Exploring Equestria

by A_guy_from_Earth

23. Exploring Manehattan

Kor and Karin sat on the sofa in the staff’s common room, enjoying their privacy and discussing the plans for the evening.

“How about “Le Grand”?” offered Kor.
“Nah, too fancy,” Karin responded. “I’d like something simpler.”
“Under the lindens”?”
“Sounds wonderful.”
“And then?..” Kor looked at his special pony and smiled.
“Then, I think, we both deserve a reward…” Karin said and smiled too.

They looked at each other’s eyes, smiling, sharing passion and tenderness, and Kor leaned towards Karin. They were about to merge in a kiss, when suddenly they heard loud Affi’s scream.

“YAHOO-HOO! I did it! I did it!!!”

Karin froze. Scared Kor fell down from the sofa. However, soon they came to their senses and rushed to the corridor. Their curator was still exulting.

“What did you do?” Kor and Karin wondered.
“Oh,” Affi surprised a bit when she saw her colleagues. “I’m sorry, but… Finally, after all these years… I managed not to faint examining intimate thoughts.”
“Well, congra… Wait, WHAT?” Kor exclaimed.
“You read our thoughts?” Karin resented.
“I’m very sorry, but… I badly needed someone whom I could test my abilities on,” telepathist began to explain herself. “And you were the best possibility at the moment!”

Researchers growled but then just sighed.

“Okay, forget it,” said Kor.

Karin gave a nod. The moment was ruined for sure, so officer and sociologist decided to return to the work and speak about the date plans later. Researchers and their curator went away from the staff’s chambers. Near the entrance to the main hall they met Spike.

“Oh, hi, guys!” little dragon greeted researchers.
“Howdy, Spike!” they responded.
“Can you tell me where Berg is?”
“Berg?” Kor scratched his chin. “He went with Allegro to fix the door in Emerald Bedroom, if I’m not mistaken. And why you are asking?”
“It’s just… I’ve just received a letter from princess Celestia, and it is addressed to Berg.”
“Crap!” was the only thought researchers had at that moment.
“You mean… Princess sent him a private letter?” supposed Affi, still being shocked.
“It turns out that yes.”
“Oh…”
“Okay then, I’m going to the Emerald Bedroom. Thank you!” said Spike and ran upstairs.

Meanwhile Max went into the hall. He saw Spike running towards bedroom wing and his colleagues in a state of stupor and got confused. He came closer and asked his friends what happened. After a little pause Kor finally managed to recover to say something, but before he opened his mouth Rarity broke into the main hall. Her mane was completely disheveled and her face showed great anxiety mixed with urge to kill.

“Girls!!! I need you!!!” she shouted in loud hoarse voice, and before anyone realized what’s going on, she grabbed Karin and Affi with her magic, pulled out Oma from reception table and Bluve from kitchen and, magically holding all four in the air, ran away.

Kor and Max silently watched them disappearing behind the nearest houses. Then, finally, mind reboot was over and they synchronously screamed:

“WHAAAAAT???”
“No, seriously, what the heck was that?” Max exclaimed.

Kor, still under influence of previous shocks, just shrugged.

Suddenly they heard a sound of gallop from somewhere on the second floor. Max and Kor turned to the stairs and saw Zet’rar running towards them. The technician looked extremely worried.

“What happened, Zet?” asked Max.
“It’s Edez! He is in a deep shock!” Zet’rar said.

Kor immediately realized that there could be only one reason of this. Swearing in his native, he ran upstairs. Surprised Zet’rar and Max followed him.

When they ran to the Emerald Bedroom, they saw Edez sitting on the floor near the entrance of the room. He looked into the letter with glassy eyes, his face froze in the expression of shock and disbelief.

“Edez, Edez!” Max shouted, meanwhile starting to shake curator’s shoulder, trying to bring him to life.
“Uh… Huh?” master researcher finally managed to recover.
“Are you all right?”
“I… Yeah, I’m fine, fine… It’s just… this letter, princess…”
“What’s wrong with it?” asked Kor.
“She…” Edez looked into the letter. “She says that after the meeting with ambassadors of Griffin Empire she had been thinking about me, and then, after one night when she dreamed about me kissing her…” master researcher raised his head and, looking into the void, spelled. “After that night she decided to invite me on a date…”

It seemed that Zet’rar’s “WHAT???” was possible to hear even in the very depth of Everfree Forest. Refusing to believe in it, he ran to Edez to read the letter himself to make sure that it is true. Max grabbed his head with his forelegs and began to murmur “Sialan semesta sialan saya!” Kor after another great shock for such short time just fainted.

“It is so…” confused technician spelled when he finished the reading.
“You mean, princess Celestia herself invites our Edez for a date?” exclaimed Max. “…and she mistook that act of sedation for a dream?”
“It turns out that… yeah.”
“Oh, great!”
“I… I don’t know what to do!” said Edez in trembling voice. He had hundreds of years of experience of behavior in various situations, but now he was at a loss. Life had not prepared him for an invitation for a date from princess of faraway planet which he was ordered to explore. “Oh, what I’ve gotten myself into!..”
“Dude…” Max suddenly turned to Edez and look at him. Physiologist looked like he just had had the greatest insight ever. “It’s a chance!”
“What chance?”
“A chance for you to make an informal contact with one of the most important ponies in the country and have a good time!”
“I don’t know, Max… It’s… It’s way too much…”
“Edez, the most awesome mare in whole this country invites YOU for a date! And you want to refuse?”
“Max is right…” Zet’rar spelled. “Edez, it is a great possibility for you to know each other better and, finally, have some rest! You deserve it!”
“Agree,” said Kor, standing up. “Have fun, just don’t speak about current work.”
“Ah, you’re all right!” Max smiled, looking at Kor.
“I hope so…” officer responded.
“Well…” Edez gulped. “If you think so… I’ll do it!”
“Great!” Zet’rar smiled. “Oh, by the way, what time Celestia is planning the date for?”
“Um…” Edez looked into the letter. “For tomorrow night.”
“Damn! Max, call Sheim, we have to start planning immediately!..”

So researchers began to help their curator to get ready for the big day.

And meanwhile, in Carousel Boutique…

“So…” Affi tried to sum up what she had just heard. “Since too many designers participate in Manehattan Fashion Week in this year, there are not enough models to show all the clothes they made, so you are asking us to come with you to be your models?”
“Yes!” Rarity nodded. “Since I present three new collections there, I need as many ponies as possible! I asked my friends, but… Twilight is a princess, and being a regular model is not a job for a princess! Pinkie Pie… I don’t want to hurt her, but she’ll turn the show into a circus for sure! Rainbow Dash refuses…” white unicorn glared at her winged friend.
“Sorry, Rarity, but I told you: it’s not a job for a pony like me!” blue pegasus explained herself.
“I barely managed to persuade Fluttershy and Applejack…” Rarity continues.
“Ah still don’t know how you made me to agree for this,” murmured angry Applejack.
“So I begging you,” Rarity looked at researchers, “please, help me!”
“Eh… We’d be happy to help you, but are you sure that we are good candidates?” asked Bluve, pointing to her scars. Karin, who stood near her, emphasized her short stature.
“And what’s wrong with you?” asked Rainbow Dash, looking at Affi and Oma.
“Even you, Didinga?” exclaimed Fluttershy.

Affi turned back to others and showed big scar under her mane (the very one where her appendages hided). Oma meanwhile smiled broadly, showing her eight big fangs.

“Jeez…” spelled Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Surprised Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hoof.
“You know…” Rarity said after short pause, “Models with non-standard appearance are very popular today. Pippi, your stature can actually become an advantage! Didnga, Antilipsi, your… features can be easily covered! The same is with you, Calma! Just don’t wear low-cut dresses, and nopony will see your scars! Girls, you are perfect models for my collections!”
“So, I guess, we are coming, right?” Affi said, looking at her friends and Rarity.

Other researchers gave a nod. Rarity, with tears of happiness in her eyes, was ready to beam literally.

“Okay, when we should go?” asked Karin.
“Well, the show will start tomorrow night, so we have to leave as soon as possible to have enough time for all the preparations,” answered Rarity.
“We have to inform the guys then!” said Bluve.
“Rainbow,” white unicorn turned to her friend. “Please, tell boys where we are going and why.”
“Roger!” blue pegasus responded and flew away.
“Okay, ladies, we’ll meet in an hour at the train station!” Rarity smiled.

Girls left the Boutique and went home to pack things for their short trip, which, however, promised to be eventful. The packing didn’t take too much time, so they got to the train station pretty soon. Fluttershy and Applejack arrived few minutes later, right on time. The pony who appointed the time, however, came with a thirty-minute delay. As always, with a luggage twice bigger than other girls’ stuff put together. She briefly and quickly apologized and ran to buy the tickets – train to Manehattan had to leave in fifteen minutes.

Luckily, the queue in the ticket office was small, so they quickly paid for the trip, loaded the luggage car – axles bore the weight – and took their places. Train gave the departure signal and began its way to the largest city of Equestria.

It was an ordinary train, which stopped at all the station on the route, so they’ll have to spend about seven hours on the road. Thus, they will arrive to Manehattan right before sunset. There will be enough time to check in to the hotel and have a supper in a café. And while they were on their way to the place, girls entertained themselves with chatting and telling stories – each of them had many different own adventures, so they could tell each other a lot.

When the sun was already about to touch the sea surface, the train reached Manehattan Strait Bridge. Girls sat closer to windows and looked at the panorama. Bridge spans rose sixty meters above the water, so travelers could see the city in all its beauty. Indeed, Manehattan was a very big city – Ponyville, comparing to it, looked like a poor hamlet. Densely built, with skyscrapers higher than some mountains, with long straight thoroughfares, always full of life – it was the very definition of city. Researchers were impressed. Although they spent great part of their lives in planet-sized city of Ateir, after all these month in Ponyville this city looked fantastic. Ponies of Equestria managed not only to construct 100-story buildings, but made them elegant and perfectly decorated. Truly, Manehattan was architectural marvel as great as the royal residence.

Train passed the Bridge and appeared on the long narrow trestle, which led to the Central Station of Manehattan. Skyscrapers surrounded the road, closing great part of the sky – it seemed that they are driving along the bottom of a canyon now. Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy breather with relief: the long trip will be over soon. They closed their eyes and made themselves comfortable to have a little rest before they went to the hotel. Researchers meanwhile looked around and enjoyed the view.

The very thing that defined the landscape of the city was the fact that it was built on an island. Because of this there was permanent shortage of free area, so city planners had to adapt to it: they start to build taller constructions and old buildings gradually got replaced by new ones. It made Manehattan very eclectic city: it was impossible to tell now which parts of the city are old and which are new. Architects, knowing that they are making buildings for the economic capital of the country, its richest city, created amazing constructions, each more beautiful than the last. But shortage of free area for construction often made impossible the creation of ensembles. As a result, all the streets in Manehattan now were galleries of various architectural styles. Location on an island also defined what sectors of economy developed here. Manehattan was logistics center of the global scale, it was the largest port in Equestria, but there was a little number of factories – there simply was not enough area for them. Thus, all the industry concentrated in the suburbs, and city became the center of the service sector. Financial services, logistics, mass media, education and culture – that’s what made Manehattan the way it is.

The trestle ended under the huge dome of Central Station and soon train stopped. The trip was over.

Girls took their luggage and left the station. Oma and Affi went forward to catch some taxis – since there were seven of them, and considering all the Rarity’s luggage… They needed three cabs at least. Surprisingly, it wasn’t so hard – they easily found enough cars and cabbies didn’t even demand explanations why they need so much transportation.

In a few minutes they were near the hotel, “Astra”. It was one of old, huge, but luxury hotels of Manehattan with comfortable rooms, various entertainments and lots of good feedbacks of grateful clients. Girls stopped for a moment near the entrance, admiring architecture and height of the building and went in – only to see even more amazing work of decorative art, the hotel’s lobby.

However, two big mottled figures with huge horns, which appeared from nowhere right in front of them, broke their admiration of design masterpiece.

“Tryviež? Čarnabor?” researchers surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s you!” Europonian tourists exclaimed “Thank gods!”
“You know these guys?” Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack surprised.
“Girls, this is Čarnabor and Tryviež, tourists from Dregovia,” Karin explained “We got acquainted during the Harvest Day in Ponyville.”
“Please, help us!” unicorns begged meanwhile.
“What happened?” Bluve worried.
“We lost all our diamonds, so we have nothing to pay for a room!” Čarnabor answered.
“So could you give us piece of wood or paper what you don’t need now, please?” Tryviež added.
“Ehm… Why?” surprised Applejack and Rarity.
“To make new diamonds,” Dregovians answered.
“What?” Rarity exclaimed. “How can you make a diamond from piece of wood or paper? It’s impossible!”
“Diamonds consist of carbon, and wood or paper consists of substances with high carbon content. If you’ll create sufficient pressure and heat, you can make a diamond!”
“Um… Huh?”
“Oh, we’ll better show you…”

Bluve went through her saddlebag, found an empty notebook and gave it to the lads. They thanked her and began to cast the spell.

They crossed their horns, and soon notebook shone with a bright light. Čarnabor and Tryviež concentrated and, after a deep breath, released great amount of magic. A popping sound came, and all ponies in the lobby felt a gentle heat wave. Dregovians dropped the light curtain from the notebook and… surprised girls found a dark shiny diamond instead of it.

“Et voila!” lads smiled.
“What tha…” Applejack muttered.
“Oh, we forgot to mention: these guys are extremely powerful battle mages,” said Karin.

Applejack did not respond. Only Fluttershy made a weak nervous chuckle.

“Thank you, miss Calma!” Tryviež and Čarnabor bowed to Bluve and went to the reception.
“Here our payment for the room!” Čarnabor put the diamond on the table.
“Oh…” receptionist spelled. “Okay… But, sirs, it’s…”
“Leave the change for these ladies,” Tryviež said, pointing at researchers and their friends. “After all, the feedstock belongs to them.”
“Huh, they are quite a gentlecolts…” Rarity said.
“Yep,” Oma nodded. “They look strange and a bit scary, but they actually are nice guys.”
“Thank you once again,” unicorns said. “Have a good time! Bye!” and they went to the elevator.
“E-excuse me!” Applejack raised her hoof and came to the reception. “Can ya tell us, how much change our friends left?”
“Ehm, one moment!” receptionist said and took an abacus. “Well, it’s three hundred and eighty seven bits!”
“Goodness! It’s more than enough to pay for our rooms!”
“We pay for four nights and breakfast and dinner for each of us in your amazing café!” Rarity broke in.
“Okay,” receptionist said and wrote down the order. “Anything else?”
“Wait, we still have some of these money?” Bluve exclaimed in surprise.

Girls received the keys from their rooms, showed the porters where their – or, to be precise, mostly Rarity’s – luggage was and went to their temporary apartment. Soon they settled in and were making themselves comfortable. In twenty minutes or so the caravan with luggage finally arrived, and soon a neat ziggurat of suitcases was built in the white unicorn’s room. Porters got their tips and went away. Girls helped Rarity to unpack the clothes she made and – after a quick make-up – went to the café to have the late dinner.

They stayed there until the closing time, enjoying the company of each other and delights of smorgasbord of delicious dishes. Preparations for the show began at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow, until that time they all were free. So, they could afford to stay in the café for such long time and have all the sleep what they want tomorrow. Moreover, even after this they will have some time. In order to spend it with pleasure and have some rest before the show, girls decided to take a walk through the city.

When the majority of hotel guests have been already sleeping, bearers of the Elements and researchers returned to their room to meet, at last, warm embrace of their beds. Tiredness, accumulated during the day, did its job and soon girls entered into domain of princess Luna.

Good sufficient beauty sleep does miracles, so tomorrow at 10:30 girls were already awake, well-rested and vigorous. They still had time, not that much, but enough for a relaxing stroll. They had a quick breakfast and, after when Rarity agreed with porters and cabbies about delivering the clothes she made to the Fashion Center, they went to the city.

The walking tour strengthened researcher’s impressions gained during the arriving to the city. Manehattan was great, but inharmonious city – except for the street network and Central Park, there were no urban ensembles and systems. And just as colorful was the city’s architecture, so heterogeneous was the population. Seriously, one could meet ponies from all places of the world here, and they were many such visitors. No one here surprised when they saw a pony in a robe or in a turban. However, other species except ponies were quite rare there, and, speaking about griffins and dragons, there were only few representatives in the whole two-million-city. With all the problems which city already had it was very difficult to adapt it also for non-equine-like creatures. Thus, only griffins and dragons here were trade agents or ambassadors.

Labyrinth of the city’s streets was full of life and often quite crowded, but it was nice to walk along it. Rarity enjoyed grandeur and luxury of the city, Applejack, though she still had not got used to some urban rules and customs and thus got irritated sometimes, felt happy, remembering the time she spent with Orange family, Fluttershy looked around and studied the faces of passers, and researchers just let their souls to rest, feeling familiar atmosphere of huge city.

They were lone ponyvillers, slowly moving along the streets and avenues of big unfamiliar city, far from their home, but… No matter how big the Universe is and how far you are, you’ll never know when you meet someone well-known. Girls, for their own surprise, met there two good friends. Walking down the Broadway, they met Trixie, drinking a cup of coffee in a café. It turned out that now she was performing in one of the small theaters here – her “Tricky challenge” show was very popular, so one theater owner from Manehattan asked her to come with him. Since that day she became popular artist with a good contract. The second one was Time Turner – girls bumped into him right in the middle of a street. Timekeeper of Ponyville looked extremely stressed and even frightened. He constantly muttered something about moving gargoyles in this city and how fast and dangerous they are. Unfortunately, girls could not do anything to help him, and after a short conversation they had to leave him.

Soon main city clock struck one. It was about time to return to job, so girls went to the Fashion Center. Luckily, it was not situated far from their current location.

However, when they were already in few minutes from it, they met an obstacle: a cab stood right on the sidewalk. Unharnessed cabby stood near it, looking around and leisurely chewing a straw. Ponies in order to get round it had to squeeze themselves into narrow corridor between the cab and the nearest building or step on the carriageway. The cabby, however, paid no attention on this.

Despite the inherent to equestrians care for each other girls had already seen not a few examples of insolent and nihilistic behavior of ponies, but this was beyond even understandable actions.

“Excuse me, but ponies are walking here!” Applejack resented.
“Indeed!” Rarity supported her friend. “There were no other parking spaces?”
“Pardon me, but I’m waiting for a client here,” cabby responded.
“He’s standing here like this for two hours already!” said old stallion from second floor of the nearest building.
“Yes!” his upstairs neighbor confirmed.
“So what? He’s late!” cabby said.

Girls began to argue with the impudent lad, but he paid no attention to their comments or just was rude. Nothing changed even when some other ponies stood on the girls’ side. Seeing the uselessness of these attempts, Affi, Oma and Karin realized that they have to use other method to give this stubborn cool fish a good lesson. Karin was first who took an action.

While others were arguing, she came closer to the cab, and suddenly…

“Stop!” she exclaimed. When all other fell silent, she addressed the pony from the third floor. “You! Call the police!” then she turned to the old stallion from the second floor. “And you – watch this guy! Don’t let him run away!”
“What the heck ye are doing?” cabby exclaimed.
“Well, we have a gross violation of parking regulations here, so it would be better if road police will take care of this.”
“Oh you little…” the angry stallion growled, quickly harnessed himself into the cab, but when he pulled, cab did not move.
“What?” he exclaimed with some other ponies.
“Nu-uh, you are not going anywhere,” Karin smiled. “But we are,” she waved. “Come on, girls! Let the police deal with this guy.”

Other researchers and bearers of Elements followed her and soon they disappeared behind a corner.

“What did ya do?” Applejack wondered.

Karin smiled and took a small bottle of glue from her saddlebag.

“You glued his cab?!”
“Yup. It’s so-called “desert glue”, very strong one, but it dissolves in water.”
“So…”
“Policeponies know about this stuff, they’ll free this guy very quickly, but he, or, at least, his cab, will remain there until the arrival of officers.”
“Heh, nice!”
“Um, Pippi, and how did you manage to do this so quickly?” Fluttershy asked.
“A sleight of hoof and a little fraud, my friend.”

Soon they finally got to the Fashion Center. It was a huge thirty-storey ultramodern building from steel, concrete and glass, true masterpiece of hi-tech style. And, despite all its sizes, luxury and functionality, it served only for fashion shows and event connected with them. You can talk about waste of usable space here, but these shows were important part of cultural activities and provided significant part of revenues among all the events, so it was not in vain.

When the girls went into the building, they froze in amazement: they appeared in the large atrium, one of the biggest and the most beautiful what they have ever seen. An empty space of irregular shape stretched to the twenty-seventh floor, was simply, but very stylishly decorated and had wonderful lighting. Rarity and Fluttershy had been there before, so they did not surprise so much, but other girls needed some time to come into senses.

“Our hall is on fourteenth floor,” Rarity said. “The dresses will be delivered soon, so let’s go!”

Researchers and bearers of the Elements followed her, and soon they got to the place.

“Here we are, gi…” Rarity was about to open the door to models’ rooms, when Oma interrupted her.
“Wait, where’s Calma?” she exclaimed.
“I’m here!” they heard Bluve’s voice. Girls turned to where it came from and saw her friend with two stallions-helpers.
“Excuse me, please,” physiologist said. “I just had to help these two gentlecolts.”
“Don’t diminish what you did, miss!” one of the helpers said. “We won’t be able to deliver this wardrobe without you!”
“Wait, what wardrobe?” Applejack surprised.
“This kind young lady helped us to carry one huge wardrobe to the eleventh floor!” the second helper smiled.

Bearers of the Elements stared at Bluve with dumbfound expressions.

“What?” Bluve surprised. “I am quite strong.”
“And how strong ya are?” Applejack wondered.
“Excuse me,” biologist said to the helper who stood to the left from her and then in a twinkling grabbed him by a collar and lifted him above the floor. With one hoof.
“Wow!” surprised worker exclaimed.

Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack dropped their jaws. Bluve meanwhile put the stallion back on the floor.

“You know, among all of us only Pippi, Berg and Erő are able to beat her in hoofwrestling,” Oma said.
“I see…” Rarity and Applejack said.

Helpers thanked Bluve again and returned to their work. Rarity calmed herself and finally introduced her friends to the world of backstage of Manehattan’s fashion show.

When the doors opened, girls appeared in completely different world. From calm and accurate place they got somewhere which seemed to be a rather noisy and crowded bazaar. Lot of different ponies: models, stylists, designers, makeup artists, stage-hooves scurried around, the backstage of fashion show looked more like an interior of an anthill.

“Oh dear…” even Rarity was surprised. “W-well, our rooms are 26 and 27, let’s go!”

Following the white unicorn, girls went in and began to make the way to their rooms through the crowd.

It took quite an effort for everyone: to make a step without hitting other pony was a true art. However, when others were busy with making the way, Affi, who was in the center of the group, could afford to implement professional duties. New place full of new minds was a treasure for a telepathist.

Well, considering what they were dealing with now, it was no wonder that majority of the thoughts she heard was about work. Stylists and designers bothered about the best possible presentations of clothes they made, makeup artists and models got ready for very intense work, and stage ponies were intensively working right now. Just in a couple of minutes Affi managed to learn everything about modern fashion trends in Equestria. Nevertheless, there were some ponies which weren’t busy. They were sharing expressions and expectations, calmed each other or discussed their plans for the hours after the show.

Among the last group Affi noticed two mares which stood aside from everyone, in the dark end of a service corridor. They spoke a little, but they were smiling to each other, and their mental activity was very high. Affi decided to look deeper.

It was a big mistake.

She successfully tested her resistance against dirty thoughts of single sentients and heterosexual couples, but not against homosexual couples. And those two mares now were thinking about what fun in the bed they will have after the show. So, as it happened many times before, Affi fainted.

It alarmed all the ponies in the models’ rooms.

“What happened to her?” worried designers and models asked.
“I don’t now!” Rarity and Applejack answered. “She just fell down with no reason!”
“She probably fainted,” researchers started to guess what happened to their friend.

But before they gave Affi first aid, Fluttershy stepped in. And she did what researchers could only see in their worst nightmares: she put her ear to Affi’s chest.

“Her heart is not beating!” exclaimed terrified pegasus.
“Whaaaaat???” other ponies exclaimed.
“Shiiiiiiit!!!” researchers screamed in their souls.

Their exposure was a matter of seconds now. They had to undertake something immediately.

“Step aside!” Karin exclaimed and, when Fluttershy stepped back, she fell on her knees and hit Affi’s chest with both her forelegs. Affi awfully wheezed and coughed, but waked for sure.
“Ti sto diaolo?” telepathist exclaimed, wheezing.
“Oh, she’s all right!” her friends breathed with relief.
“Why you hit me?”
“It was necessary to bring you to life,” Karin said.
“Oh, re…” Affi was about to say, but then she looked into her friend’s mind and realized what happened. “Oh… I fainted again. Damn.”
“Jeez, Anti, it is a serious problem,” Applejack said.
“Indeed,” Fluttershy nodded. “You have to speak with a doctor about it.”
“Doctors had already helped me to recover after that explosion incident,” telepathist responded. “All the rest depends on me.”

The fainted pony was awake now, so others calmed and returned to their work. Soon after it a caravan with Rarity’s collections arrived, and girls had begun to prepare.

Within only five hours they had to put all the clothes on hangers, put on a good makeup and, of course, rehearse the performance and possible situations. So girls had to work in total crisis mode. In order to perform well, Fluttershy, Applejack, Affi, Oma, Karin and Bluve had to master at least the basis of the art of defile and learn how change their clothes even faster than soldiers and preserve a good look after this. Since they weren’t professional models, they had a lot of problems with the rapid learning. It was very hard for Applejack and researchers to get used to light and graceful model gait – years of fieldwork and field studies are not helping to develop such a skill. And Fluttershy had a problem with dressing: knowing that she has a little time, she got very worried and because of this became very clumsy. She had to make a great effort to calm herself and act properly.

Finally, after several chewed hooves and pulled out bunches of hair, they were ready. Now it was makeup artists’ and hair stylists’ turn to show what they can do.

Meanwhile spectators gathered in the hall. Soon clock struck seven, and the fashion show was declared open. Designers and stylists gathered behind the walls that separated podium from the backstage and crossed their hooves, and models began to demonstrate the first lines of clothes for today.

Beautiful mares in amazing dresses began to step on the podium one by one. Bearers of the Elements and researchers were among the first ones. It was evident that they are far from other models on this show, they lacked skills and professionalism, but there was one thing they had which other girls lacked: they were memorable. They were more natural, and each of them was unique: Applejack with her simple beauty, Fluttershy with her adorable meekness, Oma with her majesty, Affi with her charm of crystal pony (even if wasn’t real), Karin in her character of little mischief and Bluve, who seemed to be the most mysterious person on the show because of the necessity to wear long high-necked dresses only. They were out of standards in a good way, and that’s why they attracted the glances.

The first presentation successfully finished. Now girls had a fifteen-minute break before the show continues. In order to present other lines of clothes more stylishly many models went to change their manecut and put on new makeup, and our heroines were among them.

“I’ll make you look stunning!” Affi’s hair stylist smiled.
“Thank you, but… don’t experiment too much, please,” telepathist responded.
“Why?”
“Well, if you look deeper, you will find a scar on my nape.”
“Oh my…” stylist found it and turned pale.
“Oh yeah…”
“I’ll consider it!..”

And meanwhile in other corner of the dressing room…

“Oh my, you have absolutely gorgeous mane!” Oma’s hair stylist admired.
“I’ve got a very good gift from Mother Nature,” senior sociologist smiled.
“A good gift isn’t a word! You hair is so thick and silky… It’s a real precious! To do something with it sounds like a sacrilege!”
“Oh, don’t worry dear! I totally trust you and your sense of style! Feel free to do any manecut you want!”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course!”
“Oh, thank you!”

Oma gave stylist a nod, made herself comfortable and closed her eyes. Stylist began to create.

It was a big mistake.

“Ow!” Oma opened her eyes and exclaimed when she felt discomfort.
“Oh, I did something wrong?” the hairdresser worried.
“N-no, it’s fine! It’s fine!”

Stylist just shrugged and continued her job. However, Oma began to get more and more stressed since that moment, but she didn’t show that.

A great problem was brewing.

Finally, the hairdresser finished the manecut, Oma put on another dress and went to the exit to the podium.

“Oh, Didinga, you look absolutely gorgeous!” Rarity said when she saw Oma.

Other girls turned to her too. And they gasped in amazement: their friend looked simply divine. Hair stylist created a true masterpiece, astonishing complicated manecut, worth the greatest of galas and balls. It could be admired forever.

Bearers of the Elements and Karin and Bluve were very impressed by Oma’s new look, they even were not able to find the words sometimes, but Affi felt that something happened to her friend. She took a closer look and got horrified. If what she had seen is true, then it is time to sound the alarm and evacuate.

When others let Oma go, trembling Affi came closer and asked her quietly. She wanted to prove herself that she was wrong this time.

“Hey, Oma, excuse me, but…” telepathist whispered. “Are you, well… “triggered?”

Oma growled a bit and said “Yes”.

“What?” Affi exclaimed.
“Quiet!” sociologist hissed. “Yes, I am, but I can handle it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! Just be quiet.”

Bluve and Karin heard the exclamation of their curator.

“Uh-oh,” Bluve started to guess what happened, looking at Oma.
“What’s wrong?” Karin worried.

Without any words biologist grabbed her by hoof and dragged to Affi.

“Is she… you know?” Bluve asked.
“Yes,” Affi responded, she still was shivering.
“Tell me what’s going on!” demanded Karin.
“You saw Oma’s new haircut?” Bluve said. “Well… It seems that the hairdresser “triggered” Oma while making it.”
“WHAT???”
“Quiet!” Affi hissed.
“We have to do something!.. She needs to change the haircut!”
“We know, but… we can’t!” Bluve wailed. “If she asks this it will look at least odd. We have already almost messed up!”
“So…”
“Yes,” Affi gave a weak nod with expression of a doomed. “We can only wait and hope for the best.”
“Oh, may the Universe help us!”

And now it is time to explain what’s going on. Oma is a Yedeizan, and all Yedeizans have no hair, but have two big appendages on the head and one on the back. They are very moveable and full of nerve cells. During the creation of avatar Oma’s these parts of her body were transformed, and now they were her mane and tail. And there is one thing with these appendages of Yedeizans. This thing is… well, let’s not beat around the bush and say it right: appendages are their erogenous zone. Very sensitive one, by the way, especially to squeezing. The hairdresser squeezed Oma’s transformed appendages for multiple times and, moreover, left some of them squeezed by now, and Oma felt it perfectly. The effect wasn’t so strong as with normal appendages, however, but it presented.

But there was one more circumstance which made the situation worse: the more stimulated a Yedeizan got, the less controllable his or her passion urges became and the more indifferent he or she became when choosing a partner. And it was not only about appearance, but also about sex.

So now you know why Affi, Karin and Bluve felt the urge to leave the planet as soon as possible.

Meanwhile the second presentation started. Everything continued as usual for Rarity, Flutterhy and Applejack, but researchers stepped into their own little hell. Oma got terrible and bizarre permanently working torture device on her head, and her colleagues felt like before the execution. They tried to hide their stresses and worries, but still they were noticeable. Bluve, Karin and Affi began to walk slowly, their moves seemed to become mechanical or reflex. Oma’s gait became heavy, and she almost stopped to pose. She pressed each her step against the floor of the podium.

Somehow they managed to make it to the break. Now researchers had the last chance to prevent the disaster, but… Oma disappeared! Her stress reached the point when she lost the ability to think clearly, so instead of changing the manecut, the source of the problem, she ran away to hide in some deserted place and try to cope with the stress by herself. Affi tried to find her, looking for the traces of her mind in the building, but it turned out that extremely triggered Yedeizans possess incredibly powerful anti-telepathic ability. It also was difficult to find her using communication implants – because of Oma’s stress level they simply didn’t work well. And there was no time for trying to find her by “good old methods”.

Disappearance of Oma worried bearers of the Elements too: the break was short, and time was running out. However, senior sociologist returned right before the start of the last presentation. She looked like a hungry dragon, but with changeling’s lust in her eyes. It was so scary that researchers remembered ancient prayers of their long-forgotten religions. Nevertheless, senior sociologist wasn’t attacking other ponies and still had strength to control herself.

It was reassuring, but Karin’s, Affi’s and Bluve’s knees still trembled.

Finally, the last presentation started. Oma’s gait became even heavier, her muscles were tense. And her colleagues… they put off dresses soaked in cold sweats, and they looked at their friend with fright in the eyes.

Oma’s stress continued to grow. Affi, Bluve and Karin counted down the last seconds before disaster. Meanwhile the events ran their own course. Presentations were over soon, and time to name the best clothing line had come. Designers and their models went up to the podium and gathered at its beginning. Worrying, but hoping for the best, Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack stood in the first line, and behind them were trembling Bluve, Affi and Karin and Oma who was about to go berserk sexually. Soon the host of the show went up too and, finally, delivered the verdict of the critics. And it turned out that they considered one of the Rarity’s lines the best!

White unicorn was delighted, surprised and confused at the same time. Among all the masters who took part in this show critics chose her! But she won. Encouraged by her friends, Rarity stepped forward. Host of the show gave her the award, she thanked him, her friends for the support and all the ponies in the hall for this amazing show. She bowed to everypony and returned to her friends.

At that moment Oma reached the point when she could not suppress the urge.

“Congratulations!” she exclaimed before everyone, took the unicorn in her embrace and gave her yedeizan passion kiss. A short but complete one.

However, it wasn’t enough to reduce her stress, so she moved to other her friends. Applejack and Fluttershy fell victims too, and then she turned to her colleagues.

“Oma, no…” they begged in quiet trembling voice.
“Sorry!” Oma said and did what she planned to do.

Bearers of the Elements were very surprised.

“Well, now Ah know why Allegro love ya so much…” Applejack finally spelled. Oma blushed.

Now, after when she blew off some steam, her mind cleared and she finally changed the manecut. With nothing squeezing her hair she became calm as usual.

Her friends had shown true miracles of ingenuity and somehow managed to explain Oma’s sudden impulse of passion with overabundance of emotions caused by worrying. The case was covered up, and they could focus on the main: they won the prize! It was worth celebrating.

Thus, when the organizational issues had been resolved, girls moved to the café of the “Astra” hotel.

Meanwhile three other ponies were returning to their hotel from the fashion show.

“Well, that was quite a sight,” Hidden Path said.
“Yep,” Razor Edge agreed. “A sight for any taste… Especially what this tall girl, Didinga, did.”
“Yeah, that was something,” Grace grinned. “I wonder, what could cause such an urge?”
“It all started after when she changed her manecut,” Hidden Path responded.
“Really?”
“Yes. Haven’t you noticed how her gait changed when she got new manecut? She was perfectly calm during the first presentation, but she became totally stressed during the second and third ones. Changes of clothes didn’t cause her reaction, so the manecut was the only possible reason.”
“I can’t even imagine what connection can be between this sudden passion and change of manecut.”
“If you aren’t able to guess, then no one else is able.”
“So, we still have no hard evidence, just expanded our “List of oddities of those supposedly Europoneans”, right?” Razor Edge said.
“Right,” Hidden Path said.
“Boys, let’s not talk about the oppressing, okay?” Grace said. “Say, how did you like the show itself?”
“Well, if you say so… I liked it, really,” Razor Edge said and smiled. “So many beautiful mares at one place…”
“Hey, what’s wrong with me and Dim?” Grace resented.
“You and Dim are very beautiful, bet there are only two of you. Here I was able to see a lot more girls!”

Grace growled angrily but did not answer. She turned to Hidden Path.

“And what about you, Hid?”
“Well… It was good, really. And I… I did not expect Calma to take part in it. Knowing how shy she is… But she was amazing!”
“Oh, you totally fell into her!”
“What? I…”
“Please, Hid. We know you. You can hide all your emotions but this one.”
“Oh…”
“By the way, I heard one thing about Calma before the show started,” Razor Edge said. “Designers and models said that she helped some workers to carry a very heavy wardrobe. It turns out that your special pony is quite strong.”
“Oh my…” Hidden Path said.
“Able to stun with a single kiss and strong as a dragon… You’ve gotten yourself into quite a situation, my friend.”

Hidden Path gulped, his friends laughed. Their investigation was going slowly, but became very and very interesting and thrilling.

And meanwhile in Ponyville…

It was quiet in the Castle of Friendship. Twilight and Spike had been already sleeping, and only the night guards kept their watch. Well, it wasn’t exactly right to call this group the night guards since it consisted of all the lads working in the Castle except Edez, and “kept their watch also” were not the words – because they were playing poker in the throne room most of the time. They waited for their curator to hear about how was that truly historic event.

Finally, twelve minutes before midnight, a bright white light flashed in the hall. Edez came back.

His friends quickly went downstairs to ask him.

“Well, how was it?” Zet’rar wondered. “How does it feel now?”
“To be honest, a bit awkward,” Edez said.
“Why?”
“Well, I took her to her home, as it should be, and then she teleported me here – in fact, she brought me home too. So I’m a bit confused now.”
“That’s the small details,” Max waved. “Tell us about what happened before!”
“What happened before… Well, our… date was not like how I imagined. There was nothing grandiose or extraordinary, there was no even a hint of all this royal stuff… It turned out that there is completely different pony behind the mask of great Day Princess. She is kind, curious and talkative, she likes to act simple and even be silly a bit… She loves to laugh and likes to fool around. I have spent six hours with her and had been only getting more and more interested in her… What we were doing all this time?.. Well, we strolled through the garden, had a dinner in a restaurant, in the private corner, after this just spoke to each other, listened music, danced… Man, I didn’t even know that equines are able for such moves! Later, when it was night already, we walked down the empty streets of Canterlot, and then returned to the royal garden… and there we played, like a little kids! Hide-and-seek, tag… Hahaha!.. Two thousand-year-old sentients… And then we went home.”
“You seem to have really unforgettable time,” Kor said.
“Yes, it was the best time I’ve had for centuries…” Edez sighed and smiled. “She is incredibly beautiful, absolutely adorable and had a character of gold.”
“Well, the diagnosis is clear,” Max smiled.
“What?”
“You fell in love, deeply and seriously.”

Edez could only shrug.

“Oh yeah,” Zet’rar gave a nod.
“There’s nothing wrong with it!” said Kor. “However, we gonna need to write several… dozen explanatories and deal with the council.”
“True,” Edez spelled. “But it’s not the problem! We have been through even more complicated things!”
“Right! Though not in the latest centuries…”

A tall figure in a dark cloak approached the low Waterfall Gates of Canterlot. Two lone guards who watched those gates were surprised to see a stranger in the middle of the night here. Probably it was just a tramp, but still they had to deal with him.

“Stop! Who goes there?” guards asked.
“Oh, I’m just a wandered,” the figure responded. “Came to see the capital at last.”
“We see, but, pardon me, sir, why you are still walking, in such hour?” one of the soldiers asked.
“I hoped to get to the city by day, but I’m no longer young, my legs are slow. But I have insomnia, so I can walk at night, hehe.”
“Okay, and, please, tell us again, why you came to Canterlot?” the second guard asked.
“I have never been in the capital, so I just came to see it. And don’t worry, I won’t poor around and panhandle: I collect gems from old mines, so I have some money.”
“Well, if you say so… Good luck then, sir!”
“Thank you.”
“Oh, one more thing!” first guard said. “Can you tell us your name? Just for the record.”
“Oh, sure,” the figure gave a weak nod. “It’s Quasi, just Quasi…”

Comments

[Merula]

W...wh-what.....? A story with over 160k words with only 16 likes?!

And it's on exploration of Equestria by extra terrestrials?

Good sir, this story has been added to the group New Horizons, and we love exploration and discovering the unknown here!