Experiment Saga

by Cinor

3. Experiment 008

Richard Pound
In:
Experiment 008

I woke up next to Roseluck again. I should go to Celestia, it’s been too long. I gingerly got out of her bed. Roseluck had a nice little apartment above her flower shop. Strangely enough it felt like home to me.

“What’s going on, Richard?” asked Roseluck, stretching her forearms over her head.

“I’m going to Canterlot today,” I explained. Her eyes widened.

“Oh wow. Care if I tag along?” she asked, eyes sparkling.

“I suppose that’s fine. I’m going to meet Celestia.”

The train ride had been uneventful. Roseluck never had much cause to go to Canterlot so she never had. This was a first time for her. She made sure to stop at all the flower shops on the way to the castle. Maybe this was a mistake.

Finally she was done and we moved on.

“Good afternoon, Richard, and… ah, you must be Roseluck,” said the princess as we approached her throne.

“Greeting, your majesty,” said Roseluck in a deep bow. I don’t think I’ve ever actually bowed to the princess. She didn’t seem to care all that much.

“Roseluck, I hear you are very much into gardens. Would you like to see the royal gardens?”

“Yes!”

“I’ll have my guide Herald show you the way,” Celestia said as a familiar pony walked in. Herald led Roseluck out to the gardens. Celestia turned her eyes back to me, a look on intense amusement.

“Well, what have we gotten ourselves into now, Richard?” she asked.

“Don’t know, princess. I woke up next to her,” I explained.

“Well, Twilight said she wasn’t pretty. I disagree, you have nice taste,” she joked.

“Have you found another human?” I asked.

“Found… I suppose. I never really lost track of him,” she said casually.

“If you never lost him then why haven’t you taken care of him?”

“They weren’t really problems until the other humans came.”

“All right, whatever. Just tell me what I need to know,” I said, trying to keep on track.

“Does she know about you and Twilight? I would hope so.”

“She knows.”

“What about Sunny?”

I winced in pain. “I haven’t seen Sunny since I left,” I said truthfully.

“Well, that’s every sad, Richard. About the human; he’s going to be in Canterlot tomorrow for a political event. You see he’s running for a Senate position and I’ve arranged for him to have an interview. That’s when you come in.”

“I see, that should be easy enough,” I told her.

“One more thing. I’ve arranged so that you and your… girlfriend can stay here tonight,” said Celestia. I’ve got to stay here? I felt bad enough loving Roseluck as it is. I missed Twilight and Sunny.

“That’s great,” I responded. “Do you think you can help Twilight and I get back together?” I heard a small cough from behind me. I turned. Roseluck was standing next to a very nervous Herald. He scampered out.

“Why do you want to get back with Twilight?” asked Roseluck.

“You don’t…” What could I say?

“I don’t what? You came to me and told me you loved me. I guess I was a fool to think that was true.” She gave a small sniffle.

“I do love you, Rose,” I lied. I guess I didn’t really love her. I considered her a friend.

“Oh yeah? Well alright. I’ll see you back in Ponyville… Dick.” She turned and walked out.

I turned to Celestia, “Why didn’t you stop me?” She shrugged.

The room was small and cool. Opposite me sat the human-pony. He called himself Cleisthenes. I’d never heard a pony use that kind of name before. I had a pad of paper and a pen. Cleisthenes looked at me expectantly.

“So Cleisthenes,” I began, “Where do you come from?”

“I come from a little part of Manehattan, and believe me; I saw that the government wasn’t perfect when I grew up. It wasn’t fair to the ponies that spent all day working hard.” His voice was very commanding. I wrote a few scribbles down.

“That’s good to hear. I for one welcome change.” He smiled. “Now, would you mind telling me about your parents?” I was trying to throw him for a loop.

“Uh, my parents? All right…. My dad was a baker and my mom was a teacher’s assistant,” he said slowly.

“That’s an interesting name, Cleisthenes. What’s it mean?”

“Oh, well. It’s just the name my parents gave me…. Wouldn’t you like to hear about my platform for Senate?”

I looked up from the pad, “Not really, senator. I’m here for some more serious questions. Now, I’ve heard from an insider that you weren’t born in good, ole’ Equestria. What do you say about that?”

“Of course I was,” he said.

“Well, sources claim you came from a place called, what was it again? Oh yes, Earth.” His eyes shifted slightly.

“Earth? Never heard of it,” he said, maintaining a calm demeanor. “Who did you say you were again?”

“Me? I’m Richard Pound from L.A. Have you heard of L.A.?” He let out of a mild sigh.

“Los Angeles… Oh man, I know that place,” he said, slipping out of his political voice. “What do you want? Are you with her? I thought she was going to leave me alone.”

“Sorry, Cleisthenes, but she won’t let any of us go. Now, do you know what I’ve got to do to you?” I asked.

“Have you ever seen the cities, Richard? I mean the cities here. They aren’t all they seem to be. Just like the L.A. of our home. They need better, Richard. They deserve better. Who’s going to give them better if I don’t?”

“I’m not sure,” I said honestly. I hadn’t paid much attention to politics in either realm. “But surely a natural pony can give them what they need.” He looked at me like I was stupid.

“No, Richard. I see you don’t know much about politics. But when other ponies say that, they’re lying. I’m not lying. I want to be able to walk down those streets and see smiles on everyponies face.”

“I guess you really care,” I said.

He gave a small laugh, “I guess you could say that. I care more about these ponies than I did for the people back home. You know, since I’ve held office I haven’t been threatened, bribed, or even shot at?”

“Is that so? I just thought that was a natural part of being human,” I said. We both chuckled.

“Well, I guess it is, Dick. This system they have here. It’s far from perfect. Everyone is too nice to make real politics happen. It would be easy for me to swoop in and take over.”

“So why didn’t you?” I asked.

“I couldn’t do that. Not now anyways. Everypony here is far too nice to have a dictator, and no matter how much I dislike Celestia will make me call her a dictator. She’s a very fair leader.”

“Fair is one word,” I said.

“It is one word, yes,” he said. We sat there for a while, the conversation having died. “When are you going to do it?” he asked.

“I don’t know. First three I had to force it on, the last one took it willingly.”

“Willingly? Interesting. I can’t imagine anyone had a bad time in Equestria; I know I didn’t.”

“I guess. Equestria is pretty great isn’t it?” I remarked. Cleisthenes reached behind his desk, pulling out two bottles of beer. “Seems you didn’t leave Earth politics behind.” He smirked.

“Come on, take one. I feel more at home with you than anypony I’ve met so far,” he said. He removed both the caps, dropping them into his desk. I grabbed a bottle and took a swig, it was pretty good. “So, Richard. Want to tell me a bit about yourself?”

“I’m a detective from L.A. What else is there to say?” I asked.

“Find everything you could hope for here?” He asked. He seemed generally interested in my life. It was strange.

“I thought I had. But something inside of me ruined it,” I said bitterly.

“What happened, Dick?”

“I was in love with a beautiful mare, and I ruined it. I had sex with another mare and I don’t know why. I have a son too…”

“Well what do you know? You brought some of home with you,” Cleisthenes remarked.

“I didn’t want to. You have to believe me.”

“Oh, I believe you, Dick. It’s not every day you ruin something perfect.” There was a pause for minutes. We both sat there drinking.

“Are you… ready? Ready to go back?” I asked him. He looked up at me.

“Go back? No, I suppose I’m not. But what choice do I have?” He said, sighing. I stood up and grabbed one of Celestia’s pills. He looked at it with wonder. “I wonder what will have changed… In all my time here.”

I took a few steps closer to him, “I’m not sure. Perhaps nothing changed.” I hesitated. “Can I see your hoof please?” He showed me his hoof.

008.

“Number eight…” I murmured.

“Which number where you?” he asked.

“I don’t have a number.”

“Curious,” he said. He grabbed the pill, holding it in his hoof. “I used to be scared… about going home.”

“You’re not anymore?”

“I still am. I’m just sad that I won’t be able to do any good there.” He slowly brought the pill to his mouth.

“Wait,” I said, “What did Celestia have you do?”

“She wanted me to talk to a pony named Bastion. I did and I didn’t learn anything.” He popped the pill into his mouth. His body became limp. I knew he was already gone.

“It’s done, Celestia,” I said. We were in her bed room. That where I was told she was waiting for me.

“Good, Richard,” she said. Her gaze turned out the window. It was late now. “What do you plan to do tonight?”

“I really don’t know…” I said disdainfully.

“You could spend it with me,” Celestia suggested. Maybe that wouldn’t be that bad.

“You know… maybe I should.”