Wonderment
Wonderment.
It was a fun word. At least, Wonder thought so. Also not one you get to use as often as you might like when you can't see. It seemed a great many of Equestria's greatest wonders were the sorts of things that one needed to see to be able to really appreciate.
Still, there were plenty of other ways that one could be struck by awe and amazement in the world, if one knew where to look, figuratively speaking. This was something Wonder often had to explain to the ponies around her, that being blind didn't prevent her from enjoying her life. The thousands of intermingling smells of the market, or the simple welcoming aroma of fresh bread. The sounds of birdsong or the joyous laughter of those around you. The taste of delicate treats melting onto the tongue...or the taste of certain special somepony on your lips...
Wonder hadn't exactly gotten around to that one yet....but she'd heard good things.
'Silly Hearts and Hooves day thoughts...'
In any event, what this particular mare loved more than anything was to feel the world around her.
The milder winter breezes that the weather teams had been bringing, passing through her mane, the secure feeling the sturdy cobblestones under her hooves brought, and the vibrations of countless ponies going about their way, every day. All of these things and more, made the whole world feel alive to her.
The world felt amazing.
And most especially when she was shaping it.
That's what she loved to do. She loved to feel her magic and her hooves pushing and changing the world, giving shape to what she felt inside. Making feelings, that she couldn't properly describe to those that could see, into a reality.
Of course, this was all a very dramatic way of explaining Wonder's fondness for pottery and sculpting. A bit long-winded, but such feelings often took quite a few words to properly describe. Though she had often heard that a picture was worth a thousand words, an idea which seemed to be supported by those around her.
Her friends and family often told her of how lovely they found her Cutie Mark, a softly colored rose branch set against her snow-white coat.
Wonder usually took their word for it.
And it wasn't as if being complimented for appearances was a bad thing. But, as far as she could tell, how she looked wasn't really the sort of thing that seemed as...dynamic, as she liked. Which was kind of funny, as she felt quite alive. But Wonder always sort of felt the same when she concerned herself with appearances, like she wasn't changing anything.
Totally unlike how she felt when she was working her hooves into a big pile of clay.
And, if anything, recent events had backed up these feelings rather well...
'I mean...that's why I'm here now, right?'
Standing in the line leading to the service entrance to Canterlot Castle, a small cart packed with a number of her works to be delivered on the order of the Royal Decorator.
“Next up, please.” Called the guardpony by the door, likely moving his eyes along the many ponies that needed access to the castle for the seasonal redecorating. Which was precisely what Wonder's works were meant to be a part of.
“I said, next.” Wonder took a moment to realize that she was next-in-line, taking several steps forward before stopping, more or less, in front of the door. Maybe she should have let one of her parents come along with her on this delivery. She knew Canterlot fairly well, and navigating blind wasn't too terrible when you were a unicorn; magic could be a not-so-obvious aid, for that sort of thing. But still, it might have been best if she had at least asked someone to accompany her.
Like that nice colt that's always at the coffee shop...
“Name and reason for being here?” The guard prompted in a bored tone. It was easy to assume that this was not a highly sought after job in the castle. Too dull to be stimulating, but still requiring enough attention that you couldn't let your mind wander.
“Uhm, hello?” Wonder called back, just a bit hesitantly.
“Name, please.” The stallion repeated, all business.
“Oh, right. My name is Wonder. I'm here to deliver these to a Miss Perfection?” The mare finally answered, trying to send as friendly a smile as she could towards the irritable pony.
“A Miss-...why do you have your eyes closed?” The guard suddenly asked.
“Uhm...because I can't see?” Wonder replied after a moment.
There were several seconds of silence, during which she suspected the stallion was processing her response “Oh...Oh! I didn't-...My apologies, ma'am.”
“Don't worry about it. Not everypony picks it up right away, but I don't want to make anypony uncomfortable by staring right through them, you know?” Wonder responded easily, assuring the flustered guard that she took no offense.
“Yes, well, all the same. My apologies.” The guardpony reiterated as he audibly recomposed himself.
Wonder simply smiled in response.
“In any event...Petite Perfection has been down several times already. I imagine she's been waiting upon you, yes?” The guard asked, focusing back upon his task.
“She's been waiting for me? I didn't think I was late.” Wonder mused with a bit of worry. Petite Perfection had seemed like a very demanding sort to the blind mare, and going by the guard's tone he agreed with the view.
“I don't believe you are late, ma'am. The Royal Decorator is just a bit...” The guard trailed off evidently unable or unwilling to describe such a difficult pony.
“Oh...well, I'm sure she's just very stressed.” Wonder politely replied, not the sort to think ill of anypony.
“Indeed...anyway, you are free to enter, ma'am.” The stallion replied, waving her in, if only out of habit.
“Uhm, thank you...I...uhm?” Wonder hesitated as she tried to broach a rather relevant issue.
“Is something wrong- Oh, sorry, sorry. I forgot that you...I wasn't thinking.” The guard quickly cottoned on to the obvious issue with letting a pony wander blindly around a place as large and labyrinthine as Canterlot Castle. Especially at a time when the whole of the place was being redecorated and refurnished.
Wonder breathed a sigh of relief, at his realization, before nodding to the stallion.
“Uhm...Hm. If you can wait here for a moment I will try to find-” The guardpony began to offer.
“And just what is going on here?!” Came the shrill cry of an older mare.
“Uh, I-” The stallion started.
“The one pony here that is actually in-line with the schedule is here, and what do I find? You delaying her with pointless procedure and petty harassment. I can only assume you're conspiring with all these other incompetents, to ensure I just die of shame. Is that it?” The older mare, who Wonder recognized by her voice as Petite Perfection, the Royal Decorator, continued to lay into the helpless guard.
“...I-” The guardpony hesitantly began to speak again.
“Just what is your name?” The older mare demanded.
“...I'm...not at liberty to say, ma'am.” The stallion replied after several moments of thought, no doubt earning a scowl from the demanding mare.
“You're not at...” Miss Perfection began.
“Uhm, is that you Miss Perfection?” Wonder hesitantly called out, hoping that she could divert the older mare's ire from the hapless stallion. From what she had gathered before, the Royal Decorator was notoriously demanding and had a short-temper. And while Miss Perfection was a very well paying customer, Wonder didn't feel right with the mare's constant...venting.
“Oh. Yes, dear. I'll be right there. I cannot tell you how much of a relief it is that you are here now.” Petite Perfection replied, audibly trotting over towards Wonder, her whole tone changed now that she was focusing upon the younger mare. Wonder idly hoped Miss Perfection's kinder attitude with her wasn't entirely due to her blindness, but rather a sign that the older mare simply had a pleasanter side.
Granted, considering that Miss Perfection had just been berating a guardpony, with no apparent respect for his station, Wonder suspected the older mare wouldn't hesitate to voice her displeasure. Even towards Wonder, if she saw it to be fit.
A moment later, Wonder shook herself from these thoughts as she sensed Miss Perfection come up along her side.
“I swear, it is as if every single pony in this castle has picked today to test the limits of my patience. Too much to do, and too little time. I am certain that I will just die, if we cannot finish before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna return from their trip to Manehattan.” Miss Perfection continued on, speaking with just a shade of a Prench accent. The very faint accent, along with the mare's quick, precise word choices, had Wonder...wondering if perhaps Miss Perfection spent a lot of time practicing her speech.
Wonder sent a slightly strained smile the older mare's way, as those thoughts continued to bounce around her own head “Well, I'm certain you can manage it, Miss Perfection. I don't want to think of anypony dying of shame.”
“I should just send somepony to the garden with a shovel, right now. Just have somepony roll me into the hole the moment Princess Celestia sees this mess. Certainly easier than getting these layabouts to bring about a true Springtime vision of beauty and elegance...Oh, but let us be on our way, Miss Wonder. You can follow me without any trouble, yes?” The older mare finally managed to cease her
lamentations, before moving just ahead of Wonder.
“Oh, yes. It's no problem, Miss Perfection. Just please warn me if we come across any stairways.” Wonder replied confidently.
“Of course, of course. Worry not, sweetheart. We'll get your lovely pieces set up in no time.” Miss Perfection assured, before beginning an easy pace.
Wonder was soon falling in behind the older mare, her little cart easily pulling behind her.
“Good luck, miss.” The guardpony said, as Wonder passed by.
“Hah! We shall certainly be needing it, if we are to avert disaster.” Miss Perfection called back.
Wonder ducked her head a bit at this, and didn't mention anything when she heard the stallion muttering aloud “Wasn't talking to you, Miss Perfectly Crazy.”
A little while later...
Wonder was coming to an ill-timed realization.
Her customer could really run at the mouth. So much so, that in the past fifteen minutes of dragging her little cart around the castle, there had yet to be more than a few seconds of silence at any given point. And yet, Wonder had not spoken a dozen words in that time. And while it seemed profoundly rude to the young mare, she found herself beginning to tune out Miss Perfection's constant ramblings. Most ponies probably would after the first five minutes of the older mare going on about the importance of color coordination, when it came to interior decorating. Her tendency to segue in to dramatic lamentations about how her true vision will never be realized or remarks about how, by-and-large, everypony around her was incompetent and lazy, didn't help.
“I absolutely swear, you have been the only thing to go right this entire day, dear.” Petite Perfection reiterated.
At least, the Royal Decorator seemed partial to Wonder. Or, more specifically, her punctuality.
“I'm sure everything will turn alright in the end.” Wonder replied, again trying to reassure the tense older mare.
“...I suppose it has to. I simply refuse to live to see the day where Princess Celestia is anything less than dazzled by a magnificent home.” Miss Perfection agreed a moment later. And Wonder could give her that, the Royal Decorator was dedicated. Though Wonder was starting to worry about her declarations regarding her imminent death, should her grand work fall short.
That was just unsettling.
“Uhm, if I may ask? How are my pieces going to be contributing? I'm a bit curious.” Wonder asked, hoping to move the conversation along. And she was genuinely curious as to what it was about her works that had caught Miss Perfection's eye.
“Pardon? Is it not obvious just by look- Oh, right...My apologies, dear. Slipped my mind.” The older mare replied with just a hint of chagrin.
“It's alright.” Wonder responded with another easy smile.
“Well, bless you, dear. As I was saying, I seek nothing less than to give form to the very notion of spring itself!” Wonder's ears ended up twitching at this rather loud declaration.
“I see...but how do my pieces fit into that...notion?” Wonder pressed.
“How do they not? They are as motion springing forth from the cold stillness, a return to wildness and passion that so heartily embodies the joy that is the vernal season! My dear, your works are the very embodiment of sensual joy!” Miss Perfection eagerly declared.
“S-sensual?!” That was really the only word that caught Wonder's attention.
“Yes! Warm and delicious, as the cold comforting blanket of Winter is pulled away, exposing our shy, sheltered, naked lives to the world, for all to see. Your works call to mind nothing less than the explosive release of tension that ponies have waited through every snowy blizzard to set loose onto the world, once again!” Petite Perfection enthusiastically elaborated, unaware of Wonder's growing discomfort.
The younger mare had no words.
Her mouth was kept firmly shut, even as she felt her face heating up to a terrible degree. Certainly, art was always a matter of perspective, but she hadn't really expected that kind of perspective.
Eventually, Wonder noted the pregnant pause between the two of them, realizing that perhaps she was supposed to say something about Miss Perfection's vision...
Wonder hesitantly coughed into a hoof uncomfortably, before she tried to find something polite to say “That-...that certainly sounds...expressive, Miss Perfection.”
“Thank you, dear. I only wish you could see it in all of its glory, for yourself.” The older mare responded in a kindly tone.
Wonder gave a strained smile at that. Going by Miss Perfection description, Wonder feared she might just pass out of pure mortification if she was ever able to witness the older mare's full vision. It probably wasn't as terrible as Wonder imagined, but she would admit to having some difficulty at clearing her thoughts of the Royal Decorator's vivid choice of words.
Wonder wasn't sure if she really wanted to fill the silence with anymore words at this point.
Fortunately, she didn't have to.
“What am I looking at here?” Miss Perfection suddenly blurted out, breaking Wonder from her thoughts.
“I-” Wonder began.
“You ponies are all trying to murder me aren't you?!” Miss Perfection shrilly shouted out, stomping ahead.
“But, ma'am, you said-” A hapless mare tried to reply, letting Wonder gain a grasp of the situation. Evidently somepony was failing to live up to the Royal Decorator's exacting standards.
“Why?! Why are you putting up these tapestries now?!” The older mare demanded.
“B-but-” the other pony started again.
“I told you that we are decorating in a vernal color palette! Capturing the return of life and vitality, and yet here you are putting up these solemn gloomy pieces. Does vernal mean the same as boreal to you now?” Miss Perfection loudly berated, leading Wonder to wince in sympathy for the poor worker.
“I-” The poor pony tried again to speak-up.
“Never-you-mind! I shall see to it myself! As I always seem to! Take those back into storage now.” Miss Perfection loudly ordered. A few moments later, Wonder caught the sound of the Royal Decorator trotting over. Wonder couldn't help but let her ears droop down in worry as the mare approached.
“Oh, don't be like that, darling. Everything is going to work out, but I need to see to something personally. I'll be not but a moment.” Miss Perfection told Wonder in a surprisingly kind voice, once again. Not five seconds later, she heard the older mare turn away before again letting loose a shrill shout “Well, don't just stand there! We must correct this error of yours before anypony can be exposed to it!”
The sudden shifts in tone startled Wonder, leaving her to listen to the sound of fading hoofsteps, as Miss Perfection chased the other work pony down the hall.
“I'll just...stay here then, will I?” Wonder hesitantly called out.
A little over half an hour later...
Wonder was getting a little bit impatient. And worried.
She had to imagine that most of the castle was closed off to the public, while it was being re-decorated, but she didn't think the castle would be outright abandoned. There had to be plenty of the ponies that were on staff wandering the halls, trying to make Miss Perfection's sensual vision a reality. And yet, she had not had the fortune of a singular pony passing down the hall that she had been left in.
She had assumed that Miss Perfection would have returned fairly quickly during her first five minutes of patiently waiting. By the ten minute mark, she had been sure that the Royal Decorator was almost definitely on her way back. At the fifteen minute mark, she wanted to give the older mare the benefit of doubt and assume that Miss Perfection really was dealing with some manner of catastrophe.
After thirty minutes of waiting, the young unicorn mare was plum fed up. At this point it was just rude, to abandon Wonder to this random hallway, leaving her without any guidance. The castle was a big place, with an unfortunate number of turns and staircases, so how could she just be left here with barely a word? She might have even walked out by now, if she could remember how to find her wait out again.
Wonder felt like she was going to get the older mare a piece of her mind...
...after maybe another fifteen minutes or so.
Wonder had to sigh. She was just too nice a pony.
She'd probably end up waiting there all day. And even if Miss Perfection came back for her, she'd probably accept whatever excuse or apology that was offered with a smile. And really, this was kind of her fault, her parents had offered to go with her on this delivery but Wonder had insisted that she could take care of it herself. They didn't need to be taking time off from work to take care of her every moment of everyday.
After all, she wasn't helpless. She could make her way to Canterlot Castle on her own.
She thought it might be a good way to be a bit independent. But now, she wasn't feeling nearly as independent as she would have liked.
Wonder sighed again.
Her ears twitched.
It was the distant sound of hooves, and... they were getting closer. She had to resist the urge to let out a cheer. Finally she might, at least, be able to get some company, if not assistance.
“Hello?” Is somepony there?” She was almost certain that there was somepony there, but it was a good way to open things Wonder thought.
“Hm?” There was somepony there, a mare from the sounds of it.
“I- Hello, my name is Wonder. And...I don't suppose you've seen the Royal Decorator recently?” Wonder began, opening the conversation a bit indirectly.
“I'm sorry, I'm afraid I haven't seen Petite recently. Are you perhaps looking for her?” The mare asked in a compassionate manner, that Wonder found distantly familiar.
“Uhm, not exactly.” Wonder replied, waving a hoof in front of her eyes, as a way of demonstrating her point.
“Oh, I see. I hope I didn't offend.” The voice replied with a touch embarrassment.
“It's alright, it's hardly the first time it's happened.” Wonder pointed out with a reassuring smile.
The mare chuckled lightly at that “I see. Even so, I have fewer reasons than most to not notice such a thing. But, if I may ask, what are you doing here by yourself? I understand that the castle is still closed for redecorating.”
“Uhm, well, I was making this delivery for just that.” Wonder gestured to her small cart, as a way of explaining “Miss Perfection was rather taken with several of my pieces and thought they should be a part of her...vision. Oh, and I wasn't by myself. Miss Perfection was escorting me till she got...called away by an urgent matter.”
“And she just left you here unattended?” The pony asked, in a tone that made Wonder imagine the mare's was furrowing her brow.
“I-...it hasn't been too long and I made sure to keep my schedule clear today, so I'm not in any danger of being late for anything...” Wonder
explained, again not wanting to speak ill of somepony.
She heard a rather disappointed sigh come from the mare. “...I can certainly appreciate her dedication to her work, but this will not do.” The mystery mare noted in a resigned fashion.
“I'm sure she's quite busy-” Wonder began.
“Even so, her priorities have been badly misplaced here.” The pony replied in a stern fashion.
“I-...please, it really wasn't my intent to upset anypony. I mean, she's probably just distracted. I suppose I would be too, if I was trying to create something for royalty.” Wonder reasoned, not wanting any ill-will too be bred on her account.
“Well...still somepony will need to speak with her after this. In any event, do you need any assistance, Wonder? It won't do, to leave you in this hallway all day.”
“That would be wonderful, if you can spare the time.” Wonder eagerly accepted.
“I have all the time in the world, and it would be my pleasure.” The pony responded with a kindly tone.
“Oh, thank you. Uhm...I don't suppose you know the castle very well, do you?” Wonder asked.
“I should think so. I have been moving about these halls for a few years now. Where is it you were hoping to find?”
“I think, Miss Perfection mentioned that my pieces were supposed to be put on display in the...West Hall? It should be alright if I dropped them off there.” Wonder proposed.
“Your pieces are stored in this cart then?” The pony asked after a few moments.
“Hm? Oh, yes. I have them packed away nice and secure.” Wonder answered with a bit of pride. Anything could have happened over the course of this day, so she had made sure to pack them carefully. She didn't want to imagine how the Royal Decorator might have reacted if she had found one of them broken on-delivery.
“I don't suppose you would mind if I take a peek?”
“Uhm, sure. I mean, I don't think there was ever any intention of keeping them secret, so you probably would have seen them eventually.” Wonder agreed easily, distantly hoping that her new acquaintance would be as taken with the pieces as Miss Perfection. It was a bit silly, but she had quietly enjoyed the Royal Decorator gushing over her pieces, regardless of how Miss Perfection otherwise behaved.
Unhitching herself from the small cart, Wonder easily made her way to the fairly precious cargo it carried. Using a hoof to feel about, she quickly located the first of the small cases, and began to locate the latch. Her ear twitching at the sound of hoofsteps approaching her side, Wonder's horn lit up and her own magic quickly found and lifted the latch, letting her push open the lid.
“...”
“...”
“...”
“So, uhm...here they are...” Wonder supplied, as the silence wore on, worrying her as to how the pony was responding to her work. Her name would be attached to these pieces, and if it turned out no one took to them...
“This is very interesting...” The mare responded after a few more moments of consideration.
“I-I know my pieces are a bit...unorthodox...”
“Mm, it has an amazing...flow to it, which I haven't seen very often. How did you achieve that?” The mare asked.
“Oh, uhm, that's a bit hard to say...I suppose, I just sort of feel it?” Wonder began.
“How so?”
“I-...it just sort of flows through my limbs I guess. And my magic too. I don't really have any words for it. It's sort of like my pulse, I guess. I mean...do you like it?” Wonder replied with some trepidation.
“It is very provocative. Thought-provoking...And, I think these will be a welcome addition around the castle.” The mare finished in a warm manner that let the tension flow out of Wonder's body.
“I am so glad you think so...I wasn't sure if- this is the first time any of my pieces have ever ended up somewhere like this.” Wonder admitted with a happy sigh.
“Well, I can't speak for everypony, but I think I shall enjoy seeing these about the castle. I suppose that for all of Petite's...quirks she does know good work when she finds it.” The mare continued in a complimentary tone.
“I don't know about that...do you really think so?” Wonder asked, trying to resist the urge to grin.
“I do.”
Wonder couldn't help but let out a pleased giggle, at that. “I was really starting to worry a bit about what Miss Perfection was going to be doing with my pieces. I was worried that they were going to be part of some-...uhm-...”
“Some what?” The mare prodded after a moment.
“I-...the way she was going on about the redecorating...I mean, I'm no prude, but...sensual?” Wonder slowly hedged, feeling her ears warm up a bit, as she re-visited Miss Perfection's earlier words.
“...Oh. Oh! I understand now.” The pony responded, apparently knowing the Royal Decorator to know what Wonder was referring to.
Wonder nodded “I mean, I certainly can't refuse a customer like her, but...you don't think my works aren't going to be associated with anything too...risqué?”
The other mare chuckled at this for a few moments “You have nothing to worry about. Like many others, I think you may have inferred the wrong thing about Petite's work, based on her language.”
“Really?” Wonder asked.
“Mm-hmm. She has a bit of a grandiose manner of speaking, but I've never known any of her work to be explicit in-nature. I honestly doubt such thoughts have ever crossed her mind, at times. At least, when she's working.” The mare explained.
“So, she was just being figurative?” Wonder prompted.
“I imagine so. Though I don't doubt that she meant to capture the spirit of the coming season. After all, Hearts and Hooves is just around the corner.” Wonder's acquaintance pointed out with an audible smile.
“Well, thank Celestia for that...” Wonder exhaled.
Her partner again chuckled at Wonder's exclamation “If you'd like...but, for now, let us see if we can't get you to the West Hall, hm?”
A few minutes later...
“-and it actually took me ten minutes to coax the poor thing out of that hole in the garden.” Wonder's new acquaintance finished her story, earning a hearty laugh from the unicorn.
“I had honestly thought Miss Perfection was being figurative all those times she declared she was going to die if something went wrong. I suppose she was being serious, after all.” Wonder exclaimed around her own chuckled.
“Oh, she has always been a bit overly dramatic. Honestly, Luna, in the end, was perfectly pleased with her welcoming ceremony.” The mare explained.
“I suppose, for a pony like Miss Perfection, finding out that your color choices didn't quite match-up with those of the guest of honor must have been pretty horrifying. Especially, if the guest of honor was Princess Luna, just getting back after a thousand years.” Wonder replied, not having much context for something like color coordination herself.
“Green and yellow was not so terrible a color combination, I think. Still, I don't think anypony expected Petite to flee to the gardens and start digging up herself a grave to fall into. That was a bit much...But, enough about Petite. I'd like to hear a bit more about yourself, Wonder.” The mare prompted.
“Me? What about me?” Wonder asked.
“Anything at all that you would like to share about yourself.” Her acquaintance elaborated.
“I-...I don't honestly think there's that much to share about myself, that isn't obvious already. I mean, there's not much to say about me, I don't think.” Wonder hedged.
“Well now, I certainly don't believe that. Come now, there isn't anything more to Wonder than what's on the surface?” The mystery mare encouraged.
“Uhm...maybe?” Wonder hesitantly replied.
“I thought so.”
“What...kind of things did you want to know?” Wonder asked.
“Well, let's see...do you perhaps have a special somepony for Hearts and Hooves day?” Though the mare asked the question in a light-tone, Wonder found herself shrinking in a bit at the question.
“I-I can't think of anypony.” Wonder replied, even as her mind treacherously wandered back to the colt at the coffee shop. All he had done was pay for her tea, and chatted with her a bit, nothing special.
And asked about her future plans...
“You're blushing quite a bit now.” The mare teased Wonder, which caused her face to heat up even further.
“...There is this one colt, at this coffee shop...though it's probably nothing.” Wonder admitted.
“Are you sure about that? I wouldn't be surprised if you had charmed him without even realizing it.”
“I-” The young unicorn began.
“There you are, my dear- Your Highness!?” The voice of an older mare cut through the hall at that exact moment. It seems they had found Miss Perfection and-...
'Wait a minute...Your Highness?'
Wonder's ear twitched towards her companion, as things started coming together in her mind. Her familiarity with both the palace and Princess Luna, her kind manner, and easily a dozen little remarks that should have given it away for her...
“Princess Celestia?” Wonder blurted out.
“Yes?” Came the same warm pleasant voice that Wonder had become used to in the last twenty minutes. And now that she thought about it, the voice was coming from a bit higher than she was used to from most ponies.
“No, no, no, no, no! How can this be?! You- But, there are still days, and-” Miss Perfection began to loudly babble, apparently at Princess Celestia.
“Oh, yes. I'm afraid the meeting had to be re-scheduled. There's a bit of cold going around right now in Manehattan, and-” Princess Celestia began to explain.
“It isn't ready! You must avert your eyes! It's shameful! You must leave now, you cannot be here, Your Highness!” Miss Perfection continued to shout, decidedly panicking over the Princess' early return.
“I'm...not allowed to be here? In my own castle?” The Princess asked in a mildly confused tone that had just a hint of teasing hiding below the surface.
“Ah-...ahhhh...but- with the- Your Highness...” Wonder was quite sure that she would regret not being able to take in Miss Perfection's expression. She didn't dislike the Royal Decorator, but Wonder was certain that the look on her face was priceless. Not many ponies had ever attempted to kick a princess out of her own castle, and it sounded as if Petite had just recalled this fact.
“...Is she going to be alright?” Wonder quietly asked, trying to hide her amusement.
“I'm sure she's fine...come now, Petite, enough of this silliness-” Princess Celestia began. Wonder caught the distinct sound of a pony's body hitting the floor.
“...Is she still fine?” Wonder asked, now a bit worried for the older mare.
“...” Princess Celestia didn't respond, evidently a bit uncertain herself.
“...She didn't die again, did she?” Wonder requested with some trepidation.
“I-...no. No, she's breathing...Perhaps, I should have stayed in Manehattan...” Princess Celestia replied after a moment.
“I-...should I leave the cart here with her? Uhm, Your Highness?” Wonder asked.
“It shouldn't hurt anything.” Princess Celestia agreed, after a moment.
“...So, it was nice meeting you, Princess Celestia...I hope I didn't say anything that offended you.” Wonder offered.
“And you, as well, Wonder. You are a delight, as I said earlier.” Princess Celestia reassured.
“...I might need some assistance finding my way out...Your Highness?” Wonder asked after some hesitation.
“Of course, here let me show you out.” Princess Celestia agreed easily.
“I-...oh, you don't have to do it yourself. Just-” Wonder began.
“It is not a problem. My schedule is wide open right now. And it would please me to finish our earlier conversation.” The alicorn pleasantly
offered.
“Our earlier conversation?” Wonder asked aloud.
“The nice colt that may or may not fancy you?” Celestia reminded in a lightly teasing tone. Wonder face heated up quickly, as she recalled the earlier topic...that she had been discussing with the nigh immortal pony that held dominion over the Sun. This was turning into a very odd day.
“I see you remember him now. Perhaps you can tell me more about him over coffee? Or hopefully tea?” Princess Celestia proposed, a smile easily coming through her words.
“I-...I mean if you would like?” Wonder hesitantly agreed.
“I would.” Princess Celestia agreed.
“Oh...uhm, I didn't bring any bits with me today, so...” Wonder hesitantly added.
Princess Celestia chuckled a bit at this “I don't think that should be a concern. There is one more thing however...”
Wonder heard the sound of a hooves along the floor, leading her to conclude that Princess Celestia was approaching the unconscious Royal Decorator.
“Petite? Petite?” Wonder heard the alicorn quietly call awake the older mare.
“What is...Your Highness, you-” Came Miss Perfection's half-coherent mutterings.
“I just wanted to come by and check on everything here, Petite. Make sure you weren't working yourself too hard.” Princess Celestia gently told the mare.
“O-oh?” Petite asked again.
“Mm-hmm. And I just wanted to let you know that I'm looking forward to seeing your latest work in...two days, I think it was?”
“Y-yes, of course, your Highness.” The Royal Decorator agreed, while still lying upon the floor Wonder surmised.
“Excellent.” Princess Celestia easily agreed. A moment later, Wonder heard the sound of the Princess' hooves approaching her.
“Shall we, Wonder?”
“Uhm, yes? I mean, yes... Is she going to be okay?” Wonder quietly asked of the princess.
“As soon as she's done, she will be. I think I can find some things to do outside of the palace for the next couple of days.” Princess Celestia replied.
“...I suppose that's better than coaxing a hysterical mare from her own grave.” Wonder noted.
Princess Celestia couldn't help but a let out a very un-princess-like snicker at that.