Daedalus' New World

It seemed that pink hearts and clear glass was Cadence's preferred decorating palette. To be fair, it fit her. Her dresser had a collection of glass figurines of what appeared to be her friends and family all set around a heart shaped mirror situated in the center of the vanity. A glass coffee table was in the center of the room with a large glass vase full of pink flower, with two large pink cushions were on either side of the table. A glass chandelier hung from the ceiling far above with wax candles burning with merry pink flames, somehow. A large pink and blue canopy bed dominated the far corner, clearly what she shared with Shining Armor when they were here instead of the Empire.

Cadence, the ever pink alicorn, was laying on one of the couches across from him as she drank from her cup of tea and gave him a knowing smile. Daedalus returned her look with an exasperated one as he realized she already knew what he was here for, why, and for who. He was proven right when she spoke. "Sooooo~?"

"So?" Daedalus asked with a convincing level of confusion. She gestured for him to take a seat so he did as he settled into the surprisingly plushy cushion.

"How far did you two gooo~?" Cadence teased with a bright smile as she waggled her eyebrows at him. When he didn't respond to her teasing, she just sighed and levitated a steaming cup of tea over to him which he gratefully accepted. "You're no fun."

"She doesn't agree." Daedalus let up as he smiled softly. Her eyes went wide for a second before she understood, then gave him a sad pout.

"You're mean." She whined softly. She held it for a second as Daedalus just smirked at her before she broke, soft giggles filling the room as she smiled widely at him again.

Daedalus nodded and returned her smile with one of his own. "Teasing aside, I honestly did come here for your advice with Star."

"I assumed as much." Cadence said with a grin. "Tell me about her~"

Daedalus set his cup of tea down as Cadence leaned toward him, eager to hear what he had to say. "Silver Starfall, one of Celestia's lance corporal's. A tall mare with a pretty silver coat and blue mane. When I was going to meet with Celestia and Luna and told them about what I was, she gave me some good advice and helped me relax. Then, after everyone left the room after my duel with Luna, she met me outside and asked to keep me company as I explored Canterlot. We got a little off track though and just ended up eating out at some restaurant I never got the name of and had a pretty good time."

"Oh." Cadence said with slight disappointment that it wasn't some whirlwind story about one of them sweeping the other of their feet or hooves. That disappointment lasted only a second before she perked up again. "Oooooh, her! I know Starry, she's a very sweet mare. I can definitely see why she'd be interested in you. How did she go from your tour guide to a possible partner in a single day, other than what obviously turned into a date?"

"She was very forward in her interest with me. In all honestly, if she hadn't, I wouldn't even be thinking about a possible partner for probably years in this world." Daedalus explained with a chuckle. When she gestured for him to go on, he explained more. "After we left the restaurant, we started to head back to the castle since the sun was setting. When we passed one of the gardens in the street, she offered me a rose."

Daedalus would have said more but he was interrupted by a flash and crack of magic as Cadence teleported across the table to his side. With a very serious expression on her muzzle, she pressed her hoof to his chest as she spoke sternly. "What did you do? Leave absolutely nothing out, this is very important."

"Before I even could do anything, she pulled it back and asked if I knew what that gesture meant. I told her what it meant to humans but it wasn't the same, so she told me what it meant here in Equestria. After she explained the different ways a stallion could respond, I took the rose, put it in my hair, and then kneeled down and hugged her." The Evolved explained as he gently grabbed her hoof and pushed it back from him. She let it fall to the side and gave him an approving nod.

"Good because I would have beat you black and blue if you had refused to take the flower. Now, I'm guessing you're here for advice from me on where to go from here?" Cadence inquired as she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well, more than just that. I need to know about pony culture in general and you seem like the best person for me to go to. Like, this right here? Your head on my shoulder? Not always, but in most cases that's romantic. If I'm going to actually do this with her, I need to make sure I do it right. So, honestly, I need to know everything." Daedalus explained sheepishly as he gave Cadence a smile. "I hope you don't mind helping."

With a bright smile, the Alicorn of Love leaned in and nuzzled Daedalus gently. Then she placed a hoof on his chest again and slowly pushed him. "Lay down."

The Evolved just mentally shrugged and went along with it as he turned and laid down on his back on the cushion. Cadence quickly settled down next to him and rested her head on his chest just before she draped a wing across him. "What does a position like this mean to you?"

"It's pretty much something only partners would do for humans."

Cadence shook her head. "Not what it means for humans. You aren't human. What does it make you feel?"

Daedalus hesitated for a moment before he brought up his hand and gently began to run in through her mane. She gave an approving hum before he slowly answered her. "...It's comfortable. It doesn't feel romantic, and it's not awkward even though I think it should be."

Cadence giggled and nodded as her mane brushed against his face. "It doesn't feel romantic because it's not, even though that's what you're used to. It doesn't feel awkward because there's no reason it should. Ponies are very physically inclined. Although words are always nice, a snuggled pony is a happy pony. We look for little bits of physical affection from friends and family. A hug here, a cuddle there, it all means so much more to us than just nice words. Humans are not the same?"

"My culture wasn't, but I'm sure some were. Where I was raised, physical affection was primarily between family and that was mostly hugs. Something like this was reserved for romantic partners."

"There's a lot of physical contacts that can occur between friends. It's a pretty good idea to always give your friends a nuzzle, boop, or hug whenever you feel like it. Even a pony having a bad day wouldn't say no, they'd probably want it more. Even snuggling like we are now, if you're just relaxing or spending time with a friend. There's no romantic undertone to any of it, it's just something that's comfortable and helps you feel closer to your friends. I think we also mentioned that friends will help preen wings as well. In general, a pony is always happy to receive a little bit of affection. As long as you keep your hands away from flanks, back legs, and tails, then you're pretty much safe to touch any part of a pony's body without it being taken the wrong way. The only other spot to worry about are teats on a mare, but they're easy enough to avoid as long as you stick to the front of a pony's barrel." Cadence explained as she purposely fluttered the wing draped across his body. He took the clear hint and gently grasped it as he ran his fingers across her extra soft feathers.

"Just like that." Cadence sighed happily as she snuggled further into his surprisingly warm body. "When you find a feather that's bent, pluck it out. You probably won't though, I keep my wings in good shape and don't fly a lot. Now, just as physical contact is an integral part of pony culture, so is love. Romantic love is an absolutely magical thing that everypony wants to experience. I'd even say it's a driving factor of Equestrian society. As a general rule, ponies are extremely trusting but also trustworthy. Cheating is incredibly rare and relationships rarely end badly. When a mare knows who she wants, she'll go for it because there's very little risk. Sure, the couple might not work out. Maybe they don't have much in common, or one partner has a habit that is troublesome for the other, but it almost always ends mutually and the two part amicably, a little more experienced and a little wiser."

"That's the case with Starfall. She knows she's interested in you. I doubt she's in love with you but she is interested in you, so she's pursuing you. Now, something to keep in mind is that when you took that flower and hugged her, you didn't commit to a relationship with her. I'm not suggesting you go bar hopping looking for another mare, but you asked me to explain everything so I am. You told her you were interested in her and wanted to see where things went, but you didn't commit yet so don't go thinking you're in a relationship with her. The next few weeks will be the two of you spending time together, getting to know each other, and learning more about the other. When one of you feel like you're ready to commit, you'll ask the question."

"The question?"

"'Will you be my mare/coltfriend?'" Cadence answered with a smile. "Until one of you ask that question, you're not dating. Until then, she's going to pursue you pretty hard. Mares are pretty competitive when it comes to claiming their stallions and she's going to do everything she can to make sure your eyes are on her alone, at first."

"...At first?" Daedalus asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure he liked the sound of that.

Cadence rolled over onto him as she rested fully on him. She wiggled in place for a solid minute as she struggled to get comfortable on him, something that was made much easier when he lowered the density on the front of his body. "The gender skew. Stallions are outnumbered three to one, so a mare that's slow to act is a mare that risks losing their stallion to another. Of course, once she's got her claim on you, she'll probably want a second or even third mare. Most mares like the idea of a decent sized herd though maybe Starfall will want to be exclusive."

Daedalus sat straight up, forcing Cadence to roll off of him as he gazed at her with a deeply confused and concerned look. "What."

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Daedalus rubbed his forehead as he tried in vain to dispel a mental tiredness. He was sitting up now and leaned against the table as he ran his hand through his hair. He stared down at the pink alicorn now sitting in his lap as she gave him a suspiciously innocent smile. "Cadence, humans are monogamous so the idea of polygamy not only being common but expected is a very big change for me."

She gave a little shrug as she leaned further into him and rested her head on his shoulder as her wings wrapped around him. As she held him, she continued with a small hum. "When a mare finds a stallion who she truly loves, it's an instinct to share that pony with others she cares about. Whether it's an old instinct from before we were sapient or some form of love magic isn't known, but it's pretty common. But although it's common, it's not the rule. Shining and I are exclusive to each other, after all. Nothing says you have to have a herd."

She gave his cheek yet another soft nuzzle. Daedalus couldn't help but think ponies were onto something with physical affection, the soft fur of her muzzle rubbing against the bare skin of his cheek did feel pretty nice. "However, Starfall may choose to follow that instinct. While the decision is ultimately yours just as much as hers, if I know Starfall at all then I know she's going to want a herd. I know polygamy isn't something you can just adjust to overnight, but I'd like you to at least consider it. A herd is a wonderful thing, Daedalus. It can bring ponies together into such an expression of honest, pure love. If Starfall does approach you about a herd, can I ask you to consider it?"

Daedalus wrapped his arms around the alicorn and hugged her softly and she gave him a little squeeze with her wings in return. Silence reigned between the two of them for several minutes before he quietly answered. "Yeah, I can promise that, Cadence. Besides, I'll have plenty of time to talk to her about it and come to terms with it. It'll just be another thing for me to talk to her about. Polygamy isn't as much as a jump as being a sapient virus."

Cadence giggled and nodded softly. "Yeah, you're right. And don't worry too much about how she'll react when you tell her what you are. Starfall is a sweet mare who's very understanding. She won't be upset with you."

"Thank you, Cadence. Honestly, I really appreciate your help and advice." Daedalus said honestly, gently rubbing the side of her muzzle and earning an appreciative hum.

Then she sat up, giving him an excited smile. "Of course, we're not done yet, Daedalus. I've still got plenty to teach you about pony courting~ You're going to be doing a lot of listening for the next couple of hours."

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It took three hours until Cadence was satisfied he knew enough to not screw up and hurt Starfall's feelings. Thanks to his perfect memory, he wouldn't be forgetting anything he had been told, and he had been told plenty. Cadence had taught him everything from how to properly take a mare out on a date to how to ensure everyone in his herd was content. She had even told him the signs of heat, little tricks to resist the tempting pheromones, and how to properly satisfy his partner without risk of pregnancy. Frankly, Daedalus had learned a bit more than he had cared to but he supposed it was a good thing.

Cadence gently tapped her nose against Daedalus' as she nudged him toward the door. "I think we've covered everything you need to know and more. Why don't you head to one of the courtyards and get some fresh air, hmm? Warm up in the sunlight, relax, and think on everything I've told you."

"Yeah, that does sound good. I think I'll take that advice, Cadence." Daedalus gave her a gentle hug as he put his newfound knowledge on pony affection to use. "Oh, and call me Jay."

"Jay?" She asked as she tilted her head slightly in confusion.

"My real name. Jay Fontenot. I took the name Daedalus after I became what I am to avoid people tracking me back to my family. I figured now that I don't really need to hide anymore I could go back to using my actual name." He explained and briefly ran his fingers through her mane as she smiled brightly at him.

"Okay, Jay. Have a great day and don't forget what I've told you here~"

"Trust me, I won't. I couldn't even if I wanted to." Jay said with a small smirk as she chuckled understandingly. He turned and made his way out of her room and back into the hallway. Just as when he entered, two Heart Guards stood outside the entrance to her chambers and they both turned and gave him a respectful nod. He left that segment of the castle and made his way back toward the Hunter's barracks only to stop a few hallways before the entrance as a sudden thought caused him to turn right and slip out a side door and into a large, open air courtyard. It was a peaceful area with a large gazebo in the center of the area. A little stream burbled merrily through the area as wild flowers grew all around. A layer of cool grass made even the ground comfortable.

Daedalus ignored the gazebo and instead moved to where the stream flowed out from a small grate in the wall. The soft splashing sound was soothing to his jumbled emotions and as he worked to get them under control, he found himself more and more relaxed as he sorted through his feelings. I've been here like three days. I've already been employed by prestigious monster hunters, met a mare who's interested in me and wants to see where things lead, and been exposed to raw magic that apparently tied my emotions to my soul.

That had been part of his lessons with Cadence. He hadn't brought up his dream to her or even told her after she had described what he had seen perfectly, but it added up. The reason why ponies were tied so closely to love and friendship unlike other species such as dragons, griffins, and diamond dogs was literally because of magic. The 'magic of emotions,' as Cadence called it, was so imprinted into Equestria that the very land and air was imbued with it. Any foreigner who came and stayed in Equestria would soon be connected to the magic. She had said it was why most griffins in their homeland were rude and brutish, but Equestrian-born griffins or ones who had moved to Equestria were generally far nice and friendlier.

Almost everyone who described it had described a dream where they were suspended in a viscous pink fluid. As the dream progressed, the gel would stream into the dreamer until it was all gone. When they woke, they would feel all their emotions so much stronger and clearer than before. It also apparently made it very difficult to go home as the magic would fade with distance from Equestrian shores until everything felt grey and lifeless. It was apparently something Celestia and Luna had mixed feelings about as it helped keep Equestria the peaceful and friendly love it is, but they felt it was a dangerous thing to change the feelings of creatures that come to Equestria. Apparently, any visitors had to go through a small class warning them of the the magic of emotions and that if they stayed too long in Equestria, they likely wouldn't want to go home.

After he heard this straight from the Alicorn of Love's muzzle, he understood he had most likely experienced the same thing. The ambient magic of Equestria had tried to boost his kinder emotions only to find none and instead tied them to his very soul, and no amount of viral control over his physical body would allow him to affect his soul. However, he would be lying to himself if he said he was unhappy with the change. He could truly care for others now, not just the synthetic care he felt before. Although, the Princess had described that the dreamers only saw pink, not the kaleidoscope of colors he had seen during his dream.

A weight settled on his legs and snapped him out of his thoughts as he tuned back in to the world around him. A pair of familiar pink eyes gazed out from under a Solar guard helmet and met his own. Whether she was shirking her duty, on break, or had just gotten off work, Starfall had found him and decided to join him. She pulled her helmet off and dispelled the disguising enchantment just before the Evolved reached out and cupped her cheek and gently brushed her fur with his thumb. She returned his smile with one of her own and nuzzled into his hand as she answered his confused look. "Princess Cadence told me where you'd be, and I'm on lunch right now."

He nodded in understanding before he reached down to wrap his arms around her barrel. Starfall gave a surprised squeak at being suddenly picked up but relaxed quickly as he held her close to his chest and began to run his hand through her mane. A content little coo sounded from the happy pony in his arms as she rested her head on his shoulder and got comfortable, ready to spend her break in the best way she could think of. Daedalus couldn't help but notice the warmth growing his chest as he held the soft mare and gave a pleased smile as he rested his head on top of hers, carefully minding her horn.