I woke up the next morning, started the brushing spell, and marched out into the main room of the library. "Twilight?"

Twilight perked from where she had been reading. "Yes?" She seemed to notice something. "You're looking determined, somehow. Why?"

Twinkle landed with folded wings. "Bet he's going to ask. I know what..."

Twilight hiked a brow. "Ask what? Go ahead. I'm right here." She put her book aside. "I doubt it'll be too bad."

I pointed to myself, then Twinkle. "We want to go with Gallus back to his home. Is that alright? I need to be excused from school, obviously... I assume Gallus is already asking for himself."

Twilight blinked. "Oh, well... I'm just a teacher, not an administrator... Still, that shouldn't be a problem. May I ask why? That matters, and influences if you'll get a no or a yes."

Twinkle looked as surprised as I did. "You can't let us go?!"

Twilight tapped her smaller copy. "You can go whenever you want. You are not my student. I don't control another adult."

"Gallus became a phoenix griffon, wants to tell the others at home, and wants us with him when he does it." I considered a moment. "That's a friendship activity, right?"

"It is indeed." Twilight waved me over for a wing-hug. "Just tell them at the school and they should let you go, with credit even. Going to another country, to support a friend? Yes, plenty of credit." She leaned in. "But, you can practice while you do it, your magic, and your socialization skills. Get to know Gallus, and any other creatures you run into, and practice fire magic."

Twinkle waved a hoof wildly. "I already asked to practice air with him and he agreed. We're going to get so much done!" She danced in place, clip-clopping her hooves with excited giggles. "I can't wait!"

I smiled as Twinkle danced eagerly and Twilight calmly assessed our trip, clearly already surveying likely impacts spanning social opportunities, diplomatic goals, and magical skills to sharpen. I was just as eager to try all of those things.

But her wing-hug eased old insecurities about rejection. Perhaps less rigid realms awaited beyond Equestria's nurturing border? A good part of me doubted that. Ponyland was the friendship center, right?

I drew myself upright, snorting a little flame. "We'll make you proud spreading magic of friendship!" A tiny oath bound heart to cause and comrades beside me.

Twilight simply chuckled affectionately. "I know you will in your own way. But first ask the right pony!" She waved us off, already penning endorsement notes as we departed.

I was soon outside, with a Twinkle. "What's up?"

"This world is funny." She casually landed on my back as I walked towards school. "It's not quite right. Not bad, but not the Equestria I knew, or the one you knew either."

"No." I looked left and right at the smiling ponies going either way. "But not in a bad way. I like it." I flicked my long tail. "Racism aside, I like being a kirin too. It's a nice body. Way better than the old one in almost every way."

"Good to hear." Twinkle hugged the back of my neck. "Now let's get that permission."

"Are you allowed in there?" I was walking onto the campus, the noise of the other students falling on us. "You're not a student."

"Maybe I should be..." She didn't move, riding me along further into the school. "Let's get this done."

I chuckled, feeling Twinkle make herself comfortable at home astride me as we crossed the bustling campus. Students and faculty called cheerful greetings our way - whatever quirks set this Equestria apart, warmth was the default.

"Well they allow 'independent study' projects, so probably can bend visitor rules..." I replied thoughtfully. My little living backpack buzzed with excitement at that notion. I could feel plans percolating back there to legitimize her unscheduled visit.

I laughed aloud, imagining the faculty struggling to contain this miniature dynamo's exuberant curiosity. Not that I minded her there, riding me. It was nice to have a friend close at hoof.

We passed by Starlight's office, but she was a counselor. Wrong pony, I thought? Actually, I had no idea... I knocked gently on the door. "It's open," came from within, so I pressed inside.

There was Starlight behind her desk, watering her plant carefully. "David, good... Oh, and a friend?" She put her watering can down. "Welcome again. What brings you this way?" Her glowing horn closed the door behing me. "Are the kirin bothering you again?"

"Not today." I went to in front of her desk. "Gallus has advanced, like I did. He's--"

"A phoenix griffon, we were informed." She snorted softly into a chuckle. "He was in the nurse's office a little while, I remind. It was hard for us not to notice. And... I'm told he's going to Griffonstone."

Twinkle sat up. "About that! We want to go with him. I want to study air magic, and experience this world's Griffonstone."

"I'll help Gallus with fire magic, and I want to see Griffonstone too, and be there for Gallus. He sounded like he really wanted us." I considered that a moment. "I don't want to let him down."

"Precious." Starlight put her snout down on two supporting hooves. "I wish I could go with you. It sounds like such a little adventure! Fortunately for you, there is a train that goes there. I imagine Gallus was thinking of flying, but he has a ground-bound friend. First friendship lesson of the day."

I scuffed a hoof self-consciously understanding how tempting truancy called feeling trapped by stable systems however supportive. "Well, maybe you take a vacation week after we get back and do some adventuring too?" I offered hopefully.

Her sudden startled laugh warmed the quiet office. "Look at you cultivating compromise!" Starlight winked playfully Twinkle's way. "Your empathy coach here keeps such thoughtful company!"

Twinkle preened proudly from her perch as I flushed faint pleasure at minor peacemaking kudos. But administrator gears churned steadily through fanciful hypotheticals steering back on track.

"I'll help handle the paperwork so you all travel officially representing school interests abroad." Starlight tapped tidily organized documents. "With Ambassador Pinkie Pie overseeing the delegation, no bureaucrat would obstruct such prestigious friendship tourism!"

She met my anxious eyes warmly. "I know Griffonstone's reputation seems daunting, but hearts can change when shown alternate paths." Her gaze shimmered subtly emphasizing redemption's realities. "Just be your best selves through challenges ahead - often that's enough light illuminating better ways, however narrow the window."

I blinked. "Did you mention Pinkie Pie? She's coming?"

She rolled a hoof. "Of course. At least one faculty member's going with you, and she's rather good at what sounds like is required. You're good friends with her, are you not?"

I perked as if accused. "Y-yeah. Pinkie's great!" Visions of the bouncy earth pony came to mind. "Does Gallus know?"

Starlight waved that away. "Of course he does. I didn't just make that up. We decided that when he wanted to go. You're the new part, not him." She leaned to peer at Twinkle. "So, going to introduce me?"

I raised a hoof to point a cloven finger at Twinkle. "This is Twinkle. She came from my world."

"Hello, Twinkle." Starlight nodded, then pointed at herself. "I'm Starlight Glimmer, and you.... look like a miniature Professor Twilight Sparkle, and it's adorable."

I felt Twinkle swell proudly under Starlight's fawning over her diminutive doppelgänger appearance as introductions were exchanged. No doubt that consistent association with her prestigious progenitor gave confidence however wobbly her own newly functional wings still felt at times.

Her buzzing ascent brought us nearer eye level as Starlight continued administrative ministrations assembling traveling papers. "This Ambassador Pinkie Pie sounds super official! Is she ultra formal and fancy and stuff?" Twinkle mimed an exaggeratedly prim posture nose lifted loftily.

I bit back a bark of laughter at the absurd images evoked. "You've met Pinkie before. I imagine she'll be far more interested in foreign party planning..."

Starlight rolled her eyes in mock exasperation but couldn't hide smiling. "Well it's technically about promoting trans-species friendship bonds, but Pinkie definitely colors outside bureaucratic lines on the job." She neatly stacked approved documents. "Which is why she's perfect chaperoning your chaotic crew's antics away from my campus!"

I caught paperwork levitating my way in telekinetic grasp. "Touché!" Our laughter lit the cozy chamber. "I'll get out of your, uh, mane."

"Have a fun trip." She waved as we headed out.

"What'd you do?" There was Smolder, looking at me suspiciously just outside Starlight's office. "Why'd he ask you?"

"Huh?"

"Don't 'huh?' me. Why did Gallus ask just you?" She pushed off the wall she had been leaning against. "I thought we were tight!"

"It's not a contest," I weakly countered. "Pretty sure he wanted someone he could point at as an example of another advanced creature."

Smolder raised a finger, just for it to crook and fall. "Point... Point... I was already born at the top." She sways her tail with a cocky smile, watching me. "Can't go up from dragon, now can ya?!"

A thought came to me. "You have wings."

Smolder glanced back at her wings. "Sure do. Good wings. What brings them up?"

"All the other creatures with wings." I gesture at them. "Can use air magic. Why do dragons not use air magic?"

Smolder frowned at me. "You are full of thoughts that annoy me... But are also kinda on point. Why don't dragons use air magic?" She rocked forward and backwards. "You just gave me the best idea. Oh, the dragons back home are going to be soo jealous when I come back with that. I'll learn air magic. I'll learn it real good."

Twinkle sat up. "I'm practicing with Gallus."

"Show off." Smolder rolled her eyes. "I'll hit up Ocellus and Silversteam. They both know air magic enough to get me going. If I can't figure it out, I blame you in advance." She pointed at me directly, finger in front of my snout, which she tapped. "You love shoving that snoot into things, don'tcha."

I smiled gently. "Glad to help. Hope you're doing great at that by the time we get back. Um, anything else?"

"What? Oh. Dude, that's an awkward way to end a conversation." She waved us away. "Go on. 'Bye' is the more traditional way."

"Bye." I fled, cheeks colored. "Not graceful," I complained to myself. "Just socialize like a normal person."

"You aren't a normal creature." Twinkle hugged me from above. "And that's okay."

I sighed acknowledging Twinkle's gentle reminder even awkward exchanges moved me gradually towards normalized interactions. Smolder's teasing poked precisely spots still raw and reactive from harsher rebukes by fiery purists. Each clumsy misstep nonetheless carried connections forward however clumsy the dance still felt.

We emerged into sunlight alone but together. "Not normal suits us fine. But sometimes I wonder."

"Hey." Just across the bridge leading out of the school, another familiar face. Maud was approaching. "I heard you're going to Griffonstone."

I blinked at that. "I hadn't even told..." I aborted the question. "Pie magic is amazing."

"Sometimes." She came up to me, barely an inch away. "I want to go too. There are rocks there I'd like to see." Her voice was even and muted, like my own. "Do you mind if I accompany you?"

Twinkle peered at Maud suspiciously. "You heard from your sister, didn't you?"

"In part." Maud didn't look at Twinkle, just me. "May I?"

"S-sure..." Shoot, I had forgotten all the things that had been going on between Maud and me, but her presence had brought it all up to the surface. "Sorry, for being strange, before... Both ways..."

"I'm not normal." She inclined her head faintly. "And neither are you, or you." She pointed up at Twinkle. "May I?"

I chuckled at that persistence. "You're quite welcome along."

"Good." She turned away. "See you on the train." And she marched off, just like that.

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