The house that I had been provided was both opulent and simple. It was somewhat larger than my room at Sunny Acres, although the Imperial Suite in Virynth Atheos was still larger.

They had provided me and my entourage with one of the larger tree mansions outside of the Citadel. Miora, however, had requested her own private housing, as she claimed that she didn't want to intrude on our privacy that far. Her tree mansion was smaller than ours, but it was all hers.

The interior of our mansion, however, was nothing to sneer at, and a part of it reminded me of Twilight's treebrary.

The bottom level had a large living room area with furniture that grew out of the wooden floor. The couches and chairs were covered by plush cushions, and there was a massive fireplace to one side. There was also a kitchen, dining room, and a bathroom on the first floor. Unlike Ponies, the Deerfolk didn't seem to use outlets or plugs. Instead, the tree mansion seemed to be brimming with magic which flowed into the lamps, sconces, and into the plumbing. I wondered if they used something similar to whatever Athena used to keep my water, electricity, and staticnet running, but decided that I had more important things to worry about instead.

On the second level was a massive domed room with doors on the walls, each of which led to sizable and comfortable bedrooms. The biggest one was given to me by my Deerfolk guide who led me through the house. There were half baths in each room, but there were also two full sized baths on the walls, and in my suite there was a massive full bath. The third floor was a massive attic, but after the events of the day, I needed a long and hot bath so I could process everything I'd just learned.

I was lying in the massive bathtub, which could easily fit three to four humans. The tub itself was made of wood which had been sealed with some clear substance that kept it watertight. The faucet itself was also made of wood and covered with the same material. I watched as steam rose from the pristine hot water around me, then looked back at my phone to my contacts list. My thumb was hovering over the one that was labeled CELESTIA. It was evening by this time, and even though the sun was still up here, it had set in Equestria already. She was probably already getting ready for bed.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't notice a warm and silky smooth presence sitting next to me until a certain gray furred pony began licking my face gently and affectionately. I jumped and nearly dropped my phone into the water. "Goddamn it, Scarlet! You scared me!"

Scarlet's bright red eyes twinkled with amusement as she pressed her body against mine, nuzzling my face gently. "Sorry, babe," she said apologetically. "I couldn't get your attention." She reached up with her prehensile wings and poked my forehead. "At least the wrinkle on your forehead is gone."

My hand instinctively went to my forehead, and I realized that I must have been frowning for so long that a small headache had been forming. I took a deep breath, put my phone down on the small wooden stand next to the tub, and splashed some warm water over my face before I splashed her as well. "That's for scaring me earlier," I said.

She spluttered, then laughed softly. "I'll take my licks like a good filly," she said, then her expression became one of concern. "What's wrong, babe? Ever since you came out of that meeting, you've been silent. Even during dinner, you didn't say much."

I sighed. "I learned some interesting history from the High Lady about this world and I'm still trying to process everything I learned."

She snuggled closer, wrapping her forelegs around me and placing her head against my shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"More than anything," I admitted in a tone I realized was desperate, "but…I don't know who I can tell. I was about to contact Celestia and talk with her and Luna about it."

"While you're bathing?" Scarlet asked with what sounded like a hint of amusement. "That's kinda-" she paused, then shook her head. "No, I shouldn't be teasing you right now. I'm sorry."

"Yes, please don't," I implored her.

She nodded and snuggled up closer, wrapping her hind legs around my lower body but nothing more. "How can I help?" she asked. "I know I tease you a lot, but I want to hope that I've earned enough of your trust to be able to help shoulder your burdens."

I looked at her, and the sincerity in those cherry red eyes melted my heart. I reached up and stroked her mane lovingly. "You've earned my trust just as much as you've earned Zecora's and many others," I responded with utter sincerity. "And I can say the same in kind." I gave her a loving gaze. "I want to help shoulder your own burdens, whatever those might be. I know Zecora wants to help, too, especially since she's the Prime."

She looked at me, eyes wide, then her smile returned, broad and full of joy and what looked like relief. She leaned in and kissed me deeply and passionately. Her kiss was hungry as well and she moaned softly as my hand instinctively went to her rear, but slowly, we both pulled away, seeming to be on the same page that this was not what we should be doing at a time like this. "You've no idea how much that means to me," she replied with joy. "Hearing you say that means everything to me. There's so much I want to tell you, but right now I want to focus my attention on you. When we get back to Ponyville, I'll tell you something I should have told you long ago."

That got my attention, but I simply smiled and kissed her nose lovingly. "I'll hold you to that," I said.

"So…what were you told today?" Scarlet asked.

I was about to reply, when I paused. It was nearly time to call up Zecora and check on her. If there was anyone I trusted implicitly, it was her. Her, and the mare clinging to my naked body in the wooden tub. Plus, there was someone else I should talk to about this. "Why don't I set up a conference call with Zecora and the princesses after we get out of the bath? I'll tell you all then."

She nodded and closed her eyes as I picked up my phone. I sent off a text to Zecora, asking her if she was available for a meeting on Skype in about thirty or so minutes, then sent a Skype message to Celestia saying the same thing. I was surprised to see that the latter was online with a status that read LAPTOPS ARE FUN next to her icon, which itself was fanart of herself. Twilight was also online, with a status that read BOOKS ARE FUN, TOO. Her icon was a picture of a library. I laughed at this, then showed Scarlet what I had seen. She looked, snorted, and shook her head. "If you're not careful, you might make Celestia into a gamer."

"Nah, Luna would be the better candidate," I replied just as I got a reply from Celestia.

I'll be there when you're ready. Going to let my sister know. Brb :).

Scarlet and I exchanged looks, then burst out laughing. "Where and when the hell did she learn internet slang and how to use emojis?" Scarlet asked, snorting loudly.

"Maybe I was wrong," I laughed along with her just as Zecora replied.

I'll get on Skype in half an hour, my love.

"It's cute how she continues calling you things like 'My love' or 'Dearest' or things that are a bit more old-fashioned."

"In a few ways, I'm an old-fashioned kind of guy," I replied as I put my phone back down and slid deeper into the warm water. "At least it smells nice in here."

"It smells like a forest," Scarlet said with a shrug. "It's nice, I guess, but I smelled it for years."

I pursed my lips thoughtfully and pulled her into a hug. We rarely ever talked about her life when she lived as a homeless pony in the ruins of my now restored mansion. She snuggled closer to me, obviously still not quite over that stage of her life. She relaxed as we soaked in the tub. I turned on a playlist of songs from my phone and lightly cast what I'd dubbed the Stereo Spell. Instantly, the songs became crystal clear instead of sounding tiny from my phone speaker.

Twenty minutes later, an alarm I'd set began going off. Scarlet slowly crawled off of me, not being subtle about where she rubbed, either. She gave me a saucy grin as I flicked some water in her direction. She turned, raising her tail to flick water at me as well, giving me a plentiful view of her…assets…before wrapping one of the towels we had been provided around her waist, then another around her head. I stood, grabbed another towel, and began drying myself off before I grabbed the change of clothes I'd brought in, a gray t-shirt and dark blue sweatpants. Then, we headed to the desk in the room with five minutes to spare. Scarlet leaned in close to me as I set up the call. The phone was set up in front of us, I cast the spell that let the screen be projected above us in high quality, then made the call.

Zecora was the first to answer. From the background, she must have been sitting at the desk in our bedroom. "Hello, dearest," she said before a wry smile formed on her lips. "I see you have not taken any time in claiming your spot beside him, Scarlet."

"Hey, my boyfriend is an Alicorn," Scarlet defended, "and as such he has Alicorn sized…appetites, as it were."

"Satisfy him well," Zecora said, "because when you both get home, I'll show you my own appetite has…grown." Her eyes twinkled in anticipation.

"Noted," I chuckled as I rubbed Scarlet's mane gently.

Celestia was the next to answer the call, only, she wasn't alone. Luna was there as well. They looked like they were in Celestia's private bedchambers. Celestia spoke up first. "I see we're all calling from our bedrooms," she said with a warm smile.

"You certainly look quite cozy there, Miss Dusk," Luna added.

Scarlet inclined her head in polite reverence. "I am, your Highnesses," she said. "The Emperor here makes for quite a comfortable pillow."

"How the mighty have fallen, your Grace," Luna laughed. "An emperor, reduced to a mere pillow."

"I'll take that as a compliment," I said with a grin, then the grin faded. "Still, I'd like to discuss something serious."

The mood shifted, and everyone looked at me, or at their screens, with seriousness. "First off, if you're calling us about something that happened in Cervinia, then may I assume that it's not good news?" Celestia asked.

"I wouldn't call it that," I said with a frown. "It's more like…I learned some unexpected history from the High Lady here. The immortal High Lady."

Celestia and Luna nodded. "Like ourselves, the High Lady is what you might describe as an ascended member of the Deerfolk society," the former explained.

"I see," I replied dryly, then I cleared my throat. "I had a shorter day speaking with her than I expected, but I also learned a few things that, frankly, stunned me. Most of it being ancient history, stuff that was never mentioned in the G4 show." That caught the attention of everyone there. Everyone was focusing intently on their screens, now. When nobody spoke, I cleared my throat and pressed forward. "As it turns out, the High Lady was…involved with someone from the distant past. Someone who was crucial to early Pony history."

"Pray tell, who may that be?" Luna asked, showing how anxious she was to know much more obviously than her more practiced sister, whose face was a mask of control and calm.

"Danny Williams."

The simple answer seemed to send shockwaves of alarm through the call. Zecora's bright blue eyes widened in shock. Luna and Celestia kept their reactions more controlled, although in Luna's case, her surprise was more evident. Beside me, Scarlet's jaw was on the floor. It was Celestia who spoke first, however. "She and the young Danny had a connection of a personal nature?"

"When he was an adult, yes," I replied. "I don't know how, but I think Danny, er, Daniel I guess, spent his remaining life here as Valindra's husband. There were drawings of him as an adult in the meeting room where I met with her. He died in this world, too."

The expressive ears of all four equines drooped. Even Celestia looked saddened by that. "How did that come to pass, though?" Luna asked in a much more somber tone. "It was my understanding that the Williams siblings had a means to get back to their homeland. Over the rainbow, if that cartoon is correct."

"We don't know how correct that cartoon is," I said. "I mean, even the G4 cartoon I know has shown things that aren't quite the same. Discord being replaced by Eris and Torch being a massive abusive asshole come to mind."

Scarlet put a comforting wing around my back as she saw me tense up at the mention of both individuals who could arouse my fury. "Easy there, big boy," she said in a soothing tone.

"Your point is well taken," Celestia said, "but even so, it is upsetting to hear that Daniel may have lost his way back to his homeworld."

"At least I have a near carbon copy I can visit if I ever feel homesick," I conceded, although I knew it wouldn't be the same since Trixie's parents were still there and I considered them the only family I had left after losing my own parents and Trixie, "but it looks like Daniel was stuck here for some reason. I'm guessing it has to do with whatever cataclysm afflicted Ponyland."

"Did you hear anything more about that?" Zecora asked.

"Only that it must have been some sort of flood disaster," I explained. "The High Lady showed me snippets of Daniel's journal and told me things he had told her. And before you ask, I did get express permission from her to speak to you about this, but this must be kept secret. At least for now."

"I won't be telling a single soul, of that you can be sure," Zecora said.

"Neither will my sister or I," Celestia said.

"I'll make that unanimous," Scarlet said.

I smiled softly, giving the screen a grateful nod, then became serious again. "There's something else. Something that we kind of knew about already, but something which can be expanded upon with much more certainty. There exist, or once existed, I should say, three races on Narda."

"You use the Deerfolk name of the world?" Luna asked.

"It's as good a name as any," I said, feeling slightly irritated at being interrupted, "and Daniel used it, so perhaps it's the universal name of the world."

Luna must have sensed my irritation, because she simply nodded. "A fair point. Do continue."

"Thank you," I said. "Listen, from that first episode we all watched, the know, or could assume at least, that humans and gnomelike humanoids existed, at least in the cartoon."

"You refer to that human prince who took on the form of Scorpan and that smaller humanoid called the Moochick?" Celestia asked.

"Exactly," I replied. "I've also been doing some of my own research into G1 ever since we discovered that stone tablet. Turns out, in one episode, there was a third race of humanoids, these ones were more like elves. Humanoids with pointed ears. You know, like the elves from the movie we watched when we were coming back from the Lycan Empire?"

Everyone nodded in acknowledgment. "But surely these can't be the same types of creatures?" Luna asked. "Fair skinned, long hair, fair features."

"That I can't really say," I admitted. "The elf-like beings from the G1 cartoon looked more human, only with a set of pointed ears. Their ruler even had a human name: Prince Philip. Her sister was named Suzette. But according to what I learned, their ruler when Daniel was around was someone called Phylai. He'd sat on something called the Throne of Branches for one thousand years when he'd wrote it. According to what Daniel wrote, they're called the Elven, and they were a secretive race of beings who live in a tree called the Álvan Tree. It's apparently similar to the Cervinia Citadel." I described the Citadel in great detail for the next few minutes to a rapt audience.

When I'd finished, including an explanation on the massive boost of magic, it looked like a light bulb went off in Celestia's head. "That might explain why the High Lady has never permitted me into the Citadel or within their borders and why our meetings are always elsewhere, as few as those meetings have been."

"That's not all," I said. "You know the Earth Pony magic that Applejack now knows and is practicing? The Elven used it first and taught it to some Earth Ponies back in the day, at least according to Daniel."

"That is eye opening news," Luna said.

"Ever since Applejack showed signs of it, Luna and I have been trying to see if I could replicate said magic," Celestia said. She held up her hoof and a look of concentration formed on her brow. At first, nothing happened. Then, despite the lower resolution of the cameras on their laptop, I saw a very dim green glow surrounding Celestia's hoof. She gasped and lowered her hoof. "That's all I can accomplish based on what Applejack told Twilight about her magic."

"I have had similar results," Luna said.

"We're getting off topic, though," Zecora said, resting her folded hands across her stomach.

I got the message, then nodded. "Long story short, the Elven were forest dwellers who lived with nature, but that also made them quite hardy folk. They were expert archers, wielded swords very well, and practiced hand to hand martial arts."

"They sound like quite the species," Celestia said, "but you speak of them as if they're extinct. Did that topic come up?"

"Not quite," I said, "but it's possible that they, along with the Humans and the Dwarven, were swallowed up by whatever catastrophe occurred to Ponyland."

"Why does this sound a lot like the sinking of Beleriand in the War of Wrath against Morgoth?" Scarlet muttered.

"War of Wrath? Beleriand? Morgoth?" Luna looked intrigued and leaned forward. "Is this from one of your fictitious stories, Jethro?"

"Remind me to buy you and Celestia a copy of all things Tolkien, including The Silmarillion, sometime soon," I said. "In short, there's a book called The Silmarillion which depicts the creation of the world of Middle-Earth and its early history. The War of Wrath was a major battle, forces of good versus forces of evil. Basically, the was was so devastating that Beleriand, a part of Middle-Earth on the western front, sank beneath the waves."

"I would very much like to read this tale," Luna said, clearly intrigued.

"As would I, but we're straying from the topic," Celestia said. "You are saying that it's possible, even highly likely, that these three races you mentioned, are long gone."

"It's possible," I conceded, "but to be honest, they could very well be around somewhere. According to Daniel's journal, the Dwarven can access a place they called the Myrk. Form what I understood, it seemed as if the Myrk is some…maybe pocket dimension, other universe, or something like that. The description sounds like the mythical St. Martin's Land from that Woolpit story. I'll explain that later," I added quickly when Luna opened her mouth to speak. "Basically, it's an underground realm that only they have the magic to enter. If it is a pocket dimension or something like that, then it's possible that the Dwarven helped some survivors escape into the Myrk. Humans, Dwarven, Elven, perhaps even Ponies and other races are in there." I took a deep breath and exhaled. "Phew, that was a mouthful."

"Drink some water, dearest," Zecora encouraged.

"I'll get some," Scarlet said before I could move. She rushed over to a small dining area where a pitcher of perpetually cool water sat along with two wooden cups.

As she was pouring the water, Luna spoke up. "So there were Humans, Dwarven, and Elven races in our world at some point in the distant past," she muttered. "I wish we could have met them before they disappeared."

"I read something else of interest in the journal," I said.

"Pray tell, what is it?" Luna asked.

"The Moochick, the Dwarven man you saw in the G1 episode I showed you, said that there's a legend that many of the races may have been uplifted by the Humans, Elven, and Dwarven."

"Uplifted? You mean given sapience?" Celestia's eyes were wide.

"That's the legend," I said as Scarlet returned with our waters.

As I took a sip, the two sisters exchanged a look. I couldn't really tell what they were thinking, mostly because of the camera quality, but also because the two were experts at controlling their emotions. Zecora had her eyes closed. She wasn't asleep, that I could tell, but she was deep in thought. Her lips moved softly. Finally, she opened her eyes and shook her head. "I cannot think of any Zebra legends or myths that could corroborate this tale," she said.

"That doesn't mean there is no merit to them," Celestia said. "Still, our original homeland has been lost, and this Ponyland, wherever it has to be, is also lost. This is quite a puzzle."

I couldn't help myself. I grinned as I said, "I know a certain Pony who loves puzzles and studying."

Celestia smiled back at me, but shook her head. "She would get lost in the pursuit of answers, you know that," she reminded me.

"I know," I replied, "but what about a certain fiery stallion who is still recovering from that magic surgery you gave him to give him access to his magic completely?"

"Sunburst?" Celestia asked.

"And Starlight Glimmer," I added. "She could probably be of help."

"Yes, she very well could," Luna said, "and even perchance young Moondancer. She is just as studious as young Twilight."

"You've given us a lot to think about," Celestia said, "and I get the feeling that you've barely scratched the surface in your explanations."

"It feels that way for me, too," I acknowledged. "Knowing someone who is older than you and who knows Daniel from the time after Ponyland's destruction is a bit hard to wrap my head around."

"Not to mention there being two Spikes in history who look nearly identical and who are baby dragons during the show," Scarlet muttered.

"That is a valid point as well," Celestia said, "but the existence of an earlier Spike is a mystery for another day. As are all other mysteries." She smiled warmly at me. "You look tired. You should get some rest."

"I'll certainly try," I promised.

"My sister and I thank you for calling despite your exhaustion," Luna said with regality.

"You sound as if you've had a rough day," Celestia added. "I'm guessing you discussed other things aside from history?"

"Most of what we talked about was history," I admitted, "but tomorrow I'm going to focus only on the relationship between Aelyssia and Cervinia."

"Good luck with that," Celestia said, "and may Harmony be with you."

I almost replied with 'And also with you' but held back. "I'll definitely need it," I chuckled dryly.

After we said our goodbyes, Celestia and Luna logged off, but Zecora remained. She looked at the screen, a look of longing on her face. "Dearest, were you able to get permission from the High Lady about using that door?"

I exhaled slowly, then nodded. "Only on the caveat that we keep its usage to an hour a day and that we never leave this room," I explained. A little after the meeting had broken up, I had remembered the door fabrics and had asked the High Lady if I could use them to see my pregnant wife. Surprisingly, she knew about them and how they worked and had given me the aforementioned permission. "I'll go set it up now. Oh, just some warning before you come through. The magic on this side is much stronger, so try not to use any."

"I'm still a magic novice, so that should be no problem," Zecora said.

I rushed to my bags, pulled out the fabric, and found a wall that was blank. I put the fabric against the wall, and the door solidified. I opened the door only to be greeted by a warm and radiant smile from my wife. "Zecora…"

"Jethro…" She walked gingerly through the door, and her eyes widened as she, too, felt the wave of immense magical pressure around us. "Oh my…"

She started to stumble, but I caught her, holding her close in my arms. Scarlet came up with a cup of water for her as well. "It took us by surprise, too," she said, "but you'll adjust."

"Of that I have no doubt," Zecora said as I took the water from Scarlet and held it to Zecora's lips. She tasted it, and her eyes went wide. "This water is incredibly pure!"

"Pure and crisp," I said as I continued helping her drink until she got her bearing. "Feel better?"

"Much," Zecora said as she let go of me and looked around the room, now holding the cup of water in her hand. "Your accommodations are lovely," she said.

I looked around the room and nodded. "A place fit for an Emperor." I then turned to Scarlet and decided to get a bit of revenge. "And his concubine, of course."

Scarlet bit her lower lips and then stood on her hind legs, moving like she was some Arabian harem dancer girl before standing back on all fours. "I know what I'm ordering next," she purred as she walked up to me. "Saddle Arabian…nightwear."

"Oh my God, how horny are you?" I exclaimed, but to my surprise, at the same time, Zecora had said the same thing. I turned to her, eyes wide.

"Well, you've said it so often to her that it may as well be one of your catchphrases," Zecora teased.

"Collect the Jethro Bethridge doll from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, in stores now!" Scarlet said in a commercial voice.

I sat on the bed, my face threatening to split from the broad grin on my face. This was what I was missing. This was all I really wanted. My wife. My girlfriend. Even my friends. All of them around, teasing me, playing with me, talking, going on fun adventures. My spirits were rising swiftly, and as the two sat on opposite sides of me, I hugged them in my wings and put an arm around each of them, pulling them close. The two of them reacted instinctively, kissing my cheek, then kissing me more, Zecora first, then Scarlet in turn. "I've needed this," I admitted.

"What you need is a break," Scarlet said. "Once this business in Cervinia is over, and same with the one in the Lycan Empire, you are taking a week off."

"I wish I could afford to," I said, "but I just got myself established as the Aelyssian Emperor, and I need to show my presence there for a little while. Don't worry," I amended when I saw the worried faces of my lovers, "I'll maintain a good work-life balance."

"You'd better," Scarlet said, "because if you don't, Zecora and I are tying you to the bed and fucking you until the cows come home and then some."

"Well, maybe not that extreme, but she has a point," Zecora said soothingly as she nuzzled my cheek affectionately, her soft face instantly relaxing me as I leaned in against her. She pulled me close to her bosom and stroked my hair lovingly while Scarlet rubbed my back. "You're only one man, my love. My darling husband. My savior."

"It's been a while since you called me that last one," I chuckled.

"You saved me too," Scarlet said, "and I guarantee you that neither of us will ever forget what you did."

For a long while, the three of us lay on the bed, snuggling and listening to some nature sounds I found on YouTube. We didn't say much, just enjoyed the company we had with each other. However, fifty minutes later, an alarm I had set went off. We sat back up, and I helped Zecora to her feet. "Thank you for coming, babe," I said. "Just seeing you in person and seeing that you're alright makes me feel more at ease."

"Don't worry too much about me," she admonished me as she booped my nose, "I have access to the Ponyville Library and the staticnet. I have been studying pregnancies for humans and Zebras and Ponies just so I can be somewhat aware."

I nodded and smiled at her. "Glad to hear it," I said.

The two of us looked at each other, then we wrapped arms and wings around each other. This wasn't some chaste kiss this time. This was a full blown make out session. In the corner of my mind I heard Scarlet giggling, but I was lost in the moment.

When our hands started moving downwards, however, I knew we had to stop. I gently pulled away, and she responded in kind, albeit reluctantly. My heart was pounding and my face was hot. She was panting softly, as was I. "When I get back, we're continuing that little conversation," I promised.

"Count on that," Zecora said before she turned and headed to the door. When she passed through the threshold, she stumbled a bit, but before I could instinctively reach out to catch her, she caught herself. "Wow…that was an experience, too." She turned to me. "When you leave Cervinia, be careful."

"I will," I promised. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Zecora smiled, then turned to Scarlet. "I miss you, too, and I'm grateful you're there with him."

"It's the least I could do," Scarlet said. "See you tomorrow this same time?"

"It's a date," Zecora giggled before she turned and made her way to the bed on the other side. The other door exit was located in my mansion bedroom, after all.

As she was turning out the lights, I closed the door, getting one last look at my darling wife before I closed the door tightly, then pulled at a corner of the door. It flattened out and became a piece of heavy fabric once more. Scarlet came and silently helped me roll it back up before placing it back into my luggage. Soon, I was lying under the soft and warm blankets, Scarlet pressing her body next to me as best as she could. We lay there for a while, enjoying each other's presences. She nuzzled my face again after a while, giving it an affectionate lick before asking, "Everything will turn out okay in the end, I promise."

I looked over at her, and despite it being dark in the room, I could almost feel her reassuring emotions being pointed at me. I smiled despite knowing that she wouldn't be able to see it. "Thanks," I whispered as I kissed her.

She kissed back, then snuggled up close to me. "Goodnight,"

"Goodnight, and sleep well," I replied.

Underneath the warm covers, right there in the darkened room, the two of us fell asleep fast.

My alarm woke us up at around eight-thirty the next morning. I was the first to get up, groggy and a little bit grumpy. Scarlet stumbled out of bed, her crimson mane and tail a mess. "Mornin'," she said in a slurred and tired tone all her own.

"Sup?" I replied.

Scarlet stretched and arched her back in a very catlike way. "Damn, but those beds are comfy," she said. "Just as good as our bed back home."

"Mmhmm," I nodded as I sat on the side of the bed and blearily tried to rub sleep from my eyes. As I did so, I felt a pair of lips pressing against me. Opening my eyes, I saw that Scarlet had gotten in front of me and was kissing me. I kissed back, then the two of us separated after a few seconds.

"Nice morning breath," she teased me.

I scoffed a bit. "And yours can melt metal," I retorted.

Scarlet stuck her tongue out at me, then put a hoof to her mouth and breathed on it, sniffing immediately after. "Fuck you," she said, although I could see the amused twinkle in her eyes when she said it.

"Tonight," I promised.

That seemed to perk her right up. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Her tail swished slightly back and forth at this as the two of us went into the bathroom. We splashed water on our face, brushed our teeth, and combed our hair, although in my case, since my hair was long and moved in the breeze like Celestia's and Luna's, it took a longer time to not only comb it but tie it back so it didn't get in the way. "You should really consider cutting it a bit," Scarlet said at the end, as she had to help me with it.

"Mmhmm, maybe later," I said absently as I adjusted the clothes I'd chosen for today. It may have been considered a bit less regal than the clothes I wore the day before, but there was no mistaking the Aelyssian flare. They were also made by Rarity, so I felt it prudent to show off her skills.

As I was putting on the cloak that we had been given, Scarlet was fumbling with hers. She sighed, then looked up at me. "Jethro, do you think that today, instead of going out as I am, you could turn me into an Anthro?"

I looked at her, a bit of confusion creeping into my still sleep-addled brain. "Why?" I asked.

"I want you to not feel left out," she said.

I felt a sense of gratitude wash over me at her words. She might have been a horny mare who spouted more Earth slang and lingo than even Sunset did, but when she was sincere, I knew I could trust her to be sincere. So, without another thought, I raised my hand and cast the spell.

Too late did my tired brain remember that I was in a magically rich land. I tried to hold back, but it was too late. The magic surrounded her, and her body began to morph and change. I also saw that the magic I had cast on her was raw magic instead of the magic natural to me. Her body shifted and glowed, and I saw her beginning to change into her Anthro form. She rose into the air above the floor, and I was immediately reminded of the time when Zecora became a permanent Anthro. "Scarlet?! Are you okay?" I shouted in alarm.

"I'm fine." Her voice sounded distorted, but other than that it was calm and controlled. "It's like…there's something surging through me…"

"Just stay calm, alright!" I said not so calmly.

She chuckled. "Shouldn't you be telling yourself that?"

I swallowed hard and took in a few deep breaths. "You're right, you're right…but you're not hurting anywhere, are you?"

"It doesn't normally take this long, right?" Scarlet asked as she floated in the air, her body a pure white anthro body. I saw no features other than her glowing body's outline.

"N-No, it doesn't," I said, trying not to panic.

Scarlet then spread her arms and new wings wide. Her head looked up and she said, "Oh…wow…"

A bright cherry red light enveloped her body, causing me to turn away. Scarlet took in a sharp intake of breath, exhaled slowly. The light began to fade, then she fell onto the bed where she had floated over, eyes closed. I rushed over and checked her pulse and breathing. "Thank God she still has those," I muttered as I turned her gently over onto her back.

As I did so, she began to stir and groan, and I began taking note of a few changes to her body. The last time she had been in her Anthro form, she'd had hooves for feet. However, now, she had a pair of human-like feet like Zecora now had. She looked slightly taller than Zecora, but still shorter than I was. She was a bit more slender than Zecora, but with an amazing figure.

And there was an unmistakable cherry red glow of magic around her hands, which thankfully was quickly dissipating.

She began to stir, then opened one eye, then the other. "Scarlet?"

She groaned as she put her new hand to her head and tried sitting up, but being in an unfamiliar body, she only succeeded in moving around and getting in an unflattering position. I quickly helped her to a sitting position. "Talk about your hangovers from Hell," she groaned.

I sat her up against the headrest of the bed. "Stay right there. I'll get you some water." So saying, I poured her another cup of water, which she downed instantly.

After a few more cups, she leaned back, rubbing her forehead with her fingers. "That helped," she acknowledged, giving me a grateful smile.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I wrapped my arms around her. She did the same, clinging tightly to me. Despite her calm demeanor, she was trembling, so I enveloped her in my wins as well. "Scarlet…please tell me that you're okay?" I asked in a nervous tone.

"I'm fine," she said reassuringly into my chest, and judging from the way her body was starting to stop trembling, she meant it. "Just…let's stay like this for a while, yeah?"

"Of course," I reassured her, and the two of us sat like that for a good half hour.

My heart rate began to slow considerably, but then I began to process what had just happened. Was Scarlet just like Zecora, now? A permanent Anthro? Was she an Alicorn? She didn't have a horn, but neither did Zecora. Then again, she's a Zebra. Celestia and Luna had a horn when they were in their Anthro forms, but their temporary Anthro forms.

The tension was broken slightly when she pulled away and looked at me with those beautiful cherry red eyes. She gave me a nervous smile as she said, "Um, well, looks like you did it again." She gently flapped her now Alicorn style wings. "I'm just like you and Zecora, now."