A flash of light. Angel had taken Silver back to their apartment in Canterlot, looking as confused as ever. "I don't understand, I thought you said the library was safe."
"It was, I don't think anyone would get hurt there. Its not... there's just things I don't want you to see, Angel, because I don't want you to get hurt. Really hurt." He felt paternal and it made him feel sick, he was the bad one of the two, if anything she should have been mothering him. He had to find an analogy she would understand. "Sometimes, in a hospital, you have a sick filly who is going to die. Would you tell the filly, alone and without parents, that she was going to die?"
Norman had seen a lot of things. A lot of horrible, heartbreaking things that had forever changed him. But nothing could compare to seeing tears trickle down the face of a lovely alicorn. Her answer was wordless, but unexpected. He suddenly had the feeling that, as a nurse, she'd been put in that exact position before. "No." She said quietly. A simple, single word, that carried the weight of a thousand.
He wouldn't say more. Angel wasn't dumb by any stretch, she was as intelligent as any woman on Earth. That said a lot about her. Perhaps humans had to be extra smart in such a cruel world. Even by pony standards she was protected and innocent. He craned his neck around hers. "Shhh, Angel, I'm right here. Here, I'm not going anywhere... come back to bed with me." He calmly spoke into her ears, nuzzling them.
The next several hours were a blur. He later recalled talking softly, nuzzling, consoling. Her tears gave way to soft kissing, and one thing led to another after that. An act which had never happened before, but it happened now. It was several hours after that by the time he found himself in the Canterlot Library, as if he'd find something there that Angel didn't need to know about. Libraries calmed him, they were a wealth of information. Information on Equestria, a place that continually managed to surprise him.
At any rate he needed a walk to cool off, she was sleeping again. He hadn't been more awake in his life. A stallion, he smirked. Was he really one now? Could he still travel back to Earth, and if he did so could he take human form even for only a few hours? Alicia had promised to meet him here, and promises were important to keep in Equestria. He sat down in the gardens, feeling proud of himself. He would be a father in not too many turns. "A father…" Had he been a young undecided teen no more than six months ago?
Angel had promised that he wouldn't be a father until he was ready. Could she make promises like that? Was there powerful alicorn magic that covered those sorts of things? Canterlot Gardens were expansive, and most of it open to the public. A few sections however were attached to the castle, and completely off limits. It was from one of these private sections that a familiar figure emerged as the sun went down, and he found himself staring into the kind features of Princess Luna. "Good evening, Silver Key."
That sobered him pretty quick, and bowed before the princess. "Princess Luna?" He probably looked a mess, mane unkempt, tail as well, probably reeking of sweat. "I uh, apologize for being unkept." Why am I bowing again? I usually don't do that. So he picked himself up and dusted off his forelegs. "I'm not myself tonight." He said with a blush.
The Princess seemed unphased, and with a glow of her horn, he felt his mane fix itself. His coat straightened out, his tail was brushed, he was clean. Was it really that easy? "We thought you appeared slightly distracted." A visit from the princess was not a common thing, even for someone engaged to an alicorn. "Can we help you?"
He wasn't a puzzle solver for nothing, he was just caught at an inopportune time. Concentrated, he knew little about Luna. "You didn't bump into me accidentally. Though you like to occasionally meet your subjects, you tend to do that through dreams or during ceremonies. Hence you're here for a purpose. What purpose?" It was always exciting waiting to see if his guesses were onto something. It was hit and miss mostly. What did she know of Alicia. "Something to do with Discord?"
Luna smiled. "You are a registered unicorn of Canterlot, Silver Key. I keep track of all my subjects." She said. "No, Discord is not as much trouble as he once was." She informed him. "I'd let you talk to him yourself, but he usually does not mingle with the commoners. No offense."
"That answers my last question and not my first. You are, or you should be aware of the special circumstances about my occupation in Equestria." He didn't doubt her ability to keep track of so many ponies, but didn't buy that she did it on a one on one personal relationship. Since she was the sister of Celestia and they seemed like two peas in a pod, he didn't doubt that he knew of him. They should. "Special worry about me then?" You aren't looking for a certain little magical item I requested did you? And shame on you if you're reading my mind.
If she was, she didn't make mention of it. "My business out here is none of yours." She said with a cryptic smile which indicated that she was indeed aware of where he came from. "You are a wonderfully talented unicorn, Silver, you'll fit into Equestria perfectly." She said kindly. "You're destined for great things."
"Hopefully not, I'd rather be a humble puzzle maker than do great terrible things." His one ambition in all of this, other than what came with a good position, was to keep Equestria safe in case another human with ill intentions went here. He had an idea for one great thing though. "I'm still new here Luna, so I don't know how it works. You and Celestia seem to be the most powerful ponies there are. Can you grant blessings? I... want to be a father" The thought of a flock of fillies and colts scared him, and emboldened him at the same time. "Can you bless me in that?"
Luna seemed to not have been expecting that, and her smile softened. "You will be a wonderful husband and father, Silver Key." She said. "Our blessing is yours, but I have only one request in return."
"Quid pro quo, this for that, your request, my honour." He would be a father, he'd tell Angel tomorrow during breakfast that he had decided, he wanted to see her as a mother. They'd already had a good journey around Equestria.
"I understand the significance of this request, and I do not ask this lightly. But you are free to come and go from Equestria until your foal arrives. But upon that day, I would like to request you remain in Equestria and keep Angel safe. Can you do that?" She asked. Angel was fully capable of taking care of herself, but she seemed to have other reasons she wasn't ready to divulge.
Coming and going was something he wanted to do on occasion, and it might be necessary at some point to go to Earth. There were other ways, some which he might propose to Novaria once he felt confident that they could be implemented. He wanted this world to be safe, but that wasn't the only thing he wanted it. It should be safe for Angel, and for all the little foals he would have. And he wanted every blessing he could get in that venture. "Granted." He said finally.
Luna rose, and disappeared back into the shadows. "Go home now, Silver Key. Go and be with the one you love." She wasn't one for long conversations. Angel would surely be up by now.