Dear Benjamen,

You certainly have a way with words to toy with a pony's mind like you do. When left with the question of if I would give you another chance, I thought at first I might have to spend some time thinking on it; perhaps finally deciding on addressing you with a guarded disposition until such a time that I felt you would not betray my trust again, however, I was not given such leisure. Reading over your request makes it nearly impossible for me to remain upset over something that I can, and want to believe was truly just a mistake and a cultural misunderstanding. I forgive you, Benjamen, and I will give you another chance. I also want you to know that your sentiments are not too much: We miss you back here as well.

I want to address your question about the deicidian ponies before I scribble on to more pleasant parts of life back here in Ponyville. I'm sorry, but I just did not have much time between receiving this letter and writing the response to do much research on it. I got sidetracked when the Best Young Flyer Competition arrived, and I was busy researching spells to help us all attend. There were... complications, to say the least. I did find something for you though, so I'm not completely empty-hoofed!

Before I start doing all this research for you, however, I think it's only fair that we make this a trade instead of a favor. I propose that if you get to ask me questions, it's only fair that you have to answer some of mine as well in these letters. How does that offer tempt your intellect? Is a bit of questioning about you too high of a price to exchange for the wealth of knowledge here in my library?

Alright, now for what I was able to find on the deicidians on such short notice: The word Deicidian (rather ominous word, isn't it?) doesn't come up in formal dictionaries from what I can see. What I was able to locate was just myths detailing them the same way most scary stories like to play up boogeyponies and monsters. Its said that there are many types, and that they are all deformed creatures who were once ponies that got left behind when the royalty and their closest constituents left our original homeland in search of more hospitable climates ages ago. Some rumors exist that say they prey on fillies and colts that wander into the woods alone; others state they like to feed on the blood of the living. Some even claim they live in the water of marshlands and drag their prey to drown them. Aside from old-mares'-tales and superstitions, however, there's nothing concrete I could find for you on this. Sorry about that.

In case you are interested in my offer, then it'd be my turn to get to ask you something: I want to know about where you're from. We already discussed some of the bigger things like politics and such, but I want to know some things closer to home. What was it like growing up back on Terriel? What are the family dynamics there? If there aren’t ponies living there, then what creatures do? My curiosity begs me to ask.

In personal news, the Young Flyer's Competition went really well this year. Rainbow Dash was able to take first place, due to some heroics she pulled at the last-minute, and got to spend a whole day with the Wonderbolts. That's the name of the elite flying group you were trying to think of, and no, she's still not been inducted into it yet. She's still determined to keep trying though, and is a lot closer now than she was before at least!

I had a few requests to send some things to you with this letter, mostly sentiments from the others who worry about how you're doing out there. Applejack wanted me to mention that you'd be welcome to show off those blisters and muscles at the farm sometime where she could see for herself. Rarity had a care package to send along to you in a suitcase, but I had to let her know that the courier was going to be weighed down enough with the letters as it is, and the spare clothes she wanted to send along to alleviate your “fashion disaster” just could not be sent right now. Fluttershy wanted to let you know that the tanks really like it if you rub the skin behind the plated crowns that cover their necks. (Maybe that will help you?) Pinkie was mostly concerned with asking when your birthday is supposed to be, since she never got that information while you were here, as well as how old you are. Would you mind letting me know so I can tell her?

I also had one last thought to ask you about. Since you're on the beach, maybe we could all come visit for a vacation sometime. Would that be okay with you? I'm sure everypony would enjoy the chance for a short getaway. Just let me know if you think there'd ever be a good time for us to drop by!

Yours,
Twilight Sparkle

Dear Twilight,

You want to vacation out here? Really? I suppose just hearing that it was a seaside settlement with bright and varied individuals to meet and be annoyed by might make it seem okay, but let me assure you, all of us here at Songring would call you insane or handicapped for even suggesting coming to a place like this for recreation. If you really like spending your free time scratching because of the salt left on your skin from bathing in the ocean and being crammed into a dormitory while sleeping next to all of your coworkers, then by all means come on down! We have more than enough work and headache to go around! In all seriousness however, no. I do not foresee a time in the near future that I would be able to honestly say that Songring is ready for visitors or tourists. I apologize if I upset any plans that anyone might have been making back there.

I'm quite relieved to hear that everything back in Ponyville is going alright. Things in the settlement have been rather turbulent. We had a mishap here that led to an unfortunate casualty, and it has taken some time for us to recover from the shock, myself a bit longer than others. There was fear of a food shortage that was finally dispelled, which was a load off of my shoulders. Not everything has been bad though.

I have an assistant now. Celestia sent a bright, young unicorn here to Songring by the name of Dawnstar. She is from a prestigious school in Canterlot and has been assigned an internship to learn about my position. Right now she and I are at odds with one another, but I think perhaps that matter is something I'd best discuss once it’s resolved. I cannot write an unbiased or fair description of her right now.

In regards to your offer of a mutual exchange of information, I am happy to accept your terms. As brief as my time in Ponyville was, I suppose we did not get many chances to speak privately. I don't know if the other ponies we were around would have cared as much to hear me prattle on about something that might as well be a fairy tale here. I have many more questions to ask as well, so this gives me a way to feel like I am not wasting your time with my constant queries. One that has recently come to my attention and I hope you will not mind me asking: Where do baby ponies come from exactly? The answer to that might settle my mind on quite a few quandaries.

As for your questions, that could make for a very long letter, and I just don't know if I have enough paper for it. Perhaps a brief description would sate you until we can meet for a longer discussion. Family dynamics back on Terriel are influenced heavily by location and culture. The distinct beliefs, customs, and even legislation can vary wildly between the Judicial Districts (somewhat like your provinces, but smaller). In Judicial District 7 where I am from, most would like to believe that a family exists of a working father, a caretaking mother, and between one and three well-behaved and aspiring children. Such a wish is rarely the case, however. A good example would be my own home life. I am an only child, and my biological father left home when I was rather young. Years later, my mother remarried to a man of relative wealth, a doctor, so he became my stepfather. Do ponies by chance have matrimony? If they do, then does one take the last name of the other? Mr. and Mrs. Cake lead me to think so, but maybe I am mistaking the situation. That is the way it is on Terriel, yet my mother insisted that I retain my biological father's last name. That's why I am Benjamen Prodder and not Benjamen Aledrew (perhaps her reason was just because the latter sounds terrible when put together?). Growing up there was not too different from what young ponies here must experience, without the struggle of finding a cutie mark. Instead, we decide for ourselves what we wish to be good at, and study in universities and academies to prepare ourselves for that future role. So honestly, the young life of most on Terriel is one of education, while those less fortunate spend their youth on the streets learning the trade of urban survival. I am afraid that I just cannot relate to that side of life on Terriel, so forgive my briefness in describing it.

As we discussed, there are no ponies on Terriel, only horses, which are not intelligent creatures like you. That does not mean humans are the only intelligent life. The closest to your species would be the Equinyr, which are bipedal humanoids with fur and long, bestial faces like that of a horse. Lepolines are rather small creatures (usually only three feet in height at the tallest) that share similarities with the Equinyr, except they seem to more closely resemble rabbits or felines depending on their gender (males typically have long and floppy ears, while females have long tails). Hemodostans might be the largest folk on Terriel, standing as tall as eight feet or so at times. They have dark red skin, and often very imposing musculature. Lufae are rather common in Judicial District 7, more so than most of the others that I just mentioned. They are much like humans, but of a shorter stature, and have peculiar eyecolors with slit pupils. They have very fine, clear hair all over their body that makes them feel silky to the touch, and they also have long tails with a tuft of hair at the very end. The only other two that come to mind are the Aguayan and the Archimedimite, the first of which are creatures of the same relative size as Lepolines but with more humanoid features, except for a lack of color in their eyes and skin (this gives them the characteristic of changing color when they are frightened or upset to camouflage themselves). The latter are people that resemble owls. In truth, they have nothing in common with them except for feathers, but their faces are commonly thought to be owl-like even though the "beak" that is seen on their face is not a mouth or a nose: It is a large tooth located between the eyes. They do not have wings, but a webbing of feather-covered skin connects from their waist to the end of their arms and allows the lighter of the species to glide. Hopefully that can suffice to give you an idea of the species I am familiar with back on Terriel.

On the thought of my birthday and age, I'm afraid that I cannot answer the first. I have had a very difficult time trying to understand the differences in timekeeping here in Equestria as compared to back home on Terriel, so I do not understand your calendar at all. I know of no way to translate what I know to be my birthday into a date you might recognize; however, I think I have deduced that a single year here is only half the length of a year back on Terriel, so by your own standards I am 36, or 18 where I am from. How does that relate to pony years? I suppose the best example is that my age is the starting point for individuals in Judicial District 7 to be considered adults, as they can then join active military service and consume alcohol (and other controlled substances). Perhaps that will help you translate my age.

Please let everyone know that I am still thinking of them. As I had feared, I have run out of spare paper to use for this letter and cannot send them all personalized messages at this time. I must close now and go get prepared to host a party for one of the settlers, so I will eagerly await your next letter when the courier arrives.

Yours Busily,
Benjamen Prodder