//------------------------------// // Canterlot Part 2 // Story: The Train Ride // by Snuffy //------------------------------// “Herman Anderson,” the receptionist called out, “it’s time for your meeting with Captain Armor.” Herman looked up from the economic newspaper he’d been reading, then rose awkwardly from his chair. He was the only one present in the lounge, as Spring had gone to report to her superiors, but she had promised him that they would meet up later. “His office is on the fourth floor, hallway B, it’s the one furthest down to the left,” the receptionist continued when Herman approached her desk. “The elevators are just down that way.” She pointed down a nearby corridor. “You can’t miss them.” “Thank you, miss,” Herman said and gave the receptionist a confident smile. “If you need any help, just ask one of the guards,” she replied, returning the smile. “I would help you along, but I’m not allowed to leave my post.” “That’s quite alright,” Herman said, walking past her desk and into a hallway lined with different offices, each sporting a golden sign describing what function it served, and one that was called ‘Head of Changeling Affairs’ stood out from the rest. The elevators were like the receptionist had said, impossible to miss, as they were situated at the very end. What Herman didn’t expect, once he opened one of the elevator doors, was to find a young Royal Guard with a red hat standing inside. He was a white pegasus with a blue mane that barely looked old enough to be called a stallion, and the armor around his chest didn’t seem to fit correctly. He was apparently an elevator operator of sorts, something that had gone extinct around the time Herman had been a young man himself. “Good afternoon,” Herman greeted him, then walked into the elevator to stand next to the stallion as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “Fourth floor, please.” The young adult, however, didn’t move, and just stood there with his mouth open looking out of the elevator. “Fourth floor, please,” Herman repeated, trying to sound casual, but after a minute had gone by, he gave the pony a light nudge with his boot, which surprised the pegasus so much that he violently flapped his wings, causing some of the feathers to fly loose in the air. “Oh, I’m sorry, sir,” the pegasus said, while attempting to take a more serious pose, then used his mouth to pull the lever on the ground that controlled the speed of the elevator. “Aren't you supposed to close the door first?” Herman asked, still trying to sound friendly. “Oh, sorry,” the pegasus said and rushed forward to shut the gate. “I’m sorry about this.” “That’s quite alright,” Herman replied. The pegasus shuffled back to the lever, bit the end with his teeth, then pulled it to the right. The speed was slow, and the pony fidgeted with his wings nervously next to Herman. “Aren’t you a bit young to be a Royal Guard?” Herman asked, looking down at the pegasus. “The first day at work, sir,” the pegasus replied, stammering slightly. “I joined the same day I was of age.” “Ah, the first day at work is always interesting,” Herman said, and chuckled to himself, then noticed how the elevator went past the fourth floor and into fifth. “I think you missed it.” “Oh!” the pegasus exclaimed, then quickly switched the lever to reverse. The quick change in motion caused the whole thing to make a loud noise and rumble violently. Herman had to reach out to the walls to keep himself steady, while the pegasus struggled with the controller in his mouth. It took a few attempts, but he managed to get it under control and made it stop at roughly the same height as the fourth floor. “Sorry, sir,” the pegasus repeated, then opened the elevator gate. His face was bright red and looked like he wanted to use his wings to hide his face. “Please, don’t tell my superiors that I messed up so badly.” “It’s fine,” Herman grumbled and exited the elevator on shaky legs. “First day at work and all that.” The pegasus apologized a third time, then shut the gate behind Herman. Shaking his head, Herman headed for the hall marked with a B. A few other Royal Guards were walking around, mostly carrying paperwork between offices, but he decided it was best to ignore them and pretend that him strolling around the building was perfectly normal. Hallway B had a guard posted outside, but since the guard just stood gaping, Herman walked past him and continued until he got to the last office to the left with a nameplate that said Captain Shining Armor in golden letters. Herman was halfway between knocking when he suddenly stopped and realized that maybe he should have talked to the guard outside first. Odds were high that the guard was stationed there to check and announce visitors before they could enter, but Herman decided that the damage was already done and gave the door a few firm knocks. “Come in,” a voice inside called. Herman opened the door, then immediately found himself looking down at a purple crystal pony wearing a set of silver armor. Past the guard, he recognized Shining Armor sitting behind a large desk. Both ponies became unresponsive as soon as they saw him, so, deciding that fortune favors the bold, Herman moved past the bewildered crystal guard, and walked straight up to Shining Armor and extended his hand. “Greetings, my name is Herman,” he said, with all the confidence he could muster. “Hello,” Shining Armor replied, as if on autopilot, then extended his hoof so that Herman could shake it. “How did you…” “How did I what?” Herman asked, then sat himself down without permission on the chair opposite the stallion. “You summoned me here for a meeting, Captain.” “Wow, okay. Hold on for just a minute,” Shining Armor said, looking between Herman and the crystal pony. “The door opened, then suddenly you're right in front of me.” “Is anything wrong, Captain?” Herman asked, suddenly feeling foolish for attempting such a stunt. But he had committed himself, so all he could do was to act cool and hope it didn't backfire. “No, nothing,” Shining Armor continued, shaking his head lightly. “Corporal Shard?” “Uh, yes, sire?” the purple stallion answered. “Would you close the door?” “Yes, sire.” Herman heard the door close behind him. “Okay, I think we should do the introductions one more time,” Shining Armor said, while using his magic to levitate all the papers from his desk into a single stack, then floated it into a cabinet behind him. “My name is Shining Armor, and I believe you are the human, Herman Anderson. Correct?” “That is correct,” Herman agreed, partially distracted by the chair he was sitting on. Like most pony chairs it was way too low for him, and even if this one had a backrest, the poor placement actually made it worse. “How did you know what I was?” Shining Armor once again lit his horn, using it to open one of the drawers on his desk. He took out and placed a paperback right in front of Herman, who immediately recognized the writing on the first page, and knew the what the title said without needing to read it. Life Between Worlds: by Herman Anderson “I see you have my memoirs,” Herman said and looked up at the white stallion wearing a set of purple armor with a star on the chest. He remembered seeing that symbol twice before, the first hanging from a banner at the castle in Ponyville, and once more on one of the estates they had passed outside the palace. “Yes,” Shining Armor said, then pushed it towards Herman. “They were sent to us from a publisher, who had concerns about some of the content.” Herman glanced down at his memoirs but had only a vague idea what the Captain could be referring to, so he merely sat straight and tried to look patient. “I wrote about many things in my memoirs, Captain,” Herman said and tapped it twice with his finger. “You’ll need to be more specific.” Shining Armour hesitated for a moment, and Herman could tell that the stallion had been sizing him up. “Truth be told,” Shining Armor began, now looking slightly uncomfortable. “I didn’t believe a word in that book.” “Yet here I am,” Herman noted, folding his arms. “Well, you see,” Shining Armor continued, now looking a bit embarrassed. “There was a chapter in it that was rather disturbing, and so serious that we had to make sure it wasn’t true.” Herman waited for him to continue, and was now actually annoyed that they didn’t seem to have any legitimate reason to have called him here from half a country away. “Go on.” The memoir was levitated into the air, then flew over to Shining Armor who opened it. “Chapter four,” Shining Armor said, then began reading from the book. “'My hypothesis of the similarities between our two worlds.'” Herman remembered that chapter had mainly focused on his thoughts that nearly all life here originated from Earth. There were a few examples and speculations about the differences between the animals, but nothing that should be too condemning. “I vaguely remember that chapter,” Herman said, then turned his head to see what the corporal behind him was doing, but the crystal stallion was simply standing at ease near the door. “Please, tell me what bothered you so.” Shining cleared his throat and ran his hoof down the paragraphs until he reached the one he was looking for. “Ah,” Shining Armor said, then let the book down on his desk again. “It says here that ponies have a symbiotic relationship with humans.” Herman knew the phrasing had been disingenuous at best, but it was technically correct in evolutionary terms. Horses became a hugely successful species after being tamed by man. “You believe my ancestors came here the same way you did, through some divine intervention or magical phenomenon,” Shining Armor said, with a neutral expression. He wasn't quite able to meet Herman's stare without averting his eyes, so instead, he focused down on the memoirs. “That the magic in this world likely changed their offspring into three tribes, and also made ponies equal to the humans they had lived alongside.” “That is the short version, at least,” Herman said, knowing that a historian from back home would likely tear out their hair if they ever read this. “There were other species and plants as well.” “Yes, you spent a great deal of time on that,” Shining Armor noted while furrowing his eyes. “There is a serious problem with this scenario.” Herman wasn’t quite sure what he meant. The stallion had already admitted he didn’t believe anything in the story, and there wasn't much Herman could do about that. The theory had no proof, and would almost exclusively make sense for someone that remembers passing between worlds. So far at least. “If you believe my story is false, then what problem could there possibly be?” “Because,” Shining Armor began, then took a deep breath before continuing. “What you say sounds like a children's fairytale, but if you scrape away the fantasy, there might be something real behind it. You mentioned portals between worlds.” “I did.” “Everypony knows that traveling between stars is impossible,” Shining Armor said, still not facing Herman. “There is simply no magic strong enough to pull off such a feat. Yes, a powerful unicorn can teleport vast distances, and there are ways to travel through select gateways into Tartarus or Discord's chaos realm, but all those places are deeply anchored to our world. Teleporting something just inside our solar system would take an immense effort, but between the stars? Impossible.” “Yes, you've already made it clear you didn't believe in it,” Herman mumbled. “Herman, what I’m saying is it's impossible for you to be an alien,” Shining Armor concluded. “Which means your people must live on an undiscovered continent somewhere.” Herman was about to give a rebuttal, but the prince held out a hoof. “Let me finish,” he continued. “Something worried us deeply when we tried to make the puzzle fit. You claimed that ponies and humans worked together, but it's often mentioned that humans are the dominant species. “Continue,” Herman said when Shining Armor made a pause to gauge his reaction to the story. “Herman, we suspect that your kind has enslaved ponies, our kin, from wherever you come from, and you have to realize that slavery is something we cannot tolerate. Too often have others tried to subdue our kind into servitude.” All the pieces came together in Herman's mind, and he couldn't stop himself from laughing at the absurd situation. Parts of him were annoyed at himself for not predicting this, and he supposed he had only himself to blame. He had known from the start he should have waited a few more years. He knew one of the reasons for publishing now was because he felt that his time was running short. “Uh, Herman?” Shining Armor asked when Herman's laughs eventually turned into light coughing. “You okay there? Can we get you some water?” “I'm fine,” Herman said, once he'd calmed down. “I think I should set the story straight.” “Please do,” Shining Armor agreed, then levitated over a quill and ink with some paper to take notes with. “This is why my colleagues and I decided to call you here, after all.” “Next time, I’d prefer it if you sent me a letter,” Herman scoffed. “If our suspicions were true, we couldn't risk you going into hiding. Now, you were about to tell me something.” “I was,” Herman replied, but hesitated how he would go about it. Should he try and convince him of the truth, or back down to make this go away quicker? “What I wrote is the truth as I see it, but I can assure you there exists no distant land where humans are enslaving ponies. That part is all a big misunderstanding.” Shining Armor remained silent and had barely written a word on the notepad. Instead, he rotated the quill in his magic, while exhaling loudly from his nose. The stallion seemed both bored and slightly annoyed. “I have no idea what to make of this,” he mumbled and put the quill down. “All I care about is one thing, are there or are there not, ponies being kept as slaves where your people live?” “There are not,” Herman said, as honestly and confidently he could. Keeping domesticated animals as pets would hardly be considered slavery by his standards. Shining Armor studied him for a while, then levitated a globe from a side bench over to the desk. Herman glanced at it for a few moments and could make out Equestria and neighboring countries, but the majority of the map was merely greyed out. “Could you point on the globe where your people live?” Shining Armor asked, and floated the orb over to Herman’s side of the desk. “We would like to verify it for ourselves.” Herman spun the globe around twice, but he already knew that there would be no resemblance to Earth. “I don’t recognize any landmarks on this globe,” Herman said, truthfully, then pushed it back to Shining Armor. “Something sent me here against my will, and I simply woke up on the outskirts of Equestria.” “Alright then,” Shining Armor continued, putting the globe back. “It doesn’t look like we’re getting anywhere. You still claim that what you’ve written here is true, but do you have any evidence to support it? That you’re somehow an alien with mind-bending powers?” Something clicked for Herman then, and he realized that there was a way to show him. He remembered when Spring and the rest had been in his kitchen yesterday, and how they reacted when he had first entered the room. It had been his very first interaction with a trained soldier, and judging by their reaction at the time there existed something he could exploit. “I think I know a way to demonstrate my abilities,” Herman said, and briefly looked behind him at the crystal guard pony. “If I have your permission.” Shining Armor seemed taken aback by that and shuffled a bit nervously on his seat. “I’ve had awful experiences with hypnosis,” he complained. “Don’t worry, it will only be a demonstration,” Herman continued, looking back to Shining Armor. “There will be no magic involved, and I can promise you that. You just need to play along.” Shining Armor sighed, then addressed the guard behind Herman. “Corporal.” “Yes, sire,” Corporal Shard answered. “If something seems amiss I want you to step in, understood?” “Uh, yes, sire.” “Okay,” Shining Armor said, then took a few deep breaths. “Convince me.” “Firstly,” Herman began and pointed at one of the filing cabinets. “Do you have any documents about recent changeling arrests?” “I do,” Shining Armor replied, a bit hesitant. “There has only been one these last two months, and it came in yesterday.” “Could you take out the file containing the case? It will be important for my demonstration.” The stallion didn’t comply at first, but after a pleading look from Herman, soon relented, and opened the bottom drawer that was filled with documents. He already seemed to know which file to take out, as he quickly picked one from the front row and levitated it over to his desk. “Glitter Wing,” Shining Armor began and opened the first page. “Arrested yesterday for impersonating a pony, currently being held in Dodge City while an investigation takes place. Claims she has never harmed anyone, and that her only wish is to live peacefully among ponies. It says she took part in the invasion of Canterlot only because she didn’t dare to refuse orders.” “Is it within your power to pardon her?” Herman asked, suddenly adding some steel to his voice. “It is,” Shining Armor replied, and narrowed his eyes. “But I won’t, at least not until the investigation is complete.” “Take out the form where you can pardon her,” Herman said as if it was a command. Shining Armor frowned but took out the bottom paper in the file. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I won’t sign a pardon order.” “Take the quill in your magic, dip it in ink, then sign it,” Herman said, then stood up from his chair and rose to his full height. The pony seemed to cave a bit when he looked down at him, and eventually took the quill in his magic, then dipped it in ink. “I did what you asked, but I won’t sign it,” Shining Armor said, and looked up defiantly at Herman, but there were visible cracks in his brave facade. “I gave you an order, Captain,” Herman pressed, then placed both palms loudly down on the desk. “Sign it!” Shining Armor gulped and fidgeted with his eyes back and forth. The quill in his magic shook about uncertainty, but it still floated closer and closer towards the paper. There was a shuffling of armor behind Herman, and he reacted by spinning around while extending his arm towards the pony. “Did I tell you could move from your post, Corporal?” Herman shouted, making his best impression of a drill sergeant he’d so often seen in movies. Corporal Shard froze in mid-step. “Did you not hear me, Corporal? I asked if I permitted you to leave your post!” “No, sir!” Corporal Shard answered, then quickly stepped back to his original position next to the door. Herman turned back to Shining Armor, who still held the quill in his magic while gaping at his corporal. “Didn't I order you to sign that document, Captain Armor!?” “I-I don't,” Shining Armor began, then looked around wildly for somewhere to escape. “I gave you a direct command, Captain Armor! Do you understand?!” “Y-yes, sir,” Shining Armor replied, and lowered the quill closer to the paper. Corporal Shard made another attempt to move, but before he had taken one step, Herman was on him. “Did I tell you could move, Corporal?” “Sir, no sir!” Corporal Shard said, immediately standing at attention. “Is that document not signed yet!?” Herman asked, turning to Shining Armor again. If Herman continued like this, his throat would become hoarse. “N-not yet, sir,” Shining Armor said, holding the quill right above the paper, then spelled out the first half of his name. It was then Herman leaned forward over the desk and snatched the quill from the captain's magic. “I’m sorry for putting you through that,” Herman said, speaking slowly and mildly. “But I know Glitter Wing, and she would never forgive me if I helped her out by cheating.” The room became quiet after that, with both stallions trying to process what had just happened. Shining stared down at the document, and still had his horn lit even though he wasn't levitating anything. Herman decided to sit down again, right before the office door slammed open. “Prince Armor! What's going on in here?” A crystal guard asked, moving into the room. Several more could be heard from the corridor, as there was a massive rumbling of hooves outside. Herman thought to himself that he might have overdone the shouting part. “I’m fine,” Shining Armor replied, once the new crystal guard had reached his desk. Shining Armor looked like he'd just ran a mile, with a few visible patches of sweat on his fur. Herman could hear more ponies filing in behind him, but he decided to remain seated and keep his focus on the Captain. The situation had also taken a lot out of Herman, who struggled to keep his breathing from becoming too audible. “What happened here?” The crystal guard continued, then turned to Herman. “Did you…” The pony stopped dead as soon as their eyes met, and several more ponies were talking behind him. “I heard shouting.” “Is that a changeling?” “I don't sense any magic.” “Should we arrest him?” “Enough!” Shining Armor yelled, and the room immediately fell silent. “Everything is perfectly all right. Things just got a little heated.” Shining Armor turned to Herman. “That was quite the demonstration. It felt like I was back as a recruit, and had accidentally made my sergeant furious.” There was still a shuffling of armor among the gathered ponies, and Herman turned to see six crystal guards mixed in with some Royal Guards standing right behind him, and several more crowding the hallway. He quickly switched back to Shining Armor before he caused any more trouble. “You can all leave now,” Shining Armor said, addressing everyone behind Herman. There were a few disgruntled murmurs, but the newly arrived ponies eventually left the room. Except for the pony who had rushed up to the desk. “That includes you, Lieutenant.” “Oh, uh, yes sire,” the stallion said, after a short pause, then he too left the room. “Sorry for causing such a scene,” Herman said, once the door was shut. “I assume you believe me now.” He was trying to keep his cool, but he had to hide that his hands were shaking. “That’s alright,” Shining Armor said, then frowned down at the documents on the desk. “You knew this Glitter Wing?” “She is my best friend,” Herman admitted. “Oh, I'm sorry to hear that,” Shining Armor said, and placed the documents back into the file, then returned it to the filing cabinet. “Hopefully it will work out when the investigation is complete. To answer your question, yes, I now believe you have an innate power to influence ponies.” “So, what happens now?” Herman asked, and couldn't entirely hide how tired he felt. “Unless you have anything else to say I think we're done here for today,” Shining Armor concluded, after thinking about it for a few minutes. “Wait, what? Just like that?” “Unless you have anything more you want to add, but I can't make heads or tails of what you've just said and done. I will consult with the Royal Sisters.” The captain placed a hoof to his chin. “Maybe Twily has some insight.” Herman didn’t know who that was or what to say, so he just threw his arms up into the air and left the seat. “I’m free to return home then?” he asked. “You're always free to do as you please,” Shining Armor replied while fidgeting in his chair. “But I would recommend that you stay at the hotel for at least another day. The Royal Sisters might want to have a word with you, and, worst case scenario, you could be called back here again if you leave Canterlot.” “Fine, I'll stay at the hotel until tomorrow,” Herman replied, then turned to the door. Corporal Shard still stood guarding it, but when their eyes met, the stallion shifted to stand at attention with his eyes front and chin up. “Should I send you somepony to help you find the hotel?” Shining Armor asked before Herman had left the office. “No need, a friend should be waiting for me in the lobby.” It was the first time Herman had considered Spring to be his friend, but it felt correct for him to call her and the others just that. “Okay, take care out there, Herman.” “Farewell,” Herman replied, then headed out into the hallway. When the door closed behind him, he stepped to the side and leaned back against the wall, then placed a hand on his forehead while he concentrated on taking deep and long breaths. It was still afternoon, but he wanted nothing less than to crawl into a warm, human-sized bed and have a nap. The rattling of armor made it evident that he wasn’t alone, and Herman looked to the side to find two Royal Guards watching him. They had both been part of the group that had barged into the office when Herman had let loose and had no doubt stayed outside to make sure they were nearby if anything else happened, but now they were simply standing there and staring at him. “Gentlemen,” Herman said and gave them a short nod as he moved past, assuming they’d remain like that for a short while. The same guard still stood outside the hallway B entrance, and the pony opened his mouth when Herman came out but closed it again when Herman gave him a daring look. Ignoring everyone around him as he walked through the building, he reached the elevators, only to find out that the one he had used earlier was out of order. There were two more, but Herman decided that he needed to burn away some of the adrenaline, so he made his way to the stairs. The stairwell, unfortunately, lacked a proper handrail, but the spacing between each step was at least generous. He took it one step at a time to make sure he wouldn’t fall or break a sweat, but once back in the lobby, he was surprised to find that Spring was absent. “Mr. Anderson,” the receptionist called, waving a hoof at him. “Yes, miss?” Herman asked, moving up to her. “I have a message for you from Sergeant Spring,” she said, then took out a small piece of paper. “She was called to a meeting and couldn’t be here, but she’ll come visit you tomorrow.” “I understand,” Herman said and scrunched his nose. “I will need directions to the hotel if that’s the case.” “Don’t worry, Spring already thought about that,” she said and pointed with her hoof at a young pony seated on a chair, which Herman recognized from the elevator room. “Recruit Comet will take you to the hotel.” The young stallion rose up and slowly made his way over to Herman, then sat down just in front of him. The red hat he had worn earlier was gone, replaced with an ill-fitting golden helmet, and his blue mane was poorly pressed into a disheveled plume. “I-I’m supposed to take you to your hotel, sir,” Comet said, shying away from looking Herman in the eyes. “You can call me, Herman,” he said, in an attempted soothing tone, then turned to the front door. “Is the hotel far away?” “Uh, no, sir,” Comet replied, standing up on all fours. “The hotel is only a street away from the palace.” “Great,” Herman said, sighing to himself. After saying farewell to the receptionist, he motioned his new escort to take the lead, and the young pegasus eagerly galloped ahead to hold open the door for him. Once outside, the young guard moved to his side as they headed for the palace gate, but the pony seemed distracted by something and kept fidgeting with his wings. They’d barely traveled for a minute before Comet was a dozen yards ahead of him on the road. The pony wasn't the only one distracted, as Herman pondered about the meeting and what the eventual consequences might be. Had this entire trip been a waste of time? What sort of response would he get tomorrow? Was it a mistake to so blatantly display his ability to sway ponies? The answers both scared and excited him, as this could well spark a new chapter in his life, for good or bad. His stay in Rosewood had been pleasant, and he wouldn’t have minded if he had spent the rest of his days there, but this trip had in a sense invigorated his old appetite for adventure. “I’m so sorry!” Comet said, suddenly airborne next to him. “I was thinking about something else, and didn’t realize I had left you behind.” “That’s alright,” Herman said, then cleared his throat, which resulted in him coughing into his fist. “Are you okay?” Comet asked, touching down beside Herman. “Do you need to see a doctor?” The pegasus was getting panicky, looking left to right, as if there would be one nearby “I’m fine,” Herman mumbled, slightly annoyed at the constant concern about his health. “Tell me, recruit. How old are you?” “Me? My fifteenth birthday was four days ago.” Fifteen years. Herman couldn’t quite believe it, but seeing as ponies got their cutie marks at a young age, he wasn’t entirely shocked. It seemed like several lifetimes ago since he'd been that young, skipping school to play basketball on the street against his brother and neighborhood friends. The world from his perspective had been so different back then. “Sir, can I ask you how old you are?” “How old do you think I am?” Herman replied, giving him a wide grin. “I can’t tell,” Comet admitted while craning his neck to study Herman as they continued walking. “Over a hundred?” Herman let out a laugh, not expecting that high a number. Spring had also asked him about his age when they first met, but he couldn’t recall if she had been surprised when he had told her how old he was. The flow of time was something Herman had issues with since coming to Equestria, and the usual measurements never seemed to line up with reality. He didn’t know if it was due to his memory becoming less and less accurate, or if it was simply this world having such foreign seasons and day and night cycles. “I am sixty-nine years old,” Herman answered, after a short pause. “Oh,” Comet said, a bit taken aback. “I had this strange feeling that you were much older.” “Don’t worry about it,” Herman said and looked up at the cloudless sky. There were a handful of pegasi in the air, swishing back and forth, only stopping to take a look around the area, then resume moving to the next invisible checkpoint in the sky. They reached the gate without any incidents, and the guards stationed there let them through without any fanfare, but the main street outside was still as crowded as before. Ponies moved up, down, and sometimes across the road, while a few carriages pulled by stallions were stuck in the crowd. “Spring said we should keep to the side and avoid the crowds,” Comet noted, and pointed at the street to their immediate right, it lined the palace wall with a few tall buildings on the opposite side. “The hotel is right over here, next to one of our stations.” Herman thought he could see which buildings he meant from here, and began walking in that direction. It felt strange to only have the young pegasus at his side when he had been surrounded earlier by seasoned guards acting as if they might be ambushed inside of their capital, but he couldn’t blame them for being paranoid about a species that could change its form. At least, he assumed that was the reason. “You really stand out,” Comet said, referring to a few ponies who had stopped to follow Herman with their heads. Luckily, there were fewer ponies on this street, and the broader distance between each pedestrian prevented any accidental collisions. “I tend to have that effect on ponies,” Herman grumbled and tried to walk a bit faster. He had hoped to have some free time to visit all those quaint stores but assumed the guard wouldn't appreciate it if he unintentionally caused havoc in the streets. Maybe he could return here on another day of the year, when the city was less cramped, now that he knew ponies here who have offered to give him a proper tour of the city. The hotel was a three-story building with white walls and black tiles on the roof, and could likely hold several times as many guests as the inn in Ponyville. Next to the hotel was indeed a guard station, with Royal Guards moving busily in and out of the structure. Herman had nearly made it to the hotel entrance when Comet scrambled ahead to hold the door open for him. He thanked the pony as they went inside, then walked directly to the counter, where two receptionists were chatting. He made his presence known with a polite cough, then let them gawk at him for a while before addressing the left one, a light-brown mare with a dark mane wrapped in a bun. “Hello, my name is Herman,” he said while leaning casually over the counter. “I believe I have a room reserved.” “Oh,” the mare said, then shook her head. “I’m so sorry. Welcome to The Resting Hoof Hotel.” She turned to the other cashier, who was a white and blond unicorn stallion. “Do we have somepony by that name?” “Top floor, 4B,” he answered, after a quick look in a ledger. “It says here you are a human, correct?” “That is correct,” Herman answered, and wondered why that was mentioned. “Excellent,” the unicorn continued, and made a note in the ledger, then took out a key from below the counter. “A Royal Guard was in here earlier and delivered some items to your room, and he described how a human looked and told us that the bed needed an extension.” Herman made a mental note to thank Dusty later and reached out to take the key on the counter. Thankfully there existed places in Equestria that had the common sense to have a lock and key installed on their doors, but he wouldn’t be surprised if most ponies here didn't bother locking it anyways. “I’ll help you find your room,” Comet said after they turned away from the counter. “Lead the way,” Herman replied and followed the pony through the main lobby to the second-floor entrance. There was an elevator present, but Herman shook his head and pointed at the stairs. The young stallion eagerly rushed up the staircase, then sat at the top, ashamed that he had left Herman behind yet again. It was also apparent that Comet hadn’t been to this hotel before as he relied on the directions on the walls to find his way. “Will you be fine from here, Herman?” Comet asked once they’d reach the correct room on the fourth floor. “Yes, thank you for helping me,” Herman said, and patted the pony atop the helmet. “Okay. If you need any help, just ask the staff,” Comet said, smiling up at him. “The Guard owns the hotel, so they'll help you come in contact with the palace, should you need to.” “I will. Take care,” Herman said, and unlocked the door with the key, then gave Comet a final wave before entering the room. “Bye!” Comet shouted, followed by the clip-clop of hooves moving further away. Herman closed the door and locked it, then slowly made his way to inspect the room while unbuttoning his suit and loosening the tie. They had generously given him a business suite, with a big double bed at the center that was thankfully extended as the cashier had said. Against the wall were a workbench and his suitcase resting against a chair, while his overcoat hung on a knob to the side. He went to make sure that the painkillers were still in the pockets, but decided to heed Spring’s warning and not take any. Instead, he completely removed his suit and tie and then went through the arduous task of using a pony designed lavatory. Once he had freshened up in the bathroom, he made his way to the bed and removed his shoes before laying down to rest for a while. It was still way too early to go to sleep, but the meeting with Shining Armor had exhausted him more than he cared to admit, and the bed was incredibly comfy. Herman came awake in the dark and laid there blinking. It took him a few moments to realize where he was, and that he had accidentally fallen asleep with his clothes still on, but there was also the distinct feeling that something had woken him on purpose. And that he wasn’t alone. He looked around the dark room for an intruder and felt his heart almost stop when an ominous shadow moved across the wall opposite of the bed. Realising that someone was at the windows behind him, he rose up and quickly backed away. “Who’s there?” Herman asked, as sternly as possible. But his throat was dry, and his eyes had trouble adjusting to the dark room and the intense moonlight. Then he heard a knocking sound, not from the hotel door, but from one of the large windows. A minute passed that felt like an hour, but his eyes were finally able to see what was out there. It was a pegasus hovering in the air while soundlessly flapping its wings. It was clad in a familiar deep blue armor that almost turned black with the moon as background. He couldn’t quite tell, but it seemed that the eyes behind the helmet glowed faintly red. The pony knocked once more, motioning with its head that it wanted Herman to come and open the window. He had no intentions of doing so at first, but then he remembered where he had seen such an armor design before, so he slowly made his way towards the window and unlocked the latch. The wind took hold of the window, throwing it open as Herman backed away. The pegasus gracefully flew inside, then turned and closed the window behind him. For an instance, Herman thought he had made a terrible mistake until the pony turned and faced him. “Who are you?” Herman asked, squinting with his eyes. “That is not important,” he said, with a strangely archaic accent, then used one of his wings to take out a folded letter from the saddlebag he was carrying. “I bring a message from Princess Luna.” Herman hesitated once more, mostly because the pony's face was partially hidden in shadows. But when the pony extended the letter in his direction, he slowly moved closer and took it. “What’s in it?” Herman asked, looking at the letter in his hand. It was too dark in the room to able to read anything. “Go to the desk, there should be matches and a lamp,” the pony said, speaking in a more friendly tone. “I will remain here in case you need to send a reply.” Herman turned the letter around in his hand once more, then moved back to the desk while still keeping an eye on the pony in the room. Like the pegasus had said, there was an oil lamp with a box of matches. “Take your time,” the pony continued and sat down on his haunches. Not knowing what else to do, Herman took out a match and lit the lamp, then began reading. Herman. I apologize for sending such an unorthodox messenger, but I have my reasons. Your name came up tonight at one of our security meetings, and we discussed your predicament with Prince Armor. We decided that the Crown will make an effort to help you find your home, but so far not even my sister has ever heard of your species. Nevertheless, we have sent out a royal decree to all exploration and trading vessels sailing under the Equestrian flag. Should any ship find or hear about your homeland, they will immediately report so to us, and we will inform you as soon as possible. Lastly, because of the worsening security situation, I ask that you return to your home on the earliest train leaving Canterlot. A guard will be sent to pick you up in the morning with the necessary tickets. We apologize once more for the inconvenience. Luna. Herman read the short message several times over, but it made no sense to him. Had they sent him all this way only to dismiss his claims? Did they believe him to be some demented old man that conjured up fanciful tales for attention's sake? The letter fell on the table, but he wanted to throw it in the trash, then kick over the trash can for good measure. “I take it you’ve read and understood,” the pony said, still observing him. Herman took a few deep breaths, then turned to the pony. “I suppose I do,” Herman said and frowned. The lamp on his desk had helped illuminate the pony's face, and he seemed far less threatening in the light, even if it was hard to make out any coat or mane colors. “If you’re done with the letter, I would like to have it back,” the pegasus said, and again extended a wing towards him. Not seeing a reason why not to, Herman returned the letter, which the pegasus quickly placed in his saddlebag. “Do you wish me to take a message back to Her Majesty?” the pegasus asked, standing up. Herman thought about it but decided that there wouldn’t be any point. “No.” The pony simply nodded. “We have met before, haven't we?” Herman continued and folded his arms while looking down at the pony. The pegasus flinched. “You were in the garden where I met Luna.” “Many of my brethren and sistren wear this armor,” the pegasus said, while slowly backing away from Herman. “I was elsewhere.” “No, you were there,” Herman said and looked him straight in the eyes. There was still a faint red glow in the pony’s pupil, but it wasn’t Herman who shied away first. “How could you possibly know that?” the pony asked, taking several more steps backward. Herman didn’t miss this window of opportunity and moved in closer to the pony. “I know many things,” Herman mused, staring menacingly at the pony as he approached him. “How about you stay awhile?” The pony backed up until he hit the window with his tush, then quickly turned to open it. “I will tell Her Majesty that I’ve delivered the letter,” he blurted while fumbling with the latch. Herman noticed that there was something different with his wings, but before he could comment on it, the pony managed to get the window open, and flew outside without a second glance at Herman. Muttering to himself, he closed the window after the pony. The whole encounter had been ridiculous, but he was at least glad to have managed to mess with the pony for scaring him awake like that. Herman returned to sit down on the bed with both hands massaging his forehead. He was wide awake and judging by the position of the moon; it was around midnight. Not knowing what else to do, he got up again, closed the curtains on all the windows, then undressed. After a quick visit to brush his teeth, he went to blow out the lamp on the desk, then headed to lay restlessly in bed, thinking about the princess and what she had written in her letter.