The Train Ride

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Rosewood
Dodge City
Ghastly Gorge
Ponyville
Canterlot Part 1
Canterlot Part 2
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Epilogue

Rosewood

“Just a minute,” Herman called out in answer to the firm knocking on his door. Knowing who was outside, he made sure that his tie was at its proper place, then gave himself one final inspection in the hallway mirror. The specially tailored white suit felt great and still fit him perfectly.

Herman sighed when the impatient knocking continued and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. The sheriff had informed him ahead of time that guards were coming to escort him to the capital, and Herman had his suspicion as to why. Weeks had gone since he’d sent his memoirs to be published without any response from the publisher.

“I’m coming,” he said and opened the door to find three Royal Guards on his porch. The one closest to the door, a brown earth pony mare with a light-red mane, had her hoof in the air, ready to knock again. The other two were both white coated pegasi stallions, with the left one sporting a cardinal red mane while the latter’s was bright blue.

They stood there dumbfounded, mouths open and eyes wide, as they tried to process what they were seeing. Ponies seeing Herman for the first time always had that initial reaction.

“You can lower your hoof now, Miss—?” he asked, taking the initiative.

It took some time before she finally registered the question.

“Uhm, yes,” she said, putting her hoof back down on the ground. “I’m Sergeant Spring, the two behind me are Private Fair Weather,” she pointed at the one with a blue mane, then at the red-maned one, “and Private Dusty Storm.”

She lost her thought for a few more moments.

“You are the human known as Herman, correct?”

“Herman Anderson,” he confirmed and made a small bow. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Good,” she said, and her ears perked up. “Mr. Anderson, we are here to escort you to Canterlot. The train departs in one hour, do you have everything you need?”

“Call me Herman,” he replied, getting slight shivers when someone called him by his adopted last name. “I have a few more necessities I need to finish packing. But please, come wait inside.”

“We…” Spring began but seemed hesitant to decide. There were likely regulations that they had to follow, but he was confident that they would eventually accept his invitation.

“It is kinda hot outside,” she continued, after receiving some encouraging nods from the stallions. “Okay, we can wait inside.”

“Excellent. You may help yourselves to some fruit in the living room while I finish packing upstairs,” Herman said and walked up to his bedroom on the second floor. He had his suitcase already prepared with spare clothes for a few days, so the only thing he would need was his razor and toothbrush. Once he packed those, he stopped near the stairs to listen to what the ponies were talking about downstairs.

“What do you make of him, Sarge?” one of the stallions said.

“He seems harmless enough,” she replied. “Not sure why they sent three of us.”

“Hey! His furniture has such weird proportions,” the second stallion noted. “I would need to stand on only my hind-legs just to see what's on the kitchen counter.”

“And the roof is way too high,” the first one commented. “You would need to fly indoors just to change a light-bulb.”

“Well, he’s a sort of lanky minotaur after all,” she said. “At least he hasn't built his home like a labyrinth. It looks like a normal pony home to me.”

“He does have a few pony-shaped chairs at the dinner table,” the second stallion said. “So I guess he must have some pony guests over?”

Herman chuckled at their conversation, then fetched his suitcase and headed downstairs. He found one of the stallions inside the kitchen, standing on two legs and checking out the sink, while the second one inspected Herman’s custom-made sofa in the living room. The mare was merely sniffing some red roses from one of the window vases.

“Well, I’m ready to leave,” Herman said, as he walked into the room. The three ponies, surprised by his sudden appearance, all straightened to stand at attention. “At ease,” he chuckled. “We can wait here if you want, rather than at the train station.”

“We…” she hesitated, looking like she wanted to decline the invitation again. “We could wait here for fifteen minutes.”

“Excellent!” he cheered, putting down his suitcase. “Can I call you by your first names?”

“S-sure,” Spring said, a bit taken aback.

“Great,” he said and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the kitchen table, then held it below the mouth of the red-maned stallion. “Want one?”

The two guards in the living room gaped at their colleague, as the pegasus nodded and ate the apple directly from Herman’s hand. While doing so, Herman took the opportunity to pet his neck at the places unguarded by the golden armor.

“Dusty, what the hay are you doing?” Spring asked as they watched him chew an apple with a dopey smile on his face.

Herman stopped what he was doing and backed away. “Apologies,” he said, and held both his palms up in front of him. “Force of habit, you see. Ponies usually love it when I do that.”

Dusty quietly stood there, trying to figure out what had just happened.

“Uh, could you refrain from touching any of us?” she asked, trying to keep her tone stern, though it came out more as a suggestion. “Dusty, what are you doing?”

The stallion still looked confused. “I have no idea why I just did that.”

Herman chuckled again. “It’s part of the reason I’m being sent to Canterlot, I imagine.”

The mare tilted her head at that. “We were just told to pick up a strange creature living in one of Equestria's outback towns,” she said. “My boss made a joke about how I should be ‘wary of the portal-traveling alien with mind-controlling powers.’”

She frowned after saying the last part.

Herman just shook his head. “It’s nothing like that,” he said, walking over to pour himself a glass of water. “I can explain it to you on the train.”

“Seems like a load of horse apples to me,” Fair Weather said and sat down on one of the pony-designed chairs in the living room. “Only the most powerful of magic users can control someone's mind, and you’d need to have a horn on your head to channel it.”

“True,” Herman agreed while playing around with the glass of water in his hand. “I can say with confidence that there is no magic involved.” He then held the glass out to Dusty. “Thirsty?”

“Yes, thank you,” Dusty replied, and took the glass with a wing and started drinking.

“This is all very fascinating,” Spring said, her ears turning back and forth. “But I doubt that’s enough reason for sending all of us."

“The sheriff was vague to me as well,” Herman said, sighing to himself, then crossed his arms while leaning against the wall. “I suspect he didn't believe any of it either.”

“Well, that's no surprise,” Fair Weather frowned. “Those things only exist in colts' fantasy comics. There are no portals leading to alien worlds.”

Herman sighed and pointed at himself.

“Well,” Fair Weather continued, jumping off the chair. “You don’t look like an alien to me, just some weird biped from some far distant island. I’ve seen stranger things.”

“I think he looks like an alien,” Dusty said and stood up on two legs to put the glass back on the counter. “I like to believe something is out there.”

Fair Weather rolled his eyes. “It all sounds like fantasy to me, but I’m guessing it's because of that mind-tricking part that we are all here.” He eyed Herman suspiciously.

“Maybe,” Herman agreed. “I wrote a lot in my memoirs about my life before and after coming to your world.”

“You wrote about an alien world? Where can I read it?” Dusk asked, and walked up to Herman while giving his tail a full wag.

“Well, a pony I know helped me send it to a publisher in Canterlot, but I haven't gotten a reply yet, and since you're here, I assume they sent it to the guard instead.” He shrugged his shoulders, even though he knew ponies didn't fully understand his body language.

“And that is why we are all here?” Spring asked, ears sagging. “We got sent all this way because some exotic creature at the back-end of Equestria's border wrote something silly in his memoirs?"

"There might be more to it than that," Herman said. "I’ll try and explain it as best I can later."

"Well, the sooner we get back, the better," she said and inspected his face. "Say, how old are you?"

Herman found what she was looking at, and pulled his hand through his graying hair. "I am sixty-nine years old, or at least I think I am."

"You don't know?"

"I've only been in Equestria for four years, and I'm certain our calendars don't sync up."

"Well, for a human, I assume that's fairly old?”

He nodded. "Where I'm from I would be regarded as a senior citizen."

"Very well then, it is time for us to move out," she said and motioned to her colleagues to stop mucking about. “Dusty, you help him carry his suitcase.”

“Yes, Sarge,” Dusty said, and walked over to grab Herman’s suitcase under one wing.

“Thank you,” Herman said and allowed them to help him even though it wasn’t necessary.

They made their way to the entrance, with Herman stopping in the hallway to grab his fedora and overcoat that he placed under one arm. The weather was warm only by pony standards, and the nights could get chilly by humans ones. When they were all outside on the porch, Herman locked the front door.

“Will the house be alright while you’re away?” Dusty asked, sitting down on his haunches, while Fair Weather was busy inspecting Herman’s rocking chair.

“It will be fine,” Herman replied. “I have a friend, the local barber, who has promised to help look after it while I’m gone.”

“It’s a very nice house,” Fair Weather said, and gave the rocking chair an experimental push. “It all looks brand-new and custom made. It must have cost you a fortune.”

Herman was about to respond, but Spring did so first. “We’re here to escort him, not to snoop around,” she said and gestured with her hoof towards the train station. “You can take point, at least it will look like we know what we’re doing.”

“Yes, Sarge,” Fair Weather replied, and trotted ahead.

Herman decided not to comment, as their party began the twenty-minute walk on the dirt road leading to Rosewood. “I assume you have tickets at the ready,” he asked, just to start up another conversation.

“Of course, you don’t need to worry about that,” she replied and noticed a problem. “Hey! Fair Weather, slow down, will you? Our friend here only has two legs.”

Fair Weather, who now was a fair way ahead of them, turned around. “Yes, Sarge,” he shouted and waited for them to catch up.

“Thank you,” Herman said, tipping his hat to Spring. “My hip isn’t what it used to be.”

“Just ask us if you need anything,” she said, moving next to his right side at a pace much slower than her natural walking speed. “We’re here to escort you to an interview, and it's not like you’re wanted or anything.”

“I have some questions,” Dusty said, and moved a bit closer to Herman’s left side.

“Don’t badger our charge,” Spring half-halfheartedly criticized. Herman suspected that she was also interested in hearing what he might have to say.

“That's quite alright,” Herman replied, amused by his enthusiasm. “Ask whatever you want, I won't mind.”

“Do you aliens have beam weapons?” Dusty asked, tail wagging.

“Uh, no,” Herman replied, a bit caught off guard. “We do not.”

“For harmony’s sake, Dusty,” she scowled. “At least ask something relevant to why we are here.”

“It would have been very relevant if he had said ‘yes,’” Dusty mumbled.

They left the pinewood forest and reached the edge of the town, which was indicated by a sign that said: ‘Rosewood: Popolation - 602.’

“They’ve misspelled population,” Spring sighed, shaking her head. “I knew this was a backwater place, but that's almost a parody.”

“Oh, don't you worry about it,” Herman chuckled. “The ponies here just act like that to make outsiders underestimate them.”

They entered the town with little fanfare, even though most townsponies were outside doing work. Luckily, the sheriff had already informed everyone that Herman wasn't in any actual legal trouble, and no one paid much attention to them until they came across the saloon.

“Hey, Herman!” a stallion shouted while sitting unsteadily on a chair next to the swing doors. “Does this mean we get Monday off?”¨

“Not a chance, Woodsy,” Herman shouted back, as he recognized the pony in his employment. “Lemon Cider is the boss until I return home.”

“What!? That tyrant will have us working extra all week if you’re not here to rein her in!” Woodsy exclaimed, nearly losing his balance on the stool and spilling out parts of the drink in his hoof. “She’s like a demon-mare-beast from Tartarus I tell you!”

“Don’t be such a baby,” he replied. They had walked past the saloon, so Herman had to crane his neck to continue. “Buy her some lilies in the morning!”

Woodsy shouted something more after them, but it was beyond Herman’s hearing. They were nearly at the station when he noticed the questioning look from his escort.

“Demon-mare-beast from Tartarus?” Spring asked, with an eyebrow raised. “Are there more strange creatures living here that we need to know about?”

“Not at all, that was just Woodsy,” Herman explained, waving away their concerns with a hand. “He tends to exaggerate everything, but he's a good, solid worker. Still, I was a bit hesitant to hire him at first, as his beer bottle and circular saw cutie mark seemed like a dangerous mix.”

“So you’re some kind of boss around here?” Dusty asked.

They passed a corner and could now see the train station up ahead. It looked abandoned, aside from two young mares on one of the benches.

“Yes, actually,” Herman said and noticed how Spring suddenly got very interested in what he had to say. “For a year now, I’ve been the director of the local lumber mill.”

Spring didn’t seem satisfied with the answer. “Don’t worry,” Herman continued, as the mare gave him a look. “There was nothing shady about it. I had worked in the office for a few months when the former director decided to retire to spend more time with his family. I was asked to take his place, and no one in the factory minded that fact.”

“I assume that is how you paid for your house,” Spring stated, after giving it some more thought. “I hope for your sake that there wasn’t any foul play going on with how you got appointed? Not that I seriously believe in this talk about you mind-controlling ponies.”

“Nothing shady,” Herman repeated, but also didn’t deny that there was something else to it.

Fair Weather was now walking up the ramp and heading towards the ticket house. The train platform itself was made of sturdy wooden planks from Herman’s lumber mill, but besides that, it lacked in features. The small ticket booth was only large enough for the pony working inside it, there were only three benches, and the roof barely offered any shade while you waited for the train to arrive.

They all walked up to an empty bench and waited for Fair Weather to get their tickets. Herman opted to stand with his arms crossed, while Dusty and Spring sat down on their haunches on the floor.

“Aren’t you going to use the bench?” Spring asked, no doubt hinting at Herman’s age.

“Pony benches are too small for me,” Herman said and knew this would be a big issue when they boarded the train. “They are too low down and don’t properly support my back.”

She eyed him up and down, and soon realized the problem. “Will you be alright on the train? It takes almost seven hours to get to Canterlot from here.”

“I will be fine,” he sighed, looking down at the bench. “I still have plenty of muscles left in my back for someone my age.” He paused to think about it. “I will most likely need to lie down from time to time, and walk about the train to help straighten out my spine.”

“That can be arranged,” Spring said, and removed her helmet to wipe away some sweat from her forehead. “We can leave the train between stops to walk outside for a bit. Be sure to tell us if you need anything."

“Thank you,” Herman smiled, amused by her concern for his health. Spring was about to put her helmet back on, but he gave her a quick scratch behind the ear when she wasn’t looking. The mare seemed lost for a second, but when she started to lean into his hand, she suddenly yelped and jumped away from him.

“W-what? Don’t do that,” she scolded, moving two steps away from him. “I said no touching us with those things.”

“My apologies,” Herman said. “I found your concern for my health too adorable to resist. And ‘they’ are called fingers.” He moved each finger individually as a sort of demonstration.

“I knew they were called that,” Dusty said, amused by the situation, and pointed a hoof at Herman’s left hand. “The monkeys at the zoo have those as well.”

“What’s going on?” Fair Weather asked, returning with tickets and some water bottles under his wing. “I bought some water if anyone is thirsty.”

“Herman here scratched Spring behind the ear, and she loved it,” Dusty chuckled, but soon regretted it after receiving an angry glare from his superior.

Spring had a slight blush on her as she put the helmet back on. “I’ll take a bottle,” she mumbled, grabbing one from below Fair Weather’s wing, then jumped up on the bench.

“Herman, water and meals are paid for by the Royal Guard,” she explained, while Dusty jumped up to sit beside her. “Anything else, you will need to pay for yourself. We plan to eat dinner when we get back on the train.”

“Sounds good,” Herman replied and gave his right pocket a light touch to make sure he hadn’t forgotten to bring his wallet. “You guys must be pretty beat after spending all morning on the ride over here.”

“Tell me about it!” Dusty exclaimed, extending both his wings so that Spring got a face full of feathers. “My wings are all stiff.”

Spring mumbled something while she waved away the feathers in her face. “Yes, yes fine,” she said, as Dusty retracted the wings back to his side. “You can fly outside for a short time between the stops, so long as you don’t whine all the time.”

“You should have gone outside and exercised the night before,” Fair Weather said, shaking his head. “That’s common knowledge.”

“I was busy,” he mumbled, with a small blush.

“Could I ask you something,” Herman interjected. “It’s often hard for me to tell with ponies, but how old are you all?”

“Well, I’m thirty-two this year,” Spring answered, and pointed at her fellow guards. “Dusty here is twenty-six, believe it or not, and Fair Weather is twenty-nine.”

“Hmm,” Herman mused, contemplating what he knew of pony families. “Can I assume you have spouses then?”

“I don’t,” Spring sighed, and her ears pressed down onto the back of her helmet. “Haven't met the right stallion yet.”

“I have a marefriend waiting for me to come home,” Fair Weather said, smiling. “Not sure what I would do without her.”

Dusty was more energetic in his response, as he jumped off the bench and retrieved a photograph of a mare from somewhere under his armor, then shoved it into Herman’s hand. The picture had a yellow earth pony on it wearing a white cap with a dog symbol.

“That’s Wild Heart,” Dusty said and grinned wildly at the picture. “We met when the guard was sent out to help some animals during a forest fire, and we instantly bonded while cleaning a duck covered in soot.”

“Seems like a nice mare,” Herman said and noticed how chubby she was around the waist. “Having foals?”

“Nope,” Dusty said, tilting his head. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason,” he replied, and cleared his throat. “I was curious that’s all.”

Herman was glad that ponies were hard to offend.

“How about your family?” Dusty asked while returning his photo beneath his chest armor. “Got a cool alien wife?”

“I do have an old photo, actually,” Herman said and fished out his wallet. “My wife and daughter.” He took out the only remaining picture he had of them, and all three ponies gathered around to see the photo.

“So that's what a human female looks like,” Fair Weather said, eyeing it up and down. “I assume the short one is your daughter?”

“Correct, her name is Freja,” he said and felt a lump building in his throat while the ponies were occupied with admiring the photo.

“I think your wife looks pretty,” Spring said. “I like her blond mane.”

“Lena is her name.”

“You look a lot younger in this picture,” Dusty noted. “And what's that cool symbol on your daughter’s shirt?

“I-it’s a comic book thing,” Herman explained. “The symbol of a hero dressed up as a bat.”

“Like batpo—” Spring said, but stopped abruptly when she found Herman staring blankly into the distance.

“Herman? Are you okay?”

“I-it’s nothing,” he said and returned the picture to his wallet. ”I’m sorry.” He hastily put the wallet back into his pocket.

“What's wrong?” Dusty asked, ears moving in random directions.

“Nothing. So that’s my family,” he said, then paused to take a few deep breaths. “It's been a long time since I last saw them.”

“Well, you should go home and visit them after our business in Canterlot is done,” Spring said, switching her focus to somewhere along the rails. “I hear the train coming.”

Herman saw the train before he heard the rumblings of the train engine, and the locomotive looked as ridiculous as always. The two mares across the platform had left their seats and were now waving at him. He shook back, recognizing them as two local girls.

“Friends of yours?” Spring asked while observing the two cheerful mares.

“Acquaintances, they work in the saloon,” he replied, pausing as the train’s brakes screeched. “They are most likely heading to Dodge City to purchase cider.”

The train came to a halt, and an earth pony wearing a conductor’s vest leaped out to stamp the tickets from the two mares, then motioned them inside. The stallion waved their group to step forward, only pausing to stare up at Herman.

“Tickets for three adults and one senior heading to Canterlot,” Fair Weather said, showing him the tickets, but the stallion was transfixed with Herman, and only responded when Fair Weather cleared his throat.

“Oh, sorry,” the stallion said, and fished out a stamp from his front pocket with his mouth, and marked each of the tickets with an ink replica of his cutie mark, a notebook, and pencil. “I assume the tall guy is the senior?”

“Yup, he is,” said Dusty, and was the first one to board. “He’s also an alien!”

Spring mumbled something that Herman couldn’t quite hear, but by her scowling, he figured she didn’t approve of Dusty’s shenanigans. She went in after him, followed by Herman, who had to bend his back to fit through the door. Luckily, the inside was tall enough for him to stand straight. The front car was empty except for the two mares who had taken the front cabin.

“We’ll take the wagon in the back,” Spring said, turning her head to look back at him. “There aren’t many travelers between here and Dodge, but it can get cramped between Ponyville and Canterlot.”

They made their way through a dozen wagons, and like Spring said, they were all empty except for the dining car, where a mare and stallion where busy kneading dough. The one in the back had four bunks, split into two sections by a wall, and was likely used as a sleeping area during night trips.

Dusty stood on his hind legs to put Herman’s suitcase into the storage compartment and took a seat on the left side, followed by Spring, who sat down next to him.

“Any problems?” Spring asked when Herman just stood there blocking the opening. The entrance to their bunks lacked a door, which was a typical thing when it came to ponies, as it wasn’t uncommon for pony homes to only have a door at the entrance and bathroom.

“Nothing,” Herman replied, putting away his hat and overcoat. He sat down on the right bunk, trying to find a comfortable position, but the bed was placed so low that his legs were at an odd angle, and the wall behind him was a poor spot for him to rest his back against properly.

Fair Weather trotted in next, then leaped up to sit next to Spring. The three ponies sat side by side, facing him, as he struggled with finding the least uncomfortable position.

“Are you going to spend the whole journey in armor?” Herman asked as the three ponies hadn’t even removed their helmets.

“We’re your escort, Herman,” Spring replied, lifting her head high in the air, then tapped twice with a hoof against her helmet, which made a clunking noise for emphasis. “We need to be prepared if something happens.”

Dusty and Fair Weather seemed less than enthusiastic about her proclamation. Herman wondered what they could be guarding him against until he remembered the attack on their capital. “What exactly are you protecting me against?”

“Who knows?” Spring said, tilting her head slightly as if reminiscing about something. “We are just following orders.” She turned her head in Dusty’s direction. He was already looking bored. “Speaking of, Dusty, I want you to take first watch at the entrance to this wagon.”

“Aww, why me?” Dusty complained but leaped down regardless. “Do we have to do that?”

“Yes, make sure nopony enters without my permission,” she replied, motioning towards the hallway with a hoof.

“There is virtually no one else on this train,” Herman pointed out, as Dusty walked out to the corridor. “Did you spend the trip over here like this as well?”

Spring hesitated, both ears flinching away from his direction. “N-no, we spent the trip here without armor.”

“How about you remove it for the return trip as well?” Herman asked. “I’m certain nothing bad will happen. I’ve lived in Equestria for four years without any incidents.”

“It would be nice,” Fair Weather chimed in. “So long as one of us guards the entrance it should be fine.”

“It would make me feel more comfortable,” Herman continued.

“Alright, alright,” Spring said, holding up both hooves in resignation. “I’ll allow it in this cabin, and only as far as Ponyville.”

Fair Weather gave a wide grin and took off his helmet. The stallion’s blue mane remained in almost a mohawk position, while Spring’s hair was longer and laid smoothly across her back in a well combed and orderly manner. The ponies moved to the floor next and undid the clasps around the metal protecting the front of their necks, then shook their bodies while backing out of their chest armor. To Herman, it looked uncannily like how his dog used to try and get out of its woolen sweater after they had been outside during the winter months.

When Spring got out of her armor, she turned to him. “What about you Herman, aren’t you warm underneath all that clothing?”

“I’m don’t mind the heat,” Herman replied while studying both their cutie marks. Spring had a Snowdrop, while Fair Weather’s mark was a baby rattle of all things. “Are you good with kids, Fair Weather?”

“Yeah,” he replied while leaping back up on the bunk “How did you know?”

“Just a hunch,” Herman said and moved his arms behind him for support. “Spring, I guess that your talent is to help plants grow after winter?”

“That, and help with Winter Wrap Up,” she confirmed, as she laid down on her stomach in a curled-up position while still facing him. Herman had to admit that she looked pretty and regal with her combination of mane and eyes.

“So, Herman,” she continued. “You said at your house that you could explain why we’re all here heading to Canterlot.” She paused as Fair Weather settled down on his haunches next to her. “You mentioned memoirs?”

Herman thought about how much he should tell them but figured there was no point in holding back now. “Yes,” he said, “I figured that is the reason, but I think my explanation will require a fair amount of backstory.”

“We have seven hours,” Fair Weather remarked.

“True,” he said. “You see, it all started the day I suddenly woke up in Equestr—” He paused, as the train’s steam whistle announced that it was leaving the station soon. “As I was saying, I woke up in Equestria, and I had no idea how I got here.”

“I thought you said you were sent here through a portal?” Fair Weather questioned, looking skeptically at Herman with his head tilted.

“That was speculation on my part,” Herman answered, and gave out a long sigh. “The alternative explanation is somewhat depressing.”

“And what would that be?” Spring asked, and judging by her carefree demeanor she still wasn’t buying his claims of being from another world.

“That I died, and this is some sort of afterlife,” he muttered. “That was my initial belief.”

“Herman, you are not dead,” Fair Weather said while rolling his eyes.

“Not here, at least,” he replied. “The last memories I have of my old world were walking out of the supermarket with two bags of groceries. Just before I get to my car, the memory stops.” The train started moving. “I want to believe I fell through some weird portal because that way there is still hope of one day returning. But, the grim truth is likely that I had a stroke, and I’m here because some divine being wanted me to do something before I move on completely.”

The two ponies looked at each other as the train moved away from Rosewood. Their silence continued for a while, and Herman was about to proceed with his story when Spring spoke up first.

“Herman, please listen to me,” she said and resumed to sitting on her haunches while looking at him with a straight-faced expression. “You are not dead, and you didn’t fall through a portal between worlds because there is no such thing.” Herman opened his mouth to reply, but she silenced him with an outstretched hoof. “What you describe could mean you were teleported, displaced by a magical disaster, or most likely just moved here while you were unconscious.”

Herman was about to interject again, but she wasn’t finished. “Herman, if you would show us on a map which island your people live on we could send you back by boat or airship.”

“I am certain that there is no way back,” Herman sighed and felt his posture begin to sag.

“Herman, why did you never tell the Royal Guard about this? We would have helped you. If this is true, then your family doesn’t even know what happened to you. This is serious.”

It felt like a lump of lead weighed down on his stomach, but he could only shake his head. He was surprised when Fair Weather went over to his bunk to sit down beside him, then placed a hoof on his shoulder without saying a word.

“I’m fine,” Herman said, but the stallion didn’t remove his hoof. “Actually, the Mayor of Rosewood helped me send a letter to the princess, asking her if there were ways to travel through portals or between worlds. The answer I received was that there existed no such thing.”

“‘How can you be sure you’re in a different world?” Fair Weather asked.

Herman took a few deep breaths and gently removed the hoof from his shoulder. “Because, there is no uncharted land left on my planet,” he explained. “There is simply no way we share the same world.”

Fair Weather exchanged a look with Spring, who merely shook her head.

Herman knew he wouldn’t be able to convince them. “Let’s leave that behind us for now. Shall I continue the story?”

They both nodded.

“So, there I was in Doctor Herbal Remedy’s clinic. Some foals playing out in the woods had found me unconscious on the ground, and when I woke up, I was feverish and stricken by pneumonia.”

He had to pause for a moment to think back, looking out the window at the passing trees. They would still be traveling inside the thick forest for another hour if his memory of Equestria's geography was correct.

“The ponies nursed me back to health, both mentally and physically. When I was healthy enough to walk again, I returned to the forest where they had found me and searched all day for a way home. I never found one, no matter hard I tried.”

Herman looked at Spring and smiled at her. “The ponies were all kind to me, they sheltered and fed me while I wasted my days scouring the forest. I couldn’t rely on their kindness forever, so I started helping with various tasks, mostly carpentry and the like. They always overpaid me for my services and often invited me to dine with their families.

“I rented a room from the local barber, a pegasus named Glitter Wing, who often supported me during the difficult times. The days became weeks and the weeks months, as I learned about pony culture. The mayor even sent in registration forms to Canterlot, making me an official citizen just like that, and it was also at that time the mayor offered to send a letter to the palace.”

“Wait a second,” Spring said and pointed a hoof at him. “Why didn’t you visit the princess in person? Celestia is the most knowledgeable pony in the world, and she could tell you where your people are from.”

Herman shook his head. “It would do no good. And I was afraid to leave town and buried myself in work because, at that point, I was convinced that there was no way for me to return home.”

“Afraid of Celestia?” Fair Weather scoffed. “Every nation knows about her kind-hearted nature.”

“We’ll see if we can schedule a meeting with the princess while we’re in Canterlot,” Spring said, sounding cheerful. “Now, please continue with the story.”

“Where was I?” Herman mused, “Ah yes, I had been in Rosewood a few months, and I already knew everyone by name. I had earned enough to apply for a mortgage on my house, which was in a much poorer condition at the time. Glitter Wing was sad to see me leave, but I didn’t want to impose on her any longer. She was the closest friend I had, even if she was always terrible at cutting my hair.

“I started to work more and more at the local lumber mill, but mainly with helping Lemon Cider with her paperwork. As time went on, I also assisted Short Fund, the director at the time, more and more with managing the company. When a year had passed, Short Fund decided to retire and spend time with his family in Dodge City. He wanted me to be the new director, and all the working ponies at the factory gave me their vote of confidence.”

Herman paused to see if they had any questions. Spring returned to laying down and was now listening more intently, while Fair Weather still sat beside him looking thoughtful.

“I still don’t understand how that ties into why we are here,” Fair Weather said, as he pulled his left wing in front of himself and carefully went over the feathers with his hoof.

“Please, continue,” Spring encouraged.

“Well, to stick to the relevant parts,” Herman said, and shuffled around on the bench, “business began booming after I became the director. I renovated my home, and it was during the time of my sixty-seventh birthday party when we first heard about the changeling attack on Canterlot.”

Both ponies turned their ears at that.

“We were celebrating at my place at the time, with neighbors and colleagues when the sheriff came knocking on my door. The train had come with news about the attack, but we didn’t know how it had ended yet. Worse yet, Glitter Wing had left town the day before to attend the wedding.”

Spring and Fair Weather once more exchanged glances, and this time their eyes and ears were alert. When they turned back to him again, he coughed into his fist. “Like I was saying, everyone was terrified, as we had no idea what was going on until the next train showed up. Luckily, it arrived with a few Royal Guards from Dodge City, who told us that everything was alright and that the wedding had continued as planned. Glitter Wing returned the next day in a rough state, as she had flown away from Canterlot when the fighting started and didn’t rest until she was back in Rosewood.”

Herman thought back to that night when a battered and terrified Glitter had knocked on his door. He had let her inside and comforted her on the couch, and they’d eventually spent the night in his bed, with him holding her in one arm while she shook and sobbed into his side. She had been calmer in the morning, but the dark bags under her eyes had lasted a week.

“Were you three at the wedding when it happened?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Spring sighed, and her eyebrows twitched at his question. “Dusty and I were posted at the palace gatehouse when the shield came down, and we barely had time to react before our legs were plastered in green goo from above.” Her tail moved like a whip as she continued. “We were stuck standing there, as the changelings chased ponies in the street.” She nodded at Fair Weather. “Private Weather here had more success than we did.”

Fair Weather stopped tending to his wing, and instead used it to scratch the back of his head. “Well, my detachment managed to beat back the changelings at the West Gate leading out of the city, and we spent the next hour holding that position while we evacuated as many ponies as we could until Captain Armor's shield catapulted away all the changelings, that is.”

“Sounds like a horrible experience,” Herman solemnly replied, not knowing what else to say.

“All's well that ends well,” Spring said, while still looking sullen. “The damage was superficial, the changeling swarm was last seen flying away from us over the Badlands, and the wedding continued as planned the very same day.”

“I think the Guard’s pride took the worst hit,” Fair Weather explained, earning him a frown from Spring.

There was a rattling of armor outside, followed by Dusty poking his head in from the side of the entrance. “Just wondering,” he said, standing so only his head was visible. “When are we ordering lunch?”

“We can do so now,” Spring said, and jumped down from the bunk. There were some pamphlets in a net sack below the window, and she took out four of them. “Here is the menu; you are free to order anything you want, courtesy of the guard.”

Herman took the menu she offered and went through the pages. They were mostly a variety of breads and salads.

“Fair,” Spring said, getting the stallion's attention. “Get your armor back on and go with Dusty to the food wagon. We’ll eat here.”

“Yes, Sarge,” he replied, leaving Herman’s side without questioning why they needed two ponies for the job.

“What do you want to order, Herman?” Dusty asked.

“I’ll have the tuna salad with orange juice, please,” Herman replied and put away his pamphlet. He didn’t know why Spring had sent Fair Weather away but assumed he would find out soon enough.

“I’m fine with a small portion of tomato soup,” Spring said.

Dusty waited for Fair Weather to get his armor back on, then the two stallions trotted outside. Herman could barely hear Dusty saying, ‘did I miss anything?’ before they left the wagon.

Spring went back to her bunk, but this time sat herself down right in front of Herman. He knew something was up, so he opened his arm wide with the front of his palms open. “What’s the matter?”

“Herman, I must tell you something, and it might come as a shock,” she said, with a neutral expression. “But I suspect the pony you know as Glitter Wing might be a changeling in disguise.”

Herman raised his eyebrow at that. “What?” he asked, not knowing how she had come to such a conclusion. “I’ve known her since I got here, why would you say such a thing?”

“You mentioned that she was a barber, so I assume her cutie mark is related to that?” Spring questioned with a soft voice.

“Yes, a pair of scissors.”

“But, you mentioned she was bad at giving you a haircut, correct?” she pressed.

Herman could see now where this was going and paused before he spoke again. “That seems like poor proof to me,” he said, locking his arms in front of his chest.

“Sorry, but she also went to Canterlot on the day of the wedding, and regulations after the attack state that we need to investigate these things. A pony doing their special talent poorly has been one of our best ways of finding them.”

Herman frowned but didn’t know what else to say. “And if she’s a changeling?”

“If she is one, an investigation into her activities will be carried out, and then she’ll likely be put on trial. We’ve uncovered a few changelings after the attack. It all depends on what they did in Canterlot, or before that, but they’ll most likely be given a prison sentence if they’ve hurt somepony.”

“How long?”

“It will likely only be a year or two,” she said, calming her demeanor noticeably. “Afterwards, they’ll be given a choice to leave Equestria or apply for amnesty. We don’t know where they live, so we can’t exactly deport them.”

“And if she has never hurt anyone?”

“I’m no judge, but I know that one changeling was only sentenced to community service for impersonating a pony.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Herman said while feeling the pain building up in his back. He had been tensing himself since the conversation began, and now the strain from his sitting position was taking its toll.

“Because I want you to tell me if you know something more,” she explained. “Did you ever feel woozy after being with her for an extended time? Did she ever disappear for a few days without reason? Did she have any weird memory lapses, or do things out of character?”

“None of that,” Herman said while trying to think back to all that time they spent together. “She’s been the same pony ever since I met her. Are you telling me she might have been replaced at one point?”

“Maybe. It has happened once or twice. All the changelings we’ve captured so far swear that they would never truly hurt a pony, but they might temporarily keep them in pods when they take their place, and afterward alter some of their memories before releasing them when their mission was complete.”

Herman felt a trickle of sweat form on his brow, and he looked down on his lap with his hand on his forehead. Spring misinterpreted the gesture, most likely believing that he was in shock from hearing about Glitter.

“Don’t worry,” she said, with a soft voice. “If she is a changeling, then most likely she was sent here years ago. We won’t harm her, and our potions and spells for detecting them are perfectly safe.”

“I believe you,” he said, and slowly stood up. “At least the ‘not hurting part.’”

“Herman, are you okay?” she asked worriedly.

“I will be,” he replied, taking several deep breaths, then he stretched his spine as much as possible. “I think I tensed myself too much and forgot how badly I was seated.”

“Please, try not to strain yourself,” she said and motioned to him to come over to her bunk. “Come over here so I can get a better look at you.”

Herman hesitated. There was nothing she could do, but he decided to humor her. When he moved closer, Spring stood up on her hind legs, and with the added height of the bed, she was able to get close to his face. She took his head with both hooves and moved him until they were face to face. There were staring into each other's eyes, and while she searched for any signs of illness, he admired her brown eyes and lush eyelashes.

“You look paler than when we met,” she noted, after having put a hoof on his forehead. The gesture seemed futile without knowing the average human temperature. “We have pills that will ease the pain if you're feeling any. Can your species handle our medicine?”

“Yes, the doctor in Rosewood said that most pony medicines were safe for me to use, so long as I take a correct dosage.” He gently removed her hoof with his hand and backed away from her. “I will need to stand straight for a while, and find a way to sit without it bothering me so much.”

She looked around the room. “We could get you some more pillows,” she offered. “Maybe you should lie down?”

“No,” Herman said, and started to unbutton his jacket. “I need to get out of this suit.” He slowly took the jacket off while Spring watched him, and put it next to where he had hung his overcoat. Next, he removed his tie, and as soon as the knot was loosened, he immediately felt far less constrained, even if there were still pearls of sweat forming on his brow.

He was rolling up the sleeves of his shirt when Spring spoke up. “Herman, are you okay?”

“Of course I’m not okay,” he muttered and moved to stand with his back against the window. “You just told me my best friend is either kept in a pod or might be sent to prison.” He put his right hand on his forehead. “How would you feel after hearing such a thing?”

“I’m sorry, but this needs to be checked out for everypony’s safety,” she said while looking down at the bed with her ears folded. “It might also just be an honest misunderstanding.”

“When?”

“Excuse me?” she asked, looking up at his eyes.

“When will you question her?”

“I will dispatch guards to Rosewood when we reach Canterlot.”

“Well, you’ve done a poor job of making me want to cooperate with you.”

Spring had no reply to that and just sat there looking downcast. Herman felt that he was maybe too harsh, as she was only doing her job to help keep her fellow ponies safe. He knew how ponies dealt with those who break the law, and the heavy emphasis on rehabilitation over punishment.

Herman was about to try and reconcile, but he was interrupted by her ears suddenly standing at alert. He couldn’t hear the rustling of armor until it was almost outside the door, which was followed by Dusty pushing a two-layered cart containing steaming bowls.

“Food’s done!” he proclaimed and trotted into their cabin while oblivious of the tension in the room. “Fair will be here in a minute with your grub, Herman.”

Spring sniffed the air around the cart, and her sullen mood instantly turned to a more cheerful one as she adopted a cat-like smile. Herman could only chuckle at her typical pony behavior, but his aching back made the air get caught in his throat, almost turning the chuckle into a coughing fit.

Spring noticed his problem. “Dusty, I want you to go back to the lunch wagon and ask for some painkillers,” she ordered, pointing a hoof at the front of the train. “Ask the cooks if they have anything.”

Dusty looked back and forth between Herman and Spring until something seemed to click in his mind, and he gave her a salute and quickly trotted out. Just as Dusty went around the corner, Fair Weather came in, pushing the second cart.

Fair Weather left it on Herman’s side of the bunks, then jumped up to sit next to Spring, who was salivating over her lunch. The way ponies ate, directly from the bowl, was nothing new to Herman, but he was happy to see that there was a pair of utensils for him, though it would be hard for him to sit down and eat without any legroom between his bunk and the cart.

Instead, he walked up and took the bowl in one hand and the fork in the other. The dish was cold, and mostly contained celery with some onions and parsley covered with mayonnaise seasoned with black pepper. The tuna itself was diced into small cubes and was almost invisible unless you knew where to look. It was not uncommon for ponies to hide the fish parts in any dish, as most ponies were squeamish about eating meat, even if they ate a small amount on occasion to keep a healthy diet.

Herman remembered his first year in Equestria, and how he had decided to spend his leisure time fishing in the many lakes and rivers. It would have been a nice hobby, providing him with a source of protein and relaxation, but the fish in Equestria were apparently not interested in the bait. It had taken him days of not catching anything until he finally gave up, but the straw that broke the camel's back was when he met Blue Dive, the pegasus that worked in the local cafeteria. Herman had been sitting next to a lake at the time, and was about to give up on fishing entirely, when Blue had dived into the water out of nowhere, and resurfaced with a carp sprawling in his grinning mouth.

“Herman?” Spring said, sounding worried.

He blinked, and his eyes moved from side to side trying to get a sense of where he was. The two ponies had stopped eating and watched him as he stood there with his mind drawing blanks.

“Sorry,” he said, “I spaced out there for a moment.”

“Not really what you expect from a mind-bending alien.” Fair Weather scoffed, and got a slight smack on his shoulder from Spring.

Herman ignored them and tried the salad, which was surprisingly tasty. He didn’t quite know how to convince them until an idea popped into his head.

“Tell me,” Herman began, “didn’t you two think it was strange when you all stood at attention after I entered the kitchen at my house?”

“Not really,” Spring replied. “You surprised us.”

“Spring, you wanted to help me get an audience with the princess herself. Have you ever offered to do so much for a complete stranger before?”

“Uh, no?” she replied, seemingly lost at what he was getting at. “I just wanted to help you.”

“Fair Weather,” he continued, pointing his fork at the pegasus. “You don’t seem like the kind of stallion that would get all personal with a stranger.”

“Hey,” Fair Weather protested. “I’m a nice guy,”

“And lastly, do you all remember when I gave Dusty that apple?” Herman pressed. “Have you ever seen him behave like that? You all know each other. I could be wrong, but think back to the time when you meet me and ask yourselves—are you and your friends acting normally?”

There was a pause in the room. Both ponies were silent. The movement was minuscule, but Herman noticed that they slowly inched away from him.

Dodge City

“Hey, Herman, I’ve brought your meds,” Dusty said, and trotted into the room with a small pouch that dangled from a thin rope in his mouth. The pony grinned as he sat down right in front of Herman, waiting for him to take it.

“Thank you,” Herman replied, and grabbed it with his free hand. The half-eaten salad he returned to the serving cart, then peeked into the pouch and counted ten pills in total.

“One of the cooks told me that you could take them twice a day, but no more than two at a time if you’re an average weighing stallion,” Dusty continued, oblivious to the fact that Fair Weather was whispering something to Spring behind him. “If the pain doesn’t subside at the time we get to Dodge City she recommends that we stop there and take you to a clinic.”

One of Dusty’s ears whirled when he registered what his fellow guards were whispering about, and swung his head around to try and find out more, but they were too much into their quiet conversation to notice, so he instead turned back to address Herman.

“What’s up with them?” he asked.

“I’m not quite sure,” Herman mused, then took out one of the pills and placed it in his mouth, swallowing it with the help of some orange juice. The pouch he placed in one of the pockets of his overcoat and simultaneously fished out his wallet. “How much did they cost?”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Dusty replied, waving a hoof in front of him like a pendulum. “The Royal Guard is responsible for your health and safety. So long as it’s within reason.”

“That’s very generous of them.”

“Herman,” Spring said suddenly, as he was putting away his wallet.

“Yes?” he replied, they were both looking at him, but neither seemed upset.

“We would like a word with you later, but right now we should focus on lunch,” she said and gestured at their bowls, which now had considerably less steam coming from them. “Dusty, come eat before it gets cold.”

“Yes, Sarge,” he replied, making a joking salute and licking his lips. The stallion then leaped up to sit next to Fair Weather, and within moments all three ponies had their muzzles inside their respective bowls.

Herman returned to eating his tuna salad while still standing and glanced out at the unguarded hallway. If there ever was a time to catch ponies off-guard, it would be during meal time, and possibly weddings. They continued eating in silence, and Herman soon found that he was full, with more than a quarter portion remaining.

Putting the leftovers aside, he moved to lean against the wall next to the back window and admire the passing trees. The thickness of the forest was easing, and they’d soon be traveling through the prairie that was centered around Dodge City.

“Phew, I needed that,” Spring said after her bowl was empty. “Did you enjoy your meal, Herman?”

“It was good,” Herman said, and stared out at the forest for another moment, then faced his escort. His back still ached at the movement, but if he held still long enough the pain quickly dwindled away. “But the portion was too generous for me.”

Dusty’s head popped up at that. “Herman, you’re not going to finish that?” he asked, pointing a hoof at Herman’s tuna salad.

“Go ahead,” he replied and gestured for him to take it.

“Yes! Thanks, Herman,” Dusty cheered, leaping away from his surprised colleagues. The pony quickly snatched the leftovers, then returned to sit next to his fellow guards, who gave him an incredulous look.

“If you truly believe he’s an alien, don’t you think it’s unwise to eat from his bowl?” Fair Weather asked while putting away his empty one. “Having alien germs in your system doesn’t sound healthy.”

“Herman, has anyone ever gotten sick around you?” Dusty asked.

“No, not from what I can recall.” Herman tried to think of the last time someone took out a sick day, but aside from one of the mares staying home during pregnancy, it had never happened during his time as director.

“See, it’s fine,” Dusty said, and dipped his muzzle into the remaining tuna salad.

“Herman, I want to talk to you about your alleged mind control,” Spring said and straightened to sit in a less casual position. “I’ve talked it over with Fair Weather, and we don’t completely believe you yet, but you’ve convinced us enough that we’re going to write a report about it. The higher-ups will have to decide if they want to investigate it further.”

Herman just crossed his arms and waited for her to continue. It made little difference to him if they wrote a report about it since his memoirs already revealed everything.

“But, let me give you a warning,” she said, with narrowing eyes. “Abusing such powers is against the law, and could land you in deep trouble if they found out that you’ve purposefully taken advantage of such an ability. I’m not saying you’ve done such a thing, but I want you to be aware of it.”

Herman let out a sigh. “I didn’t even realize I had such an ability until a few months ago if you can even call it that. Maybe I suspected, but I wasn’t sure, and I’d never use it to take advantage of anyone.”

Fair Weather was scratching his chin, apparently deep in thought. Dusty was still eating while also listening to the conversation with an ear directed at Herman.

“Could you tell us what happened that made you think that you could affect someone's mind?” Spring asked, after a short pause.

“Very well,” Herman began, and briefly looked up at the ceiling, trying to find the correct words. Dusty had finished eating, so all three of the ponies’ had their attention focused solely on him. “I’ve mentioned that I thought it was in ponies’ nature to be kind and accepting of strangers.”

Herman looked down and into the eyes of all three of them. Searching for some reaction, but they all were patiently waiting for him to continue.

“That view changed shortly after I became the director of the lumber mill. My first plan was to find customers that would pay a higher price for the timber we produced. I knew that exporting goods across the border was often more profitable than selling it locally, so to help me find potential clients, I contacted the West Pony Trading Company’s office in Dodge City and arranged a meeting with one of their representatives.

“The pony I met with was enthusiastic about my proposal to work together to export timber to neighboring countries. They arranged for me to meet with businessmen from Gryphonstone and Zebrica, and I have to admit I was thrilled to meet with the other races, but the meetings didn’t precisely go as I had expected.”

“What happened?” Dusty asked, and interrupted his chain of thought. “I know from experience that gryphons can be tough to deal with.”

“Shh, let Herman speak,” Spring chided, and motioned for him to continue.

“What happened was me, and a representative from the West Pony Trading Company, was there to meet with the gryphons when they arrived at the train station,” Herman continued. “The mare’s name was Deal Maker, and she claimed it would be no problem landing a contract, but she also warned me that ponies could be anxious when first meeting a gryphon.

“I thought this was strange at the time since they’ve always been so accepting of me ever since I showed up, but I didn’t think much of it. The train arrived, and I went to shake hands with the three gryphons that were on it. We exchanged pleasantries, and everything was very professional, even if the gryphons were somewhat rough around the edges.”

“Heh, tell me about it,” Dusty said, which earned him a hoof bump on the shoulder from Fair Weather.

“If you can’t help yourself from interrupting, you can return to guard the hallway,” Spring said.

“I’ll be good,” Dusty replied, and laid down instead. “Sorry, Herman, please continue.”

“Our party was about to move out to discuss things in my office further when I noticed how strangely the villagers behaved. Those kind and accepting ponies were actively shying away from the gryphons, even doing outright rude things like closing the window when we walked past their houses.

“I couldn’t understand it at the time, and I mostly thought it was due to some old historical grievances between ponies and gryphons. I asked Deal Maker the next day, but she just shrugged and said it had always been like that in rural towns.

“Even when we got to my office, I had problems with my employees, who I all knew to be good ponies at heart, but in this case were outright rude in their demeanor. Lemon Cider acted as if the gryphons were going to steal her favorite quill when she wasn’t looking.”

Herman paused to see how the ponies were reacting to his story, but they didn’t seem surprised or annoyed with the behavior of their fellow ponies.

“So, the meeting continued throughout the day. The gryphons were tough negotiators, but in the end, it was clear that this contract was very profitable for all sides. Pinewood planks were both rare and expensive on the other side of the Celestial Sea, so the gryphons were prepared to pay a premium from the start, while the West Pony Trading Company would earn a percentage for transporting it by train to the port in Baltimare, then via cargo ship towards Gryphonstone.”

Herman just noticed that they’d left the forest, and were now traveling through a dry and grassy plain. It wouldn’t be long now until they reach Dodge City.

“After the deal was made and the gryphons departed, I pondered for a while how differently the gryphons treated me compared to ponies,” Herman continued. “I also tried to ask a few ponies why they were so apprehensive around the gryphons, but they couldn’t explain it. I only talked with the gryphons for an afternoon, but my conclusion was that they were good people. I figured things would go more smoothly with the zebra delegation since both species were herbivores.”

The three ponies exchanged looks at that last part, and Herman expected they knew what would happen next.

“By your expression, I think you all know how well the zebra delegation went.”

“Yeah,” Fair Weather said, and moved restlessly in his sitting position. “Ponies have a bad habit of telling silly ghost stories about the zebras, like how they could raise the dead with alchemy that would then chase bad foals that didn’t brush their teeth at night.” The pegasus looked back at his baby rattle cutie mark. “I have to admit that I’m guilty of that also, but in my defense, it always works.”

“True, the town ponies were even more jittery about the zebras, but that wasn’t the strangest part,” Herman mused. “Can you guess what that was?”

“Hmm, no clue,” Spring replied with a thoughtful expression. “Were the zebras scared of the ponies in turn?”

“Not exactly. The zebras were quite carefree when it came to ponies. Instead, they were terrified of me.”

“Hah,” Dusty exclaimed, then pointed a hoof at Herman. “They were afraid of you? You look like the nicest alien ever.”

“That does sound odd,” Spring said, scratching her chin with a hoof. “Zebras have always prided themselves on being a calm and collected bunch.”

“The meeting did not go well, to say the least,” Herman sighed, then frowned when he thought back at the details. “The moment we met at the train station, the two zebras were so scared that they barely dared to approach me, and when I stepped forward to shake their hooves, they backed away. Things were even more awkward as we walked back to the office, and the whole thing didn’t last ten minutes before the zebras told Deal Maker and me that the trade contract was off. They left the office, even though it would take hours for the next train to arrive.”

“That does sound suspicious,” Spring said. “They traveled all that way just to tell you that they weren’t interested?”

“Deal Maker said much the same, that she’d never experienced a zebra act like that.”

All three ponies thought about it for a few moments, and Herman let them.

Spring then glanced outside and must have noticed something.

“Herman, we’ll have to continue this story later. The cherry trees outside mean we’re getting close to Dodge City.”

Herman looked out and realized that the train was indeed moving through an orchard. “So? I thought we were going to pass through.”

“Circumstances have changed.” She leaped off the bunk and started to go through some of the drawers on the side. “Ah, found it.”

Spring took out a parchment along with an inkwell and quill that she placed directly on the floor, then began writing something with her mouth. Everyone else in the room just watched her until she finished.

“There we go,” she said and looked down at her work. “Just need to let the ink dry for a bit.”

“May I ask what you are doing?” Herman said and tried to lean in to see what was written, but his back soon reminded him what a bad idea that was.

“Herman, I’m sorry, this is an investigation order regarding Glitter Wing.” She blew lightly on the ink, and when satisfied that it wouldn’t smear, rolled it up and presented it to Fair Weather. “Get suited up. I need you to deliver this to the local Guard station as soon as the train stops, then get back here before it leaves again.”

“Yes, Sarge,” Fair Weather replied with a salute, then briskly moved to sort out his armor on the shelf. “It will be tight, but I think I can make it.”

“Dusty, when the train stops, I want you to guard the wagon entrance. Tell everypony that this wagon is off limits to civilians.”

“Yes, Sarge,” Dusty replied, and gave another joking salute. “What will you be doing?”

“I’ll stay here with Herman.”

Herman watched as Dusty helped Fair Weather get his armor back on, the train now passing by Wild West-style buildings on both sides.

“It will be quicker if I fly out the back window before the train stops,” Fair Weather told Spring when his armor was back on. “Just to be sure that I’ll get there in time.”

“Sure,” she replied and paused a moment. “Herman, do you think Glitter Wing has ever hurt anypony? Can you vouch that she is in fact; a good pony?”

“Of course,” Herman said. “I can say for certain she would never harm a soul, and I still think your accusations are ludicrous.”

“Alright, Fair Weather, I want you to tell whoever you give my message to that Glitter Wing is not to be harmed, and doing so will have them answer to me.”

“Understood,” Fair Weather said, then moved to the back window, and as soon as the train began to slow down, he opened it fully and flew out.

Spring closed the window after him. The train was braking heavily now, and Herman could see the train station ahead, and it was packed with ponies. There were even pegasi hovering in the air due to the lack of space.

“That’s a lot of travelers,” Herman noted and pointed at the crowd with a finger. “Is there any special occasion going on?"

Spring looked at where he was pointing, then frowned when she saw how many there were on the platform. “No idea, unless there is a buckball match that I’m unaware of.”

“Nope, I would have heard of it if that was the case,” Dusty replied, looking out the same window. “It’s late in the afternoon, so it could simply be ponies that are returning to Ponyville and Canterlot for the weekend.”

“Dusty, get the food carts back to the kitchen and then get back here.”

“Yes, Sarge,” he said, and grabbed the ends of both carts with a wing, then trotted out with both carts following him.

Herman watched him leave with one eyebrow raised, then turned to address Spring.

“Thank you for adding that about Glitter Wing,” he said.

Spring was peering out at the crowd gathered at the station platform, and didn’t immediately respond, but he knew she had heard him due to a flicker of one of her ears. The train made a full stop, and the passengers were now slowly boarding.

“Sorry for not responding, Herman,” she said when she eventually stopped gazing out at the crowd. “I just thought it strange that there are so many ponies on this route.”

“Didn’t you mention before that the train can get cramped between Ponyville and Canterlot?” Herman asked, genuinely confused. By his recollection, Ponyville was only a small town compared to Dodge City and Canterlot, and by his count shouldn’t affect the traffic in any measurable way.

“Yeah, but that’s because Ponyville is a junction between several cities. Ponies that are traveling from Los Pegasus, Appleloosa, or Vanhoover often need to switch trains in Ponyville before they can get to Canterlot,” she explained and again turned away from him to reach up and check her armor on the shelf above. “I think we’ll all need to be in armor from here.”

“Why so?”

“If the train is too packed, we might need to share the other cabin in the wagon with civilians,” she replied while wiggling into her chest armor. “If so, we need to be more alert to potential problems.”

“If you think that’s prudent, I won’t object,” he replied and swung his torso back and forth to test his back. The pain was almost gone by now, but he would need to stand a little longer before he could risk sitting down again. “What you said to Fair Weather, has there been much violence between the guards and the changelings they’ve uncovered?”

“Not much,” she admitted while making sure her mane would fit inside her helmet. “There have been a few isolated incidents where they’ve tried to make a break for it and gotten ponies hurt in the process.” She seemed serious at first, but then she chuckled. “You should ask Fair Weather what happened to him.”

“He got hurt apprehending a changeling?”

“Nah, not really. It was more like a funny incident when they were interrogating some of the first changelings that we had captured after the attack,” she snickered, then leaped back up on the bunk now that her armor was fully on. “We never expected them to have such a bizarre sense of humor.”

“I’ll be sure to ask him when he returns.”

She gave him a wink, but the conversation slowly died from there, as they both just waited for all the passengers to board. Nothing happened for some time, until Herman noticed Spring's attention switch from the now empty station platform to their wagon entrance.

“Something amiss?” Herman asked her, as her ears flickered.

“I hear Dusty arguing with somepony outside,” she replied.

Herman couldn’t hear a thing, but he could make an educated guess what was going on. Thinking he needed to stretch his legs anyways, he moved away from the window he’d been leaning against and out to the hallway.

“Herman? Wait, where are you going?” Spring said behind him.

“I think I know how to handle the situation,” he replied and moved to the wagon entrance. He could see Dusty through the door window, arguing with two mares on the other side. Not stopping, he walked to open the door and confronted the now flabbergasted mares. Dusty was confused at first why the mares suddenly started gawking at something and were surprised in turn when he looked at who was standing behind him.

“Herman, what are you…” Dusty started, but Herman cut him off.

“Don’t worry, I got this,” he said, then addressed the two mares. “I assume you two fine mares are looking for a place to sit. I know it can get crowded, but are you certain you can’t find a place elsewhere?”

They both stared at him for a few more moments, then both nodded.

“Y-yeah,” the left one said, and nudged her friend on the shoulder. “Petunia, maybe we could go back to wagon three, we could squeeze in next to that lovely couple instead.”

“Okay, that could work,” the right one agreed, and they both turned around and started walking back through the wagons.

“Just one more thing before you go,” he said, and the pair looked back at him. “Is there any special reason why you’re traveling this fine afternoon?”

“Yeah, we were invited to a party in Canterlot by a distant relative,” Petunia said while giving Herman another inspection. “But I’m not sure what the special occasion is.”

“Oh, hopefully, Greener Pastures finally proposed to his fillyfriend,” the first mare replied.

“I understand, thank you for telling me,” Herman said and gave them a wave.

“It was our pleasure,” she cheered, and both mares headed towards the front of the train. The current wagon Herman and Dusty were standing in were fully seated, and Herman found himself being stared at by a dozen curious ponies.

“Thanks for the help,” Dusty said, craning his neck to look back at Herman. “Those mares weren't all too happy about the Guard claiming a whole wagon.”

“My pleasure,” Herman mused, while looking down at Dusty, then gave the onlooking ponies a smile and a wave. Retreating to the back wagon, he was confronted by a peeved-looking Spring.

“Herman—” she began, but he shushed her by placing a finger against her nose.

“I know what you’re going to say, but listen to me. I’m only here because I choose to be. There is no warrant out for me, and I can lawfully decline any summons from the Royal Guard if I so wish it. Believe me, I checked with my lawyer.”

Herman removed his finger, and she scrunched her nose. It looked like she was going to sneeze, but a shake of her head prevented it at the last moment.

“Now, I’m still annoyed at you for sending guards after my best friend,” he continued, then softened his tone. “If we’re making this trip, I won’t tolerate anything like what you just pulled. Understand?”

“Herman—”

Another finger-on-nose.

“Understand?”

“Argh, stop that. Yes, I understand,” she conceded and backed away from him. “I’m only thinking about your safety. There must be a valid threat somewhere if the Guard Captain deemed it necessary to send three of us.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not,” Herman said, but was interrupted by Fair Weather coming through the wagon door behind him.

“I’ve informed the local guards, and they’ll send a group to investigate with the next train,” he said, then looked at them both. “Why are you two in the hallway?”

“We’re just talking,” Spring said, with a hint of bitterness. “Is the train ready to depart?”

“All passengers are aboard so it might leave at any minute now.”

“Okay, let’s return to our seats, right Herman?”

Herman merely nodded and went to try and sit down again. The painkillers must have worked well because he noticed none of his earlier aches.

“Herman, is your back okay?” Spring asked, after taking her seat next to Fair Weather.

“I should be fine now, just need to remember to sit properly and stand up from time to time,” Herman said and flexed his upper torso to one side. “Those painkillers were certainly effective.”

“It’s a three-hour trip to Ponyville from here, but we still have the option to stay the night and finish the trip the next day,” she continued and scratched herself beneath the helmet with a hoof. “It will be late in the evening when we arrive in Canterlot, and I know that they’ve booked you a hotel room across from the Guard station, but they’ll understand if we stop in Ponyville instead.”

“I’d like to get this train trip over in one go if possible,” Herman replied. “But I’ll keep that option open.”

The train's steam whistle announced that the train would be leaving shortly. They all sat there for a few minutes until the train started moving forwards.

“Fair Weather,” Herman said and gave the pegasus a slight smile. “Spring told me you had an interesting experience dealing with changelings. Would you like to tell me that story?”

Fair Weather sighed, and gave Spring a knowing look, who in turn pretended to look in another direction to hide her grin. “I’m never going to hear the end of it, am I?”

“Now I’m intrigued, please tell me,” Herman encouraged.

“Fine. It happened in the days after the invasion. We had captured a few changelings, and were questioning them about how their disguises worked.” Fair Weather said, with an almost bored expression. “We’d already come up with a few disenchant spells and magic-disrupting potions that we were confident would work, we only needed more info.

“So, I was in the room when one of them was being questioned by Shining Armor, the Guard Captain at the time. The changeling wasn’t cooperative, so the interrogation was going nowhere, and he kept claiming that changelings had a myriad of ways to prevent ponies from revealing their true form. Even the changelings sometimes didn’t know if a pony was indeed a changeling or not, but that there existed one sure way to detect a changeling in disguise.

“The changeling would be willing to reveal the secret, but claimed that if he did so, the Queen would be sure to find a way to punish him, so he wanted, in writing, amnesty and assurances that his safety was guaranteed from any retaliation from his kind. Shining Armor naturally agreed and sent me away to fetch the necessary paperwork.

“I did so, and when I returned, the changeling was still talking about how he doubted ponies could protect him, and how the Queen is going to get him for sure. So, I hoofed Shining the paperwork, and the changeling suddenly complained that his throat was dry, and asked if he could have a cup of water. Shining agreed and sent me out again to fetch water from the cooler outside.

“I came back in with a full cup, the changeling takes it and starts drinking, then reads through the paper that Shining had signed and given him, but then the changeling begins acting strangely, swirling his head, eyes moving erratically. Shining asks if he was alright, and we all got worried when the changeling started coughing.

“The changeling then looked into his cup, and quietly says the word poison, then points at me with a black hoof and says Why, brother? After that, the changeling collapsed with a thud on the desk, completely passed out. The room was silent until suddenly Shining cried Guards! and Medic!

“Long story short, I was tackled to the ground and piled on by a dozen of my fellow guards, then dragged off to a clinic, where I spent the entire day being interrogated in turn by my friends. They forced me to drink vile potions or simply threw spells at me to try and remove my would-be-disguise. Apparently, the changeling managed to continue pretending that he was poisoned by a fellow changeling, until late at night when he simply said, Eh, I was messing with you all, because I didn’t like how that bird-pony was looking at me.”

Spring burst out laughing when Fair Weather finished, while Herman chuckled.

“Hey, it’s not my fault ponies find my neutral expression to be cranky,” Fair Weather complained, and there was a rattling of armor as Spring gave his shoulder a hoof-bump.

“A few days later, and I think every guard from Las Pegasus to Manehatten was talking about what happened,” Spring said while trying to get her laughter under control. “It made you famous.”

“Yeah, great,” he scoffed.

“What happened to the changeling?” Herman asked when both ponies had calmed down.

“I think he got a year or two in prison for draining a pony during the invasion,” Fair Weather said, and tilted his head while trying to think back. “He should be out by now, but I don’t know if he decided to apply for amnesty or went back to his hive.”

“He likely went to find the swarm,” Spring said, and gave Fair Weather another broad grin. “So that he could tell them all how he managed to convince the Guard Captain that one of his most trusted ponies was a changeling in disguise.”

“Great, more fame,” Fair Weather sighed, then rolled his eyes. “I have to admit, that changeling was an impressive actor. We soon learned that most of what he had told us during the questioning was straight-out lies just to mess around with us.”

“So no secret way to reveal changelings?” Herman asked.

“Nah, hitting them with dispelling magic or a potion works just as well,” he replied.

The train moved on, and Herman could no longer see Dodge City from the back window. They sat in silence for a long while, with each person contemplating their thoughts. The first to break the silence was Spring.

“Herman, maybe you should continue your story,” she said and looked thoughtful. “You mentioned that the ponies reacted poorly to foreigners, but rural ponies acting like that isn’t exactly news for us.”

“As you wish, but shouldn’t we ask Dusty to join us first?” Herman said.

“I can tell him when we swap shifts,” Fair Weather said.

“Okay,” Herman made sure he was sitting straight before continuing. “There was a reason why I decided to write down my memoirs.” He gave them a sad smile. “I’m old, and in a world that lacks medicine dedicated to human use. I know some of it works for both our species, but the fact is, my time is running short.”

“Herman, don’t say such things,” Spring said, with some force to it, then hesitated. “How old do humans get?”

“It varies greatly, some can get to around a hundred,” Herman replied, holding both of his hands clenched together in his lap. “I’m probably healthier and more active than most, but here, I'd be surprised if I made it past eighty.”

“That’s not so bad,” Spring said, now speaking very carefully. “Why are you so worried about it?”

“True, but I wanted to discover and share the secret of this world, and I lack sufficient evidence so far for my hypothesis,” Herman said and looked at them to both to gauge their reaction.

“And what’s that, Herman?” Spring asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Dusty jokingly calls me an alien, but I believe that I'm not the only one who is foreign to this world.”

“Who else is?” Spring questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Herman didn’t respond and instead raised his arm to point a finger at the pair sitting next to each other.

They looked at him, not understanding what he was on about until something seemed to click in their minds.

“Oh, now I get it,” Fair Weather said, then frowned loudly. “Dusty is going to love hearing about this.”

Ghastly Gorge

“Herman, that can't be true,” Spring said, in the slow kind of drawl that always sounded condescending while simultaneously trying not to be. “Ponies are not aliens, we’ve always lived here.”

Herman sat with his arms folded, waiting for them to finish.

“It sounds like pure sci-fi to me,” Fair Weather said, and adjusted his helmet slightly. “I think I read something similar in a comic when I was a foal. Dusty still reads those, so I could ask him which series it was.”

“Herman, Celestia has been around for long over a thousand years,” Spring continued, when she noticed their counter-arguments didn't convince Herman. “She already told you that there existed no way to travel between worlds.”

“Yet, here I am,” Herman said, but he knew this discussion wouldn’t go anywhere. “I somehow came here from another world, and I immediately recognized most of the fauna and flora. Some things were different, but only slightly so.”

“Herman...” Spring said but was interrupted by him holding up his hand to her.

“I know what you’re going to say,” he said, then lowered his arm. “I doubt I can convince you, but let me try.”

Spring looked like she was going to object again and had apparent problems sitting still, while Fair Weather was busy inspecting his hoof.

“I think what happened to me has happened before, only on a grander scale,” he explained, and once more crossed his arms. “I believe a group of animals ended up here in large enough numbers that they could procreate, and not just ponies, but also plants, fish, birds, and so on.”

Both ponies were looking at him with a deadpan stare, but they were listening.

“I know I can’t prove it yet,” Herman continued, ”it’s my theory that most species in this world are the direct descendants of animals displaced from my homeworld.”

“That’s sounds hard to believe,” Fair Weather said, and looked straight at Herman. “Do you have any proof?”

“Not yet, and I will admit that my theory has some issues,” Herman conceded. “I was never a scholar, and I’m cut off from the knowledge and history of my world, but it all makes so much sense to me.”

“I think we should take a break from this topic,” Spring said, and judging by her tone, she didn’t believe a word of it. “I was thinking of ordering tea now that all the passengers have settled in. Herman, do you want some? Fair Weather will bring it to us.”

“Actually,” Herman said, and dreaded what would come next. “I was thinking of coming with you to the lunch cart.”

“Absolutely not,” Spring said, furrowing her eyebrows and aiming her ears at him. “Our mission is to get you to Canterlot in the safest way possible, and we just can’t...”

“I need to use the bathroom,” Herman interrupted and sighed mentally.

“Oh,” Spring said and blushed due to her earlier outburst. “Then I suppose we may as well since the bathroom is in the same wagon.”

“Guess I’ll also use it while we’re there,” Fair Weather said, and leaped off the bunk.

“Right, I’ll take point,” Spring said, leaping down and motioning Herman towards the exit with a hoof and a smile.

Herman sighed, knowing full well how awkward this would get. Spring moved out to the hallway, while Fair Weather waited for him to follow Spring.

“I’m coming,” Herman said. Inching himself slowly of the bunk, he stood up and did a quick stretch on both sides. Afterward, he followed after Spring who waited for him in the hallway, with Fair Weather set to guard his rear. “Is that necessary?”

“Yes, it’s guard procedure,’” Spring replied, and squinted her eyes at him suspiciously. “You’re not going to try and convince us to skimp on regulations, are you?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Herman said and put his right hand on his heart. “I doubt I could convince you anyway.”

Spring scoffed jokingly, then opened the door to the next wagon. Dusty was seated on his haunches and craned his neck towards Spring.

“Is it already time for a shift-change?”

“Not yet,” Spring said, in a voice loud enough for the entire wagon to hear. “We’re escorting Herman to the bathroom, and then we plan to have tea.”

Herman groaned.

“Should I come with you?” Dusty asked while moving to a standing position.

“No need,” Spring replied while moving past him. “I’ll bring back a thermos with some of your favorites, Mareoccan Mint correct?”

“Yup. Thanks, Sarge.”

Herman followed Spring with determined steps and forced a smile when all the occupants of the wagon turned to gape at him. Spring stopped when she noticed that everyone's attention switched to him, but Herman just waved at her to continue. It was like that for two more wagons, and he could tell that Spring was amazed by the amount of astonishment coming from all the passengers when they first saw Herman.

“Did we gape that much when we first met?” Spring asked once they reached the lunch wagon. The same two ponies from before were still kneading dough and cutting salads, with four additional ponies dining at the tables.

“Yes, actually you did,” Herman replied, and found the bathroom on the opposite side of the wagon. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Herman tried to move past Spring, but she reacted quickly and stayed in front.

“I’ll be fine from here,” he said, but she ignored him, and he couldn’t help but shake his head as they both walked towards the toilet with a stallion imprint, and a loose sign that said ‘Not Occupied’. She stopped and peeped into the lavatory, then stood in a guard position right outside the door. “Are you listening to me?”

“Of course I’m listening, Herman,” she stubbornly replied, and looked straight at the opposing wall. “It’s empty, so go ahead.”

Herman massaged his forehead with his right hand. He knew ponies had virtually no sense of personal space, and often lacked any form of shame or decency when it came to lavatory matters. The embarrassing situation, plus now being the center of attention of the cooks and diners, put a fair amount of stress on him, but he decided that just getting it over with would be the most efficient path.

“Thank you,” he replied, but the sarcasm went over her head as she just beamed at him. Switching the sign around to ‘Occupied’, he then opened the door, found an oval-shaped ceramic seat that barely reached above ground level, and sincerely wished that he was back home with his custom-made toilet. He sighed, entered, closed the door, sighed once more when he realized that it lacked a lock, pulled down his white linen trousers, and sat down at an odd angle.

“Is everything okay in there, Herman?” Spring asked, from the other side of the door, again loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled and resumed massaging his forehead with increased vigor.

“What was that?” she replied, with an even higher pitch.

“I’m fine,” he shouted and cursed internally.

There was a brief pause. “Fair Weather is ordering the tea right now, what kind do you want?” she continued.

“Mint tea will be fine,” he replied, just wanting her to be quiet.

Spring repeated what he said, but the reply was too low for Herman to hear. “What kind of biscuit do you want with the tea?” she asked next. “They have Ginger Nuts, Shortbread and...”

“Ginger Nuts,” he groaned back, and now had both hands massaging his temple. Thankfully, Spring was quiet for the next few minutes so that he could finish his business in peace. It took an effort to stand up again, and he was thankful that the painkillers were so useful, but his clumsy ascent had made a ruckus.

“Herman, what’s happening in there?” Spring asked, and Herman froze a few seconds when he thought that she was about to open the door.

“Nothing,” he said, pulling up his trousers. “I just slipped.”

She didn't reply, so he washed his hands in the sink while inspecting himself in the mirror. There were visible patches of sweat beneath both armpits, likely from when he had stretched his back, and he looked visibly more tired than when they had left his house.

Pushing the door open, he found Spring sitting there, looking like nothing had happened.

“What is it, Herman?” she asked, tilting her head.

“Nothing,” he mumbled and made his way to an empty table with four seats. Fair Weather was talking to one of the cooks at the cash register, while Spring sat down on the opposite side of him.

Fair Weather came next with a table containing three steaming cups and a pack of what must be the Ginger Nuts. On the package, he recognized the West Pony Trading Company logo, a front view of a three-masted barque on a wave with three pegasi flying in an escort formation.

“Thanks, Fair Weather,” Spring said, and got up from her seat. “Stay here while I use the little fillies’ room.”

“Understood, Sarge,” Fair Weather replied, and took the seat directly opposite of Herman, then winged him one of the cups. “Mint tea, I believe it was.”

“Thank you,” Herman said, taking the decorated porcelain cup, then rotating it carefully on the saucer. It had a beautiful picture of a mare holding a flower with a butterfly on it. “This is an amazing teacup for a small kitchen on a train.”

“It’s nice,” Fair Weather agreed, and looked at his cup that had a few red roses painted on it, then took a careful sip. “Not bad.”

“What did you order?” Herman asked, and tried a sip of his own. The taste had only a slight hint of mint, but it felt sweet and fresh.

“Chamomile,” he replied, putting down his cup, then reached for the box of biscuits.

Herman watched him shake out a few of the light-brown cookies and thought about the company logo. “I hear that the West Pony Trading Company often hire Royal Guard pegasi to escort their vessels. Have you ever worked there?”

Fair Weather thought about it as he chewed on the biscuit. “Yeah, I took a one year contract when I was twenty-three, but I didn’t sign up to have a grand adventure like most ponies do.”

“Then why did you?”

“Because me and Sweet Cheeks, my marefriend, had been trying to save up for a house, instead of hiring an apartment back in Canterlot, and the company pays a lot more than the guard.”

“A noble goal. How was it, working for a private employer?” Herman asked while stretching for a ginger biscuit of his own.

“I didn’t finish the whole year. Couldn’t stand being away from Sweet for a month at a time guarding a boat.”

“Did you ever see anything exciting out there on the seas?” Herman asked, and took a bite of the biscuit. It tasted slightly different from the ones his wife used to bake, much sweeter while tasting less of ginger, but it wasn’t that bad.

“Only once, when we met a large dragon out on the open seas. It had apparently flown off course of the migration and decided that the ship I was guarding, the HMS Tolerance, was a good place to land and rest. The only problem was that the dragon was as big as the boat, so we had to convince him to leave before he broke any of the masts.”

“Sounds dangerous, how did you convince him?”

Fair Weather used his wings to shrug. “It wasn’t that bad. Basically, you have to hit them on the nose with a big stick; they hate that. Though, I had to smack him a few times before he finally got the message.”

“Still sounds dangerous to me, don’t they bite and breathe fire?”

“Eh, they’re so slow that no well-trained pegasus would consider them a real threat, even if they get so mad that they start spewing fire all over the place.”

Spring came back from the lavatory at that point and sat herself down next to Fair Weather. “Phew, I needed that. So what are you guys talking about?” she said, then quickly grabbed for a few biscuits and her teacup.

“Just some of Fair Weather’s adventures,” Herman explained, then addressed the pegasus again. “Did you manage to save enough money for a house?”

“Nah,” he replied and scratched the back of his helmet with his left wing. “We always ended up spending all our money on vacation trips.”

“Well, there are certainly worse ways to spend your money,” Herman remembered the late sixties, where he’d spent a month on a fishing boat trying to earn enough money to buy a brand new Triumph Tiger Daytona motorcycle, only to have it stolen three weeks later. Still, it was during those wild weeks he met his wife.

They were silent for a time after that, each sipping their tea and enjoying the biscuits. Spring and Fair Weather came alert every time a new pony left or entered the lunch wagon but instantly became more carefree after giving each a visual inspection.

Herman looked out at the passing countryside, which had turned less grassy and more copper-brown and rocky, though the terrain was still flat with a few large hills looming in the distant.

“Which town is that?” Herman asked, and pointed at a few visible buildings on the horizon. In his office, he had a large map of Equestria that was mostly used to highlight essential customers and depots for his plank shipments, but this town was missing.

“That’s Appleloosa,” Spring said, putting her teacup back on the saucer with an audible clang.

“I can’t remember seeing that town on any of my maps,” Herman said and gave his chin a quick scratch while making a mental note to have them updated.

“A clan of earth pony settlers recently founded it,” Spring explained, and looked out at the window. “The point was to make the land more arable, and to more evenly space out Equestria's towns and villages across the southern border.”

“Interesting,” Herman mused and quickly calculated how much-increased production the lumber mill could manage on short notice. “How come I never heard of it?”

“Not sure,” Spring said but paused a moment to give it some thought. “I only know because I have a few distant relatives living there. I think that a plausible explanation is that the princesses have been hesitant to officially make it a town since there is a land dispute with the Buffalos.”

“I think I understand,” Herman said and tried to think if there were any potential dilemmas in supplying them with planks from his mill. If the town were still in its expansion phase, they would need larger-than-average shipments, and that would likely lead to down-payments on those deliveries, which in turn could be dangerous if the princesses ever decided to cancel the settlement. He would need to charge them with a risk premium if that was the case, and maybe even ask for guarantees from investors or the state.

“What are you thinking about, Herman?” Spring asked.

Herman jerked his head when he realized he’d been staring into his cup, and gave Spring an embarrassed smile. “Sorry, I was simply thinking about work. Do you perhaps have any more insight into the situation in Appleloosa?”

“One of my cousins told me it’s been quiet for over a year if you’re referring to the tension between the ponies and buffaloes,” Spring said and threw another biscuit into her mouth. “Apparently, they managed to bribe them off with apple pies or something.”

“I see,” Herman frowned, not at all surprised by the very pony way of handling conflict, but it sounded like the dispute was well in hand. If he added a weekend shift to the mill, he might be able to accommodate one more customer. The weekend shift would need to be staffed, but Herman doubted the current workforce would be willing to take any additional shifts. Still, there were a few young mares and stallions in Rosewood that were eager to earn some extra bits, though he would need to make sure they were adequately trained for the job before he sent them to work unsupervised. Odds were that he would need to check in on the weekend to make sure things were handled properly since a circular saw could be dangerous in the wrongs hands, or hooves in this case, and Herman didn’t put much faith in letting young adults handle things responsibly.

“Herman, you’re spacing out again,” Spring said, then reached over the table to nudge his hand that was stuck holding the teacup just above the saucer. “Are you okay?”

Herman flinched when she touched him, and almost spilled his tea, but Fair Weather reacted quickly, reaching out to stabilize his cup by pressing both his hooves around his hand.

“I’m sorry,” Herman said, once he's fully returned to the present, then looked down at the hooves holding his hand tight. “You can let go now.”

“You’re still shaking,” Fair Weather noted, and kept his hooves where they were, even when Herman tried to pull back.

Herman looked down at the cup, then took a deep breath. It took a few more inhales and exhales, but he finally managed to calm down enough to keep his hand steady. There wasn’t any need to tell Fair Weather twice, who slowly withdrew to allow Herman to put the cup back on the saucer slowly.

“Herman, talk to us,” Spring said, then left her place to sit on her haunches on Herman’s side of the table. She stretched up and leaned over his shoulder to get a better view of his face, while Herman was struggling to figure out what had set the ponies off like this.

“I’m fine,” Herman said, and tried to push her away, but the armored pony barely budged.

“You’re sweating again,” Spring said. She squinted first at his face, then switched the focus to the hand that was trying to press her away. She backed off, then carefully pressed both her front hooves around his hand at the wrist. “Your other hand is also shaking.”

“I’m fine,” Herman repeated and again focused on slowing his breathing.

“Could this be side-effects from the painkillers?” Fair Weather asked.

“Just give me some space,” Herman said while reclaiming his hand from Spring. “I don’t believe it’s the painkillers.”

“What is it?” Spring asked, and thankfully backed off. “Is it because you were constipated?”

“W-what? No,” Herman said, then frowned. “I believe it’s because I’m under a lot of stress.”

“Oh,” Spring said, and returned to face the table, then craned her neck to look at him. “Is there something we can do?”

Herman just shook his head and tried to lean back, only to realize he was seated in a pony chair without proper back support. He jerked forward once he realized and instead put both elbows on the table and his hands on his head.

“I only need some peace and quiet,” Herman said, dejectedly. “It’s been one thing after another. My best friend might have been a changeling and arrested, and I have no idea what’s gonna happen in Canterlot, I’m continuously sweating.” He looked behind him. “And all of these goddamn pony seats.”

“Herman! No swearing,” Spring criticized, but when he turned to her, she was calm and collected. She put a hoof on his shoulder. “Let’s go back and talk about all your worries. It will be better if you can just let it out.”

“Fine,” he said and sighed heavily. “I guess that might be for the best.”

They all moved up from their seats and found that they were the center of attention in the wagon. The spectators all looked away when Fair Weather glared at them.

“You two can go on ahead,” he said, then moved to the cash register. “I’ll get some tea for Dusty.”

“Okay,” Spring replied, and gestured Herman to follow her.

Herman did so and strolled behind her as she headed for the next wagon. She stopped to look back at him when the distance between them increased. Naturally, she was worried about his slower than usual pace; Herman himself couldn’t quite understand why his body felt so stiff and heavy.

As they made their way, Herman got more and more uncomfortable, and unable to control his sweating. The constant stares from passengers made him increasingly self-conscious. Spring craned her head and gave him a worried glance as they walked to the back of the train.

“What’s up, Sarge?” Dusty asked when they arrived at their wagon.

“Herman is not feeling well,” Spring replied, and looked back at Herman once more. He tried to stand straight and put on a brave face. Her drooping ears showed it wasn't fooling anyone. “Fair Weather will be here shortly with your tea, and he’ll take over guarding the door.”

“Oh, okay,” Dusty replied, then opened the door for them.

They went back to their seats, and Herman sat down slowly, then leaned against the window and closed his eyes for a minute, focusing on staying calm.

“How do you feel?” Spring asked, jumping up on the bunk directly opposite of him.

“Tired, too warm, and homesick,” Herman replied, and opened his eyes to reach out for the window hasp, then slid the window one-third of the way. Fresh air rushed blissfully at Herman’s face, and he instantly felt less constrained.

Spring, however, moved to close the window until only a few inches was open.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

Herman only grunted in response but agreed that the air did feel uncomfortably chilly after just a few moments, as the sun outside had been descending. He closed his eyes once more, and Spring was thankfully quiet, so they sat like that until Dusty came in carrying a thermos and three cups on a tray.

“Fair Weather bought a large one because he figured you all might want some more tea,” Dusty said, and placed the tray on Herman’s bunk, pouring himself a cup, then moved to the seat next to Spring.

“I’m fine,” Spring said and laid down on her side. “If I drink too much, I have to go pee all the time. Herman, you want some more?”

“No, thank you.”

“How far are we from Ponyville?” Dusty asked, and leaned over Spring to get a better view outside.

“About an hour and a half,” she replied and pushed Dusty back to his seat. “Judging by those canyons outside, we’re near Ghastly Gorge.”

“Fair Weather mentioned we might stop in Ponyville,” Dusty continued, and took the tea and saucer that he’d placed next to him on the bunk, then blew carefully at steam before taking a sip.

“Yeah, about that,” Spring said, and rattled her armor as she moved to sit up straight. “Herman, because you're not well. I’ve decided that we’re stopping for the night in Ponyville.”

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, and she seemed determined, but her ears sticking out of her helmet betrayed her otherwise steely demeanor. He thought about objecting, but he was too tired to argue.

“Fine,” he replied.

Spring visibly relaxed.

“What if the hotel in Ponyville doesn’t have any rooms available?” Dusty asked.

“It should be fine. I’ve stayed there a couple of times, and it’s never been more than half-full,” she replied. “Besides, if we’re out of luck, we’ll only have to wait an hour for the next train to arrive.”

Their conversation died out after that, and they all sat in silence, most likely not willing to disturb Herman, who leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. The peace and quiet, discounting the rumblings of the train, ended when Dusty finished his tea.

“Herman, I've got to ask,” he said, then leaped down to put his cup and saucer back on the tray. “Fair Weather told me you believe ponies originate from another world.”

Herman opened his eyes and nodded.

“That’s pretty cool if it’s true,” Dusty said, then returned to his seat. “I’ve read a lot of sci-fi books, but in most of those, ponies use magically propelled sleeper-ships to travel between worlds. Stories about portals normally belong to the fantasy genre, where ponies square off with diamond dog barbarians.”

“I won’t deny that my theory may sound like pure fantasy at first.”

“But, you still believe it’s true?” Dusty continued, with a gleam in his eye. “Tell us why you believe it.”

Spring still only looked mildly interested, as she inspected the bottom of her hoof.

“I do,” Herman said, and gave them both a tired grin, then he tapped one finger on his forehead. “The alien mind-control is the key. I didn’t explain it properly before, but it leads to everything I have told you.”

“And that is?” Spring asked. “I’m still skeptical about that.”

“It’s because there is no mind-control. Instead, I would call it a sort of instinct left behind by your ancestors,” Herman explained and paused to think of a diplomatic way of telling the story. “You see, ponies and humans have a symbiotic relationship where we come from.”

“So ponies and humans live together,” Dusty said, and judging by his erect ears, he was very interested in the conversation now. “That doesn’t sound odd since there are plenty of ponies living in foreign countries.”

Herman hesitated and decided to keep tip-toeing around the subject. “The ponies from my world are... different, and I believe their offspring changed drastically after being displaced in a new and magical world, yet many of their primal instincts remained. Because of this effect, ponies have a strong drive to do what I want, though it doesn’t necessarily control them in any manner.”

“But, Herman, maybe you're just charismatic?” Spring said and looked him up and down. “You look friendly and trusting.”

“Thank you, but I don’t believe it’s so simple, because what convinced me of this theory wasn’t actually how the ponies react to me. Instead, it was my first encounter with a zebra,” Herman continued. “They were as afraid of me as if they were standing in front of a lion on the African savannah.”

“What’s Africa?” Dusty asked and began to wag his tail.

“It’s a continent,” Herman explained and placed both hands on his right knee. “Primitive humans originated from Africa a long time ago, and I believe they hunted the zebras. This is why I believe the zebras in Equestria were terrified of me. They recognized me on a very basic level as a threat.”

“That sounds far-fetched,” Spring scoffed and raised his hoof towards Herman. “What about the gryphons?”

“I believe they treated me indifferently because our species have never met before,” Herman said and put his hands on his knee. “Gryphons didn’t originate from our world, as far as I know.”

“Wait a minute,” Spring protested, while still pointing at him with a hoof. “Why would ponies be driven to make humans happy?”

Herman paused and gave it another moment's thought. “I think the best analogy would be to say that we had the same relationship as ponies and dogs have in this world.”

“Ponies herded sheep, cows, and chased away rabbits?” Dusty asked, and held a hoof over his mouth to prevent a laugh from breaking out. “I like it.”

“Not exactly, they would help with farm work, transportation, or simply act as companions,” Herman said, deciding to keep his explanation kid-friendly and straightforward.

Outside, the sun was almost on the horizon.

“Alright, I’m beginning to see a pattern,” Dusty said while adjusting his helmet. “So, if a Golden Retriever could suddenly talk to ponies, they would still be unconsciously driven to please their masters. Correct?”

“Something like that,” Herman agreed. “Perhaps even the magic of this world amplifies the effects to some extent.”

“That would make a cool book!” Dusty said and looked like he wanted to take notes. “Got any more?”

“Well,” Herman said, and paused. “To prove or disprove my theory, I researched the pony history books from the local library. I wanted to know what historians knew of ancient ponies.”

“Yeah,” Dusty said, waving a hoof. “That won’t tell you much.”

“Exactly,” Herman agreed and decided to close the window, as the train was heading towards a mountain tunnel. “There was minimal confirmable history in those books after you passed one thousand and five hundred years, only stories and speculation.”

“That’s Discord's fault,” Spring said, letting out a slight frown. “He pretty much messed up every book at the time, and even to this date, ponies have issues sorting out that mess.”

“I heard that archaeologists keep uncovering fossils of weird creatures, like the pony-mammoth, but it turns out they were almost all placed there by Discord to play a practical joke on ponies,” Dusty said, and chuckled. “I once heard they found the preserved remains of a giant Ponysaurus that later melted into chocolate once they put it in a museum.”

“The princesses have been alive for much longer than a thousand years,” Spring said and was now also interested in the conversation. “Most of what’s in current history books is from what they remember of those times.”

“Anyway,” Herman said, getting the attention of both ponies. “I was unable to disprove my theory, so instead I decided to expand upon it.”

There was a pause as the train slowed down for the tunnel, and once they entered, the entire wagon went pitch dark. The train roared inside, making any attempt at a conversation impossible. Herman took the time to formulate an argument better.

When they passed the tunnel, the landscape outside changed once more to lush green grass. Herman could see a town in the distance, next to a tall mountain.

“Herman,” Spring said before he had a chance to speak. “Is what you just told us similar to what you wrote in your memoirs?”

“Yes, basically,” Herman replied, a bit caught off guard.

“Then I still can’t understand it,” she continued, looking straight down in front of herself. “Nopony in the Guard would take that seriously. I don’t know anypony, much less the Guard Captain, that would think this matter needed to be investigated, and that it would require sending three guards to help escort someone across half of Equestria.”

Herman didn't know how to respond to that. Instead, he turned to look out the window again. The moon was rapidly ascending, and the light that reflected from its surface revealed a city built on the side of the mountain. It was too far away for Herman to make out more than a few spiraling towers, but with the moon just to the side, it made the sight strangely ominous.

“I have no idea,” Herman honestly replied.

Ponyville

“There’s Ponyville,” Dusty said, breaking the silence in the cabin while pointing a hoof at the window. Herman and Spring broke out of their stupor, as they both had been pondering the reason why Herman had been called to Canterlot.

“That’s your hometown, isn’t it?” Dusty continued while looking sideways at Spring.

“Y-yes,” Spring agreed, looking up from staring down at her hooves. “But it’s been nearly ten years since I moved to Canterlot.”

“Your family still lives there, correct?” Dusty continued, trying to keep the new conversation going.

“My mother does,” she said, in a slow and defensive tone. “But, we won’t have time for any social calls.”

Herman could tell there were some issues there but decided to close his eyes and relax instead of inquiring about it.

“I don’t think it would be a problem if you went in for a quick visit,” Dusty pressed.

“Be quiet, Dusty,” Spring said, somewhat peeved. “Herman isn’t feeling well, and needs to rest.”

“Oh, sorry.”

They were all silent after that, except for the rattle of porcelain whenever Dusty drank some more tea. While Ponyville could be seen from there, the train headed westward to avoid the canyon in-between. Half an hour passed in the cabin, with Herman not getting much rest due to the rumbling train and poor sitting position.

“We’re almost at Ponyville,” Spring said, jumping off the bunk and placing her hoof on Herman’s leg. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine, just need a good night's rest,” Herman replied. He opened his eyes to look outside and found that they were traveling past lush green fields and hills.

“Take it easy,” Spring said, then addressed Dusty. “Could you bring Fair Weather in here?”

Dusty saluted in response, then trotted out.

Herman took the opportunity to stand up and stretch, while Spring watched him as if he might fall over.

Dusty and Fair Weather filed in, standing at attention and waiting for orders.

“Alright,” Spring began, addressing the stallions. “I want you both to escort Herman directly to the hotel. Dusty, you carry Herman’s suitcase.”

“Won't you be coming with us?” Fair Weather asked.

“I need to make a stop at town hall,” Spring said, hesitatingly.

“So you were going to visit your mother after all?” Dusty said and smiled at her.

“No, my visit is purely work-related,” Spring retorted. “I need to speak with the Guard representative that works there. Ponyville isn't big enough to warrant a fully staffed Guard station.”

“Oh,” Dusty said, ears drooping.

The train slowed to a crawl, and Herman could see buildings from the side windows. He decided to put on his white suit again and hoped the smell of his dried up sweat wouldn’t seep into it. He then reached out for his suitcase on the top shelf, which he handed to Dusty.

“Thanks,” Dust replied. “Being tall sure seems useful.”

“I imagine flying being more so,” Herman replied, then reached for his overcoat.

The train's brakes screeched loudly before coming to a halt, and the now visible platform had a few dozen ponies waiting to board.

“More ponies are heading to Canterlot,” Fair Weather noted while standing next to the window. “At least we don't have to stay on a packed train.”

“Alright,” Spring said, and hardened her expression so much that both her eyebrows nearly made out. “Fair Weather, I want you to take point while we embark.”

Fair Weather saluted, then headed towards the hallway.

“Is that necessary?” Herman asked while putting on the overcoat. Spring just gave him a defiant look. “Right, regulations.”

They waited there a few minutes, and then Fair Weather motioned them with his wing. Herman assumed it meant that the path was clear, and rightly so. When the party went on the next wagon, the corridor was empty, as a majority of ponies had remained in their seats. They marched out, with Fair Weather up front, followed by Spring, then Herman, and Dusty at the rear, carrying the suitcase.

The departure from the train went smoothly. Herman felt a bit lighter on his feet, and more confident now that he was wearing his suit and overcoat. All the passengers still stared at him, but this time he didn't mind the attention.

The air outside was chilly, with more than one pony carrying a scarf around their neck, and it was still somewhat bright outside, despite the sun having set. He still hadn't gotten used to how much brighter the moonlight was here than back on Earth.

“This way,” Fair Weather said, then moved toward a pair of stairs leading off the platform.

Only a few ponies turned to look at Herman since most were either walking home or focused on boarding the train. When they'd left the train station, Spring spoke up.

“Alright,” she said, as the party halted on a dirt road leading to the town square. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes or so. The hotel is down that road.” She pointed at a crossway. “You take a left when you reach a bakery called Sugarcube Corner; then it's one more road down from there.”

“Understood,” Fair Weather replied, and they watched as Spring trotted towards the town square and a tall building.

Herman looked about at the town and made an educated guess that there were a little over a hundred buildings in total. It was easy to count, due to the high visibility and ample space between each structure. The one that stood out from rest was the crystal palace that he had read about in the newspaper.

“Herman,” Fair Weather said, looking up at him. “If you’d follow me, please.”

“Sorry, I was admiring the town,” he replied, then moved to follow Fair Weather, with Dusty walking happily beside him. They were alone in the street, but almost every home had their lights on.

“So, you think Spring went to town hall to meet with her mother?” Dusty asked as they followed the directions they'd been given.

“Her mother works there?” Herman asked, and scratched his chin.

“Spring doesn't like to talk about it, but her mother is actually the mayor of Ponyville,” Dusty continued.

“They've never seen eye to eye,” Fair Weather chimed in.

“Oh, why not?” Herman asked and, without thinking, put a hand on Dusty's armored back. The pony looked up at Herman and moved closer to offer him support while walking.

“Spring’s mother didn't approve of her joining the Guard,” Dusty said, in a tone too cheerful to fit the subject of the conversation. “Spring mentioned how tired she was of her mother's complaining that there weren't any grandfoals yet.”

Herman’s mind drifted away at the mention of grandfoals. Spring would roughly be the same age as his daughter, and their situation wasn't that all that different. He would never know if he had any grandkids or not, much less be able to hold them or teach them how best enjoy life.

Dusty moved closer to him, and Herman hadn't realized that he had put some extra weight on the pony. He thought about removing his hand, but seeing how happy Dusty was at helping, he decided to keep it there for now.

“Won’t town hall be closed at this hour?” Herman asked.

“The Guard has a small office in the building that's always open in case of an emergency,” Fair Weather answered, then stopped when they arrived at what must be the bakery Spring had mentioned.

“I could really go for some cake right about now,” Dusty said, as they all looked at the heavily pastry-inspired building with a cupcake signpost.

“They’re closed,” Fair Weather said and pointed a hoof at the next intersection. “Let's move.”

They did so, with Fair Weather still taking the lead while Dusty kept close to Herman’s side. The road was empty, but a pegasus colt in one of the houses lining the street happened to be at the window, and when the foal saw the group, he waved at them furiously.

Surprised by this, Herman and his guards stopped and decided to humor the boy by waving back, but they did not expect him to have a camera at the ready. The colt quickly took a shot of them standing there, waving, with fake smiles. The colt then promptly vanished from the window.

“What was that all about?” Herman asked.

“No idea,” Fair Weather said, and began walking again. “I’ve heard this town is weird.”

They reached the intersection and found what they were looking for. The hotel stood out from the rest of the buildings in Ponyville, which were mainly thatched roofed cottages. The exterior reminding Herman more of a Victorian-age inn, with its red roof tiles and wall bricks.

“Hmm,” Fair Weather mumbled, walking up to the blue door with a lantern hanging above it. “It certainly looks quaint.”

“Golden Horseshoe Hotel,” Dusty said, reading from a sign next to the door.

“Let’s see if they have any rooms available,” Fair Weather continued and pushed open the door. The interior was sparse, with a single counter at the far end of the room, and tables for eight groups.

“Oh, hello there,” a mare behind the counter said, then trailed off for a few moments when she spotted Herman. “Welcome to Golden Horseshoe Hotel, my name is Citrine, what can I do for you?” She finally pressed out, as if on autopilot.

“I’m Private Fair Weather, we are here on official Royal Guard business, and we require rooms for three ponies and a human for one night,”

“Uh, okay,” she said, then took up a large ledger from beneath the counter. “We have two two-bedders left.”

“Nothing else?”

“We also have one double bed,” she cheered, while browsing through the list, then looked at them each in turn. “But, I assume that's out of the question.”

“We’ll take the two two-bedders with breakfast,” Fair Weather mumbled, and fished out a pouch from somewhere beneath his armor. “Do you have anything we could eat before we retire to our rooms?”

“The kitchen is closed, but I can make you a few sandwiches if you like.”

Fair Weather looked at Herman and Dusty, who was standing to the side of the counter. “Cucumber?” he asked.

Herman nodded, though he'd preferred one that contained tuna.

“Four cucumber sandwiches and some cider,” Fair Weather said, and gestured at one of the empty tables. “Another from the guard will be joining us shortly.”

“Would you like anything else?” she asked.

“That will be all for now.”

“Alright, that will be ninety-five bits,” she said and wrote down the sum and a name in the ledger.

“Excuse me,” Herman said, while Fair Weather was stacking up coins on the counter.

“Yes?” she stuttered slightly.

“I will need some form of an extension for my bed,” Herman explained and made a gesture with his hand to show how tall he was. “I know it’s on short notice, but could you arrange something?”

“O-oh, of course,” she replied, putting a hoof to her chin. “Sadly we don’t have anything readily available.”

“I’m sure you’ll manage to think of something,” Herman said.

“Y-yeah, no problem,” she said, smiling uncertainly. “The owner lives across the street, I’ll fetch him, and we’ll think of something.”

“Thank you,”

Herman felt something poke his side and found Dusty grinning up at him, but he just gave the pony a shrug in return. Dealing with pony-sized beds wasn’t something Herman was keen on doing tonight.

“Thank you, your room number is three and four,” she said and pointed at a door across the room. “They’re just past that door.”

Herman noted they weren’t given any key to their apartment and had to assume the door was going to lack a lock.

“Let’s wait here for Spring,” Fair Weather said, then moved to take a seat at the table, while Herman moved one of the chairs so that he could use the wall as back support.

“Was that your mind-control, Herman?” Dusty asked, and pointed at Citrine, who had just exited the building through the front entrance, leaving both the counter and the cash register unattended.

“Maybe, it's hard to tell sometimes,” Herman said. “She might just have been friendly and customer-centric.”

“Still, she went to fetch her boss long past normal work hours,” Dusty noted.

“That's not really proof of anything,” Fair Weather scoffed, and leaned at the table with a forehoof. “Herman, is there anything you could do to show for certain?”

He thought about it but rejected the idea. “Not that I could think of. Or at least, not without taking advantage of someone, which Spring said was a punishable offense, remember.”

“That’s only if you're a spellcaster,” Dusty said, and also leaned in conspiratorially. “It doesn't count if you don't use magic, probably.”

“The answer is still no,” Herman frowned.

“Just kidding around,” Dusty snickered, putting his hoof behind his neck while laughing falsely. Luckily, there were no other patrons present, and the cashier soon returned with the owner, an elderly stallion, who went straight for the guest rooms without even noticing their group. Citrine went to a place behind the counter and soon came out with drinks and sandwiches.

They thanked her and ate in silence. Herman took special care with his food, lifting each cucumber to make sure it didn't hide any form of flowers or hay. They had about finished their meal when Spring came in with another mare wearing a less elaborate set of armor.

“Lily, this is who we are escorting, a human called Herman,” Spring said, introducing the mare who saluted while giving a wink to their party. Lily didn’t wear the standard helmet with a plume, but instead used a sort of half-helmet that allowed her mane to flow freely, and was decorated with a large flower at the front. Spring had no doubt told her about Herman, as the mare recovered quickly from seeing him, and instead gave Herman an energetic wave when she was done saluting.

“Herman, this is recruit Lily Valley,” Spring continued while moving to sit down at the table. “She will keep the hotel under watch while we sleep.”

“Yup, you can count on me,” Lily exclaimed, then walked next to where Fair Weather was seated. “Say, Fair, you wouldn’t happen to be single yet?”

“Hello again, Lily,” Fair Weather sighed while inching away from her. “Still happily engaged, I’m afraid.”

“Lily,” Spring chided, and pointed at an empty stool near the hotel entrance. “You have a job to do, remember?”

“Fine, fine,” Lily said, rolling her eyes. “I’ll be good.”

Herman watched as the mare moved to sit alone near the entrance. Shortly after being seated she conjured up several of what Herman assumed to be gossip magazines.

“We brought you something to eat,” Dusty told Spring, then pushed the sandwich over to her.

“Ooh, thanks,” she happily replied, eyeing it greedily.

Herman had finished his meal at this point and noted when the hotel owner came muttering out from the hallway.

“I’ve extended one of the beds in room three,” the old stallion muttered to no one in particular, then headed straight for the exit without even bothering to notice Lily.

“I think I will retire to my room,” Herman said and rose from his chair. The ponies looked up at him and waited for an explanation. “I’m simply tired, and want to freshen up.”

“Okay,” Spring said, looking up at Herman, then at her friends. “It’s a bit early still for us to go to bed. I assume you’ll be in room number three?”

“Yes, and good night,” he replied, and turned towards the hallway with his suitcase in one hand. He quickly found the correct room and pushed open the door. The room itself wasn’t very spacious, which was no surprise, seeing how small the hotel was, but the two beds were large by pony standards. The bed furthest away had an upholstered footstool at the end, and since it was the same height as the bed, Herman supposed that it would work as an acceptable extension.

Hanging his overcoat and suit on a knob and placing his suitcase next to the bed, he then peered into the bathroom next to where he would be sleeping. It wasn't the first time he had been at a pony hotel, and the oddly shaped toilet and too-low shower were going to be annoying to use as always. At least it was well supplied with soap, various shampoos, towels, and several pairs of toothbrushes with a blue, thick toothpaste kept in a round glass jar. Several kerosene lamps lighted the room, and judging by their rosy smell; they were all scented.

Herman let out a deep sigh, then began to undress in the bathroom. Once he was bare, he looked himself in the mirror, and instantly wished that he was still in, or even close to his prime. There wasn't much he could do about that fact, so he instead brushed his teeth, then bent his head to get into the shower.

Once he felt clean again, he dried himself, then wrapped the towel around his waist, and went to fetch some fresh underwear from his suitcase, but when he opened the bathroom door, he was surprised by an unarmored Spring sitting at the entrance.

“Yes?” Herman asked after they had stared at each other for a few moments. He felt very uncomfortable, standing there mostly naked.

“Nothing,” Spring replied, tilting her head slightly. “I was waiting for you to finish.”

“Oh, right,” he said, then turned to remove his old clothes with his free hand. “I thought you were going to stay outside and chat with your friends.”

“I was, but I needed to use the toilet,” she explained and moved past him.

“Oh,” Herman said and felt a sense of déjà vu as she closed the door behind him. After standing there for some time with his mind drawing blanks, he moved to open his suitcase on the bed and cursed himself for not bringing a spare set of underwear with him into the bathroom. Once he had a fresh pair on, he put the towel on a chair, then moved across the room to fetch the pouch in his jacket.

Inside were nine pills, and he took one to prevent any pain from waking him in the middle of the night. Satisfied, he went to lie beneath the sheets and smiled when he felt how soft the cushioned mattress was. The view from the bed was different from what he was used to back on Earth. Instead of a mirror lining the wall, there were colorful paintings of earth ponies and flowers, and where the television would typically have been stood a writing desk with ink and paper. Another missing amenity was the lack of a small fridge with complimentary beverages and snacks.

When the shower inside the bathroom started, it made him realize that he would be sharing the room with Spring but didn't quite understand why he felt uncomfortable about that fact. Herman ignored the feeling and drew the sheets up to his neck, immediately realizing they were too short to cover his feet resting on the footstool.

After showering for a long time, Spring came out with one towel around her mane, and another slung across her back. She whistled a tune that he couldn't quite place, and stopped when she reached her bed.

“You okay, Herman?” she asked while removing the towels.

“I’m fine,” he said, then let out a long yawn. “Just tired.”

“It’s been a long day,” she agreed, then blew out one of the lamps.

Herman got the message and blew out the one on his nightstand. The room became immediately darker, with only the moonlight from a small window near the entrance to a light source.

“Goodnight, Herman,” she said when she snuggled into her bed.

“Goodnight, Frej-” Herman replied, and instantly felt as if his blood had frozen to ice.

“What was that?” Spring asked, and turned in her bed towards his direction. “Herman?”

He didn't reply. Instead, he laid there looking up at the dark ceiling. Why had he almost called her by his daughter’s name?

“Herman?” she said, sounding worried.

He blinked and moved to sit up straight while massaging his temple with one hand.

“I’m sorry,” he said, then turned to her direction. “I’m just slightly confused. Goodnight, Spring.

“Goodnight, Spring,” he repeated and laid on his back again, all the while feeling her stare at him in the dark.

The next morning, Herman woke up not knowing where he was and had to take a few minutes to remember what had happened yesterday. Spring was not in her bed, so he assumed she had intentionally let him sleep in. It likely meant that he had plenty of time before the next train, so he took special care in washing and shaving in the bathroom.

When that was done, he put on some cologne meant for stallions, then made sure his suit, tie, and fresh shirt looked good in the mirror. The result was more than adequate, and he laughingly made a few attempts at Michael Jackson moves. He made a mental note to have a white fedora commissioned when he returned to Rosewood and stashed his current one inside the suitcase since it only matched his overcoat.

He left the room with his suitcase in one hand and overcoat hanging over the other, and when he got to the entrance area, he found it full of ponies, with Dusty and Fair Weather talking in the corner. Like always, all activities ceased when he entered the room, but he ignored the stares and went straight for his escort.

“Good morning, Herman,” Dusty said, and gestured to one of the chairs at their table with a wing. Herman accepted the invitation and dropped the suitcase next to the chair.

“Morning,” Herman said, as he sat down. “How long have I been asleep?”

“It’s late morning,” Fair Weather responded, and looked around at the other patrons, who quickly returned to minding their own business. “Do you want breakfast?”

“I think I'll skip it, then,” Herman replied and looked at both of them. “Why didn't you wake me? And where is Spring?”

“She told us not to bother you, and that you needed to rest since you weren't well yesterday,” Fair Weather said. “We were going to wake you in an hour or so.”

“And Spring?”

“She had business at the Guard office and went there with Lily. I suppose she might also be talking with her mother,” Dusty replied. “It might take a while, but we're supposed to meet up with her at the train station at midday.”

“So, what do we do until then?” Herman asked.

“Spring suggested that we wait here,” Dusty said, then changed to whispering. “I have a better idea.”

“And that is?” Herman asked, then glanced at Fair Weather who didn't seem too happy about Dusty’s plan.

“We take a quick visit to Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship,” Dusty continued.

“Okay, why?”

“Think about it, Herman. The Princess of Friendship is known to be one of the most intelligent and knowledgeable ponies there is,” Dusty said, then returned to his original position. “It's a good bet she knows where your people live.”

Fair Weather was grumbling to himself, but Herman supposed it wouldn't hurt giving it a try. He had also read about some of her exploits in the newspaper.

“We can't just waltz in and bother a princess like that,” Fair Weather said, tapping his hoof at the table. “It's not proper.”

“It will be fine,” Dusty said, and pointed at Herman with a hoof. “If we succeed, Herman might be reunited with his family again.”

Herman felt a sudden weight in his stomach at hearing those words, and Fair Weather soon relented.

“Fine, if Herman wants to,” he said.

“I don't see the harm,” Herman said and sat more straight in his chair. “But I highly doubt she has seen my kind before.”

“Alright, let's not waste any time,” Dusty said, and the party all rose up from their chairs. “Let me take your suitcase.”

“Thank you.”

They made their way outside, and what immediately struck Herman was how different the town looked in daylight. He knew that earth ponies often went overboard with managing gardens, but he had never seen anything quite like this town. A variety of colorful flower beds surrounded every cottage, and they assaulted his sense of smell. He took a deep breath through his nose, and he suddenly felt twenty years younger.

“It’s this way,” Dusty said, and pointed at the tall crystal structure that stood out like a sore thumb. It wasn't far away, and only a few ponies were walking the road, except near an open space down a different street where a town market seemed to be taking place.

“Is there any special etiquette when meeting a princess that I need to know about?” Herman asked as they walked on the packed dirt road.

“They are not mandatory for civilians,” Fair Weather replied, strolling on Herman's left side while also looking up at him. “But, try and be polite, give her a short, and respectful bow, only address her as Princess Twilight unless she tells you otherwise.”

“That should be easy enough,” Herman said and tried to think back to how people behaved in medieval movies. The only one he remembered watching in the cinema was Ivanhoe, and he couldn't even recall if it had any princesses in it.

“Don't worry,” Dusty said, walking on his right side. “The rumor is that Princess Twilight prefers ponies to act casually around her.”

“Let's not take any chances, shall we,” Fair Weather stated, as they left the town border on the road to the crystal castle. The journey was uneventful, as there wasn't anyone near the tall building.

“Should I knock?” Dusty asked when they arrived at the door. Herman and Fair Weather gave him an approving nod, but they all turned back to the castle when they heard a rumbling inside.

“Wait, I’ll do it,” Fair Weather said, and gave it a few firm knocks. They all waited patiently, but when they heard a racket of kitchenware Fair Weather knocked again, harder.

It took a while, but the door eventually opened a third of the way, revealing a light purple unicorn with an aquamarine mane.

“Yes, what is it?” she asked, sounding stressed, then her eyes bulged when she saw royal guards standing outside, while Herman had decided to take a step to the side to avoid her field of vision.

“My name is Fair Weather, and this is my colleague Dusty Storm,” Fair Weather said, introducing themselves without revealing their ranks. Just as he finished, a larger ruckus could be heard from inside, as if someone was throwing around pans. “May I ask who you are, and what that noise was?”

“Oh, my name isn't important,” she replied, seemingly nervous. “Why is the guard here? Do you have a warrant?! I’ve done nothing wrong, or ethically dubious!” She continued to stumble, while sometimes looking behind her.

Fair Weather tried to peer in to get a better look, but the mare blocked him.

“Starlight Glimmer, I have finished the dress,” a new mare said, in a strange and unnaturally monotone voice.

“Not like that,” Starlight Glimmer said, addressing the other mare behind the door. “Go make a real one out of fabric.”

“Ah, yes, I see,” the monotone voice replied. “Of course, Starlight Glimmer.”

They heard the new mare trot away, but the sounds of pans being thrown around continued.

“Miss Starlight Glimmer, what's going on in there?” Fair Weather asked, with a hint of authority in his voice.

“W-what? In here, nothing is going on, hehe, haha,” she replied, with sweat running down her forehead. “Just give me a moment.”

She slammed the door on them. A few moments later they heard a large rumble as if a mountain of pans and pots had fallen over.

“Uh, should we do something?” Dusty asked, as more strange noises could be heard from inside.

“Let's wait for now,” Fair Weather said, and listened in an attempt to make sense of what was going on in there. They could hear the echoes of another mare now, speaking in the same slow and strangely clipped way.

The door opened slightly once more, and Starlight Glimmer’s head poked out, but her mane now sported a significant amount of cake batter.

“We have someone who desires a meeting with the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle,” Fair Weather said while looking very serious.

“Oh, well that won't be possible,” she responded, then looked around. “Who wants to meet with her?”

“I do,” Herman said and moved in from behind the door.

“Holy Celestia,” Starlight Glimmer said, and he could see her pupils dilate when she looked up at him.

“May we come inside?” Herman asked, in the friendliest tone he could manage, but it took a while for her to respond.

“Of course you may,” she replied, sounding much more relaxed.

She opened the door entirely, and that's when they saw smoke coming from the inside.

“Fire!” Fair Weather shouted, which made Starlight Glimmer jump into the air. “Move aside!”

The mare, however, slammed the door on them again, then shouted to someone inside.

“We need water!” she screamed.

“Yes, Starlight Glimmer,” a new raspy, but equally monotone voice replied. Seconds later something blue bolted out of the crystal building, and before any of them could react to what was going on, the pegasus mare returned, pushing a large stormcloud through an opening at the top. Seconds later, they heard thunder, followed by heavy rain.

They all stepped away when water came pouring out from the sides of the door, which was shortly after that opened by Starlight Glimmer, whose mane now hung dripping and sticky with sugar.

“Everything is under control,” she panted, breathing heavily and pausing between each word. “Twilight is away in Canterlot, but she should be back in an hour or two, so you’re welcome to return at that time.” She looked exhausted when she turned and shut the door.

They waited.

“Well, that was unexpected,” Herman said, breaking the silence.

“I guess there is nothing we can do if the princess is out of town,” Fair Weather said while staring at the castle.

“Let's go get some delicious ice cream while we wait for the train to arrive,” Dusty said while scratching his chin with a hoof.

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Herman agreed.

They walked back to town without saying a word, until they reached the house that looked like it was made of gingerbread. Though Herman only ordered a small ice cream, he noted that the overweight mare had given him extra scoops, making it, in fact, larger than Fair Weather’s and Dusty’s medium-sized ones. Nobody bothered to comment on that fact.

They thanked the mare when they were done, and made their way towards the train station, but since they still had time, they took the scenic route. The town itself didn’t have any noteworthy sights, but the high variety of beautiful gardens and smells made it well worth it to stroll around.

When the train station finally came into view, they found Spring pacing back and forth at the entrance to the plateau. Her head was slumped down, and she didn't notice them approaching until they were almost next to her.

“Something the matter, Sarge?” Fair Weather asked, startling the mare.

“Oh, you’re here,” Spring said, and tried to look more resolute. “I’m fine, just had a squabble with my mother again.”

“Was it bad?”

“The usual,” she replied and gestured them to move in under the station roof. A dozen or so ponies were waiting for the train, and Herman recognized some of them from the hotel lobby.

“I also heard some news,” she continued, talking so only the three of them could hear. “The Guard has been placed on high alert, and the security around the princesses has been tightened.”

“Strange,” Herman mused, “I didn’t see any Royal Guards at the crystal castle.”

“You went to see the princess?” Spring asked, and gave her fellow guards a suspicious glare, but then decided to drop the matter. “The guards around princess Twilight Sparkle always stay out of sight, by orders of Princess Celestia, but they no doubt noted your little visit.” She looked up at Herman. “Did Princess Twilight tell you anything?”

“She is currently in Canterlot, so we only talked briefly with a strange mare called Starlight Glimmer,” Dusty said, then looked up to see the train coming in the distance.

“I’ve heard of her,” Spring said, and frowned. “She was a criminal until Princess Twilight took her under her wing and made her a pupil.”

Nobody had a reply to that, so they remained silent until the train arrived. When the train stopped, and the conductor came out, Spring pushed past the other passengers, who grumbled at her behavior. After a short talk with the conductor, she motioned them to board first.

Herman exchanged a look with Fair Weather and Dusty, who just shrugged and straightened up, then escorted Herman past the crowd. The train this time was more than half-full, but it got less and less crowded as they moved further back. When they got to the last wagon, Spring commanded Fair Weather to stand guard at the door.

Herman and Dusty had to wait in the hallway, as Spring told a family of four already in the last wagon that it needed to be commandeered by the Royal Guard, and that there was room for them in the next wagon. They agreed, though were slightly peeved at having been forced to move. Herman watched as the earth pony stallion grabbed his colt by the scruff of the neck with his mouth, then moved him over to rest on the mother’s back.

“Was that necessary?” Herman asked when the family had left.

“Sadly, yes,” Spring replied, then motioned them to enter the cabin. “This heightened security worries me. The last time there was such an announcement, Canterlot was attacked the next day.”

“Yeah, I don’t want to get caught off guard like that again,” Dusty said, as he put away Herman’s suitcase. “And it's bad timing with this influx of passengers heading to Canterlot over the weekend.”

Herman placed his overcoat on the same hanger as before, though he wasn’t sure if this train was the same one as yesterday, or if all Equestrian trains looked alike. They all took their seats, while he again muttered to himself about the height of the bunks.

“Herman, there is one more thing I need to tell you,” Spring said, and sat more erect on her haunches.

“What is it?” Herman asked, suddenly wary.

“Yesterday, I asked the Guards in the town hall to keep an eye out for any reports about new changeling arrests.”

Herman already knew what she was going to say.

“I’m sorry, but Glitter Wing is a changeling and was arrested yesterday for impersonating a pony and for taking part in the attack on Canterlot last year,” she continued, looking straight at Herman. “The report says she gave a full confession and told the guard that she was sent here several years ago as a spy, but that she never hurt a pony and regretted taking part in the invasion.”

Herman decided to stand up and nearly fell over as the train started moving. The ponies reached out for him, but he held his arm stretched towards them with his palm up. They backed off, as he looked out of the window.

“Where is she now?” he asked, watching the town of Ponyville go past.

“She will be held in Dodge City until an investigation of her testimony is complete,” Spring said, looking down between her legs with folded ears. Dusty remained silent at her side, and his gaze rotated between him and her.

“How long will an investigation take?” he continued.

“Likely a few weeks.”

“And if what she says is true?”

“She will probably be sentenced to community service, minimum thirty days.”

“And if it turns out that what she said is false?”

“Prison, most likely a year.”

Herman took a deep breath. His first thought was that nobody was watching his house if she was in prison, and he grew angry at himself for thinking so selfishly. What mattered was that she wouldn’t be there when he returned.

“I hope you’re happy,” he muttered, then turned to face her.

Herman was surprised to see a tear running down Spring’s cheek, and he immediately softened his demeanor.

“I’m so sorry, Herman,” Spring sniffed, unable to face him. “But, it’s for the best.”

“How?”

“Think about it,” she continued, then looked up at him. “She has been forced to live a lie, afraid that someday her queen would order her to hurt somepony, or that Guard might burst into her home in the middle of the night.”

Herman tried to think back to each time he had spent with Glitter Wing, making lunch at her place, or talked about life in general at the local tavern. There were times where she laughed with everyone, but then suddenly her face could turn to stone, with a blank stare that gazed out at nothing. Herman always expected she remembered something troubling from her past, in a way, much like he would do.

“This is a chance to put all of that behind her,” Spring continued, and wiped the tear with a hoof.

“And if she decides to leave Equestria?” Herman asked, looking away.

“Then that will be her decision,” Spring answered. “You will have plenty of time to visit her before then.”

“I see,” Herman said, then returned to sit down on the bunk. “Thank you for telling me, Spring, and I hope you can forgive me for being upset with you.”

“Of course I forgive you, Herman,” she said, then gave him a bright smile.

Dusty stopped looking back and forth and seemed relieved that both of them were on better terms, but it was followed by a long and awkward silence in the cabin. Herman was deep in thought. Glitter Wing had always been there when he felt down, or when missing his family became too hard.

His ruminations stopped when he felt the train ascending, and he looked out to see that the train was now right next to the mountain. He realized that the train tracks ran around it in an upward spiral. Standing up, he looked out the back window. Up there, in the distance, he saw it.

Canterlot.

Author's Note

It’s only a model.

Canterlot Part 1

“Herman,” Dusty asked, reading from a menu. “What would you like to order for lunch?”

Herman was gazing out the window at the incredible landscape. The train still skirted the edge of the mountain while it ascended, and the higher they got, the more of the countryside came into view, reaching the point where he could barely look down without getting a small case of vertigo. Though the train kept increasing its elevation, it maintained the same speed as on the ground level, but the ponies didn't seem to share his fear that the whole thing might derail, or that a landslide might be blocking the path around the next bend.

“Herman?” Dusty repeated.

“Sorry,” Herman said and moved away from the window. “Let me see.”

Dusty gave him the menu, and Herman only bothered to check out the part of the list containing fish.

“Spinach salad with salmon and apple juice, please,” Herman said and handed it back to Dusty.

“Alright then,” Dusty said, turning to Spring. “Should I ask Fair Weather to order it?”

“No,” Spring said, sounding resolute. “If the Guard has been placed under high alert so should we. You will have to get it.”

“Yes, Sarge,” Dusty said, and gave a serious salute for once.

Herman watched him leave the cabin.

“Do you think the changelings are the cause of this heightened alarm?” Herman decided to start pacing back and forth to make sure he avoided any back issues. It had been foolish of him not to have alternated between sitting and standing from the start of the trip.

“I have no idea,” Spring said, still seated on her haunches, her head following Herman as he slowly walked back and forth in the small room. “We know they fled south across the Badlands a year ago, but there has been no sign of them since, and it would be highly unlikely that they would manage to cross our border in force like they did last time.”

“How so?” Herman asked.

“The Royal Guard now heavily patrols the area,” Spring explained. “And we do random checks to prevent any infiltration.”

“Have there been any?” Herman asked, stopping next to the window. The train was rattling heavily from loose stones below the tracks, and Herman had to look out from time to time just to convince himself that the train wasn't heading for a disaster.

“Infiltrations? No, just a few individual changelings that were left behind.”

Herman wasn't too interested in the politics of Equestria, but since the ponies had accepted him into their homes and made him a citizen, he felt that he had a duty to help them if needed. Not that he was in any way fit enough to hold his own, but there were always ways for someone to contribute.

“Could you tell me what I should expect when we reach Canterlot?” he asked, pointing upwards with a finger.

“Well, first things first, we head to the Royal Guard wing of the palace,” she began, moving her hoof sideways in the air. “Then, we will see if the Captain of the Guard has time to see you.” She changed to a circular motion. “When he has time, you’ll be given an appointment. Simple.”

“And if he is too busy because of what’s happening?”

“You’ll be given a room in the hotel that the guard owns,” she answered. “The one you were supposed to have slept in yesterday.”

“Apologies, for being such a troublesome person to escort,” he said, then gave her a theatrical bow.

“You're nothing compared to drunk nobles that I sometimes have to escort home after a royal party,” Spring scoffed, then smiled.

“I imagine you holding up the mane of a noblemare wearing a brilliant gown, as she hurls up fancy food and wine in a street alley,” Herman chuckled.

“You don't know the half of it.”

“Could you tell me about this Captain of the Guard that I'm supposed to meet?” Herman asked, then walked to sit down again opposite Spring.

“Captain Shining Armor, or better known as Prince Shining Armor of the Crystal Empire,” Spring said and mumbled a bit at the long title. “He’s an impressive stallion.”

“I’m supposed to meet with a prince?” Herman asked, raising an eyebrow. “I don't fully understand, please explain.”

“Prince Shining Armor is still technically the Captain of the Guard, mostly because nopony competent enough wanted the position,” Spring said, while seemingly distracted by something. “He mainly resides in the Crystal Empire, but he usually works a few days a week in Canterlot.”

“How should I address him?” Herman continued, trying to remember what he had read about the royal family in the newspapers. He vaguely recalled them mentioning him becoming a father. “Is it Captain or Prince Armor?”

“Either work,” Spring said, waving her hoof dismissively. “The only ones in the palace who are sticklers for honorifics are the palace clerks.”

“And what kind of stallion is he?”

“Dutiful, but still approachable,” Spring said, looking sideways as she recounted his quirks. “Sometimes hard on the recruits, but always fair, a clever tactician, has a gorgeous mane, an inspiration to the troops, really muscular che…”

“I think I get the picture,” Herman interrupted, then watched Spring blush as she realized what she had been saying.

“Sorry,” Spring said, with ears moving in random directions. “I had a crush on him a few years ago.”

Herman gave a smirk and a raised eyebrow. “A few years ago?”

“Fine, I may still have a crush on him,” Spring scoffed, then shook her head. “But it’s just those silly ones that little fillies get. I’m well aware he’s already taken.”

She put a hoof over her mouth and didn’t remove it until a few deep breaths later.

“Sorry,” she repeated, then lowered her head a bit. “I’m rambling, and I think quarreling with my mother is to blame.”

“You know,” Herman began, leaning backward after a short pause. “What you believe to be your ideal partner is very rarely what ends up being your perfect partner.” He did have some experience in that regard; if someone had told him in his early twenties that he would end up marrying a blonde girl from northern Europe, he would have called them mad.

Spring just muttered something that was below Herman’s hearing.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Herman asked, trying to look as open as possible.

“No, I'd rather talk about something else.”

“Alright,” Herman said, then moved to lean against the window. “What should I expect from the palace?”

“Nothing special,” Spring replied. “The part we will visit is our command headquarters, so expect a few higher-ups.”

“Will my presence cause any trouble?”

“No,” Spring said, tilting her head slightly. “Why would it?”

“No reason,” Herman said and wondered what would happen back home if someone just waltzed in to meet with the Chief of Staff with an alien in tow.

The two stared at each other for a few moments, then looked away at the same time. Herman wondered what was going on in her mind, but decided to focus on himself and to stay as calm as possible.

“Lunch is here,” Dusty said, pushing a lunch cart into the cabin.

“That was fast,” Spring noted, then loudly sniffed the air twice. “You’ll need to go and replace Fair Weather once you’ve eaten, Dusty.”

“Okay, Sarge.”

They took their seats and ate in silence, with Herman carefully balancing his bowl to make sure he didn’t spill anything whenever the wagon jolted. When they were done, Dusty went outside to replace Fair Weather, who came in and took the lunch that was still hidden beneath a domed silver plate cover.

“Anything suspicious outside?” Spring asked while switching to lay down on all fours.

“Maybe,” Fair Weather answered, in between bites. “A pair of older stallions in the next wagon talked about how much activity there was at Fort McHorn in Baltimare, just before they left the city.”

“Hmm,” Spring mumbled and readjusted her helmet. “I don’t like this.”

“Want me to go and inquire about it?” Fair Weather asked, pushing away his lunch.

“No need,” Spring replied, then let out a long sigh. “We’ll find out soon enough what’s going on, but if you’re finished, you can return to your post.”

Herman didn't have much to add to the conversation, as he had little knowledge of pony or human military doctrines and hierarchies. The few encounters he'd had with the Royal Guard had been when they commissioned planks for the hulls of their frigates, or those slow-moving ballooned airships that all looked incredibly unsafe in Herman’s eyes. It always surprised him, how the ponies managed to avoid any major catastrophe, and, when something unexpected did occur, someone would inevitably find a way to avert the situation from turning into a tragedy.

An unusually large rumble shook Herman back to reality, and he realized that Fair Weather had already left the room. After rubbing his temple a bit, he went to his overcoat and took out another painkiller from its pocket.

“Herman,” Spring said, while carefully observing him. “I hope you're not taking those too frequently. You said it yourself that medicine meant for ponies doesn’t quite work the same for your kind.”

“I’ve not felt any adverse effects so far,” Herman replied, then swallowed the pill with the last of his apple juice. “But, they certainly are effective.” In fact, he had rarely felt so pain-free in decades; even the longtime ache in his hip was absent.

“Just don't take them too often,” she muttered and narrowed her eyes. “I might take them away if you do.”

Herman tried to wave away her worries, so far he had been taking them below the recommended limit for an average stallion. That pain medication could be highly addictive was hardly news to him, and he had seen firsthand how overuse affected people.

The train remained steady for some time, so Herman walked up to the side window and opened it halfway. The outside air was fresh and pleasant, but he had some trouble with the wind resistance as he leaned his head out of the window. With squinting eyes, he could see that they were on a straight path towards the city and that the tracks lead over a large pond with small guardhouse platforms on each side of the rails.

“Herman, please keep your head inside,” Spring chided, then jumped off her bunk to stand next to him. When he didn't reply, she joined him at the window, standing up on her hind legs to look out in front of him.

Herman immediately got his face covered in some of her hair when the wind made it escape from the plume of her helmet, and he had to hold in a sneeze when single strands invaded his nostrils.

“What are you even looking at?” Spring shouted, loud enough to be heard despite the howling wind.

Herman didn't bother with a reply, as he wasn't quite feeling up to yelling. Instead, he looked over her helmet as best he could, admiring the many towers with domed ceilings that peeked above the white wall. It seemed the train would stop just outside the main city wall, but still be within a walled portion that was connected to the city via a stone bridge ending at a wide gatehouse.

“What are you two doing?” Dusty asked, standing right behind them.

The stallion’s sudden appearance made both of them wince, and they quickly returned inside, closing the window.

“Nothing,” Spring said, slightly embarrassed at having been caught unawares.

“I returned the lunch cart, and figured we wouldn't have time for any tea,” Dusty continued, then turned to address Herman. “Guess our little trip is over soon.”

“It would seem so,” Herman said, looking down at Dusty.

“I would love to show you around Canterlot,” Dusty said, then turned to Spring. “Once you've met with the Guard Captain, that is.”

“I would like that,” Herman replied and gave the pony a quick pat on the unguarded side of his neck. Dusty smiled brightly at the gesture.

“That would be fun,” Spring agreed, though she looked a bit saddened. “However, with the Guard on high alert, I doubt we will have any leisure time.”

“So, once we've taken you to the palace, we won't see you again?” Dusty asked, looking up at Herman. The stallion's ears were splayed backward across his head.

“Don't worry,” Herman chuckled, then let his hand rest on Dusty’s shoulders. “I won't leave without saying goodbye.”

Spring rolled her eyes at the stallion’s behavior, then began looking over her armor to make sure everything was proper. She looked at the belt around her waist in particular.

“Will I be given an escort on the return trip as well?” Herman asked.

“No clue,” Spring mumbled while fastening the belt with her mouth. “That will be Captain Armor’s decision.”

The train slowed to a crawl once it reached the arching entrance of the wall segment that surrounded the station and a dozen other commercial buildings. The area itself was buzzing with activity. The main road and bridge connecting with the city were lined with small shopkeepers and food stations, with ponies crowding between the vendors, and sometimes even above it. There were also a fair amount of Royal Guards in the mix, with several more observing the ground from atop the battlements.

“Are you all ready?” Fair Weather asked as he walked into the room once the train had come to a full stop. “It looks crowded out there.”

“We’re all done,” Spring said and stomped once with her front hoof to get all of their attention. “Alright, you all know the drill. Dusty, get the suitcase.”

“Will getting into the city take long?” Herman asked, pointing the finger at the crowd outside.

Spring frowned, only answering him with a shake of her head. Like last time, they waited for the other passengers to leave first, then Fair Weather took the lead, followed by Spring.

Herman had never been to a marketplace in a medieval fair before, but he assumed it would have looked much the same. Ponies were everywhere around him, and Fair Weather peered over the crowd to find a path, while Spring and Dusty stayed close to his side. Thanks to his height, he could see where they were going, as Fair Weather pushed to make a path for them by shoving and calling out "Royal Guard business, move aside!" to those in front of him.

They made steady progress, but there was another problem that they soon discovered. While the crowd itself was in constant motion, the ponies who got a good look at Herman were not. They stopped dead in their tracks, causing whoever walked behind to crash into their rear.

As they made their way towards the city entrance, more and more ponies were colliding and stumbling, which soon drew the attention of every Royal Guard in the area. Herman could feel sweat forming on his brow, and he held the overcoat in his arm closer to his chest. Fair Weather worked hard to make a space for them to move forward, while Dusty and Spring exchanged glances, most likely finding it hard to believe what they were witnessing.

They made it halfway to the bridge when an armored, light-brown pegasus mare flew in and hovered right in front of Herman.

“What’s going on here?” she demanded, turning her attention to Spring, who she gave a quick salute. “Sergeant.”

“We’re on an escort mission and need help clearing a path,” Spring answered, returning the salute.

“Right, I’m on it, Sergeant.” She flew straight up, then returned with two additional Royal Guard pegasi. “Contrail, take left, Freezing Rain, go right.”

With the additional help, they made better progress, but Herman still managed to cause a scene around him as they went along. The stallion that had been addressed as Contrail made the mistake of looking back at Herman and walked right into the side of a cart belonging to a melon vendor, causing some to roll down and trip more ponies.

Thoroughly wishing he was invisible at this point, Herman clenched his teeth and struggled with keeping his face neutral. He only let out a relieved sigh once they had made it to the less crowded bridge, though they had lost Contrail, who had stayed behind to pick up the melons he had accidentally pushed over.

“What in the name of Celestia just happened?” the pegasus mare asked Spring, gesturing towards the mass of ponies. Most were looking around in confusion, and a few shouted profanities at each other.

“Our friend here can be a little distracting,” Spring replied and tapped Herman's leg lightly. “Thanks for the help, but we can make it from here.”

“Well, I need to go back and fetch my wingpony,” she said, then flew away back to the market with Freezing Rain.

“Sorry about that,” Herman said while inspecting the gate leading into the city. There was a sign above the arch saying West Gate, and he remembered that this was the place Fair Weather had been stationed during the invasion.

“Wasn't your fault,” Spring mumbled, then looked up at him. “Has something like that happened before?”

“No, not exactly, but this is my first being in such a crowded place,” Herman said. “It has happened once or twice that ponies bumped into one another, after seeing me for the first time, but it rarely happens on sparsely populated rural streets.”

“Well, let’s try and get you to the palace without causing a city-wide stampede,” Spring said, and looked about at her colleagues. “Ideas?”

“We could hire a carriage with curtains,” Dusty suggested while holding a hoof beneath his chin. “But the main roads might not be accessible.”

“We walk through the backstreets,” Fair Weather concluded. “It’s longer, but I know a good route to the palace.”

“We might have another issue,” Herman noted, pointing at the city gate. Guard ponies were lining the walls, looking at them, and from the entrance, emerged a squad of Royal Guards, lead by a pegasus stallion with a fancier insignia on his helmet than Spring's.

“Are you four the cause of all this ruckus?” the stallion asked, once they met up on the bridge. “Would you mind telling me what just happened here...” His voice trailed off when his eyes met Herman’s.

“Hello,” Herman said, then gave him a polite bow as a greeting. “I’m sorry for causing this much trouble.”

The stallion didn't respond, and only the rustling of armor could be heard from the guards as they shuffled nervously behind their commander. Herman didn’t quite know how to continue from there, so he gave Spring a nudge with his foot.

“Oh,” Spring said, a bit embarrassed at having lost the initiative. “I’m Sergeant Spring, and we're on an escort mission for the Guard Captain.”

The stallion shook his head, then looked around at his guards, who were either staring at Herman or merely standing there, flummoxed.

“Hypnosis,” the stallion growled, then pointed at Herman. “Quickdraw, hit them with the spell.”

Everything happened too fast for Herman to react. Dusty and Fair Weather was suddenly in front of him, shielding him with their bodies as a unicorn from the opposing guards sent a beam of green at them. There was a split second flash of light that reminded him of a laser show, then Herman could only look around himself in confusion.

“They’re clean,” The unicorn said, and took a few steps backward.

Herman wasn’t too sure what just happened but assumed a changeling detection spell had just hit them.

“Would you mind explaining what the hay is going on?” Spring shouted, while pushing past the living wall Dusty and Fair Weather had made. “Who are you, and for what reason did you attack us?”

“Apologies, Sergeant,” the first pegasi said, then gave the infuriated Spring a formal salute. “I’m Lieutenant Windry, and I’m in command of the West Gate garrison.” His wings waved suddenly in a specific direction, which seemed to be some sort of command because the guards behind him turned and walked back into the gatehouse. “The Guard has been placed on high alert against any infiltration attempts, and I had reason to believe you were one of them.”

“You could have warned us,” Spring growled while moving alongside the stallion heading towards the city. Herman and the others hesitated for a moment, then followed.

“Again, I’m sorry,” Windry said, with a neutral expression. “But we have our orders.”

“And what are those exactly?” Spring asked, mimicking his dull tone.

“Not here,” Windry mumbled.

Herman tried to lay low as the party entered the gatehouse, which sported two portcullises at each end, wide enough for two carriages. A guard lounge built into the side of the wall was stationed with a dozen Royal Guards. Herman had no real knowledge of medieval castles, but even he noticed the lack of arrow slits and murder holes.

Windry lead them to outside the guard lounge, then whispered something to Spring, who in turn nodded. “Wait here a moment,” Spring said, addressing Herman and his escort. She then followed Windry into the lounge, leaving them at the side of the gate.

Herman was used to being the center of attention, but he had never been stared at by so many armed guards before, even if they seemed friendly. The guards themselves kept whispering and glancing his way, while huddled in small groups at the side of the road to not hinder the citizens walking in and out of the city.

“You’ve been stationed here before, correct, Fair Weather?” Herman asked, addressing him to help break the ice. Both ponies had been protectively close to his side ever since they’d entered and almost looked at their fellow guards with a hint of suspicion.

“Briefly,” Fair Weather replied while keeping an eye on a trio of earth ponies that had been staring at Herman for some time now. “I don’t know anyone here by name.”

“Me neither,” Dusty chimed in, looking at another group in the opposite direction.

“Will there be any more of these checkpoints?” Herman continued, mostly talking to help pass the time.

“Only one more at the palace entrance,” Fair Weather responded.

“I see,” Herman said and began tapping his foot on the ground. He thought about resting against the stone wall but changed his mind when he saw moss growing on the mortar between the cobblestones.

“Herman,” Dusty said, looking up at him. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” he mumbled and blinked a few times.

“Want me to carry your overcoat?”

“No need,” Herman said, then patted the side of Dusty’s helmet with his free hand. “I can handle it.”

“Excuse me.”

Herman turned and looked around to a white earth pony mare, with a blonde mane sticking out of her helmet. There were a few yards between them, most likely she didn’t want to get closer due to Fair Weather blocking her path.

“Yes?” Herman asked, wondering what she might want.

“I’m the medic here, and you seem to be a bit parched,” she said, tilting her head a bit as she studied his face. “Can I get you some water? You can sit down and have a drink in the guard lounge if you want.”

“No thank you,” Herman said, holding up his palm. “We plan to move along soon enough.”

“Okay, but try to not stay out in the sun for too long,” she said, then turned to walk back to her companions. Once she reached the group at the end of the gate, they began to whisper among themselves.

“I was a bit parched,” Dusty complained.

“Nopony cares,” Fair Weather scoffed.

Herman didn’t comment, because Spring and Windry were coming out of the lounge together. She looked annoyed with the stallion, as they both walked up to address Herman.

“Herman,” Spring said, “we’ll follow through with our plan to take the backstreets, and Windry here has offered to send us an additional escort.” She gave the stallion next to her a skeptical look.

“Right,” Windry said, then loudly cleared his throat. “I apologize once more for the incident on the bridge. Spring here told me of the situation, but I don’t want any further disturbances inside the city.” He turned to address a group of guards. “Quickdraw, take two more guards and help escort them to the palace. Make sure they get there without causing any trouble.”

“Thank you,” Spring said, looking like she wanted to bite him.

Quickdraw saluted, then headed for the guard lounge. It took less than a minute for him to return with two brown coated unicorns.

“We’re ready to move out,” Quickdraw said.

“Let's get on with this,” Spring said and took the lead walking out from the gatehouse and into the city proper. They followed her, and Herman soon found himself surrounded by ponies on all sides. In front of him were Quickdraw and Spring. Dusty and Fair Weather guarded his sides, and the two unicorns automatically took the rear.

The city itself reminded Herman of older Scottish towns that were built mainly from stone, except the gray buildings were replaced with white marble, and each structure, from large spirals to monuments, were made of it. He wasn’t sure how ponies carved it all out from the side of the mountain but had to assume that magic played a significant role in the construction work.

“We should turn right and stick to Hoof Street,” Fair Weather said, pointing at an intersection up ahead.

Spring nodded and took the lead. Their little party must have looked ridiculous to any outside observer, with Herman being boxed in by guards, his upper half fully visible for all to see. There was also the issue of his escort having a tough time trying to match his slow walking speed, causing the two new guards behind him to bump into him a couple of times.

They made their way through the backstreets, and Herman wasn't disappointed by what he saw. Most of the backstreets had small, quaint shops with signs displaying their profession, and he found himself sorely tempted to ask if he could go inside one or two to buy a few travel gifts. One store had a sign with a chocolate bar painted on it, and all the sweets in the display case made him salivate.

Chocolate was a much rarer commodity in Equestria than it was on Earth, and for him to get some, it needed to be delivered by special order via train to Rosewood, so Herman would only treat himself with some late at night in the weekends. He had heard that the West Pony Trading Company was constructing plantations on a few distant islands, but any increase in cocoa production was still far off.

He had often toyed with the idea of starting a chocolate factory with the help of some investors he knew through his lumber business. The ponies, in general, were very inventive when it came to sweets and baking, but they’d yet to try to mixing chocolate with nuts. He had limited knowledge in the field, but surely mixing hazelnuts and a little salt with dark chocolate and forming it into bars couldn't be that difficult, and he could easily mimic some of the brands from back on Earth. Like, putting it in a row and forming the top like triangles.

“Herman?” Spring asked, looking back at him.

Herman realized that they had stopped in front of the chocolate store and that he had been staring blankly into the display case. The new guards were looking at themselves in confusion, and Dusty was tapping his legs lightly in an attempt to draw his attention.

“We can visit some of the shops after the meeting,” Spring offered while looking a bit worried. “But please, we should get going.”

Herman looked about and found that a few ponies on the street were staring at them, and even some looking out of windows.

“Sorry,” he said, massaging the back of his neck. “My mind started to wander again.”

“We could ask the guard physician to take a look at him,” Quickdraw said, which seemed to surprise Spring.

“I’ll be fine,” Herman said, letting out a deep breath, then patted the pocket with the painkillers to assure himself that they were still there.

Spring gave him another worried look, then turned and continued walking at a slow pace. Herman followed and decided to keep his focus on the situation at hand. As they walked, he caught a few glimpses of the main street, and he was suddenly glad that they had taken the more discreet route. The number of ponies was dizzying, with all their coat and mane variations blending into an incomprehensible mess of colors.

“We’re nearly at the palace,” Fair Weather said aloud, most likely for Herman’s benefit. They were in some upper-middle class district, where all the homes looked lavish and well maintained.

The road suddenly came to an end, and Herman assumed they were staring at the inner wall surrounding the palace itself. They were in an alley, and would obviously need to backtrack from here.

“Fair Weather?” Spring asked, gesturing at the dead end.

“Sorry, must have taken a wrong turn,” Fair Weather muttered, scratching the side of his helmet. “Weird, but we should be fine if we follow the wall.”

They were backtracking when Herman first noticed how on edge everyone was. Spring was looking up at the rooftops, while Fair Weather glared at every passing pony they happened to come across. Even the new guards that had joined them seemed to be jumping at every shadow.

Herman could only shrug at the situation and instead spend his time admiring the lush gardens in each estate. It took another wrong turn before they found the main road leading into the palace, and they stayed to the side as much as possible.

Once they were a few yards from the gate itself, Spring and Quickdraw moved ahead to talk with the guards stationed there. When they returned, Quickdraw went to speak with his two companions, while Spring went to talk with hers.

“Alright, we’re on our own from here,” Spring said, then saluted Quickdraw, who returned the gesture before walking away in the opposite direction.

“We should get a move on,” Fair Weather said, then nodded at a few ponies on the main road that had already stopped to stare at Herman.

“Let's go,” Spring agreed, leading the way. The next gatehouse had fewer guards, but their armor was more ornate and decorated with various symbols on both the chest and helmet. They didn't spend much time there, but again Herman found it eerie when the group of soldiers followed him with their gaze.

The palace itself wasn't as grand as he had expected, and seemed to value form over function. It wasn’t too hard to figure out where they were supposed to go, as they were standing in front of a large cardboard map, of the type found in safari parks.

The building straight ahead was where the princesses lived, along with the main throne room. To the left and right were additional large structures connected via white walkways, with the right building containing quarters for foreign dignitaries, while the left, the smaller structure, was for the Royal Guard.

“What do you think of the palace?” Dusty asked, no doubt expecting him to be impressed.

“Very nice,” he said, unimaginatively. “The waterfall and the ivory towers are a nice touch.” Dusty seemed disappointed with his reply, so he added. “It’s certainly the best looking palace I’ve seen with my own eyes.”

Dusty remained skeptical but didn't comment any further as they walked along a broad road made out of finely polished stone. There were guards spaced out on the ground and even in the air, and Herman could feel their eyes upon him. The guard building was the opposite of the palace, resembling a typical square office building.

There was a single mare guarding the front door. Herman expected she was there to open it for visitors, but after she had been staring at Herman for a while, Spring just mumbled something and opened the door herself.

Inside was a typical reception area and a large waiting room with chairs and tables. There was even a spot with toys for foals in one corner.

“Okay,” Spring said, addressing them all, “we made it.” She gave them a bright smile. “Good work Fair Weather and Dusty, you can have the rest of the day off, so go say hello to your marefriends for me.”

“Will do, Sarge,” Dusty replied, then turned to Herman. “I hope to see you tomorrow.”

“I might need a tourist guide,” Herman replied and gave him a wink.

“That might not be possible,” Spring said, rather forcefully. “We are on high alert, so who knows what our orders will be. Anyways, Dusty, please take Herman’s suitcase and overcoat to his hotel room. Then you're both dismissed.”

“Yes, Sarge,” both stallions replied, then walked out of the building after saying their farewells. Herman watched them leave and wondered if he would ever see them again.

“Take a seat while I talk to the receptionist,” Spring said, then left him standing there. He felt strangely vulnerable without his overcoat and swore internally when he remembered that the painkillers were still in one of the pockets. Dusty and Fair Weather could be seen in the distance, but the idea of walking outside and yelling at them from across the courtyard wasn't a very appealing one.

Instead, he went to find the least terrible chair to sit at. The lounge itself was empty, except for a stallion with his face buried in a newspaper. There was a stash of magazines to read, and Herman just grabbed the one at the top. Once seated, he noticed it was a fashion magazine. A white unicorn mare with purple hair and lush eyelashes looked back at him suggestively.

Frowning, he turned the page and began reading the first article. Apparently, short tails with pink bows were this year's big trend for mares, while stallions should wear blue or red bows around their necks. He tossed it to a nearby table when he saw Spring approach.

“Herman, Captain Armor has time to see you in two hours.”

“Alright,” he replied, then looked around. “Could we wait outside perhaps? I would rather walk than risk sitting in these chairs for so long.”

“Oh,” Spring said, and thought for a moment. “I suppose we could take a stroll in the garden behind the palace. It should be empty this time of the day.”

“You’d keep me company?” Herman asked while standing up. “Isn’t your mission complete?”

“It’s fine,” Spring said, trying to sound cheerful. “I get restless if I just sit alone in my dusty old apartment. Most of my friends are working anyways.”

“Alright, lead the way,” Herman said, moving to stand next to her. “A growing appreciation for gardening is common among humans as they age.”

“Really? I wish I had more time for mine.” Spring sighed and held the door for him. “Work takes so much time, and it’s hard to keep it proper alone.” They went outside, and she pointed at a much smaller road leading towards the back of the palace. “This way.”

“Is the royal garden open to the public?”

“Well, it’s open to anyone with an invitation to the palace, and I suppose you qualify for that,” she said and scratched the back of her head while giving him an uncertain smile. “It will be fine.”

“If you say so.”

“I do,” she teased.

“Do you need your helmet on if you’re officially off-duty?”

“I guess not,” she said, taking off it to let her mane flow freely behind her, then fastened the helmet to her armor at the flank.

They didn’t need to walk far to reach the garden itself, as it was situated right behind the palace. Two guards stood posted at the entrance, but Herman and Spring just walked past them as they stood there gaping. The garden was more like a small park, with high hedges lining the road. Herman assumed it was there so that people in the more open spaces could have a little privacy, and serve as a sort of wall to prevent foals from running off during outdoor festivities.

Along the other side of the road were flower beds of mostly roses, separated by their respective colors. The garden was far from quiet, with the swarming of bees among the flowers and birds chirping to create a genuinely tranquil feeling.

“Very lovely,” Herman said lamely. They were alone on the road, except for a wizened old stallion trimming the hedges.

“Yup,” she agreed, walking next to him. “Makes me wish I had another assignment outside the city. Somewhere closer to nature.”

“Like Ponyville?”

She stopped to look out at a group of trees surrounded by bright green bushes.

“No, somewhere else.”

Herman gave a short chuckle with a hint of melancholy mixed in. Spring was unprepared for him when he ruffled the top of her mane.

“Hey, quit it,” she grumbled, trying to get away from him.

“You’ll find a handsome stallion one day.” Herman grinned but stopped his teasing.

She let out a big guffaw but also gave him a bright smile, then sidestepped to give him a slight bump on the hips. Herman was lucky she had such good control, or he would have ended up inside the hedge.

“Want to go off-road for a bit?” Spring asked, pointing at an opening between the hedges, where an artificial pond with a wooden bridge across it was visible. Herman actually wanted to rest a bit on a bench and table further ahead, and parts of him wished they had a checkers board to play with, but he decided to humor her.

“Sure,” he said and gestured for her to go in first. “Ladies first.”

She scoffed playfully before going in first with her tail wagging, while Herman followed in a gentle walk. She had run a few yards ahead but suddenly froze in the middle of the grass.

“What’s wrong?” Herman asked once he had caught up with her, and when she didn’t give him a reply, he turned to where she was looking. It was there he saw a princess for the first time.

He recognized Princess Luna from the pictures in the newspaper. She was laying down on a red and white picnic blanket reading a book, surrounded by four guards. The princess hadn’t noticed them yet, but her guards certainly had. They were stationed a half a dozen yards away from the princess in each direction, and they all turned their heads towards him.

Herman had never seen the design on their armor before, a dark blue with half a dozen ornaments on the chest and helmet. He wasn’t particularly well versed with Equestrian military decorations, but it would be safe to assume these were some kind of elites.

Even so, Herman seemed to have the same effect on them as any pony he first met, as they were standing there staring at him. He looked to Spring for guidance, wondering if they should make a hasty exit before they bothered one of the country's rulers during her leisure time.

Spring, however, seemed first surprised, then resolute. She swallowed, looked up at Herman, then trotted straight for the princess. The guards woke to life when she came close and seemed moments away from tackling Spring to the ground.

That's when Princess Luna noticed the commotion and put aside her book, and with a single lift of her hoof, everyone came to a complete halt. Herman was too far away to hear what she said next, but Spring bowed, then replied with something in return. The princess made a command, and her guards backed off to their original positions, allowing Spring to get closer.

Herman didn’t know what he should do in this situation, so he buttoned his white suit and quietly stood there, trying to appear calm. Spring and Princess Luna were in the middle of a conversation when Spring suddenly turned and pointed at Herman. That was when the princess noticed him, and their eyes met.

Princess Luna didn’t react like any other pony would have; instead of the blind stare, she looked at him with calculating eyes, and Herman could sense that she was working hard to place him in her memories.

“Herman,” Spring shouted while motioning him to join them at the picnic blanket. He had little choice but to walk slowly towards her while casting a wary glance at the guards.

“They will not harm you,” Princess Luna said when he finally stopped near the edge of the blanket. “My name is Princess Luna. Who are you?”

Herman suddenly remembered his manners and gave her a bow with his right hand on his heart. “My name is Herman, Your Majesty.”

“Extraordinaire,” she said and rose up to stand right in front of him. She extended her neck and tilted her head to get a better look at his face, but she could barely reach up to his shoulders. “How interesting.”

Herman just stood there, not wanting to speak unless spoken, as the princess gave him a thorough inspection. She walked around him, looking him up and down.

“What is your kind called?" she asked.

“Human, Your Majesty,” Herman answered, doing his best to sound confident.

“Polite,” she muttered and gave him a swish of her tail after circling him once. “Call me Luna, and that’s a royal command.”

“Yes, Your… Luna,” he replied.

“Sergeant Spring here tells me you’ve been separated from your home and family,” she continued, barely giving him a pause. “The Crown can aid you in that regard, though I’ve never seen or heard of your kind before. But new places are discovered on a monthly basis these days.” She looked at him from the side, turned away, then back to him again.

“You won’t find where I live with ships,” he noted.

“Oh?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “How so?”

“I’m not from this world.”

“Are you a demon, then?” she said, half in jest. But it was enough to make the guards around them shift uncertainty.

“I don't think I am,” he replied, chuckling to himself. “I’m just an old man running a timber company inside your kingdom, who only wishes to return home to his family.”

Luna looked him in straight in the eyes, no doubt searching for any sign of deception. Herman had no intentions of lying to her, so he spoke directly from his heart.

“You have my sympathies,” she said, then turned to Spring who had taken a seat at the edge of the blanket. “Sergeant, you were wise to have brought this to my attention.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Spring said. “Will you help him?”

“I will if it's within my power,” she replied, then moved to lay down on the blanket once more, facing Herman. “Please, take a seat, and explain in detail how you arrived in Equestria.”

Herman sat, slowly and clumsily. He was no longer able to sit with his legs crossed, so he placed one leg straight and the other knee bent. “There isn't much to tell I'm afraid. My last memory was walking from the store with my groceries. The next thing I remember was waking up in Equestria. A few foals playing in the woods found me unconscious in the middle of the forest.”

“Did you feel or hear anything?” Luna asked, looking more serious. “Like mad cackling laughter in the background?”

“Nothing, I walked down the pavement, then it all got dark,” Herman said, trying to think back. “My clothes, wallet, and car keys were with me, but not the bag of groceries I was carrying.”

The princess pondered what he said while making the same motion as before where she looked slightly away, then back to him again. It was weird, but Herman wasn't brave enough to question why she did so.

“Interesting,” she said, still regarding his face. “Your presence, it draws my attention as if I was still but a foal, waiting for my father to notice my childish achievements.”

“Well,” Herman began, then cleared his throat. He was unsure how much he should tell her, but decided to go for what was most important. “I'm simply trying to find a way home to my family, and all I know is that something sent me here from another world, and I wish it to send me back.”

Luna was silent for a few minutes as she considered. She alternated between looking at him and down at the book she had been reading. Herman was too far away to read the title but noted that the cover had a stallion with a red rose between his teeth. Spring sat on the sideline, nervously fidgeting with her mane.

“Trying to reunite a family is a worthy goal, and I will make it a priority to help you,” Luna said, finally. But her tone also highlighted that this little meeting was at an end. “I will consult with my sister about what you've told me, and ask the scholars if they have any prior knowledge of your kind.” She looked to Spring. “Where might I contact you?”

“Oh,” Spring said, surprised that she was addressed. “Herman will be staying at the guard hotel for a day at least.”

“The guard hotel,” she mused, turning to Herman. “I hope you're not in any trouble with the law.”

“None that I know of,” Herman said. “All I know is that the Captain of the Guard wishes to see me, and that’s the reason I’m here today.”

“Prince Armor summoned you?” Luna asked, and gave a barely noticeable smile. “How interesting. Alas, I wish to have some privacy before returning to my duties.”

“Thank you for your time, Princess,” Spring said, and was up on her hooves in an instant. She held out a hoof to Herman, who was thankful for the help in getting up.

“I will send word of my findings sometime tonight,” Luna said, then turned to where they originally came from. “I do believe you know the way out.”

“Yes, Princess Luna,” Spring said, and gave her a deep bow.

“Thank you, Luna,” Herman said, adding a short, but polite bow before turning to walk back to the road alongside Spring. Once again on the path, they both took a few deep breaths.

“Wow,” she said, breathing loudly. “I can't believe I just did that.”

“I’m glad that you did,” Herman said, a bit winded. “That went better than expected. I was really nervous.”

“Really?” Spring asked, seeming genuinely confused. “You acted like Princess Luna was your equal.”

“I did?” Herman asked, then frowned. It sure hadn't felt that way to him.

“Yup,” Spring said, looking around her. “We should head back soon; we don’t want Captain Armor waiting for us.”

“That we do not,” Herman agreed.

“Why didn't you tell Princess Luna about your theory?” Spring asked as they walked the road again.

“I didn't want to make things needlessly complicated,” Herman said, scratching his chin. “It’s just a theory after all.”

Just a theory.

Canterlot Part 2

“Herman Anderson,” the receptionist called out, “it’s time for your meeting with Captain Armor.”

Herman looked up from the economic newspaper he’d been reading, then rose awkwardly from his chair. He was the only one present in the lounge, as Spring had gone to report to her superiors, but she had promised him that they would meet up later.

“His office is on the fourth floor, hallway B, it’s the one furthest down to the left,” the receptionist continued when Herman approached her desk. “The elevators are just down that way.” She pointed down a nearby corridor. “You can’t miss them.”

“Thank you, miss,” Herman said and gave the receptionist a confident smile.

“If you need any help, just ask one of the guards,” she replied, returning the smile. “I would help you along, but I’m not allowed to leave my post.”

“That’s quite alright,” Herman said, walking past her desk and into a hallway lined with different offices, each sporting a golden sign describing what function it served, and one that was called ‘Head of Changeling Affairs’ stood out from the rest. The elevators were like the receptionist had said, impossible to miss, as they were situated at the very end.

What Herman didn’t expect, once he opened one of the elevator doors, was to find a young Royal Guard with a red hat standing inside. He was a white pegasus with a blue mane that barely looked old enough to be called a stallion, and the armor around his chest didn’t seem to fit correctly. He was apparently an elevator operator of sorts, something that had gone extinct around the time Herman had been a young man himself.

“Good afternoon,” Herman greeted him, then walked into the elevator to stand next to the stallion as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “Fourth floor, please.”

The young adult, however, didn’t move, and just stood there with his mouth open looking out of the elevator.

“Fourth floor, please,” Herman repeated, trying to sound casual, but after a minute had gone by, he gave the pony a light nudge with his boot, which surprised the pegasus so much that he violently flapped his wings, causing some of the feathers to fly loose in the air.

“Oh, I’m sorry, sir,” the pegasus said, while attempting to take a more serious pose, then used his mouth to pull the lever on the ground that controlled the speed of the elevator.

“Aren't you supposed to close the door first?” Herman asked, still trying to sound friendly.

“Oh, sorry,” the pegasus said and rushed forward to shut the gate. “I’m sorry about this.”

“That’s quite alright,” Herman replied.

The pegasus shuffled back to the lever, bit the end with his teeth, then pulled it to the right. The speed was slow, and the pony fidgeted with his wings nervously next to Herman.

“Aren’t you a bit young to be a Royal Guard?” Herman asked, looking down at the pegasus.

“The first day at work, sir,” the pegasus replied, stammering slightly. “I joined the same day I was of age.”

“Ah, the first day at work is always interesting,” Herman said, and chuckled to himself, then noticed how the elevator went past the fourth floor and into fifth. “I think you missed it.”

“Oh!” the pegasus exclaimed, then quickly switched the lever to reverse. The quick change in motion caused the whole thing to make a loud noise and rumble violently. Herman had to reach out to the walls to keep himself steady, while the pegasus struggled with the controller in his mouth. It took a few attempts, but he managed to get it under control and made it stop at roughly the same height as the fourth floor.

“Sorry, sir,” the pegasus repeated, then opened the elevator gate. His face was bright red and looked like he wanted to use his wings to hide his face. “Please, don’t tell my superiors that I messed up so badly.”

“It’s fine,” Herman grumbled and exited the elevator on shaky legs. “First day at work and all that.”

The pegasus apologized a third time, then shut the gate behind Herman.

Shaking his head, Herman headed for the hall marked with a B. A few other Royal Guards were walking around, mostly carrying paperwork between offices, but he decided it was best to ignore them and pretend that him strolling around the building was perfectly normal. Hallway B had a guard posted outside, but since the guard just stood gaping, Herman walked past him and continued until he got to the last office to the left with a nameplate that said Captain Shining Armor in golden letters.

Herman was halfway between knocking when he suddenly stopped and realized that maybe he should have talked to the guard outside first. Odds were high that the guard was stationed there to check and announce visitors before they could enter, but Herman decided that the damage was already done and gave the door a few firm knocks.

“Come in,” a voice inside called.

Herman opened the door, then immediately found himself looking down at a purple crystal pony wearing a set of silver armor. Past the guard, he recognized Shining Armor sitting behind a large desk. Both ponies became unresponsive as soon as they saw him, so, deciding that fortune favors the bold, Herman moved past the bewildered crystal guard, and walked straight up to Shining Armor and extended his hand.

“Greetings, my name is Herman,” he said, with all the confidence he could muster.

“Hello,” Shining Armor replied, as if on autopilot, then extended his hoof so that Herman could shake it. “How did you…”

“How did I what?” Herman asked, then sat himself down without permission on the chair opposite the stallion. “You summoned me here for a meeting, Captain.”

“Wow, okay. Hold on for just a minute,” Shining Armor said, looking between Herman and the crystal pony. “The door opened, then suddenly you're right in front of me.”

“Is anything wrong, Captain?” Herman asked, suddenly feeling foolish for attempting such a stunt. But he had committed himself, so all he could do was to act cool and hope it didn't backfire.

“No, nothing,” Shining Armor continued, shaking his head lightly. “Corporal Shard?”

“Uh, yes, sire?” the purple stallion answered.

“Would you close the door?”

“Yes, sire.”

Herman heard the door close behind him.

“Okay, I think we should do the introductions one more time,” Shining Armor said, while using his magic to levitate all the papers from his desk into a single stack, then floated it into a cabinet behind him. “My name is Shining Armor, and I believe you are the human, Herman Anderson. Correct?”

“That is correct,” Herman agreed, partially distracted by the chair he was sitting on. Like most pony chairs it was way too low for him, and even if this one had a backrest, the poor placement actually made it worse. “How did you know what I was?”

Shining Armor once again lit his horn, using it to open one of the drawers on his desk. He took out and placed a paperback right in front of Herman, who immediately recognized the writing on the first page, and knew the what the title said without needing to read it.

Life Between Worlds: by Herman Anderson

“I see you have my memoirs,” Herman said and looked up at the white stallion wearing a set of purple armor with a star on the chest. He remembered seeing that symbol twice before, the first hanging from a banner at the castle in Ponyville, and once more on one of the estates they had passed outside the palace.

“Yes,” Shining Armor said, then pushed it towards Herman. “They were sent to us from a publisher, who had concerns about some of the content.”

Herman glanced down at his memoirs but had only a vague idea what the Captain could be referring to, so he merely sat straight and tried to look patient.

“I wrote about many things in my memoirs, Captain,” Herman said and tapped it twice with his finger. “You’ll need to be more specific.”

Shining Armour hesitated for a moment, and Herman could tell that the stallion had been sizing him up.

“Truth be told,” Shining Armor began, now looking slightly uncomfortable. “I didn’t believe a word in that book.”

“Yet here I am,” Herman noted, folding his arms.

“Well, you see,” Shining Armor continued, now looking a bit embarrassed. “There was a chapter in it that was rather disturbing, and so serious that we had to make sure it wasn’t true.”

Herman waited for him to continue, and was now actually annoyed that they didn’t seem to have any legitimate reason to have called him here from half a country away.

“Go on.”

The memoir was levitated into the air, then flew over to Shining Armor who opened it.

“Chapter four,” Shining Armor said, then began reading from the book. “'My hypothesis of the similarities between our two worlds.'”

Herman remembered that chapter had mainly focused on his thoughts that nearly all life here originated from Earth. There were a few examples and speculations about the differences between the animals, but nothing that should be too condemning.

“I vaguely remember that chapter,” Herman said, then turned his head to see what the corporal behind him was doing, but the crystal stallion was simply standing at ease near the door. “Please, tell me what bothered you so.”

Shining cleared his throat and ran his hoof down the paragraphs until he reached the one he was looking for.

“Ah,” Shining Armor said, then let the book down on his desk again. “It says here that ponies have a symbiotic relationship with humans.”

Herman knew the phrasing had been disingenuous at best, but it was technically correct in evolutionary terms. Horses became a hugely successful species after being tamed by man.

“You believe my ancestors came here the same way you did, through some divine intervention or magical phenomenon,” Shining Armor said, with a neutral expression. He wasn't quite able to meet Herman's stare without averting his eyes, so instead, he focused down on the memoirs. “That the magic in this world likely changed their offspring into three tribes, and also made ponies equal to the humans they had lived alongside.”

“That is the short version, at least,” Herman said, knowing that a historian from back home would likely tear out their hair if they ever read this. “There were other species and plants as well.”

“Yes, you spent a great deal of time on that,” Shining Armor noted while furrowing his eyes. “There is a serious problem with this scenario.”

Herman wasn’t quite sure what he meant. The stallion had already admitted he didn’t believe anything in the story, and there wasn't much Herman could do about that. The theory had no proof, and would almost exclusively make sense for someone that remembers passing between worlds. So far at least.

“If you believe my story is false, then what problem could there possibly be?”

“Because,” Shining Armor began, then took a deep breath before continuing. “What you say sounds like a children's fairytale, but if you scrape away the fantasy, there might be something real behind it. You mentioned portals between worlds.”

“I did.”

“Everypony knows that traveling between stars is impossible,” Shining Armor said, still not facing Herman. “There is simply no magic strong enough to pull off such a feat. Yes, a powerful unicorn can teleport vast distances, and there are ways to travel through select gateways into Tartarus or Discord's chaos realm, but all those places are deeply anchored to our world. Teleporting something just inside our solar system would take an immense effort, but between the stars? Impossible.”

“Yes, you've already made it clear you didn't believe in it,” Herman mumbled.

“Herman, what I’m saying is it's impossible for you to be an alien,” Shining Armor concluded. “Which means your people must live on an undiscovered continent somewhere.”

Herman was about to give a rebuttal, but the prince held out a hoof.

“Let me finish,” he continued. “Something worried us deeply when we tried to make the puzzle fit. You claimed that ponies and humans worked together, but it's often mentioned that humans are the dominant species.

“Continue,” Herman said when Shining Armor made a pause to gauge his reaction to the story.

“Herman, we suspect that your kind has enslaved ponies, our kin, from wherever you come from, and you have to realize that slavery is something we cannot tolerate. Too often have others tried to subdue our kind into servitude.”

All the pieces came together in Herman's mind, and he couldn't stop himself from laughing at the absurd situation. Parts of him were annoyed at himself for not predicting this, and he supposed he had only himself to blame. He had known from the start he should have waited a few more years. He knew one of the reasons for publishing now was because he felt that his time was running short.

“Uh, Herman?” Shining Armor asked when Herman's laughs eventually turned into light coughing. “You okay there? Can we get you some water?”

“I'm fine,” Herman said, once he'd calmed down. “I think I should set the story straight.”

“Please do,” Shining Armor agreed, then levitated over a quill and ink with some paper to take notes with. “This is why my colleagues and I decided to call you here, after all.”

“Next time, I’d prefer it if you sent me a letter,” Herman scoffed.

“If our suspicions were true, we couldn't risk you going into hiding. Now, you were about to tell me something.”

“I was,” Herman replied, but hesitated how he would go about it. Should he try and convince him of the truth, or back down to make this go away quicker? “What I wrote is the truth as I see it, but I can assure you there exists no distant land where humans are enslaving ponies. That part is all a big misunderstanding.”

Shining Armor remained silent and had barely written a word on the notepad. Instead, he rotated the quill in his magic, while exhaling loudly from his nose. The stallion seemed both bored and slightly annoyed.

“I have no idea what to make of this,” he mumbled and put the quill down. “All I care about is one thing, are there or are there not, ponies being kept as slaves where your people live?”

“There are not,” Herman said, as honestly and confidently he could. Keeping domesticated animals as pets would hardly be considered slavery by his standards.

Shining Armor studied him for a while, then levitated a globe from a side bench over to the desk. Herman glanced at it for a few moments and could make out Equestria and neighboring countries, but the majority of the map was merely greyed out.

“Could you point on the globe where your people live?” Shining Armor asked, and floated the orb over to Herman’s side of the desk. “We would like to verify it for ourselves.”

Herman spun the globe around twice, but he already knew that there would be no resemblance to Earth.

“I don’t recognize any landmarks on this globe,” Herman said, truthfully, then pushed it back to Shining Armor. “Something sent me here against my will, and I simply woke up on the outskirts of Equestria.”

“Alright then,” Shining Armor continued, putting the globe back. “It doesn’t look like we’re getting anywhere. You still claim that what you’ve written here is true, but do you have any evidence to support it? That you’re somehow an alien with mind-bending powers?”

Something clicked for Herman then, and he realized that there was a way to show him. He remembered when Spring and the rest had been in his kitchen yesterday, and how they reacted when he had first entered the room. It had been his very first interaction with a trained soldier, and judging by their reaction at the time there existed something he could exploit.

“I think I know a way to demonstrate my abilities,” Herman said, and briefly looked behind him at the crystal guard pony. “If I have your permission.”

Shining Armor seemed taken aback by that and shuffled a bit nervously on his seat.

“I’ve had awful experiences with hypnosis,” he complained.

“Don’t worry, it will only be a demonstration,” Herman continued, looking back to Shining Armor. “There will be no magic involved, and I can promise you that. You just need to play along.”

Shining Armor sighed, then addressed the guard behind Herman. “Corporal.”

“Yes, sire,” Corporal Shard answered.

“If something seems amiss I want you to step in, understood?”

“Uh, yes, sire.”

“Okay,” Shining Armor said, then took a few deep breaths. “Convince me.”

“Firstly,” Herman began and pointed at one of the filing cabinets. “Do you have any documents about recent changeling arrests?”

“I do,” Shining Armor replied, a bit hesitant. “There has only been one these last two months, and it came in yesterday.”

“Could you take out the file containing the case? It will be important for my demonstration.”

The stallion didn’t comply at first, but after a pleading look from Herman, soon relented, and opened the bottom drawer that was filled with documents. He already seemed to know which file to take out, as he quickly picked one from the front row and levitated it over to his desk.

“Glitter Wing,” Shining Armor began and opened the first page. “Arrested yesterday for impersonating a pony, currently being held in Dodge City while an investigation takes place. Claims she has never harmed anyone, and that her only wish is to live peacefully among ponies. It says she took part in the invasion of Canterlot only because she didn’t dare to refuse orders.”

“Is it within your power to pardon her?” Herman asked, suddenly adding some steel to his voice.

“It is,” Shining Armor replied, and narrowed his eyes. “But I won’t, at least not until the investigation is complete.”

“Take out the form where you can pardon her,” Herman said as if it was a command.

Shining Armor frowned but took out the bottom paper in the file. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I won’t sign a pardon order.”

“Take the quill in your magic, dip it in ink, then sign it,” Herman said, then stood up from his chair and rose to his full height. The pony seemed to cave a bit when he looked down at him, and eventually took the quill in his magic, then dipped it in ink.

“I did what you asked, but I won’t sign it,” Shining Armor said, and looked up defiantly at Herman, but there were visible cracks in his brave facade.

“I gave you an order, Captain,” Herman pressed, then placed both palms loudly down on the desk. “Sign it!”

Shining Armor gulped and fidgeted with his eyes back and forth. The quill in his magic shook about uncertainty, but it still floated closer and closer towards the paper.

There was a shuffling of armor behind Herman, and he reacted by spinning around while extending his arm towards the pony.

“Did I tell you could move from your post, Corporal?” Herman shouted, making his best impression of a drill sergeant he’d so often seen in movies. Corporal Shard froze in mid-step. “Did you not hear me, Corporal? I asked if I permitted you to leave your post!”

“No, sir!” Corporal Shard answered, then quickly stepped back to his original position next to the door.

Herman turned back to Shining Armor, who still held the quill in his magic while gaping at his corporal. “Didn't I order you to sign that document, Captain Armor!?”

“I-I don't,” Shining Armor began, then looked around wildly for somewhere to escape.

“I gave you a direct command, Captain Armor! Do you understand?!”

“Y-yes, sir,” Shining Armor replied, and lowered the quill closer to the paper.

Corporal Shard made another attempt to move, but before he had taken one step, Herman was on him. “Did I tell you could move, Corporal?”

“Sir, no sir!” Corporal Shard said, immediately standing at attention.

“Is that document not signed yet!?” Herman asked, turning to Shining Armor again. If Herman continued like this, his throat would become hoarse.

“N-not yet, sir,” Shining Armor said, holding the quill right above the paper, then spelled out the first half of his name.

It was then Herman leaned forward over the desk and snatched the quill from the captain's magic.

“I’m sorry for putting you through that,” Herman said, speaking slowly and mildly. “But I know Glitter Wing, and she would never forgive me if I helped her out by cheating.”

The room became quiet after that, with both stallions trying to process what had just happened. Shining stared down at the document, and still had his horn lit even though he wasn't levitating anything. Herman decided to sit down again, right before the office door slammed open.

“Prince Armor! What's going on in here?” A crystal guard asked, moving into the room. Several more could be heard from the corridor, as there was a massive rumbling of hooves outside. Herman thought to himself that he might have overdone the shouting part.

“I’m fine,” Shining Armor replied, once the new crystal guard had reached his desk. Shining Armor looked like he'd just ran a mile, with a few visible patches of sweat on his fur.

Herman could hear more ponies filing in behind him, but he decided to remain seated and keep his focus on the Captain. The situation had also taken a lot out of Herman, who struggled to keep his breathing from becoming too audible.

“What happened here?” The crystal guard continued, then turned to Herman. “Did you…” The pony stopped dead as soon as their eyes met, and several more ponies were talking behind him.

“I heard shouting.”

“Is that a changeling?”

“I don't sense any magic.”

“Should we arrest him?”

“Enough!” Shining Armor yelled, and the room immediately fell silent. “Everything is perfectly all right. Things just got a little heated.” Shining Armor turned to Herman. “That was quite the demonstration. It felt like I was back as a recruit, and had accidentally made my sergeant furious.”

There was still a shuffling of armor among the gathered ponies, and Herman turned to see six crystal guards mixed in with some Royal Guards standing right behind him, and several more crowding the hallway. He quickly switched back to Shining Armor before he caused any more trouble.

“You can all leave now,” Shining Armor said, addressing everyone behind Herman. There were a few disgruntled murmurs, but the newly arrived ponies eventually left the room. Except for the pony who had rushed up to the desk. “That includes you, Lieutenant.”

“Oh, uh, yes sire,” the stallion said, after a short pause, then he too left the room.

“Sorry for causing such a scene,” Herman said, once the door was shut. “I assume you believe me now.” He was trying to keep his cool, but he had to hide that his hands were shaking.

“That’s alright,” Shining Armor said, then frowned down at the documents on the desk. “You knew this Glitter Wing?”

“She is my best friend,” Herman admitted.

“Oh, I'm sorry to hear that,” Shining Armor said, and placed the documents back into the file, then returned it to the filing cabinet. “Hopefully it will work out when the investigation is complete. To answer your question, yes, I now believe you have an innate power to influence ponies.”

“So, what happens now?” Herman asked, and couldn't entirely hide how tired he felt.

“Unless you have anything else to say I think we're done here for today,” Shining Armor concluded, after thinking about it for a few minutes.

“Wait, what? Just like that?”

“Unless you have anything more you want to add, but I can't make heads or tails of what you've just said and done. I will consult with the Royal Sisters.” The captain placed a hoof to his chin. “Maybe Twily has some insight.”

Herman didn’t know who that was or what to say, so he just threw his arms up into the air and left the seat. “I’m free to return home then?” he asked.

“You're always free to do as you please,” Shining Armor replied while fidgeting in his chair. “But I would recommend that you stay at the hotel for at least another day. The Royal Sisters might want to have a word with you, and, worst case scenario, you could be called back here again if you leave Canterlot.”

“Fine, I'll stay at the hotel until tomorrow,” Herman replied, then turned to the door. Corporal Shard still stood guarding it, but when their eyes met, the stallion shifted to stand at attention with his eyes front and chin up.

“Should I send you somepony to help you find the hotel?” Shining Armor asked before Herman had left the office.

“No need, a friend should be waiting for me in the lobby.” It was the first time Herman had considered Spring to be his friend, but it felt correct for him to call her and the others just that.

“Okay, take care out there, Herman.”

“Farewell,” Herman replied, then headed out into the hallway. When the door closed behind him, he stepped to the side and leaned back against the wall, then placed a hand on his forehead while he concentrated on taking deep and long breaths. It was still afternoon, but he wanted nothing less than to crawl into a warm, human-sized bed and have a nap.

The rattling of armor made it evident that he wasn’t alone, and Herman looked to the side to find two Royal Guards watching him. They had both been part of the group that had barged into the office when Herman had let loose and had no doubt stayed outside to make sure they were nearby if anything else happened, but now they were simply standing there and staring at him.

“Gentlemen,” Herman said and gave them a short nod as he moved past, assuming they’d remain like that for a short while. The same guard still stood outside the hallway B entrance, and the pony opened his mouth when Herman came out but closed it again when Herman gave him a daring look.

Ignoring everyone around him as he walked through the building, he reached the elevators, only to find out that the one he had used earlier was out of order. There were two more, but Herman decided that he needed to burn away some of the adrenaline, so he made his way to the stairs. The stairwell, unfortunately, lacked a proper handrail, but the spacing between each step was at least generous. He took it one step at a time to make sure he wouldn’t fall or break a sweat, but once back in the lobby, he was surprised to find that Spring was absent.

“Mr. Anderson,” the receptionist called, waving a hoof at him.

“Yes, miss?” Herman asked, moving up to her.

“I have a message for you from Sergeant Spring,” she said, then took out a small piece of paper. “She was called to a meeting and couldn’t be here, but she’ll come visit you tomorrow.”

“I understand,” Herman said and scrunched his nose. “I will need directions to the hotel if that’s the case.”

“Don’t worry, Spring already thought about that,” she said and pointed with her hoof at a young pony seated on a chair, which Herman recognized from the elevator room. “Recruit Comet will take you to the hotel.”

The young stallion rose up and slowly made his way over to Herman, then sat down just in front of him. The red hat he had worn earlier was gone, replaced with an ill-fitting golden helmet, and his blue mane was poorly pressed into a disheveled plume.

“I-I’m supposed to take you to your hotel, sir,” Comet said, shying away from looking Herman in the eyes.

“You can call me, Herman,” he said, in an attempted soothing tone, then turned to the front door. “Is the hotel far away?”

“Uh, no, sir,” Comet replied, standing up on all fours. “The hotel is only a street away from the palace.”

“Great,” Herman said, sighing to himself. After saying farewell to the receptionist, he motioned his new escort to take the lead, and the young pegasus eagerly galloped ahead to hold open the door for him.

Once outside, the young guard moved to his side as they headed for the palace gate, but the pony seemed distracted by something and kept fidgeting with his wings. They’d barely traveled for a minute before Comet was a dozen yards ahead of him on the road.

The pony wasn't the only one distracted, as Herman pondered about the meeting and what the eventual consequences might be. Had this entire trip been a waste of time? What sort of response would he get tomorrow? Was it a mistake to so blatantly display his ability to sway ponies? The answers both scared and excited him, as this could well spark a new chapter in his life, for good or bad. His stay in Rosewood had been pleasant, and he wouldn’t have minded if he had spent the rest of his days there, but this trip had in a sense invigorated his old appetite for adventure.

“I’m so sorry!” Comet said, suddenly airborne next to him. “I was thinking about something else, and didn’t realize I had left you behind.”

“That’s alright,” Herman said, then cleared his throat, which resulted in him coughing into his fist.

“Are you okay?” Comet asked, touching down beside Herman. “Do you need to see a doctor?” The pegasus was getting panicky, looking left to right, as if there would be one nearby

“I’m fine,” Herman mumbled, slightly annoyed at the constant concern about his health. “Tell me, recruit. How old are you?”

“Me? My fifteenth birthday was four days ago.”

Fifteen years. Herman couldn’t quite believe it, but seeing as ponies got their cutie marks at a young age, he wasn’t entirely shocked. It seemed like several lifetimes ago since he'd been that young, skipping school to play basketball on the street against his brother and neighborhood friends. The world from his perspective had been so different back then.

“Sir, can I ask you how old you are?”

“How old do you think I am?” Herman replied, giving him a wide grin.

“I can’t tell,” Comet admitted while craning his neck to study Herman as they continued walking. “Over a hundred?”

Herman let out a laugh, not expecting that high a number. Spring had also asked him about his age when they first met, but he couldn’t recall if she had been surprised when he had told her how old he was. The flow of time was something Herman had issues with since coming to Equestria, and the usual measurements never seemed to line up with reality. He didn’t know if it was due to his memory becoming less and less accurate, or if it was simply this world having such foreign seasons and day and night cycles.

“I am sixty-nine years old,” Herman answered, after a short pause.

“Oh,” Comet said, a bit taken aback. “I had this strange feeling that you were much older.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Herman said and looked up at the cloudless sky. There were a handful of pegasi in the air, swishing back and forth, only stopping to take a look around the area, then resume moving to the next invisible checkpoint in the sky.

They reached the gate without any incidents, and the guards stationed there let them through without any fanfare, but the main street outside was still as crowded as before. Ponies moved up, down, and sometimes across the road, while a few carriages pulled by stallions were stuck in the crowd.

“Spring said we should keep to the side and avoid the crowds,” Comet noted, and pointed at the street to their immediate right, it lined the palace wall with a few tall buildings on the opposite side. “The hotel is right over here, next to one of our stations.”

Herman thought he could see which buildings he meant from here, and began walking in that direction. It felt strange to only have the young pegasus at his side when he had been surrounded earlier by seasoned guards acting as if they might be ambushed inside of their capital, but he couldn’t blame them for being paranoid about a species that could change its form. At least, he assumed that was the reason.

“You really stand out,” Comet said, referring to a few ponies who had stopped to follow Herman with their heads. Luckily, there were fewer ponies on this street, and the broader distance between each pedestrian prevented any accidental collisions.

“I tend to have that effect on ponies,” Herman grumbled and tried to walk a bit faster. He had hoped to have some free time to visit all those quaint stores but assumed the guard wouldn't appreciate it if he unintentionally caused havoc in the streets. Maybe he could return here on another day of the year, when the city was less cramped, now that he knew ponies here who have offered to give him a proper tour of the city.

The hotel was a three-story building with white walls and black tiles on the roof, and could likely hold several times as many guests as the inn in Ponyville. Next to the hotel was indeed a guard station, with Royal Guards moving busily in and out of the structure.

Herman had nearly made it to the hotel entrance when Comet scrambled ahead to hold the door open for him. He thanked the pony as they went inside, then walked directly to the counter, where two receptionists were chatting. He made his presence known with a polite cough, then let them gawk at him for a while before addressing the left one, a light-brown mare with a dark mane wrapped in a bun.

“Hello, my name is Herman,” he said while leaning casually over the counter. “I believe I have a room reserved.”

“Oh,” the mare said, then shook her head. “I’m so sorry. Welcome to The Resting Hoof Hotel.” She turned to the other cashier, who was a white and blond unicorn stallion. “Do we have somepony by that name?”

“Top floor, 4B,” he answered, after a quick look in a ledger. “It says here you are a human, correct?”

“That is correct,” Herman answered, and wondered why that was mentioned.

“Excellent,” the unicorn continued, and made a note in the ledger, then took out a key from below the counter. “A Royal Guard was in here earlier and delivered some items to your room, and he described how a human looked and told us that the bed needed an extension.”

Herman made a mental note to thank Dusty later and reached out to take the key on the counter. Thankfully there existed places in Equestria that had the common sense to have a lock and key installed on their doors, but he wouldn’t be surprised if most ponies here didn't bother locking it anyways.

“I’ll help you find your room,” Comet said after they turned away from the counter.

“Lead the way,” Herman replied and followed the pony through the main lobby to the second-floor entrance. There was an elevator present, but Herman shook his head and pointed at the stairs. The young stallion eagerly rushed up the staircase, then sat at the top, ashamed that he had left Herman behind yet again. It was also apparent that Comet hadn’t been to this hotel before as he relied on the directions on the walls to find his way.

“Will you be fine from here, Herman?” Comet asked once they’d reach the correct room on the fourth floor.

“Yes, thank you for helping me,” Herman said, and patted the pony atop the helmet.

“Okay. If you need any help, just ask the staff,” Comet said, smiling up at him. “The Guard owns the hotel, so they'll help you come in contact with the palace, should you need to.”

“I will. Take care,” Herman said, and unlocked the door with the key, then gave Comet a final wave before entering the room.

“Bye!” Comet shouted, followed by the clip-clop of hooves moving further away.

Herman closed the door and locked it, then slowly made his way to inspect the room while unbuttoning his suit and loosening the tie. They had generously given him a business suite, with a big double bed at the center that was thankfully extended as the cashier had said. Against the wall were a workbench and his suitcase resting against a chair, while his overcoat hung on a knob to the side.

He went to make sure that the painkillers were still in the pockets, but decided to heed Spring’s warning and not take any. Instead, he completely removed his suit and tie and then went through the arduous task of using a pony designed lavatory. Once he had freshened up in the bathroom, he made his way to the bed and removed his shoes before laying down to rest for a while. It was still way too early to go to sleep, but the meeting with Shining Armor had exhausted him more than he cared to admit, and the bed was incredibly comfy.

Herman came awake in the dark and laid there blinking. It took him a few moments to realize where he was, and that he had accidentally fallen asleep with his clothes still on, but there was also the distinct feeling that something had woken him on purpose.

And that he wasn’t alone.

He looked around the dark room for an intruder and felt his heart almost stop when an ominous shadow moved across the wall opposite of the bed. Realising that someone was at the windows behind him, he rose up and quickly backed away.

“Who’s there?” Herman asked, as sternly as possible. But his throat was dry, and his eyes had trouble adjusting to the dark room and the intense moonlight.

Then he heard a knocking sound, not from the hotel door, but from one of the large windows. A minute passed that felt like an hour, but his eyes were finally able to see what was out there.

It was a pegasus hovering in the air while soundlessly flapping its wings. It was clad in a familiar deep blue armor that almost turned black with the moon as background. He couldn’t quite tell, but it seemed that the eyes behind the helmet glowed faintly red.

The pony knocked once more, motioning with its head that it wanted Herman to come and open the window. He had no intentions of doing so at first, but then he remembered where he had seen such an armor design before, so he slowly made his way towards the window and unlocked the latch.

The wind took hold of the window, throwing it open as Herman backed away. The pegasus gracefully flew inside, then turned and closed the window behind him. For an instance, Herman thought he had made a terrible mistake until the pony turned and faced him.

“Who are you?” Herman asked, squinting with his eyes.

“That is not important,” he said, with a strangely archaic accent, then used one of his wings to take out a folded letter from the saddlebag he was carrying. “I bring a message from Princess Luna.”

Herman hesitated once more, mostly because the pony's face was partially hidden in shadows. But when the pony extended the letter in his direction, he slowly moved closer and took it.

“What’s in it?” Herman asked, looking at the letter in his hand. It was too dark in the room to able to read anything.

“Go to the desk, there should be matches and a lamp,” the pony said, speaking in a more friendly tone. “I will remain here in case you need to send a reply.”

Herman turned the letter around in his hand once more, then moved back to the desk while still keeping an eye on the pony in the room. Like the pegasus had said, there was an oil lamp with a box of matches.

“Take your time,” the pony continued and sat down on his haunches.

Not knowing what else to do, Herman took out a match and lit the lamp, then began reading.

Herman.

I apologize for sending such an unorthodox messenger, but I have my reasons. Your name came up tonight at one of our security meetings, and we discussed your predicament with Prince Armor. We decided that the Crown will make an effort to help you find your home, but so far not even my sister has ever heard of your species.

Nevertheless, we have sent out a royal decree to all exploration and trading vessels sailing under the Equestrian flag. Should any ship find or hear about your homeland, they will immediately report so to us, and we will inform you as soon as possible.

Lastly, because of the worsening security situation, I ask that you return to your home on the earliest train leaving Canterlot. A guard will be sent to pick you up in the morning with the necessary tickets. We apologize once more for the inconvenience.

Luna.

Herman read the short message several times over, but it made no sense to him. Had they sent him all this way only to dismiss his claims? Did they believe him to be some demented old man that conjured up fanciful tales for attention's sake?

The letter fell on the table, but he wanted to throw it in the trash, then kick over the trash can for good measure.

“I take it you’ve read and understood,” the pony said, still observing him.

Herman took a few deep breaths, then turned to the pony.

“I suppose I do,” Herman said and frowned. The lamp on his desk had helped illuminate the pony's face, and he seemed far less threatening in the light, even if it was hard to make out any coat or mane colors.

“If you’re done with the letter, I would like to have it back,” the pegasus said, and again extended a wing towards him.

Not seeing a reason why not to, Herman returned the letter, which the pegasus quickly placed in his saddlebag.

“Do you wish me to take a message back to Her Majesty?” the pegasus asked, standing up.

Herman thought about it but decided that there wouldn’t be any point. “No.”

The pony simply nodded.

“We have met before, haven't we?” Herman continued and folded his arms while looking down at the pony. The pegasus flinched. “You were in the garden where I met Luna.”

“Many of my brethren and sistren wear this armor,” the pegasus said, while slowly backing away from Herman. “I was elsewhere.”

“No, you were there,” Herman said and looked him straight in the eyes. There was still a faint red glow in the pony’s pupil, but it wasn’t Herman who shied away first.

“How could you possibly know that?” the pony asked, taking several more steps backward. Herman didn’t miss this window of opportunity and moved in closer to the pony.

“I know many things,” Herman mused, staring menacingly at the pony as he approached him. “How about you stay awhile?”

The pony backed up until he hit the window with his tush, then quickly turned to open it. “I will tell Her Majesty that I’ve delivered the letter,” he blurted while fumbling with the latch. Herman noticed that there was something different with his wings, but before he could comment on it, the pony managed to get the window open, and flew outside without a second glance at Herman.

Muttering to himself, he closed the window after the pony. The whole encounter had been ridiculous, but he was at least glad to have managed to mess with the pony for scaring him awake like that.

Herman returned to sit down on the bed with both hands massaging his forehead. He was wide awake and judging by the position of the moon; it was around midnight. Not knowing what else to do, he got up again, closed the curtains on all the windows, then undressed. After a quick visit to brush his teeth, he went to blow out the lamp on the desk, then headed to lay restlessly in bed, thinking about the princess and what she had written in her letter.

Home

The remainder of the night, Herman repeatedly woke and fell asleep every hour or so, not remembering where he was or why he was there. In the end, he decided that staying in bed was pointless and rose well before sunrise.

He opened the curtains and let some moonlight into the room, then remembered what a bad idea it was to stand in front of the window in only your undergarments when a fair portion of the local population could fly. Luckily, the city outside was still fast asleep, with only a Royal Guard squad patrolling the otherwise empty streets below.

There wasn't much for him to do at the time, so he took a shower to remove all the sticky sweat that had accumulated during his troubled rest. Afterward, he lifted his briefcase up onto the desk and opened it, then placed last day’s shirt and underwear into a container with the rest of his laundry. There were only two clean shirts left with the same gray color, so he had few options on how to dress, but decided it was time to use his reserve trousers.

Once fully dressed, he went on a scavenger hunt in the barely lit room, looking through all the drawers until he found his prize: a basket of complimentary snacks and drinks stocked away in the closet. The snack bars were a mishmash of different grains and fruit wrapped in brown paper, but some also featured hay and leaves, and his digestive system knew from experience not to overeat the ones featuring grass. After sorting away those he deemed inedible, he returned to the desk to eat in silence.

When he was finished with the makeshift breakfast, he cleaned up, then went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and have a quick shave. Once he felt ready to tackle the day, he packed everything into his briefcase, which he placed against the wall next to the door.

Not having much else to do, he decided to put on his white jacket and see how he looked in front of the mirror in the hallway. Unfortunately, it was designed for ponies, so it was much wider than it was tall, and hung so low that everything from Herman’s shoulders and above was missing. Still, he was pleased with how he looked and decided to have a little private fun by pretending to be John Wayne. He threw one-liners at his reflection while making fancy reloading gestures with an imaginary rifle until he heard the bones in his hip creak in protest — forcing him to sit back down on the bed for a few minutes.

Herman quickly became bored, and the moon outside had just begun its descent. He considered waiting downstairs in the lobby, but odds were high that an employee or a Royal Guard would knock on his door soon to wake him up and maybe even help him prepare for the return journey. So instead he moved the work desk, placing it near one of the large windows, then sat upon it while waiting for the sunrise to spread light across the white marble city.

The frustration and disappointment he had felt yesterday had mostly faded away, and he was relieved to be heading back home. The lumber mill would have to manage without him for a few more days because he would need to visit Glitter Wing in Dodge City as soon as possible and apologize. He would need to ask a guard if prisoners in Royal Guard custody were allowed visitors, but he was confident that he could talk his way through in either case.

The question would be what he should do once this was all settled and done with. Should he try and publish his memoirs again? Would they even publish them?

It was then Herman realized something.

His memoirs were still back in Shining Armor’s office. They must have both forgotten about it in the heat of the moment, but returning to the palace to fetch them was likely no longer an option. He supposed he could ask an employee in the lobby to send a message asking Shining Armor to package his book and send it to his home address.

Herman let out a long sigh, just as he heard someone knock on the door.

“Are you awake, Herman?” a female voice called, and he immediately recognized who it was.

“I’m awake, Spring,” he called back. He was about to rise from the desk to let her in but decided to remain seated when he heard the lock turn and the door open.

“Good morning,” she said, closing the door behind her.

“Good morning, Spring,” Herman replied, still looking out the window. The metal clanks from the hallway told him that she was wearing a full set of armor.

“Oh, you’re already dressed,” Spring said, walking into the dark room. “Why are you sitting on a desk?”

“I’m waiting for the sunrise,” Herman said. “And thinking about the answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.”

“Really? That doesn’t sound so hard.” She walked up to sit on the floor next to him.

“Got a good one?” Herman asked, chuckling to himself.

“Live a good life, love your family and friends, and try to make the world a better place,” she said, without a hint of irony.

Herman couldn’t stop himself from bursting out laughing.

“Hey, what’s so funny?” she asked, then yelped when Herman reached out and gave her a scritch behind the ear.

“You’re too adorable,” he said, locking his arm around her neck just as she tried to veer away, pressing her armored head to his side. “Thank you, Spring, I needed that.”

Spring didn’t struggle or respond, and they sat like that for a short while. “Herman, are you okay?” she quietly asked, while slowly moving away from his hold on her.

“I'm fine,” he lied and released her from his grip. He looked at them both through their vague reflection in the window. “I often get a bad case of melancholy when I sit down and think about these things. It's why I like to keep busy.”

“The princesses will help you find them. They said so.”

Herman had no reply to that.

“I had a late night visitor yesterday,” Herman said while jumping off the bench. “One of Luna’s guards from her garden picnic.”

“The Princess mentioned she was going to send someone,” Spring said, as she helped him return the desk to its original position. “Her guards can be eccentric, and they like to keep to themselves, so you rarely ever see them outside of work.”

“She wrote about some sort of security meeting.” Herman moved to sit down on the bed. “Were you there?”

“Yes, Captain Armor invited me,” Spring said while moving around to check out the room. “They wanted to know my thoughts about you.”

“Now I’m curious,” Herman admitted. “But aren't you here to escort me to the train station?”

“Herman, I’m here to escort you all the way home,” she said, stopping near the same window the pegasus had entered yesterday. “Didn't think you’d be up so early.”

“You must have gotten up pretty early yourself,” Herman noted, and gave her a closer inspection. The plume on her helmet and some of her visible coat still looked slightly damp from showering.

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a mare healthy, wealthy, and wise,” she said, with fake cheerfulness. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

“Just a few hotel snacks.”

“Okay, we could eat on the train or in the lobby,” Spring said while moving to the door and eyeing Herman’s briefcase suspiciously. “There is also a donut store that’s always open down the road.”

“I’m not that hungry, so let’s save it for the train,” Herman replied, following her into the hallway. “We could head out now and wait at the station; I could use some fresh air.”

“Okay, but Herman,” Spring began, still looking at the briefcase. “Could you carry the briefcase? I don't think I can manage both it and my saddlebags.” She pointed with a hoof at a pair saddlebags hanging from one of the knobs. She must have taken them off before she entered the room.

“That won’t be a problem.”

“And I almost forgot,” she said while fishing out his book from her bags. “I brought your memoirs. Captain Armor said you forgot them back in his office.”

Herman let out a sigh of relief when she showed him the paperback. “Thank you. That meeting got so heated that I had completely forgotten about my book until today. But could you carry it in your bags? My suitcase is almost full.”

“Of course,” she replied, returning it to her saddlebag, then gave the room a final check. “You got everything with you?”

Herman went to retrieve his shoes, then put on his overcoat and fedora, while quickly checking the pockets to assure himself the pouch with painkillers was still there. There was a barely noticeable throbbing below his shoulder blades, but he had decided not to take another pill unless it was strictly necessary. “I think that was everything.”

Spring grabbed the saddlebags with her mouth and swung them expertly across her back. “Let's get you back home,” she said and opened the door.

Herman took his briefcase in one hand and followed her outside. She closed the door behind him, and then they walked side by side towards the exit. There was no staff manning the elevator this early, so they had to take the stairs, but Spring was kind enough to let Herman put a hand on her withers so he could use her as a makeshift handrail as they headed down. Once they reached the lobby, they both headed for the reception and returned the keys.

“So, what did you tell the princesses about me?” Herman asked once they were outside the hotel. The street was deserted, and the light from the street lamps was strangely ominous due to the thick morning fog.

“I told them what I knew about you,” she said while keeping an eye on each of the side alleys they passed. “Mainly that you were a good human.”

“I’m glad you think so, Spring,” he replied, as they turned towards the main road. There were a few guard ponies at the gate leading to the palace, but they swung in the opposite direction that leads straight for the West Gate. “My mother always told me never to lie, cheat, or steal. If I ever did so, the Lord would know about it and punish me.”

“Sounds like your local lord was well aware of what the foals were doing,” she remarked, obviously distracted. The fog got more substantial as they moved through the city, and often they could only see the silhouette of a pony. A yawning stallion with a baking cutie mark walked out of the fog from across the street, and Herman could sense how tense Spring got when the pony got close to them.

“How bad is the situation?” Herman asked when the stallion was out of hearing range.

“Bad,” she replied, still scanning their surroundings as they got closer to the gate leading out of the city.

“How come Dusty and Fair Weather isn’t here?” He felt a bit bad that he would have to break his promise to Dusty that he wouldn’t leave without saying farewell.

“They were assigned elsewhere,” she said, sounding troubled.

The moon had dropped below the horizon, while the sun began to illuminate the city. More and more ponies could be seen leaving their homes, but Herman assumed most slept in since it was a holiday.

The West Gate garrison all looked tired when Herman and Spring passed through the large gatehouse. The Lieutenant from yesterday was nowhere to be seen, and he didn’t recognize any of the guards as they blankly gaped at him.

“Will you return to Canterlot as soon as we reach Rosewood?” Herman asked as they walked across the bridge leading to the market square. A few ponies were already setting up their booths and loading them with fresh produce, no doubt to be sold as breakfast to all the visitors. “I would like it if you stayed for a day.”

“Return? Oh,” Spring said, flinching slightly at the question. “No, I will stay.”

“You’re staying? For how long?” Herman asked, genuinely curious. Except for the sheriff's office, there had never been any Royal Guard presence in Rosewood.

“For some time,” Spring said, vaguely. She averted her eyes from him and instead looked straight ahead. “It… was decided upon in the meeting.”

“Spring,” Herman began, switching to hold his suitcase with his left hand, then placing the right on her back as they continued walking. “Is there something you want to tell me? What did you discuss in that meeting?”

“Yes, but not until we’re on the train and moving.”

Her firm tone indicated that she was forcing herself not to talk about it, and Herman knew better than to push her. So he said nothing as they made it into the plaza. The train heading out of Canterlot was already parked at the station with its engine shut down, but he hoped they’d be allowed to board ahead of time.

The boarding platform was mostly empty except for a pair of Royal Guards keeping watch and some work ponies inspecting the train. Spring went ahead to speak with the conductor, then removed two tickets and a fancy parchment that she waved in front of the pony’s face.

Herman stood by himself as the two of them talked. The pair of guards, both unicorn mares, had seen him and were now staring at him with both of their mouths open. There was little he could do about it except smile and give them a friendly wave.

“We can board now,” Spring said, moving up to him, then craned her neck to look at the stunned guards he was waving at. “It's best if we head inside.”

Herman nodded and followed her as she boarded the train until they were all the way back. The rooms were all similar to the two other trains they had used before, and after Herman had tucked away his briefcase, hat, and overcoat, they both took the same seats as when their journey began.

“Can you tell me now?” Herman asked after Spring had made herself comfortable on the other side. She still wore her armor, and Herman doubted that even he could convince her to take it off this time.

“Not until we're outside Canterlot,” she replied but gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry Herman, but I can't tell you yet.”

Herman looked her straight in the eyes, but she remained headstrong and wouldn't let her face betray her emotions, so he merely let out a sigh.

“Is there anything else you'd want to talk about?” he asked.

Spring placed a hoof on her chin while she thought about it.

“Why don't you tell me about your family?” she said, sounding genuinely interested, but her cheerfulness quickly evaporated when she saw how distant Herman's reaction was. “I'm so sorry, forget that I said anything.”

“No, it's quite alright,” Herman replied, placing both hands on his knees. “I would love to tell you about them.”

He began by telling her how he had met his wife in a dancehall when he had been but a young man traveling the countryside. He had never believed that the beautiful blonde girl standing at the bar would have been interested in someone like him, so he had just jokingly given her one of his worst pickup lines. It had caught him totally unaware when she laughed, gave her name, and wouldn't stop talking with him for the entire night out.

When Spring asked him what line he had used, he told her, and she couldn't prevent herself from giggling.

Herman continued with how he and Lena had spent the next week together driving from town to town on his hard-earned bike, and how she had comforted him when they found it stolen one day. Herman was so engrossed in telling the story that he barely noticed the train leaving Canterlot.

He told Spring how they got married half a year later, thanks to Lena’s parents being so carefree and tolerable to the notion of a mixed-race marriage, something that was widely frowned upon in those days. His own family hadn't been nearly as accepting, and as time went by, he had spoken to them less and less.

Spring would interrupt with questions from time to time, mostly asking what a motorcycle was, or why your skin color had anything to do with true love.

Herman explained as best he could, but Spring mostly frowned and said that humans were silly. In the end, she admitted that ponies had acted much the same during the ancient tribal feuds.

They had traveled all the way down the mountain while Herman talked about the time his daughter had been born, and how his wife had insisted she be named after the old Norse god of fertility, of all things.

One of the kitchen staff, a bright yellow stallion with a chef's hat, came by and interrupted his story, asking if they wanted to order breakfast. Spring later explained that she had told the conductor that she was on a mission for the Crown, and would need food delivered to their wagon.

The yellow stallion had done so, bringing them tea and an assortment of sandwiches. Herman didn't stop talking about his family as they ate, and Spring continued to show interest in him recalling his life. She would smile and laugh whenever he told her a funny story about Freja growing up but also sob when he told her about the tough times when both his parents passed away, or how their attempts to have more children always failed.

Time continued to fly as he told her about his life, and he barely noticed that they had passed Ponyville and were well on their way to Dodge City. They had completely forgotten about what had happened in Canterlot, as Spring took the lead and told Herman about her life. How she had so often dismissed potential suitors because she was too focused on Shining Armor, even though she knew deep down that it would never work, and how angry she had been every time her mother had tried to persuade her to find another stallion.

It wasn't until the train made its stop in Dodge City that Herman realized just how many hours had gone by. There were Wild West buildings all around them, and looking further down the road he saw the local Royal Guard office.

“I should go see Glitter Wing,” he said and rose up from the bunk. His back was stiff from sitting too long, even after continually switching between walking and sitting on the return journey. The decision was spontaneous, but he knew it was the right thing to do.

“Wait, Herman,” Spring said, and leaped down to block the exit.

“I need to see her,” he said, looking down at Spring.

“You’ll see her soon, I promise,” Spring said, then placed a hoof on his leg. “But we have to get you home first.”

“Why? What possible harm could there be in visiting her now?” Herman asked, and turned to pick up his briefcase. It was almost midday, and it was already too warm to wear his overcoat, so he tucked it beneath his left arm.

“I need you to trust me on this,” Spring said, her ears laying back as she looked up at him pleadingly. “We have to return to Rosewood first. Please, I promise you it will turn out for the best.”

Herman stopped himself from barging past her, though he doubted he would have succeeded if he tried. Spring stood her ground defiantly, but the longer he looked at her, the more her will faded.

“Fine,” Herman said and sat down his suitcase on the floor. “But I intend to visit her tomorrow.”

Spring let out a sigh of relief, then moved back to her bunk. They said nothing until the train had passed the city limits.

“I think it's time you told me why I was ordered to leave the city,” Herman said, putting both arms on his legs. At this point, he didn't actually care what their reasoning was, as he was content with just returning home.

“Alright, you deserve to know,” Spring began and sat up straighter. “But I want you to keep quiet about this, okay?”

Herman simply nodded. Very much doubting that what she might say would be relevant once they were back on the fringe of Equestria.

“A few of the changelings that had gone over to our side had informed us that Chrysalis was planning something,” she continued. “We do not know what yet, but we believe she lured ponies to travel to Canterlot. That's why the city was overcrowded.”

“How and why?” Herman asked, and scratched the side of his head with his forefinger.

Spring was apparently anxious about the situation, as she leaped off the bunk and began pacing back and forth. “We don't know why yet, but someone has been sending out invitations to hundreds of ponies, telling them to come visit relatives for various reasons. It might be a way to help sneak changelings into the capital or to force the Royal Guard away from the countryside. Captain Armor suggested that they issue an evacuation order for all non-residents in the city, but the princesses waited because they didn't want to cause a panic before they were ready, and that's where you came in.”

“Me?” Herman asked, and pointed at himself.

“You were an unknown that could seemingly influence ponies, so they thought it best that you left before the evacuation order was issued. If we accidentally forced the changelings to make their move, you might be caught in the middle.”

Herman frowned at her explanation, but he was at least a little touched that they valued his safety so highly. He could see the problems with being a completely foreign species in the middle of an assault by shapeshifters. If a Royal Guard decided to tackle him because they believed him a changeling, he would likely break more than a few bones.

“If the situation is so dire, how come they could spare a Sergeant to escort me home?” he asked.

Spring stopped her pacing and turned to him, “I'll tell you when you're back in your home. It's a surprise.”

Herman scoffed at her vague answer but didn't bother with arguing.

The train arrived an hour later in Rosewood, with Spring and Herman as the only passengers. Spring took the lead and beamed back at Herman as they departed the train. Herman didn't know what to make of it but followed her obediently. Once they were out on the platform, she stopped and looked around in confusion.

It was apparent she had expected someone to meet them here, as she swiveled her head back and forth in search of something, but the station was abandoned. Herman also tried to find whatever Spring was searching for, but only a few ponies were walking the streets.

Too few ponies. Most of the villagers were usually working outside at this hour, and especially on such a beautiful day.

“Spring?” Herman said and walked up to stand beside her. “Were you expecting to meet someone here?”

She didn't respond at first, and it was obvious she was concentrating on something else.

“Spring?”

“Oh, sorry,” she said, jumping slightly away from him. “Yes, I expected that somepony would meet us here.”

“Who?” Herman asked, and began walking down the stairs of the platform.

“A colleague,” she said, following closely behind Herman.

“Who? The Sheriff?” Herman would have heard about it if there were any Royal Guards in town.

“No,” she replied and furrowed her brows.

He had never seen her this anxious before, but he assumed it was the hastily planned return trip that had messed up her schedule.

“Should we continue to my house?” Herman asked. “My suitcase is getting heavy. We can come back later and find whoever it is you're searching for.”

“Good idea,” she agreed and walked next to him on the road leading to his home. But as they headed through Rosewood, Herman was surprised to find that the tavern didn't have a single patron seated at the bar.

“Where is everyone?” Herman mumbled. They went past the cafeteria, and he recognized Blue Dive working inside. He was tempted to go and ask the pegasus if something was going on that he was unaware of, but decided that getting home and dragging out more answers from Spring should take precedence. There was likely a perfectly reasonable explanation to why so many were missing; maybe one of the pregnant mares on one of the outlying farms had finally given birth, and the town was there celebrating.

They walked to the outskirts, then followed the dirt path leading to Herman's house. It was a peaceful day, with the sun shining through the leafy forest while the birds called out to one another. Even Spring got less tense as they walked on. They were only a few hundred yards away when Herman noticed something flying above him. Thanks to the sun in his eyes he just saw a dark speck, but it was pony shaped and headed in the direction of his house.

It hit Herman that the townsfolk might be planning a welcome home party for him, but he soon rejected the idea. They couldn't possibly have known he was returning home today. Was it pure coincidence? He supposed it could have been Blue Dive heading for the lake to catch some more fish for his restaurant.

“I think someone just flew towards my house,” Herman said when it was clear to him that Spring had missed it.

“Really?” she said, jerking her head up to the sky. “Where?”

“Whoever it was is gone now, but it’s probably just a friend heading to catch fish at the lake near my house.”

Spring stopped to look up at him.

“Are you certain?” she asked.

Herman simply shrugged.

“Okay,” she continued while scrunching her nose. “Let’s hope it’s nothing, but if something does happen, I want you to run back to town and alert the first pony you see.”

“You believe I have any chance of running away?” Herman asked, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t know what’s going on, but do you really believe that changelings would be after me?”

Spring used a forehoof to kick up some dirt on the road, she was visibly stressed out by the situation and kept a wary eye out for any movements among the trees.

“No, but I have a feeling that something is wrong,” she said, then addressed him in a somber tone. “Herman, I want you to head back to Rosewood and take the first train back to Dodge City. Alert the Royal Guard that something isn’t right here.”

Herman tried to see if she was joking, but her face remained steadfast. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”

“No, something doesn’t add up here,” she whispered, moving closer to his side. “We should never have left the station.”

They waited on the road for a few minutes, but all they could hear was the wind and the rustling of leaves. Then he suddenly moved his hand in front of her face and flicked his middle finger on her nose.

“Ow,” she exclaimed, taking a few steps back. “What was that for?”

“You worry too much,” he answered, then continued walking on the dirt road. His house was only around the next bend, and his arm felt strained from carrying the suitcase for so long. “I’m certain everything is fine.”

“Herman, wait,” she shouted and trotted in front of him. “What if the changelings are after you?”

Herman didn’t stop, and luckily she sidestepped before she could trip him over.

“I’m going home, and nothing you say is going to stop me,” he said, as she was about to open her mouth to try and convince him again. “I won’t let your paranoia lead me on another pointless train ride across the country.”

Spring clenched her teeth and seemed ready to yell at him. Instead, she galloped a few yards ahead, and quickly swung her head back and forth, searching for anything suspicious.

Around the next corner, Herman could finally see his house, and everything seemed to be in order. His rocking chair still sat on the porch, and nothing that he could see was out of place or missing as they approached.

“See, nothing is wrong here,” Herman said, as they walked up on the porch. Spring went ahead to peer into one of the windows, while he chuckled at her behavior, then placed the suitcase down on the floor, and took out his wallet from his pocket. Inside he had the key to the door, which he put in the keyhole.

Herman felt his blood freeze. The door was already unlocked, and the only spare key had been in Glitter Wing’s possession. Spring instantly picked up on his distress and scurried to the door, but something compelled him to open it and look inside slowly.

He found nothing unusual, just an empty hallway where everything was as he had left it. Spring went past him, and he slowly followed. She peered into the adjacent living room and instantly went into some kind of attack stance. Herman barely had time to register what happened as she lept out of sight, a voice screamed in surprise in the other room, followed by what sounded like a wrestling match among the furniture.

Herman moved as quickly as he could, stopping himself by placing one hand on the doorway, only to find Spring on the floor, holding a green earth pony in an armlock next to an overturned chair. He instantly recognized the struggling pony.

“Sheriff?”

“Surprise!” a dozen voices suddenly called out, followed by ponies jumping out behind the couch and adjacent rooms. They were all smiling, and someone even managed to throw confetti across the living room, which mostly just landed atop of Spring and the Sheriff.

There was an awkward pause in the room, as the rest of the confetti slowly fell to the ground and everyone switched their focus to Spring manhandling the Sheriff.

“I knew this was a dumb idea,” a stallion grumbled, and Herman recognized the rough voice of one of his co-workers, Woodsy.

“Funny how you never mentioned that before,” a mare said, walking through the doorway leading to the kitchen. It was his secretary, Lemon Cider, who walked up to him and hugged him around the waist. “Welcome back, Herman.” She turned to Spring who still held the Sheriff against the floor. “I see you brought home a feisty mare from Canterlot. You’ll have to introduce us later.”

It took a while for Herman to respond, as more ponies came out of hiding, and more still could now be heard from other rooms. All the workers from the lumber mill, along with their families seemed to be present, and also quite a few other ponies from town. There were even a few foals running in circles around the two adult ponies on the floor.

“How did you know?” Herman asked, addressing Lemon Cider. But the yellow unicorn with round glasses only tilted her head.

“Know what? That you were coming back today?” she said, then turned to look up at the ceiling. “The reason we know is upstairs, and she’s been wanting to talk to you all day.”

Herman blinked, then looked at Lemon Cider for confirmation, who nodded her head in response. He took a deep breath, then made his way through the living room while greeting each pony he passed. Spring was still laying on top of the Sheriff, seemingly too flummoxed to get off him despite his protests, and all the foals present thought they were playing some game when they jumped in to join the pony pile on the floor.

He left Spring to deal with the mess she had created, and headed past the living room and into the kitchen, then up the staircase leading to the second floor. Once at the top, he was confronted by a Royal Guard stallion who he didn’t recognize, but the pony instantly blanked out when they came face to face.

Herman didn’t care who the stallion was because behind him was someone that mattered much more. At the end of the hallway, sitting on a bed in one of his guest rooms, was Glitter Wing.

The beige pegasus smiled and waved a hoof at him when their eyes met. Herman moved past the Royal Guard and through the hallway into the guest room, closing the door behind him.

“Welcome back, big guy,” Glitter Wing said, as soon as the door shut. She stayed seated on the edge of the bed while kicking nervously with her hind legs. The pegasus looked precisely the same as when he had last seen her, but when he got closer, he noticed the dark bags under her eyes, and around both her right hoof and wing was a thin metal bracelet.

“Glitter, I’m so sorry,” he began, but she interrupted him with an outstretched hoof.

“Hey, none of that,” she said and jumped off the bed, then leaped up to hug him around the waist. “It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

He returned the hug by patting her on the head, then gently pushed her away.

“Why are you here? I thought you were being held at the guard station in Dodge City.”

“I was supposed to be,” she explained while fidgeting with the bracelet on her arm. “But something strange happened, out of nowhere a message arrived last night saying I was allowed to wait out my sentence in house arrest. It was signed by Captain Armor and Princess Luna of all ponies!”

Herman flinched when he heard the names and suddenly felt a bit lightheaded.

“You okay there?” she asked, then guided him to sit down on the bed. He objected at first, but she firmly pushed him until he was seated on the edge.

“Did the letter tell you I was coming?” he asked, but he was so winded that he had trouble getting the words out.

Glitter Wing didn’t respond to his question and instead looked him over.

“You’re exhausted,” she noted and motioned at his suit with a hoof. “You need to get out of those clothes.”

Before he could object, Glitter was all over him trying to peel away his suit, even going so far as dragging it with her teeth. He attempted to press her away by pushing with the flat of his hand on her cheek, but she didn't relent until the jacket was off him.

“Roll up your sleeves,” she commanded while placing the stolen white jacket at the back of the bed. “It makes you look good.”

“Yes, Glitter,” he said, and gave her a tired smile. “I’m not dumb enough to disobey your orders.”

“Damn straight you’re not,” she replied, returning the smile. They grinned at each over a for a few moments, then both burst out laughing.

“So, you’re a changeling, huh,” he said, once they had both calmed down.

“Yup, got a problem with that, old man?” she asked, cheekily.

He held out both hands defensively. “None whatsoever.”

They both chuckled for a few moments until the rustle of armor could be heard making its way up the stairs. Glitter Wing went to open the door, and they both peered out to find a flustered Spring breathing heavily in the hallway. Atop her armored back sat a little gray colt, who waved happily at Herman. Spring herself didn’t seem to notice the little hitchhiker.

Spring was about to say something to Herman, but instead snapped her mouth shut, and turned her attention to the guard stallion, who had nearly backed away all the way into Herman’s bedchamber.

“Private,” she said, with her face turning slowly red. “You were supposed to meet up with us at the station.” The stallion gulped and seemed to shrink in size when she moved up to him.

“Sorry, Sergeant,” he began, “but the villagers convinced me to come here.”

Herman anticipated the verbal beatdown that was about to happen, so he walked right up to Spring and grabbed the colt around the waist with both arms, grunting loudly at the weight. He proceeded to walk downstairs with the foal, followed closely by Glitter Wing.

They had barely reached the floor when the colt bolted from Herman's grasp and ran into his workroom. Someone had rearranged all the furniture to the sides before setting up a makeshift dance floor where the foals, and a few young mares and colts, were now dancing to the music of Herman's gramophone. The fast-paced disco beat didn't belong in his collection of records, so he assumed someone brought it with them.

Most of the adults were hanging out in the kitchen and living room, and the two mares who worked at the salon had brought a giant wooden keg filled with hard cider. Ponies stood in a neat queue to get their mugs filled, but Herman had never been much of a cider fan, so he headed into the cellar and brought with him some wine for those who preferred it. Together with Glitter Wing, he spent some time in the kitchen opening wine bottles and talking about Canterlot.

She scolded him when he poured some for himself, claiming that he was in no condition to ingest alcohol. But mostly though, he was happy that Glitter Wing still got along with the rest of the town. No doubt it helped that she didn't shy away from having conversations with anyone that looked at her funny.

He quickly retired to sit down in his blissfully human-friendly sofa, letting out a satisfied groan as his back made contact with the soft cushions. Lemon Cider occupied the seat next to him, and they soon began a long conversation about adding a weekend shift to the lumber mill. As the hours went by, some ponies returned to town, while others just came by to say hello or have a drink.

By the time it was approaching sunset, nearly half of the self-invited guests had gone home, and while Herman stayed on the couch for most of the party, he had noticed something peculiar. Spring and Glitter Wing would often gossip in the corner, and whenever he asked them about it, they jokingly told him it was none of his business. Still, he was glad that they got along.

The party didn’t finish until the middle of the evening, and thankfully most ponies had stayed behind to help clean up before they departed. The only two remaining in his house were Spring and Glitter, as even the guard stallion, who he presumed was here to keep Glitter Wing from running away, had left.

They had all retired to the living room, where Glitter laid on all fours beside him on the sofa, while Spring had taken a seat in one of the pony chairs on the short side of the table. It was getting darker outside, and the only light source in the room came from his fireplace.

“Crazy day, huh?” Glitter said while she stared sleepily into the fire.

“Sure was,” Herman replied, and unconsciously let his right hand rest on top of her back. “You never told me what you two were gossiping about in the corner.”

Spring and Glitter exchanged a glance, then they both turned to him.

“We weren't gossiping,” Spring frowned, but her eyes darting to the side told him otherwise. “You see, I told you earlier today that I’ll be staying in Rosewood. In the meeting with Captain Armor and the Princesses, I volunteered to move here and keep an eye on the two of you.”

“But what about your home and friends in Canterlot?” Herman blurted, surprised by the fact that she was moving here permanently. “I hope you’re not doing this just because you feel guilty for dragging an old man back and forth across Equestria.”

“It was my decision to make,” Spring answered, and furrowed her brows at him as if daring him to debate the matter. “Of course, I’ll need a place to stay. Somewhere that has extra rooms and is close to my charges.”

Her demeanor softened notably after that last part, and she gave him her best puppy eyes.

“I could also use a new place to stay outside of town until the ponies here are more used to the fact that a changeling lives among them,” Glitter said and nuzzled the hand on her back.

Herman gave them both an incredulous look, and when their pleading eyes intensified, he could do nothing but burst out laughing. As he struggled with controlling himself, the two mare's facade began to crack, and they became worried he would reject them.

“Of course you two are welcome to stay here for as long as you want,” Herman said and wiped off his teary eyes with his free hand, once his laughter had subsided.

“Thank you, Herman,” Spring said and reached over to place a hoof on his leg.

“Admit it, you’d love having us around,” Glitter said.

“Truthfully, I was worried you two would be at each other's throats,” Herman said, then turned to Spring. “Are you sure about moving to Rosewood? Did you even have enough time to say goodbye to Dusty and Fair Weather?”

“No,” she replied, then looked down at the floor. “But I will return in a week and have a proper farewell party. A guard from Dodge City can come and replace me for a day or two, but yes, I've wanted to move away for some time now, because it felt like my life wasn’t progressing.”

“And I saw how you kept eyeing the Sheriff,” Glitter said while giving her a mischievous grin. “I’m surprised you even let him up after tackling him to the ground.”

Spring stuck out her tongue at Glitter, who returned the gesture. It was obvious everyone was exhausted, as they all broke down into childish laughter.

“Herman,” Spring said, breaking the mood with a surprisingly serious tone, causing him to look her in the eyes. Her bright red mane strongly reflected the light coming from the fireplace, while her brown coat kept parts of her face hidden. “When I talked with Glitter, there was something we planned to do for you, and it involves your family.”

“My family?” Herman asked, genuinely confused. He looked over to Glitter Wing to get a sense of what Spring had meant, and even Glitter had adopted a more somber expression.

Glitter gracefully leaped down from the sofa and approached Spring.

“Do I have your permission?” she asked and reached out her hoof.

“You have my permission,” Spring answered and leaned over to remove the bracelet around Glitter’s hoof and wing.

“What are you two up to?” Herman questioned, as Glitter returned to sit next to him.

“You mentioned that you hadn't seen your family in years,” Spring said, speaking more softly. “I don’t know how long it will be until the Princesses find your home, so I thought we could…”

She trailed off before finishing and pointed a hoof at Glitter Wing.

Herman turned to her and was suddenly blinded for a moment by a green light. When his vision returned, he couldn’t believe who was sitting next to him.

His daughter.

Freja looked just like when they had taken the picture that resided in his wallet. She had only been ten years old at the time, and still wore the Batman t-shirt that he had bought for her a week prior. He knew deep down that it wasn’t his real daughter he was seeing, as the picture must have been twenty years old by now, and the last time he had seen his daughter, she had been a grown woman.

But when she smiled at him, he didn’t care anymore. He tried to speak, but his mouth quivered and his throat failed to create any sound. So instead he moved a shaking hand on top of her black hair, then let it slip down across her rosy cheek.

His daughter vanished in another torrent of green flame, and his wife appeared in her place. She was beautiful, and her bright blonde hair had yet to turn white by age. Having had enough time to control himself adequately, he reached out to move some of the hair that hung down and blocked parts of her face.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice barely strong enough to get the words out.

When the illusion of his wife gave him a sad smile in return, it finally broke for him. His tears flowed freely, and he couldn’t restrain himself from lunging forward to embrace her.

“Thank you,” he repeated, closing his eyes as he held her tightly.

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that. At some point, Glitter Wing had reverted to her pony form, yet he didn’t care and continued to hold onto her. Spring moved from the chair to sit on the opposite side of Herman and softly rubbed his back with a hoof.

“Herman, it’s going to be alright,” she said, as the fire in the hearth slowly dwindled away.

Epilogue

Eleven years later.

The fishing bobber floated still in the water, despite a school of yellow perch circling below it. Herman knew that they loved the grubs he used, but for some inexplicable reason, the fish didn’t bite. It was almost like they were mocking him.

It had become something of a life goal, to one day successfully catch something while fishing, but after successive years of failure, the whole thing escalated into a sort of crusade. A single human, with the intelligence and ability to conquer nature, versus the fish of Equestria. Herman’s white whale.

But despite his various attempts at improving and adapting a fishing rod to trick this world’s strange marine life, he was losing. Spring called him an old fool for even trying, and told him just to ask a pegasus to dive in and catch one for him, but his human pride took a beating each time he had to go in and buy one from Blue Dive’s restaurant.

It was then he saw it: one of the perch separated from the school and swam up to the hook, nibbling lightly at the grub. With all his senses on full alert, he took hold of the pole, ready to pull with everything he got as soon as it took the bait. He only needed to be patient and wait for the opportune moment to strike. Soon, just a little bit more, and he would show them who was the apex predator.

“Herman! Help!” a squeaky voice cried out.

He threw the pole up into the air in surprise and remembered that he didn’t come here alone.

“Herman!” the now panic-stricken voice continued.

Herman stood up from the boulder he had perched on, and as quickly as possible shuffled to the cries for help. It was close by, and when he rounded a few trees, he found the source.

It was a little red earth pony filly with a green mohawk, wearing a Daring Do costume, and she was stuck in a small pond while paddling in circles. Her distress was genuine, though Herman doubted the water level was high enough to reach above her head.

“Freja,” Herman said, as he walked up to the puddle. “What did I tell you about playing in the water?”

“I’m sorry!” she squeaked and intensified her paddling.

Herman sighed to himself, then stepped into the pond and grabbed the little filly by the scruff of her neck. The initial weight of the pony sent shivers of pain through his back, but he managed to pull her straight out of the water, then let her down onto solid ground.

“Thanks, Herman,” Freja said, then quickly shook most of the muddy water from her fur, spraying his trousers in the process.

“What were you even doing in there?” Herman asked, but the little filly had already darted away to climb on a formation of boulders. While he wasn’t the most prominent expert on ponies, he was confident that ponies with red coats were more mischievous by default.

“I saw a butterfly,” she said as if that was a perfectly reasonable explanation.

“Your mother is going to throw me out of my own house,” Herman grumbled, as he had promised to make sure Freja didn’t get dirty before the guests arrived. They would have to get her clean in less than two hours, and they still hadn’t finished fully decorating the house for the party.

“Mom can never stay angry at you,” she said, jumping between the rocks in her brown-smeared adventure outfit.

“I know,” Herman said, staring into the wrinkled palm of his hand, then went to retrieve his fishing gear. “Let’s get you home and cleaned up.”

The little filly scrunched her nose at the prospect of a bath, especially since the remaining mud would have to be scrubbed out of her coat. But to her credit, she didn’t complain and followed him from the side while stalking insects like a hyperactive red jungle panther.

When he had retired from the lumber mill, he had often been asked to watch the local foals, since they were more obedient in his presence. He had thought that retirement would allow him to spend his days slumbering in his rocking chair, but it had ended up being the exact opposite, especially after Spring and the Sheriff had been blessed with their first foal.

It had come as a surprise to him, that Spring had demanded the filly be named after Herman’s daughter, then basically asked him to become the child's godfather. He had accepted, and it had made his life almost as fulfilling as the day his daughter had been born.

He picked up his fishing rod from the ground and noted that the bait was gone entirely, with no signs left of the school of perch. Letting out another heavy sigh, he gathered all the equipment into a backpack that he swung across his shoulder, then made sure Freja followed him as they walked the short trip back to his house.

Glitter Wing was unfurling the large banner across the porch. Herman had complained numerous times about how big and flashy it was, but the others had quickly dismissed his complaints.

Happy Eightieth Birthday Herman!

“Can we play outside in the forest?” Freja asked, popping her head out of a nearby bush. She was most likely referring to Dusty’s and Fair Weather’s fillies and colts who were set to arrive by train soon. It had become a yearly thing, where Dusty and Fair Weather visited with their family for a weekend of relaxation, but today they were all gathering to celebrate him getting even older.

“Go ask your mother,” Herman said, to the little filly wagging her tail. The words were barely out of his mouth before she took off in a full gallop through the open door, no doubt spreading mud all over the floor.

Shaking his head, he went to the mailbox to see if there were any new letters. There were several, but one marked with the insignia of Princess Luna caught his attention.

The two of them had started swapping letters. It began shortly after the incident where Chrysalis had temporarily kidnaped the princesses, and at the start, it had mostly been about the progress the West Pony Trading Company had made in locating his species, or the lack thereof. He had told her several times that no other humans existed in this world, but she’d always dismissed his claims as unrealistic.

The years went on without finding a single trace, causing Luna to become more and more concerned about her inability to help him. Eventually, their correspondence switched over to philosophy about life and family. She had even invited him more than once to visit her in Canterlot, but he was too fond of his life in Rosewood. The prospect of traveling so far again at his age was no longer as appealing, so he had politely rejected her invitations.

But he asked one favor out of her, one to which she instantly complied. The memoirs he wrote and published a few years prior had not been a success, as most readers and critics dismissed them as pure fantasy, but he asked Luna always to keep a copy close at hand. And someday, far into the future, another human might find themselves stranded in Equestria, and if that ever happened, Luna was to give him or her the book.

And maybe, just maybe, someone younger than him could travel the world, uncover its secrets, and help finish what he started.

“Herman?”

Realizing that he had blanked out again, he turned to Glitter Wing, who had been shouting for him.

“Spring says she wants to talk to you inside, and she doesn't sound happy,” Glitter called, from across the road.

Herman could only roll his eyes as he walked the short distance to the door. He couldn't quite explain why, but he had a big smile on his face that just wouldn't go away.