John Sampson's Story

I have some explaining to do, “Twilight, I’m sorry I made some silly assumptions. I know that Celestia owns a condo in your head. I’ve told her to her face that I’m going to evict her. Where I was stupid was assuming that it was anywhere near done. You are mine until you say different. The old conditions of keeping a distance are gone. What I need to do is communicate more. You are growing up and coming into guiding your own affairs. I can’t give you the heart, yet. But that is one of the big reasons I dance with Celestia. She is the one that could make it possible.”

Swift contributed, “Twilight, I’m just beginning to glimpse some of the things John does. I don’t understand the whole of them at all. But I’m the first pony he met and his first mare and I know that every single thing he has done has made things better for us. I trust him completely and without limit. I felt his oath to me and his oath to AJ. That’s why I could invite him to go play with an Alicorn knowing full well that she could do things for him that no Earth pony could match. It’s his fate to roam far and wide but he always comes home. And that oath when he sold his soul, that was for you. He could walk away from everything Royal and live happy with me and AJ on the farm. The deal with Celestia is for you.”

Luna was somber, “Listen to friend Swift, Twilight. There be much wisdom in what she says. Celestia hath been in pursuit of stallion John from the very beginning. Yet John chose you. There be much meaning in that.”

She has me wrapped up tight. I don’t know if I could get out without breaking something. Little sobs and tremors are running through her as she processes what she is being told.

“Twilight, darling, do you have any questions?”

She is shaking but gaining coherence. Whispering in my ear, “Why, John, why would you possibly prefer me over Celestia.”

“It’s a complicated story, Twilight. Can I tell it after we get comfortable at home?”

Luna cut in, “Tell her, John. Surely thy knows it’s no surprise to me.”

With a nod to Luna, “Twilight, Celestia is a magnificent Goddess with great strength and wisdom. She is exactly the mare I want to head my herd and keep my band safe. But she is a matron. She has already passed her peak and has nowhere left to go but down. Why do you think you are the Element Bearer? And Twilight, as a freshly Elevated Alicorn, barely out of foalhood, with maybe ten percent of the power you will eventually have, you are her equal. You are the future, Twilight, the mare I want my foals out of.

“And I’m not Celestia’s herd stallion because I want to add another Alicorn tail to my collection, I’m Herd Stallion because I’m the strongest trustworthy candidate and she needs the help. I’m willing to do whatever the job requires including accepting Celestia as one of my mares and siring foals out of her because it’s the way to make Equestria a safe and prosperous place for the ponies that I love. My dream is to live long enough to be your Herd Stallion some day.

“Twilight, let go of me. Luna needs us.”

Luna is just standing there with her head down and tears streaming. Twilight opens her wings and I shift her to my right arm. Moving to Luna, I lift her with my left arm and hold her to me as Twilight wraps her wings around both of us. Luna is resting her chin on my shoulder quietly crying.

Looking at Spike and Swift, “This never leaves this room. Ever!”

After a while Luna whispers in my ear, “Thank you, John. This be the reason thou must be Herd Stallion. No other in Equestria could look upon a Goddess crying and think of nothing but to comfort her. Thou may release me.”

Twilight opened her wing and I set Luna delicately on the floor. Swift quickly lends a shoulder to brace Luna.

Luna smiles weakly at Swift, “Friend Swift, truly thy induction into the Royal mystique proceeds apace.”

Swift smiles back, “Mystique be damned. When a friend needs . . .”

Luna is stronger now, “Be careful, friend Swift, thou art becoming John Sampson.”

I had a thought, “Luna, would you like some company tonight? Any or all of us?”

“John, thou art overdue for conference with Celestia about today’s Court. Twilight be in sore need of rest and Spike would best attend her. I would welcome some conversation with friend Swift whilst thou be closeted with Celestia.”

Celestia was in her favorite office, “Well, John, I was wondering if you had forgotten me.”

“I was handling a tricky eviction proceeding and lost track of time. What would you like to know?”

“Why didn’t you renew the contract for trail rations?”

“Because it is a trap by Blueblood. The numbers and explanations simply didn’t line up. If I had renewed it he would have later announced that AJ was the one getting the extra more than double bits on the contract. He will be back to complain and challenge my action and authority. It’s a win-win for him. If I accept the contract, I am guilty of graft. If I deny it, I am guilty of favoritism or prejudice. Either way, he gets to challenge me as an alien usurper.”

“He has already challenged your decision. I will hear his appeal in the morning. What details can you tell me?”

“The first thing that caught my attention was a more than doubling of the price. When I asked for an explanation, I was told that blight had hit their orchard and they had to buy fruit from an outside source. The cost of the raw fruit is a very small part of the total to make a food. They would have to pay twenty times the market price to run their costs up that much. I suggested seeking a better source for the fruit or subcontracting this season’s production to allow their farm to recover. I offered a smaller but unspecified increase to help them through their difficulty and gave them a thirty day extension to look for solutions. When they failed to even inquire about the details it confirmed to me that it was a planned trap. Blueblood left the visitors gallery just in time to meet the contractor in the hall.

“We need to know how they picked this day and who AJ has been approached by.”

“You can borrow Luna’s chariot later and go get AJ. Let’s see if we can find out who signed him in.”

It turns out our contractor is a regular visitor. He signed up for my Court as soon as he saw it posted and declined a chance to be heard the same day he signed up. The Guardpony that signed him in is on the witness list for tomorrow. I’m on my way to get AJ.

First I have to see Luna and pick up Swift. I’m in luck, everypony is still in Luna’s office talking.

“Hey Spike, I want you to know that I always keep my promises. You’re on the witness list for tomorrow morning’s Court. So are you, Swift. Blueblood has made complaint about my handling of the trail ration contract. Twilight, are you up for a teleport to pick up AJ?”

Luna jumped in, “I am able.”

“What about the moon. I don’t know how long it will take to locate the record we need and I wouldn’t want you to miss that appointment. How long do we have, anyway?”

“There be around an hour to go. I can perform my duty wheresoever I may be or teleport back.”

“Let’s go.”

“Picture thy desire.”

I did and leaned over to make it easy for her to reach and we were there in front of the Apple homestead.

“Hello AJ,” as I headed for the door. They were all seated at the table enjoying a formerly quiet dinner. Oops. Then Luna walked in behind me. Granny shot up behind the table.

“Be welcome at our humble table, Your Majesty.” and she bowed. AJ and Big Mac were about a second behind her.

Luna replied, “I be grateful for thou fine offer but our business willst not permit us to tarry.”

I stepped in, “AJ, have you recently taken a contract for emergency delivery at an extreme price?”

AJ looked startled, “We just shipped them out today. I wouldn’t even have sold them normally but they offered such great price for rush service.”

“AJ, that was Blueblood trying to trap me on graft charges. We hold Court on it in the morning. I need every record and detail you have and I need you for a witness in the morning.”

“Do you have the Royal train waiting?” AJ wondered.

“That’s our ‘ride’ standing behind me and we need to get back quickly so Luna can raise the moon.”

“Oh. The papers are all on my desk. I haven’t had a chance to file them.”

AJ sorted through her papers and put several into a saddle bag. Throwing it on, “I’m ready.”

As we passed back through the kitchen, Bloom finally overcame her awe, “Are you really going to ride a Princess all the way to Canterlot?”

I couldn’t leave that one, “Yes we are. Wanna watch?”

Bloom shot out of her seat and after us. We stepped out to the middle of the front yard, stood side by side and ‘pop’ we were in Luna’s office.

“John Sampson, thou be incorrigible.”

AJ scowled at me, “You know, Granny is going to get you for that.”

Everypony else was gone but a large bowl of fruit was sitting on her desk. I tossed AJ an apple and kept one for myself as a third floated to Luna.

I suggested, “Luna, can we follow you to the balcony and come back down with Celestia when you are done?”

“Certainly. Methinks Celestia would prefer it that way.”

We reduced the fruit bowl for a while then it was time to go up to the balcony. AJ watched quietly then we thanked Luna and went to plan the morning’s Court with Celestia.

“AJ, tell us what happened with this order in detail.”

“Yesterday afternoon a Unicorn walked up to the farm house and asked for me. She said she had a company that made rations for the Guard and their stock of apples had been ruined by accident. They had a deadline to meet and didn’t want to let the Guard down so she wanted to buy apples to replace the lost stock if we could ship them immediately. She offered a bonus if we could ship within twenty four hours. I said that premium shipping covered it. We finished the papers and left together for town. When I went into the shipping office to arrange for wagons in the morning, she went on and I never saw her again. When I got back to the farm this check was on my desk.”

AJ pulled a check from her bag and passed it to me. Yep, it was for about the difference in the contract price. I passed it to Celestia.

I look at AJ, “That is the very same amount that they needed to add to their contract that I was supposed to approve in Court this morning. We both turned them down so we avoided that trap but now they will say one of us demanded the money and I turned them down in Court because they didn’t pay fast enough or used a check. You will have to testify and it is a safe bet that somepony will claim you asked for that amount, maybe even that you bragged I would kill their contract if they didn’t pay. They may also say that we are mistreating them because I hate blue ponies or something equally absurd.”

AJ is livid, “Do you think they are foolish enough to accuse me of lying? How absurd can they get?”

“AJ, you are my mare. They will claim that disqualifies you from testifying about me. It would if you weren’t the Element of Honesty. When you say that, they will start shouting ‘Royal Privilege’. Celestia, do think it would help to bring Shining in to examine me?”

“He will be here, John. I have asked Cadance to preside to remove any trace of favoritism for my own stallion. But I fear they will try to tar the entire Royal Herd with the same brush. There are already stories circulating in town of your strange alien way of bedazzling ponies.”

“I really hope they use that one. We could call Doctor Red in to testify about my health as a stallion. That might be an idea anyway as soon as they use the ‘alien’ word. The definition of ‘species’ for most purposes is ‘able to reproduce successfully’.”

Celestia is thoughtful, “John, do you really want to make this a Royal issue? Once this bucket of worms is open they will explore every single part of your life looking for something that will squick the average pony.”

“I hope they do. I have nothing to be ashamed of and we could put this scarecrow in its grave permanently.”

Celestia is still worried, “It could go on for days and drag everypony you care about in to it with you.”

“Celestia, if they insult my band or herd beyond a minor level, I will stand up and call it a stallion challenge. One way or the other, it will end there.”

AJ was seriously worried now, “Are you sure that is wise, John?”

“AJ, if he accepts it is their plan from the beginning and we might as well get it over with. If he tries to paint me as unstable I will launch into my main theme as the protector of my herd. Celestia, how would most mares feel about having great strong meat eating stallion devoted to protecting them and their foals?”

Celestia laughed, “You know how that will work. Half the tails in the room will go straight up.”

We kicked ideas back and forth for a while then AJ and I headed for the tower to get a good night’s rest. There was much hugging and happy greeting when we walked in the door.

But Twilight wasn’t entirely happy. She took me off for a private moment, “I’m sorry, John. I should have been there. I could have stopped them.”

“No you couldn’t. Their plan allowed for that. It’s better this way. It’s pure stallion challenge now and we’ve got that covered. And Twilight, did you fully understand what was going on with Luna?”

“I’m not sure, John.”

“Think about this. Luna and Celestia are the same age effectively. Celestia has recently, in Alicorn terms, passed her peak and begun to feel the years. Where was Luna when the same thing happened to her?”