Princess Celestia couldn’t help but lock eyes with the being that had once seated on his throne and gazing unseeingly at those who entered the Tomb. She stared at the being who she retreated to during her fillyhood. The very same being who crept into her dreams and dwelled there until now.

She couldn’t help but take in his eyes. The eyes that were the same hue as she had seen them in her dreams again and again.

His irises swiftly transitioned from hue to hue and glowing with every color she knew and didn’t know could have existed. Occasionally, she saw the iris’ rest on the color of a pale green before going off again into that intangible whirlwind of color.

“It’s you ... . It really is you,” Celestia whispered, not inaudibly but just quiet enough that even Captain Shining Armor could hear what she had said.

The human blinked at her curiously, as if he asked by what she meant, to which she answered, “Almost all my life, I’ve waited and watched,” she slowly trotted up the stairs, her eyes never drifting away from his own, which swirled and changed colors much like a chameleon, “Sometimes, I prayed that you would wake up,” she continued addressing her special companion ever since she had discovered his Tomb and then she stopped in front of the human.

She took note that the human was tall, even taller than her. Even at her highest height, the human towered above her by almost her own head and it was only by her horn or wings that could allow her to be considered the taller!

“Your Highness!” The almost forgotten Captain Shining cried, causing the human to look back at him with a raised eyebrow and Celestia to give a glance, “Keep away from that creature! It’s already attacked us!” He and the other Guards had taken a horseshoe formation around the human, spears lining inwards and pointing at him.

The sight of miniature ponies pointing spears at him in hostility didn’t seem to frighten nor disturb the human, as he simply looked around with bored interest, while Luna had slowly trotted up the stairs but kept her distance from the human.

Celestia shook her head, “It is because we had tried to prevent him from returning to his ancient place of rest. Neither of us truly expected him to return, Captain.” The human turned his head and attention back on the alicorn, nearly making her shiver upon seeing his abnormal eyes stare back at her.

However, she turned her attention to the man and continued, slightly proud that her voice didn’t waver from his renewed staring, “But he is right on erring caution. Why have you returned? And what was your intent when you attacked my Guards?”

The human shifted ever so slightly as he surveyed his surrounding, taking note on the guarded hostility from the Captain, to the wary and shifting eye from Luna.

Finally, the human said, “The why is our concern, and ours only. As for the intent, we expected your ‘guards’ to be gone much longer in the retrieval of their friend.”

Captain Shining took an exception to the human’s response with a growl, “You injured and kidnapped my mares!”

The human merely sniffed and reproached the Captain, “Injured? Simple scratches and bruises register as ‘injured’ to you? We may have had vindication that you were trying to keep us away from returning to our sanctuary, but we held no intention on spilling blood so soon upon awakening, Captain.”

Celestia moved herself between the human and the now angered Captain, “Enough, the both of you! Captain, were your mares injured when the Warrior took action in distracting you?”

Shining took a moment to look over to his left before almost muttering, “No Princess Celestia, the worst injuries we sustained were bruises from impacting a tree and another with the wind knocked out of her.”

“Then if that is the degree of severity regarding their injuries, it does not warrant such hostility to suggest that he had done worse!” Celestia stated before rounding on the human, “And you! My Guards were there to protect me and my sister from wild beasts and other hostile beings from trying to attack us and alert us if something happened! We may have intruded your sanctuary, but that does not mean you must initiate hostilities upon our Guards just to enter! You could have simply introduced yourself!”

While Captain Shining wilted from the simple reproach from his superior, the human blinked in complete surprise. Not once in the longest of time had he nor any of the Legion been scolded for what they did by other mortals. Yet, this Princess before them was telling them off like a parent to an errant child!

Outwardly, Celestia sat down with an irritated huff and waited for either of the two males to apologize. Inwardly, however, she was panicking as she realized she scolded the Warrior, who likely had a far different knowledge of combat and warfare than anyone alive, like a foal.

‘Faust help me!’ she inwardly cried, ‘Please do not let this cause any hostilities to escalate instead of solving them!’ She took with some amount of pride that she hadn’t started shaking in place as she waited for the stallion and human to reply.

Captain Shining caved first, giving a heated stare at the human who blinked back as a response, before the stallion sighed and grumbled with his head down in a slight bow, “My apologies, Ancient Warrior.”

The human blinked again before giving a dry chuckle, “Very well, Your Highness,” he said with both a sly tone and smile as he placed one hand to lay it palm down against his chest and gave a small bow, his head inclining to keep his eyes on Celestia as he did so, “Our apologies, Captain Shining.”

Celestia looked at the both of the males before nodding silently, “Good, now that that is out of our way,” She got onto her hooves and looked again at the human and asked, “As much as I wish to stay and discuss much of what is needing to be discussed here, both I and my sister have been gone too long from our other duties. Would you care to join us as we return to Canterlot?”

The human seemed to tremble for a quick second and his mouth seemed to move before he quickly said, “We will accompany you and those in your entourage, however we are still determined to inspect our sanctuary first. As much as one would have thought we would have already done so, we were rather desperate to see the new world around us first. If you wouldn’t mind?” Without stopping to hear any disagreement, the human walked past the two alicorn mares and descended into the Tomb.

Luna watched the human go before quickly trotting to her sister and whispered, “Sister, hast thou lost it? Even if thy ‘friend’ meant no harm but to remove our Guards out of his way, thou still intend to bring him to Canterlot? We hath little knowledge whether he is friend or foe! Nor do we know what danger he may represent unto us should he prove foe, rather than friend.”

However, Celestia retorted, “Where then, would we take the Warrior, Luna? If we merely toss him to the nearest village or let the public see him, who knows what would happen? No, I do not intend to inform the public with regards to him until we know what we are doing first, and the first that I would know to do is introduce him to our culture and manners quietly and gently before we can consider informing the public about him.”

Luna blinked in confusion before she relented, “We art simply concerned over thy eagerness, sister. We fear thy enthusiasm blinds thee to his unknown intents and motives, mine sister. We would not that ye bowels experienced harm or turmoil because thou wast unguarded around yon stranger. Ye treat him as a friend already, with thine guard lowered, rather than as tho ought treat sojourning strangers newly arrived ‘pon our land.”

Celestia nuzzled her gently, “And again I know, Lulu. And I am trying to not let my eagerness blind me to truly gaining the measure of his character. That is why I value your opinion, for I fear that I may not treat him as impartially as I ought. My affections are causing me to treat him more as ally and friend than stranger.” She looked down the stairs that the human descended before she gave one more nudge to her sister and followed, leaving Luna and the approaching Captain Shining to watch her departure.

The Captain sniffed, “I don’t like him.”

Luna gave a glance before giving a very small nod, “The Warrior is both stranger unto us and his intention and his knowledge is unknown, and that which is not known is more dangerous than that which we do know.”

Celestia continued descending down the stairs, thinking about Luna’s caution. She could understand why Luna was approaching this novel situation with caution and reservation. The Warrior had acted as if he were the superior amongst both herself and the other ponies, yet he didn’t react against her impulse at getting him to apologize. In fact, he seemed amused by it.

... . Maybe Luna was right that the Warrior could take advantage of her and her unguarded friendliness regarding him ... .

Celestia stopped just at the door when that thought crossed her mind, one hoof hovering just a step in front of her. Was Luna right? Could the Warrior be considering using her and Equestria for whatever purpose he might be thinking of?

The thought scared her and there wasn’t much she could do to alleviate it. Instead, she gave a deep sigh and began a whispering prayer, “Dearest mother and father, Faust above hear my whispered prayer. Please do not let my decisions regarding the Warrior come back to bite me in the rump and ruin this kingdom of peace and prosperity which Luna and I have tended and cared for, and please please let this being hold nothing against Equestria—”

She continued to whisper her prayers until she felt calmer and feeling as if she was assured by some intangible unknown did she continue onwards, eventually entering the Tomb. Upon entering, she saw the human standing with a hand against one of the many lines of the unknown language that lie behind his ‘throne’ of sorts.

He silently looked over the words, occasionally mouthing them out. Despite Celestia trying to make out what he said, she couldn’t read the human’s lips. Finally, she asked, “What are you?”

The being didn’t take note of what she said at first, he was focused and his expression was hard as he continued to read. Just when she was about to ask again, he abruptly answered, “We belong to a race that once ruled and governed these lands you now rule upon. A race which is likely more ancient than your kingdom, Princess.”

The alicorn mare jumped slightly when he answered. She stuttered, “W-What was the name of your race? A-And may I know your name?”

The two questions made the man pause and look back to stare at her, as if questioning himself whether to answer her. He blinked before moving his attention back to the wall as he said, “Our names and titles are many and we often do not simply make one for ourselves, so do understand if we’re hesitant on giving you a name,” Celestia frowned and was about to object before he continued, “Our race called itself Humanity.”

That name made Celestia freeze, as she was familiar with the species.

Well, more familiar with the myths and legends involving such species. She had often heard stories as a filly, involving the ferocity and brutality of humans along with how they were a, more or less, merciless and violent animals which shared no sense of peace even amongst themselves.

She noted that many of the stories and legends were little more but mythologies amongst the Minotaur Tribes, as they held a rather distasteful xenophobic attitude towards other races, and only a few tribes who were the closest to Equestria were considered friendly. However with humans, the Minotaurs tended to see them as the greatest threat in all of existence.

’All the more reason to get him to Canterlot sooner ... .’ Celestia thought, dreading how the Minotaur Tribes would react upon learning there was a human in Equestrian territory.

She shook her head and decided to silently wait for the human. She watched as the now identified human continued to read, which did not take long as when he reached the bottom line of the still unreadable language he gave a low and deep sigh and placed one hand on his face and began muttering for quite some time.

Celestia decided to take a chance and asked, “F-Forgive my impatience, Ancient Warrior. But, are ... are you ready?”

The human didn’t answer immediately but instead began to stand and responded in a rather husked and tired voice, “We are ready, our business here is done,” The human turned around and began almost marching briskly out of the Tomb, his eyes glancing at Celestia before steadfastly looking ahead, “Yes. We’re done here.”

Once Celestia and the human ascended and rejoined the group of Royal Guards and her sister, Celestia took a look around. She saw that the Captain had retrieved his fellow Guards as well as the carriages that she, her sister and the non-Pegasi Royal Guards first arrived in on and said, “It is time we returned, Luna. Captain, has everyone gathered together?”

Captain Shining gave a quick glare at the human before nodding, “Yes, Your Highness. Swift Swim, Silver Wind and Sure Strike have recovered from being ... winded. The Pegasi among our Guards stand ready to fly us, Your Highness.”

Celestia took note and stared at Shining Armor before nodding and stepping aboard her royal carriage, “Then let us return home, Captain.”

Luna followed quickly, along with the other Royal Guards who were filing into their respective transports. However the human seemed hesitant. When the two alicorns looked back in curiosity, he eyed the carriage that he was to share with them warily, “... . Mind explaining how these carriages were able to go through the forest? As we’ve personally discovered, it’s rather dense forest and underbrush for these types of vehicles.” He placed one foot on and pushed down on it lightly, making the carriage bounce slightly as it registered the human’s weight.

“The magic within these carriages will sustain almost any weight and they are as light as a feather to the Pegasi drawing them, there is little to fear.” Celestia replied reassuringly, almost laughing at how dangerous the human seemed beforehand and yet acted as if the carriage would either attack or fall apart on him.

The human gave a curious look at the Princess and asked, “Magic, you say?” When both Luna and Celestia nodded, he raised an eyebrow and slowly got on the small transport, “Then we suppose this is going to simply fly us away to this ‘Canterlot’?”

Celestia almost responded when the carriage began moving and almost unstabilized the human, nearly kicking him off the transport had he not grabbed the railing and bent down on one knee. Celestia watched as he did and gave a small giggle as he looked around with wide eyes as the carriage lifted off the ground and catapulted away towards Canterlot.

The human was able to steady himself after they leveled off high above the Everfree Forest, and began to look around. He watched as the trees sailed past and occasionally replaced by small holes through the canopy. The man even risked a look underneath the carriage to see in proof that there was nothing holding or giving the unwieldy carriage enough lift to be above the ground, defying his understanding of the laws of physics which he was quite fond of.

He moved his attention to the pegasi who flew and drew the carriages around him, watching and observing as they flew with the similar movements as birds while occasionally ‘galloping’ in the air, somehow making them go faster with every hoof passing through the air.

“Definitely a screw loose ...” he muttered to himself, his voice lost to the wind.

As Luna observed the human’s antics at discovering both magic and how it was currently used, she looked over to her sister and noticed that she had a happy smile, as if everything was nothing wrong.

She leaned closer and stated, “Thou seem satisfied, sister.”

Celestia glanced over and nudged Luna, “I am, Luna. I’m really glad that finding the Warrior hasn’t gone wrong yet, and that my fillyhood friend wasn’t some statue.”

Luna couldn’t help but giggle and poke her sister, “Thou shouldn’t tempt fate like such, sister. But, we suppose thou art correct,” She poked her sister harder, her expression hardening for a second, “However, we still stand by our words which we spoke with thee at an earlier time and remain firm in our belief that thou should hath told us about yon companion afore now, sister.”

Celestia semi-wilted against her sister’s words but recovered when Luna asked, “And what shalt we do about him? How long from our subjects could we risk to keep him secret? Doth thou even plan to introduce him to thy student?”

Celestia looked down and didn’t answer for a moment, her mouth opening slightly as she tried to form a response. Finally, as they passed over the edge of the Everfree Forest and onto the open plains before Canterhorn Mountain she replied, “I do not plan on keeping him secret forever, but neither can I simply dump him in Ponyville and hope for the best, Lulu. And you should know how Twilight would respond if she learned about him, I would rather not have him suffocate underneath her antics and I cannot in good conscience risk the other territories learning of him—”

Luna scoffed, waving a hoof, “Thou doubt thy student, e’en now? Thy ‘friend’ seems likely to survive her.”

Celestia stared at Luna before replying, “Regardless, I would rather take small steps upon this. He’s a stranger in a strange land, Luna. We cannot throw everything at him and expect him to understand ... . I think I have a solution, but we must ask the Warrior first and discover if he is willing to try my solution before we can consider it.”

Luna pondered on what Celestia meant and planned on asking her once they were away from the human and looked towards Canterlot, her mind still swimming with questions.

Meanwhile, the human watched as the gravity defying castle drew ever closer. Already, his plan on meeting the local civilization was launched far ahead than he or the Legions planned on, and even better they were already meeting the family who ruled over said civilization. Albeit, they were not out of the water just yet. There was still the problems about integrating with the locals, and both he and the Legions had limited patience to simply sit in one place and do nothing.

Even more concerning is that while they started off well with the ruling royalty, there was still that concerning flinch they noticed from ... Celestia, he recalled ... . She flinched the moment he named his race, which instantly meant that she was somehow familiar with the name.

‘Which is all the more concerning, just how does she know of the human race? All traces of humanity were wiped out, God insured that, and with us and our sanctuary being the last hint of human presence in the world.’ He thought, getting affirmations and nods of agreement from the Legion of the Tower of Eternity.

When they began to reach Canterlots walls, Celestia looked back and called, “I suggest moving closer, Warrior. I would rather avoid you falling off or letting the public see you yet.”

The human looked back imperiously, “And why should we not let the public see us?”

“The ponies frighten easily at things they do not know, and I would very much prefer to avoid what chaos could be brought if somepony did see you,” Celestia called back, giving a half-hearted glare at him, almost daring him to do so and find out what she would do against him.

He chuckled and smiled back. “Very well, Princess.” He moved over to sit with his back just barely touching Celestia’s who nearly jumped at the either innocent or conscious action, causing Luna to look and nearly laugh loudly. The man looked back and raised an eyebrow but did not ask, proving to Celestia that he was ignorant of his action.

Though when he did look back, the human noticed that the unicorn Captain was eyeing him and he had a look of shocked impotence at what seemed to be some offense from him merely following the Princess’ advice.

Thus, she had to suffer with a blushing face and a smirking Luna until they landed onto the Canterlot Castle’s landing area, where the Princesses could land and depart without any of the public seeing them or able to confront them.

The entire surrounding earned the human’s interest as he inspected almost every little bit of the architecture, ‘Most interesting,’ he commented, ‘This is mostly based upon a splatter of medieval civilizations, though some of it seems recognizable for some reason.’ He noticed that the Princesses and Guards were waiting for him and decided to take his inspection along the way, having to duck down to pass through the small doors.

As they continued onwards, Celestia pulled aside one of her Royal Guards and told him, “If there are nobles around and are asking for me, tell them to come tomorrow and escort them out of the castle, as there are events that command both our attention more than the Day Court. Be quick about it, do not let them know about the being with us and spread this order to the rest of the Royal Guards!” The guard saluted and galloped to do as he was ordered.

Celestia sighed, “Faust, Blueblood will likely be quite odious about this.” Her nephew often came to deliver increasingly petty grievances to his adopted aunt at this early of a morning. Luna gave a small nudge to her sister’s shoulder in comfort before they continued onwards to the soon to be empty throne room.

The human kept close note on both how many times the two sisters had been nudging, nuzzling and shoulder bumping each other, as well as keeping note on the names of other ho ... . ‘Ponies’ and other non sequiturs.

’Curiouser and curiouser, it seems they do not refer themselves as horses, I wonder if the word ‘horse’ exists to them.’ The human hummed in response as he continued to look around, letting nothing escape his eyes for both himself and the Legion to mull over either now or at a later time.

Once they reached the throne room, the two alicorns turned to ascend the stairs to their thrones while the human gave his attention to the glass panes that were depicting the accomplishments and history of both sisters as well as the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

His inspection was interrupted by Celestia coughing loudly, to which he said with a smirk, “That cough does not sound healthy, Princess.”

“That may be, however we require your attention,” The human turned around and walked towards the thrones until he was near the foot of the stairs that led to the sisters that sat above. Celestia looked to Captain Shining and said, “You are dismissed, Captain.”

The unicorn guard gaped at his superior, “Your Majesty, I have to protest! That being—”

“Has proven that he has no ill intent nor intends to inflicting harm to either of us and he has already apologized to attacking your fellow guards, Captain Shining. And this is an informal and impromptu meeting, I think that means he can be trusted without having to remain under watch by the entirety of the Royal Guards.” Shining Armor glared at the human before giving a grudging huff and marched off, making Celestia sigh as he closed the door behind him, “Now. I do not think I have been told your name, human.”

The man looked back and replied, “Because we haven’t, and we still haven’t figured a name to give.”

Luna frowned and scoffed at the human, “Doth thou mean to say ye were born with no name? We find such statements highly unlikely and we refuse to believe claims to such in the slightest.”

“That maybe so for many inhabitants of this world, but we are a much different from the many. What we say is the truth.”

Luna didn’t seem to agree to his statements, but Celestia cut her off, “Regardless, we do need a name from you, as we cannot simply refer you as ‘human’ and it is impolite to refer one by their race.”

The human merely laughed, “And regardless whether it is impolite or not, we still do not have a name we can agree to use. Perhaps we might find one once you tell us what this ‘solution’ we heard,” Both mares jumped in shock at the mention, “Really? You’re surprised that someone sitting behind you could overhear most of what you’ve said?”

Celestia looked sheepish at her mistake before she asked, “T-Then what do you think?

“Well first, we’d like to hear what this is. What’s the point of asking for compliance if one doesn’t know what they’re complying to?”

That question struck Celestia dumb, as it was a rather profound statement. She had considered letting the human know at a different time, along with the decision. However, now that the human proved privy to what she suggested to Luna, there wasn’t much else but to tell the human.

Except ... .

“Luna, come with me for a second.” Luna looked between the human and Celestia before following her through a side door and into a room that was magically enhanced so as they could discuss without any eavesdropping.

When Celestia closed the door Luna asked, “Dearest sister, what doth be on thy mind? Why didst thou seem so adamant on not making that human give his name? And why, dearest sister art thou dancing with secrets again?”

Celestia looked at her sister squarely across her muzzle and said, “It is because I do not even know if what I think could work ... . Do you remember the Trasfogromorph Spell?”

It took little to no time for Luna to realize what Celestia was suggesting. Luna looked to her elder sister and whispered, “Sister. Art thou surest we should use such a spell? We knoweth to which spell ye refereth to and hath thou forgotten how long it has been last cast? And by whom? Perhaps an illusionary spell—”

Celestia shook her head, “No Luna. We both know that Yaks can sense illusion magic being used and the Griffons are currently so paranoid that the last meeting had their guards search and scour this castle to make sure nothing was out of place or a threat. And if what the Minotaur Avatar told me was accurate, both Griffons and Minotaurs would smell this human’s presence, even if he had been hidden or under an illusion, they’d be able to know. And I dare not test if they truly know his scent.”

Luna tried to think of an argument that didn’t mean to use the spell that Celestia had thought about, however she could come up with nothing. In the end, Celestia pleaded, “Please, Luna? I cannot do this alone.”

It costed Luna dearly when she dared to take a look at Celestia and see her expression. Luna knew full well what Celestia was doing, yet that devastated, pleading look from her was often enough to convince even their mother, “Confound it all, dearest sister. Try us not with yond visage against us!”

Unfortunately, that only convinced Celestia to keep doing it. This time she began getting tears in her eyes, her ears going limp and wings unfurling onto the ground.

That was enough to make Luna almost yell, “Sister, thou art silver-tongued in thy expressions as thou art in words! Enough of thy begging!”

Celestia’s expression immediately changed to a happy look, “So you will aid me in this?”

Luna stared at her sister with a hard expression before giving a deep sigh and moved her head to look down before answering with a dull, “Yes.”

Celestia gave a small jump with an overjoyed expression and hugged her sister.

After letting the happy solar princess have her moment, Luna placed a hoof on her chest and said, “But thou doth owe us a favor for our assistance, give us thy word of honor at least.”

Celestia didn’t give a second thought about it and nodded, “I give you my word, Lulu.” And with that, she turned around and exited the private room.

Luna looked on with a half-hearted irritated huff as she watched her sister go. Though she still held reservations regarding the human, unable to shake the suspicion that he either had something nefarious planned or was in the process of planning some dastardly scheme, she couldn’t help but smile to herself seeing Celestia looking as happy as she loved to remember. Even if it came from somepony who was set in stone and remained so for most of both their lives, the being still brought a happiness to Celestia that made Luna jealous of him as it took effort for her to replicate something similar.

She was still determined to repent for the harm and damage caused by her fall and transformation into that dastardly mare Nightmare Moon and redeem herself in the eyes of Equestria and that of her sister, her sister’s happiness held a greater providence. If the human preys on Celestia’s happiness and then leaves her heartbroken, Luna decided as she followed her sister out the door, then there would be nothing to stop her from enacting revenge against him, even if Celestia tried to stop her and if it meant her own life.

If it came down to that, then it was nothing less than she felt that she deserved.

Luna rejoined Celestia, who was sitting on her respective throne just in time to hear Celestia say, “We’ve decided and have reached an accord.”

For some reason and unknown to both Luna and the human, something was making Celestia pause, as if what she said had some dreadful finality.

The human blinked once and furrowed his brow in confusion and pressed Celestia for more information, “Yes?”

Celestia jerked a little before realizing that she had paused, “W-Well, we’ve decided that with regards to your unique situation, should you agree to this, we can cast a spell so as to allow you to interact with the Equestrian populace at an easier pace, namely by taking the form of a pony.”

The human merely blinked before asking, “And why can we not remain as we are? Surely your civilians and military can tolerate our current form … . Unless your subjects happen to be far more xenophobic than you appear? We see no other reason why retaining human incarnation would not be tolerated otherwise.”

“My subjects are not xenophobic ... not in this kingdom,” Celestia protested, ’Mostly ... .‘ her mind also protested, however she did not say it outloud as she continued to say, “However there are some who do share that attitude toward certain myths and legends, as well as toward the actual races described within those myths and legends. Some of them are more violently opinionated against humanity. And most unfortunately, there are a few of those races who live in neighboring kingdoms and allied to us, but because of their xenophobia toward humans, they would be more than willing to conveniently forget treaties and alliances in order to destroy the humans whom they fear and hate.”

The human gave a small ‘click’ with his tongue without opening mouth and moved his hands to his hips, “Such as? And another thing we do need to ask; how is it that Humanity has been learned of?” Both mares gave him confused looks as the human waited for a response before continuing, “The last we checked, all traces and presences of our kind, besides us of course, was ordered to be wiped out completely, leaving nothing to indicate that humanity had once walked upon this Earth, not even the dust should recognize a human’s presence.”

This seemed to startle and trouble the two alicorns, “Who wouldst give such a terrible order?” Luna demanded. Ordering such extinction was terrible as it is, but to order all traces of an entire race to be annihilated?! Celestia felt incredibly disturbed that somepony would want to erase the very existence of an entire race, regardless of reasons or decisions.

“Our Lord did.” The human responded, as if nothing was wrong with the prospect that someone ordered genocide on a planetary scale and mostly accomplished it, “There wasn’t much left of our kind in the first place, when His order was given. Earth was much like a ghost town as far as humanity’s presence upon it was concerned. Though our Lord had planned for it to be a prosperous land for our kind, circumstances and happenings done by humanity prevented such as they were more concerned in running themselves into the ground. As far as one could have been concerned and from what we now see, the best option one could do at that time was destroy what was there and reuse the remnants for the land you see now. While it pained Him doing so, we didn’t and couldn’t argue against it.”

This only seemed to trouble and disturb the mares even more instead of calming them. Luna’s troubled expression led her to look at the human in sympathy, while Celestia tried to return to the topic at hand … . ‘Hoof’, the human guessed, “A- Anyway, the Minotaur Tribes holds a deep-seated hatred of humans, and some of the Griffons and Yaks of their own separate territories do not hold any positive views regarding bipedal races, and they traverse through us frequently enough, both here in Canterlot, as well as other cities and towns within the Kingdom of Equestria that letting you walk freely and in view of them would prove hazardous not only to your health, but could possibly endanger the citizens of Equestria, should it be known that Equestria harbored a human amongst their midst.”

The human paused and stroked his chin, as his eyes became unfocused as he had a moment of introspection for a few moments. Then he tilted his head, “Do we have a decision on which race we would become? Or does the decision come from you?”

Celestia shook her head, “I’m afraid neither of us can influence the spell. The magic within chooses for itself.”

“Then may we request a week to decide? Many of us hold a stubborn defense for or against your offer, and we require a week to properly arrive at a decision, as your ‘introduction’ to your kingdom hasn’t completely sunk in yet. Also, what we’ve learned down in our sanctuary regarding our ... . personal situation has grown a little complex than we originally believed, therefore it is difficult to decide at the moment.” The human spoke up, causing the Royal Sisters to raise an eyebrow.

However, despite Celestia holding many a questions, as it was obvious that he wouldn’t answer and would likely respond negatively if she pressed him, so she didn’t press the issue, “O-Of course. Although I can only give you so much time, rumors and gossip often escapes this Castle, regardless of how well our guards try to discourage both staff and visitors from being indiscrete regarding the things which we would rather our public not be aware of.”

The human nodded his satisfaction, however he shifted his standing position slightly and asked, “Our question still hasn’t been answered, Princess. How is it that Humanity is known to the Minotaurs, let alone anyone? When purges are made, they are meant to be thorough and leave nothing behind. So where has our species ‘mythologies’ come from?” He had punctuated his last question with furrowed eyebrows and a frown.

Celestia blinked at the hidden aggression behind the questions, but she calmed herself and stated evenly, “Though we are familiar with the myths, we’re afraid we do not know the entire story behind how the Minotaur Tribes have either created or conjured them. The best to our knowledge is that they had drawn these from the ancient Geckos and created their own from them. If you wish, we may send a request of translated Minotaur mythologies, though it may take at most a month or more for such request to be delivered and approved.”

The human relaxed his expression and replied, “We are willing to wait. We are simply worried that by knowing there is human mythology makes us concerned if there are more that had survived the events that led to now ... . We believe we have asked enough for now, as it has only been a day since our awakening, and there is still all ... .” He paused and gave a slow wave of his hand around him for emphasis, “All this to process.”

Celestia smiled comfortingly and nodded, “I am more than willing to help you with this,” She turned her head and nodded to the stallion and mares who were posted by the entrances and windows of the throne room, “Guards? Please show our guest to his new quarters.” Celestia said to the human just as he began to turn, “But before you go, will you be joining us for dinner?”

The human paused as he pondered over her inquiry. Normally, food was little more but simple pleasure in their long existence. They wouldn’t bother unless they simply felt like eating.

Then again, they had been recently aroused from their deep slumber, some food might actually be nice. The deer may have been a good hot food, but if royalty was offering possibly better food, why refuse?

Deciding to indulge in the pleasure of a tasty meal, as well as taking an opportunity to further his knowledge and understanding about this world and the two rulers before him, the human looked back and nodded, “We suppose we could.”

Celestia gave a happy smile and stated, “The guards will show you where the dining room is, then.” After he returned her smile with his own, she placed a hoof over her chest and said, “J-just one more thing? I would like to be the first to welcome you to the new world.”

The human gave a loud chuckle, either because of her greeting or some unknown irony, “Good evening, Princesses.” Having bid the Diarchy farewell, he followed his assigned guard out the throne room and disappeared from the view of the princesses as the door shut behind him.

Celestia held her smile until the throne room doors banged shut before her expression morphed into a far more somber one and she shuddered in nervous relief.

Things were going well. Too well in her opinion. While the human had appeared to be compliant and was reasonably engaged with them, She had observed how he would frequently fall silent and either intensely observe his surroundings or pay an inordinate amount of attention to her sister and herself whenever they conversed with him and his silence seemed to indicate that he knew more than he said.

Had she not known the Warrior to be a statue since her fillyhood, she would have believed that he was a close member of the Zebraic Druids, whom often danced in and out of history and legend telling the heroes and villains of that age either words of wisdom or doom and were kept as free roaming advisors or sages with the ruling figureheads.

Luna was quick to voice a similar opinion, “Doth thou not agree that the events of recent transpiration hath proceeded far better than thou believes it ought?” She stared at the door where the human disappeared to as if she expected him to burst through it and behave … however humans might behave in that situation.

When Luna chanced a look at Celestia, her sister gave a nod of accord and said, “All we can do now is just pray that things stay as peaceful as they have been.” She blinked when a flash of green fire appeared and out of the fire was a scroll with her student’s Cutie Mark tied to it. She levitated it over to her and unrolled the scroll, remembering her student’s ‘assignment’ on Friendship Reports.

Dearest Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that it’s hard to accept when somepony you like wants to spend time with somepony who’s not so nice. Though it’s impossible to control who your friends hang out with, it is possible to control your own behavior. Just continue to be a good friend. In the end, the difference between a false friend and one who’s true will surely come to light.

Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle

Celestia gave a loud, exasperated sigh and lowered her head, nearly losing her crown from dropping. It caused Luna to raise an eyebrow before levitating the scroll to read it for herself.

“Thy student possesses the oddest sense of timed advice, sister,” Luna remarked, giving back the scroll to Celestia, “However, we suppose thy student’s lessons speak for themselves in this.” She looked out the windows on the opposite side of the throne room and stated, “We must tend to our celestial duty this eve, we shalt return unto thee by supper.” She got up from her seat and after earning a “See you soon” from her sister, moved down and out the opposite door where the human had left, leaving Celestia alone with only two guards and the scroll from her student.

Luna’s mind drifted from thinking about the human and instead pondering over what Twilight Sparkle wrote and the rather unusual timing it came on. It was far too coincidental that her scroll would contain the exact lesson she learned that could be applied in this delicate and most unusual situation.

’And,’ Luna idly thought as she approached a nearby balcony and stepped out to move both sun and moon, ’This hath happened once before now, and the unicorn Twilight Sparkle hath made a ‘report’ of her’s that specified the situation involved between our dearest sister and ourself. This cannot be dismissed out of hoof.’

With that thought came an underhoofed plan. It made Luna pause and frown as she knew that it would go against what Celestia wanted and she was overstretching her authority, regardless that she was the co-ruler of Equestria and that she was Celestia’s sister.

Yet despite the cost incurred and problems which might be raised after its execution, it seemed like a reasonable idea. Given the situation, her risk might pay off.

Mustering her courage, Luna teleported to her room and trotted over to her dresser, where her parchment and ink lie and began to scratch and scrawl on it, occasionally crossing out a few words and giving dark mutters every time.

“Here is your suite, sir.” The Earth Pony guard stated, holding a door open for the human to enter through. He stared directly at the human in a professional air that disguised his unease which he felt at being near the tall being.

The human nodded and walked in and observed his suite. The room itself seemed something akin to a fanciful hotel, albeit in a rather modern decor. The floor was a checkered purple and light-blue ceramic tile, with the occasional circular rugs detailing either a moon or a sun in various sizes. A banner depicting a happy pony underneath a sun and moon was placed near a pair of tall windows that was almost as tall as the wall they were placed in.

The dresser and nightstand were of a parody of a Victorian-era furniture, the wood was made of sanded oak and stained in a dark mahogany and had been placed nearby the bed, which possessed a cutesy Valentine’s Day canopy bed with small, black hearts atop of the four bed posts.

The rest of the room was spacious, showing an openness that allowed those who stayed in such a room could decorate at their leisure and to their sense of aesthetics.

The human stared at the bed and raised an amused eyebrow. He turned to the guard who remained at attention within the room and asked, “Did the Princesses intend to select something more fitting between couples? While it certainly suits it’s intention, if a bit cheesy, it isn’t exactly as we would hope for a guest bedroom.”

The guard didn’t appear anything but stoic, but still replied, “The Princesses deeply apologizes for the confusion, sir. The maids shall be informed and will alter the room to your liking.”

The human waved a hand lightly, “Merely tell them for something that doesn’t look like it belongs in a love hotel, we’re not exceedingly picky. While our lodgings are being modified, we would like to ask where the nearest library is.”

The guard nodded once, “I shall pass your instructions to the castle maids. If you will follow me, sir.” He waited for the human to leave the room before closing the door and escorting him through the hallways, pausing only to notify one of the unicorn maids about the human’s request regarding the interior design of the furniture within his suite before resuming escorting the human toward the castle’s library.

When they reached the library, the guard stepped aside, gesturing with a sweep of his hoof for the human to pass him. Once he had, he maintained a yard of distance between the human and himself, scanning adjacent aisles for threats and remained prepared to intervene in the interest of diplomacy should the human encounter hostility by either native, immigrant, or a visiting dignitary or foreign embassy member. The human ignored the guard’s vigilance and roamed around the library, looking at both the books and the whimsical architecture that seemed to simply dominate the castle.

He strode to the nearest bookshelf and looked at several of the titles, occasionally thumbing one or two. The human picked a book out in random and opened it to read.

Not two seconds later, he gave an audible and heavy sigh, as if he had made an important and most disturbing discovery that could change the fates of the entire planet.

The Royal Librarian, who had been previously informed by a gossiping maid about the giant guest, heard him and trotted forwards, nervous about the being, “I-is there a-a, uh problem, s-sir?”

The human didn’t blink as he turned and replied, “Indeed, there is a problem. In fact it is something so incredibly important that your Princesses ought to be informed of this immediately.”

The librarian stared at the human and paled slightly at his dead serious look. She recognized the look from both the Princesses and from Princess Celestia’s protégé and asked, “And what should they be told, sir?”

The human blinked and his expression darkened and looked as if he had made a doomsday discovery, he lifted the recently opened book, and said with the utmost severity,

The guard nearly broke his stoic composure but managed to compose himself aside an initial burst of snorting.
The unicorn stared at the human who kept his dead serious expression in the meanwhile, appeared unsure whether to take him seriously or not, “C-can’t read, sir?”

The man nodded, “We can’t read your written language. Would you mind letting your Princesses know about this?”

“There’s no need to send anypony to tell me this, human.” The two turned to see Celestia herself walking into the library, with two Royal Guards flanking on both sides of her flank, “I hope the accommodations were to your liking?” she asked, looking directly at the human while the librarian bowed.

The human gave a shrug, his expression turning a full one-eighty from serious to amusement, “It’s satisfactory, however it seems you’ve given us the romantic couples room if the bedding were any indication.”

Celestia blinked before giving a small giggle, “My apologies. I had been hearing and seeing much of my Captain had been spending a lot of time with my adopted niece, Princess Cadance. The thought of them as a couple must have affected my decision in giving you the room.”

He chuckled in response, “That would certainly do it, then. Regardless, this guard here notified a maid and the room will be refitted without the rosy decorations. Though,” He paused as he reshelved the book, “What’s this about another princess? Is she another ruler of another country, perhaps a state since you refer her as an adopted part of your family?”

The mare nodded as she trotted over to a nearby couch for her to sit upon, “Cadence, or rather Princess Mi Amore Cadenz-”

Her eyes widened in startled surprise when the man’s composure suddenly broke and he burst out laughing, his laughter echoing throughout the library and into the hallways as the human struggled to compose himself. He coughed several times before managing to wheeze out a “We apologize.” The librarian scowled at the loud disturbance of the pervasive atmosphere of quietude suffusing the interior of the library, but bit her lip before she scolded the human in front of her princess.

When the laughing subsided into small giggles, he looked at Celestia who looked as if some disrespectful wastrel had spit in her face and began to explain, “We deeply ap-hah-ologize, Princess. The name that you say belongs to your adopted niece is familiar to us in one of many human languages. Although, given our observations of the penchance of ponies to employ verbs, adverbs, adjectives and nouns within your names. You, Celestia with your mastery over the sun and your sister Luna, commanding the moon. Would we be correct in guessing that your niece, this Princess Cadance has some kind of talent or skill with regards to love?”

Celestia blinked, her expression not changed before she shook her head and replied, “Y-yes. How did you come to such conclusion?”

The human gave a subsiding chuckle before he was able to keep his laughter completely contained, “It’s because the full name comes from one of our many languages and your niece’s name translates exactly as ‘My Love Cadance’. It can be considered a sappy way of endearment toward someone depending on how one says it. And when you previously mentioned your captain being her paramour and then you giving me a room that was decorated for … romantic engagements.” He paused and waited for the mare’s reaction.
It took Celestia little time to realize what the human meant and she began giggling almost uncontrollably, which caused the human to join in her laughter.

«««✧✦✧»»»
Meanwhile, Princess Cadance and a still stewing Captain Shining were together in the middle of the Canterlot Castle’s hedge maze. They had taken shelter there because it was both quiet and private, allowing the pink alicorn to sooth her coltfriend’s sour mood before her ears suddenly perked up and she turned her head up to look at the main part of the castle.
Shining noticed her sudden silence and asked, “What is it, Caddy?”

She shook her head and frowned, somehow feeling upset, “I don’t know, Shiny. But I feel as if somepony is making fun of me.”

Shining Armor chuckled and nuzzled his special somepony, “I’ll be sure to find who and get them to apologize to you.”
«««✧✦✧»»»

After the human and sun princess had finished laughing, the man turned serious and said, “However, we can’t say we didn’t anticipate that we might not be able to read your writing. After all, we’ve been asleep for over countless eons by our guess.”

Celestia tilted her head to the left and replied, “I can understand your need, and I can readily apply you for primer classes and other necessary educational classes necessary in order to integrate you into our society, unless you plan to travel outside of Equestria?”

The human gave some thought, causing his eye color to become that mesmerizing spiral of color before returning to his pale green. He turned to the large window that overlooked the whole of Canterlot as well as the expansive land below. The human stared out the window for a moment before he admitted, “We had planned on staying, but we do intend to travel abroad, outside of your kingdom.”

He walked towards it, placing a hand on the waist-high railing and looked out before continuing, “The world has changed for us, Celestia. Incredibly so since we last walked upon it, much less the last memory of it before we fell asleep. And we plan on updating our understanding of how this world has changed since.”

Celestia looked downcast, her ears flopping down, as if she was just told he was leaving that instant before he turned around and leaned against the railing with his waist on it lightly, “But, we do need to stay here for quite a while, and we are in no great hurry. We have all of the time in the world, and it’s not going to disappear on us if we decide to take a leisurely approach at learning about this world.”

Celestia’s mood brightened a bit and her ears perked up. However, she couldn’t help but note how he said that he ‘needed’ to stay in Equestria. She planned on asking him for further information regarding his unusual word choice, however there was still the matter of teaching him, “I take it you agree on my idea, then?”

The human nodded his assent. “We feel that we ought to warn you that we are a quick learner, so it shouldn’t take too much time to teach us the ABC’s of your ... Equestrian language?” He gave Celestia a searching look to ensure he had properly identified the name of their language. His reliance upon her to ensure that he was understanding the information regarding this new culture in which he suddenly found himself earned him a small nod whereby confirming that he guessed correctly. “Then when shall we be given access unto a teacher and when will that teacher be available unto us?”

Celestia tapped a hoof against the tile floor and admitted, “In honesty, we currently only have one available in Canterlot and he’s currently responsible for helping Luna. As you can tell from the way she speaks, she’s trying to modernize her language as it’s become a habit for her to speak in archaic Equish,”

The human raised an eyebrow and his eyes once again churned and swirled, but he did not ask nor press the issue as Celestia continued, “You may have to share with my sister during these lessons, as it will take too long for another teacher to arrive. Perhaps somepony who struggles alongside her with our written language may give her the push she needs to apply it and overcome her habit.”

The man gave a considering hum before agreeing, “And the time she takes her lessons?”

Celestia checked the large hourglass that dominated the center of the library and stood only just a little to the human’s left. “She should be having lessons soon after our dinner, which we should be heading to now. Would that be okay with you?”

The human nodded as she turned and began walking away, “We find ourselves amenable to this arrangement. The sooner we can read and write your native tongue the better, as there is much we wish to accomplish during our stay within your borders. As we’ve said before, the world has changed since we last walked upon its surface and we desire to see and understand in what ways this world has changed since we last walked upon it.” He then followed after her, the escorting guard quickly falling into formation with the other guards and walked behind them.
As they walked down toward the dining hall, Celestia couldn’t help but ask, “What was it like? Before ... . your ‘lord’... .”

The human was quick to pick up her question, “Before our Lord cleaned house? For one thing, eventful. You had to go out of your way and put effort into getting peace and quiet. Even then, the peace between us humans never lasted long as life demanded much from you.”

Celestia gave a small frown at how easily the human again mentioned his own species’ extinction, but didn’t linger as she said, “It is similar to the everyday life of my subjects, then?”

“In one way. There’s been times when the name “Human Race” was taken literally, a description of everyone scrambling over each other and clawing each other to pieces for something either useless, pointless, or what never lasted longer than their lives.”

The two continued in silence before Celestia’s curiosity overpowered the somber aftertaste left from her previous question, “Was there anything good throughout those ‘events’?”

The human gave a small chuckle and spread his hands with a shrug, “There’s far too many to truly count. If there is one thing that humans can become incredibly renowned for, it’s their adaptive innovation. Give a man a pile of rocks, and at some point he will created either landmarks, castles, or many other sculptures that either your kind or ours would have recognized before finally stopping on making a statue of an erect phallus, balls and all. After that, he’ll either kick it down or leave it there to go and do something else.”

While Celestia didn’t seem amused at the last bit of his example, one guard gave a crooked grin at the vulgar humor. She gave a glance to the guard in question, who was quick to mask his amused expression before she asked again, “Is there any that would be worth to note?”

He again gave a shrug, “As we’ve said, there’s far too many. First and foremost was that magic did not exist,” That little revelation caused the alicorn to freeze on the spot and gape at the human.

“N-There was no magic during your race’s time?” Celestia asked tentatively as the human registered her sudden stop and turned to wait for her to continued walking alongside him.

He nodded, “Magic was more or less simple superstition or simple party tricks. There was a time when Humanity did believe in magic, but they began hunting and executing those who either claimed or was named “witches” or humans who practiced magic. Sadly, their ways of finding out and discovering the difference between a normal human being and an actual witch was horrendously inadequate. The most common rule was if they died, they weren’t “witches” after all. Which was exactly as everyone continued to find out on every accused ‘witch’ they found.”

“Th-That is completely barbaric!” She protested in horror, “Wantonly killing the accused doesn’t help anypony in the least!”

“Exactly, those ‘witch huntings’ were little more but humans reacting in fear. You could even be rid of a political rival just by yelling at the top of your lungs who was a witch and you would never be challenged about it until after their deaths, in which case those who falsely claimed were considered like witches as well. In our honest opinion, that was an age similar to pruning a fruit tree of dead branches and rotten fruit. A few missed cuts here and there, but mostly kept the Human Race a little cleaner and healthier than before.”

She was first disturbed at his casual dismissal of his own species’ extinction, but to consider and compare mass murders based on nothing but false claims to pruning a fruit tree?

The human continued, “However, we stray from the topic you first asked. Without magic, we developed technology for everything. In fact it’s what led our species to reach the stars and land on the moon itself.” He heard two gasps and turned around to see the unmasked and dumbfounded faces of both the escorting guard and Celestia.

The alicorn was the first to speak up, “L-land on the moon? Your kind had developed so far, as to reach the moon itself?”

“Hah! If humans landed on the moon, then my mother was a jenny!” one of the Royal Guards mocked and chuckled at this stranger’s outrageous claims of his species accomplishments.

Celestia covered her mouth with a forehoof and giggled in amusement at this human outrageous claims. “I didn’t know that humans had such a sense of humor. I’m rather pleasantly surprised.”

The human chuckled at the ponies separate reactions, “Then your mother truly was a jenny and you, yourself, are a mule, for we were not joking.” The guard responded with a sullen glare while the human continued, “One man alone may not appear threatening, nor would he appear to do much on his own, and occasionally this may be true, but when he finds the will to accomplish a task, whether it is to build an empire, fly to the moon, or make the deserts flourish, then we are more than capable of accomplishing goals and tasks that you would consider impossible to do. If something can be conceived in the mind, then man can and will strive to bring that thought and manifest it into reality, even at the discouragement of his peers. Even among our own people, we’ve surprised ourselves with what humanity can accomplish when we worked together to achieve a goal. There were many things our Lord did right with humanity, one of them is how to create and construct.”

While the guards didn’t seem convinced, Celestia idly commented, “You speak much like an old friend of mine who saw the same way ponies could achieve greater success by joining their tribe’s magic together. In fact, he was responsible for helping Equestria come together.”

The human gave a small, mysterious smile, “Regardless, we did reach the moon. And previously we had eyes on the stars themselves,” He looked out a nearby window that was passing by and took note of the fading sun and the rising moon, “We’ve made stories about traveling through the vast empty space, colonizing or discovering all that there was in the universe around us.” He gave a small frown that Celestia looked at with concern. As it passed by he said slowly, “Sadly, that tale and fantasy is not likely to happen, in fact it’s a constant question for us, if mankind ever would have expanded to the farthest reaches of the universe had they not fallen so far.”

Celestia gave a small nudge with her side to his waist in sincere sympathy, “I’m sorry.”

The human gave a sigh and continued to walk on, accepting her sympathy by giving a small pat with his hand on her neck. After a few moments of silence, he replied, “Still, life goes on, and we are here and now, not in the days of old. There’s little point to mourn too much of the past when there is much to be done in the present. Now, about your offer for dinner?”

Celestia gave a nod as they turned a corner and arrived at the dining hall of Canterlot. The guards moved ahead of the two before opening the doors and revealing to the human what would consist of tonight’s feast.

The first reaction to seeing the dining hall was ... . Anticlimactic, really.

As his first thought would have been the fantasia dining halls that had impossibly long tables that reached over almost fifty yards and every inch of it laden heavily with food far beyond anyone’s arm reach and a hallway that was more fitting as a ballroom rather than a place for royalty to sit and dine. But instead while the hall was indeed spacious and decorated well enough to pass as a ballroom, the table was a seven yard long table with food placed sparsely and within reach of the two chairs at either ends of the table.

When seeing no other chair, he turned to give a curious look at the alicorn mare and asked, “And where are we to sit, seeing as you and your sister would sit at opposite ends?”

Celestia gave an amused huff before lighting her horn and casting a spell that summoned a chair appropriately his size. She levitated the three chairs and moved them closer to the buffet table so as the two princesses could sit adjacent to each other while the human would sit across from them.

She gave a small smug look to her fillyhood ‘friend’ before trotting over to her appropriate chair and awaited for him to join her.

Not shortly after he followed and seated himself did the door behind him open and reveal a smiling Princess Luna. Her expression didn’t falter at seeing the human or the seating arrangement her sister had decided upon and greeted, “Good eve, sister and human! We hath been informed of thy intention to acquire the modern tongue just as we art soothly attempting to learn how our native language hath altered since our exile.”

She ignored her sister’s flat stare and the intrigued look the human had as she came over to sit by her eldest.

’She scolds me of talking too familiarly with the human and yet she wantonly informs him of her exile!’ Celestia sighed long-sufferingly and addressed her sister, “Luna, you’re slipping into the archaic tongue again.”

Luna playfully stuck her tongue out at her big sister and replied, “Mayhaps we ought to decree that our subjects ought to learn to speak the proper tongue, rather than this mangled wretched tongue which they utter in this current age!” She lifted up her forehoof skyward, and even Celestia could not tell whether Luna was joking or was serious about making such a royal proclamation.

Celestia risked a glance at the human, who merely watched the sisters’ exchange with amusement.

She looked back with little consideration and argued, “Luna, even if we declared such a decree, think of the time it would take all of our subjects to learn the archaic tongue again, and that isn’t even considering how that would reduce efficiency and production all over our kingdom, nor the budget such a massive undertaking would require, nor the logistical issues regarding the staffing of qualified teachers and tutors such a program which you propose would likely entail. No, it is easier for you to learn, as your proposal merely shunts the lessons from you.”

Luna gave her big sister a dour look, “We still far prefer our proposal, than having to be subjected to this cruel and unusual punishment which we suffer in attempting to learn Modern Equestrian! Why should we have to change? We art the Princess of the Night and Equestria’s princess! It is our subject who ought to change for our pleasure, not the other way around! It is their fault we even ended up on the moon in the first place!”

Said Princess of the Night’s sister scoffed and retorted, “You know full well that is not how Mother and Father taught us, Lulu! Regardless that we are Equestria’s Princesses and we are to lead our subjects, that does not give us the privilege and permission to change what we wish for our personal comfort! Remember that they led by example, and they served their subjects and managed the lands over which they ruled,” Celestia’s expression changed to a smug smile as she closed her eyes and recited, “A good ruler of any land serves the people over which he or she rules over. A tyrant does not care about servitude.”

“Uugh! Sister, thou art truly Mother’s daughter!” Luna groaned at her eldest sister, which caused Celestia to twitch in annoyance, “Thou complain upon serving for our subjects pleasure rather than regarding thy own! Evenst our Father complained how lonely he hast been every night and morn and not once hath we heard thy voice cry in passion since!” Luna waved her hooves, “Thy dreams haven’t even held a single act of debauchery! Thy dreams, sister!”

Celestia blushed heavily and covered her muzzle as her sister spoke of the secrets best kept to the dark from whence they came. Her action didn’t fully prevent the human from seeing Celestia’s blush nor her embarrassment. “Luna! That’s n-naughty talk! Please d-don’t speak in front of others so l-lecherously!”

Luna simply gave a sly grin at her sister, “Tis our home, we speak as we deem fit!”

Celestia’s blush faded a little as her mind thought of a retort, “If that is how you wish to speak in front of guests, then perhaps I should return the favor!”

Luna gave her sister an arch look before giving an amused and mocking laugh at whatever ‘revenge’ her sister could possibly conceive! “Thou!? Ha! Goody four shoes ‘Tia? What could thou possibly ‘return the favor’ with?”

Celestia’s expression took in a half-hearted wicked look, “Perhaps your romantic relationships? Since when have you gotten close to a stallion outside your own guard? Not to mention the constant calls of ‘laundry’ we hear from the maids even now! And did you truly think you could hide from me those ‘mysterious’ gifts in the form of boxes and ‘wrapping’ and tell me they were ‘late birthday presents’! I at least had a stallion between my hooves in the evenings!”

Luna’s already dark coat failed to mask the blush which darkened her cheeks, nor the look of embarrassment which settled upon her visage, as her big sister ‘aired her dirty laundry’ as it were while the human remained silently in their presence. “‘Tia!” Luna whined, her ears flattened against the top of her head as she wrinkled her muzzle at her sister, displaying her distaste at what her sister had done. “T’was a low blow, sister mine! We thought ye incapable o’ such treachery!”

Celestia kept her grin, “Perhaps you should have thought better than to speak such lecherous words!”

“At least the stallions find us desirable enough to enjoy and remain in our company!” Luna retorted, glaring at her big sister, upset at the munition which her sister had used against her. “Doth thine subjects still revere thee as some celibate deity? A deity for the virgins all across the face of Equus? How does it feel, knowing that no stallion found thou desirable enough to pursue thee? That no stallion sought to enjoy thine company a’ter thine duties unto thine subjects had ended and ye enjoyed what little time ye had before ye retired to an empty and lonely bed, and knowing that the ‘morrow would be the same as today!?”

Celestia felt both hurt and angry at how Luna returned fire at her and was about to give another scathing remark about Luna’s ‘night life’ when the door behind the human opened loudly, revealing that the human had been present during the entire exchange and that the chefs had arrived to deliver dinner.

Both mares immediately turned to face the human with wide smiles and equally deep embarrassed blushes while the human had kept an amused expression with two of his knuckles resting against his temple. His other hand was held at his spasming torso as he attempted to quell the sound of his mirth from escaping past his lips. This was the best entertainment he had had in eons!

“What interesting topics siblings discuss and argue about,” The human commented, barely containing his mirth as the chefs placed silver platters consisting of a wide variety of food.

Celestia looked away as her blush seemed the more brighter against her white coat. “F-Forget what you have heard, just now, human. Speak nothing of which has transpired to another living soul!” she besought, secretly hoping that this embarrassment would never pass beyond the three currently present.

Luna looked as if she would rather die in that instant rather than suffer another moment of the embarrassment, “O-Our sister speaks highest wisdom, human.” Her voice had hit a high pitch as she couldn’t gain the strength to look away.

This broke the human’s attempts at containing his laughter and the sound of his mirth resounded throughout the dining chamber and even past the windows and down the halls of the room and passageways leading to and from the royal dining hall.

“Please, Princess Luna, you must relax,” the tutor, an overly fussy unicorn by the name of Luminescent Scrolls, instructed to the alicorn mare, who grinded her teeth at her given work, “Frustration will only make learning more difficult, your highness.”

Luna gave a dark glare at her tutor and muttered to herself as she looked back at the book, a rather large cup of strong tea sat nearby the steaming princess, half drunk already.

The human sat a little further from her and was calmly peering at the strange writings that these ponies had for their written language. “Hmm, perhaps if there were a phonetic translation key, this might have gone faster.” the human murmured, and then glanced in the direction of the language primer’s which the tutor had brought with her.

“This ... is ... B ... Bell?” Luna struggled to say in the way her tutor instructed, in which Scroll’s nod confirmed it. “She ... is ... a ... pegasus.” While the man had the same book, it was obvious that the given sentence Luna had just recited was easier thanks due to the accompanying picture above.

“Watch her ... play with ... her doll.” Luna continued, this time showing a small bit of progress, “She ... . Oh for father’s sake, this is folly and exceeding grievous unto Us!!” She yelled and slammed the book shut, using her magic to throw the book against the wall she was facing toward as her frustration got the better of her, “We hath aged over a millennia, how can we hath such trouble and toil with a book meant to teach foals to read!”

Luminescent Scrolls began to grin as her passion for lexicology overtook her and she swiftly trotted over to her bulging saddlebags and began to extract thick tomes regarding language and its non-static nature. “I’m glad you asked that, Princess! You see, the wonderful thing about language is that it will change as the culture and environment changes. Now to give you …” Luminescent Scroll proceeded to lecture Luna regarding her query regarding why she was having such trouble with learning to read the modern Equestrian language.

Luna groaned and drank the rest of her tea as she suffered under the verbose lecture from the unicorn and began to tune her out for a little peace of mind. After listening to Luminescent as she droned on, getting even deeper into the science of lexicology, she’d take any peace of mind she could get!

She looked over at her classmate who appeared to actually be listening as Luminescent continued further and further into her dissertation regarding lexicology! He was even asking questions which only sent the unicorn tutor down additional rabbit trails as she provided answers to the questions he had asked.

Luna nearly dozed off from tuning out the noise before her nose was suddenly assaulted by a sharp smell. She gave a loud exclaim and reared as she returned to reality to find her tutor watching and waiting for her while the human had moved her empty tea cup to where her nose had been.

“I do hope you realize it is awfully rude to fall asleep when I am trying to not only teach you, but to answer your question,” Luminescent huffed, looking away from the night princess and using her magic to adjust the spectacles she wore.

“Perhaps if thou couldst refrain from droning,” Luna muttered as her tossed book was returned to her hooves and re-opened to where she had been left off, “We hath suffered such thrice before our banishment.” The unicorn mare sighed at the princess’ audible murmuring as she let her horn dim from the use of magic.

“We happen to find Miss Scrolls to be delightfully informed and a most excellent teacher. She has answered the questions we’ve asked in quite a bit of detail. Thank you, Miss Scrolls for teaching us and for answering what questions we’ve asked you,” the human genuinely smiled at the unicorn tutor, as he blatantly flattered her.

The mare blushed at the compliment and rubbed one hoof on the back of her neck, “I’ve never had a very experienced linguist under my tutorship in my life, let alone one who understands so much in terms of grammar and the science behind the fluidity of language. I truly enjoy helping you learn the Equestrian written languages and our lexicon.”

Luna scowled at the human as Luminescent enjoyed the humans blatant flattery and getting into her good graces, while she felt as though her language teacher was comparing her with the human, who seemed to be better at this language stuff from his first day while she had struggled with this accursed language for far longer than she would ever care to admit.

“Well, that is all the time we have for this session!” Luminescent announced, appearing to be a mixture of relieved to be finally done with having to deal with a … learning challenged princess and a little regretful at having to depart from the intellectually stimulating company of the human.

The human nodded with a gentle smile, closing his given foals reading book and holding it by his side, “We await for the next session, then.”

Luna watched her language tutor depart and felt the twinge of jealousy pierce her breast. She silently tried to read her language primer, but tears of frustration and embarrassment blurred her vision as her emotions began to take control, rendering the Equestrian type a wavy blur of ink. Her cheeks flushed and her ears flattened against her skull as she swallowed thickly. Her chair scraped back on the floor as she stumbled to her hooves and threw the book on the ground in front of her.

The human turned at the sound of the primer slamming followed by a choked sob and his expression sobered at the sad sight. He asked delicately, “Would you like our help?”

She tried to whisper but instead her words came out in a yell, “Stay thy hoof from us!”

The human blinked at her shout before ignoring her protests and sat beside her, “There is no shame in admitting that you need help. It is better to improve under the instruction of an adept or master who understands how to explain whatever it is you are trying to learn. But we will not help you unless you ask for it.”

Luna looked in the human’s direction through a watery veil of tears, “And how do we know that thou shalt not publish mine embarrassment throughout the streets of Canterlot!? How do we know thy soul doth not revel in perverse pleasure at seeing our tears and frustration!”

The human didn’t even react to her challenges, “The same way we wouldn’t tell the world of both you and your sister’s sexual life, Princess. And we’re not as sadistic as you imply.”

She immediately jabbed a hoof at him, “Swear it. Swear on whatever holds sacred to thee! Swear thou shalt breathe not a word of what thou hath witnessed!” Luna tearfully cried, rubbing the back of her hoof to dry the tears streaming down her face. Though she’d most likely end up washing her face with cool water, in order to remove the evidence of her tears.
He didn’t hesitate in reciting, “By Lord’s holiest name, we would not utter a word of your vulnerability. In all honesty, He wouldn’t have stood for such sadistic pleasure from his servants for even a blink.”

Luna fell silent for several moments, emotions still stewing and her pride demanding otherwise. However, after a silent internal debate, “T-then w-would you help me, human? We truly would rather not suffer further embarrassment before our instructor, nor cause her further frustration.” Luna tremulously asked, her eyes puffy and bloodshot from her tears.

“Of course, Princess Luna.”

Luna opened her primer and sat beside the human, as she stiltedly read from the modern Equestrian primer intended for foals. “W-we art troubled in understanding this word,” Luna confessed, a slight blush of embarrassment upon her cheeks, as she looked away from the human and feeling ashamed.

The human looked over and placed a finger on one of the words, “This letter here, this is the first letter that begins your word. While the spelling is important, it is more important to consider the phonetic sound the letters make, both individually and how it interacts with the other vowels and consonants comprising the word. So then the next letter …” the human began, teaching Luna in a manner that was far more simpler and much more understandable to someone who was struggling to understand the language like she had.

A couple hours had passed and while Luna still had a way to go in gaining mastery of Modern Equish, she was making more progress than she had in her collective time under Luminescent Scrolls’ tutelage. She reared up and wrapped her forehooves over the human’s shoulder, and nuzzling his cheek and face in gratitude and appreciation. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! You art a life rescuing flotation device!”

Though the human didn’t understand the meaning behind her nuzzling, he chuckled regardless, “The proper term is lifesaver, Princess,” He gave a louder chuckle when she gave a heated glare, “But you are welcome.”

“If you are not careful, then you might earn a personal trip to the moon, human!” She lit her horn and playfully swatted the human’s rump with her telekinetic magic.

He laughed at her threat, “Princess while we’d love to go and see the moon for ourselves, we’d simply launch ourselves back and cause a crater in your kingdom.” He continued to laugh when Luna stared at him incredulously.

“You would do it too, considering the impossibilities you claim to do.” she deadpanned and dramatically reclined across a couple of chairs. “Alack and woe, art there none to magic this scoundrel into a respectable gentlecolt? Shall we ne’er be rid o’ thine wit?”

“You could kiss us,” He remarked, earning him the sight of Luna bolting straight up, staring at him with wide eyes and blushing profusely.

However she quickly recovered as she realized his game and decided to play along. “Be careful what thou wish for, for I am not Princess of the Night for only raising the moon each night!” she replied, approaching him with a seductive gait, her stride highly exaggerated as her flanks swelled and relaxed as the muscles tightened and loosened as they moved in accordance with her body’s command. She gave him a half-lidded stare and she licked her full, glossed lips.

“And I am not your eldest sister for naught, Luna.” A new voice resounded behind her, nearly making the alicorn’s blood freeze in surprise. She turned around and found Celestia standing there by the open doors with a flat stare.

Luna paused as she calmed down from her sudden surprise and goaded her big sister, “Have you come to rut your paramour, dear sister? Are you sure you just couldn’t resist having the human for yourself and messily kissing him in fervent passion?” Luna rejoined, circling around her sister and used a little of her strength to push her big sister towards the human.

Celestia gave a hot glare at her sister’s teasing before retorting, “At least I can hold myself off whereas you fall for him from a simple language lesson!” She turned to address the human before realizing something off from how her sister spoke. The mare quickly turned around and asked, “Luna? Are you speaking in modern Equestrian?”

“Hmmm, amazing isn’t he? Your precious Warrior was so smart that he was able to do in a short while what the language tutor you hired could not. Perhaps I shall be very ‘good friends’ with your human warrior,” Luna teased as she swayed her hips and approached the human. Once she had drawn near enough, she lifted her forehoof and caressed the human’s cheek. Her head drew closer, as she pursed her full lips, slowly drawing ever closer to kissing the Warrior.

Celestia almost yelled at her sister before recognizing just what Luna was up to, “Honestly sister, your antics are getting worse than what happened during the human’s first dinner. But was she right that you helped her, human? Better than the tutor I had given?”

“Your tutor is most certainly qualified to engage in a discourse regarding lexicology. But we honestly question any claim of her having taught your language to anyone learning even the most basic language building blocks, or even Equish as a second language.”

Luna blinked at the human as he placed a finger on her lips before gently pushing her down. She was mildly surprised for the human to suddenly turn on the compliments he had previously paid lavishingly to the unicorn mare, “She favored extremely technical and complex terminology, not once did she explain about attempting to use phonetics and not learning how the word or words sound, but instead relied upon the pictures in language primers to do a word-image association. We took what she tried to teach and made it much more simpler and easy to understand for someone just beginning to try and learn the language.”

Celestia sighed in both relief for Luna and disappointment in herself, “I am deeply sorry, and incredibly grateful for you to give aid in this. I had thought that Luminescent Scrolls would have helped. Though I was aware of her eccentrics with lexicons, I had thought that because we both went through the same tutelages together you would understand the same things I had learned through her.” Her ears flopped down as she tried to explain herself while Luna moved off of the human and nudged over to her sister, teasings and flirting forgotten.

“Thou art oft busy sister, and thy duty to helping Equestria and all her subjects that there is rarely any time for thee to observe every moment of our attempts to join the current societal terms and expectations. How couldst thou known?” she asked before giving a loving nuzzle.

The human remained silent during the two alicorns exchange, but noted over Luna’s physical interactions with both himself and her sister.

’Perhaps Equestria is a tactile society?’ He asked mentally, sparking theories from the Legions of the Tower of Eternity.

It’s fascinating, their social interactions also seem deeply based upon physical touch, I wonder, one voice pondered, perhaps their social structure is based upon emotions, and treats them as sacred. It would explain how the Princesses would maintain a relative neutral expression during civility yet let themselves be open the moment they have peace and knowledge their ‘impassive’ reputation isn’t tarnished.

Or perhaps social interactions themselves are considered sacred. Take Princess Celestia in example. She’s seemingly referred by her sister as a deity in the eyes of the public, and she has proven a tendency to keep secrets from us. Yet the moment Princess Luna both revealed one particular secret and badgered her into an argument, she threw caution to the wind in the safety of her castle yet forgetting we were there and listened to every word. Another commented.

Their thoughts were broken and their attention returned to the reality around them when they heard Celestia asking them something, “Our apologies, Princess. We were in deep thought, what did you say?”

Celestia gave a small, irritable huff but replied, “I had stated that during the time that I’ve known you in your petrified form and during the time you had been awake and with me, in my eagerness I had forgotten you carried with you a sword and was donned in armor. Yet now that I recall this detail, I do not see you carrying any weapon of any kind and neither do you seem to wear the same armor. Were they merely decorations prior to your comatose?”

Speaking of secrets ... . The human thought as he gave an imperceptible huff. He stood up and tapped his right side with a hand, “No, the sword was real, as was the armor. With the sword, we merely made it less visible whereas with our armor we simply exchanged it to our current attire. It helps when obvious weaponry can cause delicate situations worsen.”

Celestia followed his hand and found a small hilt, about the size of a hoof sticking out of a small sheathe.

Luna looked as well and asked, “Thy sword changes size, then?” She was nudged by her sister for falling back into habit.

The human shook his head, “It’s actually much different and far more complex than that.” He unsheathed a small weapon, revealing it to be a decently sized hunting knife, the blade being half a foot from tip to hilt. He tilted and moved the blade to let the metal glisten a little in the provided light before making a twirling motion, as if it were a longer weapon.

But when the blade passed behind his hand and reappeared, it it’s earlier appearance drastically altered into what was now presented before them.

The alicorn sisters’ eyes went almost as wide as dinner plates when all of a sudden, a yard long blade, completely disproportionate to the hunting knife, appeared out from behind the human’s arm. The grip which had been much smaller before being passed behind the human’s back had, upon its turn in the rotating movement, became a foot long hilt when it had ‘returned’ to their sight.

The mares’ mouths dropped when the human gave a slow, wide swing with the sword in front of him and as the sword passed, his clothes changed into the same armor the mares had seen him in before.

He twirled a third time and hefted it in one hand as if it were light as a stick.

He gave a grinning chuckle as Celestia muttered, “N-no. Impossible. That, that’s not possible ... Not without magic.” Yet the longer she stared the more she realized that a hunting knife and cotton clothes had somehow transformed into a hand-and-half sword and full metal armor the instant both weapon passing out of her sight and behind the human’s torso, while the same changed weapon ‘hid’ the human from sight. Luna was simply dumbstruck at the human’s ‘trick.’

The human replied with a shrug as he moved the sword to rest against his shoulder, his voice rang out from behind the hollow metal plates, “To anything and everything, oh yes. What we just did was impossible for anyone in the physical world to replicate. Out in the Lord’s realm and within His Kingdom? It’s so common, the anointed warriors and generals could do this in their sleep.”

Celestia’s horn immediately lit and a glowing aura surrounded the human’s weapon, which he let her take it. She brought it to herself and stared at it. She gave a light swing with the weapon, hearing it whistle through the air. When Celestia brought it back she placed a hoof over the tang to feel it and was met with cold, hard iron stopping her hoof.

“T-That’s ...” She stuttered a second time at the sight.

“Something only a Higher Up can do, dear Princess,” The human stated as he took the sword by the handle and after Celestia let it go and watched him twirl it around before performing the same trick again by transforming the armor back into his previous attire.

“Though this does give us a thought,” he mused before grabbing the sword by the blade near the hilt and held it by his side comfortably as if his hand was the sword’s sheath.

The act of him catching the sword with a bare hand made Luna snap out of her dumbfounded reverie and gave a choked yell in alarm before noticing that no blood had begun to drip from his hand. She gave a skeptical look before trotting around to look at the sword for herself.

He gave a small grin before returning to a neutral expression and asked, “Once things do settle down and we have a looksee around the place, you wouldn’t happen to have a sparring ground around here would you?”

Celestia was able to recover from the startling trick he pulled and gave a nod, “W-we do, why do you ask?”

“A way of returning to our preferred condition. We were warriors, remember?”

Luna gave a small scoff, “Thou hast not answered in full, human. Wherefore doth thee find reason to use a soldier’s ground? One could expect such reason to prepare for an impending battle.” She gave a closer inspection and gave a disdain huff, “And why is thy sword dull!? Thou couldn’t cut bread with such a flat edge!”

The human shrugged, “Flat edges keeps the weapon durable, and it can still cut. Why we need the sparring grounds is because both our strength and abilities are not entirely at the level of skill and agility we held prior to our long sleep. Despite how much we needed the sleep, our body had remained completely still during the course of our rest, and despite being cut off from the world our body has deteriorated.” He gave a small gesture to Celestia, “Surely you would know what it’s like when you let your body stay in one position far too long?”

The alicorn mares gave their share of lamenting looks as they knew the feeling all too well, and its name was ‘Day Court.’ Staying still for almost an entire day minus lunch and dinner was terrible. Whenever they moved, their bones gave either small groans or popped while the blood rushed back through the body, not even a second of it happening wasn’t pleasant unless it was through the head. As blissful as the euphoria was, the blood rush always left them unstable and having to rely on calling the guards to help them down from the stairs or lean against a wall to steady them until the feeling had passed.

Celestia gave a sympathetic nod, though she shivered at remembering the painful pins and needles of leaving one of her legs in one position far too long and could barely imagine doing the same thing only for an unknown amount of time, “Very well. In the morning, I shall send a guard to escort you to the Royal Guard barracks. Though, I only feel it proper that I warn you that Captain Shining often rouses his fellow Guard early in the morning to perform drills and practice maneuvers,” When the human gave an intrigued look at her she frowned slightly, “I warn you for your sake, as he still remains sore regarding your actions and attitude to his attempt at performing his duties this morning.”

“Does he usually carry a grudge?” The human asked with a tilt of his head.

Celestia gave his question some thought before shaking her head in negation, “He usually does not, but regardless he doesn’t appear to like you. It is most likely that your attitude and actions towards his fellow guards and perhaps my demand out of you and him has hurt his pride significantly. He has been most passionate regarding the duties expected of our Royal Guards. It may be awhile before his damaged pride subsides enough to have anything resembling an amicable encounter with you.”

The human blinked before giving a small sigh, moving his arm that held his sword up so to let the point of the weapon rest against the tiled floor, “We’ll be sure to avoid or try not to antagonize him should we see him. Do you have any other questions for us at this time, because otherwise, we do want to know if there are any nightly activities we can do?”

“T-thou maintain thy vigil during the night hours?” Luna exclaimed looked a mixture of astonishment and excitement. Her grin grew when the human nodded in confirmation.

“Luna, you’re slipping back into the ancient tongue again,” Celestia gently teased and reminded her sister of her linguistic slipup.

She didn’t acknowledge her sister’s words as she threw her front hooves into the air, “Huzzah! We have encountered a denizen of the midnight hour, Sister!” Luna then clapped her front hooves in happiness, “One who does it willingly, and not from fear of our displeasure and wrath! Long have I waited for such a one to appear before me, a fellow comrade of our night, and not those daytime hoof-lickers that worship your very existence and the ‘yes’ ponies that surround you on a daily basis!”

The human gave an amused chuckle and replied, “We do often find the night as an hour of solace and respite, but we are well capable of dwelling in both day and night.”

Luna gave a happy grin before she made a thoughtful hum, “Despite how much one can do during the nightly hours, Our dear sister is oft grumpy when woken before morn. We suppose thou couldst perform the drills and military exercises alongside our night guards and spar with them. Their barracks is a little further away, so as to not disturb both castle and the public with the clamor of steel. Coming from an age of a bygone era, we suspect there art options for thee to pursue during our nights.”

The human paused as he conferred with the Legion of the Tower of Eternity. ’What are your thoughts, mine ancient companions?’

’Watch your tongue with us, boy. Though that type of speech works with what seems to be the medieval era of this land, that does not give you excuse to play ancient silver tongue with any of us. You know full well how to speak simpler than that.’ Came the first response the instant the human finished asking.

The human gave an outwardly shrug, “Then sparring itself can easily wait until morning, as there is still much to think about in the meantime. We will keep in mind of your suggestion Princess Luna, though we still have a desire to learn and read from the library. Now that we have been given a start in understanding your written language, we can make a better headway into understanding Equestria.”

Luna made an unhappy look, but she did not look irate, “Such decision irks us, but we suppose we shalt agree to this.” She jabbed a hoof before he could respond, “We request as a fellow student of learning a foreign language, that thou show us a kindness and instruct us further to ease our frustrations with this new modern tongue. Shalt thee require an escort to show thee the way unto the castle’s library?” Princess Luna inquired, though she quickly looked away from her sister with a small blush of embarrassment, signalling she did not want to talk about the earlier lesson.

“Why not join us tonight, Princess Luna? Unless there any responsibilities which might obstruct you from learning your native tongue as well, we might make the learning fun with games and wordplay exercises to help speed up the progress.” The human asked Luna.

Though Luna gave a sideways glance and a gentle smile, she shook her head and replied, “Though we wouldst appreciate such aid, we still hold duties in our name as Princess of the Night. We art afraid thou shalt hath such activities done alone.”

The human shifted on his feet before he said, “A pity then, but understandable.”

Celestia stopped them from exiting before she asked, “Though I’m more than willing to let you learn of our history and culture, there is something which has baffled many of our ponies throughout your sanctuary’s discovery,” She hesitated when she saw the human’s brow furrow and his mouth pull tight into a frown but continued, “I-it’s about the language that was etched into the walls and the back of your chair and I was hoping that ... maybe you could help translate what they say?”

His face darkened further as his expression grew to a cold and stoic calm. Like the ever changing wind, his amused smile and jubilant attitude vanished swiftly and in it’s place was an intense stare and a silence which communicated his displeasure to the princesses. His irises had begun to shift through the myriad color spectrum at a dizzying rate.

In all honesty it was incredibly unnerving, seeing the change.

She quickly explained, “M-my sister had a series of dreams that left her with the ability of translating the language, b-but she only focused on one sentence that had lied in front of you as you slept. You had given a great deal of focus on the writings on the back of your seat, more so than the rest of the tomb. Th-the pictographs were enough to give some story about you but ...” she fell silent as the man didn’t respond nor did his expression waver.

Luna’s wings started unfurling and she started walking closer to her sister, her stance stiffening as she stared just as intensely at the human. Celestia looked between her sister and the human nervously and began to fidget as a few minutes dragged on in complete silence, as if the friendly and joyful fellowship had meant nothing during those several hours.

It quickly came to Celestia that while the human did seem to hold no ill intention, that didn’t mean things said or done could influence such decision, and there was little to nothing both Celestia and the human knew of each other.

Finally the silence was broken when the human closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He relaxed his cold expression and sighed before saying, “Forgive us for saying this bluntly, but this does need to be stated,” He looked up and gazed at the two alicorns, his expression still a scowling frown, “What is written on the backing of our miniature throne is a deeply personal letter between us and our Lord. We are willing to be friendly and we most certainly welcome your hospitality, and we intend to remain so and be thankful for it, but we will not discuss our past to complete strangers.”

Celestia and Luna immediately voiced their complaints against what he said, but the human remained adamant as he raised a hand, “That said, what is written are my secrets, and secret shall they remain. And our secrets are something that we’ve done very well at keeping. And so until further note, we’ll not trust you with our secrets.”

Luna glared at the human, “We hath trusted thee with our noble body and our recent return to Canterlot Castle, we hath remained in thine company with very few guards. We hath even allowed thee to aid us in our tutelage and, unintentionally, told thee secrets of our personal lives behind these very walls, before trusting thee to remain silent upon such! And now thou hast the gall to withhold thy secrets?!”

“Once again you fail to realize that Equestria is the first place that we have awoken to.” the human replied coolly, his voice not rising any further than he had before Celestia’s mentioning. The failed expectation of him shouting made Luna lose her anger and made Celestia feel unnerved by it, “And by our own witness and deduction, there still remains those who engorge themselves in selfish politics, which clearly must mean that your nobles exploit and use others to their own pleasure. Thus you’ve had to have dealt similar strategy against them in order to stand against their selfishness. And we’ve easily noticed about one particular ‘secret’ that was first delivered as your sister arrived to dinner, Princess.”

Celestia’s ears drooped and her head lowered as she realized what he meant. However, Luna kept her aggressive stance as she regained her dropped anger.

The human gave a chiding remark, “Trust is one thing, but playing harlot with your heart is folly.”

Luna was quick to respond, now baring her teeth, “Thou speaketh of trust, yet thy response to a simple question marks thine own distrust! The nobles are spoilt and selfish, but they do not resemble all of Equestria as a whole! Equestria was built on trust and friendship, and we hath besought thee in friendship and we still beseech thine friendship, and thou respond with guarded walls! Art all humans this distrustworthy to selfless benefactors?!”

The human was even quicker to retort, “Perhaps you would prefer your heralds to proclaim your dirty laundry from the rooftops? Perhaps talk with your enemies and their spies and assassins and then invite them to have tea? To demand a trade between of intelligence and then claim that ‘trust’ has been exchanged is—” the human fell to silence, and seemed to fume silently behind a frown, “A relationship must be built on trust and friendship. But using goodwill to levy information which we do not want to disclose is not a wise idea.”

Luna flared her wings open and took a step forwards, her head low while her horn was pointed at the human, “Then enlighten us, how mightest we gain thine trust in us, since ye deem it fit to mock our kindness and hospitality!”

“If you wanted our trust, you would not be asking how to do so.”

“We would not be asking for ways to earn thine trust if thou wast free with it to begin with!” Luna screamed her frustration at the infuriating human.

Celestia couldn’t take any more bickering and yelled with her Royal Canterlot Voice, “Enough!”

Both parties stopped and turned their gazes toward the Sun Princess, who had watched the two yell at each other in dismay and almost looked as if she was torn about whether to panic or not.

She began to calm herself down with several deep breaths and was able to calmly talk, first addressing her younger sister, “Luna. In all honesty, I agree with the human. We ought to guard our tongue more closely, lest some cunning foe uses what he or she learns to their advantage and our hurt. If the human does not want to talk about his personal past, then let him be.”

Luna gave a small, angry snort but did not talk back as Celestia turned on the human, “But trust is a two-way path, human. Though what we’ve said in your presence was more than what should have been shared, we’ve already asked to trust in you to not speak of such things to anypony. I have already given you my trust by bringing you here, given you what I had planned since you said you ‘needed’ to be here and showed you respect and granted your request to be given a week before making such an important decision, even warning you that a week is the longest I can afford to hide your presence. I have trusted you to not immediately attack either me, my sister or any of the ponies here in Canterlot Castle multiple times. In all things considered, I have given a great deal of trust to you, and while you’ve done well to hold that trust. Can you not do the same for us?”

The human stared and debated within himself, and through his mental debate Celestia could only hope that he would at least acknowledge what she said.

After a few seconds, he closed his eyes, sighed and then admitted, “Perhaps. Perhaps because of being human and having once lived alongside corrupt humans for so long, it’s hampered our ability to trust deeply. In time, we will see about that, Princess. But for now, we are adamant in guarding our trust.”

She gave a comforting nudge to Luna to calm her sister down, “It is all I ask for ... . As for the matter with the library, it closes after sunset. There has been a history of students and unicorn mages burning midnight oil within the bookshelves, which had forced me to set up such closing hours. Only in cases of dire urgency does the library become available.”

She turned around and looked out the window, noting that night had completely fallen, “And Luna will be needing to start her nightly duties quite soon. We do apologize the inconvenience, however.”

Celestia was lying, albeit not entirely. Though she did indeed place a closing hour for the library, it was placed there more so for her student’s sake as Twilight often spent too many hours within it’s many bookshelves, and that often ended up with Celestia having to come to her and inform her on being late to her breakfast and daily lessons.

There was a sneaking suspicion that her constantly berating Twilight for being late might have made too much of an impact to the unicorn mare.

The human blinked and seemingly bought her lie, for he shrugged and said, “Very well. Since there is little else to do, we will wait for morning then. Good evening, Princesses.” He gave a small bow and left. The guard who had escorted him earlier began following after him and helping him find his given room.

Once they were out of sight when both Princesses left the room, Luna gave a huff of disbelief, “‘We’ve yet to trust you,’ he says!”

Celestia looked over to her sister and replied, “He is not entirely wrong, Lulu.” She took note over how Luna’s gaze became more upset, “Sister, I know I lied about the library, but in truth---”

“I know, ‘Tia.” Luna interrupted, returning her stare, “I know that my duties as Guardian of Dreams takes precedence and would have left me with very little time to spend with the human. But it still upsets me how he continues to claim and then do impossible things to our very eyes and then shy away the moment a question is asked!”

Celestia frowned and let her posture slump as her eyes drifted away from her sister. None of this human’s behavior made sense!

’A stranger in a stranger world.’ The thought echoed across her mind. She paused in her musings and dwelled upon that thought. Despite how she knew the human as a statue and was considered a ‘fillyhood friend’ there was barely anything she knew about him and it was only by their series of verbal slips did he learn much about them.

Even then, he barely understood any of the social norms and standards of Equestria, and his ignorance was obvious as he didn’t understand what touching his back against hers meant during the ride to Canterlot. The more and more Celestia thought about it, the more it made sense.

Luna gave a long sigh that distracted Celestia from her thoughts and said, “The hour is late, and you, my dear sister, must go to bed.”

Celestia gave a foalish whine at her younger sister, getting Luna to giggle and retorted in a similar tone their mother would have used had they still been fillies, “Young filly, you march yourself right into your room and get yourself ready for bed now! Do not make me escort you!”

Celestia laughed with her before she nuzzled her head against Luna and said, “Good night, my beloved sister.”

Luna was quicker to return the nuzzle and her reply, “Good night, dearest sister. Dream well.”

The white alicorn gave a low huff, “I better dream well. After all that I’ve been through, one would think I would have earned respite from it all! I’ve yet to see that Cakeland you once promised!”

“And thou shalt, precious sister! We shalt assure thou shalt be the first to faint in a dream and enter the comatose of sugar!” Luna declared with pride, her head tall and her stance wide while her wings had opened at their fullest.

Celestia giggled again and gave one last loving nuzzle to her little sister, before departing to her chambers. She had to focus on not cantering all the way there just to escape the aches and pains of her physical body and the exhaustion from the efforts she had to take to prevent the human’s presence from being revealed and to appease whatever problem had arisen that day.

Not two seconds after entering her chambers did she teleport her shoes, jewellery and crown away from her, nearly making them crash against her dresser and sighed in relief in feeling the cold tile with her, now naked, hooves.

She was quick to move to a door that was a sharp left from the front doors and stepped into her royal bathroom, eager to relax in a hot bath.

The bathroom didn’t appear in the golds and whites so prevalent of the majority of Canterlot’s architecture. Instead, the floor was tiled in ebony plates of obsidian, The walls were tiled in the azure blue of Lapis Lazuli and the ceiling with diagonal planks of red cedar which glistened in a clear lacquer. The wooden furniture was made in oak varnished in a dark mahogany, especially the massage bed and the washing stools, while other furniture such as towel racks and cabinetry were of the red cedar with the glossy clear lacquer. The cushion of the massage bed was stuffed with wool and contained in a woolen sheet. The towels, rags and the massage table fabric was of wool dyed in a dark wine red. Oil sconces decorated the room, as did several oil chandeliers, all of which burned pure olive oil and was fed from an oil reservoir kept above the room. Very few of Celestia’s subjects saw her bathing room and most of the nobility likely would be shocked to learn that it didn’t follow the trend of the white and golds so prevalent in the majority of Canterlot’s architecture.

Celestia wouldn’t have had it any other way.

However, Celestia wasn’t focused on the interior decor, and neither was she focused on her maids who had waited and bowed to her when she entered, her eyes were solely focused on the bathtub that was filled with soap water and with her rubber duck.

Celestia hopped in, causing a slight splash. She gave a quick, sharp gasp at the heat difference, but gave a just as quick sigh as her body adjusted to the hot water as it helped her to release some of the stress she often gained from ruling over her kingdom and her subjects. She sank ever deeper into the tub, eager to soak every bit of her body as her maids placed a cushion under her chin and began working at her body, cleaning every inch of her.

Celestia drifted off as they worked away and nearly fell asleep before she was aroused by her maidens. When she got up and found the bathtub already empty and her body almost literally sparkling clean alongside her mane and tail glistening and silky smooth while retaining a bit of moisture.

She gave a appreciating nod to the two mares before leaving the bathroom and collapsed upon her bed in a manner most unbefitting a royal. Without a second thought, she pulled Paper Mache close to her and fell asleep.

While Celestia and Luna had discussed to each other and while Celestia had drifted off during her nightly bathing, the human had debated long to himself as he was escorted to his now sparse and removed Valentine’s Day decor in the place of a single bed that was long enough to accommodate for his size along with the canopy in a near opaque white color.

He sighed as he moved to the window and watched Canterlot below sleep.

One and a half days and already he had found entertainment in the form of rediscovering the world and how it had changed since he had last walked upon its surface and the first civilization he had encountered since his release from his formerly petrified state had lied within eyesight. And on top of that, he encounters the leading rulers of his first encounter with this current civilization and was given much, some of it more than the two mares had even likely intended to give him.

Despite all the excitement, he was still concerned over a great deal of things. First and foremost was the choice which the Princesses had given him.

It was easy to see the reasoning behind it, though the explanation as to how that reasoning had come into existence was patchy at best as there still should have been no indication regarding the presence of humans or their civilization. And yet these ... Minotaur Tribes? ... Minotaur Tribes had somehow conjured up a mythology involving humans and treated the species like the Black Plague.

The Legion within the Tower of Eternity shelved the decision for another time. They had a week to decide, not a night.

For now they would go over the events since their awakening.

’Although,’ the human thought before any of the Many began to ponder, ’What do we truly do about that letter of ours?’

His question echoed across the Mental Plains and was met with considered silence. The question itself was a very good question to ask. It was obvious that they would follow it, who the hell wouldn’t when it was literally coming from your superior, let alone creator?

But how to follow it was the problem. What He had said to them left a great deal of freedom and room to maneuver, albeit within the standard set of rules that anyone with a shred of common sense and moral fibre would understand.

Finally a single and unified thought came across the Mental Plains, ’What now?’

And it was a thought that left them utterly stumped.

’We’re trying to do too many things at once,’ The human mentally decided, gaining the ‘attention’ of the Many, ’Let us prioritize and focus on the task with the greatest priority.’

’And what would you want to start on?’

’A name, for one thing. We can’t walk around anymore without a unified name. In the past we got by with simply ‘you’, ‘them’ and ‘us’. But now the world has changed and we need to adapt to that change, starting with a name.’ The Many slowly started to agree to his reasoning. Simply being called ‘the human’ wouldn’t work anymore.

Thus began the discordant cacophony of trying to find an appropriate name for them to be identified by..

First name that was belted out was, ’Blade!’ The reasoning behind the name came quickly, explaining that since the ponies were all named after their talents, why not name themselves after what they used and were good at using?

’Too edgy.’ Was the resounding answer from every soul that resided. Not a single soul wanted to be identified by such a name, with the exception of the human suggesting it and therefore didn’t even consider it.

The next one came from one human who didn’t belong to the same language as the name he was suggesting, ’Tsubasa!’

’Coming from the basement dweller? No.’ Came the mocking answer, which gained the human who made the suggestion to grumble in hate against the others.

The human outwardly moved himself over into the bed, disrobing himself as he did so and quickly moved into the bedsheets before he would have lost attention to the outside world.

Once he was done shifting into the mattress, he turned his attention inward, joined in the naming debate.

And waited for the coming dawn.

Author's Notes:

What? I can post faster than it took to post the last chapter.

Anyway, here we are! A new chapter and it's the first and true meeting between characters!

Mind hitting that like button and giving a comment how you like this story? It helps give me an idea of how you guys are liking this story so far or of there are any missing mistakes.

It also helps bring this story to the attention of others.

*Languishes over only having triple digit views and double digit likes and getting overshadowed by more popular stories*