Consider the Lillies

AnonxCelestiaxGrass
>You're tired, stressed, and your head feels bogged up from excess amounts of sitting around and doing nothing.
>You wouldn't say your sad, or depressed exactly.
>You just needed to think.  Get some priorities in order.
>Glancing around your house, with its almost too-low roof and almost too-small chairs, you decide this is not the best place to facilitate thought.
>You decide to do the impossible.
>Opening the front door, you venture out into the Equestrian air.
>The light does not burn as much as you anticipated.
>Well, even if it did burn, nothing would stop you from the walk you are about to go on.
>Yes.  A walk.  Those were good for the airing of humors and the clearing of heads, right?
>Well, it doesn't matter much, you're tired of being inside.
>You step off your porch with an enthusiastic hop and very nearly jog as you set off.
>This was going to be the best walk ever.
>You begin heading toward a field that is some ways out of town.  A nice verdant and open area.  Highly picturesque and wonderful.  Flowers are more colorful than a bag of skittles.  Seriously.  Shit belongs on a gift-card.
>Sun is shining a satisfactory amount.  The grass is a pleasing shade of green.  Trees are swaying in a sufficient manner to  be considered soothing.
>The birds are singing.  You try your best to ignore the birds.  They're only trying to lure you into breaking out into a song and dance number.
>The last time you did that the whole town didn't stop singing for twenty minutes.
>Never again.
>You shake your head at the birds and frown greatly.  They give you a bummed out wave of their tail-feathers and flap away.
>Cool, fresh air enters your lungs as you breathe deeply.  Nice clean oxygen enters your bloodstream and hurries along your veins.  Very invigorating and crap.
>You sit down on the grass.  It's warm, but not too warm.  The air still has a hint of the mornings coolness.
>You stare off into the treelines.  You eyes drift up and trace along the peaks of the mountains far beyond the forests and plains.
>You think.  You sigh.  You grapple with thoughts, both pleasing and worrisome.
>Meaningless and wholly meaningful.
>Fingers tug absentmindedly at the grass and flowers around you.  It's quiet, but not too quiet.  There's only that calming background buzz of wind blowing, plants waving, and birds going about their business.
>Eventually your brain has done all the sorting it can for the day.  You smile a little bit.
>Yeah, you needed this.
>Just a few more minutes of this outside thing and then you will be comfortably reenergized and then go back inside your dark little house.
>You think you're starting to tan.  It frightens you.
>A butterfly lands on your nose.
>NOPE.  You draw the line at bugs.  No matter how graceful or fragile.
>You flap at your face and skitter away from the field.
>Oh god, it's chasing you, isn't it?  Turn around, make sure it's not following you, wait NO NO DONT OH GOD RUN RUN!
>THIS WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA!
>You scream and make a crazed dash towards the tree line.
>You run right into a tree.
>Systems check...skull...intact....visual feed clear....auditory input....clea-
*THOOMP!*
>The hell was that?  Something big just landed in the center of the field.
>You crawl behind the tree and further obscure yourself behind a bush.  Your heart is thumping well above its normal sedentary rate.
>What if it's the butterfly?  What if it's some giant monster butterfly that collects poor jerks and pins them to a collection board?
>No, that idea is retarded.
>YOU DONT KNOW IT COULD BE!  THIS PLACE HAS ALL KINDS OF SPOOKY STUFF!
>The dragons, the timberwolves, manticores, hydras, ursa-various, windigos, cocka-thingies, regular cocks.
>There could be any manner of horrible creature out in the field.
>Only one way to find out!  You bring your Balls of Steel to full power.
>Thus in embraced with fiery courage you look out from behind the tree just barely.
>You see a something. It's colorful.  It has wings.  But it is no butterfly.
>Princess Celestia is standing in the middle of the field.
>Okay, that's cool too.
>Shouldn't she be in outer space pushing the sun along with her face or however she does it?
>Celestia stands tall, her pure white coat exuding radiance as her impossible mane catches any and all traces of light around her.
>Her high crown seems more like it's made of light than any earthly metal.  Regalness on four legs is what she is.
>She looks around the field.  There is a never-before look of anxiousness on her elegant features.  She swings this way and that.  Looks like she's making sure she's alone.  The violet crystals of her eyes never catch you.
>Her head raises into the air and takes a few sniffs.  For a moment you think she might smell you but you used Axe Natural Body Wash this morning.  You blend in like an Ozark mountain stream in the spring.  Thank God Rarity knows how to make good body wash.
>Great feathery wings spread upwards and out.  She flitters them a little bit, sending small wafts of wind that make the flowers sway.
>What scheme does this unearthly mare have in her head?
>A little glow of magic surrounds her crown.  It floats of her head and is placed gently on the ground a small distance away.
>She shakes her head hard.  The normally immaculate curl on her head breaks apart into smaller, slightly wilder bangs.
>She glances around the field once more.
>Satisfied that she's by herself, the Princess does a nervous little dance on her hooves, as if making up her mind about something.
>She takes a deep breathe.  You can see her lips move.
"Three...two....one!"
>She kicks off one of her golden slippers.  It flashes in the air as it sails away from her.
>Her naked hoof hangs in the air.  Celestia is biting her lip.  You can see her nostrils flare.
>Slowly, slightly jerkily, she brings her hoof down.
>It touches the grass.
>A shiver runs up through her hoof all the way through her mane.  It makes a subtle metallic whine, like a razor flying the air.
>She rubs her hoof along the grass.
>She sighs.
>What the fuck is going on?
>She kicks off her other three slippers.  She hops from one hoof to the other as grass and flowers rub against her.
>She closes her eyes and smiles.  She lets off a small giggle.
>A bright red butterfly comes across her nose and flutters before her face.
>You fight back the urge to scream and warn her to run away from the monster.  Instead your fingers bury themselves deep into the bark of the tree that you've braced yourself against.
>Her wings flutter as the butterfly tickles her nose.  Her eyes crosses slightly as the focuses on the small insect tha decided to be her new friend.
>She blows gently on it.  The butterfly zig-zags away from her face and across the field.
>The princess chases after it.  She doesn't go into a full gallop, but takes long, slow trots after the butterfly.
>More of them are stirred up from the grass.  They fly all around the alicorn. Over her, under her.  Some fly right through her mane, catching its mysterious vapor and trailing it along their path.
>Little lines of light soon criss-cross across the field.
 >She sees a butterfly in the air, and gives one wave of her wings.
>She is swept  gracefully into the air, as though gravity decided to back off a bit, just for a moment.
>As she arcs through the air, the sunlight is caught in her mane.  A muted rainbow is cast across the field.
>She floats up and over the butterfly, her head directly above it and pointing at the ground.
>She sticks her tongue out at it.
>Gravity soon reasserts itself and guides the princess back towards the grass.
>She sways to her side and rolls along the ground.  More butterflies are thrown up.
>Tumbling through the field, the wind carries her gentle laughter like a song.
>She eventually stops on her back.  Her eyes are wide, soaking in the bluest of blue skies that are open before her.
>A lone cloud floats across the crystal blue void. She considers the puffy white ship.
"Hmm...."
>She taps her chin.
>She points a hoof up towards it,
"A carriage!"
>You looked at the cloud.  It looked more like a dodo bird, but whatever.
>Her legs kick up and swing through the air.
>She shimmies along the ground, her eyes closed in pure bliss as little blades of grass get caught in her fur.
>She nuzzles her hooves against her face.
>The princess is the absolute portrait of bliss.
>You very nearly feel dirty watching her like this.  You feel guilty, at any rate.  For moment you wonder if you could get arrested just by being here.
>Yes.  This was weird and not normal at all.
>Perhaps you should just go away and leave the solar queen to her frolicking.
>That was best.  She's obviously in a very far-away place that was even more lala land than Equestria.
>You turn away from the tree, ready to crawl back to your house.
>It's at this moment your face is assaulted by the bestial butterfly.
>You can see it.  Every microscopic hair.  Every scale on its wings.  Every glittering, evil facet on its eyeballs. Your face is reflected upon it.
>And it wants your soul.
>"OH GOD JESUS ABOVE HELP NO!  NO!  NOOOOOOOOO!"
>You bat madly at your face.  You jump nearly five feet into the air and tangle yourself in the bush.
>You don't notice that Celestia has jumped up on her back hooves in shock.  Her wings twist and flap, sending her into an unbalanced hover.
>She's screaming, but your can't hear her over your own shouts.
>"IT'S GOT ME!"  You claw at the grass and free yourself.  You pull yourself along the groud, getting dirt all over your favorite walking shirt.  You stumble and trip, but you get back into a run.
"ANON!?!?"
>"GET BEHIND ME, SATAN!"
>You trip again.
>That one hurt.  Your shin.  Super-owies.
>Your sense slowly gather themselves around you and shake their head in disapproval.
>You look up.
>Celestia is standing before you, looking an uneven mixture of shocked, embarrassed, and completely confused.
>The butterfly lands on her forehead.
>"It's on you.  Don't move.  It can smell fear.  It feeds on it."
>She giggles.  She blows the butterfly and it floats off on its cursed, merry way.
"Well, if that's so I'm sure you've fed it for the week."
>You work your way back to your feet. Celestia comes down from her mild adrenaline rush and realizes that she's no longer alone.
>The princess's cheeks turn a bright red.
"Anon...how long were you there?"
>I hope you like being in jail, Anon.  " Oh.  I just got here.  Didn't see you rolling around or dancing or anything at all.  Nope."
>You fucking idiot.
>She turns an even deeper red.  She laughs nervously.
>"Um...if you don't tell anyone that I'm afraid of butterflies, I won't tell anyone that you like to roll in the grass."
>She nods.  "A fair deal."
>She begins to move her hooves nervously.  She backs off a little ways, trying to hide them behind each other, but she only succeeds in tripping over herself slightly.
>You begin to entertain thoughts that Celestia may be a complete froot-loop.
>"Are you okay?"
"Yes? Yes!  Of course, Anon.  I'm just not accustomed to having visitors during my...erm....meditation sessions."
>"Do you meditate alot?"  Her head keeps scanning the field.
"Not as much as I'd...I'd like too."  She mutters under her breath, "where are you...?"
"There."
>She slides her hoof into one of her slippers.  She begins to search for the other three.
>You see one.  You go up to grab it.  Kinda big.  Very ornate.
>"Here you are, Princess."  Her eyes go wide and her cheeks becom all a-flustered again.  She is obviously not used to this.
"Th-thank-you.  Anon.  Very much."
>She hurriedly snatches the slipper away from you and puts it on.  Soon enough all of her hoofware is back where it belongs.  A sigh of relief that's almost a little too loud escapes from her mouth.
>It's almost as if she was....
>no way....
>"Celestia."  She snaps to attention.
"Hmm!  Yes, Anon?"
>"Are you embarassed of going around barehoofed?"
>Her cheeks invent an entirely new shade of red.  The ears on her head fall back straight and her wings flutter erraticaly.
>TOTALLY WAY!
>She struggles for words.
>Holy shit.  You stifle a laugh.
"It's not...entirely like that."  She frowns and you can tell her magically powered brain is desperate for an escape.  She just rolls her eyes instead.
"A bit, perhaps."  The golden-clad hooves kick at the dirt.  "They're just...so much larger than everyp0nie's else."
>She stands there sheepishly in the middle of the field.  You decide to open your mouth and make word-things.
"But...your everything is bigger than everyp0nies' elses.."
>And that's why they call you smoove mooves.
"In a...larger than life, sorta way."
>She laughs.  Songs along the wind.
>"You have an impressive mastery of words, Anon.  Your kindness is endearing."
>Whatever sarcasm is in her voice is offset by the smile in her eyes.  She trots around you.
"Tell me, Anon.  What made you decide to go about spying on princesses this fine day?  Is this a new hobby of yours?  Must I inform Luna?"
>"Hmm...don't think I'll make this a regular thing.  Not enough princesses, for starters.  I'd get bored after week."
"I daresay we are far from boring."
>"I'm learning this."  You scratch the back of your head.  "Um...look, I didn't mean to watch you do your 'meditation' thing.  I was just getting some fresh air, needed to clear my head.  Thought it would be nice to get outside."
>She tilts her head and looks at you.  Her eyes dart around you, taking you in.
"A clear sky is often good for making a clear mind.  What was in Anon's head that needed cleaning out?"
>"Nothing really, Princess. Just...you know.  Needed to sort out a few thoughts and..."
>You gesture to Equestria in general.
>"Consider my circumstances."
>Your brain shuffles uncomfortably in your skull.  You smile, not knowing what else to do.
>The Princess shifts her stance a little, lowering her wings and nods, smiling empathetically.
"I understand completely, Anon."
>She settles down on her haunches.  Her gentle brow furrows so slightly as she thinks.  She looks at you, eyes shining, half-lidded in sincerity.
"You know what I am, Anon.  What I can do.  Some p0nies begin their day at the crack of dawn.  I am responsible for making that dawn.  I turn the skies blue, and warm the grass and the waters.  I bring light to all."
>Her voice was calm and easy.  She wasn't bragging.  Simply stating a fact.
"The sun follows my will to the ends of the Earth.  I bring it down in the evenings.  I make the red sunsets, and cast the world in warm oranges and purples."
>"Yes.  And you do very good work."
"Thank-you.  In addition to that, I administer this kingdom.  I won't bore you with those details.  It's not nearly as fun as making the day."
>She stops for a moment, debating whether or not to continue.  She does.
"Myself, I have little time to enjoy what I create.  I steal little instances like these when I can.  I too need time to consider myself.  Or just enjoy a precious, undivided moment."
>She sighs.
"It is tiring, sometimes.  I've been doing this for a long while.  Composure is my nature, dignity is my code.  I have my burderns, but I dare not show them.  But that sort of stuffiness drives me crazy sometimes.  I understand what it means to...sort out thoughts."
>A bee buzzes between the two of you.  She smiles at it.  Your pupils turn to pinpricks.  It goes away without incident.
"Hmm?  I was talking about something, yes?  Oh!  What...what I'm trying to say Anon, is that...I'm glad."
>She stands again.
"I'm glad that you feel secure and safe enough to come out into my light.  You're still new, Anon.  And I'm not entirely sure what to think of the odd being that walks upon two legs and calls himself Human."
>You don't know if you should feel embarrased or not.
"But it seems that you know how to consider the lillies."
>She bends her head down towards a flower and takes a deep breath.
>Her face relaxes.   As she pulls away you can see a small bit of pollen on her nose. At her most neutral, you can tell that Celestia has natural smile that she is ready to grow and share with others.
>You'll admit, it's a bit contagious.
"And any newcomer that knows how to look up to the sky and smile is most welcome in my kingdom."
>She wraps her neck around your shoulder in the equine equivalent of a hug.  She feels incredibly warm.  You pat her.
"I watch over all, Anon.  If you ever need to share your thoughts, just look to the sky.  I will be there.  Always am."
>"Um...thanks.  I appreciate that."  There is a part of your heart that feels touched.  And it's not used to being touched.
>The ruler of Equestria and steward of the sun twirls her hair.  It effortlessly curls back into the perfect dollop over her brow.  Her horn pulses once and the errant leaves of grass fall from her.
>Her crown floats up from the ground and reclaims its rightful place upon her head.
>It shimmers.  The sun is now directly overhead.
"I will tell you Anon, most of all I'm glad that we share something."
>She smiles.  Her wings open wide and tall, waves of light feed through and over them.  Her crown glows even brighter, and her fur radiates divine energy.
"We both know how to stop and smell the flowers."
>She flaps her wings once.
>Gravity means nothing to her.  She is wreathed in golden flame and falls into the sky.
>Fire trails behind her as she rockets up towards her charge.  You can barely see her flap her wings, sending circluar pulses yellow un-smoke into the sky around her.
>The air looks glorious as it warps from her heat.
>She just kept flying higher and higher and never stopped.  After a while you can no longer follow her trail.  A moment later you can almost swear the sun turns brighter.
>You promptly decide alicorns are a bunch of loonies.
>But they're the good kind of loonies.
>You stare at the lilly Celestia smelled.
>You pick it up, twirling it around in your fingers.  The pedals are soft, and the gentle spotting of orange and red in the center look nice in the afternoon light.
>You bring it up to your nose.
>It smells good.
>Yeah.
>You needed this.