Dear James
I’m looking forward to my visit in a couple days. I decided I’ll check in on Twilight first and see how she’s settling in. I should arrive at around three in the afternoon on the dot. I plan on touring her new home and hopefully getting to know the ponies who saved my sister. I’ve tried giving them all a stipend for that, but the nobles won’t allow it; apparently, ‘commoners’ should not be ‘rewarded for doing the job of the guard.’ If you could believe it, they even had the gall to suggest they should be put up on charges for ‘tampering with crown property.’ I’m just glad they weren’t stupid enough to actually try and do such a thing, because if they did I would do far more than just revoke their noble status and let them rot in jail.
Sorry, that’s not true, that was just cathartic to get out there.
Back on topic, once I’m done meeting with my favorite heroes, I’ll come over to your place so I can finally get that town tour you’ve been promising me.
It has been difficult for Luna. She’s trying to adjust to the new dialect. Honestly, I almost forgot I ever actually spoke like that. I guess the theater would remind me once in a while, but it’s been so long and somehow in all that time I’ve still never been an actor. Maybe when Luna is up to date on the happenings of our country I can finally take a month or two off, or I can have more time in the day or something.
Speaking of my sister, anytime I see her I almost break down into tears of joy, and find myself hugging the air out of her. I can’t help it, she told me that ‘it’s getting irritating,’ but I don’t know what to do, she just makes me feel like a school filly seeing one of her parents after a year long trip. I just haven’t felt so happy in such a long time, don’t get me wrong I love having Twilight, Spike, Cadence, and you in my life but Luna is my sister, she just brings back memories of happier times. I know in time I’ll be able to control my joy, I just don’t see it happening anytime soon.
Your friend Celestia
P.S. Thank you for your restraint that day, after some thought and soul searching I do believe I couldn’t let just anypony do that to me while in the middle of day court, I was overwhelmed with desperation. I wouldn’t want somepony who’d abandon, abuse, and/or mistreat me afterwards.
Dear James
Thank you for your suggestion, but I just don’t see how it could help. We’re not fillies and even when we were we had our own rooms.
I look forward to that tour tomorrow.
Your friend Celestia
Dear James
Sorry I wasn’t able to get in contact with you till now. It’s been a long day and a lot has happened.
It was quite literally just before I left for Ponyville that I got an urgent request for help from Fillydelphia, one I couldn’t ignore. I couldn’t help but find it funny that yet again I wouldn’t be able to get that tour from you but Twilight was still expecting me so I did make a quick visit to Ponyville. I admit, I was disappointed I didn’t get to see you, but I did get to see all of my heroes if only briefly.
Anyways, I had a brief chat with Twilight and I’m sure you remember my ridiculous request for allowing her to stay in Ponyville right? To send me ‘friendship reports.’ In truth, all I wanted her to do was to keep in touch with me and I hadn’t gotten a letter from her yet. I suppose she’s been having so much fun with her new friends that she completely forgot, or maybe she hadn’t learned anything about friendship yet. She’s usually very strict with herself on such things. I might need to let her know again, that she’s free to send me letters about anything she wants. We have a unique relationship that I value greatly and I just don’t want it to see it diminished while she’s away. So before I left I figured I’d remind her and asked if she had a ‘friendship report.’ It seems she maybe did forget, or I don’t know, thinking about it now, a ‘lesson in friendship,’ can only happen if something unique happens in or around a friendship that challenges it and without that dispute and a resolution there is nothing to learn, so it’s entirely possible she had no ‘lesson,’ to provide. That’s hindsight I suppose. Regardless, I asked her if she hadn’t learned anything about friendship at all, and then she said something that I honestly wasn’t expecting and it gave me something to think about while on my way to Fillydelphia.
Now for the disaster that was today. I arrived at Fillydelphia in chaos…
The letter then goes into detail how Celestia saved Fillydelphia from a swarm parasprites and it wasn’t with music.
In the end I was lucky no pony got hurt and Cloudsdale was nearby to stop the fires.
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to visit again for a while so please do come visit sometime.
Your friend Celestia
P.S. Thanks to Twilights ‘friendship report,’ I've decided to give your seemingly foalish idea a try. I don’t see why you think it’d help, but I cannot see it hurting either. I’ve already asked Luna and she agreed. Jeez, I feel like such a foal.
Dear James
Thank you, for your suggestion. Sleeping in the same bed as my sister has provided me with a sense of calm I have not felt in such a long time. I won’t go into the details but we did converse about many things, maybe got into an argument, but in the end, it helped and our bond is stronger than ever.
I’ve just been so happy since she came back into my life, you have no idea.
We decided that once Luna is more up to date that she’ll hold a night court. We haven't discussed the specifics yet, but I was thinking from nine in the afternoon, to twelve at night. While I reduce my day court hours which usually last from morning till six thirty in the afternoon with an hour long and a half long lunch. I figured she would be best served if she started off slowly and increased her hours as she feels fit.
Still, as much as I would like to make this a smooth transition for her, I probably can’t, because she also has dreamwalking at night and that’s a duty she takes seriously.
Your friend Celestia
Dear James
I’m glad to hear your house was spared by the parasprites, and also happy to know Ponyville is able to recover from such devastation rather quickly. Sorry that the thought to ask never occurred, the aftermath of Fillydelphia has kept me busy.
I suppose you wouldn’t know what dreamwalking is. Not many ponies nowadays do. Dreamwalking is just as it sounds, my sister has the ability to enter into other ponies' dreams. She has, on occasion, shared with me her wonderful ability, she did so that night we had the sleepover. I want to write more about it, but I’m afraid it’s just not my place to say. Come visit and I’m sure she’ll be happy to tell you all about it herself.
Perhaps you are right about letting Luna decide her own hours and everything else. I just don’t want her to get overwhelmed or sadly more likely underwhelmed. I guess that’s for the future as she’s not quite ready for night court yet anyways. I just can’t let her go out in public speaking like that, it’s so out of date and archaic even. Language thankfully has evolved with time. If Luna held night court now I fear the miscommunications would quickly compound, and I just do not want her looking the fool or being the fool for misinterpretations.
The letter then went into a familiar set of symbols James recognised from an earlier letter Celestia had sent him.
I trust you remember the magic words? Let me know if you forgot or somehow lost the letter with the magic words.
Your friend Celestia
P.S. If you’re reading this it means you’ve been keeping my letters or you remembered the magic words, good, or you had to ask me for them, which would be disappointing, but not the worst thing ever. Anyways, what came from the spell matrix is three tickets for this year's Grand Galloping Gala. Don’t worry, I did resist the urge to put anything on these tickets that would help me find out who your guests are. I might be presumptuous to think you will bring your herd, but I believe you implied there’s three total? Feel free to visit anytime.
P.P.S. I hope it’s not much of a bother but could you please keep tabs on Twilight?
It had been a few weeks since the Summer Sun Celebration. A lot of crazy things happened in those few weeks, and James now understood why the locals used ‘it’s Ponyville’ as an excuse for the crazy things that occur.
James had to give Ponyville credit for rebuilding their houses and stuff within two days. He’s even more glad his house was far enough away from all the carnage.
After Celestia's most recent letter. James was in the process of making a letter back that first claimed that he understood that she wanted him to spy on Twilight, and in case she goes rogue that he would not hesitate to eliminate her. He tried to make it sound serious. He also is going to write that he plans to invite Twilight into his herd, so he could make sure she had no evil plans. He's still working on the wording. Either way, at the end in a P.S. he intends on letting Celestia know he was joking pretty much the whole letter. He's still working on it and hopes to send it before today ends.
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School started and James somehow managed to get Scootaloo into classes without much issue. He expected the worst, considering Scootaloo is technically a missing filly. Nothing came of it yet and it’s been an entire school week, so he was hoping the trend remained, while simultaneously wanting to do something so things like this could not happen without at least some kind of external involvment.
It was the beginning of the weekend and according to Scootaloo the whole class got invited to a cutescenera party at Sugar Cube Corner. She didn’t seem too enthused to go to it, but he encouraged her to go and try to make some normal friends.
He had Scootaloo promise to try not to bring them into the herd, and she made that promise, much to his relief. He did not want another situation like what happened with Scootaloo thrusted on him, especially since any friends they could make would likely have parents that are much more present in their life, and he didn’t want to go to jail or worse.
Sapphire came by and ate the meal that he made. They had some fun in his glorious shower room after words. Mostly so he wouldn’t have to clean sheets. Speaking of which, he’s glad he has no carpet, only rugs. Afterwards, she left for her own temporary place. She’s resisting moving in, and even considering taking her enchanting shop out of town, as she had always wanted to see most of Equestria. She naturally wanted him to come with her.
He honestly wouldn’t have minded traveling with her, but school had just started and he wasn’t about to leave Sweetie behind and deny Scootaloo her education, and a stable home, although highly unconventional and immoral as it is.
He was pondering things on his couch as the front door opened, “Da-” Scootaloo began and cut herself off loudly, “I’m back!” she finished while walking in.
He remained seated, but adjusted so he could face her better, “Hey, how was the party?”
“Great! There’s someon-” she began before her eyes went wide, “someponies I want you meet,” she finished with a cute light blush, while gesturing some ponies inside.
He looked outside and saw an orange mare with a blond mane and stetson hat outside and a yellow filly with a red mane and pink bow. He actually recognized the orange mare as one of Twilight's new friends and has actually bought some great apples from her.
They walked inside, “Howdy pardner, Copperback was it?” Applejack began as she strolled in looking around.
“That’s my last name actually, I go by James usually, as that’s my first name, and yes I know it’s a weird name for you ponies but it’s common enough where I’m from, and you’re uhh-” he explained while shrugging.
“Oh!” Scootaloo stepped in, “uh that’s Applejack the big sister of my new friend Apple Bloom!” She yelled proudly while gesturing to the filly next to her, “and we’re the-
“Cutie Mark Crusaders! Yay!”
“Cutie Mark Crusaders! Yay!”
“Sweeties a crusader to,” Scootaloo added, “she’s just-” and then Apple Bloom lightly elbowed Scootaloo, who looked at her confused for a second, “oh yeah, can I have a sleepover at Apple Blooms place pleeeease!?”
James smiled at how cute that was, “I don’t see why not,” which got both fillies excited, though Scootaloo hid it.
“See, I told you it wouldn’t be an issue,” she said nonchalantly with a smirk.
“We should go meet up with Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom suggested.
“Yeah! Last one there has to sleep on the floor!” Scootaloo said before running out the house.
“Hey! That’s not fair, I don’t even know where she lives!” Apple Bloom protested and began to give chase but stopped, “Wait!” which presumably Scootaloo did, “Applejack I’m going to see if Sweetie can sleep over and from there we’ll head back home.”
“Alright sugarcube,” Applejack began, with that Apple Bloom bolted, “and be back before it’s dark out!” Applejack yelled after her sister, “heh, fillies.” Applejack directed her attention back to James.
“Yeah,” he said, not sure how to respond.
“I heard from Twilight and Rarity that you were some kind of fancy foal-sitter?” Applejack asked, while seeming to scrutinize him.
“Yeah, that would be correct,” he said while pulling out his badge and showing it to her. He’s learned to keep it on him at all times as it always seemed to come in handy.
She looked at it puzzled, “That your proof or something?”
“It is or was,” he answered, “umm, C- Princess Celestia gave me that and the title of ‘Royal Foalsitter,’ in the hopes that I could make lots of bits fast,” he explained, “and it worked alarmingly well, so I more/less retired and moved down here, and uh,” he stopped as he noticed she was just standing there kind of awkwardly, “you’re welcome to a take a seat if you want,” he said patting the empty space on the couch.
She gave a slight smile, closed the door, and walked over and hopped on the couch, “ahh, that’s much better,” she said laying on it like a dog, looking up to him, her stetson just barely not obscuring his view of her green eyes, “after a long day's work, it’s nice to get some rest. So how’d you end up foal-sitting for Scootaloo if you’re retired?” She asked, giving him a focused almost suspicious look.
He smiled in an attempt to hide his nervousness, “Well, her parents aren’t the best, and they’re away too much so I made it my mission to make sure she was alright,” he answered truthfully and vaguely.
“Are you tellin’ me they’re neglecting their filly?” She asked with a frown, while also placing one hoof over the other.
“Well, to put it bluntly, yes, and that’s why I opted to foal-sit her free of charge,” he explained.
“Well that’s mighty generous of you, though I’d like to meet these ponies and have a little chat with them myself,” she said in a threatening manner, her face serious.
“Unfortunately, they’re out of town currently, or at least I’m pretty sure they are,” he paused to pick his next few words carefully, “but, uh I, I’ll let you know when they stop by,” He said with a nervous smile.
One of her eyes slightly twitched, “I reckon that’s fair,” she replied.
“So, uh, I assume you live at the apple farm?” James asked, hoping to change the subject before he has to answer things like what they do for work.
Her eyes narrowed at him for a moment before she smiled, “Yep, Sweet Apple Acres, home of the best apples around,” she stated proudly as if nothing had happened.
He put on a more natural smile, “They are very good, frankly they put my worlds apples to shame,” he agreed, “so uh, Scootaloo isn’t allergic to anything, or at least I don’t think she is,” he informed.
“What’s that supposed to mean? How do you not know?” Applejack questioned furiously.
“Simple really,” James began, “How would you know you’re allergic to cats if you never ran into a cat before?” He asked.
“I-I suppose that makes sense,” she said, grabbing her stetson and pulling it over her face for a moment.
“So as I was saying,” he continued, “I’m not aware of anything she may be allergic to, and uhh, I guess make sure she’s not playing with a ball near a window, She’s already accidentally broken one of my windows,” he said with a shrug.
“That all?” Applejack asked.
James thought it over for a moment,“actually no, I’ll be back in one second,” he said, making a hand gesture for just that.
With that he went and got Scootaloo’s toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, and a nightlight and put them in two separate bags. Dentist stuff in one bag, and nightlight in the other.
“So I got a toothbrush and stuff for Scootaloo,” he said, placing the bag on the coffee table, “and a nightlight, in case she gets scared at night, just don’t let her know about it unless she feels she needs it. She likes to act tough.”
“D’awww that’s mighty nice of you,” she complimented an ever so slight blush, “So how’s Equestria been treating you? You’re some kind of alien right?”
“Of some kind, yes, and well, this place is very different, yet, somewhat similar in some ways to my own world or perhaps I should say reality?” he answered unsure.
“You don’t say? In what ways?” She asked while looking towards him.
“Honestly,” He started bringing a hand to his chin for a moment, “I think the most familiar thing here is the shops, towns, roads, food… well, some food at least and stuff like that, but the difference being is that here is a lot more crazy and unreal, I mean like a lot more or at least in this town, while also somehow being like an idyllic old timey fantasy kingdom, it’s…” he shook his head and sighed, “I don’t know, there’s a lot more differences here than in my world, the biggest one being magic. We don’t have magic where I’m from, whether this is a different world or reality, I don’t really know,” he answered with a shrug.
“Really magic? What’s so special ‘bout it?” Applejack asked.
“You mean besides the fact it’s what keeps everyone alive considering C- Princess Celestia moves the freaking sun with it? Okay, I want you consider this, on my planet we’re like a billion miles away from our sun and it doesn’t rotate around us, we rotate around it, and the only reason we have a day night cycle is because our planet spins as it circles the sun, if our planet didn’t spin we’d have a planet that on one side was a baked hellscape and on the other side would be be a frozen wasteland, and I’m no climatologist but I can only imagine that the areas in between those two zones would have constant tornadoes and stuff,” he sighed, “sorry, my point is this, pretty much every creature on this planet has magic, and the things that it can do are unreal.”
Applejack merely looked at him for a moment, “I suppose I can see what you mean, well,” Applejack said getting off the couch, “I should get going, still got some work to do back at the farm,” she said before grabbing the bags of Scootaloo’s stuff on the coffee table with her mouth and walking towards the front door.
“Alrighty then, later,” James said just as she opened the door, and walked out. She held the door open for a moment, gave him a nod and then closed it.
With what little daytime there was left James took the rest making his joke letter as good as it could be, before sending it.
