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No. 17293
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>>17281
WHO can't? Y'all know who you're talkin' to? *ahem*
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Princess Celestia blinked, puzzled. The road from Fillydelphia was long, yet the strange, silent trihorned alicorn trudged along it alone, with no help or companionship, his pace steady and unflagging.
It took only a moment to fly to his side- and inquire.
"My good pony, welcome to Ponyville- have you come a long way?"
The Grand Ruler did not look up. "Some might say that."
Celestia blinked. "We haven't had the pleasure of your presence- you seem most unfamiliar. Where have you come from, sir?"
"Are you asking for my papers?" said the tricorn, still trudging along.
"Why, no! Please don't misunderstand. I'd hoped I could show you the same friendship anypony here would offer..."
"And get the same response." The Grand Ruler looked up, and Celestia shied away for a moment at the grimness of his eye. "I come from hell, milady. Any papers I could have would be burned away, years ago."
Princess Celestia set her jaw. "We don't have hell here, dear sir. I must ask- do you propose bringing it to my ponies of this town? I fear I must object."
The strange tricorn's mouth twitched into a bitter smile. "And what would you do if that was my intention?"
"Stop you." said Princess Celestia, and just for a moment, her gaze was as hard as his.
At that, Grand Ruler's look softened. "You need not fear. I have no such intention. I am merely- on patrol."
"Patrol, sir?"
"There will be no evil here, as long as my vigilance continues."
Princess Celestia laughed, a careless, happy sound. "But sir! There is no evil in Equestria! Our efforts are only towards learning the joys of friendship!"
His glance was weary and bitter. "Exactly."
Celestia trotted alongside him as he continued towards the town. "I must say, I'm not certain what you do, but I trust that you have no ill intentions. Can we offer you breakfast on this fine morning?" She chuckled fondly. "I know a certain pink pony who would take it as a challenge to turn that frown upside down..."
This stopped Grand Ruler, where nothing else had. "No!"
"But why-ever not, dear sir? If I understand you, you labor as some sort of protector. Do you not deserve such rewards?"
He looked at her, then, a terrible sadness in his eyes.
"Don't offer me what I cannot have, Princess. You suggest hugs and parties, and forget that in the morning I must be on my way. Do not highlight the bitterness of my life by contrasting it with that of your happy ponies. I cannot join them. Can you not see that?"
Princess Celestia looked at him, then, and her breath caught in her throat. He was, indeed, like another species entirely. Her sense of duty spoke within her, saying- you know what this creature is like. You understand, somehow. You walk in both worlds, and through singlemindedness and dogged determination he exists in just one.
You cannot offer him a hug, but you can offer him the lack of a hug.
Princess Celestia asked, very seriously, "Are you sure? You must understand, in turn- we will go to any lengths to care for you, if you wish it."
He looked at her, and it seemed he was too tired to quite understand- or perhaps, thought Princess Celestia, it would simply be too much effort.
"Neigh." he said, and continued trudging.
Princess Celestia stayed beside him, her head high, as he trudged through the town. When ponies became curious and approached, she kept them at a distance with a stern glance, not needing to say a word, though this behavior gathered a larger and larger crowd of ponies that followed them through the streets, a multicolored riot of ponydom following in puzzled silence.
At the outskirts of town, Princess Celestia halted, and Grand Ruler did not- and she called, "Farewell!" in a clear, calm voice, and watched as he continued on.
"May I ask, my Princess," said Rarity, "if it's all right- who was that? The horns were most fabulous!"
Pinkie Pie bounced. "He looked sad! I'm going to go and give him a hug!"
Celestia gasped, for Pinkie had begun to dash ahead. "No! Come back, darling pony!"
"Aw, how come?" said Pinkie, obeying reluctantly.
Princess Celestia dropped her eyes. "My dear ponies, our lesson today is difficult, but it is important. When you love, you must love not only from your heart, but to the other's heart, for it to be effective. You must find a way to translate, for the language some hearts speak is strange and foreign. That pony serves me (if you must call it that) in his own way, and his needs, you would not understand, but I would have you honor them regardless. You must trust me- allowing him the choice of how to be loved, today, is the most you can give him. And he will not stay here."
The ponies were silent, around their Princess, until Pinkie Pie piped up. "Then... if we can't hug him, can we hug you? We got all kinds of unhugged hugs all up in this place, now!"
"Of course... oof!"
Princess Celestia nearly disappeared under the flock of multicolored ponies- their hearts nurtured by her patient care until they bubbled over with the desire to be loving, and their affection released now toward her in a way so much less formal than usual, led by Pinkie Pie who clung to her neck and snuggled. Tears of gratitude came to Celestia's eyes, and they persisted even as the ponies de-hugged and trotted off, Pinkie Pie being the last to let go. Princess Celestia sat in the middle of the street as Ponyville got back to its business, and she looked down the road at the little speck still trudging away.
"Uh, Princess?" said Applejack, who'd lingered, seeing the tears. "Y'all okay, there?"
"It's all right, dear Applejack. I am fine."
Applejack's gaze followed hers, to the diminishing figure. "Well, now, what the hay was his problem, anyway?"
"Be kind." said Princess Celestia reprovingly. "But... I am glad I was here, to see this through, but I am even more grateful today than that."
"Beg pardon?" said the farmer pony.
"I have worked for years on my form of 'okay', and he has worked for years on his, dear Applejack. I do not know what his burdens are, and perhaps we owe him much- but my burdens have been those of caring for you, my ponies, and his have not. May I be forgiven... but I believe my rewards are far greater."
Applejack blinked, and looked cranky for a moment as she tried to work that one out, but the next moment she oofed and nickered in pleasure as her Princess hugged her once more. Blushing, she trotted off, back to work.
Princess Celestia took one more look at the departing figure, and turned, taking wing and heading back to Canterlot. Fortune was strange, and sometimes friendship was stranger, but she knew she'd done her best, and was satisfied.
---
there, now YOU don't have to write it!
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