Waking up in a strange location was becoming, in Ranma's opinion, far too common for her liking. Still the feeling of silk and a soft mattress was by far preferable to the cold hard ground of the forest. Her eyes flickered open as she yawned and pushed herself up. Her head still ached as she rubbed the grit from her eyes with the back of one hoof. She blinked blearily at the offending appendage and yawned again.
"Great." She mumbled as she looked around the room, "It wasn't a dream." She warily looked about the room. The first thing she noticed was how dark it was. There were no lights inside the room, at least none that were lit. What light there was spilled in through the balcony door and the windows to either side. Given the weak and silvery nature of it that failed to do more than cast vague shadows, Ranma suspected it was late at night. Still it was bright for moonlight, at least enough that she could probably read by it with direct exposure.
After a few more seconds of examining the room she stretched and yawned again. Her tongue felt like it was covered in dust. It probably was if she'd been unconscious long enough. Her stomach grumbled loudly. Her right ear twitched and she sighed. Even discounting however long she'd been asleep, the last time she'd eaten had been at dinner the night before she'd found herself in the forest.
She pushed the covers aside and hopped out of the bed. Her hooves clattered on the tile floor and she almost slipped on the smooth stone before finding her balance. Now, the question of the day: Was she a guest, or a prisoner? She glanced at her wings then at the balcony. While she didn't know how to fly, she'd proven she could glide during the fight with those wooden wolves. If she was a prisoner then there was little chance the door to the outside was unlocked.
Trotting over to the door she checked the door. To her surprise not only wasn't it locked but there didn't appear to be more than a latch holding it shut. Undoing the latch with one hoof she nudged the door open and stepped out into the bright moonlight.
The first thing she did as she stepped out was to look to her left and right. No guards. There was a nice table big enough for maybe half a dozen ponies to gather around, attested to by the cushions surrounding it, and several potted plants. What drew her eye though was the tall tower across the way from her. Gleaming white marble shone in the moonlight, giving it an ethereal appearance that was all the more enhanced by the impossibly thin hourglass-esque design it possessed. There were other, smaller, towers around it, each just as impossibly thin and ethereal. With a quick glance, Ranma confirmed that she was high up on a tower of her own.
Striding over to the slightly too tall railing, she pulled her head up to look over the side at what might be below. Just past the far tower was an ornately decorated, but apparently functional, wall that ended at the edge of a vast cliff. Looking back the other way she noted the numerous large halls and walkways that crisscrossed the lower levels of the towers. Small equine figures walked along the walls and walkways, spears and swords visible even from the height she was at.
"So there's more than just us." Ranma muttered as she pulled her eyes away from the patrolling ponies. Beyond the walls was a city whose streets were lit with bright street lamps. A handful of ponies could be just barely seen walking the streets, but it was obvious that the hour was quite late. Then she looked past the city, and up. And up. And up some more.
"That is a tall mountain," Ranma commented after a long pause. The mountain that towered over the city had to be at least as tall as Mt. Fuji from what she could see, and if the cliff was any indication it was certainly significantly taller than that.
"Yep, and it's a lot of fun to climb." Ranma jumped at the cheerful comment from behind her. She spun around, instinctively going into a combat-ready stance only to discover that there were certain ways a pony couldn't bend. Overbalancing she smacked into the railing and, without even the barest look at whoever had interrupted her, went over the side towards the ground far below.
She barely made it five feet before she jerked to a halt as a vice-like grip was clamped around her left rear ankle. She tried to bend to look up but the one holding her gasped, "Please don't squirm. This is hard enough already." It only took a few seconds before the railing came back into view and only a couple more afterwards before she was deposited lightly on the balcony.
As she found her feet a mildly frazzled looking midnight blue pony with bat-like wings and a wild silver mane dropped onto the marble tile breathing heavily. A starfield was splashed across her flank with a windrose superimposed atop it. She wore dark blue armour that covered her front and most of her barrel as well as odd metal shoes in the same baroque styling of her armour. As Ranma rolled onto her hooves the bat pony smiled at her hesitantly, revealing a sharp canine as she did.
"Sorry for spooking you like that." She said as she scuffed the marble with a hoof nervously.
Ranma stared at her for a moment. "Who are you?" She asked after an awkward moment.
The pony blinked then something seemed to dawn on her. "Oh, um." She snapped to attention, "Lieutenant Moonrose, Night Guard. I was assigned to keep the curious away from your room while you recovered. I came in when I heard someone moving around… I guess it was just you." She blushed deeply enough to be seen through her dark fur.
"Right..." Ranma drawled, "Um, thanks for not letting me go splat on the ground I guess?" She offered. If anything it seemed to make the bat pony blush harder.
"Sorry about that." She apologized again. Her bat wings fluttered nervously.
Ranma shrugged. "Not that big a deal," She said. It wasn't really, not compared to what she normally got up to anyway. "Should of been paying more attention." She said with a sigh and a glare at her hooves. She could run and walk, but going around on all fours was still too new for her.
Moonrose coughed awkwardly into her hoof. "Right well. Now that you're awake I should go and let someone know. I'll um… be back soon," She said, turning to leave.
"Wait," Ranma said, stepping up to the other pony as she did. "I was with a few others, what happened to them?" She asked.
"Hmm, oh the other guests. They're a few floors down, I think. Probably sleeping at the moment though, it is three in the morning," Moonrose replied, "Just wait here please. Either me or someone else will be by in a bit… You wouldn't happen to be hungry would you?"
Ranma's stomach took that moment as its cue to start rumbling again. She felt her cheeks warm as Moonrose giggled. "I'll take that as a yes," The Bat Pony said as she stepped back inside, "Someone will be up in a bit with food. Any preferences?"
Ranma considered for a moment. What did ponies eat anyway? Grass? Hay? Apples? She really didn't know. "Food I guess?" She offered after a moment.
Moonrose giggled again, "Alright. 'Food' will be up soon." She slipped back inside with barely a whisper of hooves on stone.
Ranma looked after her for a few moments before sighing and turning back to the vista. "Another strange one," She muttered as she stepped back up to the balcony railing and once again rested her forelegs on it as she peered over the side. It was a long way to the ground. "Way too close." She turned away and walked back inside. Hopefully, the food wouldn't be too long.
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A Ranma ½ My Little Pony Crossover
The Long Path Home
By: Grounders10
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Chapter Two: Tea and Tiaras
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The Night Court had been bustling all night. Or at least that's how it felt to Princess Luna. The lines of petitioners weren't as long as during the day, and there were fewer ponies watching the proceedings, but compared to what it had once been a thousand years ago it might as well have been the center of a carnival. Still being more popular did come with some downsides.
"..a seventeen percent increase in traffic through the area over the next five years following completion," the petitioner, a charcoal grey earth pony stallion whose name had fled her mind some time before, said as he pointed to the appropriate section of an elaborate set of charts and diagrams he had set up before the throne. By the stars did ponies of this age love their charts and graphs, and diagrams of charts and graphs. She had considered herself a well educated pony, as was required of a Princess, but it seemed every minor bureaucrat, functionary, and miscellaneous scientist/aspiring mage insisted on a volume of documentation for even the most minor of topics that truly boggled the mind.
She doubted that there had even been enough paper in Canterlot a thousand years before to allow this minor bureaucrat to create even half the presentation he was droning on through. Briefly, she considered banning presentations utilizing more than a single ream of paper before banishing the thought. Her sister's prized student would probably have a small aneurysm if she passed such a law, before subjecting her to a presentation on why she needed more than a single ream of paper to present her current theory. At least it wouldn't be quite as tedious as this one was.
The door of the throne room swung open and one of her night guards galloped into the room. The stallion continued to drone on with his presentation, apparently so deeply absorbed in it he couldn't be bothered to notice a heavily armoured mare thundering across the marble tiles. The mare slowed as she approached the throne and knelt, her head resting against her raised foreleg, waiting to be recognized.
Princess Luna cleared her throat loudly, an effort that failed to so much as break the petitioner out of his monotonous drone. Perhaps he had been replaced with a golem and one of those… what were they, the small little plastic rectangles that had come out the same year she had returned… Oh yes, cassettes. No, he was breathing so he couldn't be a golem. A pity.
She glanced down at her servant who was patiently waiting. The mare's bat wings twitched restlessly, but otherwise showed no irritation with her situation. The petitioner's voice cracked and he cleared his throat, reaching for a bottle of water even as he continued to monologue.
"Perhaps a short break." She suggested loudly, "A chance to rest your throat. While I see to what my loyal guard would consider so important as to interrupt tonight's proceedings.
The earth pony paused, blinking like he had forgotten where he was, or that he had even had an audience. He took a sip of water. "If you wish, your highness." He said after a moment spent, apparently, remembering where he was.
Luna turned away from him without another word. It was unlikely he would recognize it as the snub it was intended as, but she could hope. Perhaps he'd leave in a huff. The lack of irritable paper shuffling unfortunately suggested otherwise however.
"Rise my servant and approach." She said to her guard, gesturing for her to come closer.
The mare rose and stepped forward. "Your Highness," She said, "I bring news of the important guest in the Sunrise Tower."
The young alicorn? "She is awake?" She asked. It was about time, truly the young one had been asleep for long enough to worry both herself and her elder sister.
"Yes Princess. I heard noises within her chambers and discovered her on the balcony." The young mare said. "She is hungry."
"Tis expected. Escort her to the northward dining terrace, I shall be along shortly as will food, and my sister." It was rather early, but her sister would understand. Perhaps this time she would get to use the gong. She did quite enjoy ringing it.
The mare bowed, completely oblivious to the not-quite-sinister thoughts of her mistress. "As you command." Her servant intoned before she dismissed her.
She turned back to the, unfortunately still present, grey stallion. "Matters of importance have come up." She said to the stallion whose name she still could not recall. "Give your name to my guards and they will see to it you are at the front of tomorrow's petitioner line." Perhaps he would be dissuaded by the prospect of staying up through two nights in a row enough to stop bothering her with this.
The stallion bowed. "I thank you for the courtesy and consideration, your Highness." He said. Or not. He didn't seem to understand subtlety very well.
Princess Luna stood from her throne. "Tonights proceedings are adjourned. A good night to all of you." She said and headed for the door, several of her guards moving into escort at her flanks as she left the room.
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The door of the room creaked open and Ranma lifted her head from where she had been laying on the pillow. Moonrose stuck her head into the room.
"Hello?" Ranma said, sitting up.
The bat-winged pony brightened and smiled. "Princess Luna has requested that I bring you to the northern dining terrace." She said. She nudged the door further open and gestured out the door with one hoof. "This way please."
Ranma blinked. Princess? Oh great, she had to deal with royalty… which made sense considering this was a giant castle. She ruffled her wings in an approximation of a shrug and hopped off the bed. Her hooves failed to skid this time as she walked across the room to the doorway.
"Princess?" She questioned as she followed the other pony into the bright well-lit hallway. Her eyes cast upwards as she paused outside the door. No windows were visible in the corridor, unsurprisingly really, but it might as well have been daytime inside. The white walls and gold accents on… well everything really, almost gleamed in the pure light cast by a series of chandeliers mounting glowing crystals carved in a variety of shapes. Some were roses, others stars, and others appeared to be entire clusters of grapes or bubbles.
Moonrose started down the hall, her metal-shod hooves making little noise on the decorative rugs. "Yes, Princess Luna. We of the Night Guard are sworn to her." She said flashing Ranma a smile over her shoulder that exposed one small fang. "She is the Diarch of the Night and Princess of the Moon. When I reported that you were awake she requested that I take you to the northern dining terrace. She also mentioned waking Princess Celestia, Diarch of the Day and Princess of the Sun." The blue pony paused, "She is also Princess Luna's older sister."
Two Princesses… Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that she wasn't male right now. Ranma sighed as she admired the decorations of the castle. Much of it was typical of large castles or mansions. The occasional painting, decorative table with flower pot, or wall hanging interspersed with fancy doors leading undoubtedly to more rooms.
"So which one is in charge then?" Ranma asked curiously as they started down a flight of stairs. The first couple steps were a bit tricky to navigate, but Ranma managed to avoid tripping and falling on her face long enough to adapt.
"Both are." Moonrose said as they reached the level below. She nodded to a pair of Night Guard soldiers stationed at the base of the stairs. They bowed as Moonrose passed.
Ranma spared the two other ponies a brief glance as they walked passed. A bow seemed a bit much for a salute, but then how was a quadruped supposed to salute without falling over exactly? The fact that they were standing there with their spears without falling over was impressive enough. "How does that work?" She asked, more to help the travel time pass more quickly than out of any real interest, though now that she thought about it that sort of thing had to be hell on the chain of command.
"Princess Luna rules the night, and Princess Celestia rules the day." Her escort said, "They share power, though truthfully it is only recently that Princess Luna has begun to take a direct hand in the affairs of the State after… Well she was indisposed for quite some time." Moonrose's wings fluttered nervously. "One more floor to go." She added as they reached the end of the hall and started down the next set of stairs.
Ranma raised an eyebrow at the lackluster attempt to change the subject, but didn't comment. It really wasn't any of her business how this strange place went about running itself. Her stomach rumbled in agreement and she blushed as they passed another pair of guards who also bowed to her escort.
"Almost there." Moonrose said with a suppressed giggle.
Ranma groaned. "At this point I'd almost be willing to eat grass… Almost." She said, drawing an actual giggle from her escort.
"Far better food than grass will be-"
"Ranma?"
The red-maned mare paused as a familiar voice called her name from behind. She turned to see a yellow female pegasus step out of one of the nearby rooms. Her red and orange mane bounced as she glided gracefully down the hallway. The odd hair colour was triggering all sorts of recognition for Ranma, but she was having issues putting a name to the pony before her. After a moment she blinked.
"Kasumi?" She said and the other mare smiled, well more like beamed. She was actually getting glare from the overhead lights reflecting off the eldest Tendo sister's teeth.
"I'm glad to see you're awake," Kasumi said, hugging Ranma with one hoof around the younger mare's neck.
"Glad to be awake," Ranma said with a smile that froze as the elder mare's gaze turned cold.
Kasumi reached up and tapped her on the forehead lightly as she frowned at her. "Don't you dare go and do anything that foolish ever again?" She said softly, "If Princess Celestia hadn't shown up when she did you might not have made it."
"That bad?" Ranma asked weakly.
"You were barely alive." The pegasus said softly, giving Ranma another hug with both forelegs. As she pulled back she smiled again. "Somehow I am less surprised than I imagine I should be that you are already up though."
Ranma puffed up. "I'm fine." She said, trying to ignore the small blush that was working its way across her face. Her stomach growled loudly once again, redoubling her blush.
"Hungry, however," Kasumi said. A moment later another, softly growl, came from the red and orange maned pegasus. Ranma blinked as Kasumi blushed. "And not the only one I'm afraid."
Moonrose coughed politely into one hoof, drawing their attention. "As happy as this is I do need to take Ranma down to the dining terrace." She said with a grin.
Kasumi nodded. "I'll be coming with you then." She said.
The bat-pony blinked. "If you wish." She said after a moment before turning and heading down the hallway. Both Kasumi and Ranma hurried after her.
As they walked Ranma asked Kasumi how the others were doing. The yellow pegasus shrugged her wings and rolled her eyes. "Akane and Nabiki are fine, and haven't stopped arguing since we got here." She said with a sigh.
"Why?" Ranma drawled.
Kasumi shrugged again. "This, that. They don't seem to see eye to eye on anything that has happened… That and I think Akane might still be having issues with…" She gestured vaguely to herself then the castle.
That sounded like Akane. She never was good at handling change and this… yeah this was a bit more than even Nerima could consider normal. "This place is very different from home," Ranma said, glancing at their escort. Were the locals aware that they weren't originally like them?
"It's to be expected." Kasumi sighed, "We are in an entirely different world now, and I mean that literally Ranma."
Ranma stumbled slightly at that. "I was wondering." She said softly as they passed the next pair of guards standing at the base of the stairs. She ignored the bowing. "Never heard of deadwood coming to life before or giant wolves made of wood. Who knows?"
"The Princesses know as much as we do. We shared what we knew." Kasumi replied, "Most of the guards know we are from elsewhere, even if they don't know the details. Princess Celestia wanted to talk with you before anything more was decided."
"Me?" Ranma echoed, "Why me?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Kasumi said after a few quiet moments of thought. "However you are an Alicorn-"
"A what?" Ranma had heard of a Pegasus or Unicorn before, but never an alicorn.
"An Alicorn," Moonrose said, speaking up for the first time in a while, "is a Pony who not only shares the physical traits of the three subspecies of ponies but also combines their unique magics with incredible power." The bat pony stopped outside a guarded doorway and turned to them before bowing, one wing held outstretched towards the door. "This is the Northern Dining Terrace, the Princesses will be with you shortly if they are not already in attendance."
Ranma blinked. Beside her, Kasumi returned the bow. "Thank you…. I never got your name, I'm sorry." The yellow pegasus blushed.
"Moonrose, Miss Kasumi." The bat pony said with a smile, "I must attend to other things now. Good luck to both of you." She turned and headed down the hallway.
"Thanks for leading me here," Ranma shouted after her. The lieutenant waved back with one wing. Ranma looked over the two large and well-armoured guards standing on either side of the doorway. They were both at least a full head taller than her and the armour they wore covered more than it did on other guards. The halberds they carried in one hoof were pointed towards the ceiling as they both bowed to her. One hoofed the door open with a back leg.
"Thank you," Kasumi said to the guards as they ducked inside. Ranma parrotted her distractedly as she looked around. The Northern Dining Terrace was a large spacious room, open to the elements on the outer wall, that was broader than it was deep. Most of the room was empty, aside from decorations on the walls and on small tables, but for a single large table at the far end of the room next to the short stone railing. A dozen large, almost comically so, cushions had been laid out around the low table. They were probably intended for sitting or lying down at the table. Notably, there was no one waiting at the table for them, though there were a handful of heavily armoured guards standing at attention around the circumference of the room.
"And no one is here." Ranma deadpanned. Her stomach grumbled its agreement.
Kasumi sighed and headed over to the table, taking a cushion along the side. Ranma trotted over and took the cushion next to her, flopping onto her side as she did. From her position looking up, she could see Kasumi sigh again. "Sit up Ranma," the older Pegasus reprimanded.
"Don't want to," Ranma replied, sticking her tongue out. She was tired still and the cushion was actually very comfy.
Kasumi opened her mouth to reply, only for a strange and somewhat distant
dong to sound out somewhere above them. Dust fell from the ceiling. "I wonder what that was?" She said, looking up.
Ranma waved a hoof in the air. "None of our business." She replied, stealing the neighbouring cushion for a pillow. "So, Alicorn?" She prodded.
The yellow pegasus shrugged her wings and looked back down, frowning as she noticed Ranma had stolen another cushion. Apparently deciding to let it go, or more likely deciding she didn't want an argument at three in the morning, she said, "It's like Moonrose said. There are three types of ponies. Akane and I are Pegasi, Nabiki is an Earth pony, and Ryouga is a unicorn. Each has their own abilities. As I've been told Earth ponies are usually very in touch with more physical things, such as farming. Pegasi can fly, and apparently control the weather. The bedroom Akane and I have been sharing has a bed with a cloud mattress. It's very very soft." She sighed wistfully and shot a glance upward.
"Made of clouds." Ranma said disbelieving. Wouldn't a cloud be really wet?
"Yes, Pegasi can walk on clouds. It's part of their innate control of the weather." Kasumi said, "Moving on, Unicorns can use their horns to channel actual magic for proper spells and such. Really complex magic. I understand that it takes a long time to master even a few spells, and most unicorns only learn a handful."
"Or a hoof-full?" Ranma prodded, getting a groan from the older Tendou.
"Yes, as they would say." Kasumi said. Ranma blinked and sighed. Right, they didn't have hands, why would they talk about them? "Anyways an Alicorn has all of these magics. From the enhanced strength and endurance of the Earth Pony, to the flight and weather magic of the Pegasi, as well as the raw arcane might of the Unicorn. Only more so with greater strength and greater potential." Kasumi's head dropped to rest her chin on her hooves. "At least that is how the Princesses described it to us a few days ago. There is one other thing I've noticed."
"Oh?" Ranma replied absently. Her mind was busy churning over the information Kasumi had shared. Alicorns were basically super ponies, and she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that.
"The only Alicorns I've seen are the Princesses." Kasumi said, "Everyone of the other ponies is one of the other three."
"What about Moonrose? She has bat wings." Ranma asked, as an oddly familiar feeling of dread settled into her stomach. Princesses… Oh this was sending her mind spiraling into worrisome thoughts.
"Nocturnal variant of the Pegasi apparently." Kasumi sighed before turning her head to give Ranma a worried look. "I don't know if it's just a coincidence, but…"
Ranma rolled onto her front and rested her head on her hooves. Her tail swished back and forth irritably. "But either way Alicorns aren't common." She said.
"I don't believe so, no." Kasumi sighed.
Silence reigned as the two sat in quiet thought for sometime. Finally the door to the Terrace lit up in a warm gold aura and swung open of its own volition. Ranma sat up and turned to face it with Kasumi. Through the doors stepped a giant, or as close to one as Ranma had ever seen. The pony was, at a guess, at least three, perhaps even four, times her height. Her coat was a pure white that seemed to glow from within, while her mane and tail; each coloured in alternating stripes of blue, green and pink; waved about in an invisible wind. A tiara of gold, with a single purple gem mounted in the center, sat just behind the long white horn. Hanging from her neck was a matching gold peytral with a large purple gem. Her wings, as glowing white as her coat and horn, were folded precisely at her sides and a great stylized sun adorned her flanks on both sides.
The second pony who entered was no less impressive, though she was an entire head shorter than the other. Her coat was a dark blue, reminiscent of the night sky, and her mane and tail were even more ethereal than the first's, though they also blew in an invisible wind. Her mane and tail mimicked the night sky in colour and if Ranma looked closely enough she could see the soft flicker of stars. Where the other Princess', and they had to be Princesses, had a tiara and peytral of gold this one wore plain metal painted a midnight black with only a crescent moon visible on the peytral itself. Her wings were folded at her side and her flanks were adorned with a crescent moon hanging alone in the night sky.
Kasumi bowed, curling a forelimb as she bowed her head, and Ranma awkwardly followed suit. "Your highnesses." Kasumi said deferentially. Ranma looked up cautiously. The smaller princess nodded her head approvingly while the older one smiled almost indulgently.
The white princess spoke, her voice could only be described as wise and motherly in nature. "Rise my little ponies. There is no-" A yawn abruptly forced itself out. The much larger pony blushed even as Ranma and Kasumi sat up. "Oh dear. Excuse me I am normally asleep at this time." She apologized as she took a seat at the head of the table. The other princess took the cushion next to her.
"You could have waited until morning." Ranma said, the words just coming out. She ignored the reproving look Kasumi sent her.
The white alicorn chuckled and waved her off with a hoof. "A few hours lost sleep can be made up later, or handled with prodigious amounts of tea." She said.
"Not too much tea Sister." The other said, "Do remember thy physicians' concerns."
The elder snorted. "Good Practice is a very able doctor, but I have been around for thousands of years and if there was some vague threat to my health from
tea of all things I am sure it would have happened long ago."
Ranma blinked. Thousands of…
years? What? She looked at Kasumi who only blinked back at her. This must be news to her as well.
"Do not dismiss his concerns too readily Tia." Luna warned before sighing, "However it would appear we have already wandered astray."
"Quite." 'Tia' said before smiling at Ranma and Kasumi. "It is good to see you up and moving. You are Ranma Saotome, correct?" She asked.
Ranma nodded. "I am." She confirmed.
"I am Princess Celestia of the Principality of Equestria." She said before gesturing to the small alicorn. "And this is my younger sister, Princess Luna. Also of Equestria."
"Greetings young one," Luna said, raising a hoof to wave awkwardly.
"Hello," Ranma said.
The door to the terrace bounced open once more as a cart was rolled into the room by a plain grey Earth Pony. Plates, tea cup, a pot of tea, and numerous bowls were piled on the cart. As he reached the table the pony stepped away from his cart and bowed. "Good morning Your Highnesses. I bring breakfast as requested." He said.
Celestia smiled. "Good morning First Course. The usual for myself I believe, though I do hope today's blend is stronger than usual." She said.
"Twice as strong at least Your Highness." The Pony said, scooping a tea cup and saucer off the cart with one hoof as easily as if he had hands. Ranma stared.
"Excellent. Sister?" Celetia prodded her sibling.
"The usual for myself as well." Luna said nodding primly.
Several salads, a plate with eggs and something that might have been deep-fried hay, and two bowls that were quickly filled with soup (Did they keep soup ready at all hours of the day just in case?) found their way from the cart to the table.
"And for the young ladies?" First Course directed to Ranma and Kasumi. Ranma blinked and looked at Kasumi, who shrugged.
"Something simple First Course." Celestia said, "Salad, toast, and eggs would be best. Leave the tea pot and a couple cups for them as well." Well at least someone at the table was thinking ahead.
"As you wish." First Course bowed and quickly started serving from the cart. A plate with salad, which appeared to include what looked like flower petals, was quickly placed in front of her along with another one that was stacked high with eggs and toast. It was a rather… western style of breakfast. Not a bad thing given that she was having enough issues trying to figure out how to pick up bread with her hooves, let alone rice. Chopsticks were probably impossible for her now.
A fork and knife joined the plates before a tea pot with cream, sugar, and the extra tea cups were placed in the center of the table between the Princesses and Ranma.
"Anything more, Your Highnesses?" The Earth Pony asked.
"We shall send a message should more be needed." Celestia said with a smile as she waved him off. The Earth Pony bowed and departed, taking the cart with him.
As he left, Ranma examined the cutlery before her. She rarely used a fork or knife when she had hands. How exactly was she supposed to use it with hooves? Then again… She glanced back at the Earth Pony. He had done it so…
One hoof came up and she prodded the fork. She ignored the curious looks she was getting from Kasumi and the Princesses. That Earth Pony had been holding some of those plates at angles that should have sent them sliding to the floor, yet he hadn't, so how?
Touching the knives and forks in front of her provided no immediate clues. Her hooves didn't magically meld with items or squish around them. They went tink, like you would expect hooves to when they met metal. And yet… With a small frown she considered the problem. The server had managed it without issues so how had he done it? She tried hooking a hoof around the edge of a fork, hooves weren't meant for that sort of thing, but she tried regardless.
The first attempt ended with a soft 'tink' as she tried and failed to lift the utensil. The second fared much the same as the first, except for a feeling that tickled the soft part of her hoof. With one ear cocked in concentration she tried again. Yes, there it was. A feeling almost like friction. Leaning into that feeling she tried again. The fork wobbled as her hoof lifted it from the table before abruptly dropping out of her 'grip'. The ring of cutlery on china sang in the quiet room for a few seconds as she stared at it.
"Talented indeed," Ranma looked up to see Luna watching her with one eyebrow raised.
"Are you sure you haven't been a pony before?" Celestia asked with curious amusement.
"I think I'd remember that," she replied, trying again. This time the fork stayed in place, a little wobbly, but still in her grip. She jabbed the salad with the fork. The lettuce crunched as the fork stabbed them. Then her grip failed from the effort and the fork tipped over, toppling off the side of the plate with a few sad pieces of lettuce hanging from the end. She blew out a frustrated sigh. This was going to take work.
"A good effort," Luna said, her own food being levitated in a magical aura, "Do not feel that you must put on a display of competence. Sustenance is more important than decorum at the moment." Kasumi seemed to take that bit of reassurance well as she leaned down and took a particularly large leaf between her teeth.
Ranma ignored them both as she stabbed the lettuce again. The fork failed to slip from her grip until after it was in her mouth this time. On a side note, the lettuce tasted very much like lettuce. Nothing particularly special, though the salad dressing was of a unique flavour she couldn't place. Probably a plant humans couldn't eat if she had to guess, or maybe something just native to this world.
Celestia watched her eat with a small smile as she sipped her tea. "I don't think she's doing it for decorum's sake sister," she said.
"The sooner you start, the sooner you improve," Ranma said as she continued to eat.
"Hmm, clearly," Luna said.
The sound of eating was prevalent for the next minute or so before Celestia set her tea down. "Now, allow us to properly welcome you to Equestria, Ranma Saotome," she said warmly, "It is not often we meet another Alicorn."
Luna snorted. "'Tia, your adopted niece is the only other I even recall meeting," she said dryly.
"A once in a millennia event is not often," Celestia replied, taking a sip of her tea. She sighed, "But can we try to focus, sister?" Luna waved a hoof and continued eating. "Thank you. Ranma, I have a few questions, if you don't mind?"
"Shoot," the redhead replied between bites.
A notepad and quill with inkpot popped into existence with a golden twinkle beside Celestia. "While I do believe the testimony your companions have given I would like to first confirm with you, you did not come here intentionally, yes?"
"I was sleeping then I woke up in that forest," she replied.
"And you have no knowledge about ponies or Equestria, correct?" Ranma nodded around the mouthful of salad. Celestia hummed and sipped her tea. "That includes its laws as well?"
Ranma paused. "... Who do I have to marry now?" she asked flatly. Beside her Kasumi choked on her salad, coughing as she stared at Ranma.
Luna spat the fork she was using to eat out. It pinged off the wall and disappeared behind a potted plant in the corner. "For what reason would you expect that?!" she exclaimed.
"It's happened before," Ranma replied. Shampoo for example, though at times she did wonder at how enforceable their laws were in Japan.
Celestia lowered her teacup to the table with a sigh and a slight smile. "Your companions had said that you have had an… interesting, few years. I can only imagine what stories they left out. I wouldn't mind hearing about them in the future, assuming you don't mind sharing?" she asked.
Ranma shrugged her wings. "It's been a weird few years," she admitted, "I think this whole thing only makes it to third place." Akane and the rest liked to say it was ever since Ranma arrived in Nerima, but it had been more like ever since they travelled to China.
"Only third? I look forward to hearing your story," Celestia said, "But, no you do not have to marry anyone unless you wish to."
"I would hope so," Luna said, staring at Ranma before waving for a new fork, "What sort of fools attempt to use laws to force a marriage between two ponies?"
"It did use to be legal to arrange marriages between families," Celestia noted.
"It was legal for them to arrange such things between families. It was not our business, nor that of the states before us, Sister," Luna said with distaste. "What barbaric cultures you have dealt with Ranma Saotome." As the dark blue Alicorn went back to eating, Ranma caught Celestia rolling her eyes at her sister.
"The point," Celestia said, "is that there are indeed laws concerning Alicorns and since you are one…" Her great white wings fluttered irritably. "I am sorry to spring this upon you immediately after meeting, but the law does require it of me."
Ranma put her fork down and sat up 'properly' with both forehooves placed before her. "So what do I have to do?" she asked.
"You have a choice. But perhaps some context first," the older Alicorn said, her horn lighting up with a golden aura once more. Her teacup was raised for a sip. "The history of Equestria is ancient, older than me and my sister by millennia. To explain in full would be a matter of days, for now, understand that Equestria was once known as the Kingdom of Three Tribes and ruled by a Triarchy headed by the House of Platinum. That came to an end two millennia ago with the appearance of a being known as Discord."
Luna's horn flashed with light and Ranma leaned back as a translucent image of what appeared to be the bastardized cousin of an eastern dragon formed over the table. Mismatched limbs, colours, and even horns of different creatures had been seemingly grafted to the lithe draconic form. Kasumi let out a small squeak of worry.
"Thank you, Luna," Celestia nodded to her sister, "This is Discord, the Spirit of Chaos. Madness and Chaos are his purviews. His influence was not subtle, but he brought the Kingdom of Three Tribes crashing down in an orgy of madness."
"He is a capable trickster, but delights in simply turning one's nature into its inverse," Luna said, "Kindness becomes cruelty, honesty becomes deception, loyalty becomes cowardice and so on. The Kingdom's leadership tore each other apart in mere days, but the true damage had been done in the first few hours with the deaths of the Triarchy. The details, however, do not truly matter in this case."
Celestia picked up the explanation, "It turned out that Alicorns are, while vulnerable to his more overt powers, incapable of being inverted. Our natures are too strong, too core to ourselves. There is no axis upon which to reverse ourselves."
"A fact that as we have discovered… Has its own issues," Luna said with a grimace as she removed the image of Discord from the table. Celestia winced but continued on.
"A tale for another time, Sister," she said, "We took leadership during the crisis and with the aid of some friends managed to overcome Discord. To us, that was the end, but to Equestria Discord's defeat raised questions. If he escaped, what was to stop him from simply overwhelming the rulers of Equestria again? If another being like him existed, how could they be stopped? The solution of the restored Triarchy was to ask us to take over leadership."
"We refused," Luna said bluntly, "While neither of us was willing to stand by and allow innocent ponies to be harmed by the madness, rulership was not something we were interested in."
"We left and took to travelling, but we underestimated how deep the wounds Discord had left were," Celestia sighed, "Three Triarchies rose and fell due to infighting and the lingering influence of the monster. Discord's actions had broken open long healed wounds between the three tribes. The fourth Triarchy found us and asked us to come to the capital of the time. The Castle you found in the forest."
Ranma tipped her head to the side. "That old place?"
"Yes. The Everfree forest was once known as Paradise," Celestia replied, "They gave us an ultimatum. They had passed a law, the last resolution of the Triarchy of Equestria. The Alicorn Resolution. We would either accept their request to become the rulers of Equestria and accept a title, not yet decided at the time."
"They wished to make us Queens. Tia, didn't want that," Luna said with a shake of her head, "What was it, 'Queens can't have tea parties'?" A light blush appeared on her sister.
"Not now Luna," her older sister replied, "We had been tempted to refuse. It would have meant leaving Equestria, but the nation was not as large as it is now. We would have had plenty of room to roam."
"Except they explained what they believed would happen," Luna continued, "They said that regardless of our decision it would be the last meeting of the Triarchy. Either we stepped up, or the three tribes fell apart."
"I'm seeing where this is going," Ranma said with a frown. "I'm an Alicorn, so that means I either accept being a Princess or leave?" Ryouga was never going to let her hear the end of this. Ranma, the pretty pony princess.
Celestia nodded. "Essentially, yes. Not that most would consider it a burden, but it does come with duties that are expected."
Ranma stabbed a bundle of lettuce and chewed on it thoughtfully. She swallowed "So I'm guessing you don't know how to just send us back home, right?" she asked.
"While travelling to other worlds is not a new phenomenon to me, it is difficult and poorly understood," Celestia said. She poured more tea into her cup. To her right Luna gave Kasumi a straw for her teacup. The yellow pegasus thanked the Princess with a strained smile. "Sending you home would first require finding your home and that is… difficult to say the least. We require something from your home, but ponies make poor antennas for such actions. I'm afraid to say that your stay will be extended, possibly by years."
"Unless someone on our end does… something," Ranma waved vaguely with her fork.
"Something noticeable," Celestia agreed, "Which means I have to ask you whether you would be willing to take up the duties of a Princess of Equestria for the duration of your stay. The Alicorn Act is the basis of our government's mandate. It is the most fundamentally important document in the nation and beyond even our ability to alter. The modern parliament ruled that it extends to all Alicorns, not just myself and Luna, when Cadence became an Alicorn. As such…"
"Serve or leave," the redheaded mare concluded, earning a sad nod. She stabbed her fork into the salad and ate with a frown. This was an irritating situation to wake up to. Still… "Assuming we don't have a better option than waiting for someone to figure this out for us, then… I'm not really seeing the issue," she said, setting the fork down. "Unless being a Princess means I'm going to have to get married or conduct some strange magic ritual?"
"Despite the tabloid paper's claims, we do not ritually bathe in the blood of a hundred virgins every full moon," Celestia deadpanned.
"I can't believe that one has stuck around for a thousand years," Luna sighed, "You would think they would get more inventive after a thousand years."
"And I'm not getting tossed to the sharks?" Ranma pressed.
"If I include you, there are four of us at the moment. We don't have a pressing need for you to take up duties at the moment, so no, you won't be. And even if we did, you have things you need to learn first," Celestia replied with a shake of her tricolour main.
Ranma made a face at the learning, but overall it was better than she had expected walking into the room. No marriages, yet anyway. "I can manage," she said with a quirk of her lips, "I mean, this isn't really a choice, is it?"
"You say that now, but if anything happens to the two of us," Celestia gestured to her sister, "then you are next in line since Cadence is in charge of the Crystal Empire."
Ranma flicked an ear and rolled her eyes. "You're thousands of years old. Me showing up in time for something to happen is like getting hit by a falling star," she said.
"I never said it was likely, but things can happen," Celestia said, "Do you accept, Ranma Saotome?"
Ranma stared up at the older mare. "You'll keep working on a way to get us home?" She asked.
"We will."
She chewed on a leaf of lettuce for a moment before nodding. "Then sure, being a Princess isn't that bad a price," she said. Even if Ryouga was going to keep ribbing her until the end of her life… Her ears lay flat. Was she going to age like these two?
"And now I owe Nabiki money, when we get some anyway," Kasumi sighed. The Princesses, two old and one new, turned to look at the yellow pegasus who was now puffing up her cheeks in a very definite pout. "I was sure you were going to need to get married."
Ranma rubbed her forehead with a sigh. Of course, they were betting on her. Because, why wouldn't they. "Kasumi…" she sighed.
Celestia chuckled. "For now, just focus on recovering from your arrival. So for the moment, Ranma Saotome, welcome to Equestria." She raised her teacup in salute with a smile.
"Indeed, welcome Ranma Saotome," Luna echoed, raising a mug of something steaming, "The presence of another Alicorn is a welcome and fortuitous occasion."
Bemused, Ranma lifted her empty teacup in reply. "Tea?" Celestia offered, the teapot floating over in a golden aura.
"Please." Well, it would have been nicer to be a Prince- ah, then again, maybe not. All the princes she had encountered were jackasses. She could live with being a Princess for now.
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A/N: Ello everyone~ Chapter two of The Long Path Home is here~ After five years~ It's been a bit of a ride all things considered. A lot of work to get this far, but here it is. I'd like to apologize for taking this long, at least to those of you who weren't introduced to it a few weeks ago
Gekkou here!~ Blame me for this existing!~
Grounders10: Well, the second chapter and later at least
So again, thank you to my Patrons~ To everyone else, please feel free to join the discord and come chat. We're friendly, I promise! Links for both are in my signature.
