//------------------------------//
// Deciscions 
// Story: Requests 
// by CoastBrumby 
//------------------------------//

Twilight Sparkle was not sure why, but she felt comforted by Rainbow Dash’s presence in the sky with her. The two winged ponies soared over Ponyville. Rainbow Dash spotted The Smooze quickly. The Smooze was with Spike. They were standing on the site of the late Golden Oaks Library. The site was fenced off.
Spike was rambling on. “You see Smooze, Twilight owns this land now. She was forced to buy it after her friends stole the roots from Library. They didn’t think of it as stealing at the time. Twilight would like to see the land developed into a learning centre, but there isn’t nearly enough money in this year’s budget, and there probably won’t be in next year’s either. We don’t have enough to even hire an architect to make a design for the centre, and it is hard to solicit funds from private donors if you don’t have a design.”  He said
The Smooze wiggled.
“I don’t think Twilight could design it herself. I have a few ideas myself though.” Spike said.
Rainbow Dash landed forcefully between Spike and The Smooze. Twilight Sparkle floated gracefully to the ground nearby. 
“Hi Spike. Yo Smooze. How’s it hanging?” Rainbow Dash said.
“Hi, Rainbow Dash. I was just showing The Smooze around Ponyville. He seems fascinated by this place for some reason.” Spike said.
“Having communications issues eh? Leave it to me. I’ve developed amazing understanding powers. Tell me The Smooze. What makes this place so special to you?” Rainbow Dash said.
The Smooze moved closer to Rainbow Dash.
“Well that makes sense.” Rainbow Dash said.
“What did he say? Was it wise?” Twilight asked.
“Ask him yourself. He’s not making animal sounds. He’s talking into your brain, but he’s not using your ears. Some kind of magic. You should be able to hear him if I can. I don’t even have a horn.” Rainbow Dash said.
Twilight starred at The Smooze. She concentrated.
“Good afternoon, Your Highness.” A gentle voice said in her mind. Twilight lurched back. “Whoa!” She cried out. 
“Please, call me Twilight.” She said to The Smooze.
“Thank you, Twilight. Now I have your attention, I would like to apologize for reading your book without your permission.” The Smooze said.
“So, you put books inside yourself to read?” Twilight asked.
“Yes, I don’t see things the same way ponies do. I understand you thought I was eating it. You need not fear. Paper I find unappetizing.” The Smooze said. He jiggled. 
Twilight hugged Rainbow Dash. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I can talk to him now. He’s not an animal. He can think and read. I still don’t know if I want him to marry a pony, but I know I will soon.” Twilight said.
Rainbow gently pried Twilight off her. “No problem, Twilight. Who’s marrying The Smooze?” Rainbow said.
“I’ll tell you all about it later. I’d like to head back to the palace now. Would you like to tag along?” Twilight asked.
“Nah, I’ve got a checkers match with Angel Bunny scheduled for today. If I miss it, he’ll claim a win by default.” Rainbow Dash said. She flew up and circled round. “It was nice to see you again, Smooze. See ya later, everypony.” She said. She flew off with a rainbow trailing behind her.  
Twilight turned to Spike. “Can you hear The Smooze’s voice in your head as well?” She asked.
“You can too? Ohhh, I thought I was finally getting those mind reading powers I’ve always wanted.” Spike said.
“Spike, you can breath fire hot enough to melt iron, and you can bathe in lava. You already have enough powers if you ask me.” Twilight said. She turned to The Smooze. “You can project your thoughts, and you can grow eyes. Can you do anything else?” Twilight asked.
The Smooze grew long graceful arms from his sides. His eyes reappeared on his face. “These arms can come in handy.” The Smooze thought into Spike and Twilight’s minds.
Twilight laughed. “So, what do you think of Ponyville?” She asked.
The Smooze told her as Spike reminded him of the places they had seen. 
Late in the afternoon, The Smooze and Twilight sat alone by her favourite window. Twilight decided it was time to have a serious discussion with The Smooze. “I’m not really a believer in the Cult of Celestia, but I was born into The Faith. Now, I am a princess, and I have a role similar to that of a priestess. This is why I am qualified to marry you, but I will not perform the ceremony unless you convert. The Pie family takes The Faith seriously. I won’t walk all over their beliefs.” Twilight said.
“So, you accept me as sufficiently wise and experienced?” The Smooze asked.
“Not yet, but I’m getting there.” Twilight said.
“I am glad you are not taking this lightly. Yes, I plan to convert at The Prism Falls meditation centre. I believe it is a secret temple. I find your pony religious suppression customs odd.” The Smooze said.
“I find them to be oppressive, but possibly necessary. That’s a discussion for another day. Prism falls huh. Sounds romantic. A lot of ponies go there for their honeymoon. That’s where my brother and Cadence went.” Twilight said. She blushed and put her hoof to her mouth. “Uh, Smooze, you do know what two ponies do when they love each other very much?” Twilight asked.
The Smooze jiggled in a way that produced a soft laughing noise. “Oh Twilight, I have been watching mammals for millennia. I know your ways. Maud will be sufficiently loved. We have discussed such things. We have engaged in pleasing experiments.” The Smooze said.
“I don’t want to intrude on your privacy. It’s just. These things are important in a marriage. I will be talking to Maud about this as well. It is not a conversation I look forward to very much.” Twilight said.
“I applaud your efforts on our behalf.” The Smooze said. “Please, excuse me. I must go freshen up. Maud and Pinkie Pie will be arriving soon to take me to dinner.”
“Thank you for your company. I’ll see you when they arrive then.” Twilight said.
The Smooze left. Twilight looked out the window and sighed. She thought of Flash Sentry. She thought of him as a human and a pony. She found her feelings to be very confusing. 
Maud and Pinkie Pie arrived just on sunset. “Wow! It was a big day. You wouldn’t believe all the things we saw and did.” Pinkie Pie said. She pranced around Twilight Sparkle and Maud. 
“Is The Smooze ready, Your Highness?” Maud asked.
“Spike’s going to retrieve him now.” Twilight said. 
Spike entered the room with a run. “Princess and ladies, may I present The Smooze.” He said with a bow.
A stallion entered the room. He was tall and handsome. His coat was a shade of green so light it was near white. His mane and tail were a shade of green so dark it was almost black. His eyes were like emeralds. His cutiemark was his smile when he was a creature of slime. 
Twilight’s jaw fell open.
“Wow!” Pinkie Pie said. “You’re handsome, but it looks like someone sneezed on your flank.”
The Smooze raised his eyebrows. 
Maud grinned with pleasure. She trotted over to Twilight and gently lifted up her jaw. “The Smooze has studied changeling magic extensively. He can transform into almost anything. Even rocks.” Maud said.
“Can he turn into a dragon?” Spike asked.
The stallion trotted to Maud’s side. “Yes, Spike, I can take the form of a dragon, and I can breath fire, but I cannot lava swim or replicate the smell.” The Smooze said. He voice was that of a gentle and educated pony.
“Could you become an alicorn?” Twilight whispered.
“I could take such a form, but I don’t like flying, and directing magic through a horn makes me dizzy. No matter what I look like. I am a creature of green slime in truth. Remember that, Princess Twilight.” The Smooze said.
“No, you are a being who must be proved to be sufficiently wise and experienced to marry my friend. I am not certain yet you have proved that to me, but you have proved you can be sufficiently good looking.” Twilight said.
“The Smooze has always been beautiful in my eyes.” Maud said.
Pinkie Pie’s stomach growled. 
“You should go make your dinner soon, but before you go, answer me one thing, Smooze. Why did you not take this form right away? Wouldn’t it have been easier to convince me then?” Twilight asked.
The Smooze put his hoof behind his head. “I wanted you to see that I wasn’t an animal by my actions alone. I hoped to impress you with my intellect that way.” He said.
“You wanted to prove your intellect while displaying as little intellect as possible. What exactly were you planning to do?” Twilight asked.
Pinkie Pie’s stomach growled again. It was louder this time. Pinkie laughed awkwardly. 
“You know what? We can talk about it tomorrow. Enjoy your dinner, my friends.” Twilight said.
The Pie Sisters and The Smooze wished Twilight a good evening, and trotted into the night. Spike closed the door behind them.
“So, it’s spaghetti night for us.” Spike said.
Tears began to swell in Twilight Sparkle’s eyes.
Spike caught sight of Twilight crying. “We can have tofu hot pot instead.” Spike said. He walked close to the lavender alicorn princess. “You alright, Twilight?” He asked.
Twilight embraced him with her hoof. “It’s just so sad. He’s going to marry her, and then he going to have to live for who knows how much longer than her. The Smooze has a lifespan for thousands of years. I’m certain of this. Earth Ponies barley live past one hundred if their lucky.” She said.
“But we’ll be there to help him find a new wife. I mean both of us are gonna be around for a few thousand years at least.” Spike said.
Twilight cried even harder. “I don’t even know why I’m worried about this. How I am going to tell Princess Celestia I decided to let The Smooze marry a mare just because he’s clever with magic and can become the kind of Stallion that makes me wish Flash Sentry was here right now?” Twilight blubbed.
Spike patted Twilight on the back. “You’ll be fine. Princess Twilight has great faith in you. I can’t make a stallion appear, but I can make spaghetti so tasty you will forget all about them.” Spike said.
Twilight wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “Spike, that’s the best idea I have heard all night. I’ll start writing a letter to The Princess, and you get to work in the kitchen.” She said.
Spike zoomed off without a word. 
Twilight Sparkle trotted to her writing desk and pulled out a scroll. She used her magic to light some candles. She dipped a quill in ink and began to compose.

“Dear Princess Celestia,
Love sees not with the eyes, but with the heart….”

The End