Cold Edge Anon Part 22

> You open your eyes in dreaming, and find yourself surprisingly alone.
> You suppose Frozen is still awake.
> It fills you with a certain ennui; you don't want to go dream mining without her.
> Part of the fun was showing her the odd stories your sleeping mind made up.
> Now, you end up wandering the shelves, eating the snacks tucked in the odd gaps between books and the shelf above.
> They taste just like you remember, and you don't get full.
> If you were bulimic, this would be paradise. As is, it's an inadequate, if pleasant distraction.
> Luna finds you on top of a bookcase, moodily looking out over your own mind.
"Where art thy companion? Did ye provide some insult to drive her away?"
> You might be mistaken, but she sounded a little hopeful.
"Nah, she's still awake. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be asleep right now? It's still early afternoon."
> Luna sits down by you, wings kept carefully to her self.
"Discord did notify me of thy slumber, which cometh at a fortuitous time. Mine sister would invite thee to dine with us, and shouldst thou accept, it may be supper next, rather than the morrow's."
> Wait.
"Discord knows when I fell asleep? He's been watching me and- "
> Irrational hatred rises up, and the ambient temperature drops considerably.
> Luna flares her wings in alarm.
"Calm thyself! He hath sworn a binding oath, not to intrude upon thy intimacies!"
> Well, that is a little better.
> You take deep, calming breaths.
> Luna continues in a softer tone,
"Forsooth, 'twas not necessary. He is fond of thee, and would not truly disrespect thee thusly."
"Oh."
> That's... nice, you suppose.
> Luna idly kicks her hooves.
> Eventually she says in an even softer tone,
"He is not the only one who is fond of thee."
> Well, crap. Gotta treat this delicately.
"That's good to hear."
> Luna stands abruptly.
"So! Wilt thou dine at Canterlot this night?"
> Assuming it actually is from Celestia, it'd be terribly rude to refuse.
"I'd be honored."
> Luna smiles, then turns and walks away, a slight sway to her hips.
> That's nice, but,
"What of my report? Today has been pretty tumultuous."
> The moon princess pauses and looks over her shoulder.
"Thou mayest relate it unto my sister and I this evening. Until then."
> And she vanishes.
> You look around your library, suddenly itching to do something.
"Let's see about that healing water."
> You furbish the healing water research bubble with equipment from a dream of your highschool chemistry lab.
> Your first idea is boiling the water and seeing if what's left behind has healing properties.
> While you wait for the crucible to boil the sample, you go down and retrieve more water from the original dream.
> Upon your return, you check the crucible, only to find it completely empty.
> Welp.
> You try comparing the weight to that of normal water, but it's somehow lighter.
> Maybe if you were to see it in action?
> It takes some searching, but you find a dream with injured people.
> It's faint, but you notice some twinkling as it works its magic.
> You go to that one dream where you were fighting a fat village chief.
> This time, you cut him up pretty good.
> The healing water veritably gleams, and you catch a glimpse of something very large, and very bright.
> Moreover, you know how you saw it. It's just like Pinkie's mouth; space bent and tunneled to a different location entirely.
> That would be why it didn't weigh as much as normal water. It was only partially on the scale, partially elsewhere.
> As you return to the research bubble, the dream fades to black.

> You open your eyes, and find Frozen stroking your face.
"Have a good nap?"
> You smile wryly.
"You could say that. I got invited to a dinner with the princesses. How long was I out?"
> You get to your hooves cautiously. You're not sure how much you've recovered.
> Frozen waits for you to get steady before replying.
"Only three hours. Will you accept her?"
> There's no need to specify.
"I honestly don't know. What little contact we've had has been ...complicated. That's why I do want to go to this dinner. It'll give me a chance to know her better, in a more normal setting."
> It still weirds you out a little than your wife can calmly talk about... dalliances? Mistresses? Subordinates?
> You continue.
"If you don't mind me asking, how do you feel about her?"
> Frozen closes her eyes. After a bit, she smiles gently.
"She's nostalgic."
> ...You weren't expecting that.
> Then she opens her eyes, and her smile turns sinister.
"And it's fun to put her in her place."
> That sounds more like it. Although, now you worry about how all this will turn out.
> Eh, you'll cross that bridge when it's on fire.
> You stretch, and find yourself pleasantly tired, like after a good workout.
> By your estimate, you have about two hours before dinner.
> Might as well check on the girls.
> Your embassy input is a little clearer than your citadel input, and easier to ignore when in between thoughts.
> Let's see here...
> Xylalon is floating at the top, looking out over the city.
> Nore is meditating in the basement, her heat rods orbiting in a fixed circle.
> And Ngee is teleporting from room to room, leaving little glowing sparks of purple drifting where she was, then blinking out.
> As one, their heads turn, and you get the distinct impression that they are looking at you.
> Xylalon winks, and you go check on the dragonettes.
> They aren't in the embassy.
> Widening your search, you find them breaking up a fight between some of the younger dragons and a few beacorns.
> You return your focus to the here and now.
"Say, Frozen?"
"Hm?"
"How do you bend space? Like for oral modesty, or wormholes or whatever."
> Frozen frowns.
"Holes for worms?"
"Err, fast travel? Rift hopping? Stargates? SG1?"
> Her expression clears.
"Ah, portals. I don't think you're ready yet. For instance, do you notice any seams in here?"
> You look around the master bedroom, but it looks normal.
"Would this be like lines in the air, or what exactly?"
> Frozen takes a step to the side.
"It would look like light bending along an irregular curvature in the fabric of reality. It's what we leave behind when we go places, and is a good starting point for beginners."
> You nod in understanding.
"Makes sense. But no, I don't see any."
> Frozen gives you a brief smile.
"I wouldn't expect you to this early in your growth."
> Looks like you'll have to shelve your healing water research, for the time being.
> Frozen walks in a slow circle around you.
> You hold still, but track her with your eyes.
"See something you like?"
> Frozen smiles at that.
"Of course. But I was more thinking about what you should wear tonight."
"Wear? Well, it is with the princesses, so I probably should be a little fancier. Any ideas?"
> She puts her hooves on your chest and pushes you upright.
> You wobble slightly. You've only been a pony for four or five days, and you are already much more comfortable as a quadruped.
> Frozen rubs her chin with one hoof, and idly traces lines down your chest with her other.
> It's nice.
> Then she starts humming.
> A deep rumbling soon accompanies her, and you look around for Pinkie Pie, but she's not here.
> You make eye contact with Frozen and-
_It's hard to put into words. I have seen it, though._
> You happily note that you aren't getting a headache.
> You try to respond in kind, humming and modulating.
℅Oh hey, this isn't so hBuArDt.℅
> Frozen covers her mouth as she laughs.
_Soulmate, your accent is terrible._
> You pout.
℅Cut me some slack, I'm still getting used to biharmonic cIoNmTmRuUnSiIcOaNtion.℅
> Frozen nods.
_Better, but not pEeXrIfLeEcDt. But we can practice later. This is what I wanted you to FsEeAeR._
> The closest thing to what she says next is a tongue click, although not with her current tongue, nor her current hard palate and jaw.
> Abruptly, you stopping hearing humming and rumbling, and start seeing.
> It's a small encampment of about six small tents and one big one.
> The view drifts at head height, poking into a small tent.
> A pony stands frozen, lantern still lit and hanging from his hoof.
> The viewpoint continues to the main tent.
> This pony is an officer, his young face holding a certain resolute expression.
> You feel as though he earned his rank, even though he is quite handsome in his black military jacket and white gloves.
> You reach out a white hoof and brush his grey fur.
> It snaps under your touch, and you sigh.
> They always look so nice, but they never last.
> What little light there is flares, and you are backing to being you at the sound of a second tongue click.
℅I... rFeOmReGmIbVeEr. You think I should try to make the jacket?℅
> She nods, her eyes watery.
_And the gloves._
> You embrace her, and she clings to you.
> She sheds tears onto your shoulder, and you stroke her hair.
"It's alright, I'm here, I won't leave you."
> She tightens her hug, and nuzzles into your neck.
> She whispers,
"I know."
> You lean your head on her neck, and rock her gently.
> You could stay like this forever.