//------------------------------//
// Chapter 22: The Gala 
// Story: Of Men and Insects 
// by VeganSpyro97 
//------------------------------//

The lights of Canterlot shimmered in the brisk night air, and the clocks counted down the minutes until the Gala began. As one of the guests of honor, Allan was supposed to take center stage in the proceedings, but this year, Celestia had a different plan for him, and had pulled him aside as the others helped make the last minute preparations. Twilight and her friends were starting to get worried, as they hadn’t seen him since.
Had they known where he was, they wouldn’t have worried at all.
Allan patiently waited, having been ordered by the Sun Princess to take on the form of a Unicorn. His brown and blue colouration remained, meaning that his newest suit was just as perfectly matched to him as it had been before. The suit was a deep red, almost burgundy, with long coat tails that bore similar markings to his dragonfly like wings, formed by varying shades of royal purple and blue. His mane was styled appropriately, flicking up into an electric blue mohawk that went with his eyes. His designated cutie mark was a simple guitar, like the one that was hanging by his side.
He was to be announced in as a special guest once the bulk of the attending nobles had turned up.
Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long.
As night fell and fireworks exploded overhead, the nobles flocked to the castle, the sound of their hooves echoing through the halls as they rushed in, hoping to be the first to get a chance to suck up to the Princesses. Within minutes, the castle halls were filled with life, and Allan's time had come.
The guards escorted him out of the castle through a side gate, led him around to the front of the castle, and then back inside, giving the impression he had just arrived.
An officious looking pony, dressed in a silly looking doublet and hose ripped right from a Shakespearean play, stepped forward, and produced a trumpet with which he blew out a peal of notes.
“Announcing a special guest! A friend of the Element Bearers, and Princesses Celestia and Luna, Bronze Riff!”
“Bronze Riff? Really?” Allan muttered under his breath. “Couldn’t you come up with anything better, Celestia?”
Quite a few nobles stopped and stared at him, which was a personal nightmare for Allan. This was why he hated normal parties, the feeling of being watched by everyone. This being an important political function just made it so much worse. Gritting his teeth, Allan held his composure, and walked forward, hooves clopping against the floor. Stares followed him, and it was everything he could do to keep himself from bolting.
It wasn’t long before the first heel kissers made their presence known.
“Greetings! Uh...Bronze Riff, wasn’t it?” Allan turned around towards the voices source. Celestia had opted not to change his height, which meant that, apart from a select few, including the Alicorn sisters themselves, Allan was taller than almost everypony present. He had to look down at them a little, but such was the price to pay for being tall and lean.
He stopped moving, and regarded the two with masked apprehension. The pair were Unicorns, dressed in obviously fancy clothes that did not bear Rarity’s signature stitch-work, which Allan had grown very familiar with during his times modeling her creations. The mare was a pale yellow that somehow reminded him of olives, a food he disliked regardless of how drenched in salty brine it was, or how much of another fruit could be shoved inside it. Her mane was two toned, white and a colour that was somewhere among the blue-purple spectrum. Lavender or indigo? He wasn’t entirely sure. The stallion seemed mostly grey, with a dark grey mane and lighter grey body. The only other colour on him besides clothes was his eyes, which were blue.
Deciding to determine more about them, Allan casually looked them up and down before speaking. “Yes, that is me.” The up and down look let him look past each of them, and get a glimpse of their cutie marks. The mare had three…. Dollar signs? Weird. And the stallion had three…..planes, of some sort? They were a little hard to make out from underneath the hemline of the mare’s dress and the stallion’s coat tails, but it was fairly easy to recognize the near cartoony renditions of things that were so familiar. “And your names are?” He asked politely.
“Oh, how rude of us.” The Stallion said, though his lack of embarrassment or shame proved he was only doing what was “polite” for the sake of public appearance. “My name is Jet Set, and this is my wife, Upper Crust.”
Of course they would have names like that, because who doesn’t want their children to grow up with superiority complexes?
“Greetings to you both.” Allan responded. “I’m hoping you’re enjoying the party?”
The two of them looked at one another, before staring at him.
“You sound like you’re claiming responsibility for the gala even happening.” Jet Set dug for information with a single phrase, and accused him in the span of the same sentence.
“Well, I can’t claim full responsibility, but I happen to be rather involved tonight.” Allan maintained his illusion of confidence in order to deliver the details Celestia had permitted and requested he do, though underneath the facade, he was quivering in his metaphorical horseshoes. Why Celestia had him bother with this pointless masquerade at all was beyond him. “I’m somewhat of a special guest, apparently.” He let out a nervous chuckle, which was taken by the pair as indication of good natured sarcasm.
“So, you know Princess Celestia personally, mister Riff?”
Gag! That name irked him. “I’ve met her, yes. I’m more familiar with Princess Twilight and her friends, though.”
They didn’t seem all too keen on that. “Well...mister Riff, I hope we’ll see more of you. I believe we could be friends.”
Pfft, yeah right. After tonight they’d probably be too scared to so much as walk on the same street as him.
“I hope so too.” Liar. “I also  hope you enjoy the rest of tonight, it is for everypony after all.”
The two nodded and bid their farewells, and Allan walked into the hall fully. The decorations were elegant and formal, draping sheets of cloth that hung from the arching architecture above, and were wrapped around the pillars as they snaked down from above.  Standing close to walls and pillars were metal standards, adorned with candles that burned brightly as they lit the room. Wall sconces all around were filled with beautiful flowers, and Allan could smell food somewhere close by. He could also smell the emotions that flooded the room, most of which were plain smells, indicative of boredom, though a few bright spots of authentic enjoyment and enthusiasm caught his attention.
Sensing emotions was a bizarre thing, but Allan had to concede how easy it made finding ponies worth talking to in this situation. It was like smelling, tasting and seeing at once, perceiving emotions as tastes, colours or scents that were all similar from one individual to the next. Disgust was usually fowl, like the things that spawned it, as were hate, which was less disgusting, and more fiery, scalding his tongue without ever actually burning it. Both seemed dark, like deep browns and blacks, or even red, whereas happiness, love, affection, kindness and even concern were usually sweet and appeared as soft purples, lavenders or pinks. It reminded him of a strange medical condition he’d once read about during a school project in Science class, called, Synaesthesia, if he remembered correctly. Those who had it perceived smells as colours, though Allan doubted that those people could say they knew how those colours tasted.
He mingled for a time, greeting each and everypony politely, though he could honestly say that he disliked the vast majority of them. They were snobby, upper classers who had likely never worked hard for anything that wasn’t of benefit to themselves. The few rarities (Allan chuckled at the thought), did stand out though.
A mare and stallion pairing who introduced themselves as Fleur de Lis and Fancy Pants were highlights of the night. They knew Rarity, having met her years before and gotten along well. While they were certainly upper class ponies, the two were far more interested in other ponies than all of the nobles in the room combined, even having hosted numerous events to help the less fortunate, and out of their own pockets no less! Fleur seemed intent on keeping up a charade of vapid innocence/airheaded-ness, but Allan caught her easily duping a couple of other nobles into agreeing to host a charity function by using subtle suggestion, all while maintaining her mask of stupidity. She caught Allan staring at her after she finished her conversation with the clueless pair, and she directed a naughty little grin his way, which he in turn grinned at.
Another plus was they seemed to agree with Allan's assessment of their fellow nobles.
“Being a noble used to mean a having noble character and good heart.” Fancy explained. “Honor held sway more than bits, but lately, nopony much cares for honor. They’re all fawning over the Princesses horseshoes for political favour, or whingeing to them about how taxing the nobility is wrong. I despair at them. I’d like to think I’m better, but I know my monetary influence is the only reason I’m as successful as I am.”
Allan shook his head. “Nah, I’m pretty sure the Princesses invite you two to the gala in order to counteract all the bullshit.”
“A peculiar term. I take it it means something in the same vein as garbage?”
“Yeah, that works.” Allan looked around, frowning. “I don’t like this party much. It makes me feel outnumbered.”
“Dismal, isn’t it?” Fancy asked with a grin.
“Yeah. I hate being outnumbered. Makes for too much stupid in the room for me to manage.”
Fancy and Fleur stifled laughter, before bidding farewell to Allan as another noble called them away.
Allan was done mingling. He’d had enough of the crap for now, and as such, went searching for the ponies he could be open with.
Twilight was out of the picture for the time. Being glued to Celestia’s side in order to discuss Princess-y things absorbed all of her attention, leaving her as a last resort. Rarity was in her element, and he saw her moving swiftly from place to place, soaking up gossip like a sponge. Also a no. Applejack looked bored out of her mind, standing with an equally bored Rainbow by the food tables. They didn’t seem busy. Pinkie was also in high spirits, teaching a group of young foals a dance that involved standing on two hooves and waving your forelegs from side to side, much to the ire of the foal’s parents, who only allowed the lessons to continue because of the reminder of the first Gala the pink mare had attended.
That left Fluttershy. While she wasn’t overly confident in crowds, Allan spotted her quickly, talking with a mare and stallion, the mare bearing a great resemblance to Twilight… He hoped against hope that she would at least talk to him.
“Might I join you?”
Fluttershy looked up, surprised. His vice was the same, and he was still recognizable to somepony who already knew him.
“Oh, um……” She trailed off, before her eyes seemed to light up as she recognized him. “Yes, Mister….Bronze Riff, wasn’t it?”
Pretty sure he knew what she was doing, Allan nodded. “Yes, that’s me.”
“Well. It’s lovely to meet you.” Shy said. “Have you met Twilight Velvet or Night Light yet? They are my friend, Princess Twilight’s parents.”
That explained that. “I had not, but it is an honour, regardless.” Allan bowed to them, then turned to Fluttershy. “Could I be so bold as to ask for a dance?” Allan asked, hopeful.
Fluttershy did have to think about it, but she eventually smiled. “I’ll say yes, just this once.”
She quickly excused herself from Twilight’s parents, who, as they were acquainted well, were thrilled to see Fluttershy be so bold. They waited for a break in the music, and walked out onto the dance floor.
“My apologies if I screw this up.” He murmured. “It’ll be my first time dancing on hooves.”
“Follow my lead.” Fluttershy murmured back. Allan did so.
He learned quickly, and by the end of the first song, he was able to take the reigns himself.
“I’m sorry about the glacier. I know I scared you, and that killing that yeti was wrong.” Allan felt like explaining. Even if a relationship was off the table, friendship was still possible.
“I’m sorry too.” Fluttershy interrupted, touching his lips with a hoof mid-dance, as they stepped in time to the music, moving in a spiral pattern that sent Fluttershy’s dress fanning out. It was a simpler dress, a pale blue that matched her eyes, and incidentally, his mane. “I…. I needed time to figure out how I felt, and I was...I was quite mean while I did, I should have said something on the train.”
Allan smiled sadly. “I don’t blame you.”
“But I shouldn’t have blamed you either!” The pegasus protested, stamping her hoof a little- gently- so as to not throw off their rhythm. “You didn’t….kill the yeti on purpose. You just did what you needed to stay alive. Many of my own animal friends do the same every day, so how can I judge you differently to them?”
Allan smiled. Hearing that just brightened up this dull party. “So, uh-”
“Yes.” Fluttershy answered, skipping over his tail as part of the dance. “I know what you’re asking, and the answer is yes.”
“So, you’re okay now?”
“I wouldn’t say that I’m completely over this. I still need a little time. ” She chose her words carefully. “But I also know that I still love you, and that you love me the same way. So, let’s just forget all about that and enjoy the dance, shall we?”
Allan nodded wholeheartedly. Two days apart had felt like eternity.
The current music came to an end, and something Allan recognized as a style of ballroom dance music started playing. Grinning, Allan whispered into Fluttershy’s ear. “Wanna try something new, and possibly so outlandish that the nobles have a collective freakout?”
“Oh, um…..okay?” Though she was confused, she was also intrigued. “What do you want to- eeep!”
Alan's magic heaved her up on two legs, as he quickly adopted the stance too, using his forelegs to support her. Several nobles watched in horror, confusion, or even a little amusement here and there, many gasping out of reflex.
He gripped her barrel with his left foreleg, and held her left foreleg out with his. “You follow my lead this time.” He murmured, getting a blushing nod.
As the music began again, having faltered at the bizarre sight of the two dancers, Allan began the dance properly, stepping forward, as Fluttershy instinctively moved back. His next two steps reversed his movement twice,  and he stepped in time to the music and his partner, beginning to stride around the cleared area of the dance floor, and reveling in how all the stuck up nobles were all red faced and either angry, confused or entertained.
Allan stretched out his foreleg, inviting Fluttershy into a twirl, which she accepted with some hesitance. He rotated his hoof around hers, causing her to gracefully spin in a pirouette that was impossible on all fours. When she thought he was finished, he grinned again, and pulled her twirling form towards him, so that she fell down into his waiting foreleg, wings flared from the surprise. While her face was still red, she was starting to laugh, enjoying the new experience. She was completely unaware of all the ponies staring open mouthed at them, which was exactly what Allan intended.
A quick motion brought her back up onto her hooves, and both Allan and Shy started to dance now, playing off of one another, lost in the night’s revelry. Allan became aware of several  cheers and whistles coming from where he had last spotted their friends, and he flashed them a quick grin. Fluttershy twirled about, and Allan mirrored her movement, as they stepped to the beat, which picked up in response to the dancers. The quickened pace led to them spinning and revolving around each other, bracing their forelegs against one another as they occasionally switched directions.
They continued this as the music grew faster, moving from a quick waltz to a faster dance that more resembled a foxtrot, or quickstep. As Allan adjusted to fit the speed, his steps gaining in tempo, and becoming shorter in stride. Again, Fluttershy learned quickly, her eyes glued on the floor as she observed the changes in style, and made the same adjustments.
Professional it was not, and to any dancer back home, there were a dozen criticisms that could be made. They stumbled and tripped several times, but they didn’t care. To Allan and Fluttershy, in those minutes, it was nothing short of fun.
Allan sensed the crescendo building, and Fluttershy picked up on what he wanted to do, though not entirely. She pirouetted away, coming to a stop opposite of where his own spin took him. They nodded, hooves tapping a quick drum beat on the tiles as they moved swiftly together, where Allan used her momentum to send her upwards, his magic giving her a boost as she soared upwards, into a graceful back flip that had him catching her in his hooves. Only, as she started upwards, Allan burst into a brilliant, multi-colored flame, which shedded his disguise and gave Fluttershy the appearance of bursting up out of a fire made of rainbows.
Some screamed, some cowered, while others cheered, and Allan paid no mind of any of them, eyes only on the pony who dropped into his waiting hooves. Damn, had that been fun! Fluttershy seemed to agree, still laughing from the experience. She wrapped him up in a hug, and gave him a quick kiss to the cheek.
“We should do that again!” She declared. It was only then she noticed all the stares. “Oh… uh, Allan?” She whispered. “They’re all staring at us.”
“Let ‘em.” Allan whispered. “Right now, I don’t care.”
“Fillies and Gentlecolts!” Celestia’s voice boomed over the crowd. Each and every pony in the room turned to see both Celestia and Luna striding towards them, dresses and manes flowing as they regally approached the crowd. “I have a few announcements to make! First off, I would like to announce the defeat, and deposition, of the changeling Queen, Chrysalis!”
The crowd murmured in shock, awe and disbelief. Even though the area around him and Fluttershy was clear, Allan easily caught snippets of conversation.
“That evil old nag’s gone?”
“She’s gone? Just like that?”
“It’s a miracle!”
“Huh, now we just gotta get rid of the rest of them.”
“Celestia damn her to tartarus.”
Mixed reviews, really.
“Immediately before her deposition, the changelings underwent a dramatic societal revolution, and experienced an event unlike any other. They transformed.” Celestia continued her explanation, and upon bringing up the changelings, nodded towards Allan, a silent signal. He smiled confidently to his dancing partner, and slipped free of her hooves.
A whispered: “Good luck.” graced his ears. Allan smiled.
Taking a deep breath, Allan walked towards Celestia, and the crowd parted before him.
“I am honoured to re-introduce, Bronze Ryder!” Celestia winked at him as she said the name, and Allan couldn’t help the gratitude welling up in his heart. At least he could keep some part of his name. “Bronze is the first changeling to officially be welcomed into Equestria as a citizen since the metamorphosis of the changeling race. He has already agreed to act as an liaison between our two peoples, and he is also a rather unique case, as he was caught up in the confusion of Chrysalis’s escape. I’ll let Bronze explain his origins, personally.” She turned with an encouraging smile. “Go on, Bronze.”
Allan gulped, legs moving on autopilot, carrying him in front of the crowd. His eyes sought out his friends on instinct, and the familiar faces brought great comfort to him.
“H-hello, everypony.” His voice wobbled, before he managed a nervous chuckle. “Whoops, sorry about that, I’m a bit nervous.”
Dead silence. Ouch. Okay, whatever, just get going.
“I should start off at the beginning….”

****************************


“That speech was one of the hardest things I ever did. Period. I started by explaining how Chrysalis evaded capture, how she came to earth, attacked me, and how I ended up going through the portal. I explained my relationship to my friends, initially excluding my more….ahem, intimate relationship. 
	Nopony spoke, or interrupted…..not until the end.”

*************************


“…..researching a way to get back to earth and stop Chrysalis from hurting anyone else-” Allan was cut off midway through him explaining recent events, as per Celestia’s request, by a very pompous sounding voice.
“This is obviously a deception!”
Celestia’s gaze immediately narrowed, focusing on the area the proclamation had come from. “If anypony has something to say, then I request they make their way before my sister and I!”
When the stallion stepped forth, Allan wasn’t surprised. He looked every inch the pampered noble. Immaculate blonde hair, pristine white coat, and a polished horn, as well as high end clothes and an air of superiority.
“Prince Blueblood.” Luna said, quite coldly. “You accuse this changeling of deception. Hast thou any proof?” Luna did not ask, she commanded.
“He is a changeling, your highness.”
“And you believe that proof enough to denounce him?”
“His story is ludicrous!” Blueblood cried. “How are we supposed to believe he comes from another world? It is a poor attempt to trick us, but an attempt nonetheless!”
The other nobles were nodding in agreement. Allan gulped. He shouldn’t have come.
As the other nobles started to angrily call out Celestia for trusting a changeling, Allan conceived of a flaw in their argument. One big, whopping, major flaw.
“Thorax was trusted enough to live in the Crystal Empire!” He cried out, catching the attention of the nobles. “Why am I any different?”
Blueblood sputtered, trying to come up with a reason the nobles would accept. Allan wasn’t going to let him voice that reason.
“Why is it okay for a Changeling, who was welcomed after the testimony of a single, young dragon to stay there, but it’s bad for a Changeling vouched for by four Princesses, a Prince, and a sizable group of respectable ponies to live in the same country?” The nobles looked about at each other, debating. “If I wanted to do anything bad, I’d already have had ample time to! Or did you miss the fact that I’ve been here for two months and done nothing to hurt anypony?”
The nobles were floundering, the accusations having lost much of their weight.
“Oh, bravo, my boy, bravo!” Came a familiar voice. A flash of light later, and an errant Draconequus was hanging from his neck, like an oversized scarf. Despite how terrified he had been when they first met, Allan found the Draconequus far less intimidating, and he could barely sense Discord’s power. “A round of applause for Bronze!” If there was anyone more suited to taking the attention off of anypony, it was Discord. The nobles sure seemed wary of him, especially how chummy he was being with “Bronze”. The draconequus lifted the Changeling up in a big bear hug, grinning ear to ear. “You deserve it! With that little speech,  you just opened the door for so much change!”
Twilight rolled her eyes at the Draconequus, who was looking very pleased with himself for some reason. Blueblood stepped up, a scowl on his face. “As if you’d ever care about how pony society changes, for better or worse,” He glanced meaningfully at Celestia then, who did not visibly react. “You only ever get involved for your own amusement!”
“Oh, contraire, my good Prince.” Discord said, suddenly right next to Blueblood, wearing a patchwork tuxedo and pajama bottoms. “I care immensely.” Confused mutterings echoed through the room. Why would the Spirit of Disharmony care about the development of pony society? Allan sighed, and patted Discord’s lion paw with his hoof.
“Discord? Could you, you know, put me down?”
“Certainly!” Discord replied, putting Allan back on all four hooves…….on the ceiling.
It was Alan's turn to scowl up…..down? At the Draconequus.
“Oi, put me the right side up, at least.”
“No. I put you down, just like you asked. You just never specified what surface you wanted to be put down on.”
“Discord. I’m not sure if your jumbled, disorganized asylum of a brain can actually understand simple thought structure, but listen to me. I’m in a relationship with Fluttershy.” There were several gasps, and even more whispers, but Allan wanted down, and he wanted it now. “I will not hesitate to sic her on you.”
Fluttershy shrank behind her mane as the nobles turned to stare at her.
“And why should I be concerned?” The Draconequus asked, picking his teeth with his largest fang.
“I’m pretty sure, if I asked,very nicely, and showered her in kisses and affection, she’d cancel your Tuesday tea sessions.”
Discord gasped, coughing and spluttering as the letters for the word “over my dead body” came tumbling out of his mouth, where they landed on the floor, grew legs and ran off. Once he caught his breath, he fixed Allan with an evil glare. “You wouldn’t.”
Allan became very interested with his right hoof, lifting it off the floor and lazily inspecting it. “I might, and I might not. What’s it worth to you?”
“You play a big game, Ryder.”
“You started it.”
“Fine. I’ll put you back on the ground.” Discord snapped his fingers, and gravity reasserted itself, causing Allan to fall some twenty feet back to the floor ad of the ballroom. Alan's wings snapped out through two ingeniously concealed holes in his suit, and a quick burst of flaps got him reoriented upright and allowed him to land without injury. The Draconequus looked grumpy. “Happy? All in one piece?” The Draconequus asked, snidely.
“I’m still breathing, yes.” Allan said, cheerfully. “It was great doing business with you.”
The Draconequus rolled his eyes….around his head, before they fell back into their sockets. “Whatever. I have better things to do than harass you.”
Allan smirked. “Like what?”
“It doesn’t concern you.” The Draconequus waved him off with a flapping hand, which flew off of it’s own accord after a few moments. “What I do with my own space is my business.”
Allan felt the gears in his brain stop turning for a moment as they caught the bizarre word choice in Discord’s statement. “Don’t you mean time?”
Discord raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “It’s all relative.”
More confusion. “Time and space?”
“And dimensions. Mustn’t forget those.”
“....You’re so weird.”
Discord just grinned a him. “Well, I have to be staying. Nothing to do, after all. Ta ta!” His snapping talons were followed by a flash of light and a distinct lack of Draconequus.
“But didn’t didn’t he just say….?” One noble dared to ask.
Twilight and her fellow Princesses just exchanged knowing looks before Celestia chuckled. “Discord has little regard for rules, including those regarding consistency.”  The nobles intelligent enough to actually understand the meaning of consistency nodded in understanding, and all the others nodded anyway, trying to impress the Princesses. “Well, now that that’s over, let us continue the festivities. This is a party, after all.”
“Indeed, sister!” Luna agreed, heartily. “Though, I would ask that I talk with emissary Bronze in private. I have a proposition for him.”
“Of course Luna, if mister Ryder agrees.”
Luna turned to look at him, a smile in her eyes.
“Of course.” Allan bowed, bending one foreleg and lowering his front half in a sign of respect. “I won’t turn down such a request.” To be honest, he was accepting for a reason other than fondness for Luna. He wanted to get away from the party. “Might I request that Lady Fluttershy join us?”
Luna smiled wider. “I have no objections, emissary Bronze.”
Fluttershy quickly moved to his side, and the three left the party behind, traveling to a balcony that overlooked much of the castle grounds. The moon was glowing brightly, and as it always was in Equestria, it was full. Luna looked far more comfortable it here, under it’s light, and Allan had to agree with her. It did feel nice. Fluttershy seemed to be enjoying the much quieter setting as well.
“Allan, I have a proposition for you.” Luna repeated, though this time, her officious tone was gone, replaced with one far more open and warm. “I have been considering this for some time, since the first time we met in your dream, in fact.”
Allan nodded, listening intenty.
”When you dream, the results are far more clear and lucid than most should be. Whether this is something brought about by your bizarre situation, from your human origins, or from your new Changeling abilities, I do not know, but I do know what it means.”
Allan and Fluttershy looked at one another, wondering where Luna was going with this.
“Before my banishment, I had trained many of my own guards in the art of dreamwalking, and each one was chosen because they possessed the same qualities. They were kind, considerate ponies who were also brave and dependable. Most importantly, they all had very clear dreams. Now, the art is gone, as none of my guards ever passed their knowledge on after my disappearance. I’d like to rebuild what once was.” Luna looked wistfully into the night sky and the myriad of twinkling, shimmering silver stars high above. She seemed sad, maybe even guilty. “Lately, I have become aware that even an Alicorn such as myself cannot safeguard every dream at once. Try though I might, there are still those that slip through the cracks and are buried amid the masses.”
The lunar diarch turned back to them, her eyes boring into Alan's. “You have displayed many of the qualities I looked for in my knights. If you are willing, I would like to take you on as my own personal student, so that I may teach you the art of Dreamwalking, and much more besides.”
Allan was speechless. His mouth hung open, and his eyes were wide. Luna wanted him as her student. His hooves itched. His wings buzzed in odd bursts. He closed his mouth, licked his lips. Was he hallucinating? Had somepony spiked the punch? He’d only had one cup! He had to be hallucinating. Auditory hallucination was a thing, right?
“Uh…..come again?”
“I wish to teach you how to dreamwalk.”
“Um, the bit before that, your highness.”
Luna chuckled. “I assure you, my friend. You did not mishear me.” She reached out and tilted his head, so that they were eye to eye.up with with the feathers of her right wing. “I wish for you to become my student. You show great potential. It would be an honour to teach and train you.”
Allan was speechless. Luna chuckled at his hesitation. “You are not the first who had this reaction. I am told that many of Celestia’s previous personal students shared this reaction.”
“But….why me? Aren’t there loads of your guards that would qualify?” Allan asked.
Luna glanced aside, looking a little guilty. “I must admit, there is a selfish reason for asking you, and not somepony else.”
“Really?” Fluttershy spoke up, curious. “Well, what is it, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I still feel rather…. lonely. “ Luna admitted. “If I am to have a student, I would much prefer to have a student who would be willing to converse with me like a normal pony would. A guard would still be far too formal with me for my tastes. I’d much prefer a friend.”
Allan felt a quite proud that Luna considered him her friend. Well, why not? He’d get to learn magic, and as the current liaison for the Changelings, it would make his job easier, learning about Equestria from Luna. It was a win-win.
“Of course, I know you are no doubt going to return to Earth once you’ve solved your problems, so I understand if you say you don’t-”
“I accept.”
It was Luna’s turn to be shocked.
“You….accept?”
“Yes. I made a decision when we found the second portal. I’m staying in Equestria. Even if a ‘cure’ for my condition is found, I won’t take it. Since I’m staying, that means I have a lot to learn about this world. Who better to teach me than my friend, Princess Luna?”
Luna’s face immediately broke into a great smile, and Allan found himself being crushed by a huge bear hug.
“OH, DEAR FRIEND!” Luna’s shouted, relapsing into her ‘Royal Canterlot Voice’. “THY HATH MADE ME SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY?”
Allan winced, rubbing his ears with a hoof, before letting out a dizzied laugh. “Hehe, yeah. I noticed…….ow.”

**********************


The cars came to a stop outside the abandoned building, almost at the same time. Anna and Katherine climbed out of their respective vehicles with trepidation, and looked at the third car, which belonged to John.
The young African American and his Russian friend, Mike clambered out, looking concerned.
“Hey guys.” Anna greeted. “Hope you guys are doing okay.”
“I was, until you said you thought something was wrong with Allan.” Josh replied, mouth drawn into a frown. “So tell us what’s wrong.”
“Yes, please do.” Mike said, frowning.
Anna and Katherine looked at each other, nodded, and began to explain.
“It started when I went to see Allan in the hospital……..”

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