Let the Light Shine

[letteropener]

[Ever just had one of those days where nothing makes sense any more?]

[Princess Celestia is having one of those days. Lost and patently confused, the pony princess wanders the streets of Freesia as completely befuddled as can be. Everything needs a second look, be it the buildings, the streets, the sidewalks, or the sun.]

[The sun. Not the sun she knows. Not one she is familiar with. And not even one she can reach with magic -- because every time she tries, her horn glows with light, but nothing comes of it at all.]

[And if you're wondering if the pony is just some random animal, well -- she has a little earbud clipped to one ear, the sort you'd expect to see on a normal person with a communicator. So there's that.]

...Where am I?

Comments

[whitescientist]

...Yeah I'm gonna level with you. I ain't never heard of a Princess of the Day.

Where I come from the sun raises itself. It's sort of a gravity thing.

[letteropener]

You have now. [Celestia inclines her head with a smile that lasts only briefly, as she considers what she has been told.]

...That is very strange. Why would it move on its own?

[whitescientist]

Same reason everythin' else does, I expect. S'just how it is.

[ He's kind of at a loss. ]

Listen, uh... if you ain't figured it out yet, you can use that thing [ gestures to her ear ] to get more info outta everyone. There's a few others been roped into this an' maybe I'm not the best person to ask. Or maybe someone else will already know what you're talkin' about. We on the same page here? [ that this all sounds crazy and he doesn't know what to say any more? ]

[letteropener]

I admit I am a bit confused about this -- thing. [Celestia glances up and around as her ear flicks, trying to get a glimpse of it. Her horn shimmers faintly as she reaches for it with the lingering dregs of her magic -- which causes the glass to unfold down over her eye.]

[The princess lets out a startled neigh and rears back, stumbling backwards a few steps before her forehooves drop to the ground again.]

[whitescientist]

[ His eyes widen just a fraction and he takes this automatic step forwards with his hands raised, about to shh at her, but he stops himself quickly and lets them drop. He makes a choked, humourless laugh noise instead. ]

Pshh. Stop wiggin' out, it's supposed to do that. You always this skittish?

[ somewhat more helpfully: ] Wear it like glasses an' talk into it. It's networked.

[letteropener]

If something abruptly appeared a quarter-inch from your eye, you would be startled as well!

[First things first: Celestia focuses on consciously relaxing her wing muscles, since she had reflexively fluffed out her feathers when startled. The effect makes her downright huge, thanks to the size of those wings.]

What do you mean, 'networked'?

[whitescientist]

[ Eyeroll. She has a valid point, though, so for once he doesn't argue. ]

Networked as in, if you type or say or record somethin', it'll appear to everybody else. I guess they don't have computers where you come from. Basically you can communicate with people usin' it. [ A quick glance down at her hooves, then back up. ] Think there's a speech-to-text option. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

[ pause ] Can you fly with those?

[letteropener]

[Oh good, a question she can answer while she attempts to process his explanation of this 'networked' thing. Celestia sweeps her wings out broadly, then flaps them, just enough to lift her into the air till she's hovering about a foot or so off the ground.]