//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Train Station 
// Story: Diplomatic Privileges 
// by PricessOfTheNight 
//------------------------------//

Cheerilee had lost count of how many times she paced up and down the Ponyville train station's oak steps. She had every right to be nervous. Or that's what she said to herself, anyway. She could still hardly believe that the princess had visited and asked a personal favor from a simple teacher. Princess Celestia had paid a call on Cheerilee only a few days ago, but the memory of the visit was still fresh in her mind. It made Cheerilee cringe remembering how much of an idiot she was when she opened her front door and gaped at the sight of the stately and elegant alicorn.

Now she couldn't remember the exact words she used, but it was something along the lines of "T-the princess?! Crap, I haven't brushed my mane yet!" Cheerilee also hadn't had her morning cup of coffee, which meant her social filter was not in operation at the time. It only took a few moments for it to sink in what she had just uttered to the ruler of Equestria. What was possibly more embarrassing was the fact that Celestia had exploded into laughter after that. 

Then again, it had eased the tension a bit. Celestia's laughter was contagious.

Cheerilee tried to distract herself by peering down the train tracks once more. She was awaiting her "traveling" companion that Celestia had said would be coming on the train. This diplomat was supposed to be there an hour ago. Punctuality didn't seem to be this pony's strong suit, whoever they were.

The teacher's mind drifted back to her conversation with Celestia. As nice as she was, the princess was infuriatingly cryptic. 

"A diplomatic mission...? Why would you need me? No offense, but I'm just a teacher! What could I possibly do?"

Celestia sipped on the coffee that the earth pony had painstakingly brewed to perfection. Coffee, as Cheerilee discovered, was really the only thing she could cook. Which was why that was the only thing offered to her guest, as everything else in her cupboards was cheap junk food from the store. She had planned on going to the market that morning, but...

"A teacher is exactly what I need, Miss Cheerilee." The tall alicorn's lips curled up into a gentle, amused smile. Cheerilee suddenly felt like a child who was just kindly corrected on some stupid mistake they made. She tried to come up with an intelligent response to preserve her dignity...

"Huh?"

Didn't work out. Dang, you're on fire today, Cheerilee!

To her relief, Celestia didn't react to her stupor. "You see, I've arranged for a ... swap, shall we say, with Saddle Arabia. A teacher-exchange program, I suppose you could call it. We'd thought it would be interesting if Equestria sent one of their teachers over to Saddle Arabia, and vice versa. The Saddle Arabian Queen and I thought it would be an... educational experience for both of our countries to see how the other treats their education."

Cheerilee wasn't stupid. "So... you're here to ask me to represent Equestria's educational system?"

Her guest gave a small laugh, and nodded. "Precisely."

How could she say no?

And that's how Cheerilee found herself at the train station on a Tuesday afternoon. More or less. The conversation in Cheerilee's cramped cottage went on for a while, but it was just discussing the trip. Celestia had told her that a diplomat would travel with her to Saddle Arabia, but hadn't said who. Cheerilee felt it would be rude to ask who it was, and hadn't pressed for information. Looking back on it now, that might have been an unwise decision. Now she had no idea what her companion would look like. How would she pick them out of the crowd? Did they know what she looked like? Wait, no that was stupid. She didn't know any diplomats, how would they know what she looked like? Celestia could of told them what she looked like, but-

She had been so busy thinking she never noticed the train had already pulled into station. Cheerilee jumped at the sound of the whistle, and gave an irritated stomp. About time.

The train doors swung open and a few ponies trickled out. Using her eyes that had been sharpened over her few years of teaching, she glanced over them, but abruptly stopped. 

Oh no.

No no no no no no no no no NO NO NO NO NO.

Cheerilee had forgotten.

She did know one diplomat.

His sky-blue eyes met hers.

Maybe I can turn back. Maybe he doesn't remember me and doesn't know I'm the teacher being sent to Saddle Arabia. Maybe...-

He gave her a smirk. 

Dammit.

"Miss Cheerilee...!" He called out loud enough that everyone at the station now knew the name of the mare who was mentally throwing daggers at Equestria's prince. 

The blonde unicorn waltzed up to Cheerilee and gave her a showy bow. A couple mares off in the distance giggled, and Cheerilee decided to mentally throw daggers at them as well.

"So you're to be my companion for this momentous trip?"

Cheerilee took a breath. It was too late to back out now. Much too late.

"Yes," Cheerilee paused, and then muttered, "unfortunately..."

Blueblood gave a sophisticated laugh that he'd probably practiced a million times in front of a mirror. "Oh my dear...! There is nothing unfortunate about it." 

With this, he took Cheerilee's hoof and landed a kiss on it that was entirely too long for the cerise mare's liking. The mares who were giggling earlier were now swooning and tittering about how 'charming' he was. 

Daggers were entirely too good for them, Cheerilee decided. Bloodied battle axes were much more suitable.

She ripped her hoof away from the pure-coated stallion, quite possibly bruising his hoof and ego in the process, a fact which pleased her, though she was careful not to show it. "Anyway, back to the matter at hand...! The train for Saddle Arabia will be here in an hour or so. We can..."

Now here was the dilemma. They had at least an hour before the train comes. What in the world was she suppose to do with him?

Luckily, he had the answer himself. He gave her a wave of his hoof. "Perfect! There was a spa here that Aunt Celestia simply raved about! She honestly could not stop talking about it, the poor dear! She so rarely gets time for herself, you know?" Cheerilee could believe it. She opened her mouth to say something but Blueblood proceeded to trot confidently towards her. 

"Anyway, that's where I'll be. I want to see for myself what this... country town can offer." A hint of a sneer entered his voice which sent a shiver of anger down Cheerilee's spine, but she bit her tongue. She spent years biting down snarky remarks when she was dealing with snotty kids and even snottier parents, surely she could deal with this snob of a prince. 

Blueblood stopped as soon as he got close to Cheerilee, and he whipped his head around, now face to face with Ponyville's school teacher. 

He shot her a dazzling smile. "We'll see each other soon, Miss Cheerilee. You won't miss me, will you?" Cheerilee would have snorted at this, but there wasn't any room to move her head without accidentally touching his muzzle that he shoved up in her personal space. Instead she just gave him a hard stare. 

He backed away, but still stood next to her. His face softened and his eyes had a strange shine to them.

"I look forward to our journey together."

And with that, he turned and trotted gracefully off the station steps. 

Straight into a mud puddle. 

After ten minutes of him wailing about his perfect coat being ruined, Cheerilee knew she was going to regret this. In fact, she already did regret it.