III
The morning sun shone brightly from the horizon. It's warm sensation tickled across Celestia's snout as she left the building. Clear skies, fresh wind and the feeling of adventure guided her through the still mostly quiet streets of Manehatten to her Teastore - CelesTea.
Even though the streets were rather empty she still felt a little disappointed seeing that the storefront was left alone. Nopony waited excitedly on the streets for this promising new teastore to open up. Nopony was waiting to be surprised that Celestia herself would in fact be running her own business now. Nopony was out there.
But Luna Is right. That will change. By the end of the day everypony shall know this store!
With an unbreakable attitude and a newly found infinite amount of energy and enthusiasm Celestia unlocked the door and made a majestic entrance. Well - as majestic as an Alicorn Princess walking into her own walls could be. But that didn't matter to her; she knew that this day something big will start and all of Manehatten will know of it.
The store was as welcoming and harmonic as she left it the day before. From the celing warm light shone down and combined with the cozy dark wood built in the furniture and floor they evoked a quite relaxing atmosphere.
Breathing in Celestia smelt a familiar scent of chamomile and cinnamon which must have been emitted from the stored tea-bags and built up throughout the night. She walked across the room and turned on some quiet classical music. It was simply perfect.
Celestia took seat behind the counter - she settled down, unlocked the register and looked towards the door.
-
- -
- - -
Nothing happened.
Nopony entered.
A few ponies passed the streets, many of them not even looking back at the store. Only now and then somepony spared a glance to the storefront before remembering the time and moving on. Nopony even looked through the windows - not to mention entered the store.
Celestia looked at the time: 8:21. Only twenty minutes passed since she arrived. Realising how slowly time passed when doing nothing but waiting a sudden change of mood hit her: this was going to be a long day.
Accepting that waiting and doing nothing was not going to help with her situation, Celestia decided to go through the inventory once again. She checked the shelves to see if they were all filled up, she looked through the organization and made sure that similar flavors were all put together and that different corners of the store would offer the many different and exquisite experiences that tea has to offer, in the end she even went through the register and counted every single bit to make sure she has enough change.
But it all wouldn't matter if nopony entered.
9:43 - Although only a little more than one and a half hours passed since she unlocked the door the streets were now flooded with ponies. Waves of ponies rushing through the streets and bouncing against other waves of ponies from different directions. They all passed with quick gait and determined direction; already having their goal in mind.
However the increase in bypassers achieved only the opposite of what Celestia hoped. Now nopony at all stopped for only a second to look around. Nontheless she couldn't blame them. Standing still within strong tides like this would probably prove really difficult even for the strongest of earth ponies.
But something had to be done. Celestia couldn't just let everypony pass by. She wanted to be seen and to be known throughout Manehatten by the end of the day so she had to get their attention.
Without thinking any further Celestia walked through the door, took a small step back surprised by the loud noises from the trotting and shouting of all the bypassers, regathered her thoghts and from the small podest of the entrance steps she shouted: "Dear citiziens of Manehatten!"
Shocked - as if struck by a lightning bolt - everypony froze. Celestia realised she used her Royal Voice. Oh! Wrong voice! she flushed for a second, then rebuilt her posture.
The whole crowd stood still, some bumped into each other and a few ponies fell to the street before hesitantly standing up again. Okay you're a princess you've done this before. First appeal to them and show empathy then ask them to calm down in life and take a look around. You got this Tia!
This time she did not shout but only raised her normal voice: "I hope you're having a great day with the lovely weather, clear skies and warm sun. I sure do," she gave a warm smile.
Some ponies already started to murmur and small chatter could be heard. Taking notice of the time a hooveful of ponies dressed in suits and ties departed and made way through the crowd, another few followed after. Nontheless most ponies kept their attention on Celestia and wondered what she was doing in Manehatten now. After all she was pretty famous and on top of that a rare sight to find when stumbling across the busy streets of Manehatten.
Celestia let her eyes wander around the buildings and through the streets. "I look around this city and I see the most interesting and different places looking from one building to another. Restaurants with food from far away places from even beyond this continent, boutiques with their very own clothes designing a revolutionary fashion sense throughout the city, a theater at this, a cinema at another corner, a street vendor selling icecream from behind his colorful cart," she let the unfinished enumeration fade leaving some time for everypony to look around for themselves.
Then her gaze becoming more direct when she spoke up again: "So I ask you all, why do you rush and hurry through the streets without time and break? Manehatten is so beautiful and bright. Please don't lose yourself in the hurry of time but also look around yourselves and look out for one another. Take your time to see the beauty for yourselves." Her mouth widened again and a smile even warmer and brighter than before shone from her lips.
Quiet chatter spread through the rows, movement followed and many ponies started breaking through the crowd to make up for lost time. Out of the chaos pony in a blue suit emerged and made her way towards the former princess. On her shoulder stuck an identification card displaying her name Silver Save and her duty as policemare.
She gave a slight bow before clearing her throat: "Ehm, there's no easy way to say this, Princess."
Celestia's gaze, for a second dazzled of what's to come interrupted the suitsponie's train of thought, so Celestia took word in an attempt to become more addressable.
"Please call me Celestia. What is it you want to tell me? There is no need to be afraid. I am just a pony like all of you."
"With all due respect, Princess," she reassured herself, "I wouldn't do a good job if I didn't ask you about your permit confirming the registration of your public speech on these busy streets. At least nopony informed me of this event so I hope you don't mind showing the permit to me before you continue."
"Oh," Celestia chuckled awkwardly, "I did not know I need a permit to talk here." She bowed her head apologetically.
"You see, I have just wondered why everypony is so hasty and why nopony ever stops for only a second to take a look around and appreciate this lovely city.
Albeit the haste and stress found in most ponies of Manehatten, there are in fact quite some sights to enjoy. Be it the detail of the statue crowning on a water fountain, the unique taste of icecream from the kind vendor across the street or the gorgeous view across the river flowing through the older part of the city. But rarely one would see that, which police officer Justice laid his eyes on. This very morning. Sitting across his desk.
With her white coat, white wings, white horn and polychromatic mane, barely fitting on the wooden stool and looking down at him with an ironically serious face the former Ruler of Equestria waited for his word. Silver Save was hinted out with a confirming glance of the Chief.
He cleared his throat: "So, uhm, Princess," Justice's voice was rather rusty and deep, "is that true what Silver Save told me about today?"
It may have been for the multiple millenia she already experienced or perhaps for the fact that his attempt of hiding his confused tone as to this whole situation and how to handle it was not very good - either way Celestia decided to not make this any more awkward than it had to be.
"Well, yes. I did step outside and wanted to ask the ponies why they are so restless. But by no means did I plan to make a speech out of it. However I guess being who I am does pull quite a lot of attention." A sheepish chuckle escaped her lips.
"Mhm. I see what you mean." He looked up and straight into her eyes, "But, with all due respect, as you know the law is written with a purpose. Although most times ponies do not intend any harm or to rally others for harm, we do require everypony to register public events like these," Celestia nodded understandingly, "It does not exclude someone reasoned by their former - profession." He stumbled over the last part.
"However, provided that your intentions were lawful and you did not have any means to rally for violence or spread lies, I suppose I can let you off easy with a fine." The Chief put on an ever so slight smile.
Celestia exhaled the pent up tension. Completely understanding the conflict and situation she founds herself in she was glad the Chief was reasonable and fair. And most importantly Justice did not mean to give the newspapers some big headlines.
"We will send a notice explaining the process and naming the appropriate amount to your apartment within a day. However I must ask you something for the protocol: On your identification it says you live at the outer part of town. So what did you do in the building at 38th Autumn Leaf Street? I'm sure it's only some shopping or similar but it's for the files. You understand that, don't you?" Although his face was understanding, his tone was still accusatory. Not to blame the police officer - after all it was his job to interrogate and conduct proper files.
But Celestia had nothing to hide anyway, right? I probably wouldn't miss two important things on the same day, She reassured herself before raising her excited voice:
"I recently bought the building to run my own Tea-Store." She waited for a response but only met the Chief's intruiged yet cautious eyes. "After enjoying tea for dozens of decades I wanted to bring other ponies the joy that I get to experience every day." Her voice grew more cheerful with every single word leaving her mouth.
Justice took some time to refocus his thoughts, internally pretending it would be another normal conversation with a fellow pony from Manehatten. Regaining his composure and readjusting his tie he continued: "That is indeed a quite nice motivation of you. I'm sure you also filled out all the papers at the town hall and registered it properly." Celestia decided to not answer this part and just smile for the second before Justice went on: "Personally I'm more of a coffee drinker but I would still like to see the place for myself when I find time. What did you name it?"
Still clunched together on the tiny stool and looking down from her high posture Celestia chuckled.
"Celes-Tea."
This one took me quite some time - as you might have notice 
I'm sorry for the long wait, after Chapter Two there was some personal stuff I had to deal with and afterwards I was rather demotivated because I left this gem unattended for so long already anyway.
Nontheless: I hope you all enjoyed reading! 
Comments with thoughts and feedback are highly appreciated! 
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1. You need a permit to hold a speech?
2. I wouldn’t even call that much of a speech.
So does she have a white mane or a polychromatic mane?
Don’t you mean anymore awkward?
So what is the purpose of needing a permit for a speech, then?
The police is something.
I love how happy she is.
10629673
Hey,
Thanks a lot for all the feedback and the review!
The reasoning behind the speech-permit was that it can confuse/distract ponies from their every day live - also to make sure that the officials know about it in case the speech causes ponies to rally for harm or similar.
I miswrote the part about her coat/mane, thanks for pointing it out! Of course it's a white coat and polychromatic mane*
Going to edit this and 'any less awkward' right now.
Yea, I suppose writing the purpose of a permit in Justice's talk would help the readers understand. Thanks again ^^
To be honest I was quite unsure about even adding this whole police part - after all it is sort of forced into the story.
However the picture of the princess in the police-station on that small wooden stool convinced me to just write it out. After all I do this for fun anyway
Once more, thanks for all the feedback! I honestly appreciate it :D
10630863
You’re very welcome
I am glad you decided to continue this story. I wonder what kind of mischief Celestia will cause
10634874
Thanks for the kind comment
Won't spoil anything but it will for sure be fun