canterlot The Empress Has No Clothes (Skype Transcript: Bellosh & Pretzelpony)

[Bellosh]

NOTE: The following Skype RP takes place several hours before the Grand Galloping Gala.

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Presteza: It was a beautiful day in Canterlot. The sun was shining, the birds were singing..... Meaning the perfect time for a peaceful activity in the Palace Gardens.

 

Presteza happily trotted along in the castle gardens. Despite the teariness she was experiencing... she was actually getting rather good with fauna and flora. Sure the allergies were a thing and may be for a while but... she was getting much better at controlling magical outbursts.

 

The painter calmly took her seat on a bench in the garden and began to idly sketch a nearby tree.

 

???: "THE EMPRESS ARRIVES AT THE CASTLE GARDENS!"

 

If one turned their heads towards the loud announcement, they would have saw a possession of exotically-dressed servants behind a sedan chair, carried by four carriers. More importantly, those onlookers would have beheld an elaborately-dressed qilin stepping out of the sedan, wearing a crown the likes of which were not found in Equestria.

 

For she was the Empress of Long Guo.....

 

Pressy: Presteza was... a bit too wrapped up in her drawing and failed to notice the loud announcement. She simply sat sketching away before the sedan chair sat in her way and she almost jumped in place.

 

"Oh!..." Inside her mind she huffed a bit as now the scene was altered... she'd need to come back to this later but, hey! A new pony... dragon... oh, right! Qilin! The painter eagerly trotted over and waved politely to the guards as well as the ruler with the same amount of enthusiasm! "'Tier blimey! I forgot we were havin' company taday! Nice ta meet ya strangers! Are ya ambassadors?"

 

The Imperial Retinue: One of the older attendants, an advisor of some sort, jumped right at the pony to chastise; "You stand in the presence of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress of the Great Féng Dynasty, Heavenly Daughter of Dragons, and Sovereign of Ten Thousand Years! How dare you disrespect our Empress by-!"

 

A raised hoof from the Empress was all it took to silence the advisor. After bringing her leg down, the polite Empress spoke in a more soothing voice; "My apologies for disturbing your business. I am simply passing through to behold the beauty of these Gardens."

 

Pressy: "Whoa!" The freckled pony went wide eyed a moment and then thought aloud to herself; "Qilin can live for ten thousand years?... that’s amazing! Imagine all the neat stuff I could do if I lived that long!" The mare was almost bouncing in place as she imagined the possibilities, more or less ignoring the guard's warning before going wide eyed at the hoof that interjected...

 

"Whoa... Yer coat is amazing!" She smiled almost innocently before trotting up to the mare; "Feel free ta enjoy with me! There's more than enough room on the bench, y'know!... and as cool as yer guards look they don't... mesh with the colors all that well."

 

The Imperial Retinue: The old advisor whined; "Wait, I'm not a guard!" But it was to no avail; nobody cared for his opinion right now.

 

The Empress meanwhile was hesitant to accept an offer from a pony she didn't know. But she tried to decline the offer without having the pony lose face either. "Ah, but if I were to sit with you on the bench, I would not be able to see the rest of the plants in these Gardens."

 

Pressy: The painter arched an eyebrow at the Empress. "Umm... this thing you're riding in has several blind spots, the back of it has no window... and you've even got a roof over your head." The painter's tone was more curious than offended by the offer; did Qilin have some sort of magical sight to see through barriers? That'd be awesome!

 

"I can understand if ya don't wanna get out o' the shade though. It has been getting hotter dont'cha think?" The mare shot a slight glare at the greater castle; "You'd think somepony would have changed that wouldn't ya?" She gave a shrug and thought a moment. The mare rubbed a fetlock to an itchy muzzle before grinning!

 

"OH! Where are my manners." The painter gently bonked herself on the noggin; "I haven't introduced myself! I'm Presteza! Wandering artist and only occasional weirdo... okay maybe more than on occasion.... okay maybe regularly... okay, I'm a weirdo. Anyway, yer escort or whatever said what I'm guessing are all o' yer titles, but what's yer name? If ya don't mind a pony with a silly accent askin' ya o' course!"

 

The Imperial Retinue: Wasting no time, the haughty advisor interjected; "According to our traditions, it is a sacrilege to refer to our exalted Empress with something so profane as a name!  Now if you'll excuse us, the Empress requires the solitude that only her large retinue can provide."

 

For her part, the Empress seemed reluctant to outright walk away from Presteza..... but she still wasn't convinced to join the painter. "You do not need to worry about my comfort. My servants can take care of all my needs." As if on cue, a hoofmaiden doused the Empress with a misty breath that cooled the air.

 

Pressy: The painter chuckled a bit at the sight of the hoofmaiden but went wide eyed as she saw strange glowing breath she exhaled over the Empress. "Oh... Now -that- is neat!" She said in a cheery tone before taking a seat at a bench slightly closer to the Empress.

 

"That's that 'breath magic' stuff, roight?" She asked, the heavier hint of her accent slipping in her excitement. "My mate Moony said that it's a lot like unicorn magic and has a lot of the similar capabilities..." There was a momentary pause; "Is it tough to control sometimes? I imagine a magic tied to something that is tied to a response that's loike ... automatic can be a bit hard to control." The painter began sketching something on her little sketchbook. There were many many rapid swishes over the pad and her eyes kept  darting back and forth over the scenery.

 

There was a moment when the painter froze in place though as if something had frozen her in time with a goofy look on her face, her eye twitching slightly.

 

The Imperial Retinue: The Empress looked concerned when she saw that Presteza had stopped practically all movement. Thinking that something might have been wrong with the artist, the Empress gave a nod to an equally befuddled attendant, signaling him to dash over to the pony and wave his hoof in front of her eyes.

 

Pressy: Upon closer inspection her nose was twitching but the second the attendant turned around to say something...

 

"Ahhh-TCHIEW!" The mare sneezed harshly, her horn lighting up and a gust blasting over the attendant. Not enough to send him flying or even hurt him at all, that was obvious... it didn't spare his dignity as now the attendant's mane was seemingly stuck in perfect line, every strand of his mane now flipped forward. The best way to describe his predicament was as if the qilin's mane had fused perfectly with a hoofball cap whose brim extended about a foot over his eyes.

 

"Haha.... er... Sorry, love!" The artist's horn lit up a bit and a small magical light engulfed the two, restoring the male's hair was back to how it was. "Thank goodness fer fail-safes right?" She smiled slightly awkwardly before rubbing at her snout.

 

"Tell ya wot! Oi'll give yer servant a free paintin' fer his trouble... and I'll um... well I know a longma is outside the palace sellin' somethin' that ponies are sayin' is really good!"

 

The Imperial Retinue: Surprise manifested in the Empress's eyes as everyone else gasped in horror at the effects of Presteza's sneeze. "You will do NO such thing!" bellowed the cranky advisor; "We obviously can't risk having you bring harm to our Empress with your... sorcerous sneezing!" He turned to his Empress; "Let's go, Your Majesty; we've spent enough time being harassed by this commoner for one day."

 

A sigh escaped from the Empress's lips. As her advisor warned, further calamity could potentially ensue if she stayed around the painter mare any longer. And yet, a small voice in the back of her mind nagged at her; that she would be making a mistake. With great reluctance, the Empress did her best to end this encounter on a graceful note. "A work of art from an Equestrian is a gift that any Long Sun will cherish. As for myself, I hope that you keep enjoying the blessings of prosperity. May the rest of the day give you good fortune."

 

Politely nodding at Presteza, the Empress slowly started walking away, the rest of her entourage following behind.

 

Pressy: Presteza glared at the advisor and cleared her throat a moment. There was something that was unique about Trottingham cockney. When it's used loud and bawdily it can be a bastion of good cheer, but if you drop your voice a bit and speak calmly it can sound... a bit harsh. "Wait a tick... mister advisor. Wanna tell me what problem you have with commoners?" Curiously the mare didn't stop smiling as she spoke in that calmer register.

 

"My father was a commoner and he works hard in the guard now... his mum was a cab driver and keeps my hometown of Trottingham alive and kicking. If ya wanna talk bad about commoners, could ya not do it around a pony who's a descendant of them?" She cleared her throat and winced before waving to the Empress.

 

"Oi! W-wait!" The painter got up from her bench and trotted over, this time minding the guards, well a bit better at least this time. She still managed to get past their oddly loose formation. "Oi know ya've got plenty ta do tonight... but would it be okay if I painted you? I can promise you that I'll have a detailed beautiful piece prepared for ya before the sun goes down and the Gala starts! No bits, no currency, just for the sake a sudden bit o' inspiration ya gave me."

 

The Imperial Retinue: There was something in Presteza's voice that told the Advisor that it would be wise to keep his mouth shut. Oddly enough, he actually obeyed his instinct to stay silent; instead he meekly gulped.

 

The pony's further attempts to keep herself in the company of the Empress earned her glares from the grim-faced guards, all dressed in identical conical headwear and black brocade. One of those elite guards quickly whispered in the Empress's ear; "This could be a ploy to isolate and kidnap you, Your Majesty. Or worse."

 

The Empress nodded, herself also finding the offer suspicious in nature. "It's rather peculiar that an artist, who depends on her livelihood to get by, is offering a free work of art to someone who can obviously afford any price for it. Unless, of course, you seek to gain something else of value that only I can provide....."

 

Pressy: "Well... there are just times when a muse takes me." The artist levitated a sketchbook up beside her and began to draw out something without really paying attention; "When I meet someone nice, unique, or just has this vague feeling around them... I can't help it, I've got to paint them but I've always felt bad about not askin' 'em first." She laughed a mixture of both embarrassment and earnestness.

 

"It's why I take up odd jobs all the time when I'm wanderin' about... gotta pay for lodgings and replace brushes and restock paint..." She sighed softly before looking up  at the Empress with sort of passionate fire in her eyes... not of a romantic type but more that of raw untempered creative passions that needed to be harnessed.

 

"All I really wish to gain from you, is a chance to grow a little bit more as artist." The mare smiled at the princess in a way that implied a sort of genuine interest... the mare's eyes were fixed purely on the Empress's face. They didn't drift to the elegant robes, or the admitted nice crown. "If you don't wish to let me paint you, I'll respect your decision as a po-- er Qilin. I guess I may not make a huge amount o' sense for aspiring artist don't I... passion is more my strong suit, lov. Not so much the logical stuff." She chuckled a bit at her own expense.

 

The Empress: One thing that the Empress's father taught her was to always pay close attention to somebody's eyes, for they revealed a great many things concerning one's intentions. What the Empress saw in Presteza's eyes was..... earnestness. Determination. Whatever was coming out of the pony's mouth was no act.

 

Now inclined to hear Presteza out, the Empress sagely inquired further; "Then I ask you this Presteza; what precisely do you see in me, the Empress of Long Guo?"

 

Pressy: The mare cleared her throat; "I see... a pony- er um... a Qilin who is hiding what truly makes her strong for the benefit of those who want to see her be strong in the way that -they- believe strength is. I see, a mare who deserves to be painted in a way that shows who -she- is and not what others expect her to be... regardless of whether or not how important it may be for her to be seen in such a way." The mare blinked a few times and laughed a bit awkwardly; "Did I just get sorta... philosophical there?"

 

"So... what do ya say?" She asked with a hopeful look on her face.

 

The Empress: A sad smile cropped up on the face of the Empress. "Such is the burden of a throne. Rulers like myself, your Princess Celestia, my Father before me....." a momentary hint of sorrow appears in her voice, before disappearing as she continues to speak; "We all put on masks to assure the world of our fitness to rule. To 'be yourself' is the one luxury a monarch cannot afford."

 

"Nonetheless," the Qilin's smile grew a bit brighter; ".......I accept your offer, Presteza."

 

Pressy: A grin spread over the painter's face and she leapt up high in the air with an exuberant, "Yippee!" Before coming down with a still ecstatic grin. "I promise, yer not gonna regret this, miss... er um... well can I ask yer name this time without yer advisor tellin' me yer above one?" She playfully chuckled a bit as she took a few things from her back, one being a very large scroll.

 

The painter smiled up at her and she began to look at some numbers written at the rolled-up parchment's corner. If any of the guards were looking suspiciously at these numbers in case they might be some kind of magical entrapment spell... they'd find they weren't and were just measurements of the length and width of the paper.

 

The Empress: First, the Empress turned around to her entourage to impart a simple command; "You may leave us." Despite the doubt showed by the servants and guards, a look into the Qilin's eyes showed an intensity that indicated that she would not be open to objections.

 

The intentions of their Empress known, the entire escort reverently nodded and replied in unison; "As you wish!" In a graceful manner, the Imperial retinue departed for a more distant area to give the Empress her privacy... but also to standby in case they were needed again.

 

"Yuè," the Qilin mare said to Presteza once the escorts were far-enough away; "You may call me Yuè."

 

Pressy: "Yue... Yue... Oi'm not sure wot that means exactly but it sounds... elegant." The thought a moment and smiled; "And it's nice ta finally get yer name Yue! I guess yer advisor probably means well... but that commoner thing. Well it struck a nerve with me is all." She rubbed at her neck nervously before looking up and down the Empress a few times.

 

"Can I ask ya somethin' though?"

 

Yuè: "It's short for Yù Yuè," the Empress explained her name further; "Or Jade Moon in the Equestrian Tongue. I apologize if some of our ways put you... off-balance; my servants are not acquainted with the more informal manner in which ponies display reverence."

 

When Presteza asked her next question, Yuè replied; "Ask me any question you desire....."

 

Pressy: The painter paused a moment, "Does all that stuff yer wearin' ever get kinda heavy? I don't mean in the metaphorical 'oh the burden of leading this land weighs heavily on my shoulders' kinda way but more the it’s hard to walk in this sorta way?" She chuckled awkwardly as she laid out the scroll on the floor and began to unfurl it.

 

Yuè: Yuè mused; "Each dress presents its own unique challenge when wearing it. My robes are no different in that regard."

 

Pressy: "So a yes then... Could yer friend over there hold onto yer outfit and all the other stuff? If we're goin' fer this sorta feeling I'm hoping to go for...ya might look nicer without 'em." The eyes of the unicorn betrayed a focus, a drive behind her words... but a transparency in them as well. "Like I said I'd like this one ta be more about who -you- are and I can't help but feel the clothes can sometimes distract a bit from the pony-er Qilin underneath 'em."

 

As she spoke, Presteza spread out the parchment and set some heavy stones on the corners of it. Can't risk this getting blown away!

 

Yuè: Yuè raised an eyebrow, although one could also see a faint trace of a smirk. "According to our customs, it is a grave taboo to disrobe the most vibrant symbol of Long Sun magnificence."

 

Pressy: "... Then how do you wash?!" The mare said in disbelief before thinking a moment and sniffing; "Do ya use some fancy breath magic ta clean yerselves?" Presteza made a slightly perplexed face before she spoke up again.

 

"... Yer pullin' my hoof aren't ya?"

 

Yuè: Bemused, Yuè gracefully shook her head in a 'no' gesture. "I should explain further... as the Empress, whenever I am in the public eye, it is my duty to never appear as anything less than a Heavenly Daughter of Dragons. To do otherwise brings great dishonor to the Imperial Family."

 

Pressy: The painter nodded; "Well... technically, you, me, and yer servant over there are the only ones here... but if ya want we could find somewhere more private for you?" The mare tilted her head a bit, looking somewhat hopeful.

 

"I mean. There aren't many here at the moment but I can see how ya could worry about someone just walkin' in and breaking an important tradition."

 

Yuè: An outstretched arm from Yuè signaled dismissal of that notion. "That won't be necessary..... I consent to strip myself of my finery, to be laid bare. As you said, there is nobody here but the two of us. Let us proceed..."

 

Except they weren't really alone. Sliding into view came a trio of hoofmaidens, whom with cartoonish speed, took off the Empress's crown and robes before once again sliding out of the scene.

 

Yuè used this moment to shake her mane, letting her purple hair blow free as she gave it a brush with her hoof. Aside from her cutie mark, there was nothing now to signify that the Qilin was of noble blood. Without her clothes and her crown, she was nothing more than an ordinary mare.

 

Pressy: The painter jumped in place as those maids came in and swiftly undressed the Empress before her, for a moment she was stuck looking around, wondering where they went. "Um... do you hire yer servants from a Qilin branch of the Pie family?" She asked with a slight chuckle, before looking back to the mare she was to paint.

 

Presteza smiled and nodded; "Perfect! Gotta say, I think ya look much more personable without all the finery." The painter got down on her hooves and looked back and forth around Yue; "Hmmm... could you lie down? I think that may give a good relaxed posture could work wonders."

 

Yuè: Accepting Presteza's compliment as genuine, Yuè complied with the painter's request by lying down on the grass. The Qilin mare settled into a graceful laying position; legs stretched forward while her long tail bent towards Presteza's direction.

 

Pressy: The painter smiled brightly and nodded; "That's brilliant~" She said in a practically purring tone while she eyed the Empress. The mare grinned. This was going to have to be done a bit slower than usual. She looked down at the pare and back to her model. The mare's horn began to glow and several various types of brushes were brought to the canvas.

 

Each one made a delicate, precise but quick brush across the parchment as she began with the basic shape of the Empress on the paper.

 

"Mind if I ask what ya like ta do with yer spare time, Yue?"

 

Yuè: Yuè took particular notice of Presteza as she began her painting, as this was one of the few occasions she'd ever seen unicorn magic in action. "My spare time...?" the Qilin pondered as she watched objects levitate about; "...As the Empress, I must devote my energies toward ruling the Dragon Kingdom and serving my people. I cannot afford to engage excessively in frivolous activity."

 

Pressy: "Aw... c'mon , even our princess... -er well, at least one o' 'em- has cake! There's nothin' ya like doin' that's not part o' yer position?" She was still pretty focused on her painting, each swipe of a brush was filled with passion, but also precision. More and more of the picture was coming to light.

 

"But then again... she's got several other sub rulers... for a really weird system I don't roight undastand..." She paused a moment to blink but then went back to the painting.

 

Yuè: The Qilin's mind drew a blank, trying desperately to remember the last time she ever did something purely because it was fun. Not giving into the urge to scratch her chin, Yuè finally spoke after a few moments passed; "I can't say I remember the last time I did an activity not related to my duties. In the time that I've been crowned Empress, I have had to learn the finer points of ruling. No one expected me to inherit the Dragon Throne, so what takes years to be taught I have to learn in a matter of months. And before I was chosen to succeed my Father, I was studying under the tutelage of the Fenghuang Monks....."

 

Pressy: "You know kung fu?!" barked the excitable painter with a positively goofy grin on her face; "Oh you gotta teach me that stuff sometime! The self defense stuff my dad taught me were some holds and grabs and stuff... but I'm not the strongest pony ta be fair so he told me that I should... try and improvise a lot." She chuckled a bit and began to look over her work so far. "Oh wot do ya think o' wot I got so far yer highness?"

 

The mare held her brushes up above her head, carefully keeping them away from the canvas so any excess paint didn't drip or ruin what she had so far. It seemed to be the Empress as she sat with most of shading depicted on her managing to highlight the contours of the Empress's figure in a way that .. may make an advisor blush at this scandalous notion of painting the Empress bare; despite how silly that was... but cultural differences and all that.

 

Yuè: The Empress looked pleased with the result so far. "I approve. Perhaps one day, I should show you my work as well." Yuè explained further; "I learned a great many things at Fenghuang Monastery. Painting, dispute resolution, advanced dragonbreathing, archery, and yes..... martial arts."

 

Pressy: "That sounds... amazing... So cool!" The painter almost jumped in place in her excitement as she pictured the Empress in her training. Like a beautiful montage in her head, it was for a moment. She gave pause though; "Oh um... is advanced dragonbreathing like the magic we can do here? Are you able to do that teleport thingy like my friend Moondancer does?" She tilted her head as she brought the brushes back over and resumed the shading process, adding some depth to the piece.

 

"I gotta imagine it's pretty neat... Oh can you do archery -with- your breath?!" The mare looked back up her eyes sparkling with delight as she imagined the possibilities.

 

Yuè: A smile shined on Yuè's face; Presteza's enthusiasm being that infectious. "Breath magic is indeed very much comparable to a unicorn's own horn magic. I do not know how to warp my physical form to a different location... but I can send written messages over long distances with dragonfire."

 

The Empress paused for a moment; "If you mean I can shoot spheres of fire from my mouth... then yes, I am indeed capable of that task, should it prove necessary. However, I mainly refer to the art of using a bow and arrow....."

 

Pressy: "Oh no! I meant like... could you manipulate the air you exhale to hold up a bow and pull back the arrow and let go?" The mare stood up again, the painting was finished for now and it definitely portrayed the Empress the piece giving of a non-physical warmth as the Empress looked on her visage.

 

 

"Hmm... what do ya think, Yu?" She asked with another peppy grin.

 

Yuè: ".....I cannot," the Empress answered; "It is less intensive for a Qilin to hold a bow with their hooves, although it is possible for a skilled master to utilize the air in the fashion you just described. Yet my abilities pale in comparison to those of the masters."

 

Yuè then gazed upon the art in its beautiful state; "You wield the paintbrush well, Presteza. One imagines that ponies normally pay lots of money for your services."

 

Pressy: The unicorn thought a moment; "Hmm... it does make a bit of sense..." The mare smiled brightly at Yu's compliment. The mare's chest puffed up a bit as she basked in the kind words of her royal friend.

 

"Well.... not yet they don't. I gotta work to become better and prove my art can be counted among the best if they're gonna pay a lot for 'em... Aa much as I love my work... I'm no Reinbrandt." She chuckled softly.

 

Yuè: The Empress nodded, appreciating the painter's humbleness. "It takes unshakable focus and countless hours of practice to master a skill. I have faith that one day, you too will be counted among the ranks of the great pony artists."

 

Pressy: The painter smiled again, this one a bit more reserved than her usual goofy grin. "Thank ya, Yu..." There was a pause that was followed by a chuckle; "Do ya really think so? I know I've got a ways to go though, but hearin' you've got someone with faith in ya is what's gonna push me ta be the best artist I can!"

 

The mare paused a moment and looked to her new double-horned friend; "And I bet yer gonna be one o' the greatest leaders yer land's ever gotten!"

 

Yuè: Yuè did a double-take at Presteza's statement; "...That's a rather bold claim to make, unless you have studied all the past emperors and empresses of Long Guo. What gives you belief that I will rule exceptionally?" The Qilin was actually curious for the painter's answer; few others in the Imperial Court have expressed as strong of an endorsement as Presteza did just now.

 

Pressy: Pressy blinked and admitted with no shortness of honesty; "I have no idea... just a feeling. I only known ya fer... what about thirty minutes? And well, ya seem like a good po-- er QIlin." The mare rubbed a hoof to her neck, accompanying it with a rather embarrassed smile.

 

"I guess it's a bit naïve ta draw a conclusion about someone ya've only just met, huh?"

 

Yuè: It looked like Yuè was holding back an amused giggle with her hoof, although she couldn't hold back a smile. "There are many who'd say the same; that a shroud of darkness might actually conceal someone filled with light,"  the Empress sagely nodded. "But one must also have the wisdom to perceive when a fair face masks deceitful intentions."

 

The royal mare looked away wistfully; "If only I knew more pure-hearted souls like yours....."

 

Pressy: "Well... fer now I think I'll trust my instincts, and my instincts say; you're awesome!" She grinned as she realized something. "Oh... by the sun, I should have brought a frame..." she huffed in a saddened tone before looking up to her new friend.

 

"Oh... are ya gonna be in Equestria long or just fer the Gala?"

 

Yuè: Yuè responded by shaking her head; "I won't remain in Equestria for much longer after the Gala ends. I must return home, so I can perform my duties as Empress of the Dragon Kingdom."

 

Pressy: The painter's ears dropped slightly as she looked to Yu; "Aw... Well I was hopin' I could spend some time with ya more." The unicorn put a hoof to her chin; "Maybe after I make enough money ta pay fer a trip there we can meet up sometime.. um weh a won't be busy that is..."

 

Yuè: The Empress swiftly silenced Prestea with an extended foreleg; "That will not be required." After thinking things over for a couple moments, Yuè spoke once more; "If you truly wish to further our fellowship... then I cannot permit you to spend your own money on a long voyage. However, skilled artists are always in great demand in the Imperial Household."

 

A coy face appeared on the Qilin's face; "Perhaps you might consider employment in my Palace?"

 

Pressy: Presteza practically froze in place for a few seconds. Her mind trying to process what the Empress had just said. Soon after a positively gigantic grin spread over her face and with a speed Yu probably didn't see coming she found herself in a hug and lifted up off the ground for a moment; "Yer serious?! I can't -I mean oh by the sun, this is amazin'!" Soon Yu was set back down.

 

The unicorn was going a mile a minute as she talked and listed off the various things that she imagined were in the kingdom she could visit. "Are all ' those awesome stories about the place true?! l-mean like ancient monuments and things like that?! Oh this is gonna be so-so awesome!"

 

The painter froze up again and laughed awkwardly. She raised a hoof to her face and cleared her throat before giving a nice and proper bow; "Thank you, Yu... I promise ya won't regret this!"

 

Yuè: Yuè was caught off-guard as Presteza lifted her up in the air. Given her background as both a daughter of royalty and a student of the Harmonious Path, such displays of friendly exuberance were almost completely alien to the Qilin mare. Nobody had dared treated Yuè in a overly familiar manner in, well... a very long time. Not since the Qilin lost contact with her best childhood friend.

 

Somehow, it felt nice to be reminded of those old days again.

 

Although the Empress maintained her usual composed all throughout, there was no denying the content expression on her face.....

*THE END*