The remainder of the night, Herman repeatedly woke and fell asleep every hour or so, not remembering where he was or why he was there. In the end, he decided that staying in bed was pointless and rose well before sunrise.
He opened the curtains and let some moonlight into the room, then remembered what a bad idea it was to stand in front of the window in only your undergarments when a fair portion of the local population could fly. Luckily, the city outside was still fast asleep, with only a Royal Guard squad patrolling the otherwise empty streets below.
There wasn't much for him to do at the time, so he took a shower to remove all the sticky sweat that had accumulated during his troubled rest. Afterward, he lifted his briefcase up onto the desk and opened it, then placed last day’s shirt and underwear into a container with the rest of his laundry. There were only two clean shirts left with the same gray color, so he had few options on how to dress, but decided it was time to use his reserve trousers.
Once fully dressed, he went on a scavenger hunt in the barely lit room, looking through all the drawers until he found his prize: a basket of complimentary snacks and drinks stocked away in the closet. The snack bars were a mishmash of different grains and fruit wrapped in brown paper, but some also featured hay and leaves, and his digestive system knew from experience not to overeat the ones featuring grass. After sorting away those he deemed inedible, he returned to the desk to eat in silence.
When he was finished with the makeshift breakfast, he cleaned up, then went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and have a quick shave. Once he felt ready to tackle the day, he packed everything into his briefcase, which he placed against the wall next to the door.
Not having much else to do, he decided to put on his white jacket and see how he looked in front of the mirror in the hallway. Unfortunately, it was designed for ponies, so it was much wider than it was tall, and hung so low that everything from Herman’s shoulders and above was missing. Still, he was pleased with how he looked and decided to have a little private fun by pretending to be John Wayne. He threw one-liners at his reflection while making fancy reloading gestures with an imaginary rifle until he heard the bones in his hip creak in protest — forcing him to sit back down on the bed for a few minutes.
Herman quickly became bored, and the moon outside had just begun its descent. He considered waiting downstairs in the lobby, but odds were high that an employee or a Royal Guard would knock on his door soon to wake him up and maybe even help him prepare for the return journey. So instead he moved the work desk, placing it near one of the large windows, then sat upon it while waiting for the sunrise to spread light across the white marble city.
The frustration and disappointment he had felt yesterday had mostly faded away, and he was relieved to be heading back home. The lumber mill would have to manage without him for a few more days because he would need to visit Glitter Wing in Dodge City as soon as possible and apologize. He would need to ask a guard if prisoners in Royal Guard custody were allowed visitors, but he was confident that he could talk his way through in either case.
The question would be what he should do once this was all settled and done with. Should he try and publish his memoirs again? Would they even publish them?
It was then Herman realized something.
His memoirs were still back in Shining Armor’s office. They must have both forgotten about it in the heat of the moment, but returning to the palace to fetch them was likely no longer an option. He supposed he could ask an employee in the lobby to send a message asking Shining Armor to package his book and send it to his home address.
Herman let out a long sigh, just as he heard someone knock on the door.
“Are you awake, Herman?” a female voice called, and he immediately recognized who it was.
“I’m awake, Spring,” he called back. He was about to rise from the desk to let her in but decided to remain seated when he heard the lock turn and the door open.
“Good morning,” she said, closing the door behind her.
“Good morning, Spring,” Herman replied, still looking out the window. The metal clanks from the hallway told him that she was wearing a full set of armor.
“Oh, you’re already dressed,” Spring said, walking into the dark room. “Why are you sitting on a desk?”
“I’m waiting for the sunrise,” Herman said. “And thinking about the answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.”
“Really? That doesn’t sound so hard.” She walked up to sit on the floor next to him.
“Got a good one?” Herman asked, chuckling to himself.
“Live a good life, love your family and friends, and try to make the world a better place,” she said, without a hint of irony.
Herman couldn’t stop himself from bursting out laughing.
“Hey, what’s so funny?” she asked, then yelped when Herman reached out and gave her a scritch behind the ear.
“You’re too adorable,” he said, locking his arm around her neck just as she tried to veer away, pressing her armored head to his side. “Thank you, Spring, I needed that.”
Spring didn’t struggle or respond, and they sat like that for a short while. “Herman, are you okay?” she quietly asked, while slowly moving away from his hold on her.
“I'm fine,” he lied and released her from his grip. He looked at them both through their vague reflection in the window. “I often get a bad case of melancholy when I sit down and think about these things. It's why I like to keep busy.”
“The princesses will help you find them. They said so.”
Herman had no reply to that.
“I had a late night visitor yesterday,” Herman said while jumping off the bench. “One of Luna’s guards from her garden picnic.”
“The Princess mentioned she was going to send someone,” Spring said, as she helped him return the desk to its original position. “Her guards can be eccentric, and they like to keep to themselves, so you rarely ever see them outside of work.”
“She wrote about some sort of security meeting.” Herman moved to sit down on the bed. “Were you there?”
“Yes, Captain Armor invited me,” Spring said while moving around to check out the room. “They wanted to know my thoughts about you.”
“Now I’m curious,” Herman admitted. “But aren't you here to escort me to the train station?”
“Herman, I’m here to escort you all the way home,” she said, stopping near the same window the pegasus had entered yesterday. “Didn't think you’d be up so early.”
“You must have gotten up pretty early yourself,” Herman noted, and gave her a closer inspection. The plume on her helmet and some of her visible coat still looked slightly damp from showering.
“Early to bed and early to rise makes a mare healthy, wealthy, and wise,” she said, with fake cheerfulness. “Have you had breakfast yet?”
“Just a few hotel snacks.”
“Okay, we could eat on the train or in the lobby,” Spring said while moving to the door and eyeing Herman’s briefcase suspiciously. “There is also a donut store that’s always open down the road.”
“I’m not that hungry, so let’s save it for the train,” Herman replied, following her into the hallway. “We could head out now and wait at the station; I could use some fresh air.”
“Okay, but Herman,” Spring began, still looking at the briefcase. “Could you carry the briefcase? I don't think I can manage both it and my saddlebags.” She pointed with a hoof at a pair saddlebags hanging from one of the knobs. She must have taken them off before she entered the room.
“That won’t be a problem.”
“And I almost forgot,” she said while fishing out his book from her bags. “I brought your memoirs. Captain Armor said you forgot them back in his office.”
Herman let out a sigh of relief when she showed him the paperback. “Thank you. That meeting got so heated that I had completely forgotten about my book until today. But could you carry it in your bags? My suitcase is almost full.”
“Of course,” she replied, returning it to her saddlebag, then gave the room a final check. “You got everything with you?”
Herman went to retrieve his shoes, then put on his overcoat and fedora, while quickly checking the pockets to assure himself the pouch with painkillers was still there. There was a barely noticeable throbbing below his shoulder blades, but he had decided not to take another pill unless it was strictly necessary. “I think that was everything.”
Spring grabbed the saddlebags with her mouth and swung them expertly across her back. “Let's get you back home,” she said and opened the door.
Herman took his briefcase in one hand and followed her outside. She closed the door behind him, and then they walked side by side towards the exit. There was no staff manning the elevator this early, so they had to take the stairs, but Spring was kind enough to let Herman put a hand on her withers so he could use her as a makeshift handrail as they headed down. Once they reached the lobby, they both headed for the reception and returned the keys.
“So, what did you tell the princesses about me?” Herman asked once they were outside the hotel. The street was deserted, and the light from the street lamps was strangely ominous due to the thick morning fog.
“I told them what I knew about you,” she said while keeping an eye on each of the side alleys they passed. “Mainly that you were a good human.”
“I’m glad you think so, Spring,” he replied, as they turned towards the main road. There were a few guard ponies at the gate leading to the palace, but they swung in the opposite direction that leads straight for the West Gate. “My mother always told me never to lie, cheat, or steal. If I ever did so, the Lord would know about it and punish me.”
“Sounds like your local lord was well aware of what the foals were doing,” she remarked, obviously distracted. The fog got more substantial as they moved through the city, and often they could only see the silhouette of a pony. A yawning stallion with a baking cutie mark walked out of the fog from across the street, and Herman could sense how tense Spring got when the pony got close to them.
“How bad is the situation?” Herman asked when the stallion was out of hearing range.
“Bad,” she replied, still scanning their surroundings as they got closer to the gate leading out of the city.
“How come Dusty and Fair Weather isn’t here?” He felt a bit bad that he would have to break his promise to Dusty that he wouldn’t leave without saying farewell.
“They were assigned elsewhere,” she said, sounding troubled.
The moon had dropped below the horizon, while the sun began to illuminate the city. More and more ponies could be seen leaving their homes, but Herman assumed most slept in since it was a holiday.
The West Gate garrison all looked tired when Herman and Spring passed through the large gatehouse. The Lieutenant from yesterday was nowhere to be seen, and he didn’t recognize any of the guards as they blankly gaped at him.
“Will you return to Canterlot as soon as we reach Rosewood?” Herman asked as they walked across the bridge leading to the market square. A few ponies were already setting up their booths and loading them with fresh produce, no doubt to be sold as breakfast to all the visitors. “I would like it if you stayed for a day.”
“Return? Oh,” Spring said, flinching slightly at the question. “No, I will stay.”
“You’re staying? For how long?” Herman asked, genuinely curious. Except for the sheriff's office, there had never been any Royal Guard presence in Rosewood.
“For some time,” Spring said, vaguely. She averted her eyes from him and instead looked straight ahead. “It… was decided upon in the meeting.”
“Spring,” Herman began, switching to hold his suitcase with his left hand, then placing the right on her back as they continued walking. “Is there something you want to tell me? What did you discuss in that meeting?”
“Yes, but not until we’re on the train and moving.”
Her firm tone indicated that she was forcing herself not to talk about it, and Herman knew better than to push her. So he said nothing as they made it into the plaza. The train heading out of Canterlot was already parked at the station with its engine shut down, but he hoped they’d be allowed to board ahead of time.
The boarding platform was mostly empty except for a pair of Royal Guards keeping watch and some work ponies inspecting the train. Spring went ahead to speak with the conductor, then removed two tickets and a fancy parchment that she waved in front of the pony’s face.
Herman stood by himself as the two of them talked. The pair of guards, both unicorn mares, had seen him and were now staring at him with both of their mouths open. There was little he could do about it except smile and give them a friendly wave.
“We can board now,” Spring said, moving up to him, then craned her neck to look at the stunned guards he was waving at. “It's best if we head inside.”
Herman nodded and followed her as she boarded the train until they were all the way back. The rooms were all similar to the two other trains they had used before, and after Herman had tucked away his briefcase, hat, and overcoat, they both took the same seats as when their journey began.
“Can you tell me now?” Herman asked after Spring had made herself comfortable on the other side. She still wore her armor, and Herman doubted that even he could convince her to take it off this time.
“Not until we're outside Canterlot,” she replied but gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry Herman, but I can't tell you yet.”
Herman looked her straight in the eyes, but she remained headstrong and wouldn't let her face betray her emotions, so he merely let out a sigh.
“Is there anything else you'd want to talk about?” he asked.
Spring placed a hoof on her chin while she thought about it.
“Why don't you tell me about your family?” she said, sounding genuinely interested, but her cheerfulness quickly evaporated when she saw how distant Herman's reaction was. “I'm so sorry, forget that I said anything.”
“No, it's quite alright,” Herman replied, placing both hands on his knees. “I would love to tell you about them.”
He began by telling her how he had met his wife in a dancehall when he had been but a young man traveling the countryside. He had never believed that the beautiful blonde girl standing at the bar would have been interested in someone like him, so he had just jokingly given her one of his worst pickup lines. It had caught him totally unaware when she laughed, gave her name, and wouldn't stop talking with him for the entire night out.
When Spring asked him what line he had used, he told her, and she couldn't prevent herself from giggling.
Herman continued with how he and Lena had spent the next week together driving from town to town on his hard-earned bike, and how she had comforted him when they found it stolen one day. Herman was so engrossed in telling the story that he barely noticed the train leaving Canterlot.
He told Spring how they got married half a year later, thanks to Lena’s parents being so carefree and tolerable to the notion of a mixed-race marriage, something that was widely frowned upon in those days. His own family hadn't been nearly as accepting, and as time went by, he had spoken to them less and less.
Spring would interrupt with questions from time to time, mostly asking what a motorcycle was, or why your skin color had anything to do with true love.
Herman explained as best he could, but Spring mostly frowned and said that humans were silly. In the end, she admitted that ponies had acted much the same during the ancient tribal feuds.
They had traveled all the way down the mountain while Herman talked about the time his daughter had been born, and how his wife had insisted she be named after the old Norse god of fertility, of all things.
One of the kitchen staff, a bright yellow stallion with a chef's hat, came by and interrupted his story, asking if they wanted to order breakfast. Spring later explained that she had told the conductor that she was on a mission for the Crown, and would need food delivered to their wagon.
The yellow stallion had done so, bringing them tea and an assortment of sandwiches. Herman didn't stop talking about his family as they ate, and Spring continued to show interest in him recalling his life. She would smile and laugh whenever he told her a funny story about Freja growing up but also sob when he told her about the tough times when both his parents passed away, or how their attempts to have more children always failed.
Time continued to fly as he told her about his life, and he barely noticed that they had passed Ponyville and were well on their way to Dodge City. They had completely forgotten about what had happened in Canterlot, as Spring took the lead and told Herman about her life. How she had so often dismissed potential suitors because she was too focused on Shining Armor, even though she knew deep down that it would never work, and how angry she had been every time her mother had tried to persuade her to find another stallion.
It wasn't until the train made its stop in Dodge City that Herman realized just how many hours had gone by. There were Wild West buildings all around them, and looking further down the road he saw the local Royal Guard office.
“I should go see Glitter Wing,” he said and rose up from the bunk. His back was stiff from sitting too long, even after continually switching between walking and sitting on the return journey. The decision was spontaneous, but he knew it was the right thing to do.
“Wait, Herman,” Spring said, and leaped down to block the exit.
“I need to see her,” he said, looking down at Spring.
“You’ll see her soon, I promise,” Spring said, then placed a hoof on his leg. “But we have to get you home first.”
“Why? What possible harm could there be in visiting her now?” Herman asked, and turned to pick up his briefcase. It was almost midday, and it was already too warm to wear his overcoat, so he tucked it beneath his left arm.
“I need you to trust me on this,” Spring said, her ears laying back as she looked up at him pleadingly. “We have to return to Rosewood first. Please, I promise you it will turn out for the best.”
Herman stopped himself from barging past her, though he doubted he would have succeeded if he tried. Spring stood her ground defiantly, but the longer he looked at her, the more her will faded.
“Fine,” Herman said and sat down his suitcase on the floor. “But I intend to visit her tomorrow.”
Spring let out a sigh of relief, then moved back to her bunk. They said nothing until the train had passed the city limits.
“I think it's time you told me why I was ordered to leave the city,” Herman said, putting both arms on his legs. At this point, he didn't actually care what their reasoning was, as he was content with just returning home.
“Alright, you deserve to know,” Spring began and sat up straighter. “But I want you to keep quiet about this, okay?”
Herman simply nodded. Very much doubting that what she might say would be relevant once they were back on the fringe of Equestria.
“A few of the changelings that had gone over to our side had informed us that Chrysalis was planning something,” she continued. “We do not know what yet, but we believe she lured ponies to travel to Canterlot. That's why the city was overcrowded.”
“How and why?” Herman asked, and scratched the side of his head with his forefinger.
Spring was apparently anxious about the situation, as she leaped off the bunk and began pacing back and forth. “We don't know why yet, but someone has been sending out invitations to hundreds of ponies, telling them to come visit relatives for various reasons. It might be a way to help sneak changelings into the capital or to force the Royal Guard away from the countryside. Captain Armor suggested that they issue an evacuation order for all non-residents in the city, but the princesses waited because they didn't want to cause a panic before they were ready, and that's where you came in.”
“Me?” Herman asked, and pointed at himself.
“You were an unknown that could seemingly influence ponies, so they thought it best that you left before the evacuation order was issued. If we accidentally forced the changelings to make their move, you might be caught in the middle.”
Herman frowned at her explanation, but he was at least a little touched that they valued his safety so highly. He could see the problems with being a completely foreign species in the middle of an assault by shapeshifters. If a Royal Guard decided to tackle him because they believed him a changeling, he would likely break more than a few bones.
“If the situation is so dire, how come they could spare a Sergeant to escort me home?” he asked.
Spring stopped her pacing and turned to him, “I'll tell you when you're back in your home. It's a surprise.”
Herman scoffed at her vague answer but didn't bother with arguing.
The train arrived an hour later in Rosewood, with Spring and Herman as the only passengers. Spring took the lead and beamed back at Herman as they departed the train. Herman didn't know what to make of it but followed her obediently. Once they were out on the platform, she stopped and looked around in confusion.
It was apparent she had expected someone to meet them here, as she swiveled her head back and forth in search of something, but the station was abandoned. Herman also tried to find whatever Spring was searching for, but only a few ponies were walking the streets.
Too few ponies. Most of the villagers were usually working outside at this hour, and especially on such a beautiful day.
“Spring?” Herman said and walked up to stand beside her. “Were you expecting to meet someone here?”
She didn't respond at first, and it was obvious she was concentrating on something else.
“Spring?”
“Oh, sorry,” she said, jumping slightly away from him. “Yes, I expected that somepony would meet us here.”
“Who?” Herman asked, and began walking down the stairs of the platform.
“A colleague,” she said, following closely behind Herman.
“Who? The Sheriff?” Herman would have heard about it if there were any Royal Guards in town.
“No,” she replied and furrowed her brows.
He had never seen her this anxious before, but he assumed it was the hastily planned return trip that had messed up her schedule.
“Should we continue to my house?” Herman asked. “My suitcase is getting heavy. We can come back later and find whoever it is you're searching for.”
“Good idea,” she agreed and walked next to him on the road leading to his home. But as they headed through Rosewood, Herman was surprised to find that the tavern didn't have a single patron seated at the bar.
“Where is everyone?” Herman mumbled. They went past the cafeteria, and he recognized Blue Dive working inside. He was tempted to go and ask the pegasus if something was going on that he was unaware of, but decided that getting home and dragging out more answers from Spring should take precedence. There was likely a perfectly reasonable explanation to why so many were missing; maybe one of the pregnant mares on one of the outlying farms had finally given birth, and the town was there celebrating.
They walked to the outskirts, then followed the dirt path leading to Herman's house. It was a peaceful day, with the sun shining through the leafy forest while the birds called out to one another. Even Spring got less tense as they walked on. They were only a few hundred yards away when Herman noticed something flying above him. Thanks to the sun in his eyes he just saw a dark speck, but it was pony shaped and headed in the direction of his house.
It hit Herman that the townsfolk might be planning a welcome home party for him, but he soon rejected the idea. They couldn't possibly have known he was returning home today. Was it pure coincidence? He supposed it could have been Blue Dive heading for the lake to catch some more fish for his restaurant.
“I think someone just flew towards my house,” Herman said when it was clear to him that Spring had missed it.
“Really?” she said, jerking her head up to the sky. “Where?”
“Whoever it was is gone now, but it’s probably just a friend heading to catch fish at the lake near my house.”
Spring stopped to look up at him.
“Are you certain?” she asked.
Herman simply shrugged.
“Okay,” she continued while scrunching her nose. “Let’s hope it’s nothing, but if something does happen, I want you to run back to town and alert the first pony you see.”
“You believe I have any chance of running away?” Herman asked, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t know what’s going on, but do you really believe that changelings would be after me?”
Spring used a forehoof to kick up some dirt on the road, she was visibly stressed out by the situation and kept a wary eye out for any movements among the trees.
“No, but I have a feeling that something is wrong,” she said, then addressed him in a somber tone. “Herman, I want you to head back to Rosewood and take the first train back to Dodge City. Alert the Royal Guard that something isn’t right here.”
Herman tried to see if she was joking, but her face remained steadfast. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
“No, something doesn’t add up here,” she whispered, moving closer to his side. “We should never have left the station.”
They waited on the road for a few minutes, but all they could hear was the wind and the rustling of leaves. Then he suddenly moved his hand in front of her face and flicked his middle finger on her nose.
“Ow,” she exclaimed, taking a few steps back. “What was that for?”
“You worry too much,” he answered, then continued walking on the dirt road. His house was only around the next bend, and his arm felt strained from carrying the suitcase for so long. “I’m certain everything is fine.”
“Herman, wait,” she shouted and trotted in front of him. “What if the changelings are after you?”
Herman didn’t stop, and luckily she sidestepped before she could trip him over.
“I’m going home, and nothing you say is going to stop me,” he said, as she was about to open her mouth to try and convince him again. “I won’t let your paranoia lead me on another pointless train ride across the country.”
Spring clenched her teeth and seemed ready to yell at him. Instead, she galloped a few yards ahead, and quickly swung her head back and forth, searching for anything suspicious.
Around the next corner, Herman could finally see his house, and everything seemed to be in order. His rocking chair still sat on the porch, and nothing that he could see was out of place or missing as they approached.
“See, nothing is wrong here,” Herman said, as they walked up on the porch. Spring went ahead to peer into one of the windows, while he chuckled at her behavior, then placed the suitcase down on the floor, and took out his wallet from his pocket. Inside he had the key to the door, which he put in the keyhole.
Herman felt his blood freeze. The door was already unlocked, and the only spare key had been in Glitter Wing’s possession. Spring instantly picked up on his distress and scurried to the door, but something compelled him to open it and look inside slowly.
He found nothing unusual, just an empty hallway where everything was as he had left it. Spring went past him, and he slowly followed. She peered into the adjacent living room and instantly went into some kind of attack stance. Herman barely had time to register what happened as she lept out of sight, a voice screamed in surprise in the other room, followed by what sounded like a wrestling match among the furniture.
Herman moved as quickly as he could, stopping himself by placing one hand on the doorway, only to find Spring on the floor, holding a green earth pony in an armlock next to an overturned chair. He instantly recognized the struggling pony.
“Sheriff?”
“Surprise!” a dozen voices suddenly called out, followed by ponies jumping out behind the couch and adjacent rooms. They were all smiling, and someone even managed to throw confetti across the living room, which mostly just landed atop of Spring and the Sheriff.
There was an awkward pause in the room, as the rest of the confetti slowly fell to the ground and everyone switched their focus to Spring manhandling the Sheriff.
“I knew this was a dumb idea,” a stallion grumbled, and Herman recognized the rough voice of one of his co-workers, Woodsy.
“Funny how you never mentioned that before,” a mare said, walking through the doorway leading to the kitchen. It was his secretary, Lemon Cider, who walked up to him and hugged him around the waist. “Welcome back, Herman.” She turned to Spring who still held the Sheriff against the floor. “I see you brought home a feisty mare from Canterlot. You’ll have to introduce us later.”
It took a while for Herman to respond, as more ponies came out of hiding, and more still could now be heard from other rooms. All the workers from the lumber mill, along with their families seemed to be present, and also quite a few other ponies from town. There were even a few foals running in circles around the two adult ponies on the floor.
“How did you know?” Herman asked, addressing Lemon Cider. But the yellow unicorn with round glasses only tilted her head.
“Know what? That you were coming back today?” she said, then turned to look up at the ceiling. “The reason we know is upstairs, and she’s been wanting to talk to you all day.”
Herman blinked, then looked at Lemon Cider for confirmation, who nodded her head in response. He took a deep breath, then made his way through the living room while greeting each pony he passed. Spring was still laying on top of the Sheriff, seemingly too flummoxed to get off him despite his protests, and all the foals present thought they were playing some game when they jumped in to join the pony pile on the floor.
He left Spring to deal with the mess she had created, and headed past the living room and into the kitchen, then up the staircase leading to the second floor. Once at the top, he was confronted by a Royal Guard stallion who he didn’t recognize, but the pony instantly blanked out when they came face to face.
Herman didn’t care who the stallion was because behind him was someone that mattered much more. At the end of the hallway, sitting on a bed in one of his guest rooms, was Glitter Wing.
The beige pegasus smiled and waved a hoof at him when their eyes met. Herman moved past the Royal Guard and through the hallway into the guest room, closing the door behind him.
“Welcome back, big guy,” Glitter Wing said, as soon as the door shut. She stayed seated on the edge of the bed while kicking nervously with her hind legs. The pegasus looked precisely the same as when he had last seen her, but when he got closer, he noticed the dark bags under her eyes, and around both her right hoof and wing was a thin metal bracelet.
“Glitter, I’m so sorry,” he began, but she interrupted him with an outstretched hoof.
“Hey, none of that,” she said and jumped off the bed, then leaped up to hug him around the waist. “It was bound to happen sooner or later.”
He returned the hug by patting her on the head, then gently pushed her away.
“Why are you here? I thought you were being held at the guard station in Dodge City.”
“I was supposed to be,” she explained while fidgeting with the bracelet on her arm. “But something strange happened, out of nowhere a message arrived last night saying I was allowed to wait out my sentence in house arrest. It was signed by Captain Armor and Princess Luna of all ponies!”
Herman flinched when he heard the names and suddenly felt a bit lightheaded.
“You okay there?” she asked, then guided him to sit down on the bed. He objected at first, but she firmly pushed him until he was seated on the edge.
“Did the letter tell you I was coming?” he asked, but he was so winded that he had trouble getting the words out.
Glitter Wing didn’t respond to his question and instead looked him over.
“You’re exhausted,” she noted and motioned at his suit with a hoof. “You need to get out of those clothes.”
Before he could object, Glitter was all over him trying to peel away his suit, even going so far as dragging it with her teeth. He attempted to press her away by pushing with the flat of his hand on her cheek, but she didn't relent until the jacket was off him.
“Roll up your sleeves,” she commanded while placing the stolen white jacket at the back of the bed. “It makes you look good.”
“Yes, Glitter,” he said, and gave her a tired smile. “I’m not dumb enough to disobey your orders.”
“Damn straight you’re not,” she replied, returning the smile. They grinned at each over a for a few moments, then both burst out laughing.
“So, you’re a changeling, huh,” he said, once they had both calmed down.
“Yup, got a problem with that, old man?” she asked, cheekily.
He held out both hands defensively. “None whatsoever.”
They both chuckled for a few moments until the rustle of armor could be heard making its way up the stairs. Glitter Wing went to open the door, and they both peered out to find a flustered Spring breathing heavily in the hallway. Atop her armored back sat a little gray colt, who waved happily at Herman. Spring herself didn’t seem to notice the little hitchhiker.
Spring was about to say something to Herman, but instead snapped her mouth shut, and turned her attention to the guard stallion, who had nearly backed away all the way into Herman’s bedchamber.
“Private,” she said, with her face turning slowly red. “You were supposed to meet up with us at the station.” The stallion gulped and seemed to shrink in size when she moved up to him.
“Sorry, Sergeant,” he began, “but the villagers convinced me to come here.”
Herman anticipated the verbal beatdown that was about to happen, so he walked right up to Spring and grabbed the colt around the waist with both arms, grunting loudly at the weight. He proceeded to walk downstairs with the foal, followed closely by Glitter Wing.
They had barely reached the floor when the colt bolted from Herman's grasp and ran into his workroom. Someone had rearranged all the furniture to the sides before setting up a makeshift dance floor where the foals, and a few young mares and colts, were now dancing to the music of Herman's gramophone. The fast-paced disco beat didn't belong in his collection of records, so he assumed someone brought it with them.
Most of the adults were hanging out in the kitchen and living room, and the two mares who worked at the salon had brought a giant wooden keg filled with hard cider. Ponies stood in a neat queue to get their mugs filled, but Herman had never been much of a cider fan, so he headed into the cellar and brought with him some wine for those who preferred it. Together with Glitter Wing, he spent some time in the kitchen opening wine bottles and talking about Canterlot.
She scolded him when he poured some for himself, claiming that he was in no condition to ingest alcohol. But mostly though, he was happy that Glitter Wing still got along with the rest of the town. No doubt it helped that she didn't shy away from having conversations with anyone that looked at her funny.
He quickly retired to sit down in his blissfully human-friendly sofa, letting out a satisfied groan as his back made contact with the soft cushions. Lemon Cider occupied the seat next to him, and they soon began a long conversation about adding a weekend shift to the lumber mill. As the hours went by, some ponies returned to town, while others just came by to say hello or have a drink.
By the time it was approaching sunset, nearly half of the self-invited guests had gone home, and while Herman stayed on the couch for most of the party, he had noticed something peculiar. Spring and Glitter Wing would often gossip in the corner, and whenever he asked them about it, they jokingly told him it was none of his business. Still, he was glad that they got along.
The party didn’t finish until the middle of the evening, and thankfully most ponies had stayed behind to help clean up before they departed. The only two remaining in his house were Spring and Glitter, as even the guard stallion, who he presumed was here to keep Glitter Wing from running away, had left.
They had all retired to the living room, where Glitter laid on all fours beside him on the sofa, while Spring had taken a seat in one of the pony chairs on the short side of the table. It was getting darker outside, and the only light source in the room came from his fireplace.
“Crazy day, huh?” Glitter said while she stared sleepily into the fire.
“Sure was,” Herman replied, and unconsciously let his right hand rest on top of her back. “You never told me what you two were gossiping about in the corner.”
Spring and Glitter exchanged a glance, then they both turned to him.
“We weren't gossiping,” Spring frowned, but her eyes darting to the side told him otherwise. “You see, I told you earlier today that I’ll be staying in Rosewood. In the meeting with Captain Armor and the Princesses, I volunteered to move here and keep an eye on the two of you.”
“But what about your home and friends in Canterlot?” Herman blurted, surprised by the fact that she was moving here permanently. “I hope you’re not doing this just because you feel guilty for dragging an old man back and forth across Equestria.”
“It was my decision to make,” Spring answered, and furrowed her brows at him as if daring him to debate the matter. “Of course, I’ll need a place to stay. Somewhere that has extra rooms and is close to my charges.”
Her demeanor softened notably after that last part, and she gave him her best puppy eyes.
“I could also use a new place to stay outside of town until the ponies here are more used to the fact that a changeling lives among them,” Glitter said and nuzzled the hand on her back.
Herman gave them both an incredulous look, and when their pleading eyes intensified, he could do nothing but burst out laughing. As he struggled with controlling himself, the two mare's facade began to crack, and they became worried he would reject them.
“Of course you two are welcome to stay here for as long as you want,” Herman said and wiped off his teary eyes with his free hand, once his laughter had subsided.
“Thank you, Herman,” Spring said and reached over to place a hoof on his leg.
“Admit it, you’d love having us around,” Glitter said.
“Truthfully, I was worried you two would be at each other's throats,” Herman said, then turned to Spring. “Are you sure about moving to Rosewood? Did you even have enough time to say goodbye to Dusty and Fair Weather?”
“No,” she replied, then looked down at the floor. “But I will return in a week and have a proper farewell party. A guard from Dodge City can come and replace me for a day or two, but yes, I've wanted to move away for some time now, because it felt like my life wasn’t progressing.”
“And I saw how you kept eyeing the Sheriff,” Glitter said while giving her a mischievous grin. “I’m surprised you even let him up after tackling him to the ground.”
Spring stuck out her tongue at Glitter, who returned the gesture. It was obvious everyone was exhausted, as they all broke down into childish laughter.
“Herman,” Spring said, breaking the mood with a surprisingly serious tone, causing him to look her in the eyes. Her bright red mane strongly reflected the light coming from the fireplace, while her brown coat kept parts of her face hidden. “When I talked with Glitter, there was something we planned to do for you, and it involves your family.”
“My family?” Herman asked, genuinely confused. He looked over to Glitter Wing to get a sense of what Spring had meant, and even Glitter had adopted a more somber expression.
Glitter gracefully leaped down from the sofa and approached Spring.
“Do I have your permission?” she asked and reached out her hoof.
“You have my permission,” Spring answered and leaned over to remove the bracelet around Glitter’s hoof and wing.
“What are you two up to?” Herman questioned, as Glitter returned to sit next to him.
“You mentioned that you hadn't seen your family in years,” Spring said, speaking more softly. “I don’t know how long it will be until the Princesses find your home, so I thought we could…”
She trailed off before finishing and pointed a hoof at Glitter Wing.
Herman turned to her and was suddenly blinded for a moment by a green light. When his vision returned, he couldn’t believe who was sitting next to him.
His daughter.
Freja looked just like when they had taken the picture that resided in his wallet. She had only been ten years old at the time, and still wore the Batman t-shirt that he had bought for her a week prior. He knew deep down that it wasn’t his real daughter he was seeing, as the picture must have been twenty years old by now, and the last time he had seen his daughter, she had been a grown woman.
But when she smiled at him, he didn’t care anymore. He tried to speak, but his mouth quivered and his throat failed to create any sound. So instead he moved a shaking hand on top of her black hair, then let it slip down across her rosy cheek.
His daughter vanished in another torrent of green flame, and his wife appeared in her place. She was beautiful, and her bright blonde hair had yet to turn white by age. Having had enough time to control himself adequately, he reached out to move some of the hair that hung down and blocked parts of her face.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice barely strong enough to get the words out.
When the illusion of his wife gave him a sad smile in return, it finally broke for him. His tears flowed freely, and he couldn’t restrain himself from lunging forward to embrace her.
“Thank you,” he repeated, closing his eyes as he held her tightly.
He didn’t know how long they stayed like that. At some point, Glitter Wing had reverted to her pony form, yet he didn’t care and continued to hold onto her. Spring moved from the chair to sit on the opposite side of Herman and softly rubbed his back with a hoof.
“Herman, it’s going to be alright,” she said, as the fire in the hearth slowly dwindled away.