//------------------------------//
// 112 - First Time in Canterlot 
// Story: Putting on a Silver Robe and Wizard Hat 
// by David Silver 
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One dark-furred pony looked across at the other, both wearing wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses. The female spoke first of the two, "Are you sure this was a good idea?"

The male smiled, nervous but supportive. "You saw the letter as clearly as I did. This is where she is. She and her... coltfriend."

She began trotting forward, eyes roaming, though unseen behind her glasses. "It's such a large city. Nothing like our town at all."

"She's lived here for a while," replied the male as he matched her pace. "The colors are so bright."

"Just like the ponies in it." She looked at a passing pony's brilliant pelt. They were no crystal pony, but compared to her own fur, each was a riot of shades and hues. "Do you think they want us here?"

He bumped into her side. "The princesses invited us, both of them! We can't say no to that."

She licked over her lips as she gave a stiff nod. "I suppose not. I've never met Princess Luna before."

"Have you met Princess Celestia?"

"No!" She displayed her fangs briefly before she remembered to keep her mouth closed more carefully. "But she isn't really our princess, is she? Luna is the All-Mother, progenitor of our entire tribe. Just thinking of actually meeting her..."

"I'll be there with you." He nipped at her. He might have been going for an ear, but their oversized hats prevented such. "They can't be so bad, can they?"

"They're already looking at us."

"That's because you're looking at them." He smiled a little. "Walk like you're supposed to be here."

With a flapping of wings, a lunar pegasus landed before the two. "Hi there!" The lunar mare smiled brightly, her fangs on full display. "I don't see too many of our kind around here, so I thought I'd say hello. I hope everything's going alright?"

The male nodded his head. "Always nice to see a familiar face. Do you know the way to the castle by any chance?"

The mare tapped her chin even as she turned, then thrust the hoof up at the large and, once it was pointed out, extremely obvious castle. "That one?"

The female of the couple nodded. "That's the one, I think. Does Princess Luna live there?"

"Oh! Did you come to see Luna?" The mare spun back around towards them, looking excited and almost bouncing in place. "I've seen her a few times. She's just as breathtaking as all the legends put together." She let out a wistful sigh. "I wish I could be her guard, but I'm no good at fighting." She reached back and produced a mouthful of letters. "I work for the postal department."

The female seemed surprised. "You're a courier? That seems like a curious profession for... us."

"Why's that?" The mailmare tilted her head. "I may be a lunar pegasus, but that also means I'm a pegasus, and pegasi make great couriers. I like giving ponies their packages and letters. It brings such a smile to their faces." She flashed her fang-filled grin. "So what's odd about that?"

The male nodded at her. "Nothing wrong with that at all."

The female bobbed her head a moment after. "No no! I'm just... new to the city."

The mailmare waved it off. "Oh don't worry about it. You shoulda seen me when I first showed up here. I thought I'd never get used to everything being so bright. I even crashed right into a few buildings trying to fly during the day. You get used to it, though." She suddenly looked up. "Shoot, I should get going. The mail waits for no mare! I hope you have a good time." With a powerful flap of her wings, she was up and gone in a streak.

The female leaned in close to the male. "Did you see her mane?"

"Hmm? What about it?"

"Such bold coloration. Do you think she's half-breed?"

Now that it was brought up, the male thought about the mailmare's bright off-teal mane and tail. "Could be, but that's not really our business, is it?"

She frowned a little. "But our little filly, she's involved with some strange pony. They'll have their own half-breeds."

He snorted, tail flicking. "They're heroes, several times over if the letter's to be believed, and I can't imagine why they wouldn't be. After Hours..." He leaned closer to her. "I know you're nervous, but we should be happy for her."

After forced a smile and took a slow breath. "Yes, I should be. You're right, of course... I'm just nervous. Can you blame me? Why are you so calm about this?"

He pressed nose-to-nose. "Admitting I loved you, way back then. That took bravery. Compared to that, this doesn't seem so bad."

After recoiled. "Why would saying that to me be so hard?"

He quirked a little. "I didn't think I was worthy of such a fine mare."

She slugged him in the shoulder with a quick hoof. "Flatterer! I swear, Bedtime, I wonder about you." After leaned in and they shared a little nuzzle before they ventured forward, side-by-side and refilled with purpose.





With the sound of a loud slap, Trixie's magic slammed Silver's book closed. "Enough!"

Silver jerked up and back. "W-what? I was just working on a spell. What's wrong with that?"

Trixie smiled. "As a general thing, nothing, but Trixie thinks she may have found the root of some of your problems. You're starting too high." She pointed at his book. "You don't understand either spell you're combining very well, so it's all instinct, and it's all messy. It works, poorly. You can do better than that." She clopped a hoof down. "But you'll have to do it the right way."

"Right way?"

Trixie wrinkled her nose at him. "You know exactly what she means. You need to understand both spells before you go smooshing them together like some foal's playing clay. For instance, standard shield. Go ahead and show it to me."

Silver took a moment before the spell leaped into his memory and he was encased in a silvery glow.

Trixie shook her head. "I thought you were a warrior? That much delay? You could have been hurt easily by the time you brought that up." She circled around him before lashing out a hoof, catching a weak spot in the shield. It shattered like glass. "It's not properly balanced, either. No, this won't do. No wonder any spell you made based on it is so clumsy."

Silver's ears swung around as shame built. "I'm trying my best."

Trixie opened her mouth, ready to fire a scathing remark, but managed to calm herself. She smiled at Silver gently. "Trixie understands, and you've done very well with what you have, but it's time to start doing things better. Basic shield, do it again."

Already refreshed in his mind, the shield popped up near instantly. Trixie reached out and instead of simply bursting it, she began to feel along it, pressing in places. "You can see the magic. Can you see what's wrong?"

Wherever she pressed, he could see the bubble distorting, like a bubble. It was when she stopped pressing that it looked odd, like it had a fine crack. "What makes it do that?"

"The basic shield is not so much a bubble, as Trixie imagines you see it. Instead, think of it like a dome, built with magical bricks. If it's not properly balanced and constructed, it has weaknesses and is just waiting for an excuse to come falling down." Trixie traced along the shield, revealing each imperfection and crack in turn. "Now that you aren't working alone, we can improve your shield. We'll make you a true warlock yet." She smiled brightly. "You mentioned you worked with them once?"

"Once." Silver nodded.

Trixie wrinkled her nose. "Odd that they didn't pick up on this."

Silver shook his head. "Don't blame them for that. I didn't even know the basic shield back then."

Trixie raised a brow. "You worked with the warlocks without knowing a shield? My colt is either exceptionally brave or foolish." She put a hoof to her chest. "She believes both may be true."

Silver looked Trixie over a moment. "Let's see yours."

Trixie blinked. "What is this? You dare challenge us?" She closed her eyes as a fine bubble of force appeared around her. "Trixie is no warlock, but she thinks you will find it quite elegant."

Silver let his shield fade and reached for hers instead, poking and prodding at it. It didn't have the same broad cracks when he pressed. It felt firm and whole before and after his prodding. But was that the best way? He began to think of what little bits of engineering and architecture he had absorbed through years of Youtube and random browsing. "Maybe an arch design..."

"Arch design?" Trixie raised a brow. "Are you getting bold thoughts?"

Silver smiled at that. "I wouldn't be your colt if I didn't."

"True." Trixie smiled. "She will be testing your shield. No more spell combining until you get this right."





Celestia and Luna smiled down at the two heavily-garbed ponies before them. They looked at once terrified and filled with awe.

Luna spread her wings as she offered a hoof. "Please, you are most welcome here. Your filly has performed great services for our nation and you should be proud."

Celestia nodded softly. "We'll have a servant show you to your room. Relax and decompress. We're sure you're a little overwhelmed and fatigued from your journey. There will be plenty of time to speak after you're both rested."

Bedtime nodded at the two royal figures before dipping into a bow. "A pleasure to meet you both. I never thought I'd get to have this opportunity." He glanced left and right. "We're not holding things up, we hope?"

Luna waved the thought away. "Perish the thought. It is we who invited you. As my sister suggested, go, rest. If you need for anything at all, let a servant know and it will be provided. You are both our guests."

After Hours's eyes were both drawn to Luna and kept darting away. "Are you..."

"Hmm?"

She squirmed in place. "Are you truly the All-Mother?"

Luna smiled gently. "It was by our hooves that the lunar pegasi came to be, and they remain one of my great achievements." She folded her wings in. "But know this. You are your own people now. Like any foal, you have left the nest and can live for yourselves, as you should. Just be aware you do so with the full blessing and pride of your mother."

The two were led off, leaving the throne room mostly empty. Celestia looked to her sister. "That was nicely said. Come, we should inform the happy couple of who's come to see them."