thenearshore | -Overflow- for 015

"That still doesn't make sense, because from what reading I've done it seems like the same civilisations were lost and rediscovered at about the same time, so there are gods who should have at least had gaps in worship even in this world. But there's not a hell of a lot of point keeping up the argument when neither of us can actually prove our point."

While Shun still thinks he's right, when neither of them can lay down something that's definitive fact, it's not really an argument worth having. And when he's largely the one keeping it up here, he figures it's about time to leave it.

With a slight sigh, he goes on to something he considers a little more relevant. "So. You've been here long enough to have heard about science and how gods work here, but not long enough to have figured out how to fully pass as human with that shapeshifting power. Did you come the day of the temple fire?"

"When everypony was visiting shrines across the world, yes." Celestia let the topic shift without resistance. "Though it may not be entirely possible for me to diminish the nature of my mane as a human, even with practice. We alicorns, especially my sister and myself, are something of special cases."

Her one visible eye flicked to the left slightly, glancing at her own mane, right before it drifted slightly away so that the other eye peeked out from beneath it.

"But in the Near Shore, nopony notices. I am told that is to be expected."

While Shun considers the temple fire more memorable than the shrine visits, he doesn't argue semantics on that one, at least partially because what she says next is more noteworthy. He's pretty sure he hasn't heard the term 'alicorn' before, but he notes it for future reference.

Shun glances over Celestia's mane as she does herself, though is expression is impassive almost to the point of distaste.

"I was talking about the balance issues, actually - how you fell over earlier. Even if the Near Shore people did notice that mane, some would probably assume it was some kind of extensive dye job or special effect."

If there's one thing he's learnt being here, it's that the supernatural is surprisingly easily ignored by some people.

"Oh, I don't ordinarily have a problem with balance, but throwing things is very different indeed." She had more experience with actually tossing things than he might think -- she secretly enjoyed an old-fashioned game of horseshoes, on those rare occasions when she could manage to get one in without scandalizing somepony -- but even then she had three legs and a horizontal posture.

"If you normally throw things with magic, then obviously it's going to be different. But it's also the kind of thing you get used to with practice."

It's hard to imagine how she could throw anything with hooves, so Shun's making what he considers to be the safe assumption given her little demonstration earlier. In any case, he still thinks it's worth taking the time to be a bit less obviously unfamiliar with being human-shaped.

"Exactly. Along with many other things I ought to learn now that such a wide range of forms is open to me. It's really very exciting."

Celestia was the sort who loved the chance to learn -- especially something so very new, which so little was to her after centuries of life.

"I'll gladly listen to any suggestions you may have!"

At least she seems ready to take the time out to figure out how to best use her ability, and Shun inclines his head slightly as if to respect the inclination to learn. As for the matter of balance, while he blinks once as if feeling the transition to asking him for help is a little abrupt, he is actually pretty experienced in terms of balance-related issues, and after a moment, he shifts his stance a little to demonstrate what she could be trying.

"For now, stick with keeping your stance wide and just shifting your weight from one leg to the other when you throw something," he says, changing his weight accordingly as he mentions it. "It'll at least make it harder for you to fall over while you're still getting used to the motion, and once you are you can try it out with a smaller center of gravity."

"I'll try that."

A line of light and a flare of magic restored Celestia to her human form, which honestly looked a little bit less impressive if one had the view of her pony self still in mind. She caught the darts out of midair where her magic had kept them suspended all this time, then carefully widened her stance. "Like this?"

As she asks that, Shun scans her over briefly - she'd have to have a different best width for this than him, so it's more a question of if she tried to imitate him exactly, but it seems like she's tried to go for something that feels right for her.

After a moment, he nods briefly. "Should work. Now try throwing one."

She didn't throw immediately, taking the time to try to balance and judge her weight.

When she did throw, the toss didn't go nearly so wild -- though Celestia listed forward again, her mind still expecting four legs to support her instead of two. "Whoops!"

It's a start, especially given how things were going earlier. And Shun doesn't figure going from four legs to two would be that easy, so he'll take it.

"At least it was closer this time. You'll need to work on not expecting the other two legs in this form, but that's habit it'll take time to train yourself out of."

There's a somewhat knowing note to that, because if there's one thing Shun is very familiar with, it's force of habit.

"I have been a pony for a very long time, so it will certainly not happen over the course of a few hours," Celestia said, entirely at peace with her accomplishments today. "Especially since I learned to walk and fly as I grew, but here I have just become an adult human without that growing process."

"Obviously. Nothing that deeply ingrained is going to disappear in a day, and you need time to practice. But at least this gives you something to practice instead of just having to work it out as you go."

There are certain things she'll still have to go that for, especially as she gets better at it and she doesn't need to balance herself that solidly before throwing, but to Shun, this seems like it'll work for her for now.

"It does. That is very helpful, and I appreciate your advice very much." Celestia smiled at him, glorious and radiant.

Apparently, glorious and radiant doesn't do much for Shun, because he just inclines his head slightly with absolutely no change in expression. "Keep putting it to use so it won't have been a waste of time."

And with that, he apparently has little else to add, as he turns on his heel with the intent of disappearing back into the crowd.

"I will. Hopefully next time we meet I can show you some clear improvement."

She accepted this as a parting, and considered her own words a farewell in turn.

-Overflow- for 015 | Sky Full Of Stars

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