Harrison led Artex, Luna, and Vaiawa to a door on the second floor of Building Two of The Complex. Artex was both excited and nervous, 'Will they even recognize me? Will they want to see me? And what about Danielle? Did she move on, like we agreed, or did she keep hoping that I would come back?' All these questions and more were whirling around in his head like a hurricane. His stomach hurt and he felt light-headed. Every step carried him closer to a reunion that he was growing more and more uncertain of, by the second. His emotions ran up and down from elation to anxiety like a roller coaster.

As Harrison stopped in front of one particular door, Artex was so nervous he was about to ask to turn around and leave, but he was too slow. Harrison knocked on the door.

A few moments later a masculine voice from the other side of the door spoke up, "Who is it and what do you want?" Artex recognized the voice as that of his Father, Don.

"You have some visitors, sir. Would you please open the door?" Harrison replied. Artex instantly knew it was the wrong thing to say. His Father had never trusted the government, despite serving in the U.S. NAVY for over twenty-six years and retiring as a Chief. He knew Harrison's refusal to reveal information would be met with opposition.

"I'm not opening this door unless you damn spooks tell me what the hell you want!" Artex chuckled, 'Ah, good old Dad.'

Hearing his Father's voice, Artex gently shouldered Harrison out of the way of the peephole, "It's me, Dad." He said, trying not to choke on his words, "It's Dan."

Artex heard the sharp gasp from the other side of the door and braced himself. The older man on the far side of the door swiftly opened it, ignoring the safety chain he ripped from the door jam in doing so. Artex beheld his Father for the first time in more than two years.

The older man was proof that he and Artex were related. Artex was a mirror image of his Father, only thirty years younger. Despite being sixty four years old, the five foot nine inch man was still well-muscled and toned. His jaw was chiseled and refined like a statue. His eyes were hazel with the orange starburst in the center, the same color as Artex' own eyes. His shoulders were broad and his hands were wide and well-calloused from hard work. His posture was erect and alert, defying anybody who dared to approach him.

In that moment though, Artex could see the tsunami of emotion behind the hazel eyes of his Father. The older man stood stock-still as he gazed intensely into Artex' eyes. Artex matched his gaze, even as his own eyes began to water from the intense emotions of seeing his Father again after so long.

The older man's hand slipped from the door, allowing it to start closing. In a flash of movement, Artex' Father's hand slammed the door into the wall, embedding the knob into the wood paneling. He paid it no mind. His eyes were fixed on the seemingly impossible sight in front of him.

"D-Dan?" The older man asked, voice all but a whisper.

Artex nodded, sniffling, "Yeah Dad. It's really me." He hated the sound of his cracking voice, but hearing the voice of his Father was worth it a thousand times over.

"Donney?" A female voice asked from farther in the apartment, "Who is it?"

Artex spoke before he could stop himself. He knew that voice. He had known that voice since he could remember, "Mom?"

Everybody was treated to the sound of scrambling and half a second later a tall, older woman shoved Donald out of the way. She stood two inches taller than her husband and just as broad in the shoulders, owning to her Scottish and Norwegian heritage. Despite her age, she was still a regal looking blond woman. She was slightly overweight, but she carried it like she were a professional athlete. As soon as she saw Artex, she recognized him. Letting out a high-pitched squealing scream of a much younger and smaller woman, she enveloped Artex in a massive hug, which knocked him off balance and caused him to stumble back. Nevertheless, Artex embraced his Mother just as firmly, "Hi Mom." He grunted between her shrieking with joy and kissing his face and forehead.

Artex gently pushed back against his Mother, "Mom, you're causing a scene." He immediately knew it was the wrong thing to say.

She bodily picked up Artex and pulled him inside, "Don't you sass me, young man! I haven't seen you in ages and I'm going to hug you until I get tired of it. Is that clear?"

Artex smiled through his tears, "Yes, Mamma."

With Artex being held prisoner temporarily, by his Mother, he could see into the rest of the apartment. His eyes grew immensely in size as he realized he must have interrupted the family dinner. He saw his younger brother and sister, both twins two and a half years younger than he was. He saw his sister's husband and their two, no now three children. And then his eyes were drawn to... her.

Artex swallowed as he saw her. His emotions ripping and tearing at his heart as he beheld her. His wife, Danielle. Her features were as fine as they had always been. She did not look as though she had aged a day. Her heritage was as plain to see as it always was. She was the perfect match for Dan. Dan was Scottish, German, Norwegian, and Cherokee Indian. Danielle was half Mexican, quarter Chinese and quarter Hawaiian. She had the Mexican temper of her mother, which he had fallen in love with. She had the mental fortitude and intensity of her Chinese paternal grandmother. And she had the Hawaiian creativity and love of heritage and the simple life, which she had gotten from her paternal grandfather. And to top it all off, she had the natural beauty of all three ethnicities. She was naturally so lovely that she literally never needed to wear makeup.

He suddenly felt a jolt as two hefty arms encircled both he and his Mother. He felt his Father envelope the both of them in a monstrous, but very welcomed bear-hug. As one, they all descended into emotional tears and lost track of time.

As Artex eventually came to his senses, he realized it was no longer just the three of them. The entire rest of the family had joined them at some point. Many joyful tears were shed and long hugs seemed to occupy the course of the time, until Artex felt his back starting to complain.

He gently patted each person on the back, politely encouraging them to let go. One by one, starting with his Sister's Husband, and ending with his Mother, obviously, Artex was finally released. He stood in front of his family and smiled a bigger smile than he had in years. He wiped his nose on his sleeve and sniffled loudly, embarrassed to be the center of attention, "I-uh, I figured it would probably be best to just dive right in, you know, like ripping off a band-aid."

Recovering from the shock first, his Mother blinked and grinned, "You're just in time for dinner. Well, you're a little late, but what's two years anyway?"

Artex followed along laughing with everybody else, "Thanks. It's good to see everybody again." He quickly snapped his fingers, "Oh, before I forget, there are two guests here with me..."

His Father interrupted him, "Well bring them in already!"

Artex held out his hands, palms open toward his family, "Now wait a second. My two friends aren't exactly..." he trailed off only for his family to pick up.

"Used to crowds?" His Sister asked.

"Extroverted?" His Brother asked.

"Human." Artex blurted before anybody else could chime in.

The silence from the gathered people was deafening.

"What are you talking about?" Danielle asked, "And what do you mean, not Human? Are they aliens or something?"

Artex ran his hands through his hair, fully understanding exactly how much he was in the spotlight, "... Yes. They are aliens."

Silence descended once more before his Brother broke the silence, "Aliens like, Xenomorphs? Or aliens like Gray Aliens? Or something different?"

"Something very different. One looks like a pony, except she has both wings and a horn. The other has the same basic body shape, wings and horn, but she has holes in her legs and she has insect wings. While they may look like animals, I assure you they are just a Human on the inside as we are." Artex took a deep breath and exhaled as evenly as he could, "Luna, come in nice and slow so you don't startle anyone."

The entire family craned their necks as the slow muffled clopping of hooves against the carpeted floor approached the open door. Luna slowly peeked around the corner of the door and was met with nine pairs of wide, expectant eyes. Of all the gathered people, Brian Felker, Artex' Sister's husband was the first to speak, "Incredible. The horn is spiraled, just like the legends."

Luna slowly strode into the apartment and Artex detached himself from his family, "Luna, this is my family. Everybody, this is Queen Luna, one of the Diarchs of the country we landed in."

Luna lifted her right forehoof and waved, "Greetings to all of you. It's a pleasure to finally meet the family of our Emissary."

Artex' Brother, also Brian, chuckled, "You were right, Dan. She IS something else."

"And not the only one." Vaiawa said from the doorway.

All eyes instantly went to the tall Changeling Queen, Artex' Mother taking a step forward in curiosity, "You really do have insect wings."

Vaiawa snorted, "True, but I am no bug. I'm what's known as a Changeling, a shapeshifter."

Artex' Father suddenly spoke up, "Erm, we were eating dinner, but I don't know whether or not anything would be suitable for either of you."

Vaiawa waved off the older man's concern with her left forehoof, "It's no problem. I can eat anything a Human can, though Luna should probably steer away from any meats."

Artex smiled. He knew his family was open minded, but their reactions surprised even him. The silence was broken by a shrill cry of, "Horsey!" From the Living Room as a little girl darted in and attached herself to Luna's leg.

The family held their collective breath as Cheryl, Artex' Sister, chased after her little girl, "Zoe! She's not a horsey," she grabbed her two year old and untangled her arms from Luna's leg, "I'm so sorry. She loves horses and you look just like one."

Luna tittered merrily, "It is no problem, miss. I adore children." Luna knelt down to the little girl's level, "Where we come from, almost everybody looks like me. Most don't have the wings and horn, but we're all very friendly."

Artex picked up quickly, speaking to his family, "Too true. If it weren't for Luna and to a lesser extent her sister, we would have starved to death."

Luna looked up at the disfigured man, "You sell yourself short, Artex. You were instrumental in establishing contact."

"Who the heck is this 'Artax' person? Wasn't that the name of Atreyu's horse from The Neverending Story?" Danielle asked.

Artex held up his hand, "That would be me." At the puzzled looks from his family, he decided it would be best to explain, "It's my nickname in the language of their world: Artex Rias. Or the language of their country anyway."

A growling sound emanated from Vaiawa's stomach, startling everyone in the room. The Changeling Queen gave off a sheepish grin and rubbed her left forehoof against her right one, "Pardon me, but the food smells wonderful."

Don blinked, "Oh, right." He gestured to the bowls and dishes laid out on the kitchen counter, "Help yourself. The Pering family always eats well and if you're here, so do you."

Vaiawa turned her head toward Artex, "I see where you get your hospitality." She said with a grin.

Artex waved everybody away as he turned and pulled the door knob out of the wall, "Go ahead and continue eating. We'll join you in a second." He gave a subtle nod to Henderson and the others in the hallway before he closed the door.

The family were somewhat slow to return to their food. Artex' Father walked into the kitchen and began gesturing to each food item as he retrieved plates and set them on the counter, "We have mashed potatoes, broccoli with American cheese, Brussels sprouts," he was interrupted by Artex.

"You mean 'putrid pods of mush'."

"Those are peas." The response came from Cheryl's husband, Brian Felker, or Brian F. as everyone called him. With there being two Brians, it was necessary to include the first letter of their last names to establish whom you were talking to.

Don laughed, "Well, that just means there's more for those who like them. Next we have barbecued chicken leg quarters, Luna, you want to stay away from those. We have a full, seven layered gluten and meat free lasagna, thank you Brian F. And finally, we have French Apple Pie and vanilla ice cream for desert."

Vaiawa smiled warmly at the older man, who despite his demeanor, was obviously wary of she and Luna, "It all looks amazing, thank you."

She lit up her horn without thinking, a green glow enveloping the plate and Vaiawa's horn. Donald leaped back against the fridge, "What the hell!?"

Artex quickly intervened, "Woah there, Dad! It's not a big deal."

Don watched as the green aura surrounding Vaiawa's horn extinguished while she set the plate back down on the counter, "I am so sorry, sir. I keep forgetting that Humans don't natively have magic. I apologize for startling you."

Artex had to keep from face-palming. His family were all devout Christians and the word 'magic' had been the rough equivalent of a vulgarity when he had been growing up. He knew he had to act fast, "Well the proper term is Thamaturgic Energy. The English word 'magic' was just a shorter and easier to remember word." Artex scratched his chin, "Think of it like The Force. It's in everything on their world: the air, the soil, the food, everywhere, even in our blood." Artex proceeded to provide a quick exposition of magic and ended it with, "It's not supernatural or Satanic, it's completely natural on their world."

There was silence for a few moments before Artex' Mother slowly stood up and walked over to him, "You said, 'our blood'... does that mean..."

Artex nodded nervously, shifting his weight from his left foot to his right one, "Yeah. All of us can use Thamaturgic Energy. Anybody who lives in their world can use it, even me."

His Mother studied his face intensely for a long moment before she stepped back, "A-alright... show me."

Artex licked his lips and looked to his Father, "Hey Dad, could you hold out a utensil for me, please?"

Don looked around then quickly grabbed a wooden serving spoon from the kitchen counter. He held it out in two fingers and waited. Artex swallowed and stretched out his hand, in the blink of an eye, the serving spoon flew from his Father's grip and landed in Artex' outstretched palm. Artex held out the spoon toward his Mother, "See? No calling on demons, no rituals, no candles or sacrifices, just intent and effect." He lowered the spoon, "Believe me, it took me a long time to accept this too. I don't blame you for being leery, we all were at first, but if it wasn't for Thamaturgic Energy, I wouldn't be here. It was magic which opened the portal we came through." He gently reached out and grasped his Mother by her shoulders, "Mom, I'm still a Christian. I still believe in God, I still pray, and I have never and will never have any dealings with demons or anything profane. This is natural, the way God made it to be on their world. There is a lot to understand, so much to learn, but you have to be willing to learn it. You have to be open to what God has in store for us. This is a different world with different rules, but the important things are all still the same. Following The Ten Commandments is still just as important over there. The notion of 'Love thy neighbor as thyself' is practiced in a wholesome way and encouraged widely among all species."

Artex' Mother rubbed her temples and sighed, "This is all so much to take in. First, new races and now magic that supposedly isn't evil?" She looked deeply into her son's eyes, "Can you swear to me that there is no Satanic work going on here?"

Artex nodded his head solemnly, "I swear, Mom. I would never consort with the profane," Artex grinned, "Well except for my use of 'colorful metaphors'."

His Mother chewed her cheek, demonstrating where Artex had picked up the habit, "Okay." She took a deep breath and let it out, "Okay, I believe you. Just be careful you don't stray away from what you know is true."

Artex smiled and embraced his Mother, "Thanks, Mom."

Vaiawa looked toward Artex' Father, "Would it be okay if I used magic, or would you prefer me to use my mouth to hold the plate? I find that using telekinesis spreads far fewer germs than using my mouth."

Don relaxed somewhat, "You can use your... magic. We like to stay as sanitary as possible. No offense meant to you."

Vaiawa smiled, "Of course." She levitated the plate and doled out a portion of everything to be had, except for the desert, "I think I'll save the desert for later, if I indulge at all. I prefer the savory over the sweet."

Don smiled thinly, "Well we have that in common at least."

"We have more in common that you believe. We, like you, have our families which we love, we have jobs and hopes and dreams. And we all have a desire to live as peacefully as we can with all those around us." Vaiawa said with a warm smile.

Meanwhile, Luna slowly approached Artex' Mother, "I apologize for the misunderstanding. We are so used to how things work in our world, we often forget how much is going to be foreign and shocking. We never meant any harm, I assure you. Artex speaks the truth, magic is completely natural. With it, we have eradicated diseases, fed tens of thousands, and created a successful system of criminal punishment which, for lack of a better word, rehabilitates violent offenders and allows them to live peacefully, with full understanding of their crimes and those they affected. Our systems work because we strive to understand our sciences and while our technology is inferior to that of Humans, our understanding allows us to live with fewer wars and less crime. We only wish to have a peaceful relationship with all sapient beings."

Artex' Mother sighed, "I'm not upset with you, Queen Luna was it?" At Luna's nod, she continued, "It's just that our spiritual beliefs warn us strongly against those who use familiar spirits and magic. I'm sorry for rambling, please go and eat."

Luna smiled at the older woman, "Thank you for your understanding."

Artex handed Luna a plate, which she held in her own magic while they served themselves. Vaiawa sat down on the floor of the Living Room and began eating by lowering her muzzle to the plate. Don sat back down on his chair a took up his plate again, "Queen Vaiawa, I'm curious, why don't you levitate the food up to your mouth instead of lowering your head? It doesn't look very comfortable."

Vaiawa raised her head and licked the barbecue sauce off her muzzle, "It's considered rude to do so when there are others present who cannot do the same. It was originally a rule for not offending Earth Ponies, Pegasi, Gryphons and other races, but we easily expanded it to include everybody who cannot use levitation or telekinesis. We only use magic to eat around our families or among others who can use it to feed themselves as well. I could transform into a Human to eat like you do, but I do not have any clothes with me and Artex has emphasized exactly how modest Humans are, so to do so would be very poor manners."

Cheryl nearly choked on her drink, "Uh, yeah. I don't want either of my boys seeing those parts of a woman for a long time."

"So, you really can turn into other animals?" Don asked.

Vaiawa turned her head toward him, "Please remember that neither Luna nor I are animals. I doubt animals could work out complex calculations or create art or music."

Don frowned, "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to imply that."

Vaiawa waved a wing in his direction, "It's alright. Humans are used to only seeing other Humans as creatures being other than animals. I do ask that you try to keep that in mind though."

Don bobbed his head, "I will. Sorry again."

Danielle spoke up, "You can change into anything?"

"Anything of roughly the same size, yes. Different size creatures are much more difficult. Something smaller is uncomfortable, all your organs feel packed into a smaller frame, even though they shrink with you. Something larger feels... empty is the best way to put it. Everything expands and it all feels... I guess sloshy would be a better word."

Artex' Brother, Brian P. spoke up next, "I don't know why nobody has asked yet, but why are you here, on Earth?"

"We're here for the announcement of their presence. There is going to be a big media reveal tomorrow." Artex said, sitting down on the floor, "Luna and Vaiawa are representatives of only two of the species on their world. There are many more."

"More?" Brian F. asked, "How many species are there?"

Artex put down his fork and began tipping off his fingers, "Buffalo, Minotaurs, Gryphons, Dragons, Diamond Dogs, Crystal Kavim, Wind and Sand Kavim, Zebras and a few others."

Brian F. whistled, "Geeze, that's a lot of races!"

"And that means a lot of wars." Cheryl said, "Though I assume it's a safe bet that Changelings and... Ponies, I guess, are at peace."

Luna sat down next to Vaiawa, "Our proper name is Kavim, but Humans call us ponies because it's familiar to them."

"You mentioned before that you could shapeshift, Vaiawa." Artex' Mother, Chris, asked, "How close do you look to what you change into?"

Vaiawa smirked, "As Changelings, we do not just change shape, we genuinely become the species we want. If I became a Gryphon, I would have a Gryphon blood type and be able to," she looked toward the children present, "Well, have a few of my own, if I found a Gryphon I wanted to spend the rest of his life with."

"What do you mean, 'the rest of his life'?" Brian P. asked.

"I mean that my life span is far longer than that of most. As a Queen, I do not age. I can be done-in by violence or disease or starvation, but other than that, I will persist." Vaiawa explained.

Cheryl, Artex' Sister gawked at the statement, "Woah, that sounds... terrible, honestly. You would keep on living while all your friends and family pass away? That sounds like a horrible burden."

Luna nodded, "It can be. I, myself, have been around for over a thousand years." Luna looked up at the sounds of dropping utensils and silence from the Humans, "Please, do not mistake me, I am not immortal or infallible and before anyone asks, no, we do not think we are deities and nobody worships us." Luna continued her in-depth explanation of Alicorns, "...Thusly, we do not age. In the same way, it is a disadvantage, under normal circumstances we cannot bear foals."

Danielle leaned back in her seat, "That's a lot to take in, but I have another question: why do you keep calling Dan, Artex? I know it's his nickname in your language, but why not call him Dan?"

"I've been declared dead, haven't I." Artex said. It was not a question, "And it's true. The Daniel that all of you knew is not who I am now. I'm not the same person in many different ways. Dan couldn't use magic. Dan didn't search out and find a friendly species to help the other Humans who ended up in Equestria. Dan was unhealthy and fat. Dan had a normal face. I'm not Dan, as you knew him. Over in Equestria, I became something different. I became an emissary. I have fought in battles, I have traveled the world, and I have brokered peace with the help of my friends and staff members, one of which was Vaiawa. I am still the same person, but I am more than Dan. I'm now also Artex Rias, royally sanctioned Emissary of Humans."

"You're still our Brother." Cheryl said.

"And our first-born son." Don added.

"And the first man I ever loved." Danielle added.

"But you're a bit cooler than Dan was before." Brian P. said with a grin, "I mean, look at you man! The things you've done! Come on! Magic and a whole world of different species!? That's crazy-awesome!"

Artex grinned, "And a WHOLE lot stronger than before."

Brian F. chuckled, "Your arms tell that story already."

Artex shook his head, "Oh no, WAAAAY stronger than that. I'm pretty sure I could throw a full-size sedan."

Don raised his eyebrows at his son's claim, "A side effect of the magic?"

Artex shook his head, "Nope. I can tell you, but I need all of you to swear not to say anything to anybody, ever. This is a big deal."

Don and Chris both bore looks of concern, "We swear." Don said, Chris nodding along.

"Me too." Danielle and Brian P. both said almost at the exact same time.

"We do as well." Cheryl and Brian F. both said.

Artex nodded and began explaining about how he had acquired his strength and other Kavim elements. After finishing, Artex took a breath and examined the expressions on the faces of his family and friends. His siblings, Father and ex-wife looked confused. His Mother looked stricken. Artex figured that with her medical background and nurse's training and experience, she probably deduced at least some of the truth.

Artex sighed, "I can eat and digest grasses and flowers and so forth, like a Kavim. I'm as strong as an Earth Pony, which are physically the most powerful of the Kavim tribes."

"And you're infertile... with Humans." Chris said softly, "So that means... a... pony? A Kavim?"

Artex took a deep breath and closed his eyes, nodding subtly, "Yeah. The situation was out of my control. God saw fit for this to happen... and in a way... I'm kind of glad."

"How!?" Christine asked, "How can you be glad about this?"

"Behold old things have passed away, behold all things are become new." Artex quoted scripture. He looked pleadingly up to his Mother, "That's part of why I'm the perfect person to be an Emissary. I can see and understand both sides of any argument. I was born a Human, raised by Human parents, with Human morals and Human ethics. But now I am also a Kavim. Absorbed into their culture and seeing and understanding them in a way no other Human can. I see both the good and the bad. I can see any and all points of view and interests. This is the plan God had for my life: to help bring together two different worlds and help them coexist peacefully."

"He has done more than that." Vaiawa added suddenly, "Before him, Changelings were feared and even hated in Equestria. Artex helped create The Unity Pact. A legal document which allows for any species to live in New Humansville, so long as they do so as peacefully as they can. He saved our entire species! We were dying!" Vaiawa took a breath and observed the shocked expressions surrounding her, "It is no exaggeration. We were starving. Our former Queen was cruel, selfish, and corrupt. She led an attack against the Kavim capital and nearly won. The Changelings were thrown out of the city violently by an anti-Changeling energy shield. Most of us who were in contact with the shield swelled up and burst to death. We're partial emotivores, it would be akin to being force-fed until you hemorrhaged massively. I was one of the few who survived. We nearly starved again, but Artex found one of our number, Alana. She told him of our plight and he worded The Unity Pact so that we could have a home."

Cheryl and her husband got up to put their children to bed.

Luna then spoke up, "It is true. Artex has helped to accomplish a great many things, not only for our kingdom, but for the entire world." She looked all around the gathered Humans, "You raised a good man with wholesome values and a heart to help others. His body has changed, but the values you instilled in him remain as strong as ever. You should be very proud of him. He has done more in two years, than most could ever do in a lifetime. He is still a good man, only now he is a partially Kavim man. If it were not for him, countless lives would be suffering and many lives would have been lost, my own included."

She smiled at Artex then looked back to his family, "He saved my life, directly. Every one of us owes him a great deal. I implore you, do not reject what he has become, rather admire who he still is and what he has done. His body may not be completely Human, but his heart and mind have never been anything else."

In the ensuing silence, Don eventually spoke up, "So, no other grandkids then?"

Artex took a breath and laid it bare, "Well, no. GrandFOALS on the other hand. Hehheh, umm," he licked his lips, "There's one on the way."

Christine's jaw dropped open, "You... slept with..."

Artex did not miss the hurt look on Danielle's face. He shook his head and responded to his Mother's question, "No. I made love with my new wife and God has blessed us with our first on the way. My new wife is a language specialist. Her name is Razor Wit. She and I worked together to get a functioning translation between Velensovth and American English. She was there for me when I found out my body was changing. She was there when I broke down about losing Danielle. And she was there for me when I found out I could never have Human children. She stayed with me in the hospital for days while I cried my eyes out. She was my first Kavim friend and eventually we fell in love. It took quite a while. I wasn't the only one who had to get their head around having feelings for a different species. Our courtship was awkward and strange, but we made it work. Our relationship is still an odd one, and it took me well over a year to really see that she wasn't an animal. She is a woman, same as any Human, just in a different shape. The physical appearance really is the only difference."

For a long time nobody spoke. Luna and Vaiawa finished their own dinners and set their plates aside while the Humans digested the vast amount of information they had been given. Artex had lost his appetite due to thoughts of his family rejecting him. He took his still mostly full plate back to the kitchen and left it on the counter then returned to the Living Room and sat down on the couch where Cheryl and her husband had been. He leaned his head back and worked fo control his breathing. The stress was overwhelming.

After some minutes of silence, Cheryl and her husband, Brian F. came back into the room. Artex, being a gentleman, stood up and sat back down on the floor while Cheryl and Brian F. retook their spots on the couch. Cheryl clenched and unclenched her fists and finally spoke, "You know," she started, gaining everyone's attention, "I think it was God's timing that you're here, Dan."

Artex turned toward her, "How so, sis?"

"When the D.H.S. came and... collected all of us, then the president let us go, we were given a choice. John Vacca, Chris' brother, got President Seviston to agree to give everyone who was wrongfully arrested, the choice of leaving and going to this other world, I think you called it Equestria, right?"

At Artex' nod, she continued, "I really believe that your arrival and yours as well, Queen Luna and Queen Vaiawa, was God giving us a way to learn about this new world so that we can make our decision knowing all the facts, not edited out by the government."

She looked around, speaking go the entire group, "We're all here and we have the perfect opportunity to learn more about our decision. Why are we wasting it on fussing at Dan for things he had no control over? Or about his decision on his life partner? I mean, we would still love him if he was gay, right? We would disagree with it obviously, but ultimately, that is between him and God. No matter what, unless he committed a crime here on Earth, the only person he should answer to is God. Right now he's presenting us with facts. Facts that he knew we probably wouldn't like. He's telling us all this in the hope that we accept him. Unless he's a rapist or a murderer, we should accept him. The longer we go back and forth about this, the less time we have to decide and the less time he and the two Queens have to spend with us and give us the information we need to make our decisions."

Cheryl paused to let that part sink in before her husband continued, "He's different, sure, but having listened to the two Queens, I can see, and I think all of you can too, that they're people as well. We're all people. We have different skin tones and backgrounds and ethnicities and even planets, but we ARE people. If God created one of us, he created all of us and we need to use this time wisely to find out more about this new world." He sat back and folded his hands behind his head, waiting for everyone else to come to their own conclusions. He agreed with his wife and he was not afraid to say so.

The rest of the gathered people sat still, deep in their own thoughts. Not wanting to waste any more time, Brian F. began his own line of questioning, "Queen Luna," he addressed politely, "My name's Brian Felker. I'm a structural engineer, I design buildings. I'd like to know, is there any need for engineers over in your world?"

Luna smiled at his question, "There is always a need for engineers. Our lands frequently expand and New Humansville especially, could use the expertise of a building engineer. I will even go so far as to say, you could design your own home over there and others would likely hire you privately or even commercially. Engineers are not common and the field needs to expand. Equestria is a land where anyone can become who they want to be, so long as they're willing to work for it."

"What about psychologists?" Cheryl asked, "I'm licensed and certified and I have my own practice."

Luna's smile widened, "Psychology is an especially important field in New Humansville. Many Humans still suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to the things they have lived through. Should you open a practice there, I am certain you will have plenty of customers. You would be one of the first Human trained psychologist there. I believe there are two others, but I have also heard their appointments are severely backed up."

Don suddenly spoke up while Luna spoke with Cheryl and Brian, "Queen Vaiawa, Let's talk about some more basic things. Work availability is all well and good, but what about the social environment? What kinds of cultural mores is a person going to be walking into if they decide to live there?"

Vaiawa pursed her lips, "Honestly, your son would be better at explaining that. Changelings have our own customs so Ponies are a little strange to us in the first place."

Artex turned to face his Father, "Well, Equestria is a female dominated society, so you can imagine what that was like to deal with. Until recently there was a bit of sexism to deal with. Stallions, men, were not allowed to be teachers or surgeons, but they held more power then you would think. The females outnumber males five to one, so the males are in short supply thus highly sought after, giving them a great deal more social leeway than women used to have on Earth. Speaking of the male to female ratio, in order for the Kavim to maintain a stable population, the normal family unit is one stallion and five mares. Seeing a family for the first time will be a surprise, I promise you. Even so, the families have a slightly different dynamic than we are used to, so you would have to be open minded. Also they do not buy and sell the way we do, except in big stores. Most vendors work off of bartering and trade. It takes some getting used to, but the system seems to work well. Now if you thought we eat well here on Earth, get ready for a surprise. Food is dirt cheap. Kavim need to eat a lot because they're general herbivores. They can eat eggs and some bugs, but they don't tend to do that so much. Another thing, magic is everywhere and every species has their own kind. Pegasi can fly, control the weather, and walk on clouds. Unicorns can use magic for general things the way you've seen Luna and Vaiawa do. Earth Ponies have their incredible strength and a connection to the soil. They can grow healthy crops in a quarter of the time anybody else can. If you go to Equestria, you will have your own magic too."

At his Father's unsure expression, Artex chuckled, "Who's your favorite super hero, Pop?"

Don smiled, "Woo, that's a tough one. I'd have to say The Flash."

Artex groaned good-naturedly, "Always with the DC comics heroes. Okay, with the right combination of Nouns and Verbs, you could achieve the same ends: super speed. Heck, I have a passive Noun and Verb combination which lets me heal literally as fast as Wolverine. I have another on my hands which automatically cancels out the magic of others as long as it's weaker."

Don nodded his head, "Well it sounds neat, but back to my other question about culture."

Artex smiled, "Okay, well I guess it's time to talk about the Kavim as a whole..."

"Queen Luna, I heard mention of crime and punishment on your world and there was a mention of rehabilitation. I'd like to know how that's accomplished." Christine asked.

Luna smirked warmly at the older woman, "The severity of the punishment depends on the crime. Theft is repaid by the perpetrator repaying the victim an amount equal to eight times the worth of the stolen object. All instances of stolen money or goods are dealt with in the same manner. In cases of violent crime, we utilize a very specific type of magic: Mind magic. There are very few who know how to use it and they are highly trained and regulated, as is its use. The mind is a sacred place and we recognize it as such. That is part of why our method of rehabilitation is so effective and so controlled. When someone perpetrates a violent crime against another, it crosses a moral boundary which is damaging to the mind and the spirit. What we do is we find the perpetrator then we take two weeks of memories prior to the perpetrating of the crime, from the victim and implant them into the mind of the perpetrator. In this way, the perpetrator gains an intense and deep understanding of the victim. The perpetrator comes to love the victim as a family member, like a brother or sister and they realize exactly what their crime did to this person. The perpetrator learns the true value of the victim and they cherish the victim like the precious individual they are. Meddling with the mind is not something we do lightly, but the effects are truly profound to wittiness. Our system is not perfect, but it works and our courts are not bogged down with cases which are ten years old."

Brian P. spoke up, "Queen Vaiawa, earlier I heard you mention you're a partial emotivore. Could you explain what that means?"

Vaiawa turned her attention toward him, "As Changelings, we do not accumulate Thamaturgic energy the same way other species do. Our bodies need physical food, but our magic requires love to function. We have an organ in our mouth which acts like a secondary nose. We siphon excess love out of the air and inhale it. Our sense also allows us to detect the emotions of those around us. Changelings are exquisitely good at detecting lies, not flawlessly, but very close. In this way, some former Queens came to the conclusion that we should use our shapeshifting abilities to disguise ourselves and steal love from others. Our new Queen and myself believe differently. We believe that a symbiotic relationship would work much better and thus far, we have been proven absolutely right."

Brian had another question ready, "Okay, that makes as much sense as I think it can... anyway, I keep hearing you and Queen Luna calling my brother an Emissary. How did that happen?"

Vaiawa smiled at the question, "I have asked him for the story as well. He said that when the Humans landed in Equestria, he heard singing from higher up on a nearby mountain and found two Ponies who were camping..." Vaiawa began the lengthy story of how Artex tracked the two Ponies, how he was injured, his first meeting with Razor Wit, and everything that happened after that, "... then Luna comes in and tells he and I that we need to come to Earth as representatives and Emissaries and let me tell you, Razor, Oriana, Rose, Suey, and Tip were not happy." She had the presence of mind not to disclose the truth about the romantic aspects of the relationships or the herd.

Vaiawa ended the story and came to the realization that everyone else had stopped talking and had heard most of, if not the entire story. She lowered her head bashfully.

Cheryl whistled appreciatively and leaned back on the couch, "Whew Dan," she said shaking her head, "You've had quite the adventure." She then began to chuckle, "That and I had no idea we were talking to Changeling Jesus."

The statement garnered a few laughs before Chris piped up, "So how did you die and come back?"

Vaiawa shook her head, "I honestly have no idea. I do know that whatever it was took almost all the Love energy I had stored up to do it and I definitely don't want to experience that again. It's probably best to consider it a fluke of fate. No need to test how many times I can die. According to Dr. Jewel, I was in rigor mortis before I revived and believe me, I was stiff and sore."

As the night wore on, the family learned more and more about the new world. Not everything they heard pleased them, but the answers were open and honest. In the end, they had gained a solid understanding of the choice before them.

Author's Notes:

Another chapter down. Let me know if I missed any typos, please.