What is Love?

The Solar Princess stood and gestured for Luna, and she whispered to her sister, “Luna, he does not seem to be from Equestria.”

The Princess of the Night nodded. “Indeed, sister, I do not even believe him to be from one of the neighboring planes, despite his form. Procedures will have to be followed.”

Celestia sighed. Procedures. “Yes, though those are always such a bother. Can you make the arrangements? I will stay here.”

Luna nodded, and with a single flap of her wings was gone.

Celestia turned to her companions. “Girls, I'm sorry, but our guest doesn’t seem to be from around here, and he may be sick, so we’ll have to follow quarantine procedures. After he’s been examined by the doctors you’ll probably be free to go, but until then I have to ask you to stay with me.”

Pinkie tilted her head quizzically. “Quaranwhat now?”

“Quarantine, Pinkie.” said Twilight, as she did a quick about face to look at the rest of her friends. “It means we’ll have to stay away from other ponies until we’re sure he doesn’t have some sort of disease that might be spread through contact or something.”

“Sensible enough.” muttered the gray stallion from the ground.

Nine pairs of eyes turned to look at him and he cringed.

“Oh, that’s totally OK, Princess! Maybe I can throw a quarantine party! I’ve never had one of those before. If I can’t go anywhere, I can’t get a banner, or refreshments, but I have my party cannon with me, so streamers and confetti are no problem, and maybe I can have stuff delivered...” Pinkie continued on. Nopony asked what she meant when she said she had her party cannon with her. She didn’t seem to be carrying anything.

It was probably better not to ask.

Rainbow Dash smiled. “Yeah, Princess, that’s cool with us. I mean, we were just hanging out anyway, right?” All heads nodded in agreement.

“But Princess, you don’t think he has some horrible malady, do you? He does seem a bit... shakey.” asked Rarity, waving a hoof at the lump on the ground.

Fluttershy peered out behind her bangs. “Oh, um... I think he’s just shy. Maybe.”

Applejack stepped in. "Shy don't explain why he can't walk though, does it?"

As the girls continued talking among themselves, speculating about the condition and identity of the newcomer, Celestia knelt down next to him again.

“Please, don’t be alarmed. If you are sick, you’re in good hooves. What did you say your name was again?”

“I’m... Henry.” he said weakly, choosing to forego the rest of his introduction. He probably wouldn’t be able to get it all out anyway. “And while I can’t figure out how these things work,” he muttered, wiggling all four legs comically, “I feel better than I have in... well, ages, really.”

And it was true. He had been an old man, before, and while the infirmities of age had only caught up to him just before the end, he felt better than alright -- he was positively healthy. Perhaps more so than he had ever been before.

In his new horse body.

Surrounded by horses.

Obnoxiously colored horses, at that. Everywhere he looked, orange, pink, purple, shocking white. Colors not often found in nature outside flowers, and definitely not all together. Perhaps they were exceedingly poisonous horses, he thought. Then the ridiculousness of the situation struck him.

“I may... well, I think I am hallucinating, though.”

Celestia looked down at him, puzzled. “And what makes you say that, Henry?”

He looked back up at her. You’re a horse. There are horses. I’m alive. I’m a horse. You’re talking. A talking horse. A pink horse just did a cartwheel. You have wings. A horn. Two white horses with Roman galea helmets. A flying horse.

A dozen things he could say flashed through his mind.

“Your hair keeps moving.” he finally groaned.

Celestia examined her mane. “Ah, yes.” she said. “It does that.”

Luna landed in the palace courtyard with a commanding stomp, wings spread regally. She folded them gracefully as a dozen guards rushed to her attention.

She always had liked making an entrance.

Remember the voice, she thought as she began to speak, and casual address.

“Gauntlet, Our sister awaits thee in Our gardens with a guest who requires assistance. Prithee fetch a stretcher and one of thy compatriots and have him flown to yon empty eyrie infirmary posthaste.”

Luna frowned. Something was wrong.

Modern parlance! she tsked at herself. She so often slipped into archaic speech when addressing the guard.

“Halt!” she commanded as the guard prepared to fly off to do her bidding. She noted absently that Gauntlet had seemed to understand her command, despite her mistake.

“Ahem. I mean, there is a new guest in the gardens who is having trouble walking. Please fetch a stretcher and another pegasus, and meet with Greywing and Thunder Bolt on scene, and fly him to the empty pegasus infirmary in the northwest tower. Note that those who volunteer for this duty may have to be quarantined for an extended time due to contact with our guest. An unlikely inconvenience, but be aware of it.”

Gauntlet saluted and turned to the other eleven guards who had come to meet her.

“Well, you heard the princess. Might be forced into quarantine after this. Any volunteers?” he asked.

Eleven hooves raised in assent. Despite the fact that it didn't help him choose which one to take, Gauntlet smiled.

Luna smiled as well. “Your loyalty warms Our heart.” she said before flying off in a gust of wind.

A few seconds of arguing later, one of the pegasus guards stepped forward to join Gauntlet.

“Ah, Twister. You won, eh?” Gauntlet said, patting him on the back.

Cloud Twister nodded and they took off to get a stretcher. “Yup. By the way, I caught most of what the Princess said, but... ‘prithee’?”

Gauntlet was silent for a moment, except for the flap of his wings.

“Beats me.” he said eventually, “but I think it means ‘please’.”

Author’s Note: Surprising given it’s modern ironic usage, but “thou” and its declensions are actually the informal form. Ye/you are the formal ones.

Anyway, it’s my style to write short bits and release them as they’re written, but if you’re annoyed with lots of small chapters I can save them up and combine them I guess.