//------------------------------// // Chapter 44 - With Surprises // Story: Finding a Place // by Battlecat //------------------------------// Monday, December 26, 2016 / 25-07-1003 - Continued I stumbled out of the portal and felt my wings open wide as I feel down to my four hooves. I squinted as the bright sunshine made my eyes ache after the abrupt transition from the darkness back home. I started to move across the room but I was too slow getting away from the portal. There was a humming noise and I was knocked off my hooves by Sunset coming out of the portal behind me. I took a moment to check in with Spark as I collapsed to the ground with Sunset’s warm, fuzzy equine body sprawled over me. So we’re back in Equestria now. What do we need to remember? You mean other than the obvious? Yeah, walking on four legs and keeping the portal secret is a priority obviously! Come on, what do you have? It’s mid-morning here even though it was late evening back home. Right, day’s only half done again. Oh, midwinter is considered the sixth month of the year in Equestria. Yeah, so no mentioning the New Year is close. Six months away here. We have hooves, not hands. Good call, I think that covers it. Sunset wrapped her hooves around me and nuzzled my cheek. “Thanks for breaking my fall Silver. It’s always a rough transition.” I heard Twilight laughing. “The portal amplifies momentum for some reason. An odd feature but I suspect it was intended to make sure travelers don’t end up blocking the exit.” Twilight was leaning down close while Sunset and I tried to find our footing. Given her proximity, I twisted myself around and stretched up to give Twilight a quick kiss on the cheek. She smiled and leaned down to nuzzle my cheek in return. Then I heard a quiet gagging noise nearby. “Ugh, keep the mushy stuff to a minimum around me you three,” Spike grumbled, though there was a small smile on his face. “I don’t know if I can take it.” Twilight blushed and backed off to my disappointment. I got up to my hooves and looked around the portal room. A bunch of new hardware was clustered around the portal and a new book on the pedestal. I assumed the changes were what allowed us to open the portal from our side. I stretched my wings out wide and let out a big yawn making Sunset and Twilight both giggle. Sunset trotted over and nuzzled Twilight’s cheek. “Where do you want to go to open your gifts?” “There’s a small a sitting room next door,” Twilight replied, walking towards the door. “I set it up for anyone coming through the portal so new arrivals can relax comfortably until I get here. I’d hate for our friends to get lost wandering around in this place.” “Sounds good to me,” I replied, giving Spike a nervous glance. “Twilight said it wouldn’t be safe to give you a gift Spike. I hope that’s ok.” “Yeah, it’s for the best,” Spike replied, surprisingly cheerfully. “One mindless rampage through Ponyville is enough for my lifetime. Far as I can tell, things I can eat are safe though. Stuff I can horde is where my dragon instincts can get out of control.” I nodded as we walked around the corner, our hooves echoing on the cold, crystal floors. The next room was far nicer. The crystal was mostly hidden by bookshelves and carpets. Small couches and broad seats were scattered around the small room. I walked over to one and sat down on my haunches. I twisted around and began pawing at my saddlebags with my hooves. They were slightly flexible but there was also some sort of magic thing going on that let me grip the clasp and open it. It was hard to believe these saddlebags became a perfectly normal human backpack on the other side. The portal was oddly selective in what it altered during the trip from one world to another. Fortunately, the gifts for Twilight were intact and hadn’t been modified during the journey. Once my bag was open, an aquamarine aura surrounded our gift for Twilight. I watched with slight envy as my marefriends used their horns to levitate the brightly wrapped boxes across the room. “You two should go first,” Twilight said nervously. “Oh, I hope I did ok.” I gave Twilight a reassuring smile and began pulling at the ribbon with my teeth. It was still a bit weird to not have hands but I was determined to figure it out. Two-thirds of the pony population in Equestria managed without telekinesis and so could I! I carefully pulled the paper off, revealing a large book with a simple emblem engraved on the cover. It was a lightning bolt with two wings emerging from it. I stared at it for a moment, trying to figure out how to turn the pages without destroying it with my clumsy hooves. “Use your wing Silver,” Sunset giggled. “It’s the closest thing you have to a hand now.” I looked over my shoulder and spread one wing out. It easily twisted around and I hooked the wingtip under the heavy cover and pushed it open. The same logo was painted in blue and yellow inside the first cover and below it was a simple title. It simply read ‘Wonderbolts and Weather - Flight Training 101’. I looked over at Twilight, feeling a bit confused “This looks lovely, but what is a Wonderbolt?” I asked in confusion. Twilight snorted with amusement. “Dash would lose her mind if she heard you say that. The Wonderbolts are a professional stunt flying team that she really wants to join. This is kind of a primer on the links between stunt flying and weather manipulation magic. I know your wings are different than the ones pegasi have but there have to be some parallels, right?” “Awesome,” I said, grinning at her. “I’m sure this will be useful. Thank you!” “Copies of ‘The History of Magic’ and ‘Principa Arcana?!” Sunset exclaimed. “Twilight, these are exactly what I needed. How did you know?” Sunset’s present was two heavy looking books. They had arcane symbols drawn on the front and looked like they were printed on vellum or something equally thin. Twilight relaxed and gave Sunset a shy smile. “Since you’re planning to start magic research in a world where magic might be very different, a basis for comparison might be useful. Plus, that’s a very special copy of Principa Arcana.” Sunset flipped the page open and began to read out loud. “Principa Arcana, 35th Edition,Advanced Reader’s Copy, Printed 05-1003 . . .” She trailed off and began reading more quickly but not out loud. She flipped a couple more pages and her eyes widened. “Chapter 60 – The Magic of Friendship by Twilight Sparkle! And Chapter 61 – The Elements of Harmony, also by Twilight Sparkle! This is a brand new copy that includes your research!?” Twilight looked extremely self-conscious. “The final release will coincide with a lecture I’m giving at Celestia’s school in a few months. I requested an extra advance copy for you because the new chapters might help your work. I hope it’s ok that I wrote some of it. I just wanted you to have the newest information but I don’t want you to think I’m rubbing it in your face and oh dear I’m mmmph-!” When Twilight showed signs of having a small panic attack, Sunset levitated the books down and hopped off the couch. She leaned in a planted a kiss right on Twilight’s lips, stopping her cold. “Congratulations Twilight,” Sunset said when she broke the kiss. “Thank you, this really is an amazing gift. Please don’t second guess your choices because of what happened when we met.” “Sorry, Sunset!” Twilight squeaked. “You don’t have to apologize Twilight,” Sunset said, smirking. “Sorry!” Twilight repeated. She stared at Sunset for a moment and a giggle escaped her lips. Sunset grinned at her slyly. “Why don’t you open the present Silver and I got you first. Then we have an extra surprise.” A package hovered over to the couch beside Twilight. She pulled the paper after a momentary hesitation and quickly revealed the contents. She stared at the box with surprise frozen on her face. “Wait, is this one of those computer things?” Twilight breathed. Sunset was smiling broadly now, looking very pleased. “It’s a tablet actually, with a stylus that should help you use it with your magic. There’s also a solar charger and a high-end directional wifi antenna. If you point that thing at the portal, it might even be able to pick up the school network when the portal is closed. We don’t know if a weak signal is getting through or not.” “I barely understood what you just said but I’m sure I’ll figure it out!” Twilight exclaimed. “Oh my goodness, I can’t wait to learn what this thing can do!” “Just keep it in a safe place,” I cautioned. “It would be pretty hard to explain a device like this if you’re still keeping the portal secret.” “Oh yes, of course!” Twilight replied, giving Sunset a hug and then nuzzling her on the cheek. “Speaking of secrets, tell her about the paperwork!” Sunset chuckled. “Oh yes, so it turns out Principal Celestia has a friend in the government,” I said. “She put you in the system so as far as our world is concerned you and Sunset are both real people. Thanks to Chrysalis, you’ll be able to- “CHRYSALIS!?!” Twilight gasped. Her horn began to glow and suddenly a wave of warm purple magic flowed over me and Sunset. “Thank goodness, you’re not changelings,” Twilight sighed, as she released us. “Sorry, I had to be sure. After what happened at my brother’s wedding . . .” “The wedding!” I groaned, putting my hoof against my forehead. “I should have realized that name was familiar. You mentioned someone named Chrysalis before; the very first night you spent at my house.” Twilight nodded. “Changelings are emotivores with nearly perfect shapeshifting abilities. They invaded Canterlot during my brother’s wedding. Queen Chrysalis infiltrated Canterlot by kidnapping and replacing Princess Cadance. The whole thing was terrible. We nearly lost Equestria that day and my friends . . . I mean they apologized but still- . . .” Twilight trailed off as she remembered something. I walked over and hopped up on the couch next to her. I wrapped my wing around her and pressed my cheek to hers. Twilight sighed and I was relieved when I felt her relax next to me. “I shouldn’t let this get to me but Chrysalis is still out there,” Twilight said sadly. “The idea of her counterpart being involved with you two terrifies me. You’re sure she isn’t a shapeshifting monster, right?” “The people in Silver’s world might look the same but they are very different,” Sunset replied. “Everyone there is just a normal human with no magic. Chrysalis is an intelligence agent of some sort with a cold personality, Celestia is just a school administrator and hey, even Discord is a regular janitor!” “Oh, I can’t imagine any version of me being that boring!” a familiar voice suddenly chimed in. “Perhaps you’ve simply missed something.” We all looked up. Floating near the ceiling of the room was the most bizarre creature I had ever laid eyes on. It was like someone had taken parts from a bunch of different animals and grafted them together. One of his hands was a lion paw but the other some sort of bird claw. A batwing paired with a Pegasus wing on his back. His face was vaguely equine and his eyes were yellow and red with different sized pupils. Twilight’s expression became irritated the moment she saw him. “DISCORD!” Twilight snapped. “What are you doing in here?!” He floated down to the floor with a smile on his face and gestured at the three of us. “Why I simply wanted to speak with my good friend, Twilight Sparkle. You’ve been delightfully unpredictable lately, vanishing into thin air without warning and I was simply curious why. Now I must admit I’m far more interested in your new friends! Who are these delightful ponies that you seem to be so cuddly with?” With a flash of white light, he teleported in front of us. Somehow, he had instantly dressed up like Sherlock Holmes and was now examining Sunset with intense scrutiny through a magnifying glass. Sunset shrank back a bit from the surprise and the intense scrutiny she was experiencing. “Oooh, it is you! How fascinating!” he chuckled. “I missed our little conversations in the garden, Sunset Shimmer. Did you ever make Celestia rue the day she held you back or manage any of those other amusing dreams you had?” Sunset laughed nervously. “Oh. You could hear me?” “Oh yes of course,” He smiled. “You were a bright spot of growing chaos after a century of boredom. Why did you vanish so abruptly?” Twilight was looking at Sunset with her mouth wide open. She seemed to be at a loss for words that Discord actually recognized her. “I used to talk to his statue in the gardens when I was frustrated,” Sunset explained sheepishly. “I had no idea there was someone listening inside.” Discord has moved his examination to me. I got up on my hooves and looked up at him. He was incredibly tall and for the first time in my life, I actually felt short. The unexpected experience made me almost lose my footing and my wings spread to compensate. Discord’s eyes widened with excitement when he saw the wings. “Ooooh, a Thestral!?” Discord gasped theatrically. “One that’s not part of Luna’s hidebound little guard either. You have an intriguing tangle of possibility around you. Hmmm, what’s all this . . .” Suddenly he was weaving a series of threads between his fingers, tugging and pulling on them as if trying to follow them. I just watched him, completely dumbfounded by his completely random behavior. I’ll admit I was curious where he was going with his investigation. Wow, talk about an interesting personality. He’s different, that’s for sure Spark. Do you think he has tea with Fluttershy like our janitor? That would be a weird parallel. I was completely startled when Discord answered while still fussing with the threads. “If you must know, I try to never miss my weekly time with my dear Fluttershy. Oh, this is interesting-” “Wait, who were you talking to?” Sunset interrupted, looking around for who Discord was talking to. “Well this pony’s intriguing partner asked a perfectly fair question about my relationship with Fluttershy,” Discord shrugged. “Wait, you can hear Spark?” Twilight asked. “Discord! What are you up to?” “Up to?” Discord asked, waving the strings away. “Why, Twilight, you wound me. I’m merely satisfying my curiosity and meeting some new ponies. Oh, but I’m being been terribly rude! Discord, Reformed Lord of Chaos.” With a wave of his hands the strings vanished and held out a claw to me as he introduced himself. I didn’t even hesitate as I reached up and put my hoof in his claw. He shook me up and down a few times while I tried to formulate a response. “I’m Silver Spark and I’ve been told I’m a Thestral,” I finally replied. “Nice to meet you Discord.” Don’t forget me! He’s Silver and I’m Spark the spirit guide! “How wonderful!” He exclaimed, throwing a cloud of confetti in the air. “A strange new pony from another world and he has a thing for Equestria’s youngest princess and Celestia’s lost student! The chaotic potential just warms my heart!” He leaned in close to me with a conspiratorial expression on his face. He whispered loudly enough for Sunset and Twilight to hear. “Just between us boys, is Twilight a fun bookworm to date or is she more of an aloof princess these days?” “WHAT!?” Twilight snarled from behind me. “THAT’S IT DISCORD!!” I spun around to look at her and felt my face go pale. Twilight was on her hooves and her wings were spread open angrily. Her eyes and horn were crackling with magical energy that was making all the fur on my body stand on end. It felt like I was standing in front of a bonfire. I began to back away from Discord, not wanting to be caught in the middle of what was coming. Discord stood up straight and pulled on a hat and an overcoat over his body out of nowhere. “I’d love to stay and chat I must dash off; places to go, things to do and angry alicorns to avoid. Ciao!” What happened next left me speechless. Discord grabbed something in the air and unzipped a gap in reality. He stepped through it without another word and zipped the gap up behind him. Twilight galloped through the empty space a moment later and screamed with frustration. The light on her horn flickered out and her wings fell limp at her sides. “GRAHHH,” Twilight growled, stomping the crystal floor with frustration. “I sometimes wonder if letting him out of the stone was worth all this! He seems to get a perverse pleasure out of making me angry!” She flopped down on her belly and buried her face in her hooves. Sunset and I both hurried over and settled down on either side of her. I draped my wing over her and Sunset’s back and squeezed comfortingly. She sighed with a mix of contentment and sorrow. “I’m sorry you had to see me lose my temper like that,” Twilight sniffed. “I try so hard to keep it inside but sometimes I just can’t control it.” Sunset nuzzled her cheek. “Twilight . . . you don’t have to be a perfect princess all the time. It’s ok to get angry.” “It isn’t,” Twilight said sadly. “If I lost my temper like that in public it would be in every newspaper overnight. I’m lucky it was just you two here.” “Why does Discord make you so angry Twilight?” I asked. “He teased you a bit but it wasn’t really out of the ordinary. I’ve heard worse in the halls of CHS.” Twilight stared at the floor silently for a minute. She seemed to be trying to compose herself. “I’ve found him a bit more difficult to deal with since Tirek,” Twilight replied. “He sets me on edge just by showing up these days. It makes it easier for him to ruffle my mane.” Spike sat down in front of Twilight and put his claw on her front hoof. “Twilight, you need to talk to him. I know you find him frustrating, but if you tell Discord he might lighten up.” “Or it might give him more ammunition,” Twilight countered. “Maybe someday Spike, but not today. I’ll just have to work on my breathing and take solace in your company.” “Sorry about the public affection Spike,” I said. “I know you just told us it bugs you.” He chuckled. “You’re just cheering Twilight up. I’ll live.” Twilight glanced over towards the window and abruptly stood up. Sunset and I also got up, looking at her curiously. “We should go get some lunch,” Twilight announced. “Or is it dinner? No, we had dinner with Applejack.” “Not sure what I’d call the fourth meal of the day,” I said. “I suppose I am a bit hungry. If it includes a cup of coffee, I’m in.” The four of us walked out of Twilight’s castle and up towards Ponyville. The air was cool and snow still covered the ground from the bizarre disaster during our last visit. In spite of the cold, Ponyville was still bustling and busy. I looked around but didn’t see any familiar ponies around. Twilight was taking us towards a building that looked like it was made out of candy. “That’s Sugarcube Corner,” Twilight explained before I could ask. “It’s basically the same as the Sweet Shoppe in your world.” “Run by the Cakes?” Sunset asked. Twilight nodded. “The parallels between the two worlds are disconcerting at times.” “Shhh, they’re here.” I looked around for the speaker while Twilight held the door open for us with our magic. Sunset and I walked past the door and into the shop which was strangely dark. Suddenly, the lights came on and we were almost blown off our hooves by a cacophony of voices. “SURPRISE!” I reared back, unexpected pony instincts conflicting with my training as a human. I tried to stand up into a human fighting stance while my wings spread instinctively. Unfortunately, I wound up smacking Sunset’s flank with one wing, making her squawk. That foiled my unfortunate attempt to get on two legs in my currently quadrupedal body. I toppled over onto the floor with a loud thud. Very graceful Silver. Way to make an impression. Yeah, well how do I keep these stupid wings under control? You get to be known as the clumsy Thestral! Oh joy. As I struggled to get my hooves under me, there was a bit of quiet laughter and some nervous whispers. Of course, I could hear Rainbow Dash laughing hysterically. Once I was up off the ground, I looked around the room. It recognizably a bakery but the tables and chairs for ponies to sit at had been pushed aside. There was a banner draped across the back wall that read ‘Welcome to Ponyville Sunset and Silver!’ Standing around the room was about 30 or 40 ponies, watching me with curious eyes. All those eyes staring at me were threating to make my anxiety spiral out of control. It was still eerie seeing the alien yet familiar faces of the counterparts of students at my school. A few ponies were looking at me with a small amount of fear. I wasn’t sure if it was me being a Thestral or my scars that caused more concern. Two particular ponies stood out though. Lyra Heartstrings had an expression of undisguised glee on her face while the pony counterpart of Bon Bon looked almost angry. I didn’t waste any time worrying about them while I did my best to push back the fear. “Well, I think you managed to surprise me,” I chuckled weakly, looking at Pinkie. “Same here,” Sunset added, nuzzling my cheek comfortingly. “Thank you for the warm welcome everypony.” Pinkie bounced over and threw her hooves around each of our necks. “I was so excited when Twilight asked me to officially welcome you to Ponyville and I wanted it to be a surprise and you sure were surprised because that was so funny the way you reared back and you wings went all poof and knocked you down but that’s ok because it makes you less intimidating and oh no I have to take a breath-“ She gasped in a dramatically huge breath and grinned at me. “- so anyhow welcome to Ponyville! Let’s party everypony!” All the ponies cheered and began to mingle. Rarity swooped in, briefly greeted me before escorting Sunset off to a group of mares nearby. I moved into the room and sat myself down at a table near the door. Pinkie materialized a moment later with a cup of coffee. I had taken two sips of that perfect cup before I realized I hadn’t told her I wanted coffee or how I took it. Soon I was awkwardly greeting and introducing myself to the ponies that were willing to approach me. I did my best to let them introduce themselves and not let on that I already knew their names. Fortunately, Twilight had settled in at the same table and was helping facilitate the introductions. Unfortunately, since our relationship was still secret from the local ponies, we sat a respectful distance apart. A small line of ponies quickly shuffled past giving me a quick greeting, ending with Mr. and Mrs. Cake. “I hope you don’t mind all this,” Twilight said after the Cakes trotted back to the store counter. “Since you’re both going to be visiting more regularly, I wanted to make sure you got to know more ponies in town. Besides, an official Pinkie welcome party was inescapable.” “I’ll admit it’s not my preferred situation but it’s not so bad,” I replied. “Honestly, I’m just glad ponies seem to be getting over my appearance.” Then Lyra trotted up to the table by herself. “Hello Twilight!” She said cheerfully. “Long time no see!” “L-Lyra!” Twilight gasped. “Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen you since . . . umm.” Twilight suddenly looked sheepish but Lyra just laughed. “I think it was Princess Cadance’s wedding! Remember, I was going to be one of Cadance’s bridesmaids. I thought it was really bizarre because I’d never met her before but hey, a bridesmaid for a princess, right? Anyhow, it turned out she was that evil bug queen and she just wanted bridesmaids that didn’t know her well.” “Oh right,” Twilight said regretfully. “Sorry about all that and for not staying in touch.” “Oh, it’s ok, we’ve both been busy!” She replied, waving a hoof dismissively. “I’ve lived here a couple years but I’ve been away doing research half the time so I guess we just keep missing each other Speaking of research, where have you been hiding this intriguing subject Twilight?” I shrank back nervously as Lyra’s intense amber eyes shifted to me. “Ummm, hi,” I said, waving a hoof awkwardly. “Er, what kind of research are you talking about?I’m a bit wary of needles and sharp objects.” “Oh no, nothing like that,” she replied, laughing. “I’ve been studying the links between pony tribe culture and their innate magic. There’s some documentation on the ancient pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies. The Crystal Ponies were easy to interview but nopony has ever been able to talk to a Thestral! Please, can I interview you and maybe take some measurements?” Twilight gave me a nervous glance while I tried to think of a reasonable answer. I couldn’t exactly tell her I was from another world. A half-truth is better than a lie Silver. Yeah. I guess it’ll have to do. “I’m not sure if I’d be much help,” I finally responded. “I actually haven’t ever met another Thestral so I can’t really fill you in on their culture. I’d be glad to help you where I can while I’m here though.” Lyra’s ears were drooping as I spoke but they perked back up when I finished. “I’ll take it!” she cheered. “It still more than any of my colleagues can get! I’ll catch you sometime in the next day or two then. Thanks so much!” We watched her trot off to rejoin Bon Bon. She listened to Lyra for a minute, glancing at me once or twice with a blank expression on her face. They both headed out the door with Lyra still chatting enthusiastically. Bon Bon shot me one last glance with narrowed eyes as she walked out the door. “Any idea what’s up with her?” I asked Twilight after they were gone. “I’m not really sure,” she replied, staring at the door. “All I know is she makes candy here in town. Maybe she’s bought into some of the nastier stories about Thestrals. On the bright side, it’s nice seeing Sunset so cheerful.” I looked over to where Sunset was talking with Rarity, Cheerilee, and Rose. She looked animated and enthusiastic as she was talking to the other ponies. “Yes, she’s been feeling much better lately,” I replied before drinking the last of my coffee. “Other than Telson getting away with the dagger, the most serious threats back home are under control now.” “Ah’d say that’s a good thing too,” Applejack said, trotting over to join us with a muscular red pony with a heavy yoke around his neck. “Ya’ll see as much trouble as we do here in Ponyville from what Twilight tells me. Ah’d like ya to meet mah brother Macintosh, or Big Mac as everyone calls him.” We were just about the same height but he was far more visibly muscular than I was. He had a neutral expression on his face as I stood up and held a hoof out to him. He didn’t meet my hoof right away, he just “Ya’ll drink blood or suck apples dry with them fangs?” He asked quietly. I ran my tongue over the sharp canines self consciously and shook my head nervously. Big Mac nodded and bumped my hoof politely. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and let my hoof drop back to the floor. I was pretty certain Mac would be a formidable opponent in either world. He was one individual I really didn’t want as an enemy. I looked at him curiously. “Heard a lot of stories about Thestrals doing weird stuff?” “Eeeyup.” “We good now?” “Eeeyup!” I grinned at him. “Is it ok if I come by to learn about applebucking when harvest rolls around?” Now Mac was smiling as well. “Eeyup!” he finished. He gave me a polite nod and walked off. I looked over at Applejack and Twilight curiously. “That thing about the apples was a weird one. Any idea about the origin of the tale?” Twilight suddenly groaned, flopped her head on the table and put her front hooves over her head. Applejack sighed and looked over at me with a mischievous grin on her face. “Twilight turned Fluttershy into an apple sucking vampire a few months ago. Ah’ guess she did look a bit like a Thestral.” “Seriously!?” I laughed. “I have got to hear this story.” “Well it ain’t really all Twilights fault,” Applejack amended. “Ah kinda forced the situation. See it all started when vampire fruit bats moved into mah orchard . . .” It was early evening in Ponyville when the party wound down. A number of ponies had come and gone over the afternoon making for a fairly lively meet and greet. Unfortunately, it also left me emotionally exhausted. It was pretty much the first time in my life I’d be the actual focus of a large party. I wasn’t sure if I enjoyed it or if I would run to the hills if it ever happened again. When we got back to Twilight’s castle, the conversation shifted to a discussion about what I could safely tell Lyra Heartstrings about myself. I hadn’t lived as a Thestral and I wasn’t even entirely sure about what I could do when I was an actual pony. We finally concluded that telling her about the dreamwalking was too risky for the moment, especially since Luna said there were no other Sentinels in Equestria. Finally, we arrived at the section of the castle where our rooms were. Spike bid us goodnight and walked into his room leaving the three of us in the crystal hallway. “I’ve assigned you the two rooms on the right side of the hall,” Twilight explained. “They are permanently yours for any time you come visit. This one is mine and the one opposite your rooms is Spikes.” Twilight stopped by her bedroom door. She looked at it and then back at us. Her forehoof began tracing a circle on the crystal floor nervously. “So I guess this is goodnight?” she said quietly. I glanced over at Sunset. “Actually Twilight, there’s something we need to talk about first.” Sunset sighed and looked at the floor. “I’ve been sleeping in Silver’s bed the last couple nights,” she said quietly. “Oh . . .” Twilight said, looking at Sunset and then me before looking back at the floor. “Ummm . . . well . . . Do you want- I mean you can share one of your rooms if you want.” Sunset walked over to Twilight and gave her a comforting nuzzle. “Only if you’re going to join us.” “We miss you Twilight,” I added, stepping in closer to her. “What’s bothering you?We can stop sharing a bed when you’re not with us.” “No, it’s not that,” Twilight sighed sadly. “It’s just, I have so many responsibilities here while you two have busy lives in the other world. I just wish there was a way I could see you more.” “Then we’ll just have to find a solution,” I declared. “We’re not even to our one month anniversary yet so I’m sure there’s plenty we can do to make sure this works. However, I would prefer to discuss this somewhere comfortable where I can snuggle with the two mares who mean the world to me.” Sunset kissed Twilight on the cheek. “You’re part of this and we’re committed to making this work. When somepony isn’t happy, we find a way to fix it. So, where to Twilight?” “My room,” Twilight sniffed after a moment as a small smile on her face. Her horn lit up and the doors swung open. “It’ll be cozy but I think my bed will hold the three of us.” Twilight’s bedroom was at the far end of the castle from the largest balcony. The room was well lit by a number of lamps hanging from the ceiling like they had grown there. There was a telescope by one window beside a low bookshelf. A number of books were on there, several of them looked damaged as if by fire. On and above the bookshelf were a number of photographs of her pony friends and to my surprise one of a small owl brown owl. “Who’s this?” I asked, gesturing at the picture with a wing tip. “That’s Owlicious,” Twilight said. “He’s my pet and nighttime assistant. His perch is over there but he must be out hunting. He’ll probably show up soon to see if I need help tonight.” Almost on cue, the window swung open by itself and a brown owl swooped into the room. “Who! Who!” he called as he gently landed on Twilight’s back. “And good evening to you Owlicious!” Twilight replied. “I have two ponies I’d like you to meet. This is Sunset Shimmer and that is Silver Spark.” His head spun around and he looked at us with curious and surprisingly intelligent eyes. “Who?” he cooed, turning back to Twilight, almost sounding like a question. To my surprise, Twilight laughed and then nodded at him. “Yes, they’re the two ponies from the other world I’ve been telling you about. You’ll be seeing them fairly often so I hope they meet your approval.” Sunset bowed her head politely to him. “Pleased to meet you Owlicious. ' “Same here Owlicious,” I added, not expecting much of a response. “I’ve never seen an owl this close before.” Owlicious cocked his head at me and then with a burst of his wings, soared over and landed on my haunches. I felt a burst of fear, remembering that falconers wore heavy leather gloves but he was incredibly gentle. I stared at the owl, completely bemused by his behavior. His feathers were a handsome mix of light browns with darker brown wings, tail, and tufts above his ears. He let me look him over while he seemed to examine me intently with those pale yellow eyes. After a few minutes, he seemed to nod before flitting over to land on Sunset’s haunches as well and gave her a careful examination as well. “Who,” he said in a satisfied tone. “I think he approves of you two,” Twilight giggled. I looked over at Twilight. “That was incredible. He can really understand what we’re saying?” “Who!” “More than likely,” Sunset replied wistfully. “There seems to be a correlation between animal sentience and magical fields. You’re a sweet guy, aren’t you Owlicious? Closest I’ve had was when Philomena decided I needed a keeper.” “Who?” “She’s Princess Celestia’s pet phoenix,” Sunset replied. “You’d like her, she was quite the character. I hope she’s doing ok.” Owlicious suddenly took off and flitted over to his perch just as Twilight’s wing settled over Sunset’s back. She looked over at Owlicious and smiled. “I won’t be working tonight Owlicious but thank you for checking,” she said before turning back to Sunset. “Philomena is doing just fine; I saw her last time I visited Celestia. Come on, let’s settle in for the night.” The three of us hopped up on her bed. This time Twilight settled down in the middle with me and Sunset on either side. I lifted up my wing and draped it over the two of them before Sunset levitated a blanket to cover all three of us. Twilight’s horn glowed briefly and the lights in the room dimmed, leaving the space illuminated only by the moon and stars. The dappled patterns of moonlight reflecting off the crystals of her room were stunning. “Wow, this is beautiful Twi,” Sunset murmured. “The whole castle is incredible. Who designed this castle?” “It grew from a chest gifted to us by the Tree of Harmony,” she replied quietly. “It is slowly beginning to feel like home. I still miss the old library but things like spending time here with my friends and you two helps.” “It grew?,” I asked looking around the room with renewed awe. “That must have been an incredible sight.” “What is the Tree of Harmony?” Sunset asked curiously. “I’ve heard of the Elements of Harmony but never a tree.” Twilight shook her head. “Nopony knows where it came from but it’s where the Elements came from. It’s in the Everfree Forest in a cave under the old castle. I’ll take you to see it when winter is over. That forest is dangerous enough in the summer.” I turned my head and kissed Twilight gently on the cheek again. “Fair enough, I look forward to the trip. Now, we need to talk about how we’re really going to make sure this will work in the long term.” A number of ideas were brought up and kicked around while we lounged together on Twilight’s bed. We didn’t make any final decisions but Twilight seemed heartened by the numerous options we had. We talked for a couple hours until we couldn’t keep our eyes open any longer. The instant I fell asleep, I found myself on the Astral Plane next to Spark. The familiar cluster of doors belonging to my friends was right next to us. All of them were behind a shimmering wall except the ones belonging to Twilight and Sunset. Spark walked over and pushed his hoof against the shield in front of Fluttershy’s door. “So the barrier is the veil between worlds.” he murmured. “Not an issue with our friendship with Twilight.” “I should hope not considering we’re curled up with her in bed,” I replied. “I wonder if there’s a way we can bypass this barrier like Luna did the other day.” “All things are possible but the wise learn all they can before stepping over thresholds they do not understand,” Luna interjected from behind us. “Good evening my friends. How fairest you this night?” I turned and smiled at Princess Luna who had just appeared next to us. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her long neck in a big hug. She laughed and wrapped her forearm around me affectionately. Spark trotted over and received the same treatment a moment later. “Thanks to your help we are doing very well Luna,” I said. “Your training during our last visit and your timely arrival saved Sunset’s life. I’m not sure how I can thank you enough.” “Thine friendship is of great value and tis an even greater joy to have enthusiastic students in the art of dreamwalking again,” she said happily. “More than a thousand years have come and gone since my last student. Hast thou discovered any new gaps in thy knowledge?” “Is there any way we can track someone in the physical world using their dreams?” Spark immediately asked. Luna raised an eyebrow. “I wouldst like to know the reason for thine request. Such an ability would be trivially easy to abuse.” I sighed. “Telson, the wielder of the Sakitan dagger used on both me and Sunset escaped the authorities of my world. Nobody knows how he managed to escape when the place was surrounded.” “We want him brought to justice so we can recover the dagger and return it to you,” Spark added firmly. “Perhaps in a grave circumstance if a friend is kidnapped or in grave danger but that is all.” Luna nodded. “As an Alicorn, I have crafted spells to aid me in times of great need. A dream is a projection of one’s soul to the astral plane. I can simply gain the scent of a soul here and track it over great distances through the physical realm. The path a Sentinel must take is much more challenging.” “Whatever it takes Luna,” I said. “We have to recover the daggers.” “Very well,” she replied as doors began manifesting in a grand line behind her. “We will fetch your marefriends soon but we will complete this lesson first. There is a common belief among scholars that dreams are simply a random creation of the mind or some echo of a hidden desire. That locations, directions, references and even the words in books are all randomly mixed together and completely meaningless. This is akin to a goldfish in a bowl believing the entirety of his universe is the room he sees through the glass.” She turned and began walking down the row of doors, examining them as she walked past. Spark and I followed behind her. I was pondering her words when I felt a flash like realization shoot through me but it wasn’t from anything I was thinking. Beside me, Spark had stopped and was staring off into space. “So, these scholars can’t see the truth because they are only able to interpret what they and others dream,” Spark concluded. “They are simply incapable of seeing the whole truth in their dream state.” “Of course,” I said, snapping my fingers. “We can see more when we enter a dream from here, can’t we? The words will actually be meaningful to us.” Luna looked back at us with a proud smile on her face. “Precisely! Thine tools are your wits, your observations and the guile you use to guide the subject’s dream. We cannot force the recall of a memory without the awareness of the dreamer but with a gentle touch, you can guide them. For example, I suggest you cease thinking about elephants now.” I blinked a couple times, quite confused. Why would I think about Elephants, I wondered. They don’t have anything to do with dreams. Luna smirked at me. “You’re both thinking about them now, aren’t you?” “Yes I am,” Spark replied. “I think I see what you’re getting at. The power of suggestion.” I nodded as well, feeling a bit foolish for not seeing it more quickly. “That’s going to be quite the challenge but I can appreciate why being more forceful could be dangerous. I’d hate to bring an enemy into a lucid dream by accident. Would it be safe to assume the dreaming mind is more vulnerable to such suggestions?” “An astute deduction,” Luna replied. “A few words whispered in the ear of a dreamer can send the vision off in a new direction. A sleeping mind is relaxed and unwary. This is also why we vow to keep what we witness while dreamwalking completely secret.” Spark suddenly gasped. “That’s why nightmare entities are so dangerous! They must exploit the same vulnerabilities.” Luna’s face broke out into a broad smile as she looked back at the two of us. “Yes, just as we can whisper a few words to twist a dream, so to can nightmares. I am pleased you recognize the parallels. Anything we can do as dreamwalkers can be matched by nightmares.” The thought made me wince. “There’s a disquieting thought.” ”Indeed it is. Now, let us examine a few dreams together and we shall further discuss this technique,” Luna said, as she walked along the row of doors. 26-07-1003 I decided to get the interview with Lyra done as soon as possible, so I caught up with her the next day while Sunset and Twilight were testing out the tablet. We sat down in a room in the back of Bon Bon’s sweet shop where she was renting a room. As Lyra promised, there were no needles, just a tape measure to examine my wings and lots of questions. I avoided the discussion of dream walking but spoke at length about my sense of smell, hearing, and eyesight which we confirmed far exceeded pony norms. She was also fascinated by my limited weather magic. As we talked, I also got to know more about this version of Lyra. One of her most interesting quirks was how she sat like a biped. When asked, she explained it was because she played the lyre which required her to hold it in her lap. Playing her music was a part-time job while she continued working on her research. She was highly inquisitive and extremely excitable when she learned something new. After about an hour of conversation, Lyra had the answers I could give and we were just discussing Twilight. I was surprised how she had changed since she left Canterlot. It sounded like she was similar to her human counterpart before she came to Ponyville which was intriguing. We were just about to wrap things up when Bon Bon trotted into the back. “Lyra, could you make a run to Barnyard Bargains? The last supply shipment shorted us on rock salt and I just received a special order.” Lyra leaped on to her hooves and saluted. “I’m on it boss! Thanks for your time Silver.” I grinned at her. “No problem Lyra, it’s been quite fun chatting with you. If I can help more with your research, feel free to ask. If I’m not in town, Twilight can contact me.” Lyra quickly trotted out and I got up to leave as well. I started towards the door but before I made it out, I heard a bolt slip into place as the door in front of me locked itself. Before I could ask what this was about, I heard a click behind me and Bon Bon’s cold voice sent a chill down my spine. “Hold it right there. What’s your game bat pony?” I felt a mild burst of irritation at the obvious insult and turned around. I found myself face to face with the business end of a crossbow. It was armed and pointed straight at my face. I scrambled back in a panic. “HOLY SHIT! Watch where you point that thing! What the hell is your problem!?” She snorted derisively. “An isolated Vampony who’s never met another in his life. Don’t make me laugh; there’s no such thing. What are you treacherous beasts planning? Are you scouting Ponyville for an attack?” I blinked again and stared at her incredulously. I was torn between fear and fury. “Why would anypony want to attack this town?” Bon Bon’s expression didn’t change and the crossbow didn’t falter. “Don’t change the subject you lying tuft ear! Your kind has stayed out of sight and out of trouble for a thousand years. You expect me to believe that for the first time in living memory a slit-eyed freak just happened to walk into Ponyville and befriend the newest Princess just by accident?” My temper was fraying again under the attack and the cascade of racist slurs. I was unpleasantly surprised by the diversity of nasty names she had come up with. Before I could stop myself, I bared my teeth and hissed at her, making her step back a pace. When she did, I heard the door behind me unlock as a small hidden panel was released. I didn’t have the patience to contemplate why there would be a secret locking mechanism for the doors in her home. “No, I expect you to believe that I owe Twilight Sparkle and the other three Princesses my life,” I snarled. “In fact I expect you to believe that I’d be six feet under without their intervention. Go ahead and ask any of the four princesses what happened when I met them. If you think I’d betray their kindness, you are completely delusional! I’m beginning to understand why nopony sees ponies like me around if this is the treatment they’ll get. I’m leaving now so go ahead and shoot me if you think that will make a lick of difference.” I stomped to the door and lifted my hoof to push it open. Before I did, I paused and turned back to look at Bon Bon. She had half lowered the crossbow and her face was pale. She was staring at me with wide eyes and looked more than a bit horrified. I didn’t have any sympathy or patience after what she had just done. “AND WE’RE CALLED THESTRALS!” I bellowed. “If you want to accuse me of being involved in some bullshit conspiracy, at least get that much right!” I pushed the door open, stepped through and kicked it shut, drawing the gaze of several ponies milling about. Before anypony had I chance, I spread my wings and quickly soared into the sky. I spiraled upwards, feeling the air shifting under my wings. Dash had been training me the last two mornings and I had devoured the first three chapters of the book Twilight gave me last night. It all made so much sense and I was already feeling more secure as I flew. The act of flying was making me begin to relax but the calming effects were interrupted. I heard voices in the distance. Granted I could hear half the conversations in town if I set my mind to it but the familiar and distraught voices drew my attention. “Hey, Blank Flanks! Fail at anything new today?” “I doubt it DT! They’ve already failed at everything.” “Will you two give it a rest?!” “Awww, is the poor blank flank chicken going to cry?” “Shut up! Leave her alone!” “Poor baby, maybe your mommy can get you a bottle.” “Oh wait, she doesn’t have one anymore. Too bad!” I turned in the direction of the voices when I recognized Scootaloo and Applebloom’s voices among them. The rage that had been stirred up in me was still simmering and hearing such vicious insults being thrown at my friends brought it back to a boil. A moment later, the road to Sweet Apple Acres came into view. The pony Crusaders were on the road being confronted by two unfortunately familiar ponies. It was clear counterparts to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were both just as toxic in this world as mine. Applebloom was clearly distraught by the mention of her parents and that made my blood boil. I swooped around and dove towards the ground. I landed with a thump, the speed stirring up a cloud of snow that blurred everything. I could hear all five of them coughing and Diamond Tiara’s arrogant voice. “Ick! What did you three idiots do?! You got my coat all snowy and - . . . uh, hello?” She trailed off as the dust settled and she realized it wasn’t the Crusaders who had just arrived. My ears were flattened back, my lips pulled back in a vicious snarl and my wings were spread wide as I glared at the two bullies. They both took a step back but the two bullies quickly put ingratiating smiles on their faces. “Oh hello sir,” Silver Spoon chirped. “These three were bothering us w-with their silly- umm I mean they were- . . . umm sir?” “I heard every disgusting word that came out of your mouths,” I hissed through my clenched teeth. “Chicken? Blank Flank? Oh and the best one: She doesn’t have one anymore? Sound familiar?” Both of them turned pale and looked like they were shivering with fear but Diamond Tiara still seemed intent on convincing me of their innocence. “P-perhaps you didn’t hear right,” she started. “It’s these three that were harassing us. It’s nothing new from these delinquents. I think you should-” Something snapped inside me when I heard that bald-faced lie and I felt my rage boil over. I opened my mouth, prepared to shout, lecture, or chastise them somehow but my mind was almost on fire. Instead of words, a hissing screech came thundering out. It sounded like a cross between my normal angry hiss and the screech of a hawk. The sound was so loud it shook the trees around us, sending clouds of snow falling to the ground. The two bullies stumbled back several paces. I cut off the scream of rage as soon as I realized how loud it was but I didn’t stop glaring at them. I could hear the sound of a dog howling in the distance and the rustling sound of snow falling off the trees all around us. With wide, terrified eyes, the two of them turned tail and galloped off, screaming at the top of their lungs. That might have been a bit over the top. You think?! What the buck just came over me? I have no idea Silver. I was just as mad as you. I took several heaving breaths, trying to calm myself down before turning to see how the Crusaders were taking it. The three of them were staring at me with wide eyes and almost looked ready to bolt. Their terrified expressions were heartwrenching but I was glad they didn’t run away. I was just praying I hadn’t just ruined our friendship. I smiled weakly at them. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me.” They relaxed a bit but kept staring at me speechless. “That was awesome!” Scootaloo suddenly exclaimed, her wings fluttering with excitement. Applebloom still looked distraught but a small smile appeared on her face. “Ah hafta say, it was nice seeing those two gettin’ a proper scare.” “Thank you for intervening Silver but that was a really scary noise,” Sweetie Belle said nervously. “How in Equestria did you do that?” “I wish I knew,” I sighed. “I keep discovering weird things I can do and I have no idea what the limits are. I’m probably going to regret discovering that one today though. Can I walk you three anywhere?” Applebloom nodded. “We’re heading to our clubhouse. Ah’ wouldn’t mind havin’ you walk there with us.” We began walking sedately down the snowy road towards Sweet Apple Acres. Our conversation was subdued as we walked through the snow-covered orchard. They told me about a recent trip to Appleloosa and how they’d helped a clumsy stallion named Troubleshoes. I think the three foals were a bit uncertain about how to ask me about my embarrassing outburst. “Why’d you get so angry Silver?” Sweetie Belle asked after they finished their story. “I mean, I know they were mean but you seemed really angry.” “I had a bad encounter in town earlier so I was already grumpy when I overheard their insults,” I replied sadly. “It was the comment about Applebloom’s parents that really got to me. I know how it feels to have a family tragedy used as a weapon to hurt you and I wouldn’t wish that pain on my worst enemy.” That effectively killed the conversation. We continued through the orchard before we arrived at a fantastic little treehouse. It was in beautiful condition nestled in the arms of a massive, gnarled apple tree. The sight somehow lightened my heart, seeing the signs that these three had a glorious childhood. “Wow, you three are sure lucky to have something like this,” I said, examining the ramp. “I grew up in a city like Manehattan. No room for stuff like this.” “Ah’ don’t know if I could live in a big city,” Applebloom replied. “Sounds like it could be dreary.” “Oh, it wasn’t all bad,” I said. “There were parks and other activities that made up for living in an apartment. Besides, I think . . . do you hear that?” I could hear shouting and the sound of hooves muffled by the snow. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and Sunset came galloping down the path following our tracks while Rainbow Dash came swooping in overhead. “Thank Celestia you’re all ok!” Twilight said, gasping for breath. “There’s a monster nearby and we wanted to make sure the Crusaders were safe. I’m glad you’re with them, Silver.” Sunset was clearly winded as she walked up to me. “Whatever it is, we heard it all the way across town. Have you seen or heard anything unusual? We need to track it down before it hurts someone.” I looked over at the CMC who looked like they were trying not to laugh. I felt more nervous than anything and I looked at the snowy ground rather than meeting their eyes. “I think that might have been me,” I said quietly. “I sort of lost my temper.” “WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash yelled, swooping down to hover in front of me. “You’re telling us you made that awful sound?” Twilight walked over and put her hoof under my chin to lift it up so I was looking at her. “What got you angry enough to make a sound like that?” “I had umm . . . an argument with somepony in town,” I admitted. “When I flew off to clear my head, I heard these three being verbally abused by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. I swear I was just going to shout at them but that sound came out instead.” Sunset suddenly laughed. “So that was the Royal Canterlot Voice distorted into some kind of primal scream? That’s pretty crazy Silver.” “Wait, he can use the same dreadfully loud voice that Princess Luna used to?” Rarity asked incredulously. Twilight shuffled her hoof in the snow. “Celestia once told me only alicorns have the ability to project their voices that way without a spell. We have no idea why Silver has acquired a similar skill.” “The human world has different magical rules,” Sunset said. “Hopefully we’ll find some answers when I get my research started.” “I really don't make a habit of it, I swear,” I said sheepishly, looking at Twilight. "How badly is this going to hurt my reputation in town? “A bit but Ponyville tends to be forgiving,” Twilight replied gently. “I don’t think you frightening a couple of foals with a reputation for being bullies quite surpasses the riot I caused with the Want-it, Need-it debacle. Come on, let’s head back to town and let everypony know the problem is under control.” The others ponies turned and started walking towards town. I sighed and waved at the Crusaders before turning to follow them. I stayed at the back of the group, not really wanting to see their faces. Losing my temper like that wasn't “You sure you’re ok Silver?” Sunset asked me quietly as she walked up beside me. “I think I will be,” I replied glumly. “It’ll suck if I screwed everything up after all the work Pinkie put into that welcome party.” “Who got you all riled up?” Sunset asked curiously. “Bon Bon’s pony counterpart apparently really hates Thestrals for some reason,” I replied quietly, leaving out the part about her threatening me with a crossbow. “She confronted me after Lyra left for an errand. I learned there are some fairly nasty racial slurs for Thestrals.” “Ugh, I’m, going have a word with that mare,” Sunset huffed. “Of all the awful things to do to a newcomer-” “Please don’t make a scene on my account Sunset,” I replied, bumping against her. “It’s not worth making a big fuss about. I’d rather just let this blow over.” Sunset nodded without replying, though her expression clearly indicated she didn’t approve of my decision. I don’t know what’s worse. Not understanding our magic or not understanding how Thestrals fit in this world. Whatever happens Spark, we need to get some information about what is going on if we’re going to spend time in Equestria. Agreed. We’ll figure this out somehow.