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// 25 - Royal Discourse 
// Story: It's OK to Be a Pony 
// by David Silver 
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Lyra arrived in Canterlot and trotted towards the castle. She always felt under-dressed in the city of unicorns, though her tophat and monocle did much to alleviate the sensation. There was a big difference between having a hat or not having a hat, and she wasn't getting nearly as many raised brows as the last time she came with nothing at all.

None challenged her progress, except one stallion that stepped in front of her while wielding a cape. "This would complete your ensemble, ma'am. Only three bits!"

It wasn't a bad looking cape, but she wasn't really in the mood to shop at the moment, and she shook her head, pressing past the roadblock.

Her hat buzzed softly and she flicked her ears,  activating the view of the front of the house. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were peeking through one of the windows. Scootaloo had her face pressed against the glass. "They look pretty normal to me. Are you sure this is the right place?"

Apple Bloom was beside her. "Of course ah am! The ponies here are aliens!"

Sweetie Belle, who had somehow been roped into being the stepping stool for the other two, looked up at them. "What do you see in there?"

The front door suddenly swung open and Lucy poked her head out. "Hey Crusaders! Are you here to play?"

The girls shrieked as one. Sweetie tried to flee, which unsettled the pile on top of her. They came crashing down, pinning Sweetie to the ground as they made a mess of themselves in a heap of pony flesh.

Lucy grinned at the mess she very likely intended to create. "You don't have to peek from outside, come in and hang out."

Lyra flicked off the view, satisfied that all was well. Lucy was really adapting well to her life as a new foal. She was becoming more playful by the day, though her desire to consume knowledge hadn't ebbed. Lyra suddenly stopped as a new thought came to her. If these souls really were copies, perhaps they were made of local... stuff... That would explain how some of them adapted so well and thoroughly. Lucy wasn't just Lucy the human, she was Lucy the Equestrian with a human's memories and past...

Lyra shook her head and approached the gate of the castle. "May I see Princess Luna, please?" she asked of the tall stallion in golden armor. "It's very important."





Sam asked for a forward on his pay, and got it. It was all... too easy. He took the money, which looked sort of like real money. It was green, and had a face on it, but it wasn't any president he knew. It was more an impression of a face. He took the collection of bills to an apartment building he spotted and looked around for an office, but saw none at all.

When a person wandered past heading out, he stopped them. "Hey, sorry to bug you, but how do you move in?"

The person shrugged his shoulders. "Need help moving boxes?"

"No no, I mean, you know, paperwork?"

He looked baffled. "Uh, just pick an empty apartment."

This was becoming disturbing. With every interaction it became more clear that this was not Earth, and not America. He thanked the guy anyway and found a spot on the second floor that looked empty and abandoned. There was a sign on the door that was blank where the others had people's names, so he added his own name. There, all his now!

So what did he do with his money? Of course! "Gonna need a bed, maybe a TV, some food..." He walked out of the apartment building and headed downtown.

Loud pulsing music suddenly drew his attention. Some teenager was walking down the road, bobbing her head to some large headphones, and it seemed the entire world was bobbing right along with her, moving to the beat that her music produced. The people around him seemed blissfully unaware, but when she got in range, the music grabbed them, and him, and he was swept along in the beat until she moved past. What the Jesus flipping Christ was that?





"What are you an expert of, ma'am?" asked the guard that stood in Lyra's way.

"Uh... Anthropology? I'm a professional friend for once-humans, at Luna's request. Can you get her or bring me to her?" Lyra wasn't sure how to deal with the guards, but they had been rather stubborn so far.

"It's day."

"So?"

"She's sleeping. Come back at night."

Lyra scowled and stomped a hoof. "She came to see me during the day! Just tell her who's here and she'll see me. Please!"

The guards looked at one another before one turned and trotted into the castle. The one left nodded at Lyra. "We'll get the night guard. They would know better about Luna's wishes."

Lyra waited impatiently before a large figure landed just in front of her. The bat pony folded her wings tight against herself as she smiled down at Lyra. "Hello there. I'm told you want to speak to Luna?"

Lyra was filled with a thrill of dread and awe at the bat pony. "Oh, uh... yes? Please..." She was so large! Lyra felt like a filly in the presence of the intimidating guard of the night, even if she was smiling and even seemed friendly.

The night guard gestured to herself. "I am Dark Horizon. Be at ease. The mistress has spoken of you before, and you are welcome here. Miss Heartstrings, was it?"

Lyra nodded. "Misses Heartstrings. Lyra. Nice to meet you. Is Luna really asleep?"

Dark leaned in, her face filling Lyra's vision. "She is, but I will bring you to her waiting room." Dark turned around and sank to the ground. "Up."

Lyra blushed a little. Adults were not supposed to ride each other normally, but with the size difference, she hardly felt like an adult around Dark. She clambered up carefully and draped herself over Dark's back. Dark slid to her hooves, spread her wings wide and was soon in the air, carrying the stunned Lyra towards Luna's chambers.