New Dawn

Twilight looked back to Jerrod and shook her head. “You'll be...well if you behave you'll be fine.” Twilight took a few steps forward and paused. She looked back at Jerrod and for a second she just chewed her lip. “Please behave for me Jerrod. Celestia is important to me and even if she doesn't hate she can dislike ponies and I really think you two could get along if you can behave yourself, even if its just for one meeting.” She smiled timidly at Jerrod. “Please be on your best behavior, please.” She turned away and ascended the steps with a thoughtful Jerrod close behind.

The two guards by the door nodded to her and turned around, raising up onto the back hooves, placing their fore hooves on the door. Silently the doors swung open as the guards tipped forward and with a gentle tink sound they landed, the doors now open. Two guards sat side by side in the foyer, one with a goofy lopsided grin and the other standing stoically with a spear clasped in the crook of his bent fetlock. Jerrod looked over the seated mare hesitantly, a little bit of fear working into the features of his face. The mare was a greyish color with purple armor and leathery wings, her mane was hidden by a helm with a purple frill and her black tail swished from side to side behind her. The firghtened humans eyes were fixed on the two fangs poking out from the top of her mouth to lay against her lower lips, two cat like eyes stared back at the poor frightened man.

Jerrod slowly reached over and grabbed Twilight. He placed her between himself and the batpony before he reached over and grabbed the guard who had punched him and placed him beside Twilight. Looking around as he stepped back he spotted Spike and lifted him in front of him like a shield and yelled. “TAKE THE VIRGINS FIRST, THEY TASTE SWEETER!”

Twilight and the guard's face lit up with embarrassment while Spike's brow furrowed and the hall went silent. No one spoke as the batpony rose from her seated position, her wings extending as she growled lightly. Jerrod's eyes went huge and he threw Spike at her as he turned to flee only to pause as a bright cheery laugh rang out. “Oh my, you should have seen your face.” Jerrod turned and saw the bat pony laying on the floor clutching her sides as she tried to speak up. “I don't think I have ever had a pony offer me a virgin before...oh by the stars.”

She rolled around laughing as Twilight slowly turned to Jerrod. “Did you just...?” She trailed off and Jerrod chuckled as he rubbed the back oh his head.

The other guard shook his head. “I'm out, I can't anymore.” He looked at Jerrod. “I hate you so much.” He marched off down a hall to the left grumbling to himself as Spike pulled down an eyelid and stuck out his tongue at Jerrod from the guard's back. The bat pony finally managed to crawl to her feet, wiping a few tears of mirth from her eyes as she rose.

Jerrod eyed the bat pony wearily as she sauntered up to him and extended a hoof. “My name is Sharp Wing, it's a pleasure to meet you.” Jerrod hesitantly took her hoof in his hand and shook it. “Thanks for the laugh, I needed that so bad.” She chuckled. “Offer me a virgin and a princess and you even threw a dragon at me. I don't know if your brave or stupid.”

“Twilight’s not a virgin?” Jerrod's brain latched onto that as it rebooted and he felt rather than heard Twilight's indignation. “I think that's a story I need to hear.”

“NO YOU DON'T” Twilight jumped forward and wrapped her hooves around Sharp Wings head. “Jerrod you do not want to hear that story, it's not very interesting at all.” She chuckled nervously. “Not that interesting at all, no experimentation with mares and gender spells there at all. It was just drunken college stuff, no need to go into it all.”

Jerrod raised a single eyebrow and mouthed to the captive bat pony 'Later' then he spoke to guard who hadn't moved an inch the whole time. “Lead the way,” Jerrod leaned sideways and looked at the guards flank. “Huh, well Bird Butt lead the way.”

The guard shook his head and stood. “This way Sir, Madam, nuisance.”

“Hey, I am not a nuisance.” Sharp Wing glared at him as she leaned against Jerrod's leg.

The guard shook his head. “Not you Sharp Wing, him.” He tilted his head to Jerrod.

“Hey, I take offense to that. It's Sir Nuisance at least.” He harumphed and started scratching Sharp Wing behind the ear causing her to murmur lightly and purr a little as she pushed her head into the scratch. Twilight shook her head and stood on Jerrod's other side as they walked.

They all walked in silence, allowing Jerrod to admire the grand halls and the ponies flitting about. He smiled as he watched a guard and a maid slip into a side room without anyone else noticing. He watched a few ponies trot by talking about this and that, nothing he really understood. He slowed to admire the decor from time to time, large tapestries flowing from the ceiling to the floor like giant windows into another place or time. The whole time his hand never left sharp wing and she pushed closer and closer, going so far as to climb up and latch onto Jerrod's arm, forcing him to switch hands while scratching her. Twilight meanwhile acted as a tour guide and gave brief bits about the history of a few of the tapestries and even a few tidbits about what some the ponies walking by were talking about. The guard kept his face forward and created an almost hypnotic sound as he walked with his spear acting as a cane, tapping out an almost discordant sound anthem to the other three hooves.

After several minutes of walking and admiration they came to a new room. Smaller than the foyer but far more grandiose. Wooden benches with velvet cushions lined the wall and a large window encircled the room at ceiling level. A set of ornate gold and silver doors stood directly across the room from the party of four who had just entered. A golden sun sat nestled in the curve of a silver crescent moon at the center of the large doors and two guards nodded to them as they entered, one slipping in through the doors to alert the princesses of their arrival. Jerrod stood off to the side shaking slightly as sweat dripped down his forehead. Sharp Wing wiggled her way around to Jerrod's chest forcing him to bend his arms at the elbow to give her a place to rest. To his surprise she seemed to shrink to fit comfortable, allowing him to wrap a hand under her and scratch at her chin, giving him a small sense of calm against what he felt might be an impending doom. His first visit to this land of ponies, two of the most powerful beings he would ever meet and this time he was meeting them as a free creature. He was doing this of his own free will, why was he...

His musing were interrupted as the doors swung open and a voice rang out. “Presenting Miss Sparkle and Jerrod the guest from places unknown. Jerrod looked up and saw a large white pony with wings and a horn like Twilight but easily twice the height and with a free flowing mane. She had a tender motherly smile on her lips as she beckoned them forward. Twilight darted across the hall and Jerrod entered slowly, leaving the normal pony guard behind and squeezing Sharp Wing just a little tighter in his nervousness. He watched as Twilight hugged the large pony and then her eyes turned to him and he felt himself break out in a sweat.

“Good afternoon Jerrod. I see you have met my sister.” She nodded to Sharp Wing who raised her head and gave an adorable pout.

“Really Sister, you couldn't let me enjoy these fingers for just a few more minutes.” Jerrod looked down and saw a very different pony in his arms. She was the same size as Sharp Wing but instead of leather wings and a gray coat she was dark blue with feathered wings and a mane like the pony on the throne except instead of pastels it glowed with a motif of the night sky. For a moment Jerrod was silent before all went dark and the room was graced  with the site of a creature falling backwards like a tree after it had been chopped down.

~ ~ ~

Jerrod slowly opened his eyes, he could barely breath and his legs felt a little tingly. The first thing he noticed was a lot of blue, the second was a strange tickling sensation on his forehead but neither of those registered for long as he took note of something one usually isn't given such a casual view of. He stared at it extremely confused. He understood they were ponies and not humans so they didn't wear clothing and he knew they hid it with their tail so why was he laying here with a blue something on his chest giving him such a view. Jerrod decided it didn't matter and he just wanted whoever it was to get off of him and take it out of his face, his legs had officially gone numb and he was having a small issue breathing. All other issues could be addressed after he had achieved a little more comfort on this floor. He didn't really have any objections to it but he usually only tackled this problem with copious amounts of alcohol.

Taking a deep breath he grinned before gently blowing on the very private area of a certain blue princess. With a very adorable squeak her wings flew open and she jumped forward several feet leaving a wickedly grinning Jerrod to laugh at her discomfort. His laughter was short lived though because the moment it started he suddenly found his view of the world had changed. It had grown considerably brighter and the rather nice feeling of waking up was replaced with a lot of pain. The sound of laughter was replaced with the sound of shattering glass and the view of the ceiling was now that of an endless blue sky with twinkling multicolored stars.

While Jerrod went on his impromptu journey Twilight and Luna were left to wonder why the only sign of Jerrod was the phrase 'WORTH IT' echoing in from the now very shattered window. Slowly Luna furled her wings and glowered at her sister. “And what was that for dear Sister?”

Twilight opened and closed her mouth a few times before Celestia answered. “He attacked you! I was defending you from harm sister.”

“And, while that is a very valid reason for throwing someone out a window, he is a guest here in Equestria and relatively harmless.” Twilight walked towards the window and looked out with a hoof shielding her eyes she searched for Jerrod on the horizon. “I...I can't believe you would do something like that Celestia. I understand why you would do it but I just, you are usually so much calmer and more rational.”

Celestia frowned. “I'm sorry Twilight.” Luna cleared her throat and Celestia turned to her. “And you Luna. My behavior is inexcusable. As a political guest he deserves our respect.” Under her breath she added, “Even if he is a danger to my Twilight and my sister.”

Twilight and Luna both smiled. “Apology accepted but I don't think we are the ones you need to be apologizing to.” With a popping sound Jerrod appeared on the other side of the room and skidded across the floor, coming to a rest by Celestia's hooves. “I think you should apologize to him.”

Celestia rolled her eyes as she leaned down to Jerrod. “I'm sorry for throwing you out the window Jerrod. It was unkind of me and inexcusable. As one of the two soveriegns of Equeastria please accept my apology and my invitation to stay here at the castle until such time as you wish to leave.”

Jerrod coughed a little and smiled at her. “You could have just told me you were jealous. I mean sure you have decorum to adhere to but you didn't need to hurl my out a window just because your sister got me before you did.” Without waiting for a reply his hand shot up and pulled Celestia down to him while he was pulled up to her. The room froze and went dead silent as everypony present watched this strange new visitor kiss their sovereign. They all gulped slightly as a slight gap appeared between their lips. For that brief moment all could see as two tongues wrestled for dominance before the gap closed and the alicorn's eyes fluttered and then snapped open. Slowly Celestia's eyes grew larger and larger until they looked they were going to pop from her head and her horn flared. The sound of stone shattering echoed through the room and everyone turned to the throne that was split in two. The back of it was missing and slowly a hand lifted from behind it. “Not worth it.” The hand fell and Luna bolted over.

“TIA WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” She jumped over the base of the throne and saw Jerrod laying on his back, blood pulling under his right arm that was bent at an odd angle with a bone jutting out from the skin. Quickly she lit her horn and the arm was wrapped in a blue glow as the bleeding slowed, bone shifted and flesh began to knit back together. Twilight took a deep calming breath shook her head. With a thunderclap the three goddesses vanished with the human. In a secret room behind the throne room a flash announced the arrival of three mares and very injured human.

Twilight conjured some tea and turned to her mentor. “How could you do that Celestia?” Twilight paused and took a deep breath. “No I get it I understand. He attacked you.” Her teeth ground a little before she continued. “It was self defense.”

Celestia pulled back from Twilight’s glare and sudden anger. “Exactly, I was in the right. You saw it, he attacked me unprovoked. He...he...his tongue, his fingers...he...” She trailed off with a huff and stamped her hoof. “What he did was not okay, I was defending myself from his advances.”

Luna growled and Twilight held up her hoof to silence her. “I know but really Princess, the throne.” She motioned over to him. “Does he look like a creature capable of surviving something like that?”

A hand lifted. “If I may interject. I take full blame for this.” All eyes turned to Jerrod as he slwoly sat up. “I was trying to break the tension in the room with what may have been a bit of an asinine joke.” He chuckled and rubbed he free hand the back of his head. Sighing he let his hand drop and picked up the cup of tea in front of him. “I am sorry Princess Celestia. I should not have kissed you so passionetly when I know so little about you. Even if you are the thrid most lovely creature in this room it isn't polite to steal a kiss with such passion, even if you did return it...” A sharp snapping and popping sound interrupted him mid sentence and he paled before pitching back to the floor with a high pitched squeal before going silent again.

“Sorry.” Luna rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. “I forgot to cast a numbing spell before setting the bones in his chest and arm.”

Twilight placed a hoof on the bridge of her nose and ran it in small circles an Celestia grinned wickedly as she let out a tiny evil laugh. Luna quickly cast a numbing spell and Twilight waved a hoof towards Luna. “I think that's enough for today. Luna keep working on him while we talk and catch up. It's been awhile since I have seen Celestia or you.”

~ ~ ~

The night was cool, a gentle breeze blew through the air and the stars twinkled overhead. A lone man stood on a balcony his face turned up towards the stars, he hummed an old song from his childhood to the full moon that sat near the horizon. His tune stopped and he sighed to himself and spoke to someone behind him. “It's usually considered rude to enter a room without knocking and receiving permission first.”

The pony behind him froze mid step. “It is my castle.” She bit back the rest of her remark. “I'm sorry, that was rude. I heard your humming and I thought it was quiet lovely and, and I thought I should apologize for earlier.”

Jerrod turned around and leaned back against the railing of the balcony. He looked at the mare with an icy stare. “Then out with it.” His tone was barely cordial and had a bit of an icy undertone. “I don't know if I want such a cruel women in my bedchambers tonight.”

Celestia flinched. “Well this is a little unexpected. You seemed so much friendlier earlier.” Jerrod raised an eyebrow questioningly. “When Luna and Twilight were there you were much more pleasant.”

Jerrod threw his head back and let out a short barking laugh and then looked back to Celestia. “Oh please Sunbutt, of course I'm friendly.” His tone dropped and his eyes grew hard. “Unless you try to kill me than all bets are off.” His face brightened and he smiled again. “But I am all about second chances. Oh the joys I have received from giving second chances.”

Celestia moved forward towards the balcony and paused when Jerrod snapped his fingers and pointed to the floor. “Fine.” She sat down were she was. “I am sorry for harming you earlier. I overreacted to your antics and I am sorry for throwing you through the window and also for nearly killing you when you kissed me.”

“Who put you up to this?” Jerrod eyed her suspiciously. “Was it Twilight or was it Luna?”

With a shake of her head Celestia took a deep breath. “Neither. I, it is a source of pride for me that I  am able to hold my cool under almost any circumstance and what happened in the throne room was anything but me keeping cool. I really a sorry for my actions.” She paused for a moment “It's been a long time since I have been honest with myself really, and you just remind me of that. Your so carefree and, and happy. Like nothing really matters to you anymore.”

Jerrod stood up and moved into the room, bumping something suspiciously with his elbow causing it to fall off the railing before Celestia got a good look at it. “It's fine really. You're right about me being relatively carefree, not a lot for me to really care about in this world. All of the other humans on this world have given up on their humanity and integrated so it's not like I really have any hope of creating a human nation.” Celestia furrowed her brow and opened her mouth but Jerrod held up a hand. “Yes there are a few more of us around and no we can't move between Equus and our homeland.”

Celestia furrowed her brow and moved towards the balcony. “Others? Twilight said you were the only one and that you had just arrived.”

Jerrod shrugged and pulled chair out from a table in the room. “I never said anything like that, it was all her inferences. I admit I was a little confused and my brain may have been a little addled by alcohol but I never once told her anything about how long I had been on Equus or anything, I might have made some mention of this being my first time in Equestria though, that might have been what she meant.” He chuckled a little as a scream echoed up from below the balcony and an evil smirk flitted across his lips. “It is true I have never been to Equestria before, I have been almost every were but here. Lets see, I think the only places I haven't visited are the sea ponies, the griffon homelands though I did visit a colony of theirs, ummm the crystal empire and yea there are a couple of others I can't remember right now.”

Celestia looked over the railing and saw a very distressed looking noble with something stuck to her head. She couldn't make out who with the bucket in the way or what the bucket was but it was obviously causing a fair amount of distress if the muffled screaming was anything to go by. Smiling she turned away from the railing. “Why now then? Your the first of your kind I have ever heard of in our borders, in all of Equus honestly.”

Jerrod tapped his chin and leaned back. “It's been a long life of traveling for me. Ever since I arrived some twenty odd years ago I have wandered to and fro never staying in one place for more than a year or two if I could help it. Some were along the way I heard of a paradise of harmony and love, I thought it sounded like a nice place to settle down for a bit.” Jerrod smiled happily. “Maybe find a small town build a home put down some roots, settle in for a while.” He tapped his chin. “I can imagine the reason news of my kind is so new is because we don't really like to stick out. I have never met another of my kind who wanted anything other than a quiet life here in this world.”

Celestia pulled a cushion from a pile in the corner of the room at sat on the other side of the table. “So you wish to immigrate?” Her horn lit up and a tea set popped into existence. She lit the mini portable boiler and magicked some water into the pot and set it to boil. “What of the others of your kind on Equus?”

Jerrod shook his head. “Indoctrinated sheep the lot of them. They have given up on trying to be humans and now just identify with the dominant species were they live. Weak fools who have given up on life and settled down to die.” Jerrod spat superstitiously into the corner. “But sadly I have begun to see merit in what they did. I searched this world high and low for a way home and all I found was that the gates had been sealed.”

Celestia frowned. “The gates?”

Jerrod sighed. “My world and this world are linked. The mechanisms for how I don't know but they are and travel between the two used to be possible. Travel from my side has been dead for a long time but travel from here to my world was possible until a little while ago. Somewhere down the line the one who guards the gate between the worlds tried to seal it off, destroying most of the portals. Humans just forget about the portals and time took care of the rest. The portals here were forgotten over time, I think the last one used was some mirror or something. That was one hell of a news article, I think the mirror was destroyed on my side but I am not sure. Anyway, twenty some years ago there was some huge battle in this world and the gatekeeper was defeated but whatever destroyed him didn't factor in his duties as a gate keeper. His brother would have normally taken over while he recovered but well, yea he killed his brother sometime ago so the gates were left unattended.” Jerrod smiled. “It's funny, I was still a boy back then and somehow I wound up in the middle of a desert in a strange world unlike anything I had ever seen before.” He shook his head. “Without that gatekeeper and nothing to lock the gates in place or control them at all people were sucked through randomly if the right conditions were met. Happened all over the world, caused a hell of a scare with people vanishing all the time. That's how I got here. Went for a walk and wandered from the middle of a city into the middle of a desert.”

Celestia pulled the tea pot from the boiler just before the whistling started and added some tea leaves to the pot. “So you just popped out of your world and plopped down in the middle of a desert here on Equus?”

Jerrod nodded and his eyes misted over as a nostalgic grin split his face. “Such a grand time for a child. I was found by a sphinx and I spent three years in her care, it was like a dream come true for me back then. I was always so curious and here I was dropped into the lap of a creature who hoards knowledge and wisdom. She taught me about this world and how to speak its tongues and so much more. Oh the things I learned from her, the things she showed me. Sadly nothing last forever. On a journey into a town for supplies I was kidnapped by slavers. Wound up with a couple more of my kind. Those poor broken souls but I digress, that was the beginning of a great journey for me.” Jerrod chuckled to himself. “So many adventures, so many mistakes, it was so grand but, I have grown weary.”

Celestia nodded and poured them both a cup of tea as a maid walked in and placed a fresh plate of cookies on the table and a slice of cake in front of Celestia. “Traveling can do that to a soul. You begin to yearn for a place to call home, a place to settle down and watch the world turn. Many call it homesickness but for you I think it's a little more than that, am I right?”

Jerrod shook his head and dunked a cookie in his tea before taking a bite. “Ooh, this is tea is splendid. You are right by the way. I heard Equestria had some of the brightest minds in the field of thaumic research and associated fields.” Jerrod took a sip of his tea with a content sigh. “I thought it might be nice to research it a little. I have looked into the history of this world and the cultures of this world, even the religions of this world but the magics, those I have neglected.”

Celestia smiled. “Thank you, I have been told my tea is some of the best. Why not go to the dragons though? The dragons are far older than ponies and know far more than the ponies do about the magic of this world. Ponies are still a young race in comparison to the dragons, even the zebra's are older than the ponies. Both know magics that have been forgotten and even have a few no one has ever studied before so why choose ponies?”

Jerrod paled and his tea cup shook in his hand. “I have no comment on the dragon's lands. I think it's best if I avoid them all together and just forget about them.” He sipped his tea shakily. “Yes, definetly best if I just forget about them. As for the Zebra's I have already learned much about their magic, it's fundamentally different than ponies and dragons. Same can be said for the ponies and the dragons, you both wield magic differently and I am interested in the pony way.”

Celestia quirked an eyebrow. “Well now, what have we here. Does Jerrod fear something in the dragon lands. Perhaps Jerrod visited there before and it didn't go so well, perhaps you should tell me this story.”

Jerrod looked at her and put his tea down. “Nope. Not gonna relive that, never again. I am not welcome in the dragon lands and I am more than okay with that. That is a chapter in my story I wish to edit out and to do so know one else can know it.”

Celestia laughed a little. “Well your more than welcome to study magic with the ponies. Twilight is a brilliant mage and not to hard on the eyes to boot. Maybe you could go to Ponyville and study magic under her.”

Jerrod smiled mischievously. “I don't think I am the one who wants to be under her.” He laughed as Celestia turned bright red. “I might go to Ponyville sometime though. I have a few things I want to look into while I am here in Canterlot but my plan was originally to go to Ponyville to settle down.”

Celestia coughed a little, clearing some misplaced tea from her lungs. “Yes, quite. Feel free to wander the castle and if you want anything from the archives just ask the head archivist. If you want to visit the town I recommend taking a guard with you but you aren't required to if you can promise me that you mean no harm to my ponies.” Celestia sipped her tea again. “Was I really that obvious about my infatuation with Twilight?”

Jerrod laughed a full bellied laugh and shook his head. “Obvious enough, obvious enough. I can also promise you I won't harm your ponies. I only bite when asked anyway.”

Celestia chuckled to herself a little. “Of course, it's only polite. It's not like every one likes being bitten, I find it's kindest to ask permission first.” Both of them laughed and the night continued like that. A simple back and forth between the two of the two of them.