Author's Note

This chapter got a little, odd. A little bit of nerding out never hurts though does it?

Time Like Water

I slowly stirred the pan of onions in front of me, The royal kitchen filled with human cuisine and the sound of a very busy man.

“Carl?”

“Yes, hon.”

“Why Fluttershy? Of all ponies, Why?”

“Why us?”

“What?”

“Why are we the ones holding together world peace? My clown ass could barely tie my shoes and now I help make sure the world does not implode.”

I scoffed, “You are far more capable than that, and you do more than simply ‘help’.”

“My point still stands, why anything? Why does Twilight do magic? Why do you move the stars around? Why do we, Fight, Love, Die, Live? Does it matter?”

I stuttered, “Of, of course, it matters, it matters because without us the world ends!”

“Oh? It does?” He paused for a moment checking temps, “You have always held the end of the world in your ha-hooves. For the rest of us life is led by our simple will to live it. Destiny tells your story, I have to make my own.”

I choked up, “Hey, none of that we talked about this, No existential dread before five-PM, and you have far longer than most.”

“You keep reminding me I’ll outlive my friends and family. In the far future if ‘We’ end, do I just shrivel up like a prune and die on the spot or do I get sixty years to be sad.”

The spatula I was holding flew past his head and out the door behind him, “Thou art obnoxious you know! We warned you of exactly all that was entailed, don't pretend you don’t know. Tartarus, you even asked us about it before we got together at all!”

I posed the question, “So, now that you have an internet connection, whatcha thinking about?”

Luna looked at the laptop blankly, “What is this type set? It seems inefficient.”

“Old typewriters used it and beyond that, I have no Idea. You have the secrets of the universe in a box in front of you, why don’t you look it up?”

Giving me side eye she muttered, “And how would one use, said ‘box of secrets’?”

Sliding down the bench we shared I flopped down the book I was reading, “I will help you in a moment. However, I have a few questions about this ‘Broken Pauldron’, he shows up a lot and for seemingly too long to be a normal pony. What is up with that?”

“She,” Luna corrected, “Is-was Celestia's lover, those involved with alicorns live longer. It’s a magical phenomenon we don’t quite understand ourselves.”

Our conversation shifted back to the computer. Reading public opinion of all of what is going on, then slowly drifting to the more entertaining parts of the internet.

Slowly losing interest she pushed the computer away she looked perplexed, “We seem to have made an impression. I’m unsure why they provided this for us though. You would think it would be unwise, to give a potential enemy so much information.”

I spoke as I moved the laptop and started to type, “It’s the fastest way for information to be sent and returned, and with how fast situations change it’s the safest option. They also have locked down a lot of the information available. It's honestly impressive but to answer your earlier question. The QWERTY keyboard design was just what stuck in short. Mostly because of ease of transition and standardization. Also, a monopoly in the industry making typewriters but that is not that important.”

An email came through the header reading, “Receipt of email regarding royalty entering the United States.”

Carl sat next to me typing away intently. He seemed relaxed for the first time in the last two weeks. His negotiations with the US ambassador had him and I working together for the last few days.

His nonchalant attitude broke after the meeting with Discord and Ambassadors. Between that and in his words, “Being fucking shot at!” He cried for two hours as we talked about his life, family, friends, hardships. It all seemed to finally catch up with him at once.

He hugged me then an honest clean hug, my first in a long time. They all seem fake and awkward. My sister, the elements they still have the image of her embedded in their psyche. Even the night guard whose great, great grandparents I knew personally would never attempt such a thing. Whether it be honor, fear, or insincerity none of them felt real.

I was tapped on the muzzle, “Earth to Luna, anyone home?”

“Pony feathers!” I squealed, almost falling from the bench before Carl caught me.

He laughed saying, “Wow your light.”

I sarcastically gasped, “Are you calling me fat?”

“Did you hear a thing I said?” He questioned with a smile.

“Touche.”

“Anyway, I guess I’ll repeat myself. You asked about why send the computer right? It’s the fastest communication metho-”

“And I clearly still don’t know how to feel about it Luna! I turned my life upside down and then got told I could live for as long as I keep you happy… Fuck! That’s not what I meant, I'm sorry.”

Luna yelled into the dining hall, “Roko! Get in here!”

The bulky man hastily jumped through the serving window far too nimbly for a man his size.

Luna deftly tossed a new spatula at him and pointed at the onions as she walked. I couldn’t look at her, the clip-clop of her hooves stopping behind me.

She whispered, holding me with a wing, “It’s been a stressful week. I know what you meant. I don't know why you insisted on cooking for us. Go relax.”

“But-”

“Roko can cook a steak, don’t worry about it, go.” Softly taking the tongs from me she lightly ushered me out.

I walked reading the history written on the walls. Tapestries and stained glass teaching stories I’ve only heard. Chrysalis shown, green lightning arcing across the glass. Shining stood enthralled crackling blue fire flowing around purple.

“Not my finest moment hmm.”

I turned surprised, as Fluttershy struggled through her wired jaw, “Tits mnot you falt.”

Chrysalis continued, “No, no it was in fact my fault, however, that seems impertinent right this second. Carl, what’s the trouble this time?”

“I opened my mouth.”

“Oh? Welcome to the club, the hookers are ugly and the whisky's cheap. But what’s the details?”

“Luna and I had a spat, argument? I inserted my foot, you know how it goes. It’ll be fine, it always works out, just got told to ‘go relax’.”

“Ha! Cadence and I are in the dog house ourselves, we proposed some bedroom activities and crossed a line.”

I cracked my knuckles uncomfortably changing the subject, “Flutters how are you doing? I know you probably don’t want to talk much but I hope things weren't too suck stateside. I know US. hospitals have a tendency to be boring as hell.”

She nodded at Chrysalis who explained, “She is doing great for what happened, from what I gathered they were very good to her. Having the element of magic breathing down their neck might have had something to do with that but… She should be able to take off the jaw wires in the next week or so.”

“You gotta go back stateside for that or nah?”

“No.” Fluttershy grimaced.

Chrysalis pointed down the hall, “We can talk more over food, I know I’m hungry.”

“Well then, Ladies first.”