Life of Lyra
Chapter 1
Load Full Story Next Chapter"Are we there yet?" Joyce, a rather striking bat pony mare with youngish features, completely ruined her attempt at annoying her daughter by giggling.
Lyra, said daughter of Joyce, rolled her eyes and groaned. "For the fiftieth time, almost!" She couldn't hold back her own laugh, and nor could the third young mare at her side: Pinkie Pie.
Pinkie Pie was bouncing along, pulling a wagon that was hitched up around her barrel. She looked to be in her middle teens, as did both Lyra and Joyce. The truth was their ages were much more separated.
Lyra Heartstrings once was an eighteen-year old human male, Joyce Robertson had been a thirty-four-year old human female, and Pinkie Pie was just a normal young mare. But the strangest member of their group was curled up in the wagon Pinkie pulled.
Tufts, A.K.A. Tjinimin, was the recent magical embodiment of an ancient god. He had been responsible for humanity's change into bat ponies rather than a random host of monsters. He had given the bulk of his magic ability over to a filly he considered his daughter, but that didn't change the fact that he retained some of his tricks.
Unlike the other three, Tufts now resembled nothing so much as a typical Equestrian red fox with large bat wings. He had been a flying fox on Earth, and Equestria had taken that name and transformed him to make a joke from it—one that event Tufts could laugh at.
All together, the four were approaching a low-built railway platform that sat on the edge of a huge forest and a gorge. Lyra, an aquamarine unicorn with cyan/white hair and gold-rimmed eyes, pointed a hoof at the train platform in the distance. "See!"
Thanks to the particular transformation magic that had affected them, Joyce could reach out a wing to her daughter—that appeared to be the same age as her—and ruffled her mane with the leathery appendage. "I know. But it was too much fun to poke you about it." Like most bat ponies from Thestralia, Joyce had a red ruff of fur around her neck and shoulders, mostly dark gray fur elsewhere on her body, and strikingly black mane and tail. She also had the enormous leathery wings for which her kind were named.
Pinkie Pie, aptly named for her pink hair and pink fur, pulled out a little notepad and began writing in it furiously. The page of her pad she was writing in was a simple list:
Leaving Thestralia
Leaving the farm
Leaving Stonecrop
Reaching train station
The last entry was the one Pinkie had just written in, of course, and the top of the page had a title: "List of Parties Owed." Pinkie Pie was very serious about parties (as much as she was ever serious about anything), they were her special talent after all.
Lyra's special talent was about to be put to use. On her flanks was a picture of a golden lyre, although it was a metaphor for music and stringed instruments in general—she had never actually played a harp of any kind.
When they reached the platform, and found a timetable that said it would be an hour wait for the train, Lyra immediately reached into the wagon for her acoustic guitar. Pinkie Pie and Joyce went quiet while Lyra tuned up the guitar. Her ears flicked with each string pluck, but once they all sounded right to her, she began to play.
An acoustic guitar didn't respond well to Lyra's preferred way of playing (which needed an electric bass), but she could still work the strings with both hooves well enough to coax beautiful, magical music from the instrument.
Joyce and Pinkie sat silently and listened to Lyra Heartstrings use her special talent. Each strum of her hoof caused the strings to tremble with a new chord. She stared off into the distance, not seeing the forest, the gorge, her mother, her friend, or even the flying fox she almost ironically called dad. All Lyra saw was Equestria.
A whistle cut through the song and four heads snapped around to see a locomotive hauling itself over the bridge that spanned the gorge. Lyra stilled the strings of her guitar and stood up. "I hope they have room for the wagon."
"We could always walk. It's not too far to Ponyville. We could stay there overnight and push on to Canterlot on the morning." Pinkie Pie reached for her notebook and wrote "Sleepover Party?" on a fresh page.
The train drew closer, the big locomotive giving off white puff-clouds into the air as it drew up at the station. A familiar face, to Lyra at least, stepped off the train as it drew to a stop. Stamped Mark, a unicorn stallion, smiled at the three ponies (and one flying fox). "Howdy folks. We're taking on some water here, and then we'll be off to Ponyville and Canterlot."
Pinkie Pie brightened and thrust out a hoof in welcome. "Do you have room for our wagon?"
Gently clopping his own hoof against Pinkie's, Stamped nodded. "Sure do. One bit for each of you, and two for the wagon. Bring it down to the caboose."
"Stamped Mark?" Lyra, having stowed her guitar, walked up excitedly to the stallion. "Don't you remember me? Wait! Of course you don't remember me."
Blinking in surprise, Stamped tilted his head a little to one side. "Sorry ma'am, I don't—"
"Mike! I was the strange, uh, two-legged creature. The one who visited Canterlot earlier in the year." When she still saw confusion on the stallion's face, Lyra groaned. "Lots of magic, zap zap zap, turned me into a mare. Anyway, you caught me in your magic so I wouldn't fall over."
Stamped Mark met a lot of ponies in his line of work, but very few furless bipeds who were clumsy. He slowly pulled his mouth into a smile and raised his eyebrows high. "Going to visit the Princess again?"
Lyra practically turned herself into a bobble head she nodded so much. "Yeah! She invited me to go to her school and, well, things got a little complicated,"—she gestured to herself—"back home, so I thought I'd take her up on the offer."
"And your friends?" Stamped looked to Pinkie Pie and Joyce.
"You remember the two mares I was with last time?" When Stamped nodded to her, Lyra continued. "Well, I'd like to present Pinkie Pie. Pinkie, this is Stamped Mark."
"Hi!" Pinkie bounced up and down a few times, excitement burning within.
"And this is my mom and dad." Lyra gestured first to Joyce, then Tufts. "You'll excuse how they look right now, magic…"
Joyce, not as familiar with the pony custom of hoof-bumps as Pinkie or Lyra were, reached a wing forward to shake with Stamped Mark. She watched as he focused on her wing and just stared. "Uh…" Slowly folding her wing back to her side, Joyce tried to smile despite an apparent faux pas. "Sorry. I'm a little new to having all this. I'm Joyce Robertson, and this is Tufts." She gestured to Tufts, again using her wing.
"I've sold tickets to pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies galore. I've even sold them to minotaurs, goats, and a griffon once—although he argued about price for the entire journey. But, Joyce, I've never sold one to at——"
"Bat pony," Joyce supplied.
"I've never sold a ticket to a bat pony, and I'm not going to start now. I remember your filly, and she had a letter from Princess Celestia. The Princess herself told me—when I started working on the train—that if anypony had business with her, they ride free." Stamped Mark loved the story of his first day on the job, and it warmed his heart every time he carried out Princess Celestia's command. He lifted his hoof and offered it to Joyce. "Now. How ponies normally greet is with a firm clop of the hooves."
Under the force of charm that Stamped deployed, Joyce was powerless to do anything but clop her hoof against his. "Thank you, Mr. Mark."
"My pleasure. You too, Tufts. Please board and I'll get your wagon into the caboose." Stamped used his magic to pick up the harness of the wagon and started wheeling it toward the back of the train.
Lyra's smile was wide as could be. She pranced as she walked to the carriage, and gestured within. "All aboard."
Tufts quickly leapt from the cart, spread his wings for a quick flap, and then landed on Joyce's back. "He seems nice."
All four got on the train and settled in an empty carriage. Lyra practically glued herself to the train's right-side windows. "Just wait! You're going to flip out over this. Heck, I'm going to flip out over this—again!"
"Lyra, dear, you're making less sense than usual—and that's saying something. What are we meant to flip out over?" Joyce sat across from Lyra, sitting on the seat as if it were the floor.
Giggling, Lyra almost bounced off her seat. "Ponyville!"
The train gave a shunt. The carriages shifted and, after their minor frictional disagreement with the locomotive, started to roll forward.
Despite her thoughts on her daughter's silliness, Joyce found herself gazing out the windows anyway. A huge, dark forest tried to impose its own brand of malevolence. Oddly, or perhaps simply unusually, Joyce felt a certain amount of invitation in the gloom. Her eyes pierced the darkened interior well, and all she saw was big trees.
Then, accompanied by a gasp of obvious excitement from Lyra, Joyce saw Ponyville.
A familiar voice came over the train's PA. "Ponyville station next stop." There was a little crackle, then it came again. "Next stop is Ponyville."
Joyce was used to seeing bat ponies, even earth ponies, but Ponyville was something else completely. There was a lot of earth ponies, sure, but there were pegasi zooming through the air, and unicorns making casual use of magic. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she couldn't remember to blink.
Just seeing so many ponies together, doing everyday things, made the world brighter. Joyce couldn't peel her eyes away even when the train stopped and started off again. That the train car had half filled with various ponies went completely unnoticed.
Lyra watched Joyce with delight. Her mother was just as spellbound as Lyra had been her first time here. Ponies were inherently magical and it showed when they weren't doing their darnedest to remember they were humans. Despite having lived in a town that eventually wound up completely pony, seeing these colorful ponies was an experience. "So. What did I tell you?"
"That. Was. Amazing!" Joyce rocked in place and even loosened the wings at her side as if she were going to do flappies. "They're so colorful and—" Realization dawned that she was in a train car with over a dozen such ponies.
"Mom? Wings down." Lyra reached across with her magic to gently prod at Joyce's wings.
Joyce tucked her wings down. "Sorry. It's just so much! How are there so many colors?"
Clearing her throat, Pinkie Pie let out a giggle when Joyce stared at her. "Oh come on! You've seen plenty of colorful ponies!"
"E-Excuse me?" A small voice beckoned the attention of Joyce.
She turned and looked down, only to be met with the most precious sight yet. A little pegasus colt gazed up at her with wide eyes. If Joyce had opened her mouth, she would have let out an ear-piercing screech of excitement.
"Y-Your wings look really cool!" The colt stared up at Joyce, completely ignoring everything except for the leathery wings. "Can I touch one?"
Tufts moved before anypony else could. He jumped around Joyce and walked right up to the colt. Looking at the foal with almost as much curiosity as they held, he stretched one of his own wings out. "Will this one do?"
The foal's eyes widened in delight, and seemed glued to Tufts' wing. "That's amazing? How does it work?"
Loving to show off whenever possible, Tufts reared up and started flapping his wings. "Like this!" He gave a screech of excitement at doing flappies with both wings for his audience.
The carriage was plunged into darkness as it began winding up through switchbacks, headed for the mountain-city of Canterlot. The darkness interrupted Tufts' demonstration of bat-wing-mechanics.
"How long does this go on for?" Joyce peered out the window and tried to look up. Her view was blocked by the next switchback, of course.
Seemingly an expert among their group—thanks to having made the trip once before—Lyra puffed her chest out a little. "I have no idea! Last time I came up I was so excited about seeing Ponyville that I barely even registered that there was a mountain."
Joyce just stared at her daughter for a minute before groaning. "That's it. You're getting demoted to daughter second-class. Robin's now my favorite."
Unwilling to let the joke stop there, Lyra pulled her most terrified face and tried to force out a tear or two. "But—But Mom…" She lost her poise and a giggle escaped. "Butt Mom!"
"How old are you, Lyra?"
Lyra closed her eyes and struck a proud pose—then gestured to her chest. "That is something neither of us say for certain anymore. My answer is: yes."
"You both look about sixteen. At least, that's how old Maud was when she was about that size. I think." Pinkie Pie had to squint as the train left another tunnel, but this was the last time.
Light assaulted Joyce. She stared, her slit eyes wide, as Canterlot came into view. The train was slowing while crossing a bridge, and as it turned toward the railway station, the center of the city was presented to her. "Holy moly…"
The longer she looked the more amazing the place seemed. A short glance out the windows on the opposite side revealed more of the city, but it was the right side that was afforded the best view. Above the city, perched on high, was Canterlot Castle.
Pinkie Pie was every bit as enthralled as Joyce. "Ooo!"
The train rolled into a station and drew to a halt. Unlike the world they were from, Joyce and Lyra watched as ponies sedately climbed out, deferring to each other frequently, and making public transport a lot more pleasant than it had any right to be.
"Staying longer this time?" Stamped Mark had finished clearing the rest of the train and made his way up to Lyra, Joyce, Pinkie, and Tufts.
"We hope so. My little filly here got invited to a school, and I want to learn how ponies do medicine." Joyce waited for Tufts to jump on her back before standing up. "So if everything goes well, several years."
Stamped let out a laugh. "This is Canterlot. Everything goes well here." He waved as the strangest little group of ponies he had ever met left the train.
"Excuse me!" Heavy Haul walked up to the unmistakable three ponies as they disembarked the train. "Excuse me! Stamped said this wagon was yours."
Lyra thought she had seen nearly every type of pony on her last visit, but the stallion who pulled their wagon up was huge. Brown with a green mane and tail, he had a picture of a cart on his flank that implied he had already found his special talent. "That's ours alright. Thank you!"
Heavy was used to dealing with unicorns (he lived in Canterlot after all), and he was an earth pony himself, but the third member of the little group was just as exotic as Stamped Mark had described. Furred in the most sedate colors he had ever seen, he couldn't take his eyes off Joyce's leathery wings folded at her sides. "Y-You're welcome."
Prepared to hook herself up to the cart, Pinkie Pie was stopped by Heavy Haul's inaction—he was standing still, still hooked to the wagon, and staring at Joyce. "Hi there! I'm Pinkie Pie. What's your name?" She thrust out a hoof to Heavy.
Blinking, Heavy tried to pull his attention away from Joyce. "H-H-Heavy Haul." He went back to his new favorite pastime.
Joyce was a little uncomfortable in Heavy's gaze. The object of his attention, however, became obvious when she twitched a wing in confusion. She saw his eyes lock onto her wing. Narrowing her eyes, Joyce lifted the wing, stretching it out to the side. While she watched Heavy turn his head to keep all the wing in the middle of his vision, Joyce wasn't as aware that a lot more ponies were now staring at her.
Slowly, Joyce drew her wing in and extended the other one. "Is this mind-control?"
Pinkie Pie had had enough. She stomped right up in front of Heavy. "Look. I don't know about where you're from, but on the farm we were taught it's impolite to stare." When Heavy didn't seem to take heed of her, Pinkie Pie reached up and covered his eyes.
"Excuse me!" Pinkie grabbed Heavy's head and angled it down so she could look him in the eyes. "Can you please give us our cart and stop staring at my friend? It's not nice!" Implicit in Pinkie Pie's tone was what she thought of ponies who weren't nice.
"Heavy Haul! What are you doing?" Stamped Mark clopped his way out of the train and over to the starstruck stallion. "Let the young mare have her cart and go back to unloading the other luggage."
Heavy's attention was lifting back toward Joyce. "But Mister Mark—"
"They've been invited here by Princess Celestia herself." Deploying his magic and completely interrupting Heavy, Stamped disconnected the cart from Heavy and gave him a firm shove out of the way. He then turned his attention to Pinkie Pie. "You'll be pulling?"
Nodding, Pinkie Pie smiled widely at Stamped Mark. His magic quickly (faster than Pinkie could herself) fastened the wagon to her. "Thank you!" She quickly pulled out her notepad.
Throw a party to cheer up Hhhheavy Haul (I think his name is a little silly)
"They've never seen a bat pony before." Joyce hadn't failed to notice the attention her wings had gained. She walked alongside Pinkie Pie, aware that more ponies were covertly looking at her now.
Tufts climbed up and nuzzled his way along Joyce's neck. He liked nuzzling, it was now in the approved bat-things list. "They just haven't seen one as beautiful as you." He wrapped his wings around her neck and nibbled at her left ear.
Lyra used her magic to reach up and rub Tufts' ear. "It was a little like that when I was here last time. Everypony seemed confused about me at first, so I started telling jokes and made them laugh. I think it's in the rules somewhere. You can't laugh and feel fear or distrust at the same time."
"Aww. I wish I could have seen that. Maud said you met another unicorn here." Pinkie Pie walked easily despite the heavy load of the cart—she was an earth pony, after all.
"Trixie Lulamoon. She's pretty awesome once you show her you aren't trying to challenge her." Lyra waved a hoof in a circle. "We had a lot of fun."
"That's what Maud said! She put you in a cage, but you didn't know you were supposed to stay inside. And…" Pinkie frowned a little. "I don't remember the rest."
Lyra stepped around her mom and hugged Pinkie Pie with one leg. "Don't worry, Pinkie, I'm sure we'll meet her here. She was attending Princess Celestia's school." The words and the hug combined to put a big smile back on Pinkie Pie's face, which only made Lyra smile wider.
Joyce beamed at her daughter's efforts to cheer Pinkie Pie up. She also twitched her ear a lot, thanks to Tufts' efforts. "It's not a mango, you know. You can't get fruit juice out of it."
"What about the other one?" Tufts leaned across—leaving Joyce's chewed-upon ear a little damp—and started on the right ear.
"You know, Mom, if you wanted your ears pierced, I could have done it for you." Lyra kept pace with Pinkie until they reached the huge circle in the middle of the city. Buildings were laid out in rings around them, but ahead was Canterlot Castle.
Lyra and Joyce were both spellbound by the huge castle—it was literally a fairytale. Impossible spires jutted into the air, and it was all built around a huge building. There wasn't much "castle" about it apart from the outer wall, but nopony was willing to complain about that.
Neither could speak a word as they approached—climbing the path leading to the main entrance—but the moment they reached it both began to bounce.
"Isn't it awesome? Last time I was here I had a special letter to get in and everything. Princess Celestia was amazing, and—and wow!" Lyra said.
"Is that a hedge maze?" Joyce managed two steps before a stallion cleared his voice. She turned her head to see a pure white unicorn with blue mane and tail, wearing armor, trying to get her attention. "Oh! Sorry! Uh. We're here to see Princess Celestia?"
Trying to keep his widest, nicest smile on, Zest Spiral made sure his spear was couched and at ease. "You are? I'll get somepony to escort you to the castle right away." He turned to face the little Guard-post. "Shining!"
Racing out, trying to not trip over in his new, oversize armor, Shining Armor reported to Zest Spiral. "Sir!" It was hard to keep his focus, however, with one of the strangest ponies he had ever seen nearby. His eyes kept sliding from Zest to Joyce, studying her wings.
"Shining Armor!" Zest's bellow finally got the Royal Guard's newest recruit to pay attention. "So glad you could join us. Please escort these visitors to see Princess Celestia at her earliest convenience. If they have to wait too long, and they wish it, you can show them around the grounds."
"I think I'll wait here with the cart." Pinkie Pie pulled the cart to the side, careful not to crush the perfect hedge.
Lyra walked up beside Shining Armor. "Hi. My name's Lyra Heartstrings. You can call me Lyra."
Her mood bubbling, Joyce took up Shining Armor's other flank and walked along with him. She hadn't been inundated with attention by males before, and was—for the moment—enjoying it.
"My name's Shining Armor, ma'am!" Shining stared ahead, not wanting to be caught staring at the strange 'pegasus' wings again. "Err. Lyra, I mean."
"Is there something wrong with my wings, Shining?" Joyce ruffled her wings to emphasize them. "Oh, and my name's Joyce Robertson, but Joyce is fine."
"They're really different, ma'a—Joyce. They look really big, too." Shining Armor had lost his moral struggle within. He turned his head and gaped at Joyce's wings. When she lifted and extended one, his jaw dropped further. "That's nearly triple the wingspan of a pegasus."
"I keep them folded up because of that." If Joyce had to guess, Shining Armor was a little older than her own apparent age, but not by much. "Almost like a certain bat, that loves big wings, had a wing in designing them." She jostled her head.
Tufts gave an outraged screech at the displacement. "I'll have you know I—" Lyra's gold magic clamped Tufts' mouth closed.
"Why don't you go and wait with Pinkie Pie, Tufts. I'm sure this will be boring for you." Lyra released her grip and got a little nod from Tufts.
Shining Armor watched the bat-winged fox leap into the air and fly back to the entrance. "Is he your pet?"
Screeching a laugh, Joyce covered her snout with one wing. "He'd like to believe he's my husband. The fact is: it's complicated. He—He has never let me down, at least, which is better than most who tried to claim that title."
The doors at the front of the castle had a pair of guards on them, though they were open. Shining Armor led Lyra and Joyce inside, his mind trying to process all the information the two had given him. He moved with a sure stride, however, his training ensuring his body knew what to do even while his brain wandered.
No sooner did they reach another set of inner doors than one of the two big stallions guarding them cleared his throat. "Private Shining Armor, where are you taking these guests?"
"Sir! Lyra Heartstrings and Joyce Robertson are here to see Princess Celestia, Sir!" Shining Armor practically snapped into a formal stance.
Lyra was impressed by how suddenly on-the-job Shining had become. The gawking colt she had been chatting with moments ago was now a steely-eyed, armored guardian.
"Well, don't stand there, recruit, go in and announce them." Smiling at the look of awe on Shining Armor's face, the guard winked to Lyra and Joyce.
Shining Armor slipped through a side door that led to the throne room. He couldn't help but prance a little, it wasn't every day strange ponies asked to be taken to see Princess Celestia, and he got to announce these ones!
"Announcing Lyra Heartstrings and Joyce Robertson!" Shining Armor's voice was magically amplified to be heard in both waiting room and throne room.
The huge doors opened before Joyce, and she found herself frozen in surprise. The inside of the throne room of Canterlot Castle was more pretty than opulent. There wasn't gold everywhere, but the one place it did reside was the focus of the room.
Sitting on her throne, Princess Celestia was a little surprised at what she saw. A unicorn wasn't unheard-of in Canterlot, but the strange pony beside them was. Princess Celestia noticed, however, that the strange pony seemed awestruck. "Please, come inside."
Lyra pranced forward, feeling excitement boiling up inside. She felt like she needed her guitar, she needed to make a song about Celestia. Remembering herself, she bowed her head.
Still a little surprised, Joyce stumbled more than walked (and definitely didn't match her daughter's prance) forward, and was further startled at Lyra's bowing. Realizing that it must be some part of ceremony, she dipped her own head as she reached Lyra's side.
Celestia was intrigued. She climbed off her throne and walked down the stairs on soft, velvet carpet until she was standing before the two ponies. "Please, don't keep bowing." Waiting for both ponies to lift their heads, Celestia could help but smile at the wonder both displayed. Not that Celestia wanted worship, but it was nice to know her ponies recognized her. "What can I help you with?"
Having learned the proper address after her last visit, Lyra opened her mouth to start the little speech she had put together. Something was off, and Lyra quickly realized what: Princess Celestia was looking more intently at her mother than herself. "Your Highness, you probably remember me better as a two-legged human, Mike Robertson."
All of Celestia's focus now resided on the two ponies before her. Thoughts of paperwork, of teaching her students later in the day, and even of the short time remaining before her sister returned, faded. She looked over Lyra Heartstrings with a lot more focus, even some magic, but found not a trace of the human from the previous visit in the unicorn.
Celestia turned her attention to Joyce. "You share a name with Mike. Robertson?"
"I'm Mike's—now Lyra's—mother. I don't know if you got a report on what happened in our,"—Joyce turned her head to look at Lyra, and gulped—"world, but you will probably want to know."
"Excuse me for interrupting," Princess Celestia said, "but if there is no need for haste we could better continue this over tea, if you please." Smiling as she was, and being who she was, the request wasn't a question. Celestia smiled a little more as Lyra and Joyce both bobbed their heads. "Wonderful. This way, please."
Joyce realized how authoritarian Celestia had acted. She realized the question wasn't one, and that Princess Celestia was literally the head of state in Equestria. With nothing more to do, she looked to Lyra.
Nodding to Joyce, Lyra walked after Princess Celestia.
The sound of two sets of hooves on marble followed Celestia, reassuring her that the two (likely foreign) ponies were keeping up with her. Tea, traditionally, was served to Celestia in her sun room. She guided both Joyce and Lyra in and closed the door behind them. Magical amenities afforded to the Princess of Equestria meant there was always a steaming hot pot of tea waiting.
"Please rest yourselves. How would you like your tea?" The pomp and ceremony of preparing tea appealed to Celestia—she enjoyed taking her time with things where she could afford to.
"No milk please, Your Highness, but could I have a little sugar?" Lyra's knowledge of official ceremony involving Princess Celestia began and stopped at "be courteous and call her Your Highness," but she recognized the offer of tea as something less formal than the previous room.
Celestia already liked Lyra's manners. "Of course you can. Joyce?"
"Same for me, please." Joyce slowly folded her legs under her and ruffled her wings. Unlike with the other ponies, Princess Celestia didn't stare at her wings. Then she remembered something important. "Your Highness! Sorry…"
"You can dispense with titles and honorifics while we drink. I think you know why I'd invite you in here." Using her magic, Celestia poured three cups of tea, adding sugar to all three.
When Celestia passed her a teacup, Joyce reached her wing out to take it. "Thank you, Your—" She bit down on the words now. "We came here for the same reason, but hoped your offer to Michael—Mike, Lyra—would still stand now he's—she's—a unicorn. The magic of Equestria was leaking through the portal into our own."
Lyra held her own cup in her magic, a little surprised that she and Celestia shared magic aura colors. "There's a little more to it." Shooting an apologetic glance to her mother, Lyra turned to face Celestia again. "When magic first broke through it filled patterns—one pattern was what some humans called a god.
"I-I talked to them, and they said the magic was going to do all kinds of wild things. Random." Lyra took a sip of her tea and felt it calm her down from the near panic of dancing around the truth she had promised to Tufts she would keep. "They had a choice to make, that only they could make. They took a pattern the magic was already carrying and merged it with one of the iconic creatures of Australia: bats."
Staring at her daughter, Joyce sipped at the tea as she heard the story for the first time. The tea helped keep her calm.
"And then the magic started changing us. Just little bits here and there. I came to visit just before it started on me, and I got…" Tilting her hips a little, Lyra showed off her cutie mark with a nod toward it. "I got that on the way home."
"I see. It is still leaking?" Princess Celestia had heard of worse fates, of magic twisting colts into monsters.
"The hole it came through sort of collapsed and stretched. The town we lived in, Cowwarr, merged with Stonecrop. It's like magic from both worlds works there equally. Magic launched out in a wave, changing people as it went. The god helped Dream Thunder—a former pegasus who turned into a bat pony—make a chunk of knowledge: The Knowing. Everypony who changed in that wave got her information on how to live." Lyra's hooves itched to hold an instrument, but this wasn't the time for putting on a show.
Lyra sipped more of the tea to get her past the last bit of the story. "So we came here. I want to learn how to use my magic."
"And I want to learn how to treat ponies." Her voice anything but firm, Joyce still felt conviction inside. "I'm a doctor. I want to learn how to help ponies as well as humans and animals."
Celestia's mind was splitting and fragmenting—bouncing around all the new ideas she had been given. She was confident Lyra was Mike—their manner of speech was similar enough—and was prepared to honor her deal with them, but Joyce was something different. She prepared a minor spell—Teleportation. "Of course I will honor my promise to you, Lyra Heartstrings."
A little gold token appeared on a cushion beside Lyra. She smiled, assuming it was some kind of approval mark for Celestia's school. "Thank you."
"I have a school for unicorns, I have a school for earth ponies, and I have a school for pegasi, but I don't have a school for bat ponies or doctors." Celestia raised an eyebrow—enough to quell Joyce's almost-response. "You are both ponies. You are both Equestrian ponies, now, in addition to any other allegiances."
Sipping her tea, Princess Celestia pondered her next steps. "I will pay your first year's tuition. You will make a report to me each month regarding what you have learned. If your letters are satisfactory after one year, I will continue the arrangement."
Joyce was surprised at the terms, and told herself not to look a gift… She quickly shied away from horse puns. "Thank you, Your Highness. I don't mean to sound greedy, but will that cover my living expenses?"
Letting loose a little laugh that caused both her guests to jolt in surprise, Celestia shook her head. "I'm sorry. It's easy to forget you don't know how Equestria works—both being ponies. As Equestrians you receive a small monthly stipend. Everypony in Equestria is expected to find their special talent, even if that means they can't do work to make their own bits.
"I said you are both Equestrians, so you both receive this." Celestia smiled at the confused looks on Lyra and Joyce's faces. "I'll make sure one of Lyra's first classes is economics. My system is simple: I ensure my subjects all have the time to learn what their special talents are. Both of you have your cutie marks, are their meanings clear to you?"
"Uh, music?" Lyra hoped her answer would be enough, but she didn't get the response she expected from Celestia. "Stringed instruments?"
"Those are literal interpretations. Cutie marks are usually more complicated than that." Celestia turned instead to Joyce. "Yours, I think, is a touch more literal. It's why I am giving you this chance." She set her empty cup to the side. "Was there anything else you wanted to tell me?"
"N-No. But if you need to know something about Australia, Earth, or anything, let us know." Joyce finished her own tea and passed it to Celestia. This time she caught the princess inspecting her wing. Joyce didn't hold back a chuckle as she spread her wing wide—wider than any pegasus would manage.
"This is fascinating. I take it your—patron did this so that you could fly more effectively in lower magic areas?" A burst of magic had a sheaf of paper appear before Celestia, accompanied by a quill that was already dancing across the page.
Lyra, to stop herself making a joke about Tufts just really liking wings, stuck her snout into her cup to get the last of her drink.
"Perhaps something more regular than a monthly letter would be appropriate. Would you care to set Saturday afternoons aside for a little tea party?" The wing before her, and how it attached to a pony body, was fascinating to Celestia. She might be the ruler of Equestria, but she was still a student of the world around her at heart.
Joyce was a little unsure what to say, and also a little afraid that indecision was obvious to Princess Celestia. Then something dawned on her, something prophetic: This was Celestia actually asking to learn something. Refusal would be unthinkable. "Of course."
Finishing her sketch off, Celestia returned the paper and quill to whence it came. "Wonderful. Now if you could take that token back out and show it to my guards, they will ensure you are shown where to go."
Lyra floated her cup across to Celestia, focusing to not break what she assumed to be delicate china. "When does school start?"
"Tomorrow." Pulling the door open with her magic, Celestia stood up. "Once you are settled it will all be explained."
"Thank you—again—Princess Celestia. I'll see you in…" Joyce trailed off.
"It's Sunday. I expect you to be enrolled at Canterlot Medical School by the end of the week. We'll chat next weekend." Celestia led the way from the side room, heading back up the dais to her throne. She had to school her expression, as always, lest she show just how excited she was for the coming weekend.
The moment the two strangest ponies in Equestria left her throne room, Celestia's face broke into a big smile. "It's refreshing having ponies that easy to please." She levitated a scroll and quill up and began to write—the first thing was an order to the school Joyce wished to attend, the second was an order for the Royal Guard to open a new outpost. "Assign somepony to show them around."
Hearts thudding with excitement, Lyra and Joyce started walking towards the entrance of the castle. They got within two pony-lengths of the big outer doors when Shining Armor trotted back up to their side. "I have orders direct from Princess Celestia to show you around town."
"Why are you hurrying?" Lyra, ever observant, noticed Shining Armor trying to speed their pace. "What don't you want us to—"
"Shining!"
Joyce and Lyra craned their heads in the direction of the feminine voice from above them. A flap of wings—big wings—was the next warning they got before Princess Cadance arrived. Dropping down on the opposite side of Shining Armor from Joyce and Lyra, she stood the same height as the young stallion.
"Shining Armor. Where're you going? Aren't you meant to be on duty?" Cadance folded her wings to her back.
"This is my duty today, Cady. Two new ponies in Canterlot, come to attend school. This is Lyra Heartstrings and Joyce Robert...son…" Shining trailed off, realizing his pace was no longer the pace of the group. Behind him, Cadance, Lyra, and Joyce had begun their own group.
"My name's Cadance—just Cadance. It's great to meet you, Lyra, Joyce." As she spoke, Cadance offered her hoof to her new friends. Although, for Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, the status of friendship generally ended the moment the former friend tried using her full name.
Joyce returned Cadance's hoof-bump. "It's nice to meed you, Cadance. As our escort said, my name's Joyce, and this is Lyra. We're a little new to all this, and Princess Celestia assigned Shining to show us around the city."
"'All this'?" Cadance was used to sniffing out interesting gossip. A normal pony might assume Joyce had meant Canterlot, but there was two things that made her a genuine oddity.
"Equestria. We're from another—I guess you'd call it world." Watching Cadance's look shift slightly, Joyce knew what Cadance was glancing at from the corner of her eyes. To tease her new friend, Joyce ruffled her wings a little.
Cadance dropped all semblance of propriety. "Those are real?!"
In answer, Joyce took a few quick steps, spread her wings, and leapt into the air. A fraction of a second later Cadance joined her. The absolute joy of flying took hold, and Joyce found herself challenging and being challenged by Cadance's own flight.
Lyra, having been a little in awe of seeing a second alicorn, sidled up beside Shining. "Cadance?"
Shining grunted and shoved his head as far forward as he could. "Ugh. She's nice, and a good friend, but she's going to get me in so much trouble for this!"
"Princess Cadance?" When Lyra said the title, she knew it was accurate: Shining Armor stiffened and almost stopped moving. "Or Princess Cady?"
"I thought you were new here?" Shining Armor suddenly didn't want to talk. He tried to stomp ahead.
"I am new here, but I'm not blind and deaf. She's really cute." Lyra found herself actually meaning it. She tilted her head to look up at the two cavorting mares above, and couldn't help but trace the pink-on-pink-on-pink form of Princess Cadance. When she looked back at Shining—after him going quiet—she saw her answer. "Ah, got it."
"Got what?!" Swinging his head around, Shining looked at Lyra. "What do you mean?"
Lyra gave Shining a moment to stew before her eyes widened with dawning realization. "This is what girls do to guys." Her voice trailed off, but she reached both hooves up to grab Shining Armor's neck so she could stare into his eyes. "I'm so sorry, man!"
Shining's complete panic was brought up sharply by Lyra's apology. "Wait. What?"
Walking around to stand in front of Shining Armor, Lyra looked deep into his eyes. "It's alright. I used to be a ma—it's complicated. Horse-apples, and I was going full-on gossip-girl on you."
"You don't say? Since you met with Princess Celestia, I guess I can trust you." Confused, intrigued, and a little shook up, Shining Armor shrugged his shoulders.
"Thanks. You ever get that feeling that the entire world just flipped and you don't know what's going on?" Lyra stepped to the side and offered her hoof.
"Every day." Lifting his hoof, Shining Armor met Lyra's with a good clop.
Lyra produced the token Princess Celestia had given her. "So. Let's get started. What's this thing?" She showed the token to Shining.
"That's your admittance to Princess Celestia's school." Shining Armor knew exactly what the little token was—his little sister had one, after all. "I guess we're headed there first, then?"
"I guess. So you're in the Royal Guard? That's like military?" Lyra did her best to ignore the huge shadows that passed them by, or the rushes of air.
"Well, there's a few different branches. I'm in the Royal Guard, which is Princess Celestia's personal guards, and we make sure there's no trouble in Canterlot. I joined up nearly six months ago!" His step moving to a more formal prance, Shining Armor couldn't help but show off his namesake—there was a pretty mare paying attention to him, after all.
Spotting the gates ahead, Lyra was reminded of Pinkie Pie and Tufts. "Is there room in this tour for two more?" She waved at Pinkie, who was—of course—waving at them.
"She's a friend?" The bit-coin dropped for Shining, and he realized he was about to spend the better part of the day with four pretty mares, on duty, and he got to show them around Canterlot.
Pinkie Pie wasn't waving at Lyra or Shining. She was waving at Joyce and Cadance—at the end of a flattened out dive—who were rushing up behind the two unicorns. At the exact same time, Joyce and Cadance buzzed past Lyra and Shining, causing them to duck their heads in shock.
Cadance hadn't felt this good since she got her cutie mark, her horn, and a special visit from Princess Celestia. She loved flying, and having somepony who could keep up with her made it extra special. "That. Was. Awesome!" Sparks flew from Cadance's shoes as she fanned her wings while sliding.
"Wooo!" Joyce's heart was pounding like a drum, but she didn't care. She felt alive in a way only a winged creature could. Her eyes scanned around, sharp in the bright daylight only because her pupils were narrowed down to slits. "Race you to the bottom of the ramp!"
"Private Shining Armor!" The bellow came from the guard-post. Zest Spiral poked his head out of the gate, looking from the retreating Cadance and Joyce to Shining and Lyra. "How did I know that where Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was, you'd be nearby?"
"Sir!" Shining stiffened. "Orders from Princess Celestia, Sir! I am to escort Lyra Heartstrings and Joyce Robertson in a tour of Canterlot, and see that they reach the student dormitory." He held completely still, managing not to laugh when Cadance swung back and stole Zest's helmet.
Keeping your cool when madness reigns is part of being a well-trained solider. Shining managed to see Cadance swooping in on Zest. The target of Cadance's act of rebellion, Zest Spiral, actually jumped at the removal of his headgear. Seeing Princess Cadance zoom past holding his helmet, however, calmed Zest back down—princesses happened.
"Recruit, see that you carry out your mission as quickly and efficiently as possible!" Zest Spiral's left eye was twitching, however, as he spotted the giggling Princess Cadance. "Ahem! Your Highness! I dutifully must report myself as being out of uniform. As such, it is your duty to take over gate—" He didn't even need to finish the speech before his helmet was launched back toward him.
"Spoilsport!" Cadance deployed the royal tongue at Zest. "Come on, Shiny. Let's show Joyce and her sister how to have fun!"