I returned to the castle in a daze. I was smart enough to know that the kiss hadn’t had any romantic attachment to it. At least..I think there wasn’t.. Or was there? It was hard to tell. I liked Rarity as a friend. And she was beautiful! But that didn’t necessarily mean that she and I would be compatible. But the way we’d been on our way to the station...
I decided that I needed a slice of Butter Whisk’s chocolate cake. I went to the kitchen and pulled a slice from the fridge. I sat at the table, breathing in the delicious smell. I sat and stared at it for a few seconds. The whole night kept playing over and over in my head. I was trying my hardest to be objective, but the kiss had muddled things up. She was just thanking me for the evening, right? Or had it meant more?

“The cake is best if you eat it.”

I turned around. To my surprise, Luna was standing in the doorway.

“Don’t you have business to take care of?”

“It’s only nine. I still have a little time before I begin for the evening.”

“Is it really only nine? I could have sworn it was later.”

She approached the table and sat down.

“How did your practice date go?”

“Really well actually. Rarity was a great help to me.”

“If the evening went well, why do you look troubled?”

“Well...”

I looked down at my cake again. Should I say? I guess there wasn’t any point in hiding it.

“Rarity kissed me at the station. Just on the cheek! But..it’s the first time I’ve ever been kissed. It’s kind of a lot to take in.”

“You’re trying to gauge your feelings towards her?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“Matters of the heart always seem to override hunger.”

She nodded to the cake. A small smile crept onto my face.

“Makes sense. Rarity is a wonderful mare, but I don’t think she sees me in that way.”

“You’re sure of this?”

“Not at all. And I don’t want to make things awkward.”

“Understandable. But if you find that you care for her as more than a friend, you should ask her if she reciprocates those feelings.”

“I know. It’s just a lot...”

I took a bite from the cake. It felt good against my tongue. I let it sit in my mouth for a few seconds before chewing and swallowing.
Luna’s horn lit up as she summoned another slice from the fridge. Her eyes sparkled as the slice landed in front of her.

“Care to grab me a slice?”

We both looked to the doorway and found Celestia. She joined us as Luna summoned another slice.

“How was your date Shade?”

Luna answered before I could even open my mouth.

“Rarity kissed him goodbye. On the cheek. And now he can’t decide if he likes her or not. That’s as far as we’d gotten.”

I glared at Luna. She responded with a shrug.

“You would have taken too long.”

“So. Do you think you have feelings for Rarity?”

I turned my gaze to Celestia.

“Honestly...I don’t know. Maybe?”

“Do you think that you’re unworthy of a mare of her beauty?”

“Luna! Honestly?”

“I’m just trying to get to the root of the problem sister. That’s obviously his biggest concern.”

I sighed.

“No. In fact she helped me address my lack of confidence tonight.”

Celestia smiled.

“That’s good to hear.”

“I have to focus more on building myself up and not letting what others think pull me down.”

“And do you feel more confident?”

“To tell the truth, I think that kiss gave me the boost that I need. I feel like I could take on the world!”

Luna smiled as she finished her cake.

“Rarity is a mare who knows that there is an inner beauty that supersedes any physical aspect. And she’s seen that beauty in you. And that beauty is what is attractive about you. Though your exterior features are not bad either.”

What I did next might have been crossing a line, but her mentioning features like that made me want to try ‘seasoning’ the conversation. I focused my eyes on Luna, blinked slowly, and smiled a little.

“You really think so?”

Luna didn’t respond for a moment. She was staring at me. Her head jerked slightly and she hurriedly nodded.

I turned to Celestia. I was met with a knowing look. A look that said ‘don’t even try that with me’. I blinked a few times to refocus and gave her a nervous smile. She began to giggle.

“I’m glad to see you feeling more confident. You’ll need that confidence as you start some of your new responsibilities.”

“New responsibilities?”

“You’re going to help us with our next Parliament session. There’s a few laws they want to get approved that I feel won’t be in ponies best interests. I could use your knowledge there tomorrow.”

“Wow. Law, huh? What time?”

“Noon tomorrow.”

“I’ll restudy the law section and be ready for you in the morning. Or perhaps I should get ready tonight.”

“I think you’ve had enough on your mind for one day. Save the law for tomorrow.”

“Good call. I’ll leave you two for the night. Have a pleasant evening Luna.”

She nodded, but did not look me in the eye. I had to hold back a grin. I looked at Celestia again.

“And I hope you have a peaceful sleep.”

“Thank you. Though I’m more worried about you getting enough rest for tomorrow.”

“I’ll get right to sleep.”

Celestia blinked slowly, a small smile on her face.

“Are you sure?”

My eyes widened in shock. I was frozen in place. My legs were slowly becoming jelly. And then she started giggling again.

“A taste of your own medicine. Now get some rest. I’ll need your help tomorrow.”

__________________________

I slept like a rock and ran to the library after breakfast. I had to be up to date on every possible law. I’d probably have to read slower just to make sure I got everything. Why was I getting so nervous? It’s not like the law was up to me. That’s Celestia’s business. Then again, she was relying on my expertise to make the right decision. So in a way the law was up to me.
I stopped at the entrance of the library. I had to take a few deep breaths to calm myself down. I couldn’t psych myself out like this! Not when Celestia needed me!
I walked over to the law section. There was a total of fourteen volumes on Equestrian law, each over a thousand pages in length.

“Let’s see.. A total of 19,456 pages.. Four hours before I’m supposed to meet Celestia..”

Yes. That should be enough time to look through them thoroughly. Twice.
I pulled the first volume off the shelf and began. I remembered a lot of this already, but I didn’t want to take any chances.

Wow. Law is boring.

I continued volume by volume until I’d gotten through the whole set once. A flood of articles and sub-paragraphs were swimming through my head. Is this how lawyers and lawmakers felt all the time? How could they stand it?
I was about to start again, but decided against it. Once was more than enough. I would wind up giving myself a headache if I wasn’t careful.
I decided I would supplement the law with some books on the practices of lawyers and the structure/function of Parliament. That should give me plenty of diverse information to use.
I flew through several books and smiled at my resourcefulness. I felt ready for this! I looked up at a clock on the wall and realized I still had forty minutes to myself.

“Well. Shouldn’t go to Parliament with an empty stomach.”

I raced to the kitchen. Somehow, Butter Whisk had guessed I’d be back. There was already a plate of food waiting for me.

“Thanks Butter!”

“I know you’ve got some business today, so I went ahead and prepped that for you. But in the future I want to see you down here preparing your own meals. You’ve got to keep up the practice if you hope to be half as good as me.”

“Fair enough. Thank you for today though.”

He smiled and returned to his work. I ate everything on my plate and trotted off towards the main entry to meet Celestia.
I found her waiting by the door. She smiled as she saw me.

“Good. I didn’t think you’d be late.”

“Never!”

I was ready to go out, but instead she turned and walked towards a side entrance I hadn’t noticed before.

“Where does this go?”

“This wing is where Parliament meets and where the upper members keep their offices.”

“Okay. So how do you want me to help exactly?”

“If something doesn’t sound right, speak up.”

“Will they even listen to me?”

She smiled and glanced down at me.

“You’re my Librarian. They have to listen to you. Just make sure what you say isn’t wrong.”

“Right..”

I swallowed hard. My nerves were trying to get the better of me.

Walk in as if you’ve been there before. Even if you haven’t.

That’s right. Rarity had said part of my confidence was by acting like I belong. Because I do!
I held my head a little higher and put on a serious face. Celestia’s brow raised in surprise.

“It looks like you just got done giving yourself a pep talk.”

“Yep.”

“Or was it somepony else giving you that confidence?”

I looked from the corner of my eye and she was giving me a mischievous grin.

“Don’t start with me now Celestia. I’ve got Parliament in two minutes.”

She continued smiling and stopped at a double set of doors.

“We’re here.”

I looked at the doors and took a deep breath.

“Let’s do this.”

She pushed them open and we walked inside. There was a large U-shaped table with a throne at the head. A dozen other ponies were already sitting at the table. I could tell the seats had been shifted slightly to make room for one more chair on the right side of the throne. Probably for me.
I could feel the ponies staring at me. I didn’t look at any of them as I moved towards my seat. Celestia didn’t say a word either. We both took our seats and the pony to her left stood up and bowed to her.

“Thank you for joining us Princess Celestia. And we’re honored to have your guest as well.”

He glanced at me momentarily before his eyes darted back to Celestia.

“I was unaware that we were hosting a changeling today.”

Celestia’s face was stoic. Her eyes narrowed.

“I’d thank you not to insult my Librarian.”

“Librarian? What need have we of a librarian in this session?”

Her look didn’t change. The pony bowed again.

“My apologies to you Princess. And your librarian. I did not think it an insult to wonder why a changeling was here.”

I’d had enough. It was my turn.

“You must have poor vision if you think that I’m a changeling.”

“What?”

“Poor hearing as well? I’m. Not. A. Changeling. I’m a pony. And as stated before, I’m the Librarian. Not a librarian. The Librarian. Collector of knowledge, and right hoof to the Royal Family.”

There was some muttering around the table as ponies commented on my remarks. Celestia looked at me, a small smile on her face, and nodded her approval. The head pony regained his composure and cleared his throat.

“Shall we begin the session?”

Everypony nodded their agreement.

“Excellent. Princess, have you reviewed the bill?”

“I have. Though I would like you to explain its purpose. You know how phrasing can be misinterpreted. I’d hate to misunderstand the bill.”

She winked at me. It had been her nice way of asking them to simplify it for me. I appreciated that. It was only my first day after all.
The head pony nodded and began.

“The bill calls for a small increase in taxes. Mostly for property. The increase would be three percent.”

That didn’t sound right.

“Aren’t property taxes already at three percent?”

Everypony looked at me. One of the ponies further down chimed in.

“Yes, but costs for upkeeping transportation, tracks, and roads has risen. We have to adjust so that things don’t fall into disrepair. It’s not something most ponies think about.”

“I understand the necessity of repairs. I just don’t understand why property taxes need to go up a second time within a three year period.”

The head pony arched his brow.

“And what do you know about the last tax increase?”

“You increased taxes from 1.5 to 3. Double! That’s caused a lot of distress for small businesses. And I bet you that the kingdom contracts with small businesses that deal with the upkeep. Right?”

Another pony leaned forward.

“Well we have to contract with multiple businesses in order to cover as much area as possible.”

“Do you know why they’re charging you more for their services?”

Silence. Celestia was watching me now, waiting for me to continue.

“You doubled the taxes! And now businesses have had to adjust so that they can break even. I worked in a clock shop when you did the last increase, and the owner almost had to close his shop for a full month because he could barely keep up with the increase. And now you want to double it again?”

The head pony rolled his eyes.

“Your point?”

“If you increase the taxes again, businesses will increase their prices, and then you’ll increase the taxes so you can afford their new prices, and so on and so on. It’s unneeded!”

“This is what we do Mr. Librarian. The laws of the land. Perhaps you should stick to books.”

“Funny you should mention books! Equestrian Law: Volume 7, Section 12, Article 17, Paragraph C.”

“And what is that?”

“Property taxes are not to exceed four percent at any time unless approved in emergency situations by a member of Equestrian royalty.”

“You know Equestrian Law by heart?”

“Don’t any of you? Or are they more like suggestions to you, rather than rules?”

He was about to respond when Celestia raised a hoof.

“Quill Feather? Have you been taking down the conversation?”

A pony at the far end of the table looked up.

“Of course Princess. It’s my duty to keep record.”

“And you have everything to this point?”

He nodded. Celestia smiled.

“Please record that I’ve denied the tax increase and that the previous tax increase is to be nullified.”

Everypony in the room looked at her in shock. I made an effort not to. I sat there with my own stoic expression. Quill Feather scribbled down Celestia’s words.

“I think that’s all for today. Thank you all for coming.”

Celestia stood and began walking. I stood up slowly and followed. I didn’t look at anypony on our way out.
As soon as the door closed behind us, I let out a huge gust of air.

“Oh. My. Gosh. Did that really just happen?”

“It did. And the ponies of Equestria have you to thank for this being brought to my attention. I thought that another increase this soon was unwise, but I wanted a second, trusted opinion. And you didn’t disappoint.”

“I’m glad I could be of service.”

“Where did you get that ‘right hoof to the Royal Family’ bit?”

“I don’t know. It just kind of came out.”

“I like it. I think that should be your title.”

“What?”

“The Right Hoof.”

“The Right Hoof.. It does have a nice ring to it.”

“Of course if you prefer the Librarian, I understand.”

I thought about it for a moment. The Right Hoof. It had a certain power to it. It made it clear what my connection was to Celestia and Luna. And it gave me a confidence boost thinking of being called by that title.

“Alright. The Right Hoof it is.”

“I’m honored to have you as my Right Hoof, Shade. There’s nopony else I would want to hold that kind of power.”

“You’re not worried it will go to my head?”

“No. You don’t have a desire for power. That’s why you’re the perfect pony to give power to. You’ll use it to help Equestria.”

“Equestria? I thought I was just here for you.”

“Helping the princesses is helping Equestria. Do you really think that after 2000 years that Luna and I have the answers to everything?”

“My first answer would be ‘yes’, but I’m guessing you’re going to say the opposite.”

“Yes. This is why I want you here. Your knowledge will save us from a lot of unnecessary headaches. Like the one you helped me avoid today.”

“Whatever you need Princess. I’m here for you and your family.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

We continued past the main entrance and on towards her study. Neither of us spoke a word until we were inside.

“Shade. I want to make this official. This isn’t just for fun.”

“I understand. How do we make it official?”

“To be perfectly honest? I’m not sure. The last pony I trusted as much as you was Starswirl. And he didn’t really need to take an oath or anything since our existence was because of him.”

“So...should I just say something?”

“You can try if you’d like.”

I thought long and hard for a minute. How could I properly pledge my loyalty? It had to be perfect.
And then I had an idea. I squared my shoulders and stood tall, staring into Celestia’s eyes.

“From enemy to friend, death to life,
and changeling to pony, I have made it to where I now stand. And I have your family to thank for much of it. I offer my loyalty to you, Cloud Mist, and your sister, Dusk Lily, and to the rest of the Royal Family. From this moment until my last, I will always offer whatever help I can to ensure the safety of you and this kingdom. From this moment, I will be your secret-keeper, your shoulder to cry on, and your most trusted friend. And I will do everything within my ability to be worthy of that trust. I am yours to command.”

She smiled with that soft smile I’d come to know so well.

“I accept your pledge Shade, Right Hoof of the Royal Family. I am glad to have you as my friend. Know that I do not command you. You are your own.”

I smiled back at her and bowed. She reached down and tilted my head back up.

“And you certainly don’t need to bow to any of us.”

“If you say so.”

I straightened up and sighed. I had power now! And yet..I had no desire to use it for anything.
The only thing I wanted to do right now was write a letter to a certain mare, letting her know about the exciting day I had had.

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