To Equestria And Beyond (Rewrite In Progress)

Along the edge of a forest deep in the Equestrian wilderness, far beyond the reaches of known civilization, a black, red eyed, boisterous wild cat was making his early morning walk through the forest. His name was Night Fury, and out of all the places he could have been born, he was given the best one for his type of style.

Night Fury was not like many of his kind, having more of a laid back, cool attitude about life. He's always found it strange why he was considered an oddity by the rest of his people, but he didn't let it bother him too much. The forest landscape around him was tranquil and soft. Birds occasionally chirping high in the treetops as the day started, rivers flowing and rustling leaves filling the air as he got his daily exercise in. But not too much later, his tranquil walk through his home would be interrupted.

Like most wild cats, Night Fury's hearing was above most creatures when it came to how sensitive they were and how acutely tuned they were to the smallest disturbances. And his hearing had just picked up something coming towards him. He instantly stopped moving, his ears shooting straight up as they began to twitch in every direction. His eyes followed suit as he tried to pinpoint his possible aggressor.

But this sound wasn't something he had heard before. It sounded like a whirring noise mixed with an air-y whoosh. Was it a bird? It had to be, considering how high up the sound was compared to him and the erratic movement. Then, he finally got a visual lock on what was making the noise.

Looking up, he saw a bright yellow light buzzing its way around the trees. At first, Fury would have thought it was some sort of firefly, but he realized at this time of morning, most of them would be in the shade of a hollowed out log or tree. It looked like it was searching for something, a target of some sort.

The light stopped suddenly and paused in the air. From the ground, it was hard to tell if this thing was actually a living creature. No visible features could be seen through the bright glow. But he'd get his questions answered soon enough as the light flew down towards him at blistering speeds.

He got low to the ground in a defensive stance and readied himself for a fight. But what he didn't know was that this was not a creature, but a dose of transportation magic. Just as the bright yellow light got close to him, it halted, curling into a small orb and bursting.

He yowled, covering his eyes as the bright light had somewhat blinded him. Looking around for what hit him, all he could see was blurriness for a moment before his vision cleared up and he was met with a scroll on the ground.

He took a second to process what had happened as he sat there in confusion. Had someone sent him an invitation? His confusion turned to curiosity, and he quickly used one claw to open the letter and read it.

Esteemed Night Fury,

Greetings from myself and the nation of Equestria! It has come to my personal attention that the existence of Speed Shifters has mostly gone unaddressed for hundreds of years. Many of our history books have no record of your existence and I find that utterly dreadful. So, as of this letter being delivered, I invite you to come and stay in Canterlot Castle as a guest of the Royal family! Your history is very valuable to us and we wish to further enhance our understanding by bringing you along as a representation of what Speed Shifters are, what they do, their significance and their power.

Our Royal Guard captain will arrive by rail soon, so don't be late!

Cordially,
Princess Celestia

Night Fury read the official-looking letter in his paws with a raised eyebrow and feline ears askew. The invitation and ticket were indeed included in the scroll, both looking just as real. His father taught him how to tell a fake from a real message, even from the occasional pony explorers that dropped by but there were a couple of problems.

First, he had never so much as looked at a pony before. He had only heard of them through stories.

Second, He didn’t really know any true history of his species. Most of his knowledge had been scrubbed by years of being out of school and not keeping himself up to date on his book smarts. To be honest, he didn't even bother as his interests were in other places.

Looking at the letter once again, he racked his thoughts. It all seemed strange that he of all Shifters was selected as the most integral piece to understand his kind. And while he wanted to just throw out the scroll and head back home, his inner voice told him he’d be a fool to ignore the letter. It seemed to present the opportunity of a lifetime, even if it had been unceremoniously delivered to him by magic. A free trip to Canterlot, and a chance to talk with the very highest in the Equestrian government, perhaps even countries beyond.

After all, I've been to enough of my dad's talks with our village's council to kind of get the gist of things. Well I mean for the parts I managed to stay awake in.

And so he took his chances and followed the long dirt path through the forest. He took it slow and gave himself some time to think.

This would be his first time outside of his home at all! He’d have to tighten up his lax attitude and make himself presentable for whoever this guard captain was. No doubt someone who was captain of a guard would expect someone to have the slightest bit of decency.

His thoughts ran around in his head as he soon came to the very edge where the tree line broke away, a hill being all that stood between him and the train station. It was a run down place as no rail traffic came through here for years. But that was all about to change as a whistle could be heard in the distance.

Looking to his left, he was shocked to see what looked like a blue bullet shrieking a powerful wail with its steam whistle, barreling down the track like nothing he'd ever seen. The practically sparkling train slowed down to a stop not too long after it had appeared and a hiss of steam could be heard as a final marker of its arrival.

Looking on in awe at the massive machine, Fury saw that the engine and coaches seemed to be made of some sort of crystal. Most of the steam engines Night Fury had seen were much bigger and had more wheels to drive it, certainly more impressive in size. But, to give this new attraction some credit, most of those larger engines were now rusted beyond repair and had no use anymore.

Just then, one of the carriage doors opened and a creature stepped out. Fury was taken back by this creature's stature. He was a bulky one for sure, his large legs and frame signifying multiple regimens of regular exercise. His white coat and blue mane gave away the fact that he was obviously a pony, but what confused Fury the most was the odd thing sticking out of his forehead.

The pony approached him and stood tall, his ranking on full display with the golden armor he wore.

“Unknown creature, are you Night Fury?” The pony asked. The black cat stood nervously for a moment before straightening himself up and speaking.

“Yes, it is I, Night Fury. I hope my more wild stature does not cause you any distress.” Fury said, trying to hopefully match the more proper way of speaking he thought this guard would appreciate.

However, the royal guard captain just laughed. “No need for the prim and proper speak, kid. I'm not that type of pony. The name's Shining Armor, I'm the captain of the Lake Royal Guard. I've been assigned to escort you to Equestrian soil to meet with their highnesses in the castle. But, before that, I need to make sure you received the message. Do you still have the scroll with you?”

“Right here.” Night Fury passed off the scroll to the captain and he inspected it thoroughly. Once satisfied, he gave a nod and stuffed the scroll in the saddle bags along his back.

“Okay, so you're the real deal! Come on inside, this is gonna be a long trip back over the border.” Fury was excited to hear that and followed the captain onto the special looking train as it closed the cabin doors behind him automatically and set off within seconds.

“Wow, I've never seen a train like this before. Where's the connecting rods between the wheels?” Fury asked, his previous knowledge of steam locomotives coming into question.

“Well, this is what we call a ‘High Speed Train’. Her name is The Crystal Zephyr. The connecting rods you would have seen on larger engines would just slow the wheels down. So, this one uses a set of driveshafts under the engine to streamline the look and boost efficiency. Only the best for royalty.” Shining spoke.

“Wait, this is a Royal engine? Who's the owner?” The black cat asked once more as he took his seat in one of the cars.

“Well, this train actually is owned by the Royal family of Equestria itself. But, it is exclusively used by none other than my darling fiancé, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. But she just calls herself Cadence for convenience.” Shining said, his professionalism dissolving into a dreamy lust.

“Hey, congratulations on popping the big question! I could only wish to find my true love someday.” Fury sighed as he looked back out at the passing scenery which was quickly flying by due to the train’s speed. “Speaking of love, when's the wedding, if you don't mind me asking?”

Shining, still excited. “In a few weeks. We have to get some arrangements and prepare for guests like you, and do a final security check in Lake.” His smile dropped a little then. “And also, to give time for some recovering from uh… hard times.”

“Hard times?” Fury asked, a little concerned.

“Eh don’t worry about it. It’s a long story but we’re all fine.” Shining said, not seeming to want to divulge further.

Fury was curious. But decided to leave the issue be. Besides, this was supposed to be a festive time.

“So… you talk a lot about Canterlot. What is this place anyway?” He asked.

“Canterlot is the Capital of Equestria. Biggest city you can think of. Tall buildings, expensive shops and food, high society everywhere. You'll most likely stick out once we arrive, so I and a few other guards will escort you to the castle.” Shining explained. Fury looked confused at the need for an escort, it seemed unnecessary to need an armed guard keeping him in place.

“That doesn't seem like much. Why not just send me off to the castle itself? Trust me, with my abilities, I'd be there in no time flat.” He said, almost in a boastful manner.

“Sorry, but I can't permit that. I was given direct orders from the top to bring you in under escort for a multitude of reasons. But one that should make sense is the fact that well… ponies aren't so open to new creatures here as in other towns. This place is the epitome of High and Mighty, even among the poor ponies. The slightest shift from the norm is seen as uncouth and disgusting to be friendly with it. Only under royal protection would you be safe, both from questions from the public eye and… more physical protest against your existence.”

Fury drew a frown on his face at that, but he understood. Walking into a whole new country with barely any sort of backlash or racist comment would be an impossibility.After all, among some of his own people there were their own racist tales of ponies.

“No doubt from that one, I can't say I'm surprised. But hey, life’s only as bad as you make it out to be, eh?” Fury suggested.

“You bet it. Well, we'll be on the move for the next day or so. Relax a little and get comfortable, I'll have some of the onboard staff come and see if you need anything every so often.” Shining said, taking his leave while Fury settled in for the ride.

The Shifter stretched his legs and gave a yawn. So far, everything was going rather smoothly. He got to know someone outside of his kind and even got to learn a few things. But even with all of that in mind, he still was a bit on the skeptical side on why and when the decision was made to bring him across the river to stay in a castle.

Either way, he was curious as to what would come next. So he got himself ready and prepared for the trip of a lifetime.

–

Early the next morning…

The Crystal Zephyr stopped at Canterlot station as the sun just came over the mountains. As the day came to start, the station was rather empty, only a few ponies standing around for the public train to arrive. At the time, Fury hadn't even had breakfast before he was ushered out of bed and to the waiting doors that would finally grant him access to the Capital of Equestria.

The doors opened quickly and Night Fury stepped out into the open air of Canterlot. Looking around, he was caught in almost an unbreakable trance at just how big everything was around him. For all he could have known, he had shrunk to ant size. The buildings around him literally towered over him, windows glistening in the morning sun from the floors upon floors of industrial infrastructure surrounding him.

Not too soon after him, his escort followed suit. Five guards. Two stallions, two mares and the captain himself formed a protective barrier around him as if he was a prized possession. Looking off to his left, he saw the ponies who had gotten up early for the day looking on in a mix of confusion and shock. From their expressions, Night Fury could only assume that they had confused him with a foreign dignitary, at least considering the vehicle he had just stepped out of and the armed escort surrounding him.

The stoic blank faced ponies in golden armor walked up to him. Fury was a little off put by the seriousness in their faces.

“Uh, how's it going?” Fury asked, a bit scattered. “You're not trying to take me hostage, are you?” He said jokingly.

The guard in front of him saluted. “Very good, sir. And no we are not. We're here to take you to the Canterlot Palace. It will be a short trip.”

Not much for jokes, I see.

“Okay then, no sweat. Captain, I'd like to get moving. To be honest, the eyes locked onto me from afar are giving me a bit of a weird feeling.” Fury said quickly. Even if the guards weren't much for conversation, that might be what he needed now.

“As you wish. Move out!” With trained skill and speed, the guards started to march in sync around Fury as they began their journey from the station to Canterlot Castle. From the train station, they kept a steady pace as they hugged the sidewalks around the city and moved along the streets. Looking at the building around him, Fury took notice at just how different this place was to his home.

Shops lined the streets made out of shiny marble, stone, colored concrete and many more priceless metals. To think that just over the border, there was land that had such exclusive building materials at such high quantities. Also, there seemed to be much more solid construction of the roads under him. Some stone paths were more recognizable, but the black concrete that lined the others was almost a mystery.

It was almost impossible to find many paved roads out in the far west where Fury came from. Only certain neighborhoods got even that treatment, most of the middle and lower class having to settle with dirt or stone. Moving out of the business district, the sidewalk dissolved into a stone walkway that led up to the city's centerpiece. Canterlot Castle.

Upon looking towards his final destination, Night Fury was caught in awe of the beautiful structure before him. Many of the castles that reside in the forest he loves in were long abandoned and served more as natural animal sanctuaries than solid builds. The white stone walls and golden accents were a sight to behold, most circling its perimeter for food measure against any intruders.

“We're getting close to the castle now. Once inside, we'll take you to meet the princesses themselves and you'll be directed from there. I'll give you fair warning, this isn't like talking to a few friends. Make sure you keep your wits about you and minimize the jokes. This is royalty we're talking about here.” Shining said, eliciting a nod from the black cat in understanding.

Night Fury understood the want to keep things professional. His mother of all creatures made sure he knew to mind his P’s and Q’s around authority, even if she took it too far a few times. But, he couldn't blame her, she was born to a rich family.

Coming to the top of the path, the outer walls and the massive drawbridge stood high above.

“Lower the bridge!” Shining Armor called, the two guards at the top saluting at his authority and doing as commanded. The sounds of turning gears and rattling chains filled the air as the drawbridge slowly lowered to the ground, casting a shadow in the early daylight as it slowly fell to the floor with a solid thump.

Continuing the journey, Fury saw the change in scenery. Guards stood still and only saluted when the captain came by, daring not making so much as a breath to maintain discipline. Fury had seen training from the guard of his own town, but nothing at this scale. He noticed the diverse number of personnel as they entered the halls of the castle. He saw many other guards at each door, some with the same thing on Shining Armor’s head, others with wings, and some with neither.

He also saw maids and cleaning supplies at certain points in the castle, most likely keeping the castle tidy and doing the maintenance work. He even saw a strange pony with a clipboard walking around and inspecting the process. Most likely, she was a big deal. A second in command, perhaps?

Not too much later, a set of double doors that looked like the size of an Ursa Minor came into view. Shining Armor gave a sign to hold position and the guards stayed put, Night Fury doing much the same. He entered through the double doors and the last sound was a large chunk of the locking mechanism. Near silence filled the air, making Fury a little uncomfortable. So, he decided to try and strike up some conversation.

“So… the princesses. What are they like?” Fury asked the guards. One of the mares spoke up.

“Oh, they're amazing. Our saviors from any evil that dares strike at our nation. Princess Celestia is our greatest princess when it comes to caring for all of us, it's as if she sees us as her children and she is our mother. Then comes her sister, Princess Luna. She's… a bit new to the world.” The guard spoke.

“Oh, so her highness has a baby sister?” Fury wondered aloud, but one of the stallion guards corrected him.

“Not really. What she means is that Princess Luna is new to the modern world. Have you heard the tale of The Mare In The Moon?” The guard asked.

“You mean the tale of the two sisters that were forced to fight after one grew jealous of the other's popularity and declared to take over and cast the world in eternal night?” The guards nodded.

“Wait… that was her?” Fury asked.

“Yes. And after a thousand years being imprisoned in the moon, she has returned to take her rightful place as Co-ruler of Equestria. Though she's only been with us for a month now, so her way of speaking may seem… old fashioned, to be polite.” The mare guard spoke again.

“And this, Mi Amore Cadenza. Who's she?”

“She is the royal sister’s niece. Only a few months ago was she crowned the newest princess of Equestria. But rumors have been spreading that she isn't the legitimate niece to the Royal Sisters, but only an adoptive niece.” The stallion spoke.

“Woah, talk about some undercover drama. Well, at least I know now who I'm dealing with.” Fury said. Just then, Shining Armor returned from the inside of the room, now sporting an odd mark of glittery lip gloss on his lips that he quickly wiped off.

“Ahem… Night Fury, their highnesses will see you now.” Fury nodded silently and followed him inside. Walking into the throne room, Fury saw the wide room in its entirety. The roof was high above, almost as if this place was meant to be an echo chamber. The walls held stained glass portraits of events that could only be assumed to be memories of pony past encapsulated for their importance, even if unknown to Shifters.

Fountains flowed down from the sides of the thrones themselves, leading to small rivers the lead back the way he came. And above all else, the princesses themselves stood before him with poise that only could be described as godly.

There were three that stood before him. The first and largest of the three was a pearl white in color, wearing golden shoes and a necklace with a crown that had to be at least 24 karats. Her legs and body were slim and sleek and her mane was a beautiful mix of colors. It also seemed to be flapping in an invisible wind that gave it a more full and luscious look.

The second was a dark blue, her mane a starry sky full of sparkles that seemed to have the same effect as the larger one. She seemed to be just as skinny with a more bold chest that harbored a black necklace with a moon symbol along with some silver shoes adorning her hooves and a black crown on her head.

The final and smallest one was a pink color, having a more athletic build than just skinny. Her mane was a mix of many colors but seemed to be more normal than the others who had manes that moved on their own. Her shoes and necklace were also made of gold, but were much less bold and came with a much smaller crown that seemed almost too small, nearly kid sized.

The one thing that Fury saw in all of them was that they all had both the same extensions on their heads as well as wings. Perhaps they were a special breed of pony that constituted their positions as royalty.

Approaching the bottom of the steps to the throne, the two stopped and Shining Armor began to speak.

“Your royal highnesses, I present the one Speed Shifter named Night Fury!” Shining said, prompting Fury to speak after him.

“Your majesties, I have come from far away to answer your call and I hope my arrival is an indication that our possible relations will be successful. It's an honor to stand before you, your highmesse- Ow!” Fury grunted, having gone too far down in an attempt to bow before royalty and bonking his head on the floor. “Ouch, ouch, ouch, that's gonna leave a mark. This sucks.” Fury rubbed his head with paws. He then remembered who he was talking to.

“Um, excuse my lack of restraint, your majesties. It's just that-”

Unexpectedly, Celestia seemed amused. “Oh don't worry about it. Meeting royalty is nothing you just get used to.”

“Agreed. Besides, I found it pretty funny too, like a jester.” Cadence said.

“Oh thank the creators above…” Fury sighed heavily, thinking he had just committed the biggest oopsie of his life. Although being referred to as a jester felt a little embarrassing.

But he noticed the dark one was simply blank faced and kept quiet. Was she the one the guards were talking about?

“Well, I believe it would be sufficient to start our introductions. No?” Celestia said. “I am Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun. To my left is my niece, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”

“But Princess Cadence is just fine. I plan on changing that as soon as my wedding is concluded.” She said with an eye roll.

“Ah, so you're the lucky bride-to-be? Well, I congratulate you on your engagement, princess.” Fury said.

“I appreciate the compliments. Shining Armor is a true paragon and handsome knight in shining armor. He simply just is the greatest stallion I've ever seen-” Cadence said enamored.

“Oh honey… keep it professional, please.” Shining said sheepishly.

I guess she's not called the Princess of Love for nothing. A little too mushy for my taste. Still good to see them like each other so much.

Celestia continued. “And to my right is my sister, Princess Luna. Goddess of the Night and Guardian of the Dream Realm.”

“So you're the Mare In The Moon? I've heard your struggles through old stories as a child. I sympathize with your anguish and hope you recover well, your highness.” Fury said sincerely. Then, the princess responded.

“We appreciate thine concern for our health, subject. We thankest thou for showing pity to our previous inconveniences.” She spoke. This caught Night Fury off guard and caused him to let out a very unprofessional…

“Huh?”

“You'll have to excuse my sister's dialect. The last time she set hoof in Equestria, we spoke in a very… outdated manner.” Celestia elaborated.

“Old Ponish, huh? Not a problem, I speak the language very well considering it was one of my elective classes in highschool.” Fury said.

“Um, I thanketh ye, for the good tidings. And I hope our species become close like a uh… sandwich with meat.” Fury wanted to facepalm again for that last part. He was so close.

Luna simply nodded.

Now that they were all acquainted, Fury decided to get some info about why he was here. He figured speaking overly formally was not so required and might make things awkward at this stage.

“Okay, now that we know each other well enough, time to crack open this cross country can of worms. Princess Celestia, you mentioned that our two species were lacking in knowledge between the both of us as of late in the letter you sent. For one, why would that be the case? And two, why choose an immature juvenile to represent our species?”

Celestia stood up from the throne and walked up to him. She was even more imposing up close, her size making Fury a little nervous.

Oh sweet silver bells, I'm gonna die.

“You see, young Shifter, it's fair to say ponies and Speed Shifters don't have a lot of knowledge of each other. Partly because of curiosity I wanted to see you. But why you in particular? Well, for one I know you live apart from all the politics and talking with you would give an uncomplicated deal for us and not worry about things like diplomacy.

“An inside eye into the lives of Speed Shifters from the casual citizen. Huh. Not too far off what I would have expected.” Fury admitted. He had to hand it to the princess before him, she had a point. Most of the issues that his father made known throughout his time as a member of his tribe’s council was the fact that most of them were too well integrated with the politics of the world and had a hard time understanding the outside world in the eyes of normal Shifters. Bringing in an untrained eye and getting a clear vein from their perspective could prove useful.

“But to be honest, you are not a completely random civilian. We know that even if you might not be a counselor or anything of the sort, we have heard of your father from one of our scouts. We know you have something special that will benefit us. You in particular have something that we couldn't go without.”

My dad was talking with a guard from this place? How did he come into contact? At random? Was it a targeted effort? This is bringing in so many questions.

“Well, I appreciate the compliments, but I don't think there's anything really special about me. I'm just a kid who got dragged out from the shadows to shed some light on some lost history. I don't really see myself as anything interesting. Personally, I’m just a guy who likes to have fun.” Fury said, downplaying his role a bit.

Celestia spoke up again. “Fury, I hope you will enjoy your time here. But to be perfectly honest, inviting you was more of an excuse to meet you. Because you Fury, you have something truly special about you.”

“My auntie is right, you should be happy that you are here. And you shouldn't beat yourself down like that. You are very special whether you like it or not. You are a unique creature who I'm sure has a lot to share. So please, give yourself some credit at the least.” Cadence spoke in sympathy for him.

“I… suppose I do have a sort of charm to me. I can say that. But I just don't get what the big deal is with me being here.” Fury continued.

“You will find out in time, young one. Now, how about we get you settled in?” Celestia proposed. “My niece will show you around and get you comfortable with the castle's layout.”

“Sounds good.”

“Oh and Fury? Don't feel uncomfortable. We might be rulers but we would like you to think of us more as friends or acquaintances if you will. You don’t have to try to act so formal around us.” Cadence said as she got up.

“Well, that's a relief. So, if that's the case, then let's go see this sweet looking palace.” Fury exclaimed.

Cadence first took Fury to where he will be sleeping. “We were able to give you your very own bedroom. We tried to make it look extra comfortable for you.”

“Wow! This place is awfully distant from my old room back home. So clean and spiffy. And it sure does smell different here.” Fury took a hardy sniff of the air. “Mmmm, lavender.”

“Just another luxury of living with royalty. Come on, there's more to see.” They both took a good bit of time exploring the castle's many areas and rooms. There was the library that had many of Equestria's old history books and even some adventure novels, the indoor pool for recreational activities, a lounge with a fireplace for those nights you just couldn't sleep and much more.

By the time they had gotten to the near end of the tour, it was about 8:20 in the morning.

“So, what do you think? Does this castle truly inspire you?” Cadence asked.

“I've never seen such a beautiful piece of art formed around me before. It's like a painting that sings to you and speaks of a tale of greatness.” He said, taking in the view from the windows as they passed by.

“I'm glad you like it. This castle is the pinnacle of what Equestria represents. Love, hard work, togetherness, friendship and lots of determination came together to make this happen.” She explained.

“Well, all of this is brilliant. It all just comes together so nicely. It almost makes me wish I was born a different creature. All of this brings just one thought to mind.” Fury said.

“And what's that?” Before he could give an answer, a hungry growl tore through the air.

Fury blushed and smiled awkwardly. “I guess that thought was breakfast.”

Cadence laughed at that. “Well, I guess it has been a while, hasn't it? Perhaps that's a good opportunity to see the dining area.”

“The best place! You know me very well.” Fury said, licking his lips. “When I go in to eat, boy do I eat.” He said, picking up the pace.

Cadence and Fury walked to the dining room. Once again a grand area with lavish columns and scenery.

“Talk about a major difference. Ya don’t see this much gold and marble in one place back home too often. Boy, have I been missing out.” Fury said in pure awe of his surroundings. Just then, the other princesses made their entrance into the dining hall from the other side.

“Just where I expected you to be.” Celestia said. “Hungry, are we?”

“Yep, I bet I could eat a Cragodile!” Fury said, rubbing his stomach.

“Well, I suppose you've worked up an appetite. And not to worry, we have all the necessary accommodations for your dietary needs. So no need to worry about mistakenly being served Hayburgers by accident.”

“Hayburgers? That is the most ridiculous sounding food I've ever heard!” He said gagging at the concept. “If you ask me, it’s not even food. It's what food eats! Got anything better?”

“Ah picky eater, I see.” Celestia said with a smile. “Maybe one day we can convince you of our cuisine but for now how would you like some smoked salmon? Popular among our griffin guests.”

“Smoked salmon? Bingo!” Fury exclaimed. “But adjusting to your cuisine? Sorry princess, but that will only happen over my hollowed out husk once I'm a mummified freak.”

“Fine, fine.” Celestia clapped. “Cooks, bring our guest some of our finest smoked salmon!”

After waiting a bit impatiently for food, they finally came over with a delicious smell that made Fury's mouth water.

“I think I'm in heaven. This is the greatest.” Fury said.

“If so, then we must be your angel guides.” Cadence giggled. They all took a seat around the table and we're given their respective dishes. But before Fury dug in, he stopped himself and began to speak in his native tongue.

“Conasu levisa noragi San, Flortifa nogi netila rosin. Alisu flin ana tera noxi. Anallah Forum.” And with that, he picked up his knife and fork.

He dug in. He was like a wild animal eating, of course it was expected as he technically was one. It was interesting to see the contrast between his stoic chant and his messy eating. The princesses could tell they pleased his tongue. But what did he say?

“What were you saying before you ate that salmon? Was it a sort of chant?” Celestia asked.

“Oh that? It's our native language. A prayer of good will and health before a feast with guests is customary for us. Just think of it as a wish of good tidings and a strong body.” Fury explained.“Our food is a sacred aspect. We remember how grateful we are to even have something so basic of a joy as that. That's how Shifters do things. I don't always follow my people's traditions to the t. But I sure do that. And I make sure to honor those before me to enjoy the heck out of this food.”

Celestia nodded. “I see. You know, I have a student in a town nearby who would probably be very interested to know your language and customs. She would love to make your help in making a book like that.”

“Let me guess. She's the very orderly student, gets panic-y when something happens off schedule, is often buried in books and had trouble making friends as a kid due to her increasing focus on studies?” Fury asked, his face a clear marker of cocky pride.

“Well… yes, basically. Not anymore. She has her own circle of friends these days. But Twilight Sparkle was definitely more friends with her charts and spellbooks than even her science partners in school.” Celestia admitted.

“Yeesh, I can only imagine the figurative social canyon she had between the rest of her peers. But, all things can change for the better.” Fury said.

Though I'm probably not one to talk about being on good terms with peers. At least with her it was voluntary.

“Well, she wasn't totally alone. Twilight had me as a sort of friend. At least as best as a friend a weekend foalsitter could have been.” Cadence said.

“Interesting. You don't seem like the bookworm type per se. I guess you two were quite different.” Fury hypothesized.

“We complimented each other.
I think if you see her. You and her might have the same cooperation.”

“Just don't expect me to be the bookish type. I like hearing legends and all, just… you know, not the itty bitty details.” Fury said.

“Oh I don't. Anyways, you want more food?” Cadence asked.

“Oh, your highness, I couldn't ask you to do that. I've probably gotten my fair share already. I shouldn't be rude.” Fury said.

“Oh don't worry about it! You can have anything you want as our guest!” Cadence said.

“Really? I'm… not sure. I've never really been proud of my appetite and it isn't exactly helpful that I'm basically under massive pressure with you three in my presence and being in the city that Shining told me is the epitome of ‘High And Mighty’.”

Celestia smiled. “Fury, we don't judge you for anything here. You are not only a welcome guest but compared to many other guests who are to say a bit… how should we say, ‘High And Mighty’, you have a nice way about you. Shining Armor mentioned you as a very casual and friendly person, easy to talk to.”

“Maybe when I'm with my friends, not royalty! I mean sure, your niece is the closest to a casual friend I've been with, but you're the top dog in this country. I can't just be casual with you or your sister! Speaking of which, I'm not even sure what Princess Luna's thinking right now! For all I can tell, she could be resenting my very existence as an ‘Unworthy feral peasant’. She probably doesn't even like me.”

Celestia sighed. She had a feeling that this was going to happen. Luna never was a social pony.

Luna looked away at him. “That's not true. I just like to speak when necessary.”

“You don't have to speak for me to know you don't like me, princess. And not just your words. Your blank expression, tall and brick wall-like body language, snorts of huffy air… even the microscopic changes in eyebrow placement is all I need to know that, to you, I am but a random, insignificant, fool that your sister foolishly dragged in. If you really liked me, you’d at least try to have some social activity.” Fury huffed.

Cadence and Celestia both looked at each other nervously. This Fury was far too honest for their own good. And Luna just didn't budge.

“Now, Fury. That's not true. Luna just has a hard time speaking to others. But I'm sure she truly does appreciate your company and this new opportunity. Right, Luna?” Celestia asked Luna, trying to get her to make amends. But she was simply silent and stared annoyed at Fury.

“I wouldn't make a wish off of that star, your highness. From how I was practically a ghost to even my own tribe back home, I'm very good at knowing who likes me and who doesn't. But since we're talking about social interaction…” Fury's fur gained a bit of static electrical charge and his claws dug into the table before he stared Celestia down.

“Fury, that's enough!” Cadence said.

“Sorry, but you said I could talk naturally. So I’m making good on that. Your sister has it easy. All she has to do is come back to the throne and have everyone run to her praise. But guess what? I don't get that luxury. Because at least when she's having trouble socializing…” Fury got very sharp in his attitude and said it straight to her face.

“She never has to be told that she would be better off commiting suicide.” Fury snarled as he got up and left.

“Night Fury, you get back here-” Cadence called out, but her eldest aunt stopped her.

“No, leave him.” Celestia said. “We need to let things simmer.”

Celestia then looked to Luna. “Sister, didn't I tell you to at least say some niceties? Shifters take great pride in hospitality. And we might have just blown our first meeting.”

“Hmph!” Luna said. “Excuse me, but I did greet him and I did say how I appreciated his compliments of me. I think it was quite good, especially considering I did not want to be here. And it seems you’re trying to push me into something I was not used to”

Celestia sighed and looked at her softly. “Luna, I know it's difficult to be around others for you. I know you'd rather raise the moon, look over your thestrals and see the stars, but you have other duties. I'm not the only one who should be trying to talk diplomacy. And with Fury’s relaxed disposition, I figured it would be a good start for you and maybe make a friend.” Celestia said. “And I thought you wanted others to acknowledge you and your moon powers.”

“Yes, acknowledge at my comfort, not have someone criticize me and lambast me like so many have before at my personality. There is no use in making a friend that seems to have no respect for authority. All of that promised special essence just to be disappointed by an arrogant child.” And with that, Luna sat up and left the dining room to pursue other matters.

“Well, it seems this Night Fury has truly stirred up a slurry of drama.” Cadence said.

“You can say that again.” Celestia sighed.

“I know Aunt Luna can be hard to talk with, but Fury didn’t have to go out and insult her like that.”

“Speed Shifters are known for placing importance on hospitality. They expect you to have a certain amount of good natured talk with them. To not do so is worse than calling them an idiot.” Celestia explained. “Though I was expecting at worst for it just to come off as annoying to him.”

“But still. I know Aunt Luna. I know deep down she wants to be acknowledged. She just has a hard time making it work. If Fury had problems he could have at least said it after breakfast.” Cadence said.

“Yes, but it seems Fury already is having it hard. You heard what he said. Apparently he's gotten a slew of threats made to his life. Something tells me he's had more of a harsh life than we think.” Celestia theorized.

“He did seem a little distant at first. And his emotional energy... it seemed… suppressed. Like he was trying to forget something.” Cadence added. Celestia knew that if Cadence had gotten an emotional read off of him and it came back negative, it was real. Being the Princess of Love, Cadence had an innate skill of being able to sense the emotions of other creatures with her magic. And this was no different.

“I knew there was something up with him. But I was thinking it might be something that would just fade away with time. But maybe not this one. Maybe we should talk with him sometime and see if we can help him.” Cadence said.

“If something is that drastic to prompt a personal response like he did, he probably won't reveal it so easily. We most likely need to coax it out of him somehow. Gain back his trust and try to help him release his inner demons. Plus, that energy radiating off of him… it seemed ancient. Like something passed down through the years that has been attuned to his specific personality. Whatever the case may be, we need to help him.”
Celestia then gave a reassuring smile. “Let's just eat, relax and we'll worry about this later.”

–

Later on, in one of the guest rooms…

Fury was looking up at the steep ceiling. It was a nice looking ceiling with a mural of warring pony soldiers fighting dragons. Celestia knew his tastes well. But it did nothing to alleviate the feeling of bitterness inside.

“Pfft, I gave her basic hospitality. I tried hard to have actual manners, interact, and she gives me the cold shoulder. Heh. Wouldn't be the first time someone gave me that passive aggressive attitude.”

Then came a knock at the door.

“What!?”

“It's me, Celestia. Can I come in?” Celestia asked.

Fury sighed. He was tempted to just tell her to leave him alone. But at the same time he was interested in hearing just how she would justify her sister.

“Whatever, just make it quick because my patience is thin.” Fury snarled.

“Thank you.” Celestia came in and sat on a nearby chair.

“My sister… I'm sorry for how she acted. She wasn't trying to be condescending to you. It just came off that way.”

“That was supposed to be an excuse or what? That one… is a whole different story. What does she think she has that I don't? Definitely not decency or honor. Pfft, but I'm gonna be honest, what does honor even matter when I got stripped of mine.” Fury sniffed.

“What do you mean?”

“You know how she acted. She didn't directly insult me, sure. I'll grant that. But she acted just like many I knew in my life who had respect, and no decency to even treat me as an equal.”

“Not that. Your honor. How was that stripped away from you?” Celestia asked. Fury stayed silent for a moment, looking at the ceiling as if he could use it to shut her out entirely. But he figured, why not? It's all an inevitability at this point. Besides, who's to say she doesn't have a spell to sift through his memories.

“Well, since you probably will keep prodding me day by day for the answer, I'll give you some answers. But keep it tight, maybe your niece, but nothing else.” Fury looked at Celestia and set things up.

“When I was a kid, I was the oddball. Being the energetic one, I only had a few friends that could keep up. I was always told that if I wanted to get anywhere in life, I needed to tighten up and start acting like I had some sense. But no kid at that age would care about responsibility, right? Well, that's where things went downhill. By the time I was a teen, I was doing drills and working with spears thanks to my dad's cousin. And one day, we got attacked by a Cragodile. The thing ripped through the village and wreaked a sizable amount of infrastructure. But we managed to tie it up. And guess who was tasked with dealing the finishing blow?”

“Ah, the burden of being the chosen one.” Celestia said with an understanding nod.

“I was ready, ready to take the lead and prove that I was something to these naysayers. But at the last moment… I flaked, cracked, slipped up, what have you. I woke up in the clinic with bruises and cuts and the doc said I was lucky that I didn't have anything broken on the inside. I stepped out the doors and I was immediately pelted with hate. Over the next few weeks, I might as well have been dragged from Tartarus and back. Being pelted with rotten fruit, beaten by older kids, shamed by parents and hidden from the younglings as a sign of bad luck. To top it all off, the death threats came through with Shifters telling me I was a disgrace to the village and my parents, saying that I wasn't meant to be born or I should have been born female if I was going to be so wimpy.”

“Some even said that I would have been better off abandoned at birth and that my parents were fools to carry such a disappointment for a son. Ever since then, I've bottled myself up for months, trying to shut out the bad feelings and thoughts. Only a few weeks ago did I actually consider taking the jump. It was your invitation that actually finally distracted me from those thoughts. That is, until your sister decided to give me the side eye.” Fury said. “Honestly at least my physical bullies had enough honor to fight me instead of just looking at me and expecting me not to stand up for myself. I can't even remember the last time I had a good laugh.” Fury said with anguish and sorrow in his voice.

Celestia put her arm around Fury's shoulder which actually caused him to jump a little. “I'm very sorry you went through that. We all make mistakes. Yours was no different. I had my own moments I regretted. But I can tell you someone who still tried to be good to others. You still gave us your hospitality. And we really appreciate that.”

Fury smiled for a bit. “Heh, you're already more understanding than so many other mothers in my village. You, I appreciate the same for Cadence.” But then he frowned. “But I'm sorry. But your sister still rubs me the wrong way.”

“I don't blame you too much. She rubs off on everyone the wrong way. Including me. But let me tell you this, my sister has always wanted to be acknowledged and have friends. She never got to though. Everyone dismissed her for being the boring, undesirable night princess. And she even became Nightmare Moon because of that. And now that she's back, she still faces the same problems. She's always struggled with being able to talk with other ponies regularly. She felt nervous and maybe, just maybe she felt like you would steal the attention away from others.”

“So you're saying your sister is hoping I'm a target here so she can ride easy?” Fury questioned.

“That is not what I meant.” Celestia deadpanned. “What I mean is that you might just be the one she can get along with. A friend.”

“Well, it'll take more time than just one day to get me on her side and vice versa.” Fury said which the sun goddess agreed with.

“Of course. But for now, let's try and get things back on track. So, about you. You said you haven't laughed in ages, correct?” She asked.

“Never even cracked too much beyond a chuckle.”

“Well then, I think we have a case where we can give you what you need to bring your laughter back. That sense of fun and excitement. If you stay with us, we can work on that for you. I promise.” She reassured him.

“I’m sorry but what exactly am I gonna get out of a city full of pretentious, overconfident, nose to the sky high hats that gag at the sight of anything that isn't above 5k bits?” Fury asked with a raised eyebrow.

“You seem to have quite a sense of humor for someone who doesn't laugh much.” Celstia said amused. “But that will be no problem. This palace is large, you have many places to be. And there are many friends that are quite out of the ordinary. I even have my own student and her friends.”

“Riiiight, Twilight Twinkle toes or whatever. Still, who's to say that you can even help me get my sense of humor back? I haven't had anything to be happy for in what feels like decades.”

“Well you seemed happy with food and our reports say you liked exploring caves.”

“Yeah, I meant real happiness, not my personal interests. I mean really getting the goods.”

“Ahh, I see. What you need is a little dose of childish fun.” Celestia then was quiet in thought. “What did you like to do when you were well happy?”

“Well, I uh… kind of liked to prank others and explore places my mom told me not to go. Just some dumb stuff you’d probably roll your eyes at.” Fury said, blushing with some embarrassment.

“Night Fury, you're still speaking like you're talking to a princess. In order for me to help you, I need you to relax. Just act natural for me, okay?” Celestia looked at him with a genuine look of plea, she wanted to help cheer him up. Fury sighed and let loose.

“I always had a knack for getting under someone's fur. I was taught to know my opponent, as any predator born in a forest would be. And when I say I can get into places I shouldn't if it means I can get to someone and mess with them… I can get there. These claws can work locks like a charm if need be.” Fury said, this time a little more relaxed and even with a glimpse of satisfaction.

“I see. I can imagine you climbing trees to sneak around with your shenanigans. I used to play a few pranks too as a filly, believe it or not. I was quite good at it.”

Fury chuckled. “Heh, I never expected that from Her Royal Highness.”

Celestia then smiled. “And I know what we can do.”

“We? You're getting in on this, your highness?” Fury asked.

“Why yes. In order to gain your trust, it is paramount that we both enjoy the experience together.” She said gleefully. Then she got close to him. “And please, no need to call me or Cadence ‘Your highness’ constantly. With Luna, that may be something that will have to be earned. But us, just call us by our names. You are our guest and we have to be comfortable with you being here if we wish to develop a relationship.”

“Okay, your highness- Um, I mean… Celestia.” Fury corrected. “So just what do you have in mind? I can tell by your smile that it's not very proper.” Fury said with a smile.

“Well, about that…”

–

Later on, in the castle throne room…

Cadence had just returned from checking in on a few favors she had lined up for her wedding and was eager to just have some quiet reading time. While most ponies would use the library itself as a suitable domain for a quiet endeavor such as reading, Cadence often found the more stylish throne room to be a better place to suit her needs. Plus, she often used her Auntie Celestia's throne as opposed to the reserve ones she would sit in when she visited as it was more plush.

Having acquired a decent romance novel from her personal collection, she trotted her way towards the thrones. But as she got closer, she got a little uneasy. As if someone was in the room with her. She just passed it off as a random thought and came to the top of the steps to the throne. As she approached her aunt's throne, she turned to take a seat on the very fluffy and comfortable cushions. But as her tushie came into contact…

Frrrrrrrrrt!

Cadence almost jumped up at the sheer shock of what she heard. Soon, she realized it was a sound she hadn't heard since high school.

“A whoopie cushion? Who would put something like that here? Do we have children here?” Cadence said before finally recovering and getting up to get more cheese at the kitchen.

On her way there, the same feeling came over her. But this time it wasn't something small, it was like a shivering chill. For all she could see, nothing but the guards were around and she was acting odd. Perhaps she was getting sick and had come down with a strange cold. She still hadn't really come to terms with her alicorn biology yet, so it was a possibility.

Entering the doors of the kitchen, she found it empty as usual with the staff off duty till lunch. Walking over to the cupboard to grab what she came for, she opened the doors and was greeted with another anomaly.

Fssssssssssshhhh…

A long, drawn out spray of silly string covered her face and slowly died down as she went deadpan and wiped it off of her features.

“Silly string… what a funny surprise. Is there just a rise in cheap pranks going around now?” Cadence asked out loud as she grabbed what she wanted and left. Walking the halls once again, she got the same feeling once more. Stronger than ever.

Something was up and she wasn't having it. She looked around and thought she was alone until a dark entity appeared in her peripheral vision. The entity stood still and silent, no true features being able to be pointed out besides the fact that it seemed to match her height.

“So, are you my mysterious prankster?” She asked. She got no response. “Look, I don't know what your deal is but all of these annoyances are not appreciated. So please, leave me alone.”

She began to walk away from the entity and tried to go on with her day as normal, but the supposed prankster decided that they wanted to follow her. Looking back, she could see that they were maintaining a steady pace with her, matching her speed. She sped up to a quick trot in an attempt to discourage them from continuing, but they sped up too. A light prance: matched. Light gallop: matched.

That was when Cadence realized that she may not be in such a safe place after all and went full sprint in an attempt to get away.

“You wouldn't mind telling me who you are, stranger?!” Cadence asked the dark entity.

No answer.

“I see. You're pretty quiet. But now that I know your game, you're not gonna foil me again.” Cadence said, keeping her distance.

Then she saw the entity seemingly disappear from sight behind her.

“Looks like they gave up the chase. Oh well, that's what they get for trying to get at me with some dumb prank- Woah!” Without a moment's warning, Cadence immediately felt the ground get slippery and her traction disappear. Looking down, she now saw that somehow, the ground she was running on had seemingly turned to ice.

“What? But how? It's a warm day at near noon!” Cadence said. “Is this some sort of freezing spell? It's a pretty good one.”

Despite her efforts to slow down, the ice just carried her along the hallway’s length for a good while. She even tried to dig into the ice to create some friction, but it was like this ice was so thick, it couldn't be broken. And her luck just got ever worse when she saw what was ahead.

With open doors, there sat a room with a massive pile of cakes that was right in her path.

“Ahhhhhh!!! I'm slipping! I'm gonna crash!”

Cadence tried harder to stomp on the ice and even use magic to stop herself from accelerating, but it was too late. She was going too fast.

She sighed and accepted her fate.

Sploosh!

The Princess of Love rammed straight into some large cakes. They had a pleasant aroma of chocolate and cream, so Cadence at least had to be thankful that that was where she landed.

Sticking her head out of her sticky crash pad, she looked around at who could have set this up and lo and behold, her shadow-y stalker was there. But they weren't alone, a second and much larger entity being at their side.

“Okay, just who are you naughty foals? Including the one that is very tall!” She asked in an aggressive tone.

“Yeah, I wouldn't call us foals, sweetheart. For starters, I don't even have hooves.” One of the entities spoke in a familiar voice.

“Wait, that voice sounds familiar… Hold on. You wouldn't happen to be…? But then who is the very tall one- Wait.” Then Cadence racked her brain and came to the truth. In no way, shape, or form would there have been foals running loose without a major fuss. Plus, how would they have kept up with her if they weren't at least her age? They must have something to do with a few certain individuals she knew, and one of them is a very new arrival.

“Wait a minute! Auntie Celestia!? Night Fury!?” Right on cue, both her aunt and the young Speed Shifter popped into the light and revealed themselves smiling in childish glee.

“Gotcha!” Fury proclaimed. “We caught you right in our trap. Our sweet, delectable trap.”

Cadence had to admit she was quite a bit surprised. Of all the things to come out of the little tussle at the table, it was certainly not this.

“Yeah, thanks for that you two.” She said, trying to get some cake off her hair. She did have to admit it tasted good. “So, whose idea was it to put whoopie cushions on the chair, spray me with silly string, chase me down, freeze the ground and put all these cakes in my way?”

“The whoopie cushion and silly string were me, Celestia handled everything else. And besides, I couldn't freeze the ground even if I tried. Lightning and electricity is my thing, not ice. You’d have to find other Shifters for that.”

“Well, I guess through your shenanigans, you got me really messy. It'll take hours to wash this off.” Cadence said. “And yet…” Cadence had a smile, before throwing telepathically some of the cakes at Fury and Celestia. “Now we’re even. I've got to say, your shenanigans gave me some fun I didn't think I would have.”

“Eh, no biggie. I like sweets.” Fury said, doing a quick spin and gulping the treats down flawlessly. “Mmmm, strawberry shortcake.”

Cadence finally got out of the sweet mess. After eating some cheesecake. She turned to Fury. “So what exactly prompted this turn of events? I thought you were in a bad mood. Did you get over things?”

“Well, not exactly. Your aunt just decided to pop in and try to lighten things up. Not to mention helping me be more casual around you. But… that came with a cost.”

“A cost?” Cadence asked.

“Opening up about my rough past. Celestia, if you would…” The alabaster alicorn nodded and craned her neck down to whisper in her niece's ear about what she was told.

“Oh… I didn't realize how tough it was for you. And how you dealt with so much hostility and in turn depressing thoughts. I'm sorry for not understanding earlier.”

Fury was silent for a bit. “It's fine. It's just… I don't really talk about myself much. All that smiling I do is mostly just a coping mechanism so I don't have to think about it. I haven't had a good laugh in years and I'm a bit touch starved. I jumped just at the feeling of a leg around my back. It's just a culmination of everything that I dare not repeat.”

Cadence walked up to him. And she gave him a hug.

“Just know that from this point on, you can feel comfort in knowing we're going to be there for you.” Cadence said. “I promise you, you'll find friends who won't turn their backs on you.”

At that moment, Night Fury felt some weight lift off his shoulders. For the first time in what felt like forever, someone was sympathetic to his struggles. He couldn't believe that he was actually being shown mercy for his past mistakes. He was so overwhelmed that he collapsed with Cadence holding onto him, tears flowing in both relief and joy. But still, he felt guilty for being so vulnerable.

“I'm sorry, I s-shouldn't be crying. I-”

“Shhh… it's okay. Just let it all out. There there…” Now with reassurance his voice was heard and would continue to be heard, he let it out. He cried a good bit, allowing all of his defense to fall as the Princess of Love patted his back and let him ease the pain away.

After awhile, he seperated and after wiping away his tears, he gave a genuine soft smile.

“Thanks.” Fury said.

“Any time.” Cadence said. “Now, to address the other issue. You said you hadn't had a good laugh in a while?”

“Yeah. This was supposed to help, but it just went south because I decided to-”

“Hey! Stop that! You're making yourself out to be the bad guy when all you did was share your feelings. That's not healthy.” Cadence said firmly. “Trust me, talking to a lot of couples, I know opening up is the first step to solving problems.”

“Yeah, you're right. I've just been so locked up for so long, it's hard to say help anymore.” Fury said in a somber tone.

“And that's okay. It's not an easy process to recover from trauma that impactful, and it gets hard to ask for help. But it's all a solvable issue. Just like your laughing problem. Speaking of which, I might have just the thing to help you. It is an old trick from my foalsitter days, but it should work here.” Cadence hypothesized.

“Oh really? And just what could it be? It won't be pretending to be a monster, will it? Because I'm not scared by that anymore.” Fury said in a non threatened tone.

Well, you will be scared of this monster. A monster who is exceptionally adept at making creatures laugh.” Cadence whispered, close to his ear.

Fury's memories flashed back in a flood of unrestricted giggles and embarrassment. All the times his own babysitter put him through that ordeal rushed in like he had just opened the drain to a tub.

“Uh, can we do something else? Like knock knock jokes or seeing a mime?” Fury said, a bit nervous.

“Hmmmm, maybe I'll think about it- NOPE!!!” Cadence pounced on Fury like he would with his prey.

Having his belly exposed, and with knowledge of both ponies and cats, Cadence tickled his stomach. To her surprise, Fury managed fairly well at holding himself back. But being considered the best foalsitter ever by many was not going to let her accept his resistance.

“Ah, not bad, not bad. You've done better than Twilight did for sure. But… I've only unleashed half of my power. Prepare for the next phase.” Cadence stopped with his belly and looked up to his armpits. Then her eyes glowed and Fury could swear he felt a magic aura around her hooves. He already knew his time was up.

“Come on, Cadence! Listen, I'll do anything you’d like! I'll be your butler for a month! I'll even deliver your sappy, fru fru love poems from you to other couples! Just let me go!”

“Sappy? Fru fru?! Oh, now you've done it. No creature will disrespect my carefully written letters without retaliation. Have at thee, child!”

Cadence's hooves made contact. And Fury tried to hold his laughter in. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how he held his breath, just had to burst out laughing.

“Ha ha ha ha ha!!! No no no no!!! It's too much! Your pink alicorn magic! Come on, let up! Ha ha ha ha!!!” Fury said, his laugh finally on full display for both of the alicorns present.

Cadence now had completely laid him to waste. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to negotiate. She stopped her attack for a moment, still holding him down and allowed him to breathe as she came up with an ultimatum.

“Okay, I'll release you. But, on one condition. From now on, you don't subject yourself to self blame and come to us with your problems. We may be royalty but as we've said before, we are okay with you being casual with us. And that includes asking us for help when you feel overwhelmed. Don't feel like you need to bear the brunt of your shame without outside support. We're here for you.”

Fury gave in and allowed the briefest glimpse of a smile before reverting back to desperation. “Well, compared to being tickled like this, I suppose that's not such a bad thing. There! Now can you let me go?”

“Okay. I think I made my point.” Cadence said letting him go. “And now we're even in our mischievous ways.”

Fury finally could get himself to his paws and took a few deep breaths. For the first time in years, he had actually laughed a good laugh. It wasn't exactly voluntary, but it felt good to let go of his shame for a bit.

“Okay, I'll let you be my pseudo-therapists. But, there's one thing I don't understand. You're both princesses. Wouldn't it be considered practically heresy for you two to be acting as immature as a 10 year old?” Fury asked.

“Well, I somewhat have an excuse. I'm rather young despite my looks and my upcoming wedding. My aunt, on the other hoof…” Cadence gave a sly side glance to Celestia and got a chuckle out of her before she answered.

“Well, if I stayed serious every day for the past several centuries for every enemy, annoying politician or pony with a certain opinion, I would've gone insane long ago. Besides, it makes me back to the nostalgic feeling of my own fillyhood when I used to be more carefree. It's nice to have someone talented I could do that with again like you.”

Fury chuckled back. “Well, like my classmates always said, I was the class clown. So I guess I'm just doing what comes naturally. I guess we can't contain that wild side of us. If you ever got any other pranks you need done, I'll happily enlist my services of mischief and mayhem.” Fury said with a salute. But then, he did a double take.

“Wait a minute, centuries? I know it's rude to ask a woman her age, but just how old are you?” He asked.

Celestia blushed slightly and tried to recollect herself as she racked her brain. “Hmmm, not much. Only 1,100 years- no wait, it was more like 1,500 years or maybe 1,600 years. I guess I lost track after all this time. I suppose I'll have to consult my calendar.”

Fury's mouth went agape and his eye twitched. There was no way that this pony, who looked no younger than 35, was over a millennia old.

“Y-y-you’re that ancient?! If you were really that old, you'd be as old if not older than all our great chiefs of the past! Older than many of our rivers! If only our ancestors and leaders lived that long.” Fury was stunned, but also amazed. “You sure you're not pulling my tail? Still in the trickster routine?” Fury said, giving a false facade of skepticism.

Celestia shook her head. “I suppose it is a bit out there to an outsider. Sometimes I forget how unusual it is for entities like me and my sister to have such unnatural longevity. But the answer is yes. And if you look hard and long enough, you'll find many other creatures that managed to attain longevity. Perhaps even one of your kind that you haven't seen yet.”

“Goddess knows what that could do for our future generations. But, hang on. If you're so old and still look like a supermodel, you must be immune to aging. And I'd guess immortal too?” Fury asked. Celestia chuckled at the compliment and nodded.

“Yes, it's true. Alicorns have been known to possess the ever sought after Fountain of Eternal Youth. Through thousands of years, we've given your mortality to protect this land from all threats and give its inhabitants a safe place to live.” Celestia explained, extending her wings to their full size.

“Alicorns… that's a strange name for a species that looks almost the same as their mortal counterparts.” Fury admitted.

“Well, it's all about being able to tell us apart. Like Shining Armor, he's a unicorn. He only has a horn on his head. If a pony has wings instead, they're a pegasus. And if they don't have either, they're an earth pony.” Cadence added to clear up any confusion.

“If you saw my former top student and her new friends, which you will one day, you'd understand, we alicorns are a rare type among ponies.” Celestia said. “We are the culmination of all the pony races. The everlasting magic of unicorns, the flight and weather manipulation of pegasi and the unbridled strength of earth ponies.”

“Thus us alicorns are tasked with protecting and governing these realms.” Cadence continued. “I'm the newest one in a while. I'm not even thirty yet, but still I'm tasked with an important duty to protect these lands and channel the special forces that each alicorn is uniquely gifted with.”

“Living manifestations of everything your species is built on. Amazing! And seriously, you look nowhere near thirty. Besides, I'm only three years old.”

“Wait, three? You seem like you're only a few years younger than me and Shining.” Cadence said, a bit surprised though not Celestia.

“Well, at least in cat years. Converting to pony years, I'm about… 26? I'm pretty sure those times I had a drink with friends would be pretty problematic if I was that young.” Fury chuckled.

“Oh I see.” Cadence said. “It looks like I'm going to have to brush up on my Shifter knowledge.”

“It's okay, it's the same way back home. We don't exactly know much about you ponies either. For all my kind knows, I'm the only one that will have made contact with your kind in centuries!” Fury explained.

Celestia smiled. “Don't worry, you'll learn in time. After all, experience is often the best teacher.” She then looked to Fury “And you, Fury, are going to give us a great deal of it.”

“Oh, you'll be in for some big surprises alright. Us Shifters are full of em.” Fury said.

Then everyone noticed the time on the clock. It said it was just about noon.

“Hmmm, time passed rather quickly.” Celestia said.

“Wow, noon already? Time never flew by that fast back home.” Fury said in genuine shock that he had been talking for that long.

Celestia looked out at the sun. “I guess it's just one of the features of this city. Everything moves faster. But it was nice talking to you, Fury. In the meantime, why don't you get yourself more acquainted with the insides of the castle on your own? I believe we have a few duties to attend to before lunch is served. I'm sure you'll make it quick.”

“Oh, that won't be a problem.” Fury said with a smile. “Hey Cadence, did your aunt ever tell you why us Speed Shifters are hard to get a close look at?”

“I don't believe so, why?” Cadence asked. Fury got down low and breathed softly, controlled and with trained effort. His aura began to reveal itself for the first time in a while, red light and static electricity surging around him before he breathed in and said…

“Bang.” With no further delay, Fury took off like a literal lightning strike.

Cadence for a moment thought he disappeared before hearing a loud boom followed by all the curtains and tapestries blowing toward him.

“Wow. I think I get why they're called Speed Shifters.” Cadence said.

“My niece, with someone like Fury, I know this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

–

In a different part of the castle…

After Fury had his little burst of speed, he slowed down to take in the scene and see what was around. Walking down the halls, he saw multiple day guards standing at their posts with discipline he could have only seen in his dreams. He managed to say hi to a few, but he knew he wasn't going to get much out of them. Around a corner, he found some maids moving cloth and sheets around through the rooms, most likely changing the bed linings and washing the old.

Everything else he saw was what he'd imagined a castle would have, balconies with views over the city, paintings of old generals and exclusive figures and what he would soon find, the day guard barracks.

“Wow. I always wondered how this place's military functioned. I wonder if I could just take a little peek.” Fury said as he slowly opened the doors, and he saw ponies doing various activities. Shining their armor, pegasi preening (which he blushed intensely at, considering preening in birds was seen as a ‘Private affair’, unicorns focusing their magic and earth ponies bashing the punching bag.

The sight of seeing all of these well trained soldiers working to keep themselves sharp was inspiring to him. He himself was somewhat familiar with the subject considering he was briefly in his tribe's defense force before he decided to drop out to have more fun, but seeing how different the experience was for royal guards was an amazing experience to see.

“Wow, now this is amazing. I can't believe I'm seeing this with my own eyes.” Fury whispered, which wasn't as quiet as he thought.

“Well, I hope you don't think seeing pegasi preening is an affair you'll snoop on constantly.” A feminine voice said, a second set of eyes spooking him as they seemingly popped up out of nowhere.

“Ahh!!” Fury said, jumping up a bit. He was not used to being the one surprised. This mare was quite good at sneaking to catch him off guard.

“Heh, they always let their guard down somehow. Hey guys, we got a live one here!” The guardsmare said.

The other recruits stopped their activities to look at the new stranger. Some seemed shocked, some impressed, some fearful and others amused.

“Wow, it's really the Shifter.” One voice said.

“He’s a little smaller than I thought.”

“I bet those claws could tear through a manticore’s arms.”

“You think he's friendly or hostile?”

“He's kinda cute.”

Fury was a bit angry at himself for having his cover blown. He told himself to watch his surroundings better next time. But of course since he alerted them, he might as well speak to them now.

Fury cleared his throat. “Well, uh… I guess I'm not as quiet as I thought. Gotta work on that…” He whispered.

“Eh, it's no problem. Most of the time, we would hear somepony coming for a good bit before they show up. But you managed to sneak up on us pretty good. The name's Low Tide.” The guardsmare said, sticking a hoof out for a shake.

“Night Fury.” He responded simply, returning the gesture. “It's not every day I get snuck up on. You must be pretty good if my ears couldn't pick you up.”

“Yeah, I just got really good at it. Training drills and all that. Even for a guard, it's good to know how to sneak up on invaders. Kind of like a certain feline.” She said, staring into him.

“Yeah… sorry I just got a bit curious. I wanted to know how you ponies trained and fought. And it looks like you didn't disappoint.” Fury said, impressed. “So tell me, are you like some sort of elite unit or something?”

“Nah, we're just the regular Day Guard. We take care of the day shift. Y'know, the usual. Guarding sensitive areas, escorting their highnesses to events, training recruits… nothing special, really.” Low Tide explained.

“Huh, I haven't brushed up on my combat in a while. Kinda let myself slip for a bit.”

“Yeah, that's why we're made to do these drills every day. Especially these days, with the wedding of Lady Mi Amore Cadenza going on. Don't want any problems like last time.” The pegasus said with a dark chuckle.

Fury heard that incident again. That wedding with Cadence. It seemed to be some big time event.

“Yeah, your captain told me about that. Said it was a bit too harsh. You guys were there, got any details?” The pegasus guard looked back to her fellow guards and they gave the okay before she waved him inside the barracks and closed the door to re-engage the soundproofing.

“Alright kid, you want the tea? Well, I'll spill. Long story short, things didn't go so well the first time the wedding went down. Before Lady Mi Amore Cadenza was even seen, she was kidnapped and replaced by Queen Chrysalis.” Fury's ears perked up at the mention of the Changing Queen.

“The Changelings were the ones who screwed things up? Huh… haven't heard about those bug brains for a while.” Fury said.

“You've heard of ‘em?” Low Tide asked.

“Our tribe had a few scuffles with them once or twice, but never with the queen herself. This must have been big in order for her to step into the limelight.” Fury explained, sounding a little more concerned.

“Sure was, kid. Transformed right in front of everyone and declared she would take over Canterlot with the stolen love she had already snapped from Shining Armor over the preparations. Luckily, Princess Celestia's student and her friends managed to get her niece out from her prison in the caverns beneath the city and allowed her to use her magic to subdue and banish the entire swarm back to the Badlands. Though we could have stopped her in time if we had listened to her majesty’s student beforehoof. She had figured out something was wrong before the fact and we pushed her off as jealous.”

Now everything made sense. No wonder why Shining was so hesitant to tell it again. It must have been hard for Shining to have that happen to his own city and fiance under his own protection. Perhaps a feeling of guilt too? Fury had to admit he could relate.

“Wow, must have been rough. I can't imagine almost losing your soon-to-be wife to that kind of gig. Though, I can't say it's too far off from what I've had to go through. But nevermind that.” Fury said, deflecting any chance of anyone else learning about his past. “So how is it for you guys in these barracks and what's your routine like?” He asked curiously.

“We're not given an awful lot of freedom most of the time. We have to be asleep early and wake up early. We do our typical training drills, having to also wipe our armor and be ready at any occasion. Of course for fun, we do some occasional wrestling and practice fights that sharpens us up.” She replied.

“Of course we do get days and vacations off, where we're free to live like civilians for a time. So it's not all sweat and tears.’” She said nonchalantly.

“That's pretty cool. Though I have to admit, I think for me I'd rather be reconning enemy front lines or be in some far away fort than guarding the capital. But you guys sound like you'll be ready next time.” Fury said.

She chuckled. “Well as much as we can. But if you ever have any interesting military tactics or secrets in your possession, we wouldn't mind learning from them.”

Fury chuckled. “Ah I see. Eh maybe someday, but not yet. I still have to get comfortable with you Equestrians first before I go divulging too much.”

“Ah spoken like a true soldier.” She said. “Well, I think I need to get back to training. Maybe we'll see each other again. I mean you aren't half bad looking for a cat.” She said jokingly with a hint of flirting.

“Hey, we have super speed. Might as well put it to use for our health. And you might want to watch yourself with that flirting, it just might bite ya when you don't expect it. Well, I'm outta here. Feeling like a little lunch is overdue. Nice meeting you guys!”

Fury then left with a wave. He had to admit it went more smoothly than he thought it would. Maybe he really did have that savoir faire his dad had.

“Now, lunch time. Just in time too, I feel like I'm about to implode.” Fury said jokingly as he zipped away to the dining hall. But little did he know that someone was watching him from afar along with a companion.

“Is he still on your hit list, your majesty?” The smaller pony said. The much larger one shook her head.

“Not as much as from this morning. While his comments were rather insulting and crass, we believe he may possess something that we could benefit from. Plus, our sister has made it clear that we should at least try and make peace with him. So, that is what we will do.”

–

Later on…

Night Fury appeared in the dining hall in a quick burst and slowed up, two of the three princesses already being there.

“Cadence, Celestia! Glad you two are still kicking, especially you Celestia.” He said waving at them. “Considering you're so old, you probably could have high fived a T-Rex.” Fury said snickering under his breath, but he wasn't the only one with finely attuned hearing.

“Unfortunately I never had that pleasure. I did pet a mammoth though once.” Celestia said.

Fury was a little shocked. “Okay, I guess I didn't realize I wasn't the only one with some good hearing. And I don't think I'm gonna get used to your age.”

“Don't worry, no pony is truly ready to learn that their very young looking ruler is in the quadruple digits. Even Twilight was in shock at that, and she researched everything.” Celestia said as he took a seat.

“Eh, I guess I can see how that would turn out. I guess the same thing can be said for us Speed Shifters and our transformations.” Fury said, catching the pink alicorn to his right of guard.

“Wait… transformations?” She parroted with an eyebrow raised.

“That is correct, Cadence. Speed Shifters possess the ability to change their form at will. Though their ability is limited to just that, transformation. They cannot truly mimic another creature unlike… ahem, another creature with that ability.” Celestia said with a tinge of discomfort. Fury noticed Cadence's change in mood as the Changelings were subtly hinted at.

“Hey, Cadence. I heard about the drama. Listen, I can't fathom how terrifying it must have been to have been trapped below the city for so long. Please, just know that I feel for your grievances and pain just as you do mine.” Fury said sincerely.

Cadence sighed, but smiled lightly in appreciation.

“Thanks, Fury. It's all fine. We kicked them all out through my power of love together with Shining and the Mane Six. We learned security lessons for next time so they won't get us!” Cadence said, trying to sound confident but it betrayed some worry.

“Well, don't worry too much. You have me to protect you. I'll lay down my life for what's right. And… some other things.” Fury said nonchalantly.

“Don't you even think about it, fish breath! That piece of pink fuzz is mine!” Shining said as he quickly popped in and disappeared just as quickly. Fury gave Cadence an amused look.

“Seriously?”

“Shining has always been a bit… protective and jealous. He doesn't like it when other guys get interested in me… or even look at me for too long. At least when he perceives it that way. The latter happens more than I’d like to admit.” Cadence sheepishly admitted.

“Ah, the flaws of early engagement. The amount of stories my mom popped off about hers… hoowee.” Fury sighed, getting a giggle from the princess. Just then, Luna walked in.

“Greetings Sister, niece. Hello Night Fury.” She said calmly. Everyone was surprised. Luna seemed… content. No lingering anger, no sour looks. She even addressed Fury on her own accord.

Fury did a double take. No will to throw out an insult, not even a condescending glare. She seemed to have almost forgotten about the incident earlier in the day. He kept his guard up just in case though, it wouldn't be the first time someone came off as friendly after a scuffle like they didn't remember just to strike back.

“Uh hey there.” Fury said. Part of him wanted to ask her about her new attitude. And perhaps an explanation of her passive aggressiveness toward him at dinner. But he decided he wanted to let her speak for herself. “So… how's it going?”

Luna nodded. “Very good, thank you very much.” She walked slowly toward him. “It seems you have had a good time in the castle so far.”

“Uh… Okay, hold on. What's the deal, princess? I ripped into you a couple hours ago and you're playing nice. I'm sure you can understand how a predator like me is very skeptical, do you not?” Fury said.

“Of course. A creature of your origin would be wondering why a creature you were scuffling with suddenly surrenders and plays nice. Well, a few choice words from a few guards that were in proximity to the dining hall made it a point to suggest that we refrain from the aggression as we had no prior insight into who you are and hadn't made an effort to learn so.” She explained.

“So, that little advice finally got you to cave, huh? Well, I can't be too huffy about it. Besides, I'm too hungry to really care right now honestly.” Fury chuckled.

“Good.” Luna took a seat at the table. “Then let us do so.”

“So, where are we going to start our reconciliation?” Fury asked.

“We suppose we should begin with our interests. Personally, we taketh a liking to long walks, painting, naps, trying exotic delicacies and many more.” Luna said.

“Now, the naps and food are a big thing with me too. The long walks and painting… not so much. I can't honestly take that much time doing something, I get too fidgety.”

“You prefer things faster, I assume?”

“Yeah mostly. Instead of long walks, I prefer long jogs. Instead of paintings, I like high octane plays and movies. It doesn't even always have to be fast, it just has to give me a thrill. Even stealthily waiting for my prey can be considered a thrill.” He chirped.

“You hunt for your food?”

“Occasionally. We do fish and raise livestock for food, but sometimes, Speed Shifters like to do things the old fashioned way. Just something to keep us abreast of our feral origins.” Fury explained, thinking back to his younger days.

“We see…” Luna said, sipping some tea. “Very interesting.”

“You don't seem as surprised as I thought you'd be.” Fury said, a little surprised.

“It is no surprise that a predator would have hunting be a primary interest to them. It's a part of them no matter what. Something as simple as stalking a Jackrabbit is a major investment for your kind.”

“Heh, you can say that again.” Fury chuckled agreeingly. He had to admit that she had a point about how much time his kind would put into a good hunt. “Hunting reminds us Shifters to keep alert, to be patient and be watchful for potential opportunities. Though I never really cared for such things. I was born with the speed I have for a reason.”

“Are all of you Shifters so speedy? Honestly, it is a truly new experience to see a creature that can outpace a Cheetah.” Luna inquired.

“All of us have the same powers, but it really comes down to an individual's priorities. Some tend to their transformations and meditation, others like the fast lane and use their speed more often like me. We're all the same but different at the same time.” Fury knew that he was an oddity compared to most with his less reserved attitude and personality, but he didn't really care about sticking out too much.

“Shifters usually specialize in one primary power and a secondary one with other abilities being much less powerful. I have abilities based on lightning, which basically means I have ultra high speed which I got from my dad. My mother on the other paw, she has abilities based on ice. She mainly focuses on environmental adaptability, so her ability to transform is enhanced to fit her priorities.” Luna and the other princesses were surprised at the information he was sharing. All of this from just one individual? He seemed to be more knowledgeable than he let on.

The conversation was cut short though as lunch was now being served.

“Your lunch is served.” Said the butler.

“Oh, now we're talking.” Fury said, excitedly rubbing his paws. “Just a moment, Luna, I have to recharge my energy.”

The butler gave more of what he loved. Such as smoked salmon. He loved the fact that his tastes were affirmed by these new ponies, it felt comforting to know he was seen as a creature separate from them.

“Oooh, nothing but the best for the best.” Fury shot off cockily. “You might want to cover up your nose for this one princess, these things aren't exactly a batch of roses.”

“Tis no fault of yours. I am quite used to the smell of salmon. My Thestral Guard shares much the same diet as you, so such an aroma is no harm to my nostrils.”

“Thestrals?”

“They're similar to normal ponies. But they can also eat animals like fish. They resemble bats in that they have their wings and their eyes which allow them to see superbly in the night of which they are most likely awake.”

“Bat wings!? Oh that's cool! Finally, some creatures that I can have some fun with. But, I can't imagine their lives are all good considering that they most likely had a more… negative reception to their existence much like mine.”

Luna nodded. “You will find many creatures of the night are looked upon less favorably than those of the day. Our guards are no exception. But in spite of others forgetting their heroism, they guard the night when others would be asleep.”

“Noble warriors indeed. They'd earn my dad's respect all too quickly.” Fury said in-between the fish he was eating.

“Wow, you can certainly pack those things away. I've only seen an appetite in my auntie Celestia when she scarfs down cake.” Cadence said out of nowhere. Fury nearly choked as he laughed along with Luna while Celestia sighed as usual with her love for cake being taken advantage of once again.

“Yeah, for us Shifters, we love fish so much that we sometimes moved villages just to be closer to better fishing grounds even if boars or cattle were still around. Of course, it may seem stereotypical that us as felines are fond of seafood, but it's something we've had an interest in since the dawn of time.” Fury explained. “On a separate note, your aunt seemed to have an obvious thing for sweets. As a hunter, we're practically born into learning how to identify the smallest details. But Celestia's rather… generous hindquarters is anything butt small.” Fury said with a smug smile.

Cadence tried to resist laughing and Luna had one seemed to have a smug smile herself at Celestia's expense.

“It seems you Speed Shifters have a blunt sense of humor.” Celestia said, both amused and annoyed.

“Well, we do seem to have a highly developed instinct when it comes to humor. But don't worry, I'm sure with your figure, you could… cushion the blow?”

Now Cadence couldn't resist laughing, Fury's jokes finally getting her to crack. Even Luna seemed to giggle slightly.

“He does have a point, sister. Sometimes We can hear it across the dining table.” Luna said.

Celestia just glared at the feline across from her, the waggling of his eyebrows and Cheshire grin just adding to the insults.

“I have a feeling that our time together is going to be an interesting one.” Celestia said.

“I couldn't agree more.” Fury responded. “So, what's life like here in the big city? I know for a fact that it's a whole other planet compared to my origin.”

“Well, most of the events that occur here are regularly brought to our attention. But, some of the more minor occurrences can be found in the Canterlot Times. Our very own newspaper that circulates around Equestria with the most recent happenings.” Luna explained.

“A newspaper, huh? Don't have many of those back home. Most news that goes down is no secret thanks to our hearing being so strong. All you have to do is let the information flow in and everything that's happened, is happening and is going to happen comes to you with no written word.” Fury recalled.

“So eavesdropping is a regular thing for you?” Cadence asked.

“It doesn't even exist for us honestly. We just listen and things come to our attention. It's just a fact that we're built a little differently. Like how we're nocturnal.” Fury said. This got a confused look from the princesses. If his kind was nocturnal, wouldn't that mean he should be asleep?

“Nocturnal? But that means you'd be awake at night and asleep during the day like Auntie Luna.” Cadence theorized, but she was quickly debunked.

“Oh that's just a blanket description of what being nocturnal is. Being nocturnal means we're most active late at night and less so during the day. But let me just say it's a little… different for my kind.” Fury said.

“How so?” Celestia added.

“Well, you know the saying of when your body falls asleep, your mind wakes up? That's how it works for us because sleep is actually a form of meditation for us. Speed Shifters use the sleep we get to restore ourselves and allow for deep thoughts to roam free. Which also combines with our nocturnal activity. You see, the meditation we do while we sleep actually aids in restoring our energy much quicker than the average creature. This helps especially in our military where soldiers are expected to stand guard for days on end without a wink of shut eye.”

“The meditation opens up our mana flow much more than when we're awake and rids our bodies of drowsiness and strain much more efficiently. So we could take a three hour nap and wake up as if we've gotten a full night's rest.”

“Wow…” Cadence said. “Sometimes I wish I had that ability. It would help me to get more work done.”

“Sorry Cadence, but that sort of technique is exclusive to yours truly and others alike. I wish I could teach you that one but even I'm not the best at it.” Fury said apologetically.

Luna showed interest. “You definitely are a unique creature. You can operate day and night it seems quite well. Even my Thestral guards have to sleep all day.”

“You know I'd like to see these guards of yours someday. I always liked going out at night, exploring and hunting.”

“You may do so one day.” Luna said as she sipped a cup of tea. “They are tough but you'll probably have a liking for them considering who you are.”

Fury smiled. “You know Luna, you're not half bad. I had some doubts about you at first. I thought you were a little boring, moody, gloomy, passive aggressive…”

“Alright, we get the picture.” Luna said.

“But you're also actually quite cool. You're not afraid of the night. You actually don't mind the smell of fish. You have a cool mane. I think I'm starting to like you.” Fury said.

Luna seemed quiet at first for a bit. “I appreciate that. I don't have too many fans. And I think you yourself are pretty cool as you put it.”

Fury then noticed he was actually full. He ate more in a few minutes than he thought.

“Well, that was a good meal, even better one with you ladies.”

“Would you like to go back to your room?” Celestia asked.

“Sounds like a plan. I could use a little nap.” Fury yawned as he got up with a very drowsy wobble.

“We look forward to showing you around more of Equestria.” Celestia said. “And to even meet my top student who should be arriving soon for the wedding preparations.”

“Well, that's good… can't wait to… meet them.” He slurred, clearly dazed and sleepy after having stuffed himself. “Well… see you later…”

Fury got a few tired and sloppy steps in, but eventually collapsed on the ground.

“It looks like we made him talk longer than he thought. I guess he was pushing through the tiredness.” Cadence said. “He looks so peaceful now too.”

“Guards, come help him to his chambers!” Luna called out.

After they did so, Cadence continued.

“Well, I'm glad things seemed to have gone well. I can't wait for what awaits Equestria with all this.”

Celestia nodded. “Not only that, but he just might help save both Equestria and his people. He might be very important if he truly is the Speed Shifter legends have spoken of.”

The other princesses nodded as they brought themselves to a common ground. Whoever this creature was, he was the most important part of their own and his history and he wasn't even aware of it. Meanwhile, Fury was tucked into bed and actually slept the rest of the day away, his belly full and his stress slightly relieved. He felt slightly better knowing his efforts to rid his harsh past from his daily struggles was recognized. It felt satisfying to know that his life may have just gotten the lucky turnover he needed. But for now, he was content just sleeping away the day, excited to start anew in the Capital of Equestria.