Cuddle up!
You never thought it was possible, but... a ten-part documentary about the history of the Griffin Kingdom has actually been very fascinating. They aren't even squeamish about the strife and fuss early in their history, including the complete obliteration of the Haast clan after the failed rebellion of Leoudicca Haast against the alliance headed by the griffin that would eventually become the High King Padraigh O'Bald the first.
They cut to the commercials after showing the statue to Leoudicca at the highest crest in the Kingdom. It's an interesting segue, moving from that to the seal of the Royal Pony Sisters and the seal of the Ministry of Community Relations.
The scene appears to be some kind of coffee shop or pastry-heavy restaurant. It has a bit of an unusual design, almost seeming to be divided in half. On one side it brings to mind some sort of Percheron cafe, with tablecloths on the tables, lace on many things, and a shelf of interesting little nick-knacks. On the other side, bare tables, and lithographs of famous nostalgic images, like a more classical center-Equestrian diner. At the front, cases filled with all kinds of pastries, from the fancy Percheron varieties to much more ordinary donuts. Over the counter, glowing above the line of coffee machines and a cappuccino maker, is the sign announcing the name of the place. 'Joe et Gustave's Patisserie et Cafe.'
Gustave LeGrand, Black-Verreaux griffin, steps out from the back, stroking his fine, curled mustache and smiling at the camera. He offers a small plate with a mille-feuille slice on it, and a small bowl of confiture de lait beside it. “Bonjour, mes amis! My name is Gustave LeGrand. Joe! Joe! Attends! We have new arrivals, mon amour.”
Out from the back emerges Donut Joe LeGrand. He and Gustave have been on the Cooking Channel fairly often, so the names are familiar. He is levitating a platter of fresh-fried donuts, glazed and chocolate frosted varieties. “Here I am, Gussy. Hey all, name's Donut Joe LeGrand. And I brought a plate of fresh donuts. Prize-winning! Won at that... cooking show contest. I don't remember. The one with that angry Wedgetail yelling his head off.”
“Ah, oui, oui. Gordon mac Gordon O'Wedgetail. Coo la la! He is zee fury in zee kitchen. But it proves just how good you really are. Ma petit plump brioche is tres bon.” Gustave gives a laugh and settles the plate down on the counter and turns to the cappuccino machine. “Zee time has come for some cappuccino. Or some espresso, a leetle demitasse to start zee day. Et mille-feuille. Zee petit déjeuner du champions, non?”
“What? Nah, nah, Gussy!” Joe sets the platter down, and uses his magical aura to take up a full-sized, classic coffee cup. “Ya gotta have a big ol' mug of coffee, with too many sugars and a little milk. And ya can't forget a nice, frosted donut!”
“Ha! Cafe au lait and a donut is no match for a foamy cappuccino and zee flaky layers of mille-feuille.” Gustave puffs his feathers up proudly and strokes his mustache.
“Why not both? Coffee and a... 'meel fweey' or maybe...”
“Cappuccino et one of your delicious donuts.” Gustave looks on Joe with more feather puffing and a smile. “Clever... No wonder I married you.”
Joe stands, looking proud, even a trifle smug. “Hey, I'm only half a stallion without you, Gussy. That's what a marriage is. That and a giant cake! That was a big job. But I wanted EVERYPONY to see just how I felt about ya.”
“Oh Joe... zee same for me. And in Equestria, we have no need for fear.” Gustave snuggles up against Joe, rubbing his beak to the stallion's cheek.
“Yea... no need to fear.” Joe lifts a foreleg and brings Gustave in for a tight, warm hug. “So remember!” Suddenly he cries out and looks to the camera.
“If zis is how you feel, do not be afraid to say so, and...”
“Cuddle up!” The cry is delivered by both of them, the scene pausing to allow information to pass on the screen, a special address and phone number for part of the Ministry of Community Relations.
A voice speaks over the frozen scene. “This message brought to you by the Cuddle Up! Campaign, a joint venture of the Royal Sisters and the Ministry of Community Relations. For information about starting a conversation, as a Colt Cuddler or with one, please write to the address below or call the provided number.”
- - -
It's a pretty good match so far. You bought the optional sports package for all the available inter-terrace jousting matches from Canterlot. Today is the fifth terrace Ironshods against the fourth terrace Hammers. As usual, the veteran starter Battering Ram has been leading the Ironshods with a mighty showing. A most impressive mare indeed.
The game goes to commercial, though not to an ad for sports drinks. It instead shows the seals of the Royal Pony Sisters and the Ministry of Community Relations.
This time the scene is the royal palace. Deep inside the grand edifice, something seen often enough in specials and documentaries. This is not one of the more glamorous areas of the palace, but it still looks nice. It seems to be some kind of... small apartment. Or the living room of one, anyhow, with two doors leading off to other rooms. The space is fairly open, with a single, comfortable, two-pony couch, a large television, some electronics, and on one wall, a small kitchenette-like space, though not having more than an electronic kettle, and a microwave.
One door opens and unleashes a small cloud of steam as well as a white pegasus. Like most of the pegasus guards, he is all white, but he is a very slim, graceful figure, not the usual bulky fighter-type normally associated with royal guards. He notices the camera and gives a little gasp, a red blush springing up across his features. “Oh! Honey! We have guests.” He stands up straight and tries to look appropriately official. “Hello. My name is Miles Scutum Rosy Cranberry, Celestian corps, currently assigned to the day watch at the front gate and special events such as the Grand Galloping Gala.” He gives a short bow then looks to the closed door. “Honey!”
“I know, I know, guests.” The other door opens, to reveal a much more 'royal guard'-looking royal guard. Another white pegasus, but this one much meatier, a muscular, tall presence. He is also in possession of a set of piercing, entrancing golden eyes. He looks annoyed, but not at the smaller male. “Welcome to our home. I am Cavalier Golden Stare. Like my husband, I am a member of the Celestian corps, and I am always assigned to work with him. Previously I did squad organizing and leading, along with controlling sorties when needed. But now I am the head front gate guard, assisted by Rosy. It is a great honor from her majesty, and I am greatly appreciative.”
“Yea... as you can see, Golden wasn't really enthused about doing this spot...”
“It is not our job to do advertising or public awareness things. That is not our assignment. That is why Celestia invented Public Relations. Some Scutarius that washed out of basic guard training can earn a few bits talking to newspapers and such things. We are guards, we work.” Golden is over in the kitchenette area, using the electric kettle to heat water while measuring out coffee into a strainer.
“This is an honor, honey! Celestia herself asked us to do this! You know we are... uniquely qualified for it.” Rosy blushes even more deeply, and gives his husband a soft nuzzle. “You know they have free coffee in the mess hall.”
“But I like my own blend, which does not come out of a giant kettle.” He pours the hot water over the strainer and sighs. “I know. The highest ranked married Colt Cuddler in the service. It is important to show the Principality that we are ordinary folk, who work hard just like any other pony.” Golden adds milk to his coffee, a small amount of sugar, and a dash of cinnamon before giving it a stir. “But really... this should be unnecessary. This is an enlightened age.”
“There are still some places where there are problems. It's important that ponies know they are not alone, that they SHOULD be open, and that Colt Cuddlers are just ordinary ponies.” Rosy leans in, grabbing a quick sip from his husband's mug and smiling for the camera.
“Right as ever dear, right as ever...” Golden gives the mug a sip and sets it aside. “So remember, the law of the land is on your side...”
“And you should say what you feel. You're not alone. Don't ever, ever be afraid to...”
“Cuddle up!” Both males call out, Rosy in a high and enthusiastic tone, Golden in a deeper, sonorous one with a touch of mirth.
As before, the scene freezes, providing a space for the placement of an address, a phone number and text which is rapidly read off.
- - -
Late night. Three things primarily come on so late. Harlequine-like spicy programs, the better ones on the pay stations; reruns of classics and new fare; and, ever since the fuller integration of Luna, news, talk shows, and everything else usually reserved for the midday. Tonight, you opt for a late-night talk show.
The host is unnaturally bubbly. Never mind the hour, she is just CHEERY, and always seems to be dancing. At least it's an unobtrusive little distraction. She has promised to have on some popular singer when she returns from the ad break. The seals of the Royal Pony Sisters and the Ministry of Community Relations come up as the show cuts.
The scene is a backyard, somewhere nice. From the view of Canterlot mountain, probably Ponyville. It's not like any ordinary back yard, though. Past a small grassy space is a tennis court, regulation sized, enclosed in a net. Inside is a pale cream earth pony with a brown mane, and a thick mustache that curled down and then up to attach to his sideburns. He had a tennis racquet in his teeth and was swatting at balls pitched at him by the magical aura of a unicorn.
That unicorn is a light blue in color, with a mane in two tones, white and a pale ice blue. He lobs the balls at various angles and speeds. “When did the mechanic say he was going to be done repairing the machine?”
“Just a few days. Something about the belt. Not surprising. I've been practicing a lot.” The earth pony answers after returning a few lobs. He sets the racquet down and turns to the camera. “Hi there, I'm Ace, local champion in the tennis circuit, with a few tournament wins up in Canterlot. That very, very kind and generous fellow is my coltfriend.”
The unicorn gathers up the balls and piles them in a basket. “Hello there. My name... my name is... Pokey Pierce, of Ponyville. And Gaskinwich.” Pokey blushes deeply and tries to hide his face behind the basket.
“Come on, Pokey, that's what this is for. You can feel free. Nopony can say anything about it. The law is very clear.”
“The law never met my mom!” Pokey looks up from behind the basket and then ducks back down.
Ace rolls his eyes for the camera and chuckles a bit. “Well, at least tell the nice folks what it is you do in Ponyville.”
“I do engraving, carving, precision puncturing for building and industrial purposes and make lace out of whole fabric.” Pokey shows his horn and lets a magic shimmer run along it.
“Come on, you promised. There's no need to be afraid of what might get said. You love me. Don't you?” Ace pulls a big-eyed face that the camera catches perfectly.
“Hey! No fair!” Pokey pops up from behind the basket and trots over to nuzzle at Ace's head, nearly dislodging the tennis pony's headband. “Don't play the 'love' card on me like that. It's not about love. It's because... I want my parents to keep thinking good things about me.”
“And they can! They just need to, you know, pull their heads out of the Discordian era. Colt Cuddlers are perfectly fine folks. I mean, I'm a sports star and you're an artist and industrial guy. That's something to be proud of.”
Pokey blushes, deeply. “My parents might see this! I can't believe you said that, and that I'm agreeing to this... But fine. Fine! For you, I'll be out in the open.” Pokey sucks in a breath and looks right into the camera, looking incredibly awkward and out of place. “I'm Pokey Pierce, I'm a Colt Cuddler and I don't just live with Ace to share the cost of a house, I do it because I love him.”
“That wasn't so bad, was it?”
“It kind of was.” Pokey laughs and noses under Ace's chin. “But I'm glad I did it. Very glad. Better get used to me complaining about my parents. I'm going to be here with you for a long, long time.”
“Promise?” Ace laughs a bit and kisses the top of Pokey's head. “Even if family can be a pain, and they don't always fit in with our new social structure, you have to be you and say what you feel.”
“Get past the uncertainty, the fear, the worry about what others will say. Find some support, some security and some cheer and...”
“Cuddle up!”
The scene freezes over their happy faces, then the information from the prior spots comes up and the voice reads it off in rapid fire once more.
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I really enjoy the worldbuilding you've got going on here!
All the praise for you my friend, I'm loving it
.
1702251
Worldbuilding is a particular passion of mine. I engage in it whenever I can. Glad it is appreciated.
1702336
Thank you kindly. I'm having fun doing these.
Surprised to see that Braeburn wasn't in this one, considering what a lot of fans like to think of him.
1702786
Spike tries too hard. So he's the desperate teen with too much body spray that drives his mothers crazy.
As for Brae... No. Just no. I am actually at the forefront of Gayburn hate. Normally I'd have just a short ending with a single character but I opted out. It was going to be Hoity Toity, but I've decided to leave his sexuality ambiguous.
1709058 I'm actually supporting that decision, it's like fans saying Rainbow Dash is a lezbian, we don't know for all we know they could swing both ways if you know what I mean.
/
1702251
That's why he's awesome.
1709058
I've actually got a new head canon with Hoity Toity; he and Photo Finish are Vinyl's parents. I got it from My Roommate's a Vampire and it just clicks, think of the sunglasses.
As for this chapter, it seemed a little weaker, but that's probably due to my dislike for "Hey, I didn't see you there" premises. I love Pokey's little coming out speech.
1717318
Well, come on, even in beautiful Equestria there are cheesy and marginally successful spots put out by the government. Perhaps you noticed, Golden Stare shares your eye-rolling disdain. He's an upright, professional, serious-minded and completely whipped stallion. Sure, he thought it was dumb, even despite the Princess herself picking him for it. But damned if he didn't do it with the most grudging smile on his face because his husband gave his the puppydog blush. Now that's love.
And yes, the coming out speech was nice. I'm fascinated by how something like that would work in a peaceful and very kind nation like Equestria.
1717765
I did appreciate Golden's reactions, the cheese was off the scale with the shower part.
Now we need the call from Pokey's mother after she sees the PSA; so many possible reactions, all of them interesting.