Voices of Unity: Song of Iron

Davis let out another of what were quickly becoming his signature voiceless sighs. Sitting before him was a panting Twilight, who had just gone off her rocker on him about how much paperwork he had just put her through. Of course, it had all begun with a simple phrase from the Princess.

"Are you CRAZY?"

Davis had honestly started to ponder that as he had done his best to tune out Twilight's lecture. Was he crazy? Here he was in a land filled with magical ponies ruled by princesses with the power to move the sun and moon, turned into a supposedly extinct creature without his voice by a monstrosity that had power over chaos itself...and he had just adopted a bug. Sure, Azure was a cute pony bug as far as Davis was concerned. He didn't see why the others found him to not be. The holes were a little weird, but he could get over that easily.

He remembered that moment at the train station now...poor Celestia had been so heart broken that she hadn't even noticed the note, let alone when Luna had started speaking to her. It had taken Luna's powerful magic to place the changeling in Davis' talons out of Celestia's. When she'd held Azure, he'd looked tiny and childlike...in Davis' talons, the childlike quality seemed to fade away for Davis. He then started to wonder how he'd seen a child in it...

He had been so cold. His breathing so shallow. He leaned his head down to the changeling's chest, listening. There...he'd heard it. A light thump. The beat of a heart.

All his life he'd found that sound soothing. His grandfather had always held him when he was a child up against his chest whenever he had felt bad about something. It was a sound he acquainted with familial love. A sound that calmed him always. A sound that...he wanted to share.

He lifted his head away and placed the changeling's head against his own feathered chest, hoping there was enough left in Azure's consciousness to hear it. His heartbeat. The steady rhythm that was the flow of his life, the implicit trust of family, the comfort of home. It was his turn to share that feeling with someone else, and he just knew, somewhere in that beating heart of his, that this cute monster was the right one to do so for.

Everything after that moment had been a practical blur. Celestia scooping him up in her embrace with smiling tears, Twilight looking confused, while Luna looked satisfied. The guards joined Twilight in confusion when Celestia vanished with him and the bug in tow. Something about her taking him directly to his room in the important visitors wing...the Ambassador's Clover, he thought it was called.

Back in the present, Davis felt his beak tapped on, and noticed Twilight was glowering at him. Caught red handed.

"Did you hear any of what I said?"

Davis hoped the face he made was sheepish enough as he shook his no of an answer.

"Uuuugh. I just went through the general procedures of adoption in Equestria, and not only are neither you nor the changeling registered in the system, aside from the fact that neither species has ever adopted or BEEN adopted, we're going to have to add you both into the registry AND the species list before it can be official! We have to follow the rules, Davis. I understand why you did it, but Azure's not your son officially until all the seals and signatures are in place."

Davis sighed once again, nodding in acceptance. He'd heard of the difficulties of adoption back home...this sounded about as nasty, just with the added bonus of it including other sapient species and their ability to properly care for the one adopted not only by house and monetary support, but also awareness of their adopted ones dietary and grooming needs compared to their own.

"Now Davis, we know very little about changelings, so when it comes down to it...we're all going to be playing this by ear with Azure. We're not even certain of his age, for that matter. Once he wakes up, we're going to have to establish many things. You might not even be able to adopt him if he's too old, and that's only after we determine what changeling's age groups are! And...oh, this is the exciting part. We actually get to study a changeling! I hope he let's me take measurements and..."

Davis tuned her out again. She had done this three times before, going on a rant about all the new things she was going to learn from Azure. Davis hoped he could convince Luna or Celestia to put some guards around his room to prevent unwelcome visitors...including Twilight unless invited. Azure deserved rest, after all.

Not soon enough, Davis managed to get himself out from under Twilight's lectures and questions. Thank the stars that she had at least put her study of himself on hiatus with the new development. He actually dreaded getting his voice back now, because she might just talk him hoarse once again!

His trip to his room was uneventful, thankfully. Looking out the windows as he clacked and clopped along the hallways back to his room, he realized that the sun was starting to set. Azure was predicted to be out for quite a while yet. Something about a 'love bomb' and limited capacity. Celestia had been rather vague.

He shook his head, and asked the nearest guard for directions to the observatory wing, which he'd learned was Luna's personal section of the castle. Supposedly Luna had a larger castle section than Celestia for the housing of what Twilight described as 'the greatest telescope on all of Equus'. He'd wandered the castle many times since being brought here, but had yet to see any dome big enough to house something like that. But with the way Twilight's eyes had practically glowed when talking about it, he was certain it was a sight to see...if he ever got to find it.

Eventually he did indeed find the corridor that led to Luna's Star Hall, the entrance being a far too large set of doors emblazoned with solar shapes on a pitch black field. There was a pair of Night Guards posted there, of course, and one of them opened the right door.

"She's expecting you."

He gulped...the way that guard had said that sounded like it was right out of a horror flick.

Stepping in regardless, he found himself in a long hallway with a roof that looked like the star studded sky at night. There were only three doors. One on each side, and one at the very end, which he figured was at least 30 feet away. The two doors to the side were within 3 feet of the main doors, and all three were of the same height and design as the main. However, their decorations were what really set them apart. To his left was what looked like a galaxy whirl with only four arms, one of the arms showing a cloudy flow that went off of the door and onto the wall, where what he assumed was a black hole seemed to be vacuuming in the stardust. To his right, the door featured a solar system, with a planet right in the middle, and the sun and moon equidistant from it, fading trails indicating their motion around Equus. On the wall were what appeared to be three more planets. One red, one blue, and one a grey and yellow swirl.

Finally, the door across the hall from him. It had the simplest decoration. That of a crescent moon on a purple ink splotch...Luna's mark. He figured that was his heading, and made the short trek to knock upon the door, only for it to open up before his talon could touch the artwork, an indigo glow covering the doors. Luna stepped out, the doors gently shutting behind her as she smiled down upon the Roavi.

"Welcome to my halls Davis. Please, follow me."

She trot to the galaxy door, opening it with her magic as Davis followed, unfortunately landing on his beak once again as he'd been concentrating a bit too much on Luna. With a light chuckle, she lifted him with her magic and set him right, before trotting through the door with Davis following.

What Davis saw next made him nearly fall again. Before him was a massive orb of a room, filled with a myriad of mirrors and magnifying glasses, ranging from being larger than two of Celestia, down to a few that were about as small as a filly. They hung upon several groups of crescent arms that matched the curvature of the orb. In the upper half of the orb, he could see a single glass disc that had the remnants of twilight entering through.

"Welcome to my personal observatory, the Cosmos Mirador."

Davis gawked at it all as he walked to the center with Luna. As he did, the walkway retracted behind him into the disk that sat at the center of it all.

"Only a unicorn or alicorn can operate it, but the observatory is open for use so long as I am informed. It is also set inside the mountain, with three primary viewing ports. Most ponies only ever see the side of the mountain with the castle. The northern half of this sphere is visible outside, however. Now...allow me to show you what I brought you here for. It is nearly time."

Her horn glowed once again as she faced away from the entrance of the observatory, which began to open wide as the sphere split in half before him, revealing the slowly darkening sky. He realized something off, however. He remembered that even at this time, some stars at least would start to shine through in the inky dark, but here...now...there was nothing.

"Be witness to the creation of my night sky, Davis."

She lowered her head until her horn nearly touched the floor, the normally indigo glow of her magic now a pale white. She began to sing gently, her wordless notes rising and falling in an almost haunting rhythm as he saw the moon beginning to rise to his right, following the tilt of her head as she too rose her horn. He noticed her eyes were closed as she continued to sing, and turning back to watch the sky, he noticed stars beginning to twinkle into existence, each one appearing as if beckoned by her almost sad voice to comfort her. Standing her beside her, he felt at peace. It wasn't a song of sorrow, of pain, or of any real emotion he could place. It wasn't really even unhappy. This sound was simple...wanting. It was calling out for company, and the stars were answering her with their gentle light.

The moon was nearly at its apex already, her head held high as her song swelled with vigor. Her magic changed color once more, switching from the pale white to a matching dark purple with sparkles to her mane and tail. She swished her head, and stars followed her lead, shifting and flowing as she practically danced upon the disc they were upon. Constellations formed slowly from this dance of the stars, until she finally landed upon all fours at the same time as a single held note...and then all was silent as she opened her eyes, looking into the night sky she had just arranged for the enjoyment of her citizens.

Davis was awestruck. Even if he'd had a voice, he would have been incapable of forming words for this moment. And she'd shared it with him.

Smiling, the tall mare walked over to the stupefied Davis, peering into his eyes for a moment before giving a light chuckle.

"I am glad to see somepony enjoying my night sky. Please, let us go back inside. We believe thou has a son to take care of."

Davis turned away and walked out upon the walkway that now extended once again into the castle, the sphere behind him closing as Luna followed. His tears fell upon his feathers, thankfully not leaving a trail for Luna to notice. This was twice she'd given him something beautiful. He knew that he wasn't the only one she'd shared this with, and he was certain he wasn't the only one whose dreams she protected...but he couldn't help but feel happy about this.

He gathered himself as best he could before he turned to watch Luna exit the galaxy doors, closing them behind her before she gestured to the main doors.

"I am afraid I must go to Night Court now to listen to the few nobles who wish to regale me with their tales of woe of their losing money over taxes that they feel are improper for their bloodline. You, on the other hand, should go check on your little changeling. Fair tides to you, Davis." They had gone through the wing entrance already, and she waved a hoof at him before cantering away, with Davis waving back, unseen.

One of the guards gave a light snort of a chuckle.

"I had the same look on my face when she showed me that dance. I truly wish she'd give a more public performance like her sister does in the summer."

The other guard nodded, giving Davis a pat on the back as he slowly recovered from the moment, before he set off for his room. He mentally sighed once more as he wondered just what was with his life now. Things were moving so fast and strangely, and now he was in love with Luna? No. Probably just a simple crush. She moved the moon and stars for goodness sake, was a princess, and looked pretty to boot! Of course he had a crush!

He stopped short of his own door as he mulled over the fact that he found a pony to be attractive. He entered the room, the changeling still out cold upon his bed. He watched the steady breathing of the creature for a few moments before heading into the bathroom, closing the door and, with a somewhat loud set of strikes against a hardy tile made for this purpose, his rear hooves provided a snappy 'clack' that activated a spell to turn on the magic candles high above.

He looked into the mirror at himself, his eyes showing sorrow and pain. As he did almost every night, Davis looked himself over, touching himself upon the beak, the ears, his hooves...his tail...all him.

He leaned forward, placing his forehead and beak against the mirror, staring deeply into his own eyes, as he repeated the phrase within his own mind.

I am human. I can adapt. I am human. I can adapt. I am human...and humans adapt.

He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath.

I am Davis.