Finding a Place

by Battlecat

Chapter 45 - With Suspicion

27-07-1003 to 30-07-1003

Fortunately for me, Twilight was right about the residents Ponyville. One explanation later and everything seemed to be fine, at least on the surface. After what I’d gone through in a single day I was far more cautious about where I went alone in town. Every once in a while I caught ponies looking at me with apprehensive or even angry expressions on their faces. I did my best to avoid them and focused on the ponies that chose to be polite. I saw Lyra a few times around town but Bon-Bon was conspicuously absent. For Lyra’s sake, I simply stuck with my story that we’d just had an argument. I was also relieved there wasn’t more fallout from the incident with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. According to Applejack, their parents were out of town quite frequently so I wasn’t out of the woods yet.

On the brighter side, Sunset and I spent as much time as possible with Twilight. It was a bit of a challenge given how busy she was with final preparations for the Gala. Fortunately, to our amusement, she had carefully built her schedule around time to spend with the two of us. Over the next few days, we went on a bunch of mini-dates around Ponyville. The three of us spent hours relaxing together in Twilight's sitting room reading and we visited the spa together several times. Sometimes it was just Twilight and me doing our best to learn more about each other as we strolled around town. Then there were the times Sunset and Twilight spent together comparing notes on magic and practicing. Sunset was thrilled to be practicing spells and expanding her magical horizons once again. Twilight seemed to be thrilled to have somepony to talk to who was comparable to her in both power and knowledge. Even though Sunset was years out of date, her magical knowledge was still significant.

One of their most exciting discoveries came when they tested the Wi-Fi transmitter at the closed portal. Twilight and Sunset were delighted to discover that a very weak signal from CHS was leaking through the closed portal. It wasn't remotely enough to connect to the internet but they were talking about companion transmitters, along with the potential similarities between the magical journals and radio transmissions. Their explanation pretty much all went over my head but the short of it was; the Internet would probably be accessible through the closed portal.

While Sunset and Twilight were together learning magic, I spent some time training and getting used to my equine body. Of course, Rainbow Dash wasn’t going to let anypony else get the distinction of being the first Pegasus to teach a Thestral from another world how to fly. I wasn’t sure how she was going to put that on her resume but I was grateful for the help. We divided our time between adapting my martial arts and improving my flight skills. I quickly discovered that I loved the freedom that came with soaring through the air. Flying under my own power really was a dream come true.

The big surprise came when we began testing maneuverability. With only a few days of training, I could already flip, twist, and turn in the air with surprising ease. I still didn't come close to what Rainbow Dash could achieve but she was certain I was far ahead of where an average pegasus would be with similar training. Something about my wings just made darting through obstacles and changing direction incredibly easy. It was impossible to say if I was a natural, if there was some instinct that came with my body, or if I just had an awesome teacher. Of course, Rainbow Dash was absolutely convinced it was that last one.

I only saw Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie a couple times during the week. They were all busy with their contributions to the gala. Still, there were two other events of note during those peaceful days. The first was when I visited Rarity in her shop for the final fitting my formal suit. While I was there, I provided her with a couple samples of my metal work in steel and copper as well as three fashion magazines recommended by her counterpart. She was utterly enthralled by both and it sounded quite likely she would commission my services in the future. If it worked out, I would have a small supply of Equestrian bits so I wouldn’t be dependent on Twilight’s generosity.

The second occurred during my nights learning about dreams and the Astral Plane from Princess Luna. We were discussing the nature of the barrier that blocked access between our two worlds when her attention was drawn away. It turned out Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were all having a nasty series of recurring nightmares about getting a bad cutie mark that didn't fit their identities.

Spark and I stayed out of sight since the existence of another dream walker was still a secret. From our vantage point, we had the chance to see how Luna gently brought their dreams under control. I was impressed by how she used the incident to teach them. She assured them that their cutie marks would fit their identity as opposed to their fear that their identity would change to fit the cutie mark. It was inspiring and I hoped I could come close to matching the skill she had.

---

01-08-1003

It was amazing how quickly the days passed. Before I knew it Sunset and I were on the train riding up to Canterlot. Twilight and her friends had departed mid-morning on the previous day to make sure everything was ready. The actual gala was still a day away but both Sunset and Twilight wanted some time to show me around Canterlot. Twilight had put together an itinerary and we would be arriving just a bit before lunch.

Ponyville was the last stop before Canterlot so the train was quite crowded. When Sunset and I boarded, there were numerous double takes from the other travelers. More than a few ponies actually scrambled to get out of my way. The whole situation made me so uncomfortable; I wound up sitting on the floor in the back corner of the train beside a window with my back against the wall so nopony could sneak up behind me on me. Sunset was nestled in beside me with my wing wrapped around her.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop my ears from hearing the whispers about Nightmare Moon, Vamponies, and freakish mutants. I did my best to ignore them and instead watched the scenery fly past as the garishly colored train thundered up into the mountains, towards the fantastical snow-covered city perched on the side of a mountain. From Ponyville all that was visible was the silhouette of the palace and a few larger white buildings with golden rooftops. The rest of the city was out of sight. According to Sunset, it spread up and around the back of the mountain.

“The view from Canterlot is going to be stupendous, isn’t it?” I commented.

Sunset nodded and leaned her head against my shoulder. “It’s an amazing city. I’m excited and terrified to be coming back here.”

I kissed the top of her head. “You’re very brave to be going back. I know you've got a lot of history in this place.”

“Why do you have such weird eyes and wings?” a little voice suddenly asked. “Did something awful happen to your feathers?”

Sunset and I turned to find a small light orange Pegasus foal with a blonde mane staring at me. She looked younger than the CMC. To my relief, there wasn’t any malice in her expression, just the pure curiosity of a child. I tried to relax and look non-threatening.

“I’m a Thestral,” I replied gently. “The eyes let me see in the dark really well and this is what a Thestral’s wings look like.”

“Wow, that would make bedtime less scary!” she said with genuine excitement. “You can really fly without feathers?!”

“He really can,” Sunset said, leaning over to her with a conspiratorial smile on her face. “I’ve seen him practice. I’m Sunset Shimmer and this is Silver Spark. What’s your name?”

“I’m Mango Dash!” she giggled. “You’ve got a really pretty mane Sunset. I wish my mane was two color.”

“I have a good friend with blonde hair like yours,” I replied, thinking about Applejack. “She ties it with a red ribbon to give it splash.”

Mango’s wings fluttered with excitement. “Ooooh! That could work!” she squealed. “I’ll have to ask momma!”

“Mango! Stop bothering those two ponies and come sit down! We’re almost there.” a mare called out.

I looked over and saw a mare with blue fur and a very pale, almost grey lavender mane. She looked quite worried when our eyes met, almost frightened. I did my best to give her a reassuring smile. She only seemed a bit reassured as she watched me warily.

Mango looked back at the two of us and sighed sadly. “I gotta go. Bye Mister Silver, Miss Sunset.”

“Bye Mango,” I said quietly as she hurried back to her mother. “Nice meeting you.”

I watched her hurry back to her waiting mother with mixed feelings. Honestly, even though I was a stranger, I was feeling a bit hurt by the behavior of the foal’s mother. It was like she thought I was going to hurt Mango just for asking a perfectly fair question. It occurred to me I was probably the first Thestral any of the ponies on this train had ever seen. I felt a cold wave of fear running down my spine when it occurred to me that Thestrals might actually be extinct.

Luna would have told us if they were gone.
Are you sure? Why hasn’t she told us anything about them?
Why would she? We’re mostly human; you just turn into a Thestral because of the portal.
Fair enough. Still, you’d think she’d mention something, Spark.
We know they make up Luna’s guard, remember?
I know they’re reclusive but this is ridiculous. These ponies don’t even seem to know what I am.
Yeah, it’s frustrating but what can we do about it?
Other than being non-threatening? Nothing much.

I let out a long sigh before Sunset nudged my shoulder, pulling me out of my head. “I know that expression. I hope Spark is being more optimistic than you look. They’ll get used to you Silver.”

“Yeah, I guess they will,” I replied. “Being stared at is exhausting though. I hate being the center of attention.”

“I know, just stay strong,” Sunset reassured me while nuzzling my cheek. “Mango was a cute foal.”

“She was,” I replied quietly. “I’ve never really been sure how to handle children, pony or human.”

Sunset was quiet for a moment and the turned her head to look into my eyes. I’m not sure how I would describe the expression on her face. Those aquamarine eyes seemed to be searching my expression for something. Her brow furrowed cutely for a moment.

“Do you want to have children?” Sunset suddenly blurted out.

My heart skipped a beat at the unexpected question and I hesitated before answering. “I’ve never really thought about it. Considering I wasn’t even thinking about relationships a couple months ago, you have to admit it’s a scary question to ask.”

Sunset laughed nervously and I felt her tense up under my wing, “I’m not trying to trap you; I wouldn’t ever do that to you. I’m just curious. You have to admit, you handled Mango really well.”

I glanced over at Mango who was gesturing excitedly while talking to her mother. She was pointing at her mane with one hoof and her smile was so big it looked like her face would split in half. Mango’s mother noticed me looking at her but instead of fright, she smiled briefly before turning back to her daughter. I looked back at Sunset and for the first time thought about the future beyond the next couple months.

It’s a scary thought, isn’t it?
That’s an understatement Spark. But not insurmountable.

I leaned over and kissed Sunset on the head at the base of her horn making her shiver with delight. “I think I could face it with you and Twilight by my side, love,” I whispered. “I’m in no rush though.”

I felt her tense body abruptly relax against me and I gave her a squeeze with my wing. “Mmmm,” she sighed happily. “Neither am I but I’m glad you’re brave enough to consider it. Most stallions your age freeze up at that question.”

“They need a shot of perspective,” I snorted. “I’ve actually experienced things more horrifying than the idea of maybe having children . . . hmmm, or would they be foals? Which world would we even- . . . Right, that’s actually a bit more terrifying to think about.”

Sunset chuckled and kissed my cheek. “Like you said, those are all problems for far in the future.”

The train car rattled and shuddered as we pulled into the train station at Canterlot. I just kept holding Sunset with my wing while the other ponies hurried off the train. They shot me the occasional worried glance but otherwise ignored us. Sunset waved a hoof at Mango as she left the train and looked over at me. I was still huddled in the corner of the train.

“Ready to go Silver?”

“Not really,” I sighed, getting on to my hooves. “My instincts are screaming at me to ride this train back to Ponyville. That’s just my anxiety talking though. I’m ready, let’s go.”

We walked out of the train on to the platform at Canterlot. I took a deep breath of the clean, cold mountain air and let out a breath of steam. A lovely lavender Alicorn was waiting nearby with a worried expression on her face. Twilight was doing her best to be inconspicuous as the last ponies trotted towards the exit. By the time we reached her, the platform was completely empty. When she saw us, she met Sunset’s eyes briefly and gave a quick nod. Then she turned to me and strutted forward with a coy smile on her face.

“Why hello there,” Twilight said playfully as if she’d never met us. “Going my way?”

I froze on the spot; completely shocked by Twilight’s unexpected behavior. Sunset was unfazed as she sauntered towards the Princess and made a show of looking her over. The tips of Twilight’s ears turned a bit red but she held her ground. I didn’t move a muscle as my mind tried and failed to reconcile the completely unexpected and alluring behavior with what I was accustomed to.

“For a lovely princess like you, I think we are,” Sunset replied archly. “My stallion here is a bit on the quiet side though. Come on, don’t be shy hon, introduce yourself to the Princess.”

Suddenly, I felt something gently swat my rump, making me yelp with surprise. I jumped forward before I could stop myself and found myself face to face with Twilight. My face was burning as I looked into her purple eyes.

“Ummm, hello?” I said, completely bemused.

I felt my knees go weak when Twilight fluttered her eyes at me and I felt her wingtip trace a line down the side of my jaw. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sunset watching me carefully, her eyes sparkling with amusement. My eyes shot back and forth between purple and aquamarine with increasing speed as my brain locked up.

“Hello there,” Twilight said in a husky voice. “Feel up for escorting a couple mares around Canterlot?”

“I- I- I- . . .” I stuttered, feeling my back legs collapse, dropping me down on my rump.

“Oh my goodness,” Twilight gasped, putting her hoof over her mouth. “Are you ok?”

I ran my forearm across my face, wishing I had hands to bury my face in. I took a couple deep breaths to calm my racing heart. “Sweet Luna, where did all that come from?”

“Sunset suggested a bit of flirting would help improve our romantic relationship,” Twilight said nervously. “Did I do ok?”

“Ok?!” I blurted, not uncovering my eyes. “Dear gods you two were sexy. You two are going to wreck my mind if you make a habit of this.”

Sunset started giggling. “That was perfect Twilight! Did you see the look on his face? Even better, I got the whole works!”

I looked up and saw an orange smartphone hovering nearby, surrounded by a familiar aquamarine aura. It floated over to Sunset who was grinning like a mad mare. A stylus floated over and tapped the screen a couple times.

“And saved,” she crowed cheerfully. “I can’t wait to show our friends back home.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” I said nervously.

The phone floated back into Sunset’s saddlebag while she just smirked at me. It was that expression she got when Sunset knew she was in control of a situation. For a brief moment, I worried that she’d actually share that video. Suddenly her smirk dissolved into amused laughter.

“No, I probably won’t,” she finally conceded. “I’ll keep that one for our own amusement. The photos of us and the others in Ponyville are fair game though.”

“Brat!” I growled playfully. “Between that and swatting me on the rump, you’re in for it love.”

Sunset put her hoof up defensively. “But it wasn’t’-”

“Umm, that part was actually me, Silver,” Twilight squeaked nervously.

I looked at the two amused mares and groaned. “Sweet Luna, I’m doomed!” I moaned theatrically, covering my face with my wings. “Condemned to suffer the whims of two beautiful mares.”

We exchanged a look and all laughed as we walked out of the train station towards Canterlot. Twilight took the lead as we walked through the wide streets. The whole city was immaculate, clean and well maintained. The cobblestone streets were as smooth as any concrete sidewalk. Snow was carefully piled in the large squares making small hills for foals. Fountains were decorated with ice sculptures and the whole city had a festive feeling.

The two of them told me stories about the sculptures and statues as we walked towards an area they called restaurant row. I kept my wings carefully folded at my sides to avoid drawing attention. Twilight seemed to draw most of the attention, receiving regular bows and greetings from other ponies.

“So, what are you hungry for?” Twilight asked curiously as we walked towards the part of Canterlot called restaurant row. “I never really ate out while I lived here so I don’t have any specific recommendations. Well except the donut shop of course but we’ll go there later.”

There were dozens of shops, many with a placard with three horseshoes on it. I sniffed the air curiously to see what leaped out at me. To my disappointment, the air was almost sterile. No fresh bread, no cooking food, no spices hanging in the air. I sighed and took one more deep breath. A whiff something surprisingly familiar caught my attention.

“Oh wow, I hope that’s what I think it is,” I muttered beginning to walk forward. “Follow me!”

I heard Sunset and Twilight hurrying after me as I followed the scent like a bloodhound. After tracking the Dazzlings by their blood, this was a piece of cake. There was a disquieting sameness to the décor and style of the buildings as we trotted several blocks up the street. Nothing caught my eye but the smell was getting stronger by the minute. Tucked between two plain, marble-clad restaurants was a garish building with orange and gold decorations. The store’s logo was an elephant holding a spoon. The smell of spices was heavy in the air and I pulled in a deep breath and let out a content sigh as the memories flooded over me.

“The Tasty Treat?” Twilight read. “Now open? You sure you want to risk new restaurant Silver?”

“That my dears, is the unmistakable smell of coriander, ginger, naan bread and garam masala spice,” I sighed. “There was an amazing Indian place just around the corner from our apartment in Manhattan. We went there once a month. I haven’t had a proper curry in over a year.”

“You could smell this from blocks away?” Sunset snorted. “Your senses are officially ridiculous. Ummm, you know there probably won’t be any . . . er omnivorous dishes, right?”

“Well yeah,” I said. “When in Equestria one does eat what Equestrians do. I mean hayburgers were surprisingly delicious so I’m open to new experiences. Come on, this whole trip is an adventure!”

“Ok, but make sure I don’t order anything too spicy,” Twilight said nervously.

We walked up to the door and pushed it open. There was music playing on an unseen record player that had unmistakable East Asian tones. The restaurant was beautifully decorated with rich colored fabrics which made the space quite cozy. Tragically empty if the smell was anything to go by. A portly unicorn stallion with tan fur was sitting at the counter next to a young mare with orange fur. They both had deep brown manes and were speaking sharply with one another. The

“See Father, our first customers!” the mare gasped with a slight eastern accent, her eyes quickly examining the three of us. “Sir, madam- . . . oh, my goodness! Princess Twilight?! Welcome to the Tasty Treat, your highness! I am Saffron Masala and this is my father Coriander Cumin! Would you . . . I mean, please, take any seat!”

“You were right Silver; it does smell divine,” Twilight said, taking a deep breath before smiling gently at Saffron. “Please, just treat me like a normal customer. I don’t need any special treatment, promise! My friends here are Sunset Shimmer and Silver Spark.”

“Sweet Celestia, a bat pony?” Saffron gasped, her eyes widening with surprise when she saw me. “What a delightful surprise! Ummm, sorry to ask this but you don’t have any allergies to certain er . . . spices, do you?”

The term bat pony made my ear twitch once but my worry was quickly wiped out by her cheerful tone. It was unexpected enough that her question made me smile. We walked over to one of the tables and hopped up on the stools.

“I assure you he is quite fond of garlic and numerous other spices,” Sunset said laughing. “Don’t read too much into the legends about Thestrals.”

“Wonderful!” Saffron said cheerfully. “Is Thestral the proper name for your tribe Silver? I will remember that and the proper name of your tribe for the future! Would you like to hear our specials?”

“Yes please!” Twilight said, looking over at me curiously.

“Today I have Bhelpuri and Naan bread with Dhokla as a starter,” she said nervously.

She looked like she was about to explain but the translation was coming out of my mouth before I could stop myself. “Puffed fried rice with vegetables in a lightly spiced sauce, a flatbread made with flour and yogurt and I think the last one is some sort of cake made with chickpeas and rice.”

I paused when I noticed the looks of utter surprise on the faces of the three mares. I felt my face flush and averted my eyes. “Assuming my memory is accurate.”

“Correct on every mark,” a heavily accented voice said. Coriander walked up to the table and I saw he was smiling for the first time. “So you were right Saffron. At least one pony in Canterlot appreciates our region's cuisine. What would a well-traveled stallion such as you say about gaajar halwa for dessert?”

“It sounds perfect,” I replied, feeling a smile spread across my face. “However, I believe my lovely companions deserve at least one surprise in this meal. Do you happen to have Samosas as well?”

“Yes we do!” Saffron replied in a cheery voice. “I shall go prepare your meals right away!”

Saffron hurried off to the kitchen with a smile on her face. Twilight looked around the restaurant and frowned at the empty chairs.

“Sir, I must admit I am surprised you don’t have more customers,” Twilight said. “I’d think the smell alone would draw at least a few ponies in.”

Coriander sighed. “Ahhh, well it is our first day open for business but I have heard few ponies in Canterlot are willing to try new places. There is a well-respected food critic coming tonight at dinner. Once they try my daughter’s cookingI am sure we will have more customers.”

Sunset smiled reassuringly. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. I can’t wait to try this!”

Coriander smiled and walked back to the front counter.

“So where do you two want to take me this afternoon?” I asked. “I’ve never seen a city quite like this one.”

“There’s an amazing view from the lower terrace,” Twilight said. “I thought we could take a walk around the places I used to go, like the library or museum. Then there’s . . . well, it’ll be up to you two but . . . ugh.”

Sunset and I glanced over at Twilight, surprised by the sudden failure of her words. “What’s on your mind hon?” Sunset asked gently.

“I grew up in Canterlot,” Twilight whispered nervously. “My parents have been bugging me to visit. I told them I would be here but I didn’t make any firm promises because of the gala. Do you two feel comfortable meeting my parents for dinner? It’s your choice.”

I glanced at Sunset nervously and tried to think. Meeting the parents of my marefriend was a scary prospect but it would have to happen someday. Fortunately, I was saved from an immediate decision by Saffron coming out of the kitchen with some steaming plates of food.

“Can we make the decision later?” I asked. “Not saying no, just not sure yet. I really don’t think I can decide on an empty stomach either.”

“Of course,” Twilight said. She seemed to perk up a bit when Sunset and I didn’t reject the idea outright.

---

Saffron was quick and efficient in the kitchen and soon brought out our meals. As I had hoped, the meal was delicious. The gaajar halwa was exactly what I remembered as well; a sweetened carrot pudding. The entire meal was easily as good as anything I’d had back in the human world and I was pleased to see both Twilight and Sunset enjoying every bite as much as I did. We wished Coriander and Saffron the best of luck with the food critic as we departed. I was confident they’d get a good review after that delightful meal.

With our bellies comfortably full, the tour around Canterlot continued. The decision about dinner was set aside for the moment. We visited the library, a museum, and one of the lower courtyards where the waterfalls originated. I learned how Celestia had moved the capital here after the Nightmare Moon incident and about the crystal caverns hidden below the city. The whole place was like something out of a fairy tale.

Unfortunately, many of the residents were far less amazing. The relative disinterest about my appearance earlier in the day had given way to disdain. Or perhaps I was just noticing it now. Thanks to my hearing, I heard dozens of hushed whispers about the princess associating with a mutant pegasus or mongrel. I also heard many of the epithets Bon-Bon had used earlier in the week to refer to me. I even saw a few ponies crossing the street to avoid us. I didn't share any of this with Sunset and Twilight at the time, instead just filing it away as another problem for the future.

It was late afternoon when Twilight stopped us at a simple intersection on the main road to the palace. She looked up the crossroad, which was lined with dozens of medium sized homes. There was a worried expression on her face when she turned to face the two of us.

“I hate to pressure you two but it’s time to decide,” Twilight said hesitantly. “This is the street. We don’t have to do this today if you don’t want to.”

My mouth went dry at her suggestion and I looked up the street with renewed worry. “Should I be worried about your parent’s reaction to me being a Thestral?”

“I wish I could reassure you about that but I simply don’t know,” Twilight said sadly. “I can’t recall them ever saying anything about your tribe. That’s why this is your choice.”

I looked over at Sunset, who just shrugged at me. “I’m fine with whatever you want to do. Just one thing you should consider. You’re going to escort a Princess to the biggest high society event in Equestria. After today, ponies are going to know about you whether you like it or not.”

I felt a chill run down my spine at Sunset’s observation. I had no idea how that slipped my mind but the idea that all the ponies who thought like Bon-Bon would know about me. That was a terrifying prospect but it told me what I had to do. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart without success.

“I’m terrified but let’s do this,” I decided. “I’ll be starting with two red marks against me, let’s not add discovering our relationship through the tabloids to that list.”

“Two?” Twilight asked as she started leading us up the street.

“I’m a Thestral and I’m dating you,” I replied. “I don't know how your family will feel about the first one, but the second one is supposed to be pretty bad for the guy in the relationship.”

“I'm sure you'll do fine Silver,” Sunset chuckled. “Ummm Twilight, how much do your parents know? Can we talk about the portal and the human world at all?”

“They don’t know yet,” Twilight admitted nervously after a moment. “Fortunately, making sure they could be told was on my list of things to take care of this week. Celestia has officially confirmed they are permitted to know about the human world. Next up introductions, then we tell them you’re from another world.”

“That’s good at least,” I said, brushing her side with my wingtip. “Sounds like you thought of everything.”

“Hey, that tickled!” Twilight giggled. “I do my best but there’s always something that slips through the cracks. Some ponies make fun of me when I obsess about being organized but if I didn’t, there’s no way I could have spent the afternoon with you two. Tomorrow, I’ve set aside half twenty minutes to panic about everything that could go wrong.”

“That’s . . . actually, not a bad idea,” Sunset chuckled after a moment. “Well if you want a couple snuggle buddies during your freak out time, just let us know.”

Twilight blushed and stammered for a moment before looking at the house. “Oh, here we are!”

Twilight’s family home was a medium-sized building with the same white marble cladding as most buildings in the city. Twilight walked up and knocked on the door with her front hoof. A moment later the front door glowed with a pale pink aura and swung open revealing a grey mare with a lavender and white mane. When she saw Twilight a huge smile appeared on her face.

“Twilight Sparkle!” the grey mare exclaimed, wrapping her hooves around Twilight’s shoulders. “It’s so good to see you, my dear. I haven’t seen you in months!”

“Hi mom,” Twilight squeaked. “Could we come in?”

“Well yes of course!” her mother said cheerfully. “Who did you . . . oh my, who are your new friends?”

She looked over Twilight's shoulder at me and Sunset. I smiled and waved a hoof nervously when she looked at me. Her eyes widened slightly and an even bigger smile appeared on her face. Her reaction made me relax just a little bit. Before Twilight could answer her mother's question, a purple aura pushed her through the door.

“What am I thinking, making you all wait on the street!” she exclaimed, stepping back inside. “Hon, we’ve got even more guests for dinner!”

I followed Twilight inside and looked around the house. The entrance room was small, with space to wipe off our hooves and hang up coats and saddle bags. There was an arched opening ahead to the right and a hallway leading to a flight of stairs and what looked like the kitchen. Twilight's mother trotted off into the living room, leaving us to take off our bags.

“Wait, more guests?” Twilight asked, confused. “Who else is here mom?”

W familiar pink alicorn walked around the corner with a big smile on her face. “Hello, Twilight! I was hoping you'd make it tonight.”

“CADANCE!” Twilight exclaimed, bouncing over to the alicorn. Suddenly the two of them began singing and doing a little dance.

Sunshine, Sunshine, Ladybugs Awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!

I couldn’t help myself when we saw the adorable greeting. A grin spread across my face and I fought down a quiet giggle. Sunset, on the other hand, had shrunk back and was trying to disappear. I remembered her reaction to Dean Cadance showing up at dinner so I wrapped a comforting wing around her shoulder.

“What are you doing here?!” Twilight asked. “You’re not here for the Gala, are you? I mean, I made sure to send you an invitation but you don’t usually attend! ”

“I wasn’t originally going to but a couple nights ago I suddenly had a feeling I wouldn’t want to miss this one,” Cadance replied, eyeing Twilight thoughtfully. “Is there anything you want to tell us?”

Twilight nodded and stepped to one side so Cadance could see the two of us. A myriad of emotions crossed Cadance when she saw Sunset. I couldn’t even begin to guess what she was thinking. Then her eyes shifted to me and she blinked a couple times.

“Silver Spark? Is that really you?”

I bowed politely. “It’s an honor to see you again your highness.”

I heard Cadance let out a warm laugh and I felt myself being pulled gently forward. A pair of pink hooves suddenly wrapped around my shoulders. Before I knew what was happening, Cadance was hugging the stuffing out of me.

“None of that ‘your highness’ business, Silver,” she murmured in my ear. “After what you did for Twilight, please call me Cadance. I'm sorry you almost paid such a high price.”

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” I replied quietly, glancing over at Twilight and Sunset. “For the most important ponies in my life, there’s only ever one choice I can make.”

Cadance stepped back with her horn glowing slightly. She looked at me, then over at Twilight with a growing smile on her face. Then she turned to look at Sunset and frowned. Sunset was bowing so low her face was almost on the floor.

“Hello Sunset Shimmer,” Candance said in a gentle voice. “Please rise.”

Sunset lifted herself up but didn’t meet her eyes. Instead, she just kept looking at the floor. I could tell her eyes were misting up.

“I am sorry for trying to turn Princess Celestia against you,” Sunset whispered in a cracking voice. “It was petty jealousy that you didn’t remotely deserve. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

Cadance nodded. “I accept but I also owe you an apology. I’m sorry my arrival hurt your relationship with Celestia. I had no idea she was neglecting such a talented student for me. ”

Sunset gasped with surprise. “Of course I accept, you didn’t do anything wrong! I made all the mistakes; you were just caught in the middle.”

Twilight’s mother cleared her throat as she walked back to the foyer. “I must admit, this unexpected reunion is a surprise. Now, I believe some introductions are in order my dears. Come into the living room and we’ll take care of this all at once.”

I followed the mares into the living room, hanging back slightly behind Sunset and Twilight when I saw two stallions sitting in there. The two waiting stallions were quickly introduced as Twilight’s brother Shining Armor and her father, Night Light. Her mother’s name was Twilight Velvet and we were told to call her Velvet. I took a moment to examine the two stallions.

Shining Armor looked like his human counterpart and Night Light had blue fur with a navy blue mane. I shouldn't have been surprised that I was about half a head taller than both of them. What worried me were their expressions as they examined me from across the room. Night Light’s cold expression was already enough of a concern but Shining Armor frightened me. For a moment he looked like he was ready to throttle me with his bare hooves but the expression vanished just as quickly as Twilight started her introductions.

“This is Sunset Shimmer and this is Silver Spark,” Twilight said, gesturing at each of us in turn. Her voice suddenly shrank. “I have something important to tell you. They’re my - . . . I mean we’re part of- no wait.”

Twilight stopped, put her hoof on her chest as she took a deep breath. She let it out and then looked over her shoulder at me and Sunset. I gave her a nervous smile and nodded at her.

“The three of us are dating,” Twilight confessed, turning back to her family.

Twilight Velvet, Night Light, and Shining Armor stared at us blankly for a moment while Cadance just grinned at us with a knowing smile. I just stood there frozen, waiting for somepony to say something. The first pony to react was Twilight's mother. She galloped over and threw her arms around Twilight and Sunset.

“My little filly finally found somepony!” Velvet exclaimed, hugging the two mares as hard as possible while smiling over their shoulders at me.

When she was done, she stepped back and began firing off rapid questions at us. “How long have you been dating? Who’s lead mare? How did you meet? How did you even meet a Thestral in the first place? Oh my goodness sweetie, you have to tell me everything!”

The next half hour was a blur of activity as Twilight went over the bare bones details about how we met and began dating. There was some doubt regarding where Sunset and I currently lived until Sunset levitated out her smartphone. She showed them a picture she had taken of the three of us at OMSI on our first real date. The sheer detail of the alien world, along with Cadance’s confirmation about the portal was enough to convince Twilight’s parents.

At that point, the mares moved to the kitchen to talk while Velvet prepared dinner. Cadance pulled Shining Armor to his hooves while telling him he had to catch up with his little sister. I was going to follow but Night Light indicated I should sit down. Twilight gave me a worried glance but had no choice but to leave me along with her father. For most of the conversation they had smiled at Twilight’s enthusiasm and her father had even asked a few questions. Now the smile had vanished from his face as he looked me over.

“I’m not entirely sure what to make of you,” Night Light finally said in a flat voice. “You claim you’re from another world and yet you’ve somehow captured my Sparkle’s heart. What makes you think you deserve to date my filly?”

“In all honesty, I don’t,” I replied shaking my head. “I’m just a normal guy who somehow garnered the attention of not one but two of the most amazing women I’ve ever me. I barely hold a candle to those two mares.”

He blinked at my assessment of myself. “So where does that leave you?”

“I know not the stallion they deserve but by some quirk of fate, I’m the one they both chose,” I replied as a small smile appeared on my face. “I’m not sure I’ll ever know why they both asked me out. There’s nothing I want more than to be the man they believe I am. Every day they inspire me to be a better person and to make sure they always have a reason to smile.”

His expression didn’t change as he watched me. “Interesting. So, if I told you that I forbid you seeing my filly, what would you say?”

“You can say whatever you want Sir,” I replied, doing my best to stay calm. “However, I would respectfully decline to obey your unreasonable command.”

“Really?” Night Light said, raising an eyebrow at me. “I’m Twilight’s father. You really think you can ignore my wishes?”

While he had phrased it as a hypothetical question, it was only barely so. I had seen this girlfriend’s father routine in a few movies but I’d never experienced it in real life. Rather than being intimidated, I was feeling slightly irritated that this stereotypical behavior crossed universes. I knew I was probably going to destroy my relationship with Twilight father but I wasn’t going to let myself be pushed around.

“No, I can’t ignore them but I can insist the conversation waits until Twilight is standing right here beside me,” I said. “There is no way I am going to break my marefriend’s heart on the simple command of anybody. We’ve worked too hard to make this trio work across the boundary between two universes. You bring her into this room and give us both your ultimatum and if Twilight Sparkle tells me to go, I will go. I doubt she’ll accept without a good reason but if you feel the need to try, it’s not my pace to stop you.”

Night Light stared at me for a minute and I was absolutely certain he was going to tear me to shreds right there. To my surprise, he suddenly started laughing. “Hah! Well, it seems you know my filly well enough! I’d have to cite at least three sources of evidence to even convince her to reconsider once she’s made a decision. I’m impressed you stood up to my disapproving father act. You’re going to need that strong spine to handle the gala tomorrow.”

I let out a deep sigh of relief and smiled weakly at him. “I’ll admit your questions did have me worried, Sir. I promise I will treat Twilight with the respect and care she deserves.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” Night Light chuckled. “If you don’t I wouldn’t want to be standing between you and my daughter. So on to more pleasant topics; how do you intend to make a living between two worlds? I certainly hope you’re not the kind of pony who would abuse my daughter’s status.”

“Not a chance,” I chuckled. “Twilight has been wonderfully generous so far but I want to make sure I can support myself independently in either world. The skill that transitions best to this world is my blacksmithing skill. I’ve taken a couple small welding contracts in my world. Twilight’s friend Rarity seems interested in offering me some work in this world to get me started. “

We spoke for a few more minutes about my life and my ongoing education. I quickly discovered Twilight came by her intelligence honestly. Night Light’s questions about my world were quite insightful. He was particularly intrigued by the scope of the education system in our world. Equestria had a robust elementary level education system but once ponies gained their cutie mark most moved to something akin to apprenticeships many human societies used before the industrial revolution. We were just beginning a debate on how the absence of magic impacted our technological development when Shining Armor walked into the room.

“You’re needed in the kitchen,” he said to Night Light, inclining his head at the door.

Once Night Light was out of the room, Shining Armor looked over at me. “We need to talk,” he said sternly. “Follow me.”

His tone was that of someone who expected his orders to be followed. I felt a pang of worry as I followed Shining Armor towards the back door. My mind was racing, trying to recall what we knew about either version of Shining Armor to figure out how he was going to react.

He was Royal Guard at some point, right?
I think so Silver. I guess he’s a Prince now or something.
That would come with marrying a Princess, wouldn’t it?

I followed Shining Armor out into the backyard of the family home. It was a long, narrow yard, covered with grass and surrounded by a tall privacy fence. I didn’t have time to take it in because a pink wall shimmered into existence around us. Shining Armor’s horn had an aura of the same color around it. In an instant, Shining Armor’s expression went from simply stern to extreme hostility. My heart began to race as his eyes tried to burn a hole in me. I looked around for an escape route, but the shield was immaculate. The sounds of the neighborhood were muffled down to almost nothing.

“Now I can get some real answers,” Shining Armor snarled. “How did you sneak through the portal and trick my sister? What's your game bat?”

“I was born there!” I gasped. “I’m not manipulating anybody!”

“A likely story,” Shining Armor snapped. “You bloodsuckers are selfish opportunists and you’re no different. Why else would you be sinking your hooks into my sister? Twily would never fall for a worthless night crawler without manipulation. ”

I struggled to keep my temper in check but I felt an angry hiss slip through my teeth. “I thought humans were creative when it came to racist insults. Sad to see you ponies have proven me wrong. So what, I’m not good enough for her just because I’ve got different eyes and tufted ears huh?”

Suddenly I felt my wings get pinned to my sides and something lifted me off the ground. Shining Armor's face had twisted with rage and I could see a pink shimmer around my barrel.

“You’re not good enough for her because you’re a damn filthy liar! Just like your useless kin. Now I'll ask nicely one more time. What do you bats want with my family?”

I didn’t answer because the menace in his voice made my heart rate spike. Something in Shining Armors eyes at that moment terrified me and I began struggling against the force holding me in place but it was like I had been wrapped in steel.

“Let me go!” I yelled.

“I don't think so,” he said in an icy voice that sent a chill down my spine. “You’re going to tell me the truth or I’m going to force it out of you.”

I felt the bindings around my waist tighten painfully and it occurred to me that he could probably chop me in half with a simple thought. That’s when I really panicked and began thrashing around in his grip. I felt my wings tingling as I began to channel magic to fly away but I was completely pinned. The combination of fear and the growing pressure on my chest was beginning to make my vision blur.

Then there was a weird noise like shattering glass followed by a loud bang. I felt myself fly through the air and a moment later I slammed into a wall. My ears were ringing painfully but I felt the relief of my wings moving freely. I cracked my eyes open and looked around to see what happened.

Shining Armor was on the other side of the yard, slumped against the back wall of the yard. Through my blurred vision, I could see a scorched patch of grass in the middle of the yard where I was pinned a moment earlier. A pink blur galloped across the yard to Shining Armor before my vision was blocked by a blur of lavender and peach. I blinked away the tears in my eyes and realized it was Sunset and Twilight.

“Talk to me Silver; are you ok?!”

“Sweet Celestia, what happened!?”

“I have no idea,” I replied groggily. “Is everyone alright?”

“Yes, Shining Armor is getting up and nopony else was caught in . . . whatever that was,” Sunset replied.

“What was going on in there?” Twilight asked in a worried voice. “I've never seen a shield spell fail like that.”

I felt groggy like I had just run a marathon or something. My legs were shaking as I tried to stand up. I almost forgot I was a quadruped at the moment but eventually I got up on my four hooves.

“I couldn't answer his questions Sweetie,” I groaned. “He kept asking but didn't like what I was saying. As for the shield, I have no idea. I remember trying to channel magic through my wings in a blind panic but everything gets fuzzy after that. All I remember is- oh no, not again!”

I felt my heart racing again when I noticed Shining Armor was on his hooves and storming across the yard at me. His horn was glowing and his expression promised pain in my future. I spread my wings, intent on flying away but before I could, Twilight, Sunset and Cadance’s horns all started glowing. Auras wrapped around his hooves and a shield appeared between the two us, stopping him in his tracks. I felt magic gently caressing my back and I let out a sigh of relief.

“What did you do!?” he snarled. “Answer me you damn Leatherwing! You’re going to pay for messing with their heads!”

My wings were drooping at my sides and my ears flattened against my head. “I haven’t done anything unless falling in love with your sister is a crime.”

“Stop lying to me!” Shining shouted angrily. “You must be up to something. Why else would your kind associate with other ponies?”

“My kind,” I echoed wearily. “Right, I’m done here. If you can’t accept that I’m a visitor to this world and I haven’t even laid eyes on another Thestral then there is nothing more to discuss. Good day sir.”

I turned my back and began to walk towards the back door. I could hear Cadance whisper in a voice that was probably inaudible to anybody else other than Shining Armor.

“Please shut up before you shove that hoof in any deeper in your mouth hon. What’s gotten into you?”

I ignored their conversation and walked towards the back door where Velvet and Night Light were waiting. They both looked worried.

“I appreciate your hospitality but I believe it would best if I didn’t stay,” I said quietly.

“I’m so sorry about all this,” Velvet said in a worried voice. “You don't have to go.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” I replied, extending a hoof to Night Light. “It was wonderful to meet you both and I hope I can see you again under better circumstances.”

Night Light shook my hoof politely. “I certainly hope so; I have many other questions for you. Your world sounds fascinating. ”

“I’ll prepare myself for your next interrogation,” I replied, cracking a smile at him.

Velvet did say anything as she reared up and wrapped her arms around me in a big hug which I returned. Once I let go of her, I continued into the house, feeling quite depressed about the miserable turn the day had taken. I kept my shoulders straight and didn't look over my shoulder as I made my way to the foyer. I was struggling to pull my saddlebags over my back when Twilight and Sunset came in after me. There were tears on Twilight's cheeks so I wrapped my hooves around her to comfort her. She leaned on my shoulder for a moment.

“Silver . . .” Twilight trailed off sadly. “I’m so sorry. Don’t hate me or my brother.”

“I can't conceive anything you could do that would make me hate you Twilight,” I said, nuzzling her cheek. “No matter what happens, I'll stand by your side as long as you want me. Honestly, I don't hate your brother either.”

“Even though he attacked you?” Twilight countered in a worried voice.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m not happy with him and I'm certainly not going to trust him,” I replied, feeling a bit of irritation slip into my voice. “On the bright side, you seem to have awesome parents and I think I got off to a decent start with your father. I want to be able to build on that but I can’t do that if your brother wants to wring my neck. This is just a tactical retreat before he forces me to do or say something I would regret.”

Twilight frowned, her expression darkening. “I swear this isn't like him,” she growled. “Last time he was this unreasonable he at least had the excuse that he was brainwashed by Chrysalis. I can’t believe he’s trying to drive my coltfriend away without giving you a chance.”

“His reaction is a bit excessive for a protective older brother,” Sunset added. “He barely acknowledged me being your girlfriend; it’s something about Silver that has him angry.”

“That’s true,” Twilight sighed. “I need to find out what’s wrong with Shiny before I leave. Is it ok if I meet you two at Joe’s in a little while?”

“Deal,” Sunset replied, kissing her on the cheek.

“We’ll be waiting,” I added. “Also, give my best to Cadance.”

An uncomfortable silence took up residence between me and Sunset while we walked through the streets of Canterlot. The streets were a bit quieter now since many ponies were home for dinner which was a relief. The derisive comments I was overhearing from other ponies had taken on a much more threatening tone after my encounter with Shining Armor. If a pony as close to the princesses as Shining Armor was willing to attack me over my appearance, everypony was a potential threat. I found myself almost wishing I had those clawed boots that Spark had cooked up in our dreams.

It was a relief when we arrived at the donut shop. It was a nice looking shop, with simpled wooden tables scattered around the room with no chairs. At the back of the room, there was a simple bar counter with a display of donuts and pastries. Around ten ponies were scattered around the room enjoying snacks and drinks. A few surprised mutters echoed around the room when we walked in but that was all. The tan pony at the counter looked up and he smiled when he saw Sunset.

“Sunset Shimmer?” the pony exclaimed. “Well I'll be; I haven’t seen you in years! Where have you been hiding all this time?”

My marefriend walked up to the counter with a smile on her face. “Hi, Joe. That’s a long story. I’m glad to see you’re still here.”

“Celestia willing, I’ll be here for years to come,” he replied, eyeing her curiously. “You seem . . . happier than I remember. Looks like your time away did you good.”

“Sorry if I took that out on you,” Sunset replied sheepishly. “I have a lot of ponies to apologize to while I'm here. This is my colt friend Silver Spark.”

“So somepony finally tamed Sunset Shimmer?” he teased while grinning at me. He seemed completely unconcerned about my appearance. “Congratulations! Welcome to my humble shop. Do you want your usual apple cinnamon bear claw and hot chocolate?”

“I can’t believe you remember after all this time!” Sunset nodded eagerly. “Yes, please! Along with an assortment for the two of us to share. What do you want to drink Silver?”

“A hot chocolate for me as well please,” I replied.

He quickly served up our food and we settled down at a table near a window with my back to a wall. I felt more comfortable being able to see what was going on around me after what happened earlier. We chatted idly about the day, but we carefully avoiding talk about the incident with Shining Armor. The hour quickly passed as we finished up our food and drinks. Finally, our attention was drawn to the door when Joe greeted Twilight by name without the honorifics. She looked horribly stressed out with wild eyes, obviously tense wings and her hair sticking out Sunset and I hurried over to her while she was ordering a coffee with three espresso shots to go.

Sunset leaned into her. “How did things go with your-”

“Not now!” Twilight snapped, cutting her off without even looking in our direction.

Sunset took an involuntary step back and a distraught expression appeared on her face. Twilight looked embarrassed when she realized how terse she had been. She turned to look I realized then that Twilight's face had the same expression she wore when she walked over to confront Sunset in the crater. It was the mask she wore when she was acting fully as a princess.

“Sorry, you didn’t deserve that but we can't talk now,” Twilight replied nervously. “It's not safe.”

She led us out of the restaurant and up the hill towards the palace at a brisk pace. I barely had time to admire the sights as she rushed us up to the castle. I got a glimpse of a massive courtyard in front of the royal palace that was one of the main features visible from Ponyville. It would easily hold hundreds of ponies for an event. I didn't have time to admire the scenery as Twilight just hurried us to the doors. Sunset was looking more and more tense with every step we took. When we reached the palace door, I got my first look at the royal guards in uniform.

Everypony was dressed in gold armor and their fur was either an immaculate white or a light grey. Their manes and tails were identical tones of light and dark blue. It was an odd contrast to the diversity of colors in the rest of the ponies. I felt the hairs on my neck prickle when they spotted me and their expressions darkened. It was almost exactly the same as the expression on Shining Armor’s face. For a moment I thought they were going to stop us but a single glance from Twilight stopped them. Their faces went pale and they stiffed back to attention.

This happened several times as we walked through the wide corridors of the palace. I hoped I would never be on the receiving end of the glare Twilight was giving those guards. Finally, we entered a lavishly decorated room. Twilight’s horn glowed sending a wave of pink energy across the floor and around the room, slamming the door. The second the spell finished Twilight’s royal mask faded and her wings slumped. She walked over and flopped down on one of the lavish couches. Sunset let out an equal sight of relief and walked over to Twilight.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Twilight moaned, slamming her face down on a cushion. “The incident with my brother is just the tip of a horrible nightmare and I still have to finish preparations for the gala tomorrow.”

Sunset hopped up on the couch next to Twilight. “It can’t be that bad.”

“No it’s worse,” Twilight sniffled, not bothering to lift her head. “I can't believe I’m so sorry Silver. I knew Thestrals were uncommon and I was expecting a few problems with introducing you to other ponies but this . . . If I’d known, I never would have asked you to come to Canterlot.”

I hopped up on the opposite side of Twilight and draped my wing over her. “What happened Twilight?”

“Shiny didn't technically do anything wrong,” Twilight groaned stayed face planted on the couch. “Basic training for the Royal Guard includes protocols for threat assessment based on species. Changelings were just added to the list at the same ranking as Thestrals. Griffons are even lower on the list even though we've had wars with them in the past.”

I stared at Twilight, completely speechless at the revelation. In this world, I was actually considered a potential enemy of Equestria just because of my appearance. Bon-Bon’s reaction made a tiny bit more sense though I was puzzled why a candy maker would follow military doctrine. Sunset’s reaction was far more dramatic. I saw her stiffen and she stared at Twilight with wide eyes.

“Seriously?!” she gasped. “I've never heard of such a thing but you're a princess. How have you never heard about this?!”

“It’s not like I have any guards in Ponyville,” Twilight mumbled tersely. “Cadance was just as surprised when my brother explained his actions. He couldn’t even supply one iota of evidence that the protocol worked. There’s barely an exception in those rules for Luna’s guards! The worst part is nopony had even seen a Thestral until the Nightguard was re-established!”

By the end, Twilight was beginning to rant and a slightly distressed laugh escaped her lips. She laid her head back down on the couch and a sad hiccup escaped from her lips.

“The Thestrals in this world must know better than to visit our cities,” Twilight sniffled.

The three of us sat on the couch, snuggling as we considered the implications of what Twilight had found out. It wasn't a law exactly but in the eyes of the guards, it was probably close enough. I was at risk of being detained or even attacked by guards as long as I was in Canterlot. It was an unpleasantly familiar feeling, reminding me a bit of the anxiety I felt during my first months at CHS.

“Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them,” I finally said glumly.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, lifting her head to look at me.

I stared over at the wall. “Sunset told me the Hearths Warming tale a few days ago. How the hatred Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies had for each other drew the attention of the Windigos. How the incident nearly destroyed the three tribes. Is this any different?”

Sunset and Twilight both looked stricken. “But if it’s only the guards. . .” Sunset started before trailing off when she saw me frown.

“I wish it was,” I said reluctantly. “I wasn’t going to tell you this until tomorrow but there was a lot of ugly whispering from other ponies today. My ears don’t look that different from yours but apparently, I can hear far more.”

Twilight groaned again and laid her head down on my legs. Her eyes were closed so I leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.

“What do we do?” she asked wearily. “I didn't know such awful prejudice was hiding in Equestria.”

Sunset nuzzled her cheek. “We help you prove to the rest of Equestria what we already know. That your royal title isn’t just lip service. Remind me, what that was again?”

Twilight lifted her head up, a small smile appearing on her face. “The Princess of Friendship.”

“Exactly!” Sunset said enthusiastically. “I can’t think of a better pony to start building the bridge between two estranged tribes.”

“You’re right Sunset,” Twilight said, suddenly sounding more energetic. “There's so much we'll have to do though but I know one thing for sure. I can’t do this without your help Silver.”

While she was speaking to me, a scroll and a quill floated over to Twilight. It was already scratching out a list of things to take care of.

“Why me?” I asked curiously. “I really don’t know anything about Equestria.”

“I think your outside perspective could be very helpful,” Twilight said. “Besides, I haven’t ever spoken to an Equestrian Thestral. If my brother’s behavior is normal, they won’t trust me without strong evidence that I do not share the views of the guards. I need you by my side when I present this issue to the other Princesses and my friends. Your presence could help convince other Thestrals that I’m willing to speak on their behalf. Please, can you do this for me?”

She looked at me with her incredibly purple eyes. They were glistening with tears but there was also an unexpected fire behind the tears. Something had ignited inside of her.

“I’ll do my best,” I relented, unable to resist her pleading expression or her reasoning. "Just leave it for tonight and tomorrow. You've got enough on your plate with the gala. One more day won't be the end of the world."

"If you insist," Twilight replied gently. "I do need to go meet with my friends to check in on final preparations. Come on, they're staying down the hall."

We went in and were greeted enthusiastically by Twilight's friends. They quickly got down to business going over the final plans to prepare for the gala. Sunset and I chimed in with an occasional suggestion but I was only half listening. While they talked, I turned most of my attention towards speaking with my silent partner. A translucent image of Spark appeared in one of the chairs on the other side of the room.

Do you think that's the reason we haven't seen Thestrals, Spark?
It seems too simple. You'd think a couple words with Princess Celestia would have that cleared up.
Unless she established the policy in the first place.
I doubt it. There wasn't a hint of hostility in anypony we met that first day Silver.
Agreed. So where are all the Thestrals hiding?
I wish I knew.

Comments

[Linkonpark100]

It seems that the racism on thestrals runs deeper.

[Salty Milk]

huh.

[Matthew Malysza]

Awesome!

[MorningRose]

awesome chapter looking forward to more

[Battlecat]

8740237 - Yeah, it does but the severity varies quite widely. Most unfortunate where the worst distrust originates though.

8740349 - Hope that's a good 'huh'.

8740474 - Thanks!

8740824 - Thank you very much!

[MorningRose]

8742059
your very welcome

[DrakeSlayer]

8747096
Lol that was supposed to be a joke originally! didn't think you might have actually meant Netflix and chill!
'

[Battlecat]

8747133 - Not exactly but when people mention a specific line I go back and re-read it for context. I sometimes tweak the wording if it feels clumsy.

[Alot Master]

“Exactly!” Sunset said enthusiastically. “I can’t think of a better pony to start building the bridge between two estranged tribes.”

Ooh! Ooh! I know! Maybe start with categorizing people based on criminal behavior and not their race, you fucking mongoiids!

[Whisper Spirit]

I wonder if the Thestrals fled to the human world.