//------------------------------// // Chapter 27: A Royal Meeting, part III // Story: Onto the Pony Planet // by Admiral Biscuit //------------------------------// Chapter 27: A Royal Meeting, part III Admiral Biscuit Short of physically restraining her, there was nothing Dale could do. As soon as he saw Kate coming down the stairs, he knew what was going to happen. He hoped that Lyra's assessment of the situation was correct, because if it wasn't, he was going to spend the rest of his life regretting this moment. He'd seen how fast Lyra had moved in the hospital, and he could only assume that Princess Celestia was even quicker. He couldn’t even imagine what she might be capable of—he’d felt the power radiating off of her on the embassy lawn. Even on the beach, he’d felt something; here it was magnified a thousandfold. Dale squeezed Lyra's pastern tightly and sat as if he were carved out of stone, watching for a moment of anger in the Princess's eyes, hoping that if it was there, he'd see it before it was too late, and then the two came together with a cosmic inevitability. Kate hesitated but a moment before she moved in, the Princess bowed her head, and then Kate had wrapped her in a tight hug . . . and that was it. He could feel the tension draining out of his body. Kate whispered in the Princess's ear, and the Princess spoke back, her voice muffled by Kate's body. Kate's shoulders slumped, and she reluctantly broke the hug. Her hand moved down to the golden yoke, and she brushed a finger along it, tracing its curve; then, with a look of resignation, she sat down on the floor next to Celestia. Since Celestia's focus was no longer on him, he risked a glance around the room to see how all the other ponies were reacting. Rarity and Lecol were both still on the stairs, eyes wide and mouths agape. Redheart had taken a position at the base of the stairs, her focus locked entirely on Kate. He turned his head a little further back. Diamond Mint was standing in the doorway to the dining room, with a chair floating alongside her, clearly at a complete loss. With everyone else stunned into immobility, Dale decided it was his duty to salvage the situation. "Would—" His throat felt like it was full of sand. "Would you prefer a moment in private, Princess?" Dale inclined his head towards Kate. Celestia nodded. "Diamond Mint, will you tell us when the Princess wishes to speak with us again?" He stood on trembling knees, remembering at the very last second to let go of Lyra's hoof. It was a thousand miles to his office, but he made it, and collapsed into his oversized chair. Lyra was right behind him, a faint blush on her face. The only other sound in the embassy was the soft clatter of a chair landing on the floor. Mindful of the fact that the door to his office wasn’t likely to block all sounds, Dale reminded himself to keep his voice very low. He wasn't sure how good ponies were at picking up multiple conversations, but he did know that they could point their ears in two different directions, which was sure to give them an advantage over humans when it came to eavesdropping. He desperately wanted to giggle, which was certainly something that an ambassador ought not do—at least, not in the presence of a head of state. He closed his eyes and tried to think of anything but the last few minutes. Not even a second later, he felt the chair list slightly to one side, and then Lyra was leaning over the arm, pressing her head up against his chest. His arm moved of its own accord, holding her close. He could feel her shaking against him; whether she was laughing or crying, he couldn't tell. Twilight had been wandering around the town for an hour in search of somepony with a camera. Despite her assurances to Princess Celestia that she knew one—and she did; she knew several—finding one of them on short notice was proving to be a bit of a challenge. Featherweight was out. Besides a slight, nagging discomfort at the idea of him photographing Princess Celestia, school was too important to interrupt for something as mundane as taking a few pictures. The Apple family had a camera, but when she stopped by the farm, nopony answered her knocks. She saw Granny Smith through the window, dozing in her rocking chair. Apple Bloom was in school, of course, and Big Mac and Applejack were nowhere to be seen. Undoubtedly they were out working in one of their fields or groves . . . but which one? She didn't really have the time to search for them. Rarity had one as well, but she was at the embassy already, and there was almost no chance she’d want to come out until after the meeting was over. Still, if all her other options were exhausted, Rarity would come through for her. The final pony with a camera who immediately came to mind was Featherbrain, and that wasn't even worth considering. Think, Twilight. Cameras weren't as commonplace in Ponyville as they were in cities like Canterlot. They were expensive, and most of them weren't overly hoof-friendly, requiring either a tripod or an awkward neck-rig to use. Maybe Apple Honey—a newspaper mare ought to have a camera, right? She glanced towards the center of town. Well, it’s not like I have a better idea. She started trotting towards Apple Honey’s shop, still trying to think of other ponies she knew just in case Apple Honey couldn’t help her. When she passed by the shop, she glanced in through the open service door, and flinched briefly at the scene within. It was so cluttered. There was a plow sitting next to the door on its back, with a thin rusty strip showing where the mouldboards had been removed. Further in, a mechanical reaper sat partially disassembled, supported on one corner by castoff wood beams. Apple Honey wasn't anyplace obvious in the shop, so Twilight pushed open the front door, her ears turning involuntarily as the bell tinkled. The office was empty, save for a well-used side-backer harness draped over the counter. As Twilight sat in one of the chairs—brushing it off first—she grinned at the thought that before she'd come to Ponyville, she hadn't even known what a side-backer harness was. After a few minutes of waiting, Twilight had managed to successfully identify a few more pieces of farm equipment and study the calendar hanging on the back wall. In deference to her timeline, she got out of her seat and made for the back of the shop to see if Apple Honey was even there—she could have been out back and not heard Twilight come in. Twilight had just made it to the half-door and rested her forelegs on the top of the lock rail when she spotted Apple Honey emerging from the maw of the machine, a large streak of grease across her forehead and a patch on her right foreleg wet with something that smelled a lot like blood. Her head was down as she rubbed unsuccessfully at the grease with a filthy rag. "Sorry, I was in the middle of taking apart a floor chain and didn't . . . hello, Twilight!" Apple Honey's face lit up. "What can I do for you?" "Do you have a camera?" Apple Honey shook her head. "Sorry. Why?" "I need to find a photographer to take pictures of Dale and Kate." "Who's Kate?" "The girl—mare—at the embassy." "Oh. Ka-th-rin." Apple Honey frowned. "That's a funny-sounding nickname. Why do you want to take pictures of them?" Twilight explained their idea. Midway through, Apple Honey began nodding eagerly. "That's a great idea. I wish I had a camera." Apple Honey sat down on her haunches and touched her hoof to her chin. "There's a new pegasus in town who has a camera. I heard she took pictures at the hospital." Twilight shook her head emphatically. "Well, Minuette's got one, too. I don't know if she's in town today, though. She's only in town one or two days a week, 'cause there isn't enough business for her to keep open all the time. Maybe she is, though! You should stop by her office and see." "Thanks, Apple Honey! I will." Twilight hesitated until she saw Apple Honey’s tail disappear inside the machine, then she headed back out into the street, hoping that her next destination would mark the end of her quest. She found herself taking a somewhat circuitous route to Minuette's—even though it was friendly visit, Twilight didn't like going to the dentist. She absently ran her tongue over her molars, feeling for sharp edges. When she finally turned down the street, she involuntarily winced. Every time she saw the proximity of the farrier and the dentist it made her cringe: it was like they were trying to set up a street dedicated to pain. Twilight flicked her tail in annoyance. She wasn't a filly anymore, and anyways, she wasn't going to be shod or have her teeth cleaned and filed. She was just going to see if Minuette, her old fillyhood friend, was able to swing by the embassy with her camera as a favor to Princess Celestia. That was all. The front door was open, so Twilight stepped into the reception area. Her nose was instantly assaulted with the smells of medicine and fear. She marched up to the desk and glanced at the appointment book. Minuette didn't have a receptionist or an apprentice in Ponyville, so she instead left the book open on the desk so that ponies could make their own appointments. According to the book, Minuette was working on Serena. Twilight only vaguely knew her—she was related to Golden Harvest and often ran the carrot stand at market. Bluebell and Sugarberry had appointments after that, then nothing. The schedule was X'ed out mid-afternoon, about an hour before the train to Canterlot left the station. Twilight pushed her muzzle into the exam room, knocking politely on the doorframe to announce her presence. Serena was leaned back in the dental chair, while Minuette was bent over her, a pair of floats in her aura. Both of them turned at her knock, Serena more gingerly than Minuette. "Twilight!" Minuette unceremoniously dropped the floats to the instrument tray as she trotted across the room. "I haven't seen you around in a while." She furrowed her brow. "I heard you were at the big meeting in town, but I wasn't there. All kinds of rumors in Canterlot . . . and I haven't heard from Lyra, either. What are these new creatures?" "They're bipeds," Serena offered, sitting up in the dentist’s chair. "I saw the Dale at market yesterday. He was looking at tomatoes, then he looked at asparagus and then went over to Bon Bon's stand with Lyra. I wanted to go over and visit too, but I couldn’t ‘cause I was helping cousin Goldie." Twilight nodded in confirmation. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but—" "It's okay." "I don't mind." The two mares shared a look, then Minuette turned back to Twilight. "What else can you tell us about them? Haven’t you talked face-to-face with them?" •        •        • Twilight eventually finished answering their questions and looked back at Minuette, finally managing to focus on why she'd come in to begin with. "Do you have your camera here? Apple Honey said you have one." Minuette nodded. "I thought maybe I'd see one of them in town. Some of the girls back in Canterlot would kill to get a photo of him, something that wasn't in the newspaper. Those aren't very good quality pictures, you know. And the mare—nopony’s seen any pictures of her. I heard that she got taken to the embassy in a produce wagon. Even here, nopony really knows what’s going on, and in Canterlot . . . Princess Celestia is keeping a lid on them as much as she can, but rumors get around." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I heard Princess Celestia is coming to town today. There wasn’t an official announcement, so I wasn’t sure, but everypony said so." "She's already here." "Really?" Both mares looked at Twilight eagerly. Twilight resisted the urge to grind her teeth. "She wants some pictures of Dale and Kate—that's the mare—so that they can be sent back to their homeland." "I'll do it. Are they going to be at the embassy?" Twilight nodded. "What are we waiting for?" Minuette reached up and pushed her mane-net back. "I'll get my camera, and—" "You ought to finish your appointments first," Twilight chided. "Anyway, they won't be ready for you for a while. Princess Celestia is having a private meeting with them, and she probably won't be done until long after lunch." "Oh, right." Minuette turned her head back to the examining chair, and Serena once more obligingly lay down and opened her mouth. Twilight watched for a moment as Minuette picked up the floats and went back to work, then turned to leave. "Thanks, Minuette. Sorry for taking up your time." “It’s okay,” Minuette said brightly. Serena gingerly nodded her own agreement. Celestia held back a faint smile of amusement until Dale and all the ponies had cleared the room, leaving only Diamond Mint hovering in the dining room doorway, uncertain of whether to leave completely or stay close in case she was needed. Celestia had long since trained that out of the castle staff, but Diamond could be forgiven for not knowing her princess’s preference. Celestia gave her a slight nod, and she backed around the doorframe, bowing her head as she went. Undoubtedly, she was just on the other side of the wall, waiting for a summons. Overall, it was hardly an ideal space for a truly private meeting, but then Celestia wasn't intending to reveal any state secrets. In fact, it hardly mattered if everypony in the embassy heard what she had to say; she had jumped on Dale's suggestion to have a private meeting to avoid anypony becoming embarrassed for her. She looked down at Kate, who was sorting through a basket of brushes, her movements overly deliberate. Celestia gave her an appraising look. While she hadn't seen the photographs which documented Kate's injuries, the castle physician had, and his ashen-faced descriptions had been plenty convincing enough for her to fill in the blanks. Even now she could see lingering effects. Kate appeared to be having trouble figuring out which hand to use to sort through the basket, and had to adjust her grip a couple of times. She'd occasionally brush her fingers across her right hand, as if to make sure that it was still there. It was a shame that Kate had been inadvertently dragged along—while Dale seemed somewhat aware of what he’d been getting into, Kate hadn’t really had any choice in the matter. She’d been an innocent victim of Celestia’s actions. It didn’t matter that it hadn’t been a foreseen consequence; she still had been harmed. Her friends and family were probably worried sick about her disappearance, and for the moment, there was very little that Celestia could do to alleviate their concerns. Now was not the time to think of such things, however. Celestia sat down on the ground beside Kate, lightly touching her muzzle against her cheek. The girl jerked in surprise, dropping her brush, then lifted her hand up and rested it on Celestia's nose. "Kate." Celestia kept her voice soft and steady. She had a feeling she was going to be using every bit of language she'd learned thus far. Kate faltered for a moment, then ran her hand along the side of Celestia's jaw. Her eyes were distant and dreamy. "Do you know where you are?" Kate nodded soberly. "I'm at. . . ." Her voice trailed off and she looked down at her dress, then around the room as if it might offer a clue. "Horse camp?" "You are in Equestria. I do not know if you have a word for it." She looked at Princess Celestia blankly. "Equestria?" She sounded out the word slowly and carefully. "Yes. I brought you here by accident. I am sorry." Kate shrugged. "I like it here. There’s a white mare who’s nice to me; she's my friend. Sometimes she shares snacks with me in my room, even though I don’t think we’re supposed to. She’s my roommate. Her and a pink one." She frowned and looked around the room before looking back at Celestia. "Another one, a unicorn, brings me clothes. She brought me this dress. Do you like it?” “Did Rarity make it for you?” “Most of them talk to each other but don't talk so that I can understand them." "Language is difficult," Celestia said simply. "We are still learning." "Rorschach can talk to the ponies. It’s not fair. I see him around here a lot. He was just over there. I don't know where he went." "Would you like me to get him?" "He visited me in the hospital," Kate said. "That was nice of him. I didn't think he was nice." Celestia brushed her chin against Kate's forehead. "Do you know why you were in the hospital?" "I got hurt, and the doctors made me better." She closed her eyes and dropped her head. "It wasn't . . . I didn't like it there. I like it here better, even though they still had to fix my hand. The doctors made it better." She turned and brushed it lightly against Celestia's withers. "Can I ride you?" "Maybe when the doctor says you are healed." “I want to ride a horse.” Kate crossed her arms and stuck out her bottom lip. “What kind of horse camp doesn’t let you ride a horse?” She reached up with a curry brush. “I could brush you—can I ride you if I brush you? I’ll even put on the saddle and bridle myself, I know how.” “No.” Celestia shook her head to punctuate her words. “You need to heal. Here—” she touched Kate’s hand “—and here.” She gently laid her gold-shod hoof to Kate’s forehead. Kate glanced at the tables behind her. "I can get you a treat." "Let us both get a treat, shall we?" “Do you want my chair?” Lyra shook her head. “It isn’t easy to get in a chair with my dress.” She frowned at him. “We were supposed to meet outside. I thought I made that clear.” “You told me to invite her inside,” Dale said, keeping his voice low. “I thought I had not understood what you had said before.” He sighed. “I guess we can go outside after she gets done talking with Kate.” “If she wants to.” Lyra bumped his arm with her nose. “I should have been more clear.” “I should have paid better attention yesterday.” “Neither of us enjoys learning inside. It’s boring.” “I just wish I had known before how important this meeting was.” Lyra's ears fell. “Sorry.” “Not your fault.” Dale set his hands on the desk and began tapping his fingers. Lyra watched with interest—there was a beguiling rhythm to the way he did it. “Well, since we are here, can you fill me in on what I missed yesterday?” “About Princess Celestia?” Dale nodded. Lyra glanced over at the open door, then back at Dale. “She is one of the princesses who rule Equestria. She raises the sun and brings the day, while her sister Princess Luna raises the moon and brings the night.” Dale mulled that over. “One is in charge during the day and one at night?” “Yes. For a long time, only Princess Celestia occupied the throne, because Princess Luna had been . . . .” Lyra paused, trying to think of a way to explain Nightmare Moon without making Dale afraid of Celestia. “Away. Princess Luna was away. Do you have a princess to lead you?” “In my country, we choose a man every four years. He listens to the voice of the citizens and does what they want him to do.” She could tell by the way he hesitated that he, too, was simplifying the situation. “Is there just one man who leads everyone?” “In our country?” Dale touched a finger to his chin. “Sort of. There are different levels of leader. It is complicated.” It would do for now; they could get into the specifics later. “We have a mayor for Ponyville, and a pony in Canterlot who speaks for us before the Princess. Is it like that?” “Yes, it is similar.” He tapped his fingers on the desk again. “Does Princess Celestia often meet with ambassadors?” “They usually visit Canterlot. Most of the foreign embassies are in Canterlot, but not all of them. Some creatures don't like to travel.” “She said that we should visit Canterlot.” “Yes. I think you will like it there. I can show you around; I went to college there.” “College?” “College is advanced school.” Lyra tapped her horn. “I went to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.” “Does everybody go to college?” “No. Most ponies don't.” Dale considered this. “Is Princess Celestia in charge of the school?” “Not anymore. She founded it, and she takes interest in the students and sometimes teaches lessons.” “Is there anything else I should know about Princess Celestia?” Lyra shrugged. “She is kind and forgiving. She is very wise and clever.” Lyra turned an ear back at the sound of approaching hoofsteps. Dale leaned forward in his chair just as she turned her head and Diamond Mint stepped into the room. “The Princess is ready to see you again.” Diamond trailed behind as Dale and Lyra returned to the living room, remaining stoic despite the fiasco this meeting had become. Kate had caused her temporary chair arrangement to fall apart, opting to sit on the floor beside Princess Celestia rather than take the chair she'd been offered. Lecol had politely departed through the back door after Kate had come downstairs—Diamond had seen her crossing the backyard through the kitchen window. Rarity and Nurse Redheart were presumably still upstairs. She wore a pleasant smile on her face as Dale easily took his seat, this time offering a helping hand to Lyra. Once the two were settled, she trotted back to the kitchen to prepare another tea service. Starlight had her hooves in the sink when Diamond walked into the kitchen. She was rinsing off the teacups from the last service, neatly arranging them on the drying rack for their next use. “How's it going out there?” Diamond shrugged. “Okay, I guess. At least nopony's complaining about the snacks.” She sighed. “Nopony touched the tea service I set for Princess Celestia and Kate. I don't think Kate likes tea.” She reached with her horn and pulled open a cabinet. “She's hard to cook for.” Starlight put the last cup in the rack and turned her attention back to the stove. “She's asked for Frosted Flakes every morning. I don't even know what those are. Nopony seems to. Dale won’t tell me, he just says we don’t have them here. How does he know that if he won’t tell me what they are?” Diamond nodded absently—this wasn’t the first time Kate’s pickiness had come up, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. “Do you think a carrot tea would be good?” “Either that or beet.” “Carrot,” Diamond decided, pulling down a muslin bag. “It'll go better with the snacks, and I think Dale will like it, at least. He liked the sauteed carrots you made a couple of night ago.” The two of them efficiently prepared the tea service. While it wasn't technically Diamond's responsibility to help in the kitchen, she could tell that Starlight was working her tail off to make sure that the dishes were kept clean and that there was always hot water ready for tea, on top of preparing lunch. It only took a couple of minutes, and Diamond arranged the cups and saucers neatly on the salver they'd borrowed from Sugarcube Corner. She looked at the door, and took a deep breath before stepping through. Lyra and Dale were conversing with Princess Celestia, while Kate sat to her side, paying rapt attention to the Princess's words. She kept to the back of the room, waiting for a command from the Princess. Until then, she would stay put, trying her best not to eavesdrop on the conversation. Luckily, most of it was in a language she didn't speak fluently. She only picked up a few words here and there. Finally, Celestia nodded her head, and she came forth, the tea service floating proudly in front of her. She bowed respectfully before offering the first cup to the Princess. This time, Kate actually took a cup, apparently picking up on her cue from everybody around her. Diamond bowed again and set the tray off to the side where they could pour themselves more tea if they wanted, then retreated back to the doorway where she could keep a watchful eye and be ready to serve if she was needed. Her gaze kept returning to Dale. She liked him. He wasn't very demanding, and tried his very best to fit in. At first, she'd been bothered by how he'd do things that she was supposed to do for him, but she'd come to realize that was just how he was. He wasn't trying to insult her competence, just helping in his own way. Starlight had pointed it out when the construction ponies were working on the house—Dale would often help them, and spend time talking with them. She'd kept a close eye on him and had come to the same conclusion: Dale wasn't some fancy noble that always expected things to be done for him, but rather the complete opposite. It actually left her with very little to do most of the time. She suspected that once the nurses were gone, she was going to be responsible for wrangling Kate. That was a task she wasn’t looking forward to. Diamond glanced over at the closed door leading to the guards' barracks. That was the other perk to working here. While Starlight had been the only one to take full advantage yet, she had every intention of doing the same. After a short discussion about an upcoming trip to Canterlot, Diamond Mint summoned them all to the dining room for a light lunch. Dale could see the frustration on her face as she had to confiscate the chairs to put back around the table, and he resolved that he was going to make an effort to move the meeting outside after lunch, as they'd originally intended. He didn't really pay all that much attention to what they were eating; he was more concerned with not accidentally spilling food down his shirt. It was crowded around the table. Lecol and Nurse Redheart were flanking Kate, practically pinning her in place. Rarity sat between Lecol and Lyra, while Dale was given a position on the right side of Celestia. When the meal was over, Diamond Mint brought a cake out and set it in the center of the table, then neatly sliced it and served it. Dale waited until Celestia had taken a bite before sampling his own. While Starlight's normal desserts were quite good, this cake set a new high bar. She'd really pulled out all the stops, although it made sense that she would for a royal visit. He toyed with the idea of asking for another slice, but then remembered that he ought to be polite and leave some for Diamond Mint and Starlight—not to mention the guards. I wonder when they eat, he thought, looking down at his empty plate. They didn't share meals with everyone else—did they do their own cooking in their room, or did Starlight serve them separately and he just hadn't noticed? I'll ask later. It'd be even more crowded if they ate with us, and it might not be practical for the night guards, but I'd feel better if I knew they weren't stuck eating our leftovers. He blinked as his plate was suddenly wrapped in Diamond Mint's aura, which he took as his cue to move the group out of the dining room. “Princess Celestia, would you like to go to the backyard?” “Thank you.” She got up out of her seat and walked through the house. Dale scrambled to follow, then remembered Lyra. He turned to help her out of her chair, and almost crashed into her. He turned back around and followed Celestia into the backyard. Oddly, other than Lyra, nobody else followed—he supposed that Kate had been redirected upstairs, and Rarity was apparently also content to remain behind. “I know you have not signed the agreement yet,” Celestia said. “I hope that you do, although I do not wish to press you.” She turned her head towards the street. “So far, this embassy has not been open, to allow you to get comfortable, but I would like to change that. Many ponies and other creatures are eager to meet you.” He could believe that. Given the size of the crowd that had witnessed his speech, and the ponies who had come to the brief gathering afterward, he was surprised that it hadn't happened yet. So far, they'd been staying back, barring the construction ponies and a few visitors who'd brought things for the embassy—yet when he'd been at the market, most of them had been interested in him. “I guess that would be all right,” he said. Not that I really have a choice—they aren't giving me all these things for nothing. “I do not speak very well yet.” “The guards can limit who visits, and when,” Lyra pointed out. “And we can also go out and meet ponies.” “Yes,” Dale said. “So long as there is some sort of schedule. Especially for Kate's sake.” “Very well.” Celestia smiled at him. “I declare the embassy officially open. I look forward to seeing you in Canterlot in the future. And please—if you need anything at all, inform Diamond Mint or Twilight Sparkle, and we will see to it.” She stretched forward and nuzzled Dale lightly on the cheek, then bent down and did the same to Lyra, before turning and stretching out her wings. Dale stood on the lawn, watching as Princess Celestia flew off. He wasn't sure what one was expected to do in a situation like this: had they been inside, he would have assumed his responsibility to see her off ended at the door, but outside it might extend indefinitely—or at least until he couldn't clearly see her anymore. She was about fifty feet above the roof of the neighbor's house when there was a bright golden flash, and she vanished with a bang. Dale stood rooted to the spot, looking at where she'd been, until he felt Lyra bump his hip. He jerked out of his reverie and looked down at her. "What just happened?" "Princess Celestia teleported back to Canterlot." She pointed a hoof off to the east, where a distant mountain range rose sharply. "Teleported." Dale rubbed his chin, then crouched down in front of her. "What is teleported?" "It is . . . a unicorn can go somewhere without walking." She stuck her nose down in the grass and looked around briefly before lighting her horn and lifting a small rock. "This is telekinesis." "Telekinesis." Dale spoke the word slowly. Lyra nodded in confirmation. "A unicorn can lift things with her horn." She bobbed the rock up and down in the air. "Some unicorns can even lift themselves, but it is difficult." "Can you?" "I have not in many years." She closed her eyes, and her horn lit bright enough to hurt Dale's eyes even through his glasses. He squinted and kept his focus on her like he was watching a magician perform a trick. Her whole body glowed with the same kind of aura he saw around manipulated objects, and she slowly lifted off the ground. He stood mesmerized as the tail of her dress lifted clear of the grass, eliminating the last possible means of support, and she slowly rose until her forehooves were level with his head. While the cynical part of his brain still insisted that there must be some sort of wires or something holding her up, he'd seen enough other things floating around to understand that this was just an extension of the same principles. He couldn’t help but move around her just to assure himself that there weren’t any wires holding her up. Paradoxically, he was more convinced as to the reality of it because there hadn’t been any showmanship—she’d said she was going to do it, and she did. Just like with every other object he’d seen a unicorn float along, she was limned with a glowing aura, somehow isolating her from everything around her. He stopped short from looking underneath—even though she normally went around in nothing but her fur, it just wouldn’t be right to look up a lady’s dress. Still, he stuck his hand below her body, curious whether he’d feel anything at all. "It's . . . really . . . difficult," she grunted as she lowered herself back down. Dale moved out of the way just in time; when she was about a foot above the grass, the light flickered out and she dropped unceremoniously back to the ground. Dale gave her an appraising look. Her chest was heaving, as if she'd just sprinted to the market and back. He'd never seen her look that winded on the beach, even when they were practicing running. "It's not very useful," she continued once she'd caught her breath. "The only practical use is to slow a fall, and most unicorns can't do it well enough to make any difference." She reached out with her horn and picked up the rock again. "Teleportation is different—it uses different principles." She glanced across the yard, focusing on the far corner. A second later she vanished in a golden flash and reappeared across the yard in a similar manner. A pair of distinct pops occurred nearly simultaneously. Just when he'd located her, she vanished again, reappearing a few feet away from him. "Not really practical for short distances, unless you're duelling, but it's banned in some leagues." Guessing from context, he envisioned of a pair of unicorns standing at opposite ends of a long rug and using their horns against each other until one of them fell—like in Harry Potter—but it was hard to imagine that was what she was actually talking about. "What is duelling?" "It is a game—like fun play. Two unicorns get together and cast spells at each other until only one is still on her hooves." So it is like in Harry Potter. "Do you do that?" "I used to. Not anymore." Dale considered that. It tallied neatly with her reaction in the hospital. When he thought back on it, one of the other things she'd revealed about herself was her discipline. She hadn't done anything overly offensive against Kate—she'd blocked the girl with some kind of forcefield and then held her in place with a mattress, letting go as soon as Kate couldn't fight anymore. In his limited experience, when two amateurs got in a fight, they had to be dragged apart. Professionals, on the other hand, only did what they needed to do to resolve the situation and then stopped. It made sense for her to have that kind of discipline if she was travelling to alien planets. React fast, but only defensively. If he'd known then what he knew now, he wouldn't have tried to protect her on the beach—he could have simply told her to run for her life, and she'd have been fine, and he and Kate wouldn't be here. But it was too late for those kinds of regrets now. "Can you do it into a building?" "Teleport?" "Yes." She nodded. And I thought that having pegasuses get through upstairs windows would be a police problem—this could be way worse. "How far can you go?" "Me, or in theory?" "In theory." That was more useful to know. What were the limitations? In Star Trek, there were limits to how far the transporters could work, and in what conditions they could be operated. "In theory, there is no limit, not as far as I know. Twilight might have better answers than I do; she knows more about specifics and theory than me. In a practical sense, there are many variables to consider, such as—" "Excuse me." Both Dale and Lyra turned. Diamond Mint was standing on the path behind them. "I'm sorry, but there is a pony at the door to see you." Dale looked over at Lyra. She shrugged. "That was fast. Who is it?" "Minuette." "How odd. She usually isn’t in town today." "Do you know her?" Lyra nodded. "We've been friends since college. She works in town a one or two days a week. I'm not sure why she'd be coming here." Lyra turned to Diamond Mint and shot off a rapid-fire barrage of questions that Dale could barely follow, then turned back to him. "She is supposed to take our pictures for the Princess." "Take our pictures?" Dale pantomimed using a camera. "Like that?" "Yes, like that." Dale sighed. He should have known this was coming, although it was odd that it hadn't been done when they were meeting with Princess Celestia. It was hard to imagine the President meeting with bona fide aliens without an official photographer on hand to capture the moment for posterity, yet the ponies hadn't bothered to take any pictures of them at this meeting. "Is Minuette a green pegasus? I am not very good at names." "No. She's a unicorn. You have not met her before." "Alright." Dale rubbed his hand across his head. "Let me get my wig." Lyra followed Dale and Diamond Mint in, thinking about the conversation they'd just had. It was the first time she could remember that the two of them had had a meaningful discussion of magic, and it was clear that Dale was curious about it. Given their still-limited vocabulary, coupled with what she suspected was complete ignorance on Dale's end, it was going to be difficult to get a lot of the nuances across, but it was worth trying. If nothing else, it would probably prove to be beneficial in the language department, since there was a lot of terminology that they'd never really needed to use before. She'd had similar conversations with Bon Bon, although at least her marefriend understood the basics. Dale was going to be more of a challenge, unless she could find some helpful books at the library. It would be something to ask Twilight about: surely there were some foals’ books that might explain things simply. It would be a good starting point for the conversation. When she got in the house, Minuette was nowhere to be seen. Dale started up the stairs while Diamond watched his progress; once he disappeared down the hallway, she opened the front door, and Minuette eagerly came in, her camera slung around her neck. She trotted over to Lyra and the two mares exchanged a hug, then she stepped back and gave Lyra a once-over. “Isn’t that the same dress you wore after graduation?” Lyra nodded. “It’s a little bit out of style now, but I really like the colors. Bon Bon says it looks really good on me.” She flicked her tail, settling the tail of the dress out behind her. “I was lucky my parents chipped in for the lacework.” “You’ve always looked better in a long dress,” Minuette commented. “You’ve got the hips for it. Not me. I’m a little too scrawny in the rump to wear them right. I need something light and diaphanous, or just a short skirt.” “It doesn’t hurt that your tail holds its style better. Mine doesn’t like ‘formal.’” “Feels like forever since we've gotten together.” “I know.” Lyra's ears folded back. “I'm sorry. There's been so much going on. Even Bon Bon doesn't know half of it.” “The newspaper said you were in a trial.” Lyra made a face. “I . . . yeah. I'd rather not relive that.” “I don't blame you. A lot of the stuff that the newspaper said couldn't be true.” She looked around the embassy. “Hey, do you mind if I grab a bite to eat? I kinda skipped lunch.” “Sure. How come you're here to take pictures, anyway?” “Weirdest thing. I wasn't even planning to be in Ponyville today, but a couple of weeks ago, Dark Moon wanted to schedule an exam for today and I really like him 'cause he's easy to work with and funny and stuff, so I said I would, and figured since I was here anyway I might as well take other appointments, which is why I was working when Twilight came by looking for a camera. Glad I brought it, too. I'd been figuring that maybe there was some chance I'd get an opportunity to take his picture, and. . . .” Lyra laughed. “Just yesterday, Dale and I went past your office on the way to market. I thought about stopping in, but you had somepony in the chair and I didn't want to interrupt.” “I wouldn't have minded.” She leaned over and sniffed a vase full of flowers before selecting a couple to put on her plate. “I must have just missed you—I went to market early because Sleepy Skies had a late-morning appointment. But I guess it turned out okay in the end. Are you free for dinner? I already missed my train.” “I'll be here.” Lyra picked several cubes of cheese off the buffet, ignoring Minuette’s brief frown of distaste. “If Dale likes you, maybe you could stay for supper. Starlight's a really good cook, at least when it comes to main courses. She's not so good at desserts: Bon Bon's are better. I should warn you, though, that Dale and Ka-th-rin eat meat sometimes.” “I don't mind fish.” “No, animal meat. I heard that Rough Tumble smelled it cooking one day and got sick, so Starlight had to stop making it for lunch.” “Ew.” She looked down at her plate suspiciously. “There isn’t any of that in this food, is there?” “No. I just thought I ought to warn you. Why did Twilight want you to come by and take pictures?” “I don't know. She wasn't real clear on that, but I wasn't going to turn her down. I can get some prints made for me and show them to the girls back in Canterlot . . . I think we ought to get at least one group picture with everypony. My camera has a timer on it, so I could set it on the table and get us all.” “As long as he doesn't mind. I don't think he will—he’s pretty easygoing. What about Ka-th-rin? Are you supposed to take a picture of her, too?” Minuette nodded. “Twilight said it was important. I think she wants Apple Honey to put pictures in the newspaper.” “She's never had photographs in the paper before. I don't think her printing press can make pictures.” “I wouldn't know. I don't read it.” Minuette turned her head as she heard footsteps on the stairs. “Ooh, he's taller than I thought he would be. Almost like a minotaur.” “He's a little shorter than that. Not as broad-shouldered, either.” Lyra looked around the room quickly. “Do you think that there's enough light on the back wall, or should we go outside again?” “Let's do both,” Minuette suggested. “Since I'm not sure exactly what Twilight wants. Maybe we could take a couple against a blank wall, too. I've heard that cluttered backgrounds can be a problem for newspaper photographs.” She stuck out a hoof as Dale crossed the room towards her. “Hi, I'm Minuette.” “Dale,” he said, bending down and bumping her hoof with his fist. Minuette looked up at him. “We probably ought to get some chairs for them to sit on. Is Ka-th-rin as tall as he is?” “She's a little bit shorter, but still pretty tall.” “Let's start with just you and him over by those busts. Have him grab a chair and I'll tell you when you're in a good position. I'll make sure the light's right. Then we'll get Ka-th-rin and add her in.” Lyra and Dale set up the chairs while Minuette fiddled with her actinometer and adjusted the settings on her camera. “I think this will work,” she announced. Once she had them shepherded into position, she took several pictures, adjusting the f-stop on her camera between each shot. “I think we're ready for Ka-th-rin,” she said. “I can use the same settings as before. How long does it take to get her?” “Depends,” Lyra said honestly. “Sometimes she isn't cooperative. She's on a lot of morphine, but the nurses are starting to wean her off.” “I'll check the light against the wall and outside, then, unless you need me to get her.” “I think Diamond ought to do it. Are you going to want a picture with everypony?” Minuette nodded eagerly. “Okay, I'll check on Starlight. She might be making dinner already, and won't want to be interrupted. •        •        • It took frustratingly long to arrange everyone into position. In deference to Starlight—who had started preparing a pot of stew—Minuette started with the group photo, taking three shots of just them. Once those were done, Starlight went back to the kitchen, and Minuette took her place, setting the camera’s timer long enough to let her get in the picture.. She took another set of individual photos of Dale and Kate against a blank wall, and then they all went outside for the final round of photographs, posing them so that a large portion of the embassy could be seen in the background. Just as she was about to take the final set, Kate started eagerly waving her hand in the air. Lyra rolled her eyes, then plastered on the fakest grin Minuette had ever seen, while Dale just looked confused. Minuette turned to follow Lyra's gaze and spotted a green pegasus with a camera held up to her face, taking pictures down into the backyard. “Okay. Everypony look at me, please.” Kate reluctantly followed her instructions, while Lyra leaned lightly against Dale's leg and her artificial smile was replaced by a genuine look of happiness. Minuette made the adjustments to her camera as quickly as she could, before something else distracted them. It was just in time, as something drew Kate's attention back to the neighbor's window. Minuette let the camera drop back around her neck and glanced back. Just in the shadows behind the pegasus, she could see a tall, white unicorn. It took her a second to place the duo. “Is that Featherbrain and Lecol?” Lyra nodded. “Lecol came to help with the surgery on Ka-th-rin's hand, and Featherbrain . . . well. . . .” “I know.” Minuette chuckled. “Remember the time she brought flesh-eating slugs to class?” “I heard she tried to bring a taraxippus, but couldn’t trap one.” Lyra sighed. “What about the time she got yelled at by the Dean for not wearing clothes to the Fall Formal?” “And Lecol defended her, remember? Got right up in the Dean's snout and backed her across the room.” “All I remember is getting drunk on the punch. How many ponies added alcohol to it?” “By the end of the night? I think just about everypony did.” Minuette looked back up at the window. “You'd figure that some of the professors would have wondered how the punchbowl was getting fuller as the night went on, even though none of the waiters were topping it off.” “It was pretty potent by the end. I probably shouldn't have had as many glasses as I did, but it sure helped me to forget about my mid-term exams.” “Didn't you wind up failing Catalysts and Reactants?” “No: I passed, but only just.” She grinned. “I wouldn't trust me to make anything involving mixing ingredients, I can tell you that. Probably why Bon Bon won't let me in the kitchen.” “For me it was Iridology. Funny, sometimes now when I’m looking at a patient, some bit of the lecture comes back to my mind. Too bad that didn’t happen when I took the final. Oh well, it was an elective class anyway.” She glanced around at the lawn: everypony except Dale had gone inside. “Hey, you wanna come over here and talk with us?” He shrugged, and walked over to join the duo. He crouched down on the grass between them. “Minute, was it?” “Minuette,” she corrected. “Minuette.” Dale pronounced her name carefully. “Are you the official photographer?” “I guess? Twilight asked me to take pictures.” “I know Twilight,” Dale said. “Why weren’t you here sooner? To take pictures with Celestia?” Minuette’s ears fell. “I wanted to, but Twilight said it wasn’t necessary. I was at work.” “At work? Picture-taking is not your job?” “She’s a dentist,” Lyra explained. “I do not know that word.” “I fix ponies’ teeth,” Minuette explained, flashing a grin and tapping a hoof on her teeth for emphasis. “We went by her office, right after visiting the farrier.” “Oh.” “I know, nopony likes visiting the dentist, but trust me, a happy mouth makes for a happy mare.” She brightened. “Can I look at your teeth?” “Just look, not touch?” “You can look at mine,” she offered. “That’s fair.” He took a long time considering her request, then he finally opened his mouth wide and Minuette leaned in, lighting her horn just enough to see clearly. His teeth were just like anymare’s, although there weren’t as many. Oddly, the center of several of his molars had a silver inlay, which had clearly been put there for some unfathomable purpose. Otherwise, his gums looked quite healthy, and the edges of his teeth were smooth and rounded—he wouldn’t need a filing for a while, by the looks of things. Satisfied with her inspection, she sat back and opened her mouth to allow him to reciprocate.