Let Them Stay: Proposal

Summer Solo was absolutely fuming. Did Princess Dawn Bringer feel as if her own subjects were a threat? Did she honestly share the mindset of her pony guards that these changelings are here to bide their time and turn against her? No, no, that isn’t it. Summer Solo saw the look on her face. There was remorse and she was hesitant to give the news. She doesn’t want this either.

He was caught up in his own turbulent thoughts, huffing and puffing down the halls that he didn’t even realize that he was no longer pacing in circles. His hooves had taken over his body and brought him into the main hall leading into the courtroom. His brown furrowed as he looked at the oversized decorative doors. Two guards on either side of the door stared almost blankly ahead but acknowledged him all the same. Before he could even get halfway down the hall, stomping his hooves, a flash of feathers and silver flew into his path. 

“Summer Solo, what do you think you’re doing?” the pegasus guard demanded in a tone that only a mother could produce. 

“Mom?”

“Do you know how you look marching down these halls with that scowl on your face-”

“Mom, what are you doing on duty? It’s not even sundown.” Summer Solo cut in, glancing out at the low-hanging sun through the stained glass windows.

“With Queen Vespa here, we needed extra security. I volunteered to extend my shift a little early today,” she answered calmly and shook her head. The mood for the lecture was lost, and she continued conversationally. “What are you doing here? Also, it’s Eventide Sonata when I’m on duty, you know this.”

“Yeah, sorry, M- Eventide Sonata.” Summer Solo mumbled before continuing more firmly. “This isn’t right. They shouldn’t be sending the changelings away! How are we supposed to have an alliance with creatures that we never see? Creatures that we’re kicking out of our community? I have to do something about this.”

“And what are you going to do? What’s your plan?” Eventide Sonata’s voice matched Summer Solo’s intensity. It was close to a scolding tone to Summer Solo, but it didn’t hit quite the same. Something about the tone was different. “Are you just going to barge in there and demand that they change their minds?”

“Well, why not?” Summer Solo asked back, his voice raising a couple of octaves.

“Because it won’t work, Summer Solo! They won’t change their minds because one of their subjects throws a fit in their courtroom.” Her large wings were raised and the owl-like eyes on her feathers stared down at Summer Solo. He lowered his head shamefully and Eventide Sonata calmly folded her wings back her body. Her voice dropped to a comforting tone and she picked her son’s head back up by the chin with her wing. “I believe you can make a difference, Summer Solo. I really do. But you know this isn’t the right way. You’ll do more harm than good. Take a moment to cool your head and think of a real plan. Okay?”

“Yes, Mom,” he whispered, feeling a hot tear drip down his cheek.

Eventide Sonata pulled Summer Solo in for a hug, wrapping her wings around his shoulders. Being smushed against her cold armor wasn’t exactly what Summer Solo would call comfortable, but the hug itself was very comforting and warmed his soul.

“I love, you, son.” she bid him and flew off to get back to her post.

 

The moment to cool off was exactly what Summer Solo needed. He stopped having fake arguments with fake ponies and he was able to adjust the focus of his thinking. Now instead of coming up with every reason as to why the decision bothered him, he could think about what to actually do about it. 

He found himself once again in the halls with stained glass windows. It was evening and the sun was low on the horizon, and it hit the windows in such a way that it colored the halls richly. He stared at one of them where he found himself staring into the depiction of Princess Twilight Sparkle. The princess of friendship, he remembered her title.

He found his mind wandering back to when the announcement was first made. But this time he didn’t focus on the words of the queen and princess. Summer Solo remembered a pony in the crowd who broke the silence with a clear tone and concise language that rivaled the way royalty spoke. Who spoke immediately of the contradictory nature of wanting an alliance, but requesting the members of said alliance leave. And he remembered the timid earth pony who said those three words first. Those three words would turn into a chant.

He wasn’t alone in this, not at all. There were plenty of allies for the changelings. Many believe that they shouldn’t have to return to their queen’s hive if they don’t want to. A smile comes across his face and he giddily gallops down the hall as the spark of inspiration hits him. He ran into the courtyard and loudly declared to Princess Dawn Bringer and Queen Vespa, “I have a proposal!”

Queen Vespa’s mouth was open, probably in the middle of saying something. She slowly closed her jaw and quirked a chitinous eyebrow. The queen turned to Princess Dawn Bringer, who looked completely unphased by Summer Solo’s dramatic entry. She tucked away her sorrowful expression, but the burden of sadness made her movements sluggish as she stood at attention for her subject.

“Summer Solo, we have guests. And I’m busy.” is as far as the scolding went from the princess before she gestured with a wing. “But since you’re here. Your proposal?”

Summer Solo took a respectful bow to her before continuing, “Princess Dawn Bringer and Queen Vespa, I believe you’re making a mistake. If you want an alliance between ponies and changelings, you shouldn’t force them to leave their homes and go to the hive.

“Many changelings were born here. Their homes and friends and families are here. This is far more than asking them to move somewhere else. You’re asking them to uproot their whole lives.”

“I understand your sentiment, young stallion, but this is what must be done.” Princess Dawn Bringer rebuts with a shake of her head, the strain of her years of stressful rule was thick in her voice. “This was the only term for the alliance that Queen Vespa graciously offered. It is a small price to pay for peace between us.”

“We already had peace. We lived alongside them for generations.” Summer Solo turns his attention away from the princess. She was already on his side. “Please, Queen Vespa, I want to ask one thing of you in return.”

“Bold.” Queen Vespa cocks her head ever so slightly and her wings twitch oddly. “Ask.”

“You want the changelings to go and return with you in a week? I’d like to ask that in that time you allow us, as a community of ponies and changelings, to work together. To prove to you and convince you that you shouldn’t force the changelings to leave Canterlot, Ponyville-wherever they’re living.” Summer Solo felt his voice beginning to crack and his voice getting higher in pitch as he saw the changeling queen’s expression remain unmoved. “The alliance can’t thrive with your subjects and us ponies separate. We need to be together.”

Queen Vespa remained expressionless for a while, but Summer Solo heard an odd buzzing coming off of her. She exchanged looks with Princess Dawn Bringer for a moment before slowly turning her head back to Summer Solo.

“And what if you fail, young pony?” she asked and her words cut like ice.

“Then… then I guess we all have no choice.” Summer Solo never felt his spirits sink lower before. “Then the changelings would all have to return to the hive with you.”

Another long moment of silence.

Queen Vespa shifts ever so slightly.

More silence.

She turns to Summer Solo one last time.

“I accept your proposal. One week to make your arguments.”

Summer Solo bows. “Thank you, Queen Vespa.”