A Royal Conquest

The train started moving. You were still tired but you had a trial to get to on time. You'd be damned if you let that lunatic take your life's work away. You had packed schematics, statistics and graphs to prove Tree Hugger wrong. You had spend the entire evening gathering them up.

Looking at the windows, you started considering your situation. That Tree Hugger clearly wasn't the brightest spark in the night sky and more importantly, she was in the wrong. If you were given a fair trial, you'd wipe the floor with her. But it wasn't her you feared.

Were you going to get a fair trial? You were going to stand before Princess Celestia. You knew few things about her for certain. Before her, you were a worm, both magically, biologically and politically. She lifted the sun every day, you wrote with your mouth. She was young and beautiful when you were born, she'd be young and beautiful when you died and if she wished, she could make sure that that death didn't come out of old age.

The landscape before you mocked your concerns. You were fearing something you didn't really know, just like Tree Hugger. The sight of rolling farms worked by happy families didn't quite fit with the picture you were painting in your head of Equestria being ruled by a tyrant that executes ponies for shits and giggles. And neither did anything you've actually heard about Celestia's behavior. How anyone or anything could hold such power for so long and not become a cross between Sombra and Discord boggled your mind. As far as you knew that yet a single pony was to meet his or her death at her order. Magic she had in spades, but she didn't hold as political much power as most thought. The cities of Equestria acted more like independent states than as territories of hers, even the capital was ruled more by its nobles than by her. You were sure she could make an end to that and assume absolute control if she wished. It's hard to say no the the pony that moves the sun. That she hadn't done so in millennia spoke to a strength in character you couldn't help but admire. You were sure you'd go mad in her place.

You sighed. You were only doing guess work about Celestia. Perhaps she would acquit you. Perhaps she'd have her guards shove a red hot railroad spike up your ass. Perhaps she'd do neither. Perhaps she'd do both. You were still tired. Whatever she'd do, you'd find out soon enough and you'd face it and her with your head held high like you always faced life. You might be a worm before her in so many aspects, but you weren't going to behave like one. And if she chose to crush you with her hoof for that or any other reason, then so be it. After having made peace with whatever faith waited you, you leaned back and closed you eyes.

The train coming to a halt woke you up. You stepped out and started walking towards the palace. You weren't here as a tourist so you made haste and got there in no time.

You approached one of the guards and hand him the letter summoning you. He skimmed it.

"Come with me, Sir."

You followed him as he leads you into the hall. Tree Hugger was already there. Her eyes were still red, but mellow instead of angry. You should have guessed that her little stunt in your plant was drug induced. You had to give her credit for not taking whatever had caused her outburst on her trial. One little lash out at you or Celestia forbid Celestia and the guards would have repurposed her dreadlocks as a mop, which would have taken care of your problem right there.

You trotted in head held high as you had promised yourself in the train. Instead of prostrating yourself like other ponies did before her, you nodded. Guards didn't like that act of disrespect towards their Princess one bit. If anyone's mane was on its way to be turned into a cleaning utensil, it was yours. The Princess herself was slightly amused though.

"It seems you have decided to start my trial before my arrival, Princess. I do hope I didn't miss the verdict."

There was something mocking in your tone, which only soured further the way the guards were looking at you.

Celestia paused. "No, not at all. Everypony should get a chance to tell their side of the story. Tree Hugger really cares about nature so she was really enthusiastic to tell hers. Her friend Fluttershy had insisted I hear her out as soon as possible."

Nepotism was going to be the end of Equestria at this pace.

"Enthusiastic is one way of calling her behavior. Did she tell you what she did that day?"

"She said she had protested against "your oppression of Gaia"." the last bit Celestia said with a bit of skepticism. You took it as a good omen.

"She chained herself to a coffee machine and she screamed her lungs out until we cut her chains loose. She tried to charge me and my employees but then we threw her out." you explained dryly.

Celestia looked at Tree Hugger. "Is that true, Tree Hugger?" she said in the tone of a disappointed mother.

"That day is a bit fussy for me." she answered hesitantly.

"How surprising." you exclaimed sarcastically.

"What's that supposed to mean, dude?" she answered irritated.

"You tell me."

Tree Hugger groaned. She of course wasn't going to explain to the Princess how her supposed assault and battery was just her drug fueled rampage being stopped in its tracks.

You dropped your bag full of data before you. "Before me I have all information about my plant, Princess. I could bore you by meticulously explaining its every function to you, but instead I'll prove that while my accuser has her heart in the right place, she doesn't have a clue what she's talking about. Tree Hugger, name one component I manufacture."

Tree Hugger just started mumbling. You just enjoyed your swift victory. Your eyes trailed off to Celestia who was looking pitifully at Tree Hugger.

You pulled out a pieces of paper from your bag. You handed it to Tree Hugger. She stared at it. "Tri... trime.... trimethy..."

"I rest my case." you interrupted her.

"I guess you have." Princess Celestia confirmed.

So, this was it. You were fearing the worst and yet this went like a breeze. You were lucky enough to go run your business like a free pony. But you've always believed that luck was there to be pushed. You looked at Princess Celestia again. There was something alluring in her. She'd look good in bondage. Part of you was screaming at you how insane trying to confirm that thought would be, but that made it more appealing.

"This trial is over, you may both go home." Celestia announced.

Tree Hugger started walking out of the hall, her face full of dejection and shame. Instead you started walking towards Celestia's throne, up the stairs.

"I'd prefer not to, Princess. We have something else to discuss."

Midway climbing the stairs towards her throne, you were interrupted by a guard's spear point flashing before your face. You had previously made peace with far worse than a spear being waved in front of you so you remained mostly unphased.

"Lay down your arms. I only wish to have a more personal talk with the Princess about something that's dear to my heart. I do not want to hurt her." Yet.

The guard looked skeptically at Celestia. She looked back with concern and confusion but nodded at him. The guard withdrew his spear and you finished climbing the stairs and sat down next to the throne. Even though you were sitting on the floor, you did so with confidence. Your posture shined with pride. You could almost call it regal.

"So," Celestia looked down on you like you were some scam artist "what do you want to talk about?"

"Becoming your adviser."