" That... doesn't sound like a very stable situation. " Twilight responded.

" Yeah- Me neither. " Cadence put her tea back down on her plate.
" But I think it has to happen. " She corrected her posture.

" For everypony's safety. "
The evening light shown through the tall glass windows, not colored like the castle she was used too.
The two had decided to chat in loo of going through the portal, as Shinning had wanted to do something with Ponder.
Twilight was still had the train ride in the back of her mind.
' Why wasn't she taking this more seriously? '
' Why hasn't she? '
The thought continued at the back of her mind.

She spoke up :
" But night watches? Re-militarizing the Wonderbolts, and all the others? Fielding multiple standing armies? "

" Night watches? " Cadence asked.
" Well, maybe not that. " Twilight corrected herself.

" But definitely the armies. " She added.
" Even if Equestria has been much less safe as of late - I don't see the point. " She asked her sister in law, almost pleading.

" How so? " Cadence asked.
Twilight straightened her posture as she put down her regal teacup.
" Nightmare moon, Discord, Tirek, Starlight AND PonderBright would have not been stopped by an army. "

Cadence took a wing to her chin to think.

" Be that as it may - " Cadence was hesitant .
" Things outside Equestria are not necessarily the best right now either. " She lowered her eyes a bit.
Twilight was not pleased by the news.

" It's not a fear that's easily understood. " Cadence looked back to Twilight.
" Unless you've been responsible for a whole country. "

Cadence looked out the window.
" I can't be there to protect them all. "

" I just can't but think there's a better way. " Twilight looked away from their conversation.
" And maybe there is! " Cadence exclaimed, looking back to her.

" But - I can't in good conscious as the Crystal Empire's ruler not accept Equestria's help. "
Twilight looked at her all crooked-eyed.

Cadence explained : "While the Crystal Empire is much larger then a small group of friends- " She pointed a hoof to her;
Twilight seemed to be getting it.
" It is still only a single city with only around 3000 ponies. ", " A army of ours would not be much of an army. "

" Well, yeah. " Twilight relented.

An idea came to mind. It wasn't a orthodox one, but It just might work.
If it meant avoiding the situations PonderBright keeps depressively talking about...
Might as well pitch it.
" PonderBright seems to know much about his world's way of handling these things. "
" Maybe- "

" Twilight- " Cadence watched her tone.
" I know that Celestia has been able to glean several great ideas from him. "
" But, not me. " She said with confidence.
" Assuming- that's what you were asking. "
Twilight had a hint of sadness on her face.

" While I'm not sure if those ideas would help the Crystal Empire - " Cadence had found the correct tone.
" I'm personally not willing to take the risk. " Her tone turned serious.
" Whatever system Celestia has - ", " I'm afraid will not work here. " She said with softness and understanding.

Twilight paused.
"..."
" I understand. "
" I just wanted a more friendly solution. " She smiled softly at Cadence.

Cadence sighed.
" I think we all do Twilight. " She smiled back.
" Were doing the best we can, and so far it's been working out. "

" Yeah. " Twilight agreed.

She still couldn't help an idea formulating in the back of her head.
One on the note of a ' more friendly solution. '

The rest of their conversation was delightful, fun, and perhaps the least of all: with minor undertones of tension.

It took awhile for Shinning and Ponder to show up.

" So, what are we going to do about that? " Ponder asked, voice still hard to hear from the distance.
" I am going to brief you two on what to do in the event of that emergency. " Shinning was looking worn out.

" Shinning! " Twilight was looking happy to see him.
" Twilight. " Shinning's tiredness was showing.

" He didn't put you through the ringer, did he? " Twilight half-sarcastically asked Ponder.
" No not at all. " He took a frank tone.

" All those tests were really easy. "
Shinning jumped a bit, with a look of confusion on his face.
" But- we also tested your mental abilities. "
" Yes. " Ponder plainly and quickly stated, staring right back at ShinningArmor.

Twilight got her classic ' awkward ' face while Cadence secretly snickered and looked away.

" Anyway, Shinning, you had something to brief us on? " Twilight broke the short silence.
" Yes. " He regained his composure.

He walked to the sitting area near the throne, with the other two in tow.
" It has come to my attention that the human world is not as safe as I originally understood it. "

Twilight looked confused.
" But you haven't been to the human world. "
" What you know is what I told everypony, right? "

" Sort of, "
Shinning was looking and feeling better by the second.
" But Ponder has too. And he has been in quite a few more - "
" situations "
" while there, then you. "

" If what he said was accurate; we might have a problem."
" To the best of my ability. " Ponder added, waiting for Shinning to finish his sentence.

" Right. " Shinning gave Twilight a quick glance then got back on track.
" There's only one situation that came to my attention that I think we need an action plan for. "
Twilight was humoring her brother. Only a little bit of that showed.
She shifted in her seat, and prepared herself for her brother's shenanigans.
Shinning continued, nonetheless : " In the event that you both are assaulted, Twilight, I need you to run. "
Twilight's eyes widened.

" Wha- What? " surprise and confusion took over.
She Even brought up a wing.

" PonderBright informed me that he regularly - has this happen to him. "
" Why can't I help? " Asked Twilight in all seriousness.
" Perhaps send a guard? " She looked concerned.

Shinning took on a more understanding tone " He also told me - ", " That females humans stand no chance against a male human. "
" At least- not in standard combat. " He looked to Ponder.
Ponder nodded with little emotion.

" And as for sending a guard squad : " Shinning looked back to Twilight.
" None of mine, or probably anyone else'; are trained for Trans-Species Combat. "

" - Right. " Twilight said plainly while looking away, ignoring the banter form Shinning.
" But - I never saw anything even remotely close to that happening. At least not while I was there. " She looked to Ponder with concern.

" What if you took your element with you? " Asked Shinning, back to seriousness per Twilight's response.
" I don't think so. " Twilight rebuked.
" My element already caused enough trouble for that word- and with lasting damage. " She looked to Ponder.
" Yup. " Ponder nodded.
Shinning's head jerked to him, looking annoyed.
" Wa- " Ponder took awhile to 'get it'

" Oh. "
Ponder sighed, then looked sideways as he motioned zipping his lips shut.
Twilight looked to Shinning with a sense of doubt.

She retracted her gaze as fast as she gave it.
" And plus, I don't think that would work the same way that It can be used here. "
" Right. " Shinning had come to the same realization as Twilight was talking.
" I just don't want anything bad happening to you, Twili. "

" I - don't think we'll need any of these plans anyway. " Twilight swirled a hoof in the air.
" At least not for a short visit and checkup. " She looked to Ponder, still with that same doubt.
Ponder looked away.
Oh no.
Was she being dismissive? Condescending? Not the best example she's been setting.
Her eyes left Ponder's gaze as soon as she noticed.

She'll apologize later.

" May I say something? " Ponder asked with major annoyance.
" Yes. " " Sure. " Shinning and Twilight both said at the same time.

" Twilight likely won't be in danger if she just stands back ~ "
" I'd say - five feet? "

Shinning turned to him, confused. They both exchanged words :
" I thought you said you two would be in danger - ", " When I asked you about this. " Shinning said through sips of tea.
" WALKING together. " Ponder clarified. " When we are in close proximity. "
" Their target will almost certainly not be her. " He exclaimed.
" She saved their world, like, what? 3 times? "
Twilight got a short lived minor blush of embarrassment.

" Oh. " Shinning seemed satisfied. " Hm. " Twilight, per the sigh, wasn't.

" I'll manage. " Ponder offered.
" I've lived there for 17 years. Another few hours probably wouldn't hurt. "

" Right. " Twilight was reassured.

Cadence, who was silently watching over all this, offered PonderBright a word :
" I hope for your safe travels, PonderBright. "
She looked to Shinning. Nothing. Not even a smile.

She scowled slightly.
" Come' on babe. " Shinning tone softened drastically.
" You know I love you. "

Candace's look lightened up a bit.

Ponder and Twilight started walking off to the portal after a short wave from Twilight.
" That wasn't because of me, was it? " Asked Ponder.
" Well- Kind of. " She had to say.
" But it wasn't your fault. ", " You did everything you could, as far as I saw. "

" Huh? " He responded. With an upbeat tone. He looked happy. A passerby might confuse him for a optimist.
He looked back to the two royal ponies, the guards now closing the door to the throne room.
" Your borderline physic sometimes, you know that? " Ponder said with a lower voice.

" Well - " Twilight was caught off guard by the compliment.
Truly - she had her work cut out for her as princess of friendship.

" Any pony can learn how to do it. Even you! " Twilight mentally punched herself over the wording of that past part.
" Huh? " He asked in disbelief.

" I wasn't always like this. " She unfurled her wings.
" I was much less - sociable back in the day. " She turned her head down a bit.

Ponder stopped walking for a second.
" Really? " Now Ponder was in complete, total, disbelief. Eyebrow raised and everything.

Shinning was resolute.
" I'm just saying we shouldn't be encouraging him to stay longer then he has too. "
" But in disservice of not giving common courtesy to a pony in need? " Cadence asked.

" He said it himself - he values no such thing. " Shinning rebuked.
" Doesn't mean we still shouldn't do it. " Cadence responded.

Shinning rubbed the back of his head.
" Look, I don't think he's a bad pony, but- "
" It did happen because of him. And I can't be sure the details. I wasn't there."
Cadence smugly responded :
" And by that logic Starlight should get the death penalty for destroying all life in Equestria multiple times over. "

Both their tones had stayed friendly throughout the conversation. They shared a laugh.

" Maybe send him on his way - out of the castle - once he comes back? " Cadence offered.
" After the debriefing? " Shinning added.
" Sure. " Cadence agreed.

" YOU WERE A NERD?! " They both overheard a muffled PonderBright scream from behind the door.
Cadence chuckled a bit; with ShinningArmor having to fight the urge. They both gave each other a knowing look only spouses could share.

Shinning looked to Cadence :
" Maybe I should go send them off. "
Her response :
" Yes. "

" I'm happy your here, but we really need to get going. " Twilight calmly half-asked her brother to let them both go.
" We have an arranged time with Sunset, and I don't want miss it - We've "

" Well then I guess you better get going. " Shinning said with minor playfulness.
" I'm going to stay here by the portal. "
" And just in case any pursuers follow Ponder through it ; I'll put a stop to it. "

" Aww. " Twilight said in not-all-seriousness.

" You probably won't have to. " Ponder jutted in.
" They aren't actually bloodthirsty; they're just horrible pieces of shit who like to physically torture others for fun. "
Twilight was only uncomfortable. She silently rolled her eyes.
Shinning was resolute.
Ponder continued : " They'll run away at soon as you give them the least bit of trouble. " He offered.

Shinning looked to Ponder with confusion.
" What? " Ponder asked. " What did I do this time? "

Shinning gaze softened.
" You- really are this way aren't you. " He thought out loud. Ponder was taken aback. He was used to this in the human world - but not here. He was left to wonder why that was.
Twilight, in the meantime, was switching gazes between the two, obviously feeling sorry for Ponder.
Shinning sighed.
" Sorry PonderBright. For all the mistrust. "

" Still - In regards to you two - but mostly Twilight. " Shinning's tone took on concern.
" I'm surprised you can stay relatively calm in this situation. " Him, a royal guard, said. He pointed to the portal mirror in the room.
" You both have a guards response to danger. Facing it head on is not something anypony could do. "

" Well, I'm no different from anypony- I just learned to act differently. " Twilight responded.
" And- Maybe. Well. Maybe I'm used to it. " Depression seeping into her tone. An uncomfortable silence followed.

Ponder looked at Shinning as if he should do something. He shrugged in response.
As one might expect, Ponder promptly got all bent out of shape not knowing what to do.

" Well-Uh. " Ponder was searching deep for words.
" Flash Sentry will probably be there. "
" Maybe that's part of it? " He said with a knowing tone.

" Ponder... " Twilight said in embarrassment, looking away temporarily.

" What's this? " Shinning asked.
" Well- " Twilight did not want to answer.

Ponder turned to Shinning. " You seriously don't know? "
" No. " Shinning was signaling via his lack of tone that he wanted to end the conversation.
Too bad he was talking to PonderBright.

" Well, they both have a crush on each other. "
" A major crush. "

" Ponder! " Twilight was almost pleading with him at this point.

" Huh? " He looked to Twilight. Major embarrassment. He know just how much the normies hated that.

" Oh. Sorry. " His tone was off.
Twilight only kicked the ground softly with one of her hoofs.
Ponder squinted at her.

" OK CAN WE STOP TALKING ABOUT ME PLEASE? " Twilight finally managed to say. Her regal persona was starting to break.
She was now shoo-ing PonderBright to the portal.

" Sorry. " Shinning stated to Twilight as he left the room.
" I'll assign two guards here. Just in case. " He looked to Ponder.
He nodded in return, too busy being pushed by Twilight to start talking again.
The door closed as he was off to get the guards.

" Hang on wait. " Ponder said with a serious tone.
" Can this wait? " Twilight was already in a frenzied tone.

" Potentially not. " He added.
Twilight sighed.

She sat.
Ponder took his next words carefully:
" Flash is a human. "
" Yes. " She responded with little emotion.
" And your a pony. "
" Yes. " Her tone slowing returning to normal; she was getting over it.

" That- shouldn't work. " Ponder concluded.

Twilight facehoofed.

" No I'm being serious. " He responded, completely blank faced.
" Unless that portal messed with your mind there should be no way that's possible. "

Twilight removed her hoof from her face, now hovering over her mouth in compilation.
" You know- "
" You could be on to something there. " She continued getting back on track with the conversation, hoping and praying it wouldn't circle back to Flash and her.

Ponder continued his theory.
" And you didn't seem like yourself when you were there either. " His head turned to the portal.

" How- so? " She was barely following along.

" Well, when you lost your crown, you didn't just ask for it back. You know. Just say you lost it? "
" Oh. " Twilight was slowly coming to the same realization Ponder was.
" And when Sunset ruined your reputation, you tried to run for prom queen yourself, rather then having someone like Rarity do it. "
" The Twilight I know now would not have done- "
Twilight was back to minor embarrassment. Ponder had taken notice.

" Hey, It's - probably - not your fault. " He added.
Twilight looked to the side in apparent... shame?
First time he's ever seen that from his mentor. Or any authority figure. Must be another case of Twilight being an actual leader rather then a self-appointed tyrant.

" If I'm right - and I REALLY don't want it to be - "
Twilight's ears perked up.
" Then the second we both go through that thing were going to be bombarded with every single screwed up human emotion there is. " He said with disdain. Twilight's eyes widened with understanding and fear. Ponder looked to the portal with the same worry.

" Now that you mention it- " She looked to the portal. " I was - sort of distracted when I first came there. I didn't know what to expect. "
" And every time after didn't help much. " She raised an eyebrow.

Ponder sighed.
" At least I'll see the aneurysm coming this time. " He said dully.

" Hey- If your going to have a stroke- " Twilight stretched out her tone as if she knew it was a joke.
" It's a figure of speech. ", " In poor taste. " He added.

" Wait. " Twilight had a weird thought.
" You don't - Uh - suffer from that same affliction here, do you? " She put on a wide, forced smile. Her embarrassment be damned. She was concerned for the other pony living with them.

Ponder laughed.
" HAH! No. " He immediately responded with confidence while pointing to himself with a hoof.
" My heart was killed a loooooong time ago. You have nothing to worry about with me. "

" Oh. " Twilight plainly responded.
He had firmly shifted the conversation back to ' sad ' .

Twilight smiled.
" Your getting better. At friendship." She said in reassurance.
PonderBright nodded slowly in agreement.
He also smiled back.

He was almost to the portal, when Twilight added some final few words:
" Just- try to be nice to everypony there, ok? " She asked with much hesitation in her voice.
" Ok? " He replied.
" Maximum niceness. Got it. "

He looked at the big mirror, almost 3 times taller then him. He stepped into the portal.

Author's Note

I post on my FIMfiction blog!
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1037520/own-story-or-adaptations
Be involved!
Make friends!!
Influence (ever so slightly)
The direction of the story!

I am open to PM. No discord or email. Do not use email. Please.
I am open to work, even collaborations. I can't draw. Muscle condition.

Want to test my writing with this one. Will try to write more and more challenging subjects as time goes on.
All criticism minus something that can only be seen as a nitpick will be appreciated.

Friendliness can be tough when security goes against it.
But it's still worth a shot.
Also Twilight x Flash is dumb without this explanation.
Bite me.