The Sun Wants To Help

by Thistle Gravity

The Petitioner Pt 2

“Please, I know you claim it doesn't suit you, but is there some name I can call you?" Celestia asked, heartbeats ticking away the seconds of awkward silence.

"Um, Some friends call me Bee," The mare answered. "Because they mishear Sweet Pea."

"Bee, then," Celestia said. "So you do have friends?"

Bee shook her head. "I used to, but they were uncomfortable. We mostly fell out of touch, or avoided each other."

"I see. Is it possible to get in touch with them?"

Bee stiffened and audibly sucked in air through flared nostrils. "No."

Give me something to work with already.

At Celestia's raised, very-much-judgmental eyebrows, Bee added, "Not that it's a bad idea - it's just... They were so weirded out by me, not having a cutiemark; and many of them are looking for spouses, or starting careers at this point. We lost touch in high school. I just don't think it's feasible. Um. No offense, Princess."

"No offense taken," Celestia reassured her, letting the words hang for several heartbeats so that the mare would relax, before making her point. "That just means you need to make new friends."

"Won't they, er - be just as weirded out as the others were?" Bee’s tail flicked anxiously. "Being depressed too, that might make me disappoint ponies." Her expression changed. "I've thought through a lot of options, and outcomes. And that's the only reason I haven't died. Because after the end there is just - isn't anything there. No outcome to witness."

"And," Bee continued, If I say I take your advice, that means I might let you down. The princess of - well. The sun, it’s light. Growing things, by extent. Ponies. Equestria. Everything I know of, in my world, is you and your sister. And I think I'd disappoint you, Princess. I'm not good at making friends - and-"

"I don't-" Bee swallowed thickly, attempting to speak, but her throat had closed all of a sudden, her eyes were welling over. She rubbed furiously at her face, but the tears continued to flow, leaving the mare helpless to her own sobbing.

"I don't want to be alone again," Bee whimpered. "I don't want to die, not really - but I-I can't do anything right, so nopony cares about me. I'm just so tired of trying! So t-tired of failing."

So that’s it, Celestia quietly reflected, insides shifting. Bee has known neither love, nor friendship in her life, from the sounds of it. Of course she couldn't put her faith easily into others. Instead she has come here, on a gambit that she would have been received by either myself or Luna. Waited harmony knows how long. So that somepony could represent her world, and tell Bee that she was wanted in it.

Celestia watched the sobbing, sucking in a breath.

And that would be a lovely epiphany, except I have no idea what I’m doing here.

Bee had hit her blind, on all accounts. Harmony didn’t seem to be working. And if that was the case - what else was different about this mare that needed to be factored in? Could - would hugs and kisses make anything better to this mare? Or would such gestures remind her of what she lacked in her life?

It seemed silly to think like this.

But was it really silly, Tia? Really?

The princess descended from her throne after a second moment of hesitance. She, Princess of Equestria, would not be scared by tears. She had to time this right, or she might overwhelm Bee instead of help her.

Bee, for her part, was too busy rubbing her eyes to see Celestia sit beside her.

It was only after her sobs had trickled into whimpers, and Bee had managed to squint up through her hooves, that Celestia ambushed, enveloping the mare in her wings.

Bee went stiff, squeaking, "Wh-"

"Shhh," crooned Celestia, stroking Bee's head with a hoof. "You are receiving one of my patented Princess Hugs. Ones I normally reserve for family. Just relax."

The mare let out a shuddering sigh, the sound damp with fresh tears. She buried her face into rosy white fur and resumed crying, as Celestia hummed and made auntly noises in comfort, wrapping one gilded hoof around Bee.

So far so good. I think.

Celestia was reminded of her young students. There was Twilight especially, who had been prone to many breakdowns in her youth. She also remembered young Blueblood, her latest of distant relatives, who had the occasional, dramatic crying-spree to mop up, even now. She remembered what seemed like eons of being the extended-family, of picking up after scraped knees and burnt horns. As the reflexive knowledge came to her, Celestia calmed down into the embrace.

Bee really wasn’t so different from any of them, not like this.

"You've had it very hard, haven't you, my little pony," Celestia murmured. "I know if you hadn't, you probably wouldn't want a princess hugging you like this. There, there. You are worth having in this world. You will find ponies that show you that."

The sobs gradually quieted, taking several minutes for everything to truly have run their course. The dripping wetness in Celestia's fur became a soaked puddle, but Celestia pretended not to mind, continuing her machinations until she heard muffled noises and sniffles below her.

The alicorn drew back and tilted her head. "Better?"

The mare lifted her head, giving a shaky nod, however didn't budge nor look at Celestia; either because she didn't want the contact to end, or didn't want to offend.

Celestia got up, freeing Bee from the social faux pas. She made a show of stretching, to let the mare find the time for her words.

Bravo, Celestia. You scared her.

"I...Why?" Bee asked, her gaze drifting over to the alicorn. "Not that I don't appreciate it but - I must pay you back, in some way, for putting up with me."

"And how would you pay back a Princess?" Celestia asked, putting on her princessly smile.

"I..." Trailing off, Bee frowned, shrugging. "I'll figure it out."

"You will get better, is what you will do," Celestia told her, smiling wider. "And I will help you figure out how to do that, before you go home."

"Ah...Right." Bee nodded, sheepishly. A question hung in the way the brown mare shaped her mouth.

"Go on, you look like you need to say something."

Making a face, Bee admitted this with a quiet nod, then hesitated.

"You hugged me, but I don't know what I did to deserve it. And now you are acting more... Open, might be the word. Maybe. You are still Princess Celestia of course...and I know you're a pony. But...Why?"

"Would you have preferred I had made you leave?" Celestia asked.

Bee stiffened. "Well, no."

"You said I was a pony," Celestia said. "And that is your answer, Bee. I hugged you because I thought you needed a hug. Ponies do that."

“Not ponies back home,” Bee said with a frown.

“Perhaps the ponies back home are foalish,” Celestia answered. It only took her a moment to realize she might have said something offensive to the fragile mare.

Surprisingly, Bee didn’t flinch. A strange, small smile appeared on her face, unable to decide just what she felt in that moment. “ You might be right. But that doesn’t change I have to deal with them when I get back.”

“I didn’t say you would have to leave after this visit,” Celestia shook her head.

“But the train…”

Celestia continued to shake her head until the mare was silent. She took a deep breath and stood tall, thinking as she gazed about the room; at the symbolic, architectural harmonies that had failed this one, small mare.

All of the things she couldn’t understand, and the one that stood out was most that Bee needed help she would not be able to receive in her hometown. The perplexing thing about that, wasn’t so much as the help she required; but the way that Celestia found herself afraid of the mare, in some very deep, instinctive way that went against all reason.

Celestia wanted to run from the room, or fly through one of the windows. She wanted to do everything except help Bee, even though she also wanted to help her - none of it made sense. Celestia sighed, wondering if she’d have to cancel court. She didn’t know if she could handle another Bee walking in.

“Raven is my assistant,” Celestia heard herself say. “I want you to schedule yourself in with her, and it will not be during Solar Court hours.”

“Wha-?” Bee shifted on her hooves. “But that’s your personal time, isn’t it? Surely I’d be imposing.”
Celestia restrained herself from rolling her eyes, and then felt bad for wanting to do it in the first place.

“Do you know what I do besides lead a nation?” Celestia asked calmly.

Bee shook her head.

“I’m a teacher and a principal at my school,” Celestia informed her. “I have office hours, Bee. You won’t be getting in the way.”

“Wou-would you tell me if I was?” Bee asked, brow knitting. She was shifting on her hooves so quickly, she looked about to start running all over again.

At least the doors will be open soon, she could if she wanted.

“I would, Bee,” Celestia said with a nod. “ I don’t believe in lying to my little ponies.”

Except you do, Tia. All the time. You fraud, with the thoughts you have.

I’m stressed. Bee has stressed me out, Celestia sighed through her nose. Everything is fine, I’m just taking Bee’s issues too close to heart. I am fine.

Outwardly, Celestia was smiling with all the grace and beauty of the sun on a gently-cloudy day.

“I will see you later, Bee, at our appointment.”