Cookies for Heaven

[letteropener]

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.

Comments

[light_of_willpower]

"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?"

[letteropener]

"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?"

[light_of_willpower]

"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."

[letteropener]

"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."

[light_of_willpower]

"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."

[letteropener]

"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.

[light_of_willpower]

"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."

[letteropener]

"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.

[light_of_willpower]

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."

[letteropener]

"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.

[light_of_willpower]

"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."

[letteropener]

"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."

[light_of_willpower]

"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.

[letteropener]

"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."

[light_of_willpower]

"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."

[letteropener]

She had that answer, though: trust others to do what she could not. She was, after all, far from perfect.

"Well, as I have several accumulated, you needn't worry about running out any time soon. Though I hope you don't find them all ones you must hear, or else we may have time for nothing else."

[light_of_willpower]

"Who said I needed to hear them all today?" Trunks had a good counter for that comment too. "I'd offer to reciprocate, but I lack memories. So, what is a changeling, in Equestria? I mean, I can sort of guess from the name, but that doesn't tell me all that much."

[letteropener]

"Changelings are a species that feed off the emotions of other species, most particularly love. They are shapeshifters, and can assume the forms of other beings with great skill." Skill enough to fool even her, as it happened.

[light_of_willpower]

"Is there no way to detect them via magic? Like they have a counter to it?" Because it was hardly a comforting thought. "They sound a bit like the ayakashi here, what with that feeding on emotion."

[letteropener]

"They are very good at what they do, and very rare -- so that trying to poke and prod everypony all the time for such a rare threat would only cause more harm than good." Indeed, Celestia did not believe they would see the changelings again for quite some time.

[light_of_willpower]

"Hmm" Trunks got her point, and could see what she meant. Part of him would still be turning this over in his brain though, because that was just how he thought. Here is a threat, how do we deal with said threat? How can we prevent said threat too?

"So how did the changeling Queen get to you? What happened?" Because he still wants to hear this story. "I've also seen evidence of your magic, so knowing it can be overpowered isn't exactly comforting, although hearing that Love can is interesting." His brain might also be wondering still about any parallels with ayakashi.

[letteropener]

"She disguised herself as my niece, and fed off Cadence's fiance. Shining Armor loves her fiercely, as befits the Princess of Love. By the time the truth came out, she had grown incredibly strong."

Strong enough to overmatch Celestia, though Celestia has been restrained in other ways. Chrysalis had no qualms about unleashing her full force, while Celestia had her ponies and castle to consider.

[light_of_willpower]

In some ways, the Equestrian names sounded odd---but then Trunks also was very much not one who would judge. Different cultures, and he'd had his own name made fun of enough--without memories for him to know if his was normal or not. A pause (and another cookie gone) before he's venturing a question.

"I'm guessing also, if she's the Princess of Love--and a royal, based on what little I know of Equestria--she was probably getting a boost also from the general populace right? So not just Shining Armor's, but everyone else's as well?"

[letteropener]

"Not quite so much. Rather I think the fact that she intercepted their wedding is in part responsible... but in truth, Cadence and Shining Armor just love each other that much."

Trunks of all people was not allowed to judge on names, yes.

[light_of_willpower]

At least most of the Equestrian names he'd heard so far sounded...better? Less eyebrow-raising from others, anyways. "Sounds like something out of a fairy tale. Not that I mean that in a bad way."