When Aspect awoke, a gentle and delicious scent of breakfast wafted through the air. Somepony was in his kitchen and what they were creating?

It had been a long time since the stallion had a home-cooked meal. At least a thousand years since he’d been around Equestria. And their wonderfully-stocked larder back in the castle in the Everfree.

Those were some talented chefs, back in the day. He was nowhere near as good, but he could at least make simple meals.

He slowly dragged himself out of bed and started ambling towards the source of the smell. The source it seems, was Bon Bon. She was moving around the kitchen like a dancing fae, flipping pancakes and making fresh juice. The stallion let out a low whistle of appreciation. She was just as talented as the chefs he was used to. Maybe moreso.

She turned her head and gave him an appreciative wink before turning back to her special brand of magic. Lyra had all but floated into the room with the promise of delicious food.

“I smell Bonnie noms~” she purred.

“I’m envious of you if this is a regular thing you get to experience, and I haven’t even tasted it yet,” Aspect said.

Rarity walked into the room a moment later, looking as perfect as always. Her mane bounced with each step as she smiled at the other ponies.

“Why, good morning everypony,” she greeted them cordially.

“Lady Rarity,” Aspect greeted her with a nod.

“Sup Rares,” Lyra grinned and waved from the table, she was already seated and ready to eat.

“At least one of you has manners,” Rarity nodded to Aspect and took a seat as well. “Good morning Bon Bon.”

“Morning~” Bon Bon chirped happily as she grasped the pan’s handle with her tail and gave it a flick, tossing pancakes high into the air and landing on each ponies plate perfectly.

“And with skill like that, I have no doubt that if sorcery were still a thing that ponies in this age could perform, you would be a master at it,” Aspect said with a smile before picking up his fork and starting in on the pancakes.

Sweet merciful…

Aspect hadn’t been one to seek a partner among the ponies in all his long lifespan.

This cooking made him reconsider his stance.

“Marry me?” he asked.

“Bonnie’s mine, get your own!” Lyra glared at him, fully taking him seriously. Bon Bon just chuckled and shook her head.

“I’m flattered,” she replied. The pancakes themselves were so light and fluffy, it could be mistaken for a delicious cloud.

Then he realised that there were two types, as one had apples and banana mixed through them, and the other had chocolate chips.

“Sooo goooood,” Lyra moaned as she ate.

“I think you two are over-reacting just a bit,” Bon Bon said as she sat down to eat as well. “I’m nowhere near as good as Pinkie Pie or Applejack.”

“You’re the best I’ve had in a long time,” Aspect said seriously. “Living on your own makes you appreciate the sorts of things you can only find in civilised company.”

Bon Bon choked on her food as Lyra paused before howling with laughter.

“Darling…” Rarity blushed and hid her mouth with her napkin. “You may want to reconsider those opening words, at least in front of these… uncouth mares.”

Aspect blinked a few times as he rethought his words before groaning. “Seriously? Not cool.”

“You said it,” Lyra cackled. “So Bonnie? Was it good for you as well?”

“LYRA!!” Bon Bon yelled at her, her face aflame with a crimson hue.

Aspect grumbled before digging back into the food. Delicious, delicious food would solve everything. It always did.

“Aw, come on Bonnie,” Lyra giggled. “Hey, if you married Aspect, then you’d be the step-mom of the Princesses!”

Bon Bon ‘eeped’ and ducked under the table.

“You are aware that the Princesses are not my daughters by blood, yes?” Aspect said with a raised eyebrow.

“Still counts,” Lyra nodded. “But BonnieBons is still mine, so you’re outta luck Aspect.”

“Are meals in your home always this… exuberant?” Rarity raised an eyebrow.

“This is the first time I’ve had other ponies around for them,” the stallion said with a shrug. “Though we did always laugh and share a joke or two back in the castle in the Everfree.”

“Speaking of that,” Rarity asked. “You’ve mentioned that castle a few times. Though all I recall is that it was a rather dark old ruin… er, no offense.”

“None taken,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “Near as I can tell, Celly abandoned it after the fight was over. Probably just as soon as I left as well. And thus, the small city on the side of Canterlot became the city of Canterlot, and her new home.

“A pretentious city full of mostly unicorns,” Bon Bon muttered, forgetting she was the only one in the room without a horn.

“And I suppose Cloudsdale is just as bad in your eye,” the stallion chuckled.

“What? Oh… I, I didn’t mean…” Bon Bon sighed. “Sorry, just had some bad experiences in Canterlot is all.”

“Aww,” Lyra rubbed her back. “I wouldn’t worry. And at least we know Winter is coming now.”

“Hmm, oh, I suppose it is huh?” Rarity tittered.

“A lot of Earth Ponies start getting irritated come winter,” Lyra explained to Aspect. “Since you can’t grow anything, a lot of ‘em suddenly have nothing to do.”

“Oh for, that’s an old mare’s tale,” Bon Bon snarked back.

“You’re talking to the ‘old mare’ that first made that observation,” Aspect said. “It was just an idle thought, but it rapidly spiraled out of control into a joke among the staff that I had no intention of starting.”

“Wait, you started that rumor?” Bon Bon sighed. “No more pancakes for you.”

“I also made the observation about unicorn horns and pegasi’s wings,” the stallion chuckled. “I’m an equal opportunity observer.”

“You are incorrigible,” Rarity sighed. “Can we move on to a more civilised topic of conversation? Such as discussing any idea you had for the ballroom?”

“Well,” the stallion hummed. “I was thinking something in both gold and azure. I have every faith that when they can, my daughters will visit me, and I’d like something that reflects the both of them.”

The first image she got was like that horrendous house Vinyl and Octavia lived in and she shuddered. “Hmm, that might be a challenge. But leave it to me, I’m sure I’ll come up with something.”

“Also,” the stallion said. “I plan to go into town today, to aid with any reconstruction efforts that actually need any help without revealing to the town at large that I’m anything but a weird pegasus. If you ladies would write down anything you’d like me to get or where you lived, I can check up on those things for you. Or you could come with if you’d like.”

“I believe we’ll go with you,” Bon Bon nodded. As much as she thought of him as a friend, she didn’t want him rifling through what was left of her drawers. “Besides, there isn’t a whole lot left of our home.”

“Fair enough,” Aspect said with a shrug before flashing into his pegasus guise and finishing off his breakfast. “Mmm, that was so good, and over too soon,” he said with a forlorn sigh at his empty plate.

“Well, guess you’ll just have to wait for dinner,” Bon Bon smiled. “And we’ll see if that proposal’s still on the table hmm?” She shot him a sultry wink as Lyra fumed and pouted.

“I’m watching you,” she said, pointing from her eyes to his.

“Madam, I am in no way trying to steal your friend from you,” Aspect said as he put a hoof to his chest. “Hire her on as a chef? Maybe if I could afford such a thing, I would consider it. But I’d not break up a friendship.”

“You couldn’t afford me,” Bon Bon giggled, bumping Lyra’s hoof with her own.

“Well, the next week or so should be interesting indeed,” Rarity chuckled. “Oh, but on the topic of winter. That Parasprite came at a rather unfortunate time. I do hope the town even has enough supplies to last the three months.”

“I’m sure we could reach out to Canterlot and they’d help,” Aspect said with a wave of one wing. “My daughters are already footing the bill thanks to the emergency fund. I’m sure if we needed to, we could buy all the food everyone needed to eat for winter.”

“Provided the farmers like Applejack and Carrot aren’t too proud to ask,” Bon Bon sighed. “They’re wonderful ponies, but I have never met a more stubborn farmer than the ones here.”

“They are, aren’t they?” Lyra giggled and got to her hooves. “Okay, let’s go and see how much of Ponyville is left.”

“After you,” Aspect said with a bow. The mares nodded and left his home, the stallion locking up after them.

Ponyville… looked a lot worse than it did yesterday. Several buildings had been stripped down to the bare framework. As they passed one building, Bon Bon stopped and stared sadly at it. It was utterly destroyed, a broken half-eaten sign was on the ground, enough of the writing was legible to tell Aspect that this was her shop and home.

“Things can be replaced,” he said softly. “Memories can be remade. Lives...can’t.”

“Yeah, I know,” Bon Bon nodded. It was still hard seeing her home like this. “Well, guess I should get to work.” She entered the space and looked around. “Aspect, could you lift the rubble here? There’s a door to the basement that should have something that’ll help the town.”

The stallion nodded and moved over to where she indicated, using his hooves to shift the rubble that was blocking the door.

“W-Well, I thought your magic would have been easier,” Bon Bon blushed, watching the muscular stallion and licking her suddenly dry lips.

“Don’t tell anyone, but I’m cheating,” the stallion said as he kept moving the fallen bits off the door. “Then again, when am I not?”

“S-Sure,” Bon Bon nodded slowly. Wow, it was really warm today huh? It took a few minutes, but the junk was moved and her cellar door was revealed. Bon Bon pulled a key from her mane and unlocked it, before pulling the door back.

“Okay, everypony follow me,” she said and walked down into the darkness. Aspect nodded and followed after the mare, curious as to what she could be keeping down here that could help the town in its current state.

Bon Bon felt around for the light and the room was filled, causing the ponies to blink a few times to adjust. And Aspect then saw what Bon Bon was talking about.

Almost six months worth of supplies must have been down here. Flour, oats, sugar, bottled water… Enough to last the whole town quite a while. There was also a large yellow crate done up with a multitude of padlocks…

“Well, this’ll help,” the stallion said. “I guess some pony is into preparing for the worst.”

“More or less…” Bon Bon blushed.

“She’s also really bad at ordering stuff, so this is in case she needs stuff in a pinch,” Lyra giggled. “So when we did place orders, we ordered a lot.”

“Also makes sense,” Aspect agreed with a nod. “It’s good to have a buffer.”

“Right, so I’m gonna let Pinkie Pie handle distributing this,” Bon Bon nodded. She set aside enough for them, as well as that trunk. “Lyra, could you take all this back to Aspect’s house?”

“Aww, it looks heavy…” Lyra sighed and nodded. “Fine. But will you ever tell me what’s in that trunk?”

“The bones of overly-curious mares,” Bon Bon replied with a cheerful grin. Aspect blinked before looking at the chest, then slowly looking at Bon Bon.

“Just some personal belongings that shall remain personal,” she said to Aspect. “A mare is entitled to her secrets after all~”

“I was about to say,” the stallion said with a sigh. “Right, shall we look for the pink one, then?”

“You never look for the Pink one,” Lyra giggled. “The Pink one finds you!”

As if on cue, as Aspect walked up and out of the cellar, he came muzzle to muzzle with a wall of pink, staring back with big blue eyes.

“Hiya Aspey!”

“Hello Pinkie,” he said with a chipper smile. “I was expecting you.”

“Aww, you’re no fun when you ‘expect’ me,” Pinkie pouted. Lyra chuckled and rubbed her poofy mane.

“Hey Pinks, think you could distribute all this stuff out to the town. At the very least, there’s stuff here to bake bread and the like.”

“Oohh~ This is awesome!” Pinkie giggled and bounced up and down until Bon Bon put a hoof on her head.

“You will not be using this to bake a mountain of cupcakes,” Bon Bon said clearly. “You will Pinkie Promise right now that the town will get these supplies.”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Pinkie went through the motions, even getting airborne at the ‘fly’ part, before pulling out a cupcake for the last bit.

“Good girl,” Bon Bon rubbed her head. “Now hup to it soldier!”

“Ma’am yes Sir!’ Pinkie saluted and pulled out a guard's helmet. Aspect tilted his head a little as the mare acted a bit more randomly than he was prepared for.

“Heh, I know that look,” Rarity smiled at him. “Trust me, you will never get used to Pinkie Pie.”

“I got used to Surprise,” Aspect said with a wave of his hoof. “This is just a new training exercise in comparison.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you darling,” Rarity sang as they started heading for her boutique to salvage anything useful. “So, if I may ask. What made you stop your wanderings?”

“I saw the mark on the moon vanish and knew it was time to come back,” Aspect said. “The longer than usual night was another big clue as well, but the dawn was a good sign. I had hope that this time, when I came to see my daughters, I would see the both of them.”

“So you came back because of Luna?” Rarity mulled over his words and gasped. “Ohh, Iiiiddeeaaaa~!”

“And now you remind me of Hearthrob,” the stallion chuckled.

“Hmm?” Rarity paused, her train of thought halted. “I’m sorry, who?”

“Another of my old friends, she was very busy all the time creating wonderful new outfits for ponies, mostly herself, and kept getting inspired by what some pony else would say. She was after the outfit that would attract ‘A perfect gentle stallion’ to her side.”

“Ahh, a mare I can sympathise with,” Rarity nodded and smiled. “The answer to that is quite simple, but I believe Lyra would be more comfortable saying it.” She blushed lightly and waved a hoof. “Nethertheless, I have a wonderful idea for your ballroom, but I must speak with Twilight first, to see if it’s possible.”

“Fair enough, shall we see if we can find her next, or would you prefer it if we pressed on to your home?” the stallion asked.

“Hmm, I am in no rush at the moment for the design. Let us head for my home so I see what I have to work with.”

“By your lead, milady,” Aspect said with a bow of his head.

“Ever the gentle stallion,” Rarity smiled. “Perhaps I’ll be lucky enough to have you propose to me next hmm~?” She winked at him and headed for her Boutique.

“I’ll reserve that for when I see what you have planned for the ballroom,” he riposted.

While nowhere near the state of Bon Bon’s. Carousel Boutique was in no way habitable. Massive holes in the walls and ceiling, and the damage made the stallion wary of going upstairs.

“Well, where should I start?” Rarity said, sighing as she looked at a half-eaten dress.

“I’d be wary of straying too deep,” Aspect said as he looked at the roof. He got the feeling it could collapse at any moment.

“Yes, I’d have to agree,” Rarity said as she floated out some useable ponequins and rolls of fabric. “It’s a pity, I’d like to see what survived up there.”

“As would I, but the first few rules of exploring a building that isn’t structurally sound is to not stray too far from an exit and to never go upstairs,” the stallion said.

“Yes, I’d never be as foolish as that darling, despite the allure of, my work…” Rarity gave a forlorn glance at the stairs and sighed. “Well, I have salvaged what I can from here. Let us be off for now.”

“I have an idea,” Aspect said as he smiled and looked up at the cloudy sky. “I saw a pretty big hole in the roof...as long as I can suppress my stormy nature, I think I can bring a cloud in to stand on so that I can tell you what survived.”

“I appreciate it darling, but there is no need to put yourself at risk for a few trinkets.”

“True, but sometimes the memories we attach to the things means more than the things themselves,” the stallion said. “I honestly don’t mind as long as I don’t start up a storm along the way.”

“If you think you can, but please don’t try to bring a storm into my Boutique. Once was quite enough for that particular event.”

Aspect nodded and walked outside, noticing a cloud nearby that would suit his purposes. His wings flared as he thought of how to word this.

A storm always raging out of control,
For many years, it's been on a roll,
But now I need for it to calm.
My inner nature, needs some balm.
For once now when I touch a cloud,
it needs to not get stormy and loud.

There was a flash of light and Aspect sighed. He’d woven the spell, yes. Now he would need to test it. He flew up to the cloud and hesitated for a moment...before landing on it and wincing. Did it work?

A minute passed and not the slightest hint of grey passed over the cloud. “Nailed it~” he crowed. “Right, one pegasus en route to your upper levels, Lady Rarity.” With that, he maneuvered the cloud so that he and it passed through the hole in the upper level.

“Do be careful in there, it’s rather delicate,” Rarity said to him.

“Yeah, no kidding,” the stallion said. “There are holes eaten in the walls up here.” He looked around, it looked like he was in a bedroom. “Anything you want me to look for in particular up here?”

“Whatever you deem safe enough to take dear,” Rarity said.

“I’m seeing photos, outfits...well, parts of some outfits,” the stallion said. “I think there’s even a jewelry box up here.”

“Oh! If you could get that, I’d be rather grateful,” Rarity said with some urgency. “It has a very important item if those horrendous little bugs didn’t get to it.”

“Let me just…” Aspect pushed his cloud forward and stretched a hoof out to the box, eventually nabbing it and setting it on the cloud. “Got it! Anything else you want from up here?”

“That was all that truly mattered, but if you could get a few of those intact outfits and photos…”

“On my way,” the stallion said, grabbing the closest photos before pushing his cloud over to the others. It didn’t take long for the cloud to have a small array of things on it, but Aspect dared not leave it, for fear of the floor being treacherous. He eventually reached the closet and started going through the dresses, finding a half-dozen that were intact merely because they were in back and hadn’t been eaten yet before the insects were led out of town.

That was all he felt safe grabbing, and he told Rarity as such. “Okay, I think I’m gonna call it here milady. I still feel like this place could come down at any moment, so I’m gonna get out of here while I can.”

“Please do, I’d feel awful if you got hurt,” Rarity said from outside. The entire building suddenly gave a rumbling shake.

“Exit, stage left,” Aspect said as he gave a few flaps of his wings and managed to barely squeeze him, the cloud, and everything on it out of the hole in time. The boutique surged and then a significant portion collapsed in on itself.

“O-Oh my…” Rarity gave a trembling sigh. She dashed over to Aspect and checked him. “Are you alright? You’re not hurt are you?”

“No, I got out of there just in time,” he said before climbing off the cloud and doing a sweeping bow. “Your effects, ma’am,” he said.

“Foolish stallion, you almost got yourself hurt,” she said and wiped her eye. “All for a few things. Still, thank you dear Aspect.”

“Anything to make your stay more comfortable,” he said with a wink.

“You’re…” Rarity sighed and smiled. “You’re one of a kind Sir Aspect.”

“And you know it,” he chuckled. “So, shall we go see miss Sparkle?”

“I’m sure she’s doing her best to help out,” Rarity nodded and started walking towards Twilight’s library.

Aspect wasn’t quite sure where all the chaos had come from. Whether it was Twilight’s reaction to what had happened to the library, whether she had imported the chaos from the rest of the townsfolk onto herself, or whether it was no worse here that it was anywhere else where the building was intact.

But it certainly seemed like she’d...gone above and beyond in attempting to manage the entire rebuilding effort.

“Alright, so if the pegasi can keep the skies clear… No, I don’t care about the weather schedule. The town is in bad enough shape and I don’t need you literally raining on the parade!”

Cloud Kicker glared at the unicorn. “I wasn’t going to cause any rain, you horn-headed moron! As if I would be so cruel.”

“Then why are there pegasi setting up rainclouds?” Twilight said and pointed outside. Cloud Kicker looked and narrowed her eyes.

“Thunderlane, that bone-headed… bucking…” Cloud sighed and shot Twilight an apologetic look before flying off.

“Well, you certainly seem to have your hooves full,” Aspect said as he walked in, keeping one eye on the cloud with Rarity’s things on it.

“What do you…” Twilight whirled around and sighed when she saw who it was. “It’s just you Aspect. Oh, and Rarity as well. How are you holding up?”

“Better than I could be,” Rarity nodded. “Aspect has helped me out greatly as well. But darling, you look like you just crawled through Froggy Bottom Bog. Now, how would you like a magical conundrum to solve?”

“A magical problem?” Twilight’s eyes shimmered.

“This sounds interesting,” Aspect said as he listened to Rarity’s plan.

“Ah,” Rarity turned and looked at Aspect. “Would you mind waiting outside dear? This is a private conversation.”

“Fair enough,” the stallion said with a shrug before walking out. Once he left, Rarity described her idea to Twilight.

Aspect could her the unicorn’s excited gasp from outside...He had to restrain himself from trying to eavesdrop or go back in.

A few moments later, Rarity emerged with a wide smile on her face. “Well then darling, I’m all done here. Unless there’s anything you’d like to do. I’ll be heading home to put these things away.”

“I think we’re good,” the stallion said. “Unless you think there’s any pony else I should be taking in during this time of crisis.”

“Hmm, well unless you feel like helping out anywhere. Twilight would be the best pony to ask,” Rarity had already been given a few requests that would keep her busy. “I have a good deal of sewing to do.”

“Fair enough,” Aspect said. “To home then?”

“Home, dear Aspect,” Rarity nodded. She winced at the thought of all the work she’d have to do tonight. Well, sleep was for the weak and unemployed.

Later that night, Rarity still hadn’t come out of her room, the long pounding sound of a sewing machine was a constant reminder she was even alive. Lyra was just sitting in the living room, strumming on her namesake as Bon Bon cooked dinner, the scents of baking bread and bubbling vegetable stew filled the house.

“Well, I think it might be quiet for a while,” Lyra hummed as she played, her lyre strings chiming along with her words.

“Let’s hope so,” Aspect said as he rummaged through his bag. “Hmm...trophy, trophy, tro- AHA! I was wondering where that was!”

The stallion pulled out a flowerpot with a small sapling in it, a glass dome over it with a slight shimmer the only indication that it was enchanted at all.

“What’s that you got there?” Lyra hummed in her sing-song tone again.

“The only sapling the Tree of Plenty ever sprouted,” the stallion said. “I was hoping to plant it in the spring.”

Lyra tilted her head. That name didn’t ring any bells anyway. “So, what’s the Tree of Plenty?”

“The second thing I made with the Flashstone,” Aspect said. “It was a tree that could bear any type of fruit, and around its roots, all the vegetables we could want sprouted. However, there was only ever one of anything, and it took time to replenish anything we took.”

“I don’t know if something like that sounds like a blessing, or a crime against nature,” Lyra chuckled and shook her head. She plucked her strings and started playing a new song.

“Somepony took well to the Seaponies,” Aspect chuckled. “It’s such a shame that winter will cut us off for three months…”

“Such is life I’m afraid,” Lyra hummed and started up another song. It felt… strangely nostalgic as she plucked away at the lyre strings. Aspect eventually placed it and sighed. That had been...quite the time of trials for himself and the other humans.

Megan had even advocated for the banishing of Grogar rather than the outright slaying he’d have done. And look who was right, centuries later. He just knew the old goat would come back. At least now the essence of Death was in the form of something useful.

“You really are digging up all my old memories,” he said nonchalantly. “I’m surprised the songs survived as long as they have.”

“Hmm?” Lyra paused slightly before she continued. “This is a song my mom taught me, and I think she learned it from Grams. I don’t know the lyrics though, if it ever had any.”

“Oh, it did,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “But that was not a happy time. It involves Death’s previous incarnation and the first time he and I met.”

“Morty?” Lyra tilted her head as she switched things up and played something happier. A quaint little jig from the Equus Highlands.

“Oh there’s a better tune,” Aspect said as he bobbed his head to the beat. Lyra’s horn shone and added a flute sound to the song as she got up and started twirling around the room as the music reached a fever pitch. Aspect added his own stomping in time with the beat, still keeping up with the increased pitch as he started losing himself to the music.

Lyra grinned madly and opened her mouth to add a gentle hum to it, as the two ponies made beautiful and enrapturing music. The song soon came to an end though, as the mint mare fell onto the couch and panted, a happy smile on her muzzle.

“Bravo,” Aspect said, giving her a small round of applause. “Wonderful, truly wonderful.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Lyra sat up and bowed. “I’ll be here all evening.”

Bon Bon walked into the room with a tray on her back, four bowls of delicious-looking vege soup and a loaf of dipping bread with butter and oils.

“I could hear that from the kitchen, it sounded lovely Lyra.”

“I’m not bad at tapping into the latent magical field of Equestria to produce music magic, it’s how most sorcery gets a boost, but Lyra here, she’s a master of the musical arts,” Aspect praised her.

“Eheh,” Lyra blushed and rubbed her head. “I’m not as good as Octavia or Frederick. But thanks.”

“Would somepony mind fetching Rarity?” Bon Bon asked as she set up dinner on the coffee table.

“I’ll go, it’s my house after all,” Aspect said. “I’ll not make either of you do anything you don’t want.” The stallion headed off towards the room where the other unicorn had taken up residence, still humming the tune Lyra had performed as he did.

In short order, he had reached Rarity’s room and was knocking on the door. “Madam Rarity? We have dinner.”

There was no response, and the near-constant sounds of the sewing machine had stopped. The door slowly opened and revealed what was most likely the home of Discord himself. There was fabric everywhere. Whether it was some complete sheets, or just haphazardly tossed off cuts. Several cardboard boxes lined one wall, filled to the brim with beanies and scarves. She must have made enough for half the town, and all in one day?

The unicorn herself was slumped over her table, her hooves still holding a half-complete article.

“Oh dear,” the stallion said as he flashed into his alicorn form and began using his magic. The first thing he did was gently attempt to pry away the clothing she was holding in her hooves so that he could put it on the table.

Rarity snorted and her eyes flew open, “I’m still eating that!!” she shouted and then blinked. “Wait… wha?”

“Come along, milady,” Aspect said as he tugged the article out of her hooves. “You’ve worked yourself to the point of exhaustion. And it’s only dinnertime.”

“Hrrmm?” Rarity rubbed her eyes as he took the article from her. “O-Oh my, no… I was just…” she paused and yawned. “Resting my eyes.”

“Then it’s a good thing I know how to make coffee, you might need some if you intend to keep going.” He bowed and presented her with a hoof. “If I might escort you to dinner?”

Rarity nodded and took his hoof. She glanced around the room and caught sight of her reflection…

“Whahaaa?” And like that, she was gone. And the only indication she hadn’t spontaneously vapourised was the sound of the bathroom door closing. Aspect chuckled and shook his head.

Give her ten, fifteen minutes...maybe even an hour, and she’d be out. In the meantime, he had some soup to go eat.

Aspect walked back to the table and took his place, humming as he lifted up the first spoonful of the soup to his lips.

Rarity strode in a moment later, looking as flawless as always. “Terribly sorry I’m late darlings.”

That was about when the stallion tried the soup for himself and let out the most ungentlestallion moan into his mouthful of soup.

The three mares paused, and all three sported a rather heavy blush at that sound. Bon Bon might have choked on her food again if she’d started.

“Uh…” Even Lyra was speechless. Eventually Aspect swallowed and voiced his compliments.

“It is a damn shame you’re not cooking for Celly or Lulu, I’ll say that much right now,” he said. “I genuinely think you could get a position in the castle with cooking this good.”

“Th-Thank you for the compliment?” Bon Bon squeaked out, trying to get her blush under control.

“You sure you don’t want her all to yourself?” Rarity giggled.

“Bonnie is mine!” Lyra shouted. “I’m not sharing!”

“You all know there’s something fundamentally wrong with insinuating what you’re insinuating, yes?” the alicorn said, waiting for them to get it. “It’s why I didn’t spend any time with ponies like that.”

“Huh?” All three turned and looked at him.

“Is it because you’re human?” Lyra asked bluntly. “Do you not like ponies like that?”

Aspect shook his head, before spreading his wings and giving them a flap. “Little more obvious than that.”

“I’m afraid you’re being a bit too vague dear,” Rarity said as she sipped her soup and hummed delightedly.

“Okay, pop quiz Lyra. Just how long ago was Dream Valley. Do you know?” Aspect turned to look at the mint mare, waiting for her to connect the dots.

“Well it was a really… oh.” Lyra’s ears drooped. “Because… you’re immortal? Is that it?”

“And currently, the only immortals alive are my sons and daughters in one sense or another,” Aspect said with a nod. “I’d rather avoid that.”

“Yeah, that might be best,” Bon Bon chuckled. “But still, you shouldn’t give up on love because of that. Even if… they pass. The feelings in your heart, your memories, they’ll never fade right?”

“True, plus...well, let’s just say that I have the promise of one of my sons to...meddle. He’s done it once with a success, he’s fairly confident he can do it again,” Aspect said before returning to his soup.

“Meddle… how?” Lyra asked.

“Have you all heard of Mi Amore Cadenza?” Aspect asked between bites. “She was just a pegasus until he took an interest in her.”

“Wait, Mi Amore…” Lyra knew that name. She was Twilight’s foalsitter some time ago. They used to play together in the park. “Princess Cadence…” Then she put the clues together, but Bon Bon beat her to the punch.

“Well, while I’m flattered, I don’t think I’m ready to become an alicorn princess,” she said with a light giggle.

“Yeah, most aren’t, though I can promise, you’d have all the time in the world to make your cooking better,” Aspect said with a wink to Lyra. “Like that’s even possible, am I right?”

“Nuuu, then Bonnie Bons would leave me all alone,” she pouted and hugged the mare. Bon Bon rolled her eyes and stroked her mane.

“Nopony is leaving you alone Lyra. We’re best friends right?”

“Mhmm,” Lyra purred as she was petted.

“Ah well, I suppose I shall have to savor your cooking while you are under my roof,” Aspect said with a dramatic sigh. “Such a shame.”

Bon Bon blushed and stared at him with wide eyes. “Y-Y-You… you were serious!? You really want to marry me!?” The hoof resting over Lyra’s neck was now gripping her tightly, the minty pony now turning blue…

“First, you may want to let Lyra go,” Aspect said, pointing at the mare in question. Bon Bon glanced down and gasped, releasing the unicorn.

Lyra gulped down some air and panted. “I thought… I was… gonna die…” She looked around to see if Mort had shown up.

“And second, while your cooking is good, I would need to actually get to know you before I could make that sort of call,” Aspect said.

“Bonnie! You’d betray me so easily?” Lyra feigned a hurt look and got swatted by the mare for her efforts.

“O-Oh my,” Rarity giggled at the show. “Dinner and some entertainment. Perhaps I should visit more often.”

“But take heart,” Aspect said with a smile. “Thanks to your words, I will indeed consider ponies once again. Even if they would rather turn down the offer of immortality.”

“Imagine if Twilight became a princess?” Lyra snorted. “She could be like… the Princess of Chaos or something.”

At that, Aspect actually stopped eating and shook a little.

“Oh dear, I love Twilight to bits,” Rarity chuckled. “But the idea of her having alicorn magic and the authority of a princess?”

Aspect was now muttering something as he stared into his soup, still shaking a little.

“You okay there Aspect?” Bon Bon chuckled. “You look a little pale there. Could be worse…” She smiled and leaned closer. “Alicorn Pinkie Pie.”

“You all know not of what you speak,” he said quietly. “The Aspect of Chaos is still...very much alive.”

“I don’t think I wanna know,” Lyra shuddered, Bon Bon mumbled something and glanced in the direction of Canterlot.

“His rule was terrible, he only saw me as a threat,” Aspect said with a shudder. “All the chaos he heaped upon the ponies was idle musings compared to what he did to me.”

“He was something even you couldn’t defeat?” Rarity sounded surprised.

“I wasn’t prepared for the ways his magic worked then,” Aspect said. “It ultimately fell to Celestia and Luna to gather the fruits of Yggdrasil and use them to bind the wayward Aspect in stone.”

“He was one you couldn’t ‘rehouse’ like you did with Morty, or the dragonfire?” Lyra asked.

“I could have...but he knew the sword could kill him, so he kept me out of arm’s reach from him,” the stallion said. “For all his random nature, he wasn’t stupid. He acted to neutralize the only threat he saw.”

“Sounds like a hassle,” Bon Bon sighed. “Ah well, he’s sealed away now right?”

“And hopefully, he’ll stay that way,” Aspect agreed with a nod before resuming eating his soup. Aww, it had cooled off. Oh well.

“Allow me,” Lyra said and aimed her horn at the bowl and lit it up. Steam started to rise, and she cancelled the spell. “A simple heating spell.”

“Useful for when my oven didn’t want to light,” Bon Bon said. Oooh! When they rebuilt her house, she’d get a new oven!

“Useful indeed,” the stallion agreed as he resumed eating his soup. Mmm, much better~

Later that night, when Aspect was headed to bed. He found something sitting atop of it. When he lifted it, he saw it was a scarf, that started as a sky blue, before transitioning to a sunset orange, then a deep dusk blueish-black. It also had Celestia’s Cutie Mark on the light end, with Luna’s on the dark. A small note was also attached.

‘The warmth of family, to see you through the winter.’

“Now that’s kind of her,” the stallion chuckled. Apparently, Rarity had been hard at work with her scarf-making, and hadn’t forgotten about him either. And who knew? Maybe they’d come around for the winter and really surprise his guests.

In the following weeks, the rebuilding had come along swimmingly. The town just seemed to sprout up again like a weed, and soon life was getting back to normal. The Running of the Leaves was also a thing that happened. And something Aspect wasn’t overly interesting in entering.

The rivalry of Rainbow and Applejack had provided a somewhat distracting show to the otherwise peaceful walk. Twilight had hung back for a bit to chat with him, before saying she was going to sprint on ahead.

He also got to see Celestia again, which was a nice bonus to the day. And all too soon, the day when his houseguests had to leave had arrived.

Lyra scuffed at the ground, her ears flat as Bon Bon rubbed her back. “Well, thank you very much for taking care of us Aspect,” she smiled. “Sorry we imposed on you for so long.”

“Nonsense,” the stallion said with a wave of a wing. “You are always welcome back. I find your company charming now, and I wonder how I’m going to deal without it.”

“More like ‘how will you manage without my cooking?’” Bon Bon giggled.

“That as well,” Aspect readily agreed.

“Well, I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon,” Bon Bon smiled. “After all, you have that party tonight. So there’s that.”

Aspect blinked a few times. “Party?” he asked with a head-tilt.

“You… don’t know?” Lyra asked. “Ponies have been talking about it all week.” She pointed at a section of his house. “That ballroom Rarity’s been hiding in for the last two weeks? Well she finished. So she told us you were gonna throw a party to break it in. Then Pinkie decided to make a celebration for the town being fixed and now it's a big fancy dress ball.”

Aspect was not normally a violent pony by nature. He only resorted to violence when he had to.

But his left eye gave off a dangerous twitch as he was informed of such a plot hatching under his nose without any inkling of it happening.

And to top it all off, he had no formal wear for his pony form at all. Meaning he would have to get some.

Game, set, match, Rarity.

“W-Well, we’ll uh… seeyoulatertonightAspect!” Bon Bon grabbed Lyra and beat a hasty retreat when she saw that twitch.

Aspect calmly walked into his house, shut the door behind him, breathed deeply, and simply waited for the unicorn to make herself known. Knowing her, she would love to strike soon, to finally try and get him in some formal wear…

Unfortunately, the mare also knew whom she was dealing with and sent a proxy.

“Aspect!” Twilight was treading through the snow to reach him, but she hit a deep patch and squealed in shock at the cold when she face-planted the substance. The stallion answered the call and opened the door, looking around before finally spying Twilight’s tail sticking out of the snow.

“Need some help?” Aspect asked.

“Yef pleeff!” came the muffled reply. The stallion flapped his wings once, then again, and on the third flap, a good portion of the snow was gone from his yard in a very strong breeze.

Twilight tumbled back a bit, stopping when the breeze had.

“Knew you were full of hot air,” she smirked as she shook her head and straightened her mane. “Thanks for the rescue.”

“No problem,” the stallion said. He was still mad at Rarity, but that could wait. “So, why are you here milady?”

“Oh, I just came to check on you,” she smiled. “You had three houseguests for a while. Was there anything you needed to claim back at all?”

“Just the usual expenses for food,” the stallion said with a strained smile.

Twilight nodded and wrote that down on a scroll she took out of her bag. “Is everything alright, you seem… strained.”

“Tell me,” Aspect said with a still-strained smile. “Is it now customary to throw dress balls in your host’s house without telling them?”

“That’s…” Twilight tilted her head, and then face-hooved. “That’s why Rarity asked me to give you this?” She summoned a box and floated it over to him. “I’m very sorry Aspect. I can get them to cancel it if you like. Oh, and I know Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were coming, so I’ll have to message them as well.”

“That all depends on what’s in that box,” Aspect said. He opened it to reveal a very nice suit. tailored to fit his pegasus form and he even noticed miniscule gems embedded in the black fabric. In the right light, it’d look like the night sky.

“Well, I suppose I will have to admit defeat,” he sighed. “Lady Twilight, remind me to never try to outmaneuver your friend Rarity ever again. The ball is still on.”

“I can do that,” Twilight smiled as she put her scroll away. “And please, just Twilight will be fine Aspect.”

“Very well then, though if this is to be a formal ball, expect to hear that title a few more times tonight,” the stallion said as he put the suit back in the box, before sticking the whole box in his saddlebags. “Now all I have to do is test to see if this fits and wait around for my daughters to show up.”

“You’re going to show me that bag trick at some point,” Twilight said with just the smallest bit of envy. “Well then, until tonight Aspect.” With a crack of light, she teleported away.

Aspect stared at the mirror. The suit was very nice. Top quality even.

But the question he really needed answered?

How did it fit him so perfectly!?

Had the mare been measuring him in his sleep or something?

That just raised all new concerns, if that was true.

And still, he had yet to have an actual conversation with her. He’d have his chance tonight he guessed.

“FATHER DEAREST!!” Luna’s voice rattled the walls and caused a large crack to form along his mirror. “ART THOU HOME!?”

With a sigh, he grew a horn before focusing his magic on fixing the crack. This only worked half the time, and he’d rather manage it himself without resorting to sorcery. Surprisingly, it actually slowly was fixed, and the stallion sighed. “Luna!” he called out. “Inside voice!”

“Very well Father,” she shouted back, a little quieter.

“Inside inside voice,” Aspect said. “The house isn’t as large as the castles we’ve lived in that you need to yell to find me.”

“But I—” She was cut off as Celestia whapped her upside the head with a wing. Her voice just seemed to float into the room. Magical projection?

“We’re in the living room father, we’ll wait for you here.”

“Thank you,” he said as he gave himself a final check. Everything seemed to be in place.

Then again, he’d never worn a suit before, so he wouldn’t know. With a quick flash back into his normal pegasus guise, the stallion made his way to the living room where his daughters were. When he entered the room, he found himself under the assault of a Luna-strength hug as the little alicorn embraced him, giggling happily.

“Luna,” he said, tapping her on the back. “Air.”

It took Celestia removing the mare with magic before she’d release him.

“Sorry about that father, Lulu’s been rather excited to see you again. Duties have kept us busy though.” The sadness in her voice was evident. Ever since Luna’s… departure, she hated that her responsibilities got in the way of family.

“You mean like that little ponce that tried to separate us?” the stallion asked with a bit of bite to his voice. “I swear, the nobles back in my day knew how to serve the public. And if he’s actually related to either of you, I’ll go out and buy a hat, just to eat it.”

Celestia turned pink and sighed. “When Luna was… lost, and you vanished. I had nopony. So… I turned to one of my Guards at the time. Noble Blood.”

“I think I remember him,” Aspect said. “Used to guard the throneroom, was skilled with the spear?”

“Very skilled,” Celestia giggled and let out a wistful sigh.

“It suddenly makes sense,” the stallion said dryly. “Still, to have fallen from such noble lineage to...that.”

“As the generations went on, they remained close to me, but got more and more entitled…”

“And knowing Tia, she was far too soft to punish that out of them,” Luna scoffed. “I mean, you should have at least beheaded one of them. Worked when Father did it.”

“Lulu, just because I routinely go for the neck, doesn’t mean you get to,” Aspect said. “They’re not immortal terrors. In fact, I think we put some immortal terror into him, the way he squeaked and ran off.”

“Daddy?” Luna smiled maliciously. “We believe We have a most wonderful idea~”

“Would it involve abusing your dreamwalking skill that I gave you to torment your Nth-degree nephew?” Aspect asked. Luna’s ears drooped and she sighed.

“We still cannot do that, enough of Our strength has not returned.” She gave another forlorn sigh, before smirking. “However, remember thy pranks We used to play?”

“Oh dear,” the stallion chuckled. “Just be sure to get a crash course from Tia about modern pranking, you don’t want to pull what seems like an innocent prank and have it cross a line.”

“You mean I can’t open a gate to Tartarus and dangle him in front of it?”

“Considering who’s in there, that’s a fate I wouldn’t subject anyone to,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “By the way, when did we get a three-headed guard dog for that place?”

“Ah, you mean Fluffy?” Celestia asked as her thoughts wandered to her little puppy. “A 2000th birthday gift from Mort.”

“Ah,” the stallion said with a nod. “Speaking of, he was supposed to be here for the whole Parasprite thing to meet you at last, but we know how that turned out. Would you like me to call him?”

“We art confused,” Luna knitted her brow and tilted her head. “What manner of being is this… ‘Mort’?”

“You have to experience him to understand, but suffice it to say that like many beings, he’s like a little brother to you two,” Aspect chuckled. “I doubt that Neptune will attend, I doubt he can at this time. And I don’t think I could get a messenger to Chryssy or Gelgeth. So he’s the only one I can call. Would you like to meet him, Lulu?”

“We would like to meet Our brother!” Luna clapped her hooves and Celestia gulped. This should be interesting. Aspect closed his eyes and concentrated…

The room suddenly got a little colder. Celestia merely kept herself warm with a spell. But Luna?

This reminded her far too much of her previous abode. So much so that she started to shiver, and not from the cold.

“AH, WE MEET AT LAST,” a voice said from behind them. “I HAD BEEN WONDERING WHEN WE WOULD.”

Luna turned her head and her eyes slowly widened when she beheld Death.

Then her horn fired up and she sent a blast of magic at him.

“YOU’LL NOT TAKE MY FAMILY!!” she roared. The stallion merely raised his scythe, which absorbed the impact of the magic without so much as a scratch.

“Calm yourself, Luna Selene. I am here because father called for me. No more, no less.” Mort smiled at her. “Besides, we all know there's only one way any of us could pass, and it's currently sitting in father's room.”

Luna took a step back as Celestia sighed and tossed her father ten bits. Aspect caught it and pocketed the money before greeting his ever busy son.

“Mort, how are you these days?”

“Busy as always, but for family matters, I can put aside the job for a few hours,” the grim stallion said.

“So… he is truly Our brother?” Luna asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Much as your duty is the moon, or Celestia's is the sun, mine is death,” Mort said. “Father made me after slaying the ram Grogar, and my first duty was to see his spirit to Niflehiem, which Gelgeth guards in the icy north.”

“Grogar… Gelgeth…” Luna sighed and shook her head. “We have forgotten or missed much because of our Mistake.” She looked at Mort and bowed her head. “We art sorry for attacking you fair brother.” She lifted a hoof and smiled. “Hug?”

“It ought to be safe enough for that,” the stallion said before drawing close. “After all, you're not a mortal.”

And then Mortal Coil was subjected to his very first ‘Luna-hug’. He was glad he didn’t really need to breathe. He suspected he might not be able to during this.

“So how long do you think she’ll hug him for before she remembers we have a ball to attend?” Aspect asked Celestia.

“Speaking of,” Celestia smiled and looked at him. “You look quite dashing in a suit. And rumor has it that you’ve been spending some time with a certain earth pony mare.”

“Her house was ravaged by the Parasprites,” Aspect shrugged. “I offered to let her stay with me while the town was rebuilt. It was the least I could do. And it wasn’t like I didn’t have the space. Plus, her cooking is amazing.”

“Well, they say the way to a stallion’s heart is through his stomach,” Celestia chuckled. “So, will I get to meet this marefriend of yours? I still have to approve of her.”

“Don’t think you’re too old or too big for me to put you over my knee for being cheeky,” the stallion said with a good-natured wink.

“Hah! With that flank?” Luna cackled. “Thou wouldst need to become a dragon to accomplish such a feat.”

“Sadly, dragon isn’t one of my forms,” Aspect said. “I could always find one to do it for me. I’m sure there are plenty that would jump at the chance.”

“We are not getting a dragon to spank me!” Celestia blushed and huffed indignantly. All was silent for a moment before the context set in and she blushed up to the tips of her ears.

“Eh, I’m sure if Smaug was still around, he’d do it for a song,” Aspect said with a shrug. “I really need to get up to the Dragon territories more often. Them and the phoenixes are some of the only long-lived friends I have outside my family.”

“I will not be spanked by anypony!!” Tia almost screeched.

“Because nopony owns a paddle that big,” Luna chortled.

Then Aspect’s living room became a battlefield as the two sisters wrestled and tumbled. Biting, kicking and using some… colourful language.

“Are they always this...enthusiastic?” Mort asked.

“Are you kidding?” Aspect said. “They’re sisters. Twin sisters, but Tia is older by a few minutes. I should know, I was there for the birth. They used to be worse in the hidden valley.”

“I see,” Mort said before there was a chime. “Oh drat, I thought I put the job off for a few hours. I guess duty calls again father. I will be back whenever I can spare the time.”

“Take care out there Mort, you know I worry,” the pegasus said with a wave of a wing in the stallion’s general direction.

“Of course, father, as always.” And with that, the stallion was gone, walking through a wall like a ghost, leaving behind the bickering sisters and his father. Aspect sighed and tapped a hoof on the floor.

“Are you two quite done?” he asked. “We have a ball that we’ll have to look good for, and here you two are, mussing up each other’s looks. I swear I’m inclined to put the both of you over my knee.”

“She started it!!” Both sisters shouted and pointed at one another.

“And I’m ending it,” Aspect said as he stamped a hoof. “Now, hug and make up, or so help me, I will go human and drag you both into my lap for a spanking.”

Luna and Celestia looked at each other, before doing as he said and making it as over dramatic as possible.

“I’m so sorry dearest sister of mine!” Luna wailed, tears streaming from her eyes.

“Let’s never fight again!” Celestia responded in kind, she even threw up a wall of sparkling light behind them like in those neighponese comics.

“I give it three days,” Aspect deadpanned. “I’ll even bribe your staff to tell me when the fighting starts again. And the best part is, you won’t know until I show up to spank you.”

“Y-You wouldn’t…” Luna gasped.

The stallion just grinned at them.

“He would,” Celestia sighed as a quick spell fixed their appearance. “Well, we shall go and get ready for this party of yours. Do you have a room we could use?”

“Pick a room,” Aspect said with a wave of a wing. “My houseguests have, for the most part, left. Only Rarity remains, and that’s because she organized this ball.”

Celestia and Luna nodded, taking their leave to go and prepare for the upcoming ball. It wasn’t long before he had another guest. One in the form of a pink mare towing a large wooden cart.

“Oh dear,” the stallion said. “Pinkie, I’m not sure that’ll...fit.”

Pinkie looked back, then looked at his wall and tapped her chin thoughtfully.

“I think the kitchen might have a door for carts,” the stallion offered.

“Kitchen it is!” Pinkie cheered and went around the house. Once inside, she opened up the cart to reveal a bunch of trays, covered up, and filled with delicious food.

“Catering for your shindig,” Pinkie nodded. “I’ll start setting these up in the ballroom okay?”

“Not like I could stop it now,” the stallion said, as he’d come around to join her. “You do realize that the only reason I didn’t call it off was because you invited my daughters, yes?”

Pinkie seemed to deflate somewhat, even her mane fell limp and her very colour seemed to darken. “I’m sorry…” she said quietly. “We only wanted to surprise you. But… if we’re being a bother, then I can go…”

“And disappoint them now?” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “I would have appreciated being warned that I was going to host a party, though. And you’re cleaning up after it.”

“Okie Doki Loki!” Pinkie burst to life and continued to bounce down the hall. They reached a door to the ballroom, containing the following sign.

‘This room is off-limits to the stallion known as Balanced Aspect, and any and all forms of said stallion until further notice.’

“Well,” he said, turning around. “You go in and ask her how long that sign’s gonna be hanging up there, as I’m apparently not allowed in.”

“Cause it’s a surprise silly~” Pinkie gigged and nuzzled his cheek before disappearing through the door.

“And now we see just how easy it is to spring a surprise on me when I’m not allowed in the room,” Aspect said as he sat and waited. He really hoped he could pull the sign down soon. He wouldn’t want to have to explain it to the guests.

Eventually, Rarity exited the room, looking rather satisfied with herself. “Ahh, I do believe I have outdone myself this time. Rarity truly is a genius!”

“Rarity should have asked permission first,” Aspect snarked.

“Ahhh…” Rarity hadn’t seem him there and Pinkie didn’t warn her. “Ah, h-hello Aspect dear. Oh, that suit looks good on you.”

“Indeed, quite a fine fit, almost as though it were tailored for me,” the stallion said. “Strange, I don’t recall posing for it, or having my measurements taken…”

“O-Oh, ah… I can measure up ponies at a glance,” Rarity said, not looking him in the eye. “Special talent and all. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go get ready.” And with that, the mare took off like a flash.

“Mmhmm. Hey Pinkie?” the stallion called out.

“Yeeeees?” she sang back through the door.

“If I promise not to come in until the ball actually starts, will you get rid of the sign? I don’t need guests asking questions about it.”

“Pinkie Promise?”

Aspect tilted his head. “I don’t know that promise. I usually just swear by Yggdrasil.”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” she recited. “It’s a binding promise to a friend. Foorreevvveerrrrr!”

“Ah,” the stallion said with a nod. Surprise had liked the more...human version of that promise and insisted that it would keep them honest with one another. He went through the motions for the pink mare.

“Okie Doki Loki,” she giggled and the door opened a crack as a pink hoof reached through and pulled the sign off.

“Thank you,” he said. “Please make sure that nopony else sees it. Like I said, questions, I don’t need ‘em.”

“Gone and gone,” Pinkie nodded. “Oh, and I have cake in here, so make sure Princess Celestia doesn’t try and sneak in.”

“No promises, my daughters are wily about that sort of thing,” Aspect said. “If you have brownies, Luna will try as well.”

Pinkie was silent for a moment, before he heard the sound of some chains and something locking. “Cake and brownies? Nope, none here!”

“Pinkie,” he said. “We kind of need to be able to get in before we can be a part of the party.”

“Silly, I only locked the case with the sweets. I’ll unlock it later.”

And then his doorbell rang. He had a doorbell?

“Watch over the sweets, Private Pie. I have guests to go gather.”

“Sir yes Sir!” Pinkie saluted as the stallion headed for the door. When he opened it, his first two guests were his previous house guests. Lyra and Bon Bon were looking rather well suited so to speak.

“Heya Aspect!” Lyra waved. “Long time no see~”

“G-Good evening Aspect,” Bon Bon said, fidgeting in her dress. She didn’t dress up often and was a little embarrassed.

“It was only a few hours ago,” the stallion chuckled. “Miss me already miss Lyra?”

“Yup,” Lyra nodded as they walked in. “So tell me Aspect, what do you think?” he gave a little twirl and smiled. “Are we cute or what?”

“Quite stunning,” the stallion said with a nod. “I daresay that you wouldn’t be out of place at a more formal ball than mine.”

“Trust us, Rarity would have likely pitched a fit if we’d shown up wearing anything less,” Lyra replied with a flat stare.

“Yes, she wouldn’t be out of place in the Canterlot circle, that’s for sure,” Bon Bon agreed. “And I must say, you’re looking pretty dapper yourself.”

“Maybe he’ll wear that to your wedding?” Lyra giggled as Bon glared at her.

“This is actually the first suit I’ve ever owned,” the stallion said. “Be honest, do I look stupid in it?”

Lyra was about to open her mouth with a smart reply, but Bon Bon cut her off.

“I think you look very handsome Aspect. That’s the truth.”

“Thank you,” he said with a bow of his head. “Well, come on in and head to the ballroom. I’m sure Pinkie will let you at some of the sweets.”

“I hope so, I made some of them,” Bon Bon smiled as they headed off. It wasn’t long before a few more ponies turned up, though Aspect didn’t know half of them. Then Rainbow Dash showed up in all her glory. She took one look at Aspect and frowned.

“I knew it! Rarity made me look like an idiot didn’t she?”

“You’re more stunning than I’ve ever seen a pegasus be,” the stallion said honestly. “I honestly didn’t think you would show up to this sort of thing. I didn’t think balls were your style.”

“They’re not,” Rainbow scrunched up her face and blushed lightly. “But my friends are here, and Twilight said the Princesses would be here too…” She shook her head and puffed out her chest. “I figured showing up would at least add a cool factor to this shindig.”

“That it would,” Aspect said with a nod. “Well, I’m sure you can find the ballroom easily enough. Be sure to enjoy it for me, as I’m not allowed in just yet.”

“Hmm, I do wanna see what Rarity wanted those clouds for,” Rainbow mused as she headed towards the room. “Kay, see ya later Aspect.”

Twilight and Fluttershy were the next to arrive, followed close behind by Applejack and Rarity. Each dress they wore was more stunning than the last.

“Oh my,” Aspect said as he looked the mares over. “Each more stunning than the last. And Twilight! You remind me of my good friends the phoenixes. I suppose as long as you don’t set the ball on fire, I’ll be content to just observe.”

“Oh har har,” Twilight said dryly. “You set one kitchen on fire and—”

“Uh, Twi?” Spike asked, just wearing a simple bowtie. “I think he was just joking?”

“Oh… right, I knew that,” Twilight said quickly.

“Though that does sound interesting,” the stallion chuckled. “Anyway, I do believe Rarity could lead you all there easily. Pinkie should already be there monitoring the sweets and making sure the cake and brownies survive the night...or at least long enough for somepony else to get a bite.”

“You shall come too darling,” Rarity nodded and took the stallion's hoof. “I believe it’s time I unveiled my little surprise. Though you do have to promise me one teensy little thing first. Promise that you can remain patient?”

“I’ve remained patient for a while yet,” the stallion said with a shrug. “I can be more patient if it means getting to see this thing.”

“Hmm, as long as you keep that in mind,” Rarity nodded as she led him to the ballroom. She paused at the door and then with a dramatic sweep, the flew open and he finally got to see it. The room was opulence incarnate. The chandeliers had been polished back to a shining gold, and the whole room was trimmed with whites, golds and cream. When he looked up, a gentle illusion of the morning sky filled the ceiling, with real clouds floating lazily through the sky. They’d entered through a side door, the main one being at the top of a large staircase made of stone. Above the door was a ticking clock, a pale light behind it showed the moving gears.

“Now this,” he said appreciatively. “This is a ballroom. I could easily see a place like this in the Everfree Castle back in the day.”

“I’m glad you like it darling,” Rarity sighed with relief. “Now, I know I haven’t quite stuck to your design rule, as I just couldn’t seem to make it work. But! Then I had the most wonderous idea, which is why I asked you to be patient.”

“I helped with the sky illusions, as well as the surprise,” Twilight nodded.

“And I got the very best clouds I could,” Rainbow nodded. “They have a spell that will prevent them from producing weather as well.”

“Now that, I could easily see applications for,” Aspect said. “Especially around me. I really need to get that nullifying charm made if I ever want to touch clouds.”

The music playing in the background changed, as the large doors on the balcony opened and his daughters entered. Several ponies gave some gasps of awe, first at Celestia and her regal dress. Then Luna entered, and Aspect saw she was wearing a glamour spell, to make her look more like her true form.

“My girls,” Aspect sighed as he stared at them. “Oh, how I wish I could say that in public.”

Celestia bowed her head to a few of the guests, though Luna was a little more apprehensive of greeting anypony. They approached Aspect and Twilight, the white alicorn leaning down to nuzzle her student and her cheek may have touched Aspect’s as a result.

It was enough to put a smile on his face though. He would still have to play the game of words, to make sure nopony got any ideas, but he could deal with it for a night. “So how do you find the ball, Princess Celestia?” he asked, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

“I dare say I never expected to find such a place in Ponyville,” Celestia smiled and winked at him. “But you and your friends have certainly made for quite the impression.” She glanced upwards and nodded. “And you have come quite far in your studies Twilight. I am very impressed.”

Twilight blushed and pawed at the ground with a hoof.

“Mmm, it has certainly been tailored with a particular somepony in mind,” Luna said almost curtly as she looked at Celestia. “But tis a fine venue none the less.”

“Hmm, but if I know anything about this band of friends, it’s to always expect more,” Aspect said before looking at Twilight. He suspected something was up, clearly.

Twilight and Rarity just gave each other a knowing smile and the former whispered something to Celestia.

“Oh… oh my,” Celestia gasped and Aspect could swear he saw her blink away a tear. “I do hope that works.”

“Yeah, me too,” Twilight nodded.

“So, why don’t we go see Pinkie?” Aspect asked. “She’s guarding the sweets.”

Both Luna and Celestia’s ears perked up at that and they walked almost briskly toward the pink mare, they kinda looked like two lions about to pounce a poor gazelle…

“Perhaps we should go and save her?” Rarity suggested.

Aspect would have responded, if it wasn’t for Lyra dragging the stallion out onto the dancefloor and pulling him into a medium paced waltz.

“I get the feeling you’re trying to get revenge on me for something,” the stallion said as he kept up with her pace.

“Who, me?” Lyra chuckled as she danced. “Nope, not planning a thing. Can’t a girl dance with a handsome stallion if she wants?”

“You did spend most of your time sniping at me and growling when you thought I was putting ‘the moves’ on Bon Bon,” Aspect pointed out.

“True, and while I won’t apologise, I do have a new outlook on that. I want Bonnie to be happy,” she smiled, and then she got that twinkle in her eye, one that promised… mischief. “So… have fun~”

She pulled him into a twirl and then parted away, the stallion coming to a stop… right in front of Bon Bon.

“I’ll get her for this,” the stallion said as he did the only polite thing and offered his hoof to her for a dance. She took it nervously and then sighed.

“I am so sorry that Lyra is being… Lyra,” the mare said with a small smile.

“It’s better than she was before,” Aspect said. “Though I’m not sure I like this new, mischevious side of her.”

“You learn to live with it,” Bon Bon chuckled as she danced slowly. “This… is the first time I’ve danced with a stallion.” ‘Oh great Bon Bon,’ she mentally berated herself. ‘Just throw that out there! He already thinks you’re weird, let’s add drywood to that flame.’

“Fortunately, this isn’t the first time I’ve danced with a pony as a pony,” the stallion said. “Though it has been quite a while since I last did so.”

Bon Bon nodded as they continued their somewhat awkward dance. And when Lyra requested slower music, Aspect could see that the confectioner was going to murder the minty mare later.

“I could almost accuse her of getting some sort of sick pleasure from our discomfort,” Aspect said. “Hey, if we aim for the sweets, we can break this dance up sooner.”

“I-I guess,” Bon Bon blushed and looked away. They continued to move across the dancefloor until they reached the desserts cart. Fortunately, the song also came to an end, so they could break apart.

Unfortunately, Celestia was also at the dessert cart and smiling that mischievous smile of hers.

“I will ask Pinkie to let you at the cake if you say nothing,” Aspect said, pointing a wing at her.

“Very well,” Celestia hummed and smiled at Bon Bon before she walked off. “Have fun sweetie~”

Aspect was never expecting the Earth Pony to actually glare at the princess, before shaking her head and sighing.

“I feel like I missed something,” the pegasus said.

“It’s nothing,” Bon Bon sighed again and gave him a weak smile. “So, care to try my candy?”

“That’s what she said!” Lyra called out and Bon Bon groaned and facehooved.

“If it’s just as good as the rest of your cooking, I can’t wait,” the stallion said with a nod. “Also, I have a promise to keep, so I need to talk with Pinkie anyways.”

Bon Bon nodded and they headed towards the buffet, where Pinkie was holding Luna back with a rolled up newspaper.

“Behold the mighty newspaper,” Aspect said to Bon Bon. “Capable of fending off eight-legged horrors and princesses alike. Bow to its power!”

Bon Bon bowed her head in respect as Luna got bopped on the head again.

“But Lady Pinkie, We wish to partake in the deliciousness of the Brownies.”

“You already ate ten of them,” Pinkie warned. “Other ponies might want some.”

“Did your father not teach you about sharing, Princess Luna?” Aspect asked, still playing the game of ‘I’m totally not related to the Princesses.’

“No, he was too busy traipsing around the countryside,” she fired back.

“Such a pity,” he sighed. “One would think somepony as noble and regal as a Princess would have learned of basic manners.”

“We believe We art showing more than enough manners just remaining in a room that is more or less a shrine to the monarch of Equestria.”

The hurt in Aspect’s face was real. His wings sagged at his side, his head bowed, there was even a tear at the corner of his eyes. “Do you really think...so little of me?” he asked softly. “That I would ask for a room to be done in such a manner?”

“You certainly have not raised any complaints thus far,” Luna replied, looking away.

Bon Bon and Pinkie looked at one another. This had turned from friendly banter to something darker very quickly.

Though, fate it would seem, stepped in as the large clock on the wall started to chime. Aspect noticed it seemed to move a little faster and the room itself began to… change.

The clear blue sky was set ablaze with a brilliant sunset, before the colours darkened as the night fell. An illusion of the silvery moon and an ocean of stars filled the ceiling. The banners changed from a brilliant ivory and gold, to deep purples and blues.

Luna gasped as she put a hoof to her mouth, tears stinging her eyes as she watched the room change, paying tribute to the night itself.

“I had faith,” Aspect said as he smiled at the change. “Faith in the new Bearers that when I asked for a room that would pay tribute to both halves, they would listen. I had faith in you and your sister once. I still do.”

“I’m sorry,” Luna whispered as she looked around the room, before her gaze settled on the stallion. “I’m so, so sorry…”

“I think that when it comes to apologies, I still owe you one,” Aspect said. “For not being there. For not listening. For letting your fall happen in the first place.”

Pinkie and Bon Bon smiled and in a silent count of three, they bumped the flanks of the two ponies, pushing them together.

“I think a dad ought to at least share a dance with his daughters,” Bon Bon whispered into his ear.

“I-!” Aspect said before looking around the room. “You’ve put me in a pickle,” he groused. He could either dance with Luna and endure the questions of everypony, or deny and have to deal with a sad Luna.

He’d done that once. Never again. Her pouty face was the stuff of nightmares.

“This would be a lot easier,” he griped, “If I could simply ‘unmask’ myself, but you just know that would open a whole new barrel of problems…”

“Silly Aspey!” Pinkie giggled. “You think we didn’t plan for that too?” As if on cue, Twilight begun leading most of the ponies out of the hall, leaving behind only a few and ones that were privy to his secret. While the unicorn hated showing off her magic like Trixie had, she could at least buy them a few minutes.

In the end, Bon Bon, Rarity, Pinkie, Lyra and Celestia were the only others in the room. Pinkie and Lyra took some instruments and started playing a gentle song. One that would be easy enough for Luna and Aspect to dance to. And once the beat started, the stallion lead his daughter onto the floor in his alicorn form, a happy smile on his face.

Luna smiled as well, her first genuine one in a good long while. As they danced, she felt she still had some words to say.

“We… I’m sorry I acted like a spoiled filly,” she said quietly as she danced slowly with the stallion. “Ever since our return, we art met with nothing but reminders that ponies have forgotten me, and remember only the Nightmare. Our own hoofmaidens still cower in terror sometimes…” She sighed and lay her neck under his. “I’m sorry… I brought you and Tia so much sadness, so much disappointment.”

“Do you know,” he said as they continued to dance. “That for the first time ever since I took up the sword, I was afraid when you turned? I was afraid...that I wouldn’t be able to do my duty. I loved you even then, Lulu. I still had faith in you, that you could stop yourself.”

“But I couldn’t,” she replied. “I couldn’t stop. My anger, my pathetic jealousy, it consumed me. Even now, even when I returned, I was ready to plunge this world into darkness. Then… Twilight Sparkle and her friends saved me…”

“We owe them more than we can ever repay,” Aspect said. “They brought us together again. And I promise you, that if Canterlot ever gets to be too much, just come here. I’m making this place my home. It could be yours too if you wanted. It’s not as big as the castles...but I think it could handle three alicorns running around.”

“You say that now…” Luna chuckled then paused as her eyes widened in remembrance. “Oh, make that four alicorns.”

“Yes, I had a small chat with Yggdrasil,” Aspect said with a good-natured griping tone. “She was a successful experiment of his. I shoulda known better than to plant him over the ruins of the fountain...now he thinks he can just turn anypony into an alicorn.”

“Mmm, maybe I should ask for a sexy alicorn harem?” Luna said with a cheeky smirk.

“He’s technically promised me one. One. Or at least, he’s said he’ll try again, should I ever find the one,” the stallion said. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up for a little bit. He’s...cheekier than I remembered.”

“Hmm, well Friend Twilight might be a good bet,” Luna smirked. “Your children would be smart and powerful!”

“Let’s just say that won’t be happening for a little while,” Aspect said as the dance neared its close. “At least until she stops looking at me like a history textbook.”

“From what I've been told, she loves books,” Luna said again and wiggled her eyebrows. She suddenly ‘Eep’d’ in surprise when Celestia cut in, dancing away with her father.

“You looked like you needed rescuing,” she chuckled.

“Very much so,” Aspect sighed. “Are the both of you obsessed with my love-life?”

“Luna mostly, I just enjoy teasing you,” Celestia said rather blatantly. “Consider it revenge for the Parasprite incident. By the way, I may not be allowed within Fillydelphia’s city limits for a while…”

“I honestly thought you would remember something that ate your cake before you could,” the stallion said honestly. Celestia gasped and shot him an indignant look.

“Keep going, I’ll tell Twilight I want a report on your human form…”

“So I don’t suppose you’d be willing to do me a favor?” he asked, switching tracks with all the subtlety of a train going past.

“Subtle,” Celestia said. “Alright father, what would you like me to do? You know you only need ask.”

“I don’t suppose I could meet with this Mi Amore Cadenza that Yggdrasil experimented with, could I? If she’s a new Aspect, I should meet her.”

“You want to meet Cadence?” Celestia hummed thoughtfully. “Well, I suppose I could arrange a meeting. She’s currently delegating between us and the Griffons for a new trade route. The current one is in the path of a new dragon's nest.” She smiled and nodded her head. “I’ll do what I can.” A meeting between her and her father. And Celestia might not have mentioned anything about ‘Aspects’ to her yet…

“I miss being able to do things,” the stallion sighed. “Before, all I would have to do is announce myself to the parties involved and get them to work out some agreement. Now you’re making me settle down here and not go charging off into the fray.”

“It’s an age where the sword isn’t necessary to settle things,” Celestia said. “Stop pouting and enjoy your retirement.”

“I’m just saying, I had to do something with all that essence of Arabus. The griffons seemed like a good idea. You could use me as a diplomatic tool too, y’know.” Aspects eyes were hopeful at that. “Heck, I wouldn’t even need the sword if I were publicly unmasked…”

“We shall see,” Celestia said. “But right now, I need you here. Luna’s return has triggered a chain of events. And you’re my ace.” Celestia was holding back, a rather annoying habit she got from him.

“You do know Yggdrasil is only a short walk from here, right?” the stallion deadpanned. “He could tell me all I needed to know in an instant.”

She pulled back from him as the door opened and the ponies started to return.

“Luna and I once wielded the Elements,” she said quietly. “But they have new Bearers now. With Luna’s return… what would happen to others we bound with them?”

Aspect flashed into his pegasus guise as he stared at his daughter, wide-eyed. No. Just…

He couldn’t be returning. He was bad enough once.

“I’m merely guessing at this point,” Celestia replied. “But should he break free…” She turned and looked at Twilight and the others. “Tell me father, who would he go after first?”

“He’d stop them first,” he muttered. “He’s not stupid, he wouldn’t want to go back to his prison. So he’d stop them from being able to. Then he’d go after me again.” And here…

Aspect actually grinned. “I’m not stupid either, though,” he said. “I learned as well. Should he break free, it’ll be a lot less fun for him than he might be thinking.”

“Just as long as you remember who’s in the crossfire,” Celestia said. Her grim expression suddenly changed to a cheeky one and she glanced at Bon Bon. “Now, I believe you have a marefriend to attend to?”

He paused before replying this time. He couldn’t say any of the things he wanted to say, simply because he didn’t want to send a wrong impression to either party. So instead he huffed and pouted. “You learned far too well from me,” he muttered to Celestia.

She shrugged and noted the look on his face. “I don’t know what you mean,” she said innocently. “She’s a mare, and your friend yes? Your own mind was the one that conjured the context.” And with that, she was off to see Twilight.

“Behold my daughter, the master of the game of words and shadows,” Aspect said to Bon Bon. “Rare is ever the day I get one over on her.”

“I know what you mean,” she mumbled and looked at the solar diarch. “A-Anyway. Now that you're free again…” She held up two chocolate bon bons. “Care to share?”

“But of course,” he said as he took one. “Let’s see how sweet they are, compared to the mare that made them.”

Bon Bon turned a spectacular shade of red and stared wide-eyed as he popped the treat into his mouth…

Oh.

Sweet.

Aspects.

This chocolate. Was amazing.

It was probably amplified even more by not being able to reliably get any sweets for the past thousand years or so. It was just…

Could perfection like this exist? He was certain he’d just done a disservice to the world by removing the chocolate from it. His expression slowly morphed to reflect the state of his mind.

“Um…” Bon bon panicked and looked towards Luna, who was standing nearby. “I-I think I broke him. Is he allergic to chocolate? Oh no, what have I done!?”

Luna blinked at the mare’s panic and stepped closer as she looked at her father. Ah, she knew that look. Tia had the same look the first time she was allowed to try cake.

“Fret not dear peasant. That stallion has merely reached true enlightenment.”

Bon Bon blinked and stared at Aspect. “...wat?”

Aspect slowly rolled the treat around in his mouth, enjoying the melting chocolate and letting out soft little whimpers of pleasure. It even tasted good when it was being destroyed! What madness was this?!

Bon Bon sat back with a bemused expression, waiting for him to finish and pass his verdict. Her cooking got him to propose, so this should be interesting. In the meantime, Lyra also walked over and looked at Aspect, before looking to her friend for an explanation.

Bon Bon held up her namesake and Lyra nodded understandingly.

Eventually there was nothing left, and Aspect looked at Bon-Bon before sighing. “That’s it, food is ruined for me forever now,” he said. “There is nothing left.”

“Aww, and that was just one of my standard treats,” Bon Bon sighed. “Wait until you taste my fancier desserts.”

“It gets better?” Aspect whimpered.

Bon Bon turned and walked over to the dessert cart and pulled out a small box. She brought it over to him and opened it, revealing four biscuit-looking things.

Lyra whimpered when she saw those. “B-But Bonnie, did you bring-”

Bon Bon sighed and pointed to a second box, which the mare nabbed.

“Now,” Bon Bon said to Aspect. “Try one of these Macarons.”

Aspect gingerly picked one up in his hoof, looked at it a few times, and popped it in his mouth.

...Goers of the party would later say that if you listened hard, at that precise moment, you would have heard the sound of a stallion’s mind being blown.

“So Aspect,” Bon Bon asked with a cute blush. “Thoughts?”

“If he still has any,” Lyra said with a full mouth. “Your Macarons are weaponized sugar.”

It would take the stallion a full minute to get the treat out of his mouth, mainly because he was enjoying it too much, but once it was gone, he responded the only way he knew how.

By walking forward and kissing the chef.

Bon Bon’s entire form must have turned red. And when he broke the kiss, she promptly fainted on the spot.

“Aww, you broke Bonnie,” Lyra pouted.

“Are those treats that good?” Luna said. “Tch! And I had bits riding on Twilight.”

“Luna, I need a bigger stipend,” Aspect said. “I have to hire her as my chef now, if not outright marry the mare. There’s no way I’m going back to a life without her cooking.”

Lyra hissed at him, not unlike an angry cat.

And that was when Celestia approached. “What was that? And here I thought you wished to be independant. Sorry Lord Aspect. Request denied.”

“First of all, you know I don’t like titles applied to me,” the stallion said with a wave of one wing. “And secondly, I do believe it is a diarchy, is it not?”

“Hmm,” Luna milled the thought around in her head. “While We must admit that her cooking is outstanding, she already has employment. So while We could provide a supplement to thy stipend. The decision is hers in the end.”

“Fine by me,” Aspect said. “Heck, even if she said no, a bigger stipend would give me the means to visit her shop and buy her treats more often.” With that, Aspect held out a macaron to Luna, for her to try.

The alicorn did so… and her reaction mimicked Aspects. She looked to her sister with wide eyes.

“Sister! We must obtain this mare for ourselves!”

“For the love of me…” Celestia sighed.

Bon Bon continued to sleep happily, dreaming of sweet stallions.

“Hey!” Aspect said, going so far as to put a hoof to Luna’s chest. “Back off! Weren’t you the one who just said it was her decision?”

“That was before I discovered she can make pure ambrosia!” Luna declared as Pinkie took the moment to stuff a cupcake in Luna’s mouth. The mare moaned around the treat and sighed happily.

The other ponies present thought it might be a good time to go home now. They bid their hosts a farewell and soon left just the alicorns, a baker and her friend, and the student of the sun.

Bon Bon finally awoke and groaned. “I had the weirdest dream…” she said.

“If it involved a stallion showing you appreciation for your skills with sugar, I can tell you right now,” Aspect said as he tried to get Luna to back up, “It was not a dream. Most likely.”

Bon Bon blushed hard as Lyra glared at him. “Jerk, you totally stole Bonnie’s first kiss!”

Aspect blinked a few times before bowing profusely to the baker. “I am terribly sorry, Lady Bon Bon,” he said, his wings spread as he continued to look at the floor. “I had no intentions of committing such a terrible theft upon your person.”

Lyra suddenly got an idea and whispered to Bon Bon. The mare squeaked and blushed, as Lyra whispered to Celestia and Luna as well.

“Hmm, yes. I believe I wholeheartedly agree to that,” Celestia smirked, and Luna gave a fanged grin.

“Whatever is needed to make it up to the mare that ruined all other foodstuffs for me, I shall oblige by her wishes,” Aspect said, still not looking up.

“Balanced Aspect,” Luna said.

“You have been found guilty, of eyewitness accounts and your own admission,” Celestia continued.

“Of stealing a mare’s first kiss. A very serious crime,” Luna said grimly.

“Punishable by the most extreme methods,” Celestia said. “You are sentenced to one date with the mare known as Bon Bon.”

“I see,” Aspect said. “Does the mare in question agree with this punishment?”

“I-I…” Bon Bon blushed and fidgeted her hooves. “I’m pretty busy at the store. And, I’m kind of a plain mare, just an Earth Pony… Why would you even-”

“Because every single pony is worth the effort,” Aspect said. He’d said those words before, in much more...grim circumstances. But they applied here as well. “Every pony is special, unique, and worth the time it takes to get to know them.”

“Well…” She looked to Lyra for an answer.

The minty mare sighed and looked at Aspect. “I’ll make one thing clear,” the unicorn said. “You break Bonnies heart? I’ll tear yours out and break it in front of you. Got it.”

“I will do my very best,” the stallion said with a raised hoof. “I swear on my sword. May it crumble away if I am lying.”

“Pinkie Promise?” Bon Bon asked.

Aspect looked over at Pinkie before nodding once. “Cross my heart,” he said, “Hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye. I will do my utmost to not break your heart.”

“One date then,” Bon Bon blushed again, it seemed to be her default expression at this point. Aspect smiled and offered her a hoof to help herself up with. She took it and got to her hooves.

Celestia smiled as she looked at her father. It was nice to see him taking this big step.

Heavens know that the second he finds out she hasn’t had a date in three hundred years, he’ll try and return the favour.

“Well,” Aspect said as he looked around for the macaron box. “Today was certainly interesting.” He eventually found the box, just as Lyra plucked the last of the desserts and popped it into her mouth.

“So darling,” Rarity approached and motioned to the room. “Am I forgiven for my transgressions?”

“Long forgiven, as long as you don’t try to do it again,” the stallion said.

Rarity nodded her head and smiled. Pinkie was already zipping around the room and the ballroom was clean in mere moments as she crammed everything into her cart.

“Okie Doki loki. Aspey’s ‘Welcome to Ponyville and congrats on a pretty ballroom’ party was a success!”

“Do you throw parties for every occasion?” the stallion asked with a raised eyebrow.

“More or less,” Pinkie shrugged. “Oh! I have to plan your ‘Congrats on your first date’ party next!”

“...You’re determined,” he said eventually. “I’ll give you that much. But I don’t think everything that happens needs a party.”

“Silly Aspey, of course they don’t need a party, doesn’t mean I won’t do it. I love seeing my friend smile after all~” And with that, she hitched herself up to her cart and bounced away, singing some nonsensical song.

“Well, I believe a sleepover is in order,” Celestia nodded at the remaining mares as they moved to the living room to get more comfortable. “I’m sure my father wouldn’t mind us imposing, would you father?”

“Pick a room, any room,” Aspect said with a wave of one wing. “Except mine, I’m still getting all my stuff out of my saddlebags and set up in there.” He paused for a moment before raising a wing. “Or the basement. You don’t want to know what’s in the basement.”

“Ohh, you got a dungeon or something down there?” Rainbow chuckled and rubbed her hooves together.

“Surprise Slumber Party!!” Pinkie cheered, popping out of nowhere. And, she had a freaking cannon!

“Yipe!” Aspect said as he ducked for cover. Pinkie pulled the cord and the cannon erupted, covering the room with balloons and sleeping bags for everypony.

And somehow, the mare was now in pajamas. Aspect stopped trying to understand it just in time. He could feel his sanity starting to be worn away already.

“And to answer your question, miss Dash,” the stallion said as he turned to the chromatic pegasus. “The basement holds something incredibly dangerous. So much as somepony breathing on it could set it off and spell all sorts of doom.”

“Your laundry?” she cracked a wide smirk.

“I won’t explain any more, I just know you’re the sort to go and touch it just to try and prove me wrong,” he said with a dismissive wave.

“You’re learning quickly,” Applejack laughed before most of the mares left the room to get out of their elaborate gowns and get into sleepwear. Lyra and Bon Bon bid the stallion farewell and left for their new home. All that was left behind was Twilight Sparkle, and the mare was holding that infernal ledger again.

“Not tonight,” he said with a shake of his head. “I just want to relax and enjoy the night.”

“Aww…” Twilight pouted and sighed. “Well, alright. I learned my lesson the first time.” She sent the book away and teleported her dress off, shaking herself now that she was free of her trappings. “I’ll just wait until we play Truth or Dare~”

“How about,” Aspect said as he smiled at her, “I promise to share one story with everypony...as long as you don’t pull out that ledger of yours to try and document all the little details?”

“Done and done,” Twilight beamed and clapped her hooves. Tonight should prove as eventful as the rest of the day…

Author's Notes:

Editing this chapter was a pain, I'll tell you that much right now.

One of the images we used was missing. Oh, and I had to go around manually editing the image tags. And swapping Mort's caps for bold. It was...not fun.

But hey, I got it done, that's what counts.

So now we have a pretty pretty ballroom~

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