☆ My Little Ten Days of Ponies ☆ Day 3 ♥
I'm way behind on comment replies, you guys, sorry! Just getting these out on a daily basis is struggle enough hnnrgh.
MLP G1, My Little Pony: The Movie canon.
☆
There was no truly inoffensive way to put it, thought Wind Whistler. That was precisely the problem. She tried to muster a winning smile for the Grundle King, who sat facing her on the crest of a grassy knoll near Paradise Estate.
"Regarding Dream Castle," she began, "I'm afraid Magic Star spoke precipitously--"
The Grundle King squinted. "Pre-what?"
Wind Whistler stopped short. She wondered, not for the first time, why she of all ponies had been chosen for this ambassadorial task, and how she was meant to conduct negotiations when the other party failed to understand basic vocabulary. Unless lack of mutual understanding was the general idea.
She tried again. "Magic Star spoke too quickly. While of course we all wish to pursue a course of continued friendship with our Grundle allies--"
"Grundles good! Grundles friends with ponies!"
"Indubitably," said Wind Whistler. "As our friends and guests, you are of course welcome to stay at Dream Castle for as long as you like--"
"Grundles stay forever!" boomed the king, still beaming. "Grundles start new kingdom! Change name to Grundle Castle. Without castle, no Grundle Kingdom!"
This was not an encouraging direction. Bracing herself on all hooves, Wind Whistler drew a deep breath. "It's not at all impossible to conceive of a monarch ruling from some other architectural edifice--but I digress. The crux of the matter is, I'm afraid Magic Star acted improperly when she offered Dream Castle to you, as if it were hers to give. Dream Castle is communally owned." No, no. Smaller words. Fewer syllables. "It belongs to all of us. After a vote was taken, it was decided that we simply can't afford to relinquish...that is, to give up our first and most beloved home."
There was a very long pause.
A single bluebird chirped, then fell ominously silent.
The Grundle King squinted. "Ponies not give castle?"
"I'm afraid not."
There was another pause, one in which Wind Whistler could see anger building in the Grundle King, like a rockslide that began with trickling pebbles and ended in boulders crashing downhill.
"Taking back present not nice." His voice bottomed out to a stony growl. "Not good."
"Ordinarily I would be in full agreement, Your Grundleness," she said hastily--was that the appropriate title? "But given the situation--"
"Little ponies not good."
She flinched in spite of herself, and nearly mantled her wings. "Please, Your Grundleness, try to understand. Suppose--suppose one of the other Grundles gave away your crown?"
"I am King of Grundles!" he roared. "Rest of Grundles not king!"
"Exactly. The offer would be invalid, because the other Grundles lack proper authority to make it. That is precisely the situation we find ourselves in now."
The Grundle King mulled this with the speed and acuity of oozing sludge. "Magic Star cannot give castle, because Magic Star not king of ponies?"
"Correct," said Wind Whistler with relief.
The Grundle King, too, began to seem almost reconciled. "So who is king of ponies?"
"There was a queen at one time, but we've since made a peaceable transition to direct democracy." When the Grundle King looked blank, Wind Whistler added, "In a sense, all ponies together are king."
"...All ponies king? Wind Whistler king?"
"I, ah--in a sense, but--"
"Wind Whistler, King of Ponies! Great and generous pony king! Please give castle to Grundles!"
He was beaming again. Wind Whistler slumped, her feathers drooping almost to the ground. When she raised her head, it was only to blurt an excuse about consulting with her colleagues, after which she adjourned the meeting by flinging herself into the air.
The speed with which the Grundle King dwindled to a smudge below her was some consolation, if only some. Less heartening was the laughter on the wind as North Star suddenly swooped from out of nowhere to coast alongside her, wingtip to tip.
"Well done, silver tongue," said North Star, dashing Wind Whistler's last hope that perhaps she hadn't overheard. "Or should I call you 'Majesty'?"
☆
MLP G1, My Little Pony: The Movie canon.
☆
There was no truly inoffensive way to put it, thought Wind Whistler. That was precisely the problem. She tried to muster a winning smile for the Grundle King, who sat facing her on the crest of a grassy knoll near Paradise Estate.
"Regarding Dream Castle," she began, "I'm afraid Magic Star spoke precipitously--"
The Grundle King squinted. "Pre-what?"
Wind Whistler stopped short. She wondered, not for the first time, why she of all ponies had been chosen for this ambassadorial task, and how she was meant to conduct negotiations when the other party failed to understand basic vocabulary. Unless lack of mutual understanding was the general idea.
She tried again. "Magic Star spoke too quickly. While of course we all wish to pursue a course of continued friendship with our Grundle allies--"
"Grundles good! Grundles friends with ponies!"
"Indubitably," said Wind Whistler. "As our friends and guests, you are of course welcome to stay at Dream Castle for as long as you like--"
"Grundles stay forever!" boomed the king, still beaming. "Grundles start new kingdom! Change name to Grundle Castle. Without castle, no Grundle Kingdom!"
This was not an encouraging direction. Bracing herself on all hooves, Wind Whistler drew a deep breath. "It's not at all impossible to conceive of a monarch ruling from some other architectural edifice--but I digress. The crux of the matter is, I'm afraid Magic Star acted improperly when she offered Dream Castle to you, as if it were hers to give. Dream Castle is communally owned." No, no. Smaller words. Fewer syllables. "It belongs to all of us. After a vote was taken, it was decided that we simply can't afford to relinquish...that is, to give up our first and most beloved home."
There was a very long pause.
A single bluebird chirped, then fell ominously silent.
The Grundle King squinted. "Ponies not give castle?"
"I'm afraid not."
There was another pause, one in which Wind Whistler could see anger building in the Grundle King, like a rockslide that began with trickling pebbles and ended in boulders crashing downhill.
"Taking back present not nice." His voice bottomed out to a stony growl. "Not good."
"Ordinarily I would be in full agreement, Your Grundleness," she said hastily--was that the appropriate title? "But given the situation--"
"Little ponies not good."
She flinched in spite of herself, and nearly mantled her wings. "Please, Your Grundleness, try to understand. Suppose--suppose one of the other Grundles gave away your crown?"
"I am King of Grundles!" he roared. "Rest of Grundles not king!"
"Exactly. The offer would be invalid, because the other Grundles lack proper authority to make it. That is precisely the situation we find ourselves in now."
The Grundle King mulled this with the speed and acuity of oozing sludge. "Magic Star cannot give castle, because Magic Star not king of ponies?"
"Correct," said Wind Whistler with relief.
The Grundle King, too, began to seem almost reconciled. "So who is king of ponies?"
"There was a queen at one time, but we've since made a peaceable transition to direct democracy." When the Grundle King looked blank, Wind Whistler added, "In a sense, all ponies together are king."
"...All ponies king? Wind Whistler king?"
"I, ah--in a sense, but--"
"Wind Whistler, King of Ponies! Great and generous pony king! Please give castle to Grundles!"
He was beaming again. Wind Whistler slumped, her feathers drooping almost to the ground. When she raised her head, it was only to blurt an excuse about consulting with her colleagues, after which she adjourned the meeting by flinging herself into the air.
The speed with which the Grundle King dwindled to a smudge below her was some consolation, if only some. Less heartening was the laughter on the wind as North Star suddenly swooped from out of nowhere to coast alongside her, wingtip to tip.
"Well done, silver tongue," said North Star, dashing Wind Whistler's last hope that perhaps she hadn't overheard. "Or should I call you 'Majesty'?"
☆