thenearshore | Cookies for Heaven

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Cookies for Heaven

Who: Princess Celestia
When: October 14-21st
Where: All around the Far Shore
What: Princess Celestia brings cookies and, perhaps more importantly, wellness checks to the temples of the Far Shore.

Two things circled each other in Celestia's mind, forming a taijutu symbol in the way each completed the other: A lot of people in the Far Shore really needed some personal attention, friendship, and care; and she had, thanks to practice and effort, gotten quite good at baking cookies.

So each morning, Celestia cheerfully moved dough into her oven on sheet after sheet, the entire kitchen in Inti's temple animated in golden light like Merlin himself had set it all to baking-- and each afternoon, Celestia took wing above the Far Shore, traveling from temple to temple to seek out the inhabitants therein.

So at some point, an alicorn will come knocking at your door, with a bright smile on her face and a basket of cookies floating by her side.

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"I won't judge if you won't." Trunks murmured, raising the cookie up in promise and thanks, before taking a bite. Especially after cookies though, he wouldn't judge. She hasn't seen how much he eats yet, has she?

At least he has manners though, and while the cookie is finished quickly, it is not wolfed-down so very fast as to not be appreciated. There is a satisfied grin too, and sigh outwards, before taking another. "I'd say come share some of what Mai and I have grilled before, but I'm not sure if you'd approve or like the fish..." Horses weren't necessarily meat-eaters--was that also true for ponies?

Celestia had certainly not seen how much those of Saiyan blood could pack away in a sitting, or else she wouldn't even dare call herself a big eater. "It certainly isn't my place to disapprove of you eating fish, but I couldn't handle it, I'm afraid." Though after a moment, she made a slight gesture with one hoof. "Well, likely I could handle it were I to take a different shape, but I confess that after spending my life as an herbivore, I am not in a hurry to break from that habit."

They did eat other meat at the temple besides fish--honestly Trunks hadn't found food yet that he didn't like. But he'd try to be sensitive and aware, for Celestia's sake, when he knew she'd be around.

"We've been experimenting too. After the gala, she got some of the names of various of the foods they served, and we've been trying to recreate them. Or learn to cook in general." This time, the cookie is dunked in milk before he's taking a bite.

"No better way to learn and get better and enjoy the process than practice hard and then share the results," Celestia said, waving her hoof at the plate of cookies. That was, after all, exactly what she was doing. "It's very domestic of you two."

Please ignore that he just paused-and-barely-prevented-himself-from-choking. It's a brief pause, but definitely noticeable. Head ducking, hoping to hide the start of a blush again. It isn't LIKE that, so why is her 'domestic' comment bothering him?

Still--he is not wasting the cookie, and properly finishes his bite before taking a breath, and replying as calmly as he can. "She's my Goddess, I'm her shinki. We...talked about it a while ago, and do our best to take care of each other and be partners. It's not that odd."

Of course it isn't like that. Celestia could almost scream. Why did people, humans and ponies and probably every other intelligent species, dance around the obvious so much? They had no idea how lucky they were.

"That's a closer partnership than many gods and shinki, I think," she said, utterly serene on the surface.

Because sometimes they have their own reasons for dancing around it. In Trunks' mind--Mai is his Goddess, he is her shinki. That is what is more important than any feelings beyond a close friendship with Mai.

"We talked about it early on--I think we have similar backgrounds from our lives. Even though I don't remember mine, I was definitely a fighter of some kind. Mai seems to have been involved in taking care of others against some greater odds. Guerilla fighters, siege, resistance, something like that. We think alike in a crisis, which is part of why we talked it out. That's probably why it's close." A pause, and a half-grin. "Both of us are also blunt, if that helps too."

Celestia snorted in a very unPrincessly fashion, hurriedly ducking her head behind a hoof to keep her laughter in check. "You think you're blunt?" she finally asked, when she could.

No no, it's funny--you can laugh. "Sometimes, although I'm sure that's not what you think. Maybe it's more...Mai and I are both direct when we need to be, without being rude." Since a lot of people seemed to equate blunt with rude.

"I assure you, I would never call you blunt, and I have a great deal of experience to back that claim up," she said with a grin.

"I do not doubt you in the slightest, Celestia. You're FAR more socially adept than I am. Being a Princess alone would make you that." No, really, he's okay. Direct is probably more accurate than blunt, and even then he's still polite.

"So how many batches of cookies are you going through? What have you discovered are your favorites?"

"Let's just say it's a good thing I'm getting much more flying done these days," Celestia said, tucking a little smile behind one hoof. "But surely you don't think I could love anything more than double chocolate chunk?"

"I wouldn't presume to guess a lady's preference, when it comes to chocolate." Trunks responded with an open smile. "Other than that she probably wants it. As for your other concern, you do know I'd be willing to help you with...hoof-to-hand-combat? I suppose you'd call it that."

"I wonder about that every time we have a training meeting," Celestia admitted. "I can't think of a good way to make it work. The variance is so different -- the expectation is that you have hands to wield weapons and so forth."

"So forget about wielding a weapon?" Trunks ventured, still grinning. "Or use your magic to manipulate it." His second cookie is gone and he is working on his third now. ~~Good thing he trains a lot, huh?~~

"If you don't want to experiment at the big meetings, I'd be willing to meet you and work with you otherwise. I had fun brainstorming some of these kinds of issues with Temeraire too."

"If I don't wield a weapon, well, that leaves me with bucking. And I'm afraid that doesn't take a great deal of training."

Not that she couldn't learn karate or somesort, but in her experience such arts were better for physical discipline and health rather than actual combat.

"Up to you Celestia. My offer stands." At least he is savoring the cookies and remembering his manners. But no--these are winners. "Remind me to keep an eye out, and to tell Mai too. If we see any prayers or children that could use a random batch of cookies, I'll be calling you."

"I am curious what you think I could do beyond all of that." She really was, especially since he wasn't the first one to suggest that she train physically.

Well, if she really wanted to know; there was definitely no judgement from him.

"Well, yes I can imagine bucking doesn't take much 'skill', but you also have your hooves, front and back. And while you're definitely NOT a horse, I know horses can kick with some force. So targeted kicking with either sets of your legs would be applicable. Then there's your wings--they have to have some force behind them, for you to fly and be able to support yourself, since you're not a delicate little bird."

Those are just the two obvious ones he's thought of, given she brought up the usual idea of a horse bucking.

"Besides that there's your magic. Using that in combination with physical attacks gives you variety, and I can't imagine is too different than other energy manipulation several of us, including myself, do."

"While I would definitely say my wings are my strongest limbs... well, I have a certain reluctance to use them offensively." Pony medicine was quite contemporary, after all, but wings could be quite fragile comparatively, and far trickier to set than ordinary bones.

"Which is also entirely understandable. You're not a bird, and while there are probably some parallels between your wings and a bird's wings, I understand that without a proper Pony-doctor here, it's something you don't want to deal with unless it's an emergency."

It made sense to him, even while he'd raised it. "I just think, like a swan's wings, if you had to you could probably at least break a bone with a sudden buffet of your wing if you needed to." Swans, being the largest waterfowl who flew, had incredibly strong wings. Trunks has no idea, given no memories, where or when he learned this--but he knew it as fact. (Probably learned it while being schooled.)

"But no, honestly, I'd focus you more on practicing using your magic and your hooves in combination, and even then up close only if you have to as a last resort."

"And there we hit the problem," she replied, with an amused smile. "I am so much better with my magic and so much more powerful that if I am truly in a fight, it makes no sense to battle with my hooves in the slightest. Because if I am in a fight, I am going to be ending it as swiftly and effectively as possible."

"Pardon me, for wondering what happens if you can't use your magic then." But there really is no offense taken. "Although your attitude just makes me like you further. We think alike, in that case."

Sparring and training was one thing, but a true fight where others could get hurt? That was something Trunks took far more seriously. If he was in that kind of fight, he was shutting it down and quickly, before whoever his enemy one had a chance to hurt anyone.

"If I can't use my magic, then it's really quite the disaster." To put it mildly. "And if I can't use my magic, or my magic isn't enough, then that is when I will count on those ponies -- and humans, who have talents that exceed mine. It isn't always the answer, after all. When the changeling queen outmatched me in magic, love defeated her."

"Now this, is a story I have to hear." Setting aside his question about what she'd do if she was alone, and couldn't use her magic. Maybe it was just how he thought--considering and trying to be prepared for the worst. Trunks is happy to settle in with cookies though, and listen. "I do actually like hearing your stories about Equestria, and other types of beings. You and Temeraire have helped make sure I try to keep in mind non-humans when I can."

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