She sat in the large chair that had been the exclusive domain of men since the great country began. "Thanks for keeping it warm." She was taking over from a successful term. Eyes would be on her to see if she broke the streak or not. She brought her fingers together with a slow inhale. "I'm ready for the day's briefing."

President Stein got to work, as she had been elected to do.

"President Crane returns to American soil!" A window popped open, showing the former president stepping out of an airport terminal with his wife closeby. "After a long period of helping the lutrai, perhaps he will turn his attention to domestic concerns."

The window closed, just for another to pop open. "His library grew without him, filled with creatures eager to learn our lost language and others. Becoming a storehouse for all threatened tongues and a shining beacon to any linguists."

"Protests are scattered about the country, unified in opposition to the law making it blanketly acceptable to date and marry anything that qualifies for the 'creature' description of sapience. This has a ripple effect of impacting all laws related to marriage, including immigration, hospital visitations, and inheritance defaults."

A window popped open, showing a man speaking, "They thought society would collapse when we allowed gay marriage, and it did not. I welcome the free expression of love between two consenting adults."

That window closed, allowing an angry person in front of a crowd to speak. "And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion." He gestured wildly as he spoke, the croad roaring around him. "This is sick, just sick!"

"One of the oldest results," continued the anchorman. "--of this development is already in grade school. Her parents have asked she not be displayed."

Swift Swim walked with grand motions, her hands swinging forward and back a bit more than they had to as she whistled with a smile, a skip in her step.

"Someone's happy today," noted her little friend, the boy watching her advance in a musical skip. "Did you get a good grade?"

"Thanks to you!" She stopped to grab him up in a big hug. "I followed your advice and it worked great! Fractions aren't so bad, I was just looking at it wrong."

The boy laughed nervously, clutched in the arms of a girl he liked. "I, uh, think that's how it usually works."

"Huh?" She set him down on his feet, her hooves shifting position. "Whattaya mean?"

"Some people... learn fast, right? Some people... have a hard time with things..." He rubbed behind his head, lacking the exact words. "I think... the people... having a rough time just... you know, don't look at it the right way."

"Well, if they all had a friend like you to point them in the right direction." Swift Swim pointed off to the mythical realm where math made sense. "They'd be set. That's it, we'll sell Little Mikes! I bet people would grab it up."

Mike laughed, reddening in the cheeks. "There's only one of me... And you got here first."

Down came her hand right on his head. "And I call dibs. You're the absolute best, Mike."

"Glad I can help." He was too young to even know what he felt, just that he liked Swift Swim, and that was more than enough. "Wanna play?"

"Now you're talking!" She pumped a fist. "Test over, let me tell my folks about it, then we can go!" She grabbed his hand and started to run off with him. Perhaps it was the equine portion of her hippogriff heritage, but she did love to burst into sudden sprints without much provocation.

"This is my first time at a convention." She batted her lashes and looked a little lost. "Thanks for showing me around." She clung to the arm of the kind, foolish, gentleperson that was willing to lend a hand in the matter.

"The convention can be confusing to get around at first," assured the guy. "Your first time at any con, or just anime cons?"

"Any convention," she assured, hiding a wicked smirk. "Good thing there are nice people around..."

Chrysalis would do her part, eventually leading the sap to her room, likely to what he had thought was a lucky evening.

"Who's this?" He was surprised, seeing the little pony sneering at him.

"She's a friend," assured the false human. "With a gift. Go on, show him."

Cozy raised the bell at him, bright magic flaring as she drained him of all he had, Chrysalis' hand already sliding close the door behind their victim.

"Do you have to cackle every time?" asked Cozy, hanging the bell around her neck as the man crumpled to the floor. "It's going to give us away."

"As if you never do it," taunted Chrysalis. "That one is... large. Let's go for a smaller one to bring home."

Cozy raised a brow. "Are you going to carry them? I'm not built for that if you didn't notice."

Chrysalis tossed her head, making her mane whip in the motion. "This is why he said to wait for Tirek." She suddenly smirked viciously. "And why we won't. As if I can't manage it. We'll make it one of our last ones of the weekend."

The two shared a sinister laugh, back in their element of getting things done by their own rules.

Celestia inclined her head on the video call. "Does it not cause confusion, to have so many leaders in such a short period of time?"

Julia smiled evenly at the closest political ally of America on the strange new world. "Princess Celestia. I'm sure it must seem strange, to you, but for us, we've endured many would-be kings, queens, and other despots who had their own interests in heart before their subjects. We decided that America would never be ruled by such a person, so our ruling bodies are all temporary, with the exception of the judicial branch, who does not make the rules and simply abritrates the rules made by others."

Celestia lifted an ear. "I mean no offense, but would it not be ideal to find a good-natured ruler to take charge fully, to avoid the delays and conflicts that must surely arise if so many must be consulted before any decision can be made?"

Julia's smile could but grow. Celestia was an impossibility. The odds of another of her was basically nil. "We decided to not take the risk of the wrong person being selected, or of power slipping from someone who was fair to someone who was not. Now, let us put that aside." She made a motion as if setting a sheaf of papers aside. "Your proposal was forwarded to the House of Representatives, where it met with mixed responses."

"Oh dear." Celestia rested a hoof against her chin. "Exactly what I was afraid of. Still, this is something we need to set clear boundaries on."

"I agree. However, President does not equal King, so they will have to argue further, and forward ideas to the Senate before any law can come of it." She folded her hands upwards. "It's out of my hands right now. By the way, your connection is quite solid."

"Connection?" Celestia's eyes darted, but she was free of any tethers she could see. "You have me at a loss."

"Your Internet connection," tried Stein. "It appears to be up and running quite smoothly. How have the people of Equestria taken to it?" She had her reports, but... straight from the horse's mouth could be better, pun intended.

"After connecting the castle." Her hoof waved to encompass the space around her. "We sent them to the larger cities more ready to accept such a novel idea. Most of the ponies in my kingdom wouldn't know what to do with this, truth told, so I was in no hurry for them."

"Urban development first?" Stein considered that. "Sensible. They have the infrastructure to get the work in faster. More related to the two of us, I have records that we sent a copy of our Internet laws for review, but haven't gotten confirmation that you'll abide by the international treaties we had before."

"I do apologize for that." Celestia smiled gently. "I have my best assistants deciphering it, but your laws are, do forgive, byzantine and dizzying in complexity. I would know what I put my hoof down on before I give that word." She steepled her hooves as if they were fingers, leaning forward. "However, I can agree to the terms of your intellectual property agreements. The idea of, well, ideas, coming loose because a bad actor flees across country lines? Not acceptable... However, our copyrights have different terms than yours."

"If you could," suggested Stein. "--we would be satisfied if works registered in America were honored in Equestria, should a conflict arise. We have a robust system that can be checked, more easily now that you have Internet access."

"That would be fine..." Celestia turned a hoof to her chin. "But my little ponies have their own thoughts and innovations. Would your people accept our own decrees?"

Stein paused there. Accepting to blankedly accept Equestria's copyrights was a loss of sovereignty, however small. But she also saw an out. "Equestria does not have a remotely accessible database. If someone were involved in a legal debate here, it would be quite burdensome to check the validity of any such claims."

But rather than back down, Celestia nodded with renewed resolution. "Then we will have to 'get with the times' as they say. I will be back with you when we have that ready. For now, good day. I look forward to working with you, President Stein."

"And I you, Princess Celestia." The call ended and Stein let out a little breath. She had survived an international diplomatic meeting. That had gone... mostly well. "Get the details over to the senate," she ordered. "And ask them about how they feel about a mutual agreement with Equestria to abide each others' copyrights." She had a feeling that would be coming up again.

The fact that America didn't have the barrier and bridge of a proper diplomat was not lost on her, but Equestria had been adamant that they could speak directly and forthrightly, which they seemed to be doing. The trick being that this meant America was expected to return the favor, with the president taking calls from their princess, rather than most of the details being hashed out between their diplomats.

A too-friendly ally? Such things were possible...

Former Queen Chrysalis

Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution - First Degree Murder, Possession of a Nuclear Weapon, Terrorism, Breaking and Entering, Assault

[An image of Chrysalis in her cage, scowling at the camera]

Aliases:

Chryssie, Changeling,

Date(s) of Birth Unknown
Place of Birth Presumed Equestria
Hair Blue
Eyes Green
Height 5'6"
Weight 200 to 220 pounds
Build Variable
Complexion Holed
Sex Female(usually)
Race Changeling(usually)
Occupation Deposed queen of the changelings
Nationality None

Reward:

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $400,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Chrysalis.

Remarks:

A known operative, she is capable of changing her appearance at will. Do not attempt to approach, nor should action be taken if someone you know is suspected of being her. Please call.

Caution:

SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing, Mike." Swift inclined her head at the wanted posted hanging there that caught her eye. "She looks mean."

"Because she is," he reasoned quickly. "Or they wouldn't want her so bad."

"Couldn't they want somebody for good things?"

Mike snickered at that, pointing ahead. "If you want to get some ice cream, we'd better run."

That easily won out over any other thoughts, and they hurried to score their treat before it was too late.

Author's Note

Politics! We had a dose of that!

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