The Problem of Other Sapients, Memoirs of a Man

The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, as I explained, have mostly been with trees.

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"What cake do you speak of?" asked a regal voice behind me.

"The Metaphorical Cake of Untruth," I replied, turning to face the figure behind me.

Standing there  was, in all her nocturnal glory, Princess Luna.

"Would you like a seat?" I said, gesturing to the chair in the corner for the second time that night.

"I'd much rather go to the balcony," she said, quickly walking outside.

Grumbling, I hobbled over to the balcony.

"Tell me, what am I here for?" I asked Luna.

"In three days there is a diplomatic summit to introduce you and Twilight to the world."

"As if I was some attraction at a zoo?"

She paused for a mere moment.

"Tomorrow you will be fitted for clothes, given a haircut, and all the other boring tripe that one must go through before meeting dignitaries."

"I take it you don't like them?"

"Oh no, several of them are good friends of mine, but an entire day spent talking is, believe it or not, quite taxing."

"Oh boy, I can believe that," I said, shifting my weight a bit to ease the pressure on my bad leg.

"You sound like you know the feeling."

"I was a professor back home, that and writing was my life, more or less."

"That seems to be a recurring theme," she said. "I suppose I should tell you, I came here to retrieve you."

"What for?"

"Apologies from Shining."

"I really don't thi-"

She put a hoof to my mouth.

"No excuses."

"Can you get me my cane, then?"

She levitated my cane over to me.

I gripped the handle firmly all the way to our destination, a small room with a table in the middle. Sitting around the table were the princesses and Shining.

Cadance gestured to the seat across from Shining, indicating that I should set opposite him.

I did as I was bid, leaning my cane against the table.

"I apologize for my rash action," he said through gritted teeth.

"Very well then," I replied with similar enthusiasm.

We sat in silence for a few moments, before a sudden wave of nausea passed over me, ending as quickly as it started.

"Look, I'm real sorry, it's just that, I was scared for the safety of my little sis, and Cadance and-" he blurted out, looking at me apologetically.

"Okay then," I said, looking at him quizzically. He sure changed his demeanor quickly.

I felt another wave of nausea pass over me, leaving much slower than the first one.

"Ooh," I clutched my stomach.

"Could you ever forgive me?" asked Shining, his eyes practically begging.

I resisted the urge to retch.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I shot up in an attempt to find a place to vomit, only going about ten feet before my leg gave out, and I fell to the floor, my guts emptying when I opened my mouth to cry out.

The last thing I felt was my head hitting the stone floor.