“John, John, John. Of course I got an official report on that incident but all that drama gets filtered out before it gets to me.”

“’That drama’ turned out to be one of the best things I ever did. Ponies opened up to me after that.

“But there’s more to the story. Let’s continue.”

Fred was slowly grazing his way to his sleeping spot but he looked to have some time to go before he got there so I settled in to wait. In just a few minutes Swift Trail came striding up.

“John, I want to thank you for taking care of Colt like that. He’s had a hard time being both the newbie and a colt in a mare’s world. His life just got a whole bunch easier with a stallion officer to look up to.

“And speaking of that, just what is your rank?”

“I was a Chief Officer in the Fire Service. That complicates things for the military mind. When you reach that level we are interchangeable parts. I might be a clerk at one incident and commander at the next.”

“Should I salute you?”

“Fire Services don’t salute or make big deal of rank except for public ceremonies. We’re more about certifications and qualifications.”

I was saved from further confusing Swift by the arrival of Fred. He walked to his sleeping spot and settled in for his nap.

“That’s interesting. He’s gone sound asleep right in front of us. He trusts you. That means you can stand watch for him. Let me know if you start hearing him.”

“I can hear him right now. He’s snoring lightly.”

“No, I mean directly. He doesn’t have a verbal center to his brain so he doesn’t think in words and logic like we do. But he does surprisingly well with images and concepts. For example, his true name is a concept of his identity, a picture of Fred and his personality. I have it in my mind but I can’t transfer an image of his personality to you with words. So we agreed to label it ‘Fred’ for convenience. He doesn’t understand letters and words but he can recognize them and remember that this particular combination is his.

“Just now he was quite amused to find you here with a strong subtext of approval. I don’t have the first clue why but the feeling is unmistakable. Even more confusing, his feelings affect mine directly and vice versa. Sometimes the divide between his mind and mine isn’t clear, especially when strong emotion is involved.”

“But, John, surely humans and horses have had many years to work these things out. You said your two kinds had been partnered for millennia.”

“We have. There are whole breeds of horses and schools of humans that exist specifically to bond the horse and human as thoroughly as possible. But those all involve physical means. Information is transferred by touch, sound, or sight. This is different. I will be sound asleep in the morning and he will call me to come out and watch while he sleeps. I will awaken and rush out.

“Do you remember when we first met and Twilight nearly ruined it all? Even though I was pinned down facing away I knew that Fred was being carefully handled. I could feel what was happening to him as though it was my own body. That has only happened since we got to Equestria.

“Which is one of those ‘Great Questions’ that I have been wanting to ask; do Equestrians of any species or relationship have this kind of connection?”

“When strong magic is involved, anything is possible, John. You’ve already seen the Elements in action. Princess Luna can enter and control any dream. And a few Unicorns can enter your thoughts to heal or verify things for you. But these are all specific situations, not a continuing relationship. This is a question that you are going to have to ask a magic expert some day. If you can’t trust Twilight, when you have been accepted into Equestria you can petition the Princesses directly yourself.

“Now I have a question for you. You said that you should terrify me. What do you mean by that.?”

“Humans have a kind of strength that Equestrians have never needed. What you saw in the common room just now is an example. Suppose that Twilight had been sitting there instead of me when Colt came running in the door. She would have just wiggled her horn and the problem would have been solved. That was exactly what Colt was looking for. When there was no Unicorn, everything broke down. The pony response was ‘FIND A UNICORN!’. The human response was ‘Skunk smell is sulfur based. What is available that neutralizes sulfur? Make a plan to acquire and apply it.’

“In the Fire Service I am a wildland specialist. Without magic, wings, weather control, or anything but my wits and knowledge I regularly face and defeat a foe measured in square miles. Think of what I could do as a two eyed man in the land of the blind ponies if I chose to do ill.”

“I think you are underestimating ponies, John. We have lived for thousands of years our way and overcome many obstacles. I think we will survive one human.”

Swift, my friend, I pray that I am underestimating ponies. And that one human doesn’t get lost in the solution best for ponies.”

“Now, John, I want to hear about ‘a foe measured in square miles’.”

We swapped war stories for the next hour and change. I found out that Swift Trail and her squad were what I would consider Special Forces and had seen some action against Changelings and Diamond Dogs besides the occasional monster patrol. I couldn’t put a finger on it but I got a strong feeling that there was something that she wanted to say but couldn’t.

<! Happy. Approval.> And Fred stood up, stretched, and drifted out towards the pasture for his night graze.

“Well, Fred is happy and approves of something but didn’t offer a clue what.” So I stood and we started back to the barn and dinner.

“John, I would like to ask a very personal favor of you. You don’t have do it and I don’t want you to if it steps on any human taboos.”

“Swift, even if I didn’t consider you a friend, I owe you for some of the things you have done for me. Don’t worry about my comfort or convenience.”

“Do you remember, John, when I told you that ‘friend’ had a special meaning for ponies? Well I want to be friends in the pony sense. For all of your strange ways you are closer to me now anypony has been in a long time. I like you.”

“Tell me very carefully what is expected of me. The last thing I want to do is hurt you by not understanding something peculiar to ponies.”

“The only thing that would change is the favor that I want of you. I want to sleep with you in your room.”

“We need to make one thing crystal clear first. ‘Sleep with you’ is a euphemism for sex among humans. I would be thrilled and honored if that is what you mean but it isn’t required. We just sleep on beds most of the time.”

“All I want right now is a good nights sleep. I admire the way you watch over Fred and protect him. You have surely noticed by now that I am the only pony here that sleeps alone? Sleeping alone is not natural for us but I’ve had my reasons. If this works out and we are happy with each other, I will teach you the ways of pony courtship and who knows where it will end. But for tonight I just want to be in the same room with you.”

“Consider it done. Now what’s for dinner?”

Dinner was a treat, veggie stew and bread. Afterwards was something else. Suddenly everypony had questions. The amazing part is that they seemed more fascinated with my service and rank than my species. I think I scared Colt. I told him how many school and training hours it took to qualify for Chief. Swift had retreated to her office to write up the day’s report so I stuck my head in and said, “I’m turning in. Come when you are ready.”

“I won’t be long.”

So I went to my (our?) room, got undressed, and stretched out on the big pad. I had dozed lightly for some unknown time when Swift entered with a small pad and laid it against the back wall. She settled down and I went back to sleep.

Something woke me. It was the dead of night and just a little light was shining in from the common room. Then I heard a thump. It was coming from the back wall. I heard rustling and grunting. It was Swift Trail. I eased to my hands and knees and crawled to her. She was having a doosie of a nightmare. Suddenly I had understanding.

So I leaned against the wall next to her head and gently stroked her cheek. After a few minutes her breathing changed and she said, “John?”

“Yes. I’m here. You were having quite a dream.”

“Oh. I’m sorry I woke you. I guess this isn’t going to work.”

“Wrong! I know what’s going on now. I’ve fought this battle myself, still fight it every now and then. And I know beyond knowing that you can’t win it by yourself. Come with me.”

I carefully picked her up and took her to the center of the big pad then I laid down behind her.

“John, what are you doing?’

“Listen to me carefully Swift Trail. Here and now and for however long you may need or want me I will stand between you and all who may seek to harm you. Be they of this world or any other I will keep them from reaching you.”

“John, I . . . .”

I reached out and pulled her back against my chest and her head under my chin wrapping her up completely. Then the tension slowly drained out of her and she fell into a calm sleep. I followed her in a few seconds.

I was in the common area but the light looked strange. There was a large dark blue Unicorn sitting across from me. “Hello?”

“Hello, John Sampson.”

Then I noticed the wings. “You must be Luna and this must be a dream.”

“Thou art correct John Sampson.”

“What can I do for you?”

“I have wanted to meet thee for some time now but thy dreams were too alien for me. We have some common ground now. I wish to thank thee for healing Swift Trail. She has been a trial for me these few years now. She is a very good mare and will make thee happy for years to come.”

“Now you are confusing me. Do you have foresight?”

“No, but I have knowledge. Thou have just passed thy test for citizenship in Equestria. Thou hast declared unconditional love for a pony.”

Author's Note

I'm pushing a little to get these chapters out. There's some bloody chunks of me in them.