Mark, er, Solaris, was led from the room. His eyes wandered around with amazement. There were painted glass windows and fine art everywhere, to say nothing of the gold lines that ran across things. "This place must belong to someone very rich."

The soldiers glanced at each other with confused expressions.

Solaris followed their gazes and smiled. "Sorry. You must think I'm crazy, don't you?" He sighed softly. He rubbed behind his head with a hoof awkwardly. "It's, uh, been a long trip. I might have forgotten a few things. I'm looking for Celestia?" That was a name he knew.

One of them perks and smiles. "Ah, Princess Celestia is expecting you. We are going to court to see her right now. She told us about you."

Solaris's jaw dropped. "She knows me?" His mind was racing with possibilities. "What else did she say about me?"

The two guards were clearly trying not to laugh. One nudged against the other. "She's been expecting you, Sir. You came to wish her a happy birthday, didn't you?"

Solaris gathered himself up. "Y-yeah, right. She deserves a happy birthday."

Things quieted down as they marched through the castle. They led him through beautiful halls of fine craftsmanship and historical architecture. The other humans would have a field day in this place. Solaris sighed softly, wishing he could share it with them. But he was a pony in another world. He'd have to enjoy it on his own.

They emerged into a court where other little ponies were talking among themselves, and with one large horse. She was amazing. His eyes widened, taking in the wonders of Princess Celestia. A flick of her ear, a curl of her mane, and she turned and met his gaze. "Ah, Solaris!" She smiled warmly at him, approaching and coiling her neck over him.

Numbly, he returned the hug, wrapping his neck around hers and reaching a hoof to complete the embrace. "Princess Celestia, a pleasure to get to see you." His mind reeled. That was the horse he was to get in good with? She was no horse. She was a goddess. He looked away, but found a mirror, and in it, himself. His new form was just as divine, if male. He was a slender god of the sun, his rump adorned with a bright star, just like hers.

They were a pair. She broke from him. "We have so much to discuss! Come!"

Solaris trotted after her eagerly. "Where are we going?"

"To my library." Celestia tossed her head, giving him a look. "Your people arrived with you. I'm very sorry to hear for their loss."

"Their loss, right." People? He sped up to be at her side. "It's been quite a trip. Celestia, happy birthday."

She smiled, a radiant gesture. "Thank you. I was wondering if I would have a good one."

Solaris wanted to fall over. His hooves shook, but he kept his footing. "What could make your birthday bad?"

Celestia considered a moment. "Well, for one, no proper friends would stop by." She considered him a moment. "But that possibility appears to have fled. Or so it would seem."

He stopped. "Celestia?"

She stopped as well, turning. "Yes, Solaris?"

Solaris thought back to the phone call. He considered the lovely sun queen before him. "I was thinking, and do tell me if I'm being too forward, but I'd like to get to know you."

Celestia's cheeks darkened, a motion that moved to her snout between her eyes. "Are you asking to court me, Solaris? How bold of you."

Solaris shrank, but marshalled himself, standing tall. "I am asking. It is your choice, of course." Yes, always the lady's choice, be they human, horse, god, or anything else.

Celestia licked over her lips and huffed. "Oh, alright. But we must keep things private for now. I wouldn't want rumors to start just yet."

He smiled. "My lips are sealed."

They marched on to the library, where Celestia gave him a tour. "Your people sprang to work, Solaris." She pointed to a pony sorting books. "She was eager to get her hooves on the books."

The pony turned and nodded at Celestia, then gasped at seeing Solaris. "Sir!" She bowed towards him. "Thank you, Sir. We owe you so much!"

Solaris tilted his head. "It's nice to meet you...?"

"Oh, sorry!" The pony patted her chest. "I'm Bookmark, but you, Sir, knew me as Sunny Patch."

Solaris rocked back. Sunny Patch had been one of his horses, back when he was a human. "S-Sunny Patch?" And she had somehow become a talking little pony? "How?" Looking her over, she did look like Sunny Patch, if smaller and cuter.

Celestia rested a wing on Solaris's shoulder. "We've allowed your people to take up positions that suited their fancy. None were forced, I assure. They are our guests. Once they understand the society, I hope they will be able to choose what role they wish to fill." She smiled at Bookmark. "There is still much work to be done. Would you like to help us find some books? I'm looking for a guide on Equestria's history."

Bookmark perked. "I know where those are! Right this way!" She pranced ahead of them.

Celestia reached and ruffled through Solaris's mane. "Follow your mare. She's taken to the librarian role quite naturally."

The two followed Bookmark to an illustrated manual of Equestria. Celestia passed the book right on to Solaris. "If you and your people are remaining here, which I imagine you are, you should study this. Learn all you can about our world."

Solaris stroked the book. "Of course. Thank you, Celestia." He leaned against her. "I am sorry we arrived so suddenly."

"Dire circumstances." She considered him a still moment. "I would hope, should the situations have been reversed, you would have welcomed us just as warmly. You and your people are home now." She took a step towards the exit. "If you need anything, you have but to call."

Solaris stepped after her, wings flaring. "W-wait! Will I see you again?"

Celestia fixed him with a confused stare. "Why wouldn't you? Your people live here, and I cannot remember when last I had another sun raiser in the castle." She flashed a warm smile. "I am looking forward to a day off, when you feel ready for the task."

"It would be my honor," he said quickly. "We'll work out a schedule so I can cover for you while you have some time off."

"There is no rush. Take the time to get used to things around here." She raised a metal-clad hoof to gently brush his chest. "We are peers."

"Peers." He struggled for words. "Of course." There was the fact that he had no idea how to raise a sun. "I'd like to talk to you more."

"And I'd like to be spoken to." She leaned in, touching her slender horn to his. "But if I'm away too long for my own birthday, they will begin to speak of it. I shall return to you."

Solaris dipped his head down to Celestia's shoulder. "I am waiting for you." He released her reluctantly, allowing her to slip away and leave him alone with Bookmark.

Bookmark bowed. "I will get back to work, Sir."

Solaris turned towards her. "Bookmark is it now? Can I ask you a few things?" The idea of actually talking to one of his horses and getting a reply was a new idea, but not entirely unwelcome.

Bookmark smiled brightly. "I'd be delighted! I couldn't say much before." She glanced away. "I have years of words I want to get out."

Solaris nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry we lost so much time." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How did you get to be this way?"

"Oh!" Bookmark gasped softly. "I don't really know. Me and the others woke up in this castle." She waved a hoof about. "The other large one, Princess Celestia, welcomed us so kindly and let us do what we wanted to do. I wanted to be with the books, and she let me. She really is nice. Everypony is! You won't believe how nice ponies can be!" She touched his shoulder gently. "We're all together again, the ones that came here anyway."

Solaris looked down at her hoof and patted it. "That's wonderful. I'm glad you're all together again." He smiled warmly at Bookmark. "Did they all make it? Are they safe?"

"Every single horse that lived in the stable you kept." She nodded, clearly envisioning it. "But our friends from the next stable over didn't. I miss them a little."

Solaris hissed gently. His horses had come, and none others. "That makes sense. I'm sorry about that, but my deal only covered my horses. Are you mad at me?"

Bookmark shook her head. "Oh no! How could we be? You saved us, Sir. We're here because of you!"

"I only did what was right." Solaris leaned down. "If you need anything, I'm here for you. I'm still your protector."

She radiated pure joy. "I'm so glad to hear you say that! Can I hug you?"

He nodded and took the offered hug. "Yes, you may. Bookmark, I want to know about all the others, so I can care for them." He held her gently, stroking over her back. "I'm so glad you're alright. You were always a feisty but lovely mare."

Bookmark nodded, breaking the hug. "Thank you. Oh, look around the castle. They're all around here, doing different things they liked doing."

"Like how you like the books." Solaris stroked through Bookmark's mane. "Thank you. We'll have to talk again later. I need to think about all this."

Bookmark waved as he wandered off.

Solaris emerged into a hallway, looking up and down it. There were plenty of ponies in sight, but which were his? He decided to just walk and look, which proved remarkably effective. Most ponies just nodded as he passed. But some would bow the moment he came into view. He talked with those, and most of them turned out to be his horses.

He thought he had run out of things to be surprised about, at least until a stallion nodded at him. "Sir. Good to see you again, Sir."

Solaris inclined his head. "This is going to be an awkward question, but which stallion were you before?"

"Blizzard, Sir." He flapped his wings. "I'm keeping the name, Sir."

"A fine name." Solaris recognized the name. They were a gelding. Most stallions were. The pony in front of him was clearly intact. "Where did you wind up, Blizzard?"

Blizzard pointed a hoof at the door beside them. "I'm a royal guard. The pay's decent and I get to use my skills for something worthwhile. Plus, the princesses are wonderful!"

Solaris shook hooves with him. "I'll leave you to it, Blizzard." He watched Blizzard go, making double sure the gelding had somehow become intact again. "Hm." At least they didn't seem to have any lingering anger about being made into a gelding. Solaris shrugged, turning to keep walking around the castle.

But every pony he passed was happy to see him. When he arrived back at his room, there was a meal waiting for him. He ate, digesting everything that had happened. It wasn't perfect, but his horses were safe. He was safe, mostly. He was being fed, and money appeared to not be an object. It was just as that man had promised, with some little parts he had just left out.

He settled down in his room for the evening, finding a space on the bed, but having a bit of trouble laying down. "I'm a horse," he muttered. "Strange thought."

The door opened. He sat up in surprise to see Celestia waltzing in. She shut the door behind herself. "And a good evening to you, Solaris. I trust you're feeling more at home?"

"Yes." Solaris shifted in place. "I was, um. Is your party over? Do you want to sit down and talk?"

Celestia studied him for a moment, before taking the offered seat beside him on the bed. "I appreciate you accepting me as a partner."

Solaris rubbed his hooves together. "I wanted to talk to you, get to know you, Celestia. I, hm, bet you want to do the same."

"Perhaps." She rested her chin on the bed. "You're the first new pony to enter my life that neither looked up nor down at me in a very long time. That's something I am looking forward to. There's an excitement to that idea, but there's also apprehension."

Solaris turned one ear back, tail flicking. "I'd like to know about you. I know you're the princess, and not much more. What do you like, or dislike?"

"Where to start?" She flicked her ears about in thought. "I enjoy being a princess, and spending time with the ponies that live in Canterlot. My duties as a ruler are fulfilling, and I feel like I make a difference." She took a slow breath. "But they are also consuming. When I wake up to when I rest my head, I am on-duty, being the princess that my ponies need and expect."

Solaris patted Celestia's cheek gently. "It's hard to turn it off. Is there anything you enjoy when you aren't working?"

Celestia closed her eyes at his touch, leaning into his hoof. "Mmm, I do enjoy good music. I enjoy a sunny day. The smell of plants and the call of wild animals sooth me."

Solaris was examining her mane as she spoke. It looked so silky, and felt that way too. He felt entranced by the idea of touching it again. "I think I can work with that." He smiled at this pony that spoke of very simple human desires. "I like most of those too. Maybe we can listen to some music together? What genres do you like?"

Celestia sat up. "Any of them. I can even sing!"

"That's wonderful!" Solaris caught himself, clearing his throat. "What do you sing?"

"Harmonies mostly." She flicked an ear back. "Which can be awkward, being the princess. Alone, I sing what comes from my heart, which can be a little random at times. Maybe you'll like it? Or maybe you don't care for music."

"No, I do," Solaris said quickly. "I play piano and violin."

"Instruments? We'll have to see about getting you some sheet music." She tapped at her cheek. "We have both of those available. Would you like me to have them brought here, to your room? Perhaps we could arrange a time when we can have a musical evening."

Solaris spread his wings slowly. "That sounds nice. It'd be nice to share something we both enjoy. And no rush on the instruments." He wasn't even sure how an instrument would work with his hooves and complete lack of fingers. He struggled to think of things he could add to the pile, but riding horses was right out. Watching TV, no, that wouldn't work.

Celestia opened her mouth to say something, but paused, thinking better of it. She shook her head a little, but said nothing.

Solaris gathered his confidence. "I'd like to be able to get close to you. You seem like a wonderful person."

Celestia froze at that. "Hm." She leaned in a little. "I have been called many things. A person is a rare one." She sat up tall. "But not one I dislike. Most look up to me, and would never call me anything save Princess. Luna calls me Sister, for I am that. But none feel the need to address me as person. As something that is another one of them." She put a hoof on his shoulder. "Thank you."

Solaris returned the embrace to the best of his ability. "You deserve it. But are we actually dating? Is that what this is?"

"It can be," Celestia said slowly. She laughed gently. "For a royal, you are unskilled in the art of courting. If it makes you feel better, I am hardly better. We are courting, Solaris. This delicate phase is when we gently test one another, to see if one's heart can be won by the other. Only after this is managed do we proceed. We are not yet marefriend or coltfriend just yet. But it would be considered quite rude if either found the other in the arms of another pony." She huffed at the very idea. "Etiquette demands one end one courtship before rushing to the next."

Solaris lowered his head. "So, there's etiquette for all this? Is there a book on it?"

"Perhaps, but I would rather teach you myself." She patted his shoulder. "Another excuse to get to know you." She rose to her hooves and turned for the door. "You must be tired."

Solaris moved up to Celestia. "I feel restless, actually. It's only been a few hours since I got here." He shook his head slowly. "This is an entire new world."

"Don't exaggerate." She turned back to him, but only briefly. She needed only a moment to steal a kiss. "Your nation was far, but not that far. Rest. Close your eyes." She strode for the door. "There will be more time tomorrow."

Solaris settled down in his alien form, flopping over and trying to find a comfortable position. The bed was luxuriously soft, he just had a body he wasn't used to. His brain, meanwhile, refused to sleep, and wandered off to muse on Celestia. He knew he liked her. But it was still weird to think of her as an actual person with actual feelings and needs. She wasn't a horse. She was a person that just happened to be shaped a little like one. She was a lonely person, willing to at least give a chance at the first potential partner she laid eyes on.

Author's Note

My lovely patron hurled bits at me and demanded a bonus chapter, and so you all get one to enjoy! Solaris lands with a small splash into pony land! He's keeping his promise so far. So is Discord.

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