Luna sat on a plush cushion as Celestia circled her. Celestia looked displeased in that subtle way that Celestia had. Luna loathed to have it turned on her, that motherly scorn meant to be directed at naughty foals. "Do you know why you are here?" asked Celestia.

Luna shook her head. "I am afraid I do not, sister. I was only performing my duties."

Celestia sighed softly. "Let us begin with the new pony that now lives in Equestria."

"Of his own volition," spoke Luna. "There are witnesses. By the treaty of--"

"Luna," spoke Celestia, cutting her off. "That treaty was rescinded six hundred years ago. The other tribes of the world feared that Equestria would consume them, not in war, but with magical conversion, be it through kindness or subversion."

Luna's ears twitched. "I did not know. Why is the spell still legal?"

Celestia gestured towards a wide window. "For the average pony, a species changing spell would hardly last a week at best. It is only with alicorn might that it can be made to endure. Even Twilight Sparkle could not manage a permanent change until she better controlled her new princess status, but she knows better."

"Untruth!" spoke Luna, striking the ground with a hoof. "The lady Sparkle had her hooves on him first, and left him as a hybrid."

"Then tell me," bade Celestia. "I am still your sister. I want to hear your side."

Luna nodded. "Very well. The human David was victim of a species spell cast by an under-graded unicorn, one Lyra Heartstrings. She used his friend, Rough Draft, as a template. This was the second poorly woven enchantment put on the human since his arrival in Equestria. He happened upon Twilight Sparkle and she attempted to undo the mistake. For reasons I know not, she did not undo the damage to his aetheric net, and simply applied overwhelming force to the situation. Human David was left in a hybrid status, half pony, half human."

Celestia nodded slowly. "That was... regrettable thinking, though his body would have eventually healed on its own. That did not require your intervention."

Luna waved a hoof. "That is only the start, not the end, dear sister. Lyra was emotionally uncentered when she laid her spell, and it affected Human David strongly, increasing his attraction to ponies, Lyra in particular."

Celestia's reaction was strong as her serene visage gave way to worry. "Was he?"

Luna shook her head. "They did nothing untoward, though they had plans to become a herd. Fortunately, her earth pony friend, Sweetie Drops, was a voice of reason and kept either of them from acting on their base urges. A group of concerned ponies took note of Human David's enchanted state and brought him in for help. That is when I arrived to find him being examined by one Trixie Lulamoon."

Celestia perked an ear. "Lulamoon. She has had an interesting background. Was she behaving?"

Luna nodded then. "She was quite professional. She made an accurate assessment of the situation. I then offered to turn the human David back to normal, with his attraction removed, but he denied it. He claimed he'd rather be able to see ponies as people and possible lovers than to live on in isolation." She shrank a little. "I asked him why he did not simply become a pony entirely then."

Celestia gave a soft sigh, moving up and wrapping a wing around Luna. "Your heart was in the right place, my sister. According to law, you should return him to his former state, but this is impossible."

Luna looked surprised a moment, but then nodded. "Ah, of course. There is no human template to use."

Celestia pointed at Luna with a hoof. "Exactly so. There are no humans left, and there will likely never be. Let us move on. Why a foal?"

"That was his idea," said Luna defensively. "He wanted to start again. I saw little harm in it, if he truly wished to learn the ways of Equestria from the start, the body of a foal would serve the purpose."

Celestia moved around to sit in front of Luna. "Luna. Do you know how many great and wonderful ponies I have watched die over these last thousand years?"

Luna trembled in place, but did not reply to this question. There was no good answer that came to mind.

"Too many," said Celestia. "I dare not use that magic. If I spare one pony the cruel lash of age, then by what right do I deny the next? It is too great a responsibility. We are not gods."

Luna flicked her ears back. "He was not a pony."

Celestia nodded. "No. No he was not. Since the law does not cover humans, which no longer exist, we can forgive this." Her wings gently drew around, pulling Luna's snout upwards to look Celestia in the eye. "I love you, Luna. Please don't do that again."

Luna smiled, then drew a curious device from a pocket. Changing the topic quickly, she held it up for Celestia. "Look at this. The human David had it."

Celestia raised an ear. "He gave his things willingly?"

Luna shook her head a little. "He has given himself to us entirely for thirty years. He belongs to the crown, as the unicorn colt Silver Lining. I claimed his things and he did not object."

Celestia looked at the strange artifact. "What does it do? It is shiny on one side, and dark on the other. I see no obvious function for it." She depressed the buttons she could see on it, but the phone made no response, its batteries long dead.

Luna set it down gently. "I have no idea, but there is more." She drew out the several cards, and the rubber ball. "This in particular. Human David--"

"You should call him Silver Lining," interrupted Celestia. "Silver Lining is our squire for now, and lives on."

"Yes, Silver Lining said this." She pointed at the rubber ball. "Has many of his possessions from his home world. I was thinking to summon him and have him explain each thing's use."

Celestia peered into the ball, and the desk contained within. "I see some books, and many things I do not recognize. Are those dolls? What strange world did Silver Lining come from?"

Luna extended a wing. "I visited his dreams several times. They offered glimpses of it. They used frightful magic with a casual indifference, but his dreams were so scattered and disjointed, I could not say for certain where the dream ends and truth begins. Asking him seems the expedient route."

"I would like to know as well. When will he be here?" asked Celestia.

Luna looked towards the window. "He was in the care of Trixie Lulamoon and Rough Draft and they were told to enroll him in school here, in Canterlot."

Celestia smiled gently. "We'll let them settle. Extend an invitation for a brunch over the week's end and maybe we can get some answers, and properly meet our squire. Tell me, is he cute?"

Luna snorted out a half chuckle. "Sister, he is adorable. For being a former adult, he has taken his new youth well. He was laughing with joy when he couldn't stand properly. You don't intend to make him an active member of the court, do you?"

Celestia shook her head. "A colt? Of course not. But if he did swear to be property of the crown for so long, he will be of proper age soon enough. We will show him the kindness of Equestria, but he will work for his keep as well."

Luna seemed to agree with this. "A new perspective to look at things could be helpful. I hope that he adapts to his new life well."

Author's Notes:

The royal sisters talk about Silver Lining behind his back. Surely there will no consequences of this for Silver to worry about!

Luna has a habit of occasionally slipping into old Equestrian, so watch out for typos.