//------------------------------//
// Tropic of Capricorn Part 6 
// Story: How Do You Shoot a Gun With Hooves? 
// by defender2222 
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"Well…that's new."

It had taken nearly half the day to get away from the party Pinkie and Coral had set up (and considering that Pinkie needed to leave in order for the meeting to take place that had made things all the more harder). Finally the Princesses and Tydal had managed to round up all the ponies they needed and got themselves, Beckett and Castle, the bearers and Spike back to where the adventure had begun: the not-quite-Castle's-loft.

They had shed their armor and jewelry and Castle had instantly zeroed in on the newest edition to the loft: a beautiful glass statue of a human knight, standing on top of a wooden drawer. He was carefully inspecting it, but the moment his hoof went to touch it Celestia used her magic to pull him away.

"First, we have to explain some things." Motioning of them all to sit, Celestia began to lay out the information she had been waiting a week to give. Much as she always did when she needed to deliver news, Celestia considered all her options and her audience before selecting a tone and style. With some ponies she needed to be gentle, others firm. Some needed the answers spelled out, while others would get antsy if it wasn't just put right on the table.

Looking at the eager faces, Celestia decided to go with the last route.

"Kate and Richard are not from this world."

Luna wasn't surprised, but of course she had already known about Beckett and Castle. The girls were startled, trying to wrap their heads around this new information, and Spike kept glancing at Castle like he expected him to suddenly turn into a manticore. Tydal didn't say a word and Celestia wasn't surprised her mentor had picked up on the fact that these were not two ordinary ponies.

Celestia smiled. "As I told you, there are many worlds. And at times, my mother feels the need to bring people from world to another." She looked over and Beckett and Castle, who hadn't missed the 'people' comment. "She informed me a year ago that she would be bringing you two here…I was not told why but I knew I needed to prepare for your visit."

Beckett looked about the loft. "You set this up?"

"The loft and all the paperwork to make you legal citizens of Equestria. I even had a copy of your latest book brought here…I hope you don't mind my changes."

Castle smirked. "No problem at all…but how did you get my photo?"

The princess merely chuckled. "It is very hard to explain…let's just say that when you travel between worlds as often as I do, you learn how to see what one being will look as a pony."

Twilight looked up at her mentor in wonder. "You've…been to other worlds."

"Yes Twilight, I have. And I am not the only one."

Tydal nodded, glancing at Castle. "Tell me…are the Vikings still sailing across the Atlantic? They were always my favorites."

"Uh…they have a team in Minnesota."

Before Tydal could question him on the mysterious land of Minnesota, Celestia decided to take control of the conversation once more. "You would be surprised to learn just how many ponies here in Ponyville alone are from other worlds." Walking over to the statue, Celestia made sure not to actually touch the crystal knight. "In the past, it would involve powerful spells to move between the different worlds. Now, we use this."

"How does it work, exactly?" Beckett asked. "I mean, why us? Your said your mother had already selected us a year before we popped up, so what...did she know this was going to happen and you would need us to talk Twilight and the rest down? Were we just people she picked at random to turn into ponies? Did we need to be here, or was it that we needed to be away from New York for our own safety?"

"Yes," Celestia said.

"...now I really wish I had my gun," Beckett groused.

The princess looked down at Beckett and smiled softly. The detective found herself unable to stay mad at the sun goddess and cursed the princess' sweet, wonderful personality for making it so hard to hate her. "The truth is, Detective Beckett, that I simply do not know. Our mother is on a level none of us can understand. It could be any of those reasons...I know all of those scenarios have been played out at least 4 times in the last twenty years...or something we haven't even considered yet. You just can't predict when it comes to her."

Tydal grunted. "No wonder Discord was so screwed up. It is a wonder any in our family are sane."

Twilight and the rest of her friends could only stand there, jaws dropped, as the implication of that statement rolled through their brains.

Castle was bouncing up and down at the thought that there were other people from their world walking around as pastel ponies. His mind raced as he wondered if this were some sort of secret celeb retreat and he would run into Lady Gaga at any moment or find George Clonney having a nice bowl of hay fries.

"You said the statue is the key," Beckett said, bringing her hoof up to touch the statue. Once more, Celestia used her magic to stop any contact from being made with the crystal.

"It is more like a doorway than a key." Luna said, everyone thankful that Tydal's presence kept her from reverting back to her 'Thou art' style of speaking. Celestia was already trying to think of ways to keep Tydal at Canterlot as long as possible, if only to help her sister. "We give these statues to all that enter our lands, so that they might have a path back home." She glowered a bit, remembering a certain Doctor who insisted on using his blue box to travel between the dimensions.

"Wait...you aren't leaving, are you?" Rarity said in shock. When Beckett and Castle shot them guilty glanced, all the ponies gathered around them, tears in their eyes. "You simply can't leave! We...we haven't had a chance to show you anything!"

"I wanted ya ta meet my brother and sister and see my farm!" Applejack said, the tough farmer nearly whimpering.

"Come on...you can't be...serious..." Rainbow Dash was trying to hide the quiver in her voice.

Fluttershy just looked at them, sniffing weakly. "...can't you...stay?"

Pinkie's hair actually deflated at the thought of her two new friends leaving. "You can't leave! I had all sorts of things planned!"

"Kate...I..." Twilight gulped, unable to even look at the older mare. "Please..."

Beckett turned her head away, tears burning hot in her eyes. "I...I want to stay. I really do. You...you're all such good friends...but we have a life..."

Castle looked absolutely miserable. "It isn't fair, girls. I can't leave Alexis but..." he reached over and hugged Fluttershy, the quiet pony sobbing on his shoulder. They had only known each other for a week but their ordeals and trials had caused them to be bonded more tightly than any could have suspected. For each of the girls it was the same feeling they had had that first day Twilight had come to Ponyville. The thought of never seeing Beckett or Castle again rendered them utterly heartbroken.

"It works both ways."

Everyone blinked, tears dribbling down their cheeks as they slowly turned to look at Luna.

"The doorway...it isn't a one way trip." The goddess of the moon was shaking her head, clearly amused by their overreaction. "Did my sister not say we had been to your world many times? I was there two weeks ago, preparing the final details for Kate and Richard's arrival."

Fluttershy's chest trembled ass he forced down a cry-induced hiccup. "They can come back?"

Celestia smiled gently. "Of course. Just because you have to part now does not mean the way is blocked to you forever."

Twilight, who had been pressing her head against Kate's, looked at her mentor with hope glowing in her eyes. "You'll come back?"

Kate smiled through her tears. "Of course."

Tears of sorrow turned to tears of relief.

Celestia cleared her throat and the ponies all sheepishly turned their attention towards her, though the princess could clearly see that they were not going to move apart any time soon. "You will find when you return a statue similar to this one. All you must do is touch it and you will return here, in these forms." Using her magic, she opened up the drawer for them all to see. "And if you find yourselves longing to converse, this drawer will transport any message you wish to send across the void and to your friends on the other side."

Twilight was now practically giddy. "We can be pen pals! I always wanted a pen pal... I think I have a book back at the library, I'll consult it!"

Beckett merely smiled at the hyper-active librarian. "I'd like that." She let out a sigh as she glanced at Castle. "Girls...I hate to say it but I really think we should go now." She held up her hoof to stop another protest of tears. "Castle and I have been gone for a week and I am sure people that care about us are missing us. We need to get back."

"But I promise we'll come back as soon as possible!" Castle exclaimed, already planning ahead how he would convince his workaholic partner to take a week off so they could return to Equestria ASAP. "And until then we'll send letters every day."

"I'll send you some every hour!" Pinkie said happily, her hair magically repoofing.

Castle and Beckett went to each of the girls, giving them a hug or nuzzle and promising to be back. They each bowed before Princess Celestia and Luna, thanking them for all they had done. The princesses, in turn, promised to keep everything safe for them until they came back.

Tydal looked upon the two, his face gruff but his eyes shining with warmth. "I expect you to return soon and often. You are my royal guard now and it will not do for my reputation to have two of my guards making ponies cry." He then leaned down close, making sure his words were for them alone. "Do not be surprised if a tall, dark haired strange appears at your door one day in need of a vacation...more likely within days if Celestia's court is as draining as it was a thousand years ago."

Castle grinned. "There will be a bed waiting for you." He glanced at the princesses and flashed the capricorn a grin. "Them too."

"Watch where you look, Richard...the last being that looked at my family like that tasted my tail," Tydal warned.

Beckett pulled her partner away before the god of sea did any damage. "We'll see you soon...I promise."

The girls called out their goodbyes and Beckett and Castle, knowing that if they didn't act soon they never would, placed their hooves on the statue.

With a flash of light they were gone.

~MC~MC~MC~

It wasn't like the first time they had traveled between the universes. There was no pain from their bodies being twisted into new forms, or the blinding agony of the lightning. There was merely a crack and a flash like someone had taken a quick photo of them. When they opened their eyes they found themselves alone in Castle's loft, a crystal statue of an alicorn upon the table. They looked at each other, grinning like mad.

"We're back..." Beckett whispered.

"We're back!" Castle laughed, grabbing Beckett and giving her a hug. The detective laughed as her partner swung her around, letting him get closer to her than he ever had before.

When they finally pulled away they took a moment to inspect themselves. They counted their fingers and wiggled their toes and checked for tails before deciding they were 100% human and not some weird pony-human hybrid. They were wearing the same clothing they had on during the poker game and had it not been for the statue they might have thought that their memories of Ponyville were merely dreams they had shared.

"Dad?" Alexis called out, hurrying down the stairs. "DAD!" The red head raced down the stairs, her grandmother fast on her heels. "You're back!" Alexis hugged her father close...before pulling back and slugging him hard in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Castle rubbed his shoulder, bracing himself for another hit. "Geez, do I need to begin testing you for steroids?"

"You're lucky we don't give you a more savage beating, Richard!" Martha complained. Castle shot Beckett a look; it was hard to hear his mother and not think of a certain white pony. "Really, gone a week with only a letter to let us know you were ok? I know you were involved in some secret hush hush case but I think we warrant a bit more than that."

Castle blinked for a moment, mind racing at the new information he had just received. Luckily for him Beckett was quick and picked up the ball. "Martha, do you mind if I see that letter? I want to make sure your son got all the facts right and didn't make it sound like we were skin dipping on some tropical island." She flashed her classic 'you are dead' look but he could see the twinkle in her eye.

"I wouldn't do that...the letter, not the skin dipping."

Beckett rolled her eyes as she took the note from Martha and quickly scanned it. It was written on Castle's own stationary (the one that said at the top 'From the Desk of Jedi Master Richard Castle') and, in Castle's handwriting, stated that the two of them had been called by a contact in the government and needed to fly down to DC for a few days and they would be back soon.

"You're lucky, Castle," Beckett grunted, hiding her surprise that the letter existed.

"Well, I still think you should have called," Martha said, wagging her finger at them. "Poor Alexis and I were so eaten up...well, we had to go through several hours of shopping therapy."

"Over several days," Alexis said, giving her father a kiss on the check before heading back to her room. "By the way, love the souvenir."

Castle and Beckett shared a look as they were left alone, but before either of them could question the strange letter they heard a musical chime and the click of the Alicorn statue's drawer. Pulling it open, Beckett found a simple note that read: 'I assume by now you have learned about the note. I sent it ahead of time, so you would not be missed. -Princess Celestia'

They had just gotten done reading the note when the drawer chimed again and another scroll appeared.

'Dear Rick and Bucket. Hi, it's Pinkie Pie! Just wanted to let you know what has been happening since you left 6 minutes ago...'

Castle and Beckett let out a groan as the drawer dinged again…and scrolls began to pop out.