“Now,” Twinkle said as she walked alongside Aspect. “You have the Spectra heart?” She’d smoothed things over with Bon Bon, telling her that Christopher was just being his usual boneheaded self and that everything would work out by tonight.

“Yup, gave Realm a few quality Spectra crystals in return, seeing as how he’s the only one that can carve them,” the stallion replied. “By the way, when I’m like this, the ponies know me as Balanced Aspect. Just so you know.”

“So, I’m expected to call you that?” Twinkle raised an eyebrow.

“It would be helpful,” the stallion replied. “I mean, my cover’s all but blown in this town, but until the day comes when I feel I can walk around as a human and not draw attention to myself…”

“Never seemed to bother you in the past,” Twinkle pointed out. “You never gave a flying hoot what anyone thought of you. You only took a pony form to make little Tia and Lulu more comfortable around you.”

“Well when the other humans left,” Aspect countered. “It’s just...I’m a myth now. A legend. This time, this place...it’s Ponydom’s turn at the stage. I don’t need to be a relic of an age long past when I can blend in. I’d rather be an audience member than stealing the show like I used to.”

“My oh my, someone’s reined in their ego over the centuries,” Twinkle chuckled as she looked around. “Who’d have thought it? I remember that you used to love to show off. Especially to little Megan and your girls.”

“Then Nightmare happened...and Grogar. I’m not invincible, I can be hurt. Emotionally if nothing else,” the stallion sighed. “It’s shown me that I need to tone back my involvement before I get swept up into the next Discord event and nearly lose my top again.”

“You’ll be fine, you always have been,” the mare nodded as she paused and blinked. “Um, is that normal?”

He followed her hoof in the direction she was pointing. Spoiled Rich was yelling at somepony, whom he quickly recognised as Twilight Velvet.

And the unicorn mare could not have given any less of a fuck if she tried. Every tirade or rant that Spoiled threw at her was simply met with a nonchalant ‘Mhm’ or ‘Yes dear’.

And it was infuriating the earth mare even more.

Aspect chuckled as he used a wing to indicate the ponies in question. When it was pointing at Spoiled, he elaborated. “Big fish, small pond.” He pointed at himself. “Shark.” Then at Velvet. “Whale that could not be bothered if she tried.”

“Ahh,” Twinkle nodded as she got closer. “Given her looks, that mare there is one of my descendants?”

“Well it’s either her or her husband,” the stallion pointed out as he followed after Twinkle.

As they got closer, Velvet looked up from her shopping list and waved at him. “Oh, Aspect dear. Good morning!” She looked at Twinkle and smiled. “And who might you be?”

“Don’t you ignore me—” Spoiled started.

“Twilight Twinkle,” the mare smiled back. “An old friend of Balanced Aspect here. And one of yours if my hunch is correct.”

“Now see here—”

“Oh?” Velvet perked up a little. “That sounds intriguing. Hm, why don’t the two of you come by Twilight’s home for lunch? We can talk about it there.”

“I will NOT be ignored you little—”

“Duchess,” Velvet turned to Spoiled.

“I...wha?”

“If titles and such are so important to you, you may refer to me by my own. Duchess Twilight Velvet of House Sparkle. And I understand that raising children must be difficult dear, I mean, between my daughter being the sole apprentice of Princess Celestia and twice times savior of the world, and my son being not only Captain of the Royal Guard, but engaged to her Highness, Princess Cadenza. I know that families can be quite trying.”

Spoiled just stood there, her mouth opening and closing a few times.

Velvet stepped closer and a serene smile crossed her face. She looked so pleasant and nice.

So what was that frightening shiver running up Aspect’s spine?

“Now, I have shopping to do. If you wish to chat in a civil manner, come by for lunch and tea. Otherwise…” That smile twitched.

“There are many ponies in this world dear. Allow this old mare to give you some advice…” She leaned in to whisper. “There is always a bigger fish.”

Spoiled sat down very suddenly as Velvet smiled and pet her on the head before looking back at Aspect and Twinkle. “Now then dears, shall we be on our way?”

“Of course,” the stallion said. “And if she ever becomes too bothersome, do let me know. I’m the head of the local education board. Her membership could find itself in a perilous situation if she keeps haranguing the staff.”

“Oh not to worry,” Velvet chuckled as they walked off. “There’s many in Canterlot far worse. Her attempts at harassment were actually kind of adorable.”

“I like her,” Twinkle whispered to Aspect.

“I’m a fan as well,” the stallion chuckled back as they walked on to Twilight’s place. Wait till Twinkle got a load of this.

Golden Oaks Library… or Twilight’s treebrary. Either way, Twinkle quirked an eyebrow at the structure as they approached.

“And here I thought such methods of architecture were lost,” the mare mused. And that eyebrow rose a little more as they entered. “Spatial distortion magicks? Or maybe the same spells your bag uses dear Christopher.”

“You know, I never asked,” the stallion mused. “I doubt it’s the latter, though. I mean, those spells were woven into the bags by Heartthrob.”

“It wouldn’t be too dissimilar,” Twinkle replied. “If you intended the tree to be lived in, you’d add the spell as it was growing, making it a part of the tree itself.”

“I’m back,” Velvet called out as Spike waddled into the living room and Aspect heard Twinkle’s breath hitch in her throat. “Oh, hello Spike. Is Twilight around?”

“S-Spike…” Twinkle breathed slowly. Aspect put a hoof on her withers and gently shook his head when she turned to look at him.

“O-Of course, how could it be,” she said and let out a shaky breath. “Okay… yes. I’m alright.”

“Yeah, she’s upstairs,” Spike said and opened his mouth. “TWI! MOM’S BACK!”

“Spike! What have I said about yelling in the house,” Velvet chided him, the dragon wincing and rubbing his head.

“Sorry Mom.”

“Better,” Velvet chuckled and Aspect made a rather odd conclusion. This mare’s family was almost as weird as his own.

Well...unless you took all the Griffons or Phoenixes into the equation…

“So,” Aspect said. “Anything going on in the town today, Spike?”

“Not today,” the drake shrugged and then lowered his voice. “But, do you have tomorrow free?”

“I...might?” the stallion replied. “Depends on what’s going on.”

“It’s Twi’s birthday,” he commented. “We’re all gonna get together. But uh… no surprise party. Not after the Pinkie Incident.”

“Fair enough,” Aspect chuckled. “Guess I’ll have to dig up an old book.”

“My little filly turning twenty one,” Velvet sighed. “And yet, I still don’t have any grandfoals to show for it…”

“MOM!” Twilight yelled from the top of the stairs. “Seriously…” She saw Aspect and blushed a little.

Twinkle on the other hoof, her eyes were as wide as saucers.

“Mmhm, remember to breathe now,” Aspect reminded the mare.

“She’s… but… that… Clover?” Twinkle managed to get out, her brain still rebooting.

“Nope, but I can see how you might come to that conclusion,” the stallion chuckled as he cleared his throat. “Twilight Sparkle, might I introduce you to Twilight Twinkle, a very old friend of mine.”

“Twilight Twinkle?” Miss Sparkle’s eyes slowly widened as she remembered Realm telling her about the mare way back when. “Wait, you mean the Wish Granter? The one Realm said was like me in some ways.”

“Turns out, all this time, she was just sitting in a little marble of reality,” Aspect replied. “I might have rescued her from her duty yesterday.”

“I can’t believe it,” Twilight trotted up to them as she looked Twinkle over. “Another pony from back then. Ooohmygosh! I have so many… whhhyyy is she hugging me?” Twilight asked as she found that Twinkle had suddenly attached herself to her.

“You remember how you closely resemble Clover the Clever?” the stallion mused aloud.

“Yeees?” Twilight said, awkwardly returning the hug.

“She was Twinkle’s granddaughter,” Aspect finished.

“Ah…” Twilight Sparkle looked at the mare wrapped around the barrel. “Well… this isn’t awkward I don’t think.”

“Just let her have this,” the stallion replied as he picked a spot and sat in it to watch the mare get a little closure.

“Um, sure?” Twilight blinked as she pet Twinkle’s mane while the mare hugged a thousand years of loss out of her system. “So um, what brings you two around anyway?”

“Well, Twinkle was helping me not be a bonehead for once in my life,” Aspect started.

At that, the mare pulled herself away from Twilight and wiped her eyes. “I-Indeed,” she said, trying to regain some composure. “This idiot proposed to one mare, and one mare alone… in front of one of his others.”

Velvet and Sparkle’s hooves met their faces.

“I keep saying all it was was getting the ritualistic combat out of the way so I could properly propose to them all at the same time, but nopony listens,” Aspect noted aloud.

“Because the combat is the proposal,” Twinkle sighed. “Look, we’ve come out to get some rings, then you can go about punching your little bat mkay?”

“Waitwhat?” Sparkle blinked and stared at the stallion.

“I have to fight Midnight to marry her,” the stallion explained.

“That’s… odd,” Twilight Sparkle blinked.

“”It’s actually a deep part of Thestrali culture that is very important to them,” Velvet explained. “Everything they do is for honor and strength in the family. If they have multiple children, the strongest must marry first, and so on.”

“And now I’m learning all sorts of things today,” the stallion mused.

“I researched them a while back, after Princess Luna returned,” Twilight Velvet nodded. “Primarily there are three distinct cultures. The first and oldest is the Romanian. Their country lies far to the south. It’s a rather hard place to live and wyverns don’t make it easier. It’s also a very ‘stallion’ oriented society. Mares don’t have much in the way of power there. They cook, clean, and provide a family. Stallions hunt, protect and the like. Kind of opposite to Equestria.”

“Eeesh, and Middy comes from there?” Aspect shuddered. “I hope some trading of values can happen soon…”

“Next you have the ones in the Northern Highlands,” Velvet explain. “They border the area between Equestria and the Frozen North. And they can be quite the rowdy bunch. Their entire city is carved inside the mountain. They also have a rather distinct accent. And of course, they love a good fight. But like all thestrals, family is extremely important. But once they see you as such, you’ll never have a better sort by your side.”

“Huh...that...also sounds like Midnight,” the stallion mused.

“And the third?” Sparkle asked.

“Ah, those would be the ones that live in Hollow Shades,” Velvet hummed. “I’ve been there once, with an old friend during my wandering days. It’s an amazing city, built in a massive cavern created by a Starfall. As such, the forest that surrounds it is quite thick, but the city itself has some of the most amazing architecture you’ll ever see. Their society is much like the rest of Equestria. Though they do not see Celestia as their ruler, and she gives them the right to do as they like. As long as they obey the general rules of Equestria.”

“Hmm,” Aspect mused. “I’ll have to pay a visit to there one day. Must have missed it in my wanderings.”

“The dense forest makes approaching by land or air rather precarious,” Velvet replied. “There is a train that goes there. Just don’t expect too many pony visitors.”

“Wow, I never knew all that,” Twilight Sparkle said as she finished transcribing all that, before her stomach gave a loud rumble.

“Whoops,” Velvet giggled. “I guess I prattled on far too long. I’ll get lunch started.”

“Sounds good to me,” the stallion chuckled as he patted the seat next to him. “Come on Twinkle, let’s see what the Sparkle clan can cook up.”

“So,” Twilight said to Twinkle as Velvet and Spike left to start cooking. “Can you really grant wishes?”

“In a sense,” the mare nodded. “Nothing like… infinite riches or the sort… erm. Hm, how would you explain it Christopher?”

“It’s more like…” the stallion put a hoof under his chin. “If the probability exists that the pony can get their wish granted, then when she ‘grants’ the wish, that probability is pulled to the fore out of all the threads of fate and chance.”

“Incredible,” Twilight breathed as she scribbled that down. “To think magic like that exists.”

“Does she write everything?” Twinkle whispered.

“Anything she thinks is important,” Aspect replied.

“So much like Clover it’s scary,” Twinkle giggled.

“Oh…” Sparkle blushed and put her notepad away. “So um… how are you finding modern day Equestria?”

“It’s different, yet many reminders of the past still seem to crop up,” Twinkle giggled and nudged Aspect. “Still, if this one can survive it without going crazy. I’m sure it won’t be a problem for me.”

“Well, Discord is safely sealed away for a thousand years again, and Tirek has yet to get out of his cage, so…” Aspect hummed. “Barring the Nightmare taking over the local schoolyard, there’s not a whole lot of calamities going on.”

Nightmare Moon, in all her filly glory stood at the head of the class as Miss Cheerilee introduced her. Or tried to. She had no idea how to introduce a filly like this.

“Oh great,” Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “Another Fakicorn. As if the midget colt wasn’t enough. And this one’s a Blank Flank too.”

Nightmare’s eyes flashed dangerously as she turned her attentions towards the filly. Realm and Artemis had maybe a few seconds to stop her from reducing the filly to a pile of smouldering ash…

“So… you gonna save her?” Artemis whispered.

“...Why should I?” Realm replied. “Though...hey Nighty! No murder.”

“Tch! I see the modern era is utterly boring,” the Nightmare hissed as she powered down her spell. “Fine, no localised heat death for the little brat.”

“What did you call me!?”

Her words went ignored, overturned by Nightmare getting pounced by three fillies, chanting about a ‘New Crusader’s Member.’

A black hoof poked out from the cuddlepile, trying to tap out.

“I swear Aspect is doing this to me on purpose…” Cheerilee groaned.

“Aaaaactually, according to him, you can blame Discord for this one,” Realm spoke up.

Right, next field trip to the gardens, bring a sledgehammer.

“...I’m sure it’s fine,” Twilight Sparkle chuckled as some delicious smells started to come from the kitchen. “Still, you’re getting married Aspect? That’s a surprise.” She suddenly caught herself and shook her head. “Er, what I mean is, I wasn’t expecting it so soon… um…”

“A mantra I...used to live by,” the stallion said. “‘Life is short. Why spend it away from the ones that bring you joy?’”

“Mhm, life is real short for you huh?” Twilight mused.

“It’s not my life I’m concerned about,” the stallion muttered.

“Then what are you… oh,” Twilight looked a little crestfallen as she realised something. “Oh I’m.. sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay,” Aspect waved it off with a wing. “I just...I want to do right by them, you know?”

“And we know you will,” Twinkle said and rubbed his leg. “It’s why… I’m sorry if I’m meddling. But I just want you to do this right. Without any regrets okay?”

“Heh,” Aspect used a wing to pull Twinkle into a hug. “What did I ever do to deserve friends like you?”

“You still have secrets, I won’t stop bugging you til I know everything~” Twilight Sparkle smiled.

“And somepony has to make sure you don’t make a complete ass of yourself,” Twinkle chuckled. “I’m surprised you got this far on your own already.”

“Just a stubborn old warhorse that refused to die, ‘s all I am,” Aspect muttered.

“And from I’ve seen,” Velvet said as she entered the room. “A kind and loving father to countless children. A wonderful stallion all in all.” She set a large mug down in front of him, filled to the brim with a delicious potato and leek soup. A side plate with some buttered bread rolls joined it.

“Ah, that looks delicious, miss,” Aspect nodded once as he picked the mug up and sipped at it. “Thank you for this.”

“Indeed, just the thing for a blustery day like today,” Twinkle nodded as she sipped at her own. “And after this, we go and find a jeweller.”

“Oh, I know of one,” Twilight Sparkle replied. “Take a right once you leave here and head down about three blocks. You want one called Gem Desires.”

“Oh good,” Aspect replied as he looked at Twinkle. “I’m thinking a necklace for Dash. The gem we have is too large for a ring.”

“Aw, that’s adorable,” Twilight giggled. “Plus it’d need to be something she could remove for weather work. You can’t wear metal when working with lightning after all.”

“Mmm,” Aspect nodded once. “And whatever we get for Bonnie will have to be something that can’t come apart easily, she’s a confectionist. Jewels in the batter would be an unwelcome treat for her customers.”

“Not me,” Spike beamed as he crunched down on an emerald.

“Not all her customers are dragons, little Spike,” Aspect chuckled.

During lunch, Twinkle exchanged a few stories, and Aspect got to hear some tales of foal Twilight from Velvet, much to her embarrassment.

And soon, Aspect and Twinkle had to take their leave, a mission to complete in the name of love.

“They were nice,” Twinkle hummed as they walked. “I’m glad my descendants have done well for themselves.”

“Mmm, they’re pretty impressive, all things considered,” the stallion nodded as he trotted along.

“I’d like a favour from you though,” Twinkle spoke up. “Relations aside, I sensed a simply ridiculous amount of untapped potential in young Twilight Sparkle. Promise me that should her path stray, you’ll help her.”

“I’ll...try, that’s all I can promise,” the stallion sighed. “I don’t know if I’ll succeed or not. Luna proved me wrong with her Nightmare episode, that I could catch everything. But if she falls, I can try to be there to catch her.”

“I hope so,” Twinkle nodded. “Because what I sensed wasn’t too dissimilar to your girls.”

“It would be nice, wouldn’t it?” the stallion mused as he kept on walking. “But I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Indeed,” Twinkle nodded as they got closer to the place twilight had directed them too. It wasn’t hard to spot, given how obvious all the other stores in Ponyville were. This one had a simple, but well-made wooden sign with the words ‘Gem Desires’ written in fancy Prench cursive. A purple trio of whiteish-blue gems after it.

“Guess this is the place,” Twinkle stated.

“Let’s see if they’ll serve me,” Aspect mused as he pushed the door open. “Hello?”

Inside, he was greeted with several rows of display cases. The ones in the middle held jewelery of all kinds. Necklaces, hoof and horn rings, earrings, etc. Around the walls sat cases that held things like raw gems, old pieces for display and the like, it was like a store and museum rolled into one.

Behind the counter, a young mare sat, she looked a little younger than Twilight, perhaps very late teens. A pair of glasses sat over her eyes, the lenses made from a cut ruby. It instantly reminded Aspect of the Twinkle eyed ponies…

“Hello?” the stallion tried again.

The mare looked up, lifting her glasses/goggles with her magic as she stared flatly as Aspect. “Yeah, what do you want?” she asked with a tone that sounded less than impressed.

“I’m here to get some pieces,” the stallion replied. “Though one of them will have to be made, I did come with the gem in question.”

“Great, as if I don’t have enough to do,” she muttered. “Fine, pick a design. Pay and get out.” Her attentions had already been turned back to the gem on her counter as she lowered her goggles and kept working.

Aspect blinked.

Twice.

Before turning around and pushing the door open. “You know what Twinkle, if she doesn’t believe in Customer Service, I don’t believe I need to spend my money here. I’m sure we can find a jeweler up in Canterlot that would be far friendlier.”

“Sure, go for your life,” the curt unicorn called out. “You’ll also pay ten times as much for a crappy ass job. Not to mention costs for a train there and back, or pay their exorbitant fees in shipping. My work is solid. You pay for that, why should I need to fake a smile?”

“You’re right,” Aspect noted aloud. “Now, Baltimare, they had a good jewelry shop. Fit for the princesses.”

“Sure, if you want to wait six months for anything,’ she waved a hoof. “They source all their materials from other places. I know because they buy from me. I can have any work done in next to no time.”

“Yeah, but your marketing of your skills at face value sucks harder than a thestral when they get a mango,” Aspect countered. “Your first impression leaves as much to be desired as the time when Celly raised the sun in the west.”

The mare sighed and set her goggles down. “Not even gonna ask,” she murmured. “Fine. What can I do for you?’ she said, her tone having at least a little less bite to it. She gestured at her display cases, filled with admittedly rather well-made jewellery. “I can make just about anything. All I need is a size and a rough idea of the design.”

“I’m thinking three necklaces, with very strong claps,” Aspect replied. “All for an engagement.”

“Proposing to three mares?” she raised an eyebrow. “Wow, the honeymoon’s gonna keep you busy.” She opened a drawer and put the gem she was working on in it.

“Mmm,” the stallion hummed as he reached into his bag and pulled out the Spectra heart, the bands of color going across it diagonally...and occasionally shifting as it was watched. “That’s for one of them,” he explained.

Then he stumbled as a band of magic grabbed his hoof and pulled him right up to the mare as she stared at the gem. “Alright… I’m going to ask. Where in the nine circles of Tartarus did you get a Spectra Crystal?”

“Oh, it’s easy,” the stallion replied with a cheeky grin. “All you have to do is go into the Everfree when a wild rainbow forms over it and pick the right end to harvest some Spectra Crystals. Of course, you also have to use your hooves to pick them.”

“I tried that a bunch of times,” she murmured. “Never found any… so I figured that old legend was bogus.” She picked the gem up and turned it over. “Whoever carved this was an amature at best. What I wouldn’t give for some raw materials…” As he looked at her, he spied a small scar behind her right ear.

“Tell you what,” Aspect said as he put the heart on the counter. “You promise to never tell that to my son, and I can share some with you. It helps to have more than one pony going for the rainbow at a time. Failing that…” he flapped his wings. “These help.”

“I’d imagine,” she murmured as she looked at the gem. She hopped down from her stool and walked around the counter so he could get a good look at her. She was a rather slender unicorn, her coat a pale lavender, with a rich purple mane and tail of two shades. Her Cutie Mark was a trio of diamond-hued gems, matching the sign outside. “Name’s Amethyst Star, though most call me Sparkler,” she said and held out a hoof. “And you must be the resident shapeshifter I’ve heard about.”

“Eh, I might have a few forms tucked away for every occasion,” the stallion replied playfully, bumping her hoof with one of his. “So. Would you prefer to touch up that heart, or to try and make another one?”

“This one is salvageable,” she replied. “It’s for a necklace, so it’ll need to be a bit smaller. And you wanted two more right? All with the same gem setting?”

“Well, one’s for the local confectioner that, surprisingly, isn’t Pinkie Pie. Hence the strong clasps, it wouldn’t be good for her or her customers if it fell in something she was making.”

“Then the smart idea would be to take it off while you cook,” Sparkler rolled her eyes. “So three different gems then? What about metal for the necklace? I have gold, silver and bronze. Some mythril. A little starmetal, though that’ll cost you a bundle and a half. Or I can go for a plated metal if you want them on the cheap.”

“Not cheap, but the only mare in my life that got anything from Starmetal was my daughter, and that’s going to be a very late birthday present for her,” the stallion countered. “Or more like a series of them. So, hmm...Twinkle, help refresh my memory, I seem to have forgotten about mythril. Do you think it’d work for my needs?”

“Mythril is a magically conductive material,” Twinkle replied. “A lot of unicorns made weapons out of it since it was easy to lift with magic. I honestly didn’t know ponies still worked with it.”

“Mhm,” Sparkler nodded. “Sky Chariots are often inlaid with the stuff to make them easier to pull. It’s brittle on it’s own, moreso than gold. It’s why it’s often mixed with other metals. I tend to use the stuff for highlights or a nice glowing effect when you channel magic through it.” She opened a case and lifted a hoof ring. Pulses of light ran across it like glowing veins when her magic touched it. “Combine it with Starmetal and an Ebon Dusk stone you also get a magic null ring,” the unicorn added.

“Interesting,” the stallion mused. “Well, I won’t be needing that. But a nice gold necklace with a highlight of mythril around the gem could be pretty.”

“Hmm, not bad,” Sparkler nodded. “Okay then, what are their coat and mane colours. You don’t want it to clash too badly.”

“Well one of them is Rainbow Dash, hence the Spectra heart,” the stallion pointed out, before Sparkler erupted into a coughing fit.

“R-Rainbow Dash?” she spluttered. “Wait… you said engagement… You’re marrying ‘the’ Rainbow Dash?!”

“She doesn’t know about it yet, but that is the plan,” Aspect nodded.

“Damn… dunno how you did that, you must have balls the size of watermelons,” she murmured as she looked at the Spectra gem. “Okay, gold would suit her colors fairly well. What about the other two?” She was trying so hard to not lose it right now.

“The second one is also a Ponyville native, Bon Bon,” the stallion continued.

“Bon Bon? The candy mare?” Sparkler blinked and closed her eyes. “Oooh yeah, I heard she’d gotten herself a stallion. Didn’t think it was you… and part of a herd no less.”

“And the last is somepony you won’t have heard of, a thestral by the name of Midnight Song,” Aspect finished. “Brown coat, blonde mane and tail.”

“Can you be a little more specific?” she asked. “Lot’s a shades out there.”

“Aaaah, I’m...not the artist,” Aspect chuckled, before looking to Twinkle.

“Her coat’s similar to milk chocolate,” the mare replied. “As for her mane and tail, a light, silvery blonde.”

“Platinum blonde is the term,” Sparkler nodded. “Okay, gold wouldn’t suit her coat all that well. Silver or platinum would be nicer. But gold will work for the other two.”

“Platinum it is, then,” Aspect nodded his head.

“Right, now do you want a particular shaped gem? Something related to the Marks?” Sparkler asked.

“Midnight’s is a crescent moon with some eighth notes in front of it,” Aspect mused. “And Bon Bon is, well, bon bons. I’m already going off-script with Dash getting a Spectra Heart.”

“Well I could make them all hearts, and try to match a gem to their Mark, or maybe use their birthstone?” the mare hummed. “Do you know their birthdays?”

“Ah, no, it...hasn’t come up yet,” the stallion replied sheepishly. “All hearts would probably be the safest choice.”

Then his vision was filled with pink.

“Hiya!” Pinkie declared happily.

“Gah!” Aspect jumped back.

“Somepony mentioned birthdays?” she asked as Twinkle stared at her.

“Surprise’s relation?” she asked the startled stallion.

“It feels like it, some days,” the stallion muttered as he made sure his heart was still beating.

“Sooo, whatcha wanna know?” Pinkie asked as Sparkler shook her head.

“One, use the door like a normal pony,” the unicorn groused. “Two, I need the birthdays for Rainbow Dash, Bon Bon and some mare named Midnight Song.”

“Weeeeell, I dunno about Middy,” Pinkie giggled. “But Dashie is on July 21st. And Bonnie on August 20.”

“I could pop back and ask?” Aspect offered with a raised wing.

“Sure!” Pinkie nodded. “I need to know to plan her next birthday bash!”

One second Aspect was there.

The next, the door slammed open in a rush of wind as he disappeared.

“Wowzers!” Pinkie said as her mane popped back into place and her eyes landed on Twinkle. “New PONY!”

“Oh gods…” Twinkle flinched, as Aspect had left her with a crazy pony.

Midnight had been practicing her drills, as her mate had stated his intention to marry her. She knew he was strong, and that the Gale King was his preferred style.

So she had kidnapped Realm from his school to use him in practice.

“Hm, you may come at me whenever,” she said, raising her training blades. “I will… try to avoid injuring you.”

“You realize I’m going to be in trouble with Miss Cheerilee for this, yes?” the colt replied with an irritated snort as his wings started to spark and glow with lightning.

“Would you rather that pointless class about history you yourself lived? Or shoot lightning at me?” she smirked. “Well… if you think you can~”

Realm snorted again as the lightning danced across his feathers, before each wing shot a bolt at her. She ducked the first and weaved the second, before drawing closer to him. The colt snorted and blasted her with a sudden gale, flipping her away from him as he took to the skies.

Midnight flipped back, tucking in her wings to avoid the gale blasting them back and breaking them. Her eyes looked up as she saw how far he ascended. Not a bad skill to learn. She pumped her own wings and took off after him, then opened her mouth and let out an ear shattering screech.

The colt winced as his ears folded back, but still held a look of concentration on his face as he waved his wings again, this time in a complex pattern, before bringing them down once again.

And this time, Midnight felt the winds change around them both. They started swirling around the colt, the clouds above turning as what he had summoned began to work. Midnight adjusted her wings, trying to stay airborne as she looked up. Whatever he was doing was interesting, but likely painful if she couldn’t avoid it.

“Seventh form!” the colt called out as the winds started to build. “Eye of the Storm!”

“This… looks bad,” Midnight said as she started to head for the ground. She needed to be out of the air…

The colt swooped down to stand on the ground...and the storm followed him down, swirling around him and making a barrier of wind between him and her that only grew worse as time went on.

Midnight stared at the raging storm from a few dozen feet away. Was this a defensive technique? She had to admit, she couldn’t see how to get past it… yet. She watched the winds carefully, trying to see a weak spot…

The only thing she could note was that the storm hadn’t quite fully formed yet. There was one tiny weak corridor that led to the calm center. But that gap was starting to narrow…

Midnight leapt into the air, rising several meters before angling and tucking in her wings, diving sharply and very fast, like a bat-shaped arrow as she aimed for the narrow gap, attempting to punch right through it and into the calm center. The winds and clouds fought her all the way…

But in the end, she won out and was rewarded with not only the center, but the colt crying out in shock and causing the whole storm to disappear. She skidded to a stop, before her wings and forelegs wrapped around him and held him close as air rushed in to fill the sudden void, her body buffeted from all angles as she shielded the colt until things calmed.

“Are, you alright?” she asked him carefully, slowly unfurling her battered body.

“Jus’ fine…” the colt replied woozily as he shook off his sudden exhaustion. “I...don’t quite have the mana reserves to hold a Seventh Form technique for very long yet. Won’t for a few more years. So...it’ll take a bit for me to get used to losing one like that.”

Midnight looked at the rather… well destroyed would be a good word to describe the yard. At least the Tree of Plenty was placed further away. “Hmm, well should you wish to practice, I will assist,” she said and ruffled his mane. “You are strong, for a mere child.”

“I am more than just an artist,” the colt said as he puffed out his chest. “I was dad’s squire back at the Everfree castle. Once I got old enough to hold some of Hurricane’s techniques, I was gonna be made a knight.”

“Most impressive,” Midnight smiled as she checked him for injuries. Her own were inconsequential. “Still, that was enlightening. I would like to know these techniques. And how to counter them. Your father will not win so easily.”

“They’re mostly based in pegasus magic,” the colt replied. “You’d have to wield at least the very basic stuff to be able to counter or read it.”

“I saw through your gale did I not?” she smiled and winked.

“And you dodged lightning,” the colt mused. “Hmm. Maybe you’d be able to actually match me.”

“You’d have lost that one,” she mused and rubbed his head. “Maybe with practice, you could match me?”Then she paused as she felt a presence coming and flared her wings to shield Realm.

A sudden gust of wind was all the warning she got as Aspect reappeared and kissed her on the cheek. “Hello love, I just have a quick question for you,” the stallion said. “When’s your birthday?”

She took a breath and lowered her guard, caught off by the unexpected question. “Um...what?”

“Your birthday,” the stallion repeated. “I need to know for a thing I’m doing.”

The mare blinked and rubbed her head. “M-am născut în iarna. Um, what is the month in Equuish…?” She scratched her head. “The ninth day of the first month.”

“Thank you,” the stallion kissed her on the lips this time, before vanishing in another gust of wind.

“What… was that about?” Midnight said, looking rather confused.

“You’re asking me to explain him?” Realm chuckled. “He’s one of a kind.”

“That he is,” Midnight smirked, before wincing. The wind had left some shallow cuts in her skin. “Well, back to training then?”

“If you think you can handle all the things I can throw at you, by all means,” the colt smirked at her.

“Bring it on,” she smirked, her wings flaring.

Meanwhile, Twinkle had managed to distract Pinkie Pie with some stories, the pink mare sitting quietly as she talked.

There was another gust of wind, as Aspect rematerialized in the shop. “January 9th,” he said.

“I… where did you…?” Sparkler rubbed her eyes. “Right, that makes her birthstone a Garnet. A Peridot for Bon Bon and a Ruby for Rainbow.”

“But as we’ve already established,” Aspect pointed out. “The only gem that really would represent Dashie is the Spectra heart.”

“I am aware,” Sparkler nodded. “Just commenting out loud.” No need to tell him of what Twinkle had just planned. Mare schemes were the best schemes. “Now, what timeframe are you looking at? I have to make the hearts, and the necklaces from scratch. This could take at least two to three weeks.”

“Let me put it like this,” Aspect said simply. “The sooner I have those necklaces in hoof, the sooner I can propose to the mares that have made me feel happy to be alive for the first time in so long.”

Sparkler sighed. “Fine, I’ll work as quick as I can. But you better believe that I’m not sacrificing my level of quality for you. Just… I owe you a favor is all.”

“Speaking of,” the stallion reached into his bag and pulled out half a dozen Spectra crystals. “I can always hit up the forest the next time it rains there to restock.” He put them on the counter next to the heart.

“Are… are you sure?” the mare asked, blushing slightly. She was kind of adorable… for a grumpy lil unicorn.

“You want to work with them, then by all means,” the stallion replied. “Just let me know if you need more and I’ll hit up the forest again.”

“This is fine,” she mumbled. She already had a spot picked out to display a raw crystal and some ideas for jewelry. “I’ll do what I can for your necklaces okay? And…” She looked around, Twinkle still distracting Pinkie. “Thanks okay,” she blushed cutely. “For taking care of my little sis.”

Aspect couldn’t help himself. He walked forward and hugged the mare. She blushed harder and pushed him back with a hoof as she stammered. “H-hey! W-What are you doing!?”

“Sometimes a hug helps,” the stallion said with a smile. “Thanks, by the way. I trust you’ll make them look divine.”

“Y-yeah well…” She blushed again and looked away. “Whatever. I’ll do my best.”

“Mmhmm,” Aspect said as he walked over to Twinkle. “Okay, we’re all set here,” the stallion said to the mare. “Thanks for helping out, Pinkie.”

“No problemo Aspectio!” she saluted and cartwheeled out of the door. The non-automatic door somehow opening as she did, closing behind her.

“Definitely from the Surprise line,” the stallion muttered. “Well, let’s just...I don’t know, get you acquainted with the town?”

“I suppose we can do that,” the mare nodded and smiled as she followed after him, offering Sparkler a wave as they left her shop.

“...And that’s pretty much Ponyville in a nutshell,” the stallion said after her guided tour.

“Hmm, quite the… diverse place,” she mused as they arrived back at his house. “Nothing like Dream Valley at all.”

“That’s kind of the idea,” the stallion replied as he opened the door for her. “The tribes living in harmony promotes greater growth than them living apart.”

“I suppose it does,” she replied. “Kudos for actually getting it to work. Gods above the Pegasi were stubborn. Though they did have Hurricane as a leader, so that explains much.”

“Well, it was hardly my work for the past thousand years,” the stallion chuckled as he walked in after her. “But yes, after a little cold spell, it’s remarkable what the tribes will do to survive.”

“I’d imagine,” she replied, sounding a little bitter as she remembered those horrid beasts. Their blood-freezing howls and that awful cold… so very cold…

“Hey,” the stallion pulled her close with a wing, having caught that thousand-yard stare. “It’s okay. I made sure of it before I left. It won’t happen again.”

“Y-yeah…” the mare shook and trembled, before the ground shook with a small tremor and an explosion. And it was coming from the backyard.

“...I’ll go answer that,” the stallion sighed as he walked through the house.

The backyard was a total mess. Grass and trees were ripped up, chunks of earth missing as two ponies faced off, both Midnight and Realm looking like they’d lost a fight with a tornado that was on fire.

“Realm,” Aspect said warningly. “Did you try using the Seventh Form again?”

“Yeeeeeep,” the colt replied woozily as both ponies collapsed. Aspect sighed as he levitated the both of them with gusts of wind, something he held as he carried them into the house on their air cushions.

“Twinkle, go find Artemis, he’s the Diamond Dog,” the stallion called as he began walking through his home. “Tell him the back yard needs work thanks to Realm going all out.”

“Um, sure,” the mare nodded as she headed into the house, before Aspect realised that at this time, he’d only just be getting out of school…

“Wait, nevermind,” Aspect added on. “Go wait by the front door for him, he should be coming back soon.”

“Ah, alright,” the mare blinked and did as he asked as Midnight came to, rubbing her head as she groaned slightly.

“Don’t move,” Aspect said to Midnight. “Then I have to refocus on holding you.”

“What… where am I?” she blinked, laying still like he asked.

“Inside, I’m bringing you to the room so you can rest up,” the stallion said as he walked through the halls.

“Oh,” she murmured. “I guess. I must have trained too hard.”

“You must have, if you made Realm break out the Seventh Form,” Aspect replied as he reached Realm’s room. With an application of wind, the door was opened and the colt placed on his bed, before it shut and the two of them were on their way again.

“I needed the practice,” she murmured. “Don’t… want to make it easy for you…”

“And I appreciate that,” the stallion replied as he continued their walk. “It means you’re taking me seriously. So many foes did not take me seriously.”

“I will give it my all, to the best that I can,” Midnight said, knowing full well there was one technique she wasn’t allowed to use.

“That’s all I ask,” the stallion replied as they reached the room. Another burst of wind saw the door opened before Midnight was floated in on her cushion of air, landing on the bed before Aspect walked over to kiss her forehead.

The mare sighed contently, snuggling into the cushion as she sprawled out, not really caring about her modesty here. Aspect chuckled and rubbed her chest with a hoof, before kissing her again.

“You take care, little mare,” the stallion cooed to her. “I’ll tell Bonnie you need something to help you recover from your training.”

“Hmm, cuddle with me,” she murred, not letting go off his hoof.

“...I can spare some time,” the stallion replied as he crawled up onto the bed, nuzzling his thestral mare. She returned his affections readily as the mare sighed contently, her wing draping over him.

“Mine,” she murred, nibbling his neck.

“We’ll see about that, won’t we?” the stallion cheekily replied as he nuzzled her.

“Indeed,” she nodded. “After all, should I defeat you, you’ll be deemed unworthy to marry me.”

“Oh really?” the stallion quirked an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t it be a feat in and of itself if you do beat me? After all, I’m older than Celestia.”

“I guess we will see,” she murred. “I am not without my own abilities stallion. Underestimate me and you will eat dirt.” She leaned up and nipped his ear.

“Mm. Training with Realm’s Seventh Form is only going to get you so far,” the stallion replied as he ran a hoof down her side. “I still possess Air. I’m a step above him.”

“It was just training, I would feel bad beating a child up,” Midnight replied. “So, shall I send my parents a visitation request?”

“Mm, it’d probably be a good idea,” the stallion agreed. “How long will it take to get there?”

“Depends on the mail,” Midnight replied. “Or I shall go and see them personally. Oh…” She pulled out a bound scroll. “Please send this one to the Sun Princess.”

Aspect pulled back, shifted into his dragon form, and exhaled on the scroll, sending it off without a question.

“Hmm,” she ran a hoof along his scales. “I see why she likes this form. It is appealing.”

“Still getting used to it,” the dragon Aspect replied. “Plus, I’m still only putting about...eh, a hundred years worth into the transformation.”

Midnight simply tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“This is an adolescent drake,” the dragon replied, using a hand to gesture to himself. “I have a good few thousand years I could put into it. But that would likely end up with me being bigger than the house.”

“Ahh, that would be… problem,” Midnight nodded and chuckled. “Except for Bon Bon. Her concern would be how to fit~”

“Heh,” Aspect chuckled as he curled himself around Midnight. “Well, still up for cuddling?”

“Mhm,” Midnight nodded. “Might you please fetch me a drink first?”

“I can do that,” the dragon replied as he stretched, before going off through the halls to fetch his batmare a drink.

*WHUMP!*

The second he set foot out of his door, the drake found himself on the receiving end of a patented Luna Tackle Hug. This one from a high velocity teleport.

“FATHER!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Thou art getting MARRIED!?”

“...I am going to put that bat over my knee when this is done,” the dragon groused.

“Sister is equally as excited,” Luna stated from her new dragon seat. “But she has to deal with some things. We however, needed to see if this news was true.” She stared down at him, Luna’s ’Cute’ in full effect.

“In order to marry my herd and preserve my own skin before Toola catches wind of what’s happened, I am getting married,” the dragon replied. “I mean, I do love them, but I wouldn’t put it past that mare to find a way to kill me if I don’t marry Bon Bon soon. And I’m not leaving any of them out of it. And I have to actually fight Midnight in order to win the right to marry her.”

“Ahh, We had forgotten about that little ritual,” Luna hummed thoughtfully. “Well, tis not like you would lose to a mortal mare. So, what is the problem?”

“Bon Bon is pregnant,” Aspect replied. “With a Kirin.”

Luna stared hard at him… then at his form. She blushed and quickly removed herself from him. “Father! What in the Moon’s name was’t thou thinking?”

“I was thinking that my little infertility charm would be enough to prevent that,” the dragon replied as he got up, before continuing on his trek to the kitchen. “Apparently I forgot to take into account the anti-magical nature of dragon scales.”

“Ahh, that would do it,” Luna nodded as she followed him like a puppy. “So, We shall get a new brother or sister? We call… er what is it? Dibs? Yes! Dibs. We call dibs on teaching them how to prank!”

“Because what we needed was another child as bad as you or Tia,” Aspect snarked back as he finally arrived in the kitchen. “Was it the cold or the damage you two did that caused us to abandon our first home?”

Then he heard a whine and against better judgement, turned to it’s source.

Luna was pouting.

“We… we were a bad filly?’ she whimpered, her eyes glistening and her lip jutting out.

Aspect literally couldn’t help himself. He walked over and cooed, picking Luna up and cradling her close. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he said against his own will.

Luna smirked internally. She was still the master of the Cute, even after a thousand years. She nuzzled against him as they both heard somepony chuckling, a bemused Bon Bon standing behind them.

“A dragon and an alicorn cuddling in a kitchen… I swear all I need is the punchline now,” she mused.

“Eh, for that you would need Tia and a cake,” Aspect waved her off.

“Harsh,” Bon Bon snorted as she suddenly yelped, Luna pouncing her and putting an ear to her belly. “P-Princess Luna! What the hay?”

“Oh yeah, Lulu knows,” Aspect replied as he went over to the fridge and hummed. What would Midnight like to drink…

Oh look, Bonnie had bought juice boxes…

Mango juice boxes.

The dragon snared a few with one hand before turning around again. Bon Bon was still inadvertently distracting Luna as the mare tried to hear a child in her belly. Bon Bon’s protests doing little to dissuade her.

With a smirk on his lips, the dragon slipped away, off to give Middy her juice...and maybe a talking-to about distracting his own children for her.

In a distant, mountainous city, a small batpony mare opened a letter she’d just received. Oh! It was from her lil daughter.

Her amber-hued eyes scanned the page and suddenly narrowed. She put the letter down and turned towards the back of the house.

“Eclipse! Get yer flank in here!”

The thestral stallion poked his head out of the archway. A grey coat with a dark blue mane and tail. His eyes a rich emerald. “Yes dear.”

“Some cum guzzlin’ lil shitstain thinks he’s marryin’ OUR lil Midnight!” the small mare yelled, stomping a hoof. “Pack yer bag! We’re goin tae Ponyville!”

“Oh dear,” the stallion sighed. Whatever stallion her ire was now directed at, he had his deepest sympathies.

“So yeah…” Rainbow shrugged as she lay on the end of the bed, her tail swishing back and forth as her front half dangled over the side. “I was kiiinda bragging a bunch. I mean, I was saving ponies and all. But I guess it went to my head a little. Least the others were cool enough to point it out anyway. Beat their original idea of dressing up as a superhero and showing me up to prove a point.”

“That would have been a pretty low move,” Bon Bon nodded. “Talking things out before the problem escalates is a much better solution.”

“Yeah, that’s what the purple egghead put in her letter,” Rainbow nodded. “Speaking of,” she turned to Aspect. “What happened with that? I thought you wanted her in this little fam of ours as well?”

“She decided she wasn’t ready for as complex a relationship as she might have been entering into,” the dragon replied. “What with her being Celestia’s student and you being her friend.”

“Yeah, I mean. Twi’s pretty adorable,” Rainbow nodded. “But, it’d be kiiinda weird as well ya know. I mean, I think three mares is pushing it as is.”

“Aww, does the little pegasus not like her selections?” Bon Bon hummed, tickling her leg and making Rainbow kick slightly.

“Ahah, quit it!” she giggled. “And yeah, I’m cool with all of you. It’d just be weird with any of my friends ya know. Like… what if one of us wanted that Twinkle mare?”

“Yeah, that’d be a little weird,” Aspect replied as he curled up on the bed. “Considering she’s just about as old as I am, and also one of my really old friends.”

“Ya see,” Rainbow nodded. “Honestly, Twi still can’t look at me without blushing.” She rolled over and sat up on the bed. “So, what’s this I hear about an engagement hm?”

“Luna told her,” Bon Bon deadpanned.

“Ah, well, I was hoping to spring it on you when I had the necklaces,” Aspect chuckled. “But yes, in order to marry this herd, I would first have to fight Midnight for the right to marry her. So I’m getting the necklaces made and will spring them on you when they’re ready, before showing off what a proper Aspect of Air can do in a fight with Middy.”

“Sounds weird… but Midnight’s pretty badass, so that’ll be cool.” Rainbow nodded and shared a hoofbump with the batpony, who was already half asleep. “Eh, mushy stuff ain’t my style. But… getting married. I… I never really thought about it before.”

The dragon raised his head, before turning to Rainbow and kissing her on the lips. And slipping her some tongue. A lot of tongue.

“And now she finds out why I like that form,” Bon Bon mused. Aspect had been in said dragonform all day actually. Well, not that she was complaining. Meanwhile, the pegasus mare let out a muffled squeak of surprise at the long tongue invading her mouth.

Eventually the dragon let her come up for air and smirked at the pegasus mare. “Don’t ever doubt that I love you,” he said.

“Never… did…” Rainbow panted, licking her lips and smirking at him. “Geez, gimme a little warning before you tonguefuck my throat huh?”

“Just trying to distract you from thinking about it,” the dragon replied as he resumed his curled-up pose.

“Uhuh, you and your ‘distractions’ huh?” Rainbow snorted as she flopped down rather unceremoniously on top of her new dragon pillow.

“He is good at those,” Bon Bon nodded, taking his side.

“Quite,” Midnight yawned, completing the attempt to bury the dragon under a mare pile.

“Oh, I see how it is,” the dragon chuckled from under the mares. “Going to bury the dragon under his hoard, are we?”

“Yup, you make a nice pillow,” Rainbow nodded. “I mean, you’re no cloud. But I guess you’ll do.”

“I second that,” Midnight agreed.

“Never slept on a cloud, so I’ll take your word for it,” Bon Bon nodded.

“Oh, what a cruel, cruel fate has happened upon me,” the dragon moaned dramatically. “I am literally buried in mares. However did this come to pass?”

“Bonnie, the pillow talks too much,” Rainbow chuckled.

“Well, his tongue is usually otherwise occupied,” the mare mused back.

“Drama queen,” Midnight murmured.

Aspect chuckled before just closing his eyes, reveling in the feeling of being surrounded by those he loved.

Author's Notes:

I went over the chapter with a comb and only spotted one error, and made sure the link worked to. Go me!

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