Author's Notes:

Oh boy, this took a while. This chapter is longer than I expected, so I hope it is worth it.

I felt like the happiest guy in the world right now. Cadance, clad in her beautiful (and revealing) pink dress, walked down the hall with me in my contrasting pseudo-commissar suit. We didn't say a single word to each other for the full minute, but that's because our faces did all the talking for us.

Two whole worlds were walking down the royal Canterlot hall and clasping hands. Where I would have been embarrassed to do so with Cadance a year ago, now there was no other place I would rather be.

The woman I loved was by my side, and tonight, I knew we were going to make things official once and for all. This was no longer some fling like whatever Celestia does with the Great Power's ambassadors and leaders or that one week I spent with Cadance in the hotel, but something that was going to last a lifetime.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you Cadance." I said, trying not to blush.

"Same," replied Cadance. "It's certainly been while since that...wonderful week."

"Yeah, um, that was something." I chuckled, nearly at a loss of words. "I've thought about that week a lot."

"I'm sure it kept you busy at night." winked Cadance.

"Well in a way," I admitted. "But Arstrotzkan don't exactly..er..pleasure ourselves like that. That's what our partners are for."

"As long as I'm on your mind, I don't care." giggled Cadance.

"And you always are kotenok." I assured.

Cadance raised her eyebrow playfully. "Kotenok?"

I bit my lip. "Oh, it's Arstrotzkan for kitten. I just...thought it sounded pretty cute."

Cadance smiled approvingly. "It does sound pretty sweet....Levy."

I winced. "Oh, haven't heard that one in a while."

"But I still get to call you that right Mr. Commissar?" teased Cadance.

"Of course kotenok," I sighed, but in a positive way. "So, know exactly who we're going to be having dinner with?"

Cadance smiled sheepishly. "Other than my aunt, not exactly. All I know is that some people were coming over and I can't turn them down. You know, just to address any 'concerns' they might have."

"Pfft, concerns." I scoffed. "That's just code for them not being okay with you dating out of your race and class."

"To be honest," remarked Cadance. "I think Arstrotzkans themselves are only okay with this because they know that we'd be killing off an alicorn bloodline. I mean, any kids that I'd have with you would be non magical and illegible for royalty."

I blushed at the thought of having kids with Cadance. "That wouldn't be a problem though right?"

"Of course not," assured Cadance with a nuzzle on my cheek. "I don't care how much magic you have or don't have in your blood. You'll always be my little Levy."

"And I don't care what class background you come from, because you'll always be my little kotenok." I replied.

"Is that the highest compliment a collectivist can give out?" sarcastically asked Cadance.

"Yes, right next to 'don't worry, we see the monarchy as a temporary necessary evil'." I snarked.

"I guess that if Arstrotzkan officers like yourself get to have nice flings with Princesses, they won't be complaining." laughed Cadance.

"But this is more than a fling right?" I checked, sounding kind of nervous.

Cadance kissed me on the cheek to immediately dispel any doubt in my mind. "Of course. I feel like our lives have been building up to this moment. Nothing can stop that right now."

Suddenly, Cadance was cut off by a loud voice.

"Her highness Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and her companion, Commissar Lev Vissarionovich Ulyanov!" cried a squire dressed in a ridiculous flashy outfit.

Before I knew it, Cadance and I had found ourselves on the top of the grand staircase in the entrance hall. Before us stood two columns of people separated by a long red carpet with golden trim. At the front of the two columns were the usual royal guards clutching their spears and before them were people that appeared to be nobles or members of Celestia's court.

Instinctively, the columns before us bowed down to greet their princess as loud instrumental music played. Being a collectivist, I obviously hated the sight of seeing people bow down to someone. I couldn't put in words, but I was disgusted by the idea that one person, through arbitrary circumstances, was deemed superior to the masses. Of course, Cadance was an exception since she earned her position and that she and Celestia weren't brats about their status. Still, I knew these reactionaries thought of their alicorns as omnipotent autocrats.

I knew that they were only bowing to Cadance and not the collectivist political officer opposed to such a practice. Still, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if someone started treating me as a king.

The crowd finally stood up straight and many directed their eyes towards me, looking at me with utter suspicion. I honestly could not fully blame them given their own class interests, but that didn't mean I had to submit to them just because I was in love with Cadance.

With my free left hand that wasn't clutching Cadance's, I smirked and raised my left hand in a clenched fist salute. As expected, this triggered a few scowls and mummers from the crowd. The clenched fist salute was the official greeting gesture of my nation as it was used by Arstrotzkan revolutionaries as a sign of solidarity against the bourgeoisie.

"Was that really necessary?" muttered Cadance under the music.

"Why, of course." I quietly replied, triggering a muffled laugh from Cadance.

Holding our hands tight, Cadance and I walked down the stair case and across the carpet. Cadance, ever the optimist, kept a bright smile on as we walked passed the crowd. I on the other hand kept a smirk not because I was trying to please them, but because I knew how infuriated they were finding out that Cadance and I had fallen in love.

We approached the end of the carpet and Cadance tugged me to turn back and face the top of the staircase to await our guests.

I felt Cadance squeeze my hand hard and whisper in my ear. "Not matter what happens, we'll get through this."

The Squire took a deep breath before shouting the newly arrived guests. "Introducing Captain Of The Royal Guard....Primus Hurricane and his fair wife..Lady Opulence Equites!"

At the top of the stair case stood a well built man who was obviously Primus Hurricane. He was tall, slightly taller than Cadance and I, with a muscular body, a shining bald head, piercing orange eyes and a thick brownish red beard that accompanied a matching pair of wings. Primus looked like he came straight out of a body builder magazine ready to give you some useless life tips.

Had I not known what type of guard he led, I honestly would have been intimidated.

Opulence on the other hand was an average sized lady, albeit with a clearly athletic build. Perhaps she spent a lot of her time sporting in some fancy country club or her husband held her to some standard. Her skin was a darker shade with a brunette hair style tied into a bun and pale blue eyes. Indeed, were it not for blue stripe that flowed in a lock of her hair, she was probably the most 'normal' looking Equestrian I had seen thus far.

The two of them, walked down the path towards me in Cadance. A royal military march tune played as they moved through the carpet, the couple holding hands and standing proud as if they were ready to accept some sort of victory.

Primus was clad in a red military dress uniform while his wife was clad in a poofy white dress that she held up on one side with the hand that wasn't holding Primus'. Although strapless like Cadance's, Opulent's dress was a lot more conservative, but her lack of a noticeable bust made it harder to see any skin other than the tip of her chest.

I was a little anxious, but this place was right up Cadance's area of expertise. I knew I had to make an effort to prove myself, but I was confident that Cadance knew what to do to get ourselves out of this.

Opulence and Primus finally stood in front of us. Without even blinking, Cadance merely stood tall and confident, a smirk on her face. I couldn't replicate her exact demeanor, but I smirked myself and stood tall. I had met with other dignitaries from the great powers before, so I knew how to posture and present myself, but these two probably hated my very existence and that changed everything.

Primus shot us a piercing glare, as if he was a father scolding his daughter for dating a boy he didn't like. Opulence, who Primus had comically towered, had a look of disappointment on her face, clearly wishing that Cadance had chosen someone else.

The Squire raised his voice once more. "INTRODUCING....Countess Avarice Puddinghead!"

"Oh boy," I whispered.

"What?" muttered Cadance.

"She's a countess named Avarice."

"Oh."

Now at the top of the stair case was a woman with green hair and magenta eyes wearing a plain sunflower yellow dress. Avarice's demeanor was pretty conflicting, being both once of anguish and one of boredom. She reminded me of some angry stoners and I reckoned that she had a pack in that golden purse she carried.

In fact, my suspicions were confirmed at that instant when she took a joint out of her purse and smoked it with a lighter. All of a sudden, her eyes appeared to glow red and her expression was calmed, but not brightened.

Avarice moved pretty quickly down the stairs, saving no time to look graceful or proud unlike Primus and Opulence. Cadance and I were still clasping hands, but we merely shot her a confused look as she continued to stare at us.

Avarice was around the normal height of a woman, so she was looking up at me and Cadance, but her suspicious stare could probably turn most giants into sobbing fools. She was looking at Cadance as if she had some sort of disease and was trying to identify the cure, while she looked me as if I was the virus.

Another announcement blazed. "NOW PRESENTING...his highness and fellow majesty...Prince Blueblood Platinum and Ms. Sassy Saddles!"

"Oh you're fucking with me." I hissed, nearly face palming.

"Relax. One night." whispered Cadance.

Now at the top of the stairs stood perhaps the closest thing to a well recurring nemesis in my life. Prince Blueblood was Cadance's 'cousin' despite the lack of blood relation between them. Blueblood, unlike Cadance who was adopted and earned her alicornhood, was born into royalty as his name implied. Let's just say in a nation that more or less outlawed and vilified nepotism and inheritance, this was not okay with our population.

Blueblood wore an extravagant white suit with a black collar and blue tie that he seemed to favor for most occasions. His hair was a slick blond which I'm sure he wasted hundreds on cosmetics to maintain and his posture stood tall and proud.

Blueblood's expression on the other hand was atypical of him. He seemed very clearly lost in thought, a process I didn't think he was capable of attaining, as if he was looking for something he had lost. Perhaps his humility or empathy.

At his side was a girl around his age that sported orange and blond hair with hazel eyes. Sassy wore a dress I could only describe as designer, being long, fancy and sporting a rich violet color with frilly ends at the sleeves and collar. It wasn't revealing at all, but it certainly helped bring out her features that I had to admit were beautiful.

Unlike Blueblood who looked like he was solving a mystery in his head, Sassy had her arms crossed and was staring at Blueblood with a raised eyebrow.

The crowd had bowed before Blueblood as they did for any other royal, but their motion was quick and hasty unlike the more graceful kneel they gave for Cadance. Of course, I didn't bow for shit.

Blueblood grabbed Sassy's hand without hesitation and proceeded to drag her down the stairs to join us. Blueblood stood up proud and haughty like he always did, but he was clearly rushing to get towards me and Cadance, and the smirk on his face made him look like he was about to pick a fight with me. It wouldn't have been the first given his history with me, my friends, and pretty much any other non Equestrian young person who met him.

Sassy on the other hand struggled to keep up with Bluebloood, whose fast walking pace was clearly throwing her off.

As Blueblood walked towards me, I began to notice a pattern among the last names of our guests tonight. I lightly squeezed Cadance's hand and she instinctively turned her ear towards me.

I whispered my realization into her ear."Platinum? Puddinghead? Hurricane? Aren't these 3 of the 6 families that found Equestria?"

"Why do you think they're the most powerful families in the country right now?" quietly said Cadance, hoping that the others couldn't hear us whisper over the music.

"Blueblood, slow down!" yelped Sassy, who was promptly ignored by her date tonight.

Blueblood stood next to the Hurricanes and Puddinghead, who shot them a smug look, evidently hoping for a mutual feeling. Primus merely stood with his arms crossed, glaring at me and not even shooting Blueblood a glance while Avarice merely focused on her smoke. Blueblood in return let out an exasperated sigh.

Cadance and I were ignoring the other nobles in favor of her cousin, who looked like he was about to say something pretentious before the Squire made one final announcement.

"HER HIGHNESS...ALICORN OF THE SUN AND SUPREME MONARCH OF EQUESTRIA...PRINCESS CELESTIA!"

The music exploded with fanfare with the most upbeat and glorious melodies the musicians could muster. Everyone in the room with the exception of the musicians bowed down immediately at the sight of their ruler.

While Celestia was someone that I still respected as an individual, I still could not bring myself to bow down to her given my beliefs and upbringing. Thus when Cadance herself bowed down before her aunt, I still stood and our hands immediately disconnected, prompting me to look down at her and up again.

Needless to say, my mouth dropped upon seeing the Alicorn of the sun on top of the staircase.

Celestia stood tall and mighty as usual, her very presence reflecting a bright aura I could only describe as heavenly. The dress she wore was very similar to Cadance's, strapless, regal and pretty revealing. The only difference was that Celestia's dress was a pale white and she still had a lot of her royal regalia such as her crown on, emphasizing her nearly god like demeanor.

The dress hugged Celestia's formed tightly and perfectly outlined her curvy and amazonian body that was very well endowed at her chest and hips. I could see a significant amount of her breast's cleavage and mounds, the rest of her tits struggling to hold that strapless white dress up. A cut at her dress revealed her long pale leg and just the beginnings of her thigh where I could spot a bit of her sun shaped cutie mark. Indeed, her voluptuous body was pretty was essentially the bustier, curvier and taller version of Cadance's perfect form, which I thought was impossible to pull off.

Like Cadance, her hair was tied back in a long ponytail that sparkled an ethereal green, magenta and blue, a sign of her being a naturally born alicorn. Everything about her just screamed 'ruler of this place.'

Indeed, it was easy to see why no ambassador or world leader from the great powers could resist her.

Celestia placed a white gloved hand at her hip and nodded towards me, evidently not ticked off that I wasn't bowing down like the others. With a simple wave with her other gloved hand, Celestia gracefully made her way down the stairs, her hips swaying seductively and always flashing more of her ample body.

I couldn't help but gaze at her wonderful vibrant body even if was obviously pissing off every Equestrian in the room by not bowing down. I had seen Celestia in bikinis before, but I was still drawn to her nonetheless, wondering if her buxom breasts would fail to hold her dress up and reveal her voluptuous body. Her movements were hypnotic and the bobbing of her thighs, hips and breasts were nearly driving me to arousal.

"She's beautiful isn't she?"

I nodded. "Yeah I..." I finally regained a hold of myself and glanced to my side, seeing Cadance also gazing at her 'aunt'.

I blushed, realizing that I was just lusting after Celestia while the woman I loved was right next to me. This wasn't good. There was no way I could risk losing Candace's affections after coming so far.

I gulped. "Well...she's not as beautiful as you are kotenok."

Cadance clasped my hand again, evidently not taking offense. "Don't worry Lev, she's the most beautiful woman on the planet. You'd have to be a complete idiot not to admit that."

"But you are the Princess of Love. It's your job to be fairest of them all." I smiled, thankful that she wasn't mad at me.

"Oh come on, I'm sure that disqualifies me from competing for the title." joked Cadance.

Celestia finally made her way across the hall, facing me and Cadance. Although she was around as tall as Primus, she did manage to make me feel slightly intimidated. It was not by trying to be ferocious or threatening however, but the very fact that she was over a thousand years old despite looking and having the demeanor of a 30 year old demi goddess well into her prime.

Celestia beamed at me and Cadance happily and placed a hand on both of us. "How are you two doing?"

"Pretty well auntie." gleefully replied Cadance, ever optimistic.

"I'm doing fine too Celestia." I nervously said. It was a little hard to focus with two curvy women in revealing dresses having their bodies touch.

"Were your rides and accommodations sufficient?" asked Celestia.

"More than enough." I replied.

"It's wonderful to have you here Lev. You would not believe how happy I am for you and Cadance." assured Celestia.

"Thank you so much auntie." cheered Cadance.

Celestia looked at the nobles to our side and then back to me. Her sparkling pink eyes were too captivating for me. "I hope you don't mind our guests, they insisted on inviting themselves over once word got out that you and Cadance would be on a date tonight."

I smiled sheepishly, trying to form coherent words and not ,look at her legs or cleavage. "It's no problem Celestia..I..uh..."

Celestia giggled. "I don't mind if you stare Lev, I know us Alicorns are inherently alluring."

"It's all the more adorable when you get nervous anyway." chuckled Cadance.

I could hear the heavy breathing from Primus amid the fanfare. Oh how he must have wanted to pulverize me. Equestrians were intimidated by Celestia because they saw her as an infallible deity that shouldn't be consorted. Those from the great powers saw her as human, but immortal, wise, magically powerful, charismatic and beautiful. Obviously, those two visions of Celestia clashed as Equestrians had to deal with Celestia having affairs with non Equestrians who respected her, but still wanted Equestria kept in its place amid the balance of power.

Celestia faced the crowd raised a hand, causing the music to die down. "Rise, my most wonderful subjects."

Everyone from the guards to the nobles rose up and stood still, proud to be before their Princess. I really hated the word "subject" for obvious reasons, but it was technically accurate for Celestia to use it.

"Thank you all for coming here on this fine evening and making what was supposed to be a simple dinner a spectacular event." greeted Celestia, clasping her hands together. "Tonight we are honoring a very special guest, so I would like to give Mr. Lev Vissarinovich Ulyanov a round of applause for coming here all the way from the People's Republic of Arstrotzka."

The crowd, even the 5 highly ranked 'guests', very reluctantly started clapping their hands solely because Celestia said so. If a smirk on Celestia's face was anything to go by, I'm guessing she found the sight rather amusing.

As the applause immediately died down, I once again raised my left hand and clenched it into a raised fist. The collectivist salute of solidarity might as well would have been the middle finger to the people of Canterlot since many of them replied with sneers and scowls or fumes of rage in the case of Primus. I found bowing to be equally abhorrent as well, so sue me. Cadance meanwhile seemed to find the situation rather funny like her aunt, finding the mutual frustration me and the people of Canterlot had for each other hilarious.

"Our chefs have prepared a wonderful dinner for us tonight," continued Celestia, her voice magically enhanced to be heard across hall while not sounding mechanical like one speaking through a microphone. "It is my hope that tonight will be absolutely magical."

There was a clear bit of snark in Celestia's voice in that last line. She knew how this whole thing was going to play out tonight.

"Anything you would like to say Lev?" asked Celestia.

I bit my lip and glanced at Cadance who was looking at me encouragingly and to the crowd and nobles that were looking at me like a witch that needed to be burned.

".......By any chance are there nobles named Chester Bum or Poor E. Broke?" I finally let out in a rather nonchalant, but still audible to the entire hall, way.

For a second there was silence, and then Celestia let out an adorable laugh at my quip followed by Cadance's chuckle escalating as well. On cue, many others in the crowd started slowly laughing, but their's wasn't genuine and lacked enthusiasm.

Celestia caught her breath and tipped her face a bit forward to me. "Well, I guess our names do go hand in hand with our destinies and cutie marks. I'd imagine we'd be doomed as a nation if all future children were named 'Mess Up' and 'Oblivious Failure'."

Celestia then placed both of her gloved hands on her hips and slightly swayed them to the side, her voice and tone somewhat seductive. "Is there anything else you'd like to say Mr. Ulyanov?"

I looked at Cadance smiling at me, patient for me to say something. Normally hesitating before speaking was a big no no for a Commissar, especially one involved in embassy work. However, my work was with other great power nations, not going on public and extravagant dates.

I formed a naughty grin and Cadance returned the favor, evidently predicting what I was about to say.

I cleared my throat. "Why yes, I would like to thank Alicorn of Love, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, for inviting me over and making this all possible. I love my People's Republic, but I'd never pass the opportunity to meet with her in Canterlot, for now she means the world to me."

And then it happened. Cadance and I hugged each other closely and without even wasting a second, kissed each other passionately, making sure that everyone could see it. I didn't care about all the gasps and cries of shock and anger that permeated the room, for all that mattered was that I was embracing the women that I loved.

If any of these reactionary blokes had something to say about Cadance kissing a foreigner, they remained silent out of fear of being chided by their Princesses. I still expected someone to come lashing out at us violently as we embraced, but nobody dared lift a finger against an alicorn and someone whose nation had agents and secret police all over the world.

Cadance and I finally parted our lips and looked lovingly into each other's eyes, trying not to laugh at the reactions we just provoked. We eyed Celestia, who looked more than happy for her 'niece' finding love.

Celestia quickly raised her voice before someone could cry scandal. "Now isn't that just lovely? What lies before me is a love that our country has never seen before. Truly, this dinner is something...revolutionary. Now that we've had our introductions out of the way. I will be escorting our guests to the dining hall. Thank you everyone who had come here just to welcome our most esteemed guests for tonight, I regret that you could not stay longer."

And just like that, the band and the other nobles standing in the two columns on other side of the carpet dispersed. They headed to other parts of the castle or exited through what I presumed would be alternate entrances.

I raised an eyebrow. "That's it for these guys? They're just heading out? What was the point of showing up?"

"Hey, gotta make every little thing Celestia and I do some grand spectacle." chirped Cadance.

And then that was when Primus and Blueblood began approaching me, the former with a scowl and the latter with a sneer. I really didn't want to get into a shouting match this early.

Thankfully, I felt Celestia's hand on mine and Cadance's elbows and sure enough, she was standing right behind us with grin.

"Now that we're all here, I think it's time to head to the dining hall," pointed Celestia. "I don't want to keep our chefs waiting."

Blueblood raised his voice and pulled Sassy close. "Heading to dinner with those garments? You two might as well be in lingerie with all that skin you're flashing."

Cadance and Celestia both raised an eyebrow.

Cadance sighed. "You're not entitled to decide how we choose to dress Blueblood."

"True, but I am entitled to an opinion aren't I?" defended Blueblood. "And surely you two shouldn't look like you're whoring yourself out to these foreign jackboots. I mean, what would the public think of two women acting and looking like prostitutes for our adversaries?"

Celestia remained calm. "First, our sex lives aren't your concern. Second, our law is that women are free to do as they please with their bodies with whomever consents as is everyone else. "

I chimed in. "And third, what you said was really bordering on slut shaming. I mean, there is nothing wrong with being a prostitute for they can be vital parts of our econo.."

"Oh my gosh, there you go with the social justice ravings." interrupted an annoyed Avarice, who had been occupied with her joint. "Do you Arstrotzkans ever shut up and stop butting in the second you hear something you don't like?"

Cadance answered for me. "Well, if their intellectual thinkers had shut up 250 years ago, then I guess they wouldn't have had the revolution that made them a superpower on the first place."

"Oh, and what a better world that would be." muttered Opulence, speaking with a bit of a high pitch. "No 4 authoritarian lands from Tartarus with subversive ideas to infuriate us."

Celestia rolled her eyes and took her hands off mine and Cadance's elbows and took a step to the entrance of a hallway. "I believe that this dinner will be the perfect time to discuss what will be a very important night in the history of Equestria, so let's get going."

"Finally!" sighed Sassy, who I'm guessing didn't want to get involved in the politics.

Primus raised his hand and a contingent of around 12 royal guards that were still standing in two columns approached us. I figured that he wanted them all close on me to either harass or intimidate me from getting to close to Cadance.

Celestia rolled her eyes. "The guards will be unnecessary tonight Primus."

Primus cursed under his breath. His voice was posh like all others from Canterlot, but was pretty deep. "Are your sure your majesty? Surely with the most powerful Equestrians in the land gathered here today, we'll need all the security we can get."

"Believe me," I chimed up. "Whether we have royal guards or not will literally make no difference to our overall security standing. Besides, we have two strong and lovely alicorns here to take care of anything antagonistic."

I also figured any threats to me here in Canterlot would be terminated by whatever Arstrotzkan secret police were stationed here, but that quip was worth it just to see Cadance blush.

"It's decided then!" cheered Celestia.

Primus and his guards nearly turned red, losing almost all of their composure. How they must have wanted to chuck their spears at me and miss, because of course they would.

With a whip of her glowing hand, Celestia magically opened a grand doorway that rivaled the main entrance in terms of size. In front of me, the path to the royal dining room was in sight, but we'd have to walk through a long hallway first. That would be joyous.

With Celestia at the lead, the group moved forward and followed her to the dining room. Celestia's walking pace was pretty quick, so either she was really hungry or knew just wanted to distract us long enough to delay some dickering.

The hall we walked through was large and grand, with old stained glass pictures of Celestia and some other important historical events for decoration. I recognized works depicting events such as Hearth's Warming Eve and the sealing of Discord. I personally wondered if a marriage between Cadance and I would be worthy enough for a stained glass picture.

Speaking of Cadance, I found my gaze drawn away from the glass paintings and onto her form. All that skin her dress exposed was more than enough to drive me crazy already, but seeing her bare legs and breasts sway from side to side was just mesmerizing. That was nothing to say of the view I had of Celestia's bare back and rocking rear.

THUD

Primus had suddenly bumped his elbow into mine and nearly through me off balance. Cadance and I immediately glared at him with an annoyed expression, only for him to do the same directly back at me.

I shrugged it off and went back to admiring Cadance's and Celestia's form with nothing better to do, but was distracted by Primus' heavy breathing that wouldn't end until I eyed him or the stained glass. Again and again, every time I glanced at Celestia and Cadance, he would either bump into me or make his breathing really loud.

I rolled my eyes. He really was like some father from an outdated era, not letting his 'daughters' be admired by their dates and keeping their whole affair as prudish as possible. Luckily, Celestia eyed Primus with a look that effectively said 'stop it' and Primus relented in defeat. Much to his chagrin and my pleasure, I proceeded to continue taking my peaks.

All the while, I could here Sassy struggling to keep with Blueblood, who was dragging her forward relentlessly as he continued to stare aimlessly at the sky with his inquisitive look.

Sassy finally hit her breaking point. "For crying out loud, could you please slow down?"

Blueblood didn't even bother facing her direction. "Come now, we must get this event through. You should feel lucky that I invited you along for something as important as this."

Avarice let out a dry fake chuckle in the midst of her smoke. "I wouldn't call a date with you lucky Blueblood."

"I thought we were going to have a romantic dinner for two in a restaurant!" protested Sassy.

"Well, this is a dinner and surely you understand the importance of not wanting our livelihoods threatened by jackbooted armies?" defended Blueblood.

"You're overreacting to this," groaned Sassy.

Primus knitted his eyebrows and looked straight at me. "That reminds me Lev. I know you hate our ways of life, but I don't want any trouble from you or I'll have to send in my guards to escort you out or worse."

I spoke with the highest amount of snark I could muster. "Oh noo, I'm sooo scared by your Royal Guard." My tone shifted to normal. "Your own men are a bigger safety hazard then I ever will be."

Opulence scowled. "How dare you respond to my husband in that tone you.."

"Oh here we are!" interrupted Celestia, whose voice clearly had some sense of annoyance to it.

The dining room was huge. The ceiling stretched far high and was decorated with more chandeliers than I could count.

The actual dining table itself was comically small in comparison. It was neatly decorated with ornate kitchen utensils, assorted alcohols, flowers and a white cloth. It really helped contribute to the empty feeling of this place.

"Normally, our tables stretch much further than this," said Celestia, who might as well would have been reading my mind. "But for now it is just the seven of us."

Cadance clenched my hand tighter and pulled me quickly to follow Celestia as we all began to take our seats. Celestia and Cadance quickly sat down with Cadance nudging me forward to sit between them before a jackass drove as apart. Unfortunately for me, Blueblood grabbed the seat directly facing me on the other side of the table, meaning that I had to stare at his pompous face for the next hour.

Avarice meanwhile looked at her smokes and sighed, knowing she probably wasn't welcome to smoke a drug during dinner. She looked up and glanced at me with her inquisitive gaze. "I have to admit, your Equestrian is pretty good for a foreigner, if heavily accented."

I didn't exactly take that as a compliment given what I believed to be racist undertones in her remark, but I answered nonetheless. "Well, Equestria might not be a great power now, but for centuries it was a cultural capital. That's why in Arstrotzka and I'd imagine other countries, we learn Equestrian alongside our native tongues."

"If I'm not mistaken, you work in an embassy right?" checked Opulence, her tone indicating that she thought my profession was bore.

"Yes, for the Germane Reich's." I nodded. "My Germane is a little rusty, but I can hold conversations when I need to. Most of the time we just converse in Equestrian or they may even know Arstrotzkan."

Cadance eyed me. "How is your Tromance by the way?"

I smiled sheepishly, having promised Cadance a while back that I'd learn her native language. "I'm getting the hang of your Haytalian dialect, but the Prench form is awful."

"Oh, but it's the language of love." said Cadance in an exaggerated girlish tone.

"And a language the Equestrian elite from all over knows well." added Opuelence. "Since you work in an embassy and wish to romance Cadance, I trust you will know how to behave yourself in the midst of highly important people right?" checked Opulence.

"Perhaps, but the Germanes are a very different ethnic Equestrian people from you...well...Equestrians." I replied.

Primus scoffed. "Those Germanes aren't Equestrian. They're an artificial population made up of magic-less barbarians uplifted by that queer Kaiser Krieg in his war against the Troman Empire after he betrayed them. They don't even have Earth People, just highly messed up Pegasai and Unicorns."

Cadance and Celestia shot their eyes open at that remark, considering that Krieg was Celestia's uncle. However, since Krieg was flamboyant and responsible for breaking up what was considered by many to be a great, but really corrupt empire, he wasn't popular with the elite.

I raised my voice. "For starters, you might want to play down the innate homophobia. Krieg might bean effeminate homosexual, but he's also an incarnate of war. Furthermore, the Germanes consider it both offensive and literally politically incorrect to refer to the fall of Trome as a betrayal, as Krieg had been exiled by his pantheon and had to wage a revolution to..."

"Oh what do I care for their feelings." snorted Primus. "Germaney is already the most militarized nation in the planet and..."

"Enough!" interrupted Celestia, who immediately formed a smile. "Now that we're all settled, I'd like to make a toast."

Celestia simply swayed her gloved hand which now glowed a yellow color. In conjugation, the bottle of alcohol glowed yellow as well and were levitated off the cloth. One by one Celestia magically poured the drinks into the wineglasses and them fastened them back down. Everyone stared at their cup greedily, with the exception of me.

"For you all, I have the finest champagne available in Canterlot grown from our farmland's most delectable grapes," mused Celestia. "For Lev however, I have brought his favorite."

My eyes widened to a pleasant surprise. In front of me, Celestia levitated a bottle of Smarenov Ice Vodka, produced by the first vodka making collective in Arstrotzka after the revolution. The bottle magically tipped over and the clear white fizzing liquid filled up my glass.

"Hmph," snorted Opulence. "That's such a working class beverage."

"Why do you that's all we drink?" I retorted, grabbing my glass once Celestia was done pouring it.

Cadance and Celestia held up their champagne glasses and the other nobles reluctantly followed.

"A toast," called Celestia with some smug satisfaction. "To our guest Lev Vissarinovich Ulyanov."

Without saying a word, the nobles took a sip of their alcohol while Cadance, Celestia and I cheered ours. The vodka tasted just as good and sweet as it did back in the People's Republic, a clear sign that this was an export and not a local knock off. Since Arstrotzka pretty much cornered the market for Vodka, I'd always think that we could win over workers in all nations with this cheap, yet tasty, drink.

"Thanks for the surprise." I beamed to Celestia who returned the smile.

"I just hope you don't expect us to surprise you with meat on your plate," interjected Avarice. "I hope that won't be a problem for you."

"Oh, not at all." I smiled, making sure that my canine teeth which weren't present in herbivorous Equestrians mouths were showing. I managed to somewhat freak out Avarice with my Terran teeth, which I called a success.

"Don't worry Lev," assured Cadance. "You'll really like what we're going to be serving. I handpicked it myself."

"That's good to hear Kotenok." I nodded.

"Kotenok?" smirked Sassy.

"It means kitten in my dialect of Arstrotzkan." I explained.

Sassy grinned evidently thinking it was cute,, but Blueblood of course had to speak out.

"Kotenok?" he spat. "Oh my, it's getting worse than I feared."

"Well, I for one think it's a adorable." defended Celestia, her voice both dry and happy.

"Adorable?" frowned Blueblood. "What is adorable about this abomination sitting before us? How did this happen?"

I raised my eyebrow in offence and as did Celestia, but it was Cadance who spoke up against him.

"Oh boy, here we go," sighed Cadance. "I foresaw that I'd have to defend my relationship from the likes of people like you."

"Well, we wouldn't be having dinner right here if you had just chosen your boyfriend more wisely." scowled Blueblood.

"I doubt that," laughed Cadance in a sarcastic manner. She really had this whole thing down. "I'm sure that had I chosen Shining, you'd still be ticked at me and we'd be having this chat about he's not 100% perfect for me."

"Ridiculous!" yelled Primus. "Shining Armor is a fine young man who has been excelling quite well in the tasks assigned to him by his superiors. Why, I see a future for him as my successor as Captain, so imagine a union between the Alicorn of Love and Captain of the Royal Guard. He's adept at magic, comes from a noble background, very well mannered.."

"And not who I've chosen Captain Primus." deadpanned Cadance, her voice very authoritative. She made Primus catch his breath but, he did not let down his position.

"I just don't get it." shrugged Blueblood. "I mean I expected everything between you and Shining to amount to marriage. He starts out as this dorky kid nobody would give a rat's ass about only to win your heart at prom knight. Then to top it off, he mans up by becoming a royal guard while his sister trains under Celestia's wing. A perfect, but tacky love story if you ask me."

Blueblood shook his hands to the side, nearly hitting Sassy. "Like seriously! Did fate decide to just rewrite itself in the midst of a perfect progression? It's like we were focused on this perfect union between a Guardsmen and Princess only for the Collectivist Jackboots from across the arctic interject themselves in this narrative like they always do at the worst times."

I smiled and shrugged, prompting a few angry stares from people.

Cadance seemed to be enjoying the argument herself. "Well cousin, I'm afraid like doesn't always work like we think it should. If you, and for the matter all you other nobles, truly respect me as an Alicorn Princess, then I'm afraid you'll have to learn to not dictate my love life."

"Respect?" shook Opulence. "How could you possibly respect yourself as the peak of human and royal perfection by dating HIM?"

Primus backed up his wife. "Dozens of perfect Equestrians to choose from and yet you go with an Arstrotzkan Political Officer! Arstrotzkan men are nothing more than ballsless cowards that have forgotten their place as a race of ghetto dwellers masturbating each other on deluded ideas of equality."

I knitted my eyebrows. "Okay, that was simultaneously racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic and classist...so bingo?"

Cadance and Celestia audibly snickered from that remark.

At that moment a few servers bustled into the room, carrying plates and trays. Each of them were clad in a white uniform and wore hats that obscured their multicolored hair. Some of the servants were clearly unicorns, given that they were levitating their glowing plates with magic.

One by one, the servers sat plate after plate on our table and even refilled our drinks. I had the liberty of noticing however that I was served last and only received my dish by magic. When a server came to give Cadance her meal, I noticed that he had shot me an uncomfortable look.

A rather plump man clad in a chef's uniform stood before us. He took off his giant white hat, revealing a set of short magenta hair. His eyes were closed and his expression was haughty, which I assumed was normal for his profession, being a chef for the Princesses and all.

He spoke with an accent that was posh, but clearly not Equestrian. "Today we are serving our most beloved Princesses and her noble entourage one of the finest dishes from Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's homeland."

I noticed that he had left me out of his introduction, but oh well. With a whip of his fingers, the silver coverings of on the plates were lifted, revealing some pretty fine and fancy looking food. Not what I ate normally, but this was a formal occasion.

The Chef continued. "Presenting you Spring Pasta with cherry tomatoes and carpese salad on the side. Please enjoy!"

"Thank you Chef." nodded Celestia. "You are free to leave if you wish."

The Chef bowed and left while I looked at my food, ready to dig in. Celestia took the first bite and the rest followed suit. I took a bite of the pasta, admiring its taste. I normally preferred flesh with my meals, but the Equestrians were vegetarians and good food was good food.

"Are you enjoying it Lev?" asked Cadance. "You're eating pretty quick."

I swallowed what was in my mouth. "It's pretty good. I haven't eaten anything for the entire day."

"Oh dear, another food shortage in Arstrotzka?" snarked Avarice.

"Haha very funny." I sarcastically remarked. "You may have had a point a hundred years ago, but food production in Arstrotzkan collectives have rapidly increased and stabilized. Besides, even if our collective farms don't work your cousins in Mareope aren't willing to turn down our technology in exchange for their crops."

"Sometimes I wish they had bigger balls to stand up to the scrawny worms in tour country." sneered Primus. "Look at you. You look like nothing more than a common city boy yanked from the street. Hardly any noticeable muscle in you and you probably spend your days doing nothing more than filling in papers and settling your arguments with bullets and informants rather than brawn and honor."

"Sorry Primus," sighed Cadance. "But I think their advancements have rendered your brawn and honor obsolete at best and suicidal at worst."

"And I admit," I piped up with a chuckle. "Arstrotzkan men aren't exactly what others would conventionally call masculine. Our girls though, oh man...they might have a lot of traditional feminine beauty in them, but with their height and strength they might as well be a separate race of Celestias. Besides, Arstrotzkan men had to do something after the revolution rather than just staying at home while the women worked in fields and factories, so bureaucracy it was!"

"Huh, an entire race of me." purred Celestia while twirling her fork, delighted in the idea.

"Still, I believe Cadance deserves to have a real man, not some scrawny authoritarian thug." huffed Opulence after swallowing a bite.

"The irony of a noble calling me an authoritarian." I countered.

"Seriously though!" yelled Blueblood. "How did you end up with an Arstrotzkan amid a ton of more viable candidates?"

Cadance sighed. "If there's anything I hate, it's people telling me how to live my love life."

"With all due respect cousin, you do know that your love life as a Princess has a massive effect on all of us?" noted Blueblood.

"He has a point." I admitted.

"Yes, but you do know that as the Alicorn embodiment of love, I should know my own path in this better than anyone?" countered Cadance.

"She has a point." nodded Sassy with a laugh which I returned.

Cadance took a deep breath. "For the past few years I've gotten suitor after suitor from Equestrian nobles to princes from the Mareopian kingdoms all asking my hand in marriage. However, not only were the vast majority of them absolute jerks devoid from anything going on in the real world outside their luxury, but all have been interested in me solely because of my alicornhood and title as Princess. Those who've approached me are more interested in being the patriarch of the next line of alicorns than truly forming a meaningful relationship with me."

"Oh, I know you feel about that!" assured Blueblood with a gloat. "You went through the typical 'Princess rejects snobby nobles in favor of the man who loves you for who you are' story. What I didn't expect, was that man to be a Collectivist enforcer that hates what we stand for."

Sassy slammed her fist on the table, startling the crowd. "For the love of all that is pure Blueblood! Life isn't a story book, so how about you just accept Cadance's decision and move on?"

"Move on!" scowled Primus. "How are we supposed to move on as Equestria when the only alicorn who can produce a royal line and rebirth a nearly extinct pantheon chooses someone who cannot claim royal titles and rejects them anyway? Someone whose very genetics will pollute Cadance's and result in a child devoid of all the magical wonder in Cadance's blood?"

Normally, Artrotzkan Commissars would be lashing out right now at the abhorrent displays of racism with no relent, but this humored me more than angered.

"Do you really not see the importance of continuing your royal line my Princess?" questioned Opulence.

Cadance paused for a moment. "To be quite honest, I kind of like the idea that alicornhood and royalty should be earned rather than something passed down by arbitrary bloodlines." She turned to Celestia. "No offense auntie!"

"Oh well, I didn't get to choose my parents." shrugged Celestia, taking a sip of her drink.

"Great," muttered the normally quiet Avarice with her stoned expression as she shoved her picked clean plate aside. "The Arstrotzkan has been infecting her mind."

Opulence shook her head. "Your highness, you must abandon this idea that lineage does not matter. Hierarchy is and has always been, the natural state of life and the commoners need powerful Alicorns to lead and inspire."

"Oh, pure ideology!" I sniffed. "That's just the bullshit excuse you nobles have to stay in power. Granted Equestria doesn't progress through class struggle and dialectical materialism like Arstrotzkans do, but to say your power is natural and not the result of interlocking institutions backed by tradition and force wreaks of ignorance and privilege."

"And to take that away, I suppose the solution is revolution and force?" snorted Primus. "Where does that barbarity lead you?"

"Being a great power and the most industrialized nation on the planet?" I smiled, prompting another chuckle from Cadance and Celestia.

"A great power that wants nothing more than to spread its ideals and disrupt our natural order." argued Blueblood. "Really, am I the only one here who knows what's really going on? This entire relationship is just some ruse by the Arstrotzkan People's Republic to get Lev and Cadance together to cut off an alicorn bloodline."

"Oh, because that must be it." sarcastically said Cadance. "Lev couldn't possibly love me for any reason right?"

"Come now, do you really think that a hardline Collectivist government is just going to let one of its political officers just date a Princess without some ulterior motive?" noted Blueblood. "If Lev's blood didn't overwrite an alicorn's, they'd be prying him away from you as far as possible if they didn't exile or execute him first for having feelings for you."

Cadance didn't reply to that and neither did I. In a way, Blueblood was right. The Arstrotzkan government did have a clear interest in my relationship with her, because a family of Alicorn royals and their succeeding generations would be a problem for the balance of power in the long run. Not to mention, we just straight up hated the concept of royal bloodlines and would do anything to diminish them.

"Blueblood," I finally said after a pause. "Perhaps, my government does have an interest in what I'm doing with Cadance and maybe they wouldn't let me date her in another scenario, but I for one am only striking a relationship with her because well...I love her."

Cadance and Celestia, heck even Sassy, smiled warmly at that. The others responded with either scowls or eye rolls.

I took a deep breath, taking a sip of vodka to cool my nerves and continued. "I know that my relationship with Cadance seems out of the ordinary and perhaps I'm being backed by an ulterior force, but I choose to be with Cadance I want to, not because of some grand conspiracy that others would want to come true."

Avarice raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? You, an Arstrotzkan political officer that believes fully in Collectivism, dating a Princess because you love her. Are you sure you're not under her love spells?"

Cadance chewed down a bite of her salad and cleared her throat. "You do know that it would simply be easier to make Lev fall in love with me rather than keep up some complicated spell right?"

I blushed at Cadance admitting her feelings for me.

"And," interrupted Celestia. "Using a love spell on Lev would be very bad for us diplomatically. I mean, 'invade and bomb our country into oblivion for charming a foreign officer' bad."

I spoke up to defend myself. "Look, I might be a collectivist that believes in the dictatorship of the proletariat, but that doesn't mean I can't love a Princess. Equestria is not ready for our form of governing, so I'll make do with the Princess until Equestria progresses."

"You speak of it as an inevitability." glared Opulence.

"Well, that's what I believe." I shrugged. "Until then, how could I not love Cadance? She's smart, we both love to chat up on politics, really kind and considerate...why should I care that she's a Princess?"

"Trust me, an Arstrotzkan must really love you if they don't care about your class background." assured Cadance, blushing with delight.

In that case," uttered Avarice. "I guess Lev really does love her and I must thus stand by my Princess, but consider me disappointed."

"Disappointed?" frowned Primus. "Color me and my wife furious at this betrayal of our ideals."

"I'm just surprised and concerned." stated Blueblood. "I mean a Collectivist and Princess falling in love? Are you aware of the repercussions?"

"What repercussions are you talking about?" inquired Cadance.

"Don't be blind your highness!" hissed Primus. "That nation of Arstrotzka is teeming with secret police, criminals who actually have the capacity to kill and a population that might lynch you for your own existence."

"Oh don't worry, Cadance will be safe." I countered. "Nothing ever bad happens to the beautiful ones in Arstrotzka."

"The beautiful ones?" frowned Opulence.

"Yeah. I don't know what it is about our People's Republic, but there's literally a correlation between bad luck and looks, so I guess we have some latent magic that prevents beauty from being tarnished." I explained.

"Then I'll be your good luck charm when I visit." winked Cadance, nudging her chest towards me and flashing me a peak at her cleavage.

"Oh keep your eyes where they belong." muttered Avarice, having trailed my gaze. "Don't make me sick."

"And what do you make of this Princess Celestia!" cried Primus, expecting Celestia to chime in and throw me out.

Celestia, having just finished her alcohol, put down her glass and grinned. "What do I make of this? Why, this is some of the best entertainment I've had during dinner."

There was a massive look of betrayal in the eyes of the nobles, sans Sassy who seemed occupied with checking her make up. The ruler who they looked up to to preserve their way of life had found their pleas and concerns dismissive which would have obviously been massive blows to their bourgeois egos.

Blueblood gulped and took the silence. "I honestly wish you weren't walking this path auntie."

Celestia's smile broke and she raised her eyebrow. "What path?"

Blueblood knitted her eyebrows. "Well, the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree. I know for a fact that Cadance's push towards romancing Lev was fueled by your consorting of the ambassadors and leaders of the great powers."

"Someone's jealous of the attention his aunt receives." muttered Sassy.

Blueblood ignored her. "The tabloids might not report it because they respect you too much, but I know that every non married ambassador and leader from the great powers...well sans Neighpon since they only consort other Neighponese...has had their first sexual encounter with you. Forgive me for using that term once more, but you need to stop whoring yourself out to such men, and sometimes women."

Sassy groaned. "Oh for heaven's sake, why do you care what our Princess does in her private life? She knows better than you of all people?"

"Well excuse me for being genuinely concerned about our nation's pride and welfare." defended Blueblood.

"By that, you mean your privileges and power right?" countered Sassy.

Opulence finished her drink. "Our privileges and power is what has kept this nation stable for over a thousand years."

"Yeah, and you've been lagging behind the great powers for centuries by now." I said.

"Then what does it matter?" sighed Avarice, looking like she was about to fall asleep. "Either we collapse from within because we adopt your way of life or you eventually decide to annex us."

"Your highness, I plead with you." called Primus to Celestia. "You and Princess Cadance must reconsider your relationships with the authorities of the great powers for the sake of your people. What could you possible see in them?"

Celestia smirked. "Besides the fact that their ambassadors and leaders are bright and cunning young men that treat me as a human better than any suitor or noble with predisposed ideas about me?"

"Or the fact that they all look really hot in a uniform?" added Cadance, causing me to start gushing like an idiot.

The jaws of the nobles dropped.

"So that's your excuse for sleeping with great power officers?" frowned Avarice.

"That, and it's just adorable to see young men get nervous when they're in the presence of someone powerful, smart, beautiful and with hundreds more years of experience in Politics than they can hope to muster." bragged Celestia with a flick of her hair. "They may be in charge of the world's superpowers, but I guess being in the presence of an alicorn is still overwhelming."

"Yeah, but they're so cute when they're overwhelmed." chirped Cadance, making me blush further.

Primus gulped. "Your majesty, those young and adorable flamboyant men that lust over you are still in charge of nations that would rather see us wiped out instantly."

Celestia crossed her arms. "Well, it seems that your prejudices have gotten in the way of what is reality. While it may be true that the great powers can be quite imposing on the international scale, for the most part we have benefited from them immensely."

"Benefited? Oh do enlighten me." stated Avarice.

"For starters, how about the fact that their advanced industries have kept our economies functioning live and well?" smirked Celestia. "Or the fact that whatever serious threats to our planet are located only within their nations and are easily deposed by them whereas a non great power would struggle?"

The nobles stared at their Princess with looks of defeat, not understanding how she could have been defending us.

"Also," continued Celestia. "How about I debunk this idea that they're all coming to get us? Each great power might posses the armed forces, industries and populations needed to conquer this planet, but what happens when there are 4 of them?"

"They form a quad hegemony to keep us in line?" frowned Blueblood.

"Perhaps diplomatically, but where are their massive armies and tanks?" countered Celestia. "Where are the wars they haven't declared on us for the past few hundred years when they all signed the binding Order Of the Corvid? As far as I'm concerned they're too busy with each other to pay real attention to us."

Primus' face turned red. "Your highness, I hope you're not suggesting that they're doing it out of pragmatism for surely they fear you and your personal guard."

I laughed, catching everyone's attention. "Us? Fear the royal guard? You do know that there is a massive manpower and technology gap between us? Not to mention your poor records in handling the daintiest of tasks."

Primus slammed his hands on the table, nearly knocking his food over. "You will not speak of my guard like that!"

I was about to speak up but Cadance grabbed my hand under the table, signalling me to let him finish.

Primus gritted his teeth, which I wish he hadn't because I could see bits of food. "Even if you possess military superiority, I know for a fact that your country and its 3 partners in crime are too cowardly to attack the land where our deity controls the sun and moon."

"Actually, we have multiple contingencies involving an invasion of Equestria wherein Krieg or Germane arch wizards take control over the heavily bodies should we depose Celestia for some reason." I explained.

I shoved my plates to the sides, having eaten every scrap of food offered to me. "Speaking of people turning the sun, aren't 3 of you descendants of 3 of the founders of Equestria?"

Avarice, Blueblood and Primus glared at me.

"What's it to you?" inquired Avarice.

"Blueblood Platinum, Avarice Puddinghead, Primus Hurricane...you're all descendants of the 3 Equestrian nations that nearly froze their people to death because they couldn't get along." I recounted.

"And they learned the true value of friendship and harmony," corrected Blueblood. "Therefore learning their lesson and forming our beloved land. Again, why does this matter?"

"Because isn't it ironic that you all haven't learned from your ancestors by isolating and being highly suspicious of me?" I noted.

Cadance nodded. "Indeed, it seems that the apples have fallen far from the tree."

Opulence rolled her eyes. "Oh please elaborate as to why the lessons of harmony and friendship should apply to an Arstrotzkan. I thought you were all..dialectical materialists or some other thing."

"While I do disagree that ideas shape the course of history and not class struggle, and note that Hearth's Warming Eve is still a feudal fairy tale where the lesson applies to only a privileged class, I do believe that everyone should abide by its central message." I inferred.

"We'll be ready to apply it to you when you are ready to apply it to us." shook Blueblood. "Until then, all you'd want to do is subvert every single thing we believe in."

"And how is my relationship with Lev going to do that cousin?" asked Cadance, emphasizing they weren't blood relatives.

"It's simple," said Blueblood. "Lev gets together with Cadance, Arstrotzka's ideology gets legitimized more and more and then before you know it we're all being lined up to be killed by revolting workers and peasants."

"Come now Blueblood, the revolution doesn't have to end in bloodshed." I remarked. "Some old feudal Arstrotzkan guards stepped down quite peacefully."

"Tell me Lev," snorted Avarice. "Do you really think that nobles and guardsmen who fully believe in their cause are just going to stand down and give up their property without a fight?"

"No, but I understand that it is in your class interest." I answered. "Also, you all realize it's easier for Arstrotzka to just invade this land or spark a revolution from within to spread collectivism without a complicated plan involving me and Cadance in a relationship?"

"Oh as if Equestrian people would give in to such a false ideology." glared Primus. "We are all too loyal to our Princess and edicts of harmony to ever consider going collectivist or forming a military junta like in Neighpon, Halyexandria and the Germane Reich."

"And for a while, Arstrotzkans were loyal to their imperialist overlords and local Tsars, but look how that turned out." I pointed. "The masses are what truly make up a country, and there may be a time where they turn against you."

"But what if the masses reject you?" questioned Blueblood, smiling like he had just laid out his trump card.

"Then I suppose we must leave you to your ways, but I do believe that if reforms in the other great powers are anything to go by, the status quo is bound to change." I replied.

"Honestly guys," added Cadance. "Your duty as nobles is to your people. I get the feeling you all care more about your luxurious lifestyles than genuine concern about harmony and our people's well being."

"Oh I do love this country, but it's this country that has granted me this way of life and that's the way people would rather have it." defended Blueblood.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh shut the fuck up."

The nobles gasped while Celestia and Cadance shot their eyes open.

"What did you say you pathetic rat!" roared Primus.

I took deep a breath. "You guys are not people, you are caricatures. Fictional characters. A statistic. A stereotype. I've been exposed to the stereotype of petty nobles in propaganda back home, but never did I think that it was this bad. You parasites have just invited yourself over to this dinner just to scare me away from Cadance, but all it has done is strengthen my resolve to be with her."

Cadance grinned at that remark and I continued on. "You know, I really did think at times that you were all legitimately concerned for your country and believed that the masses getting exposed to new ideas would threaten stability. But no, it seems you guys are just reincarnations of your ancestors that nearly froze their people over. All you care about are your privileges that you act like you deserve or justify through some natural order without realizing you just won the fetus lottery."

The nobles were burning mad, with even Avarice being forced to display some emotion. Sassy, Celestia and Cadance on the other hand continued to listen on intently.

I filled my glass with more vodka and took a sip, enjoying my rant. "You know why we never put in Cadance and Celestia in anti bourgeois and anti feudal propaganda? Because they're too nice. We don't agree with their class position and role, but at least they have the decency to legitimately care for their people and the way of life they legitimately support."

I glanced at Celestia. "Princess Celestia, if the people of Equestria wanted to move onto to a new system of government that didn't involve you, would you comply?"

"Oh, but of course." answered Celestia, a proud look on her face.

"Ditto." chirped Cadance. "My duty is to my people."

I then turned back at the Nobles. "See? If every royal was like Celestia and Cadance, our Ministry Of Truth would have a hard ass time trying to demonize them. You people on the other hand are the perfect, and in the case of Blueblood and Primus, the literal caricatures to mock because you're all essentially one."

Primus raised an eyebrow. "Your wretched propaganda machines dare to speak ill of me and his highness Blueblood? Why not start with yourselves?"

"Hey, at least our people can depend on our People's Republic to follow our will." I smirked. "As for you? What would you do if the people demanded you dissolve your government?"

Opulence stood her ground. "Do you really expect those in charge to listen to the lower classes who area easily swayed?"

"My thoughts exactly." I falsely agreed. "And do you know what happens when peaceful revolution is made impossible by the likes of you? You make violent revolution inevitable."

"Are you threatening us?" scowled Avarice.

"No, but I will tell you this." I replied. "When the Arstrotzkans were vying for independence from their foreign imperialist overlords, they never made any attempts to consider our demands. Sure some royal figure would make sympathetic remarks, but was good is that when they are ineffective? Their failure to recognize the ever changing Arstrotzkan political and industrial scene eventually came at a price when the people had enough and used their advanced weaponry to revolt against the occupying powers."

"And for that you murdered the fair Princess Snowfall of Scandineighvia and her sister." wailed Opulence. "They were perhaps the kindest souls to ever embrace our planet and were even sympathetic to the Arstrotzkans."

"Well, they still supported the occupation and were ineffective at opposing our second class treatment." I sighed. "I'm afraid the revolutionary Vladivostok had no choice but to try out his new revolver on them to send a message to our people that the only way out was revolution."

I looked at both Celestia and Cadance. "Of course, I say this not to undermine you two."

Cadance looked a little hurt, but she seemed to understand. "Well, I never really knew Snowfall, so..."

Celestia closed her eyes. "I won't forgive Vladivostok for murdering my relatives, but Snowfall was naive. I...really thought she would go the extra mile for your people before it was too late."

"But sadly she didn't and the Arstrotzkan workers were forced to revolt." I replied. "We know the rest, about how the imperialists mustered a 7 nation army to bring down the revolutionaries, but couldn't take down a technologically superior foe in their motherland. A force which happened to include Equestria no less."

Celestia opened her eyes and grinned. "In my defense, I knew it would have been hopeless to march an army across the arctic to fight people demanding self determination, but Primus Hurricane's ancestor kept pushing me."

Primus was getting angrier. I could tell this was personal for him.

He furiously stroked his beard and growled. "We would have won had the Germane Reich not betrayed us in favor of the revolution just so they could have some stupid guns. One border into Arstrotzka was gone because of their treachery and now we have this!"

He said that last sentence pointing his finger to me, like I was some sort of giant mess that needed to be cleaned up.

"Regardless," I muttered. "The Arstrotzkans also fought against their feudal tsars, half of which surrendered peacefully to the revolution. You know what became of them? Heroes. They played their part and surrendered their rule to the people and in turn we have statues, memorials and honors named after them."

"Heroes?" spat Opulence. "More like cowards."

"It isn't cowardly to listen you your people Opulence." shot back Cadance. "It takes courage to abandon your privileges for the common good."

I continued on. "And to those Tsars that didn't listen, well they ended up shot or stabbed and no one can give a rat's ass about them now."

"Are you threatening us with violence?" bluntly stated Blueblood.

"Oh, I can't and won't." I answered. "But your people might if you prioritize being a jackass rather than someone who ought to be love."

"And that's what you fail to realize Lev, the commoners DO love us and our way of life." countered Blueblood. "Take Sassy for example, would you hate her for following her destiny which our country encourages?"

Sassy's eyes widened. "What are you getting at?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What might that destiny be?"

Blueblood pointed to his date. "Tell him Sassy."

Sassy's mouth hung agape, pissed that Blueblood was using her to further his arguments. She turned towards me and bit her lip, not sure of what to make of this situation.

Sassy sighed. "My destiny is in working the fashion industry, preferably making and marketing designer clothes to nobles."

"I suppose you intend to get rich?" I guessed.

"Co...correct." whimpered Sassy.

"Off of your own labor?" I checked.

"My clothes, my designs, my money." answered Sassy.

"Then I don't hate you." I assured.

Blueblood raised an eyebrow. "What! You were just going on a tirade about privilege and revolution!"

I rolled me eyes. "Yes, but the revolution is between workers and the owners who exploit them for profit. If you get rich off your own labor, you aren't being exploitative and I don't hate you."

Sassy looked uncertain. "But I do believe there need to be owners of companies and I'd hope to one day have my own."

I shook my head. "Well, then I guess...I kinda hate you? Sorry, but if you start owning companies those workers are going to be entitled to your profits."

Sassy frowned. "How? I'd imagine they'd be working for me making designs I put forward."

"Well, they won't be your designs once you make others actually do the work while you sit on the side." I responded.

"Oh, what's next? They're entitled to my inheritance?" remarked Sassy.

"Inheritance?" I repeated. "Okay, now I really..."

"No need to finish that." interrupted Sassy who stood right up.

"Wh-what are you doing?" questioned Blueblood.

Sassy groaned. "First, you drag me here because you don't approve of Cadance's relationship and next you use me to fight your stupid arguments. I'm leaving."

Blueblood was nearly at a loss of words. "Oh-oh, come on! We-we still have much to.."

Sassy began making her way out of the hall and after a moment of dumbfounded hesitation, Blueblood began to follow her.

Right before he exited, Blueblood shot me a final look. "Great! It's bad enough that you had to steal away my cousin and perhaps my country's entire future, but now you have to take away my date."

Cadance answered for me. "She's not an object and you brought that upon yourself."

Whatever was left of Blueblood's cool exterior was gone. "I swear, when we're all being lined up against the wall tomorrow to be killed because we're enemies of the working class, you'll all be sorry."

"Yeah." I agreed. "Sorry that you had to prioritize your luxury over your people."

Blueblood stormed off, calling after Sassy. Man, did that feel good.

Avarice herself got up. She checked her purse and glanced at Cadance. "I'd love to stay for dessert, but I'm gonna make way out and make the most of what could now possibly be a very short life. Princess Cadance, I fully support you in any decision you make, but I'm not going to like any of this. I truly wish you'd see it the other way around."

I shot my arm around Cadance and pulled her close. "Well Avarice, I'm sure we could say the same about you."

Avarice puffed. "Oh get your hands off of her before you make me sick!"

"I will when you get your hands off of those joints." I pointed.

Avarice looked down at her hand and saw herself clutching a joint. She shook her head and slung her purse around her arm before lighting up the cigarette. Once again, her eyes turned reddish and she made her way out, probably to drown her sorrows on weed.

At that point it was just me, Cadance, Celestia, Primus and Opulence. The latter two however, didn't look like they had any plans for making their way out.

Primus clenched his knuckles. "So this is it? Our Princesses have sold their lives bodies to wretched men."

"Women aren't objects Primus," I interjected. "They have agencies of their own."

"Oh shut up!" yelled Primus. "You can sound as politically correct as you want, but all you're doing is setting us on a path of cultural and national suicide. Thanks to you, we have yet another royal line cut off now that Cadance is incapable of producing another alicorn or Equestrian for that matter!"

Cadance knitted her eyebrows at that remark. It seemed all Primus, and most of the other nobles for that matter, only saw her as a tool for reproduction to continue the crown and keep the system in charge. It was pretty despicable, to put it lightly.

I bit my lip. "Again, not...an...object."

"Spare me!" roared Primus. "I bet all you see her as is an affront to your nation's ideology. An affront that you can get rid of by fornicating and producing bastard half-breed children like Celestia produced over the centuries such as that dragonborn Spike she just birthed."

"PRIMUS!" yelled Celestia in the royal Canterlot voice.

The loud noise she generated nearly shook the room and I could have sworn I saw a plate and glass slightly crack. I never heard it up close, but from what Cadance told me, it could be pretty loud, and it was.

Celestia simply closed her eyes and sighed. Her tone was pretty bitter, which would be obvious given that Primus just insulted a child in front of his mother. If Arstrotzkan documentaries on what mother bears do to protect their children were any indication, Primus was screwed.

"Primus," hissed Celestia. "You and your wife are dismissed for the evening. We may be having a little chat afterwords."

All color drained from Primus's face. Being dismissed by a Princess would have been an obvious blow to his massive ego. I wondered if he had realized what he had done, or rationalize it to blame it on me. Given his class interests, I guessed the latter.

I was proven correct as a red color returned to his now furious expression. He jolted up and walked towards me, prompting me to stand up in self defense. Cadance tried to get up too, but was blocked by Primus's massive muscular body.

Primus was fuming mad. "Listen here. I don't care what Cadance sees in your pathetic little face. You are to realize that she is way out of your league and I highly suggest that you know your place before I am forced to cast you out."

"Primus stand down now!" ordered Celestia.

"Yeah," I complied. "If you hurt me right now the Arstrotzkan secret police who are probably watching us right now might make very short work of you."

Primus stomped his foot. "SEE WHAT I MEAN! These idiots have eyes and ears everywhere! This is just their next step in destroying our culture and nation!"

Primus kept tapping my chest in a furious manner for every word he spoke. "You! Are! Not! Worthy! Of! Us!"

He prodded my chest one final time and all I simply muttered was...

"Ow.."

Cadance got off her chair and yelled in the royal Canterlot voice. "UNHAND MY LEVY YOU CHAUVINISTIC BEAST!"

Primus's eyes shot open. "But..but..Cadance I hardly touched him. Are Arstrtozkan men that weak and.."

"Eat this macho man!" yelled Cadance she kicked the Captain Of The Royal Guard right in the crotch.

Primus whelped and fell onto his knees, sadly not screaming like a girl like I had hoped. On the bright side though, I at least knew Cadance would be a pretty formidable opponent for my enemies to deal with should they get physical with me. Military and technological power aside, Alicorns truly were the most powerful on the planet.

Opulence got up and tended to her husband.

"Are you okay dear?" screeched Opulence.

Primus gritted his teeth. "They...hurt...steel...rod..."

I raised an eyebrow as to what he meant by 'steel rod', only for my mouth to hang agape upon realization.

"You named your dick?" I blurted. I kicked Primus in the same location once again, causing him to recoil back.

"That's for perpetuating a false and cringey form of masculinity. I say this on behalf of all men." I remarked as Primus struggled to get up.

Celestia raised her voice. "Since Primus had provoked you Lev, I'm going to let you off with a warning, but please don't that."

Primus finally stood as his wife supported him. "But...I barely...touched him..."

Without saying a word, Opulence and Primus took their cue to leave, Primus's wails still audible.

After a pause, Cadance and I sat down back in our seats, Celestia sitting buy our side almost as if nothing happened. There was a silence among us, the nobles leaving being an unexpected turn of events. I honestly thought they were going to keep hounding me for the night, but I figured it wouldn't be the last I saw of them.

And then the 3 of us just laughed at the same time. I didn't know why we did that, but it felt really good.

I got a hold of myself. "Oh man, we weren't too hard on them right kotenok?"

"Hey, no one hurts my little Levy." giggled Cadance.

"To be quite honest," interjected Celestia. "I expected this to end in some sort of food fight."

I put a finger on my chin and pondered. "Is anything going to happen to Primus considering he insulted your son and well, 'hurt' me?"

Celestia sighed. "Unfortunately, all I'm afraid I can do is give him a stern talking to. The least I could do is not make him an obstacle to your and Cadance's love life."

"But you're the Princess!" I noted. "Shouldn't you have the power to change things considering that that they all fear and respect you?"

"True," nodded Celestia. "But at the same time the nobles you sat with today are descendants of the founders of Equestria. Of course, they're descended from the ones that were pushing for conflict, but in the eyes of the common Equestrian, they are still the blood of our idols. Therefore, I'm afraid nepotism still applies."

A bad taste formed in my mouth. "Hopefully it only remains like that for now. I'm not saying you all need to adopt our system right now, but.."

Celestia had apparently read my thoughts again. "I understand. I mean, I'd like a complete meritocracy too where people earn positions of greatness by following their own talents and destinies like Cadance."

Cadance brightened up upon hearing that remark.

Celestia took a deep breath. "Unfortunately, as you as a collectivist already know Lev, we don't exactly all start out on the same playing field. True, my background as Princess might give me leverage to ironically even things out, but even the highest up noble can be an obstacle. They might fear me, but they'll do anything to stand up for their privileges as demonstrated tonight."

"Not to mention sacking people descended from the founders will cause a lot of commotion and confusion." added Cadance.

"I see, so it's a greater good kind of deal right?" I realized.

"Correct," answered Celestia. "It's annoying, but it isn't more than a nuisance."

"I just hope that if change does come to Equestria, it wont be violent," I said. "I'd hate to lose you two."

"D'aww," purred Cadance. "A Collectivist caring about royalty. Now isn't that sweet?"

I blushed. "That and I'm sure Celestia's boy toys wouldn't mind her staying around."

Celestia smirked and shrugged. "What can I say? Generation after generation of Great Power officers love me."

"And so does Spike." assured Cadance.

Celestia's grin remained, but there was a small look of regret in her eyes. "I only wish I could be a better mother to him. Having him raised by specialists rather than me just doesn't feel right."

"He's a months old dragonborn auntie," pointed Cadance. "He'll need a special upbringing since he's away from the rest of his kin. Besides, you see him every weekend and will have fully custody once he becomes a toddler."

I placed a finger on my chin and eyed Celestia. "A dragonborn? I know you've mothered a few famous people from the great powers over the centuries, but the Dragon lands? Who was Spike's dad?"

Celestia formed a dreamy look in her eyes before snapping back to reality. "He was an archaeologist studying the ancient dragon languages. You see, dragon powers are summoned through specific shouts, and some of these shouts can be used to summon pretty powerful spells. However, the words to some shouts are written in darkest depths of caves."

I took an educated guess. "So I'm guessing your story involves searching for a lost dragon shout and bumping into him on an archeology adventure."

"He was my guide!" confirmed Celestia. "He was such a lovely young man. Physically average, but a powerful magic user and quite handsome to say the least. While we were exploring the old cave, we ran into a grotto glistening with pure water. So as we both needed a bath at that moment, we stripped our clothes and...ah..."

Celestia's dreamy exterior returned.

"Does he know about Spike?" I inquired.

Celestia bit her lip. "I'm afraid I haven't had contact with him after our encounter. I don't think he'd be able to handle that kind of pressure anyway."

"Well," smirked Cadance. "You can always rely on your 3 ambassador boy toys as daddy figures."

The three of us broke into laughter yet again. Just then, the doorway to the kitchen opened and the chef from before peaked out.

"Um," he said. "I heard a disturbance and some of the guests leaving. Is there a problem?"

"No, not at all." answered Celestia with a smile.

"In that case," muttered the Chef. "We were about to prepare desert for you all, but only have two plates ready. I guess I just need to make one more for tonight right?"

"Oh, I won't be needing any for right now." mused Celestia. "Just bring the two over for the lovely couple for tonight."

The Chef complied and immediately levitated two plates towards me and Cadance. I didn't see what we were having at that moment, but the smell made my mouth water with hunger.

The Chef lifted the silver platter and announced the desert. "For Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and her date, we have two freshly prepared slices of Red Velvet Cheesecake topped with a chocolate drizzle. Enjoy!"

He made his way back to the kitchen and I stared lustfully at my desert.

"Sweet, my favorite," I chuckled. "You know Red Velvet describes Arstrotzka perfectly, white and snowy on the outside, but red and proletarian on the in."

"Aren't you going to have some auntie?" inquired Cadance.

"I'll be having some dessert alright, I'm Red Velvet cake lover myself." assured Celestia.

Celestia's voice turned sultry. "Hm, yes. Some nice Red Velvet cake with some whip cream from the side which I'm sure an ambassador would enjoy licking off of me."

Cadance and I giggled, knowing that Celestia wasn't going to be sleeping alone tonight.

"Remember when we did that for a night in that hotel Cadance?" I recalled.

"Oh yeah," remembered Cadance. "You licked chocolate and whip cream off my chest and belly right before you washed it off by sucking my tits dry."

Celestia put a finger on her lip. "Hmm yes...whip cream does sound good. It'll be even better when I'm enjoying a cake slice myself while my companion licks it off."

Cadance smiled warmly, a relieved look in her eyes. "Thanks for sticking around auntie. I didn't think I'd be able to get past this night."

"Anything for you my dear," replied Celestia. She placed both her hands on her curvy hips and swayed them to the side. "Well, I'm going to head back to my room for the night and call over some company. Good luck you two, I'm very proud for you both."

"That means a lot to me Celestia." I chuckled.

With a nearly blinding light, Celestia magically teleported away to make a literally flash exit.

My eyes got a hold of themselves and I found Cadance lovingly looking at me with her beautiful eyes. At that point I realized it was just me and her in the dining room with no other company. It certainly felt a little more awkward than I thought, with the 'company' we had at least providing me with some entertainment and a medium to focus my thoughts on.

I smiled sheepishly and blushed. "So, how was I?"

Cadance giggled. "You were great. I'm sorry that you had to go through that."

"Sorry?" I repeated. "I'm sure I was being a little insensitive back there. I mean, I love my country and it's way of life, but I can't be hateful to Equestria right?"

"Don't worry about it," assured Cadance. "Those weren't the people you had to impress. Tomorrow, I'm going to show you around Canterlot and give you a real taste of what Equestria is like. I'm sure you'll find it easier to fit in."

"I'm sure of it," I nodded. "With you at the lead, I'm sure you can turn the opinion of the entire city, or at least the non noble population, in favor of us."

"And if I don't, we'll still have each other." beamed Cadance.

"Of course, " I agreed. "Oh, and Cadance? I've said this a lot, but I don't know if I've said it directly to your face."

"What's that?" asked Cadance.

"I love you." I smiled.

Cadance squealed with delight and pulled close for a deep kiss. I hugged her back, feeling every exposed inch of skin on her body without a care about who was watching. At this point, politics and opinion didn't matter. All that mattered was that I had Cadance in my arms and that she loved me back.

Cadance broke of the kiss, her breathing quick and excited. "I love you too Levy."

For the next few minutes, we said nothing, just digging into our cakes and enjoying each other's company.