//------------------------------// // Finding Time // Story: The Chronicle of the Return // by DracoUnis //------------------------------// Now is the time. All of my study, all of my practice, every single solitary second of prep work has all been leading to this moment. I take a deep breath and concentrate. A tingling sensation runs up and down my spine as magic travels through my chakras, just as the tablets said it would. Exhaling, I run the energies through my body to the contact point. Lines, each painstakingly painted on the surface of the object glow with yellow light. The spell is complete! The paper square in my hand glows softly. I can't possibly contain my grin. With a little magical nudge, the homemade charm in my hand stops glowing. Another lights it up again. The spell is working like a, well, like a charm. I do a little victory dance after turning my paper lantern off and setting it down on my desk. I happily collapse into my armchair. The last few weeks have been one big blur of studying, studying with Twilight, and finally the preparation of the spell. Add that to all the hectic events that normally occur in Ponyville and that equals one exhausted Guardian. Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I took a day 'off'. Well, I tried once but I got talked into babysitting the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Not exactly the most relaxing way to spend a day. Today is actually the perfect day to spend doing nothing at all. The pegasi had deposited a fresh layer of snow last night. My pony friends are all either busy to visit or content to do their own thing today. I hear opportunity knocking. A quick glance out my loft window confirms that nothing's making its way up from town to disturb my day. I lock my door just to make sure, then go to my kitchen. A day like this needs peach blossom tea! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, at the library, Twilight Sparkle is having a good day. She's reading some research materials for her latest project, her library is clean and organized, and most importantly Big Mac has taken the time to come over. The two are so deep in snuggle territory they could apply for immigration. The big red stallion has his nose deep in his own book. The intimate silence is suddenly broken by a green-tinted belch from upstairs. Startled, Twilight turned her head and shouted through the walls. "Spike, is anything burned!" "No!" the young dragon shouts back before running down the stairs. The unicorn couldn't help but notice the scroll held in her assistant's claw. Or the fact that he is heading straight for the door. "Is that a letter from the Princess?" Twilight's question brings Spike to a screeching halt. "Uh, yeah?" When he spots the eager look in his caretaker's eyes, the dragon quickly hides the rolled up parchment behind his back and begins blabbering. "It's for Pinkie Pie though, and it must be important if she sent it through me. I'm going to make sure it gets to her. I'll be back in a bit." The door slams, leaving a pair of very perplexed ponies alone in the library. Twilight sighs. Spike has been behaving strange lately. Maybe it's because of Big Macintosh? Spike did seem extra grumpy whenever the red stallion came over. Maybe it was part of Spike's dragon instincts coming to the surface? The unicorn knew from past experience how territorial adult dragons could be, and her little Spike was growing up. Maybe she should have another talk with Zecora the next time she visits the zebra's hut for tea. Her melancholy transforms to something else entirely as she realizes something. "Hey Mac?" she says as she turns her head slightly and gives him a Look. He knows that Look. It excites and terrifies him at the same time. "Eyup?" "We're all alone right now." Her face gets closer to his. "Eyup." "Quiet day, nopony around to disturb us…" She edges closer. The door proves her wrong by choosing that exact moment to burst open, revealing a cheerful orange earth pony and a hovering cyan pegasus. "Howdy y'all! Who's up fer some hot cider?" "Nope," Mac says softly under his sister's voice. "Horseapples," Twilight curses under her breath. "Hi girls, come right in," the unicorn says in a cheery and only slightly sarcastic voice. Rainbow chuckles as she flies over to the room's central table. "Hope we didn't interrupt anything," she teases, receiving a pair of flat stares from the couple. AJ, conveniently busy pulling something out of an insulated saddlebag, misses the entire exchange. Curiosity draws Twilight over to the table as the orange mare places a pitcher-sized thermos on the wood table. She places one hoof on the side of the container to feel its temperature, then takes a small but appreciative sniff at the steam wafting from the spout of the vessel. Mouth watering slightly, Twilight turns to her friend to say, "This is wonderful, Applejack. What's the occasion?" "Ain't no occasion Twi," the farmer replies. With a few adroit flicks of her tail she slides four mugs across the table to each pony. "It's a bit of a tradition that my brother an' me started. Every heavy snow we take the afternoon off and catch up over some warm apple cider. Thought you might enjoy the company." The unicorn smiles and takes a seat at the table. "Then I accept your invitation, AJ. Although I have to ask, what are you doing here Rainbow?" Dash's answer is cut of by the farm pony. "Ah swear this one can smell our cider from a mile away. Wasn't halfway to town before she came flyin' over to ask me where I was goin' and what Ah had in my bag." "Hey, you were the one who packed an extra mug," the pegasus countered. The other mare put on her most innocent face, which caused Twilight to break into giggles. Big Mac steps up to his own seat and pushes his mug forward. "What are ya waitin' for, sis? Fill 'em up." The mugs are filled and the ponies begin drinking. Twilight finds she enjoys listening to Mac and Applejack talk while the cider warms her up. While the siblings talk about their farm and family, Rainbow starts a conversation with Twilight about the fiction series she recently started reading. It is a rather pleasant way to spend an afternoon. "Hey Twi, Ah got somethin' Ah've been meaning to ask ya." AJ says after talking a while with Big Mac. "Sure, what's up?" The orange mare's face gets a little serious. "We got our tickets for the shindig that the Princesses are throwing in Canterlot next week. Ah just wanted to ask ya what ta expect." Twilight tilts her head to the side, confused by the farmer's request. "What do you mean by that?" "Well, shoot. Ah ain't no good at this." AJ quiets down as she carefully puts her mind together. "What Ah mean is how do we handle the other humans that show up? Lanternlight has always been awfully dodgy when we try to ask him what his folk are like. Ah just wanna be prepared for 'em is all. Bein' at a fancy party again ain't gonna help me feel settled neither." The unicorn considers the presented conundrum for a bit before answering. "I think the best thing for us to do is just to keep an open mind and but our best hoof forward. There's not much we can do other than that." Dash refills her mug while she indulges her curiosity. "So what do you think these other humans will be like?" "Don't know, we'll find out when we meet 'em," Mac states sagely. "Yah, but come on, let's at least guess. It's not like the ones we meet at the banquet will be the only ones we ever see." The pegasus takes a sip of cider before continuing. "We don't know how many are gonna be coming to Equestria before this Return spell thingy is done. Some of them are probably gonna be moving into Ponyville, so we should get used to the idea of meeting new humans. Y'know, make plans to include them in stuff like Winter Wrap-up and Nightmare Night." Intrigued by the pegasus's suggestion, the unicorn begins to give into her compulsion to theorize. "Hmm. You're right about that Rainbow. We should get used to the idea of having more humans around. They could bring a lot of changes to Equestria." Applejacks eyes narrow suspiciously. "What kinda changes?" Remembering how rooted in tradition Applejack and her family are, Twilight frantically waves her hoof in a frantic attempt to allay her friend's fears. "Nothing bad, it's just… well, look at everything Lanternlight's done around here. He might live out of town, but the town feels a little safer with him around. He's fought monsters, looked for missing ponies, and he keeps the other predators away from the outskirts. Not to mention the information we got from the ruins on Sword Peak! Humans had some fascinating insight on how magic works!" At the mention of 'the M word,' Dash rolls her eyes and grins. "Let me guess. You've been helping Double-L get through all those tablets we hauled down from that mountain, all so you could learn all you could about his magic?" "Ya nailed it right on the head, Rainbow," Mac smiles mischievously at his marefriend's blush. "That's not the only reason! And besides, we're learning together." Dash looks at Twilight disbelievingly. "Anyway, the tablets contained some fascinating information. The humans studied the way magic acts within the body thoroughly. They hypothesize that magic flows through the body in a network of pathways and nodes called chi. This network is rooted to the points were magic enters the body, known as chakras. Each chakra…" "Boring!" the pegasus interrupts the unicorn before she can begin lecturing. "I swear, you can be as bad as Pinkie Pie sometimes. I wanna know what you think about humans, not their magic." Applejack smiles at the antics of her two friends. "Ah agree with Dash on this one, sugarcube. More guessin', less lesson." Her momentum broken, the scholar sighs melodramatically. "You two are no fun," she says with a false pout. "Well, what do you want to guess about?" Ever practical, the farm mare kicks off with the most important subject in her mind. "What'll these other humans do? Ah mean, Lanternlight is the town's Guardian but he's also kinda explorin' what it means to be human round here." Twilight wracks her brain for an answer. "That will depend on each human, and what they chose for their duty." Dash snickers as she asks, "Duty?" "Yes. Celestia told Lanternlight that a human gets his or her Mark when he or she decides to dedicate his-or-herself to a cause or purpose, as opposed to discovering a special talent. Said dedication is called the human's duty. Hence the term 'Duty Mark.'" Mac picks up his marefriend's lecture. "Lanternlight wants to protect everypony from the dangers in the dark, an' when he realized that his Mark appeared. He even picked up a new name fer himself afterwords." "So what yer sayin' is a human will take whatever job fits their duty best, like ponies an' talents?" AJ tapped a hoof pensively. "Makes sense." "Duh, but what'll it be like?" The pegasus lifts her gaze up to the ceiling. "I wonder if one of them will be a fast enough for me to race. That would be super awesome." "Humans can't fly sugarcube." "Nope." Ignoring the Apple siblings' cold logic, the daredevil turns to Twilight. "What do you think, Twi? Can't you see me and a human in a race, neck-and-neck, dodging obstacles, crossing the sky so fast that the audience head spins? I would win, of course, but a race like that would get me into the history books for sure!" "We'll see," the unicorn responds evenly. "Honestly, I'm more interested in seeing how much a human's elemental affinity influences personality traits. So far Lanternlight has been correct about humans attuned to Fire being exceptionally driven." "What's all this about elements?" Applejack asks in confusion. Before Twilight can launch into another lecture, the unicorn's body loudly reminds her that she skipped breakfast today. Her growling stomach brings the room to a halt before everypony erupts into laughter. "Cm'on sugar, ya can fill us all in over lunch." Mac stands and leads the mares into the kitchen. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With exaggerated care I place the tomato slices on top of the layer of onion. Satisfied by their position, I stack a pair of lettuce leaves over that. With the placement of the top slice of bread my sandwich is finished and I cut it into halves. That done, I check my oven to make sure that my homemade french fries are not burning. Satisfied, I pour myself another cup of tea and wait for the final piece of my lunch to finish cooking. This is the good life. *Ding* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "There! All done," Rarity proclaims with no little satisfaction. She gazes upon the finished product in front of her, proud of a job well done and a self-imposed challenge completed. Secured around an improvised mannequin is the final product of nearly two months of planning, designing, redesigning, and constructing. Lanternlight's suit, ready for the rapidly approaching banquet. The suit was an exquisitely tailored three-piece ensemble, with cape. First of all, the jacket. Rarity had chosen a thick material of a deep burgundy color, to accent the colors of the human's Duty Mark when it manifested on the cloth. The unicorn had been thrown a bit when she discovered the mark's ability to manifest over coverings, but she had quickly adapted. The pants were made from the same material in a slightly lighter shade. Through a bit of effort and a few well-spotted bargains, the dressmaker had secured enough brass to fashion buttons and cufflinks for the suit jacket. The shirt under the jacket she had decided to shape out of sunny yellow linen. Lastly, a red silk necktie bound the shirt and jacket together, accompanied by a brass tie pin with a small but brilliant blue sapphire. The burgundy cape draped over the suit and was secured at the shoulders, the edges trailing down to a point near the wearer's knees. Scattered around the room are several other outfits the designer created for her friends and clients, all for the upcoming celebration. She had never been so in demand before. Unable to contain herself any longer, the overjoyed unicorn squeals before giggling and bouncing up and down in place. "Rarity, you have done it again! All this work finished with time to spare! It might of got a little close to the wire, but all that extra effort paid off in the end!" Stopping her excited bouncing, she turns and begins prancing around her workroom. "I can just imagine the reaction of the ponies at the banquet when they see Lanternlight walk in. Even better, the humans will be thrilled to see the work of a designer who has such obvious skill." Throwing a hooded cloak over her shoulders with magic, the unicorn stands awkwardly on her hind hooves and alters her tone of voice. "Why, look at that man in the suit! Such a marvelous piece of formal wear!" Jumping to a different location, Rarity continues her one-pony play. "And to think all I could find that fit me are these rags!" "I simply must find the one who made that outfit!" "Uh… hello?" "Indeed! I will have to order two outfits from that designer!" "Rarity?" "I'm sure the mare who makes such exquisite clothing is worth traveling any lengths to meet!" "Excuse me, Rarity." Finally noticing the soft voice speaking at her from the door, the amateur thespian quickly drops down to her normal posture and hides her blush by straightening out a dress. "Oh, Fluttershy. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in." The shy pegasus smiles and ignores the fact she just witnessed her best friend acting like a filly in a school play. "Oh, it's no problem at all. I just stopped by to make sure you were ready for our spa day. Because you've been so busy lately I thought you might need to be reminded." The mare stops for a second as she realizes the possible implications of what she just said. "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't mean to say that you're forgetful or anything." "Don't worry dear, your concern was well-founded." Feeling relieved, the unicorn turns to face her friend, "And your timing is impeccable. I just finished tying up some loose ends here, and I was so excited I almost forgot our appointment. Just give me a moment to lock up and we'll be on our way." "Take your time, you don't need to rush for me." Fluttershy takes a moment to admire the dressmaker's crafts. "These are so beautiful. I'm amazed you got them all done so quickly." "I won't lie, it was a trail. The late nights will all be worth it though." A key floated out of a drawer at the unicorn's magical bidding. "Now let's get to the spa darling. I feel like celebrating!" After closing the boutique and slipping into her winter gear, the unicorn followed her friend towards the Ponyville Day Spa. As they walked through the quiet streets they enjoyed a comfortable silence. The pair never really felt the need to chat in the street, heaven knows Fluttershy would be terrified to be overheard by anypony she didn't know. Maybe that is what surprised Rarity so much when the pegasus breaks the silence. "Um, Rarity… I don't mean to pry or anything but…" She stumbled her way through several more false starts before finally blurting out her question. "Do you ever get the feeling that Lanternlight might be lonely?" "Lonely? Whatever gave you that impression?" The pair's hoof-steps echoed off the walls surrounding the nearly empty street. Occasionally a pegasus would dart overhead or a pony would trot past as they traveled from one island of warmth to the other, but for the most part the two might as well be alone. "I know he had a bit of trouble fitting in at the beginning, but it seems like Ponyville has well and truly taken him in. It's like he's always lived up on that hill." Slowing down a bit to consider her answer, the pegasus falls a bit behind her friend before speaking up. "Well, I know that, but he's still the only human that we've heard of. And I can see how hard it is for him when he makes a joke or says something we don't understand. You should see how the animals react to him. Dogs and cats like him fine, as do some of the birds, but anything that lives in the wild won't go near him. He and Angel bunny don't get along very well." "He is a predator Fluttershy, as much as we like to forget that sometimes." The delicate sensibilities of the unicorn shudder at the memory of the human's eating habits. "We can't fault him for that. It's in his nature, as well is the frankly morbid sense of humor he derives from it." "That's exactly the point I'm making," the pegasus's voice raises about two decibels. That is fairly shouting for the shy yellow pony. "As good of friends we've been to him, we are still ponies and he's not. He needs to see others of his kind, or I'm afraid of what will happen." "He's not exactly living in total isolation. I understand where you're coming from though, I remember the whole drama with Rainbow's griffin friend. Gilda, was it?" "How do we help him, though? I mean, we are already trying so hard to make him feel welcome and comfortable. What if that isn't enough?" "Have you forgotten already my dear? The reason the Princesses are holding that banquet in the first place is because Lanternlight is just the first of many. Why, I've already heard rumors of two humans arriving in Canterlot already. I bet in a year or two our friend will have more human contact than he can stand. As the first of them to officially become a citizen of Equestria, not to mention all that effort he's put into mastering his mag- Uhg, bending. He may just become something of a celebrity among his own kind." "That would be, um, nice. As long as it doesn't go too far." "He'll have us looking out for him, and perhaps one or two human friends who'll be willing to help by that time. I'm sure between us we can chase off any paparazzi if it gets too intense." "Really? You think more humans will want to move here?" "I might be a bit biased, but no town I know can compete with Ponyville when it comes to a place to live. Our home has a certain charm. Not to mention how events always conspire to make things a bit interesting every now and then." "No kidding." The two mares share a laugh before a cold wind blows down the street. Rarity shivers as the cold draft cuts through her saddle, blanket, and coat. The unicorn doesn't remember the point when they stopped walking but they are standing just two blocks away from the warmth and comfort of the spa. "Brrrr. Why do they have to make it so cold this time of year? Let's hurry to the spa." "Oh yes," Fluttershy agrees as they begin trotting towards the tent-shaped building. "A warm bath would be just heavenly." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nothing beats a nice, long soak in the tub after a big lunch. Which is, coincidentally, exactly what I'm doing right now. I stretch out, enjoying the feeling of being submerged up to my chest in steaming water. I've always wanted to have a big tub to soak in, ever since I began to outgrow the tub in the old house. My apartment back on Earth just had a shower. Huh. That's a new thought, 'back on Earth' instead of 'back home'. Maybe I've finally accepted the idea of living in this world for the rest of my life. Not that I really had a choice in the matter, but as they say, 'Acceptance is the first step towards moving on.' It still makes me sad to think about all the people who I might never see again. It would be nice to send a letter to my parents letting them know I'm all right or something like that. They might not have been the best, the divorce certainly hadn't made it easy for me to spend time with them what with all that custody bull shit, but they tried their hardest and they have their hearts in the right place. Then there's the guys. And Karol. Damn it I need to stop thinking about her. Focusing back on the moment, I notice that the temperature of my bath has dropped from comfortable to lukewarm. A little firebending gets the steam rising from the water's surface once again. A few more minutes can't hurt. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pinkie Pie jumps out of Sugarcube Corner's kitchen to report to her employer. "That bunt needs a just a few more minutes Mr. Cake," the cheerful young mare says to the orange colored stallion sitting behind the bakery's counter. "Thanks Pinkie," Carrot Cake responds. He can't help but smile, the energy of his employee/boarder/all-but-adopted-daughter as infectious as always. Taking note of the time on the clock above the bakery's sitting room he turns towards the kitchen's swinging doors. "Let's trade for a bit. I need to check on the test batch of cookies for the banquet anyway." Without hesitation or bothering to cross the space in between, the pink mare appears behind the counter. "No problem. Oh! Could you save me one of those? Or two, or four, or eight, or sixteen? They smell super yummy." "I'll bake a batch just for you if they turn out right. Call me if you need any help." The baker disappears behind the doors to ply his trade. "Okeydokeylokey!" With the day being as slow as it is, Pinkie honestly doesn't think she would need to disturb Mr. Cake for any reason. But on the other hand, you never know, ya know. The mare giggles at what she just thought. She had grown to like some of the things Lanternlight said without thinking. Sometimes he would say every-body or every-one instead of every-pony like most of the town did. That is kinda funny, but in a good way. A ringing bell brings the pony to attention. "Hi Spike," she greets the little dragon as he walks into the bakery. "What brings you to Sugarcube Corner today? Got a craving for something sweet and warm to chase the cold away?" The kid perks up at the mention of sweets, but quickly shakes the impulse away. "Sorry, not today Pinkie. I actually came over because I got a letter for you." "A letter like 'Ididmyburpy-fwooshthingandaletterpoppedoutanditwasforyoufromthePrincess' or did Ditzy Doo accidentally give Twilight my mail again?" All said in the space of about one second, so it takes the purple dragon a bit to process the pink pony's reply. "Uh, the first one, I think. Here," Spike presents the rolled up scroll to its recipient, who takes it from him with her typical enthusiasm. His task completed, the dragon starts to leave but lingers near the door. "Uh… Pinkie? Can I stay and help you look after the store for a little while?" Sensing something off about her little friend, the pony puts her royal message aside and turns her entire attention towards Spike. "Thanks a lot for offering, Spikey, but today's such a chilly day everypony is staying home where it's toasty-warm and cozy so we're not very busy. The only reason to be out right now would be to have a snowball fight or play snow forts or go sledding. But it's so cold out that it would only be fun for a teensy tiny little while. I remember just last year the Crusaders and I went out and had a super-fun day in the snow and ignored every shiver from our bodies, and we all got sick. Being sick is no fun, because then all you can eat is vegetable soup, which is good but let's face it it's no cupcake. I tried to make veggie soup cupcakes once. I made such a mess of the oven and Mrs. Cake was so mad that she…" By virtue of several similar experiences, the dragon simply lets the rant wash over him. Knowing that the pink chatterbox had hit her stride , he begins backing out the door. "Okay, I'll just see if Rarity needs help with anything then." "… so I learned never to let a wallaby spot for me. Why don't you want to go home?" The sudden question brings the young dragon to a full and complete stop. "Uh, well, um… I just…" He stutters like that for a while under the merciless blue gaze of Pinkie Pie. "Okay, okay! Big Macintosh is at the library again, and Twilight's spending time with him today. I just… I don't want to bother them, that's all." "Oh, Spike, that's whats bothering you?" Pinkie asks in sympathy. "Kinda," he responds. He taps his claws together before asking a question. "Um, Pinkie? Why do things have to change?" Now it's the pony's turn be struck speechless. She recovers lightning-fast and shouts into the kitchen. "Mr. Cake!" The stallion runs out of the kitchen in a panic. "What? Is there another dragon on the loose? Incoming Parasprites? Elder evils from beyond the limits of space and time?" The orange pony got a good look at some purple scales as an equally surprised baby dragon is shoved in his face by a pair of pink hooves. "This is a sweets emergency! I've got a dragon that needs a plate of snicker-doodles and a cup of hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, stat!" Pinkie whisks the dragon away to a table, sitting down across from him and staring at him with an unnervingly serious expression. "Oh, and that bunt cake is probably finished by now" Recovering from what he and his wife have come to call 'Pinkie Shock,' Carrot Cake turns around and returns to the kitchen. He has a pretty good idea what his employee is up to. One did not live under the same roof as Pinkie Pie without picking up on some of her ways. The pony and dragon pair sit in silence for a few minutes. Spike considered leaving just before Pinkie started talking. "Okay Spikey, I need you to listen to me. I am being completely, absolutely, one-hundred-and-twenty-thousand percent honest with you. Change is gonna happen whether you want it to or not. That's just how it is. You can't control when, or how, or where, nobody can." The dragon's mouth opens to complain, but his elder holds up a hoof to forestall him before he can get a word out. "What you can control is how you react to it. You can accept the change and adapt to it, or you can try to fight it. And believe me, nopony is ever happy if they try to fight change. I know cause I tried." "Back when I first got my Cutie Mark, my parents were very happy for me. But as time went on they realized I wouldn't be very happy with them. There's not a whole lot to party about when you live on a rock farm, after all. So one night they came to my room and told me that they were sending me to live with Papa's cousins in Fillydelphia. And was. I. Upset. I was just a little filly then, and I wanted to stay home with my parents and my little sisters, so I thew the biggest tantrum in the history of tantrums. I screamed, I cried, I locked myself in my room for days. I somehow got the idea that my parents didn't love me anymore. So I ran away. My parents weren't able to catch up with me, and eventually I wound up in Ponyville. The rest is history." "What happened to your parents?" Spike asks through a mouthful of cookie. "I wrote them when I first moved in with the Cakes. They were happy I was still alive and proud that I found a place to live where I can party my heart out." Pinkie smiles at the memory. "That's great, but…" The dragon pauses to consider what to say next, idly pushing a snicker-doodle around his plate. "This is different. Big Mac and Twilight are getting pretty serious. What if they get married? Will Big Mac move into the library, or will we have to move to Sweet Apple Acres? What happens when they have foals? Pinkie, I'm not ready for all this to happen yet!" "Whoa whoa Spikey, you're jumping ahead a bit don't you think?" Pinkie quickly snags one of the dragon's cookies and continues speaking through a mouthful of crumbs. "Not that it wouldn't be super-duper if Twilight and Mac tied the knot, and I would be so excited to be an auntie to their foals. I have so much fun looking after the twins already. None of that's happening for a while though, not if Applejack has anything to say about it." Spike looks up from his hot chocolate to say (though a beard and mustache of whipped cream), "But how do I deal with it when it happens. I don't think I'll ever be ready." Pinkie considers this latest conundrum, then answers, "Well, look at Lanternlight!" "Huh?" "Think about it, he's probably the best example you have of somebody who's gone through a big, sudden change. He was just walking along one day, minding his own business, then Poof! Suddenly he's in a whole new world he doesn't understand, Princess Celestia tells him that she doesn't know how to send him back, or if she did that he wouldn't just get poofed right back here again, and what did he do? He decided to start learning about this world instead of moping about it, that's what! Now he's got a house, a job, and he's going to be the first ever human magician. Well, not the first ever ever, but the first in a really really really really long time. Double-L chose to adapt to what changed rather than try to fight against it." Trying to wrap his brain around that idea, Spike polished off the cookies and hot chocolate. "Um, thanks for the talk Pinkie. I should probably go home now." "Okey dokey lokey. Don't worry about what Twilight and Big Mac decide to do. No matter what happens you'll never stop being her Number One Assistant! Wait! Can you take these cupcakes over to the library? You guys need to keep more sweets around." The pink baker drops a tub full of confections into the dragon's arms and waves goodbye as he walks off into the clear winter day. Satisfied that she has soothed her friend's worries, for the moment anyway, Pinkie returns to her station behind the counter. She spots the royal letter laying where she abandoned it, and with blinding speed picks it up, breaks the seal, and begins reading. "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehehehehehehehehehe!" The sound of Pinkie's squeal causes Carrot Cake to peek out of the kitchen. "What's going on now?" He is greeted by one of the biggest grins ever to grace the pink party planner's face. "This is going to be my best. Party. Ever!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I wake up with a start. The book resting on my chest slides off and lands on the floor beneath the couch with a thump. Groaning, I stretch the lethargy out of my limbs and pick the book up. I kinda wish that nap had lasted longer, my couch is especially comfortable today and the evening sun has warmed it up just right. Actually, I feel like making myself dinner. Best get that started now. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I believe that wraps up the dinner menu, along with the guest list and security arrangements, and the after-party is out of our hooves," Celestia says with satisfaction as the last of the chefs are escorted out the doors of Canterlot's throne room. "Thankfully," her younger sister yawns. Luna holds a steaming cup of coffee with her magic. "Why did you wake me up for this again?" The white alicorn smiles at her still groggy sibling. "This is a very important celebration we're planning, Luna. As I remember, you were the one who insisted that we commemorate this occasion." "I understand that part, Tia. What I mean to ask was if you could not have delayed these matters until a reasonable hour." The Princess of the Night cracks another wide and distinctly unladylike yawn. "This is seriously cutting into my, how does the phrase go, beauty sleep?" Celestia rolls her eyes and pokes her sister in the side just as the dark alicorn takes a sip of coffee. The touch tickles the younger princess, causing her to spray a fine black mist an impressive distance down the white-tiled room. Much to the long-suffering annoyance of the attendants, but neither royal pays it much mind. "Don't be such a prima donna. I only woke you up at five in the afternoon, and you have to raise the moon soon because of the winter schedule anyway. Besides, you can't say you haven't been enjoying yourself." A certain twinkle enters Celestia's eye as she talks. Blushing slightly, Luna carefully dabs the lingering drops of coffee from her lips with a kerchief. To buy some extra time to compose herself, she turns her attention to cleaning up the rest of her spit-take. "Well, the return of an entire species from magical exile is not exactly a regular event. I feel that we should make this night a special one for all involved." "I quite agree. Now," Celestia nods to the seneschal, dismissing him and the rest of the court for the evening, "let's get tonight started, then we can get to work on the day's paperwork." "Very well," her sister says noncommittally. The two alicorns stand and stretch out before making their way out to the balcony. From there, the castle's immaculately kept gardens are visible, and beyond that stretches western Equestria in a patchwork of farmland, prairie, forest, and mountains. The sun sinks beyond the horizon to be replaced by the cool silver light of the moon in the eastern sky. Celestia turns around and began to reenter the castle, eager to finish her last few duties and get into her bed for a full night's sleep. Luna lingers, however, looking around the gardens in search of something. It only takes a few moments for the elder Princess to catch on to her sister's behavior. "Luna, is something wrong? Have you seen something?" Her sister's concerned voice breaks the alicorn's focus. "I… No sister, I did not see anything tonight." "Tonight? That is a suspiciously specific answer." Knowing better than to try to evade the subject now that her sister had caught her, Luna decided to be completely honest. "I might just be seeing things, but every now and then I get a glimpse of… something." "Do you know what it is?" "No, it never lingers long, but I know what it looks like. A male human, in white robes. His hair and beard flows in an unseen wind, like our manes." That catches Celestia's attention. "When did you see this human last?" "A few nights ago, when I found Tabitha out in the mountains." Luna sees her sister's mind processing this information and interrupts when she starts speaking, "Yes, when I spotted him, I flew closer to try to get a better look, and that played no small part in my discovery of the girl." The two alicorns sit in silence for a few minutes, letting their minds catch up with each other. Finally, the younger spoke up. "Do you think he is really…" "Maybe, but probably not," the elder answers. "It is most likely a contingency built into the Return that helps ensure that its subjects survive and help them to acclimate. At least, that's what I would do if I were in his situation." Luna's eyes lower and she leans into her sister, simple contact holding as much significance as a full embrace. "You very nearly were." Celestia nuzzles her sister, and feels a little more of an old wound heal. "The circumstances may have been nearly identical, but the actions he and I took were vastly different. As were their consequences." Naturally falling out of the embrace, the white alicorn leads her sister back into the warm light of the castle and their waiting duties. "But that's enough dwelling on the past. How is Tabitha doing, by the way?" "She has recovered nicely, and the orphanage has taken her in without much trouble. Miss Kinderheart has reported that the girl is having a difficult time adjusting. Perfectly understandable, considering her circumstances." "You seem to have taken a shine to her. I hear that you even paid to get her new clothes, including a rather expensive dress for the banquet." "It was the least I could do, sister. She was so lost when I found her. The last time I visited her she told me that she had run away from her home in the other world. It pains me to think what would drive a child her age to flee her parents in such a desperate way." "A sad tale, to be sure, but we can do little but try to steer her towards a brighter future. And have you managed to contact our other guest?" "The Guard had a hard time finding him, he has been staying in a different hotel every night. I don't think he is aware of the effect geomancy has on him yet. But he received the message and sent a reply that he'll plan on attending, and thanks us for the stipend we provided. According to Shining, he is a very polite individual." By now the Princesses have arrived at their shared office and taken their seats at their respective desks. The conversation is punctuated by the scratching of quill pens and the dry ruffling of paper as the royalty attend to the bureaucracy. Luna continues to speak even as she goes over the reports from her Night Guard. "There is already talk of a third human living in Canterlot. Apparently there were a few complaints filed with the Night Guard by some of the residents in the Upper District about a month ago. Something about thunder sounding late at night." "Somepony probably took in the human and want to keep it hushed up until the banquet." "They're doing a poor job of it. Several sightings of a strange bipedal creature have been coming in from the Upper District recently. I think whoever's been housing this 'surprise' guest is having a hard time keeping an eye on him or her." "What estate is the closest to these sightings? We may have to intervene if somepony is planning to use this individual as part of some kind of power play." "My best guess: the home of a pair of… hereditary financiers? A husband and wife named Jet Set and Upper Crust." Celestia giggles, "Oh those two. Don't worry about it. Whatever those two might have planned they are in way over their heads already. It should prove entertaining to see what kind of," the millennia-old Sun Princess snickers, "'plot' they have up their sleeves." The more serious nocturnal sister raises an eyebrow at her sister. She hates it when Celestia acts like this, she really does. "And the human they might or might not be planning to use for this 'plot' of theirs?" "When the dust settles we'll take the appropriate action. If he or she is an adult, then we provide him or her with the stipend and send him or her on his or her way. But if the human is a child, then we take the same path as we did with Tabitha. Simple as that. Remember, Luna, we stopped playing politics a long time ago." The dark eyebrow is raised again, this time in doubt rather than exasperation. "That doesn't mean it's not fun to watch," the white-coated alicorn says innocently. Deciding that she has had enough of her sister's mischievous sense of humor for now, Luna buries herself in her paperwork. She uses a set of tax reports to hide a smile from Celestia, however, because she is just as excited as her sister to see what will happen at the banquet. The next week will pass like molasses for both of them, no doubt. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arching through the air, I bring my right heel down on the ground hard. The flying axe kick sends a shockwave of yellow and red flames along the ground. Not waiting for my momentum to break I immediately launch a flurry of fireballs from my fists, twisting up and to the right. Finally I end the sequence by creating a swirling orb of fire around me. When the flames die I am no longer at their center, twenty-five feet to the west and back in the center of my practice area. God I love that trick. I turn to the west, where I can just barely make out the last glowing fragments of the sunset behind the craggy hill that shelters my home. Putting my right fist into my palm, I bow. Bidding good night to the Sun, the source of all firebending, ends my practice routine. The chill air immediately latches onto the sweat staining my shirt and I shiver. Perhaps my next big project will be to build a dojo so I don't have to practice outside on a freezing day. Like today. The good news is that my fireplace is already lit and crackling in welcome as I come back in. Soon I will take my second bath for the day and then do a little light reading in bed with my new paper lamp. Honestly, it was nice to take a day like this. I feel nice and de-stressed after all that work I did to cast my first spell. Fact; studying with Twilight Sparkle is not for the faint of heart. Or people who like to get a decent amount of sleep. Big Mac and Spike saved my ass from sleep deprivation more than a few times the past week. On my way to the bathroom I spot a pile of mail waiting for me by the front door. Deciding now's a good a time as any, I pick it up and begin to sort through it. After a couple bills, a letter from a Canterlot newspaper I immediately toss into the fire, and some kind of offer from 'Flim Flam Incorporated' (you might want to change your company name there guys) that becomes more fire fodder, I find a very strange piece of mail. "You are cordially invited to, blah blah blah, on the day of… to be hosted at Canterlot Palace in honor of the Return of the Human Race!" I re-read the invitation in shock. The most ridiculous thing about this is I completely forgot about the Banquet. And it is next week. As in within a period of seven days. Every human in Equestria is invited to it, and I've been too involved in my study of magic and advancing my bending prowess to notice all the little clues. I'm a bit worried about the party and how the other humans are going to act, granted. Right now I'm more concerned that Twilight might be contagious. Tomorrow I'll go into town and check in with my friends, get my head together, and prepare for the banquet. A week is plenty of time to plan and start coming up with topics of conversation for when I meet these other humans. No big deal. For now, though, bath and sleep. I need both of those things if I'm going to be at my best. I wonder who'll be there? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Princess Celestia says: Thank you all very much for your patience. The author had a very hard time coming up with an update for this story. As usual we ask you to like, favorite, and comment so he knows he's doing a good job. King Boomi says: Don't forget to recommend this fic either, so we can get more readers in this thing. Believe me, things are just getting interesting, and I know interesting. Celestia: Speaking of interesting, Boomi, your outfit is… Boomi: I know, isn't it great. It's the latest style from Ba Sing Se! Celestia: I don't think it's the right size for you, though. And the color, well… Boomi: Hmmm, it does feel a little small now that I think about it. Celestia: Actually I meant to say it is… Boomi: RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! *riiiip* Celestia: Oh my. 0_0 Boomi: Like what you see?0u<