Wish Gone Awry. Enter Equestria! Enter New Life!

"Alright, Rarity, we'll continue this later," Julius said as he and the ponies left the Carousel Boutique.

"Very well. I'm assuming you have more ideas then?" Rarity asked as the group filled out of her place.

"You could say that, yes," Julius confirmed. "But, that can wait. The day's getting late. Oh, there is one thing, though," Julius said as he ruffled through a pocket, "could you add this to the hat?" Julius requested with a sly smile as he held up the feather that Fluttershy gave him.

"Certainly," Rarity smiled as she took the feather with her magic, "though, I must warn you," Rarity said as she placed the glittering feather gently on a nearby counter, "you'd better treat her well. Or else," Rarity firmly said as she narrowed her eyes at Julius.

"Hah, don't worry, she's in very good hands. Remember, I did save her," Julius laughed. "Though, it's nice to see that you're concerned for her. Honestly, I don't blame you."

"I know," Rarity lightly laughed as she rubbed one front hoof against the other, "it's just that Fluttershy is very sensitive and gets hurt easily," Rarity chuckled with a sigh. "Just be good to her. Now then, I have an additional accessory to add to your hat~!" Rarity happily sang as she shut the door after the group left.

"I think you're forgetting something," Pinkie Pie said while looking at Julius, who just looked oddly at her. "You know, the rest of your idea."

"Right, of course, you'd know," Julius chuckled. "Look, the day's winding down, and all that's left for me to discuss is a bunch of boring business stuff. Do you really want to hear about a bunch of boring business ideas?" Julius asked while raising an eyebrow.

"No," almost all the ponies say.

"YES!" Twilight happily replied.

"Hah, yeah, shoulda seen that coming," Julius chuckled while shaking his head. "Look, when I talk to Rarity about it, you can come along, OK? Actually, probably better if you're there. Believe it or not, I'm not too familiar with Equestrian law. Having someone with, would be helpful, and I imagine that you're pretty well versed in that," Julius smiled while ruffling Twilight's mane.

"I am," Twilight happily smiled. "It'd probably be helpful to have Luna there too. I'm pretty sure that she's caught up on current Equestrian law. Getting Princess Celestia involved too would be great, but I think that she's too busy. Still, I'll ask her next time I write her a letter. Oh, maybe we can get together for a few games of phractari," Twilight excitedly trailed off.

"Phractari? What's that?" Julius asked, hearing something familiar about the name.

"Oh, that's an old board game from Maretonia. I have the board and pieces at The Golden Oak; I could show you how to play if you want. It would be nice to have another creature to play it with, Spike isn't that good at it, and Celestia is usually far too busy," Twilight offered.

"Sure, why not. Though why don't you play with your friends?" Julius asked as he looked at the ponies.

"Because it's boring," Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Zephyr Breeze all sighed.

"I'm not very good at Phractari, but my parents are," Fluttershy sheepishly admitted.

"It's a good pastime for us older ponies," Mr. Shy smiled.

"It can be a bit slow at first, but it easy to get drawn into it. I know it might seem boring at first, but please, give it a chance," Mrs. Shy assured.

"I'm fine with that. I mean, I got into chess, and that can be a pretty slow board game. I'm sure phractari won't be too bad," Julius smiled as Twilight led the group to the library. The sun hung low in the sky, making for a lovely backdrop as the group walked towards The Golden Oak.

"We're here!" Twilight happily announced as she and the group entered The Golden Oak.

"Twilight!" Spike happily sang as he ran up to the mare to hug her.

"Guessing that you'll all be staying here tonight," Shining Armor smiled as he saw the group enter the living room.

"Probably for the best, the Everfree can be a bit awkward at night," Julius said as Twilight ruffled around a few chests. "Well, I mean, here, or Fluttershy's, I would like to see Rainbow's place, but I'm guessing she lives in the clouds, and I'm not a fan of falling," Julius chuckled.

"Heh, yeah, can't blame you there," Shining Armor smiled. "Falling is never fun. Uhhh, Twilight, what are you looking for?" Shining Armor asked as Twilight started to rip through the chests frantically.

"My phractari set. I know I had it in one of these chests," Twilight grunted as she looked around deep inside a chest.

"Cadance, Twilight wants her phractari set!" Shining Armor yelled upstairs.

"Alright, Shining!" Cadance happily sang as she came downstairs, phractari set in her magical grip. "Here Twilight, Shining Armor, and I were playing a few games," Cadance happily said as she placed the board and box on a nearby table.

"Ah, OK, thank you," Twilight happily chirped as she took out the pieces for the game from the box. "Alright, I'll explain how to play and what each piece does as I set up the game," Twilight happily said as Julius looked carefully at the pieces, each piece somehow feeling familiar. "The object of the game is to capture the other player's Princess," Twilight said as she held up an ornate-looking piece. "The Princess can move to any adjacent square," Twilight started to explain as she set the piece down on the board...

"So the pieces are Hobelars, Destrier, Coursers, Palfrey, Prince, and Princess, that correct?" Julius repeated with a slight scrunch to his face.

"That is correct. Why do you look like you're having trouble with their names?" Twilight asked as she carefully looked at him.

"Well, I know these pieces, but by different names. Phractari is literally chess. Well, chess but with old rules that nobody plays by anymore," Julius told a surprised Twilight. "Hobelars can move two spaces, but first move only, and they have a second kind of attack, en passant. The Prince is a fusion of the Destrier and Palfrey. And the Princess can castle, but only if it doesn't put her into check, and only if she, and the Destrier she's castling with hasn't moved," Julius explained as he demonstrated each change. "If it's OK with you, could we play with these changes?"

"Interesting changes, hmmm, alright!" Twilight happily chirped as she sat down at the table. "Now, how to decide who goes first?" Twilight wondered out loud as Julius grabbed both Princesses, one in each hand. Holding his hands behind his back, Julius switched the Princesses around, then held both hands in front of him, apart and clenched.

"Pick a hand that'll decide which color you are," Julius told Twilight as he held his fists out.

"Very well, I'll pick the left hand," Twilight said as Julius opened his hands. Placing the princesses back on the board, Twilight going first with the tulip tree pieces, and Julius going second with the ebony pieces. "Alright, let's start," Twilight happily said as she moved e4. Smiling and with almost no thought, Julius played e5. The following moves happened quickly, with Julius smiling at Twilight's third.

"Ruy Lopez, a good opening," Julius smiled at the board as he moved Cf6. "The Berlin Defence, a better counter."

"We have different names for them. I'm guessing that you have played more than a few games," Twilight smiled as she castled her Princess.

"Trying out castling? Not a bad choice, almost always good to castle as soon as you can," Julius commented as he played Cxe4.

"Thank you. And you, being aggressive, trying to take back the initiative. I can't blame you there; it's what I'd do," Twilight smiled as she played d4. The two continued their game, making some small talk and complimenting each other as they moved. The game lasted a lot longer than either thought it would, but finally, after sixty-three moves, the sixty-fourth move ended the game. "Princess captures on B3, looks like a draw to me," Twilight smiled as she looked at the board.

"Yup, this game is drawn," Julius agreed as he looked at the board. "Good game," Julius smiled as he and Twilight set the board back up.

"Oh, come on!" Rainbow Dash sighed in exasperation. "Fifteen minutes, sixth-four moves, just for a tie?" Rainbow Dash sighed as she sat down on a cushion.

"That's phractari," Mr. Shy and Mrs. Shy lightly laughed as they each patted one of Rainbow's shoulders.

"Want to have another game?" Twilight asked as she set the board back up.

"Sure," Julius responded as he helped set the board back up. With the pieces back on the board, Julius swiftly made his first move, e4. Twilight, wasting no time, moves e5. The pair's next moves happen nearly instantly until Julius takes some time to think. "Accepting the Evans gambit, I hope you know what you're doing," Julius commented as he pushed c3.

"Seaward Sheet's game is one I know well," Twilight responded as she played Pd6.

"I can see," Julius smiled as he continued his attack on the center. The two continued their game, with Julius taking a strong offensive position and Twilight responding with an active defense. Move by move, the two exchanged pieces until Julius started to laugh. "Really? Back here again?" Julius laughed as he took Twilight's last Hobelar.

"Looks like it," Twilight chuckled as the two agreed to a draw, both with just their Princess and a Destrier left.

"Really? Another draw?" Rainbow Dash sighed in exasperation. "Let me guess; you'll play again and get another draw," Rainbow Dash huffed.

"Honestly, we'd probably draw most, if not all, games we played," Julius told Rainbow Dash as Twilight nodded in agreement.

"The games were well played, though; I did see a few mistakes," Mr. Shy quietly said.

"Oh yes, there were a few," Mrs. Shy said in agreement as she set the board back up, only the pieces were in a played position. "Like here. Twilight should have played this," Mrs. Shy said as she played PRxa3, "instead of what you played," Mrs. Shy said as she instead played PRf1. "While your move was move defensive, and the better move against most, Julius seems to be an aggressive player. Against them, playing more aggressive tends to be better," Mrs. Shy said as Mr. Shy nodded in agreement.

"And in your second game, Julius should have played this," Mr. shy said as he played Cb4 instead of Cxd5. "While aggressive play is fine, you got a bit over-eager there," Mr. shy said as Mrs. Shy nodded in agreement.

"Well, geez, I wasn't aware grandmasters were watching," Julius joked as he nudged Twilight's side.

"Twelve years running," Mrs. Shy sheepishly said while blushing.

"Really? I was joking," Julius laughed as he facepalmed. "Still, I would like to see you play against Nakamura or Carlsen. That could be quite interesting."

"Maybe one day, if we ever get the chance to meet," Mrs. Shy told Julius. "But more about this another day. It's getting late; we should be getting home," Mrs. Shy said as she made for the door of the Golden Oak. "It was nice meeting you all," Mrs. Shy waved as she left.

"We'll have to meet up again sometime," Mr. Shy smiled as he left.

"Well, time for this Breeze to blow on. See ya later, sister," Zephyr playfully said as he briefly ruffled Fluttershy's mane before leaving.

"Well, your brother is a little, him," Julius awkwardly said while rubbing the back of his neck. "But on the whole, I like them. Shame I can't go to Cloudsdale."

"Well, you can actually," Cadance told Julius. "Cloudsdale's tourism board has a stockpile of cloud walking potions just for tourists. Also, I believe there's a spell that lets you temporarily grow wings."

"Oh yes, that spell," Twilight said as she twisted her muzzle, trying to remember what the spell was. "Ithicarian's Flight, I think it's called. I'm not sure off the top of my head, though. I only saw it in passing while reading through an old potion's book."

"Ithicarian's Flight is indeed the name of that spell. If you drink it, then in the skies is where you can dwell. Though great care is to be taken should you partake. For if you get too close to the sun, your wings shall break. Glittery and beautiful those wings are. With them, you can travel far. There are those who, with them, think they are quite the star. But if you ask me, they just look bizarre," Zecora confirmed to Twilight, as well as warning the others.

"Ah yes, we're all familiar with Ithica's fall," Twilight said as the ponies nodded. "Oh, my apologies, I forgot. You probably haven't heard of it, have you?" Twilight asked while looking at Julius.

"Nope. I'll listen, though," Julius said as he started to put away the pieces and board.

"Very well, of that, I'm glad to hear. The end of her story is, however, quite severe. Ithica was a mare born to a unicorn, and a pegasus, as such, was gifted a horn. Though her magic was strong, it was wings that she wanted to have worn. Spell after spell, Ithica tried to fly. To that attempt, all her effort she did apply. Despite her attempts, it seemed like flight was not of her blood, for all her tries ended with Ithica in the mud. With each spell the mare tried, she hit the ground with a thud. One day, after many attempts, Ithica succeeded. All of Ithica's expectations were greatly exceeded. However, to the wind, caution was thrown. Hard to the ground, she fell when too close to the sun she'd flown. Though her story may be an allegory, its message holds true. Keep your ambitions in check lest you fall to them too," Zecora said as she finished the story.

"Huh, funny that. We have a very similar story. The message is similar enough, too, though our story ends with a son dying in front of his father," Julius nervously chuckles while the ponies look mildly shocked. "I'm guessing you don't want to hear it," Julius laughed.

"I think we'll be fine," Twilight said as she looked out of a window. "Fluttershy's parents were right; it is getting late. We should be getting to bed soon. think Luna will be back soon?" Twilight asked as she started to head upstairs.

"Maybe, but I doubt it. She'll likely want to check out the thestral's home, wherever that is. Maybe set a few things in place, you know," Julius said as he looked around the room. "Guessing, no, well, you know, considering," Julius said as he made a glance toward Spike.

"Probably for the best. Besides," Twilight said as she leaned in close to Julius, "Fluttershy, well, she's a bit nervous, you know."

"I can see that," Julius says, winking at Twilight.

"So, we going to bed then?" Spike asked with a yawn.

"Yes, spike, we're going to bed," Twilight smiled. As Twilight said that, the ponies started to head upstairs to the bedroom, with Julius holding Fluttershy back.

"Listen, Fluttershy," Julius quietly said as the ponies went upstairs, "I know you might be nervous. So we don't have to jump right into it, you know," Julius said as Fluttershy smiled softly.

"I know, and believe me, I'm very aware of it. I take care of animals remember," Fluttershy softly giggled. "I've seen plenty. Still, I do appreciate that you're willing to take it slowly. You, uhhh, you seem like you might be a bit much," Fluttershy blushed as she made a swift glance at Julius' crotch before looking back at his face.

"That's fair, now, shall we join the others," Julius smiles as he softly leads Fluttershy up towards Twilight's bedroom.