thenearshore | The Princess and the King

Entry tags:

The Princess and the King

Who: Princess Celestia and Saber
When: Dec. 23
Where: The Near Shore
What: "I can't even truly answer what I would do if left to my own devices because I may well change my mind moments later." "A little spontaneity sounds heavenly."

Their evening wasn't completely unplanned, because of course at some point they had to actually meet to start it. But the more Celestia thought about just running around with somepony interesting and fun without any real forethought put into it, the more excited she got.

The one concession she had to make was in her outfit; since they might get involved in some sort of mischief that a skirt or dress would complicate, she forewent the ones she had tucked away in her wardrobe in favor of different attire. Still, she didn't think she looked all bad...

So at the appointed time, Celestia teleported down to the Near Shore and the fancy Christmas display they'd set as a meeting place, and settled in to admire said display while she waited. If Richard had ever seen her human form, she can't remember -- but she was fairly confident that the multicolored, constantly drifting hair that perfectly corresponded to her mane would prove unmistakeable.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Merry Christmas!

[It's certainly close to the actual day to be filled with holiday cheer. And if there's anyone in this place likely to be celebrating, it's this guy.

Saber walks up to Celestia with a big, cheery smile on his face and waves. It's not so hard to tell that this is indeed who he's here to meet, but he has about a million questions he'd love to ask about how things came to be as they are. He has, however, been raised to be polite and there are some things it's probably inappropriate to ask a lady.]

Happy Hearth's Warming! [If the hair and the mien weren't enough, than the recognizable voice ought to be. Celestia smiles brightly at him, even more brightly than she might have -- that cheer is infectious.] That's a seasonal holiday in Equestria, by the way, that's very like Christmas in how we celebrate. Quite a different history to it, though!

I would imagine! I suppose there would have been a pony or two in the manger to witness the Savior's birth, but I believe it would have been recorded if they were as dazzling as you and your people!

[Not that he's not thinking about it now that he's put that idea in his head.]

But that's the sort of thought I should be keeping to myself. There are times when religion and politics and the like should be forbidden topics.

Ponies from the Near Shore and its equivalents tend to be less... sapient, than those of us from Equestria, so who is to say? But that might be for the best, since it seems most people are unusued to us anyway.

Which is one reason I thought being accommodating might be best for tonight. How do I look? [She spreads her arms, rising up onto the balls of her feet and quarter-turning her legs to give him a chance for a proper appraisal in greater profile.] I thought about wearing more holiday-like garb, but this is more flexible than most of what I could find, in case we end up sitting on a cloud or something.

You look quite lovely!

[He's dressed only marginally nicer than he usually is, which is the best that can be expected of him when left to his own devices.]

I can't guarantee any trips to the clouds, though. I'm quite certain that would be rather cold this time of year. Though...

[He looks around. To be honest, he hasn't planned ahead more than a few steps.]

It would be rather cold no matter what. I suppose something inside would be better...

[As she didn't him to dress up, watch her not care. Any clothing at all is dressing up for her, so there's really little difference to her between a fancy suit and lazy jeans and a T-shirt.]

And here I would've guessed you were the sort to notice no temperature at all. But, if I may...

[Celestia has no horn to light with magic in this form. Actually, she has no idea why or how she can do magic without one, but it seems to be a fortunate part of her divine power to do so. Instead, she makes a little gesture with a hand that snaps around him the faintest glow of light, and just like that the day feels like gentle spring.]

We shouldn't hesitate to do whatever we wish.

[There are certain advantages to going on a date with the Princess of the Day, as it happens.]

Well, I was looking things up online and I must say that it's quite a shame that the zoo only does escaped animal drills once a year in February...

[Saber, what's going through your head, exactly??]

I would say if we were to get dinner, it should be somewhere with an interesting theme, though I'm afraid we might starve if we choose the restaurant where you have to catch your own fish...

As a vegetarian by biology, I might find that complicated in a few ways. [She can, she suspects, eat meat in her human form without any biological complication, but a very long lifetime as a pony makes it mentally inconceivable.] But I like the idea of a theme. Perhaps something related to this country's past? That seems as if it might resonate with you.

Samurai, you mean? Or ninjas?

[This seems to have grabbed his attention.]

That would be quite interesting! Do you think I'd have to fight them to get our meal?

[Because he would.]

Though...well, I'm certain they would have vegetarian options. The people here eat far too little meat. It's a miracle they've survived this long. Even the era of the samurai was hundreds of years after my time.

I don't think any of them are actually trained, so that would probably be terribly unfair. If you're trying to impress me with your prowess in battle, you'll need a better opponent.

[Celestia winks playfully, well aware that he'd never had anything close to such a thought. At the same time, her phone drifts out of her pocket and into her hand, thanks to magic. Hmm, theme restaurants...]

I am guessing you were quite a hunter, then?

[No judgment here. Humans are omnivores. It is in their nature.]

I can hold my own! I had a friend who far exceeded my skills, though, so I can't quite say how good I am at all of it when I remember how much better at it he was.

[It's a great pity that that particular Noble Phantasm of his was sealed. There are a great many people he misses being able to speak with.]

You strike me as a stallion who exceeds in many things and yet never realizes it for having several friends who each are your superior in only one. I would worry, but you seem to have no real troubles of ego that I've seen.

[Looking up from her phone, she smiles at him, a genuine and warm expression subtly different from her regal expressions.]

Here's one. [She turns the phone to show him the place she'd found, a theme restaurant just as they'd discussed just a few blocks away.]

[He stops in his tracks for a second and stares at her in wonder. Is that really how it is? He can't deny it, to be honest. After all, if it wasn't the case, his abilities as a Servant would be very different.

He's about to expound on the idea at length, but Celestia interrupts just in time and he's forced to shake it off and shift gears.]

Ah...yes, that looks quite interesting!

[Actually, no, he's still pretty distracted.]

Walk and talk.

[She offers him a hand, right along with that lingering smile.]

I seem to have stunned you, and I don't think it was with my smile.

[He pauses a second before taking her hand. It would be rude not to, seeing as it's been offered. Plus, it gives himself something to do while gathering his thoughts.]

I don't believe anyone has said anything like that to me before.

[And if they had, it's likely he doesn't remember because he wasn't listening. He knows fulls full well that that's a bad habit if his.]

Well, perhaps they should have. [Celestia's smile turns briefly sly, before the corners of her mouth even out once more.] I should warn you, I am very old and also a pony, so I am likely to say a few more things in time that stun you. And I might even enjoy it. I hope that will not be a problem?

[They definitely should have. The world as it currently stands might look a great deal different if someone had. Or maybe it wouldn't. It might have ended up getting him killed even sooner.]

Certainly not! I won't be so rude as to ask your age, but mine is either 4 months or 40 years, so I certainly can't claim much by way of wisdom.

[Though he looks as he did barely into his 20s, which suits him. He certainly looks nothing like how movies depict him.]

[Having never seen those movies and knowing little of his historical significance, Celestia has no grounds to criticize in the slightest. She would like to know, honestly!]

Ah, you needn't stand on politeness. I am somewhere around two thousand years old, so I have been around long enough to learn a few things, and also learn how very many things I still have yet to learn!

[And her human shape looks... a very pleasant mid-20's, and he's seen her pony shape looking just as it does.]

Two thousand? Even if I was immortal, I wouldn't reach half that.

[He shakes his head.]

And if there is still much for you to learn, than I believe that makes me a hopeless cause.

[Which is something he's heard from other people countless times by now.]

Have you given up?

[She glances at him sidelong, one eye hidden behind the tumbling waves of self animated hair, the other eye bright. Considering their talk when he'd been playing guitar, she know the answer. Does he?]

Of course not!

[There are certainly aspects of his character that he wrote off as a loss before even before his death, but he's far too stubborn and far too driven by pure caprice to let himself stagnate for long.]

It takes some adjusting, however, when one only expects to live a week or so and instead finds oneself facing the possibility of immortality. The possibility only, of course, as beings such as what we have been summoned to be can die and be replaced and certainly I will find a way to bring that about sooner rather than later. That is, if someone or something doesn't decide to step in to take care of it before my own foolishness can do me in.

Everything ends eventually, even the lives of alicorns and summoned beings. So what you do with your time is what matters most. So long as you never give up, you never truly fail, and you're not hopeless in the least.

[She gives his hand a little squeeze, offering reassurance physically as well.]

Though I do understand wanting to be honest about your mistakes. I have made so many in my time that a list could fill the Canterlot library. Learning from them is more important than reliving them.

Canterlot? Your kingdom is called Canterlot?

[Well, this was a heavy conversation...]

[This isn't an abnormal reaction for most humans, let alone one who had openly warned he had a short attention span. Celestia merely smiles as they turn the corner.]

My kingdom is Equestria. Canterlot is its capital, where my palace is now located.

That's wonderful! Is it meant to be a play on words? Or was it perhaps named that entirely on its own with no knowledge of Arthurian legend? Or...is it actually the pony Camelot?

[He knows what alternate realities are! Sort of! He's watched enough sci-fi movies since ending up here that he's got a functional understanding of the concept. Actually, he's fairly certain he heard about them from the Count of Saint Germain first, but he never understood even half of what that man said.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject