Cause of Progress

***

Morning came with a knock on the door. Abbi stirred awake from her sleep, already annoyed by the unknown guest, while Fiz just grimaced and covered her head with a blanket. They currently were on the bed, hidden under the warm covers. During the night they didn't much change their positions - they were closely together, holding each other in sleep. It was comfortably warm and the idea of leaving the said warmth was unappealing to both unicorn and human.

A second pair of knocks was followed by a polite, femine voice. - "Miss Reznik, I came to notify you that Princess Celestia asked for your presence in the throne room within a next hour."

To this - the mentioned human only mumbled something far from polite, raising her head and after an exhale - lifting her top half with the help of her left elbow. She looked down at still frowning Tempest, smiling in amusement at the sight and lightly kissing the base of her horn - a trusty way to give her unicorn lover a pleasant feeling and make her relax. Abbi risen onto her feet and headed to the door. She as usually wore her black t-shirt and panties, showing off her metal legs and a hand.

With silent clanks of metal feet against the stone floor - Abigail reached the door, opening it and looking at the... maid. White and black outfit with a long dress that ended a couple of cantimeters above the floor. With questonable and sleepy face - Abbi looked at the face of a maid, asking. - "Celestia asked for my presence to do what, exactly?"

"Umm... Princess didn't specify that." - The maid awkwardly admitted.

"Of course she wouldn't... Thank you, we will be there in due time." - Nodded Abbi, closing the door and rubbing the bridge of her nose.

She walked to the bed, sitting on the edge of it and gently shaking Tempest. - "Rise and shine, Fiz. We have a day ahead of us and we need to get dressed. Come on, love." - To which the unicorn begrudgingly moaned and opened her eyes a little.

"What time is... it?" - She asked, yawning at the end.

"Time to get up, you sleepy mare. Celestia's waiting for me in the throne room within an hour and you supposed to guard me. So come on, time to hit the shower." - Said Abbi, who stop shaking Fizzy and headed to the bathroom. - "Are you going to join me or nah?"

"I will. But I could use a boost..." - Tempest said, slowly sitting up with half closed eyes.

"Of course you will..." - Abbi said, shaking her head and walking back to the bed. Leaning down - she turned mare's head with a finger on her jaw and planted a quick yet passionate kiss on her lips. - "Come on... We need to get going..." - She said softly this time, looking into mare's sleepy eyes.

Tempest's frown turned to a satisfied smile and more open eyes. She nodded to her lover in return. - "Alright, gimme a minute to wake up a little bit more and I'll join you..."

"That's more like it. And if I don't see your cute flank in the shower in five minutes..." - She leaned to Tempest's ear. - "I will adress you today only as 'my mare'." - After which gently bit the tip of her ear and with a slight sway walked to the bathroom.

Now wide awake and red faced - Fizzy could only watch her leave, tempted to actually push her luck and stay for a little bit more in the bed. But she knew better - if Abigail promised something then she will do it, either out of principal or for her own fun.

***

After a steamy shower with a short adult interlude and dressing up - both human and unicorn now stood in the throne room before Princess Celestia and supposedly friends of little purple bookworm. Fun fact - the temperature of this world was colder than on Terra, meaning that when others would dress in a t-shirts and a short skirts - Abbi would dress in her cargo pants, steel-tipped army boots and a light khaki sweater with rolled up sleeves, like right now. She still wore her sunglasses, because she was more comfortable in concealing her eyes from others. Also they looked cool.

"So... What do you want from me, exactly?" - Abigail asked, raising a brow at the Princess, ignoring others for now.

"In early morning arrived the supply of details for your work, Miss Reznik. My sister and her Night Guards supervised the transportation of the said details to your workplace. We would be pleased to look at the master in the process of her craft." - Explained Celestia, while Twilight and her friends were quietly chatting on the side.

Abigail rolled her eyes at that. - "Just say 'I want to see - how you do things', no need to be like that. But fine, gimme a minute to have a coffee, a smoke and i will be good to start."

At that - Celestia only smiled with a hint of confusion, while Tempest nudged her lover with the elbow and whispering. - "I told you to not smoke on the empty stomach..."

"Relax, I will eat first thing after this. After all - I want to see what they shipped to me." - After that - Abbi with Tempest and Celestia with the group headed to the workshop on the lower level of the castle.

While they were walking - Abbi was asked a lot of questions by others from the group, like :

"Why you don't have a fur?" - Evolution.

"Where are you come from?" - My mum and dad, when they decided to have a kid.

"What is your favorite flavor of the cake." - Chocolate with bits of strawberry, soaked in rum.

"Why do you have that horrid looking metal on your arm?" - Because I don't have an arm and it was polished and repainted two weeks ago, thank you very much.

Only one of them didn't said anything, silently hiding behind her straight pink... hair? Mane? Whatever, it's probably mane giving their race name - ponykind. Also Fizzy called it like that. Girl looks cute though, that green sweater and skirt really suits her.

Speaking of the group. In there they had : a westerner blonde in cowboy hat that probably work on a farm, a pink hyperactive LSD addict, Twilight the Nerd, a boastful rainbow-colored adrenalin junkie that I want to smack upside the head more I hear her speak, a diva that acts like she is the centre of a beaty and fashion, and of course that cute pink maned shy mare.

When the group arrived at the workshop - Abigail stopped them and anounced. - "Alright, now you are on my territory, meaning that I have rules in my workplace : don't touch my instruments without permission to do so, don't screw with things you don't know on how they work, if you have a question about something related to my work - speak up. Anyone have something to ask?"

"Pffft, like something there is THAT dangerous. It's just a bunch of scrap." - Dismissed the rainbow colored mare, rolling her eyes.

At this - Abbi only raised her brow once again, removing her sunglasses and looking at the mare with the look that said 'you are stupid and that's a fact'. She then proceeds to grab a short 1,5 mm square shaped construction pipe and her plasma cutter, which is a fancy name for a high-powered welding torch with green 'flame', that's used to work with high density metals. Turning the valve and condensing the stream - Abbi slashes the pipe, touching it with the flame and cutting the chunk from it that falls onto the floor with a clank. At the amazed looks - she lays the remaining of a pipe on the workbench and turned off the cutter, looking at now wide-eyed pegasus. - "Any more questions? No? Cool. Hun, please put the coffee pot on. I'll start with the unpacking."

Tempest nodded with a hidden glee in her eyes at the pleasant scene that happened before her. After all - Fizzy loved when her lover showed off her intellect or wit to silence someone or to put someone in their place. She walked to the other side of the workshop, turning the crystal-powered coffee-maker on and preparing two cups for both of them, while Abbi started to calmly converse with the others from the group, simultaneously cutting the straps that held the details together.

***

Fifteen minutes later, when Abbi's coffee and smoke break was finished (others didn't take the smell that good) - human took a shipment document, checking the delivered things. With everything she had - Abigail couldn't make much, but she could work with it for now. The amount of materials and details was actually enough to make a functional airsurf board. The concept was simple, same thrusters like on the barge, but with lower power output and attached to a sheet of refined steel with perpendicularly placed horizontal handle for navigating the directions and controlling the speed. Of course the control panel could be fit into the board itself and controlled by stepping on the buttons without a handle, buuut... nah, too dependant on leg agility and vestibular apparatus. Version with handle only required the former.

The other things she could potentially do with her stock is... well, a lot actually. The airsurf is the first that came to mind. There also was a couple of boxes labeled 'CAUTION!' and 'Fragile package', which she believed contained that porcelain details she request a week prior. She should see the details later. Well, time to work.

She set her empty cup on the table and walked to the standing stacks of a thin, refined sheets of metal, looking over the smallest one, which had parametres of 150×40×2.5 respectively. - "Let's try this one..." - She mumbled to herself, putting the working glove on her left arm and picking up the sheet, taking it to the workbench. The others quickly surrounded her, watching as she proceeds to mark the shape and places for holes with marker and took the sheet to the first stop, where it will be fixated and cut. Laser cutter was programmed and with precision produced the requested shape of the board. Next was to put the layer of sandpaper-like fabric on the standing side to prevent the slips....

***

"This umm... looks... " - Tried to complement Twilight, looking at the strange mechanism.

"Oh, oh! Unknown? Alien? Like a bomb?" - Supported the hyperactive pink mare, hopping in place, making her 'girls' jumping up and down. Does she wearing a loosened bra?...

"It looks like a bunch of hodge-podged scrap." - Bluntly voiced Rainbow, that started to get on the nerves of both Abbi and Fizzy. The former only glanced at her for a second, placing a small cilindrically shaped crystal into the battery port.

"Maybe it is..." - Agreed Abigail, lifting the board and placing it on the floor. - "But alas - I'm making it for showing the concept, you could make it pretty afterwards." - She finished saying, standing on the board.

"What is this thing anyway? Looks like a scooter..." - Wondered Rainbow.

"Well..." - Started Abbi, clearing her throat. - "It's an airsurf. I used to built them from a bunch of scrap back when I was younger. As to what this thing for?.." - She flipped the small switch, making the construction come to live and hover above the ground with silent hum of engine, to yet another amazement of others. - "I could say 'personal transportation', but truly? It's more for fun." - And at that - she used the control handle to gain thrust, speeding away from the group, being half a metre from the ground and producing a loud 'YAHOOOO!' while travelling up the stairs and into the halls of a castle at 15 km/h.

The group could only hear the innovator's echoing voice deeper in the castle, as well some female yelps, presumably maids. Tempest silently laughed at the expression on the faces of the group. - "And she didn't even tried hard. Abigail could do a lot better job, when motivated." - Admitted the crimson unicorn, having her hands crossed and looking around the workshop.

"Is she always like that?" - Asked Twilight that regained her composure.

Tempest furrowed her brows. - "Like what?"

"Wild? Unrestricted? Unladylike? Careless?" - Supported Rarity.

"Are we talking about the same person? Abigail is careful when it needs to be, she doesn't need to be restricted, because she's a grown up and... Wild? She just like to have fun when she could. As to 'unladylike'... She just more coltish." - Argued Tempest.

"Ooh, me likey, me likey..." - Said Pinkie with a mischievous smile.

"Hands off, she's taken." - Glared the crimson unicorn.

"There's always room for one more in having fun!" - Exclaimed the pink mare with wide smile.

Tempest could only deadpan. - "Nope, not in this case."

***

After the whole demonstration of a crafted airsurf and it's abilities, Twilight's small mental breakdown on the 'lack of magic in it' - the group disolved. Celestia, Twilight, Applejack (snort, Jappleack), Rainbow Dash (snort times two, Dainbow Rash) and Fluttershy (shy cutie) decided to stay at the castle and do whatever, while Abigail, Tempest, Pinkie Pie and Rarity wanted to go in the town as separate groups. Rarity wanted to visit the local boutique (shocker), Pinkie (to noone surprise) - bakery and Abigail with Tempest wanted to have something to eat, as they slept trough the breakfast. Celestia said, that after lunch there would be a small court that will be consisted out of scientists and engineers from the local university, Luna as well, so Abbi could discuss with them the possibility of future upgrades and make a plan of applying the said upgrades. In short - boring stuff. Until that - free time. Abbi left the airsurf in her workshop, before leaving with Fizzy.

During the walk trough the streets of Canterlot - Abbi was undeniably eyed by the local residents, royals and workers from different shops. Abbi felt like she was once more on the Isles during her first week in this world. Countless eyes were watching her every move, like she was a museum exhibit. She almost had a fit after the next encounter.

When the pair arrived at seemingly alright restaurant, that served meat - the waiter thought that Abbi was an animal that belonged to Tempest, sooo...

"No animals inside, miss." - Said the waiter, keeping the neutral expression and looking at the crimson unicorn.

"We don't have animals with us." - She qickly answered, furrowing her brows and holding hands with Abigail, who had her glasses on once again.

"I'm sorry miss, but you certainly are. You holding it's paw right now." - The waiter said, pointing with his hand at Abbi.

"Did you just called my lover an animal?..." - Growled angrily Fiz, clenching her teeth.

"Do you sleep with it? By Celestia, you are gross..." - He covered his maw, imitating puking sound.

"Chill, Tempest." - Interrupted Abigail, not wanting for a fight to break out, holding her arm with her left. - "Let's just find a place with more polite workers that don't assume... wait, is that Shining?" - Abbi nodded at the table with the white unicorn stallion and an unknown mare.

"Huh?..." - She followed the direction and indeed it was the Captain, sitting with someone. - "Oh yeah, it is Shining. And looks like he's on date."

"Oh, it talks. What an unusual beast you have..." - Commented the waiter, reminding of his presence.

At this - Tempest was ready to snap the waiter's neck, but fortunately Abigail had a better idea. - "Oi, Shining! Might help us out there, would ya?" - She asked loudly, making the white unicorn jump and look at the entrance, as well the half of the guests.

After recognising the pair - he quickly got up and after saying something to his date came to the entrance. - "Good day, Miss Reznik, Tempest. What's seems to be the problem?" - He asked, already on edge.

"This muppet think's that I'm a pet animal of my lover, and was assuming that she's into bestiality." - Said Abigail bluntly, nodding at now sweating waiter. - "Could you please clarify to Mr Rude here - who am I?"

Shining, now both surprised and angered - looked at the covering waiter and strictly said. - "This is Abigail Reznik, an important visitor from another country and her guard - Tempest Shadow. Miss Reznik is definitely NOT an animal... Do you understand?"

The waiter nodded a couple of times, seemingly turning pale with every word.

"Excellent. Now, would you mind showing them an empty table so they could have something to eat?"

"O-of c-"

"No need." - Interrupted Abigail, looking at Shining Armor, then at the waiter. - "I've lost my appetite... Come on, Tempest. We have some more time before we need to go back to the Castle. Let it be lesson of politeness for this bloke. Sorry for interrupting your date, Captain." - At this, he nodded with saddened expression, while Abbi and Tempest left to find something more easily accessible, like a stall with fast food. Shining could only think for the rest of his date that it will bite them in the future.

***

The pair did indeed found a stall maintained by griffin male and had some food, which was consistent of a simple fish kebab on a stick and a cold tea with ice. After the light late breakfast and another smoke for Abbi - they returned to the castle for the biggest shows imaginable, unbeknown to both of them and Princesses.

It started calm - Abigail arrived with Tempest at the Court room, guided by two guards, and sat at the other end of a long table. Then Celestia and Luna came with a group of scientists. Some of them were old, some of them young. What's important was their interest in Abigail specifically. Like Twilight Dorkle - they couldn't understand, that not everything must have magic in it. The talk about the future modernization was dragging pretty slow, one scientist arguing with another, showing research papers and diagrams, while Celestia, Luna and Abigail could only look at the chaos. Finally, after one hour, Luna had enough.

"Silence! I had enough of your bickering with each other. All me, my sister and Miss Reznik hear is an unending argument." - Luna said in a loud, glass trembling voice.

"I don't know, Princess..." - Lazily said Abigail with a sleepy voice. - "All this discussions almost lulled me to sleep. If this is an example of how your brightest minds do their jobs - I'm surprised your country was able to invent steam-powered engines."

"It's magic heated..." - Somepony mumbled.

"And that's your problem." - Continued Abigail. - "Magic this, magic that. Roughly two thirds of Equestria's population aren't unicorns. They don't have horns, don't have active magic. Think about every... pony, not just yourselves. Let's see..." - She picked up the list of possible inventions, that were already invented and needed to be implemented into Equestria's society. She scanned the sheet with her eyes for a couple of seconds and finally voiced her verdict.

"Start with something small yet important. For example - change the engines of your trains. Then you can redesign the houses and overall city planning. For crying out loud, you still doesn't have a normal streets! Lay a cobblestone roads for walking and... I don't know, rock slab mosaic for carriages. You have a lot of problems as it is, and didn't even concidered fixing them. What is the point of me being here and create something new and improve your stuff, if you can't finish what you started and make it at least passable to others?"

"A wise words, Miss Rez-" - Celestia tried to say, but was cut off.

"You are at fault as well. For my understanding, Princess, you had a lot of time to do that. What, you don't walk on the streets of your country? A wise ruler always think of how to improve the lives of citezens he or she's leading. You two, a more than thousand year old beings with unfathomable powers could do that without me, a magicless 22 years old female long time ago." - She stopped, taking a breath and continuing. - "If you want pointers and a plan - here it is : first you indetify a problem, then you think about upgrading. I didn't create and invent back on the Isles just by myself, no. I gave ideas and present examples."

When Abigail finished speaking - nobody dared to speak against her, not even Celestia. Because they knew - she was right. There's going to be a lot of work ahead. Unfortunately - the creation of a plan was no more possible, due to the pair of guards that entered in the Court room, gaining everybeing's attention. They were breathing heavily and had a sweat on their brows.

"Your Highness! One of the statues from the Gardens is gone!"