“There’s Ponyville,” Dusty said, breaking the silence in the cabin while pointing a hoof at the window. Herman and Spring broke out of their stupor, as they both had been pondering the reason why Herman had been called to Canterlot.

“That’s your hometown, isn’t it?” Dusty continued while looking sideways at Spring.

“Y-yes,” Spring agreed, looking up from staring down at her hooves. “But it’s been nearly ten years since I moved to Canterlot.”

“Your family still lives there, correct?” Dusty continued, trying to keep the new conversation going.

“My mother does,” she said, in a slow and defensive tone. “But, we won’t have time for any social calls.”

Herman could tell there were some issues there but decided to close his eyes and relax instead of inquiring about it.

“I don’t think it would be a problem if you went in for a quick visit,” Dusty pressed.

“Be quiet, Dusty,” Spring said, somewhat peeved. “Herman isn’t feeling well, and needs to rest.”

“Oh, sorry.”

They were all silent after that, except for the rattle of porcelain whenever Dusty drank some more tea. While Ponyville could be seen from there, the train headed westward to avoid the canyon in-between. Half an hour passed in the cabin, with Herman not getting much rest due to the rumbling train and poor sitting position.

“We’re almost at Ponyville,” Spring said, jumping off the bunk and placing her hoof on Herman’s leg. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine, just need a good night's rest,” Herman replied. He opened his eyes to look outside and found that they were traveling past lush green fields and hills.

“Take it easy,” Spring said, then addressed Dusty. “Could you bring Fair Weather in here?”

Dusty saluted in response, then trotted out.

Herman took the opportunity to stand up and stretch, while Spring watched him as if he might fall over.

Dusty and Fair Weather filed in, standing at attention and waiting for orders.

“Alright,” Spring began, addressing the stallions. “I want you both to escort Herman directly to the hotel. Dusty, you carry Herman’s suitcase.”

“Won't you be coming with us?” Fair Weather asked.

“I need to make a stop at town hall,” Spring said, hesitatingly.

“So you were going to visit your mother after all?” Dusty said and smiled at her.

“No, my visit is purely work-related,” Spring retorted. “I need to speak with the Guard representative that works there. Ponyville isn't big enough to warrant a fully staffed Guard station.”

“Oh,” Dusty said, ears drooping.

The train slowed to a crawl, and Herman could see buildings from the side windows. He decided to put on his white suit again and hoped the smell of his dried up sweat wouldn’t seep into it. He then reached out for his suitcase on the top shelf, which he handed to Dusty.

“Thanks,” Dust replied. “Being tall sure seems useful.”

“I imagine flying being more so,” Herman replied, then reached for his overcoat.

The train's brakes screeched loudly before coming to a halt, and the now visible platform had a few dozen ponies waiting to board.

“More ponies are heading to Canterlot,” Fair Weather noted while standing next to the window. “At least we don't have to stay on a packed train.”

“Alright,” Spring said, and hardened her expression so much that both her eyebrows nearly made out. “Fair Weather, I want you to take point while we embark.”

Fair Weather saluted, then headed towards the hallway.

“Is that necessary?” Herman asked while putting on the overcoat. Spring just gave him a defiant look. “Right, regulations.”

They waited there a few minutes, and then Fair Weather motioned them with his wing. Herman assumed it meant that the path was clear, and rightly so. When the party went on the next wagon, the corridor was empty, as a majority of ponies had remained in their seats. They marched out, with Fair Weather up front, followed by Spring, then Herman, and Dusty at the rear, carrying the suitcase.

The departure from the train went smoothly. Herman felt a bit lighter on his feet, and more confident now that he was wearing his suit and overcoat. All the passengers still stared at him, but this time he didn't mind the attention.

The air outside was chilly, with more than one pony carrying a scarf around their neck, and it was still somewhat bright outside, despite the sun having set. He still hadn't gotten used to how much brighter the moonlight was here than back on Earth.

“This way,” Fair Weather said, then moved toward a pair of stairs leading off the platform.

Only a few ponies turned to look at Herman since most were either walking home or focused on boarding the train. When they'd left the train station, Spring spoke up.

“Alright,” she said, as the party halted on a dirt road leading to the town square. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes or so. The hotel is down that road.” She pointed at a crossway. “You take a left when you reach a bakery called Sugarcube Corner; then it's one more road down from there.”

“Understood,” Fair Weather replied, and they watched as Spring trotted towards the town square and a tall building.

Herman looked about at the town and made an educated guess that there were a little over a hundred buildings in total. It was easy to count, due to the high visibility and ample space between each structure. The one that stood out from rest was the crystal palace that he had read about in the newspaper.

“Herman,” Fair Weather said, looking up at him. “If you’d follow me, please.”

“Sorry, I was admiring the town,” he replied, then moved to follow Fair Weather, with Dusty walking happily beside him. They were alone in the street, but almost every home had their lights on.

“So, you think Spring went to town hall to meet with her mother?” Dusty asked as they followed the directions they'd been given.

“Her mother works there?” Herman asked, and scratched his chin.

“Spring doesn't like to talk about it, but her mother is actually the mayor of Ponyville,” Dusty continued.

“They've never seen eye to eye,” Fair Weather chimed in.

“Oh, why not?” Herman asked and, without thinking, put a hand on Dusty's armored back. The pony looked up at Herman and moved closer to offer him support while walking.

“Spring’s mother didn't approve of her joining the Guard,” Dusty said, in a tone too cheerful to fit the subject of the conversation. “Spring mentioned how tired she was of her mother's complaining that there weren't any grandfoals yet.”

Herman’s mind drifted away at the mention of grandfoals. Spring would roughly be the same age as his daughter, and their situation wasn't that all that different. He would never know if he had any grandkids or not, much less be able to hold them or teach them how to enjoy life best.

Dusty moved closer to him, and Herman hadn't realized that he had put some extra weight on the pony. He thought about removing his hand, but seeing how happy Dusty was at helping, and he decided to keep it there for now.

“Won’t town hall be closed at this hour?” Herman asked.

“The Guard has a small office in the building that's always open in case of an emergency,” Fair Weather answered, then stopped when they arrived at what must be the bakery Spring had mentioned.

“I could really go for some cake right about now,” Dusty said, as they all looked at the heavily pastry-inspired building with a cupcake signpost.

“They’re closed,” Fair Weather said and pointed a hoof at the next intersection. “Let's move.”

They did so, with Fair Weather still taking the lead while Dusty kept close to Herman’s side. The road was empty, but a pegasus colt in one of the houses lining the street happened to be at the window, and when the foal saw the group, he waved at them furiously.

Surprised by this, Herman and his guards stopped and decided to humor the boy by waving back, but they did not expect him to have a camera at the ready. The colt quickly took a shot of them standing there, waving, with fake smiles. The colt then promptly vanished from the window.

“What was that all about?” Herman asked.

“No idea,” Fair Weather said, and began walking again. “I’ve heard this town is weird.”

They reached the intersection and found what they were looking for. The hotel stood out from the rest of the buildings in Ponyville, which were mainly thatched roofed cottages. The exterior reminding Herman more of a Victorian-age inn, with its red roof tiles and wall bricks.

“Hmm,” Fair Weather mumbled, walking up to the blue door with a lantern hanging above it. “It certainly looks quaint.”

“Golden Horseshoe Hotel,” Dusty said, reading from a sign next to the door.

“Let’s see if they have any rooms available,” Fair Weather continued and pushed open the door. The interior was sparse, with a single counter at the far end of the room, and tables for eight groups.

“Oh, hello there,” a mare behind the counter said, then trailed off for a few moments when she spotted Herman. “Welcome to Golden Horseshoe Hotel, my name is Citrine, what can I do for you?” She finally pressed out, as if on autopilot.

“I’m Private Fair Weather, we are here on official Royal Guard business, and we require rooms for three ponies and a human for one night,”

“Uh, okay,” she said, then took up a large ledger from beneath the counter. “We have two two-bedders left.”

“Nothing else?”

“We also have one double bed,” she cheered, while browsing through the list, then looked at them each in turn. “But, I assume that's out of the question.”

“We’ll take the two two-bedders with breakfast,” Fair Weather mumbled, and fished out a pouch from somewhere beneath his armor. “Do you have anything we could eat before we retire to our rooms?”

“The kitchen is closed, but I can make you a few sandwiches if you like.”

Fair Weather looked at Herman and Dusty, who was standing to the side of the counter. “Cucumber?” he asked.

Herman nodded, though he'd preferred one that contained tuna.

“Four cucumber sandwiches and some cider,” Fair Weather said, and gestured at one of the empty tables. “Another from the guard will be joining us shortly.”

“Would you like anything else?” she asked.

“That will be all for now.”

“Alright, that will be ninety-five bits,” she said and wrote down the sum and a name in the ledger.

“Excuse me,” Herman said, while Fair Weather was stacking up coins on the counter.

“Yes?” she stuttered slightly.

“I will need some form of an extension for my bed,” Herman explained and made a gesture with his hand to show how tall he was. “I know it’s on short notice, but could you arrange something?”

“O-oh, of course,” she replied, putting a hoof to her chin. “But, we don’t have anything like that readily available.”

“I’m sure you’ll manage to think of something,” Herman said.

“Y-yeah, no problem,” she said, smiling uncertainly. “The owner lives across the street, I’ll fetch him, and we’ll think of something.”

“Thank you,”

Herman felt something poke his side and found Dusty grinning up at him, but he just gave the pony a shrug in return. Dealing with pony-sized beds wasn’t something Herman was keen on doing tonight.

“Thank you, your room number is three and four,” she said and pointed at a door across the room. “They’re just past that door.”

Herman noted they weren’t given any key to their apartment and had to assume the door was going to lack a lock.

“Let’s wait here for Spring,” Fair Weather said, then moved to take a seat at the table, while Herman moved one of the chairs so that he could use the wall as back support.

“Was that your mind-control, Herman?” Dusty asked, and pointed at Citrine, who had just exited the building through the front entrance, leaving both the counter and the cash register unattended.

“Maybe, it's hard to tell sometimes,” Herman said. “She might just have been friendly and customer-centric.”

“Still, she went to fetch her boss long past normal work hours,” Dusty noted.

“That's not really proof of anything,” Fair Weather scoffed, and leaned at the table with a forehoof. “Herman, is there anything you could do to show for certain?”

He thought about it but rejected the idea. “Not that I could think of. Or at least, not without taking advantage of someone, which Spring said was a punishable offense, remember.”

“That’s only if you're a spellcaster,” Dusty said, and also leaned in conspiratorially. “It doesn't count if you don't use magic, probably.”

“The answer is still no,” Herman frowned.

“Just kidding around,” Dusty snickered, putting his hoof behind his neck while laughing falsely. Luckily, there were no other patrons present, and the cashier soon returned with the owner, an elderly stallion, who went straight for the guest rooms without even noticing their group. Citrine went to a place behind the counter and soon came out with drinks and sandwiches.

They thanked her and ate in silence. Herman took special care with his food, lifting each cucumber to make sure it didn't hide any form of flowers or hay. They had about finished their meal when Spring came in with another mare wearing a less elaborate set of armor.

“Lily, this is who we are escorting, a human called Herman,” Spring said, introducing the mare who saluted while giving a wink to their party. Lily didn’t wear the standard helmet with a plume, but instead used a sort of half-helmet that allowed her mane to flow freely, and was decorated with a large flower at the front. Spring had no doubt told her about Herman, as the mare recovered quickly from seeing him, and instead gave Herman an energetic wave when she was done saluting.

“Herman, this is recruit Lily Valley,” Spring continued while moving to sit down at the table. “She will keep the hotel under watch while we sleep.”

“Yup, you can count on me,” Lily exclaimed, then walked next to where Fair Weather was seated. “Say, Fair, you wouldn’t happen to be single yet?”

“Hello again, Lily,” Fair Weather sighed while inching away from her. “Still happily engaged, I’m afraid.”

“Lily,” Spring chided, and pointed at an empty stool near the hotel entrance. “You have a job to do, remember?”

“Fine, fine,” Lily said, rolling her eyes. “I’ll be good.”

Herman watched as the mare moved to sit alone near the entrance. Shortly after being seated she conjured up several of what Herman assumed to be gossip magazines.

“We brought you something to eat,” Dusty told Spring, then pushed the sandwich over to her.

“Ooh, thanks,” she happily replied, eyeing it greedily.

Herman had finished his meal at this point and noted when the hotel owner came muttering out from the hallway.

“I’ve extended one of the beds in room three,” the old stallion muttered to no one in particular, then headed straight for the exit without even bothering to notice Lily.

“I think I will retire to my room,” Herman said and rose from his chair. The ponies looked up at him and waited for an explanation. “I’m simply tired, and want to freshen up.”

“Okay,” Spring said, looking up at Herman, then at her friends. “It’s a bit early still for us to go to bed. I assume you’ll be in room number three?”

“Yes, and good night,” he replied, and turned towards the hallway with his suitcase in one hand. He quickly found the correct room and pushed open the door. The room itself wasn’t very spacious, which was no surprise, seeing how small the hotel was, but the two beds were large by pony standards. The bed furthest away had an upholstered footstool at the end, and since it was the same height as the bed, Herman supposed that it would work as an acceptable extension.

Hanging his overcoat and suit on a knob and placing his suitcase next to the bed, he then peered into the bathroom next to where he would be sleeping. It wasn't the first time he had been at a pony hotel, and the oddly shaped toilet and too-low shower were going to be annoying to use as always. At least it was well supplied with soap, various shampoos, towels, and several pairs of toothbrushes with a blue, thick toothpaste kept in a round glass jar. Several kerosene lamps lighted the room, and judging by their rosy smell; they were all scented.

Herman let out a deep sigh, then began to undress in the bathroom. Once he was bare, he looked himself in the mirror, and instantly wished that he was still in, or even close to his prime. There wasn't much he could do about that fact, so he instead brushed his teeth, then bent his head to get into the shower.

Once he felt clean again, he dried himself, then wrapped the towel around his waist, and went to fetch some fresh underwear from his suitcase, but when he opened the bathroom door, he was surprised by an unarmored Spring sitting at the entrance.

“Yes?” Herman asked after they had stared at each other for a few moments. He felt very uncomfortable, standing there mostly naked.

“Nothing,” Spring replied, tilting her head slightly. “I was waiting for you to finish.”

“Oh, right,” he said, then turned to remove his old clothes with his free hand. “I thought you were going to stay outside and chat with your friends.”

“I was, but I needed to use the toilet,” she explained and moved past him.

“Oh,” Herman said and felt a sense of déjà vu as she closed the door behind him. After standing there for some time with his mind drawing blanks, he moved to open his suitcase on the bed and cursed himself for not bringing a spare set of underwear with him into the bathroom. Once he had a fresh pair on, he put the towel on a chair, then moved across the room to fetch the pouch in his jacket.

Inside were nine pills, and he took one to prevent any pain from waking him in the middle of the night. Satisfied, he went to lie beneath the sheets and smiled when he felt how soft the cushioned mattress was. The view from the bed was different from what he was used to back on Earth. Instead of a mirror lining the wall, there were colorful paintings of earth ponies and flowers, and where the television would typically have been stood a writing desk with ink and paper. Another missing amenity was the lack of a small fridge with complimentary beverages and snacks.

When the shower inside the bathroom started, it made him realize that he would be sharing the room with Spring but didn't quite understand why he felt uncomfortable about that fact. Herman ignored the feeling and drew the sheets up to his neck, immediately realizing they were too short to cover his feet resting on the footstool.

After showering for a long time, Spring came out with one towel around her mane, and another slung across her back. She whistled a tune that he couldn't quite place, and stopped when she reached her bed.

“You okay, Herman?” she asked while removing the towels.

“I’m fine,” he said, then let out a long yawn. “Just tired.”

“It’s been a long day,” she agreed, then blew out one of the lamps.

Herman got the message and blew out the one on his nightstand. The room became immediately darker, with only the moonlight from a small window near the entrance to a light source.

“Goodnight, Herman,” she said when she snuggled into her bed.

“Goodnight, Frej-” Herman replied, and instantly felt as if his blood had frozen to ice.

“What was that?” Spring asked, and turned in her bed towards his direction. “Herman?”

He didn't reply. Instead, he laid there looking up at the dark ceiling. Why had he almost called her by his daughter’s name?

“Herman?” she said, sounding worried.

He blinked and moved to sit up straight while massaging his temple with one hand.

“I’m sorry,” he said, then turned to her direction. “I’m just slightly confused. Goodnight, Spring.

“Goodnight, Spring,” he repeated and laid on his back again, all the while feeling her stare at him in the dark.

The next morning, Herman woke up not knowing where he was and had to take a few minutes to remember what had happened yesterday. Spring was not in her bed, so he assumed she had intentionally let him sleep in. It likely meant that he had plenty of time before the next train, so he took special care in washing and shaving in the bathroom.

When that was done, he put on some cologne meant for stallions, then made sure his suit, tie, and fresh shirt looked good in the mirror. The result was more than adequate, and he laughingly made a few attempts at Michael Jackson moves. He made a mental note to have a white fedora commissioned when he returned to Rosewood and stashed his current one inside the suitcase since it only matched his overcoat.

He left the room with his suitcase in one hand and overcoat hanging over the other, and when he got to the entrance area, he found it full of ponies, with Dusty and Fair Weather talking in the corner. Like always, all activities ceased when he entered the room, but he ignored the stares and went straight for his escort.

“Good morning, Herman,” Dusty said, and gestured to one of the chairs at their table with a wing. Herman accepted the invitation and dropped the suitcase next to the chair.

“Morning,” Herman said, as he sat down. “How long have I been asleep?”

“It’s late morning,” Fair Weather responded, and looked around at the other patrons, who quickly returned to minding their own business. “Do you want breakfast?”

“I think I'll skip it, then,” Herman replied and looked at both of them. “Why didn't you wake me? And where is Spring?”

“She told us not to bother you, and that you needed to rest since you weren't well yesterday,” Fair Weather said. “We were going to wake you in an hour or so.”

“And Spring?”

“She had business at the Guard office and went there with Lily. I suppose she might also be talking with her mother,” Dusty replied. “It might take a while, but we're supposed to meet up with her at the train station at midday.”

“So, what do we do until then?” Herman asked.

“Spring suggested that we wait here,” Dusty said, then changed to whispering. “I have a better idea.”

“And that is?” Herman asked, then glanced at Fair Weather who didn't seem too happy about Dusty’s plan.

“We take a quick visit to Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship,” Dusty continued.

“Okay, why?”

“Think about it, Herman. The Princess of Friendship is known to be one of the most intelligent and knowledgeable ponies there is,” Dusty said, then returned to his original position. “It's a good bet she knows where your people live.”

Fair Weather was grumbling to himself, but Herman supposed it wouldn't hurt giving it a try. He had also read about some of her exploits in the newspaper.

“We can't just waltz in and bother a princess like that,” Fair Weather said, tapping his hoof at the table. “It's not proper.”

“It will be fine,” Dusty said, and pointed at Herman with a hoof. “If we succeed, Herman might be reunited with his family again.”

Herman felt a sudden weight in his stomach at hearing those words, and Fair Weather soon relented.

“Fine, if Herman wants to,” he said.

“I don't see the harm,” Herman said and sat more straight in his chair. “But I highly doubt she has seen my kind before.”

“Alright, let's not waste any time,” Dusty said, and the party all rose up from their chairs. “Let me take your suitcase.”

“Thank you.”

They made their way outside, and what immediately struck Herman was how different the town looked in daylight. He knew that earth ponies often went overboard with managing gardens, but he had never seen anything quite like this town. A variety of colorful flower beds surrounded every cottage, and they assaulted his sense of smell. He took a deep breath through his nose, and he suddenly felt twenty years younger.

“It’s this way,” Dusty said, and pointed at the tall crystal structure that stood out like a sore thumb. It wasn't far away, and only a few ponies were walking the road, except near an open space down a different street where a town market seemed to be taking place.

“Is there any special etiquette when meeting a princess that I need to know about?” Herman asked as they walked on the packed dirt road.

“They are not mandatory for civilians,” Fair Weather replied, strolling on Herman's left side while also looking up at him. “But, try and be polite, give her a short, and respectful bow, only address her as Princess Twilight unless she tells you otherwise.”

“That should be easy enough,” Herman said and tried to think back to how people behaved in medieval movies. The only one he remembered watching in the cinema was Ivanhoe, and he couldn't even recall if it had any princesses in it.

“Don't worry,” Dusty said, walking on his right side. “The rumor is that Princess Twilight prefers ponies to act casually around her.”

“Let's not take any chances, shall we,” Fair Weather stated, as they left the town border on the road to the crystal castle. The journey was uneventful, as there wasn't anyone near the tall building.

“Should I knock?” Dusty asked when they arrived at the door. Herman and Fair Weather gave him an approving nod, but they all turned back to the castle when they heard a rumbling inside.

“Wait, I’ll do it,” Fair Weather said, and gave it a few firm knocks. They all waited patiently, but when they heard a racket of kitchenware Fair Weather knocked again, harder.

It took a while, but the door eventually opened a third of the way, revealing a light purple unicorn with an aquamarine mane.

“Yes, what is it?” she asked, sounding stressed, then her eyes bulged when she saw royal guards standing outside, while Herman had decided to take a step to the side to avoid her field of vision.

“My name is Fair Weather, and this is my colleague Dusty Storm,” Fair Weather said, introducing themselves without revealing their ranks. Just as he finished, a larger ruckus could be heard from inside, as if someone was throwing around pans. “May I ask who you are, and what that noise was?”

“Oh, my name isn't important,” she replied, seemingly nervous. “Why is the guard here? Do you have a warrant?! I’ve done nothing wrong, or ethically dubious!” She continued to stumble, while sometimes looking behind her.

Fair Weather tried to peer in to get a better look, but the mare blocked him.

“Starlight Glimmer, I have finished the dress,” a new mare said, in a strange and unnaturally monotone voice.

“Not like that,” Starlight Glimmer said, addressing the other mare behind the door. “Go make a real one out of fabric.”

“Ah, yes, I see,” the monotone voice replied. “Of course, Starlight Glimmer.”

They heard the new mare trot away, but the sounds of pans being thrown around continued.

“Miss Starlight Glimmer, what's going on in there?” Fair Weather asked, with a hint of authority in his voice.

“W-what? In here, nothing is going on, hehe, haha,” she replied, with sweat running down her forehead. “Just give me a moment.”

She slammed the door on them. A few moments later they heard a large rumble as if a mountain of pans and pots had fallen over.

“Uh, should we do something?” Dusty asked, as more strange noises could be heard from inside.

“Let's wait for now,” Fair Weather said, and listened in an attempt to make sense of what was going on in there. They could hear the echoes of another mare now, speaking in the same slow and strangely clipped way.

The door opened slightly once more, and Starlight Glimmer’s head poked out, but her mane now sported a significant amount of cake batter.

“We have someone who desires a meeting with the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle,” Fair Weather said while looking very serious.

“Oh, well that won't be possible,” she responded, then looked around. “Who wants to meet with her?”

“I do,” Herman said and moved in from behind the door.

“Holy Celestia,” Starlight Glimmer said, and he could see her pupils dilate when she looked up at him.

“May we come inside?” Herman asked, in the friendliest tone he could manage, but it took a while for her to respond.

“Of course you may,” she replied, sounding much more relaxed.

She opened the door entirely, and that's when they saw smoke coming from the inside.

“Fire!” Fair Weather shouted, which made Starlight Glimmer jump into the air. “Move aside!”

The mare, however, slammed the door on them again, then shouted to someone inside.

“We need water!” she screamed.

“Yes, Starlight Glimmer,” a new raspy, but equally monotone voice replied. Seconds later something blue bolted out of the crystal building, and before any of them could react to what was going on, the pegasus mare returned, pushing a large stormcloud through an opening at the top. Seconds later, they heard thunder, followed by heavy rain.

They all stepped away when water came pouring out from the sides of the door, which was shortly after that opened by Starlight Glimmer, whose mane now hung dripping and sticky with sugar.

“Everything is under control,” she panted, breathing heavily and pausing between each word. “Twilight is away in Canterlot, but she should be back in an hour or two, so you’re welcome to return at that time.” She looked exhausted when she turned and shut the door.

They waited.

“Well, that was unexpected,” Herman said, breaking the silence.

“I guess there is nothing we can do if the princess is out of town,” Fair Weather said while staring at the castle.

“Let's go get some delicious ice cream while we wait for the train to arrive,” Dusty said while scratching his chin with a hoof.

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Herman agreed.

They walked back to town without saying a word, until they reached the house that looked like it was made of gingerbread. Though Herman only ordered a small ice cream, he noted that the overweight mare had given him extra scoops, making it, in fact, larger than Fair Weather’s and Dusty’s medium-sized ones. Nobody bothered to comment on that fact.

They thanked the mare when they were done, and made their way towards the train station, but since they still had time, they took the scenic route. The town itself didn’t have any noteworthy sights, but the high variety of beautiful gardens and smells made it well worth it to stroll around.

When the train station finally came into view, they found Spring pacing back and forth at the entrance to the plateau. Her head was slumped down, and she didn't notice them approaching until they were almost next to her.

“Something the matter, Sarge?” Fair Weather asked, startling the mare.

“Oh, you’re here,” Spring said, and tried to look more resolute. “I’m fine, just had a squabble with my mother again.”

“Was it bad?”

“The usual,” she replied and gestured them to move in under the station roof. A dozen or so ponies were waiting for the train, and Herman recognized some of them from the hotel lobby.

“I also heard some news,” she continued, talking so only the three of them could hear. “The Guard has been placed on high alert, and the security around the princesses has been tightened.”

“Strange,” Herman mused, “I didn’t see any Royal Guards at the crystal castle.”

“You went to see the princess?” Spring asked, and gave her fellow guards a suspicious glare, but then decided to drop the matter. “The guards around princess Twilight Sparkle always stay out of sight, by orders of Princess Celestia, but they no doubt noted your little visit.” She looked up at Herman. “Did Princess Twilight tell you anything?”

“She is currently in Canterlot, so we only talked briefly with a strange mare called Starlight Glimmer,” Dusty said, then looked up to see the train coming in the distance.

“I’ve heard of her,” Spring said, and frowned. “She was a criminal until Princess Twilight took her under her wing and made her a pupil.”

Nobody had a reply to that, so they remained silent until the train arrived. When the train stopped, and the conductor came out, Spring pushed past the other passengers, who grumbled at her behavior. After a short talk with the conductor, she motioned them to board first.

Herman exchanged a look with Fair Weather and Dusty, who just shrugged and straightened up, then escorted Herman past the crowd. The train this time was more than half-full, but it got less and less crowded as they moved further back. When they got to the last wagon, Spring commanded Fair Weather to stand guard at the door.

Herman and Dusty had to wait in the hallway, as Spring told a family of four already in the last wagon that it needed to be commandeered by the Royal Guard, and that there was room for them in the next wagon. They agreed, though were slightly peeved at having been forced to move. Herman watched as the earth pony stallion grabbed his colt by the scruff of the neck with his mouth, then moved him over to rest on the mother’s back.

“Was that necessary?” Herman asked when the family had left.

“Sadly, yes,” Spring replied, then motioned them to enter the cabin. “This heightened security worries me. The last time there was such an announcement, Canterlot was attacked the next day.”

“Yeah, I don’t want to get caught off guard like that again,” Dusty said, as he put away Herman’s suitcase. “And it's bad timing with this influx of passengers heading to Canterlot over the weekend.”

Herman placed his overcoat on the same hanger as before, though he wasn’t sure if this train was the same one as yesterday, or if all Equestrian trains looked alike. They all took their seats, while he again muttered to himself about the height of the bunks.

“Herman, there is one more thing I need to tell you,” Spring said, and sat more erect on her haunches.

“What is it?” Herman asked, suddenly wary.

“Yesterday, I asked the Guards in the town hall to keep an eye out for any reports about new changeling arrests.”

Herman already knew what she was going to say.

“I’m sorry, but Glitter Wing is a changeling and was arrested yesterday for impersonating a pony and for taking part in the attack on Canterlot last year,” she continued, looking straight at Herman. “The report says she gave a full confession and told the guard that she was sent here several years ago as a spy, but that she never hurt a pony and regretted taking part in the invasion.”

Herman decided to stand up and nearly fell over as the train started moving. The ponies reached out for him, but he held his arm stretched towards them with his palm up. They backed off, as he looked out of the window.

“Where is she now?” he asked, watching the town of Ponyville go past.

“She will be held in Dodge City until an investigation of her testimony is complete,” Spring said, looking down between her legs with folded ears. Dusty remained silent at her side, and his gaze rotated between him and her.

“How long will an investigation take?” he continued.

“Likely a few weeks.”

“And if what she says is true?”

“She will probably be sentenced to community service, minimum thirty days.”

“And if it turns out that what she said is false?”

“Prison, most likely a year.”

Herman took a deep breath. His first thought was that nobody was watching his house if she was in prison, and he grew angry at himself for thinking so selfishly. What mattered was that she wouldn’t be there when he returned.

“I hope you’re happy,” he muttered, then turned to face her.

Herman was surprised to see a tear running down Spring’s cheek, and he immediately softened his demeanor.

“I’m so sorry, Herman,” Spring sniffed, unable to face him. “But, it’s for the best.”

“How?”

“Think about it,” she continued, then looked up at him. “She has been forced to live a lie, afraid that someday her queen would order her to hurt somepony, or that Guard might burst into her home in the middle of the night.”

Herman tried to think back to each time he had spent with Glitter Wing, making lunch at her place, or talked about life in general at the local tavern. There were times where she laughed with everyone, but then suddenly her face could turn to stone, with a blank stare that gazed out at nothing. Herman always expected she remembered something troubling from her past, in a way, much like he would do.

“This is a chance to put all of that behind her,” Spring continued, and wiped the tear with a hoof.

“And if she decides to leave Equestria?” Herman asked, looking away.

“Then that will be her decision,” Spring answered. “You will have plenty of time to visit her before then.”

“I see,” Herman said, then returned to sit down on the bunk. “Thank you for telling me, Spring, and I hope you can forgive me for being upset with you.”

“Of course I forgive you, Herman,” she said, then gave him a bright smile.

Dusty stopped looking back and forth and seemed relieved that both of them were on better terms, but it was followed by a long and awkward silence in the cabin. Herman was deep in thought. Glitter Wing had always been there when he felt down, or when missing his family became too hard.

His ruminations stopped when he felt the train ascending, and he looked out to see that the train was now right next to the mountain. He realized that the train tracks ran around it in an upward spiral. Standing up, he looked out the back window. Up there, in the distance, he saw it.

Canterlot.

Author's Notes:

It’s only a model.