“So I believe the plan is a nice dinner,” Celestia started as the trio of alicorns headed into the city.

“Actually, the plan is ‘wherever you really want to go’,” Aspect clarified. “Not ‘where can Princess Celestia go’. ‘Where will this age-old family go for a reunion dinner?’”

“A TAVERN!” Luna cheered. “We shall eat and drink and be merry!”

“Really?” Celestia deadpanned.

“Remember what happens when you get drunk,” Aspect warned Luna.

“No?” Luna tilted her head cutely. “Does that matter? Are we not out to have fun?”

“Hmm…” Aspect mused. “Well, what do you say, Celly? Straight to a tavern?”

“Luna will not stop otherwise,” the alicorn sighed. “Very well, let’s go. I know an excell--”

“Follow meee!” Luna laughed as she flew off, leaving Celestia to groan again.

“Guess we’re following her,” Aspect chuckled as he took to the skies as well. Celestia’s groan evolved into a facehoof before following after them.

The tavern in question… was it a tavern? It looked like an old church, back from when Celestia was revered as an actual Goddess. She’d long since put a stop to that, but buildings still stood even today.

“What the…” Celestia stared at the old building. “Why are we here?”

Lights and voices could be heard, so the building was definitely in use.

“I assume we’re about to find out,” Aspect mused as he pushed the front door open.

Or he would have… if it wasn't locked.

A metal plate slid open and a pair of golden eyes peered out.

“Password.”

“I don’t know the password, do you?” Aspect asked Celestia. The mare just shrugged.

“Allow me,” Luna smiled as she stepped closer. She gazed the other pony in the eyes.

“You can lead a horse to water, but I'd rather have ale.”

The plate slid closed and with a click, the door opened. Aspect blinked a few times before looking back to Luna. “And how do you know that?” he asked.

“My Night Guard frequent this tavern,” Luna explained. “And from what they tell me, it's quite good.”

“Ah, well then,” the stallion replied. “By your leave then.”

Luna nodded and stepped inside, Celestia following and Aspect bringing up the rear. And once he got inside… this, was not what he was expecting.

Almost all the patrons were thestral, save for the occasional pony and even a griffon or two. Music from a live band played in the background while the ale flowed freely. The decor still fit the old church. Lots of stone, brass and iron fittings and heavy timber furniture. Even most of the stained glass windows were still there, either surviving the centuries or restored. It really did remind him of an olden pub, where the boys would gather after a hard day's work.

“Now this,” Aspect preened, “Is a tavern.”

“Aye!’ Luna said and stomped a hoof loudly. The resounding boom brought quiet and hushed whispers.

“Oh my me, what is she doing?” Celestia asked her father.

“I have no idea,” the stallion whispered back.

“Hear this!” Luna shouted out to the room. “Tonight! I bring my beloved sister! And my honoured father to drink and dine with us! You will show them respect. You will show them courtesy… and most importantly…” Luna smirked. “You will show them a most wondrous evening. For tonight. The bar is open to all!”

And the cheers that erupted could have drowned out her Canterlot Voice.

“Well, tonight just got more interesting,” Aspect mused.

Luna wasn’t kidding either. The food and drink here was really good, courtesy of a thestral mare named Ruby. She had a crimson red mane and tail, her eyes a deep gold and her Cutie Mark was an ale mug.

“Having a good time?” she asked the trio, setting some more fries on the table. “I do hope so.”

“Just the fact that these two are relaxing and letting their manes down for once,” Aspect indicated his daughters, “Is enough for me.”

“Aye! Tis the most fun We have had in an age!” Luna cheered, thumping a mug down on the table. Discreetly, Celestia and Aspect had requested she be slipped non-alcoholic ale. So far, she hadn’t noticed.

“I will admit that this is nice,” Celestia nodded. “I’d have preferred something more… refined. But this is enjoyable nonetheless.”

“Relax, get into the spirit a little more,” Aspect cooed to his daughter. “It’s a tavern! This place is meant for us to let go and enjoy ourselves!”

Then the music changed to something more… upbeat.

And Celestia smiled. “Father, dance with me?”

She hadn’t even had to ask, the stallion was already standing next to her seat with a hoof outstretched to take her to the dance floor.

Celestia smiled and took it as the two moved out the floor, ponies making way for them as the alicorn mare teleported away her royal trappings, her shoes and torc. “So… shall we show them how it’s done?” she smiled.

“It’s been an age since I danced, forgive me if I’m rusty,” Aspect replied. “You lead, I’ll pick it up after a minute.”

Celestia rolled her eyes as her hooves started to tap with the beat, before she really picked up as she danced the Highlands way, much to the cheering of the other patrons. True enough to his word, after a minute to watch and remind his body how to move, the stallion soon joined in, dancing opposite her as he smiled at Tia.

“That’s the spirit!” Luna clapped and whistled as the royal pair danced away, a bright, genuine smile on Tia’s face.

“Room for one more!” the stallion called out to Luna.

“I’ll pass,” Luna replied. “You two have fun.”

“Oh come on, this was meant for the both of you! Live a little Lulu!”

“Oh… fine,” Luna giggled as she got up. And soon all three alicorns were dancing away, the crowd cheering and clapping as they tore up the dancefloor. The bat ponies stomped their hooves and soon a small crowd joined the trio, all of them laughing and smiling.

And from the corner of his eye, Aspect spied Midnight sitting on one of the rafters, waving at him and giggling. He gave her a cheeky wink before he resumed dancing with his daughters.

Midnight blinked… before vanishing from sight.

“Oh, I wish we had done this so long ago,” Aspect sighed as he kept up the pace.

“Indeed we should have,” Luna nodded.

“There’s always another time,” Celestia said. “Unless you plan on going somewhere again.”

“Hardly!” Aspect chuckled. “I’m having way too much fun!”

The music soon came to an end though, but before they could return to their seats, one of the band members stood up.

“Hey bats, birds and demigods! We have a special treat for you tonight. Our very special Songbird has decided to sing for us!”

And the thestral side of the crowd erupted in cheers.

“Oh, this sounds interesting,” Aspect mused.

A spotlight fell onto the stage as Midnight came in from the side, smiling and waving a wing at the crowd.

“Ooh, we’re in for a bit of a treat,” Luna hummed.

“Does she sing often then?” the stallion asked.

“You could say that,” Luna replied as gentle piano music started to play… then?

Midnight Song started to sing!

Aspect found himself swaying to the beat and letting the music fill him, enjoying every second of the song. And when it was over, he didn’t stomp his applause like the rest. Instead, he simply bowed to the thestral. A full, proper bow.

Midnight smiled a fanged grin as she stepped off stage, returning his bow with her own.

“You like?” she asked in her thick accented tone.

“It was quite moving,” Aspect replied as he stood back up. “I always say that when you sing, you should put your heart and soul into it.”

“Thank you,” she nodded once more.

“As amazing as always,” Luna pet her head with a hoof. “Very well done Midnight.”

“I had no idea such talent existed,” Celestia breathed. “You aren’t professional?”

“No… I, only sing when I want,” Midnight explained. “Vocea mea ... nu este întotdeauna folosit pentru distracție.”

“Ah… I see,” Celestia nodded. “Oh right. Of course. My apologies.”

“In any case,” Aspect smoothed over. “That, was quite the song. Thank you for treating us to it, again. It made our night out that much brighter.”

Midnight smiled and nodded again.

“And now we drink once more!” Luna cheered as she headed for the bar.

“Oh dear,” Aspect sighed as he made to follow after.

“...♫Well, swing a little more, little more o'er the merry-o
Swing a little more, a little more next to me
Swing a little more, little more o'er the merry-o
Swing a little more, on the devil's dance floor~”

Luna danced dizzily through the streets, singing at the top of her lungs as her bare hooves clicked on the cobblestone path.

“Thought we were keeping her on the non-alcoholic stuff,” Aspect muttered as he watched his daughters.

“I thought you were watching her,” Celestia sighed as Luna danced… rather seductively around a lamp post.

“Got kinda hard when she made sure I was slipped a few alcoholic drinks as well,” the stallion pointed out as he barely managed to hold a straight line.

“Right…” Celestia cursed her inability to get drunk. She pulled Luna down with her magic and sighed. “If I teleport, you’ll leave your stomach all over the palace.”

“Wheeee, I can fly!” Luna giggled as she floated in Tia’s magic.

“Yeah...teleporting like this is a no go,” Aspect muttered. “As is flight...magic in general is a bad idea.”

“Help?” a voice asked as Midnight caught up with them. “You look… like you need so?”

“Ah, thank you Midnight,” Celestia sighed. “Yes, let’s get these drunken louts home.”

Midnight giggled as she helped steady Aspect by leaning against him.

“There we go, now the world’s stopped spinning,” Aspect muttered.

“One more step…” Midnight said as she helped Aspect into a room. She didn’t know which one, but it was a room with a bed. That would do yes? “Silly stallion.”

“I blame Luna...she got at the alcohol...then got me to the alcohol,” Aspect muttered. “Oh hey, a bed! That looks comfy…”

“Very silly,” Midnight giggled cutely as she helped him over to the bed, trying to assist the larger stallion into it. Eventually he managed it, and then he turned and did something she hadn’t been expecting.

He picked her up and cuddled her with his bare hooves, treating her like a stuffed animal.

“Ahh, what… what you doing this?” she asked, clearly flustered.

“Cute little pony,” Aspect muttered. “Not used to sleeping alone. So I’ma sleep with you.”

“That… sound very naughty,” she chuckled. “You sleep, then I go.”

“Naughty?” Aspect questioned as an ear flicked. “I can do naughty.”

Suddenly something was pressing against her flank. Something big and hot and leaking. And that got a good blush from her as her emerald eyes widened.

“D-Dar… tu nu mă iubești…”

“Such a pretty little pony,” Aspect cooed as he stroked her mane. “Such a pretty language...such a pretty mare…” He then whispered huskily. “Imagine the foals.”

And then she eep’d again, her fluffy ears wiggling.

“Mmm...hard not to notice when a mare’s flirting with you,” Aspect whispered to her. “Especially when she flashes you everything, and then does something she normally never does. Admit it, cute little pony. You like me, don’t you?”

“N-No…” the mare responded with a fierce blush.

“Oh, tha’s right,” Aspect chuckled, and the form around her shifted…

And suddenly she was being cuddled by his ruggedly handsome Thestral form. Aaand now she was blushing even more fiercely.

“Armăsar nechibzuit” she mumbled.

“How about now?” Aspect whispered to her.

“You are drunk…” she muttered.

“I know what I saw,” Aspect affirmed. “You want this. You want to feel this with me. Tell me I’m wrong, and I’ll stop. But if you do want this...then you don’t have to say anything.”

She took a deep breath. “You… have mare already.”

“Is that all?” Aspect asked. “I have two, actually. I have a herd. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if I told them.”

She paused again, then nodded. “...amenda”

“Well then, cute little pony,” Aspect whispered into her ear. “Let’s see about spreading the love, hmm?” His lower legs shifted and that long, hot length dragged across her flank. She let out a small moan, pulling his head closer and kissing him deeply.

Then the head caught on her lips and hung there, not pressing forward, not moving back, just prodding her there. The mare let out a little whimper, he felt so big…

“Don’t you worry, little mare,” Aspect whispered to her. “You won’t get pregnant from this. Not yet, no. I’m simply going to show you pleasure, the sort of pleasure you can get from a stallion you tease all day. I’m going to take care of you. I’m going to make you writhe in bliss. I’m going to love you gently. And one day, you’ll want it again, and you’ll find me again…” He slowly pushed forward, the head spreading her lips.

She let out a small gasp, murmuring something softly. “In seara asta este efemeră. Numai un vis să treacă, nu pentru a realiza…”

“And when you remember where I live, and come to me again,” Aspect whispered to her, “I’ll take care of you...again, and again, and again. I’ll explore every inch of you, to find out how to tease you, how to touch you, how to caress and love you...and one day, you’ll say the magic words to me.” He was still pushing his length into her, slowly, carefully.

The mare shuddered in his grasp, her mouth partly open as she exhaled with each inch that was pressed into her waiting depths. And by the gods she was tight, even more so that Dash…

“One day, you’ll know enough Equestrian to beg me for foals,” the stallion breathed into her ear. “And one day, I’ll make you my own guard and wife so I can give them to you.” Aspect stopped for a moment, before he began to slowly pull back.

She let out a small gasp again, biting down on her hoof as he left an empty feeling inside of her. But when she opened her eyes?

Those were not the same eyes of the submissive mare he’d just started rutting.

“Nu sunt de acord…” she uttered before licking those pearly white fangs. “It… is you who will beg..”

Then she slammed her hips down on his member, squeezing it hard with her soaking marehood.

“You really think so?” Aspect huffed to her. “I’m going to make you mine, pretty little pony. You taunt me and tease me, so reap your rewards.” He used a hoof to stroke along her wings, feeling for sensitive spots, like Dash did with him.

She let out a shudder, before smiling. She leaned down, letting her long tongue drag along his neck as she bit and nibbled at the skin, muttering sweet words in that intoxicating language of hers. Aspect smirked as he moved his hooves to grab ahold of her flanks, gripping her for leverage and to feel her up. He then slowly drew back again, before slamming his hips forward.

Midnight let out a loud moan, before biting down on his shoulder. The sensation was… odd. One would have expected pain, instead, immense pleasure flooded his system, filling him with warmth.

“You are going to be mine, even if I have to rut you through this bed,” Aspect whispered to her as he began to set a rather upbeat pace. She matched him, slamming her hips down to meet his as he felt his head bump against her cervix, filling the mare completely.

“Is that all?” she whispered into his ear, nibbling on it gently.

“If I go any harder on you, there’s no telling what’ll happen,” Aspect replied. “But I can...stimulate you.” His hooves ran across her wings, little bits of electricity dancing and stimulating her nerves far more than his bare touch could. She let out a small ‘eep’ as the lightning tingled her, and he felt her contract hard around him, her juices coating his member as she came, panting softly as she bit her lower lip to suppress the moans.

“I’ll screw you until you’re hardly more than a puddle of pleased mare,” Aspect promised her, not letting up for a second either with the rutting or the stimulating. “I’ll screw you until you’re begging me to finish.”

Midnight pulled off of him and turned around, laying her front half down on the bed as she presented herself to him like a good little mare, her sex winking and dripping for him. Aspect let out a murr as he walked up behind her, before mounting her and pressing his head to her folds again.

“Pretty little mare knows what to do,” he cooed to her. “You’re just lucky you haven’t begged me yet, otherwise I would give you foals for this. But until you learn how to, I will keep myself infertile...for now.” He pushed forward and let one hoof stimulate one of her wings.

Midnight let out a small ’skree’ noise as he entered her waiting pussy again, biting down on the bed sheets as he filled her with his girth. As tempting as the thought was for foals… She wasn't ready for them yet. Aspect held himself within her for a moment, filling her entirely, before he drew back and began to start bucking her ruthlessly, making the bed squeak with every motion. Each thrust getting a squeaking moan from the mare as she gripped the bedsheets, trying not to be pushed off of the bed from his thrusting, her heated snatch squeezing his cock almost painfully tight within its velvety walls.

“My pretty little mare,” Aspect whispered to her as he kept screwing her without pause. “Mine.”

Midnight just moaned and whimpered, still riding the high of her orgasm even as he kept rutting her. Her juices soaking the sheets below them.

“Beg me,” he whispered in her ear, his strokes turning long and deep as they thudded against her deepest barrier, causing it to dimple slightly from the pounding it was getting.

Midnight panted, her eyes rolling upwards. “I-Inside…” she gasped. “Please…”

“What do you want inside you?” the stallion mused as he ran a hoof along her wing. “Just my cum? Or do you want to carry my foal?” Even as he finished that question, he ran a stimulating charge along her wing to send another bolt of pleasure to her core. A core that he was still ruthlessly fucking.

“No… no foal…” she gasped. “I… I cannot, aaaah~♡”

“I can keep going and going,” the stallion told her, now running a hoof along her other wing and stimulating it in much the same manner. “I told you I’d please you. I told you I’d make you beg for it.”

The mare whimpered, her body trembling as her mind went blank with pleasure and lust, the batpony little more than a fuck toy for him now as another orgasm rocked her form.

“Say it,” he urged her. “Beg for it. Beg for what you really want.”

“Aah… y-you… your cum… please!” she screeched, her marehood clenching down on him.

“Just my cum?” he prodded her.

She moaned more, too lost in her haze of lust to mount a proper response.

“You don’t want to be bred like you deserve?” Aspect prodded her.

“...nnnrgh~ noooo~” she gasped, her tongue lolling out. And then Aspect pulled a dirty trick.

He reached down, twisted her around so she was on her back without pulling out, and then applied the same stimulating charge...directly to the mare’s quivering clit.

Her high pitched shrieking skree of pleasure shattered a nearby glass of water, her eyes wide as her vision exploded with white dots.

“Let me make you mine forever,” the stallion urged her. “Let me claim you like none other can.”

Her hooves moved to hold him close as her walls tightened again, another climax claiming her as she moaned into his ear. The stallion huffed as his thrusting became shorter, more erratic.

“Now or never. What do you want?” he asked her one last time.

“Please…. No…” she pleaded him, barely able to form even those words. Aspect grunted, but acquiesced. She wouldn’t get pregnant...this time.

And then the flood started. Midnight moaned whorishly as her insides were filled with his warm cum, flooding her womb and spilling from the sides. He could even see her belly swell a little from the torrent he stuffed her with.

“Mine,” he whispered to her. “Maybe not this time, but soon...you’ll ask for one. And I will give it to you.”

She leaned up and nuzzled him, almost purring with a warm smile. It… was a nice dream at least.

“Remember,” he whispered to her, nuzzling her back. “You know where I live. Come find me, and I’ll do it to you again and again. I won’t let you go unfilled.”

He liked her body, that was certain but…

“Time to sleep,” she whispered.

“Mine,” the stallion muttered again as he got comfortable on top of her and used her like a pillow…

When he would awake the next morning, it would be to a powerful headache and an empty bed. Though the signs and scents of what he'd done remained.

“Did I...do something?” Aspect asked as he cleared his head, before the memories came flooding back. “Oh...oh. Oh...kay then. Um...well...this is...awkward.” Aaaand he had a boner too. Great. Well...best to head to the bathroom. To clean himself up and see to other things as well.

Then the door clicked open…

“Father?” Celestia poked her head inside. “There you are! I came to see if… you…” the regent of the sun, the mighty white goddess… saw her father's state and turned a deep shade of red.

“I think cleanup is going to be a bit involved this morning, Celly,” Aspect replied as he ambled off to his bathroom.

Only for the door to open and Midnight stepped out, dripping slightly as she looked Aspect over, smiled, and took her leave.

“Well that answers the question as to whether or not it happened,” Aspect muttered as he walked in. A long, cold shower. Yes, that would help.

Celestia watched the thestral leave as she put two and two together.

And just as the stallion turned the water on…

“FATHER!!!”

A nice, cold shower, and a magically reinforced door. That would help.

Still, he had to come out sometime, and Celestia was not one for forgetting.

The lecture during breakfast was legendary in proportions. Her tirade had been going for a full half hour and didn’t appear to be stopping any time soon.

“I can’t believe you were so foolish!” she scolded him. “What will dear Bon Bon and Rainbow say about this hm? Or mother? She’ll be absolutely appalled.”

“...Are you quite done?” Christopher asked pointedly when she stopped for breath.

“Ooh no, I am far from done in pointing out how colossally stupid that was!” Celestia snapped at him. “What kind of example is this setting for Realm? That a stallion can bed any mare he pleases, so long as he is inebriated enough?”

“And remind me, whose responsibility is it to raise him right?” Aspect asked. “Because last I checked...yup, still mine. Then again, remind me, who managed to out-think us all and get himself sent forward a thousand years, to the point when Yggdrasil could actually help him ascend?”

“No changing the topic!” Celestia aimed a fork at him, still with a piece of pancake on it. “I ought to—”

She was interrupted by the doors slamming open as a rather dishevelled Luna stumbled into the room, her crown askew on her head, her wings in need of a good preening and her fur was sticking up in all places.

“Coffee…” she grumbled, her gait having a slight limp as she walked over to the table.

“My point,” Aspect replied as he used his magic to slide the rest of the pot over to where Luna sat, “Is that we are dealing with a colt more clever than we think he is. He is also not your responsibility to raise right. Unless, of course, you were to try to take what’s rightfully mine.” The dangerous growl at the end of that statement reminded Tia of a dragon noticing a thief in its horde.

“It has been a thousand years father,” Celestia said as her horn shone. “I have grown much stronger since then. You would not leave the fight unscathed.”

“Celestia, my daughter,” Aspect said quietly. “Nothing would stop me from keeping my family safe. Act against that...and believe me. I will remind you why the Griffons once thought me a god to their kind. You want that city-destroying storm? It would only take minutes.”

“And if you threaten my little ponies like that,” Celestia’s eyes blazed white. “I will show you why I am the Aspect of the SUN!”

“Would you two save your little pissing match until after I’m caffeinated,” Luna groused as she poured a cup. “I was up all night, I am tired, exhausted and utterly stuffed. So shut up or I’ll bury the both of you…”

“Fair enough,” Aspect replied, sipping his own coffee. “Besides, one of my rules is no direct tussles between Aspects. I’m not about to break that rule myself, but I will rise to a challenge if someone breaks it first.”

“I’m not going to take him away you idiot,” Celestia sighed. “Honestly though. Act your age once in a while.” She sat down at the table and resumed eating.

“Which one, my mental age or my physical age?” Aspect replied. “Because mentally I’m still that stupid eighteen-year old who drank from the fountain, and physically I should be dust if I hadn’t.”

“Hah. hah.” Celestia deadpanned.

“Is this about Midnight?” Luna asked and looked at Aspect. “Ohh, finally slipped it to her huh? Good for you~”

“Thank you,” Aspect nodded once. “At least one of my children can be respectful of my choices, even when inebriated.”

“Eh, I was expecting it,” Luna mused and looked at Celestia. “Do not worry Mine Sister, For you see… I know a see~cret~”

“Oh dear,” Aspect sighed as he shook his head. “In any case, daughters mine. I’ve been away from home and the tiny miniaturized terror known as the Nightmare for too long. I should head back there and try to rein her in before she gets used to her reign of terror.”

“Oh right, I’d forgotten about her,” Luna replied as she drained the rest of her coffee. “I’m going back to bed. Do try and lighten up Tia.” With a flick of her tail, she walked from the room…

And Aspect was left with the scent of and knowledge of exactly what Luna was doing in her room…

“So, seeing as how Luna removed the stick from her plot,” Aspect mused as he charged up a runic teleport spell on his horn, “Maybe I should find somepony who could do the same for you, hmm?”

And before Celestia could respond, Aspect popped away in a small burst of displaced air. Celestia frowned as she continued her breakfast. She loved her father dearly, but sometimes he could be so…

Aspect popped back into his room back home and sighed, quickly losing the horn and shaking his head as he settled back into his pegasus guise. “And that takes care of that,” he muttered. “Now. If I were a tiny tyrannical terror, where would I be?...”

The house was… oddly quiet actually. Even the paintings on his wall were barren. He exited the room and into the hall, only to receive the same treatment.

Then he heard noises from the kitchen…

“Yup, raiding the cake stores, called it,” Aspect nodded good-naturedly as he walked towards the kitchen.

When he got there… it was, a sight he hadn’t been expecting. Mini Nightmare was seated in a highchair, eagerly awaiting whatever it was that Bon Bon was cooking on the stovetop. Her candy-marked flank shaking back and forth as she hummed away, neither having noticed his presence.

“Okay...that’s new, and entirely unexpected,” Aspect muttered as he watched from the doorway.

“Commee oooonn,” Nightmare whined. “How much longer Bonnie!?”

“Just a few moments more,” Bon Bon chuckled. “Honestly. You never stop eating do you?”

“It’s been a millennia,” she riposted. “And then it was all Luna’s tastebuds. Plus… your food is good,” she mumbled the last part.

Aspect had officially seen everything now. Bon Bon had tamed the Nightmare with cooking.

“So should I turn over any more terrors from ages past to you when I de-age them?” Aspect joked from the doorway. “Mini-Discord would be putty in your hooves in minutes.”

“Yeek!” Bon Bon flinched as she spun around, wearing a cute, frilly pink apron as a wooden spoon dangled from her mouth. “Um… I… Aspect?”

Then she flew across the room and trapped him in a hug with all her Earth Pony strength.

“I see a light…” he gasped out as he fell to the floor, one hoof stretched to the ceiling. “Tell Rainbow Dash...to wear her frilly maid outfit to my funeral.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes as she released him. “What a drama queen,’ she chuckled.

“So…” Nightmare mused. “Aside from making Bonnie my Head Chef upon my conquest of the world. I can take out Balanced Aspect with a simple hug. Good to know~”

“Ap,” Aspect rolled over, before pushing himself up and walking over to the table. “Let me tell you a little story, Nightmare. I’m sure you know some of it, but I doubt you really know all of it.”

“Later,” she dismissed him with a wave of her hoof. “Bon Bon is making vegetable stew and I simply must try it. If I am to hear your exhausting excuse for wit and idle threats, do it while I eat.”

“Fair enough,” Aspect mused as he sat at the table. “Just thought you might want to know how the Nightmares came to be. You know, the Boogeyman, the old Aspect of Dreams.”

“Well when a Mommy Nightmare and a Daddy Nightmare love each other and are feeling horny…” Nightmare Moon started.

“Or when a sadistic human drinks from a fountain that grants him power over dreams and can’t spend all his time torturing everyone in their sleep, yet has to do so so that the other evils of the time won’t bully him,” Aspect sniped back, “Then he creates the Nightmare Forces to act to torment others. Forces that fell under my domain when I slew him in a panic and absorbed his power. Forces which I banished to the dark side of the moon, so that ponies would never have to worry for their sleep again.”

“Mm, and that worked out real well for you huh?” Nightmare sniped back as Bon Bon set a bowl down in front of her. She smiled widely as the earth mare looked at Aspect.

“Would you like some too dear?”

“Just a moment,” Aspect replied. “Maybe a bowl while I finish telling the story?”

Bon Bon nodded as she fetched a bowl and poured some for him and herself as she sat down next to him, her head leaning against his shoulder.

“Alright, go on then,” Nightmare waved a hoof at him.

“For countless centuries, I was the only one attuned to the Dream Realm for the Nightmares to get a real fix on,” Aspect continued. “And I thought the dreams they made were just ordinary nightmares...so I ignored them. They never got a lock on me. But when my little girl...my little Luna, said she wanted something more to do at night, I surrendered the Aspect of Dreams to her, to make her the Alicorn of the Night. She who would protect and watch over us always when we were slumbering. I didn’t know that she was more vulnerable than I was to the Nightmares...that one could infect her, twist her, turn her against her family.” Now Aspect’s voice was dangerously cold. “And the thought of the one that succeeded, sitting here in her own body, acting like nothing is wrong at all? Can you imagine how I actually feel about that? The night when I failed to act, failed to raise my sword to defend my child?”

“Well, then you abandoned the other one for a thousand years, so I guess you really aren’t that great a dad huh?” Nightmare challenged him. “Go on then. Slay me. Bring all that anger down and strike me dead. It won’t change the past and you will get to keep your title of the most dangerous creature on the planet.”

“I could do that,” Aspect nodded once. “I could very well do that. I could slay you and return you to being a normal Nightmare, reclaim the Aspect of Dreams from you. But this is the path we’re on now. And I will tell you this. The dreams of ponykind haven’t been maintained for a thousand years, and it is entirely your fault. Imagine the damage to the dreamscape. As well, I maintain a fragment of the magic I took from all my victims. Not enough to step into your hooves, but enough to be a lucid dreamer in my own head. When you get the magic to dreamwalk...you’d best stay out of my head. Or I will make you feel all the fury you so rightly noticed I might have.”

“Mhm,” Nightmare opened her cat-like eyes. “All my fault hm? Tell me Aspect… No, Christopher. How does it feel to be the greatest hypocrite on the planet. Must be great to do whatever you want, then foist the blame off onto somepony else huh?”

“What are you—?” Bon Bon started.

“All my fault?” Nightmare repeated. “I wasn’t the one that shunned your dear daughter. I wasn’t the one that lavished her sister with all the affection. I wasn’t the one that didn’t even care enough to notice her suffering in the first place!”

“It’s true, I failed her,” Aspect nodded once. “I thought things were going well. I thought my girls had everything in hoof. I thought they were fine. I will admit, I share the blame. Had I but noticed they were not getting equal billing, perhaps the entire thing could have been avoided. But you’re missing something, dear Nightmare.” Aspect shook his head. “I paid both of them the same amount of attention. I loved them both equally, I love all my children and grandchildren equally. I don’t dare play favorites when my wards can be said to be the pillars upon which the world is founded.”

“Well Luna sure didn’t feel that way,” Nightmare huffed as she ate her stew. But her mood had soured and the food didn’t taste as good now. “Her problem now. You wanna talk about her, ask her yourself. You’re not going to kill me? Then shut up and eat your marefriend’s meal.”

“One last thing,” Aspect said as he turned to his own stew. “I wasn’t kidding about that curse. Until you actually grow up, and stop being a Nightmare at your core...someone worthy of wielding the power of Dreams? You’re not going to grow up. You will be the eternal little sister to Realm, someone who could probably do your job if he had to.”

“Least I’m not a giant prick with a god complex,” she muttered into her bowl. Aspect, however, heard it and put his spoon down.

“I was holding back,” he stated simply. “If you wanted a god, I could burn the runes into my very bones. I wouldn’t need my robe for a medium, and I wouldn’t get winded casting them. But do that, and I’m not worthy of the sword I wield to keep the world in check. Instead of being the fulcrum, I’d become the one pushing the lever around. If Discord acts up again, I just might. You don’t rank that high.”

“So you say,” Nightmare said as Bon Bon got up from the table and walked away, leaving her food untouched. “It’s not always about raw power Aspect. Now go after her and apologise.”

“It’s also not always about what you can do,” Aspect stood up. “‘Should’ needs to enter the equation. Morals of others, consideration. Otherwise...well, you match your mental age.” And with that he was off after Bon Bon.

“Hmf, so you say,” the tiny alicorn said to herself.

Bon Bon walked down the hall, pausing to sigh slightly… She reached behind her to undo her apron, but couldn’t quite reach.

“Come on… stupid thing,” she muttered.

She felt a presence behind her, before the knot was undone. “I’m sorry, Bon Bon,” she heard Aspect’s voice say. “I messed up at being normal again, didn’t I?”

“What was your first clue?” Bon Bon said with a curt tone, before sighing again. “Sorry, these last few weeks have been… trying.”

“I’m very sorry,” Aspect reiterated. “It’s just...she’s a physical embodiment of everything I failed to do. Like Discord. It’s...it’s going to be a while before I get used to seeing her like this.”

“Tell me Aspect,” she said and turned around. “You’ve been in a coma for weeks. Then you disappeared to Canterlot. When you finally come home. The first thing you do is go all ‘Alpha Male’ on a filly.” She poked his chest with a hoof. “What should you have done instead?”

“Probably come back here first,” Aspect ruefully admitted. “But my life is never dull. The moment I woke up, ‘Tia sprung a press conference on me...with me being my Alicorn self. I wanted to come back here, Bonnie. I did. But...the ability to hug my girls in public. The ability to bond with them properly again...I love you. But I missed that too.”

“Not that,” Bon Bon shook her head. She moved forward, her apron slipping slightly as she smiled at him. “I know you’re an important stallion. But you came home and yelled at a foal Aspect.” She put a hoof to his chest. “I’m still waiting for my kiss you silly stallion.”

Aspect smiled softly and kissed her on the cheek. “That’s not really a foal,” he groused. “I just turned her into one. That’s an ageless terror in the body of a foal that once possessed my daughter. The only reason she’s still alive is because she at least showed one moment that meant she could possibly be redeemed.”

“Christopher,” Bon Bon poked his nose. “She’s got her problems. But she is quite cute you know. Just give her a chance. I mean, would you rather take a sword to a problem? Or would you prefer to make something good from it peacefully instead?” Yeah that was hypocritical coming from her, even so…

“We’ll find out,” the stallion replied. “If she doesn’t act mature, she’ll never get her maturity back. If she can’t see that the world is more important than her, if she can’t put her ambitions aside...if she doesn’t grow up and repair the Dreamscape? Then she’ll never really be welcomed as the princess of Dreams.”

Bon Bon paused as a vision came to mind of a small black filly with an oversized crown and laughing maniacally on a high backed throne.

The mare was now snickering as she used Aspect for support.

“Right,” Aspect suddenly recalled something and held a hoof up to Bon Bon’s head. There was a muted flash of light, and he smiled. “And there we go. Mental stability runes around your memory, along with an alarm and tracker to tell me where you are if they get tampered with. Triple redundant on the protections.”

“Huh?” Bon Bon tilted her head in confusion. “Ooh, I see.” She chuckled and kissed him lightly. “You’re cute when you’re worried about me.”

“It’s part of my makeup to worry when my marefriend has connections to a mysterious organization that may or may not mind wipe her,” Aspect fired back before kissing her on the lips.

“I wonder if I ever told you who’s in charge of that organization,” Bon Bon said. “You know her quite well. Mare, white coat. Sun on her flank?”

“Oh, so she’d know better, would she?” Aspect chuckled. “We still have our fights, about trivial things. But one would hope that nopony would dare try to take you from me.” He leaned against her and sighed. “I missed this,” he softly whispered. “Being here with you.”

“Mm, is that so?” she replied, leaning back. “Anything in particular perchance?”

“Just...I can’t pick one thing, they’re all part of such a delicious package,” he replied, wrapping a hoof around her. “Missed you...and Rainbow too of course.”

“Speaking of,” Bon bon giggled. She leaned in close, her mouth next to his ear. “How was Midnight~?”

Aspect very carefully did not react. He slowly pulled back and looked Bon Bon in the eye, silently demanding an explanation.

“Well?” Bon Bon said. “Don’t lie now. I know something happened.”

“Okay, how?” the stallion asked.

“Okay, new question,” Bon Bon smirked. “Tell me, does Midnight seem like a stupid mare to you?”

“No,” Aspect replied. “Just...how do you know anything happened?”

“Because she isn’t a foolish mare,” Bon Bon replied knowingly. “She came by here and talked with me and Dashie. She wasn’t about to go out and steal another mare’s stallion. So we gave her our blessings, because she’s just so danged cute!”

“...O...kay then,” Aspect replied. “Well, I’m glad that’s...dealt with at least. Hopefully I’ll remember what led to this.”

“Oh, and speaking of Dash, she’s in the hospital,” Bon Bon sighed and shook her head. “She attempted something remarkably stupid and sprained both her wings. So she’s grounded for a week or two.”

“Ah,” Aspect nodded once. “Well, hopefully she’ll recover soon. Oh! I should probably swing by the library, there’s someone there I really should see. And the rest of the kids as well.”

“Well Realm and Artemis are at school right now,” Bon Bon said. “I’m thinking we might send her there as well. After all, she might not know much about modern Equestria.”

“...Once we can be sure she won’t try to take over the school for an army of minions, I can agree to that,” Aspect rolled his eyes. “In the meantime, I’m going to go visit the Library, then Rainbow Dash.”

“Equestria Falls to an Army of Adorable Foals,” Bon Bon quipped. “Hmm, sad part is that I could see that happen.” She rubbed his head and turned. “Well if you have to go. I’m going to take a shower okay?” She walked off, her apron hanging loosely from her body as her rump swayed with each step. “See you when you get back love,” she called out.

“...Hate to go, but I love to watch her leave,” Aspect shook his head before heading out. He had a dragon to see.

As he reached the library, he could hear multiple voices inside, several familiar ones at that. A certain warmare’s was unmistakable.

“So this is where they went,” Aspect muttered as he knocked on the door. It slowly opened as Spike poked his head out.

“Huh?” he blinked and smiled. “Ooh, hya Aspect. What’s up?”

“Two things,” the stallion replied, holding out a hoof. “First, I need to borrow a bit of your magic. I’ll give it back, but Dragon isn’t one of my forms, and if I have a sample of your magic, I can change that.”

Spike slowly tilted his head. “Huh…?”

“Just...grab my hoof, Spike,” Aspect instructed. “It might tingle, but I promise I won’t hurt you.”

“I… need an adult?” Spike blinked again, before taking his hoof. True to Aspect’s word, there was a brief tingling sensation all throughout his body, like the room suddenly dipped a degree or two, before it was back to normal.

“Awesome,” Aspect smiled at the dragon. “Now I can try turning into a dragon later. Second thing-”

“Second?” Spike asked.

“Has Twilight...borrowed any Pictomancy paintings from my house while I was indisposed?” he asked.

“Oh yeah,” Spike said as he opened the door to reveal most of his Pictomancy cast. Hurricane was telling some story about the good old days while Pansy was correcting the more… embellished parts. Starswirl, Written and Twilight were all studying some kind of book.

“Oh great,” the stallion muttered. “Look, I don’t care if you come over to study them. I don’t care if you take them here to study them, as long as they consented. I just ask for them to be returned sooner or later, okay? Realm and I are really the only ones that can restore them if something goes wrong.”

“Oh stop worrying,” Written chuckled and looked over at him. “We had to do something while you were indisposed. So we decided to see the town you chose to live in. Platinum is over at Miss Rarity’s while Smart Cookie is at Miss Pinkie Pie’s abode.”

“Yeah, so stop crying like a filly,” Hurricane chuckled.

“I just worry about all of you,” Aspect sighed. “I just don’t want something to happen that can’t be fixed.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Pansy smiled warmly. “Realm made sure we are quite sturdy. And Miss Twilight has cast a variety of protection spells on our portraits. All precautions have been made Sir Aspect.”

“Well, if you’re sure,” the stallion replied, looking around the room. A thought occurred to him as he looked at Twilight. “Twilight...I just had an idea that perhaps you and Realm could work on.”

“Oh?” the unicorn poked her head up from the book, peering around Starswirl’s hat. “Like what?”

“Linked portraits,” the stallion summed up. “So that one second they could be at my place, and in the next they could be here, without anypony having to move them. Back in Realm’s day it was impossible, but…”

“Hmmm…” Twilight put a hoof to her chin as she lowered her head in thought. Her thinking face was pretty cute. “Perhaps. I mean, portal spells are easily achieved. But linking multiple ones to the same portal. That’s much more difficult. There’s a risk of getting separated in the multiple streams. You know, a little piece coming out here… some there…”

Pansy eeped and hid behind Hurricane.

“I was thinking something more along the lines of...how do I say it,” Written mused. “Making them all a part of the same network. So long as the portraits match, then the inhabitants can go from portrait A to B or C. So that they can choose where they want to be, instead of locked away inside my house...without the risk of rain washing them away should they choose to walk outside.”

Twilight nodded. “Hmm, that might—” She suddenly stopped as her eyes widened. “I have an idea!” she said excitedly, her eyes sparkling.

“Great, you and Realm can work on it,” Aspect replied, bowing his head. “Just make sure you remember where you found them, please. I missed Hurricane’s snark, believe it or not.”

“Aww, I knew you loved me~” Hurricane cooed, petting his head condescendingly. “But let's face facts. You could never handle a mare like me. I need a real stallion~”

“And there it is,” Aspect chuckled as he left. “Okay, I’m gonna go check on Rainbow, see if I can’t offer some condolences to the whole spraining your wings thing.”

“She WHAT!?” Twilight yelled from her spot, scaring the crap out of the bearded stallion. “Nopony told us that she was there!”

“...What?” Aspect blinked. “One would think that her well-being, as your friend, would be...you know, up there on your list of things to care about. Doubly so since she’s such a...enthusiastic trick pony.”

“Hey!” Twilight said sharply. “I didn’t know she was in hospital. Nopony told me and I've been here studying.” She summoned her saddlebags with an item summoning spell. One of Aspect’s spells. “Alright. Let's get going.”

“...You’re telling me how you did that later,” Aspect mused as he led the charge to the hospital.

“Huh?” Twilight blinked as she followed him. “Oh! Lady Written taught me a few of your spells.”

“...That one is based around how the sword always comes to me in a time of need,” Aspect whispered to himself. “And she just...took to it like a duck to water…”

“Did Lady Written ever use the sword?” Twilight asked her.

“No,” Aspect shook his head. “I...we’re talking about it later,” he reiterated. “For now, let’s head on and check on our resident speedster.”

“Oh… kay,” Twilight wilted as she followed quietly behind him. Aspect sighed as he heard that tone.

“Look, I’m not upset,” he called over his shoulder. “I’m just...processing how you managed a sorcery.”

“A… what?” Twilight blinked. “But, all I did was cast a normal spell like Miss Written instructed. Though I first had to use a vocal invocation, I managed to tweak it so I could use a quick cast.”

“The most basic of sorceries are simple words,” Aspect instructed. “Things like ‘Stop,’ or ‘Up,’...or ‘Come.’”

He heard a scratching sound and turned briefly to see Twilight writing all this down. He chuckled and continued with the basic instruction.

“Another thing a sorcery requires is clear visualization for what you want to have happen,” Aspect led with. “And the last thing, that usually ties it all together, is a beat. It draws on music magic. And the more complicated your casting...well, then you have to delve into rhymes to get your intended meaning across.”

“Is that why Lady Written had me tapping my hoof while I learned to cast it?” Twilight blinked. “Wait, she taught me Sorcery? I… I can learn that? Is, that why you got mad?” she said as her ears flattened again. “I… know you don’t want me learning a lot of things that you know…”

“It’s not that I didn’t want you to, it’s that I didn’t think you could,” Aspect replied. “Sorcery is dangerous. It’s...a deeper form of magic than just spells. And the only thing you could pull on to undo a wayward sorcery is another sorcery. You have to be very, very careful when using it. It doesn’t just pull on your own magic. It pulls a little of the Harmonic magic that causes those random musicals to feed its workings. That makes it very powerful. The first thing all nascent sorcerers learn? ‘Stop’ or ‘Cease’ or the like, when imbued with Sorcery...is a general Dispel. Tell me she taught you that at least.”

“Hmm, she did…” Twilight nodded. “But I haven’t tested it yet. I don’t know how much power to put into it or…”

“Use it carefully,” Aspect warned her. “Because it doesn’t just stop Sorcery. It’s an interrupt for all magic, save anything deeper than it. If you used it around a pegasus in flight, they’d fall to the ground. Getting the idea?”

“That… sounds a little dangerous,” Twilight gulped.

“Yes, Sorcery is not something to be wielded lightly,” Aspect nodded once. “It’s one of the few ways Harmonic magic can be...twisted. So think very, very carefully before you do anything with Sorcery.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t learn it after all…” Twilight mumbled, the Want it Need it Incident coming to mind.

“I wouldn’t be adverse to you learning it,” Aspect stated seriously. “But you would have to treat it with the same level of respect that you treat the Elements of Harmony.”

“I respect all kinds of magic!” Twilight said with a sharp nod. “I just… I thought, that you didn’t like me. That’s why, you wouldn’t teach me anything. I mean, you’re teaching foals this stuff and yet…”

Aspect turned and put a hoof under Twilight’s chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes for his next statement. “I do like you. I like you and all your friends, for bringing my Luna back to me. I will never be able to repay you for that. I just want to make sure that this time around, when the knowledge is distributed, it’s used by those that will never misuse it, even by accident. I want it to be respected, acknowledged, and not tampered with. I honestly, honestly, did not think that since you’d spent so long learning how to cast one way, you could readily adapt to the free-flow nature of Sorcery. I’m not mad to be disproven wrong. I’m just cautiously optimistic.”

“I suppose, and my track record hasn’t been fantastic lately,” Twilight said, blushing cutely from the sudden physical contact. “Maybe I’ll stick to study… and leave the practical side alone.”

“Then how would you learn anything?” Aspect asked as he turned to the hospital again. “Studying will only get you so far. Sooner or later, you’ll need to experiment. But I’m sure if you come up with a safety checklist, you’ll never need to fear for anything getting out of—”

A flutter of paper and he had an extensive checklist floating in front of him.

“Heh,” Aspect chuckled. “Okay then, I’ll see if I can’t impart a little knowledge onto you.”

“But first, let’s go see our crash-prone pegasus,” Twilight said as she rolled up the list and stored it away. “I’m sure she’s bored out of her mind.”

“Mmhmm,” Aspect nodded.

When they arrived, they found said pegasus strung up like and looking rather upset about it. Her hind hooves were in a cast as were her wings. It also offered the pair a free show as the nurse changed Rainbow’s blanket.

“H-Hi Rainbow,” Twilight blushed and looked away. It-It was just hot in here. Yup. Totally not questioning her sexuality at all.

“Hello love,” Aspect walked up to Rainbow and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“A-Aspect? Twi?” Rainbow blinked and snorted. “The heck are you two doing here? I told the docs not to tell anypony.”

“Bon Bon told me,” Aspect replied. “Did you honestly think I wouldn’t come to check on you?”

“And see me like this, yeah I did,” Rainbow sighed. “Guh, just… don’t tell anypony else okay? Especially Pinkie. You know she’d make a big fuss out of it.”

“Fair enough,” the stallion chuckled. “But you just know they’re going to check around anyways. And if you think Pinkie doesn’t somehow already know…”

“Yeah yeah, I know,” the pegasus sighed. “Well, I should only be in here for tonight and tomorrow night. The Doc says the healing magic is going well. I should be flying again in a week.”

“Well, that at least is something,” Aspect agreed, nuzzling her softly. “So dare I ask what you were doing that landed you here?”

“Something awesome,” Rainbow smirked.

“So something stupid and dangerous then?” Twilight riposted, making the pegasus wince.

“It woulda worked… maybe,” the mare pouted, folding her forelegs. “And I only broke a few things…”

“Maybe you should have someone go over your tricks with you before you do them in the future,” Aspect pointed out. “So that you end up here less often.”

“Maybe… but this one is top secret,” Rainbow said with a small smirk. “It’s gonna totally kick butt when I get it to work.”

“Okay then, in that case, I’m going to have to taunt you with something every time you land in here,” Aspect teased her.

“Huh? Like what?” Rainbow said, tilting her head to the side a little.

Aspect merely smirked at her. He would wait until Twilight left.

“Like what?” Rainbow said again. “C’moooon, tell meeeee~”

“Mmmmnoooope,” Aspect smirked, inclining his head in Twilight’s direction.

“What?” Twilight blinked and Raibow got a knowing look in her eyes.

“What indeed,” she smirked. “Go on Aspect, I’m sure Twilight wouldn’t mind learning~”

“Learn what?” Twilight said, still confused.

“Well okay then,” Aspect replied, before there was a muted flash.

In the next moment, a griffon that was one and a half times as big as Aspect had been was in the room, with white feathers that turned blood red at the tips. He stared at Dash and licked his beak suggestively.

“Ohwow~” Dash shuddered, she could already feel herself getting wet at the sight of him.

“What does a Griffon have to do with learning?” Twilight asked innocently. “Is this a flying thing?”

“Oh I’m gonna fly high alright,” Rainbow murmured, her eyes drinking in that luscious form.

“This is a really old form of mine,” Aspect stretched his wings...and they barely fit in the room. “And every time you land in here, unable to move, I’m gonna tease you with it.”

“...How is that some sort of punishment?” Twilight asked, starting to get frustrated with not knowing. “Can’t you two make sense?”

“I could explain it to you, but Tia would kill me,” Aspect replied. “So instead I’ll refer you to Cadance.”

“Wha? Why would Cadance know what this is about?” Twilight pouted.

“Aww, you need to stop picking on her,” Rainbow chuckled. “Hmm, I wouldn’t mind watching actually. Too bad I missed the Midnight thing. If she actually did it that is.”

“Mm, that’s for me to know, and you to find out when you get out,” Aspect smirked, before turning and walking out of the room...showing off that form’s impressive toned muscles. He could almost feel Rainbow’s eyes burning holes in his flanks.

“Twi… tell me that isn’t the best ass you’ve ever seen.” Rainbow purred, eliciting a blush and a squeak from the purple unicorn. Aspect decided to be cheeky and swayed his tail just right.

And that was Twilight covering her face with her hooves, trying to hide the blush that burned across her face, while Rainbow merely let loose a catcall. Aspect mentally let out an evil laugh in his head before he walked away. Once he was clear of the room, he returned to being a pegasus and left the hospital.

After leaving Dash drooling and Twilight a blushing puddle, Aspect headed towards the schoolhouse. It was getting late in the afternoon and he had two boys there to pick up, not to mention a schoolteacher that had gone without a magic instructor for the last few weeks…

The stallion just sat outside the school and waited for his wards to walk out and notice he was there. Soon...unless he missed his guess.

And on cue, a flood of foals poured out of the building a few moments after the bell chimed, some stopping in front of him. The three fillies known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, as well as Realm and Artemis.

“You’re back?” the fillies echoed.

“Mmhmm,” Aspect nodded once. “Figured I should tell your teacher I’m available for lessons again...as well as pick up my wards here.”

“Hello,” Artemis waved. “I was wondering when you might get back. We’ve all been quite worried about you Sir Aspect.”

“None of that Sir business,” Aspect snorted. “I’m still just Balanced Aspect. None of my recent deeds warrants a Sir.”

“Well, you did save us all from Discord’s madness,” Artemis pointed out. “Realm and I have been doing our best to be the Alpha’s of the house, have we not?” He turned and looked at the little alicorn.

“That Nightmare has been doing her best to be a real-” Realm began to utter.

“Pain,” Artemis butted in, putting a paw over his muzzle. “Sorta mean, but not really dangerous. I think she knows we’re stronger than her.”

“Well of course you are, for reasons I’m sure you’ll learn eventually,” Aspect nodded once. “Well...oh, duh. Other thing I need to do. Artemis, can I have a paw, please?” Aspect held out a hoof. “I just want to do a thing real quick.”

“Oh… kay?” Artemis blinked as he put his paw on the stallion’s hoof. There was a brief tingling sensation, and Aspect smiled before pulling his hoof back.

“Thank you, that should round it out nicely,” the stallion mused. “Now, all that’s left is to see your teacher and tell her I’m finally out of the hospital…”

“So I see,” Cheerilee said as she trotted up to him. “I wanted to speak to you about that actually.”

“Uhoh,” Aspect joked. “Boys, when a female says she just wants to talk to you, you listen to that shiver running down your spine. That’s your survival instinct telling you to get the buck out of there.”

“Ooohh,” Realm and Artemis nodded at the sage-like wisdom.

“Hilarious,” Cheerilee deadpanned and looked at the trio of fillies. “Girls, when a boy is in trouble, you never let him forget it okay?”

“Yes ma’am!” they saluted.

“So how bad is it?” Aspect asked.

“A private chat if you don’t mind,” Cheerilee said and nodded towards the schoolhouse.

“Welp, this might take a while boys,” Aspect waved as he walked into the house. “Tell Bon Bon it wasn’t my fault!”

“Am I gonna get another Mom?” Artemis asked, making Cheerilee splutter and cough. “Do I call her Miss Cheerilee or Mom as school?”

“Aaaand let’s just table that discussion,” Aspect deadpanned as he quickly ducked into the schoolroom.

“What do you guys think?” Artemis asked as the group of friends walked off.

“Lucky… you'll get hints on all her surprise tests,” Scootaloo frowned as the banter continued.

“So, what’s the problem?” Aspect asked as he sat at one of the desks...albeit awkwardly.

“I'd like a few answers,” Cheerilee said as she sat at her own desk. “A lot happened when Discord showed up. I'm still trying to process some of it.” She took out a book and opened it. “So tell me. Who was that bipedal figure that was hospitalized after the fight?”

“Ah, one of the difficult questions,” Aspect mused. “How much do you know about the nature of the world? Because otherwise some of the things I’ll be saying are going to be difficult to accept as being true or not.”

“I can hear dirt talk to me, and I'm an Earth pony using magic… Besides this is Ponyville,” Cheerilee snorted and shook her head. “I doubt this could get weirder.”

“There are forces in this world that are more or less the pinnacle of what they represent,” Aspect began with. “Artemis is the Earth Aspect. There is a Seapony King that is the Water Aspect. There is a Phoenix Queen that is the Fire Aspect. These forces...they are titans when they use their full power, or in the case of Artemis, grow into it. It is my job to make sure these forces stay in check. What do you suppose Discord is?”

“I fear to state the obvious and say Chaos?” the mare asked, a little unsure.

“Indeed,” Aspect nodded once. “I am a master of an obscure branch of magic, that is so old, it is the language of magic itself. If ever there were another who knew the sort of magic I hold, then it would fall to me to deal with them. However, it is also perfect for dealing with Discord, because even he cannot counter it. He is Chaos from the bad old days. One of the things I did not deal with to tame the world for ponies. That was the Elements of Harmony...and no matter what they are unleashed on, they cannot kill. Merely lock away, or purify. To permanently deal with threats, it falls to me.”

“So you have killed then?” Cheerilee asked. “And don't tiphoof around the subject. My father was a Royal Guard…” She looked away for a split second, as a bitter memory came to mind.

“I’m pretty sure the statute on the killing I’ve done has long since worn out,” Aspect joked. “The only things I’ve killed have been clear and present dangers to the ponies. The most recent one was...near a thousand years ago? Grogar the Ram Necromancer came back. Didn’t get to make much of a name for himself in this era, but that was because I was in the neighborhood.”

“Sounds like a story in and of itself,” Cheerilee said. “Look. I'm going to cut to the chase Aspect.” She set her book down and focused her attention solely on him. “If I am to keep letting the kids learn from you. I need to be able to trust you.”

“What do you need to know?” Aspect asked.

“Who are you?” Cheerilee asked clearly. “No lies. No masks. I want to know who I'm trusting my foals with.”

Aspect was silent for a time. “You really want to know?” he finally asked. “Once I unmask myself, there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle. You can’t unknow this.”

“What? Are you some eldritch abomination?” Cheerilee quipped.

“No, but it’s not any easier to accept,” Aspect sniped back, before squeezing himself out of the desk he was sat behind and walking up to Cheerilee’s desk.

There was a muted flash of light, and then Christopher Gale the human was standing before her with his arms crossed, looking down with an expression of amusement.

Cheerilee blinked, then rubbed her eyes. “I…” She got up and stepped closer. “No… way…”

“Told you,” the human all but sang to her.

“I… but how?” Cheerilee gaped at him. “I-I thought humans were just an old piece of lore. Something that never actually existed.”

“The last human left thousands of years ago,” Christopher replied. “All the old kingdoms saw the great Windigo Freeze coming and left before they could become victims. The only one who didn’t sail away with them was the Diplomat, the silver tongue to my steel sword that the world called on. I’m just too stubborn to die.”

“Incredible,” Cheerilee poked at him with a hoof. “This is really you? Not some disguise?”

“This is what I was born to look as,” Christopher nodded once. “Of course, over the years, I’ve gotten very good at disguising myself as any manner of creature.”

“So I've seen,” Cheerilee mused as she stepped back. “Well, I can at least see why you pick a pony form. This town is quite good at freaking out over little things.”

“How much panic do you think I’d make if I appeared as a dragon?” Christopher replied with a wicked grin.

“Don't even joke about that,” Cheerilee giggled and prodded his leg. “Alright. I'll let you keep teaching on one condition.”

“Go on,” the human raised an eyebrow, intrigued by what conditions she could put on him.

“That light in your eyes. The pure joy I know you feel when you teach them,” she said softly. “Never lose that feeling Aspect.”

The human paused for a moment, before smiling at her. “Why do you think I asked if I could teach them?” he replied. “I’ve never felt more...alive, connected to the world, as when I’m teaching something to the next generation.”

“Then I'll see you for class tomorrow,” Cheerilee giggled and held out a hoof. Aspect flashed back into his pegasus guise and gently took her hoof, before kissing it, making her blush lightly.

“Tomorrow then,” he promised her.

She fanned herself with a hoof as he left the building, sighing and shaking her head. “If only… Well, time to grade papers~”

Author's Notes:

This is why you don't succeed at getting Aspect drunk.

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