//------------------------------// // We'll always have Paris // Story: Mush Story // by Dafaddah //------------------------------// Mush Story by Dafaddah Chapter three: We'll Always Have Paris Edited by Sharp Logic, TotallyNotaBrony and Mythee “Celui de gauche est trop bas," said Richard. Twilight raised the portrait of Princess Luna higher. "L'autre gauche!" he laughed. She blushed and the picture of Princess Celestia rose until it was level with that of Luna. "Parfait! Voila, c'est fini!" he exclaimed. Richard was having a great time. In another of those monumental parallels between universes, there was a whole province of Equestria that spoke French, or Fancy according to Twilight, a language Richard had learned from his father. The province's capital, Lutèce, was the last stop in their tour to establish local trade offices for the UN and US. The actual work had gone tremendously quickly given Twilight’s use of her magic chopsticks and the eagerness of the local pony population to make things happen for her. She did get a tad annoyed when he began to sing 'Bibbety, Bobbety, Boo' whenever she was waving both chopsticks to orchestrate multiple levitations, translations and transformations, all at the same time. Usually she could manage over an hour of wand waving before she tired and had to lower her arms, a sheen of sweat on her brow. Then she certainly didn’t complain when he massaged her shoulders, called her ‘champ’, and gave her gravelly-voiced advice on how to fight the ‘next palooka on the ticket’.” Her laughter was spontaneous, and infectious, and he enjoyed it tremendously. Over the last few days he’d realized something. You’re going to miss her, Richard. Being a diplomat was nothing but an endless series of new postings, new faces, and then goodbyes. It’s part of the package. You knew that going in. Still, she drew his eye, no matter what she did, and the sound of her voice was an endless delight. Dude! You’ve got it bad! Twilight stepped back and eyed the entire room skeptically. The furniture was in place. The service desks in their corners, the pamphlets outlining the new interstellar trade laws and the recommendations to ponies on how to behave when visiting the 'Human Earth' were in the literature racks, and the trade offices for both worlds fully staffed. Twilight's expression turned into a multi-thousand candle-power smile. "We're done, Richard, we're done!" She grabbed his arm and gave him an impromptu hug. "Princess Celestia will be so pleased!" The hug lingered. "I'm so happy!" Richard looked down into her shining face. She was so close, and so beautiful, he thought. So... You musn't, he scolded himself, and struggled to raise his head and square his shoulders. "Congratulations, Twi," he said, enunciating carefully, instead of doing what he wanted, what he had wanted to do for weeks now. But that's not really her, he reminded himself. The real her is a purple winged unicorn in some town called Ponyville. As they stared into each other's faces their expressions grew serious, and all that other stuff just seemed to fade from his awareness. Why does she still hold me so close? "Tomorrow we go to Ponyville," she said very seriously, "and Alice and I swap our bodies back." Richard was momentarily dumbstruck. He nodded. "I bet you can't wait," he said finally. Then his brain caught up with his mouth. Idiot! he berated himself. Twilight slowly pushed back. She suddenly seemed very unsure. Her smile, when it came, was tentative at best. "I really... can't wait!" she said as she turned and began hurrying towards the exit. Fix this, Richard! Don't let the last evening you'll have together be an awkward disaster!  "Hey, Twi!" he called out, "Let's celebrate. Dinner's on me!" She stopped and turned to face him, still looking unsure. "I don't mean that literally," he deadpanned, "I mean I'm going to pay." She smiled, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, Fancypants did recommend this particular restaurant. But he usually goes in for the gourmet type of place, so you’d better bring a lot of bits!” Richard tilted his head and pretended to be shocked. “You mean they don't take credit cards?" Twilight was still laughing as they left the room. The train pulled into Ponyville station. Through the open windows wafted the enticing and familiar smells of the town nearby. A reasonable crowd of ponies waved and cheered as they slowed to a stop. Twilight glanced at Richard. “This is it! My own little kingdom!” He had seemed a bit moody on the train ride. In fact, things had been a bit awkward since yesterday, when she had almost done something... unprofessional. She blushed again just thinking about it. This isn’t your body, Twilight! Show Alice the respect she deserves for volunteering to do this.  “Oh My Gosh!” said Richard, staring out the window. “That spiky, sparkly and purple thing that sticks out above the town’s roofs... is that...?” He ran out of words. “Do I detect a tinge of envy, Richard?” asked Twilight archly. “That is Friendship Rainbow Castle, and it’s my home.” “It’s... architecturally quite distinct,” he opined. “It’s comfortable,” replied Twilight. “And its design is based on my previous house, which was a library in a tree, actually.” She sighed and got up. “We’d better get going. Everypony’s waiting outside.” Richard looked at her for moment, as if he were going to say something. When he didn’t, she turned and he followed her out. There was a loud cheer from the crowd when they disembarked. Twilight noticed a banner slung over the entrance to the stationhouse that read: ‘Welcome Home Princess Twilight – We Missed You!’ Mayor Mare was there, too, giving Twilight the feeling that things were becoming a bit too formal in her absence. She hoped they would get back to normal as soon as she was home for a few days. What warmed her heart was seeing her dearest friends there too. Even Discord was present, and sticking close to Fluttershy. Ignoring the podium that had been set up for her she went straight to Spike and the girls and began hugging practically everypony in sight. Mayor Mare at first tried for a hoof-shake but gamely submitted to the hug when Twilight pulled her close. One advantage of being bipedal was the ease with which one could go from hug to hug! That reminds me! She scanned the crowd. “Has anypony seen Alice?” she asked Pinkie Pie, who looked fit to burst with some sort of news. “Sure, Twilight. But you’re going to be surpriiiiised! Look up! Look waaaaaaay up!” the pink mare pointed to the eastern horizon. Two dots were moving at high speed, both leaving behind them a rainbow trail. As they got closer Twilight wasn’t surprised to see that one sported a cyan coat. The other was a bit harder to make out. The two twirled around each-other in well synchronized spirals, just like members of the Wonderbolts. Finally she could make out some colour on the second one: a dark mane, a lavender coat... “That’s my body!” she cried out. “And that’s Alice flying with Dash!”, just as they passed overhead. “Nice!” said Richard. “A double rainbow!” The two flyers looped back and came in at Twilight, still at high speed. They’re going to crash! she thought, and fumbled to pull her chopsticks out of her travel bag. Just as she got them out, both flyers spread their wings wide and made a perfect ‘flare and land’ manoeuvre, dropping almost soundlessly to the ground mere paces away from her. Both were breathing hard as the crowd cheered wildly at the display of precision flying. Twilight stood frozen in shock. Rainbow Dash regained her breath first and put a foreleg over Alice's withers. “And that’s what I can do with a pony who really wants to fly!” Alice, still breathing hard, bowed to Twilight. “Your Majesty, I return you your body, winded, but intact.” When she looked up there was a tinge of sadness in her gaze. “Thank you for giving me a chance to fly, Princess Twilight. I’ve spent most of the last few years on an aircraft carrier with all these people who are passionate about flying, and I never understood why, until now. I’ll never forget this.” The look of immense gratitude in Alice’s eyes calmed Twilight down. She had obviously not damaged her body. If anything it looked more fit than it had since she participated in the running of the leaves. “Alice Scrivello,” said Twilight, "I return you your body, in good health, and with the gratitude of two worlds.” “Wow, Princess Twilight, that was a pretty good speech,” said Richard. Everypony within earshot laughed. Discord raised a paw. “Well then, I guess it’s time for a swap meet.” “Discord, wait! I haven’t...” The Draconequus snapped his digits and everything went dark. There was pain, but she was prepared for it this time, and it actually felt much shorter in duration. Her eyes opened, and her perspective had changed: she was standing next to Dash, and just across from her Alice was being held in Richard’s arms. His face showed deep concern as she blinked and fought to regain consciousness. The look of relief on Richard’s face was something Twilight would never forget. For her, not for me! Twilight’s ears drooped as she stared at the oblivious couple. It must be nice to be held like that! Without another word she teleported home. Richard held onto Alice as she gradually woke up. Luckily he had been looking her way just as the transfer was effected and so was able to catch her as she fainted. Twilight would have killed me if I had let any harm come to Alice, he thought. Speaking of Twilight, he looked up to where the lavender alicorn had been just a moment before the transfer, right next to Rainbow Dash. She wasn’t there. He turned his head left and right. “Did anypony see where Princess Twilight went?” he asked. Fluttershy spoke in a timid voice. “She was there... and then she wasn’t. I think she must have teleported.” Dash turned to the yellow mare. “Why would she do that? We haven’t even had the dumb speeches yet.” It was Rarity who spoke next. “Darlings, if I recall, just before disappearing she was looking at Richard and Alice.” Richard could tell there was something else she didn’t want to say in public. He and the white unicorn exchanged concerned glances. “I suspect she’s in the castle. We can lead you there, Richard.” “I would very much appreciate that,” he replied. A light blue mare came up to him. “I’ll keep an eye on Alice. She’s a friend. Go.” Richard nodded his thanks and set off with the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.   Twilight lay on her bed and held onto Smarty Pants. “Why am I so miserable?” she asked the doll. “It’s not as if we ever courted, or held hooves, or kissed or anything. Besides, I’ve never wanted to do any of that stuff before. Maybe the only reason I felt that way was because I was in Alice's body. Maybe the only reason he liked me was because of Alice’s body. He’s never shown any interest in the mares we were with. He probably doesn’t even like ponies.” She hugged the doll to her chest. “Oh, Smarty Pants –” tears plopped as they fell onto the bedcovers “– how can this hurt so much?” She wiped her eyes with a fetlock, and stared down at her lavender foreleg and hoof. “What an idiot!” she confided to the doll. “How could I do this to myself?” There was a noise at the door. It was usually left open when she was out of the room, and she hadn’t thought to close it since she had teleported straight onto her bed. She sniffed and looked up. There he stood, looking serious. “You had help,” said Richard, answering her question. He hesitated. “Twilight, may I come in?” She swallowed. “I don’t know if you should. I’m really confused right now, and confused magical princesses aren’t the safest company." Richard smiled. “Meh! What’s the worst that could happen? I hear this town has a pretty good dentist.” She made a strangled noise halfway between a sob and a guffaw. “Don’t make me laugh when I’m trying to cry my eyes out!” Richard walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. “Twilight. I have to ask you something.” His hand was just inches away from her hoof. She stared at it, an object that would have been incredibly alien to her just a short time ago. "I have a problem, you see. I think I've fallen for a girl." Twilight thought her heart would stop beating. "But who did you fall for, Richard? Is it Alice? It was her face that you saw. It was her hands that touched you. I saw the look in your eyes when you held her in your arms. If that's the girl, then I'm not her." Twilight shook with a silent sob. Richard edged closer. "Twilight, when Alice's eyes opened, you weren't there, and I knew I was holding the wrong girl." A fragile hope flooded Twilight. She wanted to respond to Richard, but she had never been more afraid of saying the wrong thing. Thankfully, Richard wasn't finished. "Listen, Twilight, I just spent the better part of a month with the most amazing person I’ve ever met. She wore a disguise, but it couldn’t prevent the real her from showing through. I’d like to think that this person is still there, even though the disguise is gone. But she’s royalty and I’m a commoner, and she is kind of different from me, and I just don’t know if that kind of relationship could work. My brain tells me that the odds are stacked against us, but my heart says don’t give up. Fight for her, because she is wonderful, and kind, and beautiful inside and smart and... because I love her. I love you, Twilight. Not Alice, not anyone or anypony else. I love you.” The phrase echoed in Twilight’s mind. I love you. Words she had dreaded and longed to hear since she learned of the existence of romantic love. Richard reached tentatively for her hoof, and she placed it in his hand. He smiled, shyly at first, and then more broadly. “What about you, Twilight? How do you feel about me, now that you’re not awash in human hormones stimulated by my handsome, masculine he-man-ness?” She laughed and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “I’m a bookish mare, with bookish ways. Physical looks have never impressed me as much as a good argument or a really cheesy pun. But I’ve never felt this way about anypony or anyone before, so I don’t know if it’s love or if it’s something else.” She moved in closer to him. “But I do know that I want it to continue. So I guess I’ll call it love until I can gather more definitive data on the subject.” Twilight felt a hand caress her neck. “It’s going to be tough to build a double-blind test series for romance,” he replied. “And I wonder how ponies will react to your involvement with a monkey-boy.” She sighed contentedly and lay her head on his lap. “I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Equestria has harbored multiple sapient species since forever. Friendship across them is common, and mixed couples aren’t unheard of by any means.” “Oh,” he replied. “In that case –” he gently took her in his arms and raised her up until their faces were inches apart. Her eyes grew wide as he closed his and brought their lips together. The kiss wasn’t the messy slobbery business she had imagined. His lips were warm, as was his body against hers, and Twilight had never felt so... right. She relaxed against him and let the kiss linger on. Finally they broke for air. From the doorway came the sound of cheers and hooves clapping. “Hey, Twilight!” shouted Pinkie Pie. “First Kiss Party tonight at Sugarcube Corners. Be there or be square!” She turned back to the other ponies.“C’mon, girls, let’s give these two lovebirds some time to themselves.” The group began shuffling back. This time it was Richard’s turn to blush a bright red. “I, um, forgot they had led me here.” She lay her head on his shoulder. “That’s okay. They probably figured out we were in love before we even realized it. They’re good friends.” She glanced back at their departing forms. “The very best!” She pulled back her head and brought her lips to Richard’s for another kiss when she heard a young male voice go “Ahem!” Spike raised his head from his basket. “I’m going to barf if I see any more of this mushy stuff. Twi, do ya’ mind if I go read some comics?” Twilight sighed. “Sure Spike. None of the spooky ones, okay. I don’t want you having nightmares again.” The little dragon waddled to the door. “Drat! Well, I guess I’ll read something else then. Later, Richard.” “Later, dude,” replied the human. “Now, where were we?” asked Twilight. “Something, something, interstellar studies of lips,” said Richard. “And we need more data,” she added, leaning into another kiss. Epilogue “So your first special somepony was a human?” asked the orange filly. That drew another round of titters and whispers from her classmates. “So what happened afterwards, did you and Richard get married?” Her teacher rose from his desk, looking tongue-tied and very embarrassed indeed. Twilight waved a hoof a him, then pointed at the clock on the wall. “Children, it looks like we’ve run out of time. We’ll save some questions for next time, shall we?” She winked at the little orange unicorn. “And I’m sure a lot of the answers are already there in your history books, just waiting for smart little ponies like you to read and discover. That’s what I did when I was a filly your age.” “Hey class!” said the teacher. “Let’s show Princess Twilight our thanks and appreciation for coming here to answer our questions today!” His applause was amplified enthusiastically by twenty more pairs of hooves clapping and tiny voices saying “Thank you, Princess!” She nodded and left from the big central door. She looked behind her a moment. She felt grateful to the little foals and their teacher. They had brought back some very sweet memories from long ago. On a whim she decided to walk back to the castle rather than fly. She just followed her hooves and wasn’t at all surprised when she approached a part of town she seldom visited in the last century. Celestia had warned her of how the meaning of this place and her feelings towards it would radically change for her as the years accumulated. So many lives had come and gone, so many faces. Memories cascaded through her awareness, as one image brought another to mind. Still, this was a quiet, restful place. The trees rustled in the light wind, a sound that had always made her feel happy and secure. She only realized she had stopped walking after several minutes had blown by. She stood in front of a stone, one amongst many in this older section of the cemetery. Kneeling down she brushed away accumulated dust and wind-borne debris. The area was pleasant, and the soothing breeze was still blowing, so Twilight decided to lay down on the grass. She looked at the partially eroded lettering and smiled. “Hello, Richard. It’s been a while since I last visited. Some little unicorn reminded me about you...” She spoke to Richard of her visit to the class, and of the foals’ questions. She lay there and talked to him for over an hour, recalling both good and bad times. As she did, she saw the past all around her. No, the past was never truly gone. Especially not for the ones you had loved, and who had loved you. They were forever present your heart.