The world knocked, every little detail shifting lightly. I looked around as the sun shifted in the evening light—a sure sign of her.

“Well, that's flattering,” Her voice reverberated through the back of my head.

“Hello, Princess. Is there a reason you are altering my brain waves with magic?”

“Just visiting.”

“We’re working together all of tomorrow, you know.”

“Mhmm, and you clearly don’t appreciate my company,” She lightly wrapped a wing over my chest.

My mirth washed over the landscape, the pond shining reflecting the autumn leaves. The water far clearer than it ever was back then. The paths through the park, free of their blemishes and tire tracks. No ugly trash cans or paper wasps they attracted. It was beautiful how it was meant to be, everything fixed and clean.

“This place is?”

“Home.”

“It’s.”

“Far prettier than it ever actually was.”

“It’s how you remember the places you love, not what they really were that matters.”

I choked up, “I. I never got to do this, just sit with, with friends. They all slowly drifted away whether it be distance, time, personalities. I don’t know how I feel about this place anymore.”

“You can stop pretending now.”

“Oh?”

She pointed out to the pond the fountain at its center starting to turn crimson, “Joy and sorrow are the same side of the coin here. You are allowed to feel them both.”

I looked up to nothing but sincerity, in those sparkling blue eyes.

“Not today, evening? Night? Whatever.”

“Morning,” She laughed as the world started to fade.

“I did not know how much it bothered you. Are we ok?”

“‘We’ as in you in the third person or ‘we’ as in us as in po-hum-a couple?”

“Us you stumbling buffoon.”

I kissed her on the top of the muzzle, “I believe so, unless you have something to say on the matter?”

“No. I don’t think I do, Although I should probably apologize to Roko.”

“Yeah, that would probably be wise. It can wait though, I need more snuggles.”

“Snuggles or Snuggles?”

“No make-up copulation for you today I’m afraid, we do in fact have duties to attend to.”

“I suppose we do, we really have been being lazy the last few days.”

“And our road trip across the states wasn’t?”

“If I recall correctly you called that ‘work’ in the dream before.”

“I did do that, didn’t I? That is a story to tell isn’t it.”

“I’m sure the world would love to hear it,” She smiled, levitating my phone from the side table.

The chariot lurched and bucked as we moved from the controlled weather of Equestria into rougher currents. The first ponies into a completely different world and the return of the first ambassador.

Carl sat across from me buried in his phone, the shifting heights quickly burning through his false confidence. The movie he watched stopped and started to his growing frustration. I, he, I looked away blushing watching the water rushing passed outside. No, that would never work. He’s not even the same species he would never. But, he’s, no I shan't even think it.

The chariot rolled violently as pillows and blankets were thrown across the cabin. A tangle of arms and legs was created as Carl fell into me, the pillows and blankets softening the landing. The terrified human clung to me as the turbulence passed. He trembled and shook burying his face in my neck.

“Not afraid of flying huh?”

“Luna. Don’t fucking start,” he growled into my neck.

“I warned you it was different.”

“I will bite you. Can it!”

The words escaped, skipping all intelligence, “At least take me on a date first.”

He sprung like a startled cat kicking me in the process, Quickly making his way back across the chariot. I curled holding my side ribs throbbing.

The rest of the ride was stable and quiet, if mildly painful. The landing however was anything but, The chariot rattled and knocked as we touched down. I looked to Carl, he gripped the bench aggressively, his fingernails digging into the gold plating. Applause was all I could hear outside, the chariot lurching to a final stop.

Carl stood shakily looking back at the bench then back at me dismayed, “We are not taking this fucking deathtrap back.”

I sheepishly nodded, “Are you ready to ‘face the music’?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Steeling ourselves we faced the doors, unlatching they framed the world's first view. Stepping onto the light briefly blinded by the glare, speechless they watched, nay the world watched.

“Welcome to the United States Princess,” The lanky old man greeted me, ignoring Carl entirely.

“Greetings,” I waved to the crowd a series of flashes lighting up my view.

Without another word, we were guided down a winding path off the landing strip. I heard gasps and murmurs behind us as we walked.

The balmy temperatures of the desert state were, quite understated by Carl.

I watched Luna as we walked a light shift to her step, wings hung slightly. Relaxed and back in her element she looked, nope, nope, bad thoughts. I looked at the media surrounding us, they chattered and watched amazement clear as day. Probably ninety people photographers, videographers, and reporters. This is probably the quietest LAX has ever been all in all. Before I knew it we entered the conditioned air of the terminal, a conference room the destination.

Luna And I had rehearsed this many times but they were still being, difficult.

“I hath stated I will handle my own safety in your nation, I wish to see it as it truly is! My ambassador and I wish to travel sparsely accompanied, if that accommodation can not be made then I don’t foresee a favorable future for our country's relationship.”

The man in black looked conflicted, “I can’t do that, the security needs would be astronomical.”

I cut in, “If you are truly interested in the weather control the Equestrians can provide, then you will reduce the security to the minimum needed and let us roam as we see fit.”

Luna looked at me surprised, she held her breath as the man looked to his left. He whispered to a very decorated general, the star, bars, and heart showing a long service.

He grimaced and spoke, “I am unsure of the intelligence of such a decision but, I will work on it. Until a conclusion has been reached you may stay in Los Angeles.”

Luna stood from her seat, “Then I believe we are done here. I assume we will be informed as soon as possible when a decision has been made.”

“As soon as we know the next steps you will be informed.”

I stood to follow Luna, a hand grabbing my shoulder.

“Carl, Roland you, are staying right here. You are under arrest for espionage, treason and Collusion with a foreign nation against the United States.”

Luna whipped around snapping, “Unhand him! He is under my protection and as I see it he has committed no crime. If you wish to punish him for perceived slights you may do so after I release him from his ambassadorial duties. Until such time, harming him is to harm Equestria.”

“He.”

Luna stared down the man, any rebuttal shot down, “he is to accompany me,” Any qualms were quelled as the room began to cool an icy chill fogging over the windows.

The man's hand slid off my shoulder as I stepped to Luna’s side as she turned to leave. We exited to a cacophony of arguing and accusations. The day ran like sand after that, with continued discussion of imports and exports and future immigration. All going over my head trivial little details causing hang-ups and arguments.

Finally, we were escorted to our accommodations. We sat across from each other in the hotel room trying to decompress.

“That was-”

“Torturous,”

“-Hell.,”

“Tartarus,”

“Yes, the deepest pits.”

Luna laughed rolling over on the bed.

“Gah!” I looked away, having seen far too much.

Luna questioned concerned, “What’s Wrong?”

I coughed awkwardly, “I’ve been ignoring that y’all just let everything just, hang out, but that was a lot more view than I ever needed.”

“Oh. What of all the Photos and…”

“Shit.”

Author's Note

And it begins in earnest. The timeline should be far more linear from here on out.