“Hello?” I cautiously say into the phone, Charles sending me a curious glance from across the room.

“May I speak to a...Mr. Mactylan, please?”

“This is he,” I say, making eye contact with Charles as I shrug. “Uh, just for peace of mind, who is this, exactly?”

“This is the Office of the Under the Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, calling from the Pentagon. We received a telephone call from our agent, Mr. Brown earlier today, concerning the radioactive blast that occurred outside of your house at about oh-one hundred o’clock.”

I take a deep breath, but don’t say anything.

“We would like you to know that the President of the United States would like to speak to you, either by a telephone call or direct meeting. Which would you prefer, sir?”

My jaw drops, and I mouth, “the Presidents wants to talk to me,” to Charles. “I would much rather prefer whichever is more convenient for him,” I respond, my heart hammering.

Did he accept? Did that alicorn nudge his decisions like she did Agent Brown’s?

“Then by phone. I will forward you now.”

I nod, but before he forwards me, a question blurts out. “So, wait, why didn’t the President’s direct secretary contact me?”

“I was given a direct order from the President himself to call you, sir. I’m disallowed to tell you any more than that.”

“Okay,” I say with a shrug, forgetting that he can’t see my actions.

“I’ll forward you now.”

I look over to Charles, and he’s on the edge of his seat, staring at me and my house phone.

“Hello, this is President Barack Obama-”

That’s all he manages to get out.

Before I drop the phone.

“Ah, crap,” I say, bending down to pick it up.

As I do, Rainbow Dash swipes it.

“Hey – Rainbow Dash, bring that back here this instant!”

She sticks her tongue out at me, and throws it to Pinkie Pie, who bounces it on her back. I attempt to catch it from her, but Twilight grasps it with magic, and so does Celestia and Luna.

“No!” I shout, snatching the phone from their grasp. The three ponies frown at me, tears forming in their eyes.

“This isn’t your toy, this is important!” I spit as I return to the phone.

“Uh, hello? Mr. Mactylan?

“Sorry, Rainbow Dash got the phone...”

“Ah, yes, your children. Or, rather, ponies.”

“Children,” I immediately blurt out. I blush, and Charles face palms. “Sorry, Mr. President. Go on.”

“No, no, that is rather called for. Your children are a very big deal in the United States right now. We won’t go public with their presence on Earth, but we will aide you in moving to a secluded home.”

I smile, and give Charles a thumbs up. “We just found a home out in Kansas, Mr. President.”

“We?”

“My friend, Charles, and I are both dealing with stuff for my children at the moment.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. Stuff? I mentally reprimand myself. I just said “stuff” to the President of the United States?

“Ah. Good. At least you’re not doing it alone. Well, whenever you plan to move, we will help you to do so.”

“Thank you, Mr. President. We’re actually planning on moving sometime this week, if that’s of any help to you.”

“It most certainly is. Now, then, I, ah...I must admit, that I, too, am only human.”

I raise an eyebrow in surprise. “Oh? What are you getting at, Mr. President?”

“If you don’t mind...Could you...Could you send me a picture of your children, over your smart phone? My number is...”

I write down his number, and give my consent.

“Thank you very much, Mr. Mactylan.”

“No, thank you, Mr. President.”

“Good luck, now!”

“Good luck to you, too!”

The call ends, and I replace my phone on the receiver. Charles instantly places my laptop down, and walks over to me. “What was that?”

“The President wants a picture of my children,” I say, rather proud of myself.

“What? No, no, I mean, what was the call about?”

“The government is going to help us move the ponies in secrecy,” I explain. “They’ll probably just send an agent over to keep anyone, and everyone, quiet on the matter.”

Charles nods, and gestures at the ponies around us. “Well, I think it’s time we get a picture, don’t you?”

I smile, and nod, immediately scooping up a few of the ponies, which isn’t especially hard, seeing as how most of them are now just dozing off on the rug, lying flat on their tummies as Rainbow Dash continues to rush around.

“Pick up a few, Charles,” I say as I carry my armful into my bedroom. The ponies in my arm, (Vinyl Scratch, Lyra, and Octavia,) all yawn consecutively, their tiny mouths stretching as their eyes shut tight.

“Alright, guys, just sit tight,” I say as I place them down in my sock drawer. I stroke each of their manes, and rush back to get Flutterhsy, almost bumping into Charles, and the two earth ponies, (Applejack and Big Mac,) in his arms.

“Just set them down,” I say as I leave the room to bring Fluttershy in.

Within a few minutes, all of the ponies have been placed in the drawer, and all of them are yawning wide as they curl up and have their individual attempts at sleep.

All, of course, except for Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.

“You two need to go to bed!” I whisper as I dive at the bouncing pink pony, landing flat on my face as she jumps to the side. “Crap...” I mutter into the rug.

Behind me, Charles isn’t having much better luck, as the cyan Pegasus keeps darting between his legs, and his attempts to catch her are all in vain.

“No, Rainbow, no, no, no, no!”

Within a few seconds, his back is on top of mine, and my face has been shoved back into the carpet.

“Ow!”

“Charles, stop moaning and get up!”

As we stand, I immediately manage to catch Rainbow Dash at a corner when the cyan Pegasus decides to take a breather. The cyan Pegasus struggles against me, but her weak wings prove to be of no avail.

“I’ll be right back,” I announce, but quickly turn to see Pinkie Pie, snuggling up against Charles in his arms.

“That was easy,” he remarks as we leave the room.

As soon as we get in my bedroom, Charles places Pinkie Pie down in the drawer, and I cradle Rainbow Dash gently, attempting to calm her down from her excited state.

“Just calm down, Dashie,” I coo. “You’ll be famous for this! You’ll get your picture up in the White House!”

The cyan Pegasus pouts at me, and I tickle her under the chin. “Please?”

She immediately softens up, and hugs my finger as I place her down in the sock drawer, right between Derpy and Fluttershy. Derpy, as usual, has a sock in her mouth.

“Okay, guys, just stay like that,” I whisper as I sit on my bed, and retrieve my smart phone from my pocket, the piece of paper with Obama’s number (OBAMA’S NUMBER) on the bed next to me.

I quickly (as in, after ten minutes of loading) get the picture, and send it to the freaking President of the United freaking States.

Within a few minutes, I receive this text in return:

“Adorable, you’re obviously taking good care of them. By the way, will have a large trailer sent to your house with a driver and an agent to help you keep it hushed up. And, will have certain terms for you to accept. Nothing big. Good luck.”

I smile, and begin to bounce up and down on my bed. “Oh my God, I just texted the President of the United States and he answered!”

Charles pats me on the back. “You’re famous, buddy!”

I chuckle, and a clear voice pervades my mind.

Do not let it get to your head. I changed his decisions.

Sweet! Thanks!

Good. You’re not questioning it.

Why would I?

Exactly.

The last word was slightly venomous in how it was pronounced, but I let it slide.

Besides, we have a long week ahead of it.