Roseluck laid on the couch next to her adopted son with Richard sitting on the loveseat, remote in hand as the trio waited anxiously for the news to air.

Twinkleshine, who followed the news religiously from Equestria’s nascent internet 1.0 had been blowing up Roseluck’s phone all day with news of the biggest ‘happening’ — as Twinkleshine was now fond of calling big news stories — since the defeat of the Cloven. The newspaper hadn’t covered it since the story was developing in real-time and television news only covered what happened during the day in an hour-long program at seven o’clock at night, leaving the tech-savvy Equestrians to piece together breaking news from the Chinese whispers of ponynet chatrooms and imageboards. What they both gathered had made Twinkleshine quite happy.

“Big if true”, she’d reported. “Linky will finally have her wish and be able to start having foals. I just hope I can talk her down from eight of them. I’m not entirely sure if she’s joking or not given her previously stated desire to breed her own personal army. I shouldn’t complain though, she is offering to carry them for me so I get to be a daddy! I can’t wait!”

“I’m pretty sure hell will freeze over before they manage to fit eight foals inside of Twinkle’s mage tower. Can you even imagine trying to childproof a structure like her’s that seems to be designed with falling deaths in mind?” Richard reassured his worried wife who read back her last message out loud.

“I know, Richard. I just know Twinkleshine enough to say she’s going to take things a little too far. I don’t think ponies are really ready for the avalanche of foals we’re about to get. All these mares that have never been able to find a stallion are going to want one, or eight, of their own.” Roseluck bit her hoof nervously.

“Back in the United States, a man and woman would raise eight children and they turned out fine. Besides, you always got modern technology and magic to allow for more ponies to survive.” Richard’s face darkened as he set the remote down on the coffee table he’d been gripping out of habit. “Of course there is also the fact that humans are immigrating here and you want to keep your birthrate higher than ours to maintain your civilization and identity.”

“Oh, Richard. There you go again!” Roseluck replied airily, waving a dismissive hoof at him. “Equestria is going to be fine. I understand some humans back on Earth aren’t worth having over here, but Celestia has done well at picking only the best, most handsome ones who follow our laws and customs to come over here and she’s had thousands of years of experience and wisdom with this running the nation type stuff. She wouldn’t just invite the worst of the worst to come live in our country or start demanding we do things their way.” Roseluck covered her mouth and giggled. “Who could possibly be that dumb?” Before Richard could name any names back on Earth, the news cut in with channel four’s resident mare newscaster.

"Starting off with the big news that’s been buzzing around the ponynet. Princess Luna has provided confirmation of a proposal to parliament that will boost Equestria’s population using the Realm of Dreams to allow for mares in herds or matched pairs to impregnate their partners. I don’t have to tell you how many mares have dreamed this day would come…” The emotion shined from the mare’s large, expressive blue eyes.

Roseluck sympathized immediately, understanding the gnawing frustration of not being able to bring a new life into the world, even if for different reasons. “I think Nellie Belle is going to be first in line, eh, Richard?” Roseluck’s mouth dropped open, all thoughts of her own situation forgotten for the time. “Oh my goodness! Lily and Golden Harvest will be in line too! If I know Goldie, she’s going to be jumping at the chance to be a mother!”

“I can already imagine Lily fainting.” Richard offered dryly, shaking his head slowly.

“Wow, this is so cool! I betcha we could have ponies all over back in Caleponia in no time, Mom! The fillies up there really liked fooling around!”

“Stormy!” Roseluck shot the teenaged colt a scandalized look, Richard silently enjoyed the sight of his sexually-open wife clutching her metaphorical pearls but couldn’t help but feel sad about his son taking a such a cold, strategic view of childbirth. He was too young to see the world in such harsh terms.

“There are going to be restrictions based on age and marital status so expect the government to have a say on things in the end. The vote as of yet has not passed through the House of Commons — That’s Equestria’s legislative body on the governing of laypony citizens and foreign visitors for you foals who haven’t covered civics yet — and is scheduled to convene next Wednesday. But given the popular support and blessings of our diarchs, it’s likely to be unanimous.” The stallion looked soberly at the camera. “I don’t have to tell you all, but this will likely be a very big change for Equestria and all of Equus.”

Roseluck nickered softly. “They better pass it or ponies will revolt.” Maybe Richard and I will be able to use this after all? We’re both married and of legal age… Roseluck remained silent and the other two nodded, but the idea of the pair having foals found new life. If Richard could be brought into the dream, surely this would mean the two being different species could still conceive. A whole host of questions arose in her mind. Was Richard a magical creature? He’s not even from this dimension and yet here he is living among us happily. Was this really all the result of an accident? Rose thought back to the Canadian Pastor she’s met back at the Grand Galloping Gala — a Christian clergyman, Richard had explained. Maybe there really is somepony out there guiding all things. Still kinda creeped out if she’s watching me get tucked in. Cringing slightly from an inexplicable sense of shame, she shifted her focus back to the news.

“Details are still be hammered out on the…” Nellie Belle hesitated for a moment to choose a family-friendly word for sex, lacking the teleprompters in their backwater Ponyville studio the larger cities of Equestria had adopted. “The transfer process that will make this miracle possible, but it’s expected to involve the magical essence present in all Equestrian life forms being recombined inside the dream resulting in the pregnancy of one of the mares. The only catch will, of course, be the mother will need to be biologically capable of bearing the developing child and delivering her to term.” The mare hung her head and ears sympathetically.

“Sadly, we aren’t yet able to heal physical impairments using the dream and treatments beyond individual dream monitoring are still in their infancy. Our prayers here at Channel Four news are with those mares out there who dream of one day having a foal, and we all hope that human medical science might one day hold the key.”

Roseluck lowered her ears sympathetically, Storm hugging her neck, sensing his adoptive mother’s empathic reaction. Richard shook his head solemnly.

After allowing himself an appropriate pause to allow the solemn moment to pass, Prime Time spoke up again. “A very big story indeed, and If you can believe it, dear viewer, there is yet another huge story breaking wide open across the dimensional rift where the joint Equestrian forces guard the portal between our two dimensions. Equestrian magic levels are climbing precipitously on the island and the surrounding ocean according to new reports from the Equestrian Scientific Expedition which carefully monitors both the effect and density levels of our dimension’s unique magical properties, present since the portal first opened. Even more alarming, the intrusion is also being detected at the newly-established trade portals on Earth, leading to increasing calls for isolationists on Earth to shut down the portals until they figure out exactly how the magic is going to affect the human world long-term.”

“Magic… on earth?” A stunned Richard turned up the volume a bit higher as Roseluck gasped, the colt sensing the importance of the moment and remaining silent. As the trio grappled with the implications.

“Speaking from the White House in Washington DC, the American President in his usual blunt fashion called for a temporary shut down to, in his words, ‘figure out what the hell is going on.” Nellie smiled uncomfortably at the harsh word as she looked up from the stack of papers situated in front of her. “You know I think he’d get along well with the Prince! Speaking to the world yesterday, he assured both Equestria and the peoples of the United States the shutdown would only be temporary and reaffirmed our trade and tourism treaties and the alliance between our two dimensions.”

The screen cut away to a man at a podium addressing a room full of clattering camera shutters and sporadic lens flashes. “To our great allies from across the portal who came to our planet in peace and whose people fought side by side with our U.S. Marines against Cloven aggression, I promise you this: America never forgets her friends. Remember that.” The man paused momentarily to allow for his words to sink in as the rate of camera flashes intensified, falling off as he made to continue speaking.

“I’ve spoken with Celestia and Queen Molyneux personally and I know them both to be wonderful leaders — strong leaders! — dedicated to our shared values of liberty and the free exchange of commerce and ideas. Like us, they learned these values the hard way. Like us, their people fought against those who rejected their sovereignty and attacked them without warning. From the beginning, our new friends in Equus have given us no reason to ever doubt their honor, but as one of our great American presidents once said, ‘we trust but verify’.” The man jabbed his pointer finger in the air before resting his arms on the podium, nodding his head slightly his tone becoming more genial as he spoke again to the room. “Wise words, I think you’ll agree.” Falling back into a more formal tone, the President continued his rehearsed speech.

“We look forward to continuing our relationship with the nations and races of Equus once we’ve addressed the legitimate concerns our citizens have raised regarding the environmental hazards associated with our newfound relationship and as in times past we will seek a solution that favors us both. Thank you.”

Richard ran his fingers through his hair, exhaling deeply. “It all sounds so surreal to hear the leader of my former country address me like an alien from another world.”

Prime Time resumed speaking as the screen cut back to the news studio. “We now go live to the Ministry of Magic building in Canterlot where we’ve received word that Archmagus Starswirl the Bearded — recently returned from a thousand-year sojourn in an alternate dimension — is addressing a meeting of the top arcane scientists. We go to him now to hear what he has to say…”

The screen changed to the inside of a stone-carved amphitheater adorned with statues of famous pony wizards carved into the rooms supporting pillars, Luna’s crescent moon shining in from a round opening in the dome-shaped roof. “Magic always seeks to expand its range of influence. This is the First Law of Arcane Dynamics and the first thing a new student of the arcane will be taught,” the stern looking gray unicorn stallion stated authoritatively to the camera from his podium.

“Now that guy is a wizard!” Richard exclaimed at the wizened old gray-maned conjuror with his belled wizard hat, flowing lunar-themed robes and epic beard. “If enough of this fella’s power makes it earth we’re going to have our own Gandalf!”

“Yeh shall noot pass!” Storm roared, wielding the imaginary scepter of the famous wizard, getting into the spirit of the moment to the general laughter and smiles of the others.

“Clearly the opening of new portals has accelerated the process of Equestrianization, but the altering of planet Earth began as soon as the rift was formed. If I was I present at the time the portal opened I would have reminded Luna of the dangers present in alternate dimensions even greater than the dream demons such as The Pony of Shadows or Sisters forbid, the distant threat of the Burning Legion and suggested the gate be closed. Still, even I must admit our interdimensional neighbors have been far more benevolent than I could have expected and even our brief contact with the Human Realm might very well have left irreversible contamination.

“Know this, people of Earth. We cannot stop the force which has been unleashed upon your world. Magic will bond with the earth and sky. Those of whom the spark of knowledge has blessed such as humanity will eventually learn to tap into this power. We are the harbingers of change, for good and for ill even if by no choice of our own. Accept our guidance and assistance with this change and we may yet err on the side of good. Your world has many flaws that could be made right with this power, but it must not be treated lightly. I know of your past and the destructive forces you already command. You wield the power to strike down your very world and everyone who dwells within. But magic… this is a thing the likes of which can affect entire universes.”

Richard frowned, placing the controller on the coffee table as the screen cut back into the newsroom. “Rose, I have a question.”

“What is it, dear?” Roseluck replied, dividing her attention between the two newscasters and her husband.

“The news explained the whole Pony of Shadows thing and how Starswirl returned to me, but what is this about a Burning Legion? Do you actually have Romane-themed bad guys running around here somewhere?”

Roseluck gave a shrug. “Never heard the name in my life. Have you heard of them, Stormie?” The colt shook his head. “Whatever they are, they’re not native to Equestria or I’d have learned about them in school. I bet Twinkleshine knows though. I’ll ask her. Oh!” Turning her cellphone back on she was greeted with a backlog of one-hundred eighteen unread messages. “I’d better read through these first but holy hayseeds, Richard! I’m so excited I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep. But if magic is seeping into the earth and transforming it, what does this mean for humans living here like you?”

Richard exhaled deeply. “It means we’re the canary in the coal mine, so to speak. Whatever happens to them will happen to us first. But I really don’t feel magical or anything like that. My dreams haven’t been much different here than before. Don’t ponies see Luna in their dreams?”

Roseluck’s heart sank as she nodded, keeping her tone upbeat. “It’s rare, but I’ve seen her once before. She defends dreams from the demonic realm with her Night Guard, but attacks are rare. Mostly Luna just shows up to reminds us she’s watching our dreams and keeping us safe. But, Richard, just because you haven’t met her yet doesn’t mean you never will. If Starswirl is right, the magic will enter you eventually.” I hope…

Storm lifted his hoof like a schoolcolt in a classroom and spoke up. “Dad, does this mean you and Mom going to be able to have foals too?” He looked uncertain and worried as he spoke.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room as the news rolled on to more mundane themes.

Richard walked to the colt and ran his fingers through his mane, who knickered approvingly. “Stormie, that’s something me and Mom are going to have to discuss in private, even assuming it’s possible. But I promise you we’ll talk about it once we’re both ready, okay?”

“And even if we do, that doesn’t mean we’ll love you any less.” Roseluck kissed him.

He looked at least a little relieved at that. “I hope you will. But if you do, I’ll be very happy. I just think the world needs more ponies in it.” Storm replied happily before giving his dad a quick neck hug, he flew upstairs to his room.

Rose walked up to her husband, rearing up to give him a hug. “Richard, please don’t feel obligated to do anything because of tonight.”

“But we both want this. I just know we do.” Richard gave an exasperated reply, almost hating how close they’d come with seemingly no luck to be found.

“Yes, we do. But magic hasn’t allowed me to fly. I want to believe this is our big chance to have our own foals but if it’s not I need to know you’re not going to hate yourself. Please, Richard…”

“Alright, Rose. I promise.” The two separated, with Roseluck’s forehooves clopping down loudly on the floor. “But I think Storm is right. The world is better off with more ponies. If there’s any way I can make this possible for us, I’m going to do it.”

“Maybe there’s a way to check to see if humans are connected to the dreamlike ponies are? Omigosh! I need to check all these messages on my phone. Twinkleshine can probably help us out with all of this.” She grabbed her phone off the couch and started sorting through them. Sure enough, the majority of them came from Twinkleshine. “Oh dear… Richard look at this.” She handed the phone to Richard.

No way he just mentioned the BL! Hayseeds, it’s been years since I’ve heard about that theory. That theory is like… older than dirt and never been confirmed. You two have no idea what I’m talking about. That’s okay. We’re not sure Starswirl knows what he’s talking about either, but I’m getting ahead of myself. So like, you know how you look up into space and see the stars? Well, there are worlds out there too with other ponies living on them or whatever. We’ve never been there but they give off unique magical signatures, not just normal radiation, which scientists assume means those living there are magical.

Richard, I know you’re reading this too, so I’ll help you out. We don’t have an outer space like you humans got in your world. Our space isn’t an imperfect vacuum filled with dust, hydrogen molecules and electromagnetism, but another dimension entirely we call the Twisting Nether where the forces of light and darkness which govern the known universe collide giving rise to creatures like dream demons and well… us ponies. We share our known dimension with twenty-eight other known worlds all connected to one another by green ethereal magic we call ‘nether’. It’s the raw, primordial form of magic that flooded Equestria and slowly evolved with the native lifeforms of Equus and into the different forms of magic, you see today. This is also how the Princesses are able to steer the sun and the moon using magic. No way they’d be able to do that on Earth!

Anyway, we can spot these other worlds on our telescopes and gain some understanding of them using magical resonance frequency reading equipment. Luna can travel some distance outside of our planet’s atmosphere — and the moon of course — but all of the planets are blocked off by the same magical shielding surrounding all of our worlds and prohibits transporting in unless you anchor the terminus for your portal in the exact spot in the universe you’re trying to go. This is almost always a product of accident since the nether isn’t anchored to one time and place. We live in a dimension united by a circular magical highway where all the exits are blocked except our own is the best way I can explain it to your hubby. Anywho, records of changes in these other worlds have been kept for thousands of years, though with a fair many gaps due to war and other internal disruptions. The planet shields don’t let anything in but they will allow information to leave, unlike those black hole things Richard has spoken of that make no logical sense. So they’re sort of a black hole in reverse?

Suffice it to say we’ve been stargazing, or ‘planet gazing’ for a long time. Occasionally, a world will simply ‘die’ for lack of a better term. Their unique magic magical signature fades to red, or fire magic, over the course of decades. When we first started looking there were three fire planets and twenty-five normal planets. Today there’s an even split of fifteen fire planets and fifteen normal ones. I know this is taking forever, but Starswirl himself claims this phenomenon isn’t natural. Those worlds were invaded and conquered, transformed into demonic breeding grounds by a force from outside of the Twisting Nether he called the Great Dark Beyond.

Richard exhaled deeply. “Holy shit! A literal demon army? You’ve never heard anything about a bunch of demons trying to break in here before? Jeez, no wonder ponies haven’t tried traveling through space before. What have I gotten myself into?”

“Does this mean there’s something even worse out there than the Everfree Forest? If that’s true I’m definitely never sleeping again!” Roseluck grit her teeth as the pair read on.

Now I can see you both there expecting death any second now. Before you go cashing in your chips you should know that while no one else in history has mapped more of the Twisting Nether than old Starswirl, the guy is a bit of a pessimist. He’s always been kinda expected the universe is out to get us, ya know? I guess he has a right to be given the experiences he’s gone through living a thousand years in the past and all. Still, nothing has been able to confirm what’s causing the planets to shift over to red or been able to confirm what life is like on any of those worlds. Perhaps humanity will be able to help us out with that someday. Anyway, I got to go. Linky says the both of us are going to need to practice if I am to bare her many strong foals. I’m sure I’ll be able to talk her down from eight. Don’t worry, Rose!

Oh and if it really is demons, Richard will help us fight them, right?

XOXOXO

Twinkleshine

Face raised towards the ceiling as if imploring the universe for answers, Richard gave his foreland a slap with his free hand not holding the magical device. “Sure, I’ll just get the ol’ AC-130 fueled up and get right on that. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Twinkle!”

Roseluck gave a nervous laugh. “Well she did say not of this has been proven. Even if it was true, the Legion has stayed clear of our world for all this time. Maybe our princesses are keeping them from showing up.”

“Or they haven’t figured out a way in,” Richard replied, grimly. “Either way, there’s not really anything we can do about it, huh? This is just another part of living in a post… magical society I guess. To be honest though, Rose, I’m not sure what I can possibly even do in a fight against demons. We haven’t got commercially available firearms around here and even if we did I haven’t fired a rifle since basic training. I’d be more worried if I’m the guy standing next to who I’m shooting at. Also, I’m not entirely sure if human weapons would work against the Armies of Satan...”

Roseluck raised a hoof to Richard’s chest. “Dear, maybe we’re thinking about this the wrong way. You remember what Starswirl said about the First Law of Arcane Dynamics?”

Richard nodded, turning the TV off with his remote. “You want me to go soak myself in it somehow?”

“Why not? If anypony can help you figure out if you’ve got magic potential that we both know, it’s Twinkleshine.” Roseluck coiled her tail around the human’s body, brushing his belly with her tail fur. “Of course there’s always the old-fashioned way of getting your magic!”

“The best way!” Richard replied, running his fingers through the silky-soft red and pink-striped strands, the pair heading upstairs to do their own magical research.

Author's Note

Happy New Years everyone! Cozy up to the fire and enjoy your worldbuilding.

5/23/2018: That's the last of this Grammarly editing. Going forward everything I do will get it beforehand. My editors will appreciate the help I'm sure.