• Published 12th Nov 2020
  • 4,653 Views, 737 Comments

Mark My Words - Goldfur



Prince Mark Wells may now be an alicorn and the coruler of Equestria along with Twilight Sparkle and his wife, Trixie Lulamoon, but that doesn't mean that his life has gotten boring. Something always comes up, whether he wants it or not!

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Visitors (Part 2)

The next morning, Spike treated Trixie and me to a smoked salmon and egg quiche that earned the dragon a hug and nuzzle from my wife. While I had always liked all kinds of fish, Trixie only became a fan after her ascension. If I could convince Spike to give me the leftovers, I would have my number one choice for cold lunches next week.

Who was I kidding? All of my wives loved Spike’s cooking. Yes, even Sally. It would never last the weekend, no matter where I tried to hide it. Still, having happy wives is not the worst thing in the world.

An hour after sunrise, a growling Twilight stumbled into the kitchen. Trixie and I refrained from saying anything until the terminally sleep-deprived alicorn had a few cups of coffee in her system… which took less than a minute.

Our co-ruler sighed and gave us a cheery smile. “Good morning! I hope you slept well.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes. “Better than you. Let me guess: Comprehensive Lectures on Optical Fiber Communications?”

Twilight waved a hoof. “No. I finished that series of books from Sunset Shimmer’s dimension yesterday.”

I blinked. “But you got a shipment of books from her only two days ago.”

“Exactly! Why wait?”

Trixie and I shared a look. Thorax still visited the Red Changeling Hive every month for further instruction. During those weeks, his wife would invariably fall back to burning the candle at both ends… with blowtorches.

Before either of us could try reasoning with Twilight, giggling drew our attention to the doorway. Phil and Rosa strolled in with little Miguel hanging onto his father’s mane with all four hooves. Phil would lurch forward or backward, bounce a bit higher or stumble a bit lower – each time he would pretend he had “tripped a little bit”. The peals of laughter let everyone know who was the happiest foal in Equestria right now.

Rosa looked around the room. “Where is my daughter?”

Twilight said, “They were still chattering away when I went to bed.”

The griffoness looked at our host. “And when was that?”

“A couple of hours before sunrise.”

Dios mio. They won’t awaken until this afternoon.”

I stood up. “Nah. They’ll be down in a minute.”

Phil looked up. He had finally gotten Miguel to shift attention from his father’s mane to a cereal bowl. “Good luck with that, buddy.” He shouldn’t have let his attention waver. Miguel attempted to grab the spoon sticking out of the bowl. His near-miss resulted in a launch of spoon, milk, and cereal at his father.

Miguel clapped his hooves. “Again! Again!”

I used the convenient distraction to make my exit. Soon, I knocked on Yolanda’s door. Not even a groan in response. Thought so.

I opened the door to see all three friends splayed out on the much-too-small bed. Ivana snored once, coughed, then snored again. I knelt next to Yolanda.

“Time to get up.”

“Noooooooooo…..” The hippogriff used a pillow to cover her head and cut off her pitiful wail.

I stood. “Fine then. I got special permission to visit the Dragonlands, but since you aren’t interested—”

WHAT!” Yolanda bounced into the air, flapping her wings to hover. “Are you serious!?”

I smiled and headed for the door. “Sure am. And Mount Aris tomorrow. As for today, there’s just enough time to get breakfast… maybe.”

“Get up! Get up! Get up!” Yolanda landed on Ivana’s stomach which made the dragon belch out a squeak along with a puff of smoke. The hippogriff shoved Latisha off the bed with two hooves. The pegasus squawked once before tumbling across the floor. “You two get your lazy butts moving!”

“I want to sleeeep!” protested Ivana.

With a much stronger shove, Yolanda knocked the dragon off the bed. “Sleep tomorrow! Today we’re seeing the homeland of the dragons.”

A pair of heads with wide eyes rose like periscopes off of the floor. The two friends chorused, “Really?”

As I exited the room, Yolanda nearly tackled me with a flying hug. “Did you set this up? You set this up. Thank you! Thank you, Uncle Mark!” Before I could reply, she had already dashed back into her room. “Get up now if you want to eat! Spike is a great cook. Ivana, leave your blouse here unless you want it to get ruined.”

I chuckled at the display. Teenagers.

My happy mood ended when the girls made it to the daggerscale portal room. The last remnants of my precious leftover quiche disappeared before my eyes. A question confirmed my suspicions. They had been in too much of a hurry to appreciate or even taste their breakfast. Belatedly, I remembered my many foals when they were that age. Vacuum cleaners with legs.

I sighed.

Teenagers.


Penumbra and I led the way through the series of four daggerscale portals that reached the Dragonlands. Only the largest of scales could reach the dragon kingdom in one jump and this trip did not constitute the kind of emergency that justified using up our limited supply. As a result, the adults had to herd the girls and Miguel like cats! Yes, this forest with light blue trees taller than redwoods is fascinating, but we have places to be!

I stepped out onto the broken basalt plain at the center of the dragon homeland. Like many other locations on Equus, the region had transformed in the last dozen years. Off to the left, a small city had sprung up to accommodate the other races that lived and worked here. Dragon and minotaur masons carried stones and wood beams at the construction site of the largest building. The home office of the First Draconian Bank would hold its grand opening ceremony in a few months. Of course, the Triarchs were invited to attend along with the leaders of other nations.

After the last of our party exited the portal, I waved everyone forward. A couple of juvenile dragons—Scrounger and Mayhem – waved as they walked past. Both dragons oversaw business holdings in Equestria and used this opportunity to make an unscheduled trip. Business between the two realms steadily increased throughout the years. Thanks to dragonfire scroll delivery, dragons had become outstanding offsite managers!

I stepped up to Ember and bowed. The blue dragoness had grown another half-meter in stature from the time we last met. Her scales gleamed in the sunlight along with her fangs. I had known the ruler long enough to recognize her friendly smile. “Welcome, Prince Mark!” Her eyes shifted behind me. “Welcome, beings from Mark’s homeworld! Know that friendship is magic across all of Equus.”

I nodded in acknowledgement and motioned with a wing. “Dragonlord Ember, you already know Captain Penumbra, Phil, Rosa, and Miguel.”

My herdmate, my best friend, and his wife lowered their heads in respectful bows. Rosa said, “A pleasure to see you again, Ember.” Miguel was not quite as polite. From his perch on his mother’s back, he blew a raspberry at the dragoness then devolved into a fit of giggles.

I said, “Today, Yolanda brought her best friends: Latisha and Ivana.” I identified each guest with my primaries.

The young pegasus pranced forward. “It’s wonderful to meet you! Getting to see dragons in the wild like this is just… incredibly awesome!”

Ember laughed. “Likewise, Latisha. I assure you that my race doesn’t get too wild.”

When I didn’t hear anything else from behind me, I turned around to see Ivana staring at Ember… no… at the Bloodstone Scepter. The young dragoness trembled and moved her mouth, but no sound came out.

Yolanda slapped her friend on the side. “Hey! You’re being rude!”

Ivana blinked. “What? Wait. What!”

Ember strode up to the smaller dragon. “Ah, I see. You feel unfamiliar emotions toward my staff of office, don’t you? Perhaps a desire to possess it or swear fealty to the one who holds it?” Ember shifted the staff to her other hand. She loomed over Ivana to force the teenager to stare the queen in the eyes. “Remember who you are, young human. You are only borrowing this form for your time in this land. You are more than what your instincts tell you to do. Be aware of these drives so that you can resist them.”

Ivana nodded. “Umm… yes, Your Majesty.”

“The title is ‘Dragonlord’, but just call me Ember, please.” The blue dragoness smiled at the teenager then walked back to her previous spot. “I’ve arranged for you girls to sample some of the recreational activities our kingdom has to offer. First, however, I’d like to introduce you to my father.”

A blast of hot wind blew across our party from behind. I looked back and up… way up. How he could sneak up on us like that escaped me, but there stood Torch in all his massive glory.

Hello, little things.

Yep. Definitely in a good mood—and I knew what would keep him that way. I switched to my long-maned Marklestia form and rose into the air. “Good morning, Torch!”

His eyes locked on me. “Ahhh… little pretend Celestia. Good to see you again, Prince Mark.” He leaned down until his right eye was only a pony body-length away. “Did I tell you that my vision is better now than when I was a youth? Having tiny ponies put tubes in my eyeballs was a great idea.” He grinned. “Perhaps I should do so every year when I attend the board of trustees meeting in Canterlot.”

There is no humor quite like dragon humor. I smiled and said, “I’ll be sure to tell ‘Tiny Doctor Twilight Sparkle.’” Torch chuckled, causing tremors to shake the ground, the air, and everyone around him.

I waved a hoof behind me. “Torch, let me introduce—”

“I heard your introductions.” He shifted his head to point his fang-filled smile at our party. “A pleasure to see you again, little family… and guests.”

Phil, Rosa, and Yolanda bowed to show their respect. Miguel found something more interesting in his mother’s plumage and hadn’t bothered to look up. As for the other teenagers, their reactions couldn’t have been more different. Ivana shrank in on herself, her entire body shaking. Latisha had wide eyes and an open-mouthed smile. Even her wings were spread out wide.

The pegasus bounded closer to the gigantic dragon. “As you got bigger, did your diet change? Did different foods suddenly taste better? Is it true that the biggest dragons have the biggest harems? What on this world is a match for you after you got to this size? Are your teeth still growing? If even diamonds get ground down by them, how do you keep them sharp? When you—”

Torch threw his head back and laughed. Suddenly, cascading beams of light shot out of Latisha as she levitated into the air.

Ember gasped. “Is that… Is she?”

“She is!” yelled Yolanda.

Torch said, “Hrm? What’s this?”

Ringing filled the air and Latisha closed her eyes. A bright flash emanated from the young pegasus and she floated down to the ground. Her wings drooped and she shook her head as if trying to clear it.

Yolanda practically tackled her. “You got your cutie mark!”

“I did?” She looked at her flank. “I did!”

Everyone rushed up to take a look. Her flanks showed a pair of orange dragon wings over a familiar red cross symbol. I said, “It looks like you will have a special talent for healing dragons if I had to guess.”

Phil said, “If you choose to pursue that profession.”

I nodded. “Good point. Your cutie mark tells you where you could excel. It doesn’t mean you have to take that career path.”

“How fascinating,” said Ember. “I had heard about how ponies got their cutie marks, of course. But to actually see it? And so soon after our hospital broke ground.”

Latisha smiled then seemed to catch herself. She looked up again. “Do you remember how your body felt when you were younger? What were the biggest changes since —”

Torch had a way of stopping all other conversations. “I may answer your thousand questions another time, little pony. But first...” He leaned down to the still-shivering Ivana. I only now realized that she hadn’t rushed up to Latisha as everyone else had done. “What about you, little dragon? You have nothing to fear… as long as you don’t steal from a dragon’s hoard.” Puffs of smoke escaped his nostrils. “In fact, would you like a tour? I haven’t shown mine to anyone since Mark’s purple-maned herdmate was here a few months back.”

That was true. Rarity and Torch hit it off famously. They could both talk about gemstones all day… and did just that while I caught up on my reading. Rarity’s special talent helped her find a few of Torch’s gems that he had lost ages ago while redistributing his mountain of wealth. She also installed lighted shelving along one wall to best display the pieces most valued by the former Dragonlord.

The display was just as impressive this time. Rarity’s flair at presentation ensured that every gem and piece of jewelry showed its full glory. After recounting tales about the dragons vanquished to obtain a few prize items, Torch sighed. “Sadly, those times are over now. The last two dragons to try stealing from another’s hoard ran into this!” He put on one of the bladed gauntlets and informed his audience about how he acquired two dragon tails. I noted that he did not mention that those brothers earned them back two weeks later.

Torch put on a smile that I recognized as playful. I doubt any of the other ponies did.

He looked at the teenagers. “I certainly hope none of you try to steal from my horde.” Then to Ivana. “Be honest now. You feel compelled to take just one tiny, insignificant little memento, don’t you? A flawed topaz, perhaps? An emerald so impure it looks like gravel?”

Ivana shook her head emphatically. “No. No sir, Mr. Torch. Not at all.”

“Good, good.”

Ember said, “Father, it is time for these young ones to play with others their age. Prince Mark will put heat resistance and toughness spells on them so they can lava surf and have fireball fights with their peers.”

“Ah. Very well, Dragonlord.”

After the three gave their heartfelt thanks to Torch, I applied the spells. Ember led the trio to the entrance of her father’s cave where a few smaller dragons practically dragged the teenagers away.

Ember returned and gave me a knowing smile. “So do you think our little skit worked?”

“I certainly hope so. Humans have a great deal of willpower. Now Ivana has several reasons to override the instincts her body is giving her.”

A deep rumbling voice came from overhead. Because my body only vibrated a little, I knew Torch was whispering. “I believe your scroll mentioned something new?”

I nodded, opened my bottomless saddlebags, and drew forth two large white sacks. “Each of these holds five pounds of Tasmanian Pepperberries. They are one of the more exotic spices from my homeworld. I don’t have a recipe for them but could bring that next time.”

“Don’t bother.” Torch reached down a hand and I deposited the cloth sacks onto his palm. “I’ve learned to trust my very clever chefs and their creativity.” He winked. “And it is so much fun to scare the scales off of the little ones. You know I would do that for free, but please continue to bribe me.”

I chuckled. “You didn’t seem to scare Miss Latisha. I’m going to guess that she’ll be your number one fan from now on.”

He grinned. “Indeed.” His smile fell. “Good luck with your pony or human ways of teaching, little prince. Dragons learn through pain.”

I shook my head. “Your Bank President Xyrdur talked to Princess Twilight and me about how he trained to run the institution. I think the younger generation can learn the pony way.”

Torch nodded. “Good. That is an improvement.”


I sat in the center of the longest couch in Twilight’s study, my rear hooves on the room’s coffee table. Trixie curled up on my right, happily accepting scritches with her head on my lap. Rarity leaned into my left side, her gentle and regular breathing letting me know how much of a toll her six-day workweek had taken on her. The unicorn had drunk only one sip of her wine before succumbing to her exhaustion. Thorax hugged Twilight from behind while a half-dozen scrolls drifted nearby. The custom-made “rolling office chair for two” allowed Twilight to spend some quality time with her husband while she finished the last of the day’s paperwork.

Rosa strutted into the room, carrying her husband on her back. The griffoness held her wings upwards to effectively cage him in.

Phil’s look of resignation was nothing new. “Dear, I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own.”

Rosa shook her head. “My time here in this land makes me appreciate how truly rare and special a worthy stallion can be, mi amor. Do not worry. Your bigger, stronger, and more capable wife will protect you from all threats.”

My best friend sighed and buried his face in her plumage.

I chuckled. “I take it Rosa has gone into season?”

My friend raised his head. “Oh, did you notice? Excellent work, Sherlock. What clued you in?”

I laughed freely, only to stop short for fear of awakening my mares. “You know there is a way to cure those nesting urges... for nine months at least.”

Rosa said, “Not this time. Possibly next year we will try to give Miguel a playmate.” The griffon lied down and with a complicated rolling maneuver involving wings and legs, ended up with her husband firmly grasped in front of her. “Until then, my dear, sweet querida will accept his cuddles like un hombre.” She then proceeded to nibble the neck of her plush toy/husband.

Phil gamely attempted to carry on a normal conversation while Rosa preened his imaginary neck feathers. “Mark, Thank you for chaperoning Yolanda and her friends this weekend. They had a great time with the dragons.”

“How could you tell?”

“We passed by Yolanda’s room on the way back from putting Miguel to bed. It was suspiciously quiet.”

“Oh yeah,” said Twilight. When I raised an eyebrow, she clarified. “When you couldn’t hear what Nyx and the Crusaders were up to, you didn’t walk, you RAN.”

“Which universe?” I asked, remembering how Nyx had two sets of Crusader friends in her past.

“Oh Tartarus, yes,” replied Twilight with a shiver.

Phil chuckled. “What makes you think that would be different anywhere or anywhen, Mark? Anyway, we peeked in and found the girls crashed out in a lump of limbs and wings on Yolanda’s bed.”

His wife chose that moment to lick his unicorn horn from base to tip.

“Gah!” Phil struggled to get his head tilted to look the griffoness in the eye. “Dear, you can’t taste me there in public!”

“Quite right, mi sienna.” Rosa stood and tossed her squawking husband into the makeshift wing-cage on her back. “Instead, I will taste you... everywhere.”

Phil’s voice faded as the couple moved down the hallway. “But, Honey, we should be socializing... Dear, are you listening to me?”

The wine glass in front of me took on a light blue hue. I felt Rarity’s head lift off my shoulder as the glass floated closer. “The poor dear. Savaged by an amorous mate.” She took a sip and returned the glass. “A stallion’s work is never done, it seems.”

Trixie spoke without bothering to raise her head. “Tell me, Dowser – does Chrysalis boss you around like that when she takes on a dragon or griffon form?”

“Only when I allow it.”

Every mare’s ears pointed my way. Even Thorax turned to face me. The papers surrounding the Element of Magic stacked themselves on her desk.

After a long pause, Twilight broke the silence. “I find that hard to believe, Emperor Markus.” She had borrowed the nickname from Phil. He would tease me when he thought I was exaggerating. Unlike my best friend from Earth, the purple mare hadn’t learned I could usually put my bits where my mouth was.

The most recent lessons from Twilight’s magic class involved levitating a dozen objects and uniquely manipulating each. As a result, it was foals-play to lightly stroke Trixie below her wing joints, lightly press Rarity’s barrel in two places, and run a feather-light touch along the sides of Twilight’s neck.

The three mares smiled, closed their eyes, and made a squeeing sound like little foals. And the best part? As long as I tickled them, their unicorn magic would be incredibly weak.

After ten seconds or so to get my point across, I stopped.

Twilight recovered first, turning around to bat her husband’s shoulder with a hoof. “You’re supposed to protect me! And you blabbed where I’m ticklish. How could you?”

Thorax shook his head. “I won’t protect you from the trouble you cause yourself, no I didn’t, and… uh… no I didn’t.”

“Celestia told me,” I said. “We were comparing notes on wrangling unruly foals and she let that information slip.”

The purple mare huffed. “I need to have a talk with my former mentor after I have a word with my husband.” She snuggled against Thorax with a contented smile on her muzzle. Why not a fake pout? I knew from personal experience that putting on airs didn’t work with a spouse who ate your emotions for lunch. While I enjoyed denying the truth when Chrysalis called me out, Twilight opted to not bother masking her feelings.

Rarity said, “You do realize there must be payback, don’t you dear?”

My first wife said, “Trixie agrees that revenge must be…” she yawned. “…be carried out.”

I smirked. “Oh, that means I have to stop giving you scritches, then.”

“It does not. First, your wives must deliberate an appropriate punishment… A little lower, please… Ah, that’s it… This will likely take hours.”

I answered the fashionista’s glower with my best wide-eyed innocent stare. When that didn’t work, I stuck out my tongue. Sure, I was playing with fire, but that sure beat living a life of boredom.

Rarity harrumphed. “You are fortunate Chrysalis stayed at the Hive tonight. I’d have asked her to change into a form that you don’t know how to tickle.”

I shook my head. “Sorry. She’s a lot more ticklish than you. I’ve figured it out for every form she’s tried so far.”

Trixie turned her head just enough to look at me with one eye. “Even for griffons?”

“Yep.”

“And you didn’t share this information with your best friend? To save him from his terrible fate?”

I scoffed. “What kind of friend do you take me for?”

The silence lasted longer this time... if you didn’t count the snickers from the three mares. A soft breath followed by a nip to my right ear told me a fourth mare had entered the conversation. When in the heck did Penumbra get here?

My thestral herdmate answered my question. “The kind of friend who gets teamed up on by all his wives tickling him until he begs for mercy… then gets tickled for another hour...”

Trixie coughed.

“… when he least expects it. Maybe next week. Maybe not.”

I swallowed. I’m sure my sudden change of mood set off the next round of giggles. Did I actually go pale?

The anxiety of waiting was going to be the worst part.


My first visit to Mount Aris was accomplished by a long train trip. While there’s a lot to be said for leisurely enjoying the scenic journey, we did not have the luxury of time for this weekend jaunt. However, Canterlot maintained a daggerscale portal to the land of the hippogriffs and our group soon stepped out into the vestibule that was our official arrival point. When Rosa, Phil, and Miguel exited the portal, I led our group to the far side of the room. Two guards were stationed there and, upon recognizing me and Penny, saluted.

“Her Majesty is expecting your party, Your Highness,” one of the guards said. “Please follow me.”

We were led directly to the throne room although, for reasons of security, that was not very close to the portal. I used the time to remind our visitors about protocol. “Remember that Hippogriffia is an ally of the Equestrian Empire and not a part of it. Don’t take being granted this audience lightly. While Equestrians are free to move between our countries, visiting the palace is a privilege granted by my friend, Queen Novo. Be respectful of her and those working here. The fun starts later.”

“Yeah, we get it,” Ivana replied. Latisha merely nodded in acknowledgment. Naturally, Yolanda had been here before with her parents.

Novo was perched regally on her throne with a full honor guard. The latter was just as much done in respect for me as it was to impress our visitors. While we were, in fact, good friends, there were always formalities to observe. I led our group up to the base of the dais, stopped, and bowed. Everyone else took their cue from me and bowed also. Straightening up, I said, “Your Majesty, thank you for granting us this audience.”

The queen of the hippogriffs smiled. “Welcome Prince Mark Wells, and to your lovely mate, Penumbra. It is good to see you again. I recognize your friends and their foals. Welcome back to Mount Aris.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Rosa replied on behalf of her family.

“And who are these two?” the hippogriff ruler asked, turning her attention to Latisha and Ivana. “I must admit that I was not expecting a dragoness.”

Yolanda stepped forward. “Your Majesty, may I introduce my two best friends from my homeworld – Latisha the pegasus and Ivana the dragon.”

“You make some intriguing friends, young one. I am sure my daughter will be quite delighted to meet them both.”

“Where is she? I thought Princess Skystar would be here to meet us,” Yolanda said.

There was a loud flutter from an alcove and a hippogriff landed next to us and gave Phil’s daughter an enthusiastic hug. “Yo! It’s great to see you again! You gotta come more often!”

Novo rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. “Daughter – you were supposed to wait until the formalities were over.”

“Sorry, mom, but I couldn’t wait to see Yolanda again; it’s been ages since she last visited!”

When I first met Princess Skystar, she was a hyperactive teenager. Since then, she had matured physically into a beautiful adult hippogriff but her demeanor had not changed a whit. Her enthusiasm and friendliness knew no bounds. The queen knew better than to expect otherwise.

“Very well – we will forego the rest of the pleasantries and I will leave you in the care of my daughter. I will see you all again when we convene for dinner. I wish you all an enjoyable afternoon.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I replied, formally ending the audience.

“Hi! I’m Skystar,” the hippogriff addressed Latisha and Ivana offering a hoof bump to each. “You can tell me all about yourselves and how you know Yo, ya know?” She put a wing each around the pegasus and the dragon and began herding them out of the throne room.

I grinned at Phil and Rosa and they smiled back, completely familiar with the hippogriff’s eccentricities.

Skystar gave the newcomers a brief overview of the township and Harmonizing Heights before heading down to the shore. “I know what you guys really want to do here and it’s perfect weather for the beach!”

We were soon on the sand where an open-sided tent had been set up by the palace staff. A table had cold drinks and snacks laid out for their guests but the things that caught the attention of Ivana and Latisha were the windsurfing boards.

“Oh, cool!” Latisha exclaimed. “I’ve always wanted to try one of those.”

“We’ll get to them later. I thought I’d show you around the bay first,” Skystar said before turning to Yolanda. “Have you told them about the Pearl?”

Yolanda grinned and shook her head. “I reckoned that was your surprise to spring on them.”

The older hippogriff’s smile grew and she nodded. “You’re going to love this!” she enthused as she gestured for everyone to follow her down to the water. She paused for a moment as she regarded Ivana. “Although I have no idea how it will work for a dragon.”

“I got to swim in lava – I’m sure I can handle water.” She then gave us a puzzled look when most of us started chuckling. “Okay – what aren’t you telling me?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” I replied as I waded into the sea along with everyone else.

Miguel bounded in and out of the water, enthusiastically trying to jump over incoming waves. “Pearl! Pearl!” he exclaimed.

“What’s he talking about?” Latisha asked.

“This!” Skystar held up her piece of the magic Pearl that all the Hippogriffians possessed. “And let me show you what it can do.” She triggered its magic and all but the two newcomers transformed into our aquatic forms. As always, I became Marklestia – we’d never figured out exactly why the change to seapony caused that. Not that it bothered me like Penumbra’s change did. Even after all these years, she still didn’t enjoy being a seapony. However, Penny refused to leave me unguarded, so she always joined me. Miguel was off like a shot for deeper water with his mother and father in hot pursuit. That left the rest of us to regard the stupefied looks of Latisha and Ivana.

My niece giggled and said, “You two look like gaping fish. Might as well come join us and swim like one.”

“H-how…?!” Latisha demanded.

Skystar said, “The Pearl of Transformation allows my people to change between hippogriffs and seapony forms. With your permission, I can do the same for you too.”

“I’m game,” Ivana said.

“Me too,” Latisha added.

“Done!”

The two were enveloped in magic and, a moment later, another seapony joined the group. However, it was our turn to gape when we saw what Ivana had become. Even Skystar looked uncertain. My chats with Sunset Shimmer allowed me to identify Ivana’s new species. With the unmistakable huge dorsal fin and seahorse-like features, she couldn’t be anything else.

“She’s a siren,” I announced.

“I like it!” Ivana declared as she looked over herself.

“Just don’t sing, okay?” I advised.

The girl looked puzzled, “Why not?”

“Sirens possess powerful magic. You could easily get someone hurt, and you would be held fully responsible.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. I think you’re exaggerating.”

Yolanda got in her face. “Just don’t sing. OK?”

Ivana looked between Yolanda and myself. Eventually, she shrugged. “Okay.”

“Let’s go! Follow me,” Yolanda declared before diving beneath the waves.

“Don’t worry – you can breathe underwater in those forms,” I assured the two girls before I joined the others.

Unsurprisingly, neither of the girls was quick to actually try breathing water at first. I think only the instincts that came with their new forms stopped them from heading to the surface. It had been a long time since I first transformed but I think it was that way for me too. Once they settled down, Skystar took us on a tour of the bay before diving down to the magnificent marine city of Seaquestria. Gentle currents brought freshly oxygenated water and nutrients to the grotto in which the city resided and it was bursting with life. Yolanda pointed out her favorite places while her friends enthused over every aspect of the coral, kelp, and glowing creatures that made the entire town a living thing.

I always enjoyed visiting here but this time I got the most enjoyment from seeing the awe and wonder on our guests’ faces. However, the stir caused by a siren swimming through the city was entertaining. It was also a little reassuring. What I had learned about the three sirens in Sunset’s world hopefully didn’t apply to all their species. The fact that none of the seaponies were panicking at seeing a siren hopefully meant that the evil three were troublesome exceptions among their own kind.

After the tour of the city was done, I swam over to Skystar and asked, “Have we got time for a history lesson?”

“For you? Anytime!” she replied. “What did you have in mind?”

“The Seapony Temple.”

“Ah! Well, as you know, access to the temple is restricted without royal approval.” Then she grinned. “Good thing I’m a princess and can give you that permission! We’d better hustle our tailfins though if we’re to squeeze it into our schedule.”

We gathered the group including Phil and Rosa who had managed to round up their over-exuberant son. Miguel wore a vest with a leash, which amused me to no end. Still, especially where we were headed, it was better to be safe than sorry. We headed off towards the temple which was about half a mile away circling the island. We had almost reached it when four soldiers confronted us. After a quick word with Skystar, they allowed us to pass unhindered.

The temple was a coral structure but one that could not have grown naturally in that shape. Great buttresses supported a small roof that was encrusted with shellfish, anemones, and seaweed. Underneath was an altar carved out of the rock, a perfect obsidian cube which, unlike everything else under the water, was unblemished by any form of sealife. It also glowed softly with the magic that it held. Once we were close enough, we could see the runes that had been carved into its surface, their meaning long forgotten but obviously the cause of its magical potential. On the top of the altar was a cradle arrangement, big enough to hold a small melon, but currently empty.

“Welcome to the Temple of the Seaponies,” Skystar announced. “Long ago when the hippogriffs first came to Mount Aris, we knew nothing of seaponies or any other sapient marine species. The island was our refuge and our new home and we sought to utilize its many resources to the best of our abilities. That also meant taking advantage of the sea’s bounty and, before long, we had fishing and diving ships. A few years after our settlement, one such diver discovered this temple. Of the people who had built it, there was no sign. However, they had left behind an artifact. In this cradle was a pearl of enormous size, as unblemished as the altar upon which it lay. When the diver sought to take the pearl, he became the first hippogriff to assume seapony form. That person was my distant ancestor, Prince Seafoam. He brought it to the queen and it remained a royal treasure for centuries. The Pearl enabled the queen to change any hippogriff to seapony form and back. My people took full advantage of the ocean’s resources and built the city of Seaquestria. My mother later discovered that a shard from the pearl was just as powerful so she divided about half of it up among our citizens. That’s what saved us when the Storm King went conquering all the lands. He could not follow us into the sea, the big dope!”

Latisha asked, “Did you ever learn about the ones who built this temple?”

“Funny you should ask! Princess Celestia and her friend Daring Do did some poking around here a few years ago, trying to figure out exactly that!” Skystar shook her head. “No luck though. However, we suspect that this was an outpost designed to charge up their transformation pearls. Something must have happened to them for this one to have been abandoned, but its magic has kept it intact and undamaged for centuries.”

“The pearl needs recharging?” Ivana queried.

“Yes. It supplies the power to the ones we wear but it has its limits. Each year, Queen Novo brings the pearl here to restore its power overnight. That is why the temple is protected at all times, and the number of guards quintuple when the pearl is present. It is easily our greatest treasure.”

Ivana said. “Can we see the Pearl later?”

Skystar frowned. “That’s up to mom. Not even I’m allowed to mess with that.” Then she brightened. “But I’ve got a lot of other more fun stuff planned. First though, who’s hungry?”

There were plenty of affirmative replies and the hippogriff princess took us back to the beach where our snacks and drinks awaited us. After that, the windsurfing boards were put to good use. I sat out that activity having learned long ago that it was not my forte. Or, as Penny liked to put it, I was as graceful as an epileptic minotaur. I did join in with the beach volleyball games and chatted with a few acquaintances there. I bumped into Terramar who asked about the Cutie Mark Crusaders and we caught up on what had been happening since we had last seen each other. Turned out that he had a fiancée now, one who matched his dual land and sea lifestyle. Terramar introduced me to Palmbreeze and the adorable hippogriff mare blushed and stammered out a greeting. I did my best to put her at ease but she clung onto Terramar like a life preserver. Ah, well. They promised to send me an invitation to the nuptials. Maybe Rarity would like to attend with me – she was always a sucker for a wedding.

Our group only made its way back to the palace as the sun set. We were shown to rooms where we could shower out the saltwater from our coats and feathers before being taken to dine with the queen. Fortunately for the girls, although it was slightly more formal than a family dinner, the meal did not have the strict protocol of a royal audience. Novo was genuinely interested in what we had done all afternoon, even if she was a little surprised when she learned of our visit to the temple. Even so, she nodded in approval.

“The young should know the history of all races, not just their own. As Princess Twilight might say, knowledge promotes friendship. And in the name of friendship, I have prepared a gift for our visitors.” She gestured to a servant who brought over a tray with three plates upon it which were laid in front of each girl. The plates held oyster shells similar to the ones we had been dining upon, only larger.

“More food?” Ivana asked.

Skystar laughed. “Maybe. But just for you!”

“Open them,” Novo said with a smile.

They did so and gasped. Each contained a pearl the size of a tom-bowler marble – about an inch in diameter. They would have been a ridiculously extravagant gift on Earth but, for this world and place, they were probably about average for gifts to visiting royalty, their family, and friends.

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Yolanda said.

“Yes, thanks! It’s beautiful,” Latisha added.

Ivana gazed rapturously at hers without saying a word. Safe to say that she was impressed but it would be best if the dragoness didn’t dwell on it too long at the table. A distraction was called for. “Why don’t you give it a taste, Ivana?”

She looked startled then replied, “I don’t want to damage it.”

“Just give it a lick,” Latisha suggested.

“Yeah, give it the old dragon taste test!” Yolanda urged.

“Well… okay.” Ivana held up her pearl and hesitantly gave it a delicate lick. An eye ridge raised and she licked once more. “It tastes like vanilla-flavored boba!” she exclaimed.

Her friends laughed and there were chuckles all around the table.

I said, “I suggest that you girls put your pearls away in your bags to make sure you don’t lose them.”

With Ivana’s focus distracted from the precious object, she put it out of sight in the hip pouch that she was wearing.

I said, “Those gifts will need to say in Equestria, I’m afraid.”

Latisha said, “Why? Why can’t I… oh.”

“Exactly. There simply don’t exist any natural pearls that size on Earth. Or at least none that are perfectly round. The Triarchy is developing a plan to introduce Equestria to the nations of Earth and vice-versa. Right now is not the time, and doing so would put Phil and Rosa’s family in danger.”

Yolanda said, “You know the basket in my room where you put your blouse, Ivana? You can store your Equestria stuff there. I’ve got one for you too, Latisha.”

Neither teenager looked happy, but that changed when the pastry chef wheeled out dessert: Nautilus-shaped cream horns, marzipan starfish, and a blown sugar sailing ship atop waves of chocolate!

After dessert, we thanked our host and bade our farewells. It was time to leave for Canterlot. While the girls had a long weekend and thus Monday free, the same could not be said for me. Twilight had Day Court that morning and I was scheduled to take the afternoon session. Also, Ivana and Latisha’s parents would be expecting them back home before midday, so the girls’ visit would be over in the morning. Nevertheless, I reckon that they got more than they expected out of the past two days and they could look forward to more in the future.


To my surprise, I only had to ask once to get the girls to wake up on Monday morning. Actually, that isn’t quite right. Penumbra and Chrysalis joined me in the unpleasant task and Sally took on the form of a green and gray manticore. So while I technically only asked once, it was her deep-throated growl that panicked the teenagers into wakefulness. Still, we’re a team so I can take partial credit.

Sure, I can!

I teased my herdmate. “Sometimes, I think you take a little too much pleasure in playing the role of the big meanie.”

Sally smiled smugly but then her expression drained away in stages. That couldn’t be good. I gave her a nudge with my shoulder, but she shook her head. Not something that needed my immediate attention, then. I trusted my herdmate would let me know in due course.

The six of us headed to the kitchen for a quick breakfast served by the ever-reliable Spike. Then, just before we were leaving for the portal room, Ivana said, “Oh! I forgot!”

I turned around to see Ivana giving us a sheepish grin as she trotted back up the hallway. “I totally forgot my blouse! Be right back!”

I felt a poke in my side. Sally frowned and shook her head while giving me a meaningful stare. My expression must have changed as well.

“What’s wrong, Uncle Mark?”

I put on a hint of a smile. “We’ll take care of it in the Portal Room, Yolanda.”

The hippogriff mare narrowed her eyes which darted between Chrysalis and me.

A minute later, a clothed Ivana came back, walking a bit oddly. “Sorry! Ready to go now.” The dragoness smiled and I nodded in acknowledgment.

We all took the daggerscale portal connecting Twilight’s castle to mine. As we made our way through the richly decorated hallways to the mirror portal room, Latisha jabbered away with Yolanda waving her wings for emphasis. Ivana glanced around but said nothing.

When we reached the Portal Room, I saw Phil and Rosa entertaining Miguel by tossing the giggling foal back and forth between them. Phil kept his horn lit, ready to intervene if his son’s squirming caused a slip.

I walked in front of the mirror portal and sat down. “Everyone, thank you again for visiting Equestria. Remember, coming to this realm is a privilege.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Phil freeze after catching Miguel. He knew me well enough to recognize something was up. I turned to face Latisha and Ivana. “I hope you found your time here valuable and would like to return here someday.”

They both nodded their heads fervently.

Latisha said, “Absolutely! This place is amazing! Thank you so much, Mark!”

Ivana showed me all her teeth. “Yeah, no doubt.”

I smiled thinly. “Remember that commerce between dimensions is strictly controlled. The only item that can go back in the other direction is Ivana’s blouse. Everything else needs to stay in Equestria. Yolanda will hold onto your stuff for you.”

Latisha smiled. “That works for me.”

“No problem,” said Ivana.

I let the silence stretch out for an uncomfortable length of time before I sighed. “That’s what I thought.”

I lit my horn and forced Ivana’s left elbow away from her body. Three iridescent spheres fell from her armpit to the stone tile, each an inch wide.

Latisha gasped and flared her wings. Yolanda crouched down. “Ivana! What the fuck!?”

The dragoness gathered the three pearls under her clawed hand. She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Stop pretending this is a big deal.”

Latisha said, “You’re stealing from us?”

“It’s not stealing if it isn’t worth anything. Were you looking around at all? This castle is practically made of gems and gold. They’re like gravel here.”

Yolanda said, “Bullshit. You stole from us because you wanted to. Just like with my 3DS until I found it under your bed!”

“That was a mistake! I forgot I put it there.”

“You are so full of it.”

Ivana.” I used a bit of the Royal Canterlot Voice. Yolanda and Latisha flinched but not the dragon. “I told you that taking things from Equestria to Earth could put Phil’s family in danger.”

“Yeah, I don’t remember—”

I moved closer, pointing my horn. “You heard me and understood me.”

The dragoness lowered her head and smoke escaped her nostrils. “Oh, it’s convenient for you to keep my stuff here, isn’t it? Who’s stealing from whom now? And don’t give me that crap about not bringing anything through. I know how Phil got rich. What about all those diamonds?”

Yolanda winced. She must have confided that family secret with Ivana.

I said, “That was a mistake that won’t be repeated.”

“Oh, yes. That’s fine.” Ivana’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “It’s fine when your friend breaks the rules but no one else is allowed to.”

“Enough. I’m not going to debate this. You aren’t going to Earth with those pearls.” Before she could voice the next protest, I said. “Any of them.”

Ivana reared and flared her wings, the pearls held in her left hand. Her voice dropped an octave. “Get out of my way!” she demanded, more threatening smoke trickling from her snout.

When she stepped forward, I arced lightning from both wings to the tip of my horn. I’m sure my eyes were glowing white as witnesses said they did when I used my power. The dragoness jumped back, the anger on her face replaced with fear. She also dropped the pearls. Before she could recover, I cut off the lightning and picked her up with my levitation magic. Turning around, I forced the protesting teenager’s wings and limbs to her side before carrying her to the mirror portal. With my magic holding her immobile, I pushed Ivana through immediately in front of me. I had enough familiarity with the transition to emerge still in control of Ivana. I held her at arm's length by the back of her blouse.

Seconds later, everyone had arrived, again clothed thanks to the magic of the mirror portal.

I released the screaming and cursing teenager. “For the crime of attempted theft and for your blatant disregard of the wellbeing of your friend’s family, you are banned from visiting Equestria again, Ivana Kalchik.”

“Who fucking cares?” Her snarl reminded me greatly of her dragon form. “I’m sick of you fucking losers!” Her eyes settled on Yolanda and Latisha. “ALL OF YOU!”

Ivana ran into the hallway. Her stomps down the stairs carried into the room, followed by the sound of the front door slamming.

The house was still shuddering from her dramatic exit when Yolanda burst into tears and raced off to her bedroom. I wanted to go after her to reassure her but Rosa gave me a look and shook her head before following her daughter. Yeah, this was a job for Yo’s parents, not her uncle. I turned my attention back to the remaining teenage girl and it was obvious that she was on the verge of tears also. When she realized that I was regarding her, she came up to me, head downcast and her arms wrapped around herself tightly.

“P-Prince Mark? I… I’m sorry about Ivana and everything that happened. I’m the one who introduced her to Yolanda even though I knew how she is. She’s been a bit greedy before but I never thought she’d do something like this. I never wanted Yolanda to get hurt.”

I glanced at Chrysalis who nodded, convinced of her sincerity. I put my fingers on Latisha’s chin and lifted her head to look her in the eyes. “Don’t take this upon yourself, Latisha. Everyone is responsible for their own actions and you haven’t done anything wrong. Making mistakes is something we’re all guilty of sooner or later. I’ll tell you about the whoppers I’ve made sometime. And yes, that means that you’re welcome to visit Equestria with Yolanda again. It has been a pleasure having you as our guest.”

Phil spoke up. “That goes the same for me and Rosa too. And we certainly don’t want Yolanda to feel that she can’t have her best friend come over on other occasions.”

Latisha sniffed back her tears. “Thank you, Mister Martine, and you too, Prince Mark.”

I smiled. “I am curious why you had such a mean person as a friend though.”

The girl thought about that for a moment before replying, “I suppose because she’s so dynamic. She liked her fashions and her bling, yeah, and she had some obnoxious acquaintances, but she was always dragging us into another adventure. That’s how I first met her. It was at a school summer camp and I was partnered with her for rock climbing. I loved it but she was way more enthusiastic about it than me! We did canoeing, rappelling, and archery together and had a blast! After introducing Ivana to my thrill-seeker friend Yolanda, we began going out on activities together more often. Mister Martine knows how frequently all of us went river rafting, cave exploring, and even parachuting. I mean, yeah, it pretty much always had to be her choice and not ours, but we were all having fun. Her family’s money enabled us to do a lot of stuff that other girls couldn’t afford, and we two gave her an excuse to go out and do those things when she would otherwise be stuck at home. I suppose we used each other, but I still thought we were friends.”

I nodded. “Phil and I were inseparable when we were growing up. The difference is that we earned our money to go on our adventures while Ivana seems to have been pretty much handed whatever she wanted. It’s hard to not be materialistic under those circumstances. Hopefully, she will learn from this experience but I won’t be holding my breath. Twilight put her hoof on the possible problem when Ivana turned up as a dragon, so it’s not as if we weren’t forewarned. Anyway, as Torch says, dragons learn through pain.”

“I guess.” Latisha sighed. “I gotta head home, but can I see Yolanda before I go?”

Phil replied, “Go up and say goodbye. Let her know that things are okay between us.”

The girl smiled gratefully before heading upstairs.

“Well – sorry that this turned out to be such a mess,” I said. “I hate to leave you with this problem but I’ve got an empire to run.”

Phil chuckled. “Yeah, take the easy job and leave me to deal with teenagers. Don’t worry – I got this from here.”

I gave my best friend a parting hug before turning to Chrysalis and frowning. “I suppose you’re going to tell me, once again, that you knew this would happen from the very start.”

My herdmate shook her head. “No, husband. I perceived that she bore watching, but no more than any other teenager. Her actions this morning surprised me. From what we have learned, Ivana’s behavior today was not an aberration. Her selfishness has been a problem for some time.”

I absorbed that for a moment before walking toward the mirror. “Coming, Sally?”

She shook her head. “With your permission, husband, I will stay to give Yolanda and Rosa some emotional support.”

Because Twilight had Day Court duties, I would be doing office work when I got back. Therefore, I would not be requiring my Advisor’s assistance at the moment. “Okay, I’ll catch you later.” I headed back to Equestria with Penny in tow.


Later that morning, I had been working on a proposal for rezoning an area for light industrial manufacturing. It was on behalf of a Griffonstone company branching out into Fillydelphia. A knock on my office door interrupted my musings.

“Enter!” I called out, wondering why my secretary, Sharpened Quill, hadn’t warned me.

A Royal Guard opened the door and saluted. I recognized him immediately as one of the two regularly stationed outside the room for the portal to Phil’s place.

“Sire! I have an urgent request from Lord and Lady Martine for your attendance at their abode!”

The titles had been given to them to smooth things over with the nobility but otherwise had little relevance. It did, however, lend urgency to any request that they made of the Royal Guards. Knowing that they would not do so lightly, I immediately dropped what I was doing and got out of my chair. As I headed out the door, I caught the eye of Penumbra. She had obviously heard what the guard had said and she fell in behind me. As we moved at a fast trot for the portal, she spoke up.

“What’s the bet that this is related to Ivana?”

“No bet. Timing is too coincidental. Got your special gear?”

Penny scoffed. “As if I’d ever be without it.”

One thing that could be said for my guardian herdmate – she never took her duties lightly and was always prepared for any foreseeable event. That included a pouch of enchanted weapons for use while on Earth. We had no idea what we were headed into but we weren’t going to arrive defenseless. As an added precaution, as soon as we passed through the portal, I tapped a sequence on the top of the mirror’s frame to deactivate entry. For the moment, it would behave as an ordinary looking-glass. While it would slow down a retreat, it was more important to protect its secret. We headed downstairs, already aware of shouting from an unfamiliar male voice.

How dare you accuse my daughter of being a thief! Ivana has no need of anything the likes of you could provide!

I saw him now, standing in front of Ivana who was glaring defiantly at everyone in the room. Her father looked to be in his fifties, slightly overweight although his finely-tailored suit did a good job of hiding that fact. It also screamed ‘I am better than the common rabble’. He was the very picture of an entitled rich white businessman and, judging by the emphasis that he had put on the ‘you’, a very bigoted one. Phil’s Latino heritage was obvious in both his looks and the house’s décor. Nevertheless, it wasn’t him that caused me the most immediate concern. It was the dark-suited huge man standing nearby. I knew hired muscle when I saw it and it seemed that Ivana’s father had come spoiling for a fight.

My friend frowned and ignored the finger jabbing him in the chest. “That fact only makes it worse that she chose to take what belonged to those who were supposedly her best friends.”

“Take what? Where are these oh-so-valuable trinkets that you claim she stole? Ivana says that it was mere costume jewelry that she had forgotten to put back but you blew it up into a major crime.”

“The items are in safe storage where they belong,” Phil calmly replied. “Also, let me remind you again that you are trespassing in my house.”

“I’m told that at least one of those items belongs to her. I demand that you return it!”

“She would have to fetch it in person, but she has been banned from there.”

Ivana’s father looked apoplectic by now. I could see why Phil and Rosa wanted backup. It was time to take some heat off my friend. “Since your daughter was a guest in my home this weekend, I can verify that.”

The man turned on me instantly. “And who the hell are you?” he demanded.

“That’s Prince Mark Wells!” Ivana blurted out. “He’s the one who took my pearl!”

Mister Kalchik glanced at his daughter before getting up in my face. I wasn’t intimidated due to the self-defense training that I regularly kept up. Years ago, Crimson Boulder had insisted I branch out to study martial arts in my anthro and human forms. Not that I would need to do anything – Penny would lay Ivana’s father out flat almost before I could react to a threat.

“Prince? This is America, boy, and you have no authority here, and you sure didn’t have time to take Ivana to any damn African kingdom! And if you did, I’ll have you rotting in prison for child abduction and whatever other charges my lawyer can dredge up. No, I’ve met your type before. You’re a fraud, pretending to be Nigerian royalty.”

It had been a long time since the color of my skin had been an issue. While I wasn’t particularly dark, any amount was too much for the likes of this man. I wondered what he would think of my normal green coat. “Sir, I was born and bred in this state and, although I don’t currently reside here, I can conclusively say that the charges are valid.”

“Nevertheless, you have no right to hold my daughter’s pearl. She cannot steal what belongs to her already.”

I frowned. “Mister Kalchik, Ivana was informed that she could not take anything from my home to hers. The same instruction was given to Yolanda Martine and Latisha Tyson. Your daughter was the only one who chose to ignore that and not only tried to take hers here but also all the others. She has gotten off extremely lightly for her offenses and I strongly suggest that you let matters rest.”

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with, boy, and my lawyers will get what belongs to my daughter, even if it’s just costume jewelry. And while I’m at it, I’ll hang your hide out to dry! I don’t care if you have your own private island – it’s still in the United States of America. I’ll have a subpoena served on you today. Now, tell me who you really are!”

I smirked. “You already know my name but I decline to tell you anything more. It wouldn’t do you much good anyway.”

The man glared at me, fuming. Then he said, “Boris.”

Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me! Such a cliché name! Although I suppose with Kalchik’s ethnic background, it wouldn’t be all that strange to have employees from the same circles. The henchman stepped forward. Penny moved up beside me, unsubtly showing that I was not unprotected. The royal bodyguard and hired muscle regarded each other with some unspoken form of communication I wasn’t privy to. The batpony mare was certainly not any less dangerous in human form. In fact, her build could be considered Amazonian. She also had enjoyed taking martial arts lessons here at times when Crimson Boulder had bodyguard duty back in Equestria. Penny would not hesitate to fight dirty either if she had to. She took her duty extremely seriously. Fortunately, it did not come down to that.

Ivana blurted out once more, “He’s from Equestria! You can only get there through a magic portal.”

Kalchik frowned and turned to his daughter. “What are you blathering about, girl?”

“It’s true! The Martines have a magic mirror upstairs that is a portal to another world. Don’t you see? That’s why he’s a prince! He’s one of the rulers of Equestria!”

“What’s this magic nonsense? I thought you said you went on a trip out into the country?”

“It was to another country in a different world. Look for yourself! I’ll show you!” Before anyone could stop her, Ivana dashed past us and up the stairs.

Mr. Kalchik followed his errant daughter. Phil gave me a worried look but I shook my head and calmly followed the others. When we got to the spare room with the portal mirror, Ivana was standing next to the looking-glass, gesticulating dramatically.

“This is it. This is the magic portal to Equestria. You just step through it and get changed into something else.”

The father looked at me with wide eyes. In turn, I glanced at Phil with my mouth agape and brows furrowed. My friend picked up on what I was doing and returned an even more confused stare. Playing dumb is something all males know how to do instinctively from an early age and we must have been convincing.

Mr. Kalchik’s face was flushed again. “Ivana—”

She leaned forward, grabbing her knees. “I’m not making this up, Daddy! I became a dragon while Yolanda became a hippogriff and Latisha was a pegasus. Mister Martine was a unicorn—”

“Enough! Stop this nonsense, Ivana.”

“I’ll prove it to you!” the girl declared before throwing herself at the mirror. “OW!”

I winced as she smashed her face against its surface. Blood immediately started dribbling from her nose. She stared at the glass in rage and started beating on its surface.

“Let me through, you stupid portal!”

Phil reached out as if to restrain her. “Stop or you’ll break it! It’s only glass! You’ll hurt yourself!”

Actually, there was zero chance of that happening. A spell had made it shatterproof. That had been a lesson well learned. Nevertheless, Phil didn’t betray that fact, playing it off as a normal mirror.

Kalchik was about as red in the face as any human could get, and not far off from Big Mac’s coat color. From his sputtering, I had to assume anger mixed with humiliation at his daughter’s seemingly insane antics. He grabbed one of her wrists and started dragging her out of the room. “You and I are going to have a very long talk, young lady, and it better not be about fairies and witches!”

“But it’s true, daddy! All of it!”

Stop embarrassing me, daughter!” he roared as he took her downstairs. He threw the front door open with a crash and marched Ivana down the path. Boris, to my surprise, closed the door quietly behind him.

Phil sighed. “Sorry to get you involved, Mark.”

I shook my head. “No, it’s better that I know exactly what’s going on and my presence probably provoked Ivana to be indiscreet about what she knows. It only made her look crazy.”

“Do you think that will be the last we hear about this?”

“Hard to tell but if there’s anything that I’ve learned about dealing with nobles, they don’t like losing face. Ivana has humiliated him with what seems to be unsubstantiated lies and fantasies. He’s more likely to bury this than pursue it further. However, don’t take that for granted. People like that have long memories. Make sure you disable the portal whenever you’re not using it. And tell Yolanda to avoid interacting with Ivana. I recommend serving all three of them with a restraining order if any of them give your family trouble.”

“Yeah. And hopefully Yolanda will be a bit more careful choosing her friends in the future.”

“If only there was some magic way of guaranteeing that,” I sighed. “How’s Yo doing?”

“Heartbroken. She feels betrayed.”

“I understand that feeling. However, she’s young and resilient – she’ll get over it. If she feels the need to have a chat with me or Sally, she’s welcome anytime within reason. Anyway, it’s time I got back.”

“Okay. Thanks for coming.”

Phil stayed to shut off access to the portal again after I enabled it so Penny and I could pass through. I ruminated on the day as I trotted back to my office. What should have been the finish to a perfect long weekend had turned into a disaster, but I had to concede that not every story has a happy ending.

# # # # # # # # #

Author's Note:

Siren pic – base art by Faith Wolff, colors and background added by me.
Confrontation pic by Foxenawolf.