//------------------------------//
// Dusk 48, sixth fragment: Tea and cookies 
// Story: A mare and her dog 
// by cammera 
//------------------------------//

In the first tenth of the second, Celestia was drinking a cup of tea. Periwinkle (There always seemed to be a Periwinkle) was reading her a resume of her schedule for the day. She had started it long before morning, as Luna had had to go away.

In the second tenth of the second, a monster had crashed through a wall, its maw aimed to the closest target, Periwinkle.

In the third tenth of the second, Celestia heated her tea.

In the fourth tenth of the second, Celestia's teacup was flying to the creature.

In the fifth tenth of the second, the cup had impaled the creature's eye, its thin border sharp enough to penetrate the soft tissue.

In the sixth tenth of the second, the monster was wailing in the ground, the boiling, poignant contents worsening the pain. Celestia liked her tea strong, after all.

In the seventh tent of the second, a snake-like semitransparent specter phased from the ground, it's many teeth all dripping very much solid poison. She recognized this one, one of the first she and Luna had imprisoned in Tartarus.

In the eighth tent of the second, the specter was no more. It was mindless, beyond any kind of redemption or training, and this time she was capable of ending its meaningless existence, so she did.

In the ninth tent of the second, a winged boar-like creature flew in through the window, fighting with a wounded pegasus of her guard.

In the tenth tenth of the second, the boar was dead too, impaled by a ballpen in an artery.

Periwinkle, who hadn't had a chance to move, stood still for three seconds and two tenths of a second. Celestia did nothing, preferring to give her time to process what had just happened. It took her four-point-six extra seconds.

"Ah," she said. Oh-point-seven seconds later, she remembered to blink. "What did just happen?"

"Three monsters tried to kill us," She took the cup from the first monster's eye -It was already dead, probably from a pain-induced heart attack- and, with a thin sheet of magic, heated it until the clay was reddened, sterilizing it, then froze it. She filled it with a bottle from her private cabinet and offered the cup to Periwinkle. "Be my guest"

Periwinkle stared at the cup.

"I insist."

She took it and, after three-point-one seconds of consideration, dawned it in a single gulp.

"Thanks." She said.

Celestia stood from her cushion and walked to the pegasus, who was standing up. He was white, or at least colored like that by the royal guard armor, and there were several deep cuts in his barrel. Oh-point-three seconds after noticing her, he was saluting.

"At ease--"

"I apologize for my rude intrusion, ma'am" He interrupted her. Oh-point-one seconds later, his pupils dilated "And for interrupting you as well, ma'am"

"At ease," She insisted "I hope you have any idea of what's happening?"

"Monsters are escaping from the Everfree--"

"Tentacles?" she asked.

"Mainly, ma'am. Monsters are also coming from several connection points to Tartarus. My squad subdued Tirek before he could gain any strength. We used duct tape in his muzzle," he said, beaming with pride. "I was coming to inform you of the situation..." His glance shifted to the dead creatures for one-point-five seconds "I apologize for not having made better speed, ma'am."

"At ease," She insisted with finality, filling paperwork without looking and giving it to him. "Get proper medical attention and inform your squad of their promotion, will you?"

He nodded and walked out of the room. Celestia turned to Periwinkle, who seemed to be beginning to understand that the creatures had, in had, just happened.

"Oh." she said. It was a rather monumental kind of 'Oh'

Celestia nodded and refilled her cup from the same bottle. Periwinkle dawned it again and stood from the chair.

"I gather the schedule for the day is preemptively canceled?" she asked.

"Yes," Nodded Celestia. "It is."

"I also gather you will need my assistance in the organizing?"

"Just as well," Celestia allowed herself oh-point-nine seconds of consideration "And you are getting a pay rise, too"

"Much appreciated, ma'am."