//------------------------------// // Chapter 21: Long Time No See // Story: A Zoologist Dream // by Sonson-Sensei //------------------------------// Long time no see Celestia and Luna stood waiting just at the bottom of the gangway of the airship in anticipation of Chris and Twilight’s return. Celestia sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping slightly. Luna raised a brow as she observed her sister. “I see this situation has you most troubled, dear sister.” “I was hoping it wasn’t so obvious,” Celestia said with a nervous chuckle. “Despite the saying, ignorance is not bliss.” “We aren’t truly benighted, as we can infer the situation at hoof,” Luna pointed out. “The experiment you signed off on was never meant for the eyes of anypony aside from Twilight and Mrs. Velvet. Not even we are aware of their findings, and still your student found it necessary to involve Mr. Chris.” “Twilight obviously wouldn’t have done so if it weren’t for extenuating circumstances,” Celestia said, the wheels in her head turning fast, working hard to piece together an incomplete puzzle. “I can imagine a multitude of scenarios, but I keep returning to the same conclusion.” “As do I,” Luna agreed. “Your student has refused to end the experiment for reasons she deems valid. It’s a shame that you agreed to the decision to remain incognizant of all this,” Luna said as she went to staring straight ahead. Celestia shut her eyes in deep thought as she answered simply. “I’ve always had faith in my student and her decisions, I was certain she could be trusted with this.” Luna gave a low, disproving snort. “I know you trust Twilight. In my opinion you trusts her with a little too much. As talented as she is, you mustn’t forget that she’s still a young, inexperienced mare. This was too much responsibility and power to simply bestow upon her, or anypony for that matter. Mistakes can and mostly likely have already been made,” she finished. Celestia found she couldn’t respond to Luna’s statement, she was only able to muster a crestfallen expression. Luna looked at Celestia with slight remorse at having chewed out her sister before saying, “The faith you have in our subjects and their potential is something I have never found myself able to genuinely emulate. Perhaps that’s why you’ve always been looked at as Equestria’s one and only true leader.” “Don’t say such things, Luna,” Celestia said a bit sharply. “My faith has lead me to make more than my share of questionable decisions. This may be one of the greatest of them all. A realist like yourself is much less likely to create a debacle where our subjects are concerned.” “Equestria hadn’t fallen into disarray upon my thousand year furlough,” Luna stated offhandedly. “Clearly, your methods were sufficient enough for Equestria to prosper. I can only believe that a compassionate hoof is needed more than a firm one to guide a country.” Luna finished speaking just as Chris approached the two alicorns that stood in his path, his pace sluggish. Celestia studied him carefully as he drew closer. He appeared to be walking without actually looking where he was going. His head was cast low, allowing his sandy blonde hair to drape freely over his eyes, casting them in shadow. Celestia and Luna shared a quick glance with one another. “This doesn’t bode well…” Luna whispered. “Mr. Chris,” Celestia asked carefully when he got close enough that she could see the puffiness under his eyes. Chris stopped in his tracks just in front of his two hosts but didn’t look at or speak to them. “Have you been…” Celestia paused, not sure how to ask the obvious but potentially sensitive question. “What troubles you?” she opted for instead. “What troubles me?” Chris said before he looked up from the ground and at Celestia, a ghost of a smile on his face. “What troubles me? Absolutely nothing. Everything is just peachy.” “I believe your sarcasm needs work, it’s not quite as natural as Mr. Keon’s,” Luna said with a slight smirk. “Now, I must insist you tell us the reason you’ve been excreting tears of emotion.” “You insist, huh?” Chris chuckled and shook his head in disbelief. “You two are something else, pretending like you haven’t the slightest idea of what could possibly have pissed me off. But maybe it’s just proper conduct to ask me anyway, on the off chance the reason I’m angry has nothing to do with the Dr. Wilder experiment currently taking place in your basement,” Chris spat out, struggling to keep his voice at a reasonable volume. Celestia let out a heavy sigh as she looked at Luna. “I suppose trying to remain incognizant of this was a folly to begin with,” she stated. “Mr. Chris, tell me, what did Twilight show you? What exactly happened down there?” “You really don’t know?” Chris asked, looking from Celestia to Luna. Celestia nodded sagely. “I had agreed with Twilight and Mrs. Velvet that the crown should remain uninformed in case their experiment went astray. We’d be able to…” “Save face in front of the world by shifting the blame onto our own subjects, who would have done this without our consent,” Luna finished for Celestia. “Not the most foolproof of plans.” “Thank you for that callous delivery,” Celestia stated with slight agitation. “Well, I’ll be damned,” Chris said, only getting a calm look from Celestia at his response. “You know, that’s pretty cold and calculated coming from someone I was under the impression was completely benevolent.” “You don’t sound perturbed by such information,” Luna noted. “Hatching schemes isn’t anything new to me,” Chris said. “Everyone lies when it serves their own purpose, but it seems you ponies don’t really have the stomach for it. I didn’t have to do any coaxing at all for you to come clean with me. Or maybe it’s the control complex your species seems to have; being ignorant was probably just driving you mad.” Luna’s head reeled back in surprise. “Excuse me, what’s that supposed to mean?” “Just an observation from an outsider,” Chris duly noted as he brushed past Celestia and Luna. “If you want to know what’s going on, check for yourself. I’m not gonna reiterate it for you.” “What would you have me do?” Celestia asked, prompting Chris to stop in his tracks. She didn’t turn around to face him as she continued. “Twilight’s requested conception experiment was not to last for more than four days. I can infer from her telling you about it that she has no intentions of ending it as planned. Am I wrong?” Chris turned to face Celestia, only to find that she’d yet to turn to face him. Her body was rigid, firm, and upright. “No, you’re not wrong.” “Then I’ll ask once more,” Celestia went on in a flat, businesslike tone, “What would you have me do? If you wish me to overrule any decision regarding the continuation of said experiment you need only say so.” Luna didn’t know what to think as she looked back and forth between Celestia and Chris. “I don’t think you would say that if you knew the full story,” Chris said. “I’ve told you once before that one should never assume, Mr. Chris,” Celestia stated.“I’ve been in a position of power for a very long time and have committed my share of misdeeds.” Celestia finally turned to face Chris. Her stare was almost unnerving, and he could actually see, swimming in her eyes, the countless years of living she’d experienced. “It’s easy enough to read between the lines of what has happened here. All personal feelings aside, Twilight has not honored the proposal she presented to me, in which case I cannot justly rule in her favor against you.” Chris didn’t take long to respond. “Thanks, but no thanks,” he said. “I’ve already made a deal with Twilight of my own, and I’m not the type of man to go back on my word.” Celestia held back a sigh of relief to uphold a look of professionalism. Having the conviction to commit to a hard decision wouldn’t have made her feel any less ill from following through if Chris had requested it. Chris turned his body to face the awaiting ship. “If I may?” Celestia asked before Chris could walk up the gangway. Chris hadn’t moved from his spot, which was enough assurance for Celestia to ask her question. “If you don’t mind my asking, where do we all stand after this?” “If you’re concerned about this hampering our goal then you’ve got nothing to worry about,” Chris assured Celestia. “Trust me, getting this job done means a lot more to me than it does to you.” Celestia shook her head. “That’s not what I’m referring too.” “Then I couldn’t tell you,” Chris admitted. “I know I don’t hate any of you, not even Twilight if that’s what you’re asking, but my mind is just too messed up right now to decide where we now stand. Maybe after I get some time to myself to sort this all out I’ll be able to get back to you on that.” With that Chris began to walk up the gangway but stopped once more. “Celestia,” he said, prompting her ears to swivel in his direction. He paused for a moment as if not sure of how to articulate what it was that he wanted to say. “Velvet’s smart, but I think this is something much more than one individual can be expected to handle. If it’s not too much to ask, I think you should consider getting some…well-versed help for her, specifically in mammalogy, biochemistry, and developmental biology, to help out while Twilight’s away. If this is going to happen we may as well hope for a…healthy baby at the very least. ” Celestia smiled. “Of course, Chris.” Chris simply nodded his thanks, walked up the gangway and boarded the airship. “Isn’t that so adorable?” Celestia looked down to find a cockroach with the face of Discord crawling up her golden breastplate, the largest grin on his face. “For all his feigned detachment, that boy can’t help but a have a little soft spot for his and Twilight’s little abomination. Oh, it just makes me want to weep tears of joy.” “Discord,” Celestia muttered. “How did you find…” “Oh, I may have been a fly on the wall,” he said as he literally took the form of a fly and began to buzz around Celestia in an annoying manner, prompting her to swat at him irritably. “I must say, watching mother and daughter play mad scientist for the past few days has been a hoot. I’m surprised they haven’t found all the popcorn kernels I left behind. Then the fallout, oh, if you could have only seen Chris’s face, absolutely priceless.” "I will never understand how one can delight in another's strife as you do," Luna hissed. It's despicable. “Lu Lu, just as you were once the darkness that wished to shroud the world in eternal night, I was the wind that once turned the windmill of chaos,” he stated. “But now that I’m reformed, I find my entertainment in watching chaos that I myself didn’t have to create. Besides, where have you ever gotten trying to understand me?” “It was a figure of speech,” Luna said with a roll of her eyes. “Understanding you has never been a real concern of mine.” “Yes, isn’t it so much simpler to just hate someone rather than trying to understand them?” Discord said with a greasy smile. “Or sealing them away in stone, nothing is quite as simple as that.” “Are you looking for an apology?” Luna asked.“Is that why you constantly annoy us?” “An apology?” Discord echoed before he retook his normal, tall, mismatched form and chummily threw an arm around Luna’s neck. “Why would I want something like that when I know I was a bad, bad draconequus in the past? As for annoying you,” Discord placed a clawed hand under his bearded chin, “well, that’s subjective: I thought I was being genuinely entertaining.” Luna shook Discord's arm off her neck. “Well, you aren’t,” she huffed. “Touchy,” Discord said as he held up his paw and claw in a defenseless manner. “Discord,” Celestia said as she narrowed her eyes at him. “I know you’re all for fun and games, however, this isn’t the time for them. If you have legitimate business that needs our attention then speak of it.” “Oh, it’s not that grand or anything, I just thought I would tell you personally that I’ve decided to take a little vacation, so if you need my servi…” “Vacation,” Luna cut him off, a condescending smile on her face. “Vacation from what? You do little more than lounge around as…mmmph!” Luna found that her mouth had literally been zipped shut by Discord. “That’s better,” Discord said while grinning at Luna, who looked absolutely furious. “A vacation to where exactly?” Celestia asked curiously, choosing to calmly ignore her fuming sister for the moment. “Ah, you know, a little here, a little there.” “No shenanigans,” Celestia warned. “We’re on thin ice as it is, please do not tempt fate.” Discord rolled his eyes and folded his arms together. “I merely said I was taking a vacation, and that really is all there is to it. I have no nefarious plans, I’m reformed after…YOUCH!” Luna had stepped on Discords foot and then angrily started pointing a hoof at her zipped muzzle. “And here I thought the look suited you so well,” Discord said as he reluctantly snapped his claws together, causing the zipper on Luna’s muzzle to disappear. “I’m no toy, Discord,” Luna growled through gritted teeth. “Don’t treat me as such, or next time I’ll leave you with more than a throbbing toe.” “Sheesh, so violent,” Discord said as he looked down at his swollen reptilian toe before he suddenly burped, and a white ball of fur was expunged from his mouth, landing in his open palm. A furious looking Angel bunny stared back at him. Celestia and Luna stared in confusion at the scene they’d just witnessed. Discord merely shrugged. “Can’t be helped, I promised dear Fluttershy I’d look after the little rodent while she’s away. But anyway, I sought you out to inform you of my leave, and now that I have, I bid you adieu.” Discord gave a curt bow before he threw a smoke bomb. Celestia and Luna choked a bit from the resulting cloud of smoke. Once it cleared, they both glared at Discord who was still standing there, looking confused. Discord scratched his head. “That’s weird: I thought I would just disappear after throwing it.” He shrugged. “I’ll have to find that showmare and get her to tell me the trick to it,” he said before disappearing in a flash of light. Luna stomped her hoof in frustration. “He’s such an insufferable buffoon.” “Think what you will of him, but one cannot deny that Discord is a great asset to Equestria.” “So long as he can behave himself,” Luna argued. “Clearly he’s up to something.” “Perhaps,” Celestia agreed. “However, Discord having his own agenda isn’t necessarily a bad thing, in and of itself.” Luna shook her head. “Having faith in our subjects is one thing, but Discord? I trust him as far as I can throw him, and if you haven’t noticed, he looks pretty heavy.” “In time I believe you’ll come to trust him, but speaking of agendas,” Celestia went on, “I have a request I’d like to ask of you.” Luna tilted her head slightly and raised a brow. “What kind of request?” “I’ve scheduled a visit with an old friend. I ask that you see them in my place. I believe their services will prove most useful in the near future,” Celestia explained. “If they’re an old friend of yours, shouldn’t you be the pony to visit them?” Luna asked. “If only I could, however, it’s quite a journey and my sudden disappearance from Canterlot would be…” “Much more noticeable than my own,” Luna said as she cast her head low. Celestia looked at Luna with sympathetic eyes. “I’m so sorry Luna, I didn’t wish to…” “It's fine,” Luna cut her off. “I’ve been something of a recluse in the eyes of the public since my return. I know as well as you do that if I vanished for a day or so it will likely go completely unnoticed by everypony.” “Not everypony,” Celestia said as she lowered her head to nuzzle Luna’s neck. “Every minute you’re away I’ll know.” “Thank you, sister,” Luna said while returning the gesture. “Um…Princess Celestia, Princess Luna?” Celestia looked up from her embrace with Luna at the sound of Twilight’s voice. She quickly noticed the contrast between Twilight and Chris. Unlike Chris’s emotionally distraught demeanor, Twilight simply looked troubled, as if she couldn’t figure out the answer to a hard math question. Twilight’s ears flattened, and she bowed her head slightly. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” “It’s quite alright,” Celestia assured her with a warm smile. “Besides, we’re in quite a bit of trouble it seems.” “So, you’ve already talked to Chris then?” Twilight said as she looked up at Celestia in shame. “I’m so sorry, Princess, I never wished for this to happen. It’s just that everything got out of hoof so fast.” Celestia walked up to Twilight and placed a wing over her back. In that moment she was reminded that in some ways Twilight really was just a child. “Twilight, if anypony should be sorry it’s me,” she insisted, prompting Twilight to look at her in confusion. “I suppose my curiosity was more insistent than yours, and I made a rash decision to have it sated.” Twilight shook her head in defiance. “But I’m the pony that suggested this in the first place, if I hadn’t…” “Regardless if you suggested it or not, I’m the pony that granted you permission…” Luna coughed in her hoof, interrupting both Celestia and Twilight.“Let’s just agree that it’s both of your faults and proceed from there.” “I believe Luna is right,” Celestia said. “Choosing to beat ourselves up over this won’t change what’s happened.” “By the way, what exactly did happen?” Luna asked. “We’re still somewhat in the dark about what’s truly going on.” Twilight looked towards Luna in slight bewilderment. “But I thought you spoke with Chris.” “We did, we know that you’ve chosen to continue the experiment to full term, however, we weren’t given any details as to why,” Celestia explained. “Chris wasn’t in the best mood for talking.” Twilight’s ears splayed across her head once again, and she made the best attempt to appear smaller than she was. “I could see why he wouldn’t be. He probably hates me after I...” Celestia stared at Twilight sympathetically for a moment before something dawned on her. Recalling that Discord had referred to the experiment as Chris and Twilight’s little abomination, her eyes widened in shock. Celestia pulled Twilight closer with her wing and nuzzled her affectionately. “Oh no, Twilight, why did I allow this to happen? I’m a terrible mentor, how could I not have had enough foresight to have prevented this?” “Allowed what to happen?” Luna asked curiously. “I thought we’ve already established you’re both at fault.” Celestia looked up at Luna with teary eyes. “Twilight, she’s well…she’s the, um…” “I’m the mother,” Twilight stated bluntly, finishing what Celestia couldn’t. Luna was speechless. Her mouth was silently opening and closing like a fish out of water. She truly didn’t know how to respond. In normal circumstances, congratulatory praise would be in order, but this wasn’t a normal circumstance, far from it in fact. “Well…that explains a lot,” Luna said with an unsure grin. “How did this come about?” Twilight sighed deeply. “It’s a long story and I’m rather pressed for time. But my mom will be more than happy to explain everything to you, if you’re now willing to hear it.” “Twilight,” Celestia said, “if you feel your place is here then…” “No,” Twilight quickly said. “Succeeding in this task is the one way I can earn Chris’s forgiveness, and possibly his friendship again. I can’t abandon any of my friends now. Besides, I’m sure our foal will be in good hooves until I get back. So long as no more surprises happen everything will be fine, knock on wood.” “Of course it will be, we’ll make sure of it,” Celestia assured Twilight. “Besides, Mr. Chris has already given us a push in the right direction by suggesting we bring aboard the appropriate staff to assist Mrs. Velvet.” Twilight ears perked up with that information. “He really did that?” Celestia nodded. “Don’t feel that all is lost, Twilight. Friendships only stay broken when there is no effort to mend them.” Twilight smiled. “You’re right princess, and I’ve a lot of fixing to do, and I won’t let you down.” With that, Twilight gave a small bow and started to walk up the gangway. “Good luck, my faithful student,” Celestia whispered. “Sister, I’ve been thinking, couldn’t we use Twilight’s personal involvement in this to our advantage?” Luna asked Celestia as they watched Twilight board the ship. “I mean, there would be no need to pacify the other nations if they believed that there was mutual consent between Chris and Twilight, resulting in our little problem.” “We will do no such thing,” Celestia stated. “I’ve gotten my hooves dirty enough; I refuse to add any more filth. Our best course of action here would be to simply let things unfold on their own.” Luna shrugged indifferently. “Just weighing our options is all. But, as you were saying about this old friend, where and when am I to meet them?” Celestia’s horn began to shimmer gold before a light pop emitted, and a rolled scroll slowly floated down between the two alicorns. Luna caught the scroll with one silver-shod hoof. “Where you’re to meet and what you are to propose is all in there,” Celestia said, nodding towards the scroll. Luna unraveled the scroll and began to skim its contents. “So, our meeting place is in the Cave of Wonders? That’s in the Griffin Republic, just outside Volare,” Luna noted before she stared up at Celestia in shock. “This old friend of yours is an actual changeling?” she asked with wide eyes, clearly surprised, but continuing to read. “I see, so that’s the plan,” Luna said as she rolled up the scroll and slid it between her breastplate. “You know, sister, you’re a lot more cunning than even I give you credit for at times.” “This is the most I can do for them outside of my jurisdiction,” Celestia reasoned. “After which they’ll be completely on their own.” Meanwhile Keon was sitting defiantly in front of the door that lead below deck.“Listen, Applesauce, it’s adorable that you want to find out what’s wrong with him, but I’m not letting you down there.” “For starters, don’t go callin' me Applesauce, that’s mah cousin,” Applejack said as she put her face nearly nose to nose with Keon. “Now, Chris is obviously upset about somethin', so it’s our job as his friends to find out what that somethin' is. Ah mean, ya saw him right? ” “Yeah, I saw him,” Keon answered. “And I’ll tell you I haven’t seen Chris that pissed off since his mom and dad went into divorce court. This is one thing you’ve got to trust me on, when he’s steamed like that, you leave him be, end of story.” “But he seemed more sad than angry,” Fluttershy pointed out. “All the more reason to leave him alone,” Keon reasoned. “He’s one of those, 'let me sort it out on my own' type of dudes.” “I just hate to see anypony hurt like that,” Fluttershy whispered, too low for Keon to hear. Applejack gritted her teeth but stepped back. “Fine,” she huffed in defeat. “Yah've known 'im a mite longer than we have.” “Good,” Keon said before grabbing a hand full of Pinkie’s tail, halting her from trying to sneak away. “I don’t think so, Pinkie. You’re staying right here with your good friend Keon. If I don’t keep an eye on you, you’ll find another way down there and Chris definitely isn’t in the mood to handle you right now.” Pinkie puffed out her cheeks and folded her forelegs over one another. “But I’m the best pony at cheering other ponies up. I’ll have Chris smiling in ten seconds flat!” “Hey, don’t steal my catch phrases, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash said with a frown as she pointed a hoof at Keon. “And you’re sure it’s best to just leave him be?” “Yeah, I’m sure: He’s my boy after all. Besides, he has an inability to stay mad at anything for long. He’ll bounce back faster than you think, he’s weird like that.” “It’s all rather curious,” Rarity interjected thoughtfully. “Twilight disappears with her mother then reappears and request to have a private audience with Chris and then…well, we all saw the state he was in.” Keon leaned back against the door and looked up at the wind sails, submerged in contemplation. “Whatever Twilight talked to him about must have been some deep shit.” Pinkie’s head nodded up and down enthusiastically. “Yeah, like what’s better for cake decorating, icing or marzipan? If you ask me…” Rainbow Dash groaned and dragged her hooves down her face. “It’s nothing like that, Pinkie.” Pinkie tilted her head a full ninety degrees. “Really? That debate always seems to get Mr. and Mrs. Cake mad at each other.” “Sweetie, Twilight and Chris aren’t exactly cake makers,” Rarity reasoned. “Far from it actually.” “They’re a couple of eggheads,” Rainbow Dash said. “So, it’s probably about some sciencey stuff that would just put us to sleep.” “You could always just ask Twilight,” Keon said as he pointed a finger past Rainbow Dash towards Twilight who had just stepped on board and was talking with Captain Z. “If they did have an argument over something I’d guess she was on the winning side of it.” “Hey, Twilight!” Pinkie shouted while waving a hoof excitedly. “Do you know why Chris is upset? Did you guys have an argument over icing and marzipan!?” Twilight looked up from her conversation with Z at Pinkie’s insistence. She exchanged a few more words with him, before she trotted over towards her friends. “The captain says we’re due for takeoff in five minutes,” Twilight said as she stopped in front of the group. Rainbow Dash wasted no time in getting up in Twilight’s face. “While that’s all fine and dandy, I think everypony here just wants to know what happened between you and Chris.” “Yes, darling, and please don’t omit the details,” Rarity added, wearing a large grin, clearly eager to hear some good gossip. Twilight grinned uneasily as she rubbed the back of her mane nervously. “Well…um actually, it was something you girls would find little interest in. In short, we had differing viewpoints on a certain biology matter, there’s nothing to worry about.” “So, it wasn’t about icing versus marzipan then?” Pinkie inquired. Twilight shook her head. “I’m afraid not, Pinkie Pie,” she said as she looked at Keon, who was staring calmly back at her but not saying anything. “Well, if it’s jus' a disagreement about smart folk stuff between the two of yah, Ah suppose there’s nothin' for us to get our manes knotted over,” Applejack said. “I knew it was just some egghead babble,” Dash said as she backed away from Twilight, no longer interested in the situation. “Think I’m gonna go up to the crow’s nest for take off, anypony want to come with?” Applejack shrugged indifferently. “Sure, why not?” “You betcha!” Pinkie said as she hopped up to all fours. “Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to Volare we go!” Rarity studied Twilight carefully for a moment before walking past her without saying anything. “Wow, not only do you ponies suck at lying, you’re just as bad at spotting them too,” Keon said the moment he was sure the other ponies were out of earshot. “But I guess in the scheme of things that sort of evens it out. I mean, none of them could tell you spoon fed them some obvious BS.” “Rarity has her suspicions even though I was more or less telling the truth,” Twilight reasoned. “My and Chris’s disagreement did stem from a matter of biology, I just chose to keep the extremities of it to myself. The other girls aren’t ready to hear this…” “And neither am I,” Keon stated, cutting Twilight off. “But your friend needs you more than ever now,” she argued. “Right now you have to be his pillar…” “Listen, Twilight. Chris is a big boy; he’ll deal with whatever’s thrown his way. He doesn’t need me to come and hold his hand. Besides, I’ve got my own problems, and I don’t care to have anyone else’s thrown on top of them. If there’s a rift between the two of you it’s not my place to fix it, that’s on you guys.” Twilight cast her head low. “I’m afraid Chris probably won’t be willing to speak with me for a while.” Keon placed his hand atop of Twilight’s head and scratched her mane. “Cheer up, sister. Like I’ve told the others, Chris doesn’t know how to hold a grudge. Believe me, I’ve gotten into some pretty heated arguments with him and we’re just fine.” Twilight’s ears folded, and she cast her head lower. “None like this, I’m sure,” she muttered solemnly. Keon sighed in defeat. “Fine, I get it, I’ll talk to him. Just stop looking so damn sad will you? I swear you ponies have guilt tripping down to a science.” Keon grumbled as he opened the door behind him and entered, shutting it afterwards. “Twilight?” Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of her name being called from a very short distance away. “F-Fluttershy?” Twilight stammered upon seeing Fluttershy standing just off to the side of her. “How long have you been there?” “I never left,” Fluttershy answered simply. ‘Horse apples!’ Twilight mentally cursed. “So, you heard all of that then?” Fluttershy nodded. “What’s going on Twilight? It’s unlike you to lie to your friends.” “You’ll just have to trust me, it’s best for everypony this way,” Twilight tried to reason. “I’ll tell everypony in due time, just not now.” Fluttershy shook her head in defiance. “That only makes me more concerned for you and Chris. We’re all friends here, why should we keep secretes? Especially if those secretes are causing both of you grief?” Twilight bit her bottom lip, she always found that Fluttershy was the hardest among her friends to skirt around an issue with. Fluttershy reached up and put a hoof on her shoulder. “If you believe that Chris is in need of stability from a friend right now then I think you do too,” Fluttershy said. “At the very least you can talk to me. Nothing good ever came from you trying to go at something alone.” ‘Keon was right, we ponies do have guilt tripping down to a science.’ Twilight thought as she took a deep, calming breath. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?” she asked. “I think after I tell you, you’ll understand why I wanted to keep this from you girls for now. Come with me, we’ll find a private place to talk.” Meanwhile “Finally I found you,” Keon said as he entered a room to find Chris on the ground performing pushups. “This is the sixth room I had to check, leave it to you to choose the room at the end of the freaking… Oh damn, you bustin' out the spartan pushups? Twilight must have really pissed you off,” Keon concluded as he sat at the foot of one of two beds in the room. Chris didn’t pause in his workout as he spoke between grunts. “So, which one of them convinced you to come and talk to me?” Before Keon could speak, a voice resounded from a small speaker placed in the corner of the ceiling. “Good afternoon, I mean morning, ladies and gentlecolts,” Z’s voice reverberated through the room. “This is your captain, Z, speaking. Welcome aboard Air Solstice, bound for Volare of the Griffin Republic. We’re looking at about a twelve hour flight time today. We’ve got clear skies and good visibility. The temperature in Volare is a brisk thirty five degrees, so to our furless passengers, do bundle up as it’s going to get quite chilly. Flight attendants, prepare for takeoff.” “I don’t remember any flight attendants,” Keon said as she shook his head, deciding to dismiss the last bit of information.“Anyway, it was Twilight that talked me into coming to see you,” Keon answered. “She wants an ETA on your forgiveness.” “Does she now?” “Well, she would if she hadn’t convinced herself that you’ll never forgive her,” Keon said. “Even though I told her you’re too soft to stay mad at anyone, probably especially so for brightly colored furballs like them.” Chris stopped performing pushups and sat on his rear, his back against the foot of the bed, sweat pouring from his brow. “Honestly, I don’t even know if what I’m feeling towards her is even anger.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “I mean, have you ever had so many emotions flooding you at once that they sort of just blend into something you can’t make sense of?” Chris asked. Keon simply stared at Chris in silence for a moment before saying. “No, no, I can’t say I have. I work on pretty simple emotions. Happy, sad, mad, that’s it.” Chris shook his head. “Will you stop trying to act like you’re so simple? Just being human means you’re made of more than that.” “Whatever,” Keon responded as he leaned back in the bed and stared at the ceiling. “I didn’t come here to talk about me.” “What did you come to talk about?” “You tell me,” Keon said. “I’m just here to lend an ear and help, I guess. So, what’s eating you?” “No offense but I think you’re the last person I want help from in regards to this,” Chris said bluntly. “It’s not quite up your alley of expertise.” “Fine,” Keon said as though he really didn’t care one way or the other. “If you don’t want to talk, that’s cool with me.” Keon did a kick up from the bed and stood on his feet. “Twilight can’t get mad at me since I at least tried. I know you like to sort things out on your own, but maybe, just maybe that’s not always the best thing. Either way, you know I’m here if you need me.” “Careful, your sensitive side is showing,” Chris said with a small smirk. Keon promptly held up a middle finger to Chris. “Well, I’ll be damned, my sensitive side is showing.” Chris couldn’t help but laugh in spite of himself. “I take that back, you’re the same ole dick you’ve always been.” “I think I've toned it down at bit since I’ve been here.” Keon laughed. “Hell, maybe our world should send inmates here for rehabilitation. I bet these ponies would have those guys holding hands, singing songs, and brushing each other’s hair in no time.” Chris looked solemnly at Keon, his brief laughter proving to be a mere passing reprieve. “Have you even given it thought that we could just fail, that we could be stuck here, that we’ll never see home again?” Keon sighed as he stared down at Chris. “Every damn day,” he admitted. “It’s scary to think about, and I try my hardest not too.” “Well, let’s say for a minute that you can’t actually go home, at least not soon, what would you do?” Chris pried further. Keon placed his thumb under his chin as he thought about it. “I don’t know,” he shrugged. “Try to take over the world I guess.” “I’m being serious,” Chris groaned. “No bullshit, what would you do?” Keon silently looked over at Chris, taking note of his almost pleading eyes, a look he’d never seen on his friend. “Chris,” Keon started out slowly, “what the hell happened? It isn’t like you be so…uh…well, like this.” “I’m stuck,” Chris said as he buried his face in his hands. “At least for longer than I wanted to be.” “I don’t get what you’re saying. What do you mean stuck?” Keon asked. “We’ll find one of these EONs, and I’ll wrap my hands around its throat like Homer Simpson until it gets the point that we want out.” “It doesn’t matter,” Chris reasoned. “A portal back home could open up right now in front of us, and I couldn’t step through it.” “As if you couldn’t,” Keon argued. “I’d dropkick you through the damn thing if I had too. We’ve got people to get back to, our families to get back to.” “I know that as well as you do,” Chris said as he looked up from his hands, his eyes glossy. “Even if I didn’t ask for it, I’ve got an obligation to this place now.” Keon took a step forward and frowned down at Chris. “We’ve been here for two weeks, how in the hell can you have any obligations to this place?” Keon suddenly turned his head towards the door with a fierce glare. “I know, it's Twilight, isn’t it?” Keon demanded as he made his way for the door. “I’ll set her straight…” “It’s not Twilight,” Chris called before Keon could leave, getting him to stop in his tracks. “At least not in the way you think.” Keon once again turned to stare at Chris, “Enough beating around the bush, what’s going on?” Chris took a deep breath. “This is going to sound crazy…” “Crazy,” Keon interrupted Chris. “Considering where we’ve been vacationing, I don’t think anything can sound that far out anymore.” “Trust me, this will.” “Now you’re starting to scare me.” Griffin Republic Volare Three griffins sat together at a local dinner. “Hey, Gilda! Hey, Gilda! Today’s the day!” Ivory chirped in a chipper tone. “Can you believe it? In just a few hours we’ll be chatting, and eating, and doing stuff with aliens!?” Gilda gritted her beak in irritation.“You’ve only reminded us like ten times already!” “I can’t help it,” Ivory squealed. “I’m just so excited!” “And you’ve had that same response each time,” Ebony noted while lazily taking a swig of her coffee. “Honestly, how can anyone have so much energy this early in the morning and before they’ve even eaten?” “I ate breakfast last night, so that way I’ve already gotten it out of the way,” Ivory reasoned. “So I’m full of energy!” “It doesn’t work that way you ditz,” Gilda argued. “Don’t get mad because I’m ahead of the curve.” “You’re ahead of the curve alright,” Gilda grumbled with a roll of her eyes. “Anyway,” Ebony cut in while putting her face a mere inch from Gilda’s own. “How are you feeling? It’s only a matter of hours until you’re reunited with your old chum, and I guess nemesis.” “Personal space, have you heard of it?!” Gilda screeched as she shoved Ebony’s face away from her own. “I don’t want to smell your coffee breath.” “I never understood the concept of personal space,” Ebony said as she picked up her newspaper, “and you never answered my question.” “My feelings are my own business.” Ebony sighed. “When did you become such a shut-in?” Gilda narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean by that?” Ebony continued to skim her newspaper as she talked. “I mean, you’ve become so absorbed in your own self-image that you won’t allow anything in that could tarnish that perception of cool you’ve created, AKA the outside world.” “What?” “She means you’re stuck up,” Ivory put it plainly. Gilda slammed her clawed fist on the table. “I’m not stuck up!” Ivory simply smiled, unfazed by Gilda’s outburst. “Well, you weren’t when we were cubs, but you kind of are now.” Ebony flipped a page in her newspaper. “Leave it to Ivory to tell it to you straight.” Gilda gritted her beak and folded her arms over her chest as she lay back in her seat. “What do you two know anyway?” “Admittedly, nothing,” Ebony responded. “Considering you’re a shut-in an' all.” “Stop calling me that!” “When you stop being one I’ll stop calling you one,” Ebony responded nonchalantly. “How’s that sound?” “How’s a knuckle sandwich sound?” “Pfft, haha,” Ebony laughed. “Are you for real, a knuckle sandwich? That’s so lame.” Gilda’s cheeks tinted slightly pink in a mixture of anger and embarrassment. “You know what? I’m out of here,” she said as she stood up from their table. “Don’t know why I decided to have breakfast with you two clowns anyway.” “But Gilda,” Ivory tried. However, Gilda simply ignored her as she brushed past and stormed out the dinner. Ivory frowned at Ebony. “Why’d you have to go and make her mad like that?” “I was helping her,” Ebony said with a shrug. “If you didn’t notice, Gilda was on a short fuse as it was this morning. May as well light it, let her explode, and get it out of her system before she has to meet with her old pals. By the way, you’re picking up her tab.” “What! Why me?” Ivory argued. “Because…hold that thought, I need to use the little hens’ room,” Ebony said as she got up from the table as well and started walking away. “I’ll be right back.” “But, but,” Ivory mouthed as something dawned on her and her head hit the table. “She’s not coming back.” Air Solstice “All hooves on deck, or hands in the case of the two humans aboard!” Z’s voice rang out all over the airship. “I don’t think the skipper understands that idiom,” Keon commented. “We’ll be arriving to Volare in fifteen minutes!” Z continued over the intercom. “But it looks like we’ve already got a welcoming committee,” he added. “Caution advised.” Keon looked over towards Chris and stared at his still sullen friend. “Well, you heard the skipper, let’s go see this welcoming committee,” Keon said as he leaned over the side of his bed. Chris didn’t budge. “Come on, dude, you’ve been shut in this room for the whole damn ride. I don’t think the girls are going to buy it that you’re still sleeping.” he said as he whipped a pillow across the room at Chris. Chris didn’t even acknowledge the pillow that had whizzed just past his face, only choosing to roll over on his side. “You know I’m not going on deck if we’re still in the air,” he grumbled out, his back turned to Keon. “Right in the midst of all this I forgot that you’re still a baby about heights,” Keon said as he got up to his feet. “Sitting here sulking isn’t going to change anything: That ship sailed with Celestia’s offer when you shot it down.” “That’s easy for you say. What’s the hardest choice you’ve had to make since we got here?” Chris responded. Keon stared at Chris for a moment before reaching into his pocket and pulling something out and tossing it at Chris, hitting him in the back. “Denying that was the hardest decision I’ve had to make,” he said before he walked out the room. After the door shut, Chris reached around his side to grab what it was that Keon had thrown. “What’s this?” he asked himself as he studied the card in his hand. Meanwhile “Eeeep!” Fluttershy squealed as a sharp pain struck her tail. Keon quickly removed his foot from the delicate appendage. “I’m sorry, Sunshine. I didn’t see you,” Keon said as he looked down at the source of the squeal. “What were you doing curled up on the ground outside our room?” Fluttershy sat on her haunches as she nursed her tail. “I…well, I was concerned about Chris,” she answered softly. “But I didn’t want to intrude either.” “I see,” Keon said as he sat on his own rear in front of Fluttershy. “I thought I told Pinkie to tell you guys he’s just drained and needed some sleep, you don’t need to worry.” Fluttershy looked at Keon with a determined expression, prompting him to turn his head from her large accusing eyes. “I know about what’s going on,” she stated quietly. “That Chris and Twilight are expecting.” “Expecting? I think it’s a bit different than that.” “But it really shouldn’t be…um, at least that’s what I believe,” Fluttershy said. “The birth of a baby, regardless of how it happens, is a gift that should be cherished, not condemned. To not be loved by one’s parents would just be awful and something I couldn’t bear to see happen.” Keon was quiet for a moment before he chuckled lightly. “You know, I was told you were supposed to be the bearer of niceness…” “Kindness,” Fluttershy corrected, “but I suppose niceness works too...um, if that’s what you prefer.” “Tomato, tomahto, either way I can see why you got that title,” Keon said as he stood up. “I’m going to go atop deck. If you have some words for Chris I won’t stop you. I think if there’s anyone here that can give him a good kick in the ass right now it’s probably you.” With that Keon took his leave, leaving Fluttershy alone outside of Chris’s door, looking bewildered. Meanwhile, the six guards that had been stationed on the Air Solstice stood at attention as three leather-armored griffins landed on the deck of their ship. Captain Z wasted no time in coming to greet them. “What’s the meaning of this?” he asked while staring down the three griffins, eying their crossbows warily. “We aren’t due for Volare’s port for another fifteen minutes. Why are you here?” “We are aware of that, we merely came to escort you in,” The apparent leader of the griffins spoke, a female to be sure. “This airspace is known for its bandits that love nothing more than to maraud fancy looking ships like this one.” “I’m afraid we’re going to have to decline the offer,” Z responded. “As we weren’t informed of your arrival, we can’t very well just allow you to board our ship.” “How very cautious of you,” she continued as she used a talon to tap on her crossbow absentmindedly, causing the guards to tense up. “Although you don’t seem to be very observant for a pony.” “What makes you say that?” “Because we’ve clearly already boarded your ship, you dweeb,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “I recognize that voice,” Rainbow Dash said as she along with Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack entered from below deck. “Long time no see, eh…Gilda?” Gilda didn’t turn to face Rainbow Dash as she spoke. “Yeah, it’s been awhile Dash.” “Hey, hey, do you remember me too?” Pinkie asked enthusiastically.“It’s only been like forever!” Gilda turned on her talons to face the group, a small grin on her face. “Oh, there’s no way I could forget you, Pinkie Pie.”