All These Truths We Deny

The place must have cost a fortune.

It was more of an enormous, multi-story house than a dedicated government building, with the requisite dining and living spaces set up in tasteful glass and brushed metal. Stunning wall-to-ceiling windows looked out over the sea, while upon the walls hung paintings that even Mary could tell were very old, very Italian, and very expensive.

The only problem was the scale. Everything seemed twice as large as it should have been, making it a chore to mingle with various spread-out groups of people on the lower floor. The main central staircase could fit seven people abreast. Even the modern chrome fireplace was so large, one might roast a whole cow inside with room to spare.

Mary nursed her champagne as she stood alone near the crackling hearth, watching the comings and goings of the attendees with a wary eye. She shouldn’t have been surprised, but there were a lot of people here for such an occasion; she estimated a couple hundred, scattered throughout the oversized home. Governor Gunawan had not been sparing with her invitations. Few who were able to host Princess Celestia were.

The doctor’s little black dress was none the worse for wear thanks to a dash of alicorn magic, but she was still uncomfortable. As a former starving grad student, blatant displays of wealth tended to make her that way, but she knew that wasn’t all there was to it.

Mary actually didn’t know much about Permata Gunawan, the current and many-times reelected governor of Bali, except for what she’d read in the briefings. She hadn’t yet shown her face…was that on purpose, or was she simply running late? In fact, why do all this here, instead of at one of the official state palaces? Was this place made to her particular taste, or was it some kind of dominance thing? Did she really think a princess would be impressed by such a layout?

“Fuckin’ politicians.” Mary growled the word like a curse as she drained her glass, at the same time reaching out to a passing waiter for a refill. “Lt. Kurosawa should be dealing with this shit.”

But she knew exactly how the good lieutenant would respond to such bitching. This was the job you signed up for, Doctor, so keep your freak on a leash. As Celestia’s official handler, it would be weird if she wasn’t at events like this.

Was the Princess worth all the hassle? Of course!

Shit was still a hassle, though.

As usual, Celestia herself was busy navigating the social waters of the event like the shark she truly was. Mary watched as the alicorn chatted at length about one of the more interesting paintings to the gathered heads of state following her every movement. The doctor had been enchanted with a language translation spell, making conversation (and surreptitious listening) a bit easier on her end, but Celestia spoke to her audience in a mix of English and native-level Indonesian, sprinkling Balinese here and there for flavor.

She really made it look easy, didn’t she?

Mary took another sip of the cold bubbly, fighting off boredom while Celestia worked the crowd. Then she choked and sputtered as the alicorn nodded in her direction, and a gaggle of heads turned toward her.

“I am not the one right now. Don’t you dare!” If Celestia couldn’t make out Mary’s low hisses of annoyance, she could certainly see the stricken look on the doctor’s face from across the room. Part of her thought it might do some good to get in a little practice rubbing elbows, but the larger chunk wanted to stay as unobtrusive as possible. They were all here for the Princess, after all, not Dr. Mary Parvotti. She wasn’t the star of the show.

Perhaps reading her mood, Celestia said something to the group that Mary couldn’t quite hear. As one, they turned away, following the alicorn toward one of the ceiling-height windows, where she began to point out stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies.

Mary sighed, knowing full well she’d hear about this later from both Celestia and Lt. Kurosawa. She hadn’t been this…listless in previous gatherings, and now she was wasting yet more opportunities others would literally kill for with her little wallflower act. What was her problem?

“My problem,” Mary muttered as she started on her third glass, “is with rude bitches who still think being late is fashionable. Have a little consideration, goddamn it.”

Celestia was just starting in on another subject when a rising murmur began near the staircase, followed by applause. “Finally,” Mary said, making her way toward the central area. “Let’s get this party-”

The figure coming down the glass steps almost stopped her in her tracks. Only momentum kept her from falling on her face, which would have been a tragic way to make a first impression. Especially in front of someone like that.

Some people have bodies that are tailor-made for certain functions. There are athletes who seem grown in a lab to play their sport, the same as chess and Go masters who were obviously put on Earth solely to push the boundaries of their game. Still, it’s rare that you can take one look at an individual and understand exactly what they’re all about.

Permata Gunawan, governor of Bali, left no doubt as to what she was born to do as she descended the center of the wide staircase…slowly, so that everyone knew that she had arrived. Her flesh was soft and inviting, yet scandalously sexy as she rocked an earth-brown dress stretched tight around wide, motherly hips, with a slit so high you could see a glimpse of lacy white panties with each step. A black, buckled corset over a super low-cut white shirt presented enormous tea-brown breasts, and tasteful ruffles just barely hid nipples bigger than any Mary had seen on a human being.

Permata didn’t just have a body…she had a Body. But the doctor had seen other, similarly-proportioned women in her life. That kind of thing certainly caught her attention, of course…however, it was the governor’s face that told the story.

Confidence. She radiated it, from the sharp features of her chin and nose, to the easy droop of her eyelids, to the effortless way she managed the huge, complicated braid of lustrous brown hair with threads of gray falling down her back. It was in the set of her mouth, quick with smiles yet easily settling into an indecipherable default, and in the way she held attention and gave it back, nodding and waving with casual grace to the dignitaries in attendance.

If not in politics, Mary could just as easily see Permata as a fearsome CEO, or possibly the manager of a well-run whorehouse. Her whole vibe was as one very used to giving orders and having them carried out with consummate skill, shamelessly using her curves as leverage wherever she could.

Fortune favored the bold, after all. Mary glanced over at Celestia to see her reaction, but the alicorn wasn’t looking at the governor. Her carefully controlled gaze was beyond.

Mary followed her viewpoint, and she audibly gasped at the other individual coming down the fabulous staircase, exactly three steps behind at all times.

It was a pony.

She was similar to Twilight in her miniature proportions, with the same presence of someone three times her size. Her coat was sunset orange, and a flowing goldenrod mane peeked out from a tattered straw hat over suspicious eyes that missed nothing and no one.

Mary knew her at first sight. She might have trotted right out of the security briefing files on the Legends, which had suddenly become required reading after the Twilight incident. There was the toned, farm-trained musculature in her haunches which let her kick down mighty oaks with ease. And there were her magically-shod hooves, enchanted by the Purple One herself and said to enhance that naturally monstrous strength a thousand fold. Each step thudded like a body landing in a pit, causing Mary to wonder if even Celestia could take a hit from those legs without serious damage.

And yes, there was the unmistakable cutie mark on her flank: a triangle of three apples, red and delicious-looking. Somehow, Applejack herself, one of the Six Legends of Canterlot, was connected to an Earth-bound country…and from the subtle signs Mary saw from Celestia, even she was caught off-guard. How did the Canterlot Institute miss this? What had their people been wasting their time on?

And unless Mary missed her guess, their relationship was well-established. Aside from keeping a proper distance from the governor, Applejack was strapped with saddlebags, no doubt prepared for just about every occasion, like a proper personal assistant. At times she would speak into a black earpiece, possibly coordinating the extensive security detail…and doing it with well-practiced discretion, since Mary had seen none of the obvious signs.

Certainly, there were few more qualified to manage a small, highly-trained force than the thundering muscle of the Six Legends. But that in itself didn’t answer any of the many questions her presence generated.

The audience muttered among themselves; they’d been caught just as flat-footed, which made Mary feel a bit better. But the applause intensified as the pair descended, and understandably; having access to such a powerful pony would be a significant get for any country.

The last part of that thought made Mary groan inwardly. There was no way they’d only have to deal with one of these walking disasters tied to a nation-state, but re-thinking the balance of power in a post-Celestia world would have to wait. Governor Gunawan had reached the ground floor at last.

She headed straight for Celestia with a megawatt smile, arms spread in greeting. “Behold, the star of the show! The lady of the hour! I do hope you’ve had a wonderful time so far.” She was speaking English — lightly accented, but otherwise perfect.

“Has the food and drink been to your liking?” Permata gestured at the throng surrounding Celestia. “More importantly, are any of these scoundrels giving you a hard time? Just say the word, and I’ll have them tossed out on their ears. I’ve seen my girl do it, and you know? It never gets old!”

The diplomats, ministers of state and other ‘scoundrels’ in question laughed nervously, but they conspicuously stepped back a few paces, giving the three of them some space. In the face of such uncertainty, this was not a time for taking chances.

Celestia gave her ageless nod in answer to Permata's questions. “Everything has been delightful, Madame Governor. And the company has actually been rather stimulating, to tell the truth. I was just giving a technical explanation of alicorn flight. There’s much more to it than the simple flapping of wings, you might be surprised to know.”

“Indeed?” Permata glanced up at the night sky outside the massive windows. “What an amusing coincidence. I was just about to give you a bit of advice for your next trip.”

She stepped close to Celestia — closer than most, upon first encountering the Princess — meeting her eye to eye. “Your flight speed is quite impressive, but you should be careful that you’re not mistaken for an ICBM in some unfortunate future. My girl here was considering countermeasures until cooler heads prevailed. We’re all a bit on edge after Twilight, you understand, so such displays might be seen as…aggressive…to some. You get what I’m saying, Princess.”

Celestia met her gaze unflinchingly. “Of course, Madame Governor. I was simply working the kinks out. The whole thing with the oceans during that dust-up a while back left me rather winded, so I’m trying to get a bit more exercise. Goodness, I must drive my handler up the wall with my silliness.”

She smoothly shifted her attention to Applejack, who was watching the exchange with a scowl. “You’ll have to forgive me if I left your girl a little shaken by my antics, though it’s good to see she possesses the same competence and professionalism that I remember. Still, if I’d known she, of all ponies, would be joining us this night, I would have made even more haste.” Celestia’s eyes were piercing, unblinking. “We have much to discuss.”

“No doubt,” Permata said with a laugh, all provocation gone with the waves as she held up a full glass of champagne. “Thankfully, we have all night to share old stories. Alas, to business, my good Princess…but first, a toast! To acquaintances old and new!” The surrounding humans took up the cry, tipping their glasses. Celestia and Applejack did not participate.

Mary joined in, but slowly, feeling uneasy as she observed the ponies’ awkward interaction. The encounter was on purpose, no doubt. It was hard to emotionally shake Princess Celestia, but springing something like this was a good attempt. The alicorn’s manner was precise and tightly controlled, which meant she was trying hard to keep it together. It was dirty pool, all the way around.

Fuck it, then.

“A wonderful toast!” Mary saluted with her glass as she pushed her way to the front of the crowd. “And timely. I’ve often found myself thinking about the value of unexpected friendship, for obvious reasons.”

Permata turned to Mary, following the doctor’s approach with that careful expression. “Dr. Mary Parvotti, esteemed xenobiologist, I presume. Your mistress must surely be a right handful. I’m glad there’s someone she can trust to pull back on her reins, so to speak.”

This bitch. “Oh, you have no idea,” Mary replied with her own open grin. “Hell, lately I’ve been thinking I should change my field to xenopsychology, instead. I mean, if there’s one thing I’ve taken away from all this, it’s that ponies and humans have very similar mental structures. You wouldn’t believe how many of the same neuroses and complexes we share. I never would’ve expected it.”

Mary nodded toward Applejack. “Case in point. These two haven’t seen each other in hundreds of years. This has gotta be a seriously weird situation, right? Maybe give ‘em some time to catch up and air things out before getting straight into work. Like you said, we’ve got all night.” No thanks to a certain diva’s tardiness.

Permata put her glass to her chin, tapping the fine crystal with a thoughtful fingertip. “You care very much about your mistress’s well-being, and I can appreciate that. But I should clear up a misconception. You see, I’m not trying to use my girl Applejack as some kind of weapon to get under Princess Celestia’s skin. There’s too much at stake for such foolishness. A tad bit more credit is in order, if you would.”

Mary started to reply, then she realized she had no good response. At first, she was abashed at her immediate suspicion — the doctor didn’t know for sure that this was a setup.

She didn’t know it wasn’t, either. Fuck, this bullshit was so fucking tedious.

“I thank you for your candor,” Mary said after a beat. “Too many people in high places think they can get something out of the Princess if they can figure out what she wants — whether that be material goods, knowledge, companionship, or even love.” She carefully avoided glancing in Celestia’s direction as she spoke. “I’d like you to keep in mind that she’s very particular about her… desires, so any bait you hang out needs to be on point. I won’t ask you not to try to get in her head — that’s why we’re all here, after all — but remember to give her the same courtesy you’re asking for yourself. Deal?”

Permata tilted her head, and her small smile widened a microscopic amount. Was that respect, or humor? A little of both?

Then she extended her hand to Mary. “Deal. It’s good that you understand the game those in my position must unfortunately play. Just…try not to get too deep into cynicism. Take it from me. It may feel that way sometimes, but not everyone is out to get you. Or her.”

Mary accepted the proffered handshake. “No promises. It’s a wide world out there, and not nearly enough of the Sun Princess to go around.”

“Count your blessings for that,” Celestia said.

Permata’s laugh was surprisingly warm. “Now is not the time to sell yourself short, Princess. But, allow me to give you and Applejack an opportunity to re-connect, as a simple gesture of sincerity. I’ll be around all night, keeping the riff-raff in line, so take your time. Call for me whenever you’re ready.”

With that, the governor drained the last of her drink as she turned on her heel and took her leave, surrounded by her own coterie of hangers-on. There was still a polite ring of emptiness between Mary’s group and the rest of the crowd, and the doctor hoped they remained cowed enough to give them a bit of privacy for a while. This wasn’t really the right time or place for such a reunion, but one had to make do.

Celestia and Applejack hadn’t stopped sizing each other up since they first saw each other. A sharp instinct of self-preservation kept Mary from making any snide comments. This was Canterlot business, real pony shit, and not something for a human to stick her nose into. Not yet, anyway.

“Hero Applejack.” Celestia’s voice was light and airy. “It’s so good to see you again after all this time, my dear friend.”

The other pony winced as if she’d been struck, and her scowl deepened. Slowly, she took the ratty straw hat from her head…then a whop sound echoed through the house as she slapped the alicorn across the face with it. Cries of surprise went up, but wisely, nobody tried to intervene. Celestia took the strike without moving a micrometer.

Applejack casually placed the hat back upon her honeyed mane, as if she’d used it to swat a fly. “Hellfire and damnation. After 200 years, you gon’ lie to my face with the first words outta yore cocksuckin’ mouth. That’s almost impressive.” She shook her head. “Element o’ Honesty, remember? Did it slip yer mind? And I ain’t been a damn hero in ages. Save that fer somepony who rates it.”

Her twang was hard for Mary to place — there was a lot of Texas, but also some Deep South in there, too. Alabama, maybe? Had she done some traveling before settling into her current position?

If Celestia was surprised by the accent, she didn’t show it. She simply gave a weary sigh as she faced her accuser. “Doubtless I deserved that, and much more. I understand your anger, Applejack, but perhaps a physical reckoning should wait for another time. I’d rather not cause a scene at your…ah…mistress’s nice party, would you?”

The pony gave a quick look around at all the gawkers, then shrugged. “It can wait,” she muttered.

She began to pace around Celestia, looking her up and down as if remembering the details of the Princess’ singular body after so long. “Ya never did tell us what really happened w’ Twi. Not the real story. I ain’t trust the whole ‘irreconcilable differences’ horseshit from the start, but ya shoulda told us straight ‘stead’a leavin’ us ta hear it from ol’ girl herself.”

The subtle twitch in Celestia’s cheek was like a cry of surprise. “You spoke to Twilight?”

Applejack nodded as she circled around the back of the Princess. “Fore she hit the road. Talked ta all of us. She said the shit you shoulda said ‘bout that day. Left out a few details, but we got the gist. It was a heated conversation — had ta stop Flutters from bustin’ down yore door, if ya can believe it. That was when we swore an oath ta each other, and the next day, Twi was gone. Ain’t seen her since.”

Celestia followed the pony’s movements closely. “An oath?”

“Never you mind. Jus’ a little somethin’ ‘tween friends.” Celestia did not qualify, obviously. “Hoooo-wee! All dat royal cookin’ been goin’ right to yore ass, ain’t it? Damn shame. Maybe you ain’t heard, but all us six been gettin’ stronger in these last few hundred years, Princess.” She spat the word like a curse. “Ain’t a one of us been sittin’ our fat butts on whatever laurels we done earned.”

“Neither have I, Applejack.” Mary was glad to see that Celestia had recovered from her various shocks, and now she simply looked determined as she faced the legend. “I was weaker then. You’re right…I didn’t trust you. Any of you. I should not have tried to hide what I did. Yet, I am not the same Sun Princess Celestia that I was then. I have also grown, and learned, and become stronger.”

She took a few steps closer as she spoke. “I told Twilight something similar to what I’m about to say. I dare not ask forgiveness for my crimes, but all the same, I will help to move history forward from here. I shall earn your trust again.”

“Long way ta go.” Applejack turned her eyes to Mary for the first time since coming down the staircase, regarding the human with a dubious look. “So. You’re this one’s…handler, you said? What’s that, like an assistant? Not a bodyguard, that’s for damn sure. What exactly do you do for yore mistress, lady?”

It was a hard question. Come dumpster? Therapist? Pimp? Student? There were many things Mary could say, and none of them would endear her to the pony standing in front of her. Best to keep it simple.

“I’m a taste of local flavor,” Mary said. “When the strangeness of Earth gets to be too much, I’m the one who tries to explain to her how and why everything’s so fucked up. And when Celestia doesn’t want to deal with human bullshit, I step in and represent her. The job’s thankless, but I’m sure you get that.”

Mary put a hand upon Celestia’s flank. It was a possessive gesture, she knew, but she wanted to make a point. “You’re right, though — the Sun Princess doesn’t need a bodyguard. Far from it. But she does need someone she can trust. She needs someone she can bitch to, someone she can confide in. Someone who knows her secrets. If I can be that for her, you can call me whatever the fuck you want. My official title is ‘personal assistant,’ though.”

“Is that so?” Applejack took in the pair of them with a look of skepticism. “Yer a doc. And not like a doc what fixes bones, or makes medicine, or useful crap like that. Nah, yer a theoretical doc. How’s that s’posed ta help Celestia in a pinch? You gon’ fish a bullet outta her hide? Make sure she’s gettin’ her vit-a-mins?”

Applejack trotted close enough to Mary to shadow both their faces with the wide brim of her hat. “This ain’t a job for a friend. And it for damn sure ain’t a job for some starry-eyed young thang who can’t actually do shit when push comes ta shove. Out with it, lady. You just wanted ta be famous. Ain’t no shame in-”

The pony jerked backward, finding herself suddenly hanging by the scruff of her neck as she floated a foot off the ground. Applejack struggled and kicked against the air in a desperate effort to fight against the magical manipulation that entrapped her, but she soon stopped her wriggling, knowing it was futile.

Celestia’s expression was frighteningly peaceful, but her horn glowed with a blinding pale light as she hoisted the mighty Applejack like a kitten before her. “I can countenance much, little pony, but there are some words that should not be spoken.”

In reply, Applejack put a hoof to her earpiece and barked a sharp command. A moment later, dozens of people in very sharp suits who Mary hadn’t noticed before surrounded the three of them, pushing back curious onlookers as every one of them pointed rifles at the Princess. Mary herself wasn’t a military person, but she’d been around enough solders lately to recognize the hardware when she saw it.

Celestia didn’t even look around. “Is this supposed to be a threat?”

Applejack gave a black glower. “Not to you, nah. But they might hit a bystander or two, maybe even missus personal assistant here. Think you can protect ‘em all? Wanna chance it? No? Put me down, goddamn yore eyes.”

The Princess’s withering glare would have broken lesser beings. “Is this what one of the great Heroes has come to? Endangering innocents? What happened to honesty?”

Applejack did not shy away. “I done told you ‘bout dat hero business. That ain’t me no more. And ain’t a one o’ these assholes innocent. I vetted ‘em myself, so I outta know. As for honesty…”

The pony’s expression turned to ice. Mary had no idea what conviction looked like until that moment.

“Tell me if ya think ah’m fuckin’ around.”

For a few tense seconds, the two stared each other down. Mary was too stunned to move; even her breathing was shallow. How did things escalate this far? Seriously…guns?

There was visible tension in Celestia’s face, which meant she was probably thinking something similar. “This is not what I wanted, little pony. I’m not here to make threats, or have them made to me.”

“Seems to me it comes with the territory,” Applejack growled.

“…Perhaps.”

There was another silent moment. Then the light from Celestia’s horn slowly faded, bringing Applejack’s hooves back to the ground with a gentle touch.

The pony made a gesture, and as one, the well-dressed guards lowered their weapons. Mary saw each of them take a few steps backward into the milling crowd, and then they were gone, as if vanished into mist. The doctor couldn’t figure out how they did it. Applejack certainly ran a tight ship.

Mary tried to break the tension. “What, ah…what kinda training you been giving your people? Ninjutsu? Can you teach me that? Might be useful in these kinds of situations…”

“She always was a good drill sergeant.” The Princess shook her head. “Little po…no. Applejack. You have the wrong impression of Dr. Parvotti. Mary has saved my life. If not for her, Twilight might still be holding the planet hostage. What I’m trying to say is…the human you’re belittling in front of me is much more than a simple assistant, though it’s not easy to define the exact shape of our relationship. Just know that she’s special to me, and I won’t accept anyone insulting her life’s effort. Not even you.”

Applejack scratched under her hat, absorbing Celestia’s words. Then she looked at Mary.

“I think I get it. Yer keepin’ her in check, huh? Balanced?”

Mary chuckled. “Guess I am.”

“That does sound like a shit job.”

“It has its moments.” She glanced at Celestia, and they shared a look that was an entire conversation. “She needs someone to do it. I think most of us do, but her especially.”

Mary didn’t miss Applejack’s glance toward the far side of the house, where Permata was making the rounds. “Maybe so.”

The pony went over to Mary and clapped her on the shoulder with enough strength to leave a bruise. Yet her voice was pitched low, for the doctor alone. “Whatever yer doin’ seems ta be workin’ so far. Just don’t screw it up. Any dang fool can see she cares about ya…a lot. And even I know she don’t give her consideration lightly. If you wanna be her balance, then take that shit seriously. You get me?”

Mary nodded. That was something she’d been thinking about more often. What would her life be like if she hadn’t answered that fateful text from “C” all those months ago? What about Erin’s life, or Julie’s? Would they all be under Twilight’s thumb even now? Or Celestia’s?

The doctor shrugged. No sense in sweating hypotheticals at this point. “Loud and clear,” she replied. “Now, how about fetching Madame Governor? Time to talk business.”

Applejack gave one last look at Celestia before trotting off in her mistress’ direction, her attention already in her earpiece as she muttered instructions.

Mary approached Celestia, sliding a hand across the alicorn’s neck as she watched Applejack leave. “Terminally honest, and a nice ass? Think I just came.”

Celestia laughed. “A lifetime of apple bucking does wonders for the glutes.”

“I can see that.” Mary’s tone became speculative. “We probably only have about half an hour before Permata gets back. Tell me a little about Applejack. Any stories or anecdotes you can remember? Formative stuff. I don’t need anything that’s in her file.”

“You’re in a mood. Did she hit you that hard?”

Celestia wasn’t talking about the pat on the arm. Mary didn’t exactly deny it. “Fuck all that. I just want to be prepared.”