Chojin Patriarch
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Ah, a look in on the Renegade? I wonder what he's been up to these last few weeks. ...Honestly, when did we last see him? Christmas time, in-universe? I take it his New Years was just a bit quieter than OL's...14th January 2013
07:12 GMT -7
Portal activation detected, Lantern Grayven.
Thank you, Sinestro.
And unless they end up having twins, triplets or more, that's where many leave it. Costly and tiring, of course. Consider yourself lucky indeed, Renegade.I lower the milk bottle and take a moment to check on the children. It's Saturday, and the children are mostly sorted as far as breakfast goes. I think they're giving me unrealistic expectations regarding the likely behaviour of any children Luna and I have; they're really well behaved. No bickering, no randomly throwing their food across the room, no complaints when the elder take charge of the younger. It's a little sad, but at the same time, a bit of a relief? I'm not sure how I'd cope with this many children if they behaved like normal children. Normal parents can just have one at the start and then wait until they're past the constant attention phase before having another.
Ah, she's more of a 'sit and watch' kind of lady, eh? At least when she's not on hooves..."Children, Luna's arrived. I'm just going to pop over to the portal room and escort her back."
Because while she can move around in human-form, she's made it very clear that it's far from her favourite thing. She's fine with the hands, not so much with the bipedalism. Which could be a little awkward, as I had a family sledging day planned and sliding across the frozen Denver countryside isn't something for people not comfortable on their legs.
Heh. Beats walking all the way to the portal room.
Ah, not who you were expecting, eh?The portal opens silently next to me and I step through, smiling broadly.
"Luna, dear heartttt…"
Huh, a bit more covered than I expected of Celestia, and yet less obviously armoured. Positively super-heroic, in fact...That's not Luna.
Someone I strongly suspect to be Celestia smiles at me, standing exactly one pace from the portal and quite deliberately not moving another step.
I see she came prepared for trouble. Has she been listening to Luna's tales of Earth with a concealed worry, perhaps?"I'm sorry, but Luna is occupied with affairs to state today."
Quick check with the Mountain's magic monitoring systems… Yep, both her general power and signature match Celestia, and her clothing roughly matches the design of the New God barding I made for her, allowing for the changes the mirror has wrought. And she feels right; there's an established relationship and familiarity there.
And this way is just a little less... Conspicuous than your naturally dazzling form?"Yes, I… Thought that she would be. That's why this was a… Surprise. So… Was there something that you wanted..?"
"Yes." She bows her head a little and then frowns slightly. Yes, feels odd with a differently proportioned head and neck, doesn't it? "I thought that I should try to spend some time with the stallion my sister intends to marry. And I also wanted to see the world where Sunset has been living."
And you're not going to let your student show you up? Feeling a little insecure about your talents, are we?"That's… Fine. Ah, but why come through the mirror? I know from personal experience that it's a bit tricky to handle the new shape. Especially if you're planning on using magic."
"Because Sunset did the same. For a pony whose special talent relates to magic, losing her horn must have been extremely stressful."
Big Oof. I rather suspect having 'dear Teacher' just show up might just make Sunset a little paranoid."I think we distracted her with local magic before she could really notice. Ah… I… Take it that she doesn't know that you're here?"
"No. Given how… Tense, my relationship with Sunset is, I decided that-"
And try not to sound like you're enjoying this so much, would you?
I make no promises, Corpsman.
He's making a fuss, Sellie. I assume that's what you were about to say?"-I wouldn't-. What are you doing?"
"Hey, Grayven. What is it?"
And I am so picturing the flat look she's giving Grayven right now. Because she's sure he'd be watching her somehow.
Well, you are a senior vassal of the Suzerain of Earth. Some enterprisingly foolish New God might decide to try his luck with you."Yes, Sunset, I care about you, and I get worried when I don't know where you are."
"W-? Now I just feel childish for complaining."
I can just tell she's thinking 'get to the point, Grayven...'"Yes, that's intended, and it's a sign of your growing maturity that you recognised that without throwing a hissy fit. Well done."
"Ah… Thanks?"
...Or with who, depending on timezones? What? She's a big girl, she can date whoever she wants."If I knew where you are, I'd boom tube right over there and pat you on the head."
"Not sure I wanna tell you where I am, now."
Ah, committing SCIENCE! upon Atlantean thaumotology again?"Does it involve Z-?"
"Would you stop with that? Ghia'ta still doesn't believe me. Look, I'm in Venturia. Is that everything?"
...And now I can see the 'really?' face on Celestia. It involves a huffy frown and a squint."No, Celestia's paying us a visit." Celestia looks quite put out. "Just thought I'd warn you."
"Oh. Does she want to see me?"
Yes, I don't see her taking that sort of encounter well, especially if surprised."I think she's doing a home inspection. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't just run into her with no warning."
"Okay. Ah. Well. Thank you. I'm… I'm hanging up now."
And you're not the boss of him. If anything, you two are peers.She hangs up. Celestia still looks put out.
"Grayven, I asked you not to do that."
Not hiding an unannounced visit is a very different thing to calling ahead and giving people a head's-up..."Yes, I know. But I considered the thing that torpedoed your relationship with Sunset in the first place; concealing from her information that she wanted. Then I considered if she'd want to know that you were here, realised that the answer was 'yes', and told her."
"I didn't intend to hide the fact that I-."
Well, how would you handle a casual, friendly visit to another monarch in your world? Or do you lack any protocol for that?"Ah-djah-" I point my right forefinger at her. "-djah-djah! That sort of 'from a certain point of view' stuff does not work when you're trying to repair an emotional relationship."
"Then what would you have suggested that I do?"
Ah, still stuck in the 'used to being in charge of everything' mode, are we, Sellie?"Ask me in advance. And… Tell Sunset that you were going to be here, and then let it be her decision whether she approaches you or stays away."
She nods slowly. And awkwardly.
...What."It doesn't make any different to your attempt to find out what suddenly having her shape changed was like, but it shows that you're interested in her life and that you respect her boundaries."
"I will remember that in future. Do you think that she would be prepared to stop taking Twilight to cult survivor lectures if I did?"
...Because of course miss 'Socially inept' would totally grab the wrong end of the pokey stick like that."Heh-hah-hah-hah-hah!" Celestia doesn't appear to appreciate the joke. "She's actually doing that? I thought she was joking!"
"I think that Sunset originally planned to take her to one. But Twilight wrote in a letter to me that she found it a 'highly informative window on the perils of applying the Magic of Friendship to other species without considering the differences in way that species thinks'."
Hey, they're hanging out, Sunset's suffering for her mistake. Let it slide."So Sunset's been stuck taking her to them because she won't admit that she only took her to the first one as an insult to Twilight's relationship to you. That's so Sunset. Though I do admire her commitment."
"To dishonesty."
...Oh, boy. Wait until you see human cinema."At this point I think it's its own punishment. Or maybe it's like taking her out to a horror film?"
"I don't think that either Sunset or Twilight find other people suffering entertaining."
That's an interesting way to look at it, at least."It's cult survivor lectures. The ones giving them are the ones who made lives for themselves after they left. So there's suffering and an uplifting ending. Though maybe we could suggest alternative lectures?"
"I think that would be best. For now, I would-."
"Honestly, you should have been expecting that. Everyone mentioned it."She takes a step forward, instinctively moves her arms to the 'walk' position, and falls on her face.
"I'll thank you to keep silent, sirrah... Ow."
Really, you'd think she'd have known about that. Maybe prepare a little 'gentle falling' spell ahead of time or something. Still, this should be an amusing counterpoint to affairs in the Paragon timeline this episode. Anytime things get a little dull during the silent entry, cut to Celestia tripping over her own feet. Now, how will the children react to meting their future aunt...