Lunar Diplomacy

by Verathuum

Chapter 11

Before too long, the sun had begun scattering its light about in the atmosphere, illuminating the ground below: shades of green as far as they eye could see beneath the golden and white sky. Ahead of them was the faint hint of a tower, similar to the tallest one in Chukxil. Before long, they had reached the capital where they landed, and Jolterix collapsed his light sail back into its baton. He led Luna through the emptying streets towards the capital; everyone was going inside because the day was coming.

“Jolterix, why is it so hot?” Luna asked.

“The day’s coming. And it’s not so much the heat as it is the humidity,” Jolterix said, “Come on, we've got to hurry.” The heat wouldn't kill them, but it was terribly uncomfortable, and the humidity only added to the torment. Soon they had reached the tallest tower and went inside. They were blasted by the shock of the cold air from the climate controlled building.

“These Florians never run out of surprises,” Luna thought, “They control the temperature inside their structures.” The closest thing to climate control in Equestria was the basement of the houses as it always stored heat in the ground during winter, and the ground provided insulation from the heat during summer, but even then it was nothing compared to the Florians’ technology.

“We just gotta prove who you are and they’ll let us in right away,” Jolterix told Luna as they approached a front desk.

“Great, but how do we do that?” Luna asked.

“Good question,” Jolterix said and turned to face the lady behind the desk. “Hi, I've got a very important diplomat here and she needs to see Kaiser Dezler.”

“Alright, well if you’ll just sign here I’m sure Kaiser Dezler will be ready to take your order,” the lady said obviously not believing that Luna was a princess.

“OK, great!” Luna exclaimed. She bent down to write her name on the paper until Jolterix placed his arm in her way.

“There’s this great new thing called sarcasm,” he said, “And we Florians got it while it was still in its beta stage.”

“Uhh…” Luna said confused by the entire sentence.

“She wasn't being serious,” Jolterix clarified.

“Oh, then what do we do?” Luna asked.

“Obviously not worry about how making yourselves look like fools in front of me, because that’s not gonna get you to Kaiser Dezler any faster,” the lady said.

Jolterix turned to her with an angry expression, and then led Luna away from the desk where they could talk. “Just find a way to prove you’re Equestrian Royalty and they’ll let you through,” he said.

“But how? I didn't bring that painting, you know,” Luna said.

“I know, hmm,” Jolterix replied.

“Well I can show them my magic,” Luna suggested.

“Great idea, if only magic worked here,” Jolterix said.

“No, it’ll work,” Luna assured him.

“Well we may as well try,” he gave in as he watched Luna approach the lady again.

“Hi,” she began, “If I can prove I’m an Equestrian Princess, will you let us through right now?”

“Sure I will, and I’m being serious,” the lady said.

“Good, then watch,” Luna held out her hand and a blue flame appeared. “Can Florians do magic like that?”

“No, but that doesn't prove you’re a diplomat,” the lady said.

“Do you know anything about the Equestrian Princesses?” Luna asked.

“Yes, like how one supposedly controls the sun, and another controls the moon. I also know Equestrians have a mark on their sides corresponding to what they do,” the lady told her.

“Well then this should prove it,” Luna said. Without a second thought, she pulled the disc from her back dissolving the Florian armor, leaving just an undershirt and a pair of shorts that she “borrowed” from Jolterix. She pulled the shorts down enough for the lady to see the crescent moon on her hip which the lady immediately looked away from.

“OK, OK,” she said, “Go on in, just get out of here.”

“Great!” Jolterix exclaimed and he ran up to Luna, slapping the disc back onto her back. “Let’s roll!” He grabbed Luna by the arm and quickly towed her to the elevator.

“I want to thank you for taking me here,” Luna said to Jolterix after the door closed.

“It’s no problem,” Jolterix said.

“Well I just hope it wasn't too much of a burden,” Luna replied.

“I got to meet royalty, take a trip into the city again, which I haven't done in a while, I saw a Mesa Shell explode, and I got to see your butt,” Jolterix replied teasingly, "Today was a good day."

“All of those sound like a single adventure,” Luna laughed, “But that last one you mentioned, forget it happened. Also everything else happened yesterday.”

“I will do no such thing,” Jolterix said, “Actually, I will go to Equestria with you and brag to the locals about how I got mooned by their Princess of the Moon.”

“And if you do such a thing I will execute you myself,” Luna teased him.

“I call your bluff, you haven’t got the nerve,” Jolterix teased back.

“After this I’ll show you just how much nerve I have,” Luna said.

“Oh look! We’re here, now we can disregard any previous threats,” Jolterix said quickly and brought Luna out of the elevator. He turned her around and began playing with her disc.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Making this yours,” he said, “Now hold still.” He continued typing on the disc and soon, Luna’s Florian armor became her royal military uniform. “There we go,” Jolterix said and his robes reappeared.

“What is this for?” Luna asked, “And why didn't you do this with the lady downstairs, instead of having me take my pants halfway off?”

“Well you can’t be a foreign diplomat while wearing domestic clothing,” Jolterix said as his helmet slid up, “Plus I wouldn't be much of an escort without my full light armor. And it wouldn't have mattered anyway.”

Luna didn't quite understand the part regarding his armor, but she nodded nonetheless. She followed him up to two large double doors where he opened them.

A voice came through the door speaking the Florian language. The speaker seemed to interrupt himself and he said, “Jolterix.”

“Dezler,” Jolterix replied. On the far end of the room was a large throne atop a small flight of steps. Sitting upon the throne was a man dressed in robes similar to Jolterix’s, but the lights weren't white. Instead they were a light shade of blue, like the cities. The two conversed briefly in their language and Jolterix quickly turned to Luna. “Well,” he said, “It appears Dezler would like to listen to you.”

“You know each other?” Luna asked before speaking to Kaiser Dezler.

“On a personal level,” Dezler said. His accent was much thicker than Jolterix’s, who seemed to have barely an accent at all.

“Dezler and I used to be on the same carrier,” Jolterix explained as his helmet dropped off his head, “We were both part of the same squadron.”

“Until I decided to put my brain to its rightful work and become King,” Dezler said.

“While I switched to flying cargo,” Jolterix added.

“Anyway, what was it you needed, Luna?” Dezler asked her.

“My country, Equestria, faces a threat from our neighbor, Discordia. Our forces aren't enough to defeat Discordia, or even keep it at bay and we may face annexation,” Luna explained, “No other country has power to stand up to Discordia, except Auflorsung, and I am here to ask Auflorsung for military aid against Discordia.”

“Well, that is a big question for such a scenario,” Dezler said, “You appear here, the first contact since our citizens’ vacationing in your country, expecting us to lend aid.”

“I know it’s a lot to ask,” Luna said.

“I will remain on the side of caution,” Dezler said, “My people will not stand for an invasion of a country that did nothing to harm us. Plus I do not feel comfortable risking irreplaceable Florian lives for a cause we know nothing about. However, I will send you back to Equestria, but I will send you under the care of Jolterix, so that you may return in a much timelier manner so that you may return to your threat faster.”

“So that’s it, then?” Luna asked.

“It appears so,” Dezler said, “I am very busy, sorry.”

“Very well,” Luna said with much disappointment and frustration; she had come all this way only to be told no. She turned around and walked to the door to wait for Jolterix who was wrapped up in a conversation with Dezler. They were speaking their own language, but Luna was so angry and sad that even if they spoke Equestrian, she wouldn't know what they were talking about. Soon, Jolterix was standing next to her with his arm around her, doing his best to comfort her. She just pushed him away and went to the elevator, and he followed.

“I’m sorry,” he told her, “I’m sure it’s not as bad as it seems. Perhaps Discordia is much weaker than you anticipate?”

“No,” Luna said trying to hold back her tears as she thought about Equestria being ruled by Discordia, “It is as bad as it seems.” She looked up at him trying to find some kind of comfort, “So what did you and Dezler talk about?” she asked him trying to take her mind off the very inevitable future of Equestria becoming enslaved by Discord and his country.

“Oh, just things and stuff,” Jolterix replied.

“Give me a serious answer,” Luna said seeing that Jolterix’s light-heartedness wasn't helping her.

“He told me I was to take you home personally, seeing as you've grown closest to me out of any Florian,” Jolterix explained, “He also gave me this so we don’t have to sit in that cramped light sail for five hours,” he said holding up a baton.

“Oh, cool,” Luna said as the elevator opened, “Can you put my helmet up?”

“Sure,” he said. He began playing with her disc and soon she was back in the Florian armor, and she raised her helmet so no one would see The Princess of the Night crying, even if no one knew who she was. She couldn't help herself; the thought of her subjects coming under rule by Discord while she remained virtually powerless to stop it was enough to destroy her composure.

“Thanks,” she said from behind her mirrored helmet, but Jolterix could hear her tears through her voice.

“Sure thing,” he said. Luna’s emotions were contagious and soon he was feeling sorry for her, “We’ll just head on back to Equestria, then?”

“Yes,” Luna said following him outside.

“Alright, stand behind me, about three feet,” he said. He pulled the baton, and around them light began to be produced: a twin engine jet, about three times the size of the light sail came into being. It had an elongated nose for Jolterix and Luna to sit in with canards on it for stability and guidance. On the rear of the main body were two long, forward swept wings and two diagonally positioned stabilizers. Behind those, on the very back of the jet, were two very powerful engines designed to take energy from light and redirect it as thrust. It was known as the Vogel, and was one of the fastest and most maneuverable jets ever produced by Auflorsung. Jolterix pushed the throttle forward and the Vogel went from hover to full forward flight. He pitched up and they were already at Mach 1.5 before they hit ten thousand feet.

“Wow,” Luna couldn't hold her tongue despite her anger.

“We’re going to go up to about sixty-thousand feet,” Jolterix said. Before long, the Vogel had reached forty-thousand feet where Luna stared out the glass canopy with awe: she saw the many different colors of the rain forests and the rusty red of the cliffs. She noticed something that she hadn't seen the previous night because it was too dark: a massive crater with scarred land around it.

Comments

[Ninja_Master6545]

im a decade late i know but falken moment