The Great Equestrian Consort Audition (Open- See OOC)

[Pretzelparty]

 

Bevel watched with a sort of unease as Twilight opened the gift; to her, it was like one of those moments when things just seem to not be going fast enough. It was almost like she could hear very crinkle and minor rip of the paper surrounding the gift; the acoustics and echo of the large chamber they were in might have helped too. The second she heard the first syllable of the princess's coming reaction it was almost like she was bracing for impact... but then came the entire sentence and the mare let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, I was worried you would have prefered a newer model but felt something more persona-AAH!" 

The mare was surprised by a yank from a strong telekinetic pull, noted she was very good with telekinesis. It wasn't too surprising to be brought closer by a mare of incredible, honed magical power. Bevel was very well read and new a great deal about spells... but she'd only actually -used- a small amount of what she'd actually learned , sticking to the basics and some higher end spells for emergencies. It was always strangely... uncomfortable to be held in another pony's magic, a bit oddly intimate in some obscure fashion.

What came next was a more awkward assault on her senses; first a hug that made her blush slightly, and then a kiss that made her entire face go beet red for a few seconds. "I-I-I... " The inventor shook her head vigorously as if trying to shake loose some blockage in her mind , keeping her from thinking straight before she finally cleared her head and coughed into her fetlock. "I, Thank you... I hope we can meet again in the future." There was still the faintest hint of pinkness in her cheeks and somehow her coat seemed a bit warmer.

"I will still be in Ponyville for a while as I try to fix my ship... so the odds are in favor of us meeting again soon."

 

[SteelEagle]

 

Twilight gave her gift a closer examination. It was a wonderful gift for reasons only a few knew and even fewer truly understood. Nicolas was one of the most famous astronomers in pre-Occafor Equestria. Could they really have understood then just how powerful an idea his theory on the revolution of the cosmos was? No. That alone made anything he touched or used exceedingly worthy of attention. But more importantly was that it was all very acutely tuned to a particular and unique brand of magic only he used. A quick scan revealed that most of it had fade, but traces of his aura lay scattered about, most prominently on the lens itself. 

She could use it for so many applications, either as part of a whole or broken up into pieces. You could arrange a few such pieces together and form truly wonderful magical, functional pieces that she ccould use to enhance her night viewing, among other possibilities. And even if she kept it whole, it was a wonderful piece of magical, world, and astronomical history. The fact that Bevel had such a knack for having the perfect gift for a mare she knew so little about was amazing. If all things worked together as well as this situation did, as well as they worked together, then why not have her as a consort? Seemed to be a good start to her.

"It was so nice to meet you, Bevel. Rest assured that you will be in my top listing when it comes time to make my decision! I hope you have a wonderful day. Stay well, Bevel," she said as the guards escorted her out, waving all the while, Finally she zapped her new gift to her private quarters, arranging it before she returned mentally to the room.
"Next?"

[Lux]

Lore Weaver could never explain why certain things happened to him at a given time. Call it fate, call it luck, call it karma, but whatever reason the stallion always seemed to find it. It happened that such a serendipitous time was to strike without warning as the unicorn noticed while returning back to the castle after an errand that there were ponies coming and going. This wasn't a rare occurrence as after all Princess Twilight Sparkle did see many ponies during the day to settle disputes, resolve friendship issues, or just to say hello. But the strange thing about this was that the one pony that he saw, a familiar looking mare, had a rosy face like something embarrassing happened! 

"Uh oh, what happened in the throne room?" Lore said as he made his was towards the open doors. Granted that the Princess of Friendship knew how to take care of herself, but still seeing an embarrassed pony made him wonder. It was in his bewilderment that the stallion neglected to see the sign posted: The Great Equestrian Consort Audition. He simple just made his way into the throne room, unaware that something was going on. With the endless parade of visitors and summits and events it was hard even for a studious and organized pony like Lore to get things straight! There was nopony else in line, just him and the Princess. He had much to thank the Princess for in his short time in Ponyville, and, at least in his humble opinion, the two shared common interests like learning new things, exploring the depths of magic, and helping their community in their own way. Of course his knowledge and contributions paled in comparison to Twilight's, but it was nice to see a kindred spirit, at least that's what Lore surmised. 

"Next?"

"Err... hello Twilight. Just checking in to see that everything is ok, with whatever you're doing. Am I interrupting something seeing as you said next?" 

[SteelEagle]

OOC- Oh geez! I thought I was waiting on somepony!

 

Twilight considered what was going to happen next. She'd gotten off to a nice start on her search, with both candidates putting forward solid cases. Could she say that the would-be Emperor had much of a shot? Not really. As fun as she found him, there was an air of disconnect from reality that would be lethal in a position of influence, and something she personally couldn't find agreeable. Bevel was a scientific mind in a role that she would be able to use it well at, though except for that Twilight didn't know how she would handle the additional responsibilities of the role.

 

That was why this was an open audition, however. Anypony could come. Only a few real candidates could emerge from the flow, but that would allow her an honest snapshot of Equestria and what would fit best with her, in this role. Mares, stallions, young adults to the old, she wouldn't deny an applicant his or her honest efforts. And it was in this spirit of open mindedness that stepped in Lore Weaver, a friend, and the pony in charge of her library. She had been very pleased with how he had handled it, and the library had quickly grown to such size and breadth as to dwarf the old Golden Oak. And here he was- to try and become her consort?

 

Her eyes shot up humorously as he asked what was going going on. She laughed. "Well, I am sure you read the sign up front, yes? I am holding open auditions to become my consort. And here you are- alone- in the middle of the auditions," she shot him a bemused, knowing, prodding look before she placed her front hooves one in front of another, leaning back. This was fun. "So, what do you have to say for yourself?"

[Lux]

Spoiler

No problem! 

 

There are some ponies that would consider Lore Weaver as scatterbrained. In reality the stallion wasn't a ditz as his mind was spinning faster than a Pegasus could fly! This proved to be an issue when his mind decided to suddenly fail him when he needed it most! Such was the case that the hapless unicorn was in not reading the all-important sign. 

 

"Well, I am sure you read the sign up front, yes? I am holding open auditions to become my consort. And here you are- alone- in the middle of the auditions."

 

Suddenly his mind engaged, dropping him back to reality, and leaving him a little note. It wasn't a note but a dictionary entry pulled from his Memory Library as he called it. In particular, there were two similar but different entries: 

 

Consort - n.

1.

a husband or wife; spouse, especially of a reigning monarch.

2.

a companion, associate, or partner.

On one hoof he could already consider himself an associate as Head Librarian. But that other definition, oh that one! Was Twilight looking... for a special somepony... even marriage? She was after all a reigning monarch as the definition put it. He never knew that she was seeking, although it wasn't his business to pry into other ponies' business. Something else came to mind: did he see a mare leaving as he entered in? That matter had to be dealt with later. Right now he was torn between what to do or say. Granted he liked her, but was he husband material? 

 

"So, what do you have to say for yourself?"

 

"I have to say that I am surprised by the decision," Lore Weaver said resisting the urge to say something stupid or worse collapse in a quivering mass of blue and purple, "but I understand your need for such an change in your life. Whatever questions you have of me, I'll do my best to answer." 

[SteelEagle]

 

Twilight had acquired a superpower. A very useful superpower for a monarch and one she never thought much of when her station was more cavernous than it was now. It was useful in social scenarios and without it she would make so many more mistakes than she did now. Best part of it all was that it was passive. She didn't have to cast a spell or do anything vital- she just had to watch and listen. It became especially powerful when she was playful, and she could see it now. She could sense when somepony was embarrassed or in awe. She had to use it a lot because of how often it happened- being an Alicorn and a royal caused such reactions to proliferate.

 

He asked her what caused this change. It came after he received well- she could see his face dawn with realization. Lost in his work, was he? That was good. The Royal Library was one of her favorite things and ways she could help the common pony. His lack of awareness of what was going on was hopefully a symptom of attention being paid to the library. It also meant he wasn't here to be a real candidate, but that means she could at least relax a little and not think about the future of this audition. She could relax with a friend, play with, and generally worry about matters outside of this room for even just a few seconds. A nice thing to be lost in.

 

"Well, it is law, not a desire. Anyway, how is the library operating?"

[Lux]

Lore Weaver felt surprised that there was a law that essentially forced Twilight into finding a consort. It was probably some obscure law on the continuance of a royal line by ensuring a successor either through the consort should the royal member should pass on or through the children of said consort and royal member. That being said the Alicorn was taking it rather seriously, enough to have this event planned where she judged potential consorts. Still despite that the stallion noticed that she was very relaxed talking to him. Was this her way of interviewing, or did she see him as not even a candidate? He wasn't going to rush to conclusions as that usually ended with him up to his neck in troubles and mentally admonishing for days to come. Still if this was her way to interview ponies for the position of consort he would proceed. 

 

"The library has been doing well. Patron attendance has maintained a steady amount if not increasing slightly. New books have been arriving during the months as per budgeting as well as a flood of donated books. There are enough of such used books to warrant a book fair in the future, perhaps for the library's upkeep or for some other charity. And older books are being preserved and stored in limited access rooms as well as powerful magic. Really the only thing I think that's needed is more activities there like... maybe storytimes for foals, book clubs, lectures, etc."

 

Lore finished feeling pretty proud about his impromptu report. Of course it would have been better presenting the stacks of papers of circulation statistics, reference query reports, and acquisitions sheets. Would this perhaps put him back into the chance for a consort? Well, it was best not to ignore the Princess in the room. 

 

"So, how have you been doing, besides this consort audition of course?"

[SteelEagle]

 

Excellent news on the front of progress in the library! Twilight was a mare devoted to the opportunities of ponies big and small, poor and rich, and part and parcel to that was a love of reading that she hoped to engender from an early age. She had a large budget for the library which allowed them to do many things. Of course they could buy in bulk and transport what they needed. They could send ponies to auctions for rare books and have the budget to back up all but the most absurd bids. Another simple thing they could do, but shockingly powerful, was the ability to publish new materials. The Royal Ponyville Print published medical texts, research papers, foreign reports, news, fiction, and timing schedules for projector shows that the larger cities wouldn't touch. 

 

All of this combined to say that Lore had a very busy life and that he had the resources to use that time well, which he had. Donations were also important, but each book had to be vetted- didn't want magic in pages ready to go off. The combination meant that they had far more books than they could really handle, so a used book fair or sale would do wonders. They could even use that money to help fund the library or some other program for the greater good of Ponyville. These were all great ideas, which helped illustrate why she had picked Lore from the start. He also brought up a good topic- activities. She was lost in thought for a second as she ran over the possibilities before his question smacked her out of it.

 

"Oh, I've been great. Recently I was able to test out the string theory of aetheral influence of celestial particles. It turned out to be a bunch of hooey, but it was fun to try. What sort of activities do you think would work here for the library? I wish I could spend more time with the ponies at the library..." she let out a sigh and smiled, imagining the possibilities.
 

[Lux]

Lore Weaver felt pleased at his report. Granted the unicorn had lots of support from the Princess both in funds and in their own press company. Still the librarian couldn't just sit back and relax. There was a kind of kinship he shared with the Princess over the fact that they both were busy. Ok, so Twilight was busier than Lore was, but at least he could relate to the daily grind in life. There wasn't just answering questions and checking in and out books. There was the handling of said funds and books incoming, especially the spell books. Most were harmless theories on magic or spells for beginners in magic. But there were some book... those that got sent to the Restricted Area or in extreme cases straight to Twilight.

 

Lore could see his words resonated with her in terms of what to do with tons of other books and encouraging more ponies to visit the library. He knew her enough to know that the when Twilight went silent the wheels in her mind were moving faster than a Pegasus in flight! But she quickly put aside her ideas to answer his question.

 

"Oh, I've been great. Recently I was able to test out the string theory of aetheral influence of celestial particles. It turned out to be a bunch of hooey, but it was fun to try. "

 

Ah there were some things that Twilight studied that upon explaining them made his brain explode, implode, and explode again! Being the former student of Princess Celestia, the former Element of Magic, and not to mention an Alicorn with great magical ability did help though. Lore's understanding of magic came from the fact that he was surrounded by books on magic, and it was in his hope that in doing so he could expand his knowledge and spells he could perform. 

 

"Wow, that is interesting. So, how did you test this, studying the makeup of stars or cosmic dust? Actually, I've been recently studying some more ancient magic that recently are being revisited, namely the chakra systems in a pony. There are theories that the reason unicorns can tap into arcane magic, apart from the horn, is that we have a more open third eye chakra located exactly where the horn is! Also where wings originate from the body is also where the heart chakra is, although I still have yet to research why. Maybe it relates to putting one's heart into flying. I can't say for sure, because, not a Pegasus." 

 

In his explanation Lore almost forgot about her question relating to things that could be done to encourage more usage of the library. 

 

"What sort of activities do you think would work here for the library?"

 

"Well, there are several ideas I have in mind. Starting with the foals, there can be storytime weekly or monthly. For Fillies and colts, there can be a club where they can hang out outside of school, and maybe even a tutoring service. As for adults, there can be several classes like different lessons of the history of Ponyville and Equestria as well as book discussions on certain topics like mystery, romance, even magic. Of course the trick is not time or the space of the funds but others who are interested in hosting such events, as while I can do some it might be hard to run everything I mentioned by myself." 

 

"I wish I could spend more time with the ponies at the library..."

 

"Yeah, I wish you could too," Lore said but realizing how what he said could sound ... awkward, "Err... I mean that I'm sure you'd have other ideas for events, but I understand that you are busy with your royal duties. And now you have a student to teach friendship, Starlight Glimmer. Interesting how the student has become the teacher." 

[SteelEagle]

 

"A bit of both and neither, honestly. I created a teleportation pocket in a safe aetheral space and worked with my hooves in space a bit. Cosmic dust, stars, dead rock, nebulas- put my hooves in all of it. Tested whether the aether had influences on the makeup of particles in space or whether they existed separately. Results re inconclusive and more needs to be done, but quantum mechanics suggest a relationship between the two at a particle level. If not, we would have to redefine the existence of aetheral barriers and particles here on the planet, and would further suggest that the existence of magic is inherently unnatural in the grand order of things. Very exciting stuff.

Chakras are interesting and half-correct. How we interact with the aether is better termed an aura, since chakras are internal while we manipulate and involve the aether through external means. For example; the tip of a horn is actually where magic is manipulated during a spell. A unicorn's magical aura exists around a horn. That is why when we cast spells, there seems to be that glow around our horns- it is a visual indication of the aura we have, while the tip is where the manipulation happens. For a pegasus, the wings don't visualize their magic output because the surface area is so much larger. If a pegasi's wings were smaller, you'd see the same glow. An Earth Pony's aura exists around the entire body. In terrible accidents you could remove the horn of a unicorn and the wings of a pegasus and their aura would no longer allow them to manipulate the aether. 

Since chakra points relate to internal points, the theory is incorrect. However, unlike many such theories thought wholly incorrect, it does have some basic facts right regarding the separation of a pony from the aether. Older theories had us believing that we were aether and that our manipulation of it was a sign of how worthwhile the species were. That led to a lot of Unicorn Superiority Movements in ancient times, since our magic is more obvious," she said between sips. Discussing magic and history- two of her favorite subjects with a good friend, what a nice development. Now t was time to listen to his ideas- and they were good.

"You have full authority to do any of those ideas. If you need the budget, take it and I'll handle the rest. I am happy to share my experiences on friendship with Starlight. She needed a friend and a new way forward and I think she'll end up even stronger than I," she said, missing the awkward part of his speech- until she was done. Her eyebrows raised playfully. "Oh? What are you missing when I'm not there?"

[Lux]

The stallion tried to listen intently to what Twilight was doing with her studies, but this one was a little lofty. Putting her hooves into the cosmos? Testing the aether on asteroids and space dust? True it was interesting and he could follow what she was looking for, but attempting to do such magic like that would be dangerous for him. Still if given the opportunity to work with Twilight and experience what she was with her tests, then he would do so in a heartbeat! 

 

The discussion of chakras, particularly how they ween't really the source of magic, was interesting. Lore loved discussing magic with others, and who better to do so than with the former Element of Magic? He did shudder thinking of a Pegasus without wings or a unicorn without a horn. What would he be if without a horn? 

 

"Well perhaps not where magic comes from, but my idea with chakras, especially the third eye and heart ones is that they act as a bridge between the body and the aether. Still you're right, it was an ancient way of trying to understand a pony's connection towards the aether. And I can also see this being a problem if the focus on which pony type has the most visible connection to the aether. Then again if magic and the magical aether is in nature ans ponies are part of nature then it makes sense that we can tap into it. 

 

The unicorn was happy that Twilight put his faith into his ideas and granted him full authority to do so. He felt that perhaps he dodged the little verbal slip and was prepared to ask about Starlight. Then it happened.

 

"Oh? What are you missing when I'm not there?"

 

If the universe had a hoof it would be smacking him upside the head now. In all honesty he didn't know why he said these things at the times that he said them.Maybe it was a comfort thing that made him drop his guard and with it all sense. But it wasn't with anypony else, just her. Did he like Twilight? Of course! The two went together like paper and ink. But there was his rational side that restrained him from acting on his thoughts, the one that said he had no chance on getting that close to a Princess. 

 

"Err... well... your company? We connect well, in my opinion. And I like, you know, meeting you."

 

Yeah, really smooth and awkward. 

[SteelEagle]

 

Twilight enjoyed his company, partially because he was one of the few ponies she felt like she could be a bit playful with and not be worried. That made his presence here more or less one giant misdirection on all sides, but she enjoyed him nonetheless. She doubted she could have entrusted the care of the library to any other pony. Others would have expected more in terms of pay or more publicity and maybe would have loved the idea of knowledge less. He was perfect for his role and a good friend. Maybe it was that closeness, and the fact he had walked in here in great ignorance of what was happening, that made it so she didn't really look into his words as anything more than the stammering reaction of a friend put on the spot.

 

Which she was doing intentionally because- well, contrary to what others said, she could be plenty playful. His response was delightfully awkward. They did connect well. Intelligent minds working towards similar purposes with some overlapping intellectual passions could coalesce to create truly harmonious working arrangements, and she believed they had done well. This was proven by just how awkward he was in response. She didn't want to press him too much, but it was fun. And it provided a welcome relief from the more serious aspects of the day!
 

"You can be very, very awkward at times!" she said with a laugh before nodding. "It's okay, no need to be so nervous. Now, serious talk- the relation between Trotski's theorem on the evolution of fiction and how it impacted the evolution of magical development in unicorns?"

[Lux]

Lore Weaver felt at peace when he was with Twilight. That wasn't to say that he was a pony prone to stress or worked in a stressful job. But being with her felt like any worry or doubt seemed to vanish away. 

 

"You can be very, very awkward at times!"

 

"Oh I've seen some of your finest awkward moments, running from here to there and talking to yourself about who you have to see or what projects you do. But you know something, although this might sound strange, you are cute when you're acting awkward like that."

 

"Now, serious talk- the relation between Trotski's theorem on the evolution of fiction and how it impacted the evolution of magical development in unicorns?"

 

"Oh so you want to be serious now Princess of Playfulness," Lore said with a giggle opening up more as his nervous feelings dissipated, "Well I've read several theorems on fiction, but not that one yet. But I think that any work of fiction shows the reader the possibility of what could be, and in the case of unicorns, even things that aren't magically possible yet. For example, I'm sure you've read ponytales about the Princesses or fictional Alicorns and wondered what it would be like to fly and use magic. Yet at the time you didn't think that was possible that you or anypony you knew could become an Alicorn. But those stories planted a seed in your mind of the possibility. Did this have to do with you becoming an Alicorn or at least aiding the process of your evolution? Perhaps it was this and the fact that you had Princess Celestia as both a teacher and role model. Who knows, but one thing is for certain, you sitting here shows that the improbable of fiction can become possible. Was I too off base from what Trotsky said about the evolution of fiction?" 

 

He paused, but then something else came to mind, "That brings up something that I wanted to ask you, Twilight. How did it feel changing from a unicorn to an Alicorn, and those first few moments of you being an Alicorn? I guess it's mere curiosity."

 

Deep down even Lore Weaver wondered what would happen if he suddenly became an Alicorn. He supposed many unicorns did so, but working with a Princess only increased his interest. Of course he had better chances getting struck by lightning or sat on by a dragon than that happening seeing that only mares became Alicorns. So he had to settle with his studies. 

[SteelEagle]

 

The discussion on Trotski's theorem were always invaluable. Like most of his theorems, they were scientific bunk but provided nice philosophical nectar. It was like the chicken and the egg- did a unicorn get inspired and use that inspiration for magic, or did the use of a certain magic inspire it to become more widely known? The cover here was fiction, but the basics of the theorem applied everywhere. The truth as far as science was concerned currently was that a unicorn was influenced by the aether to use their magic where applicable. She found holes there- so did others. That was why new theories were always being proposed, with Trotski's being one of the oldest.

 

It allowed her to think about how awkward she herself could be, and how some ponies found that cute. As the pony involved in the awkwardness, she found it less than fetching when she did it. She felt silly and stupid when that happened. She had improved over time and it didn't cripple her like it did years ago, but it was still one of the less pleasant experiences of hers. Soon however a more interesting topic came up. What did she feel when she became an alicorn? That was a difficult question to ask, and not one she hadn't been asked before- it was just hard to put into the right words which could give life to the experience. She had failed before, but a new attempt was always good.

 

"Hmm...I didn't feel anything, not at first anyway. I was numb all over and I only started to regain my senses from the inside out. The wings came out reflexively with the loosening muscle structure. Inside I felt...like a wave, but of aether, and repeated across every cell in my body. It didn't hurt- it also didn't feel good. It is impossible to really describe except...waves, across everything, at al times, past, present, future, but no impact- absorption. Hmm...seems to not really tell you what I felt, but the feeling is impossible to put into words," she said, sighing at her own failure before deciding on a sweeter subject. "Nice job on the Theorem, by the way. Most ponies stumble into the classical trap about a third of the way through, but you side-cantered it deftly!"

[Lux]

There was no mentioning of Lore's comment on how cute she was. On one hoof she didn't freak out about his mental slip, but she didn't seem flattered by that either. But the topic then shifted to something of perhaps equal interest, becoming an Alicorn. 

 

"No, no," Lore said at Twilight's apology, "I can guess how it's hard going through such a big experience. I can understand though that, as I've read, Alicorns are connected to all pony types and you were feeling the energies of all types and even the very nature of the aether post-transformation. I guess it's safe to say you were there in Ponyville yet you felt... everywhere?" 

 

Lore was surprised that he deftly (upon accident) dodged the Theorem. It almost appeared to be a test, Twilight seeing if he could figure it out like she did. 

 

"Thanks. As I mentioned, I didn't get into that Theorem, but from reading various fiction books I knew that even fiction has a grain of truth, if nothing more than an author's aspirations, hopes, or fears."

 

Something came to mind, something that was there since the first time he met her, and yet time and circumstance preventing him from asking. Of course there was also his own nerves that derailed his chances, but here today something changed, and his confidence was renewed being in Twilight's presence. 

 

"Twilight, would you someday like to go out to lunch with me, or even just tea at a cafe? I think that would be a great time for us to get to know each other better outside of the castle. Does this sound like something you'd want to do?" 

[SteelEagle]

 

Twilight nodded. It was one way of putting it, and at least a way that most ponies could wrap their manes around. The truth was far too complex and unintelligible for even Twilight to understand, and she thought she knew as much as possible. But against this experience, words failed. In that aspect, what he said was likely going to be the closest she got to a real working description. "Yes, everywhere. And nowhere. I was material but immaterial, a pony but a little leaf in the flowing aether. I have never felt such power but also been made aware of my own weakness- never have I felt so big and yet so inconsequentially small. It was an experience I love to revisit and am loathe to experience again, all at the same time," she said, her brow furrowing as she tried to summon up what her exact feelings on it were. She couldn't find the answer.

 

The next part was easier, however. Did she want to go out for lunch with him? Well, why wouldn't she? It was always nice to have some time out with friends. She'd have to fit in her schedule but where there was a will, there was a way. "Sure! Maybe next weekend? The High King of the Caribou had to cancel his visit next week, so I have some free time there. Some nice spinach salad sounds great, doesn't it?" She smiled, licking her lips. "Ahhh...an alicorn's hunger is never sated," she shook her head. "Well, it has been delightful catching up with you, Lore. Is there anything else you want to discuss, or shall I call for the next consort applicant?" She asked, absolutely missing the Lore Weaver boat.

[Lux]

"Yes, everywhere. And nowhere. I was material but immaterial, a pony but a little leaf in the flowing aether. I have never felt such power but also been made aware of my own weakness- never have I felt so big and yet so inconsequentially small. It was an experience I love to revisit and am loathe to experience again, all at the same time," 

 

"That must have been interesting feeling that way. I can't really say I ever experienced feeling big and small at once."

 

This was it, the all-important moment. Would Twilight accept her "date" with Lore Weaver, or will it end in failure? 

 

"Sure! Maybe next weekend? The High King of the Caribou had to cancel his visit next week, so I have some free time there. Some nice spinach salad sounds great, doesn't it?" She smiled, licking her lips. "Ahhh...an alicorn's hunger is never sated," 

 

Lore was... confused. While he was happy that the Princess accepted his offer, he was left with a really big question: was this just a friendly meeting or a date? Was Twilight clueless to the fact that she liked him, or was romance just not on her mind? 

 

"Alright, next weekend. And spinach salad sounds... great. Guess it's a date then!" 

 

There was no other way to say it without flatly asking her what she saw with their relationship. To him this meeting, although fun catching up seemed, unfulfilled. It was like a question left unanswered, and no book or paper could answer what was in her heart. He guessed that for now he had to wait some more. 

 

"Well, it has been delightful catching up with you, Lore. Is there anything else you want to discuss, or shall I call for the next consort applicant?" 

 

"Actually, one last thing came to mind. If you never knew me, if I was maybe a librarian of some other town or something, would you see me as a viable candidate as a consort if I wasn't some prince or leader of a faraway land?" 

[SteelEagle]

 

Excellent, it was a done deal. She was looking forward to it! Her new duties made such events rare and especially enticing ad even then it was often done with her very close friends. Rarely did she have the ability to do more with others, so this was exciting. She was already imagining the type of meal she'd have along with the spinach salad. Fried daisy was always a good idea, maybe with some white sauce for her to dip them into? Ooh, and what about a nice broccoli panache, injected during cooking with sesame to provide that extra burst of flavor?

 

Twilight could get lost for days in her imaginary lost and likely would be had she not so much to do that would snap her back to it without issue. Most of the time anyway. This was not the exception however, today was the rule. This time it wasn't Spike who brought he back down from the throes of her powerful alicorn hunger. It was Lore with a relatively benign observation or question considering the nature of the day's proceedings. Oh, was he wanting to try out to be her consort? Oh. Well, that put certain elements of the meeting into proper perspective.

 

"Oh...I see, I misread this whole conversation! A friend becoming a consort would be very strange, especially because you work here. You'd have to leave that position. You could still probably work, but you'd probably just be known as a consort. Is that what you would want? Then there is...all the other elements that come with being a consort. Are those things you'd even want?" She asked before she answered his questions, "as for your question- I will accept any applicant, prince, princess, pauper or farmer...and, I suppose, friend or stranger."

[Lux]

Lore Weaver thought about what it would mean to be Princess Twilight's consort. Sure there were obvious benefits, if he understood what being a consort meant in the Princess's mind. But there were risks... pretty big risks. Essentially it would mean that he could no longer be considered head librarian, something that he considered his crowning moment. It was clear also that although Twilight truly accept anypony to be interviewed, she had doubts of Lore being a consort. There was that word that stuck out again like a sore hoof: friend. So that's what he was, why there was so much awkwardness about that question. Twilight saw him as a friend, a good one, but a friend nonetheless. If being a consort meant being romantically bonded with the Alicorn then Lore seemed to know that answer without even starting the process. Still something did intrigue him. 

 

"Yes, leaving my position at the library would be tough to do. Out of curiosity, you mentioned that there were other things to consider beyond the obvious of said chosen candidate having to leave their position they are in. What would those be?" 

[SteelEagle]

 

Twilight blushed, a bright red invading the environs of her face and flushing out senses of modesty. Well, she had wanted to leave that whole section of responsibility unspoken of and just sort of implied sine much of it could be considered...uncouth in polite company. But! But! Maybe this would be good practice in trying to talk about this sort of consortial duty, because it would be very awkward if she had this much trouble in front of others. Being a personal position of very close intimacy with an alicorn was a much greater task than some ponies realized.

 

"Well...the consort is going to be my lover, and that entails a great deal. You know, al the stuff ponies do when they're...lovers..." she knocked her front two hooves together awkwardly, "love making, showers, dates, post-coital philosophical discussion-" she din't know if that happened "-and all sorts of intimate moments together in private and public. It is a lot to ask of somepony and you have to be very sure that it is something that everypony who applies must be aware of. This position entails everything that a consort should do," She said, emphasizing it as she sighed and smiled. "So I am officially going to consider you for the position if you want. Sound good? And is there anything else you'd like to say or do?" 

[Lux]

Lore Weaver wasn't blind about what a consort meant, just as he wasn't blind to what involved a romantic encounter. But there was still an uncertainty as to what Twilight thought being a consort meant. He could see it was a very...awkward situation spelling those duties as the Alicorn's face turned bright red. One had to wonder what the mare was thinking spelling out essentially what the applicant would do with her. Hearing the duties spelled out made Lore Weaver blush as well, for similar reasons. There was another feeling, one of worry that he may not be up to the task of being the Princess's consort, but he knew worry led to doubt, doubt led to anxiety, and anxiety led to rejecting of hopes and dreams. 

 

"So I am officially going to consider you for the position if you want. Sound good? And is there anything else you'd like to say or do?" 

 

Did he just hear that right? Did Twilight hold him in such a way or at least see this was something he would wish to pursue? He tried to think of what he could say to such an offer before just letting his heart take the reins and speak for him. 

 

"I...thank you Twilight for considering me for your consort. Since the day I met you in Ponyville, we seemed to connect, like magic to a unicorn. And although I believe that great minds think for themselves, it is wonderful to know somepony who shares similar interests, hopes, dreams, and even fears, somepony who feels like they can share their thoughts with just as I can share mine. I must confess that of the many ponies I have met while in Ponyville and beyond, none have compared to meeting you! I know you'd probably say otherwise, but you're simply wonderful. And, though I haven't had much experience in romance, nor have I had a special somepony in my life, this feeling I get being with you like now is unlike anything I've had in the past. I'm glad to have met you and whoever you choose in this audition know that how much I care about you  and will support you will not change. And...I...I really, really, really like you Twilight Sparkle."

 

It wasn't the most poetic thing to say, but it came from his heart. The stallion paused, never imagining that he could be so honest or romantic with his thoughts. True he didn't say "love," but love was strange for him as he loved his parents and his friends but he couldn't say he knew how to describe romantic love. This pause of reflection, though, was probably not helping things after what he said. 

 

"Have... I said too much... or made sense?" 

 

Spoiler

Achievement Unlock: Opening His Heart - Lore Weaver confesses his feelings towards Twilight. 

 

[Blueblood]

In the middle of the Town Square of Ponyville, in front of the main bulletin board, sat a small earth pony stallion.  Grey coat, brown mane, heart with an eye of Horus as a cutie mark.  In a town founded by earth ponies, this would have been an unremarkable sight, save for the fact that this stallion was shorter and more crooked in his build than your average pony.  Anypony who asked (circumspectly, of course, as to not appear rude) would have been greeted with a disarming smile and an explanation that it was mostly due to foalhood malnourishment; his family having fallen on very hard times when he was young.  

 

For the most part, though, he was left alone as the townsfolk went about their daily business, allowing him to clearly see the announcement, all done in fine calligraphy on parchment:

 

“From the Castle of Friendship in Ponyville, home of Princess Twilight Sparkle:

The Law requires that the Princess has a consort (or more) within 1,100 days of ascending to her throne. In order to facilitate the continued law abiding nature of her rule, the Princess has decided to open up auditions for this role on the twentieth day of the first month of the new year. All may apply as long as they are legal residents of Equestria.

Good luck?”

 

He read it once.  And then a second time.  And finally a third for good measure, because for the love of Chrysalis, good luck like this just didn't happen!  On the very day when he was seeking an audience with Twilight Sparkle, on a long-shot bet of actually getting to talk with her, this happened!  Too good to be true, too good to be true...  *Is it really true?  Or is this all some elaborate ruse?*  He couldn't imagine what, if so, but Royals could be presumed to have much subtler minds than most ordinary folk...

 

Eventually, though, he stood, nodding decisively.  When in doubt, take the bolder option.  He would go to the strange palace of a Crystal Tree, and seek an audience with Princess Twilight.  Ostensibly to ask for her hoof, but truly- well, truly, he was actually asking for love, so he wouldn't even have to lie!

 

For indeed, Heart Sight the Earth Pony was really Kahz the Changeling, one of Queen Chrysalis' new diplomats.  A champion of new ideas in the Hive, and of a possible peace.  But that would be a hard road without Equestrian Royal buy-in.  He hummed, tense in equal parts with anticipation and trepidation.  He was still in disguise as he approached the castle doors, out of courtesy to the guards.  He only hoped that there weren't automatic changeling detection wards around the castle...

[SteelEagle]

 

This was an...unexpected development. She had expected a great deal of ponies to open up their hearts and toss in her direction their passions and deepest thoughts and fantasies. And no doubt many were true in their own way, but all were condemned to the shallow muck of their own ignorance of who she was. She was an idol, a fantasy, a figure almost more of myth than fact. Love can't come from there. Of course being a consort doesn't by law require love. It certainly didn't demand it. But as he poured his heart out to her, Twilight didn't know what to say. It was very unexpected that he had all these...feelings for her. Lore Weaver had more cause than most to know her strengths and weaknesses. His emotions weren't born of fantasy. They were honest, factual, and very touching.

 

She didn't feel the same way, but it was good to know that if he was chosen as the Consort, he was going to take the role very seriously and with every beating of his heart. "Well..." she began, then smiled, "thank you for having the courage to tell me all of that, Lore. It was a little...unexpected, but not bad. You are definitely one of the leading candidates. You are kind, smart, caring and resourceful, and I am honored to consider you a great friend. When it comes time to make the decision, I will keep in mind everything you have told me and everything you feel. I may not feel the same way you do, but I think it is so wonderful for you to tell me this. You can go now Lore, and I will tell you when I have made my decision," she said sweetly and with a smile, trying to keep arranged all of the things that had been said. So strange. So wonderful. When he was gone, Twilight sighed, and prepared herself for what came next.

 

"Guards, please allow the next applicant in."

[Lux]

Did he say too much? Was this the end of their friendship or his career? Something in his mind made him wish that he could summon a time reversal spell and backtrack a few moments ago and say something... different. But,how could he say something different if it came from his heart? Saying something else would be...not genuine and not him. 

 

He waited to see what Twilight would do with anticipation, standing like a statue and barely breathing. 

 

"Well..." she began, then smiled, "thank you for having the courage to tell me all of that, Lore. It was a little...unexpected, but not bad. You are definitely one of the leading candidates. You are kind, smart, caring and resourceful, and I am honored to consider you a great friend. When it comes time to make the decision, I will keep in mind everything you have told me and everything you feel. I may not feel the same way you do, but I think it is so wonderful for you to tell me this. You can go now Lore, and I will tell you when I have made my decision,"

 

He didn't know what to say or think. She wasn't upset but not beaming with joy either. Some words and phrases though cut deep like a great friend and I may not feel the same way you do which were code for "not interested." Still, Lore Weaver knew that there was always a possibility for a yes or a no. But maybe this wasn't a complete no. He didn't lose his job or his friendship. Maybe some of his pride was damaged by his revelation, but he couldn't tell what the long term effects it would be. 

 

You can go now Lore, and I will tell you when I have made my decision,"

 

"Oh... well... thank you for... listening to me. Yeah, I'll be in the library then." 

 

With a smile he turned and exited the throne room, pausing to look back at Twilight before he returned to the library confused but somehow relieved that he got to say what was on his mind and in his heart. 

 

(Exit Lore Weaver. Thanks for the fun!) 

[Blueblood]

Well, so far, so good!  Which was to say, that Kahz had not been immediately detected by the guards and ejected via a swift kick to the posterior.  It had been a worry; after all, this was the Princess of Magic!  Or was it Friendship?  Were they the same thing?  It was all a mystery, one which Her Majesty Queen Chrysalis would probably appreciate an answer to.

 

In any case, here he was, approaching the doors of Twilight's audience chamber, disguise intact.  He was just able to catch the departure of Lore Weaver, and detect the taste of love about him.  Mm, the real genuine article too, but... no reciprocation?  He couldn't detect any other flavor in the air, so the poor stallion's affections were unrequited.  'Heart Sight' shot the librarian a sympathetic look as he passed, though the stallion may not have noticed.  In any case, it meant that Kahz still had a chance!  A slim one, to be sure, but nothing ventured, nothing gained!

 

Upon entering the Chamber, he stopped short.  Kahz had only ever been in one Royal Chamber before, and Princess Twilight's couldn't be more dissimilar to Queen Chrysalis'!  For one thing, there was almost no black in the decor, and the crystal architecture filled the whole room with light, even more than the day outside, it seemed, with all the facets reflecting and refracting.

 

He caught himself soon, and rushed forward, bowing as he cantered, no easy feat that.  "Your Majesty!  My apologies, I was just... slightly overwhelmed, is all."  He straightened up, as much as he could, anyway.  He gave a little self-conscious laugh as he continued.  "I know I seem like a most unlikely candidate... oh, but you don't know the half of it, yet."  He tilted his head, now that he could get a proper look at the Lavender alicorn, he could sense a very sharp mind behind those eyes.  Must be common to all Royals.  "Or perhaps you do.  I'm curious, now; can you guess my secret?"