Artex, Luna, and Vaiawa spent the rest of the day enjoying the simple company of Artex' family. They talked about anything and everything under the sun, explaining about Equestria and then the world as a whole. There was still far too much information to cover in two short nights, so they stuck to the basics as much as possible. That evening they all retired to their beds, hopeful of what the news papers would read the following morning.

Artex awoke from his sleep and headed straight to the bathroom, and after taking care of the usual morning essentials, he dressed for the day in his normal clothes. He then headed to the kitchen and withdrew some fruit, multigrain bars, juice, and brewed some coffee before sitting down at the kitchen bar and eating.

Just as the previous day, there was a knock on his door. Artex groaned and opened the door, "Morning Dequan. You got a newspaper for me?"

Dequan stepped into the apartment and Artex noticed he had a substantial wad of newspapers tucked under his arm, "As many as I could get my hands on." He plopped the pile onto the bar counter and took a seat next to Artex, "Take a look."

Taking a large sip of his breakfast roast coffee, Artex set the mug down and picked up the closest paper. He quirked his left eyebrow when he read the front page, 'ALIENS ANNOUNCED!' Artex shook his head, "Of course," he said blandly, "Have to sensationalize it as much as possible. As if friendly alien entities making speeches in fluent American English was not sensational enough." He proceeded to read the entire article, keeping in mind how the average person would react and think.

By the end of the article, he was satisfied that the paper was being honest and was not demonizing Vaiawa or Luna. The article was accurate in as much as he or either of the two Queens said the previous day. There was very little speculation, for which he was thankful. Overall, the article was very neutral despite the title being capitalized for every letter.

Finishing the first paper, Artex moved on to the second one, then the third, and so forth until he had read every one of them. Finishing the final paper, The Huffington Post, he was content enough with the reporting, though the Huffington Post did seem to indicate their opinion was that because Kavim and Changelings were ruled by females instead of males, there was less war and violent conflict. He was not overly concerned about the opinion. The stated facts were accurate and presented honestly.

Setting down the last news paper, Artex sat up straighter and cracked his back. Checking the clock, he saw the time was past three in the afternoon. He was not happy having seemingly wasted an entire day, but there was nothing for it. He turned to Dequan, "This is better than I expected, though I admit I tend to expect the worst from people. This is a good start." He turned to Dequan, "Any other news I should be aware of?"

Dequan bobbed his head to the left as he answered, "Only that every single news media corporation wants to interview you three. Eleven news papers want personal interviews as well."

Artex shrugged, "Not at all unexpected. I am curious though, have there been any cults or religious groups talking about us? What about conspiracy theorists?"

Dequan bit his lower lip, "I was kind of hoping you wouldn't ask." He sighed and began explaining, "Westborough Baptist is claiming Queen Vaiawa and Queen Luna are demons from hell sent to take souls and that this is a sign of the end times. The Pope spoke about the announcement and stated that people should welcome the Queens and interact with them as if they were normal people. Most churches and groups haven't made any sort of announcement of their own. Muslims, Pagans, Hindus, and others haven't offered any statements with one exception. Jewish Synagogues have openly stated they are willing to welcome either of the two Queens to visit."

Dequan stopped and took a breath then continued, "Conspiracy Theorists are claiming all sorts of things which don't make any sense. No surprise there. And there are a lot of people who seem to think it's some sort of elaborate hoax." Dequan stopped and gave the matter some thought before finishing, "Other countries are clamoring all over this. France is upset because the Queens didn't contact them first. Germany has asked about its people. Norway did the same as Germany. Russia is demanding compensation by way of goods, for its taken people. Japan has asked about their people. China has been eerily quiet. North Korea never broadcast the announcement because it was from America. India is a strange one. The Indian government is suddenly claiming that no people were ever taken from their country. Ethiopia has asked about their people. Great Britain has expressed extreme hostility toward the Queens for some reason we are unaware of. The Navajo people have expressed gratitude for their people's safety and have petitioned for the right to visit their people. Oh, and Greece is claiming they have records of creatures like Luna and Vaiawa. Something about records hidden by their government due to a lack of substantiating or corroborating evidence."

Artex' head swiveled to Dequan instantly, "Wait. What was that about Greece?"

Dequan looked puzzled and pulled out his phone, "Give me a second... here it is, 'The Grecian Government has announced a history with beings similar in shape and stature to the two alien Queens displayed on television yesterday. The claim states that there are some smattering of records from isolated people living around Mount Olympus, however these records were never published due to lack of other sources regarding the supposed 'True Gods Of Olympus' which differ from widely accepted Olympian myths and legends. According to the government, these newly revealed records state that the supposed Gods of Olympus were normal people who ventured into distant lands and returned with amazing supernatural powers. The records specifically state that Zeus, Heracles and others were in fact normal people imbued with strange powers, which other people took for godlike abilities. These same newly revealed records state that the legend of Pegasus was misconstrued and that Pegasus had a horn as well as wings, but that was not its true form. The records state that Pegasus was a shape shifter and used the love of Perseus for his power. When Bellerophon captured Pegasus, these legends say it was not with a golden bridle, but with a collar and chain, with which he enslaves Pegasus..." Dequan looked up, "There's plenty more, but it all gets a little ridiculous, like when Bellerophon defeated the chimera it was not with a spear tip made of lead, but with a thick glob of cheese and so forth. Utterly ridiculous."

Artex sat on the bar stool absolutely gobsmacked by the news. He blinked five times before he responded, "Holy shit." Dequan looked even more puzzled so Artex explained, "In Equestria there are chimera and you do, in fact distract them with cheese. They love cheese. The collar sounds like an adam. We never mentioned any of those things during the announcement."

Dequan's eyes bulged, "You mean this stuff could be true!?"

"No Dequan, it IS true. Everything in these old records you read to me is possible if you take Equestria into account." Artex clarified, "Back in Equestria there was a museum display of ancient Humans. They had a slew of facts wrong, but the artifacts were genuine and I read a tiny bit of Greek, so I read one of the old scrolls on display and it was authentic. The connection has to be in Greece, but I don't know where."

By the time Artex was finished speaking, Dequan already had his phone out, "This is Dequan Saunders, Mr. Pering just told me something very interesting..."

**********

Dequan left the apartment a few minutes later and Artex was bored. He decided to sit down and watch some television, just to see if the news was still reporting on the announcement. He grabbed the remote and tuned in to WAVY TV 10, "... should stay sunny tomorrow and through Tuesday, with a chance of rain on Wednesday." The scene switched to a young black woman sitting behind a desk, with a frozen picture of Luna from the previous day behind her, "And now back to the top story: the world was shocked yesterday, as two seemingly friendly, alien beings were revealed by President Seviston in a press conference. During the announcement, the President stated that the people who vanished from Norfolk, and were previously presumed dead, in fact found themselves on another world, eventually gaining allies of the local, non-Human inhabitants. The aliens, as you are about to see, are nothing like science fiction books and films depict them. They are of two different, but similarly shaped species. One has the appearance of a winged Unicorn and the other, while having a horn and wings, more resembles an insect, despite claims otherwise. The aliens gave speeches at noon yesterday, making claims of friendship and kinship with the Humans who accidentally landed on their world."

The view switched to a snippet of Luna's statement, "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." The scene switched back to the news anchor, "The alien, identifying herself as 'Queen Luna' spoke about her interactions and opinions of Humans. The other alien, identifying herself as 'Queen Vaiawa', was another shock, though no less unusual." The scene cut to Vaiawa's statement, "When we learned of the existence of Humans, we did not see newcomers or invaders, we saw potential allies and friends."

The scene flipped back to the news anchor, "Also with the two aliens was a man, Daniel Pering, or as he claimed, 'Artex Rias' to the aliens. He had this to say," the scene cut to Artex making his statement, "Our new friends have helped us out along the way and though there have been some difficulties, we have all grown through our experiences." The scene went back to the anchor, "Mr. Pering claimed to have worked closely with the two Queens to help other Humans adjust to a new world. These statements have seemingly been made in a friendly way, but only time will tell what will come of this unprecedented development in Human history."

As Artex flipped through the different news channels, the stories were only more of the same. He quickly grew bored and turned the television off again. Lacking anything better to do, he got out of the overstuffed chair and opened the door of his apartment. Harrison was standing guard with one of his other men, "Good morning sir. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Is the gym still here?" Artex asked.

Harrison nodded, "That it is, sir. Are you thinking of going down there?"

Artex scrunched up his lips for a moment before responding, "Yeah, I think I will. I assume it's still in the same place?"

"Yes sir." Harrison responded.

Artex needed no further invitation. He headed down the hallway and almost passed Vaiawa's door, but decided to knock. Vaiawa answered the door, "Good afternoon, Artex." She greeted him.

"I'm going downstairs to work out. You want to join me?" The disfigured man asked.

Vaiawa smirked widely, "Certainly. It's kind of boring in the room alone." She stepped out and her own bodyguards formed up around them. Vaiawa stopped in front of Luna's door, "Luna? Artex and I are going downstairs to exercise. Do you want to join us?"

The door all but flew open. Luna looked desperate, "Please! Anything! This is so boring! I'm usually swamped with royal business as soon as I wake up. All this free time is driving me crazy."

Luna stepped out and closed the door behind her. Her own bodyguards joining the group as well. Artex led them down to the first floor and straight to the gym. As soon as he stepped inside, the memories of the smells all came flooding back. The chilly air conditioning, the smells of perspiration, the scent of tread rubber and lead. It was like stepping back in time.

He turned to Luna and Vaiawa, "Okay the rule with the equipment is that you have to wipe down everything you touch. Sweat spreads germs and germs make people sick, so we wipe down the equipment to make sure nobody else has to deal with our sweat and germs. If you have any questions about the treadmills, I can help you or one of your bodyguards should be willing to assist you as well."

Wasting no more time, Artex headed over to one of the treadmills and began inputting a route for two hours at a speed of twenty and an incline of four point five. He started the machine and it built up to the speed he wanted. He began to run. His pace was steady and long, his endurance built up from the C.W.G. training and his Earth Pony blood.

While he did that, Vaiawa stepped onto another treadmill and blinked in confusion at all the buttons. She peered closely at the directions, but was lost for their purpose. She turned her head toward her bodyguards, "Pardon me, but how do I make this device function?" One of her bodyguards walked toward the treadmill quickly.

Luna decided to forego the treadmill and instead decided to check out the weights. She peered at the different measurements of the weights and caught on quickly. She decided to start low, not knowing the ration of stones to pounds. She used her magic and slipped on six of the forty-five pound weights to each side then connected the end pieces to hold the weights in place. She encountered her first problem when she went to lay down on the bench. Being a quadruped, she was not used to having her back so straight. The bench's cushion did not do much to help, but it was bearable. She lay down on the bench and angled her head to see her bodyguards turning their heads. Puzzled, she looked down and realized her udders were facing upwards for the world to see. Fortunately, one of her bodyguards was feeling generous and laid his suit coat over her lower half, covering her udders.

Luna looked up from the bench blushing furiously, "Thank you, gentlemen." She then used her magic to levitate the barbells over and set them against the safety bar above her supine form. She reached out with her forehooves and wrapped the tiny hairs of her hooves around the bar and lifted it with ease. Bringing the weights down ten times without strain, Luna lifted it back onto the safety bar and huffed, "This is too light. I need to make it heavier."

One of the bodyguards had his mouth hanging open, "You just benched 280 Lbs. like it was nothing." He said quietly.

Luna was nonplussed, "This is too light for me. I need something at least twenty times heavier in order to work up a sweat." She looked to the bodyguards, "Is there anything around that weight for me to lift?"

The bodyguards all exchanged uncertain looks before one spoke up, "I mean... well... a Humvey is pretty heavy."

His partner spoke up, "Yeah, but there is no way we're going to get a Humvey in here. There isn't enough room."

Luna looked around then pointed, "What about the courtyard outside the windows here? I could levitate one in and lift it in there. I'm used to using all four legs to lift anyway."

**********

Twenty minutes later the Marines stationed around the building were all watching as Luna levitated a Humvey from the roof of the parking lot and into the courtyard, seemingly without any strain at all. She laid down on her back and her bodyguard was quick to cover her underbelly with his suit coat again. She raised all four of her legs and set the Humvey down on them then extinguished her horn. As the men all watched with wide eyes, she began to lower the vehicle then raise it again in slow, steady motions. It should have been utterly impossible, but there it was. Those thin little legs were bench pressing more than a ton of steel. After five reps, Luna spoke up again, "It's pretty light, but this is a good start." She turned her head, still raising and lowering the Humvey, seemingly without effort, "Is there a heavier vehicle I can use?"

**********

After putting the Humvey back and using a covered troop transport truck to lift instead, Luna worked up a steady rhythm and performed more than a hundred sets of twenty. Artex finished with the cardio portion of his workout and moved on to the weights inside as well. Finding them far too light, like Luna did, he stepped out into the courtyard and watched her lift the truck. Vaiawa joined him soon after.

As Luna finished her reps, Artex held up his hand, "My turn." The gathered men and woman all stared at him like he had gone crazy. Ignoring them, Artex slid underneath the truck and braced his hands against the bottom of the frame. Artex began applying his strength. He quickly discovered the balance of the truck was way off from his lifting point so he scooted toward the cab and tried it again. This time he was able to lift the vehicle with ease. He began his own reps with the truck as the gathered people simply gawked in amazement of the awesome and certainly impossible feat of strength being displayed in front of them.

After he finished with his own reps, he crawled out from underneath the vehicle and dusted off his hands, "Man, Luna was right. That is pretty light. Then again, Luna's real power isn't in her legs."

Harrison stepped up beside him, "I shudder to ask, but where IS her real power?"

"Her magic." Artex replied easily, "She raises and lowers the Moon on their world."

Harrison's left eye twitched, "Normally, I would call 'bullshit' but after a display like that?" He looked up to the sky, "I mean that's just not fair to normal people."

Artex patted Harrison on his right shoulder, "Don't worry about it. Luna and Vaiawa aren't like that. Besides, it comes with a price. The more magic you have, the longer you live. Immortality is not a blessing. Believe me. Having that much power forces you to gain a different perspective. Either you value the lives of mortals that much more, or you forget the value of life and somebody deals with you. Trust me. Being mortal and weak is actually better. The burden of immortality is far heavier than you can imagine." Artex shot a look at Vaiawa again and sighed, "I'm going to go shower, and then I might go out someplace. Do you know any good Chinese buffets around here? It's been a while since I was here."

**********

Artex finished his shower then dressed in his normal Kavim made clothes. Since he had asked Harrison about the Chinese buffet, Harrison said he would work on some arrangements to accommodate Artex' wishes.

Artex finished dressing and opened his door. Harrison stood on the far side with four of his team, all dressed in suit coats and wearing sun glasses. Artex smiled widely at the men, "I appreciate this, gentlemen."

Harrison nodded, stoic as always, "If you will follow us, sir. We will collect Queen Vaiawa and Queen Luna then depart."

Artex motioned for Harrison to lead the way while Harrison continued speaking, "We informed the other bodyguard teams of your plans and they in turn asked the Queens. Both Queens will be joining you this evening."

Artex knocked on Vaiawa's door and as usual, she answered almost immediately. Vaiawa being herself, was wearing nothing whatsoever when she answered, "Do I need anything before we go?' She asked.

Harrison stepped in, "No ma'am. All fees have been covered. The only thing you need to do is enjoy yourself."

Vaiawa tittered behind her right forehoof, "Mr. Harrison if I didn't know any better, I might think you were trying to charm me."

Harrison never moved a muscle, "No ma'am, merely being friendly and trying to ensure you enjoy your stay. It would be completely unprofessional of us to attempt any sort of romantic overtures regarding foreign dignitaries, doubly so since you are not Human and it would be against the law."

Vaiawa quirked her left eyebrow then, for just an instant, the tip of her horn sparked. Artex noticed it, but nobody else did. Vaiawa's grin turned borderline predatory. She reared back and leaned against the door, bracing herself. Artex realized what was coming but before he could say anything, green fire erupted around the Queen. It started at her hind legs and swam up her body, removing the black, thick, leathery skin and replacing it with olive toned silky skin.

Artex' eyes nearly bugged out of his head. When the fire finished capping at the tip of her horn, there was no Changeling Queen standing there, but a drop-dead gorgeous woman from what looked like the Samoan Islands. She had long, straight, obsidian hair running down to her backside, her skin glistened even in the hallway lights. Her eyes were a nearly perfect shade of alluring almond, slanted ever so slightly and filled with mischief. Her lips were light brown and full, yet not overblown. Her waist was athletically slim, but nowhere near skinny. Her hips were well-muscled and supple, her hands were delicate and fine fingers laced through her hair. Her legs were, for lack of a better word, perfect. And her breasts, bouncing naked in the cool air, tips already hard, were a healthy B-Cup, crowning showroom quality.

Artex felt his jaw drop at the sight. He felt the blood rush away from his face in order to supply other locations. He heard a choking sound and looked around. Every single man in the hallway was staring at Vaiawa with wide eyes, visible even behind their sunglasses. Harrison's right eye twitched at the sight of the astoundingly beautiful naked woman in front of them.

Vaiawa winked at the gathered men, "That is what I look like as a Human, no models for reference. What do you think?"

Harrison's jaw worked soundlessly for a few moments before he collected himself, "Very lovely, Queen Vaiawa. However, I would highly recommend putting on clothes before you go out, should you chose that form in public. It would be an extreme scandal and you would likely he deported and banned from Earth for indecent exposure."

Vaiawa winked at Harrison, "I asked for your opinion, not the laws."

Harrison cleared his throat, "Ahem, were it my place to comment, I would say you were a literally perfect woman, beautiful almost beyond the comprehension of mortals. An elegant woman with a regal air who would be the envy of every other woman who saw you and be the subject of many fantasies of both men and women."

Vaiawa smiled deviously. She resumed her native form then turned and sauntered down the hallway, "Well then, it's a good thing you're so professional."

Artex had trouble keeping a straight face as they collected Luna.

**********

They reached the parking garage and Artex grinned hugely at the limousine waiting for them. Harrison and the other bodyguards held the doors and Artex, being a gentleman, let the two Queens get in first. Luna had little trouble getting in since she was almost the perfect height. She did have to keep her head down so her horn would not poke holes in the ceiling.

Vaiawa, on the other hand, had to bend all of her knees just to get in, furthermore she had to keep them bent until she tried to sit down... emphasis on 'tried'. She aimed her haunches for one of the side-facing seats and fell back with a grunt. She squirmed briefly then raised her head, tearing the roof fabric with her horn. She froze and her eyes drifted upward as she slowly lowered her head. Everyone noticed the rip in the roof fabric.

Vaiawa snorted, "For once, my new height is a disadvantage." Her horn glowed briefly and the tear sewed itself back up seamlessly. Vaiawa smiled, "There, all better."

Luna looked as Artex buckled himself into his seat, "What are those straps for?"

Artex blinked then applied his palm to his face, "These are seat belts. The vehicle will often be moving at fairly high speeds and should there be a collision with another vehicle, the restraints keep you from being thrown around and being severely injured."

Both Queens took a few moments to buckle themselves in, while Artex had to force himself not to laugh due to the awkwardness of their inhuman forms.

After they finished adjusting the restraints to acceptable levels, Artex turned to Harrison, "In the future, I think a Sprinter would be much more... accommodating for the Queens."

Harrison coughed into his right closed fist, "I would have to agree with you, sir."

The limo began to move, rolling smoothly out of the parking area and well around the portal which had been cordoned off with thick steel walls. Once on the street, Luna and Vaiawa were all eyes. They peered out of the windows at the houses passing by outside the limousine. It was their first real view of the more common Human world and they were eager to see as much as possible.

As the ride progressed, Artex felt as if he were going back in time. He began remembering the streets and landmarks with increasing clarity, even going so far as to provide a moving commentary for the two Queens. The limo pulled onto the highway and Artex had to explain the purpose of such a thing.

The two Queens were in awe of the vast numbers of people which necessitated the construction of a highway; when Artex mentioned the interstate highway it made good sense to them. The sizes of the cities were astounding to them and when Artex explained that more than three million people lived in an area less than fifty square miles, they were borderline incredulous.

Artex had to remind them that unlike every species on the Queens' own world, Humans had no choice about whether or not they became pregnant and thus had developed methods of birth control. He wisely left out the pregnancy termination drugs and procedures, remembering how badly Twilight had reacted to the concept when they had first met.
At last, the limousine pulled to a stop in front of a restaurant situated in a strip mall very close to a place Artex recognized as Military Circle Mall. He read the writing on the sign in front of the restaurant, "Captain Ray's"? He turned to Harrison with a questioning expression.

Harrison shrugged, "It has some excellent reviews for environment and taste of their food. It is classified as a Chinese Buffet with a Mongolian Barbecue and a Sushi Bar. There are reservations for fifteen in one of the private reserved dinning areas. We will escort you in and six of us will stay in the reserved dinning area while the other six of us escort you when you fill your plates."

Artex had to stifle a groan at the tightness of the security. However, he had to admit that Harrison was good at planning and organizing.

Harrison exited the limo first, followed by every one of the other bodyguards. They formed a semicircle around the door of the limo and waited while their charges exited the vehicle. Luna was the first one out, followed by Vaiawa and with Artex bringing up the rear.

The bodyguards formed a circle around the officials and led them into the restaurant. As soon as Harrison opened the front doors, the host, a small framed man of Asian descent, immediately sprung into action and led them off to the right side of the restaurant dinning area and into a walled off section, accessible only through a pair of double doors leading to the buffet line.

The dignitaries all sat down at a single table while Harrison and the other bodyguards all stood protectively around them. A young woman entered the private dinning area and greeted them, "Welcome to Captain Ray's seafood buffet, what can I get you to drink?"

Artex, seeing an opportunity, spoke quickly, "We would like a carafe of hot sake and three cups. For myself, I would like unsweetened iced tea." He turned to Luna and Vaiawa, "Ladies?"

"What fine wines do you serve?" Luna asked.

The waitress rambled off a long list of wines, most with foreign names that Luna had no chance of understanding. Artex leaned partly across the table, "I'd recommend a Pepsi." Deciding to trust Artex, Luna and Vaiawa both ordered Pepsi.

The waitress left and Artex stood up, "Well then, follow me ladies and I'll introduce you to the wonders and fattening qualities of the Chinese buffet." He led them off to fill their first plates.

**********

The three dignitaries all sat back down with their filled plates. The sake and their drinks were already waiting for them when they returned. Luna had not felt as adventurous as Vaiawa or Artex. The Lunar Alicorn had decided to go with a mixed fried vegetable medley, lo mein, and egg rolls.

Vaiawa had instantly gravitated toward the Mongolian Barbecue and had chosen her ingredients then watched with abject glee as her unique dish was prepared right in front of her eyes. Her plate was a mound of rice, onions, peppers, and bits of lamb. Artex had ignored everything else and had gone for the sushi. His plate was a neat arrangement of Volcano Rolls, Philadelphia Rolls, Eel Rolls, Spicy Tuna Rolls, and California Rolls.

He sat down and grabbed the chopsticks, slid them out of their paper wrapping, then broke then cleanly down the middle. Arranging them in his fingers, he paused to pray silently, then raised his head and grabbed a Volcan Roll.

He bit down on the roll and his eyes rolled upward in ecstasy. Chewing and swallowing, he laid his head back, "Oh GOD! How I've missed these!" He took another bite and savored it like it was his last meal.

After finishing his first roll, he set down his chopsticks and poured himself a small cup of the hot sake, not missing the odd looks from Luna and Vaiawa, "It's rice and plumb wine, served hot. It has a flavor that you kind of have to get used to, but I love this stuff." He gestured to the other two small cups, "Feel free to try it." So spoken, he tilted his head back and let the hot sake slide down his throat, savoring the delicate flavor and the heat from the perfect temperature. He set the small cup back down on the table then picked up his chopsticks and continued eating.

While chewing on a Philadelphia Roll, he watched as Luna and Vaiawa both tossed back their own cups of sake. Luna's eyes widened and Artex could see her struggling to swallow it. Vaiawa, on the other hand, set down her cup and quirked her right eyebrow, "An acquired taste perhaps, but surprisingly good. I shall have to endeavor to try more at a later time."

Luna finally swallowed her sake and quickly levitated the soda to her mouth. Wrapping her lips around the straw, she sucked hard. After the first swallow, Luna's eyes lit up. She set the glass down and peered at it, "This is... exquisite... if a bit too sweet. The little bubbles really make the flavor stand out." She leaned over, pulling on the straw again and drained the glass in a matter of seconds.

Artex chuckled, "Seems we've found your first favorite thing about Earth, Luna." He then bit into another volcano roll, "Man, I love these things. Sushi is one thing we REALLY need in Equestria. At some point, I should buy a book on how to make sushi."

Vaiawa swallowed her mouthful of food and looked at his plate, "What exactly IS sushi?"

Artex beamed a bright smile, "The basic ingredients are rice and kelp, which is a type of seaweed..."

A loud voice pulled all attention away toward the entrance door of the private dinning area, "Stay back, sir. They just want to eat in peace."

A young man's voice replied just as loudly, "Oh, come on! How often is it that fucking ALIENS eat dinner at a restaurant!? I just want to see them!"

Before anyone could say a word, Vaiawa rose from her seat and regally strode toward the altercation. Her bodyguards immediately surrounded her, quietly asking her to return to her seat. She ignored them and continued on until she was standing less than four feet from the young man, "What is your name?" She asked the young man quietly.

The young man held up his phone and the bodyguard closest to him grabbed at it, only to be intercepted by a foreleg full of holes, "Let him record this if he wants, perhaps others will understand as well once he spreads the word." She turned her attention back to the young man, "Are you going to tell me your name?"

The young man was grinning like a bandit, "Rob Durling erm, ma'am."

Vaiawa held her head high, "Very well then, Rob Durling, what persuaded you to interrupt our dinner?"

Rob smiled as he kept recording her, "Dude you're aliens!"

Vaiawa's expression showed she was not amused, "And our state of being necessitated you rudely interrupting us?"

Rob suddenly looked up at her, "Hey! Fuck you! It's the price celebs pay for their fame!"

Vaiawa's smile grew, "So we're discussing prices? I wonder what the price is for harassment of persons of political interest? Would such a thing garner you fame or infamy when you put this up on the internet? And what would it accomplish? A short period of fame?" She shifted her weight so as to distract anyone from noticing the tip of her horn dimly flashing, "A chance to impress a girl perhaps?" She shook her head, "Do you really think any girl who fancied you for what you're doing would be worth your time?" She stepped up to Rob and looked him dead in the eyes, "You're doing this because you think this is your chance to have some small amount of fame. What would it avail you? Your story would be a flash in the proverbial pan of your life. What then? I do not see any aspirations toward journalism in you. I see creativity and dedication held in check by childish toilet humor and what you think to be righteous rebellion against 'the system'." She closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, "In your heart, you know what you should really be doing with your life, but you have found yourself caught up in the quick pleasures of your youth and the opportunities available for you to enjoy those pleasures. Your so-called friends egg you on to do random and foolish things, but they control your actions for their own amusement and to your detriment."

The whole time Vaiawa had been talking, Rob's phone slowly lowered to his side, "You know they're not really your friends, but you long for acceptance so much that you are willing to undertake outlandish and foolhardy actions for the illusion of acceptance." She lifted her left forehoof and placed it on Rob's shoulder, "And you know it is an illusion, Rob. The person who needs to accept you first is you. Find yourself, understand who you are capable of being, then pursue it to its ultimate end. You will find acceptance from others, once you have found it within. Do not allow others to dictate what you do. Do not be a slave to false popularity. Be your own person."

Vaiawa lowered her forehoof and stepped back, "You stand at a crossroads, Rob. Whichever direction you chose to go is up to you." With that said, Vaiawa turned around and began slowly walking back to the table where her food was rapidly cooling.

She had barely taken two steps when she heard a voice behind her, "I'm sorry."

Vaiawa stopped and turned her head, "You are forgiven, Rob." She said with a smile.

Rob's thumbs worked for a moment on his phone, "I deleted the video." He said, lowering the mobile device, "A-and thanks."

Vaiawa threw him a warm smile, "Always remember that you chose your own path, Rob."

As Artex listened, he sighed, certain that the video would be up on youtube by morning. To his surprise the following day, and every day thereafter, the video never surfaced.

Author's Notes:

Surprise! I am being the sneaky! Like ninja/assassin/monk! (I play waaaaay too much Pathfinder)