//------------------------------//
// 77 - Are You a God? 
// Story: Fading Suns: A New World 
// by David Silver 
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And so it was that Gregor, Spike, and one of Gregor's guards boarded a train. The train did not seem to alarm or surprise him. "Do you know the origin of this vehicle?" He gestured broadly from the cushioned bench of a seat he was on, designed for ponies to perch comfortably.

Spike's eyes followed his hands. "What, the train? Built by ponies, I'd think." He rubbed behind his head. "Now that you bring it up, I never really thought about it before."

"Do dragons construct such ornate engineering?"

Spike blinked up at him. "Yeah no. That'd be interesting, but not the style of most dragons I ever met. They don't go for long term 'boring' things like building a train." He put a hand to his chest. "I'm not that, uh, normal as dragons go."

"Would you care to tell me about that? I presume we have time before we--" He paused, the train lurching into smooth motion beneath them. "Before we arrive."

"Yeah, it's a trip." Spike shrugged as he looked out the window. "Not much to say though. I was raised by ponies, with ponies. I'm basically all pony in all the ways you can teach a person to be a pony." He rubbed behind his head, looking increasingly awkward. "But I guess you aren't either of those things."

"This much is true." Gregor nodded lightly, a warm smile on his face. "I am a human, with human strengths and human failures. I have not wings nor sorcerous horn. I have no breath of fire or great claws." He flexed his fingers, demonstrating his short-clipped nails to Spike. "So we must fashion such things for ourselves."

"Huh..." He looked over Gregor, than his guard, sitting stiffly as he was. "You guys are pretty good at getting yourself claws and scales when you want them." It wasn't hard to spy the armor the guard wore, nor was he trying very hard to hide it. "That's cool enough." Not that a pony couldn't pick up a sword, or wear armor. He'd seen both before. "We won't need either in Canterlot. It's a nice place."

"Tell me more about it, if you would? We will have to move directly for the princess, I should think."

"Oh nah." He waved a hand. "Celestia's not like that. This isn't an emergency or anything and I bet she'd be happy to hear you had a good time." And so he began to describe Canterlot and its many possible attractions for a discerning pony, or human, or perhaps a young dragon.





Laud sat up as something landed on his lap. Something warm and fuzzy and glaring at him. "Good afternoon, Bon Bon."

Bon Bon thrust a hoof at his face. "This is your fault, I remind."

"This is not the first time I have heard this said." He set a hand on her shoulder and gently rubbed at her. She was not soft there, her muscles tense and powerful besides. It was a subtle reminder that she was a warrior. "What did I do this time?"

"I was sick this morning," she spat out, her voice as acidic as what she had experienced earlier. "Your fault."

"I accept that." He brought his other hand to her other shoulder. "As way of apology..." He began to work at her more firmly, pressing his fingers against the rebelling knots he could feel. He had no formal training in massage, but a friendly hand he could lend.

Though she was still frowning, he could feel her relaxing. A little sigh escaped her. "My body isn't working the way I'm used to," she breathed out, tail twitching. "You wouldn't know what that is. Stallions never have that..."

"We can only look on, and try to be helpful." He worked a little lower, between her shoulders and barrel. "You are far from alone. We are all ready to assist you."

"Assist me getting fat and slow." She wrinkled her nose. "Put strange spawn in me beyond all understanding. You've helped me quite a bit already, Laud." She turned in place, facing sideways, but not refusing the touch of his hands. "I don't mean that... Look, I'll probably say more hurtful things."

"It is one privilege you earn for your sacrifice." He lowered his hands, one going to the small of her back, the other along her front, resting on her belly where their child grew. "I will not hold it against you, and would rather you spoke harshly to me than not at all. Are you feeling better, now?"

"Relatively," She rolled her head in a slow circle, flopped bonelessly for the motion. "At least you didn't do this to Twilight. She'd already be a thousand separate pieces of panic by now."

"I would imagine that would not go well..." The neurotic princess would have filled the house with every book she could find on how to do it properly, and tried half of them. "You are a saint for saving us from that."

Bon Bon suddenly stuck out her tongue at him. "And you were upset at me and Lyra shoving our noses into things before. Bet you feel silly now."

"Dreadfully so," he agreed, softly rubbing at her. "Fortunately I have wives to help avoid such foolishness."

"Hay right." She suddenly darted in, kissing his right cheek. "Don't you forget that." She flopped against him, hugging gently, pinning the hand that had been on her belly between them. She backed up just as suddenly as his fingers wriggled and tickled her, sending her flopping in his lap in a fit of laughter. "Cheater!"





The train came to a smooth halt at the mountain-side station. "Canterlot," called out one of the conductors. "Mind your step."

Spike bounced to his feet, but never made it, his wings catching him halfway down and lifting him into the air. "We're here. Where do you want to go first?" He reached into a pocket that was invisible until he shoved his hand into it and came out with a bag. "We're traveling on Twilight's bits." He waggled his brows suggestively.

"And we should be kind to her." He stood up with less wing-assisted action, his guard up with him. "We came to speak to Princess Celestia, let us see her first. After that, perhaps, we can take in the sights."

"Aw, no fun." Spike stuffed the bag away and began moving for the exit, never much quicker than Gregor and his companion. "Say, why doesn't your buddy there ever talk?"

"He is shy," lied Gregor mildly. "He does not often speak when I am present." That much was true. They emerged into the busy terminal, many ponies moving about purposefully. "Ah, what a difference..." It was immediately obvious how different Canterlot was to Ponyville. The population of people had risen considerably, and most of them were dressed, though most only covered their front, which felt like a curious decision of which half of themselves to garb. Still, a step up from complete nudity.

"I figured maybe he didn't know Ponish." Spike shrugged softly. "(Hi.)" He waved at the guard as they left the train.

The guard started, clearly not expecting human words from the dragon that made horse noises. "(Hello.)"

"You'll make him uncomfortable," gently counseled Gregor. "I had wished to spare his feelings, but, yes, he does not know Ponish. Without the grace of the pancreator, I would not know it either."

"Huh, alright." Spike pointed up towards the castle. "Well, she's in there, kind of hard to miss, but the streets can get a bit confusing. Lucky you have me." He landed lightly and began leading the way with a firm march.

The ponies of Canterlot watched them go by, some openly peering at Gregor and his guard with a lack of reservation. None challenged his right to be there, however. A few seemed to know Spike and waved politely. "Hey Spike!" Minuette wandered in from the side. "Where's Twilight?"

Gregor pressed the fingers of his opposing hands together. "A friend of yours, Spike?"

"Yeah, hey Minuette." He hiked a thumb back at Gregor. "This is Gregor, Father Gregor." He leaned towards her, stage whispering, "He's everycreature's father, kind of his thing."

Minuette burst into merry laughter. "That's great! Hey dad!" She waved a hoof at Gregor with complete joy, no concern in her stance or words. "Welcome to Canterlot!"

"A pleasure to meet you, Minuette." He spread his hands out. "Your city is magnificent and overwhelming." A bit of a white lie there. He'd seen larger metropolises before. "You can call me Gregor if you prefer, or Father."

"Nice to meet you, Pops." She bobbed her head quickly. "I was just meeting up with the girls. Nice to see you, Spike." She suddenly hugged him, a brief thing, and she trotted away as if nothing unusual had happened.

"A pleasant person," complimented Gregor. "She lives here, I gather?"

"All her life, when she wasn't visiting someplace." He hiked a thumb after her. "She's pretty easy going, as I figure you probably noticed. Before you ask, yes she has magic. Canterlot is the city of unicorns."

He had noticed the density of horns per pony. Was it wisdom or madness that their leader surrounded themselves with their best spellcasters? If they trusted it, from their perspective, shrewd, but he wasn't sure if he could agree with it so easily. "It seems there are far more of them than not. I had thought there would be a more even mix."

Spike resumed the journey, guiding the human guests forward. "Ponyville's actually a bit of an exception. Most of the other places have at least some preference. Like Manehattan is more earth ponies than not. Good luck being a not pegasus in Cloudsdale for obvious reasons." He shrugged softly. "The dragons tend to stick to themselves."

He considered this as they went. They were a people in flux, perhaps. Had they arrived at a pivotal time?

They arrived at the castle. The guards standing at either side of the large doors that led into it were watching them as intently as his own guard scanned for trouble. One of them saluted as Spike approached. "The princess said to expect you."

"Hey," he responded far more informally. "Where should we meet her?"

"Mid-Morning, Autumn."

"Got it." He gave a sloppy salute before moving past the two.

Gregor nodded to each of them as he moved up. They didn't stop him, so he moved past as if he belonged there, which he did. He was invited. "Was that a code?"

"Sorta. Celestia arranges her sitting rooms by time of day and season." He took a sharp left down a narrow hallway. "I have... half of them memorized. Lucky us, that's one of them. Might be why she picked it." He shrugged. "She pays attention. So what was it you wanted to talk to her about anyway?"

Gregor watched the guards they passed. Many were unicorns, but some were pegasi, or earth ponies. The guards seemed to have a wider selection of tribes than the city proper. A specific decision? He couldn't help but assume it was. "They don't seem upset at an alien presence."

"You're not even the first one here." Spike shrugged as he walked along. "Laud was here before, so they've seen at least one human before. Besides, Celestia's expecting you, remember? They were told."

"Too true." It would have been a poor performance on their end if they had reacted poorly to an expected guest. When they reached a door with two more guards, Gregor tried his hand, "Good day. Princess Celestia is expecting us."

"Right this way." One of their horns glowed as the door opened behind them. "Make yourself at home."

Inside was a long low table already arranged with snacks of various sorts. Tea kettles wafted steam, promising refreshing drinks. Gregor brought his hands together, clasping them with a bright smile. "What hospitality! Please extend my thanks."