to feel ever more uncomfortable with the affair, never having experienced this level of fine dining, it just wasn't his thing. He looked pleadingly across the table at Ruwa, but she just returned it with a stern expression.
"Introducing, Their Majesties, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!" One of the stewards suddenly announced, so loudly that Tiran nearly jumped in his seat.
Tiran turned his head slightly to try and get a look at the Princesses as they approached the table. He spotted Princess Luna, striding confidently towards the table, but it was the other one that caught his attention. With a shining white coat and bright pastel hair, she stood at least a head taller than Luna and probably even himself. 
If the way she walked didn't say she owned the place, the vibrant golden crown resting just behind her horn did. The expression she wore was one of calm confidence, but Tiran quickly turned back around in his seat as she caught his eye. That was one lady whose bad side he knew he didn't want to get on, royalty or not.
Both Tiran and ruwa stiffened as they took their seats at the table. Tiran saw Princess Luna trying to give him a weak smile out the corner of his eye, but he pretended not to notice. He was too focused on trying to get a read on the other princess. She hadn't even so much as looked in his direction yet.
The dinner started off quietly with the stewards darting forward to refill everyone's glass. Then Tiran was surprised as small trays appeared as if by magic next to each of them, gliding down onto the plates set before them. Their covers were lifted, proudly displaying a small bowl of fresh and crispy salad.
Tiran reached for a fork, but stopped when Ruwa shot him an angry glance. He put his hand back down and shifted his eyes left and right, watching the two Princesses. Finally, the bigger one lifted a fork with a strange golden aura—at least Tiran assumed it was her that was doing it—and began to eat. Tiran looked to his right and saw Princess Luna doing the same thing. Tiran looked back to Ruwa and she nodded, digging into her own appetizer.
Tiran almost began to eat as hastily as he was used to, but slowed down as he saw the others taking a much more measured pace. They continued like this in silence for some time, eating, chewing, sipping on water. Until at last, each of them had nearly finished their salad. The continued silence was making Tiran increasingly uncomfortable, he didn't know wether or not he should be saying something, but nobody else was speaking so he too remained silent.
The stewards moved swiftly in again, refilling glasses and whisking away the shallow empty bowls. Tiran just sat facing forward with his hands in his lap, fingering the napkin in his lap, unsure of what to do with himself while the next course was fetched. So when the silence was finally broken, he was caught a little off guard.
"So, Mr. Tiran. You are unusually quiet for one of your kind."
Tiran's eyes flashed up to the one who had spoken to him, finding no words on his tongue as his gaze met that of the other Princess who's name he was still unsure of.
"Yes, but a welcome change if you ask me, Celestia." Tiran glanced over to Princess Luna who was now speaking. "The last two were a little... mouthy."
"Maybe so," the other answered, "but I found it somewhat entertaining," she smiled.
"Perhaps."
"Lieutenant Tiran, I believe it was," Tiran looked back up to the deep magenta stare of the golden crowned Princess, "please don't be shy. This is a wonderfully breathtaking night that my sister had crafted for us, don't you think?" she asked, lifting her eyes to the star speckled sky.
Tiran didn't exactly know how to answer, instead staring dumbly at the Princess. He winced as he felt something sharp impact one of his shins. He looked across the table to see Ruwa glaring at him.
"Princess Celestia just asked you a question, answer her!" the pegasus whisper-shouted at him.
Tiran fumbled for words, "I-uh... Yeah, it's particularly... inky, tonight." Ruwa looked particularly irked at Tiran's inarticulate comment.
However, Celestia didn't seem to mind the crude remark, "Yes, it is a bit dark. Luna, the moon has not yet risen, why is that?"
"Tonight is the start of the new moon, dear sister. I won't rise it officially until tomorrow's night." Luna answered in an even tone.
"Seems a bit lazy, don't you think?" Celestia teased.
"Yeah, it's kinda lazy," Tiran said without thinking, "But now you can see constellations that normally aren't visible when the moon's out."
Ruwa's jaw nearly dropped, absolute horror tugging down at her face at Tiran's total breach of etiquette. Tiran, realizing that he had just possibly insinuated an insult against a monarch of an entire nation, quietly apologized, subtle checking his rear for any guards that might be creeping up behind him. Fortunately, he didn't see any.... yet.
Both he and Ruwa were surprised, however, when in return they heard a bubbly laugh, "Quite an astute observation! He's right, Luna, well done."
"Yes, it's a nice change of pace in the phases." Luna agreed.
As the Princesses finished speaking, the stewards returned, this time with large entree plates and decanters of wine. Tiran let out an inward sigh of relief as his glass was filled with the ruby red concoction. The coverings on the entree plates were removed, revealing a spicy smelling assortment of diced pan-fried vegetables, the aroma of which actually made Tiran's mouth water.
"So, Lieutenant, what brings you to our humble world." Princess Celestia asked almost casually as the stewards withdrew.
"Uh... you, you don't have to call me that. Uh, Your Highness." Tiran said.
Princess Celestia chuckled, "Please, you may dispense with the formalities. And as long as I'm dropping your title, you may simply call me Celestia."
"And you may refer to me simply as Luna." Celestia's sister added.
Tiran was unsure as to what they were getting at. He didn't know if this was some kind of political game or not. He looked to Ruwa for guidance, but she just stared blankly at him and shrugged. Once again, Tiran thought it was best to just go with it.
"Uh, thank you, Luna and Celestia?" They both nodded. "Well, I didn't exactly want to come here, it just kind of... happened."
Celestia and Luna shared a glance, "Just as it always seems to be," Celestia said softly with a knowing smile.
Unsure of what to do next, Tiran just grabbed his glass with his right hand and took a long pull of the wine. It was sweeter than he was used to, but it also burned like hell going down. It almost made him cough. Whatever vintage it was, it was some strong stuff. Ruwa looked at Tiran disapprovingly, but at this point he didn't really care. Tiran took another gulp from his glass. 
"You know, sister," Luna began, "Mr. Tiran has a most interesting companion with him."
"Yes, Miss Ruwa has accomplished quite the feat, guiding him thus far," Celestia said.
Across the table, Ruwa beamed.
Luna shook her head, "No, Tia. A most wonderful conscienceness, alive and thinking, within Tiran's appendage. She is quite intelligent, if a bit crude."
Everyone around the table gasped and flinched as Tiran's glass exploded into thousands of tiny shards as his hand closed into a fist suddenly and involuntarily. He nearly spat out his drink, but with amazing control, swallowed it forcefully. Along with the rest of the table, Tiran stared at his own limb with a mixture of worry and wonderment.
He certainly hadn't meant to squeeze his hand, and he wondered if Li had anything to do with it. Perhaps in response to Luna's comment, but that wasn't right. Li had never shown any emotional reaction before, other than concern for the survival of Tiran and herself.
Tiran quickly moved to apologize, "I-I'm sorry, that's never happened before."
"It is fine, Tiran. I shall have it cleaned up at once." Celestia said.
Tiran expected her to call one of the stewards over to gather the shards and sop up the spilt wine, but to his amazement, all the glittering shards of glass began to glow, the same golden glow that now surrounded Princess Celestia's own horn. Tiran watched in amazement as all the broken glass rose up a few inches off the table and grass and began to flow like a glittering steam to a spot directly next to Tiran's plate. One by one, the shards began to fit together and within a matter of seconds, the glass was once again whole.
Tiran stared dumbfounded at his now repaired glass. He had never seen anything like it before. "Now that you've seen something curious from me," Celestia said, drawing his attention, "perhaps you'd like to show me something almost as equally entertaining?"
"I am not a tool for your entertainment." Li said without prompting and in a biting tone.
Celestia displayed only a flutter of amazement before settling back into her stoic demeanor, "My, well that is curious."
"Is it not as I said?" Luna asked Celestia with a smile.
"Yes, that is quite a contraption," Celestia said, staring acutely at Tiran's prosthetic limb. "Tiran, How did it come by creation?"
"Li is not an it," Tiran replied defensively. "Technically, she is, but she is just as much an intelligent, thinking being as you or I. More than that, she's my partner."
Celestia leaned back in her chair, bringing a hoof to her chest, "I apologize, Tiran, I meant no offense," she said, "I only wish to know how she came to be."
"I was programmed." Li said before Tiran could reply. "Using a series of algorithms and countless calculations cunning in tandem with one another, my matrix was constructed to facilitate functions nearly identical to human thought processes within a margin of one-point-two-four percent."
"She can also learn, too." Tiran added.
"How very interesting," Celestia said in an impressed undertone. "I've never encountered anything of the like within the borders of our realm in all my years."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Tiran, would it be too much trouble to ask to speak with her for a time?" Celestia asked.
Tiran rolled the question around in his head. Facinating as Li might be to them, he didn't know if he agreed with that. Sure, Li wouldn't tell them anything they shouldn't know, but where would that leave his situation? As a curiousity to be studied? No, he needed to find a way to get home. A thought occured to him.
"Alright," Tiran said, looking to both Celestia and Luna, "but on one condition."
Celestia adopted a nuetral, yet hardened look, "And what might that be?"
"I want to see my aircraft." Tiran demanded. "And my equipment, too."
Celestia looked him in the eye, almost seeming to be attempting to intimidate Tiran. He wouldn't back down, however. He kept his ground, meeting her gaze with equal intensity.
'Very well," Celestia relented, appearing to relax, "I shall have somepony along tomorrow morning to escort you to where your machine is being held. Now, if it would so please everypony, let us resume our dinner, it's getting cold," she added with a happier expression.