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// 76 - By the Sun 
// Story: Perchance to Dream 
// by David Silver 
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I awoke in the snug confines of stone. I had collapsed onto a soft place not too long after dinner and was sent to Equestria. Such was my life. I didn't begrudge it. I heard a bell ring. Had I been returned to the castle?

With a firm shake, stone fractured and rained to the ground around me. I was in a small room. There was a table with a rolled and sealed scroll on it. "True Shot," was written on the side, making it clear who it was meant for. I willed the scroll over and unfurled it, breaking the red seal.



Good morning,

I am aware it may not be strictly morning when you awaken. Twilight shared the list of names and marks of the unicorns being kept in your world. Some of these were cases of some notoriety. This resolves what happened to them, but re-opens what should be done about it. Their friends and family are being informed of the fact that they are safe and whole. Of the death... we could at least confirm that they were gone. It was a small comfort, but I thank you for it. I would ask for their body's return, but that was some time ago. Provided it was taken care of in a fashion deemed proper by your people, we will let that lie.
The time for inaction has passed. While the earth-ponies and pegasi are being held in uncomfortable but reasonable conditions, the unicorns' true fate is uncomfortably unknown. This is not an acceptable situation for any of my little ponies. I understand that this puts a great deal of pressure on you. It is no small thing I ask, but it seems clear that to not ask is to fail my people. Can you extract these ponies, return them to Equestria? Working with Twilight, this should be possible.
You need only bring her to them, and she can handle the rest.
Depending on when you awaken, I will be out and about, tending to my ponies, or resting. Feel free to inquire of me to the guards.

Hoping,
Princess Celestia



I set the scroll down gently on the table it had come from as a heavy sigh rolled through me. Doing what she asked would mean becoming an instant criminal, facing punishment unlikely to be gentle. I would be vanished without trial, branded a terrorist and that would only be the start. It would all be illegal, if our country had been working properly, but that protection for the accused had weathered away over the years. Let us trade a little security for a little freedom. Soon we ended up with neither.

Besides that, was it the right thing to do? It was a gut reaction by a worried leader, and those could end up being... poorly thought out. I was sure Celestia meant the best, but meaning the best and doing the best were not always the same. I trotted for the door, willing it open as I reached it. The sounds of a busy castle reached my fuzzy ears as I peeked left and right.

A guard saw me, which was not hard, since he was standing at the very door I was peeking from. "Hello, sir Shot. A Minuette has been looking for you."

I brightened at that. That could be good news. "Oh, great. Where is she?"

"She said she would be at her residence, sir. Do you know where that is?"

"I do, thank you." I dipped my head then broke into a lively trot towards the exit of the castle. An update on her progress could change things quite a bit, and I wanted to hear it before considering Celestia's request further. I emerged into darkness. It was apparently night in Equestria. I considered if I should go to her house anyway. For that matter, why did the castle sound so lively if it was night? I turned to one of the sleepy-looking door guards. "Excuse me, why all the activity so late at night?"

The guard snapped to attention on being spoken to. "An emergency meeting has been called concerning  the lost ponies, sir Shot."

My ears flipped against my head without my thinking about it. I was torn between rushing to that meeting, or seeing what Minuette had learned or found. If I just rushed in there, there was a good chance someone in there would react poorly to my sudden presence, especially at such a  heated and emotional time. I was not a pony, not truly, not where it counted. I decided to let them govern themselves for the moment. "Please tell Celestia that I wish her well, saw her letter, and am checking on things."

The guard nodded and I resumed my trot. I carved a hasty path through the moonlit city, breaking into a full gallop as I went. There I was, enjoying a family occasion while Equestria was suffering. I felt guilty a moment before I slowed a little. Should I be? It was... complicated. Formally, I had no reason to think I owed them much, but... when was life, or emotions, formal? I liked them, even the scared or mean ones. I wanted well for the ponies. Heck, I didn't forget that I had harbored a cross-gender crush on their leader for a while... I wanted them happy. I didn't have to, but I wanted to.

I rapped on Minuette's door with a hoof. "Minuette? Are you there?"

A light came on upstairs. Had I woken her up? I heard things rattling around, some steps approaching. "Coming," came her sweet voice before the door swung open to reveal her mid-yawn. "Truey! There you are. You sure do like to hide at times. Look!" She stepped to the side and swept a hoof back at a small boy, a human boy. "His name's Akum. Say hello, Akum."

Akum was a young, maybe five or so year old asian child. He looked bleary like Minuette, and hid behind her a little, assuming she would protect him from the big stranger, that being me.

Did he speak English? Did... Did ponies speak English? "Hello Akum. Are we saying your name right?"

Akum blinked softly. "You are first to ask. My name is Ah Kum."

It was like Akum, but different, and I imagined that difference was important. I tried saying it correctly. "Nice to meet you, Ah Kum. I am True Shot. Are you alright?"

"I am well," he said shyly, still using Minuette as a shield. "May I go home?"

Minuette reached back and pulled the boy towards her front. "We're working on that, Ah Kum. True Shot here is the main pony in charge of making that happen."

A question came to me. "Ah Kum, do you know what country you are from?"

The boy shook his head a moment before something seemed to come to him. With a smile he reported, "Middle! Middle middle!"

He was Chinese. We had a human, but a Chinese boy was of limited bargaining value with the American government... but it... "There are ponies in other countries," I said out loud.

"Wha?" Minuette hugged the boy against her chest. "You're good with foals, he seems happy now. I'm sorry I woke you up, Ah Kum."

"You are nicest kirin I ever met." He returned her hug. "Miss my parents..."

Minuette gave a powerful pout. "Can we get him home? His folks must be worried sick."

Whereas mine were sleeping a few rooms away, unaware that I was visiting an alien world. "If we can... Is he the only human you found so far?"

Minuette shook her head. "The other girls are still searching. I decided to take Ah Kum somewhere safe and comfortable. Hauling a foal around while we hunted just seemed like an awful thing to do. Then I wanted to tell you about it, but you weren't awake at the moment."

"Probably a good idea." I gave Ah Kum a hopefully comforting smile. "We'll get you home as soon as we can, Ah Kum. Minuette will take care of you until then." At least language was not a barrier. "Minuette, is there anything else I can do to help?"

"Besides get him home?" She tilted her head. "Twilight knows all about crazy portals, maybe ask her?"

She did seem like a key piece in it all. "Shame I can't call her as easily while I'm here as I can while awake."

"You're awake in both places, remember? Speaking of that, don't forget to take a nap." She looked down at the child that had nodded back off in her grasp. "I should get him back to bed. Let me know if there's any news, alright?"

We exchanged waves, and she closed the door. Not long after, the light flicked off and her house was entirely dark. I assumed sleep had returned to them. I was left wondering what to do. I could have gone back to the castle to see if that meeting was still going on. A small part of me wanted a return of my first few days in Equestria, exploring it without much responsibility. Those days had already come and gone.

As an ad-- My thought was interrupted by a soft hiss coming from my left. I glanced towards the alleyway to pick out the shape of a pony snout barely peeking into the gloom of the darkness, not close enough to the streetlamps. "Hey, big, tall, and armed. C'mere."

The voice sounded female. "I have what you want."

I gave a whickering snort. "I doubt that."

"Doubt if you wish." The female took a step free, revealing her tall and slender form. "I've seen what you're hunting for, the hu-mans."

Oh, I wasn't being clumsily propositioned? That was... good. "Who are you?"

"Nopony important." She waved the question away. "Just the answer to your problems. You want the hu-mans, correct?"

I felt a setup coming. "At what price?"

She smiled. Her teeth were just a little sharper, more jagged than I would have assumed. "Straight to business, very well. I don't want much." She approached, each step slow and calculated. I wasn't certain of it, but I had a hunch she was trying to look appealing. My body quietly informed me she was succeeding, but it was a muted effect, with my mind and body still at odds. "Just a friend."

"Friends come in many varieties." I appraised the mare as best I could as she approached. "What sort are you looking for?"

"Oh, nothing too tawdry... Think of it more of a business venture. You have the right ears already bent towards you. I want to whisper a few things their way."

How was it I kept being pushed towards playing an intermediary? I had spent my life being the grease between cogs, but they were often unfeeling cogs, without faces. Rules that didn't care who you were, just how you did things. It felt different when every single step involved an actual thinking person and their opinions, emotions, and ambitions. Try as hard as I might, I would be a diplomat. "Who's ear are you trying to reach?"

"Let's not get mired in specifics just yet. Tonight, we're here about your problems, not mine... Mine can wait just a little while longer." She was nose to nose with me, looking me in the eyes intently. "I can locate half a dozen of the hu-mans for you at a moment's notice, if we have an agreement. All I ask is that you listen. That is hardly an... unreasonable request."

Six people? That sounded promising. She must have seen the hope on my face as her disarming smile returned. "I'm not lying. Just give the word and I'll have them brought where you and your friends can find them."

I wanted some space, and suddenly she was nudged back a few inches. I had pushed her on accident. "Oh, sorry," I quickly stammered out.

She arched a fine brow high. "A stallion with poor impulse control? How delightful... Consider it. I'll return later." She turned to leave without another word.