The following morning, Artex awoke to a feeling of wrongness. He had become so used to sleeping with his bed full of mares that he did not sleep well without them. He rose out of the bed blinking groggily and stumbled his way to the bathroom to relieve himself, brush his teeth, and shower. He could taste his own morning breath and it was beyond disgusting.

After finishing with his morning routine, he headed to the kitchen. After bumping into the counter, he managed to follow the instructions on the Keurig coffee machine and brewed himself a cup of light roast breakfast blend coffee. Setting the coffee on the counter, he turned around and rooted around in the fridge, eventually coming out with two bananas a pair of granola bars and a small bottle of orange juice. He plopped himself down at the counter top bar and ate his breakfast while sipping the coffee and trying to wake up completely.

As he finished with the food, he heard a knock on the door. He stood up, walked over to the door, and looked through the peep hole. A young African American man stood on the far side wearing a pressed suit and tie, which looked very sharp on him. Artex opened the door, "Can I help you?"

The young man extended his right hand, a clipboard in the other, "Hello sir, my name is Dequan. I'm your scheduler." The young man's attitude was perky, friendly, and upbeat.

The disfigured man accepted the younger man's hand, "Artex Rias. Good to meet you Dequan." He stepped back and held the door open, "Come on in and have a seat. There's plenty of food in the fridge if you haven't eaten yet."

Dequan entered the apartment and sat down in one of the plush chairs, "Thank you for offering sir, but I already had breakfast."

Artex picked up his coffee mug and drank the last of the contents. He rinsed out the mug then sat down facing Dequan, "Okay, I'm fairly new to this scheduling business. I was an emissary over in Equestria, but things were less structured over there."

Dequan nodded along, "Okay, okay. Let's see what we can do to make this as smooth as possible. Aside from the press conference at noon, you don't have anything else scheduled for today. Was there anything you wanted me to pencil in or check on for you?"

Artex gave it some serious thought, "Well, I've been away for a long time. I used to love going to the movies. Have there been any good ones in the two-plus years I've been gone?"

Dequan leaned forward in his seat, "That's a biiiig list, sir. Can you narrow it down for me? What's your preferred genre?"

"Sci-fi, fantasy, action, and romantic comedies, in order of preference. I don't generally care for dramas." Artex replied.

Dequan wrote down the information on his clipboard, "Okay then, that's going to be a good list. You might like the Avengers movies."

Artex suddenly sat bolt upright, "The Avengers? Animated or live action?"

Dequan grinned widely, "Live action, sir. With origin stories for almost every one of them. Do you have a preference sir?"

"Captain America! Please tell me they have a Captain America movie!" Artex pleaded.

Dequan chuckled, "Oh yeah they do! They even have the Howling Commandos in the first one."

Artex jumped to his feet and fist-pumped the air, "YES!"

Dequan laughed lightly, "I see you're a fan."

Artex sat back down sheepishly, "Uh, yeah... a little."

"More than a little, by the looks of it. I'll be sure to get them all for you to watch. Now, for the three hours before the press conference, you'll be going through hair and makeup. The makeup artists and hair stylists will be here around nine o'clock, so you have about half an hour. Did you have a suit already picked out, or did you need me to bring a tailor? I can have one here in twenty minutes."

Artex rose to his feet and headed toward the bedroom, "I don't have a suit, but since I'm here as a representative of both Equestria and Earth, specifically Equestrian Humans, I was thinking about my forest green formal robe with floral pattern gold trim. Come on, I'll show you." Artex led Dequan back to the bedroom and took his formal robe out of the closet, "This is the one I wear when attending official functions."

Dequan cupped his chin with his right hand and stepped back gauging the robe, "Hmm," he tapped his cheek with his index finger and tilted his head, "Hard to say what kind of a message you'll be sending with this. Would you be willing to put it on? I'll step out of course."

"Sure thing." Artex said with a shrug.

Dequan left the room and closed the door behind himself. A few minutes later, Artex, opened the door and stepped out wearing the robe, his belt and pouches, and the leather shoes, "Here you go. How do I look?"

Dequan took in the sight of Artex wearing the robe, belt, belt pouches, and shoes. The floral pattern on the edges and hems was attractive and obviously very well made. The problem was, Dequan could not figure out if Artex would appear familiar enough to other people. Robes were not a common piece of clothing in America or the rest of the world, "It looks good, no argument, but look at yourself in the mirror in the bathroom then compare and contrast how you would look in a suit and tie. Which one makes you look more familiar? You don't want to appear too exotic or else people won't be willing to trust you. The two Queens are going to be exotic enough to draw attention. The robe would make you stand out more, but the suit, while more familiar to most people, might cause you to blend in with other dignitaries."

Artex stepped into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. Dequan was right on all accounts. He had a decision to make. It was not a difficult one. He stepped out of the bathroom and gestured to the outfit he was presently wearing, "I'll wear this. All three of us are important and my words and clothes will speak for me. I'm not merely a representative of Humans, I'm a representative of Equestrian Humans. I need to be seen as at least somewhat different, in order to represent Equestrian Humans to the best of my ability."

Dequan's expression was neutral, "Okay, we'll move forward with that." He clicked his pen and scratched off something from his clipboard, "No-go for the tailor." He looked back up at Artex, "Keep the outfit on. The makeup and hair artists will need to see what you're wearing so they can coordinate with it." He adjusted his clipboard and sucked on his teeth briefly, "I was told that you need to keep usage of magic tricks to zero."

"Not tricks, actual magic." Artex corrected.

Dequan snorted derisively, "Yeah right, that's what all magicians say." He was startled as his clipboard suddenly flew out of his left hand and into Artex' extended right hand.

Dequan's jaw dropped open as Artex held up the clipboard, "No tricks, actual magic. Here catch." Without extending his arm or throwing the clipboard, it sailed through the air toward Dequan at high speed.

Dequan managed to catch the clipboard, his eyes were wide as saucers, "Holy..." he looked down at the clipboard then back to Artex, "How did..."

Artex raised his eyebrows, "By developing a new organ and taking time to learn. All Equestrian Humans have similar abilities."

Dequan bit his lower lip, "Yeah, definitely don't use that during the press conference. You'll have people panicking all over the place." Dequan shuffled through several of the papers inside his clipboard and handed Artex three sheets, "These are some possible acceptable answers to some of the more volatile questions the media might have "

Artex read over the answers and questions, his expression was unreadable, "This looks good. Honest answers that don't go overboard on details that would bog us down and nothing confrontational or controversial." He folded the list and went to sit down on one of the overstuffed chairs, "There are going to be enough controversial topics already once certain things come to light." Dequan sat down as well, while Artex began memorizing the answers to some of the questions.

A short time later, there was another knock on the door. Artex began to stand, but Dequan was faster. The young man opened the door and said, "Ah good, you're here." He stepped back and held the door open as five women and a man, all pulling rolling suitcases, stepped into the apartment.

Artex stood up and greeted each one politely. After the brief introductions, they began examining Artex' robe and his look as a whole. A moment later, the artists began their work.

**********

Two and a half hours later, Artex understood what a science experiment felt like. His hair had been declared 'atrocious', his skin was 'rougher than sandpaper' but his robe was 'exotically unique and eye-catching'. His hair had been rewashed once and conditioned three times, then styled more times than he could keep track of. Eventually, the hair stylists agreed that the 'top knot' Artex usually kept his hair in, was acceptable, but lacking in any 'flair'. After no small amount of discussion, they decided that they should weave a thin braid of hair on the left side of his face and lace it with a thin magenta feather in order to draw attention away from the lumpy side of his head.

The makeup artists struggled to minimize how much Artex' disfigurement stood out on his face. They first used a series of adhesive strips to unclog the pores on his face, and there were many, many such places. They then waxed and tweezed his eyebrows, upper lip, and the rest of his face except for his goatee. After that, they applied a thick coating of liquid foundation and a plethora of other makeups Artex had never heard of. They even used a small amount of colored eyeliner in order to make his eyes draw more attention, since his eye color was so rare. And of course, everything had to be in sync with his formal robe and the rest of his attire.

The hair and makeup artists finished half an hour before the announcement time. The artists departed and Harrison kept the door open, "It's time, Mr. Emissary. If you would please follow me."

Artex rose from his seat, being careful not to smudge the makeup and followed Harrison and two other bodyguards down toward the front of the old Complex building office. Luna and Vaiawa were already present inside the office with President Seviston. The large windows of the old office were thankfully darkly tinted. The office was located directly underneath the second story foot bridge which connected the two buildings with a street running directly between them. The street was already filled to bursting with media cameras and reporters. Immediately outside the glass front doors was a stage, elevated two feet off the ground, with two chairs and two benches to the right of the podium.

A tall, thin, blond, caucasian woman dressed in a professional business skirt, white blouse, and black two-inch heels turned away from the windows. She had a clipboard in her right hand and a pen in her left, "Alright, President Seviston will go out first and make the appropriate introductions. He will introduce you," she pointed to Artex, "You will come out and stand all the way to the right of President Seviston. The President will then introduce Queen Luna. Queen Luna will then emerge and stand in front of the bench next to..." she peered at her clipboard, "Artex?" She looked up for confirmation.

Artex nodded and she continued, "We're intentionally saving Queen Vaiawa for last because out of all of you, she looks the most intimidating and unfamiliar. Once President Seviston introduces you, stand next to Queen Luna. After the initial announcement, President Seviston will take a seat next to Queen Vaiawa. This is intentional to show that the President is not afraid of her. After the President sits down, Queen Luna will be the first to make her statements at the podium. She will have ten minutes to make her statement and answer a few questions. Next will be Artex. He will make his statement and have ten minutes to answer questions. Queen Vaiawa will then make her statements from the podium and have ten minutes to answer some questions. After that, President Seviston will come back up to the podium and make the closing statement. After that, we have a catered luncheon for all of you and after that the rest of the day is yours." She paused and looked from one person to another, making eye contact with each, "Are there any questions?"

She received a series of shaking heads and beamed, "Excellent. Take a seat and make yourselves comfortable for a few minutes while we wait for the appointed time." She finished by gesturing to three couches. Luna spoke up suddenly, "Why are we waiting? The people are here and so are we. Why are we wasting everyone's time delaying when we're all ready?"

"Because the scheduled time has not arrived yet." The woman answered sharply, "Schedules must be followed succinctly and adhered to, otherwise we would have chaos."

Luna sighed and hung her head for a moment before raising her head back up and meeting the woman's eyes, "Let me make sure I understand this. We are waiting, wasting time, of which we all have a limited amount, just to keep to a schedule created by some person who has never met us and does not know us?"

The woman smiled brightly and bobbed her head, "You got it."

Luna snorted and rolled her eyes, "That has to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard." The woman's eyes bulged and she opened her mouth to speak, but Luna was faster, "So, you're telling these people, and indeed the entire world, they must wait because their time is less valuable than a piece of paper written by some nebulous scheduler, all because it seems orderly. Truly you value other people very little."

Artex chose that time to speak up, "Actually there is more to it than that. See, news companies have to schedule tens of thousands of commercials and news briefs. If we just began whenever we felt like it, it would throw off every news media's schedule as well. Millions of people stay tuned in to news media websites and television stations almost constantly. It may seem rude, but in all actuality, it is more polite to schedule things like this. The media will have to cut away to the live broadcast as soon as we start so if we began early, the news companies might lose millions of dollars from angry companies who supply their shows and revenue. If the companies lose money, their hard working employees lose money, and I'm willing to bet that a lot of businesses have scheduled time set aside for watching this live broadcast. If their day gets interrupted, their productivity may suffer due to a mistake. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. The members of the press out those doors are used to waiting, they're prepared for it. Everything will be fine, Luna."

President Seviston straightened his tie and took a step toward the door, "And with that, we are on in three minutes."

The others all lined up behind the President and waited. A man dressed in a pressed suit, walked up onto the stage and behind the podium, "Welcome members of the press. Thank you for joining us today. And now the President Of The United States." The man stepped away from the podium and President Seviston exited the office, stepping out onto the stage.

He walked up to the podium and cleared his throat, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the single most pivotal moments in world history. For a long time mankind has gazed up at the sky and wondered whether we were alone. Well I am here to tell you that we no longer need to ask such questions. I am sure many of you remember the sudden interruption of the dedication of this site a few weeks ago. It was a surprise to all of us as well. However, what we feared to be hostile action was, in fact nothing of the sort. The very same people to whom we were dedicating this site, had, with the help of some allies, finally found a way home." President Seviston was forced to stop speaking as the news crews exploded into a riot of questions.

President Seviston held up his hands for silence and after a moment, the crowd quieted down, "We are proud to say that our people have friends none of us could have ever imagined. Ever since our people initiated contact, we have been working tirelessly to understand the situation in which we have found ourselves. We do not yet have all of the names of those who survived, and I am sorry to say... some of them did not live to see today. Our people found themselves in a hostile environment and we are still uncertain of the exact causes of death of our people, however, their, and now our, new friends stepped in and provided our people with aid. These new friends saved the vast majority of our people, they gave our friends and family a home at cost to themselves and here with us today, is one of the people who survived: Daniel Pering, now known to our new friends as Artex Rias." The President gestured with his hand toward the door and Artex opened the door and stepped out amid a tsunami of flashbulbs.

The cameras, both flash and live feed, turned toward Artex as he calmly walked over to the chair on the side of the stage. The reporters yelled out his name, trying to get his attention, but he ignored them and sat down, smiling and waving.

President Seviston continued his speech, "The new friends our people found were not what they expected, nor could have imagined. These new friends spent a great deal of their own resources in order to ensure our people had what they needed not only to survive, but to thrive and be comfortable. They even went so far as to expand their laws and gave up their own land to allow our people to have their own town, which I am proud to say is thriving and continuously growing. These new friends, however, are not Human."

President Seviston continued, "These new friends call themselves the Kavim. They are aliens and as you have probably guessed, our people were not on Earth. These Kavim gave greatly of themselves in order to help our loved ones in their time of need. Their appearance is not what you would expect of aliens. They are not little green men, nor are they tall gray aliens with overly large heads. The Kavim are somewhat horse-like in appearance. Despite their appearance, they are very similar to Humans. They understand mathematics and the sciences. They may look different, but they are more like us than you can imagine. We are honored to have with us today, one of the Kavim Queens who, I am told, took a personal interest in establishing the town that our loved ones now inhabit. She ensured they had the supplies and tools they needed and gave her own time and resources to aid our people personally. May I present to you, Queen Luna."

Luna nudged the door open and emerged from the office. The shouts and camera flashes began again with renewed vigor. It all made Luna uncomfortable, reminding her of the firearms the Humans used. She silently trotted over next to Artex and laid down on the couch provided.

A reporter suddenly spoke out, "Mr. Preisdent, is this a joke?"

President Seviston chuckled lightly, "No ma'am."

A second reporter stood up, "No seriously, is this a joke?"

Luna looked around the crowd before shuffling her wings, an action which drew more focus to her, before she spoke, "Greetings to all of you."

President Seviston raised his hands again, but nobody seemed to notice. He leaned over the microphone on the podium and spoke loudly, "You will have time to ask a questions in a few minutes. There is still one more dignitary to introduce."

As the President predicted, the members of the news almost instantly stopped and returned to silent attention. President Seviston nodded, "Thank you. Now, as our people expanded their knowledge of this new world they came into contact with some of the other species who live there. With us today is a representative of one of those people. I ask you all to keep in mind that despite how they look, these aliens are just as much people as we are. The final guest I have to introduce came to them later than Queen Luna, but she is no less important. She is of a different species known as Arecamde, or as the translated word: Changelings. Changelings appear slightly more insectoid than Kavim, but make no mistake, they are not bugs. The Changelings have made a number of sacrifices for our people and one of their own Queens is here with us today. Please welcome Queen Vaiawa."

Vaiawa gently shouldered the door open and stared at the crowd with a calm expression, not an ounce of her seemed to be afraid or intimidated by the crowd. She flashed a fanged grin, which Artex swore made her fangs appear longer than they normally were. The members of the news media and press murmured amongst themselves as Vaiawa laid down on her assigned bench. The press and media seemed to be focused on the holes in her legs and horn and her insect-like wings.

President Seviston began speaking again, "Queen Luna, Queen Vaiawa, and Mr. Pering have statements they wish to make and they have also graciously agreed to answer some of the many questions I'm sure you all have. Please remember to be respectful, they have taken their own time to be here with you. So, without further ado, please welcome Queen Luna."

President Seviston stepped away from the podium and sat down confidently next to Vaiawa while Luna made her way up. She stood behind the podium and gazed out over the crowd with a warm smile, "Greetings to all of you. As President Seviston said, I am Luna, Diarch of Equestria. As I look around today, I see faces which three years ago, I would have found foreign. Today I see a small ocean of faces which remind me of some of the closest and most dear friends I have ever had the privilege of knowing. When the people from The Complex landed in our nation, we initially had no idea they were even there. It took the actions of a single brave man to find us and inform us of their needs. Once the Humans had their own land, I spent time every night meeting with them so I could assist them with anything I could. Those days of writing down lists of supplies for our new neighbors were some of the most fulfilling times of my life. I was granted an inside view of the inner workings and dedication of Humans and I found myself feeling pride at seeing them work and thrive. I learned a great deal about Humans and through me, they learned a great deal as well. And so, without further delay, I will answer a few questions. Please raise your hand and I will acknowledge you. If you stand and shout, I will ignore you and not answer your questions." She waved her right forehoof, "You may begin."

Two reporters ignored her warning and stood up shouting Luna's name. Artex chuckled when he noticed the reporters were from CNN and ABC. Luna pointed to a young woman wearing a WTKR NEWS CHANNEL 3 jacket, "Yes ma'am?" The other reporters settled down, finally understanding that Luna was serious.

The young woman stood up, "What are your plans here on Earth, Queen Luna?"

"We wish to establish positive and friendly relations with Earth. For now, we merely wish to reunite families with their missing loved ones and bring closure to the families of those who did not survive. Perhaps in the future we may open trade agreements with the various peoples and nations of Earth, but in the meantime, our focus is on helping our friends as much as possible." The reporter sat down and Luna then chose the reported from CNN.

The older man stood up, "What were the causes of death of those who didn't make it?"

"That is something to be discussed only with the families of those who perished, as it is a personal matter." Luna replied smoothly from the provided answer card.

She then chose a reporter from FOX, "Queen Luna, President Seviston mentioned that you changed laws for our people. Which laws were changed and why?"

"There were numerous laws changed that day, I cannot recall them all, however there are a few which come to mind. The first was the development of the Community Welfare Guardians: a policing body made to respond to any and all emergencies within the Human settlement. The Commanding Officer and senior staff are all Humans. The other laws covered the Human right to defend themselves, as I believe the law also allows for here on Earth. The other significant law was the statement that any species who wished it, would be able to live in the settlement, so long as they did so peacefully."

She then selected the reporter from ABC, "What kinds of difficulties have our people faced on your world?"

"The same difficulties anyone would face when suddenly interacting with an entirely new species for the first time. Aside from the obvious language barrier, there were some misunderstandings, small clashes of culture, miscommunications, and assumptions on all sides. Though I will say, it went a great deal smoother than we had anticipated, once the Humans were settled and in control of their environment." Luna answered vaguely.

She then selected a reported from WAVY NEWS CHANNEL 10, "Queen Luna, who was responsible for the abductions of our people from their homes?"

Luna smiled, "I was wondering when that question would surface. To answer your question, nobody. The arrival of your people was not an act on the part of any governing body, individual, or group of individuals, so far as we can tell. We have made inquiries to every established nation and group on our world and nobody has so much as hinted at responsibility or knowledge of it until the arrival of our Human friends. Since discovering our new neighbors, we have made every effort to return them home." She smiled and then finished with, "And since we are here, I believe the outcome speaks for itself."

She selected a reporter from a newspaper, "John Rathkins, New York Times. May we know the name of the Human settlement you keep referencing? If it has one."

"New Humansville." Luna answered smoothly while the reporter sputtered amidst chuckles and snickers from the other members of the press.

Luna pointed to a young woman, "Kelsey Abrams, The Huffington Post. I would like to inquire about the system of government in your nation, Equestria, you called it?"

"We are a Diarchy, consisting of my sister and I, though I am the only Queen. She is still a Princess, as she has yet to wed. We share the same authority though. We have numerous offices for various dealings regarding the day-to-day goings on in Equestria, but for the majority of significant events and decisions, my sister or I take direct interest and make determinations. We do not make such decisions for New Humansville though, only in Equestria."

Luna then pointed to the man from CNN, "You said neither you, nor your sister have any authority in New Humansville. Why is that?"

Luna had been expecting the question, "New Humansville is a protectorate of Equestria and we will act to defend it, but it is sovereign territory under the control of the Humans who live there. They have their own laws and control their settlement as they see fit. My sister and I do not have any control there. We are welcomed as honored guests and friends, but we have no illusions of having any authority in the town, save to collect taxes, the only one of which is a five percent sales tax, two-thirds of which goes to New Humansville, if anyone is interested." She paused while the reporters laughed lightly, before continuing, "New Humansville has its own elected officials and laws and we have no say in how Humans govern themselves. My sister and I do not necessarily approve of all the paperwork Humans have, but it is their town, so we keep our noses out."

Luna then pointed to another reporter, "Have there been any violent altercations between Humans and any other species?"

Luna nodded seriously, "Yes. Unfortunately all towns and cities have some amount of crime. Thankfully though, through the dedication and quick responses of the Community Welfare Guardians and other peacekeeping forces, almost none have ended in tragedy and I am proud to say that New Humansville now boasts a larger Human population than it did when it was first founded."

Luna selected another reporter, "Queen Luna, your previous statement seems to indicate that there have been Human births on your world. Is that so?"

Luna smiled warmly, "Indeed. There are many happy families living in New Humansville and some of them have had children."

Luna then selected the reporter from FOX again, "All the indications seem to be that Kavim are very similar to us Humans, so I have to ask: have there been any cross species romantic relationships or, dare I say, births?"

Luna nodded without delay, "That is a dual question, but the short answer is 'yes' to the first part and 'no' to the second. To elaborate as much as I can without going into detail which would use up more time, there is a species which can become another species. This has allowed one couple to have two healthy twin boys. Not to worry, they have both hands and feet, just like Humans. There are no traits of any other species in our world in them. No muzzles or tails or anything you see on me."

Luna was thankful that her time was up. She left the podium and laid back down as Artex stood up and stood behind the podium, "Our lives were irrevocably altered when that storm hit, but through perseverance and more than a bit of Human ingenuity and determination, we have grown and thrived. Our new friends have helped us out along the way and though there have been some difficulties, we have all grown through our experiences. When I was last on Earth, I was an obese, unhealthy man. Now I am more healthy than I can ever remember being in my entire life. My life changed and, as it is with all things, change is a necessary part of life. Our friends have grown with us in ways none of us ever expected and we are eternally grateful to them for their sacrifices and willingness to help us. I stand here today as a testament of our friendships with the native people of Equestria and beyond."

He first pointed out the reporter from CHANNEL 13 NEWS, "Mr. Pering-" she was cut off by Artex.

"Dan, please, or my Kavim name, Artex. Continue ma'am." He said before gesturing to her.

"Alright, Artex then. What was the first thing you remember when you arrived in Equestria?"

Artex laughed lightly, "Well honestly, the first thing I noticed was the breeze on my skin. We all woke up naked in a field, so of course the first thing I saw was somebody's bare backside. It was pretty... jarring to say the least. We organized without too much wasted time so we split up and headed in different directions to try to find water. I ended up stumbling across two female Kavim who were out camping." He paused and flexed his hands on the edges of the podium, "Oh yeah, creepy, naked, fat guy walking into your camp at night. Can we say 'awkward'? Thankfully they were nice enough to give me a blanket for the night and it was their sympathy which told us we might be able to go to them for help. It worked out well in the end."

He selected another reporter, "Artex, on the whole, how well are Humans treated by the Kavim?"

"In general they treat us better than we often treat each other. I have no complaints and I cannot think of anyone else who would either."

He then pointed to a young Asian woman, "Artex, did you receive your disfigurement by the Kavim?"

"By accident, yes. It was a misunderstanding when I surprised a family out for a walk. I have spoken to them fairly recently and they felt terrible for what happened." Artex quirked his eyebrows playfully, "If nothing else, it makes for a great ice-breaker."

He then pointed to the reporter from NEWS CHANNEL 3, "Artex, can you describe your experiences as a whole? You have lived in a world where there are two separate species. What kinds of racial tension have you witnessed?"

"Well of the species which call New Humansville their home, I have seen very few racial tensions if any at all. Some will be leery of a new individual who moves in, but I have not seen any sort of specism or bias recently. At first there were some tensions because Humans were brand new to the world, but within these past two years, any concerns of that vein have been taken care of. The Community Welfare Guardians have members of all three species and they are all treated equally."

He pointed to the Huffington Post reporter, "Artex, do you have any idea where the other people from the different countries ended up?"

"Yes. As far as we know, they all ended up in the different nations of the new world. I lead the Emissarial Team to help these other groups of Humans to coexist as peacefully as possible with the nations in which they landed. We first caught wind of a second group when some of the people from Argentina made contact with the Kavim. I was there to help smooth things over and they are now our friends and neighbors in New Humansville."

Artex paused briefly before continuing, "We have helped settle people from: Germany, Norway, Etheopia, Afghanistan, the Marines, and the Navajo Tribe from Arizona. The people from Russia, Japan, and India all found ways to get along with their new neighbors before we even arrived. I hope there were no others. Does anyone know if there were others?"

The reporter replied, "No. You mentioned them all." Then she sat back down.

Artex pointed to the reporter from WAVY TV 10, "Are the clothes you're wearing indicative of the common mode of dress for people in New Humansville, Artex?"

"Yes and no. Allow me to explain. The standard clothing is whatever you feel like, but for proper situations, such as press conferences or state dinners, this is considered appropriately fine. Kavim do not need to wear clothes, but they are extremely understanding of the Human need for clothes."

He then chose a reporter from ABC, "What would you say is the approximate cost of your robe? I assume Kavim had no need for clothes at all before Humans."

Artex smirked, "You assume wrong, good sir. Kavim do wear clothes to look fancy or sophisticated, they simply do not need clothes very often. Nature has granted them modesty on its own, so don't worry, nobody will accidentally 'sneak a peek' if following a Kavim or Changeling too closely. As for the cost..." he looked down at his robe, "Hmm... I would say around two-hundred Bits. I could not tell you the transfer rate of Bits to dollars though."

He then pointed out another reporter, "Speaking of Changelings, what have they done to aid Humans?"

"Changelings have acted in defense of Humans on several occasions and have proven themselves to be stalwart friends and companions in all regards. We would need to be embarrassed of ourselves if we valued others based solely on what they can do for us. They are good friends and I find that is not something to sniff at." He said simply.

He then selected the last reporter, "What kinds of technological differences are there between Earth and Equestria?"

"About the same as Earth in many regards, in some cases their technology is more advanced and in other ways it is inferior. It all depends on what area of technology you're referring to. Their society developed somewhat differently from our own and their technological advances reflect that fact. Nevertheless, our two societies have merged as smoothly as anyone could ever hope. Thank you for your time."

Artex stepped away from the podium and sat back down in his chair. Vaiawa wasted no time and rose from her resting place, walking serenely up to the podium, "Change comes to all things in all ways. It is a truth that my people have embraced to its fullest and the acceptance of that truth has allowed us to change with the world as time ran its course. When we learned of the existence of Humans, we did not see newcomers or invaders, we saw potential allies and friends. Though the first us approached the Humans cautiously, she found acceptance to be readily offered and smoothly transitioned into the community. I was the second of us to arrive and the Humans were even more welcoming to me. They saw past our physical differences and were able to see our similarities. From there, it was a simple matter of learning about one another and we quickly found that Humans are a stalwart people who are willing to go to great lengths to help those they barely know. The Changeling population in New Humansville takes pride in standing with our Human and Kavim neighbors. Together we welcome a brighter culture and future than any of us could have ever imagined. I stand here today to expand that bright future to all of Humanity. You need only accept the offer of friendship."

Vaiawa pointed to the first reporter, "Queen Vaiawa, how many Changelings live in New Humansville?"

"Last time I checked four hundred and ninety three. Our population is steadily growing too."

She then pointed to another reporter, "Why are you called Changelings?"

"Because we change as the situation calls for it. At different times I have been a wanderer, a pioneer, a warrior, and a diplomat. One of the core reasons is because we can change our bodies. I was once about one third the size I am now, but when I took on the mantle of Queen, I grew into this current body."

She pointed to another reporter, "Can you change into other things?"

"I can shift into other forms, one of them I cannot change back from, so demonstrations will have to wait. If you are asking whether or not I can change into a Human, the answer is yes, but there would be easy ways to tell. My balance would be exceptionally poor for one, as I am a quadruped by nature. Another tell would be my lack of common Human knowledge. Needless to say, I would stand out drastically. Besides, my bodyguards would be a definitive giveaway. Our ability to change mostly refers to our ability to think and adapt as any situation calls for it. Humans share a similar trait as Human adaptability rivals our own. It was such a trait which endeared Humans to is in the first place."

She then pointed to another reporter, "Queen Vaiawa, there have been a lot of subtle undertones indicating that your species has been oppressed until recently. Can you comment on that?"

"Yes, that is true. The actions of some of our former leaders led others to view us with suspicion in the past. However, with Humans we saw an opportunity to once and for all dispel such concerns and I am glad to say, as of today, we enjoy an openness with our neighbors and other species we have never enjoyed before. In the past, we saw other species as hateful and judgmental toward us because of how we appear. I understand that Humans have such reservations amongst yourselves even today. It has only been because of our willingness to be open and honest, that we enjoy our lives as never before. Queen Luna and her sister have been instrumental in this endeavor, though not as much as our Humans friends. We owe them a great deal. The question was asked earlier, 'what have we done for our Human friends'. I would say that they have done more for us than we have done for them. We feel a tremendous debt of gratitude toward all Humans and we wish for everyone to continue the legacy we have all set forth, for future generations. Let us not be divided by our differences, rather let us emphasize our similarities and allow those to bond us all together as one."

She then pointed to another reporter, "What do Changelings eat?"

Vaiawa smirked at the question, "Our diets are somewhat specialized. We require the same foods that Humans eat, with one addition: love." She held up her right forehoof as small laughs sounded off from different directions, "Hear me out. We are partial emotivores in that we can skim excess love energy from our surroundings. This energy sustains our bodies like vitamins and necessary nutrients and without it, we perish. This is why we do our best to promote a society where friendship abounds. Were we to find ourselves in an environment which was devoid of love energy, we would die. It is a necessary part of our lives. That is why we strive so hard to maintain friendships and encourage one another. We do not emit love and so we cannot sustain each other. We strive to make peace and encourage others around us to do the same. Our survival literally depends on it."

She pointed our another reporter, "Is there a Changeling King?"

Vaiawa giggled before replying, "No, and I'm not accepting applicants at the moment."

She pointed to a different reporter, "Queen Vaiawa, was it a Changeling who had the twin boys with a Human?"

"That is a personal matter to only be discussed with the involved parties. How would you like it if someone else went around telling your business to the world? No. For now, that question must remain unanswered." Vaiawa said with an icy tone, "Furthermore, you were already told about this and if Luna saw no reason to divulge the answer, you had better believe I will not either." She continued glaring at the reporter until he sat back down amidst frowns and unhappy grumbles from those around him.

Vaiawa pointed to her last reporter, "Queen Vaiawa, why do you seem to have holes in your legs and horn?"

Vaiawa's glare softened significantly, "It is how we are born. Believe me, I don't like them either, they make swimming difficult to say the least. As for their purpose," she shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine. I honestly don't know." She bobbed her head in closing, "Thank you for your time."

Author's Notes:

There we go, a nice big shock dropped on the world. Let me know if you find any typos.